Abs Workout: 5-Minutes to a Flat Stomach

Abs Workout: 5-Minutes to a Flat Stomach
Do this quick circuit after cardio (or before the beach) for a swimsuit-ready stomach!

1. Crunch Chop

How to do it: Lie faceup with legs extended at 90 degrees, arms overhead, hands clasped together.Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, pull your navel into your spine and lift your head and shoulders off the floor. As you crunch up, open your legs into a straddle position and ‘chop’ your arms through your legs.
Inhale and return back to your starting position. Do as many reps as you can in a row (with good form) for one minute.
Bonus burn: This move not only works your abdominal wall, but also helps target your inner thighs.

2. Seated Bicycle Twist

How to do it: Sit with knees bent and lifted into your chest (you should be balancing on your seat). Clasp your hands behind your head.Leaning back slightly with your torso, extend your right leg out straight and turn your right shoulder towards your left knee, keeping your elbows out to the sides as you twist. Return to the center, and then go to the other side.
Do as many reps as you can in a row for one minute, alternating sides each time.
Bonus burn: You’ll be working your obliques with this move, but expect to feel the burn in your hip flexors and thighs too. More muscles worked at once means more calories burned overall!

3. Triangle Hip Press

How to do it: Lie faceup with arms by your sides, palms down, and legs extended at 90 degrees, feet flexed.Brace your abs in tight and lift your hips and lower back off the floor as high as you can. Next, slowly lower your hips down and to the right (as if you were placing them down on the bottom right corner of a triangle on the floor). Then press and lift your hips back up (aiming for the top of the ‘triangle’) and then repeat lowering to the left.
Continue alternating for as many reps as you can do with control for one minute.
Bonus burn: This move is a great way to develop functional core strength, as being able to control the motion of your hips with strong abs comes in handy for summer sports like water skiing and volleyball.

4. Corkscrew

How to do it: Lie faceup with arms by your sides, palms down. Extend legs at 90 degrees and cross your right leg on top of your left, toes pointed.Brace your abs in tight to your back and start to trace a circle with your legs, moving from the right down and around to the left. As you bring your legs in and up to complete the circle, press your arms into the floor and lift your hips, bringing your legs as high overhead as you can at the top of the circle (as shown).
Slowly lower your hips and your legs back to your starting position and then cross your left leg over your right and reverse the circle.
Do as many reps as you can with control for 1 minute, alternating legs each time.
Bonus burn: If done correctly, the corkscrew is a great move to help activate the lower part of the abdominal wall (since you have to control your leg circle with your core strength). Get even more out of it by keeping your navel drawn into your spine the entire time.

5. Three-Way Plank

How to do it: Start in an elbow plank position with palms down and abs braced in tight.Slowly turn your toes, knees, and hips to the left as you reach your left arm up to the ceiling and stack your left foot on top of your right in a side plank on your elbow. Slowly lower back to your starting plank and then repeat to the right side.
Do as many reps as you can in a row without letting your hips sag for one minute, alternating sides each time.
Bonus burn: Moving from side to side during this plank set will not only challenge multiple muscle groups, but it helps elevate your heart rate too.

The Ultimate Arms and Abs Workout

 

The Ultimate Arms and Abs Workout
Tighten and tone your entire upper half—no equipment required!

Upper-Body Makeover

How it works: Complete each set of exercises twice, moving quickly back and forth between the two moves, before moving on to the next set.

Set 1: Pushups and Planks
Set 2: Dips and Sits
Set 3: Side Press and Sweep
Set 4: Shoulder Pushup and Reclining Circle

Workout tip: There are a lot of pushups and pressing moves in this routine, so if you experience any wrist issues, try placing a folded towel under your palms or perform the move while holding onto a dumbbell—or modify in another way that works for you.

1A: Tapping Pushup

Kneel on a mat or towel on the floor. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, 'walk' your knees back behind your hips, and shift your weight forward into your arms. Keep your abs drawn in tight and lift your shins off the floor, curling your heels in towards your body and staying light on your knees by pressing your chest forward between your hands and lowering your hips towards the ground (without letting your lower back sag). Your body should form a straight line from your knees through the top of your head.Bend your elbows and lower your chest all the way to the floor (maintaining a straight spine), lightly tapping your chest on the ground at the bottom of your pushup. Press away from the floor and extend your arms, returning to your starting position. That's one rep. Do 10 pushups in a row and then move right into the plank knee twist [1B].
Form tip: Be sure to bring the midline of your chest between your thumbs, and keep it there as you raise and lower with each pushup.

1B: Plank Knee Twist

Start in a full plank position with both legs straightened behind you, feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Draw your abs in tight and bend your right knee in and across your body towards your left elbow, allowing your hips to twist. Quickly step your right foot back into plank position. Repeat with the left leg. That's one rep. Do 10 reps in a row, and then go back into your tapping pushups [1A].Form tip: Exhale and pull your belly button in towards your spine as you draw your knee across your body, and keep your arms and shoulders strong and steady.
Try to complete 2 full sets, moving quickly back and forth between the pushup and the plank, before moving on to the next pair of exercises.

2A: Single-Leg Dip

Start seated with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands just behind your hips, fingertips facing forward. Draw your abs in tight as you lift your hips up off the floor, pressing down through your hands. Lift your right leg and extend it straight up towards the ceiling. Bend your elbows and lower yourself to just above the floor. Quickly press back up. That's one rep. Complete 10 reps with your right leg lifted, 10 with the left, and then move right into your hovering sit up [2B].

Form tip: Emphasize the press up, not the drop down, on your dips. Try not to sink into your hands, but instead press up pushing with the backs of your arms to help alleviate any stress on the wrists.

2B: Hovering Sit Up

Once you finished your dips, lower your hips back to the floor, bend your knees in close to your chest, lifting both feet off the ground and balancing on your sit bones. Bring both hands together and clasped behind your head, elbows bent out to the sides. Draw your abs in tight and lean back and touch your lower back on the ground, while extending both legs out, as straight as you can, away from your body (your shoulders should remain off the floor in this extended position). Squeeze your abs in tighter, and then sit back up to your starting position, using your abdominals, not momentum, to sit all the way up. That's one rep. Do 10 reps in total and then repeat your dips [2A].Form tip: If this is too tough to do with your hands behind your head, you can try reaching your arms out towards your feet, or even placing your hands on the floor lightly behind your hips.
Try to complete 2 full sets, moving quickly back and forth between the dips and the sit ups, before moving on to the next set.

3A: Triceps Press

Lie on your right side with both legs bent and together and your left arm bent in front of your chest, left palm pressing into the floor in front of your right shoulder. Bend your right arm under your left armpit and grab the outside of your left shoulder with your right hand. Tighten your abs, and exhale, pressing away from the floor, lifting your upper body off the ground with your left arm. Bend your left elbow and lower your body back to the floor, but only until your right shoulder lightly touches the ground. Press back up. That's one rep. Do 10 reps with the left arm, 10 with the right, and then quickly move into your side plank sweep through [3B].Form tip: Don't 'rest' on the floor when you lower back down. Focus on pressing up with the back of your left arm and keep your abdominals engaged the entire time.

3B: Side Plank Sweep Through

From your triceps press position, bend your left elbow underneath your shoulder, propping your upper body up. Extend both legs out straight under your hips and cross your right leg over and slightly in front of the left, pressing the inside edge of your right foot into the floor. Extend your right arm straight up towards the ceiling and lift your body off the floor, pressing up through the left side of your body, into a side plank.Next, take your right arm and sweep it under and behind your body, reaching underneath the left side of your ribcage. As you reach through, exhale and squeeze your abdominals in tighter and allow your hips and feet to twist naturally into the movement as you reach. Then, open your right arm back up towards the ceiling, returning to your starting side plank pose. That's one rep. Try for 10 reps on the left elbow, then do 10 on the right, before going back to your triceps press [3A].

Form tip: Be sure to keep your bottom elbow directly underneath your shoulder during this move. If you feel a lot of strain in your shoulder, you may need to pull your elbow in closer to your body and focus more on lifting through the side of your torso, not your arm.
Try to complete 2 full sets, moving quickly back and forth between the triceps press and the side plank, before moving on to the next (and final) set.

4A: Shoulder Pushup

Start standing with your feet hip-width apart. Fold your body forward from your hips, bending your knees until you can reach both hands flat on the floor in front of your feet. Walk your hands out and away from your legs until your body is in an upside-down 'V' position, pressing your chest back towards your thighs, sharing your bodyweight between your arms and your legs. Extend your left leg straight up towards the ceiling. Bend both elbows and bring the top of your head closer to the mat (be sure to keep your chin into your chest so you don't strain your neck). Then, press away from the floor and straighten your arms. That's one rep. Try to do 5 with the left leg lifted, 5 with the right, before moving on to the reclining circle [4B].

Form tip: This move can be tough, so feel free to do it with both feet on the floor instead of lifting a leg. Make your shoulder pushup smaller by only slightly bending your elbows until you feel stronger and ready for more.

4B: Reclining Circle

From your shoulder pushup, quickly lower yourself down onto the ground into a seated position, knees bent and feet flat on the floor in front of you. Lean back and lower yourself onto your elbows, keeping your fingertips facing in towards your body, with your lower back lifted off the floor. Draw your abs in and lift your feet off the floor, keeping knees bent. Maintaining a 90-degree angle with your legs, trace a circle from the right around to the left. That's one rep. Make 5 circles to the right, then do 5 to the left.Form tip: Don't let the word ‚'reclining' fool you&mash;nothing about this move should be relaxing! Be sure to keep pressing away from the floor with your lower back and elbows as you make your circles, focus on your abdominals doing all the work to control your leg motion.Try to complete 2 full sets, moving quickly back and forth between the shoulder pushups and the reclining circles, and then you are finished!

Seven six-pack rules

Seven six-pack rules
These seven rules contain the essential knowledge you need to build killer abs in double-quick time

1. Don't target your abs to lose fat
In 2002 Men's Health reported it would take 250,000 crunches to burn a pound of fat, as calculated by University of Virginia scientists. They almost certainly used the statistic to make a point, but a decade later it still hasn't hit home. "I'm amazed at the number of people who think that simply doing ab exercises will make their belly disappear," says fitness coach Craig Rasmussen. "It's the least efficient way to reveal a six-pack."

2. To get lean, train your whole body
"Muscle is your body's primary fat burner," says Rasmussen. Your muscles require energy to contract, which is why you burn calories when you exercise. But resistance training, unlike running or cycling, also causes a significant amount of damage to your muscle fibres. And that's a good thing. "Your body uses energy to repair those fibres after your workout," says Rasmussen. "And a single total–body weight–training session can speed up your metabolism for up to two days afterwards."

3. Intervals only on the treadmill
"If you only have 30-40min to devote to a workout, then every second has to count," says Rasmussen. So don't waste time plodding along on the treadmill. A University of Southern Maine study found that a single set of a weight-training exercise shifts as many calories as running at an even pace for the same amount of time. So for every second you spend lifting weights, your body is expending higher amounts of energy. There's also the metabolism boost of weight training. "Resistance work has a much larger metabolic impact than long-distance running does," says Rasmussen. "Plus, your body is being given a stimulus to gain strength and build new lean tissue."

4. Do start with core exercises
"You'll achieve far better results if you perform core exercises at the beginning of your workout, when your muscles are fresh, rather than at the end," says strength coach Mike Wunsch. That's important for beginners because the core can be the limiting factor in many exercises. "Strengthen your core and this added stability will allow you to lift heavier weights than you otherwise could."

5. Don't spend hours on your core
While 5 minutes of exercise a day isn't enough to reveal your abs, it's about the right amount of time to dedicate to targeted core training. "We've found that just 2-4 sets of a few core exercises is the most effective," Rasmussen says. A 5 minute core routine prior to weight training has a side benefit, too. "By working more muscles you'll increase your total calorie burn," Rasmussen adds.

6. Abs are a whole body affair
Don't neglect a single part of your body, least of all your legs. Your lower half houses more muscle mass, so working your legs burns more energy. "If you're busy then train your entire body every other day," says Rasmussen. "That allows you to elevate your metabolism maximally all week long, even though you're working out for only three days a week."

7. Keep your body moving
"To pack as much physical work as possible into whatever time you have, you'll need to implement strategies that save time without sacrificing results, such as supersets and circuits," says Wunsch. A 2011 Spanish study found men who trained with no–rest circuits achieved the same gains as those who trained with straight sets – yet their workouts were 42% shorter.

Six-pack 101

  
Six-pack 101

Your first step to a cover-model torso is understanding the muscles that make it up

You already have a six-pack – you just can't see it yet. It's hidden under the layer of fat that you affectionately refer to as your belly. And you won't be able to enjoy this very 21st-century barometer of health until your gut is gone. In addition to the immediate aesthetic rewards, there is a long-term benefit: a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine links excess abdominal fat to a near doubling of the risk of life-threatening diseases in later life. But before you start getting down to the business of removing that blubber, here's a rundown of what actually lies beneath.

1. Rectus abdominis

This is the muscle (note the singular) that has come to define fit, in both senses of the word. It starts at your rib cage and stretches down to your pelvis. Function-wise, it's called into play whenever you bring your pelvis closer to your rib cage and vice versa – for example, when you bend over or get up from a prone position. Despite being referred to as a six- or eight-pack, it is one single muscle divided by tendons: three horizontal, one vertical. Terminology aside, ownership of one sends out the message that you're serious about your health and fitness. Which can't be a bad thing.

2. External obliques

The obliques handle side-to-side movements; swinging a racquet, bat or punch are all actions you can thank these muscles for. They hug the sides of your abs, running diagonally from your lower ribs to your hipbone, and are used when you wheel your upper and lower body or rotate your trunk. Men tend to store fat over these muscles, which can detract from the abs. So although they're not officially part of the six-pack, keeping them lean and toned is essential for a solid midriff.

3. Internal obliques

Your internal obliques are unsung heroes, quietly getting on with their job while their external relation gets all the plaudits. Starting at your pelvis and ending at the base of your ribs, they're buried beneath your external obliques and sit at right angles to them. This allows them to protect your spine, acting as shock absorbers when you twist too quickly, while also raising your diaphragm up and down – which is pretty handy if you happen to enjoy breathing.

4. Transverse abdominis 
This is the backbone of your six-pack, sitting beneath your rectus abdominis and acting as a corset that holds your stomach in and keeps your pelvis and lower back stable. It's the weight belt you're born with, protecting your spine and organs while balancing your body. Strengthening it allows you to exercise more efficiently, burn more calories and get that six-pack in less time.

Optimise your abs training

Optimise your abs training

Work your abs from every angle

Pounding your abs over and over again with the same exercises will lead only to modest gains and an increased risk of injury. “There are three types of movement which engage your abdominals – and to maximise core workouts you need to be doing all of them,” says personal trainer James King. Mix and match the following selection of exercises from all three movement types for a balanced, intense and effective core workout.

Flexion and extension

“This type of contraction is achieved through the basic sit-up or crunch. Make sure you include reverse crunches to engage the lower abs,” says King.

Crunches

Lie on your back and raise your knees to 90 degrees, so that your lower legs are parallel to the ground. Now use your abdominals to lift your shoulder blades off the ground. Then, slowly return to the starting position.
Reverse crunch

Lie down with your legs up in the air, knees slightly bent and lower back pressed into the floor. Contracting your stomach (squeeze it like you're squeezing water out of a sponge), slowly lift your hips a few inches. Keep your upper body relaxed. At the top of the movement, contract your stomach as hard as you can and hold for a few seconds while exhaling. Then inhale and slowly lower yourself back down to the floor.

King’s tip

“Perform these exercises in a slow and controlled manner. Try to take five seconds to go up and 10 seconds to go down.”

Rotation exercises

Secondly, we have rotation exercises, which work the core through (you guessed it) a twisting movement.

Medicine ball twists

Sit upright on the floor with your knees together and legs slightly bent. Lean back and take your feet off the floor so you are balancing on your backside. Hold a medicine ball in both hands in front of you with the elbows slightly bent. Twist from side to side, ensuring you are moving from your waist, not your shoulders.

Torso rotation (fixed resistance)

Make sure your legs and feet are firm and secure to the torso rotation machine. Slowly flex your abs to rotate your hips from the side to directly in front of you. Hold the position for one second and then return to the starting position.

King's tip

“Make sure you have someone check your form and posture to ensure you are working your abdominals and not your spine.”

Static contraction

The third set of movements are actually static contractions, which focus on tensing the abs, rather than any kind of flexion movement

Hanging leg lifts

Hang from a chin-up bar, tense your mid section and, keeping them straight throughout, lift your legs up slowly. You should raise your legs as high as possible. Once you reach your maximum height, pause for one second, then slowly lower your legs back to the starting position.

The plank

Lie face-down on the floor resting on your forearms, then raise your body up so you are supported by your toes and forearms. Keep your body aligned from your head to your heels.

King’s tip

“Concentrate on keeping your breathing slow and controlled in order to help you intensify the contraction.”

Three surprising ways to build a six-pack

Three surprising ways to build a six-pack

Six-pack on the side

Relentless pursuit of the hallowed six-pack means tender stomachs are part and parcel of the virtuous man’s day. It’s not only the haggard and hungover prone to a wince as desk meets midriff. But, despite what your mother might have said, just because it’s painful, that doesn’t mean it’s working. Not only will endlessly pulverising your core fail to afford your rectus abdominis time to grow, but neglecting the rest of your body will lead to injury-inducing muscle imbalances and a wonky physique. Get the balance right by using these three moves from personal trainer Christian Finn. They’ll pack muscle on your chest, back and arms – all while working your abs at the same time.

1. Overhead rope triceps extension

Focuses on Triceps

How to do it Turn your body away from the cable and position the rope over your shoulder. Hold the rope with your palms facing each other. Step forward so that the cable is taut. Keeping your elbows in the same position throughout the movement, straighten your arms. See a video demonstration here.

Sets and reps Beginner 3 sets of 8 reps

Advanced 4 sets of 6 reps

Core benefit Your abs have to work hard to keep your body stable. “Just don’t lean forward too much, or else you’ll be taking the work away from your core,” says Finn. 

2. Renegade row 

Focuses on Back and biceps

How to do it With a kettlebell or hex-shaped dumb-bell in each hand, assume a press-up position. Your legs should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Row each weight slowly to your chest. See a video demonstration here. “If you find the exercise too difficult, move your feet further apart, which serves to increase your stability,” says Finn. Alternatively, perform without any weights: simply lift up an arm and hold it straight for a few seconds before returning to the floor.

Sets and reps Beginner 1 set of 5 reps per side

Advanced 3 sets of 5 reps per side

Core benefit Just before lifting your arm off the floor, ‘brace’ your abs as hard as you can. Tighten them as if you’re about to take a punch to the stomach. “Twisting your body makes the move a lot less effective, so make sure to keep your hips facing the floor throughout the entire movement,” says Finn. 

3. Press-ups

Focuses on Chest, shoulders and triceps

How to do it Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself slowly (aim for 2-3 seconds) into the bottom position. Bend your arms at the elbows until they reach 90 degrees and your chest is just above the floor. Avoid sticking your bum in the air and make sure your body forms a straight line when viewed from the side.

Sets and reps Beginner 2 sets of 10 reps

Advanced 4 sets of 15 reps Core benefit Lifting one leg off the floor will increase the activation of the core muscles. “You can also put some stones or a bag of sand inside a rucksack and wear it on your back to make the exercise more challenging for both your core and your chest, shoulders and triceps,” says Finn

4 ways to power up your plank

 

4 ways to power up your plank

What a plank

Effectively building your abs while barely moving a muscle sounds too good to be true, but the plank does exactly that. In fact, a study at the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University recently found the plank works your core more effectively than traditional crunches – and it won’t do your back in, either. “The only problem with this awesome exercise is the ease with which it can be mastered,” says PT Neil McTeggart. Use his challenging variations to build your abs anywhere.

How to do the plank

To perform a plank, assume a press-up position – feet together, arms slightly wider than shoulder width – but have your elbows touching the floor and all your weight resting on your forearms. Your body should form a straight line and be stiff as a board from head to toe. Brace your abs as if someone’s about to sock you in the midriff. And hold for as long as you can…

1. Shoulder taps

Pop up from the plank on to your hands and into the press-up position. Now touch your left hand to your right shoulder. Return your hand to the ground and touch your right hand to you left shoulder. Sounds easy right? Try getting in as many 'taps' as you can in two minutes and see how piratical your grunts become.

Make it harder “If you hit the 100 mark try advancing to a right elbow to left knee tap followed by left elbow to right knee tap,” says McTeggart. When doing this quickly, be aware your elbow is flashing past sensitive areas – and writhing around the floor in agony is inconsistent in terms of core muscle recruitment.

2. Renegade rows

The renegade row takes the plank shape and adds resistance. Get into the press-up position, holding a dumb-bell in each hand. Lift your left hand up holding the weight and row it to your chest by moving your arm straight up and down again. As soon as the weight touches the ground, lift your right hand up and perform a row. Repeat.

Make it harder Increase the weight and throw a press-up in at the end of each row. “This will work the upper push and pull muscles of the chest and back and place added demands on the core,” says McTeggart. Try doing a static plank for 60 seconds before moving straight into the renegade row for 20 reps.

3. The side plank and Powell plank

The side plank is considerably more difficult than a normal plank. To do one, lie on your side with your forearm under your shoulder and feet together, and push your hip up off the floor. Hold for as long as you can, ensuring your body is as stiff and straight as a board at all times.

Make it harder “If you can hold a side plank for 60 seconds or more, try this cuff busting add on,” says McTeggart. The Powell raise, designed to work the muscles to the rear of the shoulder, simply adds a weight to your free hand, which you lift up until your arm is vertical while performing the side plank. Keep your body tight and arm straight as you lower the weight to the ground before performing your next repetition. Aim for 12 in total, lowering over around four secs.


4. Roll outs

Roll outs can be done with a variety of gym kit – TRX cables, ab wheels, Swiss balls and bar-bells can all be brought in to help beast your core. Try with the Swiss ball first. Start with your knees on the ground and place your elbows on a ball. Gently roll the ball away as you keep your core musculature tensed. Your back should stay tight as you move backwards and forwards. “Twelve reps later you will either die off or want to try the harder variations,” says McTeggart.

Make it harder The bar-bell roll out is executed in exactly the same way, but instead of pushing away with the elbows, you need to grip the bar-bell and allow it to spin through your hands as you perform each roll. Beginners need not apply. Aim for 12 reps. Still too easy? Slow down your tempo and/or drop the weight size to expand the range of motion.

The 60-minute six-pack circuit (Once a Week)

The 60-minute six-pack circuit (Once a Week)

For crunch-free abs, use this 60-minute, six-week, six pack routine

Bike sprint (set 1) [5 mins]
Warm-up 3 minutes, easy pace. Now sprint flat-out for 90 seconds, followed by a 30-seconds cool down. Are we sadists? Why, yes – there’s three more like this in the circuit.

Barbell front squats (set 1) [2.5 mins]
Do 10-12 reps, with 30-second rest. “Squats exercise all the abdominal muscles,” says Andy Wadsworth, author of The Complete Practical Encyclopedia of Fitness Training.

Bike sprint (set 2) [3 mins]
Go for 30 seconds at a steady pace, 90-second sprint, 30 seconds steady, 30 seconds rest. Now wheeze like Darth Vader as your lungs explode.

Treadmill interval sprints [20 mins]
Go for 5 minutes steady pace, 10 seconds sprint pace, 30 seconds recovery pace. Repeat this sprint/recovery pattern for 20 minutes.

Barbell front squats (set 2) [2.5 mins]
Do 10-12 reps for 3 sets with 30 seconds rest after each set. Now you’re really rocking.

Ball planks (set 1) [5 mins]
In a press-up position, forearms on a Swiss ball, contract your abs for 30 seconds. Do five with 30 seconds rest. Feels like an iron fist is pummelling your intestines, right?

Bike sprint (set 3) [3 mins]
Do 30 seconds steady pace, 90-second sprint, 30 seconds steady pace, 30 seconds rest. Now you’re stripping away some serious fat.

Split-stance cable chop [10.5 mins]
Do three sets of 8-10 reps on each side, 30 seconds rest in between. To accentuate your abs, you need to strengthen the muscles surrounding your core and lower back.

Bike sprint (set 4) [3 mins]
Your final set. 30 seconds steady pace, 90-second sprint,30 seconds steady, 30 seconds rest.

Ball planks (set 2) [5.5 mins]
Press-up position, forearms on a Swiss ball, contract your abs for 30 seconds, five times, with 30 seconds rest in between.

12-Week Beach Body Programme: Week 5: training

12-Week Beach Body Programme:

Week 5: training

By this stage you should have improved your strength levels and perfected your healthy eating plan. You’re well on your way to a beach body, but now it’s time to take your metabolism to the next level. The next few weeks will focus on high repetitions of full body exercises. Your workouts will be shorter but with higher intensity.

Good luck!

Instructions

Rest 20 seconds between each set of core exercises, and 30-45 seconds between all other sets. Click on each exercise for a video demonstration of how to perform it.

Monday

Push session: full-body and core

Lunge single-arm press 3 sets x 12 reps (each side)

Dumbbell chest press 3 sets x 20 reps

Renegade press-ups 3 sets x 8 reps (each side)

Kettlebell swings 3 sets x 25 reps

Core exercise Elbow to knee plank 3 sets x 15 reps (each side)

Tuesday

Conditioning

5-minute warm-up jog

30-second all-out sprint followed by 15 seconds walking. Repeat 10 times

5-minute cool-down jog

Wednesday

Hardcore 15-minute abs session

Perform Dan's 'Triple Core Blast #2' comprising:

• TVA crunches x 20 reps

• Jackknife crunches x 12 reps

• Core squat thrust x 30 reps

Peform all three exercises in a circuit without rest. Rest 60 seconds after each circuit. Aim to complete three circuits in total.

Thursday

Pull session: full-body and core

Kettlebell squat press 3 sets x 20 reps

Inverted rows 3 sets x 20 reps

Dumbbell squat arm curl 3 sets x 20 reps

Pull-ups (machine assisted, if necessary) 3 sets x 6-8 reps

Core exercise Russian twists 2 sets x 25 reps (each side)

Core exercise Plank 2 sets x 90-second hold

Friday

Conditioning

Burpees 2 sets x 20 reps

After the burpees run a 1km time trial. Anything under five minutes is good; under four minutes is fantastic. Follow with a 5-minute cool-down jog

Weekend

Rest and recovery

12-Week Beach Body Programme: Week 4: training

12-Week Beach Body Programme: 

Week 4: training

Forget marathons or five-a-side football, the best way to get very fit very fast is high intensity training (HIT): high-rep sets of intense exercises that tax your entire body. The first session of this week is a HIT strength and fitness test. Perform all the exercises in a row without rest. Good luck!

Instructions

For your second weights session of the week, take 20 seconds rest between sets of core exercises and 30 seconds rest between all other sets.

Click on each exercise for Daniel’s demonstration of how to perform it.

Monday

Full-body strength and fitness test
Complete all reps without rest. Don’t worry if it takes you a long time – and break up the reps whichever way you like. If you can, repeat the circuit after a rest period of about three minutes. Let us know how you get on in the 'Post Your Comment' box below – Dan’s time of 04:34 is the marker to beat!

Kettlebell swings 50 reps
Press-ups 50 reps
Dumbbell squats 50 reps
Inverted rows 50 reps
Russian twists 25 reps (each side)

Tuesday

Conditioning
5-minute warm-up jog
20 seconds all-out sprint, 20 seconds walk. Repeat 15 times.
5-minute cool-down jog

Wednesday

Rest

Thursday

Full-body and core session
Deep squats (body weight) 3 sets x 20 reps
Lunge single-arm press 3 sets x 12 reps (each side)
Renegade press-ups 3 sets x 6 reps (each side)
Kettlebell burpee squat press 3 sets x 10 reps

Core exercise Walk out burpees 3 sets x 10 reps

Friday

Conditioning
Shuttle runs on your local football pitch or any 100 metre stretch in your nearest park

After a 5-minute warm-up jog, start by sprinting 100 metres as fast as you can. Then jog at a relaxed pace back to the start position. Now sprint 90 metres before jogging back to the start. Then 80 metres. Then 70. And so on until you finish with a 10-metre dash and puff your way slowly back to the start position.

Rest for a few minutes. Then do another set. Aim to complete 3-5 sets in total. Finish up with a 5-minute cool-down jog

Weekend

Rest and recovery

12-Week Beach Body Programme: Week 3: training

12-Week Beach Body Programme: 

Week 3: training

You’ve probably noticed by now the lack of long cardio sessions in this programme. They aren’t there because too much cardio slows your metabolism. Recent studies have shown you can get all the fitness benefits of long steady state cardio through high intensity interval sessions. Yes, they hurt – but that’s because they work. Don’t start slacking now…
Instructions

Rest 20 seconds between each set of core exercises, and 60 seconds between all other sets.

Click on each move for a video demonstration of how to perform it.


Monday

Push session: full-body and core
Dumbbell incline chest press 3 sets x 10 reps
Close-grip press-ups 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Standing single arm shoulder press 3 sets x 10 reps (each side)
Kettlebell swings 3 sets x 30 reps

Core exercise Single leg jackknife crunches 2 sets x 20 reps (each side)

Tuesday

Conditioning
Five-minute warm-up jog. Ten minutes alternating between 30 seconds all-out sprint, 30 seconds jog. Warm down with a five-minute jog.

Wednesday

Rest

Thursday

Pull session: full body and core
Dumbbell squats 3 sets x 15 reps
Dumbbell side lunges with arm curl 3 sets x 10 reps (each side)
3 point kneeling row 3 sets x 10 reps (each side)
Inverted row 3 sets x 8-12 reps

Core exercise Side plank 3 sets x 30-second hold each side

Friday

Intensive metabolism-boosting conditioning session
This session is best done in the fresh air. It won’t take long, but it is very tough. This is a taste of things to come so get stuck in and see how you do! Do the following exercises in a row without rest. Take 60 seconds rest and repeat. Do three sets in total.

Perform Dan's metabolism-boosting circuit comprising:
• 20 bastards
• 20 knee-high jumps
• 20 jumping jacks
• 3 x 20 seconds sprints/20 seconds walk

12-Week Beach Body Programme : Week 2: Training

12-Week Beach Body Programme :

Week 2: Training 

Most people following this programme will have made big changes to their training and nutrition over the last week.

If you’re finding your muscles are uncomfortably sore, make sure you do some stretching post-workout. But don’t worry: if it’s hurting, it’s working.

Take a deep breath. Now, on to this week’s sessions.
Instructions

Rest 20 seconds between each set of core exercises, and 60 seconds between all other sets. Click on each move for a video demonstration of how to perform it.

Monday
Push workout: Full-body and core
Single-arm dumbbell chest press 3 sets x 12 reps (each arm)
Press-ups 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Reverse-lunge tricep kickback 3 sets x 12 reps (alternate legs)
Shoulder flys 3 sets x 10 reps
Core exercise: Plank  3 sets x 60-second hold

Tuesday
Conditioning
5-minute warm-up jog
20 squat jumps
20 burpees
60-second all-out sprint. Rest 30 seconds. Repeat 5 times
5-minute warm-down jog

Wednesday
Hardcore 15-minute abs session
Perform Dan's 'Triple Core Blast' comprising:
• TVA crunches 3 sets x 20 reps
• Mountain climbers 3 sets x 60 reps
• Reverse-crunch toe touch 3 sets x 25 reps

Thursday
Pull session: Full-body
Kettebell lunges 3 sets x 12 reps (each side)
Bent over dumbbell row 3 sets x 10 reps
Bent over dumbbell reverse fly 3 sets x 10 reps
Single-leg assisted squat 3 sets x 10 reps (each side)
Kettlebell swings 3 sets x 25 reps

Friday
Conditioning

Five-minute warm-up jog. Ten minutes alternating between 30-second all-out sprints and 30-second jogs. Warm down with a five-minute jog.

Weekend
Rest and recovery

12-Week Beach Body Programme : Week 1: Training

12-Week Beach Body Programme :
Week 1: Training

Week 1: Training

Make no mistake. Week one is tough. Week one is always tough. And workout one, especially if you’ve been out from training for a while, can be a killer. But grit your teeth and do as much as you can. Most importantly of all, don’t give up if you don’t quite manage to complete all the sets and reps.

Scribble these six golden rules on a piece of paper, stick them on your fridge, and keep to them throughout the programme. You won’t go far wrong.

Rule one Train with intensity, complete all reps and sets, and push until failure (especially with core exercises)
Rule two When you can do all reps and sets without failure, increase the weight
Rule three Don’t count calories. Good calories should be eaten in abundance
Rule four Eat every 3-4 hours
Rule five Get at least seven hours sleep a night
Rule six Cut out processed food, sugar, and refined carbs
Rule seven Keep your alcohol intake under 10 units a week

This training programme features many body weight exercises, so it is possible to perform the workouts from home, but a gym membership will make things a lot easier. As a minimum you’ll need a pull-up bar and a decent range of kettlebells and dumbbells.
Instructions

Rest 20 seconds between each set of core exercises, and 60 seconds between all other sets. Click on each move for a video demonstration of how to perform it.

Monday

Push workout: full body and core
Dumbell chest press 3 sets x 10 reps
Incline press-ups 3 sets x 15 reps
Dumbbell shoulder press 3 sets x 10 reps
Kettlebell swings 3 sets x 25 reps
Core exercise Running man crunch 2 sets to failure (aim for 15 each side minimum)

Tuesday

Conditioning session
Five-minute warm-up jog. Then 10 minutes alternating between 30-second all-out sprints, and 30 seconds jogging. Warm down with a five-minute jog.

Wednesday

Rest

Thursday

Pull session: legs and core
Dumbbell lunges 3 sets x 12 reps on each side
Inverted rows 3 sets x 10 reps
Dumbbell squat armcurls 3 sets x 10 reps
Core exercise 1 Lunge Woodchops 3 sets x 15 reps on each side
Core exercise 2 Russian twists 2 sets to failure (aim for a minimum of 40)

Friday

Conditioning session
Burpees 3 sets x 15 reps
Five minute warm-up jog. Spint up four flights of stairs, then walk down. Repeat 10 times. Finish with a five minute warm-down jog.

How to do the burpee Standing with your legs shoulder-width apart, drop down and perform a press up. On the upward phase of the press-up, start to bring your legs back towards your chest, plant your feet and explode up from this position. It’s effectively combining a squat, a press-up and a vertical jump.

(Repeat Tuesday’s cardio routine if you can’t find any suitable stairs.)

Weekend

Rest and recovery

Gerard Butler's '300' workout

Gerard Butler's '300' workout

Phenomenal stature

Sometimes a film takes off for no apparent reason. And sometimes the reason is readily apparent. Take 300, for instance. This epic account of an ancient battle between the Spartans and Persians contained the kind of eye-popping visuals and head-snapping violence that men can't get enough of.

Plenty of women, too, appreciated the parade of ripped bodies. The film made a record $70 million in its first weekend and has earned $210 million in the US since March. The release of the DVD will no doubt extend the phenomenon.

A higher standard

300 has been a sensation at Men's Health as well. With Gerard Butler on the cover of MH, you've been clamouring for tips on how to bulk up like the stars. In the US, the "300 Workout" has gone down a storm. "It looks simple on paper, but I promise you, it's a great muscle building workout," posted one reader.

Another posting noted the extreme interest generated: "I sense a new 'Brad Pitt in Fight Club' standard being born."

Brutal regime

Butler's training for 300 simultaneously built muscle, increased muscular endurance, and stripped fat fast. To achieve movie muscles that pop, he and other cast members used this gruelling, unorthodox 300-rep rite of passage.

"One actor from 300, Andrew Pleavin, completed the workout in 18 minutes,11 seconds," says Men's Health contributor Craig Ballantyne. "He didn't practice this workout...and neither did I. My time? 19:07. My butt was kicked by a Hollywood actor!"

"It's a brutal workout, starting out strong and slowing down, finishing at a crawl," explains Ballantyne. "I don't plan on doing that any time soon or, really, ever again."

The '300' workout

For a Spartan-sized challenge to your daily routine, consider this your new fitness gauntlet:

a) Pull-ups – 25 reps

b) Deadlifts with 135lbs – 50 reps

c) Push-ups – 50 reps

d) 24" box jumps – 50 reps

e) Floor wipers – 50 reps

f) Single-arm clean-and-press with 36lbs kettlebell – 50 reps

g) Pull-ups – 25 reps

All exercises are done without scheduled rest between moves. Obviously this is an advanced workout... you shouldn't do it unless you are already in great shape. Fortunately, this can all easily be adapted. Appropriate exercises can be subbed in: Drop down to 150 total reps, or 4-6 exercises of 15-25 reps each. For example, you might try this workout, great for a guy with moderate fitness:

15 body-weight rows

25 body-weight squats

15 push-ups

50 jumping jacks

20 mountain climbers

10 close grip push-ups

15 body-weight rows

Paul Walker's outdoor training regime

Paul Walker's outdoor training regime

The Hollywood star hasn't set foot in a gym for years, yet he retains his action hero physique

The obvious question: how can you look like Paul Walker? The face, unfortunately, we can't help you with. And as he doesn’t have a nutritionist or a personal trainer we can’t refer you to an eight-step workout. But he does have a program, a very effective and simple one: “My motto is, you have to do a sport every day,” he says. “Playing a little basketball, volleyball, going out surfing, skating, whatever it is. It’s the best way to live.”

Kayaking

Muscles worked shoulders, back, arms, lower back, abs

Benefit “It looks as if the paddle stroke is all arms, but the power actually comes from your torso,” says kayaker Ben Selznick, star of the movie Nurpu: Extreme Kayaking. “As a resistance exercise, paddling works both sides of your body while strengthening your core, giving better posture and tighter abs.”

Scuba diving

Muscles worked quads, hamstrings, calves, chest, abs

Benefit “You won’t break a sweat diving, but you will burn calories; your upper body will get a workout hauling the gear out of the water, and your lower body will see heavy action finning against currents,” says Travis Gainsley a PADI master diving instructor at Pro Dive USA, Fort Lauderdale, the world’s top scuba training centre. Plus, scuba is a mind-body relaxation exercise. “Underwater, there are no phones and no emails. It has a Zen aspect.”

Mountain biking

Muscles worked quads, calves, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors

Benefit “A major part of mountain biking’s appeal is that it’s a fitness sport, an exploring sport and a technical-skills sport, all in one,” says Mountain Bike Hall of Fame member John Stamstad. “Besides being a hell of a cardio workout, mountain biking improves your balance, coordination, and reaction time.”

Surfing

Muscles worked arms, shoulders, back, abs, calves, quads

Benefit “When you’re a beginner, surfing is a total cardio and upper-body workout, because you’re constantly paddling out through the waves,” says Scott Adams, a sports scientist specialising in strength training for surfing. “It’s a complete upper body aerobic workout that’ll make you incredibly fit. And once you’ve learnt to ride the waves back to shore, you’ll develop core and leg strength and balance, too.”

Snowboarding

Muscles worked hamstrings, quads, calves, abs, ankles

Benefit On the surface, boarding doesn’t seem much like a workout: ride a lift or cable car up the mountain, then slide back down. Not so says Adam Gendle, former professional snowboarder and director of snowboarding movies. “Putting in turns on the board works your legs and hips and you’ll use your abs to get back up after you wipe out.”

Seven days of training with Jason Statham

Seven days of training with Jason Statham

Carving a reputation as a Hollywood action hero in the likes of The Expendables and the Transporter franchise, 'The Stath' (pictured with girlfriend Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) needs to stay in top physical condition. MH took a seven-day snapshot of his strength-building routine so you can see how he stays at the top of his game.

 Fair Warning

This workout was not designed for you. It was structured specifically for Jason Statham at a certain point in time to account for his goals, his lifestyle, and his conditioning level. So, this is not Jason's training program, but rather a snapshot of one week in a much longer progression of training. Jason's regimen is continually manipulated in order to account for the many outside factors that can influence progress. These factors include but are not limited to nutrition, sleep quality, recovery, career demands, and physical injuries. So consider the pages that follow to be a 7-day glimpse at Jason Statham's ever-evolving workout.

Day 1

Progression to 1RM
The objective of this workout is to build pure strength in one of the most effective total-body lifts: the deadlift. To accomplish this, we have Jason work his way up to his one-repetition maximum (1RM) of the heaviest weight he can lift one time. Before he begins, though, he completes a two-part warm-up session.

Warm-up (Part 1)
Rowing. For this, Jason completes 10 minutes on the Concept 2 rowing machine (concept2.com) at a pace that is  less than 20 strokes per minute (SPM). (Jason's distance: 2274 metres).

Warm-up (Part 2)
Pyramid Circuit.
Directions: Do these three exercises as a circuit, performing one set of each in succession without resting. Use a pyramid repetition structure to the workout. Here ís how: In your first round through the circuit, do one repetition of each movement. In each subsequent round, perform an additional repetition. So you'll do two repetitions of each exercise in round 2, three repetitions in round 3, and so on. Once you've completed five rounds, continue on, but reduce the repetitions you complete each round by one. So you'll do four repetitions in round 6, three repetitions in round 7, and so on, until you've worked your way down to one repetition. At this point, your warm-up is complete

1. Pushup
2. Ring Pullups
(These are classic pullups, but Jason uses gymnastic rings instead of the bar, and performs each repetition as quickly as possible while maintain control and a full range of motion)
3. Bodyweight Squat

Workout
This involves just one exercise. Jason starts with a light weight of about 35% of the amount of his 1RM and then slowly starts adding weight and reducing repetitions. As the weight becomes closer to his 1RM which, for Jason, is more than twice his bodyweight his rest between sets increases to 3 minutes. This allows for nearly complete recovery between lifts. Remember, these are the weights that Jason uses. They should be determined based on individual ability.

Jason's Deadlift Workout

Reps: 10
Weight: 135 pounds
Rest: 1 minute

Reps: 5
Weight: 185 pounds
Rest: 2 minutes

Reps: 3
Weight: 235 pounds
Rest: 3 minutes

Reps: 2
Weight: 285 pounds
Rest: 3 minutes

Reps: 1
Weight: 325 pounds
Rest: 3 minutes

Reps: 1
Weight: 340 pounds
Rest: 3 minutes

Reps: 1
Weight: 350 pounds
Rest: 3 minutes

Reps: 1
Weight: 360 pounds
Rest: 3 minutes

Reps: 1
Weight: 365 pounds

Cool-down
10 minutes on the trampoline. Jason uses a full size 10x17 foot gymnastic trampoline for 10 minutes of freestyle aerial work.  Jason has an Olympic diving background so he's doing fairly advanced movements here.  In addition to fine-tuning motor skill the trampoline is suppose to be good for your lymphatic system and flushing toxins from your cells.

Day 2

Functional Circuit
This workout is designed to be a metabolically demanding, training the entire body with exercises that work multiple muscle groups.

Warm-up (Part 1)
Rowing. Just as in Day 1, Jason completes 10 minutes on the rowing machine at a pace that's less than 20 strokes per minute (SPM). (Jason's distance: 2238 metres).

Warm-up (Part 2)
Static Hold Circuit.
Directions: Do these four exercises as a circuit. For each exercise, youíll hold a specific position for 30 seconds, and then have 10 seconds to change stations, before starting the next exercises. Do a total of four rounds.

1. Ring Dip Hold
Hold yourself in the top position of a dip for the prescribed amount of time. Like the ring pullup, Jason performs this using gymnast rings instead of on a dip station that has parallel bars.
2. Kettlebell Farmer Hold
Grab a pair of heavy kettlebells or dumbbells will work in a pinch and let them hang arms length at your sides.
3. L-Sit on Parallettes or dips bars
Jason uses parallettes to perform this exercise but the L-sit can also be done on a dip station that has parallel bars.
4. Bodyweight Squat Hold
Lower yourself to the bottom position of a squat with your thighs parallel to the ground and hold.

Workout
This routine, called the "Big Five 55 Workout," is compliments of strength coach Dan John (www.danjohn.org).
Here, Jason performs a circuit of 5 exercises, which he does a total of 10 times.
There is no prescribed rest and ideally you move continuously from one exercise to the next while keeping the sets unbroken.  Focus on going as fast as possible while maintaining form, full ROM, and control.  The weights should be light enough to allow this.  You can run the stopwatch and race through this workout but for better results and quality movement you should simply try to keep the momentum and flow through the exercises nonstop. He starts with 10 repetitions of each movement, and each time through, decreases the reps by 1. So he does 10 reps of all exercises in the first round, 9 in the second, 8 in the third, and so on, until he's doing just one repetition in each set. The result is that he completes a total of 55 repetitions of each exercise. Again, the weights below are the amount Jason used during this particular week.

1. Front Squat (95 pounds)
2. Pullups
3. Decline Parrallette Pushups
Directions: Hands on the parrallettes, feet on a box so that they are approximately 1 foot higher than your hands.  Do the prescribed number of pushups.  Typically, because you're elevated on the parrallettes you can go much deeper in the bottom position and really push the ROM, although this is dependent on shoulder flexibility.
4. Power Cleans
5. Knees to elbows
Directions:  Hanging from a pullup bar or from the rings at the half-cocked positon (elbows at a right angle) raise your knees until they touch your elbows.  Lower them back down in a controlled fashion so you don't swing.

Day 3

Interval Work
This session is performed on a Concept 2 rower.

Warm-up
Rowing. Jason completes 10 minutes on the rowing machine at a pace that's less than 20 strokes per minute (SPM). (Jason's distance: 2102 metres).

Workout
To mimic Jasonís interval workout, youíll do six intervals of 500 metres. Between each 500 metre sprint, engage in active rest for 3 minutes. For this, you can get off the rower and get a drink of water but you must continue moving. Walking around will suffice.
Here's a look at Jason's times for reference:

Sprint 1. 1:40.1
Sprint 2. 1:39.7
Sprint 3. 1:43.9
Sprint 4. 1:41.6
Sprint 5. 1:38.7
Sprint 6. 1:50.3

Cool-down
To finish up, Jason performs a farmer carry for 500 meters with two 70-pound kettlebells.  There is no set or time structure. Just carry the weight for 500m, get it done as quickly as possible.  This tends to be a grip issue so that dictates any rest that must be taken.

Day 4

Set Work
Here, Jason focuses on front squats, one of the best strengthening and total body conditioning exercises in existence.

Warm-up (Part 1)
Rowing. Just as in Day 1, Jason completes 10 minutes on the rowing machine and at a pace that's less than 20 strokes per minute (SPM). (Jason's distance: 2095 metres).

Warm-up (Part 2)
Jason does 20 repetitions of bodyweight squats before moving on to the primary portion of the workout.

Workout
5 sets of 5 repetitions of the front squat. In this workout, Jason used a load that was 105% of his bodyweight.

Jason's Front Squat Workout

Reps: 5
Weight: 175 pounds
Rest: 90 seconds

Reps: 5
Weight: 175 pounds
Rest: 90 seconds

Reps: 5
Weight: 175 pounds
Rest: 90 seconds

Reps: 5
Weight: 175 pounds
Rest: 90 seconds

Reps: 5
Weight: 175 pounds

Cool-down
Jason does 200 repetitions of the pushup, but he performs this workout using a ladder routine. We do this as partnered ladders of 1-5.  So 13 ladders plus an extra 5 reps at the end.  I do a pushup, he does a pushup, I do 2, he does 2, I do 3, he does 3, I do 4, he does 4, I do 5, he does 5.  We've now each done 15 pushups and we immediately repeat the process starting at 1 again.  We do these quickly with the only rest being the time it takes for each other to do his pushups.  If you wanted to do this alone you could do – 1 pushup and count "1 one thousand", do 2 pushups and count "1 one thousand, 2 one thousand", etc. This approach allows you to do a large volume of quality work (with small sets there is no reason the pushups aren't perfect and done explosively) without much, if any, residual muscle soreness.  We also use this approach with pull-ups and knees-to-elbows.  Not many folks finish their workout with 200 perfect pull-ups but this approach makes it doable.

Day 5

Cumulative Movements
This workout is designed to be a metabolically demanding, training the entire body with exercises that work multiple muscle groups. The Cumulative Movement workout consists of only one trip through as opposed to a circuit workout in which you repeatedly cycle back through the same movements.

Warm-up (Part 1)
Rowing. Just as in Day 1, Jason completes 10 minutes on the rowing machine at a pace that's less than 20 strokes per minute (SPM). (Jason's distance: 2149 metres).

Warm-up (Part 2)
The bear crawl and crab walk. Alternate back and forth between the bear crawl for a distance of 15 metres and the crab walk for a distance of 15 metres. Repeat until you've done five 15-meter increments of each.

Workout
A one round through a series of exercises.
Direction: Do one set of each movement, completing all of the prescribed number of repetitions before moving on to the next exercise. Perform each exercise as quickly as possible while maintaining proper form and full range of motion. The stopwatch is running on this one so try to get through it as quickly as possible by minimising rest.

Jason's Circuit Workout

7-metre Fat Rope Climbs
Reps: 5
Weight: Body

Front Squats
Reps: 5
Weight: 185 pounds

Ball Slams
Reps: 5
Weight: 30 pounds

15-metre Rope Pulls
Reps: 10
Weight: 90 pounds

Bench Press
Reps: 10
Weight: 175 pounds

Ball Slams
Reps: 10
Weight: 25 pounds

Pullups
Reps: 15
Weight: Body

Dips
Reps: 15
Weight: Body

Ball Slams
Reps: 15
Weight: 20 pounds

Resisted Fat Rope Pulls
Reps: 20
Weight: Body

Whip Smashes
Reps: 20

Jason's Time: 23:53

Day 6

Contextual Effort
This can be any activity or sport that you enjoy doing. If this is of significant duration and intensity it should be considered as part of your training. In Jason's case the goal was to get outside and maintain an activity nonstop for over an hour to build some endurance (training the aerobic energy pathway).

Workout
1 hour plus trail run in the mountains.

Jason's time: 73 minutes.
Day 7

Rest.

Tom Hardy's Warrior workout

Tom Hardy's Warrior workout

British film star Tom Hardy had to get into the shape of his life for mixed martial arts film Warrior. Follow his muscle maxims and you too can pack on lean muscle worthy of the Octagon.

Hardy’s trainer, Pnut, has a simple but unorthodox method for bulking fast. “I call my philosophy ‘signalling’,” he says. “Throughout the day you need to send constant signals to your body, so that it adapts in the direction you point it in. It’s better to do 10 press-ups every hour than 100 in a single burst. If you do things often enough, your body adapts for the task you set it, and you evolve.”

Pnut recommends performing these exercises four times a day – when you wake up, at lunchtime, when you get home from work and before bed. It should only take about 20 minutes, but don’t rush. Use light weights and move slowly through the exercises, concentrating on perfect form. Start by doing it in the morning and evening, and then gradually add the other sessions in. If you want to pile on muscle as soon as possible, you’re going to have to get used to working out little but often. “Remember,” says Pnut, “there are no shortcuts.”

The circuit

Perform these 3 exercises back-to-back, in sets of 10 reps, then 7 reps, then 5 reps, then 3 reps, each with no recovery time between each movement.

Press-ups

Perform the first set with your hands shoulder-width apart. For the next set, do it with your forefingers and thumbs forming a ‘diamond’ shape below your chest. For the third set, have your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. And for the final set, ball your fists and rest on your knuckles.

Shoulder flies

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding an 8kg kettlebell (or dumb bell) in each hand, palms forward. Raise your arms through 180 degrees, maintaining your palm position, until your fists meet above your head. Lower to the start position. To increase difficulty, up the weight or stand on one leg.

Dips

Sit on the ground, legs straight in front of you, and grab the seat of a chair with your hands behind you (fingers pointing towards your body). Keep your back straight and push down on the chair to raise your backside off the floor until your arms are extended. Lower yourself until you are almost touching the floor. That’s one rep.

The Bridge

Gain back flexibility, a powerful neck and massive core strength. Only move on to the next level when you are confident of your strength, or you risk a neck injury.

Stage 1

Lie on a mat, with your feet on the ground, knees bent. Lift your hips off the mat. As you do this bring your hands to your ears, palms on the floor, fingers pointing to your feet. Do 10 reps, then 7 reps (counting 1 at the top), then 5 reps (counting to 3 at the top), then 3 reps (counting to 5 at the top).

Stage 2

Push to the extended position from stage 1. Press through your hands, lift your shoulders off and allow your head to tilt back so the top of it rests on the floor. Push from your heels onto your toes. ALL your weight should go through your toes and hands, NOT your head. Follow the rep count as before.

Stage 3

As your flexibility increases, rest 90% of your body-weight on your hands, and allow your head to carry 10%. Slowly increase this session by session until you can carry more weight on your head than your hands. Rep count as before. Warning: do not rush or you risk damaging your neck.

Stage 4

When you are able to carry all your bodyweight through your head, raise into the bridge position without using your hands for support. Keep them close to the side of your head in case they are needed for stability, and perform the same set/ rep count as before.

Stage 5

To be performed ONLY when stage 4 is easy. Assume the extended bridge from stage 3, holding a light barbell across your chest, or a 2kg dumbbell in each hand. Perform 5 bench-press movements (or 5 chest flies with the dumb-bells). As it gets easier, increase the weight.

Abdominal workout

This develops core strength and the size and power of your abs from the top to the bottom. Again, start with stage one and increase the difficulty as you get stronger.

Stage 1

Lie on a mat, with your legs together, hands clasped behind your head. Lift your head and shoulders and hold. Then, tighten your abs and lift your legs. Lower to the start position. Do sets of 10 reps, then 7, then 5, then 3.

Stage 2

Perform the movement from stage 1, then, at the top of the position, bend your knees and pull them in to touch your elbows. Then straighten your legs and lower back to the starting position, flat on the mat. Do set/reps as before.

Stage 3

Perform the movement from stage 1, then, at the top, pull your knees in to touch your elbows – but, don’t bend your legs. Much harder, right? Move your legs back to the start, then lower everything back to the mat. Do sets/reps as before.

Stage 4

Take an 8kg kettlebell and push the tip of your left shoe through the handle. Wrap your right foot around to hold it in place, then perform the movement from stage 1 with the kettlebell weighing your legs down. Do sets/reps as before.

Taylor Lautner's beginner's six-pack workout

Taylor Lautner's beginner's six-pack workout

Swiss ball pikes

Muscles worked abs, pecs
Reps 3-4 sets of 8-12

1 To create mountains of mid-section muscle, turn to the Swiss. Drop into a press-up position. Rest your shins on a Swiss ball so your body is straight from head to ankles. “You can’t slack in this position as your abs have to flex to hold you in place,” says Brendan Chaplin.

2 Roll the Swiss ball toward you by raising your hips. Pause, then return the ball to the start by lowering your hips and rolling the ball backward. “This works your abs through a wider range of motion because it’s hitting more muscles,” says Chaplin. As a bonus you’ll feel your chest and shoulders working, too. After all, what’s a killer set of abs without a good supporting cast?

Reverse crunches

Muscles worked obliques
Reps 3 sets of 15

1 Hours of crunches failing to cough up the goods? It’s time to try the opposite action. Lie face up on the floor with your palms facing down. Bend your hips and knees 90 degrees – and be amazed by how much tougher this is than the standard crunch.

2 Raise your hips off the floor and crunch them inward. Pause, then lower your legs until your heels nearly touch the floor. If you value your back you’ll swap normal crunches for this variety, because a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found they place huge strain on your lower back, but only work your abs a little. Don’t get too comfy down there, you’ve got plenty of work to do yet.

Hanging leg raises

Muscles worked abs, quads
Reps 3-4 sets of 8-12

1 For abs that’ll make all Homo sapiens stand up, you need to take a step back to your evolutionary past and make like you’re hanging from the trees. Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip (or use elbow supports, if available), and hang from the bar with your knees slightly bent and feet together. San Diego State University found that this is one of the best exercises you can do for your abs. But you can make it even better by holding a dumbbell between your feet.

2 Simultaneously bend your knees, raise your hips, and curl your lower back underneath you as you lift your thighs toward your chest. Pause, then lower your legs back to the start. A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found this move places a minimal load on your lower back while still pummelling your abs with muscle-building tension. Just what the Ab Doctor ordered.

Swiss ball leg curl

Muscles worked abs
Reps 3-4 sets of 10-12

1 Lie on the floor with your calves on a Swiss ball and your arms at your sides.

2 Squeeze your glutes to raise your hips, so your body is in a straight line from shoulder to ankle. “This strengthens your lower back and keep your abs drawn in,” says Chaplin. So your gut will look leaner.

3 Pause, then bend your legs to roll the ball back towards you. Straighten your legs to roll it back out and then lower your body to the floor. For a extra calf workout, point your feet out. Researchers at the University of West Florida found this roped in more of your calf muscles.

Prone cobra

Muscles worked abs, backs
Reps 3 sets of 60 seconds

1 Great abs don’t work alone, they’re supported by a solid lower back, which this move goes some way to giving you. Lie face down on the floor with your legs straight and arms next to your sides. Contract your glutes and lower back muscles, and raise your head, chest, arms, and legs off the floor. Research in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies found this move is one the best for rehabilitating lower back problems – and warding them off – especially for those stuck in front of a screen all day.

2 Rotate your arms so that your thumbs are pointing towards the ceiling. Your hips should be the only parts of your body touching the floor.

V-up

Muscles worked abs, hips
Reps 3-4 sets of 8-12

1 Lie with your legs straight and arms extended behind your head. This works more muscles in your core than the crunch, according to research in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. It’s the best of a good bunch.

2 Raise your arms and legs so they’re 45 degrees to the floor in a “V”. Return to the start. That’s it, you’re on track for a solid set of abs in 6-8 weeks. But make sure they’re hair-free: the “werewolf” look only works on the big screen.

Taylor Lautner's six-pack tips

This year Twilight star Taylor Lautner will do more than just flex his new muscles when he appears alongside Sigourney Weaver, Alfred Molina and Jason Isaacs in the thriller Abduction. But right now he’s still best known for his performance as werewolf Jacob Black, as well as the shape he got himself into for the role. Lautner isn’t naturally big, but his career depended on him building brawn. Between the first two Twilight films, his character had to grow more powerful and the producers wanted to cast a new, bigger actor, with the requisite washboard stomach. His job was on the line and he needed to gain size – and a six-pack – fast. He succeeded, showing that even ‘hard gainers’ who build muscle slowly can reach their goals. Here’s how...
Celebrate your inexperience – it’s your advantage

Lautner used to be a 178cm (5ft 10in), 63kg (10st) lightweight before his incredible physical transformation. But getting stacked isn’t just about your genes – it’s about application and determination, too. He didn’t achieve his new physique all by himself: he was trained by Jordan Yuam, a 20-year fitness industry veteran with an A-list clientele to match. “Inexperience works to your advantage,” says Yuam. “The less muscle you have to start with, the easier it is to gain mass quickly.”

Your strategy “If a beginner and an advanced weightlifter were to start training on the same programme, at the same time, the novice would gain almost twice as much muscle as the veteran lifter in the same time period,” says sports scientist and strength coach Brendan Chaplin. This is because your body tends to adapt and respond well to a completely new stimulus. And, the more your muscles are forced to adapt to a new routine, the more they’ll grow. “Eat right and follow a smart, strategic workout regimen,” says Yuam. “This will maximise your genetic potential so there’s no reason you can’t gain 15kg of muscle within a year.” It really is that easy.
Cut down on cardio

“I was exercising so hard that I began to lose weight,” says Lautner. For some this might sound like an ideal outcome, but not if you have trouble building muscle mass. When combined with weight training, cardio can sap strength and limit muscle growth, especially if you do your cardio for longer than 20 minutes before or after lifting, according to researchers at Stephen F Austin State University in Texas. Spending hours pounding the treadmill will force your body to use muscle as fuel, undoing all the great work you’ve just done in the weights room. Take a look at the slimline physique of your average marathon runner if you’re not convinced.

Your strategy Be careful not to overdo it. “If you’re trying to gain lean muscle mass, focus on weightlifting with the proper technique,” Yuam says. If you want to maintain your cardio quota then stick to high-intensity interval training, rather than long slogs on the treadmill. A study in the Journal of Exercise Physiology found doing 10 weeks of sprints boosts your lower body-strength by up to 10%. After your weights session, alternate between sprinting for 6 seconds and walking for 10 seconds. Do this for 10-15 minutes and you’ll be complementing your lifting, not undoing your hard work.

Maintain the tension

Free weights are better than machines as they engage your core stability muscles while you train. However, some sections of a lift are easier than others – think of them as blind spots for your muscles. That’s why Lautner uses bands to maintain the tension during lifts. A study at Truman University, US, found that athletes who included elastic resistance bench press training in their regimes saw a greater increase in bench-press strength and power compared to those who just did free-weights.

Your strategy “The bands create more tension, making the lift harder and forcing your muscles to peak out at the top of the movement,” says Yuam. As a result, your body recruits more muscle fibres and works them harder, accelerating growth. Bands are available in most gyms but get your own from v-tapershaper.com (£12). Loop them around the weight and under the bench to create extra resistance.
Vary your weights

Heavier isn’t always better. To maximise gains, Lautner regularly changes reps and the amount of weight he lifts. “If you want a balanced body, you have to be varied,” says Yuam.

Your strategy Instead of always doing 3 sets of 8-10 reps, for example, occasionally reduce the weight and attempt 4 sets of 15 reps. A recent study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found men who regularly varied their rep counts increased their bench strength by 28% and their leg-press strength by 43%. The upshot of this is a larger month-on-month muscle gain, as opposed to hitting a plateau and just maintaining what you’ve already got.
Push your limits

In order to grow and gain size your body needs to become increasingly comfortable with heavy loads. “I had Taylor ‘taste’ much heavier weights,” says Yuam. He’d load a bar with about 40% more weight than Lautner could normally lift. It gave the young actor an idea of what he could expect in forthcoming sessions.

Your strategy If you can lift, say, 55kg 10 times, try to lift 80kg. Using a spotter, try performing only the lowering half of your lifts. Arizona State University researchers found that doing just the lowering portion of a bench press leads to greater muscle gains than performing the full range of motion repetition. “It’s critical that your spotter is strong enough to lift the weight back up by himself,” Yuam says. But beware, these sorts of moves are very taxing on your muscles. So, make sure you limit your ‘tasting’ of heavier weights to just 2 or 3 sets of 5 reps every other week to give yourself time to recover.