As promised, it’s your turn to benefit from a complete exercise program designed for those who wish to start working out or those who simply wish to add some variety to their actual program.

Keeping in mind that this program’s main objective is to tone muscles, you will be better served if you use heavy enough weights so that you are fully fatigued by the 15th well-executed repetition.

Instructions : Complete the cardiovascular and strength training exercises 3 times a week. You may choose to perform them both during one session, or you may do your cardiovascular workout one day and the strength training on another. The choice is yours. Also, please be sure you do your stretching exercises at least 3 times a week!

Strength training exercises: Perform one set of 15 reps for each of the following exercises without any rest in between.

1. Wall squat: Hold the ball against the wall at lower back level. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, let the arms hang by your sides. With the feet slightly forward and hip width apart, bend the knees to a 90^oangle. Then fully straighten the legs without locking the knees.

2. Side lying outer thigh raise: Anchor the tubing around the upper foot. Press down on the tubing with the lower foot. Raise the upper leg and return to the starting position. Complete the set and repeat with the other leg.

3. Side lying inner thigh raise: Anchor the tubing around the lower foot. Hold the tubing down with the foot of the bent leg. Raise the front leg and return to the starting position. Complete the set and repeat with the other leg.

4. One arm row: With the torso parallel with the floor, pull the elbow up (row) lifting the dumbbell up to chest level. Avoid trunk rotation at the top of the movement.

5. Reverse fly: With the chest resting on the ball, arms extended towards the floor, raise the arms (horizontal extension) until they are parallel to the floor, squeezing the shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.

6. Chest press: Rest the shoulder blades on the ball and hold the dumbbells with a overhand grip. Keeping the elbows wide, pull them down until the dumbbells are 1 cm from the chest. Fully extend the arms without locking the elbows.

7. Fly: Rest the shoulder blades on the ball and hold the dumbbells above the chest with a hammer grip. Keeping the elbows slightly bent, open the arms until the dumbbells are at shoulder height. Return to the starting position.

8. Seated shoulder press: Start with the dumbbells at ear level. Press the dumbbells upwards without locking the elbows. Return slowly to the starting position.

9. Standing arm curl: With the tubing under your feet, hands shoulder width apart holding the handles with an underhand grip, curl the forearms keeping the elbows close to your sides. Return the arms slowly to the starting position. Avoid leaning backwards.

10. Triceps overhead extension: Sitting with a straight back, holding a dumbbell behind the head with both hands, fully extend the arms without locking the elbows. Lower the weight again until the elbows are at a 90^o angle. Keep the elbows close to the head throughout the movement.

11. Weighted crunch: Position your lower back on the Swiss ball, torso parallel to the floor. Hold the weight over the chest and lift the upper torso with a range of motion of about 30^o.

Cardiovascular exercise: 20 to 30 minutes of continuous fast walk ( or alternate a 1min walk with a 30sec jog) at 9-12 on the Perceived Exertion Scale. This means you must adjust your intensity to feel like your making a light effort and begin to breath faster (no more, no less).

By Karine Larose

On your mark ladies! is a post from I'm taking charge. I'm taking charge is a blog that aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.

This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only.