Build Muscle, Burn Fat, Get Ripped

Originally posted: 1/26/10
Updates:
2/1/10 updated routine, added Excel spreadsheet workout logs)
3/8/10 added example HIIT routines for days 2, 4, and 6.

Fat Loss for Women

Many of you are asking for a full body workout routine to burn fat, so here you go.

I have even customized the program for both men and women.

You can skip the details and go straight to the routines if you wish:

• The Fat Loss for Women Routine
• The Fat Loss for Men Routine

The Program

We are integrating 3 full body training sessions with 3 HIIT routines and taking the 7th day off. Since the goal is fat loss, we are striving to add some muscle mass, maintain strength, and burn as many calories as possible.

This is accomplished by staying in a slightly higher rep range than we would normally use for strictly strength training, while using super-sets for most of our exercises. We add an optional set to the end of each workout in case you are able to finish the workout early.

Major compound exercises are rotated to prioritize a different muscle group on each of the 3 training sessions each week.

Volume, Frequency, and Overtraining

HIIT sessions on off-days are designed to melt fat and stimulate muscle growth, but the sheer volume of work should not force you into overtraining. If you do feel the symptoms of overtraining, you should take either the 4th or 6th day completely off instead of performing a HIIT workout.

Some of the symptoms of overtraining:

• elevated pulse
• trouble sleeping
• nagging muscle soreness
• sore joints
• inability to recover from the previous workouts
• decreasing strength
• decreasing muscle mass
• increasing fat storage

This routine can be used for 6-10 weeks before switching your focus to a new set of goals. When progress stalls and you can determine that the plateau is not a result of overtraining, it is time to take an active recovery week and start a new routine.

Rest

You should rest 60-90 seconds between super-sets, and 180 seconds (3 minutes) at most between exercises.

Warm Up

Initial Warmup – small, light exercises possibly including dynamic stretches to warm up the muscles

Feeler Sets – use feeler sets only if necessary, with 40-50% of your 1 rep max for 3-5 reps to warm-up before each new exercise

Recovery

You should engage in some form of recovery on a daily basis.

Here are some of your recovery options:

• foam roller
• deep tissue massage
• ice massage
• alternating hot and cold showers
• dynamic stretching

Nutrition

You know the drill.

• Calories = 12 x your goal bodyweight, adjust weekly according to progress
• Protein = .8-1 gram per pound of bodyweight
• Carbs = 100-150 grams per day, more on weightlifting days, less on HIIT days, and even less on rest days
• Fat = the remainder of the calories once you’ve subtracted protein and carbs from total calories

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The Routines

Click here to see this workout routine customized for men.

Full Body Routine For Women

Day 1:
5 minute initial warmup
a) Quads - Barbell back squats
reps: 8/8/8/8
b1) Chest - Incline dumbbell press
reps: 10/10/10
b2) Calves - Standing calf raise
reps: 12/12/12
c1) Hamstrings - Stiff leg deadlifts
reps: 10/10/10
c2) Abs - (Weighted) decline sit ups
reps: 15/15/15
d1) Back - (Weighted) wide grip pull-ups
reps: 10/10
d2) Shoulders - Seated dumbbell shoulder press
reps: 12/12
e1) Triceps - Dips
reps: 10/10
e2) Abs - Reverse crunches
reps: 2 sets x As Many As Possible (amap)
f) Stretch all your muscles for 10 minutes while sipping your post-workout drink.

Day 2:
25 minutes of full body HIIT (push, pull, calisthenics, jumps, sprints, kickboxing, etc…)
Example:

• 3 sets – 30 seconds of push ups as fast as possible, 90 seconds of moderate-speed jump rope (6 minutes)
• 60 seconds rest
• 3 sets – 30 seconds of rowing as fast as possible, 90 seconds of squat thrusters (6 minutes)
• 60 seconds rest
• 3 sets – 30 seconds of skipping lunges as fast as possible, 90 seconds of kickboxing drills (6 minutes)
• 5 minutes of stretching

Day 3:
5 minute initial warmup
a) Chest - Flat bench press
reps: 8/8/8/8
b1) Quads - Step ups onto a bench or box holding dumbbells
reps: 10/10/10
b2) Abs - The bicycle
reps: 3 sets x amap
c1) Back – One arm dumbbell rows
reps: 10/10/10
c2) Calves - Seated calf raises
reps: 15/15/15
d1) Shoulders - Standing dumbbell raises to the side
reps: 10/10
d2) Biceps - Standing alternating dumbbell curls
reps: 12/12
e1) Hamstrings - Glute-ham raise
reps: 10/10
e2) Abs - Fold ups
reps: 2 sets x amap
f)Stretch all your muscles for 10 minutes while sipping your post-workout drink.

Notes:
the glute-ham raise – lock your heels under something with the instep of your foot facing down and, starting upright with your thighs perpendicular to the floor, lower your upper body forward and down towards the floor then use your hamstrings to pull yourself back upright.

Day 4:
25 minutes of lower body HIIT (jumps, sprints, etc…)
Example:

• 5 sets – 30 seconds of sprinting, 90 seconds of jogging/walking (10 minutes)
• 60 seconds rest
• 2 sets – 30 seconds of rapid squat jumps, 90 seconds of moderate-speed bodyweight squats (4 minutes)
• 30 seconds rest
• 2 sets – 30 seconds of sprinting, 90 seconds of jogging/walking (4 minutes)
• 30 seconds rest
• 2 sets – 30 seconds of jumping rope as fast as possible, 90 seconds of jogging/walking (4 minutes)
• 5 minutes of stretching

Day 5:
5 minute initial warmup
a) Hamstrings - Deadlifts
reps: 8/8/8/8
b1) Shoulders - Standing military press
reps: 10/10/10
b2) Abs - Russian twist with medicine ball or plate
reps: 12/12/12
c1) Quads - Alternating dumbbell lunges
reps: 15/15/15
c2) Chest – Decline dumbbell bench press
reps: 12/12/12
d1) Back/Biceps – (Weighted) close grip chin-ups
reps: 10/10
d2) Calves – One leg standing calf raise on a 2 inch block or plate holding a dumbbell
reps: 12/12
e1) Triceps - Diamond push ups
reps: 2 sets x amap
e2) Abs - Sit ups with straight punch
reps: 2 sets x amap
f) Stretch all your muscles for 10 minutes while sipping your post-workout drink.

Day 6:
25 minutes of full body HIIT (push, pull, calisthenics, jumps, sprints, kickboxing, etc…)
Example:

• 3 sets – 30 seconds of bodyweight rows as fast as possible, 90 seconds of jumping jacks (6 minutes)
• 60 seconds rest
• 3 sets – 30 seconds of bodyweight step-ups as fast as possible, 90 seconds of kickboxing drills (6 minutes)
• 60 seconds rest
• 3 sets – 30 seconds of explosive push ups (clapping, up onto a box, etc…), 90 seconds of moderate-speed walking lunges (6 minutes)
• 5 minutes of stretching

Day 7:
Completely off, no exercise at all.

Women’s Full Body Fat Loss Workout Log

Now you can print out your workout log using this Excel spreadsheet:

Women’s Full Body Fat Loss Workout Log

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Project Swole is managed and mostly written by Steve, a formerly IFPA and ISSA certified personal trainer and sport nutritionist, who has been studying, practicing, and experimenting with fitness and nutrition since 1992. Please use the content at Project Swole to supplement the advice of your doctor or physician. All medical questions should be directed towards a qualified medical professional, and the advice provided at Project Swole should be used at your own discretion.

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1. A Generic Full Body Workout Routine
2. Critique My Full Body Workout Routine
3. HIIT Video: High Intensity Interval Training
4. What is HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training – And How Should You Use It?
5. 20 Pull Ups Program Integrated with a Regular Training Routine

Tags: Conditioning, fat loss, full body, hiit, lose fat, lose weight, weight loss, Weight Training, weightlifting, workout routine, Workout Routines

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 9:59 am and is filed under Conditioning, Weight Training, Workout Routines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.