Workout 1
For this workout, you'll need:
* a chair or bench
* push-up bar grips to relieve your wrists during press-ups (optional)
Wall press-ups
Pointers: Don't force it
Where you'll feel it: In the joints (shoulders, elbows, wrists) and muscles (pecs)
Sets and reps: Three sets of 15 reps, with 30 seconds of recovery between sets.
Press-ups
Pointers: Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart, press your elbows out as you lower down, and go all the way until you can "kiss" the ground, keeping your head aligned with your spine.
Where you'll feel it: In the muscles in the center and lower part of your pecs, the front of your shoulders and your triceps
Sets and reps: Three sets of 10 press-ups, with 90 seconds to 2 minutes of recovery between sets
Raised press-ups
Pointers: Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart, press your elbows out as you lower down, and go all the way until you can touch your nose to the ground, keeping your head aligned with your spine.
Where you'll feel it: In the muscles in the upper part of your pecs, the front of your shoulders and your triceps
Sets and reps: Three sets of 10 press-ups, with 90 seconds to 2 minutes of recovery between sets
Chair lunges
Pointers: Cross your hands over your chest, look straight ahead, and knee and hip on the chair in alignment, and mount only using your leg on the chair, raising your free leg as high as possible
Where you'll feel it: In the quad and hamstring, glute and calf of the leg on the chair
Sets and reps: Three sets of 20 press-ups, with 90 seconds to 2 minutes of recovery between sets.
Leg lifts
Pointers: Keep your hands under your bum, head raised, legs straight
Where you'll feel it: Lower belly
Sets and reps: 100 reps with short breaks (10 seconds)
Sit-ups
Pointers: Cross your hands over your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the floor
Where you'll feel it: Upper belly
Sets and reps: 100 reps with short breaks (10 seconds)
Bench press
Pointers: Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart, point your elbows out as you lower down and round your chest
Where you'll feel it: In the muscles in the center and lower part of your pecs, the front of your shoulders and your triceps
Sets and reps: Three sets of 10 to 12 reps, with 90 seconds to 2 minutes of recovery between sets
Deadlift
Pointers: Keep your upper body straight, look straight ahead of you, push your bum back and contract your trapezius muscles, keeping your shoulders down
Where you'll feel it: Lower back, glutes and hamstrings
Sets and reps: Three sets of 12 to 15 reps, with 90 seconds to 2 minutes of recovery between sets
Squats
Pointers: Look straight ahead of you, feet shoulder width apart, toes pointing slightly outwards, and press your bum back as you lower down, keeping your upper body straight. Drop your hips below knee level and allow your knees to move slightly forward as you lower down.
Where you'll feel it: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves
Sets and reps: Three sets of 20 reps, with 90 seconds to 2 minutes of recovery between sets
Leg lifts
Pointers: Keep your hands under your bum, head raised, legs straight
Where you'll feel it: Lower belly
Sets and reps: 100 reps with short breaks (10 seconds)
Sit-ups
Pointers: Cross your hands over your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the floor
Where you'll feel it: Upper belly
Sets and reps: 100 reps with short breaks (10 seconds)
Bench press
Pointers: Keeping your legs straight, raise them as high as possible and maintain a consistent pace so you don't swing. Lower down quickly but with control to work your core.
Where you'll feel it: Middle abs
Sets and reps: Three sets of 20 reps
Crunches
Pointers: Cross your hands over your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the floor
Where you'll feel it: Upper belly
Sets and reps: 100 reps with short breaks (10 seconds)
Pull-ups
Pointers: Place your hands wider than shoulder width apart, raise yourself until you can touch your chin to the bar, pull your elbows back, and keep your shoulder blades down.
Where you'll feel it: In the lower position, a deep stretch in the shoulder blades; in the upper position, in the latissimus dorsi.
Sets and reps: Three sets of 10 to 15 reps
Dumbbell rows
Pointers: Keep your back straight, shoulders higher than your hips, and look ahead of you. Stretch your back deeply during the lower phase of the exercise and contract your back as you come up, keeping your shoulders back. Bring the dumbbells forward as you lower down and towards your hips as you come up.
Where you'll feel it: A stretch in the back during the lower phase, and in the latissimus dorsi during the upper phase along with engagement of the obliques
Sets and reps: Three sets of 12 reps
Bench press
Pointers: Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart, point your elbows out as you lower down and round your chest
Where you'll feel it: In the muscles in the center and lower part of your pecs, the front of your shoulders and your triceps
Sets and reps: Three sets of 10 to 12 reps
Incline bench press
Pointers: Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart, point your elbows out as you lower down and round your chest
Where you'll feel it: In the muscles in the upper part of your pecs, the front of your shoulders and your triceps
Sets and reps: Three sets of 10 to 12 reps
