Most guys would like to have a beach body, one that is ripped and ready for summer, but if having a six-pack were easy then everyone would walk around with washboard abs and a killer body to go along with it. In Beach Body on a Budget, I explained that diet is the key and gave you the fundamentals of clean eating and sound nutrition without breaking the bank. Lifting weights is the other part of the equation to getting a beach body, as the more lean body mass (muscle) you carry, the higher your metabolic rate. Diet will also fuel your workouts and give you energy to build muscle and drop even more fat, as weight training will raise your metabolic rate 24/7 and turn you into a fat-burning machine. Here is a basic beach body workout that will get you ready for summer and keep you going strong all year long.
Every workout will start with a little cardio, just to get the heart rate up and loosen the muscles. A tensed muscle becomes a stiff muscle, so a proper stretch is essential before and after a workout. Also for those beach-body abs, add core exercises at the end of every day.
MONDAY: Legs and Biceps
Starter: Jump Rope 2 – minutes; Burpees – quick set of 20 reps
Standing Dumbbell Hammer Curls (each arm) 3 sets of 12+
EZ Bar Preacher Curls 5 sets of 15
Straight Bar Curls 3 sets of 15+
Concentration Dumbbell Curls (slow) 3 sets of 10
Leg Press 5 sets of 12
Straight Bar Squats 4 sets of 12
Leg Extensions 3 sets of 20
Calf Press on Leg Press Machine (knees bent) 3 sets of 30
** Core
TUESDAY: Chest and Triceps
Starter: Jump Rope 2 – minutes; Burpees – quick set of 20 reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press 4 sets of 12
Dumbbell Flat Bench Press 3 sets to failure
Chest Plate Press 3 sets of 15
Chest Pec Deck/Flye Machine 4 sets of 12
EZ-Bar Skull-crushers 4 sets to failure
Standing Cable Pushdowns (with Rope) 4 sets to failure
Dips 3 sets of 20
**Core
WEDNESDAY: Back and Biceps
Starter: light half-mile treadmill jog; Jump Rope – 2 minutes
Lateral Pulldown machine, wide grip (slow) 4 sets of 12
Bent-over Barbell Rows 3 sets of 15
Rope Lat Pulldowns 3 sets to failure
Deadlifts 5 sets 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1
Wide-grip Pull-ups 3 sets to failure
Straight bar curls 3 sets to failure
Concentration Dumbbell Curls (slow) 3 sets of 10
Dumbbell Isolation Preacher Curls 3 sets to failure
Calf Press on Leg Press machine (knees bent) 3 sets of 30
**Core
THURSDAY: Shoulders, Triceps and Latissimus (Lats)
Starter: Jump Rope – 2 minutes; Burpees – quick set of 20 reps
Dumbbell Seated Press 4 sets of 12
Barbell Upright Rows 3 sets of 12
Front/side Standing Dumbbell Raises 4 sets of 12
Cable Lateral Raises (single arm) 3 sets to failure
EZ-Bar Skull-crushers 4 sets to failure
Standing Cable Pushdowns with rope (low weight) 3 sets of 20
Dips 3 sets to failure
Dumbbell Shrugs 3 sets of 12
Barbell Shrugs (each rep: 3-second 2 sets to failure
pause at top and bottom)
**Core
FRIDAY: Legs AND CrossFit (high-intensity exercises that stimulate multiple muscle groups)
Starter: Stepper Machine – 5 minutes; light half-mile treadmill jog
Dumbbell Side Lunges (each leg) 2 sets of 12
Dumbbell Front Lunges (each leg) 3 sets of 12
Box Jumps 3 sets of 20
Hang Cleans 3 sets of 10
Battle Rope:
Alternating Waves 2 sets of 1 minute
Double Arm Waves 1 set of 1 minute
SATURDAY: Calisthenics, Bodyweight Only
Starter: Jump Rope – 2 minutes; Burpees – quick set of 20 reps
Mountain Climbers 3 sets of 1 minute
Wide-grip Pull-ups 4 sets to failure
Dips 4 sets to failure
Floor Mat Flutter Kicks 3 sets of 1 minute
Floor Mat Scissor kicks 3 sets of 1 minute
Muscle-ups 3 sets to failure
Quarter-mile sprints (2 minutes between sets) 6 sets
Sunday: OFF
**CORE WORKOUT
Planks: 3 sets of 2 minutes
Russian Twist (with weight): 2 sets of 1 minute
Hanging Leg Raise to bar (toes to bar, t2b): 3 sets of 12
Hanging Knee Raise to chest: 2 sets of 15
Dumbbell Side Bends: 3 sets of 12 (each side)
If there is an exercise you do not understand, you are more than welcome to contact me. Also, Google any of these exercises to get a better understanding of the movement.
William Brower
