Perform 3 sets with a 60 second rest in-between sets for maximum fat loss

Warm-up:

Arm circles x 12
Chest &back x 12
PNF patterns x 12
Prisoner squat x 12
leg swings (multiple directions) x 15

Mini circuit 1: Butt & Thighs
A1: Walking lunge 20 repetitions
A2: Hip lift 20 repetitions per leg
rest 60 seconds and repeat 2 more sets

Mini circuit 2: Shoulders and Arms
B1: Standing dumbbells shoulder press 12 repetitions
B2: Dumbbells biceps curl 15 repetitions
B3: Overhead triceps extension 15 repetitions
rest 60 seconds and repeat 2 more sets

Mini circuit 3: Abs and Lower back
C1: Reverse abdominal crunch 15 repetitions
C2: Laying superman 15 repetitions
C3: Plank hold on elbows 30 seconds
rest 60 seconds and repeat 2 more sets

Here is some exciting news, we have gone to the drawing board and come up with an innovative system to guarantee you maximum results with your workout routines. The new system is called the Lean, Sculpt, Tone system and we promise you that you have never experienced anything like it.

What is the Lean, Sculpt Tone system?

It is an awesome way for you to mix up your current workouts. On the original Drop Your Freshman 15 program you would follow your total body training programs 2-3 times a week always focusing on training the whole body. As effective as that system is for fat loss, we figured that it may not be ideal for those looking to add a little bit of muscle. To combat this we have created a workout mix. From now on the workouts posted on the blog will fall into one of three categories;

Lean; Total body circuit training programs for those of you  who want to drop as much fat as possible in the shortest period of time.

Sculpt: Workouts focusing on specific trouble spots like the abs, butt and stomach

Tone: A combination of the previous workouts, meant to drop fat while toning up trouble zones.

Workouts will be marked with a graphic indicating which day the fall under from now on. We hope you enjoy this new workout mix, leave comments letting us know.

In Health
Teiko

]]> http://fitfreshman.com/body-toning/introducing-the-drop-your-freshman-15-leansculpttone-system/feed 0 http://fitfreshman.com/body-toning/5-exercises-to-give-your-butt-a-boost http://fitfreshman.com/body-toning/5-exercises-to-give-your-butt-a-boost#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:12:10 +0000 admin http://fitfreshman.com/?p=415 5 Exercises to give your butt a boost

It was once thought that being blessed with what your momma gave you was the only way to get a great butt. Now that women have started exercising more frequently we know that just isn’t true, a firm shapely bum can be had by anyone willing to put in the work, you just have to know what you are doing. In an effort to help you on your road to bootyliciousness I have compiled a list of the top 5 exercises that will create a perfect butt.

1: The Hip lift

Once practiced only in Yoga studios, the hip lift has gone mainstream. This multipurpose booty blaster is often used to wake up the muscles of the butt before moving on to more challenging exercises. To perform the hip lift correctly start by lying on your back. Then bend the knees so that they form 90 degrees, keep the feet on the floor. Next lift your butt off the ground and hold the top position for a count of two seconds. Make sure to squeeze the cheeks and then slowly lower the hips to the floor. Perform 10-15 repetitions each set

2: The squat

The king of lower body exercises, squats can give your backside a boost faster than you can say “Kardashian”. Start the exercise by placing the feet shoulder width apart, with the arms extended straight out in front of the body. Next push your hips back while maintaining an upright posture and bend your knees (imagine you are sitting back onto an invisable chair). Once your thighs are parallel to the floor pause for a 2 seconds count and then slowly stand back up. Aim for 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions to really get the backside burning.

3: The split squat

The split squat is a one leg variation of the squat, in this exercise there will be a greater emphasis on working the one leg at a time, making it perfect for building up the weak muscles of the butt.
To start the exercise, place one leg out in front and position the other leg backwards (there should be about 2-3 feet distance between both feet). Elevate the heel of the trailing leg and bend both knees. at the bottom position each leg will form a 90 degree bend. If you feel an intense stretch in the thigh of the back leg, it means that the foot is too far back. Complete the movement by standing up into the starting position. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions per leg.

4: The Step up

Known for developing apple bottoms the world over, the step up ranks highest for creating great glutes. Start the step up by placing a foot on a bench or step. Bend the elevated leg so that it forms 90-degree’s and point the toe of the trailing leg into the sky. Next place your hands on the hips and stand tall. Once in position forcibly push the lead foot into the bench and slowly stand up. At the top position you should be standing on the bench with both feet. Complete the movement by slowly lowering the trail leg back to the ground. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions with one leg then switch to the other.

5: The Dead lift

Band deadlift pictured above

Though the name “ dead lift may conjure up terrifying images, the actual effects of this exercise can be summed up as terrific. Start the exercise by holding a dumbbell in each hand. Position the
dumbbells in front of the thighs. Next force the hips back while maintaining a soft bend in the knees. The key to a picture perfect dead lift is to maintain a flat back throughout the exercise.  Complete the dead lift by pushing the hips forward, standing up tall and squeezing the butt at the end. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions for an optimal burn.

• Increase your metabolism for up to 36 hours
• Burn maximum fat in minimum time
• Increase strength
• Increase muscular endurance
• Give you lean, firm muscles
• Improve your anaerobic endurance
• Shorten your workout times, and
• Increase your free time

Now that you know what HIIT does, lets take a look at how it is performed. Firstly HIIT can be done wit any piece of cardio equipment, but for beginners I generally recommend the exercise bike. You want to set up the bike so that you can almost extend your leg fully in the bottom position of peddling, once you have the height adjusted you are going to set the machine to a manual ride, meaning that you will be responsible for the difficulty and pace of the ride. Set the timer for a 15 minute count down, input your weight etc and start riding.

The First 2 minutes should be at a comfortable pace ( if someone where to ask you how hard you are working it should be around a 5/10). This setting will depend on your personal level of fitness, a very fit person may have to set the intensity up to a level 14 on the bike to achieve this , whereas someone who is just starting out may have to input a 4 on the machine. Once the 2 minutes is up you are going to increase the difficulty on the bike up to a 8/10, the peddles should be much harder to move at this point ( imagine riding up a steep hill). You will ride at this 8/10 for 30 seconds and then drop back down to the 5/10 once that is done. Alternate between these periods of high and low intensity for the next 12 minutes or until the timer reads that you have 1 minute left on the bike. On the last minute I want you to try to set a personal best and take yourself to a 10/10 in terms of how hard you peddle, once you have completed this you are done for the day.

The keys to success with HIIT are;

• With HIIT, you try to work as hard as possible for the assigned time period.
• Each HIIT- Aerobic workout is made up of an equal number of shorter  rides and longer  recovery periods.
• During each sprint, you try to pedal / run / climb as fast as you can.

To learn about some more effective fat loss strategies click HERE

Warm-up:
exercise bike or treadmill 3-5 minutes
- Arm circles 12 repetitions
- Chest and Back 12 repetitions
- PNF patterns 12 repetitions
- Prisoner squats 12 repetitions
- Warrior split split – 6 repetitions per leg

Activation;
4 point plank
( front plank 30 seconds )
( side bridge 30 seconds )
( hip bridge 30 seconds )

Resistance Training;
Mini circuit 1

A1: Dumbbells shoulder press 12 repetitions
A2: Dumbbells step-up 15 repetitions per leg
A3: Reverse abdominal curl 12 repetitions
Perform 2 sets then move on to mini circuit 2

Mini circuit 2
B1: Dumbbells bent over row 12 repetitions
B2: Dumbbells sumo squat 15 repetitions
B3: Quadruped extension 15 repetitions per leg
Perform 2 sets then move on to mini circuit 3

Mini circuit 3
C1: Dumbbells split squat 12 repetitions
C2: Dumbbell biceps curl 12 repetitions
C3: Russian twist 12 repetitions
Perform 2 sets to complete your workout for the day

Mixing up a combination of resistance training, conditioning drills and some cardiovascular activity is a sure fire way to melt off the pounds. For more information as to how to structure the ultimate fat loss program order The Drop Your Freshman 15 fat loss manual HERE

For more information on exercises to get you lean click here