Four-Week Program for a Shredded Summer Body

Summer is here, and there are no more excuses. Luckily, in four weeks you can be beach-ready.

summer-shred-hero-content

Ready to get fit?

Start this plan
  • Goal

    Build Muscle, Burn Fat

  • Skill level

    Intermediate

  • Duration

    4 Weeks

  • Days per week

    5

  • Type

    Strength Training

  • Goal

    Build Muscle, Burn Fat

  • Skill level

    Intermediate

  • Duration

    4 Weeks

  • Days per week

    5

  • Type

    Strength Training

Start Your Shred 

Week 1 of the program starts with a max-out day. We start there to set the bar for the rest of the program. No, this isn’t a strength-focused program, but if you follow it to the letter and eat well, when you repeat this workout in Week 4, you will be better at it. And if you’re better at that workout while dieting, you can’t help but look better. If you’re weaker, that’s a sign that you took a major misstep, likely with your diet by not fueling up properly. 

In the other sessions, there are elements of traditional bodybuilding and CrossFit intermingled. A lot of guys who have been following a traditional body-part split might balk at these CrossFit elements. They’ll say they don’t want to do exercises like toes-to-bar and kipping pullups. “Can I swap it out for something else?” they’ll ask. Yes—if you honestly can’t do the moves listed. But you need to at least try everything listed. If you can’t do it, then scale it back a little, either by lightening the load or cutting back a few reps. But don’t look for an out with every move that makes you uncomfortable. If you start swapping out everything, you might as well just ride a bike every day. You could, in theory, burn the same number of calories that way— you’d lose muscle, lose strength, and essentially become a lesser version of yourself. So don’t start down that path. If you knew a better way to get ripped, then you probably wouldn’t be reading this. Just know that Brad Pitt, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Pratt all did a version of the program you now hold in your hands. You can do what they did if you attack this thing with purpose. When all’s said and done, you’ll look better than you ever have in your life.

The Plan

  • Goal

    Build Muscle, Burn Fat

  • Skill level

    Intermediate

  • Duration

    4 Weeks

  • Days per week

    5

  • Type

    Strength Training

Week 1
  • Day 1

    Monday

    60 min

    5

    Yes

    Monday

    Take about five sets or 10 minutes to work up to a near one-rep max in each of the four main lifts. This is not a powerlifting meet. It’s OK to leave something in the tank, but you should work up to as heavy as you can on this particular day.

  • Day 2

    Tuesday

    45 min

    3

    Yes

    Tuesday

    After situps, work up to a comfortable one-arm snatch for 10 reps. Use that weight for the rest of the workout. Perform 2A and 2B as circuit; complete for time.

  • Day 3

    Wednesday

    30 min

    1

    No

    Wednesday

    Run, row, or bike for 30 minutes. Work up to a heart rate of 180 minus your age and maintain it.

  • Day 4

    Thursday (Rest)

    --

    --

    No

    Thursday (Rest)

  • Day 5

    Friday (Cindy)

    20 min

    3

    Yes

    Friday (Cindy)

    Complete as many rounds possible in 20 minutes.

  • Day 6

    Saturday

    35 min

    1

    No

    Saturday

    Run, row, or bike for 35 minutes. Work up to a heart rate of 180 minus your age and maintain it.

  • Day 7

    Sunday (Active Rest)

    --

    --

    No

    Sunday (Active Rest)

    Rest or optional light cardio

Week 2
  • Day 1

    Monday

    30 min

    6

    Yes

    Monday

    Perform exercises marked with letters as couplets-supersets without rest.

  • Day 2

    Tuesday

    30

    5

    Yes

    Tuesday

    Perform all exercises as straight sets, resting as little as possible.

  • Day 3

    Wednesday (Rest)

    --

    --

    No

    Wednesday (Rest)

  • Day 4

    Thursday

    30 min

    9

    Yes

    Thursday

    Perform the following exercises on time through without resting.

  • Day 5

    Friday (Cardio)

    40 min

    1

    No

    Friday (Cardio)

    Run, row, or bike for 40 minutes. Work up to a heart rate of 180 minus your age and maintain it.

  • Day 6

    Saturday

    30 min

    6

    Yes

    Saturday

    Perform exercises marked with letters as couplets-supersets without rest.

  • Day 7

    Sunday (Active Rest)

    --

    --

    No

    Sunday (Active Rest)

    Rest or optional light cardio

Week 3
  • Day 1

    Monday

    30 min

    5

    Yes

    Monday

    Perform 1A and 1B as a couplet-superset without rest. Then perform 2A, 2B, and 2C as a circuit, completing as many rounds as possible in six minutes.

  • Day 2

    Tuesday

    30 min

    4

    Yes

    Tuesday

    Perform exercises as straight sets. For situps, take as many sets as needed to reach 100.

  • Day 3

    Wednesday (Cardio)

    --

    --

    No

    Wednesday (Cardio)

    Run, row, or bike for 45 minutes at a heart rate of 180 minus your age.

  • Day 4

    Thursday (Rest)

    --

    --

    No

    Thursday (Rest)

  • Day 5

    Friday

    30 min

    6

    Yes

    Friday

    Perform all exercises for three sets to failure. Rest three minutes between each set.

  • Day 6

    Saturday (Fran)

    30 min

    2

    Yes

    Saturday (Fran)

    Perform 21, 15, and 9 reps each of the above exercises, alternating between each exercise.

  • Day 7

    Sunday (Active Rest)

    --

    --

    No

    Sunday (Active Rest)

    Rest or optional light cardio

Week 4
  • Day 1

    Monday

    60 min

    5

    Yes

    Monday

    Take about five sets or 10 minutes to work up to a near one-rep max in each of the four main lifts. This is not a powerlifting meet. It’s OK to leave something in the tank, but you should work up to as heavy as you can on this particular day.

  • Day 2

    Tuesday (Rest)

    --

    --

    No

    Tuesday (Rest)

  • Day 3

    Wednesday

    30 min

    9

    Yes

    Wednesday

    Perform one time through. Rest as little as possible.

  • Day 4

    Thursday (Rest)

    --

    --

    No

    Thursday (Rest)

  • Day 5

    Friday

    30 min

    2

    Yes

    Friday

    Complete 10 rounds of the above couplet for time. Work upward to 10 on pullups and work downward from 10 on bodyweight squats.

  • Day 6

    Saturday (Cardio)

    50 min

    1

    No

    Saturday (Cardio)

    Run, row, or bike for 50 minutes at a heart rate of 180 minus your age.

  • Day 7

    Sunday (Cindy)

    20 min

    3

    Yes

    Sunday (Cindy)

    Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes.