Call it what you want — a hunger for exercise, obsessive-compulsive gym attendance or sadism-gone-fitness — but there’s simply no prying you away from your workout routine. You’re never more than a treadmill visit away from a whisper-inducing, stare-stealing physique, but even the fit get bored. For you, progression is everything. “Advanced female athletes want to be functionally strong, sexy, shapely, lean, defined and heart-healthy,” says Denver-based professional fitness competitor Carla Sanchez, CSCS, also the founder and coach of the Performance Ready Fitness and Figure Team. “This six-week progressive program consists mainly of compound exercises but also incorporates some heart-racing plyometrics that will challenge any athlete.” This Sanchez-tailored boot camp spends two weeks in each of three distinct stages — building, sculpting and defining. You’ll work out three days a week on nonconsecutive days, with each phase focusing primarily on heavy compound movements. Sanchez recommends multijoint exercises not only for their ability to affect total-body composition but for their cumulative effect on “secondary” muscle groups like biceps and triceps. “Plus, you get in and out of the gym faster,” she adds. For the first two weeks, you’ll focus on some basic heavy lifts to build a solid base from which to work. You’ll complete three sets of each exercise in straight-sets fashion — in other words, you’ll knock out three sets of one exercise before moving on to the next. You’ll rest only one minute between each set of a given exercise and take no rest when switching exercises. In the sculpting phase, you’ll increase reps to the 10–12 range to keep your heart rate and metabolism working overtime. Rest no longer than two minutes in between sets. Once you’ve built and refined muscle for a month, you’re ready for the defining phase of this routine (outlined on page 59). This dynamic, high-rep circuit regimen will help melt away remaining fat stores and start you on your way to greater gains. Sanchez recommends performing this routine Monday, Wednesday and Friday, using Tuesday and Thursday for 30–40 minutes of high-intensity cardio and ab training.
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ROMANIAN DEADLIFTTargets: Hamstrings, glutesStart: Stand erect holding a barbell with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Your feet should be hip-width apart, toes straight ahead, legs straight but knees unlocked.Movement: Simultaneously lean forward, press your hips back and slide the bar down the front of your thighs until it’s a few inches below your knees. On the return, focus on driving your feet into the floor, pressing your hips forward and squeezing your glutes.
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STATIONARY LUNGE WITH FOOT ON BENCHTargets: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutesStart: Stand a few feet in front of a flat bench holding a pair of dumbbells. Carefully place one foot behind you onto the bench with your toes on the bench. Movement: Drop your hips straight down by bending your front knee until it reaches a 90-degree angle. Press through your front heel back to the starting position.
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SUMO SQUATTargets: Quads, hams, glutes, adductors Start: Take a wider-than-normal stance — each foot 6–8 inches outside of hip width — holding a dumbbell in front of you, toes pointed slightly outward for comfort. Movement: Press your hips back and down while simultaneously bending at the knees. Your back should be straight and your eyes forward. Once your thighs are parallel to the floor, press through your heels to return to the starting position.
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SQUAT JUMPTargets: Quads, hamstrings, calves, glutesStart: Stand erect with your arms at your sides.Movement: Drop into a squat position with your arms bent and hands clasped in front of you, then explode up off the floor as high as you can. Don’t allow your feet to stay in contact with the floor any longer than is necessary for you to power into the next rep.
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UPRIGHT ROWTargets: Shoulders, trapsStart: Stand holding a barbell with a palms-down (pronated) grip, hands just wider than shoulder width. The bar should rest across the tops of your thighs, arms at full extension.Movement: Initiate the pull by moving your elbows up, dragging the weight upward and very close to your body. Keeping your elbows above your wrists the entire time, bring the bar to the top of your chest before lowering it under control back to the start.
Call it what you want — a hunger for exercise, obsessive-compulsive gym attendance or sadism-gone-fitness — but there’s simply no prying you away from your workout routine. You’re never more than a treadmill visit away from a whisper-inducing, stare-stealing physique, but even the fit get bored. For you, progression is everything.
“Advanced female athletes want to be functionally strong, sexy, shapely, lean, defined and heart-healthy,” says Denver-based professional fitness competitor Carla Sanchez, CSCS, also the founder and coach of the Performance Ready Fitness and Figure Team. “This six-week progressive program consists mainly of compound exercises but also incorporates some heart-racing plyometrics that will challenge any athlete.”
This Sanchez-tailored boot camp spends two weeks in each of three distinct stages — building, sculpting and defining. You’ll work out three days a week on nonconsecutive days, with each phase focusing primarily on heavy compound movements. Sanchez recommends multijoint exercises not only for their ability to affect total-body composition but for their cumulative effect on “secondary” muscle groups like biceps and triceps. “Plus, you get in and out of the gym faster,” she adds.
For the first two weeks, you’ll focus on some basic heavy lifts to build a solid base from which to work. You’ll complete three sets of each exercise in straight-sets fashion — in other words, you’ll knock out three sets of one exercise before moving on to the next. You’ll rest only one minute between each set of a given exercise and take no rest when switching exercises.
In the sculpting phase, you’ll increase reps to the 10–12 range to keep your heart rate and metabolism working overtime. Rest no longer than two minutes in between sets.
Once you’ve built and refined muscle for a month, you’re ready for the defining phase of this routine (outlined on page 59). This dynamic, high-rep circuit regimen will help melt away remaining fat stores and start you on your way to greater gains.
Sanchez recommends performing this routine Monday, Wednesday and Friday, using Tuesday and Thursday for 30–40 minutes of high-intensity cardio and ab training.
ROMANIAN DEADLIFT
Targets: Hamstrings, glutes
Start: Stand erect holding a barbell with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Your feet should be hip-width apart, toes straight ahead, legs straight but knees unlocked.
Movement: Simultaneously lean forward, press your hips back and slide the bar down the front of your thighs until it’s a few inches below your knees. On the return, focus on driving your feet into the floor, pressing your hips forward and squeezing your glutes.
STATIONARY LUNGE WITH FOOT ON BENCH
Targets: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes
Start: Stand a few feet in front of a flat bench holding a pair of dumbbells. Carefully place one foot behind you onto the bench with your toes on the bench.
Movement: Drop your hips straight down by bending your front knee until it reaches a 90-degree angle. Press through your front heel back to the starting position.
SUMO SQUAT
Targets: Quads, hams, glutes, adductors
Start: Take a wider-than-normal stance — each foot 6–8 inches outside of hip width — holding a dumbbell in front of you, toes pointed slightly outward for comfort.
Movement: Press your hips back and down while simultaneously bending at the knees. Your back should be straight and your eyes forward. Once your thighs are parallel to the floor, press through your heels to return to the starting position.
SQUAT JUMP
Targets: Quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes
Start:Stand erect with your arms at your sides.
Movement: Drop into a squat position with your arms bent and hands clasped in front of you, then explode up off the floor as high as you can. Don’t allow your feet to stay in contact with the floor any longer than is necessary for you to power into the next rep.
UPRIGHT ROW
Targets: Shoulders, traps
Start:Stand holding a barbell with a palms-down (pronated) grip, hands just wider than shoulder width. The bar should rest across the tops of your thighs, arms at full extension.
Movement:Initiate the pull by moving your elbows up, dragging the weight upward and very close to your body. Keeping your elbows above your wrists the entire time, bring the bar to the top of your chest before lowering it under control back to the start.
