4-WEEK
FULL-BODY TRAINING PLAN
Women’s Health Collective trainer India Morse shares exactly what to do and when
• Let’s face it, most of us have better things to do than spend hours and hours in the gym every week. And now the sun has finally started shining? Our resolve to spend our precious free time in the weights section is definitely waning...
However, the science shows us that, contrary to popular belief, dragging out those sweat sessions might not be the way to fast-track results. Research has shown that a 10-minute workout featuring just one minute of high intensity offers the same benefits as 45 minutes of jogging. The message? Train smarter, not longer.
That’s why we hit up our latest Women’s Health Collective trainer India Morse to break down exactly how to do this. Over the next 28 days, she’ll coach you through a training plan featuring a cardio blast, upper-body burn, and lower-body burn, each lasting no more than 15 minutes.
‘We don’t need to spend forever in the gym to see results,’ says Morse. ‘Instead, all you need is a quick workout that covers everything in one session. These workouts are especially good if you want to improve strength but hate cardio, as the mix of bodyweight and weighted exercises will work your full body.’
Each of Morse’s 15-minute workouts focuses on compound moves – exercises which utilise multiple muscle groups at the same time. ‘These will improve your cardio health and stimulate muscle mass growth so that as the weeks progress, you’ll see yourself getting stronger and fitter.’
For each move, Morse has included regressions and progressions so you can tailor your workout to suit your ability level. ‘If you want to spice up your workouts, try the progressions, but remember to always start slow and light if it’s challenging,’ she advises.
Once the four weeks are up, Morse says you can expect to see improvements in your posture, form, and balance, thanks to the unilateral training included in the plan. ‘You’ll be able to perform cardio better, as including weight training (and single-leg and single-arm exercises) in your routine will help you become stronger all over, without any imbalances.’
The plan kicks off on 5 June, but you’re under no obligation to stick to our timings. Download this pdf and come back to it whenever you’re ready and scroll down to see what Morse recommends once the four weeks are up.
HOW TO DO THE 4-WEEK PLAN
• Each week, Morse will coach you through three 15-minute workouts: a full-body cardio, an upper-body burn and a lower-body burn.
• Always start your workouts with Morse’s warm-ups, and follow them with her cool-downs.
• On the days when you aren’t doing a workout, Morse advises either LISS, mobility or rest.
• Rest day means a complete rest or a mobility session.
• LISS, AKA low-intensity steady-state cardio, means a 20- to 60-min walk (depending on which week of the plan you’re on).
THE KIT
Exercise mat
1 pair of heavy dumbbells
2 plates
2 kettlebells
WHAT WEIGHT SHOULD I USE?
Morse says: ‘Everyone’s level of ability is different, so to prevent injury you need to start slowly with a lighter weight, and focus on your form. The weights you use shouldn’t feel easy, and the last few reps should feel fairly hard. As a rough guide, I would suggest starting with 4kg dumbbells for upper body, 6-8kg dumbbells for lower-body exercises, 12kg kettlebells and 15kg plates.’
4-WEEK FULL-BODY TRAINING PLAN
WEEK 1
DAY 1 15-MIN CARDIO BLAST
DAY 2 LISS: 20-MIN WALK
DAY 3 15-MIN LOWER-BODY BURN
DAY 4 10-MIN MOBILITY + LISS: 20-MIN WALK
DAY 5 15-MIN UPPER-BODY BURN
DAY 6 10-MIN MOBILITY
DAY 7 20-MIN MOBILITY/REST
WEEK 2
DAY 1 15-MIN CARDIO BLAST
DAY 2 LISS: 25-MIN WALK
DAY 3 15-MIN LOWER-BODY BURN
DAY 4 15-MIN UPPER-BODY BURN
DAY 5 20-MIN MOBILITY/REST
DAY 6 LISS: 30-MIN WALK
DAY 7 10-MIN MOBILITY
WEEK 3
DAY 1 15-MIN CARDIO BLAST
DAY 2 15-MIN LOWER-BODY BURN
DAY 3 10-MIN MOBILITY + LISS: 30-MIN WALK
DAY 4 15-MIN UPPER-BODY BURN
DAY 5 15-MIN CARDIO BLAST
DAY 6 20-MIN MOBILITY/REST
DAY 7 LISS 30-45-MIN WALK
WEEK 4
DAY 1 15-MIN CARDIO BLAST
DAY 2 15-MIN LOWER-BODY BURN
DAY 3 REST DAY
DAY 4 15-MIN UPPER-BODY BURN
DAY 5 10-MIN MOBILITY + LISS: 45-60-MIN WALK
DAY 6 15-MIN LOWER-BODY BURN
DAY 7 15-MIN UPPER-BODY BURN/20-MIN MOBILITY
How to make the plan harder/easier
WEEK ONE:
• Follow Morse’s original timings for each of the workouts.
WEEK TWO:
• 15-Min Cardio Blast Workout: Use heavier weights.
• 15-Min Upper-Body Burn Workout: Increase the tempo.
• 15-Min Lower-Body Burn Workout: Use heavier weights.
WEEK THREE:
• 15-Min Cardio Blast Workout: Increase timings to 40 secs with 15-sec rest.
• 15-Min Upper-Body Burn Workout: Increase the tempo or use heavier weights.
• 15-Min Lower-Body Burn Workout: Add a pause movement at the end of the superset for 5 secs.
WEEK FOUR:
• 15-Min Cardio Blast Workout: Add one more round.
• 15-Min Upper-Body Burn Workout: Increase the weights.
• 15-Min Lower-Body Burn Workout: Add one more set with a pause movement.
What to do when the 4 weeks are up
After the four weeks are up, Morse suggests adding more rounds with longer rest time, or combining the Upper- and Lower-Body Burn Workouts into one longer routine to create a more challenging full-body session.
WORKOUT 1: 15-MIN CARDIO BLAST
Equipment: 1 exercise mat, 1 kettlebell
warm-up
Run through this whole warm-up twice
1
INCHWORM TO LUNGE SPINAL TWIST
10 REPS
2
LATERAL SQUAT ALTERNATING REACH
10 REPS
3
SQUAT
10 REPS
workout
Perform the following moves for 35 secs, followed by 15 secs of rest before starting the next
1
KETTLEBELL SWING
REGRESSION: TRY A SLOW ROMANIAN DEADLIFT INSTEAD
PROGRESSION: USE A HEAVIER WEIGHT
2
KETTLEBELL CLEAN
REGRESSION: PERFORM JUST THE KETTLEBELL PRESS
PROGRESSION: USE A KETTLEBELL IN EACH HAND
3
OFF RELEASE PUSH UP
REGRESSION: USE YOUR KNEES
PROGRESSION: LOWER DOWN FOR 3 SECS BEFORE RELEASING YOUR HANDS TO INCREASE TIME UNDER TENSION
4
JACKKNIFE
REGRESSION: BEND YOUR LEGS OR SINGLE-LEG MOVEMENT ALTERNATING EACH SIDE
PROGRESSION: SLOW DOWN THE MOVEMENT
5
SPRAWL
REGRESSION: USE ALTERNATING SINGLE-LEG MOVEMENT
PROGRESSION: INCREASE THE TEMPO (BUT MAINTAIN A GOOD FORM)
6
LATERAL LUNGE TO REVERSE LUNGE
REGRESSION: ALTERNATE LATERAL AND REVERSE LUNGES EACH ROUND
PROGRESSION: USE WEIGHTS
Perform this whole workout twice, giving yourself a 30-sec rest between circuits to make 15 mins. If you need longer between the circuits, that’s absolutely fine – follow your body’s cues and give yourself the rest you need
cool-down
Hold each stretch for 20 secs
1
LYING GLUTE STRETCH
2
HIP DROP STRETCH
3
PIGEON STRETCH
4
CHILD’S POSE
WORKOUT 2: 15-MIN UPPER-BODY BURN
Equipment: 1 exercise mat, 1 resistance band, 1 pair of dumbbells, 1 kettlebell
warm-up
1
BANDED SHOULDER ROTATION
4 REPS
2
BIRD DOG
4 REPS ON EACH SIDE
3
BEAR PLANK
8 REPS X 5-SEC HOLD
workout
Perform 12 reps of each, using light weights. Rest for 30 secs at the end of each set. Perform 3 sets in total
FIRST SET
1
LATERAL RAISE
REGRESSION: ALTERNATE ARMS
PROGRESSION: INCREASE THE TEMPO, HOLDING FOR 3 SECS AT SHOULDER HEIGHT
2
HALO
REGRESSION: GO LIGHTER
PROGRESSION: GO HEAVIER
3
BICEP PUMP
REGRESSION: GO LIGHTER
PROGRESSION: CONTROL THE TEMPO SO EACH PUMP TAKES 3 SECS UP AND 3 SECS DOWN
SECOND SET
Perform 8 reps of each, using heavier kettlebells
4
HIGH PULL
REGRESSION: GO LIGHTER AND USE WEIGHT ON JUST ONE ARM
PROGRESSION: USE THE 2-1-2 TEMPO, IE 2 SECS ON THE WAY DOWN, 1 SEC AT THE BOTTOM AND 2 SECS BACK TO THE TOP
5
GORILLA ROW
REGRESSION: LOSE ONE WEIGHT AND MAKE IT A SINGLE-ARM EXERCISE
PROGRESSION: INCREASE THE WEIGHT
6
PUSH PRESS
REGRESSION: LOWER THE WEIGHT
PROGRESSION: SLOW THE MOVEMENT AS YOU LOWER (IE ADD THE ECCENTRIC TEMPO). REST FOR 30 SECS
FINISHER Hold a hand-release push-up for one minute
cool-down
Hold each stretch for 30 secs
1
CHILD’S POSE
2
THREAD THE NEEDLE
3
LYING PECTORAL STRETCH
4
CHEST STRETCH
WORKOUT 3: 15-MIN LOWER-BODY BURN
Equipment: 2 plates, 1 pair of dumbbells
warm-up
Hold for 20 secs on each side, and run through the warm-up twice
1
WORLD’S GREATEST STRETCH
2
KNEELING HIP FLEXOR
3
COSSACK SQUAT
workout
Do 8 reps of each of the following, completing 2-3 sets. Rest for 30 secs before repeating another set
FIRST SUPER SET
1
DUMBELL DEFICIT REVERSE LUNGE
REGRESSION: DO THE LUNGES WITHOUT THE DUMBBELLS AND FOCUS ON FORM
PROGRESSION: INCREASE THE WEIGHT USED
2
DUMBELL DEFICIT SPLIT LUNGE
REGRESSION: DO THE LUNGES WITHOUT THE DUMBBELLS AND FOCUS ON FORM
PROGRESSION: INCREASE THE WEIGHT USED
SECOND SUPER SET
Do 8 reps of each of the following, completing 2-3 sets. Rest for 30 secs before repeating another set
3
KETTLEBELL LATERAL LUNGE
(FOCUS ONE LEG AT A TIME, THEN SWITCH OVER)
REGRESSION: USE ONLY BODYWEIGHT FOR THE MOVES
PROGRESSION: SLOW DOWN THE MOVEMENT AND HOLD THE PAUSE FOR 3 SECS BEFORE COMING BACK TO STANDING
4
KETTLEBELL DUAL SUMO DEADLIFT
REGRESSION: USE ONLY BODYWEIGHT FOR THE MOVES
PROGRESSION: SLOW DOWN THE MOVEMENT AND HOLD THE PAUSE FOR 3 SECS BEFORE COMING BACK TO STANDING
finisher: Hold a wall sit for as long as you can
cool-down
Hold each stretch for 30 secs
1
CROSSOVER HAMSTRING STRETCH
2
FIGURE FOUR STRETCH
3
DOWNWARD FACING DOG
PHOTOGRAPHY: ZOE GRIFFIN
