My Weekly Workout Plan (Gym Version)

Contents

• My Goals
• How This Plan Works
• My Weekly Workout Plan
  • Monday: Lower Body Strength + Steady-State Cardio
  • Tuesday: Upper Body Strength + Core + Intervals
  • Wednesday: Rest / Active Recovery
  • Thursday: Glutes + Conditioning
  • Friday: Full Body Strength + Core + Metabolic Finisher
  • Saturday & Sunday: Rest + Optional Movement
• Lower Body Stretch Routine – 5 minutes
  • Hamstring Stretch
  • Standing Quad Stretch
  • Calf Stretch
  • Glute Stretch Standing
  • Hip Flexor Stretch
• Upper Body Stretch Routine – 5 minutes
  • Chest Stretch (Doorway or Wall)
  • Upper Back Stretch
  • Shoulder Stretch (Cross-Body)
  • Triceps Stretch
  • Neck Stretch
  • Mobility
• Notes to Myself

My Goals

• Fat Loss
• Toned Muscles (not bulky)

How This Plan Works

1. Strength Training (3–4x/week)

   • Focus on form, control, and moderate weights (e.g., goblet squats instead of barbell squats).
   • Bodyweight and light weights help develop tone, not size.
   • Reps and sets (12–15 reps, 2–3 sets) aim for sculpted, lean muscle.

2. Cardio with Resistance (bike + walking)

   • Aids fat loss, increases stamina, and keeps legs toned.
   • I include both Zone 2 steady-state cardio and interval training for variety.

3. Core + Recovery + Nutrition

   • Core work 2x/week to support posture and overall strength.
   • Recovery (rest days, foam rolling, sleep, and post-workout carbs) keeps my body happy.
   • Protein goal: ~100g/day. Carbs after workouts to support recovery.
   • Hydration and sleep (7–9 hours) are key pillars too.

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My Weekly Workout Plan

Monday: Lower Body Strength + Steady-State Cardio

Strength Circuit

• Goblet Squat– 3×12

  • Targets: quads, glutes, hamstrings, core
  • Form: Hold the weight close to your chest, keep your chest up, back neutral, and knees tracking in line with your toes. Sit your hips down and back as if sitting into a chair, and keep your heels grounded.
  • Common Mistakes: Knees caving inward, heels lifting off the floor, leaning too far forward, rounding the back, or letting the chest drop.

• Romanian Deadlift w/ Kettlebell – 3×12

  • Targets: hamstrings, glutes, lower back
  • Form: Hold the kettlebell close to your legs, maintain a soft knee bend, hinge at the hips (not the waist), keep your back flat, and push your hips back until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Drive your hips forward to return to standing.
  • Common Mistakes: Rounding the back, locking knees, lowering too far without hamstring stretch, jerking the weight, or not hinging at the hips properly.

• Walking Lunges w/ Dumbbells – 3×12

  • Targets: quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves
  • Form: Step forward into a lunge with a tall torso, both knees bending to ~90°. Keep your front knee above your ankle (not past your toes), push through the heel to rise, and bring your back leg forward into the next step. Avoid leaning forward or twisting.
  • Common Mistakes: Leaning forward, twisting, letting the front knee collapse inward, taking too short or too long steps.

• Glute Kickbacks (Bodyweight) – 3×15 each leg

  • Targets: glutes (gluteus maximus)
  • Form: On hands and knees, keep your core engaged and back flat. Lift one leg up and back, driving through the heel without arching your lower back.
  • Common Mistakes: Rotating your hips to the side, arching your lower back
  • Alternating: Banded glute kickbacks

• Leg Press Machine – 3×10

  • Targets: quads, glutes, hamstrings
  • Form: Place feet shoulder-width on the platform, lower the sled in control until your knees form about a 90° angle. Keep your lower back pressed into the pad, avoid locking out knees at the top, and press evenly through your heels.
  • Common Mistakes: Lifting heels, locking knees, letting lower back round off the pad, placing feet too high or too low on the platform.

Cardio Finisher: Indoor Bike (Zone 2) – 10 min

• Resistance: 3–5/10
• RPM: 80–90
• Breathing: Light sweat, still nose-breathing

Cooldown

• Stretch legs, glutes, and hamstrings (see Lower Body Stretch Routine)
• Breathe deeply, let heart rate come down

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Tuesday: Upper Body Strength + Core + Intervals

Strength Circuit

• Lat Pulldown – 3×10

  • Targets: lats, biceps, mid-back
  • Form: Grip the bar just wider than shoulder width, sit tall with chest up. Pull the bar to your upper chest while keeping elbows pointed down and back.
  • Common Mistakes: leaning too far back, pulling behind your neck, poor control

• Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 3×12

  • Targets: shoulders (deltoids), triceps, upper traps
  • Form: Sit or stand with dumbbells at shoulder height, elbows slightly forward at ~45°. Press straight up in a vertical path until biceps align with or just behind ears, stopping short of lockout. Lower with control until upper arms are parallel to the floor. Keep core braced and spine neutral—avoid arching your back or jutting your head forward.
  • Common Mistakes: excessive back arching, having elbows directly to the side, locking out elbows, poor control

• Dumbbell Bench Press – 3×10

  • Targets: chest (pectorals), shoulders, triceps
  • Form: Sit or stand with dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing forward. Press overhead in a controlled motion without arching your lower back, then lower to starting position without letting elbows drop below shoulders.
  • Common Mistakes: Flaring elbows out too wide, arching lower back, bouncing weights off chest, uneven pressing, locking elbows.

• Seated Cable Row – 3×12

  • Targets: mid-back (rhomboids, traps), biceps
  • Form: Sit tall with chest up, shoulders back. Pull the handle toward your torso, elbows close to sides, and squeeze shoulder blades together. Return slowly to starting position without rounding your back.
  • Common Mistakes: Rounding back, jerking the weight, flaring elbows, leaning too far back, using momentum instead of controlled motion.

• Cable Triceps Pushdown – 3×12

  • Targets: triceps
  • Form: Stand upright with elbows tucked to sides, grip bar or rope. Push down until arms are straight (avoid lockout), then return slowly to start. Keep wrists neutral and elbows stationary.
  • Common Mistakes: Flaring elbows, swinging body, locking elbows, using momentum, letting wrists bend.

Core

• Hanging Leg Raises (with Captain's Chair) – 3×15
  • Targets: lower abs, hip flexors
  • Form: Hang from a bar with a neutral grip. Keep legs straight or slightly bent, lift them up until hips are at least 90° (or slightly higher), then lower slowly with control. Keep core engaged and avoid swinging.
  • Common Mistakes: Swinging legs, arching lower back, bending knees excessively, using momentum instead of controlled motion.
• Cable Pallof Press – 3×10 each side
  • Targets: deep core stabilizers (transverse abdominis), obliques, anti-rotation strength
  • Form: Set the cable at chest height and stand sideways to the machine. Hold the handle close to your chest, step out to create tension, and brace your core. Press the handle straight forward, resisting rotation, then return slowly to chest. Keep torso tall and hips square.
  • Common Mistakes: Twisting torso, leaning forward or back, letting shoulders shrug, rushing the press.

Cardio Finisher: Bike Intervals

• Duration: 10 minutes
• Intensity: Zone 2 (you can breathe through your nose but still feel like you're working)
• Cadence: 80–90 RPM
• Resistance: 5/10 during hard intervals

Cooldown

• Stretch arms, shoulders, chest, and back (see Upper Body Stretch Routine)
• Breathe deeply, let heart rate come down

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Wednesday: Rest / Active Recovery

• Light walk
• Foam rolling or gentle recovery yoga
• Focus on hydration + sleep
• Keep mind at rest, so it can relax the body (body-mind connection)

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Thursday: Glutes + Conditioning

Strength Circuit

• Bulgarian Split Squats – 3×10/leg

  • Targets: quads, glutes, hamstrings, core
  • Form: Stand a few feet in front of a bench, place your rear foot on it. Lower your hips straight down until your front thigh is about parallel to the floor, keeping chest upright and knee stacked over ankle. Drive through the heel to return.
  • Common Mistakes: Leaning too far forward, letting front knee cave inward or go past toes, pushing off rear leg, rushing the movement.

• Standing Glute Kickbacks (Bodyweight) – 3×15/leg

  • Targets: gluteus maximus
  • Form: Stand tall holding onto support if needed. Brace your core and kick one leg straight back with control, squeezing the glute at the top without arching the lower back.
  • Common Mistakes: Rotating hips outward, swinging the leg, leaning forward, overextending lower back.

• Sumo Deadlifts – 3×8

  • Targets: glutes, hamstrings, inner thighs (adductors), lower back
  • Form: Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width, toes slightly out. Grip the bar inside your knees, keep chest tall and back flat. Push through heels, driving hips forward to stand tall. Lower with control by hinging at the hips.
  • Common Mistakes: Rounding the back, letting knees cave inward, hips rising too fast, jerking the bar off the floor, not finishing with hips fully extended.

• Cable Pull-Throughs – 3×12

  • Targets: glutes, hamstrings, lower back
  • Form: Face away from a low cable, hold rope between legs. Hinge at the hips while keeping a flat back, allowing cable to pull hands behind you. Drive hips forward to stand tall, squeezing glutes at the top.
  • Common Mistakes: Squatting instead of hinging, rounding lower back, using arms to pull instead of hips, overextending at the top.

• Resistance Band Face Pulls – 3×15

  • Targets: rear delts, traps, upper back, rotator cuff
  • Form: Anchor band at upper chest or face height. Grip with palms down or neutral, pull toward your forehead while squeezing shoulder blades together. Keep elbows high and wrists in line with elbows.
  • Common Mistakes: Shrugging shoulders, flaring elbows too wide, using momentum, dropping elbows too low, not finishing with external rotation of shoulders.

Cardio Conditioning Circuit – 3 Rounds

• 30 sec Jump Squats
• 30 sec High Knees
• 30 sec Mountain Climbers
• 1 min rest between rounds

Cardio Finisher: Indoor Bike

• Duration: 10 minutes
• Intensity: Zone 2 (you can breathe through your nose but still feel like you're working)
• Resistance: 3–5/10
• RPM: 80–90
• Breathing: Light sweat, still nose-breathing

Cooldown

• Stretch legs, glutes, and hamstrings (see Lower Body Stretch Routine)
• Breathe deeply, let heart rate come down

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Friday: Full Body Strength + Core + Metabolic Finisher

Strength Circuit

• Barbell Deadlift – 3×6
  Targets: glutes, hamstrings, lower back, traps, forearms
• Dumbbell Thrusters (Squat + Press) – 3×10
  Targets: full body — quads, glutes, shoulders, core
• Kettlebell Swings – 3×15
  Targets: glutes, hamstrings, core, shoulders
• Cable Lateral Raises (with no weight) – 3×12/side Targets: shoulders (lateral deltoids)
• Plank Row with Dumbbells – 3×10 Targets: core, upper back, biceps, shoulders

Core

• Forearm Plank – 3×30 seconds
  Targets: core stabilizers, shoulders, glutes
• Side Plank – 2×30 sec/side
  Targets: obliques, glute medius, shoulders

Finisher: 5-min AMRAP

• 5 Pushups
• 10 Air Squats
• 15 Jumping Jacks

Cardio Finisher: Indoor Bike (Optional)

• Duration: 10 minutes
• Intensity: Zone 2 (you can breathe through your nose but still feel like you're working)
• Cadence: 80–90 RPM
• Optional: Do it in a fasted state if training early and your body tolerates it well

Cooldown

• Stretch legs, glutes, hamstrings, arms, shoulders, chest, and back (see Lower Body Stretch Routine and Upper Body Stretch Routine)
• Breathe deeply, let heart rate come down

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Saturday & Sunday: Rest + Optional Movement

• 30–45 min walk outside or treadmill
• Optional yoga class, foam rolling, or sauna
• Nutrition focus:
  • Protein: ~100g/day
  • Water: stay hydrated
  • Carbs after activity
• Sleep goal: 7–9 hours/night

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Lower Body Stretch Routine – 5 minutes

Hamstring Stretch

• Stand tall, place one heel forward, toes up
• Hinge hips back slightly and reach toward toes
• 30 sec per leg

Standing Quad Stretch

• Stand on one leg, pull the other heel toward your glutes
• Keep knees together and hips tucked
• 30 sec per leg

Calf Stretch

• Stand facing a wall, step one foot back
• Press heel into floor while keeping back leg straight
• 30 sec per leg

Glute Stretch Standing

• Cross right ankle over left knee, bend supporting leg slightly
• Sit hips back like a squat, hold wall or rack for balance
• 30 sec per leg

Hip Flexor Stretch

• Step one foot forward in a split stance
• Tuck pelvis under and press hips gently forward
• 30 sec per leg

Upper Body Stretch Routine – 5 minutes

Chest Stretch (Doorway or Wall)

• Place forearm or palm on a wall/doorway
• Step forward slightly until you feel a stretch across your chest
• 30 sec per side

Upper Back Stretch

• Interlace fingers, push arms forward at chest height
• Round shoulders and feel stretch between shoulder blades
• 30 sec per side

Shoulder Stretch (Cross-Body)

• Pull one arm across chest with opposite hand
• 30 sec per side

Triceps Stretch

• Bend one arm overhead, touch upper back
• Use other hand to gently press elbow
• 30 sec per side

Neck Stretch

• Tilt head to one side, bring ear toward shoulder
• Keep shoulders relaxed
• 30 sec per side

Mobility

• Arm circles: Forward 30 sec, backward 30 sec
• Keeps shoulders loose and blood flowing

Notes to Myself

• Check in weekly: How do I feel? What needs adjusting?
• Don’t chase soreness — chase consistency.
• Be proud of showing up. Progress > perfection.