Shape Magazine
2008 Bikini Body Countdown Month 1
You'll need: a pair of 3- and 5- or 8-pound dumbbells, a resistance band, a stability ball, and a 5-pound weighted ball.
The Plan
- One-leg dead lift to T Works shoulders, lower back, butt, and hamstrings
- Hockey row Works legs, back, and biceps
- Chest blast and crunch Works chest, abs, and shoulders
- Flamingo triceps extension Works triceps, shoulders, and legs
- Jockey hop Works legs, butt, and shoulders
- Rotating sumo squat Works legs and butt
- Russian curl Works legs, butt, and biceps
- Band crunch Works abs
This month, aim to do at least 100 minutes of cardio a week (divide it up however you see fit; you might do one 40-minute session and two 30-minute sessions or five 20-minute workouts-or see below). Plan to spend 80 minutes of that time at a Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) of 5-6 or at 70 to 80 percent of your max heart rate or MHR (220-your age = MHR). Spend the remaining 20 minutes at an RPE of 7-8 or 80 to 85 percent of your MHR. Do any form of cardio you want-the elliptical, stairclimbing, running, walking, biking, etc.
[* At an RPE of 5-6, you should be able to maintain a conversation as you exercise without gasping for breath. At an RPE of 7-8, you should be breathing hard, but not out of breath.]
Sample workouts:
40-MINUTE PLAN
| Time(minutes) | What to do | RPE |
| 0-5 | Warm up, gradually increasing the intensity | 4-5 |
| 5-7 | Increase intensity to somewhat hard | 7 |
| 7-9 | Recover at moderate | 5 |
| 9-11 | Increase intensity to somewhat hard | 7 |
| 11-13 | Recover at moderate | 5 |
| 13-15 | Increase intensity to hard | 7 |
| 15-25 | Maintain moderate | 5 |
| 25-26 | Increase intensity to a hard level | 8 |
| 26-27 | Recover at moderate | 5-6 |
| 27-33 | Repeat minutes 25-27 three times | 5-7 |
| 33-34 | Increase intensity to a hard level | 8 |
| 34-35 | Recover at moderate | 5-6 |
| 35-40 | Cool down, gradually dropping the intensity | 4-5 |
Total time at 7-8 11 minutes
Total time at 5-6 29 minutes
30-MINUTE PLAN, option A
| Time(minutes) | What to do | RPE |
| 0-5 | Warm up, gradually increasing the intensity | 4-5 |
| 5-15 | Maintain moderate | 6 |
| 15-20 | Increase the intensity to somewhat hard | 7 |
| 20-25 | Maintain moderate | 6 |
| 25-30 | Cool down, gradually dropping the intensity | 4-5 |
Total time at 7-8 5 minutes
Total time at 5-6 25 minutes
30-MINUTE PLAN, option B
| Time(minutes) | What to do | RPE |
| 0-5 | Warm up, gradually increasing the intensity | 4-5 |
| 5-10 | Maintain moderate intensity | 5 |
| 10-10:30 | Increase the intensity to a hard level | 8 |
| 10:30-11:30 | Recover at moderate intensity | 5-6 |
| 11:30-22:00 | Repeat minutes 10-11:30 seven times | 5-8 |
| 22-27 | Maintain moderate intensity | 6 |
| 27-30 | Cool down, gradually dropping the intensity | 4-5 |
Total time at 7-8 4 minutes
Total time at 5-6 26 minutes
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