In This Series
- The Shift56 System
- How Union J’s Josh Cuthbert Stays In Shape
- The SHIFT56 System Workouts
- Flexible Eating: Eat Smarter For Life!
- Mindful Eating Explained
- Six Happy Habits To Adopt Today
Here’s your new fat-burning, muscle-defining exercise plan – and getting started couldn’t be easier! Here’s all you need to know about the workouts, followed by a clear breakdown of the three circuit sessions you’re going to do this week to turn your body into a fat-burning machine…
The workouts
In both weeks you’ll do three sessions. Try to leave at least one day between your workouts, so exercising on Monday, Wednesday and Friday is a great way to do it.
All three sessions are made up of three circuits of eight different exercises. You’ll do each move for a set amount of time and then rest of a set amount of time, depending on which workout you’re doing.
Make sure you warm up before starting each session of the plan with five or so minutes of movement, gradually increasing your effort levels until you’re ready to begin.
Work versus rest
In workouts 1 and 3 you’ll follow a 40-20 work-rest split, which means you’ll do 40 seconds of exercise 1, rest for 20 seconds, then do exercise 2 for 40 seconds, and so on until you’ve done 40 seconds of exercise 8. At that point you’ll rest for 60 seconds, then repeat the circuit.
In workout 2 you’ll follow a 30-30 work-rest split, which means you’ll do 30 seconds of exercise 1, rest for 30 seconds, and so on until you’ve done 30 seconds of exercise 8. At that point you’ll rest for 60 seconds, then repeat the circuit.
In week 1 you’ll do a total of three circuits, while in week 2 you’ll do four to increase the fat-burning effect. And that’s it. It really is that easy to start shifting fat fast!
Workout 1
Warm-up 5 minutes
Total number of circuits 3 (week 1) 4 (week 2)
Work 40 seconds on
Rest 20 seconds off
Rest between circuits 60 seconds
1 Chair squat
Stand tall with a chair behind you. Keeping your chest up and abs engaged, bend your knees to squat down and raise your arms in front of you to shoulder height. Once your bum touches the chair, straighten your legs and stand back up to return to the start position.
2 Chair dip bent knees
Place your hands on the edge of a chair behind you with your arms straight and knees bent. Keeping your chest up, bend your elbows to lower your bum towards the floor. Go as low as you can, then press back up to straighten your arms and return to the start position.
3 Lunge
Stand tall with your chest up and abs engaged. Take a big step forwards with your left foot, then bend both knees to lunge down until your knee almost touches the floor. Push through your front foot to return to the start, then step forwards with your right foot and repeat the move. Alternate sides with each rep.
4 Glute bridge
Lie flat on your back with your hands on your stomach and your knees bent. Engage your abs and your glutes (bum muscles), then raise your hips off the floor. Squeeze your glutes hard at the top, then lower your hips to return to the start position.
5 Standing sprint
Stand tall with your chest up and abs engaged. Sprint on the spot, raising your knees as high as possible and swinging your arms back and forth.
6 Pogo
Stand tall with your chest up, abs engaged and arms by your sides. Spring straight up into the air, keeping your arms by your sides. Land on both feet and go straight into the next jump.
7 Bicycle
Raise your torso off the floor, engage your abs, and lift your feet off the floor. Crunch up and rotate your torso to one side, bringing your opposite knee in to touch your elbow. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position (without your upper back or feet touching the floor), then repeat on the other side.
8 Plank
Get into position, supporting yourself on your forearms with your elbows underneath your shoulders. Engage your abs, then raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Hold this position by keeping your abs and glutes engaged to prevent your hips from sagging.
Workout 2
Warm-up 5 minutes
Total number of circuits 3 (week 1) 4 (week 2)
Work 30 seconds on
Rest 30 seconds off
Rest between circuits 60 seconds
1 Squat
Stand tall with your chest up, abs engaged and arms straight by your sides. Bend your knees to squat down as low as you can, either keeping your arms by your sides or raising them up to shoulder height. Push through your heels to straighten your legs and return to the start position.
2 Press-up
Get on all fours with your legs and arms straight, your hands under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Engage your abs and bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor. Go as low as you can, then press back up to straighten your arms and return to the start position.
3 Reverse lunge
Stand tall with your chest up and abs engaged. Take a big step backwards with your right foot, then bend both knees to lunge down until your knees almost touch the floor. Push through your back foot to return to the start, then step backwards with your left foot and repeat the move.
4 Diagonal mountain climber
Get on all fours with your arms and legs straight and your wrists directly under your shoulders. Without letting your hips sag, draw one knee in and bring it across towards the opposite elbow. Straighten that leg then repeat, bringing your other knee towards its opposite elbow.
5 High knees
Stand tall with your chest up and abs engaged. Start sprinting on the spot, swinging your arms and bringing your knees up as high as possible. You can also put your arms out straight in front of you and try to make your knees hit your palms with each step.
6 Butt kick
Stand tall with your chest up and abs engaged. Kick one foot up behind you so your heel touches your bum, then return it to the floor and kick the other up. Remain on the same spot, and don’t move forwards or backwards. Keep each butt kick fast but controlled, with your abs engaged throughout.
7 Standing Russian twist
Stand tall with your chest up and abs engaged, with your arms out straight in front of you and hands clasped together. Keeping your hips facing forwards, rotate your torso all the way to one side and then back across to the other. Keep the reps fast but controlled, with your abs engaged throughout.
8 Leg raise hold
Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and hands across your stomach or under the small of your back. Engage your abs, then raise your feet off the floor. Keeping your legs straight, raise your feet as high as you can. Keep your abs fully engaged to hold this position, keeping your breathing controlled.
Workout 3
Warm-up 5 minutes
Total number of circuits 3 (week 1) 4 (week 2)
Work 40 seconds on
Rest 20 seconds off
Rest between circuits 60 seconds
1 Overhead squat
Stand tall with your chest up, abs engaged and arms raised directly overhead. Bend your knees to squat down as low as you can, keeping your arms straight overhead. Push through your heels to straighten your legs and return to the start position.
2 Chair press-up
Place your hands on the seat of a chair in front of you with straight arms and your body straight from head to heels. Engage your abs and bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the seat. Go as low as you can, then press back up to straighten your arms and return to the start position.
3 Curtsy lunge
Stand tall with your chest up, your abs engaged and your hands by your sides. Keeping your chest up, place one foot behind the other, then bend both knees to lunge down until your back knee almost touches the floor. Push off your rear foot to return to the start position, then repeat, leading with your other leg. Alternate legs with each rep.
4 Romanian deadlift
Stand tall with your chest up and abs engaged. With a slight bend in your knees, bend forwards from the hips and reach down the front of your legs, touching your fingertips to them as low down as possible. Stand up to return to the start position.
5 Walking down-up
Stand tall with your chest up and your arms by your sides. Drop down onto your hands and walk your feet back behind you so you’re lying flat on the floor. Press your torso back up and walk your feet back in to bring your knees in and underneath you, then stand back up.
6 Star jump
Stand tall with your chest up, abs engaged and hands by your sides. Jump up and bring both feet out wide to the sides while raising your arms to the sides so your hands finish above your head. Jump back from the wide stance to the start position, lowering your arms as you go.
7 Rolling plank
Get into position, supporting yourself on your forearms with your elbows underneath your shoulders. Engage your abs, then raise your hips off the floor so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Hold this position. Roll one side of your hips down towards the floor, then back to the top, then repeat on the other side. Continue alternating.
8 Arch hold
Lie flat on your front with your core engaged and your arms straight out in front of you. Keeping your arms and legs straight, raise your hands and feet off the floor. Keep your abs and glutes (bum muscles) engaged to hold this position. Keep your breathing controlled and relaxed.
The SHIFT56 System – your complete eight-week guide to living a leaner, healthier and happier life – is available now exclusively at amazon.co.uk.
