A Full-body Weights Workout

This workout goes along with my post, Fun Fitness: Swapping Routines with @Krazy_Kris. Please read that post before beginning this workout.

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Warm Up

Five minutes on an elliptical machine pumping your arms.

Legs/Glutes

1. Dumbbell Walking Lunges – This exercise is a powerhouse for shaping legs and glutes. If you lift enough weight it becomes a cardio workout as well. Take big steps and use good form. Beginner: Don’t use weights.
2. Stiff-legged Deadlifts - Great hamstrings exercise and works the ham-glute tie-in.
3. Standing Calf Raises – If you don’t have this machine in your gym, do them this way.

Chest & Back Supersets

Supersets save time and incorporate more of a cardio/circuit aspect to weight training. Do these exercises back to back, rest for one minute, then repeat for three sets total.

SUPERSET 1

Setup: Find one heavy dumbbell and a barbell bench press station. If you don’t want to use the Olympic bar, use a small barbell on a regular weight bench.

Barbell Bench Press – This is a weight-lifting fundamental. Don’t let you elbows go past the bench and keep your chest “puffed up” without letting your back arch. You may need a spotter. Try to use the Olympic bar! Beginner: Use light dumbbells.

Superset with:

One-arm Dumbbell Row – Simply use the same bench for this exercise.

SUPERSET 2

Setup: Find a Bosu ball and a cable machine with these two stations close by (a) two handles that can be used at the same time and (b) a seated row station. If you have a FreeMotion machine in your gym, use that!

Cable Crossovers – Use proper form and don’t try to use too much weight.

Superset with:

Two-arm rows on a Bosu ball – If you don’t have a Bosu ball at your disposal, just stand on the ground. I suggest using two arms instead of one, as shown in the video.

Shoulders

Setup: Get two light dumbbells.

Iron cross – This is killer shoulder exercise! You may only be able to do four or five?!

Biceps & Triceps Supersets

Setup: Go to the cable station and connect a short EZ bar to the pulley. You’ll need the bar at the bottom for the bicep curls, and moved to the top for the tricep pushdowns.

Standing EZ Bar Bicep Curls – You may want to go light since you’ll be supersetting with triceps.

Superset with:

Standing EZ Bar Tricep Pushdown

Abs

Setup:

Roman Chair Hanging Leg Raise with Weight – You don’t have to do this a weight, but if you do, find one you can hold between your ankles.

Decline Crunch – Truthfully, I do these holding a weight. But try them any way you want.

Reverse Crunch – I like to do this one on a bench, but you can also do it on the floor.

You’re done! Remember to stretch after your workout.

And finally, my disclaimer. I’m not a personal trainer, just someone with many years of weight lifting experience. Get professional advice if you need it, and listen to your body. Even though my friend Kris is in great shape, I’ll tell her the same thing: if you haven’t been lifting weights awhile, take it slow and low. You’ll love the results!

Let me know how you like the full-body routine I put together for Kris! Modify if as you need to and have fun.

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