GYM
12 WEEK
PLAN
© Copyright 2003-2007. All rights reserved. David McDonagh
Welcome to System 10 Gym Plan. This is a 12 week programme.
This is the exact approach we use at our centres where we aim for the maximum results in fat loss. Our approach will leave you with a great metabolism. The following instructions are very important to the success of the plan. Please read all of them carefully. If you have a System 10 consultant, they will advise you on the broad principles of the plan. However you must still take this plan to your gym centre and get help on specific machines from the trainer employed there.
CRITICAL NOTE:
Regardless of your age or fitness condition you should have yourself checked out by your doctor before starting any exercise, food or supplement plan. We strongly recommend that you do this before starting this programme. This is your responsibility.
Instructions for the CARDIOVASCULAR OR ‘AEROBIC’ work – please read very very carefully
General
- These instructions apply to the walking, jogging, cross-training, biking or rowing section of your programme only.
- Always warm-up by going easy for the first 5 to 7 minutes on the first machine only and then up the tempo to your correct pace.
- Always cool down by going gently for an extra 5 minutes at the end and then do stretches for your legs and lower back and shoulders.
- Log your distance, time and RPE (see below) for your records.
Getting Going – simple steps to huge success
- Select your RPE - Rate of perceived exertion – see below!
- Select a programme and speed on each machine to match your RPE.
- Try to avoid using very hilly courses or high resistances on the machines as this tends to overstress leg muscles and prevents getting a good workout for your heart and lungs and also will make it very difficult to get your RPE steady.
RPE(Rate of perceived exertion)
- RPE is the effort you are going to put into your training, measured on a scale of 1 to 10. A score of 1 is very very easy, almost at snails pace and 10 is maximum effort flat out. An RPE of 9 or 10 would normally only be used by highly trained athletes. It is basically how hard you FEEL you are exercising DURING each exercise and how you feel over all just coming to the end of each machine and the end of each workout.
- Always choose an RPE that is ideally slightly higher than your current training experience but also that will allow you to complete the time required in full.
- Never choose one that will in any way cause you to over-train.
- We suggest raw beginners should start at an RPE of about 4 out of 10 (40% effort). However, you can adjust up or down according to your current fitness.
- Improvers should start at an RPE of about 6 out of 10 (60% effort) or maybe higher.
- Decide your starting RPE now! If in any doubt at all start low!
Training programme and speed
- On your first few sessions see if the programme and speed you have selected match your RPE.
- Fine tune your RPE and pace. If the programme and/or speed is too much for your RPE, just slow down and review for the next session. Likewise if it is too little, speed up and review for the next session.
Checkpoints – as you build up your number of sessions
- You should gradually increase your RPE until you get to an RPE of 8. Review your RPE every 10 workouts. To facilitate this you will have to change your programme and/or speed. Again try to avoid using very hilly courses or high resistances on the machines as this tends to overstress leg muscles and prevents getting a good workout for your heart and lungs and also will make it very difficult to get your RPE steady.
- When you get to an 8 or if you started at an 8, you must aim to stay at an 8, and so will have to continue to gradually increase your pace to keep you at an 8 because as you get fitter, what feels like an 8 today will get easier and become a 7 soon and a 6 later again.
Again please talk to your Gym Trainer or System 10 consultant if you have one. If you are doing the programme without a Gym trainer or System 10 consultant please contact our head office manager in Limerick, Ireland if you have any problems:
Instructions for the WEIGHTS work
· Do the weights 2 days per week with a 2 to 3 days break between each day.
· For instruction on techniques, please talk to your local gym trainer.
· If your gym does not have a particular machine, ask your instructor for the closest exercise to match.
· Always warm-up at the start of your session by doing 10 repetitions of the first 4 exercises with 50% of the weight you would normally use and then start the programme in full.
· The weights are to be done in a CIRCUIT style – do the repetitions of the first exercise, then move to the next exercise. Complete all exercises and then go back around again as indicated. There is no rush but please try not to rest more than 1 minute between exercises and circuits.
· Please pay careful attention to the number of repetitions per circuit – they vary depending on the exercise and the circuit you are on.
· Start with light weights for the first 2 to 3 sessions until you condition your muscles to weights and exercises.
· Once you are comfortable with the exercises you must then increase the weight you lift to make sure you are under pressure to complete the given number of repetitions i.e. don’t have the weight too light! If you are supposed to do 20 you should nearly have to stop at 19 from muscle ‘burn’ or ‘ache’ and likewise if you are supposed to do 15 or 10 reps you should nearly have to stop after 14 reps or 9 reps respectively. This would normally mean that the weight you choose will go up as the repetitions to be done get lower. AT ALL TIMES YOUR TECHNIQUE SHOULD STAY STRICT TO AVOID INJURY AND FOR MAXIMUM RESULTS.
· As the weeks go by you will have to keep adjusting up the weight for some exercises as you will adapt. THIS IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE.
· Please log all training sessions.
· Always cool down at the end of your session with some stretching.
· Please pay CRITICAL attention to technique.
Stage 1 – Weeks 1 to 3
Cardiovascular or ‘Aerobic’ work
Exercise / Days 1 & 3 – NO weights / Days 2 & 4 – with Weights1 / Treadmill / 20 minutes / 20 minutes
2 / Crosstrainer / 20 minutes / 20 minutes
3 / Treadmill / 15 minutes / n/a
4 / Row or Bike / 10 minutes / 10 minutes
Toning Work – do on days 2 and 4 only
Exercise / Body Area(s) / Circuit 1 / Circuit 21 / Bench Press / Chest/Shoulders/Back of arms / 25 reps / 20 reps
2 / Leg Press / Front thighs/Backside / 25 reps / 20 reps
3 / Rotary Torso / Side of stomach / 26 reps / 20 reps
4 / Seated Row / Back muscles/Front of arms / 25 reps / 20 reps
5 / Leg Curl / Back of thighs / 25 reps / 20 reps
6 / Swiss Ball Crunches / Front of stomach / 40 reps / 30 reps
7 / Reverse Ball Crunches / Lower stomach / 20 reps / 15 reps
8 / Alternate Arm/Leg Raise / Lower Back / 20 reps / 20 reps
9 / Bicep Twisting Curls / Front of arms / 25 reps / 20 reps
10 / Triceps Pushdown / Back of arms / 25 reps / 20 reps
Stage 2 – Weeks 4 to 6
Cardiovascular or ‘Aerobic’ work
Exercise / Days 1 & 3 – NO weights / Days 2 & 4 – with Weights1 / Treadmill / 30 minutes / 25 minutes
2 / Crosstrainer / 20 minutes / 20 minutes
3 / Treadmill / 15 minutes / n/a
4 / Row or Bike / 15 minutes / 15 minutes
Toning Work – do on days 2 and 4 only
Exercise / Body Area(s) / Circuit 1 / Circuit 21 / Bench Press / Chest/Shoulders/Back of arms / 20 reps / 15 reps
2 / Leg Press / Front thighs/Backside / 20 reps / 15 reps
3 / Rotary Torso / Side of stomach / 20 reps / 16 reps
4 / Seated Row / Back muscles/Front of arms / 20 reps / 15 reps
5 / Leg Curl / Back of thighs / 20 reps / 15 reps
6 / Swiss Ball Crunches / Front of stomach / 40 reps / 30 reps
7 / Reverse Ball Crunches / Lower stomach / 20 reps / 15 reps
8 / Alternate Arm/Leg Raise / Lower Back / 20 reps / 16 reps
9 / Bicep Twisting Curls / Front of arms / 20 reps / 15 reps
10 / Triceps Pushdown / Back of arms / 20 reps / 15 reps
Stage 3 – Weeks 7 to 9
Cardiovascular or ‘Aerobic’ work
Exercise / Days 1 & 3 – NO weights / Days 2 & 4 – with Weights1 / Treadmill / 30 minutes / 25 minutes
2 / Crosstrainer / 25 minutes / 20 minutes
3 / Treadmill / 15 minutes / 20 minutes
4 / Row or Bike / 15 minutes / 10 minutes
Toning Work – do on days 2 and 4 only
Exercise / Body Area(s) / Circuit 1 / Circuit 21 / Bench Press / Chest/Shoulders/Back of arms / 15 reps / 10 reps
2 / Leg Press / Front thighs/Backside / 15 reps / 10 reps
3 / Rotary Torso / Side of stomach / 16 reps / 16 reps
4 / Seated Row / Back muscles/Front of arms / 15 reps / 10 reps
5 / Leg Curl / Back of thighs / 15 reps / 10 reps
6 / Swiss Ball Crunches / Front of stomach / 40 reps / 30 reps
7 / Reverse Ball Crunches / Lower stomach / 20 reps / 15 reps
8 / Alternate Arm/Leg Raise / Lower Back / 20 reps / 15 reps
9 / Bicep Twisting Curls / Front of arms / 15 reps / 10 reps
10 / Triceps Pushdown / Back of arms / 15 reps / 10 reps
Stage 4 – Weeks 10 to 12
Cardiovascular or ‘Aerobic’ work
Exercise / Days 1 & 3 – NO weights / Days 2 & 4 – with Weights1 / Treadmill / 20 minutes / 20 minutes
2 / Crosstrainer / 20 minutes / 20 minutes
3 / Treadmill / 15 minutes / n/a
4 / Row or Bike / 10 minutes / 10 minutes
Toning Work – do on days 2 and 4 only
Exercise / Body Area(s) / Circuit 1 / Circuit 21 / Bench Press / Chest/Shoulders/Back of arms / 10 reps / 10 reps
2 / Leg Press / Front thighs/Backside / 10 reps / 10 reps
3 / Rotary Torso / Side of stomach / 16 reps / 16 reps
4 / Seated Row / Back muscles/Front of arms / 10 reps / 10 reps
5 / Leg Curl / Back of thighs / 10 reps / 10 reps
6 / Swiss Ball Crunches / Front of stomach / 40 reps / 30 reps
7 / Reverse Ball Crunches / Lower stomach / 20 reps / 15 reps
8 / Alternate Arm/Leg Raise / Lower Back / 20 reps / 15 reps
9 / Bicep Twisting Curls / Front of arms / 10 reps / 10 reps
10 / Triceps Pushdown / Back of arms / 10 reps / 10 reps
Remember, we want you to succeed. If you do not have a System 10 consultant please e-mail if you run into any difficulties.
Thank you.
David McDonagh.
Dietician & Fitness Consultant
Creator of System 10