by Sandy Joyce

Well the holidays are here and we all know what that means: tempting foods all around, all the time, and no time for the gym!

Not only will this three-week metabolic workout have you in and out of the gym in under 50 minutes, but it’s effective! This program will elevate your heart rate, burn your body fat, and sculpt lean muscle tissue!

There are three different metabolic programs, A, B, and C. These are to be done on alternating days (for example, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, respectively).

I’m going to list the programs below; the details of each program (cycles, sets, reps and rest periods) are listed following. The details change each week, so pay attention!

Workout A

Barbell squats
Push ups
EZ or straight bar curls, standing
Cable row, wide, prone or neutral grip
Hamstring curl, kneeling or standing
Leg raises

Workout B

Dumbbell thrusters
Lat pulldown
Stiff leg deadlifts
Close grip push ups
Dumbbell reverse lunges
Dumbbell curls, standing

Workout C

Sumo deadlifts
Dumbbell shoulder press, standing
Barbell bent over rows (or use dumbbells, with a neutral grip)
Dumbbell flat chest press
Barbell or dumbbell lunges, forward
Rope press downs

Details

• You are to do 8-12 reps per set of each exercise. If you can do 12 reps in good form, increase the weight. If you can’t do 8 reps in good form, decrease the weight.

• This is an explosive program. That means you are to lower the weight in a controlled fashion, pause briefly as you change direction, then “explode” the weight up, quickly, yet controlled.

• These workouts are to be done in a cycle. Start with exercise one and follow through in order, until you get through to 6. That’s one cycle. For specific number of cycles to perform, see below.

• You may rest anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds in between each exercise in a cycle (in between sets of exercises 1 through 6). At the end of the cycle, you may rest for 2 minutes, sip some water, or sit for a minute. Then go through it again, until the prescribed number of cycles is completed.

Cycle Information

• In week 1, go through the cycle 3 times

• In week 2, go through the cycle 4 times

• In week 3, go through the cycle 5 times (the only way you’ll survive this, is by seeing the results of the previous weeks and knowing that it’s your last week!)

Assuming that your food choices match your goals, this metabolic workout will strip about five pounds off of you!

Well, what are you waiting for? Get to work!