Featured Trainer
Liisa Walsh
Last Wednesday, we asked you to declare your 2012 training goal. Several of you listed goals of losing body fat and/or toning up. Well, we have just the thing for you.
Alwyn and Rachel Cosgrove, both experts in the field of health and wellness, have created a results-oriented progressive fitness program exclusively for us. These gender-specific workouts are designed to take you out of your comfort zone and deliver results in just three weeks.
This plan should be performed two to three days a week and continue to build in volume. All of the exercises should be performed at a moderate tempo. The exercises with the same number should be performed as a circuit (performing 1A, then 1B, etc.) until you finish all of the exercises with a 1, then repeat that circuit again before moving onto the next circuit.
In addition to the workout, all participants should clean up their diet for the next three weeks, eating lean protein and veggies every three to four hours and drinking half your bodyweight in ounces of water. Make a commitment not to splurge for the three week period.
To start, take three “before” pictures (front, back and side) of yourself or the clients who’ll be participating. Women should wear shorts and a sports bra. Also, take a baseline body fat measurement for all participants, and ask them each to find a pair of jeans they can almost button. These measurements should be used as indicators of progress INSTEAD of a scale.
Ladies first.
THE FEMALE PLAN
The focus of this plan is building strength, because most women usually do more aerobic type workouts and higher reps. NOTE: Each exercise should be performed at a level that is challenging for the eight reps. The last rep should feel like the individual has to "dig deep" to perform it. If any of the exercises seem too easy, help clients increase the intensity using the Principles of Progression. This plan will finish with a circuit of two exercises performed for as many reps as possible in 30 seconds to boost metabolism and burn fat.
| # | Exercise | Reps | Rest | Sets |
| 1A | TRX Hip Extension | 8 | 30 secs | 3 |
| 1B | TRX Single Arm Row | 8 | 30 secs | 3 |
| 2A | TRX Single Leg Squat | 8 | 30 secs | 3 |
| 2B | TRX Push-up | 8 | 30 secs | 3 |
| 3A | TRX Lunge | 8 | 30 secs | 2 |
| 3B | TRX Roll Out | 8 | 30 secs | 2 |
| 4A | TRX Jump Squat | 30 secs | 30 secs | 2 |
| 4B | TRX Mountain Climber | 30 secs | 30 secs | 2 |
At the end of the three weeks, take "after" photos from the same angles as before. Better yet, grab those too-tight jeans and try 'em on. Chances are, they'll now fit like a glove. Good luck to everyone who participates in this plan, and be sure to encourage your clients to share their results below.
Thanks to TRX Instructor Krystal Say for helping us out with the video!
A sought after expert for several of the country’s leading publications including a regular contributor to Men’s Health magazine, Alwyn Cosgrove has co-authored three books and currently spends his time consulting on fitness training, training clients, speaking on the fitness lecture circuit and coaching fitness trainers worldwide. Rachel Cosgrove is an author and a fitness professional who specializes in getting women of all ages into the best shape of their lives. She has her own column in Women’s Health Magazine and has also been featured in numerous health and fitness publications and also had TV appearances on Fox, ABC and WGN. For the past decade, Alwyn and Rachel have run Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California, ranked one of the top 10 best gyms in America by Men's Health.
