Kacy Duke knows crunch time. After all, it's her job to turn flabby film stars into big screen heroes—and fast. (Bruce Willis and Denzel Washington are both clients.) To get you back in action, she's created a six-week workout that's heavy on heart-pumping work and light on downtime. Her regimen follows, and she says that in each week you should also add two days of cardio and one day of rest.
Do the following for four days in the first week. Add in two days of a cardio of your choosing (play tennis, go for a run, ride a bike), and make sure that you give yourself one day off. You'll need it.
CARDIO
30 minutes on the treadmill
5 minutes of brisk walking to warm up
5 minutes of running at an incline of 6
5 minutes of power walking at an incline of 8
5 minutes of running at an incline of 8
10 minutes of running at a flat incline
LEG WORK
3 sets of 12 squats with 20lb weights in each hand
Arms at your side, pushing through the hips, squat like you're sitting in a chair, come up and squeeze
UPPER BODY
3 fast-paced circuits
12 push-ups
10 second rest
30 seconds of mountain climbers (in the push-up position, alternate your knees to your chest)
ABDOMINALS
1 set of 12 medicine ball sit ups
Lie on your back with knees bent at 90 degrees, feet off the floor. Shins should be parallel to the ground. Using a 4-6lb medicine ball, do a sit up. At the top, rest the medicine ball on your shins. Go back down. Then, do another sit up, grab the ball, and take it back down with you. Repeat 11 more times.
WEEK TWO
Do the following for four days in the second week. As before, add in two days of cardio and one day of rest.
CARDIO
4 fast-paced circuits
60 seconds of jumping rope
15 push-ups
End with 3 minutes of straight jumping rope
LEG WORK
Medicine ball lunges, 12 reps on each leg
Using a 6-15lb medicine ball (whichever is most comfortable for you, step forward for a lunge, making sure that your front knee is in line with your heel and that the back leg is bent with the back heel coming off the ground.
As you step forward into the lunge, extend the medicine ball straight out in front. At the bottom of the lunge, rotate the body and ball to the right, then rotate the body and ball to the left. Return the body to a front-facing position, push off of the front leg and come back to a standing position, bringing the arms back down.
UPPER BODY
1 slow set of 15 shoulder presses
Holding 15lb dumbbells in each hand, press up for a count of 4 and release down to a count of 6
ABDOMINALS
4 circuits with small rests in between
Hold the plank position for 30 seconds
Flip over and lay flat on your back on the mat. Bring hands behind head and lift shoulders off the floor. Then, lift legs off the floor, extended straight out. Keeping head and shoulders off the floor, flutter kick (as though you were in a pool on a kickboard) your legs for a count of 20
WEEK THREE
Do the following for four days in the third week. As before, add in two days of cardio and one day of rest.
CARDIO
30 minutes on the treadmill
5 minutes of brisk walking to warm up
5 minutes of running at an incline of 6
5 minutes of power walking at an incline of 8
5 minutes of running at an incline of 8
10 minutes of running at a flat incline
LEG WORK
Fast-paced circuits, to be repeated 3 times
Using the leg extension machine, do 1 set of 15 reps. Weight should be challenging but doable.
Using the leg curl machine, do 1 set of 15 reps. Weight should be challenging but doable
1 set of 15 push ups
UPPER BODY
15 Lateral Presses
Hold an 8-12lb dumbbell in each hand, arms by your side, palms facing towards your thighs. Lift the arms to make a "T" with your body, making sure that your arms never go above shoulder level. Hold for 1 second, and return to starting position. Repeat.
ABDOMINALS
20 seconds of Figure 8 Medicine Balls
Lie flat on your back on a mat with a 4-6lb medicine ball on your chest. Bring head and shoulders up off the floor. While flutter kicking your legs, weave the ball behind your knees, doing figure eights.
WEEK FOUR
Do the following for four days in the fourth week. As you?ll notice, this week's workout doesn't divide into muscle subsets as before, but incorporates everything into one long, tough circuit. You'll still need to add two days of cardio, and you'll find that you'll really, really need that one day of rest.
CARDIO + LEG WORK + UPPER BODY + ABDOMINALS
1. Warm up on the treadmill for 5 minutes, walking briskly. If you'd prefer it, you can do a 5-minute run but look at what comes next before you decide to push yourself.
2. Come off the treadmill, and:
jump rope for 1 minute
drop and do 15 push ups
staying in the push up position, hold a plank for 30 seconds
REPEAT PART TWO 6 TIMES, EACH TIME ADDING 10 SECONDS TO THE JUMP ROPE, 2 PUSH UPS, AND 10 SECONDS TO THE PLANK. YOUR LAST ROUND SHOULD BE: JUMP ROPE FOR 2 MINUTES, 27 PUSH-UPS, AND THE PLANK FOR 90 SECONDS
WEEK FIVE
Do the following for four days in the fifth week. As before, add in two days of cardio and one day of rest
CARDIO + LEG WORK
5 minute warm up
On a treadmill or outside, do 5 minutes of brisk walking or jogging—just enough to get your heart rate up.
10 fast-paced circuits, with 30-60 second rests in between each repetition
30 seconds of running in place, knees high
30 seconds of jumping jacks
30 seconds of jumping squat-thrusts (jump up with arms above head, land, place hands by feet, shoot feet back to plank position, push off and bring feet back under chest, stand, repeat)
UPPER BODY
1 set of 15 slow bicep curls, each arm
Holding a 20-25lb weight in your right or left hand, lift up for a count of 4 and then lower down for a count of 6. Switch weight to your other hand, and repeat.
ABDOMINALS
Lie flat on your back on a mat with your arms extended above your head and your legs extended straight out, toes pointed. Come up to make a "V", touching your fingers as close to your toes as possible and then go back down to the mat.
WEEK SIX
Almost there! This week's work takes you outside for a spell, but enjoying the scenery isn't in the cards. Do the following for four days in the sixth week. As before, add in two days of cardio and one day of rest.
CARDIO + LEG WORK
Outside Drills
30 seconds of running in place
15 push-ups
15 jumping squat-thrusts
15 jump-lunges (lunge, spring into the air, switch legs
Slalom Cones
Arrange 8-10 large water bottles (leaving water in them so they don't fall over) in a snake-like pattern and run?weaving through them?back and forth 10 times
Agility Ladder
Using sticks found outside (or rod-like substitutes bought from a hardware store), form a ladder with 10-15 rungs set about a foot apart. Do fast, double steps through the ladder, back and forth 5 times
UPPER BODY
1 set of slow overhead tricep extensions, each arm
Holding a 15-20lb weight, extend up for a count of 4, and then release down for a count of 6
1 set of 15 slow bicep curls, each arm
Holding a 15-20lb weight, curl up for a count of 4, and then release down for a count of 6
1 set of 15 slow lateral presses
Holding 15-20lb weights in both hands, start with your arms at your side, palms facing your thighs. Lift the arms up for a count of 4, making a "T" with your body. Arms should never go above shoulder level. Return arms to your sides to a count of 6.
1 set of 15 slow shoulder presses
Holding 15-20lb weights in both hands, start with hands resting on shoulders. Press up for a count of 4 and then return to starting position to a count of 6
ABDOMINALS
COMBINE ALL THE ABS DONE IN THE PREVIOUS WEEKS, OMITTING WEEK 4. REST IN BETWEEN EACH EXERSICE FOR 30 SECONDS.
WEEK ONE
Do the following for four days in the first week. Add in two days of a cardio of your choosing (play tennis, go for a run, ride a bike), and make sure that you give yourself one day off. You'll need it.
CARDIO
30 minutes on the treadmill
5 minutes of brisk walking to warm up
5 minutes of running at an incline of 6
5 minutes of power walking at an incline of 8
5 minutes of running at an incline of 8
10 minutes of running at a flat incline
LEG WORK
3 sets of 12 squats with 20lb weights in each hand
Arms at your side, pushing through the hips, squat like you're sitting in a chair, come up and squeeze
UPPER BODY
3 fast-paced circuits
12 push-ups
10 second rest
30 seconds of mountain climbers (in the push-up position, alternate your knees to your chest)
ABDOMINALS
1 set of 12 medicine ball sit ups
Lie on your back with knees bent at 90 degrees, feet off the floor. Shins should be parallel to the ground. Using a 4-6lb medicine ball, do a sit up. At the top, rest the medicine ball on your shins. Go back down. Then, do another sit up, grab the ball, and take it back down with you. Repeat 11 more times.
WEEK TWO
Do the following for four days in the second week. As before, add in two days of cardio and one day of rest.
CARDIO
4 fast-paced circuits
60 seconds of jumping rope
15 push-ups
End with 3 minutes of straight jumping rope
LEG WORK
Medicine ball lunges, 12 reps on each leg
Using a 6-15lb medicine ball (whichever is most comfortable for you, step forward for a lunge, making sure that your front knee is in line with your heel and that the back leg is bent with the back heel coming off the ground.
As you step forward into the lunge, extend the medicine ball straight out in front. At the bottom of the lunge, rotate the body and ball to the right, then rotate the body and ball to the left. Return the body to a front-facing position, push off of the front leg and come back to a standing position, bringing the arms back down.
UPPER BODY
1 slow set of 15 shoulder presses
Holding 15lb dumbbells in each hand, press up for a count of 4 and release down to a count of 6
ABDOMINALS
4 circuits with small rests in between
Hold the plank position for 30 seconds
Flip over and lay flat on your back on the mat. Bring hands behind head and lift shoulders off the floor. Then, lift legs off the floor, extended straight out. Keeping head and shoulders off the floor, flutter kick (as though you were in a pool on a kickboard) your legs for a count of 20
WEEK THREE
Do the following for four days in the third week. As before, add in two days of cardio and one day of rest.
CARDIO
30 minutes on the treadmill
5 minutes of brisk walking to warm up
5 minutes of running at an incline of 6
5 minutes of power walking at an incline of 8
5 minutes of running at an incline of 8
10 minutes of running at a flat incline
LEG WORK
Fast-paced circuits, to be repeated 3 times
Using the leg extension machine, do 1 set of 15 reps. Weight should be challenging but doable.
Using the leg curl machine, do 1 set of 15 reps. Weight should be challenging but doable
1 set of 15 push ups
UPPER BODY
15 Lateral Presses
Hold an 8-12lb dumbbell in each hand, arms by your side, palms facing towards your thighs. Lift the arms to make a "T" with your body, making sure that your arms never go above shoulder level. Hold for 1 second, and return to starting position. Repeat.
ABDOMINALS
20 seconds of Figure 8 Medicine Balls
Lie flat on your back on a mat with a 4-6lb medicine ball on your chest. Bring head and shoulders up off the floor. While flutter kicking your legs, weave the ball behind your knees, doing figure eights.
WEEK FOUR
Do the following for four days in the fourth week. As you?ll notice, this week's workout doesn't divide into muscle subsets as before, but incorporates everything into one long, tough circuit. You'll still need to add two days of cardio, and you'll find that you'll really, really need that one day of rest.
CARDIO + LEG WORK + UPPER BODY + ABDOMINALS
1. Warm up on the treadmill for 5 minutes, walking briskly. If you'd prefer it, you can do a 5-minute run but look at what comes next before you decide to push yourself.
2. Come off the treadmill, and:
jump rope for 1 minute
drop and do 15 push ups
staying in the push up position, hold a plank for 30 seconds
REPEAT PART TWO 6 TIMES, EACH TIME ADDING 10 SECONDS TO THE JUMP ROPE, 2 PUSH UPS, AND 10 SECONDS TO THE PLANK. YOUR LAST ROUND SHOULD BE: JUMP ROPE FOR 2 MINUTES, 27 PUSH-UPS, AND THE PLANK FOR 90 SECONDS
WEEK FIVE
Do the following for four days in the fifth week. As before, add in two days of cardio and one day of rest
CARDIO + LEG WORK
5 minute warm up
On a treadmill or outside, do 5 minutes of brisk walking or jogging—just enough to get your heart rate up.
10 fast-paced circuits, with 30-60 second rests in between each repetition
30 seconds of running in place, knees high
30 seconds of jumping jacks
30 seconds of jumping squat-thrusts (jump up with arms above head, land, place hands by feet, shoot feet back to plank position, push off and bring feet back under chest, stand, repeat)
UPPER BODY
1 set of 15 slow bicep curls, each arm
Holding a 20-25lb weight in your right or left hand, lift up for a count of 4 and then lower down for a count of 6. Switch weight to your other hand, and repeat.
ABDOMINALS
Lie flat on your back on a mat with your arms extended above your head and your legs extended straight out, toes pointed. Come up to make a "V", touching your fingers as close to your toes as possible and then go back down to the mat.
WEEK SIX
Almost there! This week's work takes you outside for a spell, but enjoying the scenery isn't in the cards. Do the following for four days in the sixth week. As before, add in two days of cardio and one day of rest.
CARDIO + LEG WORK
Outside Drills
30 seconds of running in place
15 push-ups
15 jumping squat-thrusts
15 jump-lunges (lunge, spring into the air, switch legs
Slalom Cones
Arrange 8-10 large water bottles (leaving water in them so they don't fall over) in a snake-like pattern and run?weaving through them?back and forth 10 times
Agility Ladder
Using sticks found outside (or rod-like substitutes bought from a hardware store), form a ladder with 10-15 rungs set about a foot apart. Do fast, double steps through the ladder, back and forth 5 times
UPPER BODY
1 set of slow overhead tricep extensions, each arm
Holding a 15-20lb weight, extend up for a count of 4, and then release down for a count of 6
1 set of 15 slow bicep curls, each arm
Holding a 15-20lb weight, curl up for a count of 4, and then release down for a count of 6
1 set of 15 slow lateral presses
Holding 15-20lb weights in both hands, start with your arms at your side, palms facing your thighs. Lift the arms up for a count of 4, making a "T" with your body. Arms should never go above shoulder level. Return arms to your sides to a count of 6.
1 set of 15 slow shoulder presses
Holding 15-20lb weights in both hands, start with hands resting on shoulders. Press up for a count of 4 and then return to starting position to a count of 6
ABDOMINALS
COMBINE ALL THE ABS DONE IN THE PREVIOUS WEEKS, OMITTING WEEK 4. REST IN BETWEEN EACH EXERSICE FOR 30 SECONDS.
