Nicole Workout 26

8/4/2019 Nicole Workout 26

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TRAINING PROG

What does it mean?

Over the past four months of my training program we've beendeveloping good exercise habits and a strong foundation.Now, with summer fast approaching, it 's time to start taking advantage ofthis foundation and accelerate the progress of your exercise routine.In the following two months we'll start increasing the intensity ofyourexercise sessions by adding a few training techniques to the program,namely; supersets, drop sets, giant sets and progressive overload. Thesetechniques are a great way to increase your load without requiring abigger time commitment.

T H E F I T N E S S P Y R A M IDT h e n tn e s s P y r a m id i s e xt r e m e ly u se f u l in h ig hU g h t i n g

t h e im p o r t a n c e o f w e ig h t t r a in in g a nd d ie t i n w e ig h t loss .

S U P E R S E T SSupersets are aset of 2- 3exercises completed with norest periods in between. Thesesets may work the samemuscle groups. or they maywork opposing muscle groups(such as your quadriceps andhamstrings. chest and back. orbiceps and triceps).

D R O P S E T SIn a drop set.you begin yourset with a heavier weight andwhen you can no longercomplete any more reps. youswitch to a lighter weight andcomplete a few more reps. E.g.12reps with heavier weightfollowed by 10reps with lighterweight.

P R O G R E S S I V EO V E R L O A DThe concept of ProgressiveOverload is to force your bodyto adapt. to become strongerand fitter. which in turn wil lmake you leaner and moretoned. This adaptation comesfrom placing stress onyour

body that it has notexperienced before. This isachieved by doing an extrarep. using a heavier weight. ortaking less rest. Without thisyou wil l not progress. somake sure you ProgressivelyOverload with each trainingsession. It's time to startpushing yourself!

G IA N T S E T SOneof my favourite shocktechniques is to train amuscle group with giant sets.Giant Sets are made up ofthree or more exercises forone body part. performed oneafter another. with little restbetween sets. The mostimportant factor with GiantSets is to choose three orfour exercises that hit thetargeted body part fromdifferent angles and indifferent ways. For those whoare pressed for time. GiantSets are great asyou'l l beable to perform your workoutin half the time. rather thanhalving your workout!

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The illustrated arrows represent the effort required inbalancing your Fitness Pyramid. If you maintain a good diet and

eating habits. less weight training is required. Similarly. abalanced diet and weight training reduces the need for cardio

work. However. a poor diet and/or poor weight training willrequire a considerable amount of cardio.

CARD IOCardio is great for improving heart health and endurance. butconsidered the least important inweight loss as it only burns

calories and fat during. and for a very short time after. theactivity.

W E IG H T T R A IN IN GWeights are of more importance than cardio. as they increase

one's muscle density. As previously discussed. musclerequires more calories for operation. thus weight trainingtransforms the body into a more effective. 24-hour calorie-

burning machine. enhancing your ability to both process foodsand mobilize stored fat

DIETDiet forms the foundational importance to the whole of yourfitness. It is your Diet that has to beyour main focus in order

for you to achieve your results. Youare what you eat" couldn'tbe more true! .


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WEEKsa 014S e s s i o n s 1, 2 a n d 3SESSION IABSBall crunches

Y ou r tra in in g s es sio ns:Session 1:Chest and Biceps (super set)Session 2:Shoulders (giant set) and.Legs (superset)Session):Back and Triceps (super set)

3 sets 20 - 30 reps3 sets 15- 20 repshair raises

WARM-UPPush-ups 3 sets as many repsas you cando--+--

SUPER SET 1Flat benchdumbbell press

3 sets 12- 15repsdrop set on the last set3 sets 12- 15repsdrop set on the last setarbell bicep curl

SUPER SET 2Inclined dumbbell flys 3 sets 12- 15repsSkip/ step-ups 30 sec - 1minuteHammer curl 3 sets 12- 15reps

SUPER SET 3Dumbbell pullover 3 sets 12- 15repsSkip/ step-ups 30 sec - 1minuteInclined dumbbell curl 3 sets 12- 15reps

FORMStand in the captain's chair withyour arms resting on the chair arms.Grasp the upright handles.Ensure you have a firm grip as youyour arms will besupporting yourbody weight.Contract your abdominals and coremuscles,

CHECK POINTSKeep this movement controlled. Donot use momentum to lift your legs

up.Exhale onthe way upand inhale onthe way down. Do not hold yourbreath

B A L L C R U N C H E SFORM Sit on an exercise ball!physio ball. roll it forward andlie back on the ball so yourback is supported. Place yourfeet flat onthe floor 1-2feetapart to provide stability. Bend your knees to 90-degree angles. Lightly place your handsbehind your head.keepingyour elbows back and pointedout to the sides.

MOVEMENTS Inhale. as you raise yourshoulders until they're abovehip level but no higher than a4S-degree angle to thehorizontal Squeeze yourabdominals at the top of themovement. Keep your lowerbody stationary throughoutthe movement. Exhale as you return to thestarting position. then inhaleand repeat.

CHECK POINTS Performing the crunch on a fl ~>-:: ;~ball puts your body in aninherently unstable position.Besure you maintain yourbalance by keeping your feetflat on the floor and yourknees bent at a 90-degreeangle.-@

MOVEMENTSlowly li ft your legs upwards whileexhaling at the same time. Make sureyou do not hold your breath. Inhale asyou lower your legs ready for the nextleg raise.If you are a beginner. Iwouldrecommend that you keep your kneesbent so that the thighs areapproximately parallel to the floor. Onceyou are comfortable with this you maywant to straighten your legs.which ismuch harder.Slowly lower your legs to the startingposition and dothe next oneimmediately.Ensure your back is straight and keepit pressed against the pad at all t imes.

SK IP I S TE P U PSSkipping with a skipping rope (eitherfeet together!"running") for 30 sec-1minute or stepping up and down ona step box at a speed that suits youfor 30sec -1 minute.

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WORKOUTL IBRARYHave you missed the previousissue of lllnesswith Nicole'sworkout? Get the fullexplanations of thesemovements onlinewww.titnessmag.co .za

SEATED INCL INEDUMBBE LL CURLSeated on incline bench. supporthead and back sitting at a 30degree angle. Lift dumbbellstowards your body.shouldersrelaxed and palms inwards. Armsto remain slightly bent at thebottom of the movement.

PUSH UPSPlacehandsshoulderwidthapart.keepingarmsslightly bent. Keep your body tightand straight lowering yourself tothe ground. Donot allow your bodyto sag.Avoid locking your elbowsat top of movement. If you are abeginner and find a full push updifficult to complete. you may startby placing your knees onthe floor.

ST AN DIN G BARBE LLB IC EP C UR LStand with feet about shoulderwidth apart keeping knees slightlybent. Place hands on bar shoulderwidth apart. palms facing forward.Keep elbows tucked in to yoursides while pulling bar upwards.Contract bicep during movement.Ensure your arms slightly bent atthe bottom of the movement. Do notarch your back to lift the weight up.Keep your knees bent andabdominals and core contracted atall times.DUMBBELLPULLOVERHold a dumbbell above your chestwith your elbows slightly bent.Place your feet firmly onthe flooror on an elevated surface. Slowlylower the dumbbell back so as tostretch your arms back behindyour head asfar as you can reach.Slowly return to start position.keeping elbows slightly bent whilestill in up position

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HAM MER CURLStand with feet shoulder widthapart. kneesslightly bent.Hold a dumbbellin each handwithpalms facingyour body. Keepabdominal andback musclescontracted at alltimes. Lift onedumbbell up at atime. pause andsqueeze bicep.Repeatwithother arm.Throughoutmovement keepelbows locked in at your sides.Don't lean back. Use your bicepmuscle to move the weight. notyour bodyweight

How do I stick to my diet?The answer is quite simple ... don't diet! Thebest diet is not one of exclusivity or "just"diets (i.e. 'just" soup, "just" cabbage, 'just"protein, etc.), but rather one that permits you tobe you, minus poor food choices and pooreating habits (overeat ing, bad late night foodchoices, and emotional/stress related eating).The key is to maintain healthy eating habits atall times.BEST DIET =you - poor eating habits - poorfood choices

F LA T BENCH DUMBBE LL PR ESSFORM Lie flat on your back on a flatbench. Place you feet firmly on the flooror on a raised platform. Hold a dumbbell in each handkeeping your arms slightly bent.CHECK POINTS Ensure your lower backremains in contact with the benchat all times. Do not hold your breath. Do not allow your elbows tolock out at the top of themovement. keep them slightlybent at all timesMOVEMENT As you inhale slowly bring thedumbbells down towards your chest. Exhale and push the dumbbells up.

IN C LIN E DUMBBE LL F LYSFORMLie onyour back on an incline bench

(about 45 degree angle bench)Place you feet firmly onthe floor oron a raised platform.Hold a dumbbell in each handkeeping your arms slightly bent.Your palms should face one anotherand your wrists should be straight

CHECK POINTSKeep your arms slightly bent at alltimes.

MOVEMENTLower the dumbbells out to the sidein a semicircular movement.Keep your elbows slightly bent at alltimesDepending on your flexibility. you can

lower the dumbbells to shoulder levelor a few inches lower.As you lift the dumbbells up together.visualize hugging a giant tree trunk.At the peak of the movement. reallysqueeze your pecs together for asecond.
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SESSION 2ABSReverse crunches 3 sets 20 - 30 reps

3 sets 20 - 30 repsall crunches

GIANT SETDumbbell shoulder press 3 sets 12- 15repsDumbbell lateral raises 3 sets 12- 15repsDumbbell front raises 3 sets 12- 15 repsDumbbell rear delts 3 sets 12- 15reps

SUPER SET 1Squat 3 sets 12- 15repsdrop set on the last set

3 sets 12- 15repsunge

SUPER SET 2Stili legged dead lift 3 sets 12- 15reps

Lying hamstring curls 3 sets 12- 15repsdrop set on the last set

STIF F LEGGED DEADLIF TFORM Hold a barbell about shoulder widthapart Place your feet about shoulder widthapart. Keep your knees slight ly bent andabdominal and back muscles contractedat all times.CHECK POINTS This can be a dangerous exercise if notdone correctly or donewith weights thatare too heavy. This exercise may also be donestanding on a bench or box (sothat platesdon't touch the floor) depending on yourflexibility.MOVEMENT Slowly bend at your waist. keepingyour head up, back straight and kneesslightly bent asyou slowly lower thebarbell towards the floor. Keep the barbell as close to your legsas possible Straighten back up while holding thebarbell shoulder width apart. Keep your back arched and bumpushed out at all times.

DUMBBE LL F RONT R AISE SFORM Start with a light weight for thisexercise. Excessive weight will placestress on the shoulder joint. Stand with your feet about shoulderwidth apart. knees slightly bent. backstraight and feet planted firmly on thefloor. Hold the dumbbells either side of yourthighs or in front of you with a firm grip. Keepyour abdominal and coremuscles contracted.

CHECK POINTS.Inhale as you prepare to lift thedumbbells upand exhale onthe waydown. Keep your knees and elbowsslightly bent at all t imes and backstraight.MOVEMENT Keeping your elbows slightly bent. lift theweights upward, keeping your arms aboutshoulder width apart. until your arms areapproximately horizontal to the floor. If you start to rock back on your heels inorder to complete the lift, the weights maybe too heavy. Return the dumbbells to the startingposition either side of your thigh.

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WORKOU TL IBRARY

Haveyou missed the previousissue of IJtnesswith Nicole'sworkout? Get the fullexplanations of thesemovements onlinewww.fltnessmag.co.za

Keep bodyupright, takestepforwardkeepingboth legsslightly bent.Slowlylower bodydown.Atbottom of

DUMBBE LL LUNGE

movementfront leg should be at a 90 degreeangle. Keep your abs contractedthroughout motion.

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WORKOUTL IBRARYHave you missed the previousissue of tilnesswith Nicole'sworkout? Get the fullexplanations of thesemovements onlinewww.fitnessmag.co.za

LY ING HAMSTR INGCURLSLie face down on leg curl machine.raise heels towards your bum byflexing knees. Keep pelvis onbench. Keep knees slightly bent atbottom of exercise to retaintension.

SQUA~,~.Positionyour feethip width apartand feetpointing slightlyoutwards. Keepknees and hipsslightly bent. Keep abs and coremuscles tight. Move downwardsby dropping bum backwards anddownwards. the upper body canmove slightly forward. Donotarch back on descent or upwardsmotion. Donot descent lower thanwhere thighs are parallel to thefloor. When returning to uprightposition. do not lock knees - keeptension inyour legs.

REVERSE SEATEDCRUNCH ON BENCHSit on the edge of a bench andlean slightly back. Place handsfirmly onthe bench behind you forstability. Ensure your abdominaland lower back muscles arecontracted. do not allow your backto arch. Lif t your feet off the floorand crunch them in towards yourchest. Your upper body should notmove at all .Slowly bring your legsback down to the start position.

LATERAL RA ISESStand with feet about shoulderwidth apart and knees slightlybent. Hold dumbbells atsides or infront of you. Keep your abdominalmuscles tight and core contracted.Raise both arms upward togetherwhile keeping the elbows slightlybent and wrists inl ine with yourforearms. raise weight toshoulder level

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D UMBBE LL R EA R D ELTSFORM Lie on your stomach on an incline benchat about a 30 degree angle. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front ofyou. In the start position your hands should beunder the bench with palms facing oneanother with arms slightly bent.CHECK POINTS This exercise may also be done without the useof a bench.Youmay perform this exercise in abent over position. Keep your knees bent and yourupper body leaning forward at the same angle asit would beon the bench. Ensure you keep yourabdominals. core and back muscles contracted atall times.

inspiration to us! You are truly myrole model in the fitness world!R en is e v ia [email protected] you very much for your commentsand compliments. it really is muchappreciated. Congratulations on yourpregnancy! That really is excellent newsand I bet you can't wait.I'm currently 30weeks pregnant andcan't wait for the big day! I think I have hada fairly easy pregnancy thus far.judgingbychatting to other pregnant ladies. I put itdown to the fact that I'm stil l training andeating healthily. At the end of the day.thehealthier you are the healthier your babyis!Youmay do any of your exercises aslong as they are done safely. BUT.avoidlying flat onyour back as this increasesthe pressure on your baby.Avoidcrunches etc.and do not l ie flat onyourtummy! Exercises to be avoided are: legpress. lying leg curl. f lat bench / flatdumbbell press.Where possible. try usemachines as they are a lot safer andminimise the risk of anything going wrong.Ensure you donot hold yourbreath duringexercising.(Readmoreregardingproperbreathingtechniques onpage 26).Allthe best!

Didyou know that Nicolewill become part of the FitMommies club inSeptember!72 S EP TE MB ER -O CT OB ER '0 9

MOVEMENT Lift both arms up at the same time in a circularmotion to shoulder level Keep your arms slightly bent throughout themovement. The upper body should remain on the benchthroughout the exercise.

HiNicole! Every time I see pictures ofyou, I get more and more inspired. I havebeen a fan of yours since you started yourfitness career and have followed yourprogress all this time. I must say thatfitness is definitely where I would like tosee myself one day and I had startedpursuing my career in this direction, butthen I found out I was pregnant. I hadnever missed a day of training and now,because I am afraid of over-exhaustingmyself, I have missed 2 months of trainingand feel like a little pig!Nevertheless, I still read my I I tness

Magazine and I still study your articles.Unfortunately I have had to pack away mysupplements and start eating a bit morethan usual, but I will never let mysubscription to 1ftness Mag lapse!I would like to find out from you which

of your routines would be safe for me to doas I am now in my second trimester? If myaverage starting weight on my bicep curlswas about 10 kgs and on my leg pressabout 70 kgs, how much should I nowdrop? I am just very concerned that I willbe pushing myself too much withoutrealising the damage. I weighed 53kgsbefore I fell pregnant with a low body fatfor my age.Please could you give me some advice,

because the worst thing that could happento me is to let myself go after a baby. Iwant to be back in shape as soon aspossible after my baby and I have the willand determination to do so. Thank youvery much and thank you for being such an
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r-FO .. . ,R . . , .M .. . . ,. . . .. .~"':"'W"""""" r-"I"'" ........ -M"T"O.. .VE - . .M E N T @ )Place your feet and s hins Slowly roll the ball

on a physio ball in a push up in under you usingposition your feetKeep your body in as traight Ensure your bum

line. do not allow your back to does not lift up asarch you roll your feet inSlowly rol l the ballback out in a

controlled motion

SESSION 3ABSPhysio ball roll-insBall crunches

WARM-UPC H EC K PO IN TSKeep you core and lower

back contracted at all times3 sets as many repsas you candoPull-ups/ modifiedpull ups

SUPER SET 1BENT O VER R EV ER SE BARBE LL ROWent over reversebarbell row 3 sets 12- 15repsdrop set on the last set FORM

Stand with your feet aboutshoulder width apart andknees slightly bent. Hold a bar with a reverseI underhand grip. Bend forward at yourhips. ensuring that your backstays flat Let the bar hang in frontof you. Keep your head in aneutral position.

MOV EMEN T Contract your upper backmuscles and lift the barupwards until it touches yourabdominal region. Focus on squeezing yourshoulder blades together atthe top of the movement. Slowly lower the bar backdown to the starting position

Skip/step-ups 30 sec- 1minute3 sets 12- 15repsdrop set on the last setricep push-downs

SUPER SET 23 sets 12- 15repsdrop set on the last set30 sec - 1minute3 sets 12- 15repsdrop set on the last set

Seated rowSkip/ step-upsLyingtricep extensions

C H ECK PO IN TS Always keep your kneesslightly bent Keep your abdominal andback muscles contracted atall times to minimise strain;:':"'_-__':",=~~


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WORKOU TL IBRARYHaveyou missed the previousissue of litnesswith Nicole'sworkout? Get the fullexplanations of thesemovements onlinewww.fitnessmag.co.za

LAT PULLDOWNHold the bar with a wideoverhand grip. Keepyour backstraight. core contracted. Pullthe bar down to chin level orlower with a smooth movementwhile focusing on squeezingshoulder blades together.Return to start position, alwaysunder constant tension.TR ICEP PUSH DOWNSHold tricep pushdown machinebar with an overhand grip.Tighten ab and core muscles.Pushing down keep elbowsclose to the body at all t ime.Hold and squeeze beforereturning to start position.DUMBBELLSHOULD ER PRESS

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dumbbell atear levelpalms facingforward.Keep coremusclestightened.Pushdumbbellsupwards but do not lock elbowsat top of movement.

LY ING DUMBELLTR ICEP EXTENS IONSLie flat on your back on a flatbench, hold a dumbbell in eachhand straight above you. Keepyour elbows bent slightly at alltimes. Slowly lower thedumbbells down towards yourhead, allowing them to passeither side. Your elbows do notmove at all. Keepthem at a 90degree anglewhen thearms arebent.

SEATED CABLE ROWS D IPSSit on the seated row machine with kneesslightly bent. Grasp the cable grip attachment.The grip is often a triangle handle but may be abar.Tighten your abdominal and core muscles.Keeping your back straight, pull the cabletowards your abdomen whilst concentrating oncontracting your upper back muscles so thatyour shoulder blades are drawn together asclose as possible. In a slow and controlledmovement, return the weights back to thestarting position.

DEADLInFORM Place the barbell on the floor in frontof you. Stand with your feet positioned hip -width apart. with your toes slightlypointing outwards. Arch your back, and push your buttout while slowly lowering yourselftowards the floor. Hold the bar with an over hand gripwith hands positioned at shoulder widthapart.CHECK POINTSEnsure you do not round your back as

this wil l place excess pressure onyourspine. Keep your chest up at all times andlook forward. Squeeze your glutes to prevent excessstrain onyour lower back. Always look straight ahead of you.Looking down makes your back round.MOVEMENT Push downwards on your heels,squeeze your glutes and keep your backupright. while l ifting the bar upandstraightening your legs until you are in anupright position and the barbell is levelwith your thighs (while li ft ing the bar,keep it as close to your body as possible).During the upward movement, pull yourshoulders back and stick your chest out.The Deadlift ends when your knees &hips are just about straight. Noneed toroll the shoulders or hyper-extend the

lower back. Slowly lower the bar back downwardsto the starting position.Repeat.Nicole is one of SouthAfrica's leading fitnessathletes. With an honoursdegree inBiokenetics andnumerous fitness andphysique titles to her name,as well as a contributingwriter for Iitness Magazine,Nicole is considered an

Sit on a step or chair with handsnext to your thighs. Balance onyour arms while slowly movingyour bum in front of the step withyour legs slightly bent. Bend yourelbows and slowly lower yourbody, keeping your shouldersaway from your ears your elbowsparallel to one another. Loweryourself till about 90 degrees.

(I."..,.~,~luJJi N i f 4 ! e~i; fitn_,. '1"~T R A I N I N G

P O S T E R SS E R I E S .. .Lookout for the seriesin your leading retailstores.

authority on fitness andtraining.Nicole's passion for fitness

has led to the development ofa unique brand designed tohelp those who don't havethe kno how or tools to reachtheir optimum physiquegoals.

The first contribution tothe Iitness with Nicolerange is a comprehensivetraining poster series,covering eight exercises foreach of the main musclegroups. An absolute mustfor your home or privategym!

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Nicole Workout 26