Your 4-Week Summer Shred

Don’t worry — there’s still PLENTY of time to put the finishing touches on your body before summer is over.

But now is the time to crank up the intensity in your workouts to boost your results without having to spend a ton of time in the gym.

Quick Tips to Help You Get Dialed In

If you’re not getting the results you want — or are looking to accelerate your results over the next four weeks — it’s time to step up the training and try something that’s engineered to turn your body into a fat furnace.

1. Your focus should shift to using heavy weights for exercise — without missing reps or failing — and adhering to the strict rest periods.
   
   
2. Dial in your nutrition and recovery. If you’re trying to burn fat, you’ll need to eat a caloric deficit (consume fewer calories than you burn); but doing high-intensity training during a diet will make it harder for your body to recovery and repair. That’s why it’s you must eat foods that are nutrient dense — lots of veggies, lean proteins, and good carbs. 

Here are some practical tips for creating a caloric deficit in your diet:

• Track your food intake: Use a food diary or an app to track what you eat so that you know how many calories you consume each day. This will help give you an objective number that you can measure when you assess your weight loss efforts.
• Reduce portion sizes: One simple way to cut calories is to reduce your portion sizes. One easy way people do this is by using smaller plates, bowls, and cups. Another option is to avoid going back for seconds if you commonly do this during a meal.
• Focus on nutrient density: Eat whole food sources and limit your intake of foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients. Choosing nutrient dense foods will help you meet your micronutrient intake goals of your vitamins and minerals even while your caloric intake is lower.
• Eat more fiber: The American Heart Association's Eating Plan suggests people eat 25-30 grams daily of fiber. Fiber can help promote satiety, digestion, and a healthy gut microbiome.
  
  

1. Next, you’ll need to help your body recover faster. This isn’t the time to pull a few all-nighters or start an early shift at work — make sure you sleep 8 (or more) hours per night so your body has maximal time to rest and heal.
   
   
2. Finally, make sure your supplement game is on point. Get your pre-workout powder to fuel your training, your post-workout protein shakes to jumpstart your recovery, and your multi vitamins and fish oil to keep your body running in tip-top shape outside of the gym.

Get one complete day off between each workout.

Each following week, try to increase the weight on each exercise by 2.5 – 5lbs. Good luck!

The Workouts

WORKOUT A: Density Circuit 

If you want the maximal amount of muscle and fat loss in the shortest amount of time, look no further. This density circuit will help you pile on the strength while you gasp for air.

[For 30 minutes, do as many rounds as you can with as little rest as possible:

A1) Back Squats, 5 reps

A2) Chest Supported Rows, 5 reps

A3) Dumbbell Overhead Press, 5 reps

A4) Pull-ups, 5 reps

A5) Alternating Split Squat Jumps, 5 reps]

B1) Dumbbell Reverse Lunges, 3 sets, 8 reps each side, 30s rest

B2) Landmine Rainbows, 2 – 3 sets, 6 reps each direction, 30s rest

B3) Spider Curls, 2 – 3 sets, 12 reps, 30s rest 

WORKOUT B: Metabolic Circuit

Crank up your metabolism with this fat-busting circuit.

For your “A” set, get a timer and do 30 seconds of each exercise followed by a 30-second break. Then, take a 90-second rest at the end of each circuit. Perform 6 rounds.

A1) Goblet Squat

A2) Pushups

A3) Inverted Rows

A4) Ab Wheel Rollout

A5) Kettlebell Swings

B1) Goblet Lateral Squats, 3 sets, 6 reps each side, 30s rest

B2) Dips, 3 sets, 12 reps, 30s rest

WORKOUT C: Strength

Strength and size go hand-in-hand.

Here you’ll dial back on the volume while keeping your intensity as high as you can. 

A1) Trap Bar Deadlift, 10 sets, 4 reps, 60 – 90s rest

A2) Dumbbell Bench Press, 10 sets, 4 reps, 60 – 90s rest

A3) Chinup, 10 sets, 4 reps, 0 rest

A4) Child’s Pose Breathing, 10 sets, 5 reps, 0 rest

B1) Walking Lunges, 3 sets, 6 reps each leg, 30s rest

B2) 3pt Row, 3 sets, 6 reps each arm, 30s rest

C1) Single Arm Farmers Carry, 3 sets, 15 yards each side, 30s rest

C2) E-Z Bar Curls, 3 sets, 15 reps, 30s rest

Active Recovery Days

Last but not least, if you have time on your “off days,” do some very light activity to promote faster recovery and additional fat loss.

Do 20 – 30 minutes of EASY, aerobic exercise while keeping your heart rate between 120 – 150bpm. Choose aerobic activities like a light jog, an easy hike, a bike ride around your neighborhood, or even a stationary rower.

About Anthony

Anthony J. Yeung, CSCS, is a fitness expert at Esquire, GQ, and Men’s Health and helps guys get ready for their wedding at GroomBuilder.