We get this question all the time, and it's always followed by "But how will I
progress if we just start all over again?"
Author's note: for those of you totally new to the DumBell Fitness program, we work out on a 4-week schedule, and we take one week off between each session. During the first week, we do reps of 10. The second week is 12 reps, the third week is 14 reps, and the final week is 16 reps.
We take a week off because our bodies
need time to heal after week four. During the last week of training we always
focus more on muscle strength and muscle endurance than any other element of
fitness. In the process of breaking down muscle fibers, our bodies may become
overused, or slightly injured if we do not take a break. Basically, we need the
week off to heal. All training cycles have peaks and valleys, and we want our recruits to learn to take advantage of all seasons.
However, our definition of a week off may be slightly
different than yours. We believe the week should be filled with cardio. Do something different! Get out and run, swim, bike, Zumba, for the entire
week. Let your muscles heal while your heart stays in condition with cardiovascular
work.
When we come back to our Week 1 training cycle, our bodies
are healed and ready to go. We are stronger than the previous month, so we use extra weight to get progressive results. While I’m teaching the beginners
proper form, the experienced participants are preparing themselves to use more
weight than before. Some of our experienced participants use two bands for
every strength exercise during the first two weeks, while the counts are still
low (10 count and 12 count). Others
bring their own set of 10-12 pound dumbbells. While beginners are learning
proper technique, our experienced Boot Campers are pushing their
muscles to the limit with extra weight.
At DumBell Fitness we always want to institute a
well-balanced program with the four pillars of fitness: muscle endurance,
muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility. There is a place for all levels of fitness in
our 4-week course. Beginners walk while conditioned participants sprint during
the agility course. Beginners use light weights, while veteran participants
use heavy resistance. And beginners
catch the fitness bug while long-time participants encourage their fellow
recruits to be better than before.
This work out format works. You can see the proof when you read our Success Stories and our Wednesday Winner profiles. There is NO easy week at DumBell Fitness! If you're not already a part of the DumBell Fitness family, consider joining us for a month. We promise to change your life and your body!
