Week 2: Dare Yourself To Do Better - The ‘Intensity Factor’
Workout Format:
Warm-up - 15-20 minutes
Workout A/B format - MTRF (25-35 minutes)
Squat, Push, Lunge, Pull, Plank - Rest 2 minutes x 4 Giant Sets/day
Workout 2A: Double Plate Workout
Workout 2B: Single Plate Workout
---------------------Workout 2A: Double Plate Workout
Warm-up: 10 x (10 x High Knees, Butt Kicks, Jumping Jacks)
Lunge Progression x 10 each side
1. Jumping Jacks
• Just like in gym class, legs and arms out together, legs and arms in together.
2. High Knees
• The idea is to stand on the balls of your feet and get off the floor as quickly as you can.
• Pay attention to symmetry of height between your two legs (bring your higher leg down if you need to).
• Typically done with movement, forwards or backwards, but can also be done stationary.
• Looks like running in place.
• Key is pushing off the ground as soon as possible with the ball of your foot.
3. Butt Kicks
• Like the name implies, you are kicking yourself in the butt with the heels of your feet.
• Also like running in place, and can be done with movement, forwards or backwards.
4. Reverse Spider Lunges
• This exercise puts the majority of the work on the front leg.
• Kick your back leg back and rotate your left elbow to cross the outside of your front knee.
• Make sure you don’t bend your front knee in. Keep it stable.
• Keep most of your weight OFF the back foot.
Jumping Jacks
High Knees
Butt Kicks
Reverse Spider Lunges
GIANT SET 1:
1. Squat Burst x 10 reps
• Squat down and back.
• Stand through your hips and squat burst up, leaving your arms at a “V” at the top.
• Make sure you don’t shrug down and don’t bend your elbows
2. Plate Push Ups x 10 reps
• Stabilize yourself in the push up position with your arms holding the plates in a vertical position.
• Make sure you push through your core, not through your arms.
3. Reverse Lunge with Plate Curl & Press x 10 each side
• Standing straight up, curl the plates, press all the way up, and then bring them back down to shoulder
height.
• While still holding at shoulder height, reverse lunge and stand through your front glute.
• Repeat 10 times before switching to the opposite side.
4. Modified Plate Tree Cutters x 10 reps
• In the bent over position, make sure your chest is parallel to the ground, and your glutes are always on.
• Retract your shoulder blades, and then protract all the way back down nice and slowly.
5. Plate Plank x 30 seconds
• Looks just like the plate push up
• Make sure you are not sagging or rounding your back
• The key is to push through your core, hold strong, and look for that abdominal tremble, forcing your stability muscles to kick in.
• Hold for 30 seconds
Rest 2 minutes
Squat Burst
Plate Push Ups
Reverse Lunge with Plate Curl & Press
Modified Plate Tree Cutters
Plate Plank
GIANT SET 2:
1. Plate Squat With Cross-Body Curl x 10 reps
• Squat down while holding the plates to your side.
• In the down position, curl the plates up and across your body, keeping your elbows tight against your
body.
• Protract the plates back down to your sides and stand back up to finish the movement.
2. Decline Plate Push Ups x 10 reps
• While in the plate push up position, put your feet up on a bench.
• Make sure not to let your back sag or round up.
• If this is too difficult, scoot back to rest your knees on the bench instead of your feet.
3. Rotational Lunge With Cross-body Plate Hold x 10 each
• Standing straight up, cross your arms to hold the plates on top of the opposite shoulders.
• Keep your arms and elbows high like you are making a shelf with your arms.
• In this position, perform rotational pivot lunges.
• Stay light on your back foot and really emphasize pushing off your front leg every time.
• Do 10 reps before switching to the opposite side.
4. PNF D2 With Plates x 10 reps
• With your chest big, shoulders back, knees slightly bent, start by holding the plates down and across your
body.
• Bring the plates up towards the diagonal to create that same “V” shape as in the squat burst.
• To finish the movement, bring the plates back down and across your body.
5. Plate Plank With Moving Legs x 10 reps
• Start in the plate plank position.
• Pick your leg up slowly and drop it down super softly.
• The focus is on the slow, controlled movement, not the height of your leg. Try to drop your foot without
letting it make a sound.
• Each leg counts as 1 rep.
Rest 2 minutes
Plate Squat With Cross-Body Curl
Decline Plate Push Ups
Rotational Lunge With Cross-body Plate Hold
PNF D2 With Plates
Plate Plank With Moving Legs
GIANT SET 3:
1. Squat With Middle Delt Raise x 10 reps
• Holding the plates to your sides, perform a full squat.
• At the top of the squat, do a middle delt raise by bringing your arms up and out to a 90 degree angle.
• Try not to shrug or use your upper traps.
• Bring your arms back down to your sides to complete the movement.
2. Plate Bench/Skull Crusher Combo x 10 reps alternation
• Laying on a bench in a bench press position, press the plates straight up through your chest.
• Then, allow just your lower arms to bend, bringing the plates down towards the sides of your head.
• Squeezing your triceps, bend your lower arms back up to that press position.
• Bring your arms back down to finish the rep.
• Watch out for your head!
3. Forward Lunge With A Plate Twist (cross-body hold) x 10 each side
• In the cross body plate hold position, perform a forward lunge.
• On your way down, twist your torso in the direction of the front leg.
• This can be done all in one motion, or can be done in independent motions, waiting to perform the twist at
the bottom of the lunge.
4. Backwards Butterflies With Full Squat Position x 10 reps
• In a full squat position, start with your arms and plates down and in between your legs.
• Keeping your elbows tight against your body, squeeze your shoulder blades and bring the plates up and
out in a fly motion.
• Bring them back down and in to complete the motion.
• The key is slow and controlled movements.
5. 1/2 Push Up Plate Plank x 30 seconds
• In the plate plank position, come down into a half push up position.
• This will wear out your chest and triceps, forcing your core and stability muscles to do all the work.
• This is a crazy plank, so make it count!
Rest 2 minutes
Squat With Middle Delt Raise
Plate Bench/Skull Crusher Combo
Forward Lunge With A Plate Twist (cross-body hold)
Backwards Butterflies With Full Squat Position
1/2 Push Up Plate Plank
GIANT SET 4:
1. Cross-body Plate Sumo Walk x 60 seconds
• With a cross body plate hold, get down into the low squat position.
• Keep your arms nice and tight against your body.
• Take slow steps forwards and backwards for 60 seconds, staying low to the ground.
• Try to stay light on your toes and squeeze through your glutes.
2. Plate 3 Position Press x 5 each
• Standing up, keep your shoulders depressed and tummy tight, and make sure you’re not leaning back.
• Keeping your knee’s slightly bent, press the plates straight up and down, rotate your shoulders and press
up to the side and down, and rotate your shoulders and press up to the opposite side and back down.
3. Reverse Spider Lunge With Plate Row x 10 reps each
• Start by doing a reverse spider lunge, making sure to drop both plates across your front knee, and then
rowing on your way back up.
• Stand through your front glute.
• Do 10 reps before you switch to the other side.
• Key points are making sure your upper body rotates while your lower body does not.
4. Single Leg Stability Tree Cutters/Modified Tree Cutters Alternation x 10 reps
• In your tree cutter stance, stabilize yourself on a single leg.
• Row the plates back, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Alternate between holding the plates in a vertical position and a horizontal position.
• Key points are if you lose balance on your back leg, put your toes down on your raised leg. Also, you are
NOT rotating... you are rowing, both arms at the same time.
5. Spider Plank on Plates x 10 reps
• In the plate plank position, bring your knee to your elbow of the same side.
• Alternate between sides for 10 reps, each side being a rep.
• Keep it nice and slow.
• Make sure to keep that abdominal tremble.
Cross-body Plate Sumo Walk
Plate 3 Position Press
Reverse Spider Lunge With Plate Row
Single Leg Stability Tree Cutters/Modified Tree Cutters Alternation
Spider Plank on Plates
Workout 2B: Single Plate Workout
Warm-up: 10 x (10 x High Knees, Butt Kicks, Jumping Jacks)
Lunge Progression x 10 each side
1. Jumping Jacks
• Just like in gym class, legs and arms out together, legs and arms in together.
2. High Knees
• The idea is to stand on the balls of your feet and get off the floor as quickly as you can.
• Pay attention to symmetry of height between your two legs (bring your higher leg down if you need to).
• Typically done with movement, forwards or backwards, but can also be done stationary.
• Looks like running in place.
• Key is pushing off the ground as soon as possible with the ball of your foot.
3. Butt Kicks
• Like the name implies, you are kicking yourself in the butt with the heels of your feet.
• Also like running in place, and can be done with movement, forwards or backwards.
4. Reverse Spider Lunges
• This exercise puts the majority of the work on the front leg.
• Kick your back leg back and rotate your left elbow to cross the outside of your front knee.
• Make sure you don’t bend your front knee in. Keep it stable.
• Keep most of your weight OFF the back foot.
Jumping Jacks
High Knees
Butt Kicks
Reverse Spider Lunges
GIANT SET 1:
1. Side Step Squat With Rotational Plate Press x 5 reps each side
• Holding the plate horizontally with both hands up at chest level, squat down and rotate back up to the
side, pressing the plate up.
• Simultaneously, kick your opposite leg in the direction of the rotation.
• Squat back down, rotate and press up to the opposite side, again, kicking the opposite leg in the direction
of the rotation.
• Get your whole body rotating on each press.
• Each side equals one repetition.
2. Horizontal Plate Push Ups x 10 reps
• Grab the plate horizontally with both hands in the push up position.
• Make sure you push through your core when performing the push ups.
3. Reverse Spider Lunge With Rotational Plate Row & Knee Hike x 10 reps each side
• While doing this reverse spider lunge, hold the plate with one hand while crossing the plate over your
front knee.
• As you stand, you are going to row the plate back up, twisting towards the plate side, and add a knee hike
by bringing your back knee up parallel to the ground.
• Perform 10 reps and then switch to the opposite side.
4. Plate Tree Cutters x 10 each side
• In the tree cutter stance, make sure your back is flat and close to parallel to the ground.
• Also, make sure your glutes are tight.
• With one arm, row the plate up, squeezing your lat, and then row back down slowly.
• Perform 10 reps and then switch to the opposite side.
5. Horizontal Plate Plank x 30 seconds
• In the horizontal plate push up position, hold your plank for 30 seconds.
• Make sure your shoulder blades are set down and back, not hunched up.
• Push through your core, not your arms.
• Get your abs trembling, making sure you work through those phasic shakes.
Rest 2 minutes
Side Step Squat With Rotational Plate Press
Horizontal Plate Push Ups
Reverse Spider Lunge With Rotational Plate Row & Knee Hike
Plate Tree Cutters
Horizontal Plate Plank
GIANT SET 2:
1. Squat Jump With A Sumo Plate Flip x 10 reps
• Holding the plate horizontally against your chest with both hands, start out with a squat jump up and then
back down into the squat position.
• Once in the squat position again, place the plate on the ground and flip it forward one time.
• Take two steps forward in the “sumo” squat stance, pick the plate back up, and squat jump again.
• This time, flip the plate back toward you once, take two sumo steps back, and pick the plate back up.
2. 1 Arm On Plate Push Ups (1 Leg Up) x 5 each side
• In the push up position, place the plate vertically on the ground and grip it with one hand to stagger your
hand position.
• Lift the opposite leg of the plate hand off the ground and hold it there.
• Perform your push ups in this position.
3. 2 Hand Plate Curl + Rotational Lunge x 10 each side
• Standing up, grab the plate with both hands and curl the plate up.
• Rotate and lunge to the side, staying heavy on the front foot, light on the back foot.
• Rotate back up to the standing position and curl the plate down to finish the movement.
4. Plate Push-Up Position Rows x 10 each side
• In the push up position, grab the plate with one hand.
• Depending on the size of the plate you may have to grab it at the top or the bottom.
• From this up position, row the plate up for 10 reps before switching to the opposite side.
• Make sure to keep your pelvis as parallel to the ground as possible.
5. Plate Plank With Moving Legs x 10 reps
• In the plate plank position, lift one leg off the ground slowly and drop it back down.
• Alternate between legs and make sure this is a very controlled movement.
• Make sure to push through the plate with your core, not your arms.
Rest 2 minutes
Squat Jump With A Sumo Plate Flip
1 Arm On Plate Push Ups (1 Leg Up)
2 Hand Plate Curl + Rotational Lunge
Plate Push-Up Position Rows
Plate Plank With Moving Legs
GIANT SET 3:
1. Squat With Plate Double Curl & Press x 10 reps
• You are going to start with holding the plate with both hands, curling and pressing the plate straight up
and bringing it back down.
• Then, squat down, curl and press the plate straight up again.
• Bring the plate back down, and squat back up to finish the repetition.
2. Vertical Plate 3 Position Press x 5 reps each
• Standing up, you are going to hold the plate vertically between your hands like you are praying.
• You are going to press the plate straight up, rotate your shoulders to the side, press straight up again, and
rotate your shoulders to the opposite side and press straight up again to finish the repetition.
3. Plate Hug & Reverse Lunge/Side Squat Combo x 10 reps each
• Grab on to the plate and hug it nice and tight against your chest.
• Start by performing a reverse lunge and standing back up.
• Immediately side step with your back leg to go down into a squat.
• Squat back up to finish the repetition.
• Try not to let your foot hit the ground when transferring between the lunge and the squat. Keep it one
fluid motion.
• Do 10 reps before switching to the opposite side.
4. Single Leg Stability Plate Rows x 10 each side
• In the bent over row position, grab the plate with one hand and raise your foot on the same side off the
ground.
• Holding this position, keep your tummy tight and row from that position.
• Keep your back straight and don’t rotate your torso.
5. 1/2 Push Up Plate Plank x 30 seconds
• In the plate plank position, come down to about a half a push up.
• Hold in this position for 30 seconds.
• Make sure to work through those phasic shakes to wear out your arms and to really utilize your core.
Rest 2 minutes
Squat With Plate Double Curl & Press
Vertical Plate 3 Position Press
Plate Hug & Reverse Lunge/Side Squat Combo
Single Leg Stability Plate Rows
1/2 Push Up Plate Plank
GIANT SET 4:
1. 3 Squat Jump & Press x 10 reps
• Holding the plate horizontally with both hands up at your chest, start with three squats in a continuous
and fluid motion.
• On the third squat, burst up onto your toes and press the plate straight up.
• Bring the plate back down to finish the repetition.
2. Single Arm Plate Push Up Superset x 2 each side
• In the single arm plate push up position, start with one arm on the ground and one arm stabilizing on the
vertical plate.
• For the first push up, keep your hands relatively close together.
• For the second push up, move your plate arm out about mid way.
• For the third push up, move your plate arm fairly wide.
3. Forward Lunge With Plate Press x 10 reps each side
• Holding the plate horizontally with both hands against your chest, perform a forward lunge.
• When standing back up, press the plate straight up and bring it back down to finish the repetition.
• Remember to be explosive off that front foot.
• 10 reps on one side and then switch right into the other side.
4. Single Leg Deadlift With Opposite Plate Row x 10 each side
• In a single leg stability row position, make sure your back foot is off the ground and your back is parallel
to the ground.
• You are holding the plate with one hand on the same side as your back leg.
• Start with your front knee bent, and then stand up through the hips on that front leg while rowing the plate
up.
• Row back down, bending that front leg back into the starting position to finish the repetition.
• This is a very difficult exercise because it is very hard to coordinate.
• Make sure to reset yourself or put your back toe on the ground if you need to.
5. Spider Plank On Plate x 10 reps
• Start by holding the plate with both hands vertically in the plank position.
• Bring your knee up to the elbow of the same side and then back down.
• Alternate between each leg.
• Each side is one repetition.
3 Squat Jump & Press
Single Arm Plate Push Up Superset
Forward Lunge With Plate Press
Single Leg Deadlift With Opposite Plate Row
Spider Plank On Plate