As many of you know over the Spring/Summer, the coaches at Depth participate in a 10 week challenge dubbed #CoachesChallenge. Over that period of time, coaches commit themselves to working out regularly in anticipation of the summer. Many coaches use this time to clean up their eating habits and work towards any summer aesthetic goals they have. Here is what I did to help me reach my strength AND aesthetic goals.
TRAINING
While I had more aesthetic goals this year, strength training has always been a big part of the way I train. I still wanted to keep and improve my functional strength.
Weeks 1-3: Strength Training – Highly Regimented, Low Reps
Paired with metabolic conditioning
After the first 3 weeks, I realized I hadn’t been realistic in the time frame I set to hit my strength goals, so I decided to add another 3 weeks of strength training. I kept the low rep strength scheme to my main lifts and began working on hypertrophy/lean muscle building. My split: Quads/Back, Chest/Power, Hamstrings/Glute, Arms & Core.
Weeks 4-7: Strength Training
Paired with hypertrophy
At this point I was reaching some of my aesthetic and most of my strength goals. It was time to concentrate on fat loss and making that new lean muscle mass look good 😉 This is where I started my density training. Afterwards I would do high rep work on vanity muscles (arms, shoulders, abs, glutes).
Weeks 8-9: Density Training
Paired with accessory/vanity muscles
Coaches Challenge was coming to an end. This is the last opportunity I had to make my muscles big & pretty!
Week 10: High Rep/Glycogen Depletion
Don’t worry! I know you’re like WOW, no cardio? Ha! I also did at least 2x/week steady state cardio (5-10K), but sometimes I would switch it up and do a bootcamp or track intervals.
I have said this many times before. There is no secret to losing weight or achieving your health & fitness goals. If there was a secret, we would all look amazing all the time. The answer is hard work! Just like everything in life – you’ll only get out what you put in. So don’t expect anything for nothing. I don’t live and train like this all the time, but I find a balance. Training makes me happy so I will always find time for it. Find what work for you, listen to your body, get out there & move – you won’t regret it!
Written by: Gabbie Lamm, Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor
