12 week gym workout plan: cardio & strength training

Ready to hit the gym? Transform your fitness and build a lean body with our 12-week gym workout plan, featuring the best cardio and strength training moves to work your whole body…

The start of summer typically marks a time when many of us start to think about our fitness goals. While we believe that every body is a bikini body, it’s not uncommon to head into the sunny season feeling super motivated to get fitter and healthier. But too much exercise enthusiasm can have its downfalls, too, as it increases the risk of overtraining and overstimulating muscles by doing too much, too soon.

Your best bet? Find a good training programme to follow, as this will ensure you improve and make gains at the right pace. But what is the ‘right’ pace? When you operate at your threshold fitness level, one at which you can improve strength and cardiovascular fitness, while not feeling overly fatigued.

A programme can help with this. It provides a carefully constructed plan of what needs to be done to realise your fitness goals, including how many reps and sets to achieve each week. This will help you to stay consistent in the gym, plus you’ll be able to track your progress and stay motivated for months to come. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Meet the expert: Josh Ivory is a PT and online body transformation coach. He believes in pairing flexible nutrition and effective programming to achieve results.

Check out our guide on how to motivate yourself to go to the gym

Starting a 12-week gym workout plan: take your time

How should you attack your 12-week gym workout plan? A common mistake I see time and time again, even among experienced gym- goers, is to go out with all guns blazing from day one of the training programme, forgetting to take the necessary number of rest days. This is counterproductive to your aims as it will eventually mean that you’ll have to miss key sweat sessions due to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and/or mental fatigue. Don’t fall into that trap! Rest days are there for a reason, so use them.

The same advice applies to lifting heavy weights – don’t increase the weight before your body is ready to do so. Let me paint a picture as to why this matters. Gym-goer A has two leg-focused weights sessions planned, one on Monday and one on Thursday. She pushes herself to lift as much as possible on Monday, leaving the gym feeling accomplished and high on endorphins. But by Thursday, her legs still feel under-recovered and she can only cope with lifting 50 per cent of Monday’s weights.

Clearly, Gym-goer A would benefit more from having aimed for 60-70 per cent of her training weight capacity for the first few sessions, to give her legs a chance to adapt to the load. Heed this warning and be mindful with your weight selection!

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Can I get fit in 12 weeks?

Now, you want to get with the programme but you need a plan to follow. This 12-week gym workout plan is for everyone, as it focuses on improving all components of fitness, including cardiovascular capacity and strength. In it, you’ll find compound (multi-muscle) exercises – squats, presses and pulls – throughout the entire 12-week period. This is so you can build full-body strength by doing demanding moves that offer the biggest muscle recruitment bang for their exercise buck.

You’ll also find ‘accessory’ (smaller muscle recruitment) moves, which are important for enabling you to increase training volume and to target specific muscle groups. The reps change every four weeks to keep things interesting and continue challenging your muscles. It’s a good idea to have some form of short-term and long-term goal before you get started. This will help to keep you going and also increase the likelihood of your training continuing when the 12 weeks end.

A good short-term strength goal could be to complete a full push-up unassisted, a good long-term goal could be to complete 10 push-ups without stopping. A good short-term cardio goal could be to run an uphill route on at least one of your weekly cardio sessions, a long-term one could be to run 5K in less than 25 minutes. Ready? Let’s get going…

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Your 12-week gym workout plan

This plan is based on doing two strength sessions and two cardio sessions a week – perfect for kickstarting your fitness. Spend 10 minutes warming up before and five minutes cooling down after every session. Be sure to select the right version of the workout each week (see overleaf), as the number of reps, sets and moves progresses to keep your muscles challenged.

Training tips

Keep progressing. You can do this by changing the volume, frequency or intensity of exercise. This ensures your body stays challenged.

During this 12-week gym workout plan, if the number of reps of a given exercise decreases or remains the same as the previous month, increase the weight as this will keep your muscles tested.

Take progress pictures to track your physical results. These can be great for motivation. Aim to take a photo of the front, back and sides of the body, first thing in the morning before eating and on the same day each week.

Weeks 1 – 4

• MONDAY: Strength Day A Workout (see below)
• TUESDAY: Rest Day
• WEDNESDAY: Cardio (endurance). Run for 25 minutes without stopping, or do a 5K run.
• THURSDAY: Rest Day
• FRIDAY: Strength Day B Workout (see below)
• SATURDAY: Rest Day
• SUNDAY: Cardio (speed). Run fast for 20 seconds, jog for 40 seconds. Repeat for a total of 10 minutes.

Weeks 5 – 8

• MONDAY: Strength Day A Workout (see below)
• TUESDAY: Rest Day
• WEDNESDAY: Cardio (endurance). Run for 35 minutes without stopping, or do a 7K run.
• THURSDAY: Rest Day
• FRIDAY: Strength Day B Workout (see below)
• SATURDAY: Rest Day
• SUNDAY: Cardio (speed). Run fast for 30 seconds, jog for 30 seconds. Repeat for a total of 10 minutes.

Weeks 9 – 12

• MONDAY: Strength Day A Workout (see below)
• TUESDAY: Rest Day
• WEDNESDAY: Cardio (endurance). Run for 45 minutes without stopping, or do a 10K run.
• THURSDAY: Rest Day
• FRIDAY: Strength Day B Workout (see below)
• SATURDAY: Rest Day
• SUNDAY: Cardio (speed). Run fast for 25 seconds, jog for 35 seconds. Repeat for a total of 14 minutes.

12 Week Gym Workout Plan: Strength Day A

See full exercise instructions below.

WEEKS 1-4

• Barbell squat 3×15 (rest 2 mins)
• Hip thrust 2×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Split squat 2×15 each side (rest 60-75 secs)
• Military press 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Rear fly 2×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Dumbbell lateral raise 2×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Push-up 1xMAX

WEEKS 5-8

• Barbell squat 3×12 (rest 2 mins)
• Hip thrust 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Split squat 3×15 each side (rest 60-75 secs)
• Military press 3×12 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Rear delt fly 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Dumbbell lateral raise 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Push-up 2xMAX

WEEKS 9-12

• Barbell squat 4×8 (rest 2 mins)
• Hip thrust 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Split squat 3×15 each side (rest 60-75 secs)
• Wall sit 2×30 secs (rest 30 secs)
• Military press 4×8 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Rear delt fly 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Dumbbell lateral raise 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Push-up 3xMAX

How to perform each exercise:

Barbell squat

1. Clean a barbell to rest on your rear shoulder muscles, or use a squat rack.
2. Start with feet about shoulder-width apart and spine in alignment.
3. Slowly lower yourself into a squat by ‘sitting back’ as if lowering onto a chair.
4. Go as low as you can with good form, then return to the start. (Make it easier: bodyweight squat)

Hip thrust

1. Start by resting your rear shoulders on a bench, with your knees bent and a barbell resting on your hips, palms facing down.
2. Squeeze your bottom and raise your hips so your body is in a bridge position, keeping your thighs in line.
3. Hold for two seconds before lowering to the start.
4. When mastered, use one leg at a time. (Make it easier: glute bridge)

Split squat

1. Hold a set of dumbbells and stand a few feet in front of a bench.
2. Extend your left leg behind you so your toes are resting on the bench.
3. Keeping hips and shoulders square, torso upright, slowly lower into a lunge as you drop your left leg towards the floor.
4. When your knee hovers around two or three inches above the floor, push down through the heel of your right foot and return
   to the starting position.
5. Repeat, then swap sides.

Military Press

1. Stand with feet together and knees soft.
2. Hold two kettlebells in line with your shoulders, with elbows bent and down by your sides.
3. Push the kettlebells overhead until arms are straight.
4. Slowly lower back to the start, then repeat.

Rear fly

1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing.
2. Lean forwards from the waist with a flat back.
3. Squeeze your shoulder blades to lift your arms out to the side until the weights are at shoulder level.
4. Lower slowly and repeat.

Dumbbell lateral raise

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and knees off lock.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms by the side.
3. Raise your both arms to the sides, up to shoulder-height, holding the dumbbells horizontally.
4. Lower both arms together and repeat.
5. Continue for the set number of reps.

Push-up

1. Lie on the floor with your hands under your shoulders.
2. Push up with your arms and legs so your body forms a straight line, with your weight supported by hands and toes.
3. Keeping your hips down, your back straight and your abs tight, lower your upper body towards the floor, keeping your body in a straight line.
4. Use your arms to press back up when your chest is near to the floor.
5. Bring your knees to the floor to make it easier.

Wall sit

1. Begin with your back pressed up against a flat wall.
2. Squat down until your legs are at a 90-degree angle.
3. Hold the squat position for as long as you can handle and then stand back up.
4. Be prepared to feel the burn in your legs and bottom!

12 Week Gym Workout Plan: Strength Day B

See full exercise instructions below.

WEEKS 1-4

• Deadlift 3×15 (rest 2 mins)
• Hyper extensions 2×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Good mornings 2×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Assisted pull-up 3xMAX (rest 60-75 secs)
• Bentover row 2×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Lat pulldown 2×15

WEEKS 5-8

• Deadlift 3×12 (rest 2 mins)
• Hyper extensions 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Good mornings 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Assisted pull-up 3xMAX (rest 60-75 secs)
• Bentover row 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Lat pulldown 3×15

WEEKS 9-12

• Deadlift 4×8 (rest 2 mins)
• Hyper extensions 3×10 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Good mornings 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Suspension hamstring curl 2×12 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Assisted pull-up 4xMAX (rest 60-75 secs)
• Bentover row 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Lat pulldown 3×15 (rest 60-75 secs)
• Face pull 2×15

How to perform each exercise:

Deadlift

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and the balls of your feet directly under the bar.
2. Looking ahead, bend to grab the bar with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart and arms straight.
3. Without allowing your lower back to round, stand, pause, then lower the bar to the floor.

Hyper extensions

1. Lie face-down on a back extension machine, with feet secure and the pad just below your hip bone.
2. Bend down from the waist towards the floor, then exhale and move shoulders, spine and hips up until in line.
3. Pause, then gently lower yourself back down.
4. Alternatively, lie face down on the floor, hands either side of your head, and lift your upper body 2-3cm from the ground.

Good mornings

1. Clean and press a light barbell to rest across the backs of your shoulders.
2. Holding the barbell in place with your hands, hinge forwards from the hips until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings.
3. Pause, then reverse the move to return to the start position.

Lat pulldown

1. Sit at a lat pulldown machine and adjust the thigh pad to a firm fit.
2. Brace your abs and reach up to grasp the bar with both hands.
3. Lean back slightly and pull down until the bar nearly touches your chest.
4. Pause, then slowly return to the start and repeat.

Assisted pull-up

1. Hold the bar with hands wider than shoulder-width apart, palms forward and arms straight.
2. Lean back 30-degrees and pull up until your chest touches the bar.
3. Pause for a second, lower and repeat.
4. If this is too tough, try using an assisted pull-up machine or simply hanging from the bar for 25-20-15-10-5 seconds.

Suspension hamstring curl

1. Lie on your back with feet near a suspension system. Place your heels into the foot cradles.
2. Keeping your head, neck, shoulders and extended arms pressed into the ground, lift your hips and bring your heels towards your bottom.
3. Extend your legs, then take them back to the start, and repeat.

Bent over row

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing your body, bend your knees slightly.
2. Hinge forward from the hips.
3. Hold this position, then draw both elbows back as far as you can, squeezing your shoulder blades at the top.
4. Lower to the start position and repeat.

Face pull

1. Set up a cable machine with the double rope attachment on a high pulley.
2. Hold the handles with an overhand grip.
3. Take a few steps back, until your arms can fully extend in front of you with the cable taut.
4. Engage your abs and pull the handles towards your face, so hands go either side of ears and you feel a squeeze between your shoulder blades.
5. Return to the start and repeat.

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