Are you looking for a three-day endurance workout?
Maybe you’re new to weight lifting and aren’t sure where to start?
Last month I introduced you to a hypertrophy workout.
Now, hypertrophy, in terms of weight lifting, means building muscles in the body.
This is the most basic workout you’ll see.
You’ll lift a moderate amount of weight, eight to ten times per exercise.
Today, though, I’m introducing you to a three-day endurance workout.
Basically, that means, instead of using moderate weights, you’ll be lifting light but more times.
Hence endurance, lifting for a longer period of time.
Not to be confused with the Olympic sport you see where everyone is extremely buff and they’re lifting crazy heavy amounts!
Please Note: Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
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Endurance Workout
Endurance – The Basics
- 3-4 sets
- 12-20 reps
- 30-60 second rest
The idea is that you will lift a weight that by the end of your 3rd or 4th set of doing 12-20 reps each you will be tired.
Not so tired that you can’t walk, sit or raise your hands but that if you had to do two to five more you’d really be struggling.
Remember, you want to keep good form.
The last thing you want to do is hurt yourself.
The Equipment
The first time you do these you’ll have to experiment with what weights will work for you the best.
If you’ve already done the Hypertrophy Workout then you’ll know where to start.
You’ll want to lower your weights a bit because remember, you’ll be doing more repetitions this time around.
I personally have a set of adjustable dumbells that go from 2.5 lbs to 12.5 lbs and a set of resistance bands that can go up to 205 lbs and a set of fabric exercise bands.
Between the three of these, I’ve been able to increase my weight steadily for the last year without any problems.
This is important to help build that muscle.
Do you need all three?
No, but I will definitely say that the dumbells and the resistance bands make it so much easier to have a wide variety of exercises.
If you’re only able to invest in one I’d do the resistance bands.
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The Exercises
This is a 3-day full-body endurance workout.
See below for more descriptions of each exercise.
Now, since these exercises are done 12-15 times each, rather than 8-12 times, you’ll notice I’ve modified them.
For example, all the push-ups are done on my knees or in a tabletop position, instead of in full plank.
Also, you may notice I’ve added a second part to some of the exercises and that is to make them more of a compound move.
A compound move includes moving multiple muscles groups rather than just one.
For example: when you do squats, not only are you moving your hips but you’re also moving your knees.
So, when doing the lateral straight raise, Day 1, I add in a bicep curl so that not only are you getting a workout for your shoulders but also the fronts of your arms.
Day 1
- Elevated squat both feet
- Knee push-ups regular
- Split squat
- Seated Arnold press
- Lateral pulldown
- Lateral straight raise with bicep curl
Day 2
- Elevated squat right foot
- Tabletop push-ups (hands making a diamond shape)
- Step forward lunge
- Monkey press
- Lateral pulldown wide
- Front raise with reverse curl
Day 3
- Elevated squat left foot
- Knee push-ups wide
- Step back lunge
- Swimmers press
- Chin-up
- Bent tricep kick back with row
Squats:
- keep your knees over your feet
- back flat
- chest up (don’t bend over)
- try to sit as far back as possible
- day 1: put both heels up on something that is about an inch or less high (fold up a rug/towel); 2: only elevate the right foot, with the left flat on the ground; 3: only elevate the left foot, with the right flat on the ground.
Push-Ups
As I mentioned, because of the increase in repetitions, I modify the push-ups to allow me to do the extra reps.
- Keep back in a neutral position.
- For the knee position, start in plank then lower your knees to the ground.
- Tabletop position: hands placed under your chest, knees under your hips so your body is making a tabletop.
- day 1: regular push-ups, but again, on the knees; 2: get into tabletop position, then place your hands in a diamond shape (thumbs touching and pointer fingers touching but spread apart to form a diamond); 3: hands should be placed a little farther out than should width.
Split Squats
See squats above, but you’ll have your feet apart instead of side by side.
- day 1: place one foot in front and one behind. Settle yourself in the middle then lower yourself. Switch feet position for each set; 2: step forward into a lunge. Either rotate each leg within each set or do one set on one side then switch sides for the next set; 3: similar to day 2 but instead of stepping forward step backward into a lunge.
Shoulders
Seated Arnold Press
I use a stool or seat with resistance bands underneath it.
If I try to do it standing up the resistance is too much for me 🙂
- Start with your arms in a goalpost position (out to the side, arms bent at a 90-degree angle straight up.
- Bring arms together in front of your face, try to touch weights/hands and elbows (straight up and down)
- Back out to starting position
- Then do a shoulder press.
Monkey Press
Similar to the Arnold press except with an added movement.
Make sure you’re using light weights the first time until you know how your arms will handle the extra movement*
- Start with your arms in a goalpost position (out to the side, arms bent at a 90-degree angle straight up.
- Bring arms together in front of your face, try to touch weights/hands and elbows (straight up and down)
- Back out to starting position
- *Lower weights so your arms are parallel with the ground, then back to starting position.
- Then do a shoulder press.
Swimmer’s Press
- Start with weights down at your side.
- Raise them up to do a bicep curl
- Then rotate them around as you continue to raise them above your head into a shoulder press.
Back
Lateral Pull Down
You’ll need either resistance bands or something like a Total Gym/Tonal/etc.
- Stand or sit so you can be directly under the weights.
- Day 1: pull-down with hands facing away from you, about should width apart; 2: chin-ups: pull down with hands facing you, about should width apart; 3: pull-down with hands facing away from you, wider than shoulder-width.
Chest/Back/Shoulders
Lateral Raise
- Start with weights at your sides
- Raise arms straight to the sides until parallel with the floor then lower
- include a bicep curl to make it a compound move!
Lateral Front Raise
- Start with weights at your sides
- Raise arms straight to the front until they are parallel with the floor
- This time, include a reverse curl (make sure you’ve picked a lighter weight; keep hands facing away from you, with your arms still raised curl your arms to your biceps) then lower
Bent tricep kickback
- Begin in a partial squat, back straight but bent over, knees over feet
- Raise elbows so they are at your sides then kick back your weights until your arms are straight and still at your sides.
- Make it a compound move? Lower the weights so they are hanging in front of you each time to make it a row/kickback.
