The 2007 Drop a Jeans Size Workout

Your Customized Drop a Jeans Size Workout

The plan: Complete these strength exercises two or three times a week (it'll take about 30 to 40 minutes). Warm up first with some moderate-paced cardio for five minutes. Do the number of reps specified for each given workout.

The strategy: Doing supersets -- combining two or three exercises back to back -- is one of the best ways to maximize your time. "Because you're constantly moving, you keep your heart rate elevated and burn more calories," explains New York City trainer Lacey Stone, who masterminded our routine. As the month progresses, increase the number of times you do each circuit and the number of reps while decreasing the amount of rest time. (See "Your Weekly Strength/Cardio Planner" for details.)

What you'll need: A set of 5- to 8-pound (beginners) or 8- to 15-pound (advanced) dumbbells and a stair or step.

Add the Drop a Jeans Size Diet plan for even faster results.

Superset 1: Dumbbell Squat and Shoulder Press

Targets shoulders, back, quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding dumbbells at shoulder height with palms facing forward, wrists straight.
• Squat down, bending knees about 90 degrees; keep abs tight and body weight in heels without allowing knees to move past toes.
• Stand up, pushing powerfully through heels as you extend arms, bringing weights together above head.
• Hold for 1 count and repeat.

Superset 1: Power Jump

Targets abs, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at sides.
• Squat as in previous exercise, but this time, jump as explosively as you can when you rise up. Repeat.

Superset 1: Plank

Targets shoulders, chest, and core.

• Begin in a plank position, forearms on ground with elbows under shoulders and legs extended behind you, abs tight, forming one long line from crown of head to heels.
• Hold here for 1 minute, keeping abs engaged and hips neutral.

Superset 2: Lunging Bent-Over Row

Targets back, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves.

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding weight in right hand with arms at sides.
• Lunge forward with left foot, bending left knee about 90 degrees; keep knee aligned with ankle.
• Lean forward, resting left hand on thigh with right arm extended near shin, palm facing body.
• From here, draw elbow up toward sky, keeping arm close to side.
• Hold for 1 count and lower; repeat, remaining in lunge position.
• Do all given reps; switch sides and repeat.

Superset 2: Push-Up

Targets chest, arms, shoulders, and core.

• Begin in a full push-up position, palms on ground under shoulders and legs extended with toes tucked under; abs tight and head in line with spine.
• Lower chest toward ground, keeping abs engaged; press back to start and repeat.

Superset 2: Standing Windmill

Targets shoulders, abs, and obliques.

• Stand with feet just wider than shoulders, toes turned out slightly, holding dumbbell in left hand with arms extended out to side at shoulder height.
• Slowly bend torso to the right, bringing right arm toward ground and left arm toward sky.
• Hold for 1 count and return to start; repeat.
• Do the given reps, then switch sides.

Superset 3: Reverse Lunge with Biceps Curl

Targets biceps, glutes, quads, hamstrings, core, and calves.

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding weights with arms at sides, palms facing forward.
• Lunge left foot behind you, bending knee; keep right knee aligned over ankle as you bring left knee toward ground.
• As you lunge back, curl weights toward shoulders, keeping elbows pressed into sides and palms turned out slightly. Return to start and repeat lunge/curl combo with opposite leg.

Superset 3: Triceps Dip

Targets triceps.

• Sit on a chair or bench with legs extended, weight on heels and palms at sides next to hips with fingers facing forward.
• Shift weight forward, bringing butt just in front of the seat or bench.
• Pressing shoulders down, bend elbows to 90 degrees or as low as you can go without touching the ground; straighten and repeat, keeping body close to seat throughout.

Superset 3: Bicycle

Targets obliques.

• Lie face up on ground with legs extended, hands behind head with elbows out to sides.
• Bend left knee toward chest, bringing right shoulder toward left leg (keep the movement from your shoulder, not your elbow).
• Lower back to start and repeat on opposite side.

Boost Your Calorie Burn

The plan: In addition to the interval workouts below, do some steady-paced cardio activity once a week, working at a rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of about 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.
The strategy: "Intervals, which include regular bursts of intensity followed by recovery periods, are one of the fastest ways to burn fat and improve your fitness," says Stone. Do these workouts twice a week by running, walking on an incline, stair climbing, or doing whatever else you prefer. Each week, challenge yourself to sprint a little longer while taking less time to rest.

Warm up: 5 minutes (RPE 5)
Sprint: 20 seconds (RPE 10)
Moderately fast: 1 minute (RPE 7)
Moderate: 3 minutes (RPE 5/6)
Total times through:4
Cool down: 3 to 5 minutes (RPE 4)

Warm up: 5 minutes (RPE 5)
Sprint: 30 seconds (RPE 10)
Moderately fast: 1 minute (RPE 7)
Moderate: 3 minutes (RPE 5/6)
Total times through: 6
Cool down: 3 to 5 minutes (RPE 4)

Warm up: 5 minutes (RPE 5)
Sprint: 20 seconds (RPE 10)
Moderately fast: 1 minute (RPE 7)
Moderate: 2 minutes (RPE 5/6)
Total times through: 8
Cool down: 3 to 5 minutes (RPE 4)

Warm up: 5 minutes (RPE 5)
Sprint: 30 seconds (RPE 10)
Moderately fast: 1 minute (RPE 7)
Moderate: 2 minutes (RPE 5/6)
Total times through: 9
Cool down: 3 to 5 minutes (RPE 4)

Warm up: 5 minutes (RPE 5)
Sprint: 40 seconds (RPE 10)
Moderately fast: 1 minute (RPE 7)
Moderate: 2 minutes (RPE 5/6)
Total times through: 10
Cool down:3 to 5 minutes (RPE 4)

Your Weekly Strength/Cardio Planner

Click below for more! To download this workout to your iPod and listen to it at the gym, visit podfitness.com.

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, September 2007.