Jump to the routine

Your new year total-body Redemption plan

Transform your body (and your mindset) with this 6-week training program.

Jump to the Routine
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Mike Simone Pearl Street Gym Long Branch, New Jersey

Are you serious about transforming your body? Joining a gym and talking about it won’t get you too far. To actually make it happen you need to look at every single second of every single day as an opportunity to be better. We’ve all limited ourselves, missed opportunities, or let time slip by. But it’s never too late to redeem yourself.

The REDEMPTION workout plan is about more than workouts. It’s about finding the right state of mind, and igniting what triggers your motivation. For 45-60 minutes per day, your number-one priority is to hit the gym and give your all. And while pounding away, rep after rep, think about everything you want to achieve. Know that with each successful push, pull, and lift that you’re inching closer to what you want. 

This routine is a funny one. It can be relatively easy, or sneaky hard. Five-ten rounds can get you. I like it because it’s a good dose of light strength training mixed with cardio and ab-specific work without being entirely too taxing on the body after a long week.

Directions

You will train on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Friday and Sunday will be dedicated rest days.

Day one begins with a traditional bodybuilding split. You guessed it: chest and triceps.

I feel I get more out of a workout using dumbbells rather than barbells, especially when it comes to training the chest. It’s not that I don’t use barbells, but dumbbells seem to have been a better option for me. They’re good for muscular balances, and easier on the shoulders.

In week 4, begin using the “rest-pause method.” During the final set of each exercise, complete reps to failure, rest 5 seconds, and complete as many more reps as possible.
In week 5, your final set of DB Bench Presses for chest and final set for EZ-Bar Skullcrushers for triceps will be a triple drop set. Perform the number of reps, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure again.

Day two could also be considered another universally-accepted bodybuilding split: back and biceps.

There’s so much to be said about this particular routine. I love every exercise in it. In some weeks, pull ups will be more of a player. Instead of 3 sets to failure, it can be 6 sets to failure and performed before anything else. Supermans were added once I realized how much they improved my surfing. Drag curls are a totally weird way to hit the biceps. Concentration curls make me think of Arnold in “Pumping Iron.” And rope curls have been a go-to when the medial epicondylitis (inner elbow pain) flares up from too much volume.

In week 4, begin using the “rest-pause method.” During the final set of each exercise, complete reps to failure, rest 5 seconds, and complete as many more reps as possible.
In week 5, your final set of Lat Pulldowns for back and final set for Rope Cable Curls for biceps will be a triple drop set. Perform the number of reps, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure again.

Day three is where we take a little break from the weights to allow for some muscular recovery—but it’s an active break. The focus will be to get in some relatively decent cardio and hit a little bit of abs in between.

This was solely built for two reasons. The first is being able to recover while pushing myself. Second, this routine is centered around my time in the water. I need to work my lungs for bigger surf, and the core work is important for maintaining the ability to surf more powerfully.

In week 4 and 5: bump up to 45 minutes of steady-state cardio, and/or another 3-7 minutes of intervals.

Day four is back at the weights again—this time, it’s legs and shoulders.

This is a long one, I know. I considered reconfiguring the plan, but wanted to keep it real. This has been a go-to since back-in-the-day. The two types of squats are a nice touch, and the shoulder workout will really get the blood pumped.

Day five is solely bodyweight work and abs. After four straight days of working out—even though it’s balanced nicely—you’ll take a complete day off, then restart with this mix.

The new year total-body reconstruction plan

The new year total-body reconstruction plan

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Routine

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Day 1: Monday

Chest and Triceps

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 1 of 6

Dumbbell Bench Press

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
5
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 2 of 6

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
4
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 3 of 6

Cable Crossover

Equipment
Cable Machine
Sets
4
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 4 of 6

Dip

Equipment
Dip Station
Sets
3
Reps
Failure
Rest
30-45
Exercise 5 of 6

Pushup

Equipment
Sets
4
Reps
FAILURE
Rest
30-45
How to
Exercise 6 of 6

Decline EZ-Bar Triceps Extension

Equipment
EZ-Bar
Sets
4
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 7 of 6

Triceps Pushdown

Equipment
Elastic Band
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 8 of 6

Single-Arm Pushdown

Equipment
Cable Machine
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 9 of 6

Close-Grip Pushup

Equipment
Medicine Ball
Sets
4
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45

Day 2: Tuesday

Back and Biceps

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 10 of 6

Deadlift

Equipment
Barbell
Sets
5
Reps
8-10
Rest
30-45
Exercise 11 of 6

Lat Pulldown

Equipment
Cable Machine
Sets
4
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 12 of 6

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
4
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 13 of 6

Pullup

Equipment
Pullup Bar
Sets
3
Reps
Failure
Rest
30-45
Exercise 14 of 6

Superman

Equipment
No Equipment
Sets
3
Reps
Failure
Rest
30-45
Exercise 15 of 6

Biceps Curl

Equipment
Elastic Band
Sets
4
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 16 of 6

Drag Curl

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 17 of 6

Concentration curl

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 18 of 6

Cable Rope Curl

Equipment
Cable Machine
Sets
4
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45

Day 3: Wednesday

Cardio and Abs

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 19 of 6

Leg Raise

Equipment
Bench
Sets
5
Reps
8-10
Rest
--
Exercise 20 of 6

Ab-Wheel Rollout

Equipment
Ab Wheel
Sets
5
Reps
8-10
Rest
--
Exercise 21 of 6

Horizontal Cable Woodchop

Equipment
Cable Machine
Sets
5
Reps
8-10
Rest
--
Exercise 22 of 6

Side Plank

Equipment
Medicine Ball
Sets
5
Reps
Failure
Rest
--
1. Start your workout with 30-minute jog. 2. Performing the above 4 exercises as circuit for 5 rounds. 3. Finish your workout with 7-10 minutes of sprint intervals (30 sec on/30 sec walk)

Day 4: Thursday

Legs and Shoulders

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 23 of 6

Squat

Equipment
Squat Rack
Sets
3
Reps
8-10
Rest
60-90
Exercise 24 of 6

Front Squat

Equipment
Barbell
Sets
3
Reps
8-10
Rest
60-90
Exercise 25 of 6

Plie squat

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
4
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 26 of 6

Dumbbell Step-Up

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
4
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 27 of 6

Walking Lunge

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 28 of 6

Glute Bridge w/ Suspension Trainer

Equipment
Sets
3
Reps
10
Rest
30-45
Exercise 29 of 6

Neutral-Grip Overhead Press

Equipment
Barbell
Sets
5
Reps
10-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 30 of 6

Dumbbell High Pull

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
4
Reps
10-12
Rest
30-45
Exercise 31 of 6

Cable Raise

Equipment
Sets
3
Reps
10-12
Rest
30-45
* Perform front cable raises for 3 sets, followed by side cable raises for 3 sets, followed by rear cable raises for 3 sets.
Exercise 32 of 6

Face Pull

Equipment
Cable Machine
Sets
3
Reps
15
Rest
30-45

Day 5: Saturday

Mixed Bodyweight and Abs

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 34 of 6

Pullup

Equipment
Pullup Bar
Sets
10
Reps
10
Rest
--
Exercise 35 of 6

Weighted Situp

Equipment
Weight Plates
Sets
10
Reps
10
Rest
--
Exercise 36 of 6

Leg Raise

Equipment
Bench
Sets
10
Reps
10
Rest
--
* The exercises listed above are to be performed as circuit. Beginners may start with 5 rounds.
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