For Mark and Dan, the third week of this first four-week cycle is the toughest week, with heavier weights for the Monday strength workout and higher reps on the endurance days. (Next week, a transition week, is an easier one.) Devin continues his eight-week kettle bell program. For technique demonstrations of all the ercises described after the jump, check the week one posts.

strong>Dan Monday:

Core workout including crunches and back bridges, side planks, and front planks. Hold bridges 30 seconds, side planks 40, and front plank 50. Then do 15 active moments (hip fles, leg lifts).

Then do three sets of these ercises, completing six repetitions of each per set, except where noted:

Dumbbell Squat with 40lb dumbbells

Lunges (14reps)

Dead Lift with 115lbs

Bench Press 115lbs

Dumbbell Row with 40lb dumbbells

Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with 35lb dumbbells

Wednesday:

Same core workout as Monday.

Then:

Do three sets of the following circuit:

14 repetitions each of:

Unilateral Step Chin-ups

Push-ups

Walking Side Squats

Rope Climb

Hanging Knee Raises

Walking Lunges

Traveling Push Ups

Friday:

Begin with same core ercises as Monday.

Then do 12 minutes on the ercise bike at a medium-high level of intensity.

Then complete 3 sets of the following two ercises, doing 12 repetitions in each set:

Tricep pulldowns (with a rope on a machine, as described here.) Use 5 12.5 lb plates.

Front shoulder raises: With 8 lb dumbbells in each hand.

Then spend 12 minutes running on the treadmill, at a medium-high intensity.

Then complete 3 sets of the following two ercises, doing 12 repetitions in each set:

Dumbbell Biceps Curls, with 15 lb dumbbells

Rear shoulder raises with 8 lb dumbbells

Finish the workout with 12 more minutes of cardio on an arc or elliptical trainer.

Mark Monday:

Core workout including crunches and back bridges, side planks, and front planks all done on a box. Hold bridges 30 seconds, side planks 40, and front plank 50. Then do 15 active moments (hip fles, leg lifts).

Do three sets of the following ercises:

Barbell Squat: 115lbs, six reps

Bench Press: 115lbs, six reps

Horizontal Body Rows: fourteen reps

Then three sets of these:

Dead Lift: 70lbs, six reps

Hanging Leg Raises: fourteen reps

Physio Ball Plank Extensions: fourteen reps

Wednesday:

Same core workout as Monday, then:

Then do three sets of a circuit of the following ercises:

Split Squat: 6 reps, 55 lbs

Incline Chest Press: 6 reps, 105 lbs

Physio Ball Pikes: 14 reps

After completing that circuit, do three sets of this circuit:

Chin-up: 14 reps, hands close together with palms turned toward your body, to emphasize biceps

90 to 180 Back Extensions: 14 reps

Medicine Ball Toe Touches: 14 reps

Friday:

Core workout and towel workout as from the previous Friday, this week doing fourteen repetitions of each towel ercise instead of twelve.

Devin Monday:

Core workout including crunches and back bridges, side planks, and front planks all done on a box. Hold bridges 30 seconds, side planks 40, and front plank 50. Then do 15 active moments (hip fles, leg lifts).

Do 2 sets of each of the following kettle bell ercises, 15 repetitions of each (check out this post and this post for demonstrations):

Bilateral Swings with 16kg bell

Unilateral Swings with 12 kg bell

Push Press with 12kg bell

High Pull with 12kg bell

Unilateral Clean with 12kg bell

Single-arm row with 12kg bell

Isometric Push-ups and hip extensions

Regular Push-ups

Wednesday:

Repeat the Monday workout, including core, but do 20 repetitions of each kettle bell ercise.