It’s the end of August and summer is just about over, and for some people, that means it’s back-to-school time. So watch out upcoming freshman! Avoid gaining the “Freshman 15″ like I did my first year in college with The Dens Workout Plan.

As you guys know from , it was around this time of the year a couple of years ago that I started becoming a regular at the gym. Initially, Dens taught me this workout so I wouldn’t pack on the pounds, but now I’m still using it to stay in shape.

So don’t think this post is just for the freshies goin’ off to college… this workout is meant for anybody who is avoiding any type of “15″ weight-gain and for those who are trying to keep a tight figure.

Make sure to always  warm up before your workouts with a good cardio session. It may be obvious, but  here’s why according to Dens, our go-to friend trainer:

• Your muscles will be warmed up and ready to go when you start exercising
• You’ll increase your body temperature, which allows proper oxygen supply to the body
• Your muscles will be able to contract and relax more quickly during your workouts because using cardio to warm up helps increase blood flow to the muscles
• It boosts your exercise performance

STEP 2: ARMS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FYI- In college, every time Dens, Maggie and I were going over what we were going to do at the gym, we’d never know what to call this workout so we’d say, “Ok, we’ll start off with running, then curls, then these things,” while moving our arms up and down to show what we meant. That’s where it got its name.

3. Cheerleaders: Grab your weights and hold your elbows straight out  in front of you with the dumbbells straight up in the air . Then spread your arms to the side like your flexing for the gun show. Make sure your arms only go to the side and don’t bring your elbows/arms behind your back. Be sure NOT to drop your elbows as well. Then push the weights straight up in the air above your head. Do these slowly to burn fat. Then repeat.

What does it do?: “Cheerleaders are good for chest and shoulders and keeping that area toned.” – Dens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.5. Squats

Keep your legs shoulder-length apart. DO NOT let your knees go forward past your feet! That can do damage to them. You want to keep most of your weight in the back of your heals for balance and pretend you are sitting in an imaginary chair. That’s how far you should go. And make sure to keep your upper body tall and your back straight when squatting. When you go down, stick your bum out as far as you can too. Do these slowly to burn fat.

What does it do?: “Squats are a great exercise for definition in your entire legs. It works all the muscles from your feet to your butt.” – Dens

 

 

 

 

 

3. Good Girls, Bad Girls

For the record, I did not come up with this name. I’ve heard personal trainers use it all the time and you’ll know why with these pictures. But these leg workouts are pretty straight forward since they are on a machine, so take a seat and spread your legs. There are two of these machines though so make sure you do both. One you push your legs out and the other you push them in. Do these slowly to burn fat.

What does it do?: “These work your adductors and abductors- that’s like your inner thigh and your outside of the hips to your butt.” – Dens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Leg-Lifts

Grab a yoga mat and lay flat on the floor facing upward. Place hands under your bum with your palms on the floor, fingers toward your feet. Extend your legs up and bring them to the floor. The closer your feet get to the floor the better it is for the abs. And don’t worry about keeping your legs completely straight when you bring them up because they can be slightly bent.

There are two kinds that I do. The first one are normal crunches where your legs are up in the air at a 90-degree angle. Place your hands behind your head, and with your abs, bring yourself up forward as much as you can.

What does it do?: “When your knees are up, your working your top abs.”- Dens

The second kinds are laying-down crunches. It’s the same concept as the regular crunches, but instead of keeping your legs at a 90-degree angle, you lay them flat on the floor with your toes pointing up.

What does it do?: “When your feet are on the floor, you are working your lower abs.” – Dens

STEP 4: CARDIO

As you remember in my last post, finish off your workout with a cardio session at the end, because like I said, And just like with the warm up, choose any cardio machine because any of them work. For me, I like to do 20 minutes on the bike and 10 minutes on the treadmill (total of 30 mins).

FINAL TIPS:

• Do this work out 3-5 times a week (I do 4-5)
• Switch off arm and leg days. Don’t do both in one day.
• When doing arms I go in this order: curls, these things, then cheerleaders. Then I start over and do them two more times instead of doing curls 3x, these things 3x, and cheerleaders 3x. Same goes for leg and ab workouts.
• Make sure your you do everything SLOWLY to burn fat
• Make sure to break a sweat! If you don’t, boost it up by doing more or adding more. REMEMBER, using less amount of weight with more reps is better than more weight and less reps.
• If this workout causes you pain (not soreness), don’t do it.

*All photos were taken by photographer Richard Urwin Wheeler.