Twelve Simple Fat Loss Workouts

By John Fawkes
www.johnfawkes.com

Each of these workouts is designed for maximal fat loss. To that end, they work your en-
tire body, mostly at higher rep ranges, with short rests between sets. The goal with each
of them is a) to keep your heart rate up the whole time, and b) stimulate every muscle in
the body. In other words, to burn a lot of calories, and discourage your body from storing
fat for a day or two after the workout.

Beyond that, the workouts fall into a few different categories.

Bodyweight workouts don’t require any fitness equipment. A few exercises may use im-
provised equipment, such as using a bag with some heavy stuff in it in place of a dumb-
bell. Other than that, they’re bodyweight exercises. These can easily be done at home or
while traveling. I’ve organized them by difficulty level, and given suggestions for how to
progress the difficulty of each workout, since you can’t add weight for most exercises.

Equipment-minimal workouts use only one piece of equipment- each workout is built
around a different item. In every case, it’s something you could easily have at home.
These can be done at home or at the gym. One of them only uses equipment you can
easily travel with, while the others use equipment commonly found even in small hotel
gyms.

Here are my recommendations for home exercise equipment:

Stability ball: BetterLife (multiple size and color options)
Pull-up bar: ProSource Multi-Grip
Adjustable dumbbells: Yes4All (multiple weight options), Bowflex (up to 100 lbs each,
more convenient)
Resistance bands: Kinzi resistance band set
Jump rope: Survival and Cross adjustable length jump rope

Gym Workouts require a gym, or a pretty extensive home gym. They’re organized by the
type of exercises they focus on.

Always use proper form, and make sure your motions are controlled, even with high-speed
movements. Every single exercise here can be looked up on YouTube.

Cardio is optional, but for fat loss I’d recommend a little. 10-20 minutes of interval training
at the end of a weight workout is plenty. If you suffer a lot of leg soreness post-workout,
you can reduce this by spending 5-10 minutes pedaling at a moderately fast pace on a sta-
tionary bike. For home and hotel workouts, a jumprope is your simplest option.

If you’ve had this forwarded to you and would like to join my newsletter, and/or download
my other free ebooks such as the Habit Change Cheat Sheet or Lose 2 Inches in 2
Months, you can sign up here or email me at [email protected].

Equipment-Free Workouts
 The Beginner Bodyweight Workout

Perform the following in circuit:

A) Air squats, 10-15 reps

B) Pushups, 8-12 reps
C) Glute bridge, 10-15 reps
D) Front plank, 20-30 seconds
E) Alternating lunges, 8 reps per side
F) Bag bicep curls, 8-12 reps per arm*
G) Pike pushups, 6-8 reps

*For the bag bicep curls, put some heavy stuff in a small bag and do a set of bicep curls with it. Do
all reps for one arm then the other, not alternating, and do the same number of reps for both arms,
using the same bag for the whole workout.

Rest no more than 10 seconds between each exercise in this circuit. Perform three circuits, resting
no more than 60 seconds between each.

As you progress, add reps, reduce the rest time between circuits, and eventually add a fourth circuit.
Once you can do four circuits of this with no more than 30 seconds between each circuit, it’s time to
move on to the intermediate workout.

The Intermediate Bodyweight Workout

Perform in circuit:

A) Alternating reverse lunges, 8-10 reps per side

B) Push-ups, 12-15 reps
D) Mountain climbers, 20 reps
E) Jump squats, 6-10 reps
F) Inverted row off a table, to muscle fatigue
G) Bulgarian split squats, 6-8 reps per leg
H) Pike push-ups, 8-12 reps
I) Jumping jacks, 20-25 reps

Rest 5-10 seconds between each exercise in this circuit. Perform four circuits, resting 30-45 sec-
onds between each.

As you progress, add reps, reduce the rest time between circuits, and eventually add a fifth circuit.
Once you can do five circuits of this with no more than 30 seconds between each circuit, it’s time to
move on to the advanced workout.

The Advanced Bodyweight Workout

Perform in circuit:

A) Jump lunges, 8 per side

B) Pike push-ups, 8-12
C) Pike jumps, 6-8 per side
D) Bag one-armed bent over rows, 10-15 per arm*
E) Side plank, 30-60 seconds per side
F) Pistol squats, 6-12 per leg
G) Plyometric pushups, 8-12 reps
H) Spiderman lunges, 8-12 reps per side
I) Mountain climbers, 20-30 reps
J) Bodyweight inverted row off a table, as many reps as possible

*Again, use a bag with some heavy stuff in it, and do this like a one-armed dumbbell bent over row.

Move immediately from one exercise to the next. Perform four circuits, resting 20-30 seconds be-
tween circuits. When you’re ready, add a fifth circuit.

Bodyweight Workout for People with Bad Knees

Out of all the joint problems people tell me they have, knee problems are by far the most common.
Here’s a beginner to intermediate level workout for people with knee problems they need to work
around.

A) Deep squat hold, 20-60 seconds

B) Glute bridge, 12-20 reps
C) Side plank, 20-60 seconds each side
D) Bag one-armed row, 12-20 reps per arm
E) Push-ups, 12-20 reps
F) Halfway push-up hold, 10-30 seconds*
G) Bicycle crunches, 12-20 reps

*For this exercise, do a push-up but pause at the halfway position, with elbows slightly bent, and
hold there for 10-30 seconds.

Perform 3 circuits, moving quickly from one exercise to the next. Rest 30-60 seconds between cir-
cuits. As you progress, add a fourth circuit when possible.

Equipment-Minimal Workouts

The Stability Ball Workout

A1) Pushups with feet on stability ball, 8-20 reps
A2) Stability ball crunches, 12-20 reps

B1) Ball squat and reach, 6-10 reps per side

B2) Ball rollouts, 8-12 reps

C1) Ball knee tuck, 8-12 reps

C2) Ball side squat, 6-8 reps per side

Perform each circuit twice before moving to the next circuit, i.e. AABBCC. Moving immediately
from the first to the second exercise, and rest 60-90 seconds between circuits. As you progress, try
doing the circuits in rotation, i.e. ABCABC, with shorter rest periods. Eventually, you can add a
third set of circuits.

The Pull-up Bar Workout

This is a specialized workout for people who want to get good at pull-ups.

A1) Overhand pull-up, 3 sets of 6-8

A2) Bulgarian split squats, 3 sets of 6-8 per leg with 10 second static hold at the end of the last rep

Rest 20-30 seconds from A1 to A2, and 90 seconds between circuits. After the third circuit, rest 60
seconds and move on to circuit B.

B1) Push-ups, 4 sets of 12-20

B2) Front plank, 4 sets of 30-40 seconds

Move immediately from B1 to B2, and rest 90 seconds between circuits. After the last circuit, rest
3 minutes and then move to circuit C.

C1) Underhand chin-up, 3 sets of 6-10

C2) Spiderman lunges, 3 sets of 10 per leg
C3) Mountain climbers, 3 sets of 20-30

Move immediately from one exercise to the next, resting 90 seconds between circuits.

The Dumbbell Mechanical Advantage Drop Set Workout

This workout uses lightweight dumbbells combined with a style of weightlifting called mechanical
advantage drop sets. For each circuit, use the same weight for all exercises within that circuit.
A1) Dumbbell overhand grip bent over row, 8-10 reps
A2) Dumbbell underhand grip bent over row, as many as possible

After A1, put the dumbbells down and rest 10 seconds before picking them up and doing A2. After
A2, rest 90 seconds and move on to B.

B1) Alternating long-stride lunge, 12-15 reps per leg

B2) Alternating short stride lunge, to fatigue
B3) Dumbell squats, as many as possible

Move immediately from one exercise to the next. After completing the circuit, rest 90 seconds and
move to circuit C.

C1) Rear delt fly, 12-15 reps

C2) Lateral raise, to fatigue
C3) Front raise, to fatigue
C4) Arnold press, to failure

Move immediately from one exercise to the next. After completing C for the first time, rest 3 min-
utes then go back to circuit A. After completing the second set of circuits, you’re done.

The Resistance Band Workout

All of these exercises use a resistance band. Note that since you’re moving immediately from one
exercise to the next, if you have adjustable resistance bands, you’ll have to set them to a length that
lands you in the desired rep range for each exercise.

A) Split squat to curl, 10-15 reps

B) Bent over row, 10-15 reps
C) Resisted pushup, 10-15 reps
D) Band-thruster, 10-15 reps
E) Reverse fly, 10-15 reps
F) Front curl and press, 10-15 reps

Move immediately from one exercise to the next. Rest 30-90 seconds after completing the circuit,
then go again. Complete four circuits.

Gym Workouts
The Full-Body Free Weight Workout

A1) Kettlebell swing, 3 sets of 20-30 reps

A2) Pike push-ups, 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Rest 10-20 seconds between A1 and A2, and 60 seconds between circuits.

B1) Bench press, 4 sets of 5-6

B2) Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat, 4 sets of 5-6 per leg
B3) Dumbbell one-armed row, 4 sets of 6-10 per arm

Rest 20-30 seconds between exercises and 90 seconds between circuits.

C1) Ball roll-outs, 2 sets of 8-12

C2) Push-ups, 2 sets of 8-15
C3) Mountain climbers, 2 sets of 20-30

Move immediately from one exercise to the next, resting 60 seconds between circuits. If you can
easily do more than 15 pushups on both sets, switch to pushups with your feet elevated onto the
ball.

The Full-Body Machine Workout

A) Leg press, 3 sets of 8-12 reps

B) Pull-downs, 3 sets of 6-8 reps
C) Chest press, 3 sets of 6-8 reps
D) Seated rows, 3 sets of 6-8 reps
E) Shoulder press, 3 sets of 6-8 reps

Perform every exercise with a slow cadence- 3-5 seconds up, and 3-5 seconds down. Rest 30 sec-
onds between exercises, and 2 minutes between circuits. On the third circuit, pick ONE exercise to
go to failure on. Upon reaching muscle failure, try to hold the weight where it is as long as possi-
ble, then lower it as slowly as possible.

Pick your one exercise to failure based on which muscle group you want to focus on. If you do this
workout more than once a week, rotate which exercise you pick, so you only go to failure on a
given exercise once a week at most.

The Upper Body Focused Strength Workout

This workout is suitable for when you need to take a day off from training legs. It still works your
legs a teeny tiny bit, just to hit some slow-twitch muscles, but focuses on developing and maintain-
ing upper body strength while keeping your heart rate up.

A1) Bench press, 5 sets of 5

A2) Bent over barbell row, 5 sets of 5
Alternate the two exercises, resting 2 minutes between each exercise.

B1) Deadlift, 3 sets of 10-12

B2) Arnold press, 3 sets of 8-12

Alternate the two exercises, resting 90 seconds between exercises. For the deadlift, use a weight
you could lift for about 15 reps

C1) Pull-down, 2 sets of 8-10

C2) Ab crunch machine, 2 sets of 10-15 reps

Move quickly from C1 to C2, and rest 60-90 seconds between circuits.

D1) Goblet squat, 2 sets of 20 reps

D2) Bicycle crunches, 2 sets of 20-30

Move immediately from D1 to D2, and rest 60 seconds between circuits. Use an extremely light
weight for the goblet squat; one you can do 30+ reps with.

The Landmine Complex Workout

For those who don’t know, a landmine is that thing where a barbell is anchored to the floor at one
end, with plates loaded on the non-anchored end. Landmine exercises are done holding the end of
the barbell.

A1) Single leg RDL, 10 reps per leg

A2) Single arm press, 10 presses per arm
A3) Reverse lunge, 10 reps per leg
A4) Single arm row, 10 reps per arm
A5) Squat to double-handed press, 20 reps

Do all exercises with the same weight in quick succession, never setting down the land-
mine. Note that iso-lateral movements are not done in alternating manner. Perform two
circuits with the same weight, resting 2-3 minutes between circuits.

B1) Plyo push-ups, 6-8 reps

B2) Side plank, 30-60 seconds per side
B3) Bicycle crunches, 12-20 reps
B4) Jumping jacks, as many as possible in one minute

No rest between exercises. Only one circuit.