BUT SERIOUSLY...

The name says it all! In this experiment you try out a variety of different strength exercises and finish with a serious circuit or cardio challenge. From week 4 we increase the challenge. The number of repetitions goes down and the weight goes up. But only if your technique allows you to. Take that serious!

Schema highlights

Are you (fairly) new to the gym? After this schedule, you won't be anymore! We take you by the hand through the most important basic movements. Focus on your technique and you will notice that you are walking around a lot fitter in 6 weeks. Is an exercise easy in the first three weeks? Then opt for a few extra repetitions and only increase the weight from week 4. This way, a movement will be more quickly ingrained in your system and you can confidently move on to the next schedule afterwards.

Featured exercises

When you think of basic movements, you think of squats, lunges, and push ups, among others. After completing this schedule, you have already checked off quite a list of main exercises. There are honestly no ways to be more effective in the gym than to train with the basics.

Bodyweight squat

De bodyweight squat is echt een alleskunner. Een geweldige oefening om thuis te doen, als warming up, of gewoon tot (bijna) spierfalen in je werkset. Een schema zonder squat-variant kun je niet serieus nemen.

1Keep your back straight throughout the exercise and squat as deep as you can.
2Stand approximately with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward. If you don't like this, you can experiment with a wider or narrower foot position.
3Your feet are always completely on the floor (from heel to toe).

Push up

De grote klassieker! Niet voor niets vind je de push up nog steeds in mening trainingsschema terug. Je hebt enkel je eigen lichaamsgewicht nodig om je borst, schouders en triceps flink aan het werk te zetten.

1Lower your chest between your hands (not your head between your hands).
2Your hip and shoulders always move up and down simultaneously.
3Your elbows point outward approximately 45 degrees (0 degrees is along your body and 90 degrees is parallel to your shoulders).

Basic principles of your workout plan: weight loss

Your body won't change until you seriously challenge it. This workout schedule certainly does that, but only if you commit to it. All you need to do is commit to the following three things:

Try to perform the exercises to the best of your ability. Technique is more important than weight.
Unless another weight is indicated, choose a weight that allows you to finish the number of repetitions prescribed. Moreover, make sure you can do every final repetition safely on your own. Does it say 10 reps and you find that you can only do 8, or go as high as 12? Then do 8 or 12 reps and adjust the weight for the next set. This sounds trickier than it is. You’ll have found the right weight after a few tries and after that, the app will remember it for you.
When you are losing weight, it will be difficult to add more weight to the bar. In that case, set a goal to lift at least the same weight as the previous work out every week. That way, you are sure to maintain as much muscle mass as possible. If you've only 'weakened' a few kilos by the end of your workout plan, rest assured you've done great! Stay realistic, understand your goal.

Just to eliminate any doubt; when doing exercises with your own body weight, just do the number of reps indicated. Do you see 'max reps'? Then that literally means as many reps as you can do.

How serious are you really?

Let’s be serious. No one loses fat and maintains muscle mass without a strong nutrition plan. If you want to get more toned, you will have to eat a little less than your body requires. Although there is no best ‘diet’ for everyone, the basics are usually the same:

Create a small calorie deficit (250-500 kcal less than maintenance per day).
Try to consume about 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This will make you feel satiated and will make your muscles happy.
Focus on natural nutrients rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre.
We know this is a toughie but, avoid high-calorie, ultra-processed foods whenever you can. These include candy, cookies, savoury snacks, chips, pizza, chocolate, pastries, sweet dairy drinks, sodas, and sweet breakfast cereals.
Drink plenty of water, black and green tea and reduce your coffee intake.
Make sure that you are able to stick to your diet!

For specific questions, or to create a personal nutrition plan, we always recommend that you contact a qualified (sports) dietitian. Never change your entire nutrition plan by yourself. Seriously.