Are you stuck working out at home, and still want to look and feel your best for summer? This 6-week fat-burning workout will have you beach-ready in no time!
Workout Summary

Workout Description

Summer is a time of traveling, celebrating, and big events. Many people want to get in the best shape possible so they can fully enjoy these moments. Also, you never know when a camera is on you until you get tagged on a post.

All women want to be and look their best for those summer events, but what if they are restricted to home gym workouts? This doesn’t have to stop you. As a matter of fact, you can embrace the challenge thanks to this six-week program. If you were looking for a program outside of summer, don’t let that stop you. Give this a go anywhere. The program works year-round.

For those of you that may have missed it, there is a gym version of this program available as well. For the ladies that may go back and forth between the gym and home workouts, make good use out of both routines.

Recommended: Need help losing fat? Take our Free Fat Loss Course

Workout Schedule

This program is going to require five days a week of training. The split is two days on, one day off, three days on, one day off. The order of workouts is as follows:

  • Day 1 – Upper Body Pull Day
  • Day 2 – Lower Body Posterior Chain Day
  • Day 3 – Off
  • Day 4 – Upper Body Push Day
  • Day 5 – Quadriceps and Calves
  • Day 6 – Core and Tabata
  • Day 7 – Off

The plan for these workouts is to perform them in a circuit-style fashion. All of the exercises on that day’s schedule should be performed without rest until you complete the final one. You then get a short break and will repeat the circuit two more times.

Equipment You'll Need

The equipment for home workouts is more limited than they are in gyms and health clubs. The workouts below will require the following equipment:

  • Barbell
  • Weight Plates
  • Dumbbells (Adjustable if possible)
  • Resistance Bands
  • Bench

If you don’t have access to that kind of equipment, swap in substitution exercises that can work the muscles in similar ways. If you have more than this, then you can make the workouts more challenging by replacing these movements with more advanced choices.

Recovery and Rest

The key to making the most out of this program is how you recover from them. That means the nutrition must be consistent and steps in recovery must be taken. Let’s talk about the food first. There are several nutrition plans, and you can choose any of them that are available here on M&S. The only suggestions I have is that the protein is around 1 gram per pound of bodyweight, you drink plenty of water (most recommendations are around 12 glasses a day), and that you stick to the plan you choose. Going back and forth helps no one.

As for recovery, strategies like massages, electronic stimulation, and percussion therapy are all very effective. Give any or all of those a chance. Keep the methods you like the best, and stop the others when you figure out they don’t work for you.

The biggest key is the rest. You must be able to get quality sleep every night. That means at least seven hours of sleep. If you can get eight or even nine, that would be even better. If you learn one thing from this program, I hope it is that recovery is vital to success. 

Related: Complete Guide to Increasing Workout Recovery

Woman doing single arm dumbbell bicep curls in gym.

Summer Shape Up Women's Home Workout

Day 1 – Pull Day

Since you’re training at home, you have control of the weight room setup. Set everything up so that the stations are close together. This will make the transition from one movement to the other easier and faster. This workout will focus on the upper back, rear delts, and finish with biceps. Give it all you got!

Complete the following exercises back-to-back with no rest between exercises. This counts as one round. Rest 2 minutes between each round. Repeat 3 times.

Exercise Reps
Dumbbell Pullover 12-15
Pull Ups or Banded Pull Ups 12-15
Two Arm Dumbbell Row 12-15
Rear Delt Fly 12-15
Barbell Curl 12-15

Day 2 – Lower Body/Posterior Chain Day

Training the posterior chain will be a challenge with free weights. Don’t be afraid of it. Concentrate on getting a full range of motion and feeling quality contractions with each repetition. The goblet squats will hit the quads, but focus on squeezing the glutes at the top of the rep. Make sure the feet are pointed slightly out as well.

Complete the following exercises back-to-back with no rest between exercises. This counts as one round. Rest 2 minutes between each round. Repeat 3 times.

Exercise Reps
Stiff Leg Deadlift 12-15
Good Morning 12-15
Goblet Squat with Sumo Stance 12-15
Dumbbell Lying Leg Curl 12-15
Walking Lunge 12-15

Day 4 – Push Day

The Arnold press will target all three heads of the shoulder, which will also take a toll on you by the third set. Don’t be surprised if you have to use lighter weights for movements like the lateral raise. As for the pushups at the end, if you need a greater challenge than your bodyweight alone, hold the ends of a band in each hand and wrap it around the back.

Complete the following exercises back-to-back with no rest between exercises. This counts as one round. Rest 2 minutes between each round. Repeat 3 times.

Exercise Reps
Arnold Press 12-15
Lateral Raise 12-15
Barbell Bench Press 12-15
Incline Dumbbell Fly 12-15
Close Grip Push Up 12-15

Day 5 – Quadriceps and Calves

Going with a traditional barbell squat is certainly an option, but the Zercher squat is a great choice for ladies that don’t have access to a squat rack. Following these up with vertical jumps will pump up the quadriceps a lot. Use dumbbells for the seated calf raises. The standing calf raises could be performed with bodyweight only or while holding dumbbells.

Complete the following exercises back-to-back with no rest between exercises. This counts as one round. Rest 2 minutes between each round. Repeat 3 times.

Exercise Reps
Dumbbell Leg Extension 12-15
Zercher Squat 12-15
Vertical Jumps 12-15
Seated Dumbbell Calf Raise 12-15
Standing Barbell Calf Raise 12-15

Day 6 – Core and Tabata Cardio

All areas of the abdominals will be targeted with this workout. The lying leg raise can be done with ankle weights or with a dumbbell between the feet. The weighted crunch should be done with a plate on the chest. The side bends are a quality exercise for the obliques. They won’t build wide waists unless you go super heavy, so go lighter and focus on the stretch.

The Tabata workout is eight rounds of 20 seconds of work. The rest period in between is 10 seconds, which is short. Any bodyweight exercise can be performed for this workout. If you have access to cardio equipment, then, by all means, use it to the best of your ability. If you don't know where to start, check out this 8 Minute Squat & Push Up Tabata Workout.

Exercise Sets Reps Rest
Lying Leg Raise 3 15 -
Weighted Crunch 3 15 -
Side Bends 3 15 per side -
Plank 3 1 min 1 min
Tabata Cardio 8 20 sec 10 sec

Conclusion

Ladies, you can and will reach your fitness goals with consistent dedication. The training space isn’t as important as the space between your ears. Commit mentally to go all-out physically, and the home gym space you have will be very effective in helping you reach those fitness goals. Take pictures when you start this program and track whatever metric of progress you like (clothes size, measurements, scale, etc.). Seeing the changes every two weeks can help you build momentum. Looking and feeling your best will make those summer moments even more memorable.

27 Comments
ann
Posted on: Mon, 09/25/2023 - 16:55

Hi, I'm not really trying to lose weight as much as I am trying to gain muscle and tone my body. I am working out from home and wanted to ask if you think this workout would be good for that. I know it says fat loss but I looked at the workouts and it looks like a lot of it is weight stuff rather than cardio. Thoughts?

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Roger
Posted on: Wed, 09/27/2023 - 14:16

Hi, Ann. If your nutrition and recovery supports muscle building, then you should still see results toward that goal. Good luck, and please let us know how it goes.

mark
Posted on: Sun, 05/28/2023 - 03:04

I do not have pull up bar and barnbell. i have dumbbells and bands. can i still do this at home?

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Roger
Posted on: Tue, 05/30/2023 - 20:36

Sure can. Simply swap dumbbell and band versions in whenever you can. Good luck, and please let us know how it works out for you.

christina
Posted on: Wed, 05/31/2023 - 14:34

i am in the same situation. i have couple of questions. please can you share video of "Resistance Band Assisted Pull Up" ? i googled and all the vides i saw need pullup bar.
if i use dumbell instead of barbell, should i do the movement one hand at a time or both together? how to calculate equivalent weight?

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Roger
Posted on: Sat, 06/03/2023 - 15:33

If you don't have a pullup bar, then you're not going to be able to do it. You would need to do a pullover with a dumbbell or barbell instead.

As for weight, simply find the weight that challenges you. There is no precise formula for weight between the two. Also, do both hands at the same time.

Wafia
Posted on: Tue, 04/04/2023 - 16:54

Hi roger, what you recommend after i finish this workout pla? I workout from home and i have dumbells

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Roger
Posted on: Sat, 04/22/2023 - 13:41
wafia
Posted on: Fri, 02/24/2023 - 03:22

it is written above that repeat 3 rounds but then it says 12-15 should i do 3 rounds each exercise 12 or 2 rounds one 12 and second 15?

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Roger
Posted on: Mon, 02/27/2023 - 08:22

Get at least 12, but if you can get 15, then shoot for that instead. Once you can do more than 15, go up in weight.

Ashley
Posted on: Fri, 03/25/2022 - 10:09

What would you recommend as a warm up?

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Roger
Posted on: Tue, 03/29/2022 - 20:19
Tricia
Posted on: Thu, 03/17/2022 - 14:58

Hi Roger. Should I be using the same weights through all 6 weeks of the program? Or, should I up the weights each week? Every other week? Thanks!

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Roger
Posted on: Sat, 03/26/2022 - 18:07

Hi, Tricia. When you feel your strength improve, up the weight. Increase the load when you can perform all reps without reaching failure.

Tricia
Posted on: Sun, 03/27/2022 - 15:55

Thanks very much!

Laney
Posted on: Thu, 03/10/2022 - 11:27

What program would you recommend after this is completed? I work out at home and feel like im ready to take on a harder 6 or 12 week challenge since i finished this one.

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Roger
Posted on: Tue, 03/15/2022 - 17:56

What equipment do you have at home, Laney? I don't want to make any suggestions that you wouldn't be able to apply.

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Roger
Posted on: Sat, 03/26/2022 - 18:00

Apologies for the delay, Laney. Go with any free weight program you like, and add the bands in where you see fit. Here is a good one to try out.

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-barbell-mass-workout...

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Roger
Posted on: Sat, 03/26/2022 - 18:00

Apologies for the delay, Laney. Go with any free weight program you like, and add the bands in where you see fit. Here is a good one to try out.

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-barbell-mass-workout...

Laney
Posted on: Thu, 03/17/2022 - 12:21

Thanks for replying! I have dumbbells (the adjustable kind) that screw into a barbell as well. An incline bench. Resistance bands. Ankle weights. A foam roller. And an elliptical.

Kelly
Posted on: Fri, 01/28/2022 - 06:58

question. at the top in explanation it says 3 rounds. in the actual workout it says do the workout. rest 2 minutes. repeat 3x. is this 3 or 4 total rounds please. im at failure after 3 so im figuring its 3 but want the best reaults. thank you

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Roger
Posted on: Fri, 01/28/2022 - 10:04

Hi, Kelly. Apologies for the confusion. 3 total rounds, not 4.

Gabby
Posted on: Mon, 10/18/2021 - 19:48

Does this work? Has anyone done it and it’s worked?!

ann
Posted on: Wed, 12/08/2021 - 10:29

Gabby, I just started this wk but ill give you a update and two wks

JenAlx
Posted on: Tue, 10/11/2022 - 09:17

Hey, i was wondering how you did with the program. I started today. Thanks!

Shannon
Posted on: Wed, 09/15/2021 - 17:15

Day 3?

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Roger
Posted on: Mon, 10/04/2021 - 21:22

As the workout schedule shows, Day 3 is a rest day.