This is our first upper-body workout on my 8-Week Fat-loss Figure Trainer. During Phase One, we’ll start each “pressing” day with a triceps movement. I like to warm up my triceps and also pre-exhaust them so that I don’t engage them much when I train my larger complementary muscle groups (shoulders and chest).

I don’t train my triceps extensively, especially when I’m in a fat-loss phase or dieting for a contest. Instead of using heavy weights, I go with higher reps, and I only perform two moves. For Phase One of my 8-Week Fat-loss Figure Trainer I’m using triceps cable kickbacks and triceps pressdowns. The benefit of this is that you can perform all sets for one exercise and then all sets for the other, or you can superset these. I recommend that you mix up these strategies throughout Phase One.

Today, you can perform one exercise followed by the other. To do that, perform all kickback moves for one arm for 25 reps, and then perform 25 reps for the other. Then, without resting, transition into your next set of kickbacks. You perform all of these without rest as your non-working side arm is getting plenty of rest while you’re alternating. Then perform all sets of cable pushdowns, also called pressdowns.

Then I move on to training my shoulders, where I perform a much higher volume. That’s because I’m really trying to bring in detail and enhance my V-taper as I’m shedding body fat. I perform 4 moves for shoulders—one for front delts, one for side delts, one for rear delts, and then a compound movement that works all the heads at once. In order, I perform: dumbbell lateral raises (middle head of the delts); front plate raises (front delts); dumbbell shoulder presses (all three heads of the delts), and I finish up with rear delts flyes (rear delts).

I use dumbbell lateral raises and front plate raises to pre-exhaust my delts. Then I perform the compound move (dumbbell shoulder presses) immediately afterwards. I train rear delts last because they are small-but-challenging muscles, and I think they are easier to activate at this point in the workout. This exercises is a great finishing movement for this block of shoulder training.

Next up I train my chest. I only perform one chest move because I do not want to overdevelop my chest. The purpose of including incline dumbbell chest presses at this point in the workout is to carve in detail rather than build mass. However, others may need to perform more chest work than I do. To boost volume, you can increase sets of this move, or add a flye movement, including incline or flat dumbbell flyes, or the cable or machine version at the angle you prefer. You can also add other pressing movements if this muscle group is a weakness of your physique.

The last exercise of the day is all-around-the-worlds. This is done to finish off your shoulders, and it’s a great burnout, but I only perform one set. Check out my video to see how to perform this unique move.

Triceps cable kickbacks	3 SETS / 25 REPS
Triceps Pressdowns	3 SETS / 25 REPS
Dumbbell Lateral Raises	4 SETS / 15 REPS
Front plate raises	4 SETS / 15 REPS
Dumbbell shoulder presses	4 SETS / 15 REPS
Rear-delt flyes	4 SETS / 15 REPS
Incline dumbbell chest presses	4 SETS / 15 REPS
Around the worlds	1 SETS / 15 REPS
Twisting floor crunches	3 SETS / 15 REPS
Wheel roll outs	3 SETS / 15 REPS
Cardio	20 MINUTES

CYDNEY SAYS:

While it’s only Day 2 on my 8-Week Fat-loss Figure Trainer, you shouldn’t underestimate the benefits of supplements when you’re training with intensity while cutting calories. Take a look at my Supplements Opener to see which Kaged Muscle products I recommend while you’re following this 8-week fat-loss program.

MICROPURE® WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE Micropure Whey Protein Isolate is the protein I choose to use post workout and at other times during the day when I need a quick influx of protein. This product provides a high-quality, fast-digesting source of protein along with the digestive enzyme ®. The high-quality whey protein isolate gets into your system quickly, enhanced by the inclusion of digestive enzymes. Every scoop of Micropure Whey Protein Isolate delivers 25g of protein for only 130 calories. CYDNEY SAYS: One of the key things about Micropure Whey Protein Isolate is that it helps you stay on your diet and maintain your muscle mass. You’re not cheating when you take in 1-3 doses per day so long as you count those calories.