Try this 14 day workout challenge to kick start yourself in a regular fitness habit. There are 4 different routines, each to be done 3 times, with 2 days rest over the 14 days, as shown in the workout schedule. Each routine should take 10 minutes or less, so it shouldn’t be hard to fit the challenge in each day.
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General workout information
Before you start, please read this general safety information.
You should do a brief warm up on the arm and leg days to prepare your joints and muscles. For suitable warm up exercises see here. You don’t need to do the full warm up routine every day – for the arm workout, do the arm circles and side bends and for the leg workout the knee lift and lunge behind.
What you need for this workout
Upper body: the exercises will be more effective with hand weights. Between 2-4lbs (1-2kg) is a good weight to start with. If you’re buying weights for this workout, then these adjustable ones are a good option, because you can increase the weight as your strength improves.
Leg workout: you just need to make sure your footwear is non-slip if you’re on a floor with a slippery surface.
Ab workout: you need some sort of cushioning for your spine – either an exercise mat or a folded blanket.
GET A MAT FOR THIS WORKOUT HERE
Walk/run: for running it’s best to have shoes that will absorb some of the impact.
GET RUNNING SHOES FOR THIS WORKOUT HERE
14 day workout challenge exercise routines
10 minute walk/run – days 1, 6 & 11
The 14 days starts with a 10 minute interval walk/run plan.
Warm up and cool down with normal speed and moderately fast walking, with a 4 minute run in the middle. If you would rather not run, then just speed up to a very fast walk.
The upper body routine – days 2, 7 & 12
Do 3 sets of 15 reps of everything (that is, do each exercise 15 times, then start again and repeat twice more).
#1 Shoulder press
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip distance.
- Start with your elbows bent and hands either side of your shoulders, palms facing forwards.
- Extend your elbows, lifting the weights above your head.
- When your arms are straight, reverse the movement and bring your hands to the starting position.
#2 Forward raise
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip distance.
- Start with your arms straight by your side, palms facing inwards.
- Keeping your arms straight, lift the weights in front of your body up to shoulder height.
- When your arms are horizontal, stop and lower back down to the starting position.
#3 Side raise
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip distance.
- Start with your arms straight by your side, palms facing inwards.
- Keeping your arms straight, lift the weights out to the side.
- When your arms are horizontal, stop and lower back down to the starting position.
The abs routine – days 3, 8 & 13
Do 20 reps of the crunch and reverse crunch and hold the plank for 30 seconds. Complete 3 sets of everything.
#1 Crunch
- Lie on the floor, knees bent, feet about hip distance apart.
- Put your hands behind your head to support it. Keep your elbows relaxed out to the side.
- Engage your abdominal muscles and curl your spine smoothly away from the floor. It shouldn’t be a jerky movement.
- Stop when your shoulder blades have left the floor and start to reverse the movement. Again, it should be a smooth, curling movement on the way down.
#2 Reverse crunch
- Lie on your back and extend your legs so that they are vertical.
- Engage your lower abs as you curl your lower spine off the mat. It should be a smooth curling movement.
- When your lower back has left the floor, start to reverse the movement – curl your spine back down under control.
#3 Elbow plank
- Kneel on the floor.
- Lean forwards and put your hands on the floor, making sure your shoulders are directly above your elbows.
- Straighten one leg out behind you, with the toes on the floor.
- Engage your core strongly and extend the other leg behind.
- Your body should be making a straight line.
- Now hold this position for the given time.
- Then lower the knees to the floor and rest.
The leg routine – Days 4, 9 & 14
Do 20 reps of the squat and lunges and hold the wall sit for 30 seconds.
#1 Squats
- Have your feet a little more than hip distance apart, parallel or slightly turned out.
- Bend at your knees and hips as you lower into squat position. Aim to get your thighs parallel with the floor and then come up again.
- Straighten up gently, don’t jerk your knees backwards.
- Avoid arching your back or rounding your shoulders.
#2 Lunges
- Stand with your feet about hip distance apart.
- Take one leg out behind you and touch your toes to the floor.
- Now bend at both knees, so that you lower your body towards the floor. At the end of the movement, your thighs should be parallel with the floor, your front knee should be bent to 90 degrees and in line with your ankle, your back knee should be just above the floor.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on your other leg.
#3 Wall sit
- Stand with your feet about hip distance apart
- Make sure you keep your abdominal muscles, your shoulders relaxed down and your back straight throughout
- Take one leg out behind you and touch your toes to the floor. Make sure you keep your feet hip width apart.
- Now bend at both knees, so that you lower your body towards the floor. At the end of the movement, your thighs should be parallel with the floor, your front knee should be bent to 90 degrees and in line with your ankle, your back knee should be just above the floor.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on your other leg.
The schedule
This is the schedule for the two weeks. You can get a printable of all the routines and the schedule by entering your e-mail below.
Get the 14 day workout challenge printable
Sign up for My Fitness Planner updates and get a free printable download of this workout e-mailed to you:
After you sign up, you’ll get 2 e-mails, one will have a link to your printable download and the other will be a welcome e-mail.
If the e-mails haven’t turned up within a few minutes, please check your junk folder, as some service providers have very strict filters.
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