It is essential to spice up your exercise routine now and then to avoid reaching a plateau. The best way to do this is by taking up a fitness challenge. Here is a 14 day workout challenge to try out! This 14-day routine will help you lose weight by torching calories and also build muscle mass and strength. In addition, committing to this routine will help you adopt healthy habits like stretching and eating right, as they all play a crucial role in this challenge. So take a look at it!
The Workout Schedule
This challenge requires you to exercise for ten out of the fourteen days. Of course, four of the days are meant for rest as your muscles need time to repair and grow. During these ten days you will be performing different heart-pumping moves and muscle building exercises.
We suggest you first talk to your doctor and trainer before following this exercise routine. Similarly, we also recommend you take note of the following as they will help you reap results in a quicker way:
- Eating a Clean Diet. During these workouts, your body will go into a catabolic state where it will break down muscle. You will want to put it back into the anabolic state where it builds muscle by eating clean post-workout diets (3). Talk to your nutritionist for more insight on the best foods and servings before and after your workouts.
- Drinking Water. You are also supposed to drink water before, during, and after the workouts. Make sure you drink enough water during the activities as it helps replace the fluids you will lose when sweating.
- Maintaining the Proper Form. Make sure you are keeping the correct exercise form to prevent injury risk. The proper technique will also help thoroughly workout the intended muscle groups for more gains.
- Increasing the Exercises’ Intensity If Need Be. You can also add to the intensity of the exercises by increasing the weights, reps, or sets if you need an extra challenge. However, only make these changes after carefully going through this with your trainer.
These are some of the critical elements you need to note in this challenge if you want to see quick results. After two weeks, you may notice some changes in your overall body fat and muscle mass. But again, you will feel healthier and find it easier to embrace a healthier lifestyle by the end of these two weeks.
If you are not willing to take up this workout plan yet, talk to your trainer. They will help tailor it to match your needs long term without your body reaching a fitness plateau. With all that out of the way, here is an overview of the workout schedule:
Week 1
- Monday: Full Body HIIT
- Tuesday: Upper Body HIIT
- Wednesday: Lower Body HIIT
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Compound Lifts
- Saturday: Yoga
- Sunday: Rest
Read More: 10-Day Workout: How To Kick Start Weight Loss In Less Than 2 Weeks
Week 2
- Monday: Full Body HIIT with Dumbbells
- Tuesday: Arms
- Wednesday: Legs and Abs HIIT
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Full Body Bodyweight Workout
- Saturday: Cardio Exercises
- Sunday: Rest
Full Body HIIT
We will kick off this challenge with a total body HIIT workout. You must perform each exercise for 45 seconds. Here is the circuit:
- Burpees
- Bulgarian split squat
- High knees
- Standing shoulder press
- Rest (30 seconds)
- Steps us with dumbbells
- Mountain climbers
- Russian twists with dumbbells
- Reverse lunges
- Rest (30 seconds)
- Dumbbell row
- Tricep dips
- Elbow plank
Upper Body HIIT
This upper-body cardiovascular HIIT workout helps in torching calories and building strength and overall conditioning. Each exercise should last for 30 seconds, and you must complete five reps. Below are the activities to perform:
- Jump squats
- Oblique crunches
- Burpees
- Rest 10 seconds
- Up and down planks
- High plank lateral raise
- Narrow grip pushups
- Rest 10 seconds
- Cross Body mountain climbers
- Standing crossover crunches
- Plank kickback
Lower Body HIIT
This routine is very beneficial in burning calories and building lower body muscle strength and mass. Perform each exercise for 45 seconds. The circuit comprises the following exercises:
- Jumping lunges
- Curtsy lunge
- Squat jumps
- Mountain climbers
- Rest for 20 seconds
- Donkey kicks
- Fire hydrants
- Glute bridge
- Hip thrusts
- Rest for 20 seconds
- Sumo squat
- Plank hold
- Bicycle crunches
- Calf raises
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Compound Lifts
Compound exercises target many muscle groups simultaneously and help burn more calories, elevate heart rate, and improve flexibility and strength (2). You are to perform each of these compound lifts for 45 seconds. They are as follows:
- Barbell Romanian deadlift
- Dumbbell press
- Bent over row
- Bench press
- Rest for one minute
- Front squat
- Overhead press
- Classic pull-up
- Barbell hip raises
- Rest for one minute
- Parallel dips
- Clean and press
- Kettlebell swing
- Upright rows
Yoga
Yoga is critical in fighting muscle tension and stiffness and improving flexibility. Perform each of these exercises for 45 seconds. Take a look at the yoga poses you will be required to nail on this day:
- Downward facing dog
- Warrior I
- Reverse warrior
- Warrior II
- Rest for 30 seconds
- Chair pose
- Cobra
- Camel pose
- Elbow plank
- Rest for 30 seconds
- Bridge pose
- Birddog
- Cat-Cow pose
- Child’s pose
Full Body HIIT With Dumbbells
This routine helps build muscle mass and strength by combining strength training exercises with cardio conditioning (4). Perform each exercise in this superset carefully and for 45 seconds. Here are the activities:
- Alternating lateral lunges
- Front squat
- Shoulder press
- Dumbbell swing and lateral hop
- Rest for 30 seconds
- Renegade row
- Dumbbell goblet squat
- Fly to overhead press
- Split squat pulse
- Rest for 30 seconds
- Bent-over row
- Deadlift and upright row
- Single-leg lift back and tricep kickback
- Arnold press
Read More: 2-Week Workout Plan To Lose 10 Pounds: The Ultimate Workout To Shed Off A Few Pounds
Arms Workout
This is one of the best 14 day arm workout challenges to try as it consists of some effective arm workouts. These workouts are to be performed for 30 seconds. They include:
- Pike pushups
- Bicep curls
- Tricep dips with legs bent
- Knee to elbow planks
- Rest for 30 seconds
- Hammer curls
- Lateral raises
- Tricep kick-backs
- Dumbbell rows
- Rest for 30 seconds
- Plank sidewalk
- Rolling pushups
- Twisting dumbbell curl
- Underhand seated row
Abs And Legs HIIT
Are you looking for a practical 14 day ab workout challenge? Then try this HIIT abs and legs workout. It can help you get abs as fast as a week, depending on your body fat. Perform each exercise for 45 seconds. These exercises are as follows:
- Side planks with leg lifts
- Oblique twists with a dumbbell
- Alternating lunges to squat
- Goblet squats
- Rest for 30 seconds
- Jump squat pulses
- Single leg glute bridge
- Weighted step-ups
- Reverse plank
- Rest for 30 seconds
- Forearm plank with hip dips
- Reverse crunches
- Dumbbell curtsy lunges
- Single leg deadlifts
Full Body Bodyweight Workout
Bodyweight exercises effectively improve balance, strength, and flexibility without necessarily using equipment or any gym machine. Similarly, they are very effective because you can perform them in the comfort of your house. We suggest you perform the exercises in this circuit for 45 seconds. They are as follows:
- Burpees
- Tuck jump
- Air squats
- Lunges
- Rest 30 seconds
- Inchworm
- Bear crawl
- Plank to push up
- Step-ups
- Rest for 30 seconds
- Lateral leg raises
- Mountain climbers
- Side plank with rotation
- Flutter kicks
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Cardio Exercises
These exercises will help in calorie burning at home without any equipment. However, it is essential to aim for a higher perceived exertion or effort (RPE) for increased intensity. Medical News Today suggests the RPE be between 3 and 4 out of 10 when performing a moderate exercise program. However, if it is vigorous, the RPE should fall between five and seven out of ten (1). The exercises to perform:
- Burpees (45 secs)
- Mountain climbers (45 secs)
- High knees (45 secs)
- Jump rope (1 min)
- Rest for 30 secs
- Squat jumps (45 secs)
- Plank jacks (45 secs)
- Trunk rotations (45 secs)
- Jump rope (1 min)
- Jump lunges (45 secs)
- Bear crawls (45 secs)
- Inchworms (45 secs)
- Jump rope (1 min)
All these are the workout challenges you are required to perform for the next two weeks. Remember that it is merely a workout guide, and you can play about with the reps, weights, and sets depending on the intensity you want. However, only make such changes after consulting with your trainer.
The Bottom Line
Are you up for a fitness challenge? Try this 14-day workout challenge to get shredded in no time. Performing it comes with other benefits, including a reduced risk of diseases like obesity. Try out this challenge, and let us know what you think in the comment section. Good luck!
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- 20 cardio exercises to do at home with minimal equipment, from beginner to advanced (2021, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Could this compound boost the benefits of your workout? (2017, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Eating to Lose Weight and Build Muscle: How the NFL Does It (2010, webmd.com)
- What to Know About Dumbbells (2021, webmd.com)
