Record weight used and reps completed as well as how hard you feel you worked on a scale from 1-10, 10 being maximum effort.
LIVE LEAN Strong
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Week 1
Week 1 of 16
Week 1 / Day 1 – Benchmark Workout 1
Coaching Notes
Benchmark Strength
Foundational session you can repeat. Log your weights today, come back in a few weeks, and see what got easier.
Time ~31 min
Reps 15 strength / 20 speed
Gear Dumbbells · mat · bench
Focus Squat · hinge · push · pull
How this workout is built
Two passes through the same lifts.
- Strength pass — 15 controlled reps. Use a load that is challenging by the last few reps but still clean. This is the set you log.
- Speed pass — same moves, quicker pace, shorter range, tighter core. Drop the weight if you need to (coach dropped to 10s). Do 20 reps, or stay at 15 if you keep the heavier bells.
Between strength circuits: standing abs and side bends. Keep moving — this is active recovery, not a rest on the floor.
Track it
Write down the weight on each lift and how the last 3–4 reps felt (easy / work / grind). Rate the session 1–10 at the end. When you repeat this video, that note is the progress check — not a new personal record every time.
Warm-up · 0:00 – 4:24
| Time | Move | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0:26 | Leg swings | Easy range. Both legs. |
| 1:20 | Side-to-side steps | Get the hips moving. |
| 2:05 | Side squat + reach | Sit the hips back as you shift. |
| 2:43 | Reverse lunge + twist | Step back, rotate through the waist. Hip stretch on the rear leg. |
| 3:39 | Wide squat + overhead reach | Sit low, then stand and stretch tall. |
Why these lifts: almost everything in daily life is a squat, hinge, push, or pull — groceries, kids, chairs, golf clubs. Get strong here and the rest of life gets easier.
Strength pass · 4:24 – 20:13
One set of each lift at 15 reps. Big muscles first (legs, back, chest), arms after. If a new weight or a new move feels shaky, stay conservative — 15 is a starting number, not a test.
A Squat · row · kickback
| Time | Exercise | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 4:28 | Squat | 15 |
| 5:18 | Single-arm row | 15 / side |
| 6:53 | Single-arm tricep kickback | 15 / side |
| 8:42 | Standing opposite-arm / opposite-leg crunch | 20 |
| 9:24 | Standing side bends | Until next setup |
Form cues
- Squat: sit the hips back, stand tall, shoulders packed.
- Row: lunge stance, more weight on the front leg. Hinge the hip. Pull with a squeeze at the back. Free hand can rest on a chair if the load is heavy; standing free in the room adds core and balance.
- Kickback: same hinge or a staggered stance. Elbow pinned back without shrugging. Squeeze the tricep at the lockout — this is a push.
- Standing abs: twist and crunch from the waist. Dead-bug abs means the belly is drawn in, not pooched out.
B Deadlift · chest press · curl
| Time | Exercise | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 10:13 | Deadlift | 15 |
| 11:35 | Chest press (floor, bench, or ball) | 15 |
| 13:01 | Bicep curl | 15 |
| 14:20 | Standing crunches + side bends | 20 crunches |
Form cues
- Deadlift: tall chest, eyes up, soft knees. Bells stay close to the legs. Hips go back — stretch hamstrings and glutes, then stand and squeeze. If you end up rounded and deep, you are bending the spine instead of hinging the hips. Shorten the range.
- Chest press: elbows start about 90°, hands wide, press the bells together over the chest. Lower for a chest stretch. Bench = most stable for heavy loads. Ball = more wobble. Floor = no extra gear. Hips can stay up for extra glute / core.
- Curl: athletic stance, soft knees, slight hip hinge. Loose grip — no death squeeze on the handle. Quarter-turn of the hands is fine. Squeeze the biceps at the top.
C Squat-to-press · plank row
| Time | Exercise | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 16:29 | Squat + overhead press (hammer / neutral grip) | 15 |
| 17:22 | No-weight overhead reach | Check arm height |
| 17:36 | Plank row | 15 / side |
| 20:00 | Child’s pose | Optional reset |
Form cues
- Squat-to-press: sit the hips back, then press the bells straight up. Neutral (hammer) grip. Move slowly so the shoulders stay owned at the top. If the bells travel forward instead of overhead, go lighter and add mobility work — loading a stuck shoulder is not a strength win.
- Plank row: the row is the main lift; the plank is the stabilizer. Hips stay quiet. Options: toes, knees (used in the video — lets you row heavier), elevated on a bench, or a yoga block under the support hand. Kneeling or elevated is the right choice if wrists, shoulders, or hips are cooked. Brace the abs in every version.
Speed pass · 20:29 – 28:28
Same three circuits, faster. Shorten the movement, keep tension in the working muscle, and do not let limbs flail — especially if you are hypermobile. Lighten the load if the first pass was already hard. Coach used 10s for this block.
Count is 20 when the weight is lighter. Keep 15 if you stayed heavy. On kickbacks and curls, 15 is also fine. Stop when the coach stops if you lose the count.
| Time | Circuit | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| 21:34 | A Speed | Squat × 20 → row × 20 / side → kickback × 20 / side (15 if still heavy). |
| 24:04 | B Speed | Deadlift × 20 → chest press × 20 → curl × 20 (15 if still heavy). Chest press: shorter range so tension stays in the pecs, not the front shoulders. Curls: palms-down only if the elbows are happy. |
| 26:35 | C Speed | Squat-to-press × 15 (shoulders stay at 15) → plank row × 15 / side. Shorter press. Hips still do not rock. Lateral raises are a swap if overhead feels unsafe at speed. |
Optional spice on the speed squats or deadlifts: drop the bells and use small hops or jump squats — only if the landing is quiet and the joints feel good.
Cooldown · 28:28 – end
| Time | Stretch |
|---|---|
| 28:28 | Reach tall overhead, then kneeling side bend (same-side arm as the down knee). |
| 29:42 | Child’s pose — shoulders and back. |
| 30:19 | Downward dog, heels toward the floor. |
| 30:39 | Walk the hands back and roll up to stand. |
| 30:48 | Chest and bicep opener. |
| 31:06 | Easy hip hinge — back of the legs. |
If one stretch felt like the one you needed, stay there an extra minute.
Modifications
- Rows: support the free hand on a chair, or stand in open space for more core.
- Chest press: bench (stable / heavy), floor (simple), ball (more balance).
- Plank row: bench, knees, toes, or a block under the support hand.
- Overhead press: lighter load if you cannot stack the arms over the ears. Swap to lateral raises on the speed pass if needed.
- Speed pass: keep 15 reps and the original weight, or drop the load and go 20.
- Need a break: take it. Do not chase the coach’s count if form is leaving.
Straight to Fit · Benchmark Strength