The Redemption workout plan was original published for Men’s Fitness magazine in January 2016.

We’ve all limited ourselves, missed opportunities, or let time slip by. It’s never too late to redeem yourself.

Redemption is more than workouts. It’s about finding the right state of mind, and igniting what triggers your motivation. For 45-60 minutes per day, your number one priority is to hit the gym and give your all. And while pounding away, rep after rep, think about everything you want to achieve. Know that with each successful push, pull, and lift that you’re inching closer to what you want.

These workouts are dedicated to anyone who’s felt defeated. We’ve all been there before. Let this be the year that motivation runs high.

To build you summer body in the winter, download our new Premium Content PDF, The Size, Strength, and Shred Cycle

Update to Redemption (2019)

The Redemption workout plan continues to be one of HFP’s most popular programs, and for good reason—it gets results. While the fitness industry will always go through fads and crazes, nothing beats basic strength training if you’re looking to make body composition changes. The 2019 update includes some new ideas on how to modify the plan.

Update to Redemption (2018)

The Redemption workout plan was originally produced and released for New Year’s 2016. Now, for New Year’s 2018, you will find a version of each workout produced in the raw. (Similarly to our recently released 6-week Unlabeled workout plan.) Continue down to the bottom of the piece for my reasons for creating Redemption in the first place.

Before you get started: Get caught up on some of my other pieces

If this plan and story doesn’t motivate you enough, check out my blog on how to always have your best possible workout.

If you’re completely new to the gym and nervous about getting started, I’ve been there before, check out how I got over my fear of the gym.

And don’t forget, you are what you eat, check out my piece on intuitive eating for lean muscle.

If you’re always on your phone in the gym getting distracted from your workouts, check out my piece gym-selfies and it’s affect on intensity.

Like going out and partying a lot? Read up on this post on how to drink alcohol and still build muscle and lose weight.

THE REDEMPTION WORKOUTS

*Friday and Sunday are recovery days.

2019 Update

1. If this seems a little too taxing for you at first, do 1 or 2 sets less for each exercise.

2. When there is a range of repetitions, pick an exact number and stick to it for all of the sets. For example, if it says 8-12 reps and you fail at 10 reps on your first set, try and get 10 reps for every set after that.

3. Switch your reps each week or every other week. If you’ve gone through Redemption before and have followed the rep scheme for all 6 weeks, for your next cycle through, go heavier on the weight and lower with the reps for a week or two, then go lighter on the weight and higher reps for a week or two. If you go heavier, bump the rest periods up to 60s, if you go lighter, drop them down to 30s.

4. For Wednesday’s cardio+abs workout, feel free to swap it! Here are 20 ways to give your core a great workout.

Day One: Chest & Triceps (Monday)

We begin with a traditional bodybuilding split. You guessed it: chest and triceps.

I feel I get more out of a workout using dumbbells rather than barbells, especially when it comes to training the chest. It’s not that I don’t use barbells, but dumbbells seem to have been a better option for me. They’re good for muscular balances, and easier on the shoulders.

1.DB Bench Press 5 x 8-12 reps
2.Incline DB Bench Press 4 x 8-12 reps
3.Cable Flye 4 x 8-12 reps
4.Dip 3 x failure
5.Push up 3 x failure

1.EZ-Bar Skullcrusher 4 x 8-12 reps
2.Cable Pushdown 3 x 8-12 reps
3.Single-arm Pushdown 3 x 8-12 reps
4.Medball Pushup 4 x 8-12

Rest 30-45 seconds between sets.

In week 4, begin using the “rest-pause method.” During the final set of each exercise, complete reps to failure, rest 5 seconds, and complete as many more reps as possible.
In week 5, your final set of DB Bench Presses for chest and final set for EZ-Bar Skullcrushers for triceps will be a triple drop set. Perform the number of reps, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure again.

Day Two: Back & Biceps (Tuesday)

Moving on to the second day, this workout could also be considered another universally-accepted bodybuilding split: back and biceps.

There’s so much to be said about this particular routine. I love every exercise in it. In some weeks, pull ups will be more of a player. Instead of 3 sets to failure, it can be 6 sets to failure and performed before anything else. Supermans were added once I realized how much they improved my surfing. Drag curls are a totally weird way to hit the biceps. Concentration curls make me think of Arnold in “Pumping Iron.” And rope curls have been a go-to when the medial epicondylitis (inner elbow pain) flares up from too much volume.

1.BB Deadlift 5 x 8-10 reps
2.Lat Pulldown 4 x 8-12 reps
3.Single-arm DB Row 4 x 8-12 reps
4.Pull-up 3 x failure
5.Supermans 3 x failure

1.BB Curl 4 x 8-12 reps
2.BB Drag Curl 3 x 8-12 reps
3.DB Concentration Curl 3 x 8-12 reps
4.Rope Cable Curl 4 x 8-12

Rest 30-45 seconds between sets

In week 4, begin using the “rest-pause method.” During the final set of each exercise, complete reps to failure, rest 5 seconds, and complete as many more reps as possible.
In week 5, your final set of Lat Pulldowns for back and final set for Rope Cable Curls for biceps will be a triple drop set. Perform the number of reps, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure again.

Day Three: Cardio & Abs (Wednesday)

This is where we take a little break from the weights to allow for some muscular recovery—but it’s an active break. The focus will be to get in some relatively decent cardio and hit a little bit of abs in between.

This was solely built for two reasons. The first is being able to recover while pushing myself. Second, this routine is centered around my time in the water. I need to work my lungs for bigger surf, and the core work is important for maintaining the ability to surf more powerfully.

Jog/Run for 30-minutes (steady-state)

Complete 3-5 rounds (with zero rest) of the following:

Hip Thrust from the Floor x 8-10 reps
Ab Wheel Roll Out x 8-10 reps
Cable Chops x 8-10 reps (each side)
Side Planks x failure (each side)

7-10 minute cardio intervals
30 second sprint/30 walk or light jog

In week 4 and 5: bump up to 45 minutes of steady-state cardio, and/or another 3-7 minutes of intervals.

Day Four: Legs & Shoulders (Thursday)

Back at the weights again. This time it’s legs and shoulders.

This is a long one, I know. I considered reconfiguring the plan, but wanted to keep it real. This has been a go-to since back-in-the-day. The two types of squats are a nice touch, and the shoulder workout will really get the blood pumped.

1.Back Squat 3 x 8-10 reps
2.Front Squat 3 x 8-10 reps
3.DB Plie Squat 4 x 8-12 reps
4.DB Step Up 4 x 8-12 reps
5.Walking Lunge 3 x 8-12 reps
6.Glute bridge 3 x 10 (+ 2 second hold)

1.Neutral-grip DB Press 5 x 10-12 reps
2.DB High Pull 4 x 10-12 reps
3.Front Cable Raise 3 x 10-12 reps
4.Side Cable Raise 3 x 10-12 reps
5.Rear Cable Raise 3 x 10-12 reps
6.Face Pull 3 x 15 reps

Rest 30-45 seconds between sets (60-90 seconds between sets of squats, if necessary)

Day Five: Mixed Bodyweight & Abs (Saturday)

After four straight days of working out—even though it’s balanced nicely—you’ll take a complete day off, then restart with this mix. The fifth day is solely bodyweight work and abs.

This routine is a funny one. It can be relatively easy, or sneaky hard. Five-ten rounds can get you. I like it because it’s a good dose of light strength training mixed with cardio and ab-specific work without being entirely too taxing on the body after a long week.

Complete 5-10 rounds of the following as quickly as possible:

Push ups x 10 reps
Pull ups x 10 reps
Sit ups x 10 reps
Hip Thrust from the Floor x 10 reps

The real reason the Redemption plan was created

When I produced the original version of my Redemption workout plan, I wanted to make it special for the new year. I’m tremendously grateful for the things that I’m fortunate enough to do, but that doesn’t mean everything is and always has been so wonderful. Working out has given me so much more than a stronger and leaner body. It’s been my therapy, a release, and a positive outlet. It’s had the power to transform anger into happiness and anxiety into calm.

Redemption was my creative attempt at inspiring our followers by telling a little bit of that story, even if they just saw a glimpse.

We all go through tough times and make mistakes along the way. I continue to make mistakes. I get down on myself. But, it’s about getting the hell back up, brushing yourself off, and doing the best you can to improve. Redemption brings on emotion for me. Never waste opportunity. Don’t waste time. Don’t listen to negative people. Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Whenever I do this workout plan, those powerful feelings come back to the surface. It’s not just another workout plan. It’s got emotion.

I needed to produce this. I couldn’t just throw it out there with a label. It meant something to me and I’ve always hoped it would mean something to someone else too. Feeling like shit? Feeling like you lost? Feeling not good enough? Can’t get ahead. Work. Life. Body. Mind. Whatever. Use this plan. Let it be the one that brings on emotion to fight on and be as great as you want to be.