Warmer weather is right around the corner, so spring break and beach vacations are quickly approaching. There’s no better time than now to start a workout plan to burn fat and get in better shape. This 6-week spring shred workout program will help you lose that extra winter weight to look and feel your best when it’s time to wear the swimsuit.
Why You Should Start This Spring Break Workout Routine
- It’s a fun and effective strength and cardio plan perfect for burning calories and fat.
- Structured as an easy-to-follow 6-week program so you can see progress
- Combination of cardio and weight training workouts to transform your physique
- Helps build muscle and increase metabolism to keep burning fat long-term
- Outlined and planned for you so all you have to do is turn up and sweat!
Convinced this is what you need to start making a change for spring break? Keep reading!
How to Get Started with Your 6-Week Shred
The first step is easy – review the workout plan below to know what to expect over the next six weeks. You’ll see which days are cardio, strength, or rest.
You can perform these workouts at home if you have some basic equipment or the gym. The choice is yours! Most require minimal equipment – just a set of dumbbells and occasionally a workout bench or stability ball.
Feel free to substitute equivalent movements for those you don’t have the right equipment for!
To make the most out of every sweat session, remember to:
- Warm up for 5-10 minutes beforehand
- Give 100% effort and push yourself during the intense bursts
- Monitor your heart rate to stay in the fat-burning zone
- Recover properly with rest days
Let’s dive into the plan…
Week 1
The first week eases you into the program, focusing on full-body strength training with HIIT cardio to spike the heart rate.
Monday
Lower Body Circuit
- Goblet Squats 3×12
- Single Leg Deadlifts 3×12/side
- Jump Lunges 3×20
Upper Body Circuit
- Push Ups 3xAMRAP
- TRX Rows 3×12
- Shoulder Press 3×12
Core
- Planks 3×30 sec
- Bicycle Crunches 3×15
Cardio
- 15 minutes of HIIT on the bike
Tuesday
REST DAY
Wednesday
Full Body Strength
Circuit 1
- Kettlebell Swings 3×15
- Push Up + Dumbbell Row Combo 3×12
- Walking Lunges with Bicep Curls 3×20
Circuit 2
- Shoulder Press + Lateral Raise Superset 3×12
- Tricep Dips 3xFailure
- Planks with Leg Lift 3×20
Cardio
- 20 minutes incline walk on the treadmill
Thursday
REST
Friday
Lower Body + Core
- Back Squats 4×8
- RDLs 4×10
- Calf Raises 4×12
Core Circuit
- Flutter Kicks 3×20
- Bicycle Crunches 3×20
- Plank 3×30 sec
Cardio
- 15 minutes HIIT on the rowing machine
Saturday
Upper Body + HIIT Cardio
Chest Circuit
- Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4×10
- Push Ups 4xFailure
- Chest Flyes 4×15
Back Circuit
- One Arm Dumbbell Row 4×12/side
- Lat Pulldowns 4×10-12
- TRX Rows 4×12
Cardio
- 20 minutes HIIT sprints outside
Sunday
REST
So, in summary, Week 1 builds fundamental strength across the entire body while increasing your cardio capacity through HIIT training bursts.
Week 2
Now that you’ve developed a base layer of strength and endurance, Week 2 keeps pushing you out of your comfort zone with more complex movements and heavier weights. The goal here is progressive overload to build more muscle mass.
Monday
Lower Body
- Barbell Back Squats 4×6-8 (increase weight from Week 1)
- Weighted Walking Lunges 4×15 steps on each leg (hold dumbbells)
- Weighted Hip Thrusts 3×10-12 (place weight plate on hips)
Upper Body
- Weighted Wide Grip Pull Ups 4×6-8
- Arnold Press 4×10-12
- Cable Rope Overhead Tricep Extension 3×15
Core
- Hanging Leg Raises 3xFailure
- Russian Twists (with medicine ball) 3×20
Metabolic Finisher
AMRAP in 10 minutes:
- 10 Calorie Row
- 10 Push Ups
- 10 Walking Lunges on each leg
Tuesday
REST
Wednesday
Full Body Circuit Complete circuit 3-4 times
- Barbell Bent Over Row 4×10
- Close Grip Bench Press 4×10
- Bulgarian Split Squats 4×12, each leg
- Plank Up Downs 4xFailure
Cardio
- 30 minutes moderate intensity on elliptical
Thursday
REST
Friday
Legs and Glutes Hypertrophy Focus
- Narrow Stance Squats 4×15
- Single Leg Hip Thrusts 3×12 on each side
- Seated Calf Raises 5×15
Core Circuit
- Flutter kicks 3×30
- Reverse Crunches 3×15
- Farmer’s Carry Side Steps 3×20 yards
Metabolic Finisher
AMRAP in 8 minutes:
- Burpees x6
- Mountain Climbers x15
- Jump Squats x10
Saturday
Vertical Push/Pull Power
- Bench Press 4×3-5 (heavy weight)
- Bent Over Barbell Rows 4×3-5 (heavy weight)
- Weighted Pull Ups 4×5
- Overhead Shoulder Press 4×10
Cardio
- 30 minutes HIIT cardio of choice
Sunday
REST DAY
The increased intensity and load will shock your body to build more lean muscle mass to help torch fat even while at rest. Get ready to feel those muscles burn!
Let’s get specific about what your next week of training looks like…
Week 3
Week 3 emphasizes muscular endurance, dropping the weight down while increasing reps. This induces the “pump” feeling in your muscles. It forces them to work in oxygen debt, which sparks greater fat loss.
Monday
Full Body Circuit (Minimal Rest Between Sets)
- Prisoner Rear Lunge 3×20 each leg
- Push Ups 3×30
- TRX Inverted Row 3×20
- Plank Jacks 3×30
Cardio
- 25 minutes moderate pace on stairmaster
Tuesday
REST
Wednesday
Giant Set Circuit
Set 1:
- Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squats 3×25 on each side
- Incline Push Ups 3×20
- Pull Ups 3×12
Set 2:
- Walking Dumbbell Lunges 3×30
- Decline Push Ups 3×20
- Seated Cable Row 3×15
Cardio
- 20 minutes HIIT elliptical
Thursday
REST
Friday
Hypertrophy Legs
- High Rep Back Squats 4×20
- Sumo DL 4×15
- Walking Dumbbell Lunges 4×20 on each leg
Core Circuit
- Flutter Kicks 3×40
- Leg Raises 3×20
- Side Planks 3×30 sec on each side
Cardio
- 15 minutes HIIT on the row machine
Saturday
Chest and Back Endurance
Chest Circuit
- Push Ups 4xAMRAP
- Flys 3×25
- Decline Push Ups 3×20
Back Circuit
- Chin Ups 4xAMRAP
- TRX Rows 4×20
- One Arm Dumbbell Row 3×15, each arm
Cardio
- 30-minute moderate incline treadmill walk
Sunday
REST DAY
Get ready to feel that sweet burn and pump! Muscular endurance is key for a lean, defined physique.
The Final Weeks
Over weeks 4-6, the program takes everything up one more notch by combining strength sessions with cardio acceleration techniques like sprinting and battle ropes to maximize fat-burning potential.
Make sure to increase the weight each week if possible!
Monday
Lower Body Strength
- Back Squats – 4×5
- Sumo Deadlifts – 4×8
- Bulgarian Split Squats – 3×10 on each side
Cardio Power
- Hill Sprints – 10×20 yards
- Battle Ropes – 4×30 waves
- Jump Squats – 4×12
Tuesday
REST
Wednesday
Upper Body Strength
- Bench Press – 4×6
- Bent Over Rows – 4×8
- Arnold Shoulder Press – 3×12
Cardio Acceleration
- Tire Flips – 5×5
- Box Jumps – 4×8
- Burpees – 3×8
Thursday
REST
Friday
Lower Power
- Hang Cleans – 4×5
- Jump Lunges – 4×10
- Single Leg Hip Thrusts – 3×15 on each side
Core + Cardio
AMRAP 15 Minutes:
- 10 Sit Ups
- 10 Reverse Lunges each side
- 400m Row
- Rest 1 minute
Saturday
Upper Body Hypertrophy
- Incline Bench Press – 4×10
- Pull Ups – 4×10
- Lateral Raises – 4×12
- Overhead Tricep Extensions – 4×15
Cardio
- 30-minute HIIT Treadmill Intervals
Sunday
REST
You’ll feel fitter, stronger, and leaner than ever before, just in time for spring break!
Hopefully, this gives you a clear picture of everything this 6-week shred program contains over the next month and a half.
Diet Tips for Fat Loss
While the spring workout plan is crucial, your nutrition is even more important when getting shredded for spring break. Here are some diet tips to accelerate your fat-burning results:
- Stick to a high protein diet with around 1g of protein per pound of body weight
- Increase consumption of fibrous veggies, fruits, and whole grains
- Limit processed foods, sugar, alcohol, and unnecessary snacking
- Stay hydrated with at least 3L of water daily to control hunger
- Calorie deficit not exceeding 500 calories daily for safe weight loss
Following an intelligent diet protocol will ensure your calorie burn translates to fat loss rather than just weight loss.
Supplements to Enhance Fat Burning
Certain supplements can support your body’s ability to shed stubborn fat stores:
- Caffeine – Boosts metabolic rate and lipolysis
- Green tea extract – Contains EGCG that signals fat breakdown
- Fish oil – Helps regulate fat-burning hormones
- Pre-workouts – Improve workout performance so you burn more calories per session
As always, consult your doctor before introducing new supplements, especially if you have underlying health conditions.
Tips for Staying Motivated
Any major lifestyle change requires motivation and dedication to stick to long-term. Here are some useful mental tips:
- Find an accountability partner – preferably someone also trying to get in shape to keep each other on track
- Take progress photos – visual markers of change will inspire you to carry on
- Sign up for an event – train towards something specific, like a fun run or obstacle course
- Focus on non-scale victories – boosted energy, better sleep quality, compliments, etc
Reminding yourself WHY you started will get you through those days you want to quit. Stay consistent, and don’t be too hard on yourself. Progress over perfection.
Remember, see this as an exciting challenge and chance to transform your fitness rather than a chore. Bring positivity and dedication into each sweat session, and your hard work will pay off!
If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out. If you found this guide useful, subscribe to the email list below to get more workout and nutrition tips in your inbox.
