Passing On Your Passion for Fitness to Your Kids | Upgrade Your Dad Bod | Transform Your Bod from Dad to Rad | Cary Went from Dad Bod to Dat Bod

If there's one thing a guy doesn't want to hear in the gym, it's someone telling him he has the dreaded "dad bod." It means you're not in terrible shape, but your muscles lack tone and you've got enough extra body fat to survive in the Arctic in just a T-shirt. If you're a guy who's had this term directed at you, you might have laughed it off. Deep down inside though, it might have pissed you off. Time to shed that bod and get something you can be proud of.



A New Meaning of "Functional Training"

You might be one of those guys who kept up with his training, but put it all aside to have more time with the kids. That's very noble. But it shouldn't come at the expense of your physical fitness. Being fit means you can do more as a dad: You can crawl around on the floor with your kids when they're infants, play in the yard when they're toddlers, and shoot hoops with them when they're teenagers. These are some of the best reasons to get back in shape.

Playing basketball outdoors

Dads Need Both Strength and Endurance

The following workout plan includes a weekly weight training and cardio plan to help you move from where you are now to what may be the best shape you've ever been in. The weight training workouts you'll follow aren't long, but they're intense, with lots of supersets and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that'll help you burn a lot of calories fast.

As long as you keep your rest times to a minimum, these workouts shouldn't take longer than an hour to complete. So, fit these workouts in anytime—morning, noon, or night. What matters is that you follow the schedule and get all your workouts in.

Dad-Bod Transformer Workout

Day 1: Chest and Shoulders

While it's a great feeling for the kids to lay their heads on your chest or shoulder, you don't want them praising how soft you are. This workout, done properly, will start adding some serious tone to your upper body. Consider it a victory when they start asking for a pillow.

Dumbbell lateral raise

Do your HIIT workout on an elliptical machine. Start with 2 minutes at a moderate pace. Then go hard for 30 seconds. Repeat this pattern for 6 rounds. It adds up to just 15 minutes, but it will be all you need if you really push it for those half-minute bursts.

Day 1: Chest and Shoulders
1
Barbell Incline Bench Press Medium-Grip
4 sets, 12, 10, 8, 6 reps (rest 1 min.)
2
Dumbbell Fly
3 sets, 8, 10, 12 reps (rest 1 min.)
3
Chest dip
Perform each set to failure.
3 sets, to failure (rest 90 sec.)
4
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
3 sets, 15, 12, 10 reps (rest 1 min.)
5
STANDING LOW-PULLEY DELT RAISE
Perform all of the reps on one side before switching to the other side. Don't rest between sides and rest 1 min. between sets.
Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raise
3 sets, 10, 12, 15 reps (left side, no rest)
Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raise
3 sets, 10, 12, 15 reps (right side, rest 1 min.)
6
SUPERSET
Perform the exercises in order with no rest between exercises and 1 min. of rest between sets.
Standing face pull
3 sets, 15 reps (no rest)
Reverse Pec-Deck
3 sets, 15 reps (rest 1 min.)
7
Elliptical trainer
Perform 6 rounds of 2 min. at a moderate pace followed by an all-out sprint for 30 sec. equaling 15 min. total.
1 set, 15 mins

Day 2: Legs

It is essential that you train legs hard—not just so you look good, but so you can move your body with power and efficiency. This leg workout will pound your legs into a pulp to get stronger and improve leg function.

Leg press

The HIIT portion of the workout will be a 30/30/30 boxing drill on a heavy bag: 30 seconds of jabs, 30 seconds of combination punches, and 30 seconds of all out power. Rest for 90 seconds in between each round. Don't sit down between rounds, though. Instead, walk around and take deep breaths. Perform 6 rounds of this 18 minutes of "hard-hitting" cardio.



Day 2: Legs
1
Barbell Squat
4 sets, 20, 15, 12, 10 reps (rest 90 sec.)
2
Goblet Squat
3 sets, 10, 12, 15 reps (rest 1 min.)
3
Leg Press
3 sets, 15 reps (rest 1 min.)
4
Barbell walking lunge
3 sets, 30 reps (alternating, 15 reps per leg, rest 1 min.)
5
Lying Leg Curl
3 sets, 15, 12, 10 reps (rest 1 min.)
6
Pull Through
3 sets, 15 reps (rest 1 min.)
7
SUPERSET
Perform the exercises in order with no rest between exercises and 1 min. of rest between sets.
Seated Calf Raise
3 sets, 20 reps (no rest)
Calf Press
3 sets, 20 reps (rest 1 min.)
8
Shadow boxing
Perform 6 rounds of 30 sec. jabs, 30 sec. combo punches, and 30 sec. all out power. Rest for 90 seconds in between each round for 18 min. total.
6 sets, 90 sec (rest 90 sec.)

Day 3: Active Rest

Rest, but don't vegetate. Take your kids to the park or go on a walk for an hour or so. Do something active with them so you can start to enjoy the fruits of your training labor.

Day 4: Back and Abs

It can't be just about the beach muscles. Getting rid of the dad bod stigma means improving your entire body—including your back. Achieve some width and thickness back there, and you'll inspire your whole family.

Of course, the abs are important too and need specific attention. As the saying goes, "abs are made in the kitchen," meaning that you need to lose body fat for your ab muscles to show through. But you still need to train them, so get to it!

Pull-ups

Your Day 4 HIIT workout involves the battle rope. You can choose how you wave the rope, but make sure you give it your best effort for 30 seconds. Rest for the same amount of time in between, and repeat as many times as you can in 12 minutes.

Day 4: Back and Abs
1
Pull-up
Perform each set to failure.
4 sets, to failure (rest 90 sec.)
2
SINGLE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW
Perform all of the reps on one side before switching to the other side. Don't rest between sides and rest 1 min. between sets.
Dumbbell Row
3 sets, 12, 10, 8 reps (left side, no rest)
Dumbbell Row
3 sets, 12, 10, 8 reps (right side, rest 1 min.)
3
T-Bar Row with Handle
3 sets, 8, 10, 12 reps (rest 1 min.)
4
Back extension
3 sets, 15 reps (rest 1 min.)
5
Lying Leg Raise
4 sets, 15 reps (rest 1 min.)
6
SUPERSET
Perform the exercises in order with no rest between exercises and 1 min. of rest between sets.
Weighted Crunches
3 sets, 30 sec (no rest)
Elbow plank
Add weight for an extra challenge.
3 sets, 30 sec (rest 1 min.)
7
Battle ropes
Perform 12 rounds of 30 sec. all-out effort followed by 30 sec. rest. 12 min. total.
12 sets, 30 sec (rest 30 sec.)

Day 5: Arms

Another phrase just as popular as "dad bod" is "sun's out, guns out." The flexed arm is considered the standard sign of strength, so we're going to dedicate one day per week to help you lock and load those guns. You may be tempted to swing heavier weight. Don't. The best way to grow your arms is to use manageable weight, do slow reps, and focus on the biceps contraction that happens as you lift.

Dumbbell biceps curl

Your cardio for today will be wind sprints, so you have at least a fighting chance of keeping up with the young'uns. After you do a couple warm-up runs, sprint as hard as you can for about 20 seconds. Do this at a local football field or track, at a park, on a sidewalk, or in your own yard—any place you have room to build up some speed. Take about 30 seconds to walk back to the starting position and repeat. You're finished when you've done ten sprints.

Day 5: Arms
1
Dumbbell Biceps Curl
3 sets, 12, 10, 8 reps (rest 1 min.)
2
Preacher Curl
3 sets, 8, 10, 12 reps (rest 1 min.)
3
High Cable Curls
3 sets, 15 reps (rest 2 min.)
4
Triceps Extension
3 sets, 12, 10, 8 reps (rest 1 min.)
5
Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension
3 sets, 8, 10, 12 reps (rest 1 min.)
6
Diamond push-up
Perform each set to failure.
3 sets, to failure (rest 1 min.)
7
Trail Running/Walking
Perform wind sprints outdoors, on field/track or anywhere you can build speed. Sprint for 20 sec., then take 30 sec. rest to walk back to starting position. Perform 10 total rounds.
10 sets, 20 sec (rest 30 sec.)

Days 6 and 7

Use one of these days as a complete rest day, if you feel it's necessary. Tell your partner you'll get to the heavy chores tomorrow. On the next day, do some kind of activity that gets you moving. Just don't overdo it; doing so will hinder your ability to give next week's workouts your all.



About the Author

Roger Lockridge

Roger Lockridge

Bodybuilding is the reason I am who I am today. I am more confident in myself, actually looking for the next challenge, and inspiring others.

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