At this point, Lucy Davis is basically the queen of exercise. There’s very little she can’t do. She weight trains, power lifts, cycles, runs ultramarathons, and somehow finds the time to share it all with her 210,000 YouTube subscribers.
In a recent video, Lucy showed off just how hectic her schedule is with a full week of workouts. Training six times a week sounds exhausting (imagine the DOMS?!), but as an ex-GB swimmer, fitness is in Lucy’s blood.
Friday: Posterior chain
Deadlifts (warm-up)
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a barbell at your feet
- Bend your legs to grab the bar with both hands
- Your grip should be marginally wider than your stance
- Pull the bar up while keeping your arms straight
- Keep your back straight and your chest up throughout the movement
- Slowly allow the bar to return to the floor while hinging your hips and keeping your back straight
Sets: 2
Reps: 5
Deficit deadlifts
Repeat the above but while stood on a platform
Sets: 3
Reps: 6
Comp-style bench press
- Lie back on a flat bench
- The barbell should be set up so it’s over your eyes
- Grab the bar - your hands should be wider than shoulder-width apart
- Lower the barbell until it meets your chest - your elbows should come out to the side of your body during this movement
- Drive the bar back up until your arms are straight, but don’t lock them
- Keep your feet firmly planted on the floor throughout
Sets: 3
Reps: 3-5
Dumbbell RDLs (Romanian deadlifts)
Grab a dumbbell in each hand
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
Bend your knees slightly as you lower the dumbbells, forcing your hips backwards
When the dumbbells reach your lower shin, drive your hips forward until you’re standing
Sets: 4
Reps: 12
Dumbbell single arm row
- Place one hand on a flat bench
- The leg on the same side of your body should be bent slightly and holding the majority of your weight
- The other leg will be placed further back as a support
- Your back should be straight
- Grab a dumbbell with your free hand
- Pull the dumbbell up towards your body
- Your elbow should remain tucked into your body
- Release the dumbbell until your arm is straight
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Superset
Lat pulldown
- Take a seat at the lat pulldown machine, with your legs tucked under the supports
- Grab the bar, your arms should make a Y shape (wider than shoulder-width apart)
- Keep your chest up and your back straight
- Pull the bar down until it’s in line with your chest
- Release the movement until your arms are straight
Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Bar low row
- Take a seat at the row machine and attach the bar attachment
- Grab either side of the attachment so your palms are facing each other
- Your legs should be resting on the foot platform with a slight bend in that
- Keep your back straight and your chest up as you pull the bar into your chest
Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Bicep curls
- Grab a dumbbell in each hand
- Your palms should be facing forwards
- Drive the dumbbells up until your palms are facing your shoulders
- Release the movement until your arms are straight
Sets: 2
Reps: 12
Saturday: Longer run
Only a few months after her ultramarathon, Lucy is still maintaining her running alongside everything else. Although, she hasn’t completely recovered from the toll it took on her body. Since the run she’s been experiencing problems with her achilles so she’s taking things slowly — slow for her at least.
Distance: 15.01km
Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
Average pace: 4:51/km
Sunday: Quads
Front squats
- Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart
- Rest a barbell on the top of your chest, using your hands to hold it in place
- Keep your back straight and your chest up
- Bend your legs as your lower yourself into the movement
- Go as low as you can before driving the weight through your heels until you return to the standing position
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Split squats
- Begin with one leg in front of you and one leg behind you
- Your front foot should be flat, and you should rest on the toes of your back foot
- Rest the barbell on the top of your back
- Put your weight onto your front foot as you bend your knees
- Your back knee should almost touch the floor before you drive the weight back up and straighten your legs
- Repeat the movement without changing your stance
- Then repeat for the other leg
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Superset
Front rack dumbbell squat
- Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Grab a dumbbell in each hand and rack them so they’re in line with your shoulders (your palms should be facing your shoulders)
- Bend your legs at the knees until your as low as you can go
- Drive the weight through your heels as you straighten your legs and return to a standing position
Sets: 3
Reps: 12/20
Bodyweight lunge
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart
- Move one leg at a time behind you - resting on the toes of this foot
- Bend your knees until the behind knee touches the floor
- Drive through your front foot to return to a standing position
- Repeat on the other leg
Sets: 3
Reps: 12/20
Kettlebell suitcase lunge
- Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Grab a dumbbell in one hand
- Move the leg on the same side of the body as the dumbbell back, and rest on your toes on this leg
- Bend both knees until your back knee touches the floor
- Drive through the heel of your front leg while simultaneously moving your back leg forward until you’re stood with your feet shoulder width apart
- Repeat on the same leg for the desired number of reps
Sets: 4
Reps: 12
Jump squats
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Bend your legs at the knees while keeping your back straight until you’re as low as you can go
- Drive your body weight through your feet as you jump into the air
- As your return to the ground, go straight into the squat position
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
20 minute uphill walk
Monday: Powerlifting & bike
Lucy joined her PT in the gym for an intense powerlifting session. It’s worth noting that Lucy has been training for years and has worked her way up to the weight she uses. Her PT also acts as a spotter to keep her safe while she trains. If you’re looking to increase your weight on any movement, make sure you have a spotter around to help you out if things get sticky.
Powerlifting
Dead stop press
- Lie back on a flat bench
- Set up the rack so that there are weight stoppers in line with your chest
- Lower the barbell until it hits the stoppers (roughly the same height as your chest)
- Your elbows should come out to the side during this movement
- Release tension for a second as the bar rests on the stoppers
- Press the barbell back up until your arms are straight
Sets: 4
Reps: 3-5
Narrow bench press
- Lie back on a flat bench
- The barbell should be set up so it’s resting above your eyes
- Grab the barbell with both hands shoulder-width apart
- Lower the barbell until it touches your chest
- Drive the barbell back up until your arms are straight
Sets: 4
Reps: 3
Comp bench press
- Lie back on a flat bench
- The barbell should be set up so it’s resting above your eyes
- Grab the barbell with both hands - wider than shoulder-width apart
- Lower the barbell until it touches your chest
- Your elbows should come out to your side as your lower the bar
- Drive the barbell back up until your arms are straight
Sets: 1
Reps: 8
Dumbbell incline pause press
- Lie back against an incline bench
- Grab a dumbbell in each hand
- The dumbbells should be resting above your shoulders with your palms facing away from your face
- Bring your elbows out to the side as you bring the weights down so they’re in line with your chest
- The dumbbells should be on top of your elbows, rather than on top of your chest
- Drive the weights back up until your arms are straight above your shoulders
Sets: 3
Reps: 8
Deadlifts
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with a barbell at your feet
- Bend your legs to grab the bar with both hands
- Your grip should be marginally wider than your stance
- Pull the bar up while keeping your arms straight
- Keep your back straight and your chest up throughout the movement
- Slowly allow the bar to return to the floor while hinging your hips and keeping your back straight
Sets: 3
Reps: 2-5
Kneeling pull-ins
- Rest on your knees in front of a cable machine
- Grab the multi-purpose bar, with your palms facing each other
- Your arms should be straight in front of you
- Pull the handles towards your chest while keeping your elbows tucked into your body
- Release the movement until your arms are straight
Sets: 3
Reps: 8-10
Seated pull-down
- Sit down in front of your cable machine with your legs bent in front of you
- Grab the bar that allows your palms to face each other, roughly shoulder-width apart
- Pull the handles down until they’re in line with your head
- Allow your elbows to come out to your sides until they’re in a straight line with your shoulders
- Release the movement until your arms are straight above your head
Sets: 3
Reps: 8-10
Kneeling triceps push down
- Rest on your knees in front of the cable machine
- Grab the triceps rope attachment with each hand - your palms should be facing each other
- Begin with your hands in line with your face
- Then pull on the rope until your arms are by your sides and your palms are facing the floor
- Slowly release the movement until your hands return to being in line with your face
Sets: 3
Reps: 8
Static bike
Average moderate 30 mins on the bike
Distance: 15.36km
Moving time: 32:03
Average speed: 28.8km/h
Tuesday: Hydrox & run
Treadmill run
Lucy started off her gym session with a little treadmill run. I say little, because it’s not quite an ultramarathon. Four kilometers could perhaps be described as a walk in the park for Lucy. A very quick walk in the park at that.
Time: 20:23
Distance: 4.05km
Hydrox
Then Lucy went for a hydrox training session - in preparation for the fitness race she’ll be taking part in with her sister. Her session looked something like this:
3 laps
Lap 1: 30 seconds, 30 seconds rest x1
Lap 2: 40 seconds, 20 seconds rest x2
Lap 3: 60 seconds, 30 seconds rest x2
The exercises
- Pull-ups
- Mountain climbers
- Burpees
- Kettlebell row high pull
- Ski machine
- Dumbbell snatches
- Row
- Press-ups
- Box jumps
Wednesday: Glutes
And if that wasn’t enough, Lucy also put herself through a glutes session which you can find here. But be warned, you might not be able to walk out of the gym afterwards.
Take home message
And breathe. We know Lucy will be doing after that. Especially with just one day to recover before the cycle starts again. Don’t feel bad if you can’t keep pace with Lucy, though; she’s a pro and has been training for years. You just do you.
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