I have a confession. I had the polar vortex of all colds last week and I did something that I’m feeling pretty OK about. I let myself sleep, rest and get better.

If you had told me five years ago that I would be absolutely OK with taking a week off from the gym to get better, I wouldn’t have believed you. But after driving my body into the ground year after year when I get my annual cold, I gave it a rest.

So as I’m getting back into my workouts, I’m taking them slow and keeping them short. This med ball workout came at the perfect time. For me, anything that could be modified, was.

Get out there and listen to your body.

Oh and, want to hear my most listened-to songs of 2016 as you work out? Prepare for a lot of 2Chainz.

 

Here’s your workout!

You’re going to do this set three total times, working for a minute and resting for :20. Start this set with a dynamic warm-up and then get after it.

• Med ball lunge jumps
• Med ball Russian twists
• Med ball burpees
• Med ball plank walk
• High knees with your med ball
• Med ball Glute bridges

Here are your exercises:

Lunge jumps: this is an advanced version of a lunge jump. To scale it down, put the med ball down and do lunge jumps – if you want to scale it down even further, make it an alternating lunge.

Russian twists: Sitting on the floor with your heels planted, lean back to engage your core, keeping your back flat and shoulders rolled back. Twist gently to the right and hold for a beat and then back to the left and hold for a beat. Hold onto the med ball as you twist.

Med ball burpees: Keeping med ball in your hands the entire time, squat down, placing your med ball on the ground and jump back into a plank. From there, lower down, placing your chest on the med ball and keeping your body in a straight line. Push back up, jump back forward and stand or jump at the top.

Med ball plank walk: With your feet on a med ball, start in a full plank, with your hands under your shoulders and your shoulders, hips and heels in a straight line, keep your hips as steady as possible as you drop down to your right forearm, then left forearm and then come back up to your left hand then right hand.

High knees with your med ball: holding onto your med ball at your chest, land softly on the balls of your feet, drive your right knee and left arm up and switch.

Glute bridges: Keeping your shoulder blades planted on the floor and your heels on a med ball, start with your seat on the floor and your feet planted firmly on the med ball in front of you. Press up into a bridge, with your shoulders, hips and knees in a straight line. At the top of your range of motion, your knees should be right above your ankles. If you don’t have a med ball, you can do the same thing, keeping your feet on the floor.

(Disclaimer: This workout is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor is it a replacement for seeking medical treatment or professional nutrition advice. Do not start any nutrition or physical activity program without first consulting your physician.)