Let me tell you a story about this week of workouts. It has been non-existent. Do you ever have those weeks where you have every intention be productive, get in some great workouts and make healthy meals to fuel your progress along the way? And then, somehow, one day rolls into another and before you know it, it’s Friday with almost nothing checked off the to-do list and at least 10 receipts for the Whole Foods hot bar are stashed in your bag?
It’s under these circumstances that I just have to say, that’s life. There are – and will always be -ebbs and flows with feeling great. I began this week feeling under the weather and since then have simply felt tired and out of it. I especially resonated with Kelly’s tips for getting your groove back; I felt like she was speaking directly to me.
One of the most effective ways for me to start feeling better is making time for a workout. One that makes me feel accomplished and proud. This 30-minute workout is tough and keeps you accountable by making your work for as long as one move as it takes you do a certain number of reps of another move. Give it a try and let us know what you think with this short survey.
Grab a timer for today’s 30-minute workout:
It’s rep-based but there is also a timed component.
Time yourself to see how long it takes you to get through 20 reps of the first move in set one – this amount of time is going to be important for the rest of this round. Each time you do the first 20 reps of the first move in a set, time how long it takes you. That will set up how long you need to do the second move for each set (So if a set is squat thrusters and v-sits, and it took you 40 seconds to do 20 squat thrusters. You’ll then do 40 seconds of a V-sit)
Once you finish a set, you’re done for good with those two movements and you’ll move on to the next set.
These are the sets:
Set 1
Exercise 1: Squat thruster
Exercise 2: V-sit
Set 2
Exercise 1: Glute bridge and chest press
Exercise 2: Side plank right side
Set 3
Exercise 1: Reverse lunge with kick
Exercise 2: Side plank left side
Set 4:
Exercise 1: Other side reverse lunge with kick
Exercise 2: Superman
Set 5:
Exercise 1: Plank jack push-up
Exercise 2: Shuffle side tap-downs
These are all the exercises:
Squat thruster: Start with your weights racked at your shoulders in a standing position and your feet hip-width distance. Keep your weight in your heels as you sit down and back into a squat, bringing your seat down to parallel with your knees. Power through your glutes and stand up as you use the momentum of your legs to push your dumbbells up overhead.
V-sit: From a seated position, extend your legs up with either bent or straight knees and extend your arms straight out. Keep your chest tall and bellybutton towards your spine. Hold this static pose.
Glute bridge and chest press: Lie on your back with your feet firmly planted on the ground, knees facing the ceiling and pointing forwards. Hold your dumbbells in your hands, palms facing forward. As you exhale straighten your arms straight up and press your hips high into a glute bridge.
Side plank: Stack your shoulders over your right wrist with your feet stacked (or one in front of the other). Extend your top arm straight up to line up with your bottom arm. Keep your bottom hip lifted in one straight line. Hold there.
Reverse lunge with a kick: From an athletic position with weights in both of your hands, lunge your right leg back to a 90-degree bend. Exhale, stand onto your left leg, bring your right knee up and into your chest and kick your right leg forward. Then land your right leg back into your lunge. Stick to one side for 100 reps on this side and your next set will be 100 reps on the other side.
Superman: Lie on your stomach with your arms overhead. When you exhale, lift your arms and legs off the ground, keeping your shoulders down and back and core right. Inhale as you lower down.
Plank jack push-ups: Start in a plank position. Hop your feet out wide and then hop them back to neutral and lower down to a low push-up position, elbows close to you. When you press back up, hop your feet back out to your plank jack.
Shuffle side tap-downs: From a low stance, shuffle your feet laterally to the side, tap your hand down, then shuffle back the other direction.
(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.)
