WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Perform 3-5 rounds of each circuit. Rest 30 seconds to 1 minute between rounds and 1-2 minutes between circuits.
CIRCUIT #1:
30 seconds – 1 minute Skater Squat Touches
CIRCUIT #2:
8-15 reps per side Single Leg Squats
30 seconds – 1 minute Pull Up and Hold
10-15 reps per side Plank with Reach Under and Through
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
NOTES:
No weights are needed for this workout. Do the hardest bodyweight variation you can handle. Take your time and be precise with your movements. This is a great recovery, injury prevention and beginner workout.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Skater Squat Touches – Place your feet no more than a couple of inches apart. Sink down as low as you can, sitting your butt back while keeping your chest up. This squat is very similar to the chair pose in yoga. Do not let your back round and try to sink as low as possible, getting as close to parallel as possible. Hold in that low skater squat. Beginners will want to stay in the low squat while more advanced exercisers can add in side and even back touches. Make sure that, even if you add in toe touches, you keep your weight centered over the standing leg and stay as low as possible.
Single Leg Squats – Choose a variation of the single leg squat that is right for you. Beginners may use a box step while more advanced lifters may use a doorway, TRX or XT straps for balance. If you can do a full pistol squat or use a plate weight to counter balance you, do that variation. Choose as hard a variation as you can do. To perform the basic single leg squat to bench, you will start by standing on one leg. Hold the other leg straight out in front of you. Lower yourself down until you are sitting on the box or table. Then driving off the heel on the ground, stand back up. Do not lean way forward or touch your raised foot to the ground. If you use a box, the more you allow yourself to sit down, the easier the move will be. The more you just lightly touch the box and come right back up, the harder the move will be. Also the lower the box you use or the lower down you go on any variation, the harder the move will be.
Pull Up and Hold – You can do this as a chin up or pull up. You can do it off a bar, off a peg board and/or off of TRX straps. Whichever you use pull to the top of a pull up or chin up and HOLD. The less stable the appliance, the harder this move will be. Keep your legs straight down toward the ground and your chin above the bar. Keep your chest should be pressed out and your shoulder blades should be down and back. Squeeze your belly button in toward your spine and keep your glutes tight. Hold there until time is up. You can also sub in a chin up hold or a scapular hold if you don’t have a pull up bar.
Plank with Reach Under and Through – Set up in the high plank position on your hands and knees (beginner) or toes (advanced). Then reach one hand under your armpit and toward the far wall. You don’t just want to reach under your armpit to pat yourself on the back. Make sure your hips stay down as you reach through. Then pivot open, rotating into a side plank. You will reach the hand that reached under your armpit up toward the ceiling while rotating onto the sides of your feet or knees. Then reach the hand back down and under the armpit. Move back into a high plank position. Complete all reps on that side before switching and reaching the other way.
