Projects Archive Page 31 of 35 | Redefining Strength

The Towel Glute and Hamstring Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 6, 2013

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Low Back

WORKOUT

Complete 3-5 rounds of each circuit. Rest no more than 60 seconds between rounds and no more than 2 minutes between circuits.

CIRCUIT #1:
10-15 reps each side Side Lunge
15-20 reps Self-Resisted Hamstring Curl

CIRCUIT #2:
10-15 reps each side Curtsy Lunge
10-15 reps Glute Bridge with Curl

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Low Back

NOTES:

Beginners may need to do the moves without the towels as they fatigue. Also, sliders (Valslides) may be used instead if you have a carpet.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Side Lunge – Please be careful the first time you try this lunge as it is easy to go too far out and not be able to get back up since there is no traction. To do this move, place the towel under one foot. Slide that foot out to the side, sitting back into the lunge. Then to stand back up, drive through the foot not on the towel. Do not allow yourself to go forward. Make sure to really sit back and then up drive off the heel. Keep your chest up and back flat as you lunge.

Self-Resisted Hamstring Curl – Lie on your stomach. Bend your knees to 90 degrees with your feet up toward the ceiling. Place a towel between your flexed feet and then reach behind your back and hold the towel with one or both hands. Pull the towel toward your back, pulling your feet in toward your butt. Resisted the pull with your feet. Once you pull your feet in to your butt, start to pull back out with your feet. Resist your feet going back to the start by pulling on the towel with your hands. You should feel your hamstrings working to resist the pull of your arms. Move slowly to make your hamstrings really work.
Curtsy Lunge – Stand with your feet together. Place the towel under one foot and slide that foot back and across behind the other foot. Sink into as deep a lunge as you can handle. Make sure to really sit back on that front heel as you reach the other foot back and behind. Keep your chest up. You should feel this in the outside of your front glute. Then driving through that front heel, come back to standing. Pull the back foot forward and across so you are standing with both feet together.
Glute Bridge with Curl – Beginners may need to start with a single leg bridge and curl while more advanced exercisers may do the two-leg bridge and curl. A beginner may want to start with the towel under only one foot and slide out one leg at a time. To perform the two leg curl, place both feet on a towel about hip width apart. Start in the bridge position and slide your feet out. Keep your hips off the ground and your glutes engaged as you slide out. Then curl the heels back in, bringing the hips up again into a glute bridge. Do not let the hips sag toward the ground as you slide out or come back in.

The Suicide Cardio Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 6, 2013

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

WORKOUT

Complete 3 rounds of each circuit. Rest the same amount of time to double the amount of time it took you to complete the circuit. Rest 2-3 minutes between circuits.

CIRCUIT #1:
Sprint Suicide
20-50ft Lateral Crawls
10-20 reps per side Bicycles

CIRCUIT #2:
Shuffle Suicide
3-5 reps each way Circle Crawls
10-20 reps Full Body Crunch

CIRCUIT #3:
Carioca Suicide
20-50ft Forward/Backward Crawl
10-15 reps per side Oblique V ups

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

NOTES:

This is a great variation of the resisted sprint workout.

For all the suicides, beginners can do a 2 cone suicide, intermediate a 3 cone suicide and advanced a 4 cone suicide. For every one, the final cone will be about 50ft from the starting point.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Suicide – Sprint, side shuffle and carioca as fast as you can while maintaining good form. Start at one cone and go to the first cone. Then come back to the start and then quickly go back to the second cone. Return to the starting cone and then shuffle to the third cone and come back to the start. Always start with the closest cone even if you are only doing a two cone suicide.
Lateral Crawls – Set up on your hands and knees with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Then flex your feet and lift up onto your toes. Place your hands close together and your feet about shoulder-width apart. Then step your left hand to the left so your hands are apart as you step your right foot together withyour left. Then step your right hand to meet your left hand as you move your left foot to the left. Keep moving the opposite arm and leg laterally until you’ve completed your 20-50ft then crawl laterally back.

Bicycles – Lie on your back with your legs out straight in front of you and your hands behind your head. Lift your legs up off the ground. Beginners may need to keep their feet up higher while more advanced exercisers will be able to keep their feet only an inch or two off the ground. Bring your right knee into your chest, keeping the left leg off the ground. As you bring the right knee in, crunch the upper body up and bring the left elbow up and across to touch your right knee. Then straighten you right knee out and bring your left knee in as you rotate your left elbow to the ground and your right elbow to your left knee. Keep rotating and alternating touches until all reps are complete.

Circle Crawls – Set up on your hands and knees. Flex your feet and lift up onto your hands and toes. Your knees should be under your hips and your hands should be under your shoulders. Pretend their is a string attaching your belly button to the ground. You may even want to put something on the ground under your belly button to keep you centered. Then begin to circle over that spot. Do one full circle one direction then switch and do a complete circle the other way. To move in a circle, you will take a step with the opposite hand and leg. Make sure to move both your hands and feet. You do not just want to move your feet and circle around your hands! Beginners may need to do a baby crawl on their hands and knees to start.

Full Body Crunch – Lie on your back with your legs out straight. You can place your hands behind your head or across your chest. Lift your feet up off the ground and tuck your knees in toward your chest as you crunch your upper body up. Keep a space between your chin and your chest as you lift your shoulder blades up off the ground. Crunch both your lower and upper body together then relax your upper body back down as you kick your legs out straight. Do not touch your heels to the ground until all reps are complete. Beginners may need to keep their feet up higher in the air while more advanced exercisers will kick their legs out close to the ground, keeping them only an inch or two up off the ground. After you kick your legs out, crunch everything back together.

Forward/Backward Crawl – Set up on your hands and knees with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Then flex your feet and lift up onto your toes. Take a step forward with your left foot and right hand, keeping your knees close to the ground and your back flat. Then step forward with your right foot and left hand. Keep alternating moving the opposite arm and opposite leg together. Once you’ve crawled forward the 20-50ft, you will then reverse the crawl. Take a small step back with your right foot as you step back with your left hand. Take small steps, especially moving backward. If you reach too much with your leg, you are going to put more strain on your shoulders and your movement will get off. The opposite arm and leg need to move together. Keep your knees close to the ground as you move backward. Beginners may need to perform a baby crawl from their knees and hands.

Oblique V ups – Lie on your side with your bottom arm out in front of you just below shoulder height. Angle your straight legs a bit out in front of you, stacked one on top of the other. Keep your legs together. V up on your side reaching your top hand toward your toes. Lift your legs up as high as you can as you sort of prop yourself up on your bottom arm. Relax back down and repeat.

The No Equipment Needed Coordination Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 6, 2013

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

WORKOUT

Complete 2-3 rounds of the first circuit and 3-5 rounds of the second circuit. Rest no more than 30 seconds between rounds of the first circuit and 30 seconds to 1 minute between rounds of the second circuit. Rest 1-2 minutes between circuits.

CIRCUIT #1:
Isometric Drills:
30 sec – 1 min Toe Hold
30 sec – 1 min Squat Hold
30 sec – 1 min Scapular Hold
30 sec – 1 min High Plank Hold
30 sec – 1 min Glute Bridge Hold

CIRCUIT #2:
10-15 reps per side Forward Lunge with Reach
10-15 reps per side Plank with Reach Back and Out
20 seconds Seal Rolls

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

NOTES:
This can be a great recovery workout or a workout used to prevent injury and correct imbalances. This workout will be as hard as you make it. If you don’t focus on activation during the holds, they won’t be as challenging as they can be. Even the advanced exerciser will feel this workout if they really focus on activating the correct muscles.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Toe Hold – Stand with your feet only a few inches apart. Then lift up onto your toes. Do not rock to the outside of your feet. Try to get up onto your big toe as much as possible. Hold that position. To make this move harder, do a single leg balance, lifting up onto the ball of only one foot.

Squat Hold – Place your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. Sink down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. To make it easier, do not sink as low. Keep your core engaged and your chest up. Do not lean forward too much. Make sure to sit back on your heels when you squat. You should not be on your toes at all. Do not sink below 90 degrees with this move as that actually makes it easier. And do not let your knees collapse inward. If you want to make this move harder, you could hold a weight at chest height. Make sure to keep your core tight and back flat. Beginners may want to start with a wall sit if they can’t sink down very low without their chest falling forward. Sink down as low as you can, but not below having your knees bent to 90 degrees. Press your back into the wall. Drive back off your heels, pressing yourself firmly into the wall and hold.

Scapular Hold – Stand with your back to the wall. Step a couple of inches away and bend your arms to 90 degrees. Keep your elbows in by your sides and drive them back toward the wall. Lean onto your elbows on the wall. Do not let your upper arms or back touch the wall. Relax your head back. Pinch your shoulder blades down and back while keeping your core tight as you lean into the wall. You should feel this move low between your shoulder blades. To advance the move, move your feet a bit further from the wall.

High Plank Hold – Set up on your hands and toes (advanced) or hands and knees (beginner). Feet are together and hands are underneath your shoulders. Draw your belly button into your spine and squeeze your quads, glutes and adductors. Your shoulder blades should be down and back and your shoulders shouldn’t be up by your ears. Do not let your upper back round. Keep your head in line with your spine. If you really draw your belly button in and tilt your pelvic forward, your abs should almost instantly start shaking.

Glute Bridge Hold – Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground about hip-width apart. Bring your heels in close enough to your butt that you can touch your heels when you extend your arms down by your sides. Then bend your arms to 90 degrees with only your forearms on the ground. Drive up through your heels, lifting your glutes up as high off the ground as you can. Squeeze your butt and keep your core tight. Do not hyperextend your low back. Also make sure your knees do not fall open and you are not pushing yourself backward. You want to drive straight up. Beginners will want to stick with a two-leg glute bridge while more advanced exercisers will want to progress to a single leg glute bridge.

Forward Lunge with Reach – Standing with your feet together, take one big step forward. Bend your front knee as you step forward, keeping your front heel down as you lunge forward. As you lunge, hinge forward and reach your hands overhead. Do not come up onto your front toe as you lean your torso over keeping your back flat. Keep your weight in your front heel and your back leg straight. Then come back up and step your front foot back. Complete all reps on one side before switching.

Plank with Reach Back and Out – This move is done from the hands and either your knees (beginner) or toes (advanced). To do this move from your knee, set up in the top of a push up with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a nice straight line down to your knees. Then sit back on your heels into a “child’s pose” position, reaching one hand back between your legs. Move forward back to the top of the push up as you reach the hand from between your legs out toward the wall beyond your head. You may even extend your hips more toward the ground. Just make sure to keep your abs engaged so that you don’t feel the extension out in your low back. Complete all reps on that side before switching to the other arm.

Seal Rolls – Lie on your back with your legs out straight and your arms overhead. Crunch up a little lifting your upper back and legs off the ground. Trying to keep your arms and legs off the ground, roll over onto your belly. Keep your chest and legs off the ground once you roll over. Then roll back over onto your back. Keep rolling back and forth, trying not to push off with anything.

Improve Your Coordination Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 6, 2013

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

WORKOUT

Complete 3-5 rounds of each circuit. Rest 30 seconds to 1 minute between rounds. Then rest 1-2 minutes between circuits.

CIRCUIT #1:
SAQ Drills:
1 length Ladder Drill
5-10 reps Bobcats
5-10 reps Hinge Throws for Height

CIRCUIT #2:
3-6 reps per side Turkish Get Ups

CIRCUIT #3:
10-15 reps per side Step Downs

CIRCUIT #4:
10-15 reps per side Dumbbell Cross Body Chop

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

NOTES:

Focus on precision of movement not on lifting the most weight possible. Take your time with the moves. This is a great workout to develop core strength.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Ladder Drill – You can either choose to do a few different ones and get more advanced as you go or you can pick one and do 3-5 rounds of that. Remember your goal is to move quickly while not sacrificing precision. You can do a hopscotch move, the Ali Shuffle, the Ickey Shuffle or even a basic one or two foot run. Choose drills to match your experience and level. Here are some drills to help you out!

Bobcats – Perform 5-10 reps. The goal of bobcats is to get everything to move together. Choose the variation you can do quickly and with precision. To set up for bobcats, lift up onto your hands and toes with your knees bent and under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Beginners will then quickly bend their elbows and drop their knees to the ground as if they are trying to explode up off the ground. The next level is donkey kicks, jumping the feet up and down on the ground. When that feels easy, stay on your hands and toes and next just lift and jump the hands together. To advance this move further, you will actually lift everything up off the ground and land with hands and feet hitting together. Bend your elbows and drop your knees to the ground, then explode up off the ground and quickly come back down. You don’t want your hands or feet to hit before the other. You want everything to hit quickly together. Move as fast as possible. The goal is to get your core moving quickly together. Choose the level you can not only do well but do quickly.
Hinge Throws for Height – Grab a med ball with both hands. Set your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. Hinge over pushing your butt back and bending your knees slightly. Keep your back flat as you bring your hands back between your legs. Then, as if doing a squat jump, launch yourself up into the air and extend your arms up and overhead, releasing the med ball toward the ceiling. Then land softly bending your knees as you land. You can either then catch the ball and repeat quickly, hinging right back over or you can let the ball bounce and give yourself a second or two between reps. Beginners should let the ball bounce. Use a lighter ball so you can throw it high in the air; however, make sure you challenge yourself.

Turkish Get Up – Start by lying on your back on the ground with your legs out straight. Then drive your right arm up straight and have your fist pointing up toward the ceiling. Bend your right knee and place your foot flat on the ground. Straighten your left arm out to the side (not straight out at shoulder height, but not right by your body). Keeping your right arm straight up and pointed toward the ceiling at all times (it can even help to balance something on your knuckles to remind you of this while you are learning), roll up on to your left forearm. Prop yourself up nice and tall on your left forearm. Press through your right foot on the ground. Do not let your right knee cave in and keep your left leg out straight on the ground. Once up on your forearm, press up onto your left hand with your left arm going straight. Sit up nice and tall. Do not shrug your shoulders. And remember, your right arm is always straight and pointing straight toward the ceiling. Then from the seated position you are going to bridge up, lifting your hips up as high as you can. You will press down through your left hand as well as your left heel and right foot. Keep your right foot flat on the ground and your left leg out straight. Do not let your right heel come up. From the bridge position, slide your left leg back and under you so that you are in a kneeling position with your hand on the ground. Make sure you swing your leg back enough so you are in a strong supported kneeling position that will allow you to lift your left hand off the ground. Staying nice and tall, lift your left hand and come to a kneeling position. Do not lean forward of slouch forward as you lift your hand up off the ground. With your right arm still pointing up at the ceiling, stomp your right foot into the ground and come up to standing, bringing your left foot forward to be even with your right foot. Once standing, you will reverse the steps until you are again lying on your back. You will first go back to kneeling, stepping your left foot back. You will then place your left hand down on the ground out to the side and just a little back from your left knee. You will then bridge up and swing your left leg through so it is out straight in front of you. As you bridge, keep your right heel firmly planted on the ground. From there, you will return to a seated position supported by your left hand. Then you will relax down to your forearm and finally roll on to your back. Do not slouch as you move back down. Keep a nice tall posture throughout the entire move. Repeat 3-5 reps on this right side before switching. You can also do this move with either a sandbag over your shoulder or a kettlbell or dumbbell in the raised hand. Beginners may just want to start by balancing something on their knuckles.

Step Downs – Start standing on the bench or box so that you can step off of it to the side with your left foot. Your right foot will be on the edge of the box as if you are going to step down onto your left foot. Slowly hinge forward, keeping your back flat. Push your butt back as you bend your right knee, dropping your left foot toward the ground. Do not touch your left foot down. Once you go as low as you can, drive right back up to standing. Do not do more than touch your left toe down. You don’t want to be able to push off your left foot at all. Make sure you are only driving through your right heel and not using your left foot on the ground. Control your decent and then press quickly back up.

Dumbbell Cross Body Chop – Start with the dumbbell vertical outside one hip and your arms bent. Feet shold be no wider than hip-width apart. Hinge back a bit, pushing the butt backward while leaning the torso forward just a bit. Then pop the hips forward to swing the dumbbell up across the body and up and outside the other shoulder. Then lower back down to the outside of the hip and repeat. Keep your core tight and your chest up nice and tall. Explosively push the dumbbell up and across your body, but lower it back down with control. Complete all reps on one side before switching.

Active Recovery Day Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 6, 2013

WARM UP

Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

WORKOUT

Spend 5-10 minutes on each of the circuits below, doing as many rounds as possible without pushing yourself to go above 70% intensity. The drills should get your heart rate up but not push you close to an all out effort.

CIRCUIT #1:
Ladder drills

CIRCUIT #2:
Med Ball Drills

CIRCUIT #3:
5-10 reps Bobcats

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

NOTES:

You should feel like you are working but never feel like you are redlining. This is a lighter cardio day that will help you recover and prevent injuries.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Ladder Drills – Choose drills that challenge your coordination. Beginners may want to start with a one or even two foot run while more advanced exercisers may want to do the Ickey Shuffle or even a Carioca. Make sure that you complete the drills as quickly and as perfectly as possible. It is better to move slowly and do them perfectly than to speed through them and do them badly. Mix up the drills and challenge yourself to go forward, backward and even laterally. If you are doing it with a partner, alternate people going. You don’t want to rest for long and you want to keep moving, but again, you don’t want to redline.

Med Ball Drills – If you have a partner, these can be done by tossing the ball back and forth. You can also do this on your own with a wall. Use a med ball that challenges you but that allows you to move constantly with good form. You can do rotational passes, chest passes, overhead throws, sideways passes, throws for height. Mix them up but keep moving the entire time.

Bobcats – Perform 5-10 reps then rest and let your partner or the rest of your group go before repeating. If alone, give yourself about 20 seconds before repeating. The goal of bobcats is to get everything to move together. Choose the variation you can do quickly and with precision. To set up for bobcats, lift up onto your hands and toes with your knees bent and under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Beginners will then quickly bend their elbows and drop their knees to the ground as if they are trying to explode up off the ground. The next level is donkey kicks, jumping the feet up and down on the ground. When that feels easy, stay on your hands and toes and next just lift and jump the hands together. To advance this move further, you will actually lift everything up off the ground and land with hands and feet hitting together. Bend your elbows and drop your knees to the ground, then explode up off the ground and quickly come back down. You don’t want your hands or feet to hit before the other. You want everything to hit quickly together. Move as fast as possible. The goal is to get your core moving quickly together. Choose the level you can not only do well but do quickly.