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

WORKOUT

Complete 3-5 rounds of each circuit. The goal of this workout is to slow down the tempo of your reps. Rest up to a minute and a half between rounds and up to 2 minutes between circuits.

CIRCUIT #1:
8-15 reps 5 Count Goblet Squat
10-20 reps 5 Count Push Up

CIRCUIT #2:
8-15 reps each side 5 Count Split Squat
10-20 reps 5 Count Dip

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

NOTES:

Air on the side of taking more rest instead of having to rest during an exercise or rush through the rep because you are fatigued.

Keep the slow tempo of your reps even if that means you have to do fewer reps than normal or lighter weight than normal.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

5 Count Goblet Squat – Take one kettlebell and turn it upside down, holding it on the bell. Set your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. Keep the kettlebell in at your chest. Draw your belly button in toward your spine. Sit your butt back and keep your weight in your heels as you squat down. Lower for a 5 count. Do not rush the lower. Keep your chest up and don’t let your back round forward. Sink your butt down as low as you can, keeping your heels on the ground. Then, driving through your heels, come back to standing quickly. Do not lean or rock forward as you stand up. Come all the way up and squeeze your glutes at the top then sink back down, again lowering for a 5 count. You may also do a double racked kettlebell front squat to make the weight heavier if you don’t have a single bell heavy enough.

kettlebell-front-squat
5 Count Push Up – Beginners will do either an incline push up with their hands up on a bench or a push up from their knees. Advanced exercisers will do a push up from their hands and toes. For any variation, start by lying on the ground with your legs together. Place your hands outside your chest. Draw your belly button in toward your spine and squeeze your glutes. If doing this move from your toes, you will then press up onto your hands and toes. Your body should move in one straight line. Everything should move together as you press up to the top of the push up with the arms full extended. Do not let your butt go up in the air or your hips sag toward the ground. Do not tuck your chin. Keep your head in line with your spine. Make sure to keep your core tight so your low back doesn’t arch. Then lower back down, taking a 5 count to lower, making sure your body moves as one unit. Touch your chest to the ground and then lift quickly right back up. If your body doesn’t move together, if you do the “worm” as you press up or down, regress to your knees or an incline push up. Make sure that you count to 5 every time you lower your chest to the ground. Press quickly back up after lowering down.

push up isometrics
5 Count Split Squat – Step one foot forward into a wide lunge stance. Keeping your chest up nice and tall, bend your knees as if you are kneeling onto the ground. Take 5 seconds to lower down to the ground and then quickly press back up. Keep your front heel down and drive through that heel to come back to standing. Do not step your feet back together once you stand back up. Keep the wide stance and sink down again, taking 5 seconds to lower. Then stand back up quickly. Complete all reps on that side before switching. Then step back and step the other foot forward. Hold dumbbells in each hand to make the move harder. Do not add weight if that means you can’t maintain the 5 count lower and quick press back up.

split squat
5 Count Dip – Beginners may do an assisted variation off of dip bars or parallel bars where they take 5 seconds to lower down and then use their legs to jump back up to the top of the dip. They may also do these off of kettlebells or a bench. Advanced exercisers will do full dips and may even add weight to challenge them. To do a full dip, place one hand on each bar. Press up to the top so that your arms are fully extended. Then slowly bend your elbows and lower your body down, taking 5 seconds to lower. You want to lower yourself down until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Then drive back up through your hands until you are fully extended at the top. Quickly press up. Keep your core tight so you don’t arch your low back. Do not lean too far forward. To do this move from the bench, place both hands on the bench behind you. Your finger tips should hang over the bench and face you. Stretch your legs out then in front of you. The straighter your legs are and the further your heels are from your butt, the harder the move will be. Bend your elbows and drop your butt toward the ground, taking 5 seconds to lower down. Drop so your upper arms are parallel to the ground then quickly press back up. Keep your butt and back right up agains the bench. Do not let your body drift forward.

straight leg bench dips