by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 7, 2013
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. Rest 30 seconds to 1 minute between rounds.
CIRCUIT #1:
10-15 reps each side Single Leg Squats
30 sec – 1 min Handstands
15-20 reps Tuck Jumps
30 sec – 1 min Scapular Hold
5-10 reps each side Sit Thrus
CONDITIONING:
Complete 5-10 rounds of conditioning. Crawl for 30 seconds then rest for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Crawling (Bear, Gorilla, Alligator, Crab…Mix it up!)
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Back/Lats
Chest/Shoulders
Wrist/Forearms
NOTES:
These are some more challenging bodyweight exercises that will also help you develop full body strength and stability. It will make you into a “badass” so that you can lift more weight and move better and faster.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
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.
Handstands – Beginners will want to do a modified handstand, almost like a downward dog. Set up on your hands and knees. Then push your butt up in the air and drive your chest back toward your knees. Try to get your back as flat as possible, driving your butt up. Do not worry if your legs stay straight. The most important part is pressing your chest toward your knees so your back stays flat. To advance, you can put your feet up on a table or chair. However, the hardest variation is walking your feet up the wall and walking your hands back toward the wall. The closer and more parallel to the wall you are the harder the hold. You can also do hip touches (lifting one hand at a time to touch your hips) or walk laterally along the wall to make the hold harder. Make sure that on each variation, you draw your shoulder blades down and back and draw your belly button in toward your spine. Squeeze your glutes also to keep your low back safe.
Tuck Jumps – Stand with your feet together. As you jump up, tuck your knees in toward your chest. Then shoot your legs back out to land softly on the ground. You are not squatting with this jump, simply tucking your knees.
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.
Sit Thrus – Start on your hands and knees. Flex your feet and press up onto your hands and toes with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. You will then rotate open toward the right and bring your left leg under and through toward where your right hand is. As you bring your left leg forward and through, lift your right hand. You should be almost sitting with your left hand down to support you. Then bring the left leg back through so you are back in the starting position. Next rotate to the left and kick your right leg through and forward as you lift your left hand. Move as quickly as you can back and forth. Beginners may need to move slowly or even start in a more spread out position with their legs out straight.
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.
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.
by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 6, 2013
WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Complete 3-5 rounds of the circuit below. Rest 30 seconds to 1 minute between rounds.
CIRCUIT:
8-15 reps each side Swing Balance Lunges
10-20 reps Swing Rows
10-20 reps Swing Decline Push Ups
10-20 reps Swing Knee Tucks
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest
Back/Lats
NOTES:
This is going to be a very challenging workout. It can also be done on a suspension trainer at home or at the park.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Swing Balance Lunges – Place your back foot up on the swing and hop your front foot out so you are in a nice wide stance. Then lunge down, dropping your back knee toward the ground. Really sit back into the lunge. Make sure you aren’t going forward and that your front knee is not going past your toe. You should feel a nice stretch in the quad of the leg that is back when doing this move. If the swing is too hard because it causes too much instability, you can do this move with your foot up on a bench instead. Beginners may even want to start with a basic split squat on the ground.
Swing Rows – Be careful with this move as the chains can pinch. Grab one chain in each hand and walk your feet forward so you are at an incline. The closer to parallel to the ground you get, the harder the move will be. Keeping your body in a nice straight line, straighten your arms out. Squeeze your glutes and draw your belly button in toward your spine. Press your chest out and then row up. Bend your elbows and pull your hands and the chain in toward your chest. Your body should be in a nice straight line as you row up and as you go back down.
Swing Decline Push Ups – Set up with your ankles in a swing and your hands on the ground under your shoulders. Your body should be in a nice straight line. Your belly button should be pulled in and you should squeeze your glutes tight. Then, keeping your body in a straight line, bend your elbows and drop your chest toward the ground. Do not let your elbows flare way out or your shoulders shrug up as you lower down. Then press back up, keeping your body in a nice straight line. Beginners may need to start with push ups from the ground or incline push ups with their hands on the swing. Beginners can also do incline push ups from a bench.
Swing Knee Tucks – Place your ankles in a swing and your hands on the ground under your shoulders. Your body should be in a nice straight line. Then pull the swing in toward your body, tucking your knees in toward your chest. Once you tuck your knees in, you will straighten your legs back out. Do not let your hips sag as you straighten back out or your butt go up in the air. Keep your body in a nice straight line. Repeat, tucking your knees in and driving your legs back out straight. You can also do oblique knee tucks, bringing your knees in toward one side and then the other. Beginners may do mountain climbers on the ground.
by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 5, 2013
WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Perform one round of the isometric circuit below. Hold each exercise for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Rest no more than a minute before starting circuit 2.
CIRCUIT #1:
Toes
Squat Hold
Scapular Hold
High Plank
Glute Bridge
Perform 3-6 rounds of circuit #2. Rest for 15 seconds between each exercise and 1 minute between each round. Beginners may find they need more rest between rounds.
CIRCUIT #2:
30 seconds Burpee Sit Thrus
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Lateral Ski Hops
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Push Ups
15 seconds Rest
30 seconds Full Body Crunch
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest
Back/Lats
NOTES:
Do as much work as possible in 30 seconds. Do whatever level of the exercise allows you to keep moving the entire time. You should be challenged but you don’t want to have to rest during the 30 seconds of work.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Toes – 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 – 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 – 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.
Burpee Sit Thrus – Start standing with your feet together. Then place your hands on the ground in front of your feet. Jump your feet back so you are in the crawling/bull dog position. Beginners may need to step their feet back instead of jumping them back. Once you are in the bull dog position, you are going to perform a sit thru each way. Kick your left leg under and through as you lift your right hand and replace it with your left leg. Then bring your leg back under into the bull dog position and kick through the other way, rotating open. Once you’ve completed a sit thru on each side, jump your feet back in and stand up. As you stand back up, you are going to jump up off the ground. Beginners may not want to include the jump at the top. After you jump, go right back down and repeat the move.
Lateral Ski Hops – Keep your feet together and squat down. Then with your feet together, jump side to side. Try to jump as far to each side as quickly as possible. Beginners may want to pause in a squat after each jump to balance.
Push Ups – 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, making sure your body moves as one unit. Touch your chest to the ground and then lift 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. Move quickly even if that means regressing the move. It is better to do an easier variation and move the entire 30 seconds than to do a harder variation and have to rest during the 30 seconds.
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.
