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

ACTIVATION

Complete 2 rounds of the circuit below.

CIRCUIT:
20 reps Glute Bridges
10 reps Table Top Bridges
10 reps per side Plank with Reach Back and Out

LOCOMOTION

After stretch and rolling, set a timer for 2-3 minutes and jog, backpedal, side shuffle, carioca, skip, do butt kickers and/or high knees. Move around at about 75% of your max effort to get your heart rate up and blood pumping.

WORKOUT

Set a timer for 20 second intervals. You will perform each exercise for 20 seconds and then rest 20 seconds between rounds. Do not rest between exercises. Once all five rounds are complete, rest 2-3 minutes between circuits. Beginners can even start with 3 or 4 rounds of a circuit.

CIRCUIT #1:
20 seconds Burpee Sit Thrus
20 seconds Plank Inchworms
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #2:
20 seconds Sled Fighting
20 seconds Plank Scorpions
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #3:
20 seconds Split Squat Jumps
20 seconds Plank Jacks
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #4:
20 seconds Towel Taz
20 seconds Advanced Bird Dogs
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #5:
20 seconds Sidewinders with Forward/Backward Walk
20 seconds Plank with Oblique Knee Tucks
20 seconds Rest

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

NOTES:

Do not rest between exercises and make sure you pick a variation of each move that allows you to work hard the entire 20 seconds.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Glute Bridges – To do the Basic Glute Bridge for reps, bend your knees and put your feet flat on the ground just close enough that you can graze your heels with your fingertips when you stretch your arms down by your side. Your feet should be about hip-width apart. If you put your feet further away from your glutes, you will engage more hamstring than if you keep your heels in closer to your glutes. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees so that only your upper arms are on the ground. Then drive up through your heels and upper back to lift your glutes off the ground. Drive your hips up as high as possible, squeezing the glutes hard. Keep your belly button drawn in so you don’t hyperextend your back. Focus and consciously squeeze your glutes at the top. Do not push backward off your heels. Make sure you are driving straight up and that your knees aren’t caving in. Squeeze your glutes for second or two at the top and lower all the way back down to the ground before repeating.

Table Top Bridges – To do the Table Top Bridge, start seated on the ground with your feet flat on the ground in front of you and your hands on the ground behind you. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips up as high as you can. Lean your head back and press your chest out as you bridge up. Really feel a nice stretch across your chest and shoulders. Keep your core tight as you bridge up. Try to create a “table” with your body. Drive your hips up as high as you can without hyperextending your low back. Really squeeze your glutes at the top. Hold for a few seconds at the top then lower back down and repeat. Keep the core engaged and even do a pelvic tilt at the top so that you engage your glutes without hyperextending your low back.

Plank with Reach Back and Out – To do the Plank with Reach Back and Out, set up in a Front Plank from your hands and toes with your hands under your shoulders and your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart. The wider your feet are, the more stable your base will be. To make the move harder, bring your feet in closer together. Beginners can do this move from their knees. From this Plank position, reach one hand back and across toward the opposite ankle, pushing your butt back and up toward the ceiling as you reach. After reaching back, come back forward, dropping your hips back into the Plank position as you reach forward and out toward the wall in front of you. Do not drop your hips too low and feel your low back engage. Keep your core tight and squeeze your glutes to protect your low back as you come back forward and reach out. You want to fully extend your hips and engage your glutes so you aren’t hyperextending your low back. Reach back and across again with the same hand before reaching back forward. Complete all reps on one side before switching. If you do this from your knees, sit back on your heels and reach back through your legs instead of toward one ankle. Then come back forward into the Plank position from your hands and knees, extending your hips forward as you reach out.

Burpee Sit Thrus – To do the Burpee Sit Thru, start standing with your feet together. Then bend down and place your hands on the ground as you jump your feet back into a Bull Dog position. Unlike the Basic Burpee, you won’t jump your feet back into a plank. You will want to jump your feet back so you are in more of a crawling position with your knees bent. From this bent-knee position, kick one leg under your body and through as you lift the opposite hand to “sit through.” Then bring the leg back under your body as you lower your hand back down and sit through on the other side. You will again kick the leg under your body and through as you lift your opposite hand. You want to rotate all the way through so you could actually sit if you lost your balance. Once you’ve performed a sit thru to both sides, jump your feet back into your hands and come to standing. Jump up off the ground at the top and then repeat the movement. Beginners may find they want to jump back into more of a plank position to make the sit thru easier. Advanced exercisers with more mobility will want to perform the sit thru from more of a bull dog hold starting position. AKA straighter legs makes the movement easier. Move quickly, rotating open and sitting all the way through on each sit thru. For a video of this move, check out this post on Burpees.

Plank Inchworms – To do the Inchworm Plank, set up in a Plank on your forearms and toes with your elbows under your shoulders and your body in a nice straight line down to your heels. Your feet should be only an inch or two apart. Begin to walk your feet in toward your head, keeping your legs straight as you take very small steps forward. Your butt should go up in the air as you walk your feet in and you should feel a stretch down your triceps and lats as you pike up. Try not to round your back as you walk your feet in. Walk in as far as you mobility allows. Beginners will then walk back out, taking small steps while keeping their legs straight. Walking their feet back out, they will return to a Forearm Front Plank with their shoulders over their elbows. More advanced exercisers will jump both feet back out instead of walking back out. If you jump back out, do not let your hips sag toward the ground as you return to the forearm plank. Also make sure that when you jump back out, you return to a perfect Forearm Front Plank Keep your core engaged as you walk in and out.

Sled Fighting – To do Sled Fighting, pick out a square or rectangle of space. Move the sled forward a few steps. Then turn the sled. The move it diagonally. Then rotate it around and move the other direction. Pivot the sled, push and pull, moving it only a few steps in each direction. Keep your movements quick and short around the space. Be careful though pulling it straight back. You will want to move in angles or straight ahead. For a video of Sled Fighting, check out this post on Sled Exercises.

Plank Scorpions – To do Plank Scorpions, set up in a plank position from your forearms. You can do this from either your knees or your toes. Whichever you do, make sure your body is in a nice straight line from your head to your heels or knees. Engage your core and line up your elbows under your shoulders. Bend one leg to 90 degrees with your foot up toward the ceiling. Then kick your foot back over yourself toward the ground on your other side. Rotate your foot over with your core while keeping your hips up and your elbows on the ground. Do not let your butt go way up in the air as you rotate either. Then come back to a front plank and place that foot back down onto the ground. Bend the other knee to 90 degrees with your foot up toward the ceiling. With the knee bent, twist the other foot back over behind you. Alternate kicks behind you until all reps are complete. Feel your abs working to help you twist and kick the foot behind you. You do not actually need to touch your foot down behind. Just focus on rotating without your hips sagging or your butt going up in the air.

Split Squat Jumps – To do Split Squat Jumps, step one foot backward into a lunge. Sink into a deep lunge, bending both knees as if kneeling down to the ground. Then jump up and as you jump, switch into a lunge on the other side. Sink down into the lunge on the other side once you land and then explode back up and while jumping switch back into a lunge on the first side. Beginners may need to do quick step back lunges instead of jumping to switch. The lower you go in the lunge and the quicker you jump and switch, the harder the move will be.

Plank Jacks – To do Plank Jacks, start at the top of a push up with your hands under your shoulders and your feet together. Your body should be in a nice straight line from your head to your heels. Brace your abs then jump your feet out wide to each side as if doing a Jumping Jack. Quickly jump them back in together. Repeat, jumping them back out. Keep your core engaged as you jump your feet in and out. Do not let your butt go up in the air or your hips sag as you jump your feet out wide and then back together. Beginners may need to start by stepping one foot at a time out wide and then back together.

Towel Taz – Check out this post on the Towel Taz for a few different variations you can do.
Advanced Bird Dogs – To do the Advanced Bird Dog, set up in the high plank position from your hands and toes with your hands under your shoulders and your feet about hip-width apart. If you bring your feet closer together, you will make the move more challenging. Lift your opposite leg and arm up as if you are reaching forward and backward toward each wall. Keep your core engaged and squeeze your glutes as you lift the leg and arm. Do not let your body rotate open or your hips sag toward the ground. Do not let your butt go up toward the ceiling. Keep a nice straight line as you lift. Hold for a second or two at the top and then lower back down and repeat on the same side or alternate sides. You can also perform a longer hold to make the move more challenging. To regress the move, you can do the Basic Bird Dog from your knees or you can simply lift only your arm or your leg instead of raising the arm and the leg at the same time.

Sidewinders with Forward/Backward Walk – To do Sidewinders with a Forward/Backward Walk, hold a handle of the rope in each hand. Make sure to step in toward the anchor point. You want slack in the rope. The more slack you have, the harder the move will be. Then with your arms relaxed and hands about shoulder-width apart, rotate your core, pulling your arms to the right. Then rotate to the left and pull your arms and the rope to the left. Use your core to pull the ropes from side to side. You should use your entire core, even using your glutes to power the movement. You won’t fully pivot your feet but you will rotate all the way from your shoulders down to your ankles. Pull powerfully and quickly from side to side creating waves as far down as possible until all reps are complete. As you perform the Sidewinder movement, pulling the rope from side to side, begin to walk forward and backward taking big steps forward and out to the side and then backward. For a video of the move check out these Battling Ropes Moves.

Plank with Oblique Knee Tucks – To do the Plank with Oblique Knee Tucks, set up in a Front Plank from your forearms and toes (advanced) or knees (beginner). Stack your elbows under your shoulders and maintain a nice straight line from your head to your knees or toes. From the Front Plank, rotate into a right Side Plank. Keep your bottom hip up and your shoulder stacked above your elbow.  As you move into the Side Plank, reach your left hand up and forward over your head. Lift your top leg up and then bring your elbow and knee together. Stay balanced and keep your bottom hip up. Reach both back out again and then rotate back forward into a Front Plank. Switch to a Side Plank on the other side. Again reach the leg and hand out and then bring them together.  Keep alternating sides until all reps are complete. Make sure you keep your hips up, but also don’t let your butt go up in the air as you move through the series.

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

LOCOMOTION

After stretch and rolling, set a timer for 5 minutes and jog, backpedal, side shuffle, carioca, skip, do butt kickers and/or high knees. Move around at about 75% of your max effort to get your heart rate up and blood pumping.

WORKOUT

Set a timer for 20 seconds. Perform the Rope exercise for 20 seconds as fast as you can then quickly move on to the two ab exercises for reps. Rest the same amount of time it took you to complete the round or alternate with a partner. Complete 3-4 rounds of each circuit. Rest up to 2 minutes between circuits.

CIRCUIT #1:
20 seconds Battling Ropes Jumping Jacks
10 reps TFW Sit Ups
10 reps each side Rope Russian Twists

CIRCUIT #2:
20 seconds Stage Coach with Reverse Lunge
5 reps each side Sit Thrus
10 reps each side Oblique V-Ups

CIRCUIT #3:
20 seconds Rainbows with Lunge
10 reps Cherry Bombs
15 reps per side One Arm Plank Waves

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

NOTES:

Beginners may need to do fewer reps of the core exercises to continue moving quickly. You do not want to rest during the three exercises. Rest only between rounds. Beginners may also need to rest double the time they worked instead of resting equal to the time they worked.

Advanced exercisers may want to raise the reps just slightly as long as they can continue to move quickly and rest only equal to the time they worked. With the equal rest to work ratio, you should be able to go just as hard each round as the round before. If you find you’re really falling off, you may need to lessen the reps you are doing or rest just a bit longer. You do not want your work output to dip too much.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

For all Battling Ropes Moves (Battling Ropes Jumping Jacks, Rope Russian Twists, Stage Coach with Reverse Lunge, Rainbows with Lunge, One Arm Plank Waves), see our Battling Ropes Exercises post and video.

All other moves are below:

TFW Sit Ups – To do the TFW Sit Up, lie on your back on the ground with your legs out straight in front of you. Bring your hands up under your chin. Then from lying on the ground, come up to a seated position, bringing your knees in as you sit up. As you come to a tucked seated position, grab your shins with your hands. Then lie back down, straightening your legs out in front of you. Sit back up and bring your knees back in, grabbing your shins. Lie back down and repeat.

Sit Thrus – To do the Sit Thru, start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Flex your feet and press up onto your hands and toes. 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 want to rotate all the way through with your left leg out straight so that you are 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 instead of their knees under their hips.

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.

Cherry Bombs – Sit on your butt and draw your knees into your chest. Wrap your arms around your shins and lift your feet off the ground. Then open your arms and straighten your legs out wide and let your upper body go back toward the ground. You should almost look like a big X on the ground with arms and legs out and open. Then come back to seated and draw your knees back in. Your feet should stay off the ground the entire time; however, do try to straighten your legs out as close to the ground as you can when you open up.