elite workout library Archives Page 7 of 25

The 15-Minute Sweat Sesh

by Cori Lefkowith | Jul 12, 2015

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

WORKOUT

Take a minute or two to stretch out. If you need a really quick full-body stretch, try the World’s Greatest Stretch.

Then set a timer for 15 minutes and complete as many rounds of the circuit below as possible in that time. Only rest as needed. Record how many rounds you complete and try to beat that next time!

CIRCUIT:
5-10 reps Bull Dog Burpees
5-10 reps per side Spiderman Push Ups
5-10 reps per side Side Lunges with Hop
3-5 reps per side Sit Thrus

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

NOTES:

When choosing a rep range, choose to do as many reps as you can without resting or without going to failure so that you can’t move quickly from one exercise to another. It is better to do 5 reps and move quickly then to do 10 reps and have to pause between reps or rest after the exercise.

The quicker you move while challenging yourself, the more you will get out of this workout.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Bull Dog Burpees – To do the Bull Dog Burpee, start standing with your feet together. Then squat down and place your hands down on the ground. With your hands down, jump your feet back into the Bull Dog position. Jump your feet back so your knees are an inch off the ground and about under your hips while your hands are about under your shoulders. Then jump your feet back in and outside your hands. Lift your hands and jump up as high as you can before squatting back down and placing your hands back on the ground to jump back into the Bull Dog position.

Spiderman Push Ups – The first Spiderman Push Up Variation is easier because you will include the knee drive at the top of the Push Up. To do this variation, set up in a nice plank position with your feet together and your hands outside your chest. Perform a Push Up, lowering your chest to the ground with your body moving as one unit. Do not let your elbows flare way up by your shoulders as you lower. Then push back up to the top and straighten your arms fully. Make sure your butt doesn’t go up in the air or your hips don’t sag. In this plank position, drive your right knee in toward the outside of your right elbow. Then put the foot back down so you’re in the nice plank position again. Perform another Push Up then drive the left knee in to the left elbow. Keep alternating knee drives after each Push Up. Beginners can do this from an incline or even do the Push Up from their knees then come up to their toes for the knee drive.

The second Spiderman Push Up Variation is more challenging because you will include the knee drive at the bottom of the Push Up, which requires you to hold at the bottom for a little longer. To do this variation, perform a Push Up and at the bottom of the Push Up, bring your right knee in to your right elbow. As you press back up, put the foot back. Then perform another Push Up, and holding at the bottom, bring the left knee in to the left elbow. Push back up and put the foot back. Make sure to keep your core tight as you bring the knee in. Your hips may rotate a bit but your butt shouldn’t go way up in the air and your body should move as one unit as you push back up to the top. Beginners can also try this variation from an incline.

Side Lunges with Hop – To do Side Lunges with Hop, stand tall with your feet together. Step one foot out to the side nice and wide. Bend the knee of the leg you stepped out to the side with, keeping the other leg straight. Sit your butt back and lean over as you sink into the side lunge. Keep your back flat as you sit back. Then drive back up off your outside foot to come back to standing. When you come back to standing, jump up toward the ceiling, reaching up overhead. Then lunge out to the other side before coming back center and jumping toward the ceiling. Keep alternating lunges until all reps are complete. Make sure your heels stay down as you lunge out to the side. You want to make sure to sit your butt back.

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. Rotate open toward the right and kick 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. You want to “sit through.” 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.

The Build A Stronger Back Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Jul 1, 2015

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Wrists/Forearms
Chest
Shoulders
Traps
Upper Back

ACTIVATION

Complete 2 rounds of the circuit below.

CIRCUIT:
10 reps Scapular Retraction Mini Pull Ups
10 reps Inverted Rows

WORKOUT

Complete the first exercise then rest 1-2 minutes and do the supplemental circuit. Rest 30-90 seconds between rounds of the circuit. Complete 3-5 rounds.

EXERCISE:
50 reps Pull Ups

Do the 50 Pull Ups in as few a rounds as possible. That means resting long enough between rounds that you can do a lot in a row without resting too long (rest 30-90 seconds…90 seconds max). If you can do all 50 without releasing the bar, do it! You may do assisted variations as well, but make them challenging enough that you can’t do all 50 in a row.

CIRCUIT:
8-12 reps per side Single Arm Anti-Rotational Row
10-15 reps Suspension Trainer Back Flyes
10-15 reps Hanging Knee Tuck to Twist

NOTES:

Record how many rounds and the reps you get each round for the 50 Pull Ups. Try to beat it next time by either doing fewer rounds, more reps in a few rounds or even resting shorter between rounds.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Scapular Retraction Mini Pull Ups – To do this move, hang from a bar with your palms facing away from you. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart although you can do it with them wider apart or closer together. From this hanging position, press your chest out and pull your shoulder blades down and together. Don’t bend your elbows and start to pull up. Just press your chest out and retract your shoulder blades bringing them down and together. You should feel your shoulders go down as your chest lifts up.Then relax out and repeat. Remember, you are not bending your elbows to make this movement bigger.
Inverted Rows – To do the Inverted Row, hold a suspension trainer strap in each hand or use a bar. Walk your feet out so that you are leaning back. The closer to parallel to the ground you get, the harder the move will be. Squeeze your core and glutes and press your chest out so there is tension between your shoulder blades. Make sure you don’t shrug your shoulders and that your body is in a nice straight line. Then row up, keeping your body in that nice straight line. Row until your chest comes up to the handles and then lower yourself back down. Don’t let your hips sink as you lower back down or your low back arch. Also, keep your chest pressed out the entire time (make sure you don’t round your thoracic spine at the bottom). Move in a controlled fashion as you keep tension between your shoulder blades the entire time. Make sure you row low and don’t shrug your shoulders at any point. Do not bounce off the bottom of your row or use momentum to get back up.

Pull Ups – To do a Pull Up, start hanging from the bar with your palms facing away from you. Hanging with your arms straight off the bar, press your chest out and up and feel your shoulder blades draw down and together. Leading with your chest, pull yourself up to the bar. Ideally you want to bring your chest all the way up to the bar as you draw your shoulder blades down and back. Then slowly lower yourself down until your arms are fully extended.Your arms should fully extend at the bottom but you do not want to relax the tension in your back. Make sure to lead with your chest and do not let your shoulders shrug. Do not bounce or swing at the bottom. You do not want to use momentum to pull back up. Only on the last couple of reps should you ever swing at all or kick your legs. You want clean reps, but to eek out an extra rep or so and go past failure, you can use a little momentum.

Single Arm Anti-Rotational Row – To do the Single Arm Anti-Rotational Row, place one hand across your chest and grab the strap in the other hand. Set up in a nice straight line, squeezing your quads, glutes and core. Do not let your body rotate. You want to move in a straight line as you row up and down. Pull you arm in toward your chest. Do not shrug your shoulder as you row. Drive the elbow back and pull your hand in toward the bottom of your pec. You should move as if both arms are pulling instead of letting the side not rowing rotate open toward the ground. To advance (or regress this move), change the incline of your body. The closer you get to parallel to the ground, the harder the move gets.

Suspension Trainer Back Flyes – Hold a strap in each hand, facing the anchor point of the trainer. Walk your feet forward toward the anchor point. You will not want to walk them in as far as you do with the Inverted Row. Keeping your body in a nice straight line from your head to your heels, open your arms out to the side. You may open them slightly out and down to make sure you don’t shrug your shoulders. Keep your elbows soft, but do not bend your arms as you open to the side. Do not turn this into a row. Pull yourself up so your arms are even with your body and then lower back down, bringing your hands back together. Keep your body in a nice straight line as you row. Do not arch your back to help yourself get all the way up. If you can’t fly your arms all the way open, walk your feet back so you are more vertical instead of horizontal. Do not let your hips sag or arch as you perform the fly. Squeeze your glutes and keep your abs engaged. Make sure you don’t shrug your shoulders as you open. Keep your chest pressed out as you perform the fly. Move slowly and don’t bounce off the bottom. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades down and together as you perform the Back Fly.

Hanging Knee Tuck to Twist – To do the Hanging Knee Tuck to Twist, start hanging then tuck your knees up toward your chest. With your knees up by your chest, twist them to the right. Then lower back down. Raise them back up center, then drop/twist your knees to the left. Lower back down and repeat on the right side. You can also vary this move up by bringing your knees up center then twisting right, center, left, center then lowering back down. However, it will be more challenging to keep your knees tucked the entire time.

The Squat Destruction Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Jun 26, 2015

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

WORKOUT

For each circuit, complete the hold then the reps of the weighted move and then the bodyweight movement. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between rounds. You will be rested but not fully rested when you go. Do not shorten the rest time especially if it means you can’t maintain what you did the round before. Rest 2-3 minutes between circuits.

CIRCUIT #1:
30 seconds Wall Sit
10-15 reps Dumbbell Squat to Press
15-20 reps Squat Jacks

CIRCUIT #2:
30 seconds Sumo Stance Squat Hold
10-15 reps (KB) Sumo Squat
15-20 reps Toe Squat

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

NOTES:

Before the workout, in your Warm Up, it would be good to really loosen up your hips and also really activate your glutes. Include maybe some Bridges and even some Fire Hydrants to get your glutes working and your hips open before you squat. If your inner thighs are also tight, make sure to loosen them up before the Sumo Squats!

Do the most challenging variation of each move that you can, but try not to rest between moves. Only really rest between rounds, which may mean your quads feel extremely burned out by the end of the round. You may have to start with light weights as well!

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Wall Sit – To do the Wall Sit, you will sit against the wall. Stand with your back to a wall and your feet about hip-width apart. Then sink down into a squat and press your back into the wall behind you. When you sink into the squat, try to get your quads parallel to the ground and make sure your ankles are aligned under your knees. Hold there and drive your back into the wall. You can also do this with a narrow or wide stance if you want to mix it up. If you start to feel this in your low back, try engaging your core with a pelvic tilt. Press your low back toward the wall. To make this move easier, don’t sink as low in the squat or move your feet out just a bit from the wall. Do not let your ankles get too far out in front of your knees though. To make this move harder, hold a weight or even try a Single Leg Wall Sit.

Dumbbell Squat to Press – To do the Dumbbell Squat to Press, grab a dumbbell in each hand and bring the weights up to your shoulders. You can hold the weights with your palms facing forward or with your palms facing in toward each other. Holding the weights at your shoulders, squat down sinking as low as you can. Then drive back up to standing and press the weights straight up overhead. Make sure you don’t go forward as you squat down. Also make sure to press the weights straight up. Do not let your arms go out wide or all over the place. The more you use your legs to press, the easier it should be on your upper body to press the weights. If you want to do a stricter press, squat then stand up and press once you are fully standing.

Squat Jacks – To do Squat Jacks, start standing with your feet together. Reach your hands up overhead and then sink into a little squat. Make sure to sit your butt back. This position should look like Chair Pose. Staying low in the squat, jump your feet out wide, about shoulder-width apart. As you jump out, also bring your hands down and in between your legs to reach for the ground. Do not stand up out of the squat as you jump your feet out wide. Try to touch your hands to the ground as you keep your butt down in the squat and chest up. Even try to squat lower as you jump your feet out wide. Then jump your feet back together and bring your hands back overhead. Stay low in the squat the entire time and move quickly. Try not to stand up as you jump your feet back in. However, beginners may need to stand up as they bring their feet together and only squat as they jump their feet out.

Sumo Stance Squat Hold – To do the Sumo Stance Squat Hold, set up with your feet wider than shoulder-width and your toes turned out. Then sit your butt down and back and hold with your quads about parallel to the ground. Keep your chest up and butt down as you hold. Do not let your heels come up or your knees cave in.
(KB) Sumo Squat – To do the Sumo Squat with a kettlebell, hold a kettlebell in both hands and set your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Turn your toes out slightly as you stand in a wide stance with the kettlebell hanging down in front of you. Squat down, sitting your butt down and back. Do not let your knees cave in as you squat. Drop the kettlebell to the ground but do not round forward. Then drive back up to standing and squeeze your glutes at the top.

Toe Squat – To do the Toe Squat, set up with your feet wider than shoulder-width and toes slightly turned out. Then press up as high as you can onto your toes. Keeping your chest up and heels up off the ground, squat down as low as you can. Sit your butt down and back while staying balanced and then come back up to standing. Try not to touch your heels down between reps. Sink as low as you can and move in a slow and controlled fashion.

The Upper Body Bodyweight Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Jun 15, 2015

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Wrists/Forearms
Chest/Back
Shoulders/Traps
Hips/Glutes

WORKOUT

Complete 3-5 rounds of each circuit. Try not to rest between exercises, but rest up to 1 minute between rounds. Rest 1-2 minutes between circuits.

CIRCUIT #1:
30 seconds Handstand Hold
10 reps Fly to Push Up
10-15 reps per side Sprinter Sit Ups

CIRCUIT #2:
30 seconds Scapular Wall Hold
15 reps Inverted Rows or Scapular Wall Rows
10-15 reps Superman

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Wrists/Forearms
Chest/Back
Shoulders/Traps
Hips/Glutes

NOTES:
Complete the hold then move right into the next two exercises. Rest only between rounds.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Handstand Hold – The most basic Handstand Hold is very similar to the downward dog. Start on your hands and knees. Then push back and up, raising your hips up toward the ceiling as you straighten your arms and press your chest back toward your legs. Focus on getting your back flat and a nice straight line from the heels of your hands up to your tailbone. You want your arms to be in line with your torso (aka biceps by the ears). Push your butt back and up. Do not worry about keeping your legs straight like in downward dog. Also, do not walk your feet in toward your hands. Push your butt up and create a nice straight line with your back. To advance that basic hold, place your feet up on a table. Walk your hands in toward the table and press your butt up in the air. You want to straighten your arms so your head is hanging down between your hands straight down toward the ground. Create a nice straight line from your palms up to your tailbone. Do not worry about straightening your legs. The higher the box, the harder the move. To do a Full Assisted Handstand, you can walk your feet up a wall. The closer to the wall you get, the harder the move will be. From there, you can move into a full handstand. No matter which variation you are currently able to do, you are going to create stability and strength throughout your core by doing Handstand Holds!

Fly to Push Up – To do the Beginner Fly to Push Up, set up in a push up position with one hand on a Valslide and the other hand on the ground. You can do this from your knees to make it easier or from your toes to make it harder. Then slide the hand on the slider out to the side and perform a push up. As you push up, slide the hand on the slider back in toward your hand on the ground. Repeat, completing all reps on one side before switching.

If the single slider Fly to Push Up is too much, this move can be done by just stepping the hand out to the side on the ground or even on an incline. To advance the Fly to Push Up, you will use two sliders. Again this variation can be done from your knees (easier) or toes (harder). Start at the top of a push up and then slide one hand out to the side and perform a push up. Push up and slide the hand back into the starting position. Even though this is a wider push up, don’t let your elbows flare way out by your ears. Slide the other hand out on the slider and perform a push up. Keep alternating sides until all reps are complete.

You can advance the movement further by sliding both hands out to the side as you lower into the push up and then pull them back in as you come back up out of the push up. You will perform the fly as you perform the push up instead of sliding out, doing a push up and sliding back in. With all the different variations, do not let your butt go up in the air or your hips sag toward the ground as you do the push up. Also make sure not to shrug or let your elbows flare up by your ears. You want to create more of an arrow position (->) with your arms and upper body than a “T” as you do the push up.

Sprinter Sit Ups – Lie on your back and raise both legs straight out off the ground. Beginners may keep one leg on the ground. Crunch your upper body up so that you are sitting on your sit bones and then bring one knee into your chest. Lie back down and straighten both legs back out. Then bring the other knee into the chest as you crunch back up. Keep alternating, trying to keep both legs off the ground when you straighten back out. Do not let your chest cave when you crunch up. Keep your back flat as you crunch up and bring one knee in.

Scapular Wall Hold –To do the Scapular Wall Hold, stand about six inches from the wall. With your back to the wall and your elbows bent in by your side, drive your chest out and your elbows back. Then lean back against the wall on your elbows. Only your elbows should touch as you lean back. Draw your shoulder blades down and back and make sure to drive your chest out and open toward the ceiling. Do not shrug your shoulders and keep your body in a nice straight line as if holding a plank. Keep your head in line with your spine and do not tuck your chin. Walk your feet back toward the wall to make the move easier or walk them away to make the move harder. Make sure to drive the chest out and draw your shoulder blades down and together as you hold.

Inverted Row/Scapular Wall Row/Corner Row – Stand in a corner with your back relaxing against the walls and your feet about six inches from the corner. (You can also do this just off the wall like demonstrated above if you don’t have a useable corner.) Place an elbow against each wall with your elbows bent. With your body in a nice straight line, drive off the wall with your elbows, pressing your chest out and pinching your shoulder blades down and back. Relax back into the corner, keeping your body in a nice straight line from your head to your heels. Do not arch your low back as you press out. Also, make sure not to shrug your shoulders. The further from the corner that you walk your feet out, the harder the Corner Row will be. If you have a suspension trainer, you can do Inverted Rows instead.

Superman – Lie face down on the ground with your arms out straight overhead on the ground and your legs out straight behind you. Everything should be relaxed and your neck should be in a neutral position. Then squeeze your glutes, back and shoulders to raise your chest and legs up off the ground. Try to get your chest up as high as possible as well as your quads. Keep your neck in a neutral position. Hold up off the ground for a second then lower back down and repeat the lift. Keep your arms and legs straight as you lift but do not lock them out. Do not bend your knees to try to get your quads higher up off the ground. Make sure to really squeeze your glutes as you lift so your low back doesn’t do all the work. And also make sure not to shrug as you lift your upper body up.

The Unilateral Booty Burner Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Jun 4, 2015

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

WORKOUT

Complete 2-4 rounds of each superset. Do not rest between exercises. Do both on one side then switch sides. Each side will rest while the other completes both moves. Then rest 1-2 minutes between supersets. Make sure you push so that the moves burn and your flutes are pumped.

SUPERSET #1:
15 reps per side each way Side Balance Circles FWD/BWD
20 reps per side Side Balance Leg Lifts

SUPERSET #2:
20 reps per side Straight Leg Kickbacks
15 reps per side 3-Way Leg Circles

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

NOTES:

It’s very important that you push through the burn and complete both moves back to back. It is better to rest longer between rounds than to rest between the exercises although you get the best pump if you can push a little through the burn.

Make sure to complete a full range of motion and not rush too much as you fatigue.

This burner can also be shortened into a Warm Up or even a “Burn Out” after a leg day. Although it is a great in-between heavy leg lifts workout as well if you really want to build your butt!

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Side Balance Circles FWD/BWD – Start on one knee with your other leg straight out to the side. Then place your hand down to the outside of your knee so you are a side balance position almost like a Side Plank. Then lift the straight leg up to about parallel to the ground and begin to circle the leg from the hip. Make as big of circles as possible. Complete all circles forward then go backward. Make sure to keep the leg up and feel the outside of your glute and hip working.

Side Balance Leg Lifts – Set up in the Side Balance position. Then lift your straight leg up to parallel to the ground and lower back down. Complete all reps on one side before switching.

Straight Leg Kickbacks – To do the Straight Leg Kickback, set up on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Flex your feet. Then kick one leg back, driving your heel straight back into the wall behind you. Squeeze the glute as you lift the leg and drive the heel toward the wall behind you. Make sure to keep your arms straight as you kick back and your abs engaged. Don’t arch your low back just to try to kick your leg back higher. Try to get your quad to about parallel to the ground. Also make sure to keep your hips square to the ground. Do not rotate open as you kick back. The height of the kickback doesn’t matter as long as you feel your hips extend and your glutes engage. You do not want to feel this move in your low back. Hold for a second or two at the top and really contract your glutes before lowering back down. Don’t rush the movement. The slower you go and the longer you hold, the harder the move will be. Complete all reps on one side before switching.

3-Way Leg Circles – Start on your hands and knees like with the Fire Hydrant. Flex your feet. You will then kick one leg back like with the Donkey Kick. Hold here for a second. Make sure to keep your arms straight and squeeze your glutes. Then, without lowering the leg day, bring the leg up to the side into the Fire Hydrant position. Keep your foot flexed and knee bent to 90 degrees. Without touching the knee down, drive the knee forward towards your elbow. Feel your abs engage as you hold. Lower yourself back down and repeat on the same side starting with the Donkey Kick.