Full Body Archives Page 11 of 13 | Redefining Strength

Warm Up For Your Run – Stretch And Loosen Up

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 10, 2013

ROLL OUT
Target your:
Feet
Calves
Shins
IT Bands
Adductors
Quads
Hamstrings
Hips/Glutes/Low Back

DYNAMIC STRETCHES AND LOCOMOTION

You will be moving down and back a 20-50ft length with these stretches.

CIRCUIT:
10 reps World’s Greatest Stretch
10 reps Side to Side Lunge
10 reps Quad Stretch and Reach
10 reps Standing Hamstring Stretch and Reach
10 reps Standing Glute Stretch
Jog/Backpedal
High Knees
Butt Kickers

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

World’s Greatest Stretch – Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and feet together. Your body should start in a nice straight line. Step your right foot outside your right hand. Drop the right elbow down into the instep of your right foot. Then rotate open facing your right leg, stretching your right arm up toward the ceiling. Bring the right hand back down to the ground. Then step your other foot forward and stand up. Then step forward with the left foot so it is outside your hand. Drop the left elbow down into the instep of your left foot. Then rotate open facing your left leg, stretching your left arm up toward the ceiling. Bring the left hand back down to the ground. Then step your other foot forward and stand up. Keep alternating sides as you move forward.

Side to Side Lunge – Step laterally and sink into a side lunge, bending the knee and sitting your butt back. Keep the other leg straight as you step to the side. Then move to a side lunge on the other side, staying low as you move across. Then drive off the bent leg and come up to standing. Step out to the side again and move in a low lunge to the other side. Step back up and together. Once you do about 5 stepping out into a lunge on one side, switch to the other side.

Quad Stretch and Reach – Standing on the right foot, grab the left ankle with the left hand. Pull the left heel in to your butt while keeping the leg close to the standing leg and the knee pointing toward the ground. As you stretch the quad, reach the right hand up and back toward the ceiling. You should feel a nice stretch not only down your quad but also across your entire body. This will even open up your chest and lat after sitting all day at a computer. Hold for 1-2 seconds and then step forward and do the stretch on the other side.

Standing Hamstring Stretch and Reach – Standing, cross your left leg over your right leg. Bring the left foot over and across until the big toe is even with the big toe of the right foot. You want your feet even so that your front leg (the left leg) is pressing the back leg (right leg) straight during the stretch. Clasp your hands together and reach up overhead. Get a nice big stretch. Then bend forward, reaching the hands down to the ground. Hold for 1-2 seconds. Then relax and step forward to repeat on the other side. If your hips/glutes are tight, you can also reach toward the instep of the back foot to stretch your IT Band.

Standing Glute Stretch – Stand and lift one leg, bending the knee and grabbing under your ankle and knee. Pull the bent leg into your chest to feel a nice stretch in the outside of your glute. Then step forward and pull the other leg in.

Jog/Backpedal – A nice light run down and then backward back. You aren’t running your fastest. You are just getting your heart rate up.
High Knees – Jogging forward down, try to bring your knees forward up to your chest. Try to do as many high knees as possible almost in place. Don’t worry about moving quickly down the 20-50ft. Instead focus on doing a ton of high knee reps. As you move backward back, continue the high knees even though they may feel awkward.
Butt Kickers – Jogging forward down, try to kick your butt with your heels. Try to kick your butt as many time as you can. Don’t worry about moving forward quickly just try to kick your butt quickly. Even as you move backward, continue to kick your butt.

Suspension Trainer Interval Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 8, 2013

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

WORKOUT

Complete 5-10 rounds of the circuit below. Complete 10 reps of each exercise then rest for 10 seconds between exercises. After each round, rest for 1-2 minutes.

CIRCUIT:
10 reps each side Alternating Single Leg Lunge
10 seconds Rest
10 reps Row to Rotational Press
10 seconds Rest
10 reps Decline Push Ups
10 seconds Rest
10 reps Oblique Knee Tuck
10 seconds Rest
10 reps each side Hamstring Sprinters

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

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Alternating Single Leg Lunge – To do the Single Leg Lunge, hold a strap in each hand and step back so that there is tension in the straps. Then stand on one foot and bend the other knee bringing your foot up toward your butt. You want to drop the knee of the back leg down to the ground without touching your foot down. Sit your butt back and hinge over, dropping that back knee down to the ground. You want to make sure you are sitting back and driving through that standing heel. Do not rock forward and come up onto your toes. Also, make sure you don’t “swing” back on the straps. You want that knee to be over your ankle/foot. Touch your knee down then drive through your heel to come back up to standing. Squeeze your glutes at the top. Use the suspension trainer to help you balance and get back up, but do not turn this into an upper body exercise. Use your arms only as needed! Alternate sides until all reps are complete. Beginners may not be able to go all the way down and touch their knee to the ground. Start with the range of motion you can control while feeling your glutes work. Advanced exercisers may want to slow down the tempo to make this move harder or even hold only one suspension trainer strap.

Row to Rotational Press – To do the Row to Rotational Press, hold a strap in each hand and walk your feet forward so that your body is at an appropriate incline. The closer to parallel to the ground you are, the harder the move will be. Start at more of an incline than you would for the Inverted Row because of the press portion of this movement. Once you are set at an appropriate incline, place your arms outstretched in front of you with your hands together. Then row your hands in toward your chest, driving your elbows down and back. Do not shrug your shoulders as you row. Once you’ve brought your chest up to your hands, rotate and press your hands out to the right. Then bring them back to the center of your chest and lower back down, straightening your arms out in front of you. Make sure to keep your shoulders down the entire time. Do not let them shrug up by your ears. You want to make the big muscles of your back work. Throughout the entire movement, keep your body in a straight line. Do not let your hips sag toward the ground or your low back arch as your row and press. Alternate presses, rowing up and pressing to the right and then the left. As you fatigue, do not bounce or swing to get up. If you need to make the movement easier as you fatigue, walk your feet back so that you are more vertical.

Decline Push Ups – The Decline Suspension Trainer Push Up is a more challenging push up variation. To make it more challenging, you will raise your feet up higher and put your body at a bigger incline. To make the move easier, you will lower the foot straps down closer toward the ground so that your feet are in line with your body. This move is very core intensive so beginners may want to start with a push up from the ground first. To do the Decline Suspension Trainer Push Up, place your feet in the straps and walk your hands out so that you are in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a nice straight line. Squeeze your glutes and quads and draw your belly button in toward your spine. Keep your feet together and your body in a nice straight line as you lower your chest down toward the ground. Do not let your elbows flare out toward your shoulders. You want to create an arrow shape with your arms and body as you lower down. Then press back up, making sure your body moves together as one unit. Do not let your hips sag or your butt rise up toward the ceiling. To make the move harder, make the suspension straps shorter so that the push up is even more of a decline push up. You can also walk your hands forward and pull the suspension trainers straps forward so that when you do the push up, the straps are trying to pull you backward. This Decline Suspension Trainer Push Up is an advanced move to begin with. Do not attempt this if you can’t easily complete a perfect push up from your toes on the ground. Instead do the Incline Suspension Trainer Push Up if this is too advanced.

Oblique Knee Tuck – Place your feet in the suspension trainer straps and your hands on the ground under your shoulders. Your body should be in a nice straight line. Then pull your feet in toward your body, tucking your knees in toward your chest. As you tuck, bring them slightly to one side. After you tuck your knees in, you will straighten your legs straight back out. Do not let your hips sag as you straighten back out or your butt go up in the air. Make sure that as you straighten back out you move back center. Keep your body in a nice straight line. Repeat, tucking your knees in to the other side and then driving them back out to the center. Beginners may do mountain climbers in the straps or even from the ground.

Hamstring Sprinters – Lie on your back with your heels in the straps and your legs out straight. Squeeze your glutes and drive through your upper back and heels to raise up into a straight leg glute bridge. Then bring one knee in toward your chest as you keep your hips up and your body in a straight line. Shoot that leg back out straight and bring in the other knee. Keep alternating legs, bring one knee at a time into your chest as if running. Move quickly while keeping your hips up. Do not let your hips sag down toward the ground. Beginners may need to start with either a glute bridge or the Hamstring Sprinters from towels on the ground.

The Badass Bodyweight Blast

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 8, 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 20 seconds between each round and up to 3 minutes between circuits.

CIRCUIT #1:
20 seconds Burpees
20 seconds Lateral Crawling
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #2:
20 seconds Split Squat Jumps
20 seconds 90 Degree Squat Jumps
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #3:
20 seconds T Push Up
20 seconds Sprinter Sit Up
20 seconds Rest

CIRCUIT #4:
20 seconds Circle Shuffle, Sprawl, Sit Thru
20 seconds Mountain Climbers
20 seconds Rest

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

NOTES:

Do not stop moving during the 20 seconds of work. It is better to have to rest longer between rounds and circuits than to stop during the 20 seconds. Do a modified variation of an exercise to keep moving quickly rather than a harder variation where you need to rest during the 20 seconds you have to do work.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Burpees – 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 high plank position. Beginners may need to step their feet back instead of jumping them back. Advanced lifters will then do a push up, dropping their chests to the ground. If you can’t move quickly while including the push up or you can’t do a full push up, you will simply jump your feet back then jump them back in with no push up in between. If you do include the push up, once you press back up, jump your feet back up to your hands. 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 Crawling – 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.

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.

90 Degree Squat Jumps – One rep of the 90 Degree Rotational Squat Jumps is actually four squat jumps. You will start facing forward with your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart. Squat down and then as you jump up, rotate to the right about 90 degrees. As you land go right back into a squat to load for the next jump. Do not land with your legs straight even if you are a beginner. Beginners may not be able to go right back into the squat, which is ok. Everyone will squat though before jumping back center. When you land back center, squat down and jump 90 degrees to the left. Then load again and jump back to the center. That is one rep. Repeat by jumping back to the right.

T Push Up – Set up in a regular push up position from your hands and knees (beginner) or hands and toes (advanced). Your hands should be outside your shoulders and your legs should be together. Your body should be in a nice straight line. Squeeze your glutes and draw your belly button in toward your spine. Do not let your hips sag or go up toward the ceiling and don’t tuck your head. Once at the top of a push up, do a push up and then when you push back up to the top, rotate open balancing on one hand as if you are doing a side plank. Hold and then rotate back to a push up position. Do another push up and rotate to the other side. Keep your body in a nice straight line as you do a push up and make sure to really rotate open into a side plank.

Sprinter Sit Up – 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.

Circle Shuffle, Sprawl, Sit Thru – Place a cone or some object to circle around. Bend your knees with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Then move laterally, shuffling around the cone. Make full circles, half circles and even quarter circles, moving both ways. Mix it up. Circle around the cone both ways. While circling mix in a sprawl and sit thru occasionally. So while circling, drop down to the ground in the top of a crawl or bull dog hold. To do the sit thru, 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. Once you’ve done a sit thru to each side, stand back up and begin shuffling again.

Mountain Climbers – Set up in a high plank from your hands and toes. Bring your right knee in toward your chest. Then drive the foot back out and bring your left knee in toward your chest. As you bring each knee in, you will just lightly tap the toe of that leg on the ground. Do not put weight on that front leg. Go as fast as you can, alternating knee drives. Mountain Climbers should look like you are “running” with your hands on the ground. Beginners may need to go slowly to start or even put their hands up on a low table or bar to perform incline mountain climbers. Advanced exercisers will want to “run” as quickly as possible or even add sliders or a towel under their feet.

The Badass Bodyweight Workout

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.

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.