***If you have some extra time at your desk before or after doing this workout, roll out any tight areas you can with a tennis ball or roller if you have it.
WARM UP
Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Set a timer for 15-20 minutes. Complete as many rounds of the circuit below as you can in that time. Rest only as needed.
CIRCUIT: 10-15 reps Band Seesaw
10-15 reps Band Rows
10-15 reps Band Hip Hinges
10-15 reps Band Twists
COOL DOWN
Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
NOTES:
If you don’t have 15 minutes at one time, try just doing a round, or even one exercise, every time you get up from your desk. Pick a rep range that allows you to keep moving.
If you have to rest a lot during the circuit, you won’t get as much out of the 15 minutes. Try to keep moving the entire time.
WARM UP Stretch and Roll Out:
Feet
Shins
Calves
IT Bands
Hips/Glutes
Groin
Quads
Hamstrings
ACTIVATION
Complete 1 round of the circuit below.
CIRCUIT: 20 reps Glute Bridge
10 reps per side Fire Hydrants
5 reps per side Sit Thru to Thoracic Bridge
15 reps Scapular Push Ups
WORKOUT
Complete 3-5 rounds of each superset. Rest up to 1 minute between rounds and then up to 2 minutes between supersets.
SUPERSET #1:
8-12 reps per side Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift
8-12 reps per side Single Arm Kettlebell Rows
SUPERSET #2:
8-12 reps per side Racked Reverse Lunge
8-12 reps per side Renegade Rows
FINISHER:
Set a timer for 30 seconds of work 30 seconds of rest. Use as heavy a weight as possible while maintaining perfect form throughout the 30 seconds. Complete 5-8 rounds of the exercise below.
EXERCISE: Kettlebell Swings
COOL DOWN Stretch and Roll Out:
Feet
Shins
Calves
IT Bands
Hips/Glutes
Groin
Quads
Hamstrings
NOTES:
Try to go up in weight as you get used to the movements even if it means lowering your reps. Also, for the swings, make sure your form is correct before going up in weight. You want to really focus on the hip hinge.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Glute Bridge – 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. Do not rush through the move. To make the move harder, hold longer at the top or even slow down the lower back down to the ground. A slower tempo means more time under tension and more work for your glutes.
Fire Hydrants – Place your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Flex your feet. Then raise one leg out to the side, keeping the knee bent to 90 degrees. Lift it as high as you can while keeping your arms straight. Try to not let the foot get higher than the knee or the knee get higher than the foot. Really squeeze the butt cheek as you lift. Hold for a second or two at the top. Lower down and then repeat. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
Sit Thru to Thoracic Bridge – Set up on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Flex your feet and lift up onto your hands and toes. Then lift your right hand and bring your left leg through and place your left foot flat on the ground. Rotate your hips up toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes to lift them up as high as you can. While your lift your hips, reach your right hand down toward the ground, rotating your chest toward the floor. Feel your glutes working to keep BOTH hips up, while you reach your hand down. We have a tendency when we rotate to drop the hip on the side we are rotating toward. Make sure both hips stay up as high as possible. You should feel a nice rotation and stretch through your spine. You are twisting almost like someone wringing out a towel. Then drop your hips and step your foot back through while placing your hand back down on the ground. Step through and rotate to the other side, bridging your hips up as high as you can as you reach toward the ground.
Scapular Push Ups – Set up in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your feet together as if you are going to do a push up. Your body should be in a nice straight line from head to your heels. Then, without bending your elbows, press your chest out and pinch your shoulder blades together. Do not tuck your chin or allow your hips to drop toward the ground. Your elbows should not bend. You are not doing a push up. You are simply pinching your shoulder blades together. This move has a very small range of motion. All you are doing is pinching your shoulder blades together and then relaxing or even rounding your back up out of it (round your back at the top is another variation but can be very useful for correcting certain push up problems). If done right the Scapular Push Up should be felt in your back as well as your core.
Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift – Hold a kettlebell in each hand down by your sides. Stand on your right leg with your knee slightly bent and your left toe lightly touching the ground. Then lift your left leg back toward the wall behind you as you hinge over, keeping your back flat. As you hinge over, drop the kettlebells down and back. Do not reach them toward the ground and let your back round. Only lower them as far as you can without rounding or “squatting.” Your standing knee should be soft but isn’t going to bend extra as you hinge over. Make sure that as you hinge over you sit back in your heel and then drive through your heel to come back up to standing. You want to feel your hamstring and glute work.
Single Arm Kettlebell Rows – You can simply hinge over or you can hinge over and place your hand on your leg or a table, chair, bench or box. Keep your knees slightly bent. You can stand with your legs together or in a staggered stance. Hinge over, pushing your butt back. Your back should stay nice and flat as you lean forward. Extend the arm with the kettlebell down by your side. Place your other hand on the bench for support. Do not let your arm with the kettlebell rotate your body. Keep your back flat and don’t reach. Then row the kettlebell up toward your chest, keeping your arm in tight to your body. Drive the elbow up to the ceiling, rowing the bell in right below your pec. Do not shrug your shoulder. Then slowly lower the bell back down. Do not let your back round or reach to try to get the bell closer to the ground as you lower. Complete all reps on one side before switching. If you don’t have a heavier weight, but need more of a challenge, slow down the tempo of your reps.
Racked Reverse Lunge – Stand with your feet together. Rack the kettlebell on one side of your body. To rack the kettlebell, you will put your hand through the handle, settling the handle low on your hand. You will let the bell rest on the back of your forearm. Then grip the handle and pull your arm in toward your chest. Do not let your elbow flare up too much toward your shoulder, but just enough to prevent the kettlebell from rolling forward off your arm. Then with the kettlebell in the racked position, lunge the opposite leg backward and sink down into a deep lunge. You want to almost touch your back knee to the ground. Keep your chest up nice and tall as you lunge back. To come back up to standing, drive off your front heel. Bring your back foot forward and stand up nice and tall. Complete all reps on one side and then switch to the other leg. To advance the move, rack the kettlebell on the same side as the leg that lunges backward. Make sure you do not lean forward or to the side. Keep your torso up nice and tall. Beginners may not want to lunge as low to begin and will use a lighter weight if they even use any.
Renegade Rows – For this move you will need two kettlebells. Set them on the ground just outside your chest. Set up in a high plank position with each hand on a kettlebell handle. Beginners may need to do this from their knees while more advanced exercisers will do this on their toes. If you are doing this on your toes, set your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. A wider stance will make the move easier by making it easier to balance. Once in the plank, row one kettlebell up toward your chest, driving your elbow up toward the ceiling. Row the bell all the way up to your chest just below your pec. Keep your core tight and squeeze your glutes. Do not let your hips go up toward the ceiling or rotate to the side. After rowing the weight up to your chest, lower the weight back down and then row up on the other side. Keep alternating until all reps are complete.
Kettlebell Swings – For a complete guide to the Kettlebell Swing, click here.
WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Set a timer for 30 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest. Do an exercise for 30 seconds then transition to the next exercise in the 15 seconds of rest before working for 30 seconds on the next. After completing all the exercises, rest for 1 minute before repeating the circuit. Complete 5-8 rounds of the circuit.
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
NOTES:
Make sure you choose a variation of each exercise and a weight that challenges you but allows you to keep moving the entire 30 seconds. Do not rest during the 30 seconds of work. Regress as needed, but keep moving.
WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Complete 3-5 rounds of each circuit. Rest between rounds as needed. And rest up to 2 minutes between circuits. Try to not rest between exercises.
CIRCUIT #1: 10-15 reps Squat To Press
10-15 reps Band Rows
8-12 reps per side High To Low Woodchoppers
CIRCUIT #2: 15-20 reps Band Hip Hinge
10-15 reps Chest Flyes
10-15 reps per side Stability Press
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
NOTES:
Pick a resistance band that challenges you for each move. You may need to use different bands for different exercises. Also, make sure you do not rush through the movements and that you focus on the correct muscles working. Do not just go through the motions. Actually think about the muscles working to make sure they are!
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
For all the exercises in this workout (and other Resistance Band Moves), check out this post – Stay in Shape While Traveling!
WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
WORKOUT
Set a timer for 30 minutes and complete as many rounds of the circuit below as possible in that time. Rest only as needed.
CIRCUIT: 8-12 reps Backward Rotational Lunge to Forward Cross Lunge
10-15 reps Scapular Wall Row or Corner Row
5-10 reps per side Side Arm Balance Burpees
5-10 reps per side Sit Thru
COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats
NOTES:
Complete as many reps as possible in the 30 minutes. Do not go to failure on any exercise so that you can keep moving. Make sure to challenge yourself though and do the hardest variation of each move as possible.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Backward Rotational Lunge to Forward Cross Lunge – These two lunges make up one rep. Starting on the left side you will lunge back toward “7″ on the clock with your left foot. Your left foot, when you step back, will be perpendicular to your right foot, which is pointing toward “12.” Push your butt back and sink into a lunge, bending the left knee while keeping the right leg straight. Do not let the left heel come up. Keep your chest up and sit your butt backward. Driving off your left heel, push back to standing. Make sure that your right toe doesn’t rotate but continues to point toward “12.” Also make sure your right leg does not bend. Then come back up to standing and with the left foot, lunge forward and across toward about “2″ on the clock with your left foot. Pivot your left foot so that your feet are perpendicular. Sink down into a lunge, bending both knees. Make sure your left heel stays down as you lunge. Then drive off your left heel to come back to standing.
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.
Side Arm Balance Burpees – To do the Side Arm Balance Burpee, start standing. Then bend over and place your hands on the ground as you jump your feet back into a high plank position. Perform a push up. Once at the top of the push up, lift one hand up toward the ceiling and rotate into a side plank. Open completely and then place the hand back down on the ground and perform another push up, dropping your chest to the ground. At the top of the push up, rotate into a side plank on the other side. Then perform another push up. Once you’ve completed the push up, jump your feet in toward your hands and come to standing, jumping at the top. Beginners can always step back instead of jumping. They can also do the push ups from their knees or even remove a push up or two if needed. Beginners may simply jump back and do a side arm balance to each side. Or they may just need to remove one push up and do a two push up variation (push up, side arm balance, push up, side arm balance then jump up). Or they can even do a single push up variation (push up, side arm balance, side arm balance, jump up). All are acceptable variations as long as the focus is on a quality movement. Do fewer push ups if it means QUALITY push ups. Check out this post for a video of the move and other Burpee Movements.
Sit Thru – 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.
