Health Habits Workout – Week 27/Day 1

Goals: New workout coming at you.

For the next 3 weeks, we’re doing a HIIT/HIRT/Tabata style workout.

In Week 1, we’re going to use a 20 sec. work : 20 sec. rest ratio during our supersets

In Week 2, the ratio shifts to 20 sec. work : 15 sec. rest

In Week 3, we go to the full-on Tabata ratio of 20 sec. work : 10 sec. rest

During these workouts, I want you to balance the amount weight you use with number of  reps per set .

• If you normally like to push heavy weight…I want you to cut back and focus on the number of reps per set
• If you normally go lighter but like to do high rep sets..then I want you to up the weight and drop the reps

The success of this program depends on you being willing to break out of your comfort zone.
And after these 3 weeks, we’re going to back off for a week with some bridge workouts….and then dive back into another 3 week cycle focusing on different exercises.

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WORKOUT WARM-UP

Feel free to mix things up during the warm-up. The goal is to warm up your muscles and to get your joints lubricated. I like the following warm-up exercises, but if you’re getting sick of them..do your own thing…as long as it gets the job done.

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

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THE WORKOUT

Exercise #1

Bodyweight Squat

• Squat for 20 seconds
• Rest (standing) for 20 seconds
• 6 sets of squats
• 4 minutes total
• Perform as many reps as possible per set
• Resistance can be added by holding a dumbbell/plate at chest height

No rest between work sets

Do this instead…..

• Using a resistance band or cable station, face away from the band/cable station holding the band/handle overhead.
• If arms overhead is too tough on your shoulders, rest your hands on your head.
• With a “slight” forward lean, walk (gradually) forward until the resistance starts to pull you backwards or you start bending at the spine.
• This exercise mimics a bridge/plank exercise, except instead of being in a horizontal position, you are vertical
• To make it tougher, stand on one foot.

Exercise #2

See Saw Press

• Press the DBs/KBs for 20 seconds
• Rest (arms at side) for 20 seconds
• 6 sets of see saw presses
• 4 minutes total
• Perform as many reps as possible per set

Back to the standing cable/band bridge/plank thingie for a minute

Exercise #3

Standing Cable Row

• Row for 20 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds
• 6 sets of standing cable rows
• 4 minutes total
• Perform as many reps as possible per set

Back to the standing cable/band bridge/plank thingie for another minute

This time – face sideways to the cable stack with your arm straight out to the side at shoulder height – stand on the leg closest to the stack – this will be tough

Exercise #4

1 Leg Deadlift

• Deadlift on 1 leg for 20 seconds
• Rest (standing) for 20 seconds
• Repeat on other leg – alternate back and forth
• 6 sets of 1 Leg DLs
• 4 minutes total
• Perform as many reps as possible per set
• Hold DBs for resistance

Back to the standing cable/band bridge/plank thingie for another minute

This time – sideways again (but face the opposite direction – 180 degree turn) to the cable stack with your arm straight out to the side at shoulder height – stand on the leg closest to the stack – this will be tough

At this point, you have done 16 minutes of HIIT/HIRT/Tabata work. This is the minimum amount of work for the day. However, depending upon your fitness level, I want you to try and complete all 4 exercises again – that would be 32 min of HIIT/HIRT/Tabata + the standing cable bridge exercise.

After that, you’re done for the day.

Stretch and go home

Tomorrow, it’s some easy cardio & stretching (lots of stretching)

Wednesday, it’s back to the weights