Best Body Workout – 2011 – Week 49 – Day 3

We’re heading back to Tabata-land with this workout.

REMINDER – for this workout, you will need a stopwatch or interval timer. Trying to watch a wall clock while doing this workout is not so easy.

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WORKOUT WARM-UP

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

 

THE WORKOUT

Exercise #1 - Thrusters

• Thrusters (BB or DB) for 20 seconds
• Rest (standing) for 10 seconds
• 8 sets of thrusters
• 4 minutes  total
• Perform as many reps as possible per set

4 minutes done….time to catch your breath

I normally keep my clients rest periods under 2 minutes as a rule, but we all have different levels of fitness. If 2 minutes is too short for you, use your breathing as a guide. When you are breathing “almost normal”, it’s time to workout again.

Exercise #2 - Ab Wheel Roll-Out (or barbell / stability ball roll-out)

• Roll-outs for 20 seconds
• Rest (kneeling) for 10 seconds
• 8 sets of roll-outs
• 4 minutes total
• Perform as many reps as possible per set

Keep breathing… you can also stretch out tight muscles during this break if you are an over-achiever.

Exercise #3

Straight Arm Pulldowns – standing – use a rope handle

• Pulldown for 20 seconds
• Rest for 10 seconds
• 8 sets of pulldowns
• 4 minutes total
• Perform as many reps as possible per set

Breathe

Exercise #4

Push-Ups

• From the floor if you can do them
• Using a smith machine if you can’t do floor push-ups
• No “girl” push-ups on the knees
• Push-up for 20 seconds
• Rest (floor) for 10 seconds
• 8 sets total of Push-ups
• 4 minutes  total
• Perform as many reps as possible per set

Alright…you’ve just completed 16 minutes of HIIT/HIRT/Tabata work.

This is the minimum amount of work for the day. 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

After that, you’re done for the day.

Stretch and go home

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

Next week….whole new program

Doug Robb is a personal trainer, a fitness blogger and author, a competitive athlete, and a student of nutrition and exercise science. Since 2008, Doug has expanded his impact by bringing his real-world experience online via his health & fitness blog, Health Habits. Read more posts by Doug at Hive Health Media.