Last week we focused on basic bodyweight activities which
are great to build up your strength and get your technique right. Try write
down how many reps you do on your 10 second break between each exercise so that
you when you do the same workout again you can see how much you have improved
and see your own progress first hand.
When you start a new exercise program, your body responds
because it is required to make numerous changes to adjust to different work
outs. So your muscles are rebuilding themselves and this consumes all kinds of
calories. But at some point your body will stop adapting to the new workloads
and, as a result, you burn less calories for the same activities. The more you
do something, the better you get at it. As your body becomes better at
performing your exercises, it can actually use fewer calories during the
exercises.
Solution:
Don’t let your body get used to the exercise. Maintain your
body’s adaptation period by changing the intensity, duration, frequency of the
exercise. This could be changing your exercises, trying more difficult
exercises, adding cardio in between exercises, changing the workout time from
30 seconds to 50 seconds or vice versa.
This week we are adding weight to intensify our workouts.
This doesn’t mean that you need expensive equipment. Think of creative ways to create weight. I used to fill a bag full of books, or fill a back with bags of rice, or use large full water bottles. If you feel the bodyweights are challenging
enough then leave out the weights and add them in when you feel you are ready
to progress to the next stage.
This week the three of us will each provide you with three
different workouts to show you examples of ways you can change up your
workouts. The format, frequency and duration of these exercises will all be
different to each other so that your body can’t adjust and you keep burning
calories.
Mary:
My work out this week is going to be a mix of cardio and
weighted exercises. It is good to mix in cardio in order to keep your heart rate up and burn calories. Set your timers to 50 seconds on / 10 seconds rest for 16 minutes. Do two rounds of the below exercises.
Skipping is a great cardio exercise. It will help improve fitness, flexibility and co-ordination. It can trim hips, thighs and bums. Try lifting your knees up high to engage your core. If you don't have a rope, do high knees.
2. Pike Press
The pike press is a great way to strengthen shoulders and arms. Get into a pushup position. Walk your arms backwards and lift the hips straight up. Keep your knees straight. In this position perform pushups, bringing your forehead to the ground and press back up.This is a great exercise for your shoulders. Get into the below position and press your head forward to the ground and repeat.
The pike press is a great way to strengthen shoulders and arms. Get into a pushup position. Walk your arms backwards and lift the hips straight up. Keep your knees straight. In this position perform pushups, bringing your forehead to the ground and press back up.This is a great exercise for your shoulders. Get into the below position and press your head forward to the ground and repeat.
3. Skipping/High Knees
4. Inverted Row
This exercise is great for your back and core. Make sure your back is straight and you are not dropping your butt down. The further you extend your legs the harder this exercise becomes. Hold your core tight and pull yourself up. Control the movement on the way down- don't drop just drop back into the starting position.
Try using a table or two chairs and brush if you don' t have the equipment.
This exercise is great for your back and core. Make sure your back is straight and you are not dropping your butt down. The further you extend your legs the harder this exercise becomes. Hold your core tight and pull yourself up. Control the movement on the way down- don't drop just drop back into the starting position.
Try using a table or two chairs and brush if you don' t have the equipment.
5. Skipping/High Knees
6. Elevated push up with Knee Tucks
Push ups are an exercise that target the chest, arms and shoulders. To make pushups harder elevate the feet and do decline pushups. You can choose different objects to put your feet on. The greater the height the more weight on your chest muscles. After pushup do left and right knee tuck to work your core.
Push ups are an exercise that target the chest, arms and shoulders. To make pushups harder elevate the feet and do decline pushups. You can choose different objects to put your feet on. The greater the height the more weight on your chest muscles. After pushup do left and right knee tuck to work your core.
7. Skipping/High Knees
8. Sandbag Squat Clean and Press
The clean and press works virtually every muscle in your body. In one straight motion grab the weight and lift clean, squat down and then press the weight up and repeat.
The clean and press works virtually every muscle in your body. In one straight motion grab the weight and lift clean, squat down and then press the weight up and repeat.
Fergus:
Fergus is doing an AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible). This
means you have no break and have to do as many rounds as possible within the
allotted time. If the timer ends when you are in a new round. Finish that round
off.
Set your time to 12 minutes and do the following rounds as you can.
Set your time to 12 minutes and do the following rounds as you can.
1. Pull Ups x 10 reps
Pull ups are a great upper body workout. Grab the pull up bar with your hands places about shoulder width. Pull yourself upward until your chin is over the bar and complete the exercise by slowly moving to the hanging position. If you cannot do any pull ups all you have to do is get your chin over the bar by standing on something like a chair or putting one leg on a chair. The better you get at this move the chair further forward until eventually you don't need the chair anymore. If you do not have a pull up bar, do the inverted row above using chairs or table.
2. Dumbell Plank Single Arm Row x 15
This is an effective exercise for developing the lats and core and is performed by performing a row from the plank pose and squeezing the shoulders together. Tense your core and maintain a straight back. Row one dumbell up towards the chest by bending the elbow. Add in a push up to make it more difficult.
This is an advanced version of the tricep dip. Grasping two parallel bars that are approx shoulder width apart. Raise yourself up to an initial position with your arms extended and supporting the entire weight of your body. Next lower yourself to a final position where your elbows are bent and then use your arms to push yourself upwards to the initial position.
This is a great exercise to target the upper and lower abdominal muscles. Use your arms for support to lift your upper body and bend your knees and touch elbow to your knees.Repeat on the other side
5. Weighted Squat x 40
Squats are the most important weight training exercise because they work your whole body, not just your legs. Add weights to make it more difficult. Keep a straight back and engage your core. Do not let your knees out over your feet.
Taylor:
Taylor is doing an exercises where the routine is divided in to three rounds and you must complete the first round three times before moving onto the next round and so on.
Round 1
Repeat three times before moving to the next round.
1. Spider Push Ups
This is a variation of the original pushup that incorporates leg movements to work your hips and abdominal region as well as working your chest, shoulders and triceps. Get into position with hands on the floor and straighten your body into a standard pushup position, with toes on the floor. Bend your arms as you would in a regular push up and lift your knee to your left elbow at the same time. Press yourself back up while straightening your left leg and placing it back in place. Do same again on the right.
2. One Arm Dumbell Row
This is a good exercise for your middle back. Choose a flat surface and place your left leg on top of the end of the chair, bend your torso forward from the waist and place your left hand on chair for support. Using the right hand to pick up the dumbbell on the floor and pull the weight up to the side of your chest. Do 10 reps and then switch sides and repeat again.
Round 2
Repeat three times before moving to the next round.
1. Chair plank
Use the chair to elevate your body when in the plank position and do a pushup. Step to the right whilst remaining in a plank and press-up, step back up to the chair press up. This is one rep. Repeat to the other side. This works your whole body.
2. Ski Abs
This is a great core exercise. Start in the plank position and jump with both your legs together to your right elbow, back to the plank position and then to your left elbow. By jumping the feet in and out to either side of your body, you will focus on the obliques.
Round 3
Repeat three times
1. Burpee Upright Row
Start with a pushup and straight into an upright row. Burpee works your whole body and the upright row targets your upper body. Bend at your hips and knees, grab the dumbbells with an overhand grip. Without allowing your lower back to round, stand up, pull the weight to neck with elbows leading. Lower and repeat.
2. Diamond Push ups
This exercise targets your triceps. Do a pushup with your hands close enough for the tips of your thumbs and index fingers to touch forming a diamond shape.
Taylor is doing an exercises where the routine is divided in to three rounds and you must complete the first round three times before moving onto the next round and so on.
Round 1
Repeat three times before moving to the next round.
1. Spider Push Ups
This is a variation of the original pushup that incorporates leg movements to work your hips and abdominal region as well as working your chest, shoulders and triceps. Get into position with hands on the floor and straighten your body into a standard pushup position, with toes on the floor. Bend your arms as you would in a regular push up and lift your knee to your left elbow at the same time. Press yourself back up while straightening your left leg and placing it back in place. Do same again on the right.
2. One Arm Dumbell Row
This is a good exercise for your middle back. Choose a flat surface and place your left leg on top of the end of the chair, bend your torso forward from the waist and place your left hand on chair for support. Using the right hand to pick up the dumbbell on the floor and pull the weight up to the side of your chest. Do 10 reps and then switch sides and repeat again.
Round 2
Repeat three times before moving to the next round.
1. Chair plank
Use the chair to elevate your body when in the plank position and do a pushup. Step to the right whilst remaining in a plank and press-up, step back up to the chair press up. This is one rep. Repeat to the other side. This works your whole body.
2. Ski Abs
This is a great core exercise. Start in the plank position and jump with both your legs together to your right elbow, back to the plank position and then to your left elbow. By jumping the feet in and out to either side of your body, you will focus on the obliques.
Round 3
Repeat three times
1. Burpee Upright Row
Start with a pushup and straight into an upright row. Burpee works your whole body and the upright row targets your upper body. Bend at your hips and knees, grab the dumbbells with an overhand grip. Without allowing your lower back to round, stand up, pull the weight to neck with elbows leading. Lower and repeat.
2. Diamond Push ups
This exercise targets your triceps. Do a pushup with your hands close enough for the tips of your thumbs and index fingers to touch forming a diamond shape.
Good Luck!
