Strength Training -Legs Day 1

Activites listed {in brackets} are an alternative to decrease difficulty. The primary activity posted is usually at an advanced level - please select an appropriate level for yourself using {alternatives}. Recommended weight is in square brackets [25llbs] -please also adjust this to your ability.

Complete each pair of exercises before moving to the next:

• Alternating Forward Lunges -2 sets x 20 reps [25llbs] {decrease or perform with no weight}
• Alternating Rear Lunges -2 sets x 20 reps

• Pop Squats -2 sets x 10 reps [1-4kg medicine ball] {perform with no weight}
• Wall Balls -2 sets x 15 reps [10+kg med ball]  {decrease to 5-8kg med ball}

-bend knees, use your legs for the wall ball

• Hamstring Curls on TRX -3 sets x 15 reps {hamstring curls on ab ball -use both legs together}
• Step ups -3 sets x 10 reps per side [30lbs] {perform step ups with no weight}

-step onto bench, bring body to full upright position

• Deadlift -3 sets x 10 reps [weight will vary greatly by ability] {Superman's}
• Squats -3 sets x 10 reps [weight will vary greatly by ability] {Double leg Squats with TRX}

-both exercises should only be performed if you have had proper instruction from a PFT or personal trainer outside of work. If not, use the {alternative} suggestion until you have received this instruction.

ABS: peform once all other exercises are complete

-Complete each exercise once, then return to beginning.

-Total of 3 sets.

• Hanging Abs -15 reps per set {Sit ups on Bosu} -25 reps per set
• V-sit snap ups -10 reps per set {Front Bridge} -30 secs per set
• Dead bug OR Bicycle ABs if ball is in use -45secs per set {Side Bridge} -30 secs per side per set
• (AB video links are below)

Cardio:

Cycling or rowing if you're doing this right after the weights. The weights may use most of your time and you'd be better off to return in the evening or tomorrow morning to fit in the cardio.

Here is an interval workout for the treadmill.

Intervals are in sequence of 
Recovery : Work at 7/10 : Work at 9/10
60 sec : 30 sec : 30 sec
So you are walking/joggin x 60 sec
Running at a 7/10 for 30 sec
Running at a 9/10 for 30 sec.

Repeat 7 times.

Cool down...

Lots of Hamstring, glute and quad stretching.

(if you're not an inflexible muscle head, you should be able to extend your back leg further than this guy!)

(this can be done faster, with more pace, and with a light -2-5llb weight in your hands for momentum)

(you don't have to watch much more than the first 10 secs... )

Hiatus

I know there hasn't been a post in a while, I hope you have all been able to dig through the archives to try on something that hasn't been seen in a while.

I'd like to provide some alternatives and a bit of a change as we move into the new year, so for the next few shifts in 2012 there won't necessarily be a post everyday. In the new year we can talk about individual options, but I think it's time to re-focus on some strength training as a general plan for the posted workouts. More details will follow eventually!

For now, since we are planning a big feast tonight, and I'm sure portion control isn't on the front of your minds, let's try and set our selves up for the best success we can with some high intensity interval training this morning focused on cardio and increasing our metabolism throughout the day.

Start as you normally would with your warm up/pre-hab.

Cardio interval #1:

Treadmill or Bike:

5 min warm up at a slow steady pace, bringing yourself up to a perceived exertion(PE) of 5/10 near the end
1 min running at a PE of 6/10 (a pace you could maintain for 30 minutes)
30 sec running at a PE of 7-8/10
30 running at a PE of 9/10
Repeat x 7

This is a 19 minute set of intervals.

Core:
3 Sets:
Banana Rock x 30
Wide Knee Abs x 40
High Plank x 45-60 seconds

To the stairs!

Take a skipping rope and wall ball to the stairs.
5 Rounds.
Run the stairs for 60 seconds, going for pace, but touch every stair up and down.
30 seconds on Wall Ball -focus on technique, but see how many reps you can get in a row
60 seconds of skipping. If you struggle with skipping, try working on it everyday when you aren't fatigued to improve. Now that you are fatigued, you can omit the skipping and add 30 seconds to both the run and the Wall Ball.

This is only another 10 minutes of work, so find a way to dig deep and really finish things off. It will really help get the metabolism going for the day.

Good Luck!

Saturday November 24th, 2012

Warm-up, pre-hab etc.

Tabata!
Pick a piece of cardio equipment: Bike/Treadmill/Rower
Tabata #1:
20s hard! (hard enough that if you had to go 21s you wouldn't be able to) 10s recovery. Repeat 8 times. (4 minutes of work)

Group #1: 3 sets, 10 reps each

• Deadlifts
• Squats (89 will have to use DB's)
• Cleans -Only if you are comfortable with this exercise. An alternative is simple shoulder shrugs.

Group #2: 3 sets, 10 reps each

• Olympic Bar push/pull
• Bicep pull up (underhand grip)
• Hamstring Curls on Ball

Group #3: 3 sets, 10 reps each

• Row with Squat on Bosu -too hard? take out the bosu. Too easy? Add a jump squat to the squat part of the movement
• Chest Press with Ball -do with partner or do pushups on your own
• Split Squat Jumps

Group #4:
Ab Intervals:

• Frogger- As many reps as you can in 30 seconds While maintaining good form! Recover for 10s, try and beat your number on the next one. 4 sets of this.
• Russian Twist x 40 per side
• Bridges: Front, then both sides. Hold each for 45s then rotate to the next. Hit each side/front 4 times.

Group #5:
Finish with 2 sets of max pull ups

Cool down, hydrate


 

Monday November 19th, 2012

Warm up, prehab

Pyramid: (#reps/set = 10...9...8...7...6...STOP!...Abs...Abs...Done) [if time and energy reserves allow, complete the pyramid down to 5...4...3...2...1]

Wall Ball

Olympic Bar Push/Pull (rep# = per side)

Pushups on one leg

TRX T's/Y's/W's {for this one, if you can't make it to 10 each, just max out on each set) 

Frogger x 10-15 everytime

Pull ups or Inverted Rows OR -Negative Pull ups (where you lower yourself down - especially good for you if you are struggling to increase your #reps for pull-ups)

Hammer Curls (remember to increase the weight as the reps drop)

Split Lunge Jumps

Tabata Abs x 2!

Stairs:
Alternate between sets of stairs and 15 burpees.
We've done this before for 10 and 15 minute stretches at a lower intensity with no breaks. Today's goal is different - intervals where the intensity is higher for a shorter duration.

Work for 60 seconds, rest for 30
Work for 90 seconds, rest for 30
Work for 2 minutes, rest for 30
Work for 3 minutes, rest for 60
Work for 2 minutes, rest for 30
Work for 90 seconds, rest for 30
Work for 60 seconds, rest for 30

Total of 12 minutes of work, 4 minutes rest.
Really focus on pushing harder as the work cycles decrease.Stretch, hydrate, stretch.

Friday, November 16th 2012

Since most stations didn't get to give this one a try last shift due to Remembrance Day, let's try it once more.

Hydrate.
Warm up/Pre-hab

Pick the bike or TM or Rower: Tabata on one of them.
20 on, 10 recovery Perform this work/recovery ratio 8 repetitions. (4 minutes)

Switch to a new piece of equipment, start again so that you complete 2 Tabata's. This is a total of 8 minutes, 16 cycles of 20 hard, 10 recovery on two pieces of equipment.


3 Groups:
 #1: (3 sets)
Frogger x 25
Burpees x 15
Deadlifts x 15-20 (use your own discretion) at low weight - low weight means starting at 20llbs / side or less, completing 15 reps, and reassessing your conditioning.
OR: Hamstring curls on Ball

 #2: (3 sets)
Pop pushups x 10
Inverted Rows x 10
TRX Pushups x 10
Squats x 15 at low weight

 #3: (3 sets)
DB Curls x 10
DB Pec Flys x 10
Bent Over Row x 10
Hamstring Curls on Ball x 10
Box Jumps x 20

 (if you need an added challenge, very carefully integrate landing on the Bosu. Start with jumping on and off the Bosu until you are comfortable, then transition to jumping from the bench, forward onto the Bosu. The last step is jumping from the bosu onto the bench, and returning to the Bosu in reverse)

Core: 3 sets
Hanging Abs x 15
Weighted Crunches x 15
Kettlebell Russian Twist x 20

Sun November 11, 2012

Hydrate.
Warm up/Pre-hab

Pick the bike or TM or Rower: Tabata on one of them.
20 on, 10 recovery Perform this work/recovery ratio 8 repetitions. (4 minutes)

Switch to a new piece of equipment, start again so that you complete 2 Tabata's. This is a total of 8 minutes, 16 cycles of 20 hard, 10 recovery on two pieces of equipment.


3 Groups:
 #1: (3 sets)
Frogger x 25
Burpees x 15
Deadlifts x 15-20 (use your own discretion) at low weight - low weight means starting at 20llbs / side or less, completing 15 reps, and reassessing your conditioning.
OR: Hamstring curls on Ball

 #2: (3 sets)
Pop pushups x 10
Inverted Rows x 10
TRX Pushups x 10
Squats x 15 at low weight

 #3: (3 sets)
DB Curls x 10
DB Pec Flys x 10
Bent Over Row x 10
Hamstring Curls on Ball x 10
Box Jumps x 20

 (if you need an added challenge, very carefully integrate landing on the Bosu. Start with jumping on and off the Bosu until you are comfortable, then transition to jumping from the bench, forward onto the Bosu. The last step is jumping from the bosu onto the bench, and returning to the Bosu in reverse) 

Core: 3 sets
Hanging Abs x 15
Weighted Crunches x 15
Kettlebell Russian Twist x 20

Thursday Nov 8th, 2012

Warm up, prehab

Pyramid: (#reps/set = 10...9...8...7...6...STOP!...Abs...Abs...Done) [if time and energy reserves allow, complete the pyramid down to 5...4...3...2...1]

Wall Ball

Olympic Bar Push/Pull (rep# = per side)

Pushups on one leg

TRX T's/Y's/W's {for this one, if you can't make it to 10 each, just max out on each set) 

Frogger x 10-15 everytime

Pull ups or Inverted Rows

Hammer Curls (remember to increase the weight as the reps drop)

Split Lunge Jumps

Tabata Abs x 2!

Stairs:
Alternate between sets of stairs and 15 burpees.
We've done this before for 10 and 15 minute stretches. Today's goal is different - intervals where the intensity is higher for a shorter duration.

Work for 60 seconds, rest for 30
Work for 90 seconds, rest for 30
Work for 2 minutes, rest for 30
Work for 3 minutes, rest for 60
Work for 2 minutes, rest for 30
Work for 90 seconds, rest for 30
Work for 60 seconds, rest for 30

Total of 12 minutes of work, 4 minutes rest.
Really focus on pushing harder as the work cycles decrease.
Stretch, hydrate, stretch.