Website: www.gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is an excellent
way for anyone to workout for a short duration (only 20 - 30 minutes) but still
place a huge demand on their entire muscular and cardiorespiratory systems, also
stressing the entire core, and developing mental toughness.
Probably the two greatest things about HIIT are that it
can be performed virtually anywhere, and can incorporate practically every
exercise you can imagine.
Because HIIT is so versatile you can select exercises
which use only your bodyweight, or you can use any piece of fitness equipment;
from barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, powerbags, weight discs, slam or
medicine balls, suspension trainers, Olympic rings, steps or boxes, resistance
bands, battle ropes, fitness domes, stability balls, weighted vests,
pull-up/chin-up and dip frames, abdominal wheels, cardiovascular machines - the
list really is endless.
Depending on the equipment available to you, the
intensity which you decide to work at, and how much variety you want in the
workouts, you can select anywhere from just 2 different exercises and perform
10 or more supersets, or you can work with 4, 6, 8, or even 10 different
exercises and keep the intensity high and the rest periods to 10 - 20 seconds.
To demonstrate just how easy it is to devise your own
punishing HIIT workouts, on the following pages, I have outlined 10 HIIT
workouts (with detailed step-by-step exercise performance instructions) which
utilise just 2 exercises per workout.
You must superset the exercises (superset: perform the
prescribed number of repetitions for the first exercise then, without rest,
immediately perform the prescribed number of repetitions for the second
exercise). Once you have completed all the prescribed number of repetitions for
both exercises you must have no more than 20 seconds rest before performing the
next superset. For these workouts I have prescribed a total of 10 sets.
If you are devising your own HIIT workouts there are a
few basics you’ll need to get right if you are to get the most from each
workout:
- Firstly, remember to pair exercises together which place a different demand on the body. For example, a total body exercise paired with either a core stability exercise or a cardiovascular exercise; or an upper body exercise paired with a lower body exercise; or an explosive/plyometric exercise paired with a cardiovascular exercise etc.
- Try not to pair exercises together which place a demand on the same muscle groups/areas.
- Choose ‘compound’ exercises (these are exercises which place a demand on multiple muscle groups in just a single exercise).
- Steer clear of ‘isolation’ exercises (these are exercises which predominantly place a demand on just one muscle group).
- As the title suggests, these workouts are always meant to be High Intensity. With this always in mind, you must workout to your maximal effort during every repetition of every set.
- To ensure the intensity stays high throughout, you must keep any rest periods to a minimum, ideally only 20 seconds, with 30 seconds a maximum.
- To ensure ‘overload’ (continual fitness progression as a result of an adaptation to the increased stress being placed upon the body) you must perform a different HIIT workout each time you workout, so as not to allow the body to plateau, get bored and/or reduce any fitness progression.
Workout One
Equipment
|
Body Part
|
Exercise
|
Weight
|
Reps
|
Sets
|
Level
|
Speed
|
Time
|
Light Log or C.V. equipment of choice.
|
C.V. & Warm-Up
|
Jogging, Cycling,
Rowing.
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
Don’t perform your C.V. component so intensely that the exercise
becomes anaerobic.
Ensure you can talk comfortably throughout, without becoming too out
of breath.
|
||||||||
As well as
the cardiovascular warm-up, above, perform a thorough warm-up of dynamic stretches
covering all major muscles. Perform 10 repetitions per dynamic stretch.
|
||||||||
Mat / Floor
|
Total Body
|
Full Burpee (Burpee with a Press-Up)
|
10
|
10
|
||||
Mat / Floor
|
Core
|
Body Plank
|
10
|
30 Seconds
|
||||
Light Jogging / Walking or C.V. equipment of choice
|
C.V. &
Cool Down
|
Walking, Cycling, Rowing
|
Easy
|
Easy
|
5 - 10 Minutes
|
|||
As with the Warm-Up, don’t perform your Cool Down C.V. component so
intensely that the exercise becomes anaerobic. Ensure you can talk
comfortably throughout, without becoming too out of breath.
|
Exercise
|
Performance
Instructions
|
Full Burpee
(Burpees with a Press-Up)
|
·
This is what’s commonly known as a
Full Burpee because it includes the Press-Up component.
·
Stand up straight, with your head up,
shoulders back, chest out, feet together and arms hanging down by your sides.
·
Bending at the knees, drop low into a
squat position and place your hands on the floor in front of you.
·
Next, keeping your feet together,
kick both your legs backwards until you are in the standard press-up
position.
·
Now, perform 1 standard press-up.
·
Once you have completed the press-up,
immediately thrust your knees back up to your chest and, straightening your
legs, return to a standing position.
·
Repeat, without rest, for the
prescribed number of repetitions.
|
Body Plank
|
·
Start off in the standard press up
position, with your body and legs forming a straight line from your head,
shoulders, hips, knees and ankles, resting your lower body on your toes &
balls of your feet.
·
Next, bend your arms and lower
yourself until you are resting your upper body on your forearms; ensure your
elbows are positioned directly underneath your shoulders, so not to fatigue
your shoulder muscles.
·
Keeping your body straight from
shoulders to heels, contract the core muscles of your lower back, abdominals,
obliques and glutes.
·
Hold this position, in strict form,
for as long as possible.
·
Breathe normally throughout this
exercise.
·
Each week increase the time by just
1 second
|
Workout Two
Equipment
|
Body Part
|
Exercise
|
Weight
|
Reps
|
Sets
|
Level
|
Speed
|
Time
|
Light Log or C.V. equipment of choice.
|
C.V. & Warm-Up
|
Jogging, Cycling,
Rowing.
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
Don’t perform your C.V. component so intensely that the exercise
becomes anaerobic.
Ensure you can talk comfortably throughout, without becoming too out
of breath.
|
||||||||
As well as
the cardiovascular warm-up, above, perform a thorough warm-up of dynamic
stretches covering all major muscles. Perform 10 repetitions per dynamic
stretch.
|
||||||||
Dumbbells, Powerbag, Kettlebell(s)
Slamball etc
|
Total Body
|
Overhead Reverse Lunges
|
10 Each Leg
|
10
|
||||
Mat / Floor
|
CV
|
Jumping Jacks
|
20
|
10
|
||||
Light Jogging / Walking or C.V. equipment of choice
|
C.V. &
Cool Down
|
Walking, Cycling, Rowing
|
Easy
|
Easy
|
5 - 10 Minutes
|
|||
As with the Warm-Up, don’t perform your Cool Down C.V. component so
intensely that the exercise becomes anaerobic. Ensure you can talk
comfortably throughout, without becoming too out of breath.
|
Exercise
|
Performance
Instructions
|
Overhead Reverse Lunges
|
·
Stand with your feet shoulder width
apart and your knees slightly bent.
·
Keep your back straight, head up
and shoulders back.
·
For resistance you can use 1 or 2
dumbbell(s), 1 or 2 kettlebell(s), a powerbag or a slam/medicine ball.
·
Whatever form of resistance you choose,
bicep curl it up to chest height then perform a shoulder press, straightening
your arms until the weight is directly above your head with your arms locked.
·
Keep your arms in this position
throughout the exercise.
·
Keep your torso upright throughout
this exercise.
·
As with most alternate exercises it
is entirely down to personal preference which leg you start the exercise
with. As long as you alternate and perform the same number of repetitions for
each leg it is fine. However, for this explanation I will be starting with
the left.
·
From this start position, take a
big step backwards with your left leg. When the toes of your left / back foot
is planted your right thigh must be parallel to the floor but your knee must
not be forward of your toes. Your left leg must also be bent at the knee with
your knee stopping just short of touching the floor.
·
Contract your left thigh and push
yourself back up to the start position and repeat with the right.
·
Performing the exercise with both
legs equals 1 repetition. Perform 10 repetitions.
|
Jumping Jacks
|
·
Stand up straight, with your head up,
shoulders back, chest out, feet together and arms hanging down by your sides.
·
Bending at the knees, bounce down
slightly then jump upwards, just a few inches off the floor. Before landing,
open your legs out to the sides and land back on the floor with your feet
wider than shoulder width apart.
·
At the same time as you are moving
your legs outwards, raise your arms from your sides in semi-circles until you
touch your hands above your head.
·
You should time it so that your feet
land back on the floor and your hands touch above your head at the same time.
·
Jump up again and bring your arms
back down to your sides and your feet back together and repeat.
|
Workout Three
Equipment
|
Body Part
|
Exercise
|
Weight
|
Reps
|
Sets
|
Level
|
Speed
|
Time
|
Light Log or C.V. equipment of choice.
|
C.V. & Warm-Up
|
Jogging, Cycling,
Rowing.
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
Don’t perform your C.V. component so intensely that the exercise
becomes anaerobic.
Ensure you can talk comfortably throughout, without becoming too out
of breath.
|
||||||||
As well as
the cardiovascular warm-up, above, perform a thorough warm-up of dynamic
stretches covering all major muscles. Perform 10 repetitions per dynamic
stretch.
|
||||||||
Dumbbells, Powerbag, Kettlebell(s)
Slamball etc
|
Total Body
|
Thrusters
|
10
|
10
|
||||
Floor / Yard
|
C.V.
|
25 metre Shuttle Runs
|
6
|
10
|
||||
Light Jogging / Walking or C.V. equipment of choice
|
C.V. &
Cool Down
|
Walking, Cycling, Rowing
|
Easy
|
Easy
|
5 - 10 Minutes
|
|||
As with the Warm-Up, don’t perform your Cool Down C.V. component so
intensely that the exercise becomes anaerobic. Ensure you can talk
comfortably throughout, without becoming too out of breath.
|
Exercise
|
Performance Instructions
|
Thrusters
|
·
Thrusters
are basically a squat with a shoulder press.
·
For
resistance you can choose 1 or 2 dumbbell(s), 1 or 2 kettlebell(s), a
powerbag or a slam/medicine ball.
·
Bending
at the elbows, bicep curl the dumbbell(s), powerbag, kettlebell(s) or
slam/medicine ball up towards your shoulders.
·
Stand
with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
·
In
this start position, keep your head up, shoulders back and look straight
ahead.
·
Next,
perform a standard squat, as below.
·
Thrusters/Squat component: keep your head up, shoulders back and look
straight ahead at something at eye height e.g. a position on a piece of
furniture or simply a mark on the wallpaper etc. This will ensure you keep
your spine in the correct position as you lower and raise your torso.
·
Keeping
your eyes on the mark ahead, slowly and in a controlled manner, as if sitting
back into a chair, bending at the hips, lower your torso towards the floor
until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
·
Contract
your leg muscles and slowly raise yourself up to the standing position.
·
Thruster/Shoulder Press component: As you contract your thighs and return to a
standing position from the basic squat, contract your shoulders and triceps
and push the dumbbell(s), powerbag, kettlebell(s) or slam/medicine ball
directly upwards.
·
In
the finish position you will be standing upright with your arms completely
straight and the dumbbells(s), powerbag, kettlebell(s) or slam/medicine ball
directly overhead.
·
Once
you have completed both components above, bending at the elbows, bring the
dumbbells(s), powerbag, kettlebell(s) or slam/medicine ball back down to
chest height.
·
This
equals 1 repetition.
|
25 metre
Shuttle Runs
|
·
Firstly,
ensure you have a clear, dry, unobstructed, run of approximately 25 metres.
·
Simply
run, at a fast jogging pace, from the start of the shuttle to the other end.
·
Ensure
you keep your posture correct even as you feel more and more fatigued.
|
Workout Four
Equipment
|
Body Part
|
Exercise
|
Weight
|
Reps
|
Sets
|
Level
|
Speed
|
Time
|
Light Log or C.V. equipment of choice.
|
C.V. & Warm-Up
|
Jogging, Cycling,
Rowing.
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
Don’t perform your C.V. component so intensely that the exercise
becomes anaerobic.
Ensure you can talk comfortably throughout, without becoming too out
of breath.
|
||||||||
As well as
the cardiovascular warm-up, above, perform a thorough warm-up of dynamic
stretches covering all major muscles. Perform 10 repetitions per dynamic
stretch.
|
||||||||
Mat / Floor
|
Total Body
|
Press-Up with Squat Thrust
|
10
|
10
|
||||
Mat / Floor
|
Core
|
Crunches
|
10
|
10
|
||||
Light Jogging or C.V. equipment of choice
|
C.V. &
Cool Down
|
Walking, Cycling, Rowing
|
Easy
|
Easy
|
5 - 10 Minutes
|
|||
As with the Warm-Up, don’t perform your Cool Down C.V. component so
intensely that the exercise becomes anaerobic. Ensure you can talk
comfortably throughout, without becoming too out of breath.
|
Exercise
|
Performance Instructions
|
Press-Up with a Squat Thrust
|
·
In this exercise you will be
pairing up a Press-Up with a Squat Thrust for every repetition.
·
Firstly you perform a standard
Press-Up (see below). As soon as you push your upper body back up to the start position
you must then perform a Squat Thrust (see below).
·
Press-Up
component: Begin in the basic press-up position: With arms straight, place
both hands flat on the floor shoulder width apart; Place both feet and legs
together.
·
Your body must form a straight line
from your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles.
·
Raise up to balance your body on
just your hands and toes/balls of your feet.
·
To keep your torso stabilized, and
to stop your hips from dropping during the Press-Up, you will need to
contract your core muscles (abdominals, lower back, gluteals) as you perform
this exercise.
·
Slowly, and in a controlled manner,
bending only at the elbows, lower your torso and legs to the floor, stopping
just short of touching your forehead on the floor.
·
Contracting the muscles in your
chest, shoulders, arms and core, slowly push yourself back up to the start
position.
·
Squat
Thrust component: This exercise is very similar to a Mountain Climber. However, in
this version you must keep your feet together at all times, as opposed to
alternating.
·
Position yourself on the floor in
the standard press-up start position.
·
Throughout the exercise, keep your
upper body in this position by contracting all of your upper body muscles,
including the core muscles of your obliques, lower back, abdominals and
glutes.
·
Start with your feet and knees
together, now push hard with the toes and using your thigh and core muscles,
bending only at the knee, thrust both your knees up towards your chest.
·
Your feet should now be just
underneath your hips and your knees near to underneath your chest.
·
From this crouched position thrust
both your feet back to the start position, straightening your legs.
|
Crunches
|
·
Position yourself on the floor,
knees bent, feet and head flat on the floor.
·
Cross your arms and place them on
your chest.
·
Slowly and in a controlled manner
contract the muscles in your abdominals and curl your upper body towards your
thighs.
·
Do not raise your entire torso off
the floor from the hips.
·
Ensure you perform a curling
motion; firstly roll your head forwards bringing your chin towards your
chest, next roll your shoulders forwards towards your thighs.
·
At the highest point only your
shoulder blades should be off the floor.
·
Contract your abdominals tightly at
the top of the motion.
·
Slowly return to the start position
& repeat.
|
Workout Five
Equipment
|
Body Part
|
Exercise
|
Weight
|
Reps
|
Sets
|
Level
|
Speed
|
Time
|
Light Log or C.V. equipment of choice.
|
C.V. & Warm-Up
|
Jogging, Cycling,
Rowing.
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
Don’t perform your C.V. component so intensely that the exercise
becomes anaerobic.
Ensure you can talk comfortably throughout, without becoming too out
of breath.
|
||||||||
As well as
the cardiovascular warm-up, above, perform a thorough warm-up of dynamic stretches
covering all major muscles. Perform 10 repetitions per dynamic stretch.
|
||||||||
Mat / Floor
|
Total Body
|
Bellys & Backs
|
5
|
10
|
||||
Mat / Floor
|
Legs & Core
|
Jump Lunges
|
10 Each Leg
|
10
|
||||
Light Jogging or C.V. equipment of choice
|
C.V. &
Cool Down
|
Walking, Cycling, Rowing
|
Easy
|
Easy
|
5 - 10 Minutes
|
|||
As with the Warm-Up, don’t perform your Cool Down C.V. component so
intensely that the exercise becomes anaerobic. Ensure you can talk
comfortably throughout, without becoming too out of breath.
|
Exercise
|
Performance Instructions
|
Bellys & Backs
|
·
Stand up straight with your head up, chest out
and shoulders back, in front of your exercise mat.
·
Next, simply lower yourself forwards onto the
mat until you are in a flat lying position, face down.
·
Now push on your hands and legs and push
yourself up off the mat into a full standing position.
·
Turn yourself around so that you are stood with
your back to the exercise mat.
·
Now lower yourself backwards onto the exercise
mat until you are in a flat lying position, face up.
·
This counts as 1 repetition.
·
Repeat this lying face down, getting up, lying
face up, getting back up until you have completed all the prescribed
repetitions.
|
Jump Lunges
|
·
This version of the lunge is a
dynamic, powerful, very demanding version.
·
Stand with your feet approximately
hip width apart and your knees slightly bent.
·
Keep your back straight, head up
and shoulders back.
·
As with most alternate exercises it
is entirely down to personal preference which leg you start the exercise
with. As long as you alternate and perform the same number of repetitions for
each leg it is fine. However, for this explanation I will be starting with
the left.
·
Take a big step forwards with your
left leg. When your left / front foot is planted your left thigh must be parallel
to the floor but your knee must not be forward of your toes. Your right leg
must also be bent at the knee with your knee stopping just short of touching
the floor. This is the start position.
·
From this start position,
contracting your left thigh, you can use your arms for momentum also, explode
upwards as high as possible.
·
Mid-air you must very quickly
switch your leg position so that you land in a wide stance with your right
foot as the front foot and your left foot the rear.
·
Immediately on landing perform
another lunge, before exploding upwards again and switching leg positions
again also.
·
Keep lunging, jumping, switching
legs and lunging again until you have completed the prescribed number of
repetitions.
|
Workout Six
Equipment
|
Body Part
|
Exercise
|
Weight
|
Reps
|
Sets
|
Level
|
Speed
|
Time
|
Light Log or C.V. equipment of choice.
|
C.V. & Warm-Up
|
Jogging, Cycling,
Rowing.
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
Don’t perform your C.V. component so intensely that the exercise
becomes anaerobic.
Ensure you can talk comfortably throughout, without becoming too out
of breath.
|
||||||||
As well as
the cardiovascular warm-up, above, perform a thorough warm-up of dynamic
stretches covering all major muscles. Perform 10 repetitions per dynamic
stretch.
|
||||||||
Mat / Floor
|
Total Body
|
Squat Thrusts
|
10
|
10
|
||||
Mat / Floor
|
Legs & Core
|
Body Plank ‘Jacks’
|
10
|
10
|
||||
Light Jogging or C.V. equipment of choice
|
C.V. &
Cool Down
|
Walking, Cycling, Rowing
|
Easy
|
Easy
|
5 - 10 Minutes
|
|||
As with the Warm-Up, don’t perform your Cool Down C.V. component so
intensely that the exercise becomes anaerobic. Ensure you can talk
comfortably throughout, without becoming too out of breath.
|
Exercise
|
Performance Instructions
|
Squat Thrusts
|
·
This exercise is very similar to a
Mountain Climber/Alternate Leg Squat Thrust. However, in this version you
must keep your feet together at all times, as opposed to alternating.
·
Position yourself on the floor in
the standard press-up start position.
·
Throughout the exercise, keep your
upper body in this position by contracting all of your upper body muscles,
including the core muscles of your obliques, lower back, abdominals and
glutes.
·
Start with your feet and knees
together, now push hard with the toes and using your thigh and core muscles,
bending only at the knee, thrust both your knees up towards your chest.
·
Your feet should now be just
underneath your hips and your knees near to underneath your chest.
·
From this crouched position thrust
both your feet back to the start position, straightening your legs.
·
Repeat for the prescribed number of
repetitions.
|
Body Plank Jacks
|
·
Start off in the standard press up
position, body and legs straight, resting your lower body on your toes.
·
Next, bend your arms and lower
yourself until you are resting your upper body on your forearms; ensure your
elbows are positioned directly underneath your shoulders, so not to fatigue
your shoulder muscles.
·
Keeping your body straight from
shoulders, hips, knees and ankles, contract the core muscles of your lower
back, abdominals, obliques and glutes.
·
From this start position, perform
‘Jacks’ with your legs (see below).
·
Keeping your as near to straight as
possible, contract your abductors (outer thighs), perform a small jump with
your legs and spread them out to the sides.
·
You don’t have to spread your legs
too wide; just wider than shoulder width is fine.
·
As soon as your toes have landed on
the floor, perform the small jump again and, using your adductors (inner
thighs) bring your legs back together again.
·
‘Jacking’ your legs out and back in
again equals 1 repetition.
·
Repeat for the prescribed number of
repetitions.
|
Workout Seven
Equipment
|
Body Part
|
Exercise
|
Weight
|
Reps
|
Sets
|
Level
|
Speed
|
Time
|
Light Log or C.V. equipment of choice.
|
C.V. & Warm-Up
|
Jogging, Cycling,
Rowing.
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
Don’t perform your C.V. component so intensely that the exercise
becomes anaerobic.
Ensure you can talk comfortably throughout, without becoming too out
of breath.
|
||||||||
As well as
the cardiovascular warm-up, above, perform a thorough warm-up of dynamic
stretches covering all major muscles. Perform 10 repetitions per dynamic
stretch.
|
||||||||
Kettlebell
|
Legs & CV
|
Squat Swings
|
20
|
10
|
||||
Skipping Rope
|
Legs & CV
|
Skipping
|
100
|
10
|
||||
Light Jogging or C.V. equipment of choice
|
C.V. &
Cool Down
|
Walking, Cycling, Rowing
|
Easy
|
Easy
|
5 - 10 Minutes
|
|||
As with the Warm-Up, don’t perform your Cool Down C.V. component so intensely
that the exercise becomes anaerobic. Ensure you can talk comfortably
throughout, without becoming too out of breath.
|
Exercise
|
Performance Instructions
|
Kettlebell Squat & Front Swings
|
·
Firstly, select a suitably
weighted kettlebell (10 - 20 kgs).
·
Hold the kettlebell tightly with both
hands, with a pronated (overhand)
grip, palms facing your torso, and thumbs wrapped around the handle.
·
Straighten your arms and let the
kettlebell hang down in front of you.
·
Stand with your feet slightly wider
than shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
·
In this start position, keep your
head up, shoulders back and look straight ahead at something at eye height
e.g. the top of a piece of equipment, a line on a poster or simply a mark on
the wall. This will ensure you keep your spine in the correct position as you
lower and raise your torso.
·
Next you need to gather up a little
momentum to start the swinging motion of the kettlebell. Begin by leaning
slightly forwards, contracting your arms and shoulders and swing the
kettlebell upwards in front of you, up to chest height.
·
At the same time as the kettlebell
swings downwards, you must perform a squat and let the kettlebell swing
between your legs.
·
Time this so that you are at the
lowest point of your squat when the kettlebell swings underneath you.
·
From this squat position, drive your
legs back up to straight and at the same time swing the kettlebell from
between your legs up in front of you to a height just above your eyes. This
is 1 repetition.
·
Continue the simultaneous squatting
and swinging until you have completed the required number of
repetitions.
|
Skipping
|
·
Using a lightweight speed skipping
rope, skip on the spot for 100 revolutions.
·
It doesn’t matter how you skip, or
how many times you stop, just complete the 100.
|
Workout Eight
Equipment
|
Body Part
|
Exercise
|
Weight
|
Reps
|
Sets
|
Level
|
Speed
|
Time
|
Light Log or C.V. equipment of choice.
|
C.V. & Warm-Up
|
Jogging, Cycling,
Rowing.
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
Don’t perform your C.V. component so intensely that the exercise
becomes anaerobic.
Ensure you can talk comfortably throughout, without becoming too out
of breath.
|
||||||||
As well as
the cardiovascular warm-up, above, perform a thorough warm-up of dynamic
stretches covering all major muscles. Perform 10 repetitions per dynamic
stretch.
|
||||||||
Dumbbells, Powerbag, Kettlebell(s)
Slamball etc
|
Total Body
|
Overhead Walking Lunges
|
10 Each Leg
|
10
|
||||
Floor / Yard
|
C.V.
|
25 metre Shuttle Runs
|
6
|
10
|
||||
Light Jogging or C.V. equipment of choice
|
C.V. &
Cool Down
|
Walking, Cycling, Rowing
|
Easy
|
Easy
|
5 - 10 Minutes
|
|||
As with the Warm-Up, don’t perform your Cool Down C.V. component so
intensely that the exercise becomes anaerobic. Ensure you can talk
comfortably throughout, without becoming too out of breath.
|
Exercise
|
Performance Instructions
|
Overhead Walking Lunges
|
·
Stand with your feet shoulder width
apart and your knees slightly bent.
·
Keep your back straight, head up
and shoulders back.
·
For resistance you can use 1 or 2
dumbbell(s), 1 or 2 kettlebell(s), a powerbag or a slam/medicine ball.
·
Whatever form of resistance you
choose, bicep curl it up to chest height then perform a shoulder press,
straightening your arms until the weight is directly above your head with
your arms locked.
·
Keep your arms in this position
throughout the exercise.
·
Keep your torso upright throughout this exercise.
·
As with most alternate
exercises it is entirely down to personal preference which leg you lead/start
the exercise with. As long as you alternate and perform the same number of
repetitions for each leg it is fine. However, for this explanation I will be
leading / starting with the left.
·
Take a big step forwards
with your left leg and bend both legs, lowering your torso downwards towards
the floor.
·
When your front foot is
planted your thigh must be parallel to the floor but your knee must not be
forward of your toes. Your right leg must also be bent at the knee with your
knee stopping just short of touching the floor.
·
Your legs should now be
in the following positions:
·
Left leg - thigh
parallel to the floor calf 90 degrees to the floor.
·
Right leg - thigh 90
degrees to the floor and calf parallel to the floor.
·
Contract your left thigh
and push yourself forwards with
your right foot, until you are back up to a standing position. Now repeat
this with the right leg, moving/walking forwards with each lunge.
·
Complete 10 repetitions with each leg before moving
onto the shuttle runs.
|
25 metre
Shuttle Runs
|
·
Firstly,
ensure you have a clear, dry, unobstructed, run of approximately 25 metres.
·
Simply
run, at a fast jogging pace, from the start of the shuttle to the other end.
·
Ensure
you keep your posture correct even as you feel more and more fatigued.
|
Workout Nine
Equipment
|
Body Part
|
Exercise
|
Weight
|
Reps
|
Sets
|
Level
|
Speed
|
Time
|
Light Log or C.V. equipment of choice.
|
C.V. & Warm-Up
|
Jogging, Cycling,
Rowing.
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
Don’t perform your C.V. component so intensely that the exercise becomes
anaerobic.
Ensure you can talk comfortably throughout, without becoming too out
of breath.
|
||||||||
As well as
the cardiovascular warm-up, above, perform a thorough warm-up of dynamic
stretches covering all major muscles. Perform 10 repetitions per dynamic
stretch.
|
||||||||
Mat / Floor
|
Upper Body
|
Press-Ups
|
20
|
10
|
||||
Dumbbells, Powerbag, Kettlebell(s) Slamball etc
|
Legs
|
Bulgarian Split Squats
|
10 Each Leg
|
10
|
||||
Light Jogging or C.V. equipment of choice
|
C.V. &
Cool Down
|
Walking, Cycling, Rowing
|
Easy
|
Easy
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
As with the Warm-Up, don’t perform your Cool Down C.V. component so
intensely that the exercise becomes anaerobic. Ensure you can talk
comfortably throughout, without becoming too out of breath.
|
Exercise
|
Performance Instructions
|
Press-Ups
|
·
Begin in the basic press-up
position: With arms straight, place both hands flat on the floor shoulder
width apart; Place both feet and legs together.
·
Your body must form a straight line
from your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles.
·
Raise up to balance your body on
just your hands and toes/balls of your feet.
·
To keep your torso stabilized, and
to stop your hips from dropping during the Press-Up, you will need to
contract your core muscles (abdominals, lower back, gluteals) as you perform
this exercise.
·
Slowly, and in a controlled manner,
bending only at the elbows, lower your torso and legs to the floor, stopping
just short of touching your forehead on the floor.
·
Contracting the muscles in your
chest, shoulders, arms and core, slowly push yourself back up to the start
position and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.
|
Bulgarian Split Squats
|
·
Firstly place an exercise bench in
the flat position.
·
Keeping the flat bench, placed
horizontally behind you, walk forwards a few paces.
·
As with most alternate exercises it
is entirely down to personal preference which leg you lead/start the exercise
with. As long as you alternate and perform the same number of repetitions for
each leg it is fine. However, for this explanation I will be leading /
starting with the left.
·
Carefully place the toes of your
right foot on top of the exercise bench behind you.
·
You will now be stood on your left
leg only.
·
Keep your head up, back straight
and chest out.
·
From this start position, slowly
and in a controlled manner, lower your hips towards the floor by bending your
knees.
·
Your rear leg will bend and the
knee will drop down towards the floor.
·
Your front leg will bend at the
knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor.
·
Similar to the lunges, you must
ensure your front foot is far enough forwards. When your front foot is
planted, and you have lowered your torso towards the floor, your thigh must
be parallel to the floor but your knee must not be forward of your toes.
Adjust your foot position to allow for this.
·
Ensure you keep your torso upright
throughout this exercise.
·
From this position, contract the
muscles in your left leg and straighten your left leg bringing you back up to
the start position and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.
·
As soon as you have completed all
repetitions on your left leg, switch leg positions and repeat with your right
leg as the front leg.
·
If the
exercise is too easy then you can add resistance by holding 1
or 2 dumbbell(s), 1 or 2 kettlebell(s), a powerbag or a slam/medicine ball.
|
Workout Ten
Equipment
|
Body Part
|
Exercise
|
Weight
|
Reps
|
Sets
|
Level
|
Speed
|
Time
|
Light Log or C.V. equipment of choice.
|
C.V. & Warm-Up
|
Jogging, Cycling,
Rowing.
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
5 - 10 Min’s
|
|||
Don’t perform your C.V. component so intensely that the exercise
becomes anaerobic.
Ensure you can talk comfortably throughout, without becoming too out
of breath.
|
||||||||
As well as
the cardiovascular warm-up, above, perform a thorough warm-up of dynamic
stretches covering all major muscles. Perform 10 repetitions per dynamic
stretch.
|
||||||||
Dumbbells, Powerbag, Kettlebell(s)
Slamball etc
|
Total Body
|
Push Press
|
10
|
10
|
||||
Mat / Floor
|
Legs & CV
|
Mountain Climbers
|
15 Each Leg
|
10
|
||||
Light Jogging or C.V. equipment of choice
|
C.V. &
Cool Down
|
Walking, Cycling, Rowing
|
Easy
|
Easy
|
5 - 10 Minutes
|
|||
As with the Warm-Up, don’t perform your Cool Down C.V. component so
intensely that the exercise becomes anaerobic. Ensure you can talk
comfortably throughout, without becoming too out of breath.
|
Exercise
|
Performance Instructions
|
Push Press
|
·
This exercise is similar to the standard Standing Shoulder
Press. However, the speed of the exercise, together with the rapid triple
extension of the ankles, knees and hips, makes it an explosive exercise and
also makes it possible to use slightly more weight.
·
For
resistance you can choose 1 or 2 dumbbell(s), 1 or 2 kettlebell(s), a
powerbag or a slam/medicine ball.
·
Bending
at the elbows, bicep curl the dumbbell(s), powerbag, kettlebell(s) or
slam/medicine ball up towards your shoulders.
·
Stand
with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
·
In
this start position, keep your head up, shoulders back and look straight
ahead.
·
From the start position, bending at the knees, dip yourself down
slightly (approximately 1 foot/30cms) before explosively straightening your
legs and at the same time driving your chosen form of resistance upwards
overhead.
·
To reduce the possibility of hitting yourself in the chin/face,
retract the head backwards slightly as you explosively push your chosen form
of resistance upwards overhead.
·
As the Push Press is an explosive exercise
there is no need to hold the barbell overhead for too long, a second or two
is fine.
·
Once you have completed the arm extension,
drag your chosen form of resistance back down to the start position on your
upper chest and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.
|
Mountain Climbers
|
·
Position yourself on the floor in
the standard press-up position.
·
Throughout the exercise, keep your
upper body in this position by contracting all of your upper body muscles,
including the core muscles of your obliques, lower back, abdominals and
glutes.
·
As with most alternate exercises it
is entirely down to personal preference which side you start the exercise
with; As long as you alternate, and perform the same number of repetitions,
with each leg it is fine. However, for this explanation I will be starting
with the left.
·
Start with your feet and knees
together, now push hard with the toes of your left leg and using your left
thigh and core muscles, bending only at the knee, thrust your left knee up
towards your chest.
·
Your left foot should now be just
underneath your hips and your left knee near to underneath your chest.
·
From this crouched position thrust
your left foot back to the start position, straightening your leg.
·
Repeat this with your right leg.
·
Get yourself into a rhythm as you
thrust forwards and backwards.
|