Bodyweight workouts are ideal for Beginners and as recovery workouts for rosters who might be a little more advanced and need a less intense day.
Today's workout is a Tabata. Tabata's are my #1 favorite workout style for new exercisers. They allow you to do as many reps as you can in an allotted period of time. This is great when you're just not sure yet how many you can do in a row.
You'll set your SMARTWOD app to Tabata. You'll set your Timer to 6 Rounds, 4 sets. This gives you a 24 minute exercise, which is great for a fast workout if you're doing this before or after work.
If you need to cut it shorter, no problem! Cut the rounds (or add) to suit your total workout time needs.
WHAT YOU NEED
SMARTWOD // WODTIMER app
A mat, water, and music
WHAT EXERCISES DO I NEED TO KNOW?
CAT/COW This essential yoga pose translates so well to workouts as a warm-up to get fluid moving through your joints and to open up any stiff areas in your mid-back. To do this exercise, get on all fours in "table top" position. Exhale as you move into cat pose with an arched back, neck curved chin to chest and a tucked tailbone. Cow is the reverse, dropping your belly low, bringing your shoulders back and gazing up. Do not force any position that is uncomfortable -- this should feel good.
FINGERTIP TO TOE JACKS Begin by standing, feet hip width apart. Cross your right foot over the front of your body, heel hovering near your hip, as your bring your opposite fingers to opposite toe. Go fast or slow.
INCHWORMS Begin standing, feet hip width apart. Bend down to touch the floor. Walk out on your hands to plank position. Walk your hands back in and stand up.
ALTERNATING HIP CIRCLES Stand with feet hip width apart and place your hands on your hips. Draw a circle with your hip to the left, and then back to the right. There's no need to exaggerate the movement - you're just waking things up. This should feel good!
SQUATS Squats for new exercisers are trickier than they may seem. Begin by standing slightly wider than hip-width apart, knees tracking over your second toe. Make a fist with one hand, and cover your fist with the other hand. Press your weight into your heels as you sit back into your squat. Make sure your knees continue to track over your second toe, no knee wobble in or out. Try and get your legs parallel with the floor before standing.
ALTERNATING LEG STATIONARY LUNGES Standing hip width distance apart, bring your foot forward leading with your heel as you lunge. Think of lunges as a one-legged squat. Sitting your butt back and keeping your weight in your heel will activate your glutes and and quads and avoid extra force on your knees.
PLANK SHOULDER TAPS (AKA Hand Cross Overs) You can be in either elbow or hand plank position. If you are brand-new to planks, you may keep your knees on the ground. Make sure you drop your hips (no pikes here) and create a straight line from the base of your head to your tailbone. Alternate tapping your opposite shoulder with your opposite hand for the full 40 seconds of the Tabata.
RUSSIAN TWISTS For Beginners, Russian Twists can seem intimidating. Likely, because you've seen someone with poor form doing them, and you think there's no way you can lift your feet off the ground like that, much less have your back curved! Lucky for you, that's definitely not where you start. For Russian Twists, begin by sitting on your sitz bones (your butt, but specifically where the back of your pelvis meets the floor). Your knees should be bent with feet FLAT ON THE FLOOR. Straighten your back using excellent posture, and lean just far enough back until you feel your abs engage. Press your hands together and intentionally bring the heels of your hands to your hip bone, alternating to the left and right sides.
FLUTTER KICKS If you've seen (or done) a GORUCK Event, Flutter Kicks are an inevitable part. But if you've seen or done them there, you know form takes a back seat to function. For this workout though, we are highly focused on form. Begin by laying on your back, legs straight, and bring your hands underneath your hips. I personally make a diamond shape with my hands under my hips to support my low-back. Lift your head and upper shoulders off the ground, and raise your feet about 9" off the ground. Flutter your feet like you're swimming.
WARM UP
- 8-10 reps x Reach, Rock, Lifts (4-5 reps each side)
- 8-10 reps x Bird Dogs (4-5 reps each side)
- 8-10 reps x Inchworms
- Jump rope in place - :30 seconds
WORKOUT
40 seconds on // 20 off Tabata x 4 Rounds
- Jumping Jacks (aka Side Straddle Hops)
- Squats
- Alternating Leg, Stationary Reverse Lunges*
- Plank Shoulder Taps
- Russian Twists
- Flutter Kicks
*Alternate legs for each round. For example, perform stationary lunges on only left leg for round one, then stationary lunges on right leg for round two.