Train Smarter, Not Harder: My Compound Movement Workout

March 21, 2016March 21, 2016 by Ali ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Happy Monday!! I’ve been trying a couple things for my workouts on my own and with my classes and decided this past week (and with my sandbag workout) to switch it up. I added combined movements together, using more total body, all in one exercise. Before I would isolate just legs, back, abs, etc. While that is good too, I would spend A LOT of time–sometimes two hours on a workout. As of a couple weeks ago, I decided to ditch that idea and decided to train smarter, not harder. I took basic movements like a push-up and added to them. In a recent Instagram post, I posted about my double plank push-up. It’s nuts, one small change, and the movement is completely different!! Each of the movements incorporates total body, so there’s no need to do extra sets of anything at the end. I was wiped by the end and sore the next couple days!

This workout took me about 40-45 min. Back to back each set. Rest once completed all sets. All you’ll need is:

Mat
Weight/plate
Weight/kettlebell

Compound Movement Workout

–Overhead Walking Lunges with Plate; Holding a plate over your head, lunge forward on leg at a time to one end of a room, switch legs coming back) 3x both ways

–Kettlebell Squat + Row+ Press–in that order! Using a kettlebell, make sure you use one arm at a time squatting to reach opposite arm to opposite foot, rowing to your shoulder, ending with pressing weight overhead; 3x 15 both arms

–Double Plank Push-Up; Starting on forearms in a plank position, use one arm at a time to push yourself into a high plank. Add pushup then lower down to forearms alternating sides. 3x 15 (alternating 5 reps each arm until you get to 15)

–Plank Row on Cable; Using the cable machines, make sure pulleys are placed low to the ground. In a high plank position, grab pulley with one hand and row forward stabilizing though the core. I needed a wide base with my feet for balance here. For more of a challenge, bring feet narrow. 3x 15 each arm.

YOUR TURN:

-Any movement you’ve tried with an extra challenge that you found to be tougher or easier then you thought? What did you do?

-Do you prefer bodyweight workouts, heavy weights, or both?

-Do you find yourself taking time to learn new ways to incorporate weights or you get in, do what you do, and leave?

Forty Minute Push/Pull Strength Workout

February 18, 2016 by Ali ♥ 2 Comments

If group fitness isn’t your thing but working out alone is (or in a small group), this workout is perfect for you! I especially love how its about forty minutes and a total body routine. The only difference with this one compared to other workouts I’ve posted, is that it requires weights. Bodyweight is great, in fact I use it primarily with my bootcamp classes, but weights are a great addition too! Have no fear–added resistance makes it challenging, ups calorie burn, and gets your heart rate pumping fast. And LADIES–this will not make you bulky–it is physically not possible. Ya girl wrote this workout remember? 😉 You don’t need a fancy set of weights or be in a gym for that matter either. Bonus points if you own your own set! I recommend you pick a weight about five to eight pounds or having a heavy set either of tens or fifteens. Pick weights that fit your ability but are still moderately challenging. I like to say that the last few reps (~3) of a set are challenging/fatiguing but do-able. This workout is a push/pull concept which means that each set is grouped by movement, i.e pulls would be rows, bicep curls etc. and push would be chest press, squats etc. You can be as creative as you want! Just think about the movement and build on that. Don’t forget about the warm-up, cool-down, and core! Grab your weights and get ready to get sweaty 😉

Push/Pull Strength Workout

Perform each exercise for a minute each, back to back with minimal rest in between three times total. Rest 1 min after fully completing each round.

Round 1: 3x through

-Chest press (1 min) *push*

-Single arm row (30 sec each side) *pull*

-Jump Squat with weights (1 min) *push*

-Upright row (1 min) *pull*

~rest 1 min after each round~

Round 2: 3x through

-Butterfly arms (goal post arms, bringing elbows together in front of chest) 1 min *push*

-Bicep curl (1 min) *pull*

-Single or double leg glute bridge (30 sec each leg/ 1 min both legs) *push*

-Deadlift (1 min) *pull*

~rest 1 min after each round~