Fitness trainingThe Power Circuit
WARM-UP (5 to 10 minutes)
Jump rope, spin on a bike, or cruise on the elliptical trainer at a gentle pace. You should be able to hold a conversation.
FULL-BODY CARDIO-STRENGTH CIRCUIT
Do each exercise for one minute (use a weight that you can lift for that amount of time, usually 60 to 70 % of your one repetition max) with no rest in between exercises. Aim to keep your heart rate elevated for the entire circuit. Once you complete one cycle of exercises, rest for 90 seconds. After four weeks reduce the rest to 60 seconds and after another 4 weeks reduce to 45 seconds. Complete each cycles 3 times. Aim for one rest day between days one and two and two days after day three.
DAY 1
1. Stability-Ball Dumbbell Chest Press
With the dumbbells in your hands, maneuver into a "bridge" position on the stability ball. Your head, neck and upper back should be balanced on top of the ball. Keep your feet on the ground, your hips up straight, and your chest elevated. Start with your arms straight and the dumbbells up. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, bending at the elbows. Then return them to the top.
Then drop weight by half or a third (depends on the fatigue level) and do another minute.
2. Low Row
Using a cable machine, grab the bar with an overhand grip and sit up straight and push your shoulders back. Pull the bar to your belly-button, pause, and slowly return to starting position.
Then drop weight by half or a third (depends on the fatigue level) and do another minute.
3. Hip Bridge
Lie on your back, with your knees raised, and feet on the ground. Keeping your feet and shoulders stationary, raise your butt off the ground and hold. Aim for 30 seconds each leg. If you are strong enough you can progress to 45 seconds or 1 minute per leg.
Jump rope, spin on a bike, or cruise on the elliptical trainer at a gentle pace. You should be able to hold a conversation.
FULL-BODY CARDIO-STRENGTH CIRCUIT
Do each exercise for one minute (use a weight that you can lift for that amount of time, usually 60 to 70 % of your one repetition max) with no rest in between exercises. Aim to keep your heart rate elevated for the entire circuit. Once you complete one cycle of exercises, rest for 90 seconds. After four weeks reduce the rest to 60 seconds and after another 4 weeks reduce to 45 seconds. Complete each cycles 3 times. Aim for one rest day between days one and two and two days after day three.
DAY 1
1. Stability-Ball Dumbbell Chest Press
With the dumbbells in your hands, maneuver into a "bridge" position on the stability ball. Your head, neck and upper back should be balanced on top of the ball. Keep your feet on the ground, your hips up straight, and your chest elevated. Start with your arms straight and the dumbbells up. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, bending at the elbows. Then return them to the top.
Then drop weight by half or a third (depends on the fatigue level) and do another minute.
2. Low Row
Using a cable machine, grab the bar with an overhand grip and sit up straight and push your shoulders back. Pull the bar to your belly-button, pause, and slowly return to starting position.
Then drop weight by half or a third (depends on the fatigue level) and do another minute.
3. Hip Bridge
Lie on your back, with your knees raised, and feet on the ground. Keeping your feet and shoulders stationary, raise your butt off the ground and hold. Aim for 30 seconds each leg. If you are strong enough you can progress to 45 seconds or 1 minute per leg.
4. Bodyweight Squat
Position your feet slightly wider then hip-width apart with your toes slightly turned out, Hold your hands out in front of you at shoulder height. Slowly bend your knees and lower yourself down as far as you can without lifting your heels off the floor and then after a brief pause at the bottom push your weight back up. After four-weeks add dumbbells; after eight weeks try one-legged squats.
5. Stability-Ball Push-Up
Assume a push-up position, but with your hands on a stability ball. Point your fingers down the sides of the ball. Keep your ankles, hips, and shoulders in a straight line and lower your chest until it touches the ball and then return to the start position.
Part 2 Boxing or another full-body cardio workout
Heavy bag (15 minutes)
Punching a heavy bag incorporates core movement and explosiveness and helps loosen the body after weight training says Jourdain. A typical workout involves four three-minute rounds, with one-minute rest, and the boxer performs drills for throwing different combinations of speed and power punches.
Mitt work (10 minutes)
During mitt training the boxer fires punches at the trainer, who also counter-punches. “It’s a total body workout. Plus it tests reactions, coordination, and speed,” says Jourdain.
Note: Boxing can be replaced by another full-body cardio workout, such as interval training on a rowing machine, spin bike, treadmill, or elliptical trainer,
Position your feet slightly wider then hip-width apart with your toes slightly turned out, Hold your hands out in front of you at shoulder height. Slowly bend your knees and lower yourself down as far as you can without lifting your heels off the floor and then after a brief pause at the bottom push your weight back up. After four-weeks add dumbbells; after eight weeks try one-legged squats.
5. Stability-Ball Push-Up
Assume a push-up position, but with your hands on a stability ball. Point your fingers down the sides of the ball. Keep your ankles, hips, and shoulders in a straight line and lower your chest until it touches the ball and then return to the start position.
Part 2 Boxing or another full-body cardio workout
Heavy bag (15 minutes)
Punching a heavy bag incorporates core movement and explosiveness and helps loosen the body after weight training says Jourdain. A typical workout involves four three-minute rounds, with one-minute rest, and the boxer performs drills for throwing different combinations of speed and power punches.
Mitt work (10 minutes)
During mitt training the boxer fires punches at the trainer, who also counter-punches. “It’s a total body workout. Plus it tests reactions, coordination, and speed,” says Jourdain.
Note: Boxing can be replaced by another full-body cardio workout, such as interval training on a rowing machine, spin bike, treadmill, or elliptical trainer,
(Emphasis on core)
1. Abs Crunch on Stability-Ball (works upper abs)
Sit on a stability ball and place your legs shoulder width apart on the floor. Walk your feet out as you roll yourself down until the lower part of your back is on the ball. With your elbows wide and chin off the chest, lift the upper part of your back off the stability ball (like a floor crunch). Slowly lower yourself back onto the ball.
2. Oblique Twist Right on Stability Ball (works upper abs and obliques)
Follow the instructions above, but add a twist as you raise your chest, rotating your left shoulder toward right hip.
1. Abs Crunch on Stability-Ball (works upper abs)
Sit on a stability ball and place your legs shoulder width apart on the floor. Walk your feet out as you roll yourself down until the lower part of your back is on the ball. With your elbows wide and chin off the chest, lift the upper part of your back off the stability ball (like a floor crunch). Slowly lower yourself back onto the ball.
2. Oblique Twist Right on Stability Ball (works upper abs and obliques)
Follow the instructions above, but add a twist as you raise your chest, rotating your left shoulder toward right hip.
3. Oblique Twist Left (works upper abs and obliques)
As above, but twist in the opposite direction, rotating your right shoulder toward your left hip.
4. Hanging Leg Raise (lower abs)
Grab a chinup bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip, and hang with your legs straight down. Simultaneously, bend your knees, raise your hips, and curl your back up as you lift your thighs toward your chest. Focus on having the movement be slow and controlled and concentrate on using your abs to bring your legs up. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
5. Superman (strengthens the lower back)
Lie facedown on the floor, legs together and straight, arms straight and extended above your head. Keep your head/neck in a neutral position. Keeping limbs straight (but not locked) and torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form a gentle curve with your body. Hold for two seconds and then return to the start position.
As above, but twist in the opposite direction, rotating your right shoulder toward your left hip.
4. Hanging Leg Raise (lower abs)
Grab a chinup bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip, and hang with your legs straight down. Simultaneously, bend your knees, raise your hips, and curl your back up as you lift your thighs toward your chest. Focus on having the movement be slow and controlled and concentrate on using your abs to bring your legs up. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
5. Superman (strengthens the lower back)
Lie facedown on the floor, legs together and straight, arms straight and extended above your head. Keep your head/neck in a neutral position. Keeping limbs straight (but not locked) and torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form a gentle curve with your body. Hold for two seconds and then return to the start position.
Part 2: Cardio workout.
DAY 3
1. Stability Ball Dumbbell Shoulder Press (trains shoulder and lower back)
Sit on the stability ball with a neutral spine and hold the dumbbells up beside your head with your arms at a 90-degree angle. Press the dumbbells upward and slightly in almost touching them together at the full extension of your arms. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
2. Dumb-bell Alternating Lateral Raises (strengthens shoulder and deltoids)
Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand with hands facing down and arms held out and up at shoulder level in a T position. Keeping your left arm extended at shoulder level, lower your right arm down toward your side, keeping your arm straight. Your hand should be oriented with the thumb forward (palms toward your body) throughout. When your right arm is at your side, reverse and lift it back up to the starting position. Next, lower your left arm down to your side, and then raise your left arm back to the same height.
3. Lying Tricep Extension a.k.a. Skull Crusher (isolates the triceps)
Lay back on a flat bench or ball and extend your arms straight up while holding an EZ bar. Now with your arms straight let the bar drop back slightly so it's not directly over your head. This is your starting position. Bending only at the elbows, lower the weight until it almost touches your forehead and push back up to starting position.
4. Dumbbell Biceps Curls (provides balanced arm strength and isolates the biceps)
Stand with your legs spaced shoulder width apart, with yours arms at your sides and a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your abs tight, chest up, knees bent and elbows in. Your elbows should remain stable in a fixed position next to your sides. Lift the weights directly up, until it’s 90° from your shoulder joint. Them return to start position.
DAY 3
1. Stability Ball Dumbbell Shoulder Press (trains shoulder and lower back)
Sit on the stability ball with a neutral spine and hold the dumbbells up beside your head with your arms at a 90-degree angle. Press the dumbbells upward and slightly in almost touching them together at the full extension of your arms. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
2. Dumb-bell Alternating Lateral Raises (strengthens shoulder and deltoids)
Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand with hands facing down and arms held out and up at shoulder level in a T position. Keeping your left arm extended at shoulder level, lower your right arm down toward your side, keeping your arm straight. Your hand should be oriented with the thumb forward (palms toward your body) throughout. When your right arm is at your side, reverse and lift it back up to the starting position. Next, lower your left arm down to your side, and then raise your left arm back to the same height.
3. Lying Tricep Extension a.k.a. Skull Crusher (isolates the triceps)
Lay back on a flat bench or ball and extend your arms straight up while holding an EZ bar. Now with your arms straight let the bar drop back slightly so it's not directly over your head. This is your starting position. Bending only at the elbows, lower the weight until it almost touches your forehead and push back up to starting position.
4. Dumbbell Biceps Curls (provides balanced arm strength and isolates the biceps)
Stand with your legs spaced shoulder width apart, with yours arms at your sides and a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your abs tight, chest up, knees bent and elbows in. Your elbows should remain stable in a fixed position next to your sides. Lift the weights directly up, until it’s 90° from your shoulder joint. Them return to start position.
5. Plank Ball (trains the core)
Start in the push-up position on the ball, but hold your weight on your forearms and contract and brace your abs. After weeks start to move up to a full press up position, as this will work your abs slightly differently.
Start in the push-up position on the ball, but hold your weight on your forearms and contract and brace your abs. After weeks start to move up to a full press up position, as this will work your abs slightly differently.