To perform our best in life and in sport, we need a body that works. This means being able to move through a complete range of motion and withstand loading in multiple planes of movement, pain free. Most of us feel great if we manage to squeeze three workouts into a week, but what are we doing in that time? Clients are constantly asking their coaches to crush them, hoping to burn max calories in the three hours per week they have in the gym.
But wait; there are 168 hours in a week! There is no way three hours of caloric crushing exercise can counter the other 165 hours if they are not being put to good use. We need to shift our approach to the time we spend in the gym. We need to train smarter, not harder!
If we have a body that works and is resilient to new challenges, we open up our horizons. Being stronger and fitter enables us to take part in a wider range of activities whether that be hiking or skiing, completing the Tough Mudder or playing soccer with our kids.
Warm Up
Warm up with a jog or cardio for a few minutes to get blood flowing and increase the pliability of your muscles. Activate key working muscles and start to increase range of movement by performing a set each (8 reps) of sumo squats, lunges, downward dogs and push-ups.
Workout
1. Open step lunge with wide forehand fly
- Start on one leg with arm outstretched to the side and the opposite knee raised.
- Lunge laterally and keep your arm extended as you create a wide arc with your hand.
- Finish in a lunge position with the arm extended in front of your chest.
- Perform 8-10 per side with a slow tempo and hold for 2-3 seconds.
- Up the effort with a resistance band.
2. Lateral lunge to lateral raise
- Start with feet shoulder-width apart and one dumbbell held at your side.
- Lunge laterally and reach across your body with the dumbbell.
- Push off the outside leg, bring the dumbbell back across your body.
- Finish up tall on one leg with the dumbbell raised up to the side.
- Perform 8-10 per side with a slow tempo and hold for 2-3 seconds.
3. ViPR lateral squat with chop to bazooka hold
- Start with a wide stance, ViPR held in front.
- Shift weight and squat to one side, bringing the ViPR down low to the side of the body.
- Sweep the ViPR in an arc across your body as you shift your weight to the other side.
- Finish in a lateral squat with the ViPR in a bazooka hold position.
- Perform 8-10 per side at a fast tempo but with a controlled pause for 2-3 seconds at each extremity.
4. Pull rotate push
- Start in a lunge position with one hand in by your chest and the other arm extended.
- Initiate the movement by pulling resistance band with outstretched arm.
- As you pull, shift your weight back, rotate your body and pivot feet.
- As you are turning around, push band through with the other hand to finish.
- Perform 8-10 per side at a fast tempo but with a long controlled pause for 2-3 seconds at each extremity.
5. Dumbbell lateral jump into single leg landing
- Start with elbows bent and load one leg.
- Drive the arms across the body to initiate the lateral bound.
- Land softly on the opposite leg, bending the knees and hips to absorb the impact.
- Perform 8-10 per side at a fast tempo but with a long controlled pause for 2-3 seconds.
- Dumbbells up the ante.
