Let me give you a little background on what led to the Total Body Workout. Going to the gym has gotten really boring. I used to spin twice a week, which is my absolute favorite way to work out. I was essentially addicted to it when we lived in Quantico. But the gym on base here in Lawton does not really offer motivating classes. I mean, you can get a good workout from it, but it's really not fun. Especially when it came to the spin classes. Long story short (and I promise I'll tell the long story later, which involves Kara and me setting up computer speakers in the middle of the gym and conducting our own spin class), there are no spin classes I enjoy going to and especially none at a time I desire (6 AM, no thank you, or 3:30 PM after I have been stuffing my face all day).
So recently I've just been running on the treadmill, trying to decrease my run time. My overall goal is to be able to pass a woman's PFT (physical fitness test, for you non-Marine folk), which is 3 miles in less than 30 min, maybe less, I'm not sure, 100 crunches in 2 minutes, and 75 seconds of a flexed arm hang (where you hold yourself at the top of a pull-up position, and time runs until your arms lock). The female run time is a little easy so I'm trying to be able to pass the male run time, which I think is 24 minutes max. Anyway, so I've just been running on the treadmill and lifting weights. I HATE RUNNING. I recently started swimming twice a week, but the monotony of getting on the treadmill and hating every second of it was really getting to me.
Kara and I decided we would try a drill-style cardio workout. After doing a little research, I decided to do 1-minute cardio drills with strength training drills in between. Right now, the cardio drills are designed to be low-impact because Kara has shin splints, but as soon as she gets new shoes, we'll be all over the place! I got most of these drills on about.com and I'll include pictures if I can. The whole workout took about 45 minutes and MAN it was killer! My legs and arms are so sore, but it gets the stamp of approval and we will definitely be doing it twice a week!
Warm-up: 5 minutes of cardio and then stretch. I got on the elliptical and did what my old spin teacher Connie called a "weighted warm-up." You start off light on the resistance and very slow, and increase your pace until you feel your heart pumping. This should take about 1-1.5 minutes. Then, increase the resistance every 20-30 seconds. On the elliptical, I usually go up 2 levels, 4 times. If you are on a treadmill, you can increase the incline or your speed. After you have spent 20-30 second on your last increase, take all of the resistance off so you are back to where you started. You should feel a wash of heat over your body. This is good, it means your blood is flowing and your muscles are loose and ready for stretching. Do another 30 seconds at least in the original resistance level. Now you're ready to stretch! Make sure to do a quad stretch (ankle to butt and hold it there), hamstring stretch (prop your foot up on something, height depends on flexibility and lean over your leg, touching your fingers to your toes) calf stretch (heel on ground and toe in the air, bending your other leg and reach down and touch your toe). Also, shoulder rolls and stretch are good. When I get a chance, I'll post pictures of each stretch so you know what it should look like.
Now you're ready to work out! You will need:
- two dumbbells that are on the lighter side of your ability. I curl 20 lbs in my normal workout, and I needed 10 lbers to get me through this workout.
- a step, both for stepping on and for laying on
- a medicine ball (if you don't have access to one, a dumbbell could probably work)
- stability ball
- a clock
Ball squats: Stand close to but facing away from the wall, with legs shoulder length apart. place the stability ball in between the middle of your back and the wall and the dumbbells between your feet. Squat down and pick up the dumbbells and hold them comfortably at your sides, the ball rolling up and down the wall as you squat. Do 2 sets of 12-20 reps (we did 20). Modification: if you don't have a stability ball, you might be able to try it with a medicine ball. You can also just do normal squats.
Knee lifts with medicine ball: Hold the medicine ball up over your head. Lift up your left knee while bringing the ball down to meet it at your waist. Repeat on the other side. Alternate sides for 1 minute. Be sure to keep the pace up. The faster you do it, the better workout you get.
Lunges with dumbbells: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, plant your right foot in front of you. Bend your knees and lower your body until your left knee is almost touching the ground. Raise yourself back up, and then lower again. Do 12-20 reps on the right, switch to the left and to 12-20 reps, and then repeat so you do each leg twice. IMPORTANT! When bending your front knee, make sure your knee never moves further forward than your toes. You should try to make a 90 degree angle with your calf and thigh.
Front kick with squat: Stand with feet shoulder length apart. Squat, and when you come up bring your right knee up and kick in front of you. When you bring your leg back down, squat again, and then kick with your left. Alternate sides for 1 minute.
Dead lifts: Stand with feet shoulder length apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your back straight, your head forward, and your knees just slightly bent, bend at the waist and lower the weights to the floor. Drive your weight into your heels as you stand up. Do 2 sets of 12-20 reps.
Diagonal Knee Smash: This is a typical kickboxing move. Reach your arms up into the air toward the left side of your body. Upon bringing them back down, pull your knee up so it meets in between your arms. Lower your leg back to the floor and reach your arms back up into the air. Repeat on the right side for 30 seconds, then switch to the left side for 30 seconds.
Squats: Stand with legs shoulder width apart, feet parallel to each other, and dumbbells in your hands on top of your shoulders (see picture below). Bend your knees and push your butt back, as if you are sitting in a chair. Again, be sure that your knees don't bend over your toes. In fact, when you are in the squat position, your weight should be on your heels and you should be able to lift your toes off the ground. Do a set of 12-20 full squats, then a set of 12-20 pulses in the squat position. Repeat.
Side lunge with punch: Step back with your left foot and punch with your left hand. Then switch to the right. If you do this quickly enough, you should be doing it with a slight hop from one side to the other. Do this for 1 minute.
Plie squat: Stand like you would if you were doing a normal squat, dumbbells and all. Now turn your feet out so they are making a 45 degree angle. When you squat, your butt should go straight down, not back. Your knees should bend over your toes, outward, not forward. This will tone those hard to reach inner thighs. Do 12 squats, and 12 pulses. Repeat.
Side knee Lift and Kick: Bring your right knee up so it's next to your hip. Then kick straight to the side. Switch sides. Repeat for 1 minute.
Incline bicep curls and overhead press: This move is KILLER because it not only works your arms but your core as well. Sit on top of your stability ball with a dumbbell in each hand. Walk yourself forward so you are sitting on the side of the ball; your core and thighs should be engaged to keep you in place. Do 12-20 bicep curls. Walk backwards so you are sitting on top of the ball. Do 12-20 overhead presses. Repeat.
Front kick and low lunge: Do a front kick with your right foot. When you bring it down, pull it far behind your left leg so you go into a lunge, placing your fingertips on your right hand on the floor for balance. Stand up straight and do it on the left side. This takes a little coordination, so concentrate! Repeat for 1 minute.
One-armed row: Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, place your left foot on the bench/step and your left hand on your thigh. Let the dumbbell hang down in front of you, and pull your elbow straight back so the dumbbell goes up to your hip. Do 12-20 reps on each side, twice.
Tae-bo kicks: Starting on your right foot, do a front kick. Then do a left front kick, and a right again. On your fourth kick, kick your left foot back for a back kick. When doing this you should turn your hips slightly to the left and look back at your left foot. So it should go, front right, front left, front right, back left. Repeat for 1 minute
(sorry, no picture of this one!)
Chest flies: Lay down on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold them up in the air directly above your chest with your arms just slightly bent. Then, without bending your elbows, lower the weights to they are even with your body, and then pull them back up. KEEP YOUR ELBOWS LOCKED, DO NOT BEND THEM! Do 2 sets of 12-20 reps. Modification: If you do not have a step, stand up, and let the dumbbells hang at your sides. Then raise the dumbbells so your elbows are in line with your shoulders, and your arms slightly bent.
Tae-bo kicks: Do the same thing as above, but start on your left foot. Front left, front right, front left, back right. Repeat for 1 minute.
Tricep dips: Sit on the ground in front of your step, placing your hands on the step. Lift your butt off the ground. Bend your elbows, lowering your body, but do not touch the ground. Raise and repeat. Do 2 sets of 12-20 reps. Modification: Hold one dumbbell with both hands so the weights are facing the ceiling and the ground. Bend your elbows so the weight goes behind your head, and extend.
Stairsteppers: Step on and off your step with both feet. Do this as fast as you can. Repeat for 1 minute.
Cool-down: Jog around your workout area, and slow to a walk, for about 4 minutes. Repeat stretch routine.
YAY! We made it! This workout is very tiring and it can be easily modified for all different ability levels. If you are more advanced, do the cardio drills for a longer amount of time, and do more reps or use heavier weights. If you are a beginner, take the drills a little slower, and do a small amount of reps. The other thing that can be modified is your recovery time. Use the time between your first and second reps of your strength drills to recover. Don't take too long of a recovery, even as a beginner. Never ever rest longer than 45 seconds, and if you do 45 seconds, spend the last 15 moving. We probably did 10-15 second rests in the beginning, and 20-25 second rests toward the end of the workout.
I hope you enjoy this workout!
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