Ultra-FIT magazine

30/30 bodyweight circuit

30/30 intervals involve doing 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of recovery. Perform three sets of each exercise before moving onto the next and take 60 seconds rest between rounds. This means that the workout should take exactly 20 minutes to complete. Each round is slightly easier than the one that

Round one

• 30/30 Pull-ups
• 30/30 Sit-ups
• 30/30 Narrow hands press-ups (fingers touching)
• 30/30 Squat jumps

Round two

• 30/30 Band assisted or jumping pull-ups
• 30/30 Crunches
• 30/30 press-ups (go to your knees if necessary)
• 30/30 Squats

Round three

• 30/30 Body rows
• 30/30 Planks
• 30/30 Knee push-ups
• 30/30 Lunges

The mixed bag circuit

You’ll need a few pieces of exercise equipment for this workout but once you have set them up and get started, it’s a simple three-lap race to the finish! Set everything up in advance to save time and only rest when you need to.

Perform this entire sequence as fast as you can while maintaining good form. The reps are reduced over the three laps as hopefully as you get tired, the workout will become easier…

30 reps
20-24″ box jumps
5-10kg medicine ball slams
12-20kg single arm dumbbell snatches (15 each side)
10-20kg thrusters (front squat to overhead press)
16-28kg two-handed kettlebell swing

20 reps
20-24″ box jumps
5-10kg medicine ball slams
12-20kg single arm dumbbell snatches (15 each side)
10-20kg thrusters (front squat to overhead press)
16-28kg two-handed kettlebell swing

10 reps
20-24″ box jumps
5-10kg medicine ball slams
12-20kg single arm dumbbell snatches (15 each side)
10-20kg thrusters (front squat to overhead press)
16-28kg two-handed kettlebell swing

Box Jumps – stand in front of your box with your feet around hip width apart. Perform a quarter-depth squat and then leap up and onto the top of your box. Step back down and repeat. If possible, alternate the leg you step down with.

Medicine ball slams – with your feet shoulder-width apart, raise a medicine ball above your head using both hands and then hurl it down just in front of your feet. Catch it as it rebounds and then repeat. Try to use your entire body to through the ball and not just your arms.

Dumbbell snatches – hold a dumbbell in one hand. Lower the dumbbell between your knees by pushing your hips back and bending your knees slightly. Drive your hips forwards and extend your knees to pull the dumbbell up the front of your body. The momentum should be sufficient to take the dumbbell all the way up and overhead to arms’ length. Catch the dumbbell with a slight knee dip and then lower it to the starting position. Perform all the repetitions on one arm and then change sides.

Thrusters – hold the barbell or similarly heavy object across the fronts of your shoulders. With your feet shoulder-width apart, push your hips back; bend your knees and squat down so your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor. Extend your legs powerfully and stand up. Use this momentum to drive the weight up above your head. Lower the weight back to your shoulders and then repeat.

Kettlebell swings – hold the kettlebell in both hands and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and push your hips back. Lower the kettlebell down between your knees. Drive your hips forward and use this momentum to swing the kettlebell up and forwards to shoulder-height. Lower the kettlebell back down and repeat.

Chips and lunges!

Chins and dips, between them, work just about every major muscle in your upper body. Lunges are a similarly efficient way to work your lower body. This workout combines these three great exercises to target every major muscle in your body quickly and effectively. Taking no more than 30 minutes to complete, this workout gets the job done in double quick time.

Storm through the following sequence of exercises. Perform your walking lunges away from your chin and dip station and use the walk back as active recovery. If necessary, substitute lat pull downs/body rows and bench dips/press ups if you are unable to perform chin ups and dips.

10 Chins
10 Dips
20 Walking Lunges

9 Chins
9 Dips
20 Walking Lunges

8 Chins
8 Dips
20 Walking Lunges

7 Chins
7 Dips
20 Walking Lunges

6 Chins
6 Dips
20 Walking Lunges

5 Chins
5 Dips
20 Walking Lunges

4 Chins
4 Dips
20 Walking Lunges

3 Chins
3 Dips
20 Walking Lunges

2 Chins
2 Dips
20 Walking Lunges

1 Chin
1 Dip
20 Walking Lunges

Chins – hang from a sturdy overhead bar using an overhand or underhand grip. Starting with your arms extended, pull yourself up so your chin touches the bar above. Lower yourself back to full arm stretch and repeat.

Dips – support your weight on your hands and cross your feet behind you. Bend your arms and lower yourself down until your arms are bent to 90 degrees. Push back up and repeat.

Walking lunges – start with your feet together and your hands by your sides. Take a large step forwards and bend your legs to lower your rearmost knee to within an inch of the floor. Step up and through into another lunge. Continue until you are completed the prescribed number of repetitions.

Up and down the mountain circuit workout

Workout’s like this one will improve your muscular endurance, your aerobic fitness, your anaerobic fitness and your strength of mind. Despite its simplicity, this workout is far from easy. Your job is to storm through from start to finish as fast as you possibly can!

• 250 jump rope turns
• 10 chin ups/pull ups
• 20 180 degree burpees
• 30 bent knee sit ups
• 40 jumping jacks
• 50 Squats
• 40 jumping jacks
• 30 bent knee sit ups
• 20 180 degree burpees
• 10 chin ups/pull ups
• 250 jump rope turns

Jump rope turns – it doesn’t matter what style of skipping you perform, just the number of times the rope passes under your feet.

Chin ups/pull ups – from a dead hang, pull yourself up so your chin touches the bar. If you can’t manage pull ups, do body rows, TRX rows or lat pull downs

180 degree burpees – perform  a burpee in the normal fashion but as you jump at the end, turn 180 degree in the air and land facing the opposite way. On the next rep, jump in the opposite direction  to avoid becoming dizzy.

Bent knee sit ups – lie on your back with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. With your hands touching your temples, sit up and touch your elbows to your knees. Lie back down and repeat. DO NOT pull on your head!

Jumping jacks – with your feet together and your hands by your sides, jump your feet out to the sides and raise your arms up and overhead. Jump your feet back in and lower your arms. Stay light on your feet and perform the repetitions as fast as you comfortably can.

Squats – perform your squats in the regular way; feet shoulder width apart, chest up, head looking forwards. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor and then stand straight back up.

The fighter’s workout

In the world of sport, boxers and MMA fighters demonstrate the broadest and highest range of fitness ability. They are strong, powerful, athletic, lean, mobile, flexible, anaerobically well-conditioned and have very high VO2 max scores – the measure of aerobic fitness. On the down side, they get hit in the head for fun so while these athletes may be super-fit, fighting for fitness might not be the healthiest way to get in shape.

So instead of risking life, limb and your good looks in the ring, cage or octagon, this month’s workout is designed to replicate the energy system demands of sparring without involving any physical contact.

For this workout, simply perform as many repetitions as possible in 30 seconds of each of the following exercises. Move from one exercise to the next without pausing and only rest when you have completed the sixth exercise. This totals three minutes. Rest for one minute and then repeat. I like to do five rounds of this workout to total 20 minutes but please feel free to adjust the number of rounds performed according to your personal fitness level.

As you get fitter, you can make this workout moiré demanding by taking a few seconds off your recovery, adding a few seconds to the rounds or simply increasing the number of rounds performed.

Use a programmable timer or, alternatively, keep an eye on the sweep hand of a clock. Feel free to select different exercises but try to stay true to the spirit of the workout, i.e. swap a leg exercise for a leg exercise. Remember, you are only performing 30 seconds of each exercise so don’t hang about on your transitions and try to really crank out the reps. The muscles you have just used will get a rest during the next specifically sequenced exercise.

1. Skipping
2. Press ups
3. Squats
4. Chinnies
5. Kettlebell/dumbbell swings
6. Burpees

Exercise Descriptions
Perfect form is essential for exercise effectiveness and safety so make sure you perform each exercise using the best technique you can muster…

1. Skipping
   No-frills but high-effect, skipping is a staple of many boxers’ training. Check your rope is the correct length by standing on the middle with your feet together. The handles should just reach your armpits. Tie knots in your rope to shorten it or get a longer rope if necessary. The wrong length rope will make your workout harder than it needs to be. Start of by skipping with your feet together and progress to an alternating heel/toe action. Next, try jogging, running and then sprinting with high knees in place. Finally, progress to double unders – two rope turns per jump.
2. Press-ups
   With your hands on the floor, shoulder-width apart, your legs straight and your shoulders, hips and heels aligned, bend your arms and lower your chest to the floor and then push back up. Inhale as you lower yourself down and exhale as you push back up. If full press-ups are too challenging, bend your legs and rest your knees on the floor.
3. Squats
   Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your feet turned slightly outwards. Push your hips back, bend your knees and descend until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor. Push back up to standing and repeat. Swing your arms forward and back for extra momentum or keep your hands on your hips as preferred.
4. Chinnies
   Lie on your back with your legs straight and you hands lightly touching your temples, Sit up and simultaneously lift and bend one leg. Turn your upper body and touch your opposite elbow to your knee. Return to the starting position and then immediately perform another repetition on the opposite side. Continue at a brisk pace for the 30 second work period.
5. Kettlebell/dumbbell swings
   Hold your weight in both hands in front of your hips. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly, hinge forwards from your hips and lower the weight between your knees. Drive your hips forwards and, keeping your arms straight swing the kettlebell up to shoulder-height. Let the kettlebell fall back down as you simultaneously hinge at the hips again. Keep your weight on your heels and imagine you are trying to jump forwards. Do not use your thigh muscles but, rather, focus on a powerful hip extension. Shoot for around 15 – 18 swings in the 30 second work period.
6. Burpees
   Saving the best exercise to last, burpees work just about every muscle in your body and will really test and develop your fitness. Stand with your feet together and your hands by your sides. Squat down and place your hands on the floor in front of your feet. Jump your feet back and into the press up position. Perform a single press up. Jump your feet back in and then leap up and into the air. Land on slightly bent legs and immediately perform another repetition. Miss out the press up and/or jump for a slightly easier version of this exercise.

Simple and effective, this workout makes for an ideal finisher to a strength workout or a good alternative to a more traditional cardio workout. It will increase your fitness, improve muscular endurance and also burn buckets of body fat. 

The running burpee pyramid workout

This workout is as basic as it gets and all you need is a about 20 meters of space and, if you want a more comfortable option, an exercise mat although a pair of gloves to keep your hands warm and dry will suffice. The RBPW will test local muscular endurance and also your cardiovascular fitness. Take it easy on the runs until you get a feel for the intensity of the workout.

Place two markers around 20 meters apart. Don’t worry too much about the exact distance. Measure out 25 strides and you’ll be close enough for our purposes.

Follow this sequence from top to bottom, only resting once you have completed the walking lunges…

Run out, perform 5 burpees and then run back
Run out, perform 5 burpees and 10 press ups and then run back
Run out, perform 5 burpees, 10 press ups, 15 squats and then run back
Run out, perform 5 burpees, 10 press ups, 15 squats, 20 hill climbers and then run back
Run out, perform 5 burpees, 10 press ups, 15 squats, 20 hill climbers and then walking lunges back
Rest and then repeat

Beginners – 2 to 3 laps, rest 2 minutes between laps
Intermediate – 4 to 6 laps, rest 90 seconds between laps
Advanced – 7 to 10 laps, rest 60 seconds between laps

You can also adjust the repetitions to suit your individual fitness level, for example, by performing 3, 6, 9 and 12 repetitions of the exercises respectively. Also, feel free to walk or jog between markers or shorten the distance.

Exercise Descriptions
Perfect form is essential for exercise effectiveness and safety so make sure you perform each exercise using the best technique you can muster. It’s better to perform 3 reps in perfect form than 10 reps badly.

Burpees
As equipment-free conditioning exercises go; the humble burpee is hard to beat. If you find this exercises overly demanding, just eliminate the press up and/or jump phase from the sequence.

• Squat down and place your hands outside your feet
• Jump your feet back and into the press up position
• Perform a single press up
• Jump your feet back up to your hands
• Leap into the air as high as you can
• Land on slightly bent legs and repeat

Press Ups
A terrific chest, shoulder, triceps and ab exercise, press ups are a staple exercise for many people – beginners and Olympic exercises alike. If a full press up is too demanding, bend your legs and place your knees on the floor. Remember, reps don’t count unless your chest touches the deck!

• With your hands on the floor, shoulder-width apart, walk your feet back until your heels, hips and head form a perfectly straight line
• With your abs held tight and without arching or humping your lower back, bend your arms and lower your chest to lightly touch the floor
• Push up to full arm extension and repeat
• Do not “lead with your chin” but, rather, try to keep your neck long

Squats
Squats are a primal movement pattern that we all perform many times a day. Getting in and out of your car, on and off the loo and sitting down and standing up? All examples of squats! In addition, squats are one of the best lower body exercises you can do.

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes turned slightly outward
• Push your hips back and bend your knees
• Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Squat deeper if you feel comfortable
• Drive down through your heels to stand back up
• Try not to round your lower back as this is a bad habit that can lead to problems if you squat with a weight on your back

Hill Climbers
Sometimes called alternate leg squat thrusts, this exercise is great for your legs, abs and will also drive up your heart rate. Focus on “fast feet” and really pump those legs!

• Place your hands on the floor and then adopt the press up position
• Pull one leg in so your knee is under your chest and your toe is resting on the ground
• Drive this leg back and simultaneously pull your other leg forwards
• Continue alternating legs until your set is complete
• Only count one leg so, in reality you are going to do 40 reps in total, 20 on each leg

Walking Lunges
Lunges are great for leg development and balance. Walking lunges are even better! Starting with your feet together and your hands by your sides, use lunges in place of running for your last return journey in the pyramid.

• Take a large step forwards and bend your legs. Lower your rearmost knee to within an inch of the floor. Your front shin should be vertical at the point, as should your upper body
• Step forwards and immediately into another lunge but with your opposite leg now leading
• Continue alternating legs until you have completed your journey back to the start

Medicine ball timed challenge

Workouts against the clock can really bring out your competitive spirit and help you work harder than normal. This workout is a race against the clock and provides a very thorough whole body workout while burning lots of calories and also targeting every major muscle in your body…

Perform 5 laps of the following circuit as fast as possible. Keep your rests to a minimum as the clock is ticking! Start your watch at the beginning of the first exercise and only stop it when you have completed the full 5 laps.

1) Medicine ball slams x 10
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and with your medicine ball in your hands. Raise it overhead. Using your abs and arms, hurl the ball down at the floor around 24″ from your feet. Catch the rebound and repeat. Establish a good rhythm and stick to it!  Perform 10 reps.

2) Overhead lunges x 10 per leg
Extend your arms overhead (holding your ball) and perform alternating lunges – 10 per leg.

3) Hill climbers x 20 per leg
Place you ball on the floor and put your hands on it. Extend your legs so that you are in a push up/press up position. Keeping your hands in place, bring your left leg forwards and close to your chest. This is your starting position. Jump your left leg back and your right leg in. Continue alternating leg positions as fast as you can but ensuring you use as large a range of movement as possible and keep your core tight! Each time your left leg comes close to your chest constitutes one rep. Do 20.

4) Thrusters x 10
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your medicine ball held to your chest. Push your butt back and bend your knees and descend into a squat position. Stand up and simultaneously extend your legs and arms and drive the ball above your head. Perform 10 reps

5) Burpees x 10
No ball here but a great way to wring the last bit of effort out of your body! Stand with your feet together and your hands by your sides. Squat down and place your hands by your feet. Jump your feet back and into the push up/press up position. Perform one rep. Jump your feet back in so that your legs are below your body. Leap into the air. Land (!) and perform 9 more reps.

Rest for 30 – 90 seconds then repeat for 3 – 5 laps. 

Lucy’s Leg Challenge

This workout is named after one of our personal training clients, Javelin thrower Lucy Rann. We hope you enjoy it as much as she did!

As a non-stop circuit perform:

5 squat jumps
5 speed squats*
10 seconds wall squat

* Squat jumps – squat to 90 degree knee flexion and then jump as high as you can. On landing, immediately transition into another repetition.

** Speed squats – perform body weight squats to 90 degrees of knee flexion as fast as possible.

*** Wall squats – squat down with your back against a wall and hold for prescribed duration.

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

10 squat jumps
10 speed squats
20 seconds wall squat

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

15 squat jumps
15 speed squats
30 seconds wall squat

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

20 squat jumps
20 speed squats
40 seconds wall squat

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

15 squat jumps
15 speed squats
30 seconds wall squat

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

10 squat jumps
10 speed squats
20 seconds wall squat

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

5 squat jumps
5 speed squats
10 seconds wall squat

Simple but leg shakingly effective!

Our Spartan Circuit has proven to be very popular and this variation on that theme is called the Russian Spartan Circuit because it uses two well-known Russian Kettlebell exercises – the two-handed swing and the get up.

 

 

 

 

2 minutes skipping
1 minute two-handed swing
2 minutes skipping
1 minute get ups – left hand
2 minutes skipping
1 minute get-ups – right hand
2 minutes skipping
1 minute two-handed swing
2 minutes skipping
1 minute get ups – left hand
2 minutes skipping
1 minute get-ups – right hand
2 minutes skipping
1 minute two-handed swing
2 minutes skipping
1 minute get ups – left hand
2 minutes skipping
1 minute get-ups – right hand
2 minutes skipping
1 minute two-handed swing

Total = 30 minutes (perform less sets as required)

Today’s workout is called the Spartan Circuit and is a low tech but highly effective workout that can be performed virtually anywhere. Combining cardiovascular conditioning with muscular endurance, the Spartan circuit–so called because you don’t need much equipment of space as opposed to having anything to do with warriors–takes 30 minutes from warm up to finish.

You’ll need an interval timer e.g. Gymboss or got to http://www.speedbagforum.com/timer.html for an online timer programme plus an exercise mat and a jump rope…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Set your timer for 2 minutes of work and 1 minute recovery

2 minutes – sun salutations
1 minute – continue sun salutations http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice/sunsalutation.asp
2 minutes – jump rope
1 minute – squats
2 minutes – jump rope
1 minute – front plank
2 minutes – jump rope
1 minute – press ups (push ups)
2 minutes – jump rope
1 minute – alternating lunges
2 minutes – jump rope
1 minute – dive bomber press ups (see video)
2 minutes – jump rope
1 minute – left side plank
2 minutes – jump rope
1 minute – Power squat/2 lunge combo (jump  feet out, perform 1 squat, jump feet back in, perform 2 lunges)
2 minutes – jump rope
1 minute – 6 beat press ups (lower for a count of 4, hold for 1, push up for 1)
2 minutes – jump rope
1 minute – right side plank

Cool down for 5 minutes by performing some static stretches for your major muscles and you’re done!