Ultra-FIT magazine

The Doubler is a simple but effective self-regulating workout…

Duration: 15 minutes approximately
Equipment: Stopwatch
Method: Perform a maximum set of press ups and then rest 15 seconds. Next, perform double that amount of squats and then rest 15 seconds. Perform a 2nd set of max rep press ups, rest 15 seconds and then perform double that amount of squats. Continue for 5 sets. (See example below)

Set 1
24 press ups/48 squats
Set 2
19 press ups/38 squats
Set 3
16 press ups/32 squats
Set 4
12 press ups/24 squats
Set 5
9 press ups/18 squats

Totals 80 press ups/160 squats

Push ups and squats – two classic exercises that can be performed just about anywhere. Todays workout combines these two Ultra-Fit favourites into a quick and powerful workout.

Set up a step box to just below knee height and grab your stopwatch.

 

 

 

 

Box squat jumps
Stand astride your box with your feet flat on the floor
Squat down and lightly touch your butt to the box top
Dynamically jump up onto the box
step or jump down
Repeat for 10 reps

Incline press ups
With your feet on the same box, adopt the press up position
Bend your arms and lower your chest to the floor
Extend your arms and push back up
Repeat for 10 reps

At the top of each minute, perform a set of 10 box jumps alternated with a set of 10 inline press ups to total 20 minutes. For an extra tough workout, you can skip (jump rope) during your rest intervals.

Minute 1 – 10 box squat jumps
Minute 2 – 10 incline press ups
Minute 3 – 10 box squat jumps
Minute 4 – 10 incline press ups
etc etc
Minute 19 – 10 box squat jumps
Minute 20 – 10 incline press ups

Muscular endurance describes the ability of a muscle of muscle group to continue working without fatigue. Muscular endurance is affected by the blood supply to your muscles, the amount of carbohydrate stored within your muscles-called muscle glycogen, your tolerance to lactic acid and the ratio of fast twitch to slow twitch fibers that make up your muscles. Muscular endurance can be significantly improved with training and there are a variety of tests that you can perform to assess your current levels of muscular endurance.  

Push-ups Test
The push up test is used to assess your upper body muscular endurance. To perform the push-up test, adopt the push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart, your legs straight and your body in good alignment. Perform as many push-ups as you can in 60 seconds. Your chest must touch the floor for a rep to count and you must fully extend your elbows at the top of the movement. Repetitions that fail to meet these criteria will not be counted. Scores for this test can be compared to the American College of Sports Medicines norm tables by using the calculator linked below.

http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/PushUps.html 

Sit-ups Test
This test is designed to assess the muscular endurance of your abdominals. Lie on the floor with your legs bent to 90 degrees and your feet anchored firmly. With your hands clasped behind your neck, sit up until your elbows touch your knees and then lower your body back to the floor until your back touches the floor. Perform as many reps as possible in 60 seconds and compare your results using the calculator linked below.

http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/SitUps.html

Sub-maximal Bench Press Test
An alternative to the push-up test, the sub-maximal bench press test assess upper body muscular endurance. Men performing this test should use 80lbs whereas women should use 35lbs. You will require a metronome set to 60 beats per minute for this test. Lie on a flat bench with arms extended over your chest and your hands shoulder-width apart. Taking two seconds to lower the weight and two seconds to raise it, perform as many repetitions as you can. The test is completed when you can no longer continue to keep time with the metronome. Enter your score on the calculator linked below.

http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/YBenchPress.html

Battery Test
The battery test is a selection of exercises that can be performed to assess muscular endurance. The aim is to perform as many repetitions of each exercise as you can using the prescribed percentage of your bodyweight. The total number of reps you perform for all of the exercises is then added up and compared to the norm results provided.

The exercises and bodyweight percentages are:

Bench press 66% for men, 50% for women
Lat pull down 66% for men, 50% for women
Leg extension 50% for men, 50% for women
Leg curl 33% for men, 33% for women
Barbell Biceps Curl 33% for men, 33% for women
Triceps extension 33% for men, 33% for women
Bent knee sit-ups

91-105 = excellent
77-90 = very good
63-76 = good
49-62 = fair
35-48 = poor
Below 35 = very poor

 

Todays workout is a simple one – 3 minutes of press ups (or push ups for our American readers). Watch the video and follow the instructions and then post your results. Everyone at the Ultra-Fit office will be doing this one today!

 

 

Our Dead Lift and Press up Superset workout uses virtually every major muscle in your body in double-quick time – excellent for when you are pushed for time!

Duration: Against the Clock
Equipment: Barbell, exercise mat
Method: Perform 10 sets of 10 reps of bent-legged dead lifts using 60-75% of your body weight but adjust load as necessary. Alternate sets of dead lifts with 10 sets of 10-15 reps press ups (on knees or toes as appropriate). Aim to complete the workout as fast as possible whilst maintaining perfect form to also challenge the cardiovascular system. Adjust the reps and/or loads to meet your current fitness levels.

• Bent legged dead lifts – 10 sets, 10 reps @ 60-75% of 1RM
• Press ups – 10 sets of 10-15 reps

The Doubler requires a bit of maths but is a very simple and effective self-regulating workout…

Duration: 15 minutes approximately
Equipment: Stopwatch
Method: Perform a maximum set of press ups and then rest 15 seconds. Next, perform double that amount of squats and then rest 15 seconds. Perform a 2nd set of max rep press ups, rest 15 seconds and then perform double that amount of squats. Continue for 5 sets. (See example below)

Set 1
24 press ups/48 squats
Set 2
19 press ups/38 squats
Set 3
16 press ups/32 squats
Set 4
12 press ups/24 squats
Set 5
9 press ups/18 squats

Totals 80 press ups/160 squats

Today’s workout uses a system called density blocks. Perform as many repetitions as you can in the given time, rest a moment and then move onto the next exercise and repeat. Simple but effective!

Select 3, 4 or 5 minutes per block depending on your fitness levels. Pace yourself and try to finish strongly!

Block 1
Burpees for 5 minutes

Block 2
Pull ups (substitute lat pull downs or body rows as necessary)

Block 3
Press ups

Block 4
Squats

Block 5
Stability ball crunches (or similar ab exercise)

Record the number of reps you perform for each block and try to beat that score when you repeat this workout.

Todays workout is a fun but challenging whole body workout. Because it is so progressive, you won’t need much of a warm up before this WOW.

Part 1)
At the top of every minute perform a set of press ups.
1st minute – perform 2
2nd minute – perform 4
3rd minute – perform 6 etc
Continue until you either fail to keep the schedule or run out of time.

Part 2)
Using the same protocol, perform chin/pull ups. I suspect this may be the shortest leg of the workout!

1st minute – perform 1
2nd minute – perform 2
3rd minute – perform 3 etc.

Part 3)
Using the same protocol, perform squats but go up in sets of 5

1st minute – perform 5
2nd minute – perform 10
3rd minute – perform 15 etc.
Continue until you either fail to keep the schedule or run out of time.

Warm up for a few minutes before performing this simple but effective workout.

Perform a maximum set of press ups (push-ups for those readers in the USA)
Rest 15 seconds
Perform double the amount of squats
Rest 15 seconds
Perform a 2nd set of max rep press ups
Rest 15 seconds
Perform double the amount of squats
Keep going for 5 sets (or more if you want!)

Example:
Set 1
24 press ups/48 squats
Set 2
19 press ups/38 squats
Set 3
16 press ups/32 squats
Set 4
12 press ups/24 squats
Set 5
9 press ups/18 squats

Totals 80 press ups/160 squats

Record your totals so when you repeat this workout you can strive to increase your numbers!

The press up, also known as a push up for our American friends, is the “How To” of the day and is considered by many to be the best bodyweight exercises for building the chest muscles (pectoralis major). Press ups also target the front of the shoulders (anterior deltoids) and the back of the arms (triceps).

The press up is like a portable gym you take with you where ever you go, and a favourite amongst the home exerciser, circuit classes and outdoor training enthusiast.  

 

 

 

 

 

How To – (classic full press up) 

1. Starting from a prone position (face down), arms extended and shoulder width apart
2. Step back into a plank like position with the legs with the feet slightly apart whilst maintaining a strong core and don’t allow the lower back to dip.
3. Breathe in and bend the elbow allowing the rib case to lower down to the floor.
4. Breathe out and push back up to the start position to complete the movement.

As with the bench press covered in an earlier “How To” it is possible to focus different parts of the chest muscle. Try

• Elevating the feet to have a deeper focus on the upper portion  of the chest i.e. feet on a bench
• Elevating the chest by placing the hands on a bench to further target the lower chest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Troubleshooting the press up

The full press may not be for you so taking it down a level to a box press up will hopefully progress you towards hitting a perfect ten full ones. The box variation takes away some of your bodyweight from the equation.

How to Box – using the full press to how to above replace step 2 with the below

• Rest your knees on a mat and adjust your arm distance to suit your ability the closer your arms to your legs the easier the exercise will be thus meaning the further your arms are the harder it will be.  

 

 

 

Other variations

• Go plyometric and add a clap, the makes the press more explosive. Warning this is a tough one
• Staggered press up – using either a full or box press up position place one hand in line with your chest and the other in the normal hand position and repeat on the other side.

 

 

 

As always try to use mirrors when possible and seek local advice from a trainer if you feel you need a little more guidance.

Enjoy 
Andreas

http://www.metrohealthandfitness.co.uk
http://www.fitnorama.com/