July Triple A Workout

The July workout is Arse/Abs/Arms....A Triple "A" Metabolic Sizzler! It can be modified for beginners by not using weights for all of the moves and can be taken up a notch for advance beasts by increasing weights/maximum reps/all 4 rounds in as little time as possible....with good form in all cases!

July ‘16 Workout

Christina Gibson, ACE-CPT

A Workout: TriSets = 2-4 Times Through

DB Curtsy Lunges to Curls each leg 10-12 Reps

Set Up: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward in line with your knees, dumbbells held down by your side (shoulders engaged), palms facing outer thighs.

Action: Bring your right leg behind and to the left of your left leg (as if you are curtsying), bending both knees, but never past the ankles. Right heel will be up, left foot will be weighted in your heel. Push off with your right leg back to standing as you curl both dumbbells from the elbow toward your shoulders. Return dumbbells back to thighs while curtsying on the right leg (bringing left leg back and behind).

You are working: Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, inner thighs (adductors), biceps, triceps

DB High Squats to Press 10-12 Reps

Set Up: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward in line with your knees, dumbbells held just above shoulders, palms front facing.

Action: Lead with your hips/glutes back as you lower your body down into your heels (not forward into your knees) as you were lowering yourself to sit in a chair, and until your thighs are as close as possible to being parallel with the floor. Using your glutes, quads, and hamstrings, push yourself back up to standing as you raise the dumbbells up and over head, slowly lowering them back above shoulders to starting position. Be sure to keep your back straight without overly rounding or sinking forward your lower back (exaggerating your lumber curve). Weight of all Squat movement should be in your glutes and heels. Repeat movement for desired number of repetitions.

You are working: Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, shoulders, biceps

KB Swings 40-50 seconds

Set Up: Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell between your legs with both hands.

Action: Push your hips back with the weight just clearing your pelvis (traveling between your legs to just behind you), back should remain flat through all motions of movement, thrust your hips forward as you swing the weight up to chest at shoulder level. The thrust momentum is what drives the weight between your legs to your shoulders (your arms/shoulders should not be doing the action, just holding the weight). Continue hip hinging and thrusting for the duration of set time.

You are working: Core, hips, glutes

First 3 moves should be done 2-4 times through. Then rest 60-90 seconds before doing second 3 moves 2-4 times through.

Single Leg Deadlift Reach 10-12 Reps each leg

Set Up: Stand on right leg (foot, back in the heel) with good posture, knees soft, back neutral, and shoulders back, with left foot behind toes down.

Action: Slowly hinge from hips (back remains straight, core engaged) until torso is parallel with the floor, lower just slightly past parallel as you reach forward. Weight should be fully in your right glute muscles (and heel of your right foot). Squeezing your glutes, raise back up to standing on your right foot. Repeat all desired repetitions on your right leg before doing same on the left leg.

You are working: Glutes, hamstrings

DB T-Ups 8-10 Reps each side

Set Up: Get into the top of a Push Up Plank, keeping abs braced (not sunk into shoulders), body in a straight line from knees to neck/shoulders, and hands either on the mat or on a dumbbell (if you put too much pressure on dumbbell, then just keep them beside your hands for use).

Action: Shift your weight to your right hand (with or without a dumbbell) and slowly raise your left arm (with dumbbell in your left hand) until it is straight overhead do not lead with your hips, but allow them to follow your spine until both hips are stacked (lead movement from your core, specifically obliques), body should remain in alignment). Lower your right arm and repeat with the left arm. Alternate lifting your arms for the desired number of repetitions.

You are working: Chest, arms, core

Forearm Belly Blasters 30-40 seconds

Set Up: Lie belly down on your mat, curl your toes, contract your glutes and quads, come up into Forearm Plank position (plank with your elbows under your shoulders and forearms extended in front of you like a sphinx). Keep abs braced (not sunk into shoulders), body in a straight line from knees to neck/shoulders.

Action: Keep your back straight and your hips still, contracting your core lift your hips & glutes in the air off your forearms and hold for 5-10 seconds. Lower back down into Forearm Plank position, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions or time.

You are working: Core, chest, arms, and hamstrings

***

B Workout: Circuit = 2-4 Times Through

DB Deadlift to Row 10-12 Reps

Set Up: Stand with feet hip width apart with knees soft but not bent, core braced, good posture, holding two dumbbells one  in each hand (shoulders engaged), palms facing thighs.

Action: Push your hips back as your shoulders come toward the floor (back straight) until your torso is parallel to the floor, weights in front of shins. Keeping your elbows close to your body, pull both of the dumbbells up to the side of your body (elbows up and by torso), squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement (dumbbells should be at peck level). Return dumbbells back down to front of shins (slowly, not just letting your arms drop the weights), squeeze the glutes as you draw your torso back to standing. Repeat movement for desired number of repetitions.

You are working: Lats, shoulders, arms, glutes, hamstrings

DB Step Up to Reverse Lunge 10-12 Reps each leg

Set up: Stand with feet together in front of a workout bench or step ladder or step or sturdy chair with dumbbells held at your sides (shoulders not pulled down but in place), core braced (good posture).

Action: Step right foot up onto the surface used (full foot, stepping into the heel of right foot activating glutes), drawing left leg off the floor to tap with ball of foot (toes) onto bench, then stepping left foot back to floor (into heel), and bringing right foot down and behind into a Reverse Lunge. Repeat same side by fluidly bringing right foot back up to raised surface out of the Reverse Lunge. Once the right side is completed the desired number of repetitions, repeat on the left side.

You are working: Quadriceps, glutes, core, shoulders

Burpee Thrusters 30-50 seconds

Set Up: Begin in a standing position (good posture, core braced) with feet together and arms by your sides.

Action: Squat into your heels (contracting glutes, not forward into knees), bringing buttocks lower than knees, lean forward placing hands under wrists and thrusting feet back coming into top of Push Up Plank (wrist below shoulders). Jump legs forward underneath hips/shoulders (think frog), then jump to upright as high as you can then back to standing. The movements should be fluid and fast, moving between each position repeatedly until set amount of repetitions or time is completed, while keeping your body aligned throughout the movements.

You are working: Legs, core

SB Jacknives to Declined Push Ups 8-10 Reps

Set Up: Get into a 3 point stance onto a stability ball by placing one lower leg (lower shin and top of foot) onto a stability ball and arms in Push Plank position (wrists under shoulders), then bracing body and placing other leg (lower shin and top of foot) onto the stability ball. Your body should be braced at the core and in a straight line from ankles to neck/shoulders.

Action: Contract your core while drawing your hips toward the ceiling and drawing your knees into chest. Return to the starting plank position and then lower your upper body down into the bottom of a Push Up, once lowered to hover above the mat, push back up to starting position. Your abs should be braced and pulled into spine for all positions of this move. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

You are working: Core, chest, arms

SB Plank Hold 30-40 seconds

Set Up: Get into a 3 point stance onto a stability ball by placing one lower leg (lower shin and top of foot) onto a stability ball and arms in Push Plank position (wrists under shoulders), then bracing body and placing other leg (lower shin and top of foot) onto the stability ball. Your body should be braced at the core and in a straight line from ankles to neck/shoulders.

Action: Contract and brace your core to spine, make sure you are not sunk into your shoulders, that your body is in a straight line for the entire hold from ankle to neck/shoulder. Hold and breathe for the set time before coming down from the stability ball.

You are working: Core, chest, arms

All 5 moves 2-4 times through.