Winter Break Workout 2011

These are designed to do at home, anywhere, even in front of the TV.  You only need a couch, stair, and something heavy like laundry detergent or whatever.  The entire workout should only take about 40 minutes and you do NOT stop between reps. You should workout 3 times a week or every other day.  Your body needs a day to flush out the soreness. So alternate the workouts below and go from there. After each workout there should be a self-study period of serious cardio followed by real good stretching.

Off Season Workout #1

Each circuit is done 3 times total, NO stopping in between.

Warm up Circuit:

1. Lunges:  Stand with your feet together, arms raised in front to shoulder height, and elbows straight. Brace your abdominal / core muscles to stabilize your spine. Slowly lift one foot off the floor, balancing on the standing leg. Hold this position briefly before stepping forward. The raised leg should contact the floor heel first, slowly shifting your body weight to the front foot.  Avoid any sideways tilting or swaying in your upper body and try not to move the foot. As you lunge forward, focus on dropping your hips downward toward the floor rather than forward. This will help control the amount of forward movement of your shinbone over your foot. Continue lowering your body until your front thigh becomes parallel with the floor and your shinbone is in a slight forward lean. Keep your back flat and elbows straight. Your hands are reaching to a point somewhat below your front knee. This increases the load on your gluteal (butt) muscle group. Firmly push off with your front leg, working your thigh and butt muscles, to return to your upright, starting position.  Switch legs.  15 times each leg – total 30.  Advance to twist during the lunge TOWARD leg going forward.  i.e left leg forward, twist body to face left. Can add weight or ball in your hand for added difficulty.
2. Couch kicks: Stand up facing the couch, with one of the couch arms in front of you. Bend forward, supporting your weight on the arm of the couch. Keep your head down so that you do not put stress on your neck muscles. Kick your right leg back, so that the bottom of your foot is parallel to the ceiling, and then bring it back down. When you are doing the exercise properly, you should feel it in your thigh and butt. Do fifteen repetitions on your right leg, and then repeat with your left leg.

Circuit:

1. Get a medium size ball of sorts in your hand, a rugby ball, basketball, anything.  Sit on ground, put your feet under the couch for support.  Can put pillow behind your back.  Bend knees up, normal sit up position, ball in hand over your head.  From ground, do normal sit up with ARMS STRAIGHT.  Swing ball over head and place on couch.  Relax back down, still with arms overhead.  Sit back up, swing arms overhead and pick ball back up, relax down with ball, arms overhead.  Get it – arms overhead.  No bending.  15 rounds = 30 situps. Advance to HEAVIER ball, if possible.
2. Push ups. Normal push up position with HANDS ON BALL.  The ball will roll and move – use your core to stabilize.  20 push ups.  Advance to FEET ON COUCH during push up.

 

Circuit:

1. Side jumps: Stand with feet together. Jump to the right several feet, keeping knees bent and landing in a squat position. Jump back to the left and continue jumping from side to side. Use a small object to jump over if you like (book, pillow etc..) Please do not jump over ball.  If you land on it, you will probably fall. Advance to jumping WITH ball.  When land in squat position, bounce ball one time on ground, catch, and jump to other side.  15 rounds = 30 jumps.
2. Mountain Climbers: no need to explain.  25 rounds = 50 leg pumps.  Tighten your core, use your abs to crunch leg in.

Circuit:

1. Supermans: Lie face down on a mat with your arms stretched above your head (like superman) Raise your right arm and left leg about 5-6 inches off the ground (or as far as you comfortably can). Hold for 3 seconds and relax. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg. 10 times each side = 20 movements.
2. Planks-  Regular positioning.  Hold for 30-60 seconds.  Advance to lifting one leg up behind you.

3. Bridge: Lay on your back with your hands by your sides, your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Make sure your feet are under your knees. Tighten your abs and core. Raise your hips up to create a straight line from your knees to shoulders. Squeeze your core and try to pull your belly button back toward your spine. The goal is to maintain a straight line from your shoulders to your knees and hold for 20 to 30 seconds. It's better to hold the correct position for a shorter time than to go longer in the incorrect position.  Can advance to holding one leg up straight out in front of you and hold.

Cardio

 30 minutes.  Anything really, just don’t stop or slow heart rate down.

STRETCH!!!!!

Off Season Workout #2

Each circuit gets done 3 times total, NO stopping in between.

Warm up Circuit:

1. Straight leg bends. Get something heavy in your hand that you can maneuver easily – like a big thing of laundry detergent or gallon of milk.  Should be 5 – 10 lbs.  Stand straight up, legs a little wider than hip width apart.  Hold weight in one hand directly in front of you toward floor.  Bend at waist, legs straight, weight down to floor, arm straight.  In one continuous movement, swing weight up in one hand in front of you up to ceiling while straightening body up.  Final position is standing straight up with weight straight above your head, arm by ear, arm straight.  Then bend at hips, swing arm forward and down, bring weight down to floor while bending at waist.  DO NOT bend legs.  Keep good CORE position – no flailing.  This is harder than it looks – recruit back muscles and hamstrings.  10 each arm = 20 movements.
2. Stand in front of a step.  Put weight in your right hand. Step on step with your right foot, bend your right arm and bring the weight to your shoulder.  While standing up on the step with your right foot, press the weight straight up so your arm is straight right next to your ear.  Your left leg should come up in to a bent knee position as you press the weight up.  Then bring weight back down to shoulder as you place left foot back on ground and bend right knee.  As you step off with your right foot, bring weight down to straight arm position toward floor. Both feet come together and restart.  15 times each side, same movement with left leg – switch weight.

 

 Circuit

1. Lie on ground, knees bent, core stable, arms out to side.  Start with weight in right hand out to side. Lift up off ground in front of you toward ceiling.  Bring your left arm up to meet in middle, almost like bench press position.  Switch weight into left hand and bring both arms back down to sides.  Bring both arms up, switch weight, etc.  15 rounds = 30 movements.
2. Stay in same position on ground.  Bring arms forward like bench press position, weight in one hand, hands facing each other.  Bend that arm so that the weight comes back toward your head.  Final position should be with elbow still toward ceiling, hand with weight near your ear.  Press arm back up.  Do NOT move upper arm – that should stay STABLE.  Only forearm moves.  15 each arm.
3. Hip lift: Begin by lying on your back with your arms by your sides, palms facing up. Raise your legs so they are straight up toward the ceiling and perpendicular to your torso.  Pull your navel toward your spine and lift your hips a few inches off the floor, keeping your legs pointed straight up. Then slowly lower your hips back to the floor.

Circuit

1. Stairs.  If you have a regular flight of stairs, go up them TWO at a time 20 times, then THREE at a time 10 times.  If you don’t have a regular flight, can do step ups/step downs on either a single step or couch or chair.  SWITCH which legs steps up first, 40 times each leg.
2. Push ups.  Arms on step, legs out – 20 push ups.  Better: Feet on step, hands on ground.  Best: One arm push ups, can do a few steps up, feet on ground.

 

Circuit

1. Oblique twists:  You need to do it right! Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Contract your abs and sit at about a 45 degree angle. Hold the weight with both hands directly in front of you. Contracting your abs, twist slowly from your torso to your right and touch the weight to the floor beside you. Quickly, but smoothly, contract your abs and twist your torso and touch the medicine ball to the other side.  15 rounds = 15 each side
2. Start sitting very low to ground, but not on ground.  Maybe on a couple of couch cushions, small yoga ball if you have it, Bosu ball is best.  Don’t sit on a regular chair, won’t be low enough.  So start sitting, legs in front of you, weight in one hand.  Using your CORE only, stand up on both legs while pressing weight up overhead.  Good, smooth, controlled movement.  Then using control, sit back down on cushions again while bringing weight back down and rest on your legs.  Switch weight into other hand – stand up again.  Repeat.  Harder than it sounds if you are low enough.  10 each side = 20 stands.

Cardio

30 minutes.  Anything really, just don’t stop or slow heart rate down.

STRETCH!!!!!!!!