Hidee ho my friends! This week has been chugging along nicely as preparations for my BODY ATTACK certification this weekend are almost finished. I’ve learned my track, packed my bag, made my snack list, reserved my hotel room, and practiced my track a thousand times. Better to over prepare and be ready for any situation than the alternative. Along with all the excitement about this upcoming weekend, holiday cheer has officially arrived in our house in the form of a Christmas tree, holiday decorations and hot chocolate. I’m so excited to get the house decorated and have the amazing Christmas tree smell in our living room.
Our squished in a corner and adorable tree
This week’s workout is from my bootcamp class Monday morning. It was a ton of fun to teach but fairly quick. In order to make sure I filled the remainder of class time I added a warm-up, repeated each exercise three times, did a short abs section at the end, and cool-down. You will need a fair amount of equipment for this workout, but modifications can always be made depending on your gym.
Exercise descriptions:
Slalom jumps in a square:
Set four cones or anything you can find that will serve as markers in a square. Bring the feet right under the hips and jump clockwise to each marker. Be sure to place your markers just the right distance away from each other so you can comfortably jump but are still working hard.
Box jumps:
Most gyms have a box for box jumps these days, but if yours doesn’t you can always (carefully) use a stepper with risers. Keep your eyes on your destination and remember to land with both feet completely on the box.
Rope slams:
Take a wide stance with one end of the rope in either hand. Swing your arms up and down, slamming the rope onto the floor. You can alternate arms or slam both at the same time once you start to get tired. Keep the knees bent and give the rope enough slack to be able to move. Sometimes we step too far back and make the slam harder by not letting the rope have anywhere to go.
Jumping jacks:
Jump out and in while moving the arms overhead. Modify by taking the jump away and stepping the feet.
BOSU burpees:
BOSU balls are the awkward half balls that have one squishy side and one flat plastic side. Place to squishy side down and hold onto the outside of the flat part (there should be little hand hold places). Jump your feet back into a plank and then right under your torso. Stand up and jump or lift the BOSU above your head. Return to your starting position and repeat.
Sandbag overhead squat:
Sandbags are tricky to work with because they can be slightly cumbersome and a lot of times too heavy. If you don’t feel comfortable holding one overhead for this exercise, modify by placing the bag on the upper portion of your back, just like a barbel squat.
Heavy bag punches:
If your gym doesn’t have a heavy bag or you don’t want to use it, alternating jabs in the air work fine too! Tuck that chin and power from behind the shoulder blades. Stay light on your feet and never put your thumb under the other fingers in a fist.
Plank:
Take a push-up position with hands under the shoulders. Squeeze your entire body and hold for as long as you can.
In other fun LGRS news, I am now officially a Fitfluential Ambassador! Fitfluential has been a blogging goal of mine for a really long time, so I am very excited to be joining the team. I am also now a contributing writer for Fitness Galore! It’s a fantastic new healthy living website that features articles from an assortment of contributing authors including myself.
Now I’m off to wrap up this work week and nail my BODY ATTACK initial training. Doesn’t Lilly look happy to be posing for me? Such a diva!
