Tag: AMRAP

Wednesday Workout: 3 Exercise AMRAP Circuits {w/a killer cardio blast!}

4 Comments

Confession: I really haven’t felt like blogging this week. I don’t know what it is, but Monday night I had time and legit just chose not to. Well, I technically I just chose to spend my time working on my Box FIIT certification, but still. I had decided to just not blog anymore this week, but then after the class I subbed last night I decided I really wanted to share the workout that I taught with you guys, so here I am!

If you’ve been following B2B for a while, I’m sure you’re well aware that I love AMRAP (As many rounds as possible) workouts. I love them because you know how long you have to work which means you can push yourself however much you want. When teaching, I especially love this format because it allows for all levels in the class to work at THEIR level. There are some who are really advanced and love pushing themselves and then there are some who might be easing back into workouts or tired or sore and may not want to push themselves quite so hard. By giving my members the set exercises per circuit, they are able to go at their own pace and we still all finish at the same time. Win-win, if you ask me!

For this workout, the AMRAP circuits are 6 minutes long and there are 3 exercises per circuit: a lower body focused exercise, upper body focused and core focused. Between circuits we did a lovely little cardio blast 😉 If you’re running short on time you can pick just a few of these or skip the cardio or just do a few rounds of the cardio.

3 exercise AMRAP circuits

For everything that has a right or left, do the 10 reps on each side (or 20 reps for the cardio). Here are some explanations/clarifications:

  • Squat->lunge->squat- Stand with your feet a little wider than hips width (either with a barbell on your back or weights in your hands or holding a KB) and do one squat, then step the right foot back into a lunge and come back to center and do another squat. Repeat on the left and then right until you do 10 lunges on each leg.
  • SLDL= Single Leg Deadlift. Keep the standing leg knee soft as you hinge forward from the hips. Make sure you keep both hips facing the ground. If this is too hard you can do a standard deadlift.
  • Narrow squat & front raise- Stand with your feet hips width with light weights in each hand. As you sit back into your squat, with a neutral grip on the weights lift them up to shoulder level. By holding the weight out in front of you, it should allow you to get a little lower into your squat.
  • Plank w/shoulder taps- in a high plank, tap opposite hand to opposite shoulder, making sure to keep your hips flat and stable as you do so.

I think that should do it for exercises that might need a little explanation.

Let me know if you try this!

Wednesday Workout: 20 Minute Bodyweight AMRAP {Cardio/Full Body}

4 Comments

Good morning! It’s been ages since I’ve posted a workout for you, right?! I’m changing that today, though! I love the holidays for an excuse to get off of my regular schedule (eating, drinking, working out, working, etc.), but I have to say that getting back ON schedule is a pretty awesome feeling, too. So, if you’re feeling anything like me and craving a bit of normalcy, then I hope you give this workout a shot- it’s so very normal and classic Monique-like 😉

I did this when I was at home at my parents house a few weeks ago. I wasn’t sure I wanted to workout, so I came up with something that included some of my favorite exercises and told myself that if I didn’t get into it after the first round, I could call it quits. Well, 20 minutes later, I was sweaty and so happy I got in a quickie workout. I’m sure you’ll feel the same way!

20 minute bodyweight AMRAP workout

A few explanations/videos in case you need a little clarification on anything…

  • Narrow & wide squat jumps– you’re taking a standard squat jump, but adding a little intensity. Check out this video for a demo.
  • Inch worm push-up w/knee tuck– I posted this on Instagram a few weeks ago- check it out here
  • Cursty lunges- alternate right to left, making sure you keep your hips facing the front direction and that your knees don’t go over your toes.
  • T-raise side planks- I posted this on Instagram a few weeks ago, too! I used a band, but you could easily do it without.  Check it out here
  • Burpee Jacks- Perform a standard burpee (with or without the push-up) and then when you come back up instead of jumping, do a full jumping jack.
  • Supine Extension- Lying on your back with your core engaged, lift your legs and shoulder blades off the ground and then crunch up and then extend back out.

If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I hope you give this a shot- it’s perfect for those days/weeks where you don’t have a lot of time to workout.

Questions for you: Did your schedule change at all throughout the holidays? How do you deal with schedule changes?

 

Wednesday Workout: Dynamax 25 Minute AMRAP Workout

2 Comments

Hello! Happy Wednesday! I skipped out on posting a workout for you last Wednesday, but I’m so happy to be posting for you today because I think you’re really going to love this workout. When I saw Lauren post a workout focusing on Dynamax balls, it reignited my love for that piece of fitness equipment. Back in the day I taught a Dynamax Bootcamp at the Oak Square YMCA and it was one of my favorite classes!

The great thing about Dynamax balls is that they are super versatile- you can use them for cardio, strength, core, upper body, lower body… which is exactly what I did in the workout I’m sharing with you today. I used a 16lb ball for most of the workout but had to drop down to a 14lb one for a few exercises. By the time I finished the 25 minutes I felt like I had successfully worked my entire body- perfect for a quickie lunch break workout.

Dynamax Ball 25 Minute AMRAP Workout

It’s worth noting that I forgot to include an exercise when I was creating this graphic! 😦 After the slams I did reverse lunges while holding a ball overhead. Killer for the shoulders!

Descriptions/Videos

  • Squat & toss- Hold the ball at chest height and drop into a deep squat. As you’re coming back up to standing, toss the ball overhead. As you catch the ball, sink back into your deep squat.
  • Slams- In this video I’m not using a Dynamax ball, but you get the idea 😉 https://www.instagram.com/p/5H8B9HPWya/?taken-by=burpeestobubbly
  • Toe taps- place the ball on the ground and tap alternate tapping your right and left foot to the ball, trying to lift your knees as high as you can.
  • Plank w/side taps right & left- Come into a plank position with your hands on the Dynamax ball instead of the ground to help challenge your core a bit more.  From this plank position, step your right foot out to the side, left foot out to the side and then bring your right foot in and your left foot in so that you end up where you started. That’s one rep. Keep going for 15 more. Want to intensify it? Try doing it with a band around your ankles!
  • Chest press & lat pull in bridge position- check this video out for a demo of this: https://www.instagram.com/p/-CVEluvW7V/?taken-by=burpeestobubbly
  • Russian twists- coming to a seated position & leaning back enough to force your core to be engaged you’re going to hold the ball and twist from side to side with it. Your feet can be lifted for a more advanced version.

I think that should do it! I hope you try this- it’s a great quickie total body workout, which is perfect for this time of year since things tend to get busier and busier!

Questions for you: What’s your favorite Dynamax exercise? How are you going to fit your workouts in during this busy time of year?

Wednesday Workout: 10 Minute Bodyweight Hotel Room AMRAP Workout

3 Comments

Good morning! As I mentioned on Monday, while I was in Milwaukee last week, I took advantage of traveling alone and was able to get in a few good workouts. One of those, was in the comforts of my hotel room, which makes it so easy to just roll out of bed and get started!

What I love about bodyweight workouts is that if you pair the correct exercises together, you can create a workout that challenges you and leaves you sweaty in no time! Just 10 minutes, in this case 🙂

Another piece of this workout that I liked was that it wasn’t a boring “10 reps, 4 rounds” or “10 reps each, AMRAP 10 minutes”. Rather, each round you will be decreasing the number of reps by 1, so you do 10 reps the first round, 9 the second, 8, etc. I got through 5 full rounds in 10 minutes and was on my 4th when the timer went off.

10 minute bodyweight hotel room amrap workout

Some housekeeping notes:

  • Lunges- can be forward or reverse, but just make sure to do the # of reps on each leg, so 1 lunge right and 1 lunge left = 1 rep
  • Push-ups- can do these on your knees, toes or do hand release push-ups
  • Plank w/knees to chest- 1 right knee and 1 left knee= 1 rep. Make sure to keep your shoulders, wrists and elbows in line and keep your butt down. Focus on squeezing the core to bring the knees in.
  • Burpees- you can add the push-up at the bottom, you can drop your chest to the ground, you can step back- options are endless!
  • Standing oblique dips- try and get your elbows to touch your quads every time you dip from right to left.

And, if you want a hyperlapse speed video to show you the moves, check this out https://instagram.com/p/9LgUWYvW-c/?taken-by=burpeestobubbly 😉

Questions for you: Do you ever workout in your hotel room? What’s your favorite bodyweight exercise?

Wednesday Workout: 8 Minute AMRAP Circuits

3 Comments

Hello! I’m so happy to have more time to blog this week because I’ve been doing some good workouts that are totally share-worthy. Although it can be hard to fit everything in during busy/stressful times (hello, moving!), doing my best to stay consistent with my workouts is something that’s really important to me. They may not be the longest or most intense, but even 15-20 minutes of just bodyweight exercises is better than nothing, and sometimes exactly what I need. I have to be careful of not over-doing it with workouts during stressful times because working out is a stress on the body, but less-intense, bodyweight workouts are generally doing me more good than harm. My fellow Boston blogger friend, Stephanie, wrote a really great blog post talking about this exact thing: The Stress-Fitness Balance. All too often workouts are the first thing that gets pushed aside in stressful, busy times, but her post is a good reminder on how to gauge your stress levels and figure out if maybe a quickie workout might be exactly what you need to relieve some stress and get a clear head.

Which is a perfect segway into this workout! For those of you who are feeling short on time these days, this workout has the option of being as short as 8 minutes or as long as 24-32 minutes. Each circuit is an 8 minute AMRAP (As many rounds as possible- while keeping good form, of course!) consisting of a lower body move, cardio, upper body move and core move. Choose a challenging weight so that you’re not whipping through the reps- I promise you’ll feel it 😉 I think I ended up getting through 3-3.5 rounds in the 8 minutes.

8 minute AMRAP circuits
Continue reading →