Workout #5

For a short period of time, I worked out with a friend of mine who was a Marine...I'm sure you can imagine the intensity of the workouts just because of that. But on top of being a Marine, he was a Cross Fit junkie, and he liked to yell. All of which made our workouts very tiring, but well worth it. I remember him specifically saying this one particular thing that has stuck with me over the years.

In context, this was yelled at me when I stopped in the middle of an exercise to catch my breath:

" Why are you stopping? It's not going to hurt any worse than it already does and you're not going to get any more oxygen than you're already getting so you might as well KEEP GOING!"

What he was saying was this - when you're working out, you're exhausted, you're tired, sweaty, and you probably very short of breath. But why should that mean you get to stop? Why not keep going and power through the next 30 seconds? You've already come this far!

I try very hard to instill this mindset into my students during class. Because it pains me to watch someone hold a plank for 45 seconds, only to drop it with 15 second left to go. You've made it THAT far, why stop now? It's not going to hurt any more than it already did! 

With that in mind, I've put together this workout, inspired by a Fitness Magazine's workout that is solely based on time. I encourage you to put the pain aside and just get it done. Don't stop because you're out of breath. You can finish the 1 minute exercise without stopping if you WANT TO SUCCEED!.

Swimmer Push Ups - Do one push up, then lift opposite arm and leg, "swim" your arm backwards as if you were doing a backstroke. Alternate sides.

Toe Taps - With a medicine ball on the floor in front of you, tap your toes on top of the ball as quickly as you can, as if you were doing a high knee run.

Scissors Twists - Lie on the floor on you back. Place your arms out to the sides. Reach opposite hand to opposite foot while pulling your shoulders off the floor and lifting your leg high to meet your hand. Alternate sides.

Backwards Lunge Jumps - Lunge backwards with one leg, then "skip" or jump it forward towards your chest. It's as if you were doing a large skip in place. Repeat, 30 second on the left, 30 seconds on the right.

Squats with a Shoulder Press - Holding a medicine ball at your chest, drop into a low squat. As you come out of the squat, reach your arms high into a shoulder press. Before coming back into the squat, take your arms to a lateral raise in front of your chest, then drop back into the squat and bring the ball back to your chest.

Punch Burpees - Stand with your left leg towards the front, complete a jab-hook as if you were in a kick boxing class, then jump back into a plank. Jump forward to come back to your feet, but this time land with your right foot in front. Complete the jab-hook, and jump back into the plank. Continue alternating sides.

Seated Row - Sit on the floor in a v-up hold position, holding your medicine ball, "row" your arms back as if you were rowing a row boat. Hold the v-up hold and repeat the row for the whole minute.

Single Legged Squat - Standing on your left leg, hold your right foot just off the floor, next to your left ankle. Drop your booty low, keeping your chest held high, while reaching with your right hand towards your left ankle. Repeat 30 second on the left, 30 seconds on the right.