Hi everyone,
I have been thinking of other ways to include everyone, or at least offer options for everyone, depending on their level. It popped into my head that every workout of mine is edited the same. You usually see 3 rounds the same. Well I thought, as an experiment, I would perform my workout in 3 levels, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. It may actually need to be attempted the other way (starting with advanced), so beginners and intermediates can first see the “full” exercise that they should aim for, then show easier modifications each round, but this is a work in progress. I will see what the feedback is like before deciding though.
Right back to the workout itself. There is a lot of information here btw, as I want to expand more on how you can play with reps, intervals and intensity to suit your needs, especially as a beginner.
In choosing the exercises I needed to ensure the whole body would be trained, both with resistance and cardio. This workout is good for a variety or conditioning day. Most of the exercises are straight forward and I am working on bodyweight tutorials for all the exercise I do, but patience as always, because you know what my time is like 🙂
There are 8 exercise and 3 rounds. The workout can either be done in 24 consecutive cycles of 2 intervals, setting your Gymboss Interval Timer for rest interval / effort interval of:
- Beginners 30 sec /30 sec or 30 sec / 45 sec
- Intermediates 20 sec /40 sec or 15 sec /45 sec
- Advanced 30 sec / 1 min
Or set the timer for 8 cycles (as above) and take a longer recovery between rounds. Remember these are just guides.
Alternatively, complete beginners can complete set reps or set time for each exercise. Below I have highlighted my recommended set reps and times for beginners with an underline. When I did this workout I used the advanced interval method and recorded my own reps per exercise (mostly), these are in brackets below:
- Burpees x 10 reps (22, 24, 18)
- Two-Handed Kettlebell Swing x 30 seconds (38, 37, 37)
- Plank Climbers x 30 seconds ( / , 24, 19)
- Kettlebell Goblet Squat / Goblet Squat “Thrusters” x 12 – 15 reps (22, 18, 18)
- Single Arm Kettlebell Row (right) x 12 – 15 reps (24, 21, 18)
- Single Arm Kettlebell Row (left) x 12 – 15 reps (25, 22, 20)
- Dynamic Push Ups (or modification) x 30 seconds ( / , 18, 17)
- Kettlebell / Body weight Alternating Reverse Lunge x 12 – 16 reps (even number) (31, 22, 15)
The Kettlebell exercises can be modified mainly by changing the weight and the hold, either the goblet for beginners, or the rack for those who are more confident with technique.
This method is not a cop out for doing tutorials, but it illustrates how each modification develops and flows withing the actual workout. I quite enjoyed doing the workout like this, and all I need to do in future is give myself an extra round to compensate for the beginner’s round. Mind you, in saying that, the first round was not easy either, especially for 1 min.
Hope you enjoy this workout and will report back what you think. Also, I would like to ask if anyone has any requests for things in include in the “Beginner’s Corner”? Along with workouts I was going to add some useful article/advice – like how to establish goals, realistic expectations, a bit about measuring progress, FAQ, and a bit more about kettlebells? Any other ideas?
Thanks everyone, as always.
Marianne