Hey everyone,
For a change I have added new activities to my weekly training. Some of it is for fun and relaxation, but also to work on my flexibility, co-ordination and agility.
Last Tuesday night I began Salsa lessons for example. Dancing is something I have always wanted to do and I was impressed with how much I enjoyed it. I always thought I had two left feet, but I was a little better that expected. However that was just after the basics, so we will see how I get on with more complicated moves LOL! Then, on Saturday I went to a Capoeira class. I was very nervous about this class because I knew it would challenge my balance, co-ordination, flexibility and agility. I found that this type of training was both challenging and very fun! For the last 2 days, my quads and upper back muscles have been rather sore with DOMS lol, just from the bodyweight Capoeira. This shows how much bodyweight exercises can challenge you in a totally different way.
Because of my DOMS, and because I wish to train heavy tomorrow, today I decided to design a workout with mostly body weight exercises. For the Tabata at the end, I used a Kettlebell for swings. However you can always swap this exercise with another body weight one if you prefer.
The Workout
Today’s workout is comprised mostly of body weight exercises, mixing set reps and set times. Complete 3 rounds of the 6 exercises in the first section and then finish with the Tabata below. For the timed exercises, I set my Gymboss Interval Timer for one interval of 45 seconds. Feel free to adjust this time according to your fitness/energy levels. I have suggested a rep range for the other exercises. My reps per exercises are in brackets were I was able to keep track:
- Burpees x 45 secs (16, 15, 15 )
- Single-Leg Hip Thrusts (left) x 12 – 15 reps
- Single-Leg Hip Thrusts (right) x 12 – 15 reps
- Jump Rope x 45 secs
- Pull Ups x 5
- Side to Side Step Ups x 45 secs (47, 45, 46)
For the Tabata below, set you Gymboss Interval Timer for 8 cycles of 10 seconds rest and 20 seconds MAX effort. I used 20kg for my Swings.
Complete 4 rounds of the following:
- Two-Handed Swing
- Dynamic Squats
That’s it for today. I know it’s a little lighter paced than usual, but every so often we need to deload and take things a little slower. I really enjoyed the change of pace, but I am ready to up my game again for the next workout. I hope you all enjoy this one too 🙂
Cheers
Marianne
Marianne,
I have been reading your blog for a while, but this is the first workout of yours that I did. And wow…you say it’s an easy one and I thought I was going to pass out by the end of it. AND I modified it.
I am so impressed by your workouts, your physique and your strength. I read about your “dark passenger” and that makes me admire you even more. I don’t know how you make time for this with a full time job as an RN, but I am thankful you do :).
I am going to say this and please see it as a big compliment ;your behind is just UNREAL ! I would like to believe that is something that can be acquired through these workouts, but don’t let me dream if it’s not the case:).By what I have seen, many of your workouts strengthen the back muscles, core and glutes, which I like very much, because I need some strengthening in those areas.
Great blog overall ! I enjoy it very much !
Hello Satya, thank you for commenting 🙂
Thank you for your compliment. I have been getting more and more comments lately about my “behind” LOL and I am actually thinking of writing a post to show the difference in it since I switched my training and started focusing on strength and activation of the posterior muscles you mention. I do have genetically a round butt, but never did I imagine having such shape and strength from it. AND it’s still feminine looking too 😉 win win! So it is very possible for others to improve the size and shape of their butts by doing specific exercises and progressively strengthening it.
It is nice when you can see your hard work pay off with an effect like this 😀
Oh, that would be such a great idea !
Well, to be honest, I don’t think I have ever seen such contoured asset :), in real life or over the internet, so yes, you should be proud of it, especially when you worked so hard.
For some time now, I have been following Bret Contreras advice about how to strengthen the glutes and I see you are a fan of his too :). He’s such a brilliant guy ! And I can definitely say my posture improved and my lower back feels much better. Thank you for such a great website !
Have a wonderful weekend !
Marianne – Do you plan to post your full workouts at any point – I am assuming you filmed the whole session based on the summary videos you currently post.
This is a suggestion, as there are many of us who enjoy “follow-along” workouts – similar to an exercise video, especially since you are doing many timed intervals. Don’t get me wrong, the videos you post are concise and very effective in showing all the exercises with clear instruction in the text – but would be great to able to just follow the workouts and not have to think about anything but the exercise on hand (yes I am that lazy!)
Hey Coco, sorry your comment got lost in all the responses to my rant, lol! I have already done this type of “follow along” video.
https://myomyfitness.com/kettlebell-and-body-weight-workout-class-workout-dvd/
and
https://myomyfitness.com/beginners-workout-class-kettlebells-and-body-weight/
It is something that I have intended to do again, but have never got round to :/
The problem is, that uploading a FULL workout would take ages on Youtube and I am only allowed 10mins. I filmed one round in the above workouts to give you an idea, then you can replay them for the subsequent rounds.
Check them out and see what you think 🙂
Hi Marianne,
Put in my order for the gymboss interval timer today. Looking forward to being able to add that to my workouts. Also I went to donate [ I’ve added a few of your workouts and hope you keep your site on! ] but I get an error:
” We were unable to decrypt the certificate id. ” Not sure whats up with Paypal.
Good one!! You’ll not regret that purchase! And the Paypal thing was my fault, but it’s working now 🙂
if we don’t have equipment to do pull ups, what would you recommend doing instead?
Hey Rebecca, the best alternative is the inverted/horizonal row or it’s also been called the reverse push up. Lying on the floor on your back, you need a bar or broom stick to pull yourself up to. So set the broomstick up across two chairs and pull yourself up until your chest touches the bar/stick 🙂
In THIS VIDEO forward to 30seconds and you’ll see her demo it.
great workout!
Cheers Amy 🙂
Congratulations, you look very well, more defined and stronger. Surely the USA trip to cooperate in this.
LOL, I think coming home away from the deep dish pizza, apple butter and Godiva chocolate might have more to do with it 😉 But thank you, I feel better too!
Hi Marianne,
it’s a great workout. And you are in a fantastic shape!
But could you please explain what TABATA actually means?
Thank you.
Sabine
Thanks Sabine. Dr. Izumi Tabata of Japan and a team of researchers at the National Institute if Fitness and Sports in Tokyo discovered a form of high intensity interval training that builds greater muscular endurance and burns more fat in less time. They called it Tabata.
Tabata is a type of very high intensity interval training that lasts 4 minutes. Each exercise is performed for 20 seconds at MAX effort and you only rest for 10 seconds. You repeat this 8 times non-stop for the 4 minutes. You should be spent by the end of the 4 mins, or you havn’t put enough effort in!
Hope this helps 🙂
Thanks, Marianne.
It helped. 🙂
Hey! Glad you had a good trip to the USA! Do you know of any cool Kettlebell girls in Toronto, Canada? Thanks for another great workout! You look amazing as usual.
Thanks again from your fellow nurse and fit gal,
Katie
Hey Katie! Ah a fellow nurse 😀 I don’t know of anyone in Toronto YET, but I am sure there are. I take it that is where you live? Hope you enjoy the workout 🙂
Geesh, you look incredible!
Thank you Kellie 🙂 xo