Hello Everyone,
I’m BACK 😀 Well, I have been back a couple of days but I was itching to train heavy yesterday, so I went to the gym. I do have some soreness today, especially the glutes and quads because I did new PR on my Barbell Glute Bridge of 125kg for 5 reps 😀 I also did Deadlifts (1RM of 110kg – yay) and, front-loaded Reverse Lunges (got to 50kg x 3 reps each side – which was tough).
I have realised that I do not like working my quads – they have it in for me or something LOL So I am making a point of trying to improve my squats and lunges etc, because I want stronger legs. It’s very tempting sometimes to tailor your workouts around what you like to do, when sometimes you need to step out of the comfort zone to see improvements.
Today I decided to design a brand new workout, because I feel you all deserve one, since I have been away sunning myself in Munich and neglecting you all 😉
I had a great time, but I am totally bummed to be back home – to reality 🙁 boo …
But, on the plus side I get to use my kettlebells and pull up bar again – YAY!
The Workout
The Triplets are back and you will love/hate this workout. Complete 3 rounds of each Triplet and then move on to the Bridging COMBO. Each Triplet is interval training and will last 9 mins, so the whole workout will take over 30 minutes. Repeat this process for each Triplet and each Bridging Combo. There is a mix of Kettlebells, Body Weight, Strength, Conditioning and Core, so you will not be bored! If you notice at the end, my new favorite and evil combo is back too … so beware!
Set your Gymboss Interval Timer for 9 cycles of 15 seconds rest and 45 seconds effort. Depending on your fitness level, you may adjust the times as needed. My reps per exercise and the weights I used are noted below:
- Double Kettlebell Thruster (2 x 14kg) (12, 10, 9 )
- Elevated Plank Climber (22, 21, 19)
- Two-Handed Kettlebell Swing (20kg) (31, 31, 29)
- Maintenance Pull Ups x 5 reps
- Elevated Close Push Ups x 10 reps
- Alternating High Deficit Reverse Lunges (20kg) (15, 12, 12)
- Renegade Row (2 x 14kg round 1, then 2 x 16kg rounds 2 & 3) ( 18, 16, 17)
- Bench Jump (14, 15, 14)
- Maintenance Pull Ups x 5 reps
- Elevated Close Push Ups x 10 reps
- Stand-Kneel-Stand (left) (20kg) (16, 14, 12)
- Stand-Kneel-Stand (right) (20kg) (16, 15, 13)
- Alternating Single-Leg Hip Thrusts (23, 21, 20)
- Maintenance Pull Ups x 5 reps
- Elevated Close Push Ups x 10 reps
Beginners
My latest workouts have been very challenging and I want to offer some pointers to help beginners who wish to try this workout:
- Goblet Squat or Goblet Thruster instead of Double Thrusters
- Don’t elevate the planks or the push ups
- Assisted Pull Ups, Horizontal Pull Ups or, leave them out
- Double or Alternating Bent Over Rows, instead of Renegade Rows
- Do one-level Reverse Lunges with a KB or, High Deficit Reverse Lunges with Body Weight only
- Stand-Kneel-Stand – Body Weight only at first
- Replace the Single-Leg Hip Thrust with a variation of the Glute Bridge or Hip Thrust that is suitable for your level. See my Glute Bridge to Hip Thrust Progression Tutorial for advice on this.
- Change the intervals to include a longer recovery period, or set the reps of the more challenging exercises and use set times for the rest.
I hope this helps.
This workout was great! One for the books 🙂
Take care everyone – I’ll be back soon with more!
Marianne
Hi Marianne,
First let me say…Yikes that was a tough one! I just finished, and I am dripping. What a great workout!
I have been visiting your site and following your workouts for a couple of months now, and I couldn’t be happier that I found you. You KICK MY BUTT! And I love you for it. I am a new mom (well…10.5 months new), and since having my son, Miles, was born my fitness goals have completely changed. Like you talked about in one of your recent posts; working out was something I did to look good (not that there is anything wrong with looking good :)) . However, now I train to be strong, and be the best me possible. I want to be a strong healthy example for Miles as he grows up. And, carrying around a 22lb baby all day is tough. Finding time to workout is difficult some days, but your workouts are perfect. Quick and very very effective, and baby approved (Miles thinks Burpees are hilarious) I don’t have Kettlebells, so I use dumbbells (and sometimes use my son Miles for 2 handed KB swings-Hehe,Which he LOVES!), or whatever I can find. I plan to start going to the gym and start adding heavy weighted deadlifts, and hip thrusts. Any tips on where I should start? I have been following your glute bridge/hip thrust tutorial, and have been progressing right along. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I have noticed more improvement in my strength than ever, since adding your workouts into my routine. I can now do regular pushups (over 20 in a row), bodyweight dips (I am up to 8), and almost one pull up. It is my goal to do at least 5 pull up by my Birthday (in November).
Well, enough of the blabbering. Just wanted to introduce myself, and send you a heartfelt thanks for all that you do! You are a strong beautiful woman, who kicks some serious butt! You are an inspiration to me, and i hope one day to be as strong as you are! (I feel like I am on my way)
Keep it up! Have a great weekend in Dublin! 🙂
Amanda (from St. Louis, MO USA)
Hey Amanda. You are a great inspiration yourself! I laughed at you using your baby as a KB 😉 Bet he loves it!!
You sound very strong btw – 8 dips, 20+ push ups! wow!! 😀
The glute bridges should progress as the video advises. Deadlifts should be progressed by practicing maybe with your KBs, or Dumbbells, then an empty barbell before progressively adding more load. HERE is a great blog post which covers near enough everything you’d ever need to know about Deadlifts. I found this really helpful 🙂
WOW, Thanks Marianne! I appreciate the tip! I should send you a picture Miles as the KB. 🙂
I am glad you had a great time in Dublin, though I have to say I am a little nervous (but excited) for what this might bring to your workouts! Bring it on! I’m ready for the challenge. 😉
Hope your hand gets better soon!
Amanda
You should send me a picture, that would be so cute 😀
Hope to have a new challenge tomorrow. At least I hope it will be LOL – there’s nothing like a bit of pressure to get the creative coggs rolling 😉
Hey Marianne! Just returned today (Sunday) from 5 days of camping – floating in a raft down the river, eating not-so-healthy yummy stuff…tried to do some burpees while I was gone, bike rode a little, and also got a nice 🙁 sunburn – overall great week! BUT tried to go to gym today and do the Holiday Body wt workout – which normally would be hard, but not a kill-me workout…WELL, I was DYING!! I can’t believe what 5 days of not working out and not eating my normal fair did to me!!! I will NOT take off that long again with poor eating! Hopefully I will recover my strength soon to do this and the next workout! Glad you had fun!!! Can’t wait to try this once I can get back into my normal groove!!!!
Sincerely, Michele <
Your trip sounds fantastic Michele 🙂 Right up my street! Camping, river rafting, eating not-so-healthy yummy stuff 😀 I’m jealous! LOL I wish I was on holiday again 🙁
It is true that even a few days off from your usual training is a shock to the system. But maybe it’s a good thing that shakes things up again?? Don’t know, but you’ll soon get your groove back.
Enjoy 😛
ooh this looks like fun. will give this a try in the gym tomorrow. also started a blog.. mostly around food and recipes. when its a bit more organised i’ll share 🙂
amy
Oh Amy, can’t wait to read your blog! 😀 Great stuff! Recipes mmmm
I found this really hard. I had to drop the knee-up weight to 12’s in the last set . Very disappointed with my work out, but glad I make the effort. Sometimes it’s about turning up and grinding out a session.
So did I Adam, you aren’t alone in that 😉 It’s meant to be hard 😛 Good for you for sticking with it!
I felt I had been cruising this week, so I thought I would end my ‘light week’ with this! Boy was this a challenge! Marianne keeps up our love/hate relationship with this one!
Double Thrusters 12kg x 10, 8, 7
Elevated plank climber x 18, 17 , 14
swing 20 Kg x 26, 27, 27
pullups x5
elevated close pushups x 10
Alt high deficit rev lunge 14 kg x 13, 15, 15
rengade row 12 kg x 19, 20 , 21
bench jumps x 18, 20 , 20
pullups x 5
elevated close pushups x 10
stand/kneel/stand L 14 Kg x 9; 10 kg x 11, 9
” ” R 14 Kg x 10; 10 Kg x 10, 11
Alt single leg hip thrusters x 20, 20, 21
pullups x 5 e
levated close pushups x 10
First off, I started out with too heavy weights, so I was fried early on. Double thrusters was also a first for me. The pullups and pushups were actually a welcome break! Ha ha. I LOVED the bench jumps, loved ’em! They felt a bit tweeky in my bad knee, but that seemed to subside as I continued the range of motion. Stand/kneel/stand (which I had done w/ 16 kg before) felt terrible– it hurt my bad knee and sent shooting pains down my right leg from my hip problem (I still think it is a bit of sciatica.) The next time around, I went down in wt to 10 Kg and went slow and carefully, which was better. Those really got my heart rate up! I barely had time to get everything into place for the hip thrusts, which were a killer way to end the circuit.
This combo was deceptive, as it didn’t look as hard as it was! It really got me sweating. Its nice to return to Marianne’s workouts b/c I know I will always be challenged, I will always question whether it was really a wise decision to get out of bed and do this, but I will always be grateful afterwards! Like I said: Love/Hate! Its also nice to do a new workout, as I don’t really know what is coming — I don’t know that a tough section is coming up until I am in the middle of it, so I don’t anticipate or have a preconceived notion about how hard it will really be.
I ended with lots of rolling with twi hard plastic balls tied up in a sock (like LaCrosse balls, but harder still), concentrating on my lower back to try to loosen up my hip — it does seem to help. MobilityWOD is fantastic for cool-down stretches and ways to improve ROM.
That was provably one of the most productive 30 minutes I could spend on my life! Thanks MK!
~ Gillian
You’re welcome Gillian 🙂 Glad you loved/hated it 😉 Me too!
I really must check MobilityWOD out again, I really got a lot it last time.
Glad you’re making a return to my workouts too btw!
Off I go to work 🙁
Hi Marianne,
Just when I think you can’t outdo yourself, you come out with another gem of a workout. I did this one today and wow, what a great push for me, I loved this workout, total body workout , I loved it. Thank you for providing such great stuff, I love it!!
Norm ~ 🙂
Thanks Norm 🙂 I take it you loved it? LOL
Cheers
Marianne
Hi Marianne,
Kudos on your 1R PB in the dead lift, I know you can lift heavier.
I just know it!!!!! This workout looks like a real challenge . Embarking on it when I’m done here.
One hour later…….. I think my mama heard me ! Great strength routine . I have to agree
With some of the others in that the kneel to stand has become a favorite, the hip thrusts
Were hard afterwards. Felt good to finally finish. Whew !!! Brutal Marianne , just brutal. Thanks again.
Minnie
You’ve changed sooooo much. Perfection. You’ve achieved it.
Strength, discipline , knowledge.
Thanks Minnie 🙂 I know I will lift heavier. I have seen a huge difference in my form and it is getting stronger. I just take care to re-set before each rep.
Glad you enjoyed the workout, it was a good one!
In the last 6 months, I believe I have changed the most. Maybe the personal struggles have had some part to play, but I am more determined than ever to do the best I can. The discipline needs a little work still LOL 😉
I did this workout this morning. O.M.G…I barely made it through to the end. I also love the stand-kneel-stand exercise. Can’t wait to see what’s next!!!
Thanks Marianne 🙂
Thank you Tammy – I need to keep this momentum going now 😉
Great workout! Did this workout today and I must say that the elevated planks and alternating high deficit reverse lunges are just brutal!!! I must say I looovveee the stand-knee stand exercise. As always, another great workout!!
Thanks Fabi! I can’t believe I had never seen the stand-kneel-stand exercise before now – because I love it too! 😀
It is a strenuous strength routine. Very good return to exercise, health.