Monday workout

Happy Monday everyone! Another work week ahead. Start your week off right with a great workout. 

My friend Kirsten and I workout every Monday together. This is what were doing today. 

20 minute cardio- run up hill outside or 10 min run 10 min bike in gym

10 min bike

Try this workout from Carmichael. It varies your sprints to challenge your cardiovascular system and muscles in different ways. Following your warmup, start cycling at an intensity that's about 95 percent of your full effort for 90 seconds, followed by a 90-second recovery interval at about 40 percent of your full effort. Then, using the same intensities, perform 60-second and 30-second intervals. After the final 30-second recovery period, cycle at 70 percent of your full effort for 4 minutes, then repeat the entire set of intervals.

10 min treadmill

Set your treadmill between a 2.5 and 3.5 pace, depending on your fitness level. Walk at a 2.0 incline for one minute. For the next three minutes increase the incline to 5.0. If able to do so with control, for the following three minutes raise the incline to 10.0. The last three minutes are reserved to get you back walking at a level pace. Decrease the incline to 6.0 the seventh minute, 3.0 the eight minute, and 0.0 the ninth minute.

*** both workouts via menshealthmagazine.com

Circuit

1. squat w/ ball

• Place an exercise ball between the wall and the curve of your lower back.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees and lower 5 to 10 inches, keeping your shoulders level and your hips square. Hold this position for 3 seconds and then stand back up.
• Start with 5 reps and work up to 12. Rest for 30 seconds and do another set.

2. flamingo balance

• Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, stand with your left hand on your hip.
• Lean forward slightly, lifting your left foot behind you to about hip height. At the same, bring your right arm forward.
• Turn your palm to face the ceiling and do a biceps curl.
• Touch your toes back down briefly, then repeat for 12 reps. Be sure to keep your left leg straight while bending your right knee.
• Switch sides: Stand with your left foot forward. Hold the dumbbell in your left hand, and hinge forward, raising your right leg up behind you to hip height.
• Simultaneously, raise your left arm forward, turn your palm to the ceiling, and do a biceps curl.
• Touch your toes back down briefly, and repeat for 12 reps.

3. plyometric squat

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Squat down, bending your knees to 90 degrees.
• Now jump up and land softly again in the squat position. Use the strength in your legs and butt to jump up explosively.
• Remember to land as softly as you can with your knees bent; keep your weight back, over your heels.
• Do 3 sets of 8 reps.

4. single leg circle

• Lie back on the mat with your arms by your sides and your palms facing down.
• Begin by pointing with your left foot, as if reaching out with your toes toward the ceiling, and rotate your leg slightly outward.
• Inhale, and trace a circle on the ceiling with your left leg, moving your whole leg, but keeping your hips still. Don't lift your left hip off the floor.
• Trace the circle on the ceiling 5 times in a clockwise direction. Repeat in a counter-clockwise direction.
• Switch legs and repeat 5 times.

5. toe squat w/ overhead reach

• Come into a chair pose, abs engaged, inner knees and ankles touching, hips lowered to a half-squat, dumbbell over your head.
• Now come up onto the balls of your feet and keep your lower legs controlled as you lower and lift your butt, about 4 inches.
• Take your time and keep yourself steady as you lift and lower, between 8 and 12 times.

6. plie

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing out.
• Bring your arms out straight in front of you and lower into a squat.
• Come back up and repeat. Go as low into the squat as you can without letting your knees move past your toes.
• Be sure to tuck your tailbone under and contract your glutes. Keep your torso tall, and don't let your knees creep past your toes.
• Do for 1 minute. (After about 40 seconds, pulse at the bottom of the squat for 20 seconds.)

7. outer and inner thigh kick stretch

 A

 B

• Stand holding the back of a chair. Press your shoulder blades back and down.
• Come up onto the ball of your left foot, and lift your right leg.
• Keeping your abs pulled in, bring your right leg across your body, in front of your left.
• Now, swing it back out to the right, keeping your toes flexed and your toes turned out. Use momentum to swing through your leg as you fire through your left glutes.
• Do 10 reps. Be sure to keep both hips facing forward.
• Come onto the right leg and repeat for 10 more reps, again making sure your hips are facing forward.
• Flex your foot as you use momentum to swing your left leg and fire through your right glutes.
• Take a breather, then do a second set.

Do circuit 3 times.

Stretch

Have a great week everyone!

Xoxo- Michelle