Brutal Blast of Sexy Workout

Hi everyone!

Well today was one hell of a workout!  I'm amping up my training to reach new fitness goals, so I hope you are taking advantage of these new workouts I'll be doing by doing them with me!  Three days a week, I will be doing a mixture of High Intensity Interval Training and the Tabata method.  I will be doing other workouts like yoga and fun DVDs the other days so keep coming back for more! 

I think most of you are probably familiar with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), but you might not be familiar with the Tabata method.  HIIT is when you work at your max intensity for a series of intervals.  For example, you could walk for 10 seconds, run for 50 seconds, walk for 10 seconds and so on.  HIIT is a great way to burn more calories and accelerate your metabolism.  The Tabata method is similar in that you are working with intervals, but they are very specific intervals.  Tabata training was discovered by Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo and was intended for training Olympic athletes.  It is claimed that you can get all the benefits of a 45 minute workout in only 4 minutes with this method.  All I know is that it kicks your ass!  I've done an entire workout DVD and then a 4 minute Tabata workout and was practically wiped out by the Tabata workout! (In a wonderful kind of wiped out way of course!) 

The Tabata Protocol is as follows:
Ten seconds of rest followed by 20 seconds of your absolute highest intensity and repeated 8 times.

You can do practically any exercises with HIIT or Tabata.  You can do strength training, cardio, running, jump rope, body weight exercises.  You are only limited by your imagination! 

If you follow my HIIT/Tabata workouts with me over the next few weeks, I guarantee you will be feeling happy, strong, and fit in no time!

Hope you enjoy today's workout!
Monica


Brutal Blast of Sexy Workout

HIIT Circuit #1
Set your Gymboss Interval Timer for 10/50 intervals and 6 rounds.  You will do each exercise 3 times.  Work at your highest intensity for each 50 second interval then rest for 10 seconds.
1. Side-to-Side Push-Ups
2. Jump Tucks

Tabata Jump Rope
Set your timer for 10/20 intervals and 8 rounds.  Jump rope for each 20 second interval and rest for 10 seconds.

HIIT Circuit #2
Set your timer for 10/50 intervals and 6 rounds.  You will do each exercise 3 times.
1. Mountain Climbers
2. Core Splits

Tabata Jump Rope
Set your timer for 10/20 intervals and 8 rounds.  Jump rope for each 20 second interval.

HIIT Circuit #3
Set your timer for 10/50 intervals and 6 rounds.  You will do each exercise 3 times.
1. 10-Pulse Squat + Push-Up
2. Toe Touch Crunch

The Exercises

Side-to-Side Push-Ups

Start in the plank position.  If you are a beginner you can modify by lowering your knees to the ground.  Do one push up.  Come back to plank, and if you are on your knees then lift your knees off the ground.  Travel to the right.  Do one push up and come back to plank.  Now travel to the left.  Do one push up.  Keep traveling back and forth.  Each push up counts as one rep.

Jump Tucks

Start in the squat position.  Use your arms to thrust your body upward in a jump, lifting your knees as high as possible.  Land as softly as possible.  This is one rep.

Mountain Climbers

Start in the plank position.  Bring your right knees as close to your chest as you comfortably can.  Return to plank position.  Now bring your left knee as close to your chest as possible.  Return to plank.  Repeat this as fast as you can.  Each time you bring your knee to your chest counts as one rep.

Core Splits

Stand in the center of your dip bar with one hand on each bar.  Lift your body up off the ground and simultaneously lift your legs in a V-split, concentrating on using your lower abs to bring up your legs.  Lower your legs back to the ground. 

10-Pulse Squat + Push-Up

Stand up tall.  Lower your body into a squat position and pulse up and down in very short motions 10 times.  After the tenth time, jump back into plank and do one push up.  Jump back up into a squat.  This is one rep.

Toe Touch Crunch

Lie on your back, legs straight up in the air.  If you are a beginner, reach your hands up in the air.  If you would like to make this exercise more challenging, you may hold a dumbbell in your hands.  Using your abs to lift up your torso, reach your hands toward your toes.  Return to starting position.  This is one rep.

Monica's Scores
Side-to-Side Push-Ups: 16, 12, 12
Jump Tucks: 20, 18, 17
Mountain Climbers: 70, 42, 40
Core Splits: 13, 14, 12
10-Pulse Squat + Push-Up: 3, 3, 3
Toe Touch Crunch: 20, 17, 21

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