Workout of the Month: Are You Ready?

ALL LEVELS / strength and endurance workout / 12 mins
Equipment: high bar, barbell (10kg for women, 15kg for men), Plyo Box

This month’s workout is another endurance workout that tests your strength. It consists of 5 exercises – each performed for 2 minutes with a 30-second rest in between. Total time –12 minutes. Be sure to count your total reps at the end – in this way you can use this workout to benchmark your fitness and try to improve over time.

The 5 exercises are performed for 2 minutes each, in the following order, taking a 30 second rest after each one:

1. Squats
2. Push up (full position or kneeling)
3. Barbell row (10kg for women, 15kg for men)
4. Box jumps
5. Hanging knee raise

SCALING

There is no scaling for this workout – it can be performed by all levels. However, if you are new to circuit training and endurance workout, think about your pace during each exercise and take rest if you need it. If you are strong in these movements, aim to go unbroken for the entire 60 seconds. If you are new to this type of intensity, think about breaking down each exercise into mini sets, eg. sets of 5 or 10 – taking a quick rest in between each.

A final bit of advice – pace is important, but technique is better. Good technique at an optimal pace is more sustainable than poor technique at a fast pace. Two minutes will start to feel like an eternity if you push too fast. Of course, feel free to push yourself on the exercises you are strong at, but hold back on weaker exercises – and instead focus on good technique. Don’t forget that the 30 sec rest periods will be necessary to allow your heart rate to recover before the next exercise.

As your fitness improves, you will be able to push yourself further each time you perform the workout. Be sure to count the total number of reps at the end.

Endurance workout

SQUAT

• Keep core tight.
• Drive hips up.
• Weight through centre of the feet.

Time: 2 minutes Rest: 30 secs

PUSH-UPS

• Keep core and glutes tight.
• Shoulders over wrists.
• Body in a straight line.

Time: 2 minutes Rest: 30 secs

BARBELL ROW

• Keep core and glutes tight.
• Squeeze shoulder blades together.
• Weight over centre of the feet.

Time: 2 minutes Rest: 30 secs

BOX JUMP

• Keep core tight.
• Drive hips up.
• Bend knees on the landing.

Time: 2 minutes Rest: 30 secs

KNEE RAISE

• Keep core and glutes tight.
• Arms straight.
• Bring knees to chest.

Time: 2 minutes Rest: 30 secs

OTHER EXERCISES:

SIX FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH TRAINING EXERCISES

WORKOUT OF THE MONTH: FIVE2