A Great Do-It-Anywhere Workout

I don’t know what the weather is like in the rest of the country, but here in Santa Barbara, it’s all over the place. One day it’s warm and sunny and I’ve got visions of summertime dancing through my head. The next day it’s cloudy and cold and I’m bundled up like I’m off for a visit to Siberia.

Excited about the warmer temps, I wanted to do Tuesday’s workout at the beach. It was a cold morning with gray skies overhead and I said with confidence, “It’s not going to rain. It’ll just be cloudy.” Near the end of our workout, I had to eat those words.

As the rain fell, I thought about the workout we were doing and realized that this workout, while a blast in the sand, could just as easily make a great indoor workout. So bookmark, copy and paste, or save this one for your next crappy weather, rainy, or snowy day – or other time you need a workout to do at home.

I’ve included some video demos to help you along. I know, I should have made a video showing all four combos, but these little snippets will have to do for today.

4×4’s – There are four exercise combos listed below. Do 4 sets of each of these before moving to the next. Continue cycling through these for 30-40 minutes. Complete as many rounds as possible in the time limit. If you need a break, jog in place for a minute between rounds.

1. Renegade Rows to Thrusters – Perform 4 (or 10 for the more advanced) Renegade Rows then jump up and perform 4 (or 10) Thrusters. That makes one set. Do a total of 4 sets before moving on to the next exercise combo

• Renegade Rows – Grab a DB or other weight in each hand and get into a plank position. Push one DB into the ground as you pull the other upward until your elbow passes your back. Lower and repeat with the other arm. Keep your hips and shoulders level as you row. A row on the right then left side counts as one repetition.
  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYvimqlL5zw]
• Thrusters – Stand and hold the DBs at shoulder-level. Squat down and explosively rise from the squat, thrusting the weights overhead. Lower the DBs back to the shoulder as you lower into the next squat. Repeat.
  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lRt3KJiPNQ]

 2. Mountain Climbers to Roll – Perform 4 (or 10) Mountain Climbers then drop to the ground and log roll to the side. Pop back up and repeat, alternating the direction of your log roll each time, until you have done 4 sets. If you have an aversion to rolling, then do your Mountain Climbers alongside a raised object (like a pillow, telephone book, or ottoman). Once finished with the Mountain Climbers, jump over the object and move to your next set of Mountain Climbers. Once you’ve done 4 sets, move on to the next exercise combo.

• Mountain Climber – In the up phase of a push up, keeping your upper body fixed, bring you right knee to your chest then return it to start position, then bring your left knee to your chest and return it. This is one repetition. Repeat in a bouncy, high tempo rhythm. Bring your knee as high as you can and try not to put your foot to the ground while below the chest.
  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmvZ-pxgdaI]

3. Horizontal Chops to Lateral Hops – Perform 4 (or10) of the first exercise then 4 (or 10) of the next. That is one set. After 4 sets, move on to the next exercise combo.

• Horizontal Chops – Stand with feet hip distance apart, knees bent, holding one or both weights in front of you with straight arms. Twist to the right and then the left for one repetition. Pivot on your back foot as you twist. Repeat. Twist powerfully, yet don’t overextend. Stop the weights abruptly at your sides with each twist. If this bothers your knees, don’t twist as far, but do keep it powerful.
• Lateral Hops – Do these with or without the weight(s) in your hands, your choice. In a semi-squat, with feet hip-distance apart, leap side to side. Keep those feet hip distance apart the whole time, and stay in the semi squat. Make it harder by doing your leaps over a low object. Make it easier, by taking large steps side to side. 4 (or 10x).
  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPm4yT7ANow]

4. Forward and Back Bear Crawls – Bear Crawl forward 4 paces, then backward 4 paces for one set. You get to do 4 sets of these before starting the whole cycle again.

• Bear Crawl – Crawl on hands and feet. Move right hand and right foot simultaneously then left hand and foot. Keep your weight evenly distributed throughout.
  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udIpJF4ZDY0]

 Abs/Core: Spend 15 minutes or so with these 3 activities.

• Plank to Sprawl – Begin in a plank position: the up part of a pushup with your hands directly below your shoulders, arms straight, feet close together but not touching, and body solid and straight from your neck to your heels. Don’t let your butt poke up or your back sag. Hold the plank for 30 seconds, the move to a Sprawl. This is like a plank but with arms wide apart and slightly bent at the elbows and feet wide apart. Hold for another 30 seconds (or your max). Rest for 30 seconds and repeat two more times. You can jump your hands and feet from the plank to the sprawl or you can step them out gradually.
• Switch Feet Crunches – Lie flat on your back, arms across your chest. Raise straight legs to 45 degrees, with the heel of the right foot on top of the toes of the left foot. Crunch upward, then lower torso to the ground. On next crunch, switch feet. Keep your legs straight and at 45 degrees for the whole exercise, switching feet positions with each crunch. 10-20x
• Butterfly Crunches – Lie on your back, hands either across your chest or behind your head. Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together. Pull your navel to your spine, concentrate on drawing your lower ribs to your hips and raise your head and shoulder blades a few inches off the ground. Lower slowly and repeat. 10-20x.

This is just one of the workouts I post for anyone, anywhere to enjoy for free. If you want more, just see my Workouts page.