This evenings workout was a kettlebell workout using a 20kg kettlebell and my own bodyweight:

After warming up I performed: Ten rounds of squat thrusts for 30 reps and then one arm kettlebell swings 15 reps each arm. A round is one set of squat thrusts and one arm kettlebell swings done back to back with as little rest as possible between rounds, just enough to shake out your body and grab a quick drink of water. The squat thrust is a bodyweight exercise in which you squat down, get into the top position of a pushup, and then get back to up the standing position.

Originally posted 2010-07-17 18:26:44.

This workout is a bodyweight and dumbbell circuit. 30 seconds of each exercise with just a quick shakeout in between exercises.

* Press-ups
* Shoulder press
* Plank
* Dumbbell lunges
* Mountain climbers
* Bent over row
* Boxers sit-ups
* Seated press
* Squat thrusts
* Press-ups
* Seated Russian twists
* One arm snatch
* Jumping jacks
* Dorsal raise
* Chest press
* Squat thrusts
* Sicilian crunch
* Squat with a press

I worked through this circuit twice. This was my workout for 16th June.

Originally posted 2009-06-16 20:59:47.

This evenings workout is a bodyweight and dumbbell workout. Each exercise for 1 minute time using the gymboss timer. Dumbbells should weigh enough that you can do the exercises for the full minute. If you can’t do a full minute, decrease the the weight. If the muscle is not fatigued after a minute, add more weight.

* Press-ups
* Lateral Raises
* Front Punches
* Tricep Kickbacks
* Bicep Curls
* Bicycle Crunches
* Calf Raises
* Sumo squats
* Half-Lifts
* Chest Press
* One leg squats
* Arnold presses
* Burpees

I followed this up with a 4 mile run.

Originally posted 2009-05-20 17:54:57.

This bodyweight only workout was my workout for 02/04/2011.

200 Punches
100 Squat With a Kick
150 Push-Ups
150 Squats
100 Sit-ups
80 Squat Thrusts
60 Elephants

Originally posted 2011-04-02 19:03:54.

This workout is a bodyweight and dumbbell circuit. Each exercise is done for 30 seconds time with 30 seconds rest.

* Split dead lift
* Press-ups
* Shoulder press
* Plank
* Dumbbell lunges
* Mountain climbers
* Bent over row
* Side crunches
* Seated Russian twists
* One arm snatch
* Jumping jacks
* Dorsal raise
* Squat thrusts
* Sicilian crunch

I worked through this circuit twice.

Originally posted 2009-06-05 18:16:20.

Studies have shown that circuit training is the most effective way to build cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance. Circuit training combining both strength and cardiovascular exercises is an excellent way to improve both aspects of your fitness at the same time.

A typical circuit has around 10 or so ‘stations’ where a person completes a certain exercise at each station for a set period of time, before moving on to the next station. At each station there is a different exercise which is selected depending on what benefits you are looking to achieve from that particular circuit, a typical circuit will have bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, squat thrusts, burpees etc… and resistance exercises such as dumbbell or barbell curls, shoulder presses and pull ups.

You don’t need expensive equipment for circuit training either. All you really need for a circuit training is space if you make all exercise stations bodyweight exercises.

You can also suit the circuit to the space you have, whether it be a small gym or a football pitch. The main advantage of circuit training is that there is an infinite way that a circuit can be designed, so circuit training can benefit everyone, no matter what your sport.

The main disadvantage of circuit training is that is that it doesn’t build bulk. Circuit training is primarily aimed at improving cardiovascular and muscular endurance and the exercises are done at a high intensity with high repetitions with little resistance. In order to build bulk circuit training, you should reduce the number of repetitions at each station and use heavier weights or greater resistance.

Circuit training is a great tool and most circuits don’t take too long either, so be sure to include them in your routine.

Example Circuit:

Plyometric Push-ups
Dumbbell Curls
Vee Ups
Mountain Climbers
Military Press
Rustys
Squat Thrusts
Jumping Jacks
Squats to Presses
Burpees

This was my workout for 19th June, I worked through this circuit three times.

Originally posted 2009-06-19 17:12:48.

If you’re pressed for time and can’t get to the gym, bodyweight exercises are just what you need.

These exercises aren’t a substitute for a ‘real’ workout they are a ‘real’ workout. If you put in the effort these exercises can completely change your body all on their own. And fast.

Once you start learning about all the different body weight exercises you can do, you’ll see there are endless ways to put bodyweight exercises into routines..

Some great bodyweight exercises you can use include:

Bodyweight squats.
Pushups.
Lunges (forward, reverse, walking, jumping in place).
Mountain climbers.
Jumping Jacks.
Leg raises.
Squat thrusts.
Burpee.

Many bodyweight exercises have a lot of variations. Take the pushup, for example – regular, hands close together, one handed, spiderman pushups, feet elevated pushups, etc. There are hundreds of bodyweight exercises available.

Using your bodyweight alone, you can get your heart rate up, your blood pumping, and get yourself breathing heavily a lot quicker than you’d think.

You can combine the exercises in any way you see fit and adjust the number of reps based on your current ability.

Sample bodyweight workout. Start anywhere and work through:
20 Bodyweight Squats.
20 Pushups.
Plank hold of 30 seconds.
20 Mountain Climbers.
20 Burpees.
20 Jumping Jacks.
20 Sit-ups.
20 Squat Thrusts.
20 Lunges (ten per leg).
Repeat 3 to 4 times.

If you just want a quick and “easy” leg workout try seeing how many bodyweight squats you can do before the burn in your legs forces you to stop.

This was my workout for January 18th 2011.

Originally posted 2011-01-19 12:10:13.

Tabata Intervals are made up of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This cycle is repeated 8 times (for a total of 4-minutes).

Originally posted 2009-05-02 14:34:20.

This evenings workout was a full body workout using a combination of bodyweight and dumbbell exercises. Reps ranged from 16 to 30 depending on the exercise and I tried to work the lower body at the same time as the upper, for instance when I do shoulder presses with the dumbbells, I’d do squats at the same time, when doing lateral raises with the dumbbells I do astride jumps at the same time, the whole workout lasted about 40 mins including warm up and cool down.

Originally posted 2009-05-03 20:28:21.

This evenings workout was another deck of cards, I’m in a hotel this evening so worked out in a small courtyard at the rear of the hotel. The exercises were:

Suits
* Spades = Boxers sit ups
* Hearts = Push ups
* Diamonds = Jumping Jacks
* Clubs = Squat Thrusts

Repetitions
* ace = 11 reps
* 2 = 2 reps
* 3 = 3 reps and so on
* Jack = 11 reps
* Queen = 12 reps
* King = 13 reps
* Joker = 25 of the previous exercise.

I did this twice for a total of 908 exercises, make no mistake about it, if this workout is done correctly there are few routines that are as challenging as this one. Don’t rest between exercises and only have a very short rest between decks.

The deck of cards workouts are some of my favorite workouts as they don’t require any equipment, can be done anywhere, are portable and are as challenging as any workouts you could try. Each shuffle of the deck provides a new workout. Give the deck of cards a whirl and you won’t be disappointed.

Originally posted 2009-06-01 22:23:43.