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). I’m going to do this 4 times for a total of 16-minutes. The exercise I’m using is burpees. I’m in a hotel this evening and have my gymboss timer with me so this is this evenings workout. This one is sure to have me puking (-:

EDIT: While it didn’t have me puking, I wasn’t far off, burpee hell is a very good name for this intervals set. My score for the first cycle was 56 burpees. I averaged pretty much 7 burpees per 20 seconds for the other 3 sets too. I rested for about 90 seconds between sets.

The burpee is performed in four steps:

* From a standing position, squat down and place your hands on the floor.

* Kick your feet back, while simultaneously lowering yourself into the bottom portion of a pushup. Your arms will not be extended.

* Immediately return your feet to the squat position, while simultaneously pushing “up” with your arms. You will perform a pushup as you return your feet to the squat position.

* Leap up as high as possible from the squat position. Repeat, moving as fast as possible.

This is the ONLY way that I perform Burpees.

Originally posted 2009-06-22 19:51:07.

Kettlebell workout. Reps are 5, then 4, then 3, then 2, then 1 on the right and 5, then 4, then 3, then 2, then 1 on the left.

* Snatch
* Clean and Press
* Front Squat 2 minutes
* Bent Over Row
* Lunge 2 minutes
* Swing
* Burpees 1 minute

Using a 16 kg kettlebell I worked through this workout twice. This was my workout for July 19th.

Originally posted 2009-07-19 14:34:16.

Twenty up – burpees – Burpees are favored among convicts in the California penal system due to the fact that one can get a total body workout with a minimum of space. Start with a one rep set, then a two rep set, then three, then four, until you get to a twenty rep set for a total of 210 burpees. It’s easier to start with twenty and work your way down. Just keep the rests between sets to a minimum.

* Begin in a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you.
* Kick your feet back, while simultaneously lowering yourself into a pushup
* Immediately return your feet to the squat position, while simultaneously pushing up with your arms.
* Leap up as high as possible from the squat position.
* Repeat as fast as possible, striving for approximately 30 repetitions per minute.

Originally posted 2009-04-24 18:02:26.

Gymboss Timer Workout: Ran to the local football pitch as a warm up and then performed:

* Burpees x 30 sec (12ish)
* Jumping Jacks x 30 sec
* Mountain Climbers x 30 sec
* Chinnies x 30 sec

Repeat 8x, 30 sec of rest between sets.

Originally posted 2009-04-28 18:47:00.

Ran to the local football pitch as a warm up then…
Twenty up – burpees – Burpees are favored among convicts in the California penal system due to the fact that one can get a total body workout with a minimum of space. Start with a one rep set, then a two rep set, then three, then four, until you get to a twenty rep set for a total of 210 burpees. It’s easier to start with twenty and work your way down. Just keep the rests between sets to a minimum.

* Begin in a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you.
* Kick your feet back, while simultaneously lowering yourself into a pushup
* Immediately return your feet to the squat position, while simultaneously pushing up with your arms.
* Leap up as high as possible from the squat position.
* Repeat as fast as possible, striving for approximately 30 repetitions per minute.

Originally posted 2009-04-24 18:00:36.

Ran to the local football pitch, placed my t shirt and water bottle fifteen meters apart. Performed twenty one burpees then walked the fifteen meters and performed twenty burpees continued like that down to one. Marginally easier than starting at one and going up to twenty one, but still a killer routine, a total of 231 burpees.

Originally posted 2009-05-25 18:07:48.

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.

Ran to the football pitch and:

Sprinted 50 meters then blasted out

* 25 Push ups
* 25 Vee ups
* 25 Burpees

Jogged back as active rest

Repeated 8 times for a total of 600 exercises.

Originally posted 2009-05-18 17:35:57.