Tag Archives: Mountain Climbers

10 Minutes of Hell (Plus 60 Minutes of Restraint)

HEALTH + FITNESS

Burning through fat really is this simple. But don’t infer that simple means easy.

By Todd Soura

 

We live in an interesting time. A lot of the long-held conventional thinking about exercise and nutrition has been debunked in rapid succession over the last several years in favor of methods that are, for the most part, more conducive to our nonstop lifestyles. Never really able to make time for those 10K training runs? Good news. Turns out that 10 minutes of sprinting are more effective anyway.

A lot of what seemed radical at first glance, like the above, now feels closer to common sense. Yet, the onslaught of so-called revolutionary workouts and diets just keeps coming. Understand that it’s a business, first and foremost, and you’ll begin to see it for what it is: an attempt to profit off of misguided information.

To show you just how simple it can be, I’m going to outline a 10-minute workout that’s designed to boost your metabolic rate long after you finish, as well as a recovery plan for the hours immediately afterward. No gym’s required. Nor is a nutritionist. If you’re cramped for time, you can do the workout and leave it at that. But if you supplement your current regimen with it, save it for last. You’re not going to have anything left in the tank. For that reason, my clients have come to refer it as the “10 Minutes of Hell.”

 

10 Minutes of Hell

1 minute          Kettlebell swings
2 minutes         Step-ups
30 seconds      Mountain climbers
30 seconds      Push-ups
1 minute          Jump rope

 

Perform the circuit twice and without rest between the exercises or the rounds, unless you absolutely have to. Aim to do the maximum amount of repetitions you can within each timeframe. If you’re not thoroughly exhausted when you finish, try the advanced version next time:

1 minute          Kettlebell swings
45 seconds      Burpees
45 seconds      Mountain climbers
45 seconds      Clapping push-ups
1 minute          jumping lunges or box jumps

 

Once you pull yourself together, try not to head straight for the kitchen, unless you need to grab some more water. I know. The popular thinking is to eat within 20 to 30 minutes of finishing your workout. Your metabolism’s still raging, and anything you consume is more likely to be used as fuel rather than stored at fat. That’s all true. But it neglects the other half of that equation: You stop burning fat as soon as you eat.

In other words, you just ruined yourself for 10 minutes, and now you’re going to negate those gains in a single bite. What you should do instead is abstain for the next hour. Let your body eat into its fat stores while you go shower and prep your meal. Then, reward yourself with a palm-size portion of lean protein and all the veggies you can stomach. (Note: If you’re building muscle or trying to enhance your athletic performance, a different set of guidelines apply.)

 

Todd Soura is the owner of the Doylestown-based Action Personal Training. 

The Stuck-At-Home Workout

HEALTH & FITNESS

Winter’s going to derail your regimen, if it hasn’t already. This high-intensity circuit will keep you from losing a step (and your mind) before the roads clear.

By Todd Soura

If you’re not questioning why you live here, among the mountains of slush, the black ice, the frigid nights and the fleeting sunlight, you’re not human. And then, as if your seasonal affective disorder needed any more fuel, your workout regimen’s derailed by: a) snow b) ice c) cold d) all of the above. It was inevitable. The sooner you accept that and hatch a backup plan for the next time, the easier this next month or so is going to pass.

This high-intensity circuit is unfazed by winter’s cruelty. The next time you’re pinned at home, find a space that you can move around in comfortably. That’s all you need. The rest is on you.

You’ll be done in less than 30 minutes, but you’ll be spent afterwards. High-intensity intervals torch calories and keep on burning them for up to 24 hours after you finish. Over time, when combined with lower intensity weight training, they’ll stoke your resting metabolic rate so that you’ll be burning fat and toning muscle even while you’re binge-watching “Girls.” For our purposes here, they’re your cabin fever remedy.

Don’t rest between exercises or rounds unless you have to. Start with three rounds. Once you build up your stamina, go for five.

1) Jumping Rope: 30 to 45 seconds. If you don’t have a jump rope, or you don’t have enough room to swing one, pretending is enough. An added benefit: Jumping rope helps your lymph glands expel toxins, which is good for the immune system.

2) Burpees: 10 to 20 reps. (If burpees are too challenging, do 30 squats instead.) Start in a standing position, then lower into a squat. Put your hands on the floor, shoulder-with apart, and kick your feet back so that you’re in a push-up position. Do a push-up, then return to the squat position. Jump straight up. It should be one fluid motion.

3) Plank: 60 seconds. Get into a straight-arm plank position, then lower yourself onto your forearms. This interval’s going to serve as active rest.

4) Mountain Climbers: 30 to 45 seconds. Start in a push-up position. Keeping your upper-body totally still, bring your right knee to your right elbow. Return to the push-up position, then repeat on the left side. Rotate quickly.

5) Alternating Lunges: 15 to 30 reps. From a standing position, step forward with your right leg, then lower your left knee to just above the ground. Both legs should form a 90-degree angle. Return to the starting position, then step forward with the left leg and repeat. That’s one rep.

6) Bicycle Crunches: 30 to 45 seconds. With your back flush against the ground, tuck your hands behind your head. Lift your legs off the floor and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Move your legs as though pedaling a bike—bring the right knee toward your chest and straighten your left leg, then vice versa. Simultaneously, crunch your upper body forward and bring your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Rotate quickly.

Todd Soura is the owner of the Doylestown-based Action Personal Training.