Life, Exercise and the Pursuit of Six-Pack Abs

If you were expecting Bodyweight Daily to give you a daily workout, you were definitely let down last week. Chalk this up to the consequences (and benefits) of an author who writes his own material. Life called me away on other errands last week, and the lapse in Daily posts was the result of that. So let's get back on track!

Today you are going for a run of some kind. You don't like to run? No worries! There are several options for getting this part accomplished. Relax. But first, warm-up.

Warm-up:

Joint Rotations. Neck, shoulders, arms, elbows, hips, legs, knees, ankles.

Partial bodyweight squats (halfway to parallel, I call them 1/4's) x20 + Full squat hold with arms overhead x 10 seconds. Rinse, repeat once.

Run 'em if you got 'em

Helicopter rotations: Arms straight out on either side. Rotate left, rotate right x20 total.

Then do the Good Morning stretch. Space feet about three to four feet apart, flatten back, reach down with both hands and try to flatten palms on the ground between your legs. 3 x 10 seconds.

The Run:

If you run about as often as you flap your wings and fly, start off very slow. Shuffle run until you are warmed up and comfortable with the movement. Otherwise here are the requirements:

Beginners: 1 1/2 miles total, or approximately 20 minutes of continuous movement.
Intermediate to Advanced: 2-4 miles or approximately 25-45 minutes of continuous movement.

Choose one of the options below, and execute the run in a slow jog (or walk if necessary)/fast run tempo. For example, if you are on a track, tick off one lap at a slow pace, then go moderate to fast for the next.

If you are using a treadmill, simply adjust the speed at regular intervals. Keep it consistent, if you are going to change every mile, do this the whole time. If you are going to do it every half mile, stick to that pattern.

Options:

1. Beach, street, track, or trail run
2. Treadmill run
3. Stairs (In your office building, at home, at a stadium, it does not have to be a lot.)
4. Fast walking or fast walking with periodic hills.

All fitness levels will complete their mileage using a slow and a moderate fast pace.
All fitness levels rest 3-5 minutes after run and finish with:

Squat Jumps (Beginning and intermediate) 2-3x12-15, 30 seconds between sets OR:
Deck Squat Jumps (Advanced) 3 x 15, 45 seconds between sets.

Stretch out after a brief rest and re-hydrate! As always, adjust the volume of work to fit your individual fitness level. Good luck!


Deck Squat Box Jump from CrossfitNRG on Vimeo.

In the above video, he uses a box, but all you need to do is jump in place.

If you think you're ready for a savage advanced bodyweight workout that integrates clubs and kettlebells as well, check out the new Spartacus Workout  from the guru of bodyweight training, Steve Maxwell.

Bodyweight Workout Routine: Whole Body Conditioning

This bodyweight workout is intended to get your metabolism pumping, your heart rate up and multiple muscle groups activated. Warm-up thoroughly with a slow and easy version of the intervals here, or do joint rotations and sun salutations for a few minutes.

For instruction on these warm-ups, click here:

Follow these general guidelines based on your individual fitness level:

-Beginners (little or no regular exercise, otherwise healthy.) 2 rounds, resting longer between exercises if necessary.

-Intermediate (some regular exercise, regular exposure to strenuous exercise.) 3 rounds minimum, rest longer between intervals if necessary, don't stop between exercises.

-Advanced (regular exercise routine. Comfortable with high intensity.) Up to 5 rounds, all-out intensity; bonus exercises when available.

Perform the following without stopping (lower reps generally for beginner level.)

-Swinging Arms Bodyweight Squats: (Swing arms back behind you as you squat down, swing them up explosively as you squat up. ) 12-20 reps

-Burpees (jumping) Drop to pushup position, execute pushup, shoot up to squat, perform jump squat, repeat. 6-10 reps.

-Elephant Walk: Stand with feet inside shoulder width, hands on floor, arms extended. Walk hands out as far as possible. Goal is to end up in 'Superman' position. 6-10 reps.

Beginners can stop with these three exercises. Intermediate and advanced, add a fourth and fifth exercise immediately following the Elephant Walk, from fully extended position, go to:

-Elbow Plank: Start in center, 10 seconds, switch to left, 10 seconds, switch to right, 10 seconds. Then,

-Elbow Crawl 10-20 seconds forward, 10-20 seconds backward.(Keep butt down. In this version, using only your upper body to pull yourself forward, legs dragging behind.)


If you can not get into full Superman position in the Elephant Walk, go as far as possible. Alternatively you can use a Power Wheel, like the SKLZ from Dick's Sporting Goods (try the 50% off Shop here) for a smoother version of this exercise (but not easier. You can ) Need to know how to do any of these exercises? See the references below:

Burpees



Elephant Walk



Want to see more drills from Steve Maxwell? click here:

Steve Maxwell Bodyweight Training DVD's