Modified Tabata Combos

Yesterday was my usual Wednesday Mad Abs and Dirty 30 classes at Pura Vida Club.  They are 30 minute classes that absolutely kick your butt.  When walking out of Dirty 30, two guys behind me walking down the stairs comment on how tough the class is and how much it pushed them.

One of the class participants yesterday that made me work harder was a guy on his first day back from having a collapsed lung.  We were doing the triceps round and he was sitting it out.  Just thinking he was tired I said come on you've got this.  That's when he showed me scar and told me it was his first day back.  Let me just tell you that watching him do the up and overs on the step, you'd never know he was recovering from collapsed lung.  I told myself if he can go that fast then I have to go faster and work harder.

So here's the workout that is modified Tabata and we did two rounds.  You do first exercise for 20 seconds, got straight into second exercise for 20 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds.  Equipment you need: Bosu ball, step on high risers (we had stacks of four on each side), and either a 10-pound or 25-pound plate.

You do 4 rounds of each combo for a total of four minutes at each station.  Then repeat for a second time.

Combo 1 with Bosu ball:
Bosu burpees with push up (flat side of Bosu faces up, ball side down)
               
Deck squats (ball side up, lay on ball, roll up to low squat then stand up, then back down to start position)

Combo 2 with weight plate:
Plate squat press (squat with plate then press plate straight overhead as you stand up then back down)

One arm row (1st & 3rd round with right arm, 2nd & 4th round with left arm)

Combo 3 on step:
Tricep dips (legs fully extended)
Up and overs (going up and over steps - not length-wise - as fast as you can)

Get through all three combos twice and you are done!

Tabata Intervals Are Tough

Today I did Mad Abs and Dirty 30 at Pura Vida Club.  Both classes have awesome instructors - Jamie teaches the Mad Abs and Tim teaches the Dirty 30.

I'm not sure how, but somehow, Jamie makes the 30 minute Mad Abs class go by fast.  I love that she does so much more than crunches.  Today we used a body bar, Bosu, and ball for the class.  I love that she gave us two challenges to end the class.  Here are the two moves used an exercise ball and Bosu.

Plank with hands on Bosu (ball side up) and legs on the exercise ball.  If you can do that then try bringing knees in keeping feet on ball.  If you can do the knee roll in, then try bringing feet in as you extend up in a pike position.

Turn Bosu ball over so the flat part is up.  Hold on to the sides and place legs on ball.  Trust me this plank is challenging enough but if you want to go one more level then alternate bringing knees to elbows.

Those were the two exercises to end Mad Abs then it was on to Dirty 30 with Tim.

Today he did 6 exercises in Tabata style which is doing exercise for 20 seconds then resting 10 seconds and going right in to next one.  Here are the exercises for 1 cycle:

Burpees - I so have a love-hate relationship with these.  I hate doing them but love the results of doing these.

Cross Over Lunges

Push Ups - yes I did all cycles on toes military style

Squat Curl Press - squat with weights in hands, as you start to come up do bicep curls, the press weights overhead.

Deck Squat - with step long ways start laying down with arms extended beyond head.  Sit up then stand up, then squat back down and go back to starting position.  I actually had problems with this one. Tim noticed and said it's because I'm short-waisted.  So he suggested holding one of my 5 pound weights in my hands while doing the move.  That worked!

Mountain Climbers - like burpees I have a love-hate relationship with these.

Now do that cycle 8 times doing each exercise for 20 seconds then rest 10 seconds and right into the next one.  There is no extra rest in between cycles!

Burpees With A Bosu

Today I got in my weekly hour and half session with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  She made a deal with me today - give it all I have in 30 minute Kinesis session and then I'll get to do some amazing new stretches and moves in Pilates.  I made that deal without knowing my Kinesis session would include heavier weights, countless lunges, and running up and down four flights of stairs.

One of the moves she had me do was burpees with a bosu.  Traditional burpee is starting crouched down, jump feet out into a plank position, push up, jump back to crouch position, then jump up with arms extended up to ceiling.  With the bosu ball you take that overhead and in the jump back to plank, try to kick up and back.  Here's the move with Erin cueing me through move.

She did hold up her end of the bargain and give me a series of new stretches and moves in Pilates then ended session with hanging upside down, one of my favorite moves.  

Planking with the Bosu

Yesterday I did my weekly Kinesis and Pilates session with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  Often she'll have me do some sort of exercise or exercises on the Bosu.  Today was planking with the Bosu.  It's plank position with forearms on Bosu then putting hands on floor into a full plank and alternating those positions for a set time.

It's tough and definitely a full body, especially core workout move.