Pumps & Iron

15 or 30-Minute Full Body Circuit Workout (Med Ball)

March 15, 2018 by Nicole Leave a Comment

Very excited about this full body circuit workout because I finally figured out how to add countdown clocks to the video! It’s actually not that hard, and I should have done this way sooner. It was just a matter of sitting down and sifting through how-to videos on YouTube until I found a good tutorial. You’ll now know exactly how many seconds of torture you have left during each work interval. 😉

15 or 30-Minute Full Body Circuit Workout (Med Ball)

This workout can take you 15 minutes or 30 minutes. If you’re looking for a longer workout, repeat the video twice. That being said, this is plenty challenging as a 15-min routine. 😉

There are five exercises in this circuit. For each exercise, you do an interval structure of 45 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest x3. Move immediately onto the next exercise when you’ve completed the three rounds.

As with all workouts, make sure to warm up beforehand. Listen to your body and modify as needed, stopping altogether if something doesn’t feel right.

To see how each exercise is performed and how to modify, check out the above video @1:36. Below are some additional notes on each exercise.

Low Lunge – Squat – Lunge Pulse with Extension
Med Ball Slam Stop Burpees | If you’re doing the workout at a gym or another place it’s ok to slam the ball onto the floor, you can do full slam burpees instead of stopping the momentum of the ball. (I have downstairs neighbors so I can’t).
Deadbug with Medicine Ball | If you don’t have a medicine ball or want to modify with less weight, you can use really any object (a yoga block works well!). Just make sure to actively press it between your hand and leg.
Logger Jumps to Squat Hold
Jump Lunge with Obliques Scoop

Hope you’re all having a great week so far! I filmed this video on Tuesday so you can see the Nor’easter raging outside my window. Anyone else counting down the seconds until spring weather arrives??!

xo Nicole

Filed Under: Circuit, Full Body, Interval Training, Medicine Ball, Video, Workouts

Lower Body Slider Workout with Resistance

March 6, 2018 by Nicole 3 Comments

A new workout! Finally!

Ok so here’s the deal. I had to take a full two weeks off from working out because of the flu, and while I’m back at it now, I’m still dealing with some limitations due to all the muscles I pulled from coughing (all aboard the Hot Mess Express!). I can’t do anything specifically targeting obliques, and have to modify most core/lat stuff. I feel weak compared to where I was before getting sick and the limitations are admittedly making me a little frustrated, but what’s most important is giving my body the time it needs to heal (but, like, hurry up, Body!). 😉

So even though the last workout I posted was lower body focused, we’re going to do it again this week because it’s the only muscle group I feel comfortable pushing myself with right now. This workout is low impact (don’t confuse that with “easy”!) and utilizes sliders and a resistance band loop. I’ve posted slider workouts using similar exercises in the past, but the addition of resistance makes it feel like a whole new move.

For my fellow Btone/megaformer lovers, this lower body slider workout has your name written all over it!

Lower Body Slider Workout with Resistance

EQUIPMENT I USED:

Sliders (dish towels work for hardwood floors; paper plates/furniture sliders work for carpet)
Resistance band loop – I’d go with a medium resistance; it should be challenging but you still need to be able to get a big(ger) range of motion

Workout Breakdown

The workout starts and ends with a squat-to-slide combo at center. The rest of the routine is broken up into 8 minutes of work on the right leg (no rest!) and 8 minutes on the left. In total, this workout will take you just under 20 minutes to complete.

As with all workouts, make sure you’re properly warmed up beforehand. Modify or stop as needed, always listening to your body.

EXERCISES

There’s a preview of all the exercises in the above video @2:38

Squat to Slide (1 min)—hold low and just slide the last 30 sec
Back Lunge (2 mins)—40 seconds full range, 20 second hold with pulses x2
Lunge Press (1 min)—40 seconds full range, 20 second hold with pulses
Single Leg Squat (2 mins)—40 seconds full range, 20 second hold with pulses x2
Squat Side Press (1 min)—40 seconds full range, 20 second hold with pulses
Curtsy Lunge (2 mins)—40 seconds full range, 20 second hold with pulses x2
Repeat on other leg
Squat to Slide (1 min)—hold low and just slide the last 30 sec

WEARING: Booty By Brabants Croco Skin leggings // Puppies Make Me Happy Squad Goals tank // Adidas 24/7 training sneakers

xo Nicole

Some of the links to equipment and outfit details are affiliate.

Filed Under: Btone, Lower Body, Resistance Band, Sliders, Video, Workouts

Legs & Butt Workout (Strength Circuits + Tabatas)

January 31, 2018 by Nicole 2 Comments

As promised, this week’s workout uses the same structure as these full-body and upper body/core workouts, but today we’re focusing on lower body. This legs & butt workout will take you just over 20 minutes to complete and as always, I’ve got a video to go with it so you can follow along at home.

I mention this is the video, but I just want to emphasize that you should use HEAVIER weights than you used for the previous two workouts I posted using this structure. Yes, I’m using 10-lbs again, but that’s because I only have one set of dumbbells in my apartment. Were I in a Barry’s Bootcamp class or at the gym, I’d go up in weight for the circuit (20-25lbs) and then just drop down to a single dumbbell if any exercises were too difficult.

Legs & Butt Workout (Strength Circuits + Tabatas)

EQUIPMENT I USED

Set of medium-heavy dumbbells (I’m using 10-lbs because it’s all I have, but if you’re roughly the same fitness level as me, I’d recommend going in the 15-25 range) – I’m also using a 20-lb kettlebell, but this is totally optional; you can just use one of your dumbbells
Exercise mat

This workout consists of high-intensity bodyweight tabatas and circuits with weights. You’ll alternate between the two: weight circuit, tabata, weight circuit, tabata. A tabata is 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. For this workout, you’ll do four exercises, cycling through them twice. For the weighted circuit, you do each exercise for 60 seconds and complete all six exercises back to back with no rest.

As with all workouts, make sure to warm up beforehand. Listen to your body and modify as needed, stopping altogether if something doesn’t feel right.

Here’s the breakdown of the exercises in the workout. If you’re unfamiliar with any, just watch the video above. I’ve put the times down so that you can fast forward to the previews of each section.