ETL’s Workout of the Day:

Are you ready for a fun but intense workout? If yes, hop on your mat and let’s sweat together. 

Warm up 

First, set a timer for 2 minutes and start breathing at a tempo. Your stomach should be on the ground, put your hands below forehead, pressing belly into ground with each exhale: inhale for 4, hold for 5, exhale for 6. 

Then get on your mat for World’s Greatest Stretch/Spiderman. This move is great because it opens up both your hips and your back. Come into a plank, bring your hands underneath your shoulders, you’re going to bring your right foot up to meet your right hand and then you’re going to twist open. Make sure that your left leg stays straight by squeezing your butt, then switch sides. Do this 10 times for each side.

Then move to Glute Bridges. Start off by laying on your back with the soles of your feet flat on the ground. Lay your arms next to the side of your body and wherever your fingertips end you can line up your heels. Tuck your rib cage towards the mat and keep your core strong. Lift your hips towards the ceiling while you press your heels into the ground. Keeping your core strong will prevent your lower back from arching. As you come down make sure your lower back touches the ground before you come right back up. Do this 12 times for each leg.

Then for your last warm up move, get in the Cat Cow position. This will open up your spine. To start, come on to all fours, make sure that your shoulders are over your hands. First for the Cow position, your belly falls down, shoulders roll back and the gaze comes up towards the sky. As you exhale, reverse your position. Carve the belly in, pop the rib cage up and look in at your navel. Inhale and exhale and repeat for 10. 

Circuit #1 

Start with Reverse Lunge. Stand with the feet hip-width apart, arms by your side. Keeping the core engaged, bend the front leg and take a small step back. Maintain your balance as you slowly drop the back knee to the floor. Repeat 15 times for each leg. 

Place your heels on the edge of the other chair and hold yourself up using your triceps. Slide forward just far enough that your behind clears the edge of the chair, then lower yourself until your elbows are bent between 45 and 90 degrees. Slowly push yourself back up to the start position and repeat for 15.

It’s time for the Forearm Plank. Stay in the push-up position bending your arms at the elbow. Focus on creating tension in your abs and think about pulling your elbows towards your hips. Stay at this position for 30 seconds.

You should repeat this circuit 3 times with 30s – 1min rests between each round. 

Circuit #2

Stand on the right leg, holding a medicine ball with both hands in front of the chest. Bending the right knee slightly, hinge forward at the hips, extending the left leg straight back. Extend the arms out in front of the body. Repeat for 15.

Move to Weighted Chest Press. Stand with feet hip width apart and hold the weight (a ball or dumbbell works best) at your chest. Press the weight out in front of your chest until arms are full straight (straight, not locked elbows), then pull it back in towards your chest. Keep shoulders down and stable. Repeat 15 times. 

Take your position on your mat for Bird Dog exercise. Kneel with knees hip-width apart and hands firmly on the ground about shoulder-width apart. Lift one hand and the opposite knee off the floor. Keep your balance. Point your arm out straight in front and extend the opposite leg behind you. Hold for a few seconds, then return your hands and knees. Switch to the other side. Repeat for 12 each side.

You should repeat this circuit 3 times with 30s – 1min rests between each round. 

Stretch

Finish up with a stretch! Begin in a comfortable position, start with your chin parallel to the floor. Stretch both sides of your neck, by gently pulling it to both sides. Gently pull right your shoulder across your body and stretch. Switch arms and stretch. Interlace your fingers behind the back of your head and pull your arms back stretching your chest. Breathe into the stretch. Stretch your glutes. Cross one leg over and just sit back, switch legs. Open up your hips, get a little deeper. 

Go nice and wide lean into one leg. Take it to the middle, hold that. Deep breaths. Then switch to the other leg. Take a deep breath, arms over the head and exhale. Do a couple of those and you made it!