Plank and burn bodyweight circuit
Oh friends. I’ve definitely had my share of awkward fitness instructor moments, but this past weekend was pretty high on the recent list. I was SO excited to film a new video for you guys, so I decided to venture out to Sabino Canyon for some nice background scenery.
I rolled up my yoga mat and carried it out to the canyon with me, and by the reactions I got, yoga in the wild desert isn’t a common thing.
“Whoa, you’re going to do yoga out here?”
“Yeah!” (easier than “No, I’m using it to film a video for my blog!”)
“Whoaaaa, coooooool.”
Kid walking past me to his friend,”That girl brought a yoga mat. That’s weird.”
So I got some strange looks on my journey, NBD, and I found a nice spot away from the main trail. I set up the mat and backpack-grill-tripod, and was really stoked about the beautiful scenery:
I figured it would be a good spot to film this circuit blast… until I pressed “record.”
Some things I quickly realized:
#1: It’s REALLY quiet. Like, every word you say with intention echoes into the wilderness. “Hi everyone! (everyone! everyone!) Today we’re going to do a full-body circuit (circuit! circuit!)”
#2: No matter where you are in Sabino Canyon, other people will run past you. This is obviously my fault, not theirs, but something I didn’t really think about. During one try, 3 different sets of sneakers ran past and you could hear the crinkle of their shoes in the gravel. During the last effort, a couple stopped to watch and see what I was doing (which looked like I was working out and talking to myself… totally normal).
Fail whale city, haha.
I decided to do a printable instead of the sad video:
and will be finding another filming location for now on, haha. It looks great for pics, though!
Onto the workout:
You complete the moves in a circuit moving quickly from one exercise to the next. You only really have to remember two numbers: 10 and 45. If it’s a strength movement, do 10 (on each side, if applicable) and for cardio blasts, it’s 45 seconds. Since it involves keeping your weight on your hands, with many in the plank position, feel free to modify by coming down to your knees:
or dropping onto your forearms.
Here’s a text version and form cues, too:
-Squat (10); Basic bodyweight squat, keeping your chest up, core engaged and weight back in your heels. Go down as far as you feel comfortable.
-Squat jumps (45 seconds): Spring up as high as you can, and reach for the ceiling. Low impact option: touch the floor, and then raise your arms as you come up onto your toes instead of jumping.
-Tricep pushup to side plank (10 on each side): For the pushup, keep your arms close to your body and your hips in line (as I like to say, “It’s a pushup, not a TUSHup). Rotate into your side plank and as a challenge, lift the top leg and keep it lifted as you pushup.
-Knee tuck (10 each side): Using your core, exhale as you bring your knee into your chest and your elbow towards your knee. Rotate and complete 10 on the other side.
-Toe tap and leg lift (10 each side): While in plank, lift one leg to tap your toe out to the side, then, using your glutes, lift that same leg to hip level. Lower down to plank position and repeat on the other side. For this one, really think about engaging your glutes– use your booty instead of momentum to lift your leg.
-Mountain climbers (45 seconds): Make sure to use your core to draw one knee into your chest. Hop to switch and move as quickly as possible!
-Side hops (45 seconds): Keeping your legs glued together, hop to move both legs up and to the side. For low impact “walk” your legs side to side instead of hopping.
-Bridge (45 seconds): Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips as high as possible. If you want a challenge, lift up one leg for the first half and switch for the second half.
Complete this circuit up to 3 times total! It will work your core, blast your heart rate and strengthen your entire body 🙂
Make sure to warm up and cool down, and as always, check with a doc before making any fitness changes.
If you give it a try, please let me know how it goes!
Off to work for this girl! It’s a DJ and Zumba day.
Enjoy your Thursday! <3
xoxo
Gina
New on the Fashion page: some Italy finds
When was the last time you embarrassed yourself or felt suuuuper awkward? Don’t worry, I won’t tell 😉
83 Comments
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Haha oh no, that’s too funny. I pretty much get embarrassed all the time since I always tend to do weird things. Especially when teaching, I’m sure there’s been more than a few times I’ve messed up pretty badly.
On the plus side, this looks like a great workout:)
Just yesterday morning when I hopped on the treadmill and literally 20 seconds later hopped off because my body wasn’t having it that day. I could feel about 50 eyes of pure judgement burning through me….so embarrassing! But hey, everyone needs some rest days, right??
definitely! i’m sure no one really noticed, though– everyone is always to worried about their own workout to really care what other people are doing
Oh, the lengths bloggers will go to to keep things interesting for their readers- thank you for trying (and for the laugh!!!). I may get to try this tonight- will report back if I do!
I did end up trying this and loved it!! I only completed 2 rounds since I had already gone on a run this morning. Took about 20 minutes and felt like a great workout – my arms were burning!! The tricep push-ups + side plank was the hardest for me. Thanks, Gina!
boom! great job- so happy you liked it 🙂
Way to innovate! Who knew shooting a video could be so hard! Love your top <3
thank you! 🙂
I LOVE that top! Looks really comfy and flattering. Where is it from??
thank you- it’s super light and comfy 🙂 from lululemon
Oh my, that is pretty funny! I feel like I get those awkward stares a lot when I’m bouncing around the gym- treadmill for a minute, walk to the complete opposite side to weight room, back over to treadmill…all of those things! I am seriously loving the look of this workout though. You can’t beat just opening up your yoga mat and doing a great workout whenever and wherever.
I want to enjoy the view and see people “post” pictures and videos of doing yoga outside but I never see it in person nor do I have the guts to do it!
Ha! Well, I think you’re brave just for attempting to film a video. I would love to make one, but I’m too self-conscious. Yours always turn out so great! Looks like an awesome workout!
Haha! I’ve totally done that too. I’ll be doing a workout video in my living room (which is pretty close to the street) and I can feel people looking at me as they walk/run/drive by my house. Haha #yolo!
Nice post!! It seems like it’s easy to embarrass yourself when it comes to working out! Just a few weeks ago I was rocking out on the treadmill. A song came on that wasn’t working for me, so I reached for my phone to change the song. Next thing I know, I’m juggling my phone, which eventually falls onto the treadmill and SHOOTS off the belt (I was running at a pretty fast pace). I think what is worse is that I thought I could catch it, and almost fell doing so. At least my phone didn’t shatter! 😀
– Lindsey
hahaha, that’s awesome 🙂 Completely something I would do. I have a bad habit of running too close to the front of the treadmill and often trip myself when I hit the part of the machine where the belt comes out. Sigh. I’m a mess.
that’s TOTALLY happened to me before… and then i pretended like nothing happened even though people were all looking me haha
I’m laughing out loud at the idea of your video fail!
But the workout looks great!
Is the pink top in the pictures a lululemon top?i love it!
yep – thank you!
Looks like a great workout! Thanks. LOVE your top..Where is it from
lululemon 🙂
I can’t wait to do this workout!
I really think we need to see this video! I embarrass myself everytime I go to take outfit photos and someone sees me. It’s been construction workers, garbage men, my neighbors, random people walking by, stray cats, and today it was a student driver and his teacher!
Can’t wait to try this, I lovvveeee planks!
At the beach this summer, I took a kettlebell out on to the beach to get in a workout. I had this vision of how it would be, alone on the beach, cool breeze, watching the sunrise. Well, the beach was crowded with people walking/fishing/playing with dogs, it was super humid and sweat was dripping into my eyes and generally miserable, and then I started getting stung by these huge flies. That is when I decided I was done!
oh no! it’s funny how things have a way of turning out differently than they are in your brain, huh?
This post made me laugh so hard! Haha.
That’s too funny! You should have some sort of sign saying ‘shhh filming of blog stuff in progress’ 😉
Great workout! Thanks Gina!
Oh no! I feel your pain! I never understand why when you go out in public to work out, people make it their business to come over and see what is going on. I’m not here for your entertainment buddy! 🙂 The scenery is spectacular! Thanks for the printable!
Hahaha I love your fitness instructor blooper posts! It makes me feel better that I’m not the only one embarrassing myself out there 🙂
Loooove that pink top, is it lulu?
Lol once I was at the gym in college, on the elliptical, and an older man came in and started doing tae kwon do in the cardio room…and he was YELLING things in Korean. It was a little weird, because he totally had an audience of people working out on ellipticals and treadmills.
yep, from lulu 🙂
thank you for the story- it cracked me up haha
This might be a silly question, but is there a way to click on the workout so that it is bigger or printable?
i had to disable my print plugin because it was doing weird things to the blog, so i’m on the hunt for a new one!
are you on your phone? id just make the image larger that way and screen shot it
Haha I love this post! I am just jealous that you have that beautiful scenery! It looks so beautiful there! Will be trying this out for sure! Thanks for sharing!
That is awesome. Haha!!
Being a fitness instructor I’ve totally had my moments too…esp when something awkward comes out in the mic– like I just said something & it totes was not what I wanted to say. Whoopsies! hah
Great equipment-free workout!!
Haha that is too funny! Ummmm I’m just filming a workout video STOP STARING. I will have to give this workout a try, but for now I’m thinking about starting one of your workout plans 🙂
let me know if you need help picking one 🙂
That’s a funny story but the pictures look awesome! The background is beautiful and I admire your bravery!
I was scouring your blog last night in desperate need of a new circuit routine. This is so perfect! Can’t wait to try it tomorrow morning.
Ok, so that does sound super awkward, but you’re right – that background is really pretty in the photos!
Just completed this workout and loved it!! Quick and sweaty just the way I like it!! Thanks so much for posting!
amazing! so happy you got a great workout 🙂
Oh Gosh that story is so fun. I do my tabatas in the park very early in the morning and sometimes in the dark – people look at me as if I were reall cray. Jumping around in the dark – yeah.
But I love this workout! Will take it to my vacation and do it at the beach (and get weird looks, haha)
well, at least you tried! that counts for something, right? 😉 and you’re right – you can’t beat that beautiful scenery!
That is dedication, girl. 🙂 This looks like an awesome workout!
Hey this workout sounds great! Love the story behind it, I can just imagine all these people walking and running by wondering what’s going on. People are naturally curious! At least you had a good sense of humor about it. 🙂
I have thought about doing yoga on Squaw Peak here in Phoenix but haven’t for the reason that I know there will be so many people running past!
Sometimes I try to practice karate in a park or something, and it’s just really awkward. No amusing experiences to realate, I just get embarrassed. I’m always worried I’ll run into some jerk who will, I don’t know, try to “challenge” me or something. Karate sometimes attracts strange individuals.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the fence, at my old gym there was a woman that would practice her fitness competition routine in the group fitness room. I always couldn’t help but watch because she was so incredibly fit and was doing crazy amazing stuff. I suppose she’s practicing to be watched and judged by an audience, so it is probably okay that she’s being watched and judged at practice 🙂
hahaha omg.. the image of someone challenging you cracked me up though
Ha! Too funny. Great effort on your part though…and the pics are beautiful! I bet the video outtakes would make for a funny bloopers video. 😉
Hilarious!!! I totally can’t relate. I’ve never had an awkward video moment before;)
This is a really stupid question, but do you ever get nervous that a snake will run out of the bushes while you’re working out in the desert?! Just looking at your photos makes me think of snakes. As you can tell, I really, really don’t like them : )
YES. i figured if a bobcat ate me, at least it would be on video haha
I love this!! I have just recently started getting into circuit workouts and I can’t wait to try this one!! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
love this circuit! I can’t wait to try it!
Is it just me, or does anyone else really want to see this video? LOL
On a serious note, looks like a great workout and I will be trying it!
hahah! it is a hot mess of a video
let me know if you try it 🙂
Gina, I loved this post!! I can SO relate.
A few weeks ago, I decided to try and make a yoga video at my office gym. Right in the middle of the series, the building mgmt walks in with prospective new tenants to show them the facility. “And here we have our office gym… and some girl taking a video of herself doing yoga…” Not awkward at all… LOL 😉
Can’t wait to try this workout – thanks!! 🙂
I love the background so inspirational! Not to worry I am sure the video was fine at least you got some beautiful photos lots of love c
Thanks for the sharing this story. My first thought was, snakes! I live in CA and went to Phoenix for work where my coworkers and i went for a round of golf. I was looking for my golf balls in the bushes when my coworkers started telling me about snakes. I lost a lot of golf balls that day. 🙂
Could you do a post about how to position hands for push-ups and tricep push-ups?
Was all ready to go to the gym this morning but felt exhausted when I woke up so I slept an extra hour or two then got up and did this workout instead. I’m sitting on my yoga mat in the middle of my living room with beads of sweat dripping down my face, so I am giving this workout two thumbs up! Thanks!
This workout looks fantastic! Thank you for the lower impact options as well 🙂
I embarrass myself all the time, have fallen off the stage teaching too many times to count. I tore my acl teaching a Shbam class and not realising how bad it was, went and taught bodyflow later that week. Tried to demo a hover on my toes and my knee gave out and I face planted the stage!