Winter Shape Up 2017: Workout 1

Looking for the main Winter Shape Up page? Get the details here plus your weekly workout calendars + links to the meal plans.

Here is your Workout #1 for this year’s Winter Shape Up challenge!

A little bit about this workout:

This workout is PURE STRENGTH, so this means that we’re focusing on building lean muscle and increasing our strength abilities. Pick up heavy weights that will challenge you. You should be struggling to complete the final reps of each set, but should be able to complete them with proper form. 

Add this workout into your weekly Winter Shape Up schedule, or into your own routine on total-body strength days.

Warm up for 5-7 minutes before completing this workout in a circuit, moving quickly from one round to the next. After you finish one round, take a breather, and then start from the beginning and go through the circuit again. Complete up to 3 rounds total.

As always, check with a doctor before making any fitness changes, and honor your body. Modify as needed.

The total body strength workout:

The follow-along video:

 

Exercise tips and form cues:

Reverse lunge and biceps curl (optional 1-leg balance):

Holding a pair of dumbbells, take a big step back to come into a lunge position. Watch your alignment and make sure your front knee is stacked over your front ankle, and your chest is lifted with a tight core. Step back to starting position, then complete a biceps curl (squeeze your biceps and exhale as you curl), inhale to bring the weights up to 90 degrees, and exhale to press up overhead. That’s one rep. You can balance on one leg as you do your curl and press for an extra challenge. To make it more intense, lift heavier weights. If the compound exercise is too much, break it into pieces. 

Reverse lunge and upright row: 

Holding a pair of dumbbells, take a big step back to come into a lunge position. Watch your alignment and make sure your front knee is stacked over your front ankle, and your chest is lifted with a tight core. Step back to starting position, then complete an upright row, making sure your shoulders are the FIRST things to come up and the weights stop at mid-chest. That’s one rep. You can balance on one leg as you do your upright row and shoulder raise for an extra challenge. To make it more intense, lift heavier weights. If the compound exercise is too much, break it into pieces. 

Low lunge to squat combo: 

For this exercise, you aren’t rising in between switching- keep your body LOW and knees bent the entire time. Torso stays upright, step back into your lunge, then keep the front knee bent as you step out to side to squat. Step the opposite foot behind and lunge. Watch the front knees to make sure they don’t extend past the toes.

Bent-over wide row to triceps extension: 

Your feet will be just under your hips with a slight bend at the knees. Hinge forward from your hips, keeping your back flat (shoulders pulled back) andcore braced. Lifting up from your elbows, bring them high and wide, engaging into your rear delts. Stop the elbows at shoulder height before carefully lowering back down. Bring your elbows in by your sides and use your triceps to straighten your arm as much as possible before bending and lowering back down.

Push-up and alternating spinal balance: 

After you complete a push-up (on your knees or toes), come into a balance position (opposite hand and leg raised). Keep both hips pointing down, your core engaged, and your neck long. Lower your arm and leg down, push-up again, and balance on the opposite side.

Deadlift (single leg option): 

Hold a barbell, pair of dumbbells, or kettlebell, and tap one leg behind you. You can keep it here, with the weight in your front foot as you tilt forward, bringing the weights just below the knees. Exhale and rise with a flat back. For more advanced variations, you can float this top foot off the floor. Make sure to keep hips parallel to the floor. 

Kettlebell or dumbbell swing:

Ground into your feet and stand hip-width apart. Hold the kettlebell in between your knees and start to gently swing it so you can gain some momentum. When you’re ready, power through your hips, glutes and core to swing the weight up to shoulder height, then bend your knees, swinging it back to start. Remember that you are NOT using your arms to lift the weight; this is pure glute and core power. Every time the weight goes up, make sure you’re strongly exhaling. 

Plank with diagonal leg lifts:

You can complete this in a modified plank, or a full plank on your hands or with knees down. Raise one leg off the floor (keep that hip pointing down) and pulse that leg out to the side, and towards the ceiling. Take a quick break if you need it, and switch to the opposite side.

Please let me know what you think of the workout! Each time you complete it, be sure to check in on the weekly Winter Shape Up page to enter our amazing giveaways.

xoxo!