A few times a year, it is a good idea to go through some turbo charged workouts. Tom Holland, M.S., an exercise physiologist in Darien, Connecticut suggests overloading your muscles to keep them guessing. This will help you break through any plateaus. During this push, work every muscle three or four days in a row, performing sets with little or no rest in between.
Execute 8-12 reps of each exercise. Repeat the routine three times. You can rest for two minutes at the end of each circuit. Choose dumbbells that will fatigue your muscle by the 10th or 12th rep. This fast-paced circuit will get rid of your plateau in no time.
Pushups - Lower yourself to your hands and knees. Hands flat on the ground shoulder-width apart, with fingers facing forward or slightly turned in. Straighten arms and legs and tighten abs. Slowly lower body toward the ground elbows flared out slightly. Press up until arms are fully extended. During the entire exercise, keep head aligned with spine. Do not allow lower back to sag or bend from the waist.
Forward Lunges - Hands on your sides, stand with feet together. Step forward with right leg into a lunge. Focus on dropping hips toward the ground rather than driving hips forward. With back straight, lower body to a comfortable position, until front thigh is parallel to the ground. Firmly push off with your front leg to return to start. Switch legs and repeat. 8 to 12 repetitions per leg.
Dumbbell Chest Press on Ball - Grab a pair of dumbbells and sit on a stability ball, walk your feet forward until your head and shoulders rest on the ball, feet flat on the floor, knees bent 90 degrees, Squeeze glutes and abs tightly throughout the set to stabilize your body. With palms facing forward, raise dumbbells to chest level. Press weights up over chest, then lower to start position.
Squats - Stand with feet shoulder-width apart toes facing forward or slightly out. Hold a pair of heavy dumbbells on each hand. Arms hang straight down. Sink hips toward the ground rather than pushing hips forward and bend knees until thighs are parallel to the floor. Back should be straight at roughly 45 degrees from hips. Eyes looking straight ahead. Extend legs and straighten up to standing position.
Upright rows -- Position left knee and left hand on a workout bench or a large chair so that back is parallel to the floor. Keep head aligned with your spine. With right hand, lift the dumbbell straight up to torso level, keeping the elbow in and pointing it slightly towards the ceiling. Feel the back muscle contract. Hold for 1 second and slowly lower the weight to a dead hanging position. Repeat, then switch to the other arm after 8-12 reps.
Crunches on stability ball -- Sit on a ball then walk your feet forward until the arch of your back rests on the ball. Place your hands on your chest or behind your ears while you tighten abs. Exhale and gradually raise your shoulders towards the ceiling. Lower shoulders, inhale and repeat. Do 15-20 reps.
Lunges, shoulder press and dumbbell curls - With palms facing forward step forward with one leg into a lunge. Follow the instructions above on correct lunge technique. As you drop down, curl the dumbbells to your chest while elbows are glued to your sides. Turn wrists so that palms face forward then push the dumbbells overhead as you return to the starting position. Bring feet together and lower your arms. Repeat, stepping with the other foot forward. 8-12 repetitions per leg.
Mix any of the following exercises to spice up your circuit:
1) Add plyometric drills immediately after an exercise that works the same muscle group. Example, after a set of squats, do 10 squat jumps. Start in the squat position, jump up and extend your arms overhead. Land softly with knees bent and arms swinging behind you.
2) Combine cardio and strength routines by adding 30 seconds of intense cardio, such as jumping rope or high knee lifts between sets of weighted exercises. This burns a higher percentage of calories from fat. If you do less intense cardio, such as jogging in place, go for at least a minute. - 29951
Execute 8-12 reps of each exercise. Repeat the routine three times. You can rest for two minutes at the end of each circuit. Choose dumbbells that will fatigue your muscle by the 10th or 12th rep. This fast-paced circuit will get rid of your plateau in no time.
Pushups - Lower yourself to your hands and knees. Hands flat on the ground shoulder-width apart, with fingers facing forward or slightly turned in. Straighten arms and legs and tighten abs. Slowly lower body toward the ground elbows flared out slightly. Press up until arms are fully extended. During the entire exercise, keep head aligned with spine. Do not allow lower back to sag or bend from the waist.
Forward Lunges - Hands on your sides, stand with feet together. Step forward with right leg into a lunge. Focus on dropping hips toward the ground rather than driving hips forward. With back straight, lower body to a comfortable position, until front thigh is parallel to the ground. Firmly push off with your front leg to return to start. Switch legs and repeat. 8 to 12 repetitions per leg.
Dumbbell Chest Press on Ball - Grab a pair of dumbbells and sit on a stability ball, walk your feet forward until your head and shoulders rest on the ball, feet flat on the floor, knees bent 90 degrees, Squeeze glutes and abs tightly throughout the set to stabilize your body. With palms facing forward, raise dumbbells to chest level. Press weights up over chest, then lower to start position.
Squats - Stand with feet shoulder-width apart toes facing forward or slightly out. Hold a pair of heavy dumbbells on each hand. Arms hang straight down. Sink hips toward the ground rather than pushing hips forward and bend knees until thighs are parallel to the floor. Back should be straight at roughly 45 degrees from hips. Eyes looking straight ahead. Extend legs and straighten up to standing position.
Upright rows -- Position left knee and left hand on a workout bench or a large chair so that back is parallel to the floor. Keep head aligned with your spine. With right hand, lift the dumbbell straight up to torso level, keeping the elbow in and pointing it slightly towards the ceiling. Feel the back muscle contract. Hold for 1 second and slowly lower the weight to a dead hanging position. Repeat, then switch to the other arm after 8-12 reps.
Crunches on stability ball -- Sit on a ball then walk your feet forward until the arch of your back rests on the ball. Place your hands on your chest or behind your ears while you tighten abs. Exhale and gradually raise your shoulders towards the ceiling. Lower shoulders, inhale and repeat. Do 15-20 reps.
Lunges, shoulder press and dumbbell curls - With palms facing forward step forward with one leg into a lunge. Follow the instructions above on correct lunge technique. As you drop down, curl the dumbbells to your chest while elbows are glued to your sides. Turn wrists so that palms face forward then push the dumbbells overhead as you return to the starting position. Bring feet together and lower your arms. Repeat, stepping with the other foot forward. 8-12 repetitions per leg.
Mix any of the following exercises to spice up your circuit:
1) Add plyometric drills immediately after an exercise that works the same muscle group. Example, after a set of squats, do 10 squat jumps. Start in the squat position, jump up and extend your arms overhead. Land softly with knees bent and arms swinging behind you.
2) Combine cardio and strength routines by adding 30 seconds of intense cardio, such as jumping rope or high knee lifts between sets of weighted exercises. This burns a higher percentage of calories from fat. If you do less intense cardio, such as jogging in place, go for at least a minute. - 29951
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