A Short & Sweet workout…well maybe not sweet, let’s replace that with sweaty! Make sure you get warmed up for a few minutes before you get started but that is also why the first exercise is high knees because that will finish off your warm up quite nicely.
Tabata training is performed in intervals working as hard as you possibly can for twenty seconds and resting for ten seconds. During your rest period try to take a couple deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth to help slow your heart rate down and prepare for the next round. You repeat this eight times to total four minutes. Take a one minute break in between each exercise. Don’t hold back! You should not be able to work as hard/fast on your last round as you do on your first. If you can that means you are not giving each round 100% effort or perhaps you are a super hero.
High Knees
Low Impact: March in place with high knees as quickly as you can bringing your knee as close to hip level as you can. Make sure to swing your arms too in order to get your heart rate up even more. If you arms are bent at a ninety degree angle then your elbow should be coming up to about shoulder level on the upswing.
High Impact: Run with high knees – same alignment tips as above. You can run in place, around the room, on a treadmill or outside.
Squats
Low Impact: With feet shoulder width apart, sit back as far as you can and try to get your hips down to the same level as your knees. Depending on flexibility and injuries this may not be possible, but go to the point that is comfortable for your body.
High Impact: Take the squats up a notch by turning it into a squat jump. With feet shoulder width apart squat down as low as you can and jump up into the air. Land as soft as you can because landing quietly helps protect your joints instead of jolting them. Try to make the movement fluid by immediately going into a squat rather than pausing in between landing and the next squat.
Mountain Climbers
Low Impact: Got down into plank position on your hands and toes. Make sure your shoulders are directly over your wrists. Alternate pulling your knees into your chest one at a time and returning the opposite foot back to plank position.
High Impact: Same as the low impact version but pick up the pace so you are running the knees towards your chest. Remember to keep your butt down! This is still a variation of plank position so imagine your body like a plank of wood and create a straight line from your heels to shoulders.
Bicycle Crunches
Low Impact: Lay down on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Place your hands behind your neck with elbows out wide. Do a cross crunch and lift your right foot off the floor while bringing your left armpit towards your right knee. Alternate sides. Make sure you keep the elbow out wide so you are really twisting in the torso instead of just folding your arm in towards the knee.
High Impact: Lay down on your back with knees bent at a 90 degree angle and feet in the air. Place your hands behind your neck with elbows out wide and hold a crunch position with shoulders lifted up off of the floor. Do a cross crunch and lift your right foot off the floor while bringing your left armpit towards your right knee. Alternate sides as quick as you can reaching the opposite leg out as straight and low as you can. Make sure you keep the elbow out wide so you are really twisting in the torso instead of just folding your arm in towards the knee.
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