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Weekend Workout: POWER Pyramid!

You asked! Here it is! Try this today, or put it on your schedule for this weekend!

This is a high intensity cardio workout, that will target your entire body, all your “trouble” zones and power up your burn. It’s 30 minutes of compound exercises that you can do ANYWHERE (great for busy gyms!). 6 exercises, done in order and then in reverse order = 1 circuit. You’ll complete the Power Pyramid twice.

You’ll need: Dumbbells (optional: you can do the workout with just body weight), a wicked playlist (see below) and an interval timer .

Warm Up - 5 Minutes

• 2 Minute Jog In Place
• 2 Minute Walking Lunges
• 1 Minute Jump Rope (or jump in place)

POWER PYRAMID - Set your interval timer to 24 X 60 Seconds. Complete the pyramid as picture above, then rest one minute. Repeat the circuit twice.

BONUS CHALLENGE! Add 25 burpees after each circuit and/or a 10 minute run.

Forearm Plank Pikes: Drop down to plank position, resting on your forearms (hands together). Align elbows under the shoulders and feet about hips width apart. Brace your core, and pike your hips towards the sky. Come up on to your toes, keep your back flat, and tuck your head between your arms, keeping your neck in line with your back (like an inverted V). Hold for a few beats, then return to plank position. Repeat.

* At the gym? Try this on a mat, or with your hands on a stability ball instead.

Modification: come to your knees in between pikes, and come to your hands if it’s more comfortable. Take breaks when needed.

Forearm Plank Pike video

Drop Squat Jumps (dumbbell optional): From standing, place your weights at your sides (or medicine ball as pictured). Jump out and down into a wide squat, bringing weights in between your legs towards the floor. Explode back to starting position, hopping your feet back in and curling your dumbbells up. Keep your chest up and the weight in the heels of your feet when you drop into the squat, and control the weight as you return to standing. Go as fast as you can with proper form. 

* At the gym? Use a medicine ball instead of dumbbells.

Modification: Sumo Squats. Simply lower down and up in a wide squat. With the weights in front of you and close together, drop towards the floor in a wide stance, toes pointed out. Keep your weight over your hips and in the heels of your feet. Squeeze your glutes as you come up.

Quick Feet To Tuck Jump: From standing, take feet slightly apart, and bend at the knees (like a football stance). Keeping your core tight, shift your weight from foot to foot, in a tiny sprint motion (fast tip toes). Count to 5, then lower & explode up in the air, tucking your knees into your chest as you jump. Land softly, and repeat the combo. 5 seconds quick feet, one tuck jump. 

* At the gym? Do a box jump instead!

Modification: Add a regular jump instead of a tuck, or simply stay in quick feet. Another option is to count to 10 before jumping. To make it harder, add 2 tuck jumps instead of one.

Pushup To Side Crunches: From a pushup position (feet hips width apart, shoulders over your hands and core tight), lower to the ground and push away. Keeping your hips neutral (trying not to rock), crunch your right knee to your right elbow, then your left knee to your left elbow. Return to pushup position and repeat. 

* At the gym? Try this with your feet on a bench or a stability ball for an added challenge.

Modification: Come to your knees for a modified pushup, and simply lift your knees off the ground for the crunches.

High Knees & Climbers: Run in place, bringing your knees up as high as you can. Swing your arms as you run & count to ten. At 10, drop down to plank position for mountain climbers. Keep weight over the shoulders, and draw your knees in between your arms. Tap (optional) the floor with your toes as you crunch them in. Move quickly and count to 10. Return to high knees & repeat. 

*At the gym? Use a bench for the high knees and tap your feet on it as you raise them. It’s okay if this is slower: it’s more intense.

Modification: Don’t bring your knees as high, and move at your own pace for the climbers. True beginners can use an inclined surface for the climbers (think a bench, a chair or a countertop).

Side Lunge To Single Leg Squat: 30 seconds per side. Have a dumbbell in each hand. From a standing position, raise your right knee off the floor. Lunge to the right side, pushing your booty back and keeping your knees over the top of your toes. Reach dumbbells to floor, on either side of your right leg. Lunge deep, and keep most of your weight in your right heel. Then, push off your right foot, and raise yourself back to starting position, balancing on your left leg. Bend your LEFT knee as you slowly lower your dumbbells to the floor. Keep abs tight, back flat, and weight in your standing foot. Find your sweet spot, and return to standing. Repeat the lunge to squat for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

* At the gym? Go heavy! You can also substitute a single leg deadlift for the one legged squat.

Modification: Tap down your foot any time you like, if you have difficulty balancing. Beginners can simply do a regular squat instead of a single leg squat, and you can alternate every rep instead of doing 30 seconds per side.

Power Pyramid Playlist