Workout of the Week: Boot Camp!

Boot Camp Workout

This boot camp workout leads you through 10 high intensity strength and cardio exercises designed to challenge your strength and endurance while burning lots of calories. The workout moves quickly, taking you from one exercise to the next with little or no rest. Take breaks when you need to, but your goal is to keep your heart rate up!  Many of these moves are advanced, so modify whenever necessary to stay safe and avoid injury.

Equipment Needed
Dumbbells, an exercise ball, a medicine ball and a mat. You can also do this workout without any equipment. How To:

• Warm up with 5-10 minutes of light cardio (walking, marching in place, etc.)
• Perform each exercise one after the other...do each for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and move to the next move, modifying as needed.
• Complete all ten exercises.  Repeat the series 2-3 more times, depending on your fitness level.
• Cool down with 5-10 minutes of light cardio and stretching
• Drink water throughout the workout

 Squat Thrusts

Stand with feet together. Squat down and place your hands on the floor next to your feet. In an explosive movement, jump feet backwards into a push-up position, jump feet back between hands and stand up. Perform 10 reps, march in place for a few seconds and repeat 10 more reps.



Slow Pushups
Begin in pushup position on a ball or floor. Perform 4 pushups, abs in and back straight. On the 5th pushup, lower halfway down and hold for 4 counts. Push back up and repeat the series - 4 regular pushups and 1 half hold. Repeat for 30-60 seconds.

Plyo Jacks






Begin with feet together and jump up, taking feet out to the side while circling arms overhead and land in a squat. Jump up and bring feet back together, circling arms back in. This is just like a slow jumping jack, but really use power when pushing up into the jumps. Repeat for 30-60 seconds.



Walking Lunge
Start at one end of the room, holding weights if desired, and step forward with right leg. Bend both knees to 90 degree angles, lowering body into a lunge (keep front knee behind the toe). Bring the left foot forward and step into a lunge. Continue lunging, alternating legs for 30-60 seconds.



Jumping Jack with Front Kick











Do one jumping jack. After you jump the feet back together, bring the right knee up and snap the foot out in a front kick (don't extend the leg all the way, but keep a small bend in the knee). Do another jumping jack and kick with the left foot. Continue for 1 minutes, alternating jumping jacks and kicks.

Wall Squat With Chest Squeeze








Hold a medicine ball (or just press the hands together if you have no equipment) and slide down the all until your thighs are parallel to the floor while squeezing the ball. Hold this position and keep pressure on the ball as your straighten the arms out in front of you and slowly pull them back in. Repeat the chest squeezes in and out for 30-60 seconds and stand up.

Ski Jumps


Stand with feet together. Bend the knees and jump to the right as far as you can--think of jumping laterally rather than vertically. Land with soft knees and immediately jump laterally to the left. Repeat for 30-60 seconds.



High Jogs
Stand with feet together and hold arms straight out in front of you at mid-torso level. Jog in place, bringing knees high enough that they hit your hands (don't lower hands!). Repeat for 30-60 seconds.





Tricep Dips
Sit on a chair or bench with hands next to the hips. Lift up and take the hips forward, just in front of the bench. Bend the elbows and lower down until elbows are about 90 degrees. Squeeze the triceps to push back up and repeat 30-60 seconds.



Push-Ups/Side Planks
In pushup position (on knees or toes), perform one pushup. As you come up, shift weight to left arm, twist to the side while bringing the right arm up towards the ceiling in a side plank. Lower the arm back to the floor for another pushup and then twist to the other side. Repeat for 30-60 seconds.