V Is For Victory
...And valor, variety and vengeance...all of which contribute to winning the small battles we face throughout life. There aren't very many words in the English language that start with the letter V, making it stand out from the rest. Being victorious is no different. Outperforming an opponent requires all of the above and compels people to stand up and take notice of ones ability, skill and talent and propels them above all others.
Fitness does the same thing. In fact, without a certain level of it, we would face defeat more often than not. We become better with perseverance and practice. But it also has to be fun from time to time or we wouldn't do it. As I have said to clients and gym members attending my classes, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is literally the definition of insanity. So with that being said, this week we will learn about another format you can use to spice up your current workout regimen.
When we look at the letter V, we notice it is an upside down version of the pyramid from last week. In essence, we flipped the mountain over so it's resting on its top. Let's do the same thing with exercise using a style called reverse pyramid training. Going back to the workout from my last blog we started at the bottom of the hill and climbed our way up. Exactly the opposite happens with this design. You've probably heard the saying "what goes up must come down" and that is precisely what we're doing...starting at the top and working down.
You may also remember that last week I mentioned that any exercise could be placed in that style of training. The same is true again. But you may also know that change is good. It keeps your body guessing so you don't hit a plateau in your workouts. By turning the pyramid upside down, we switch on a different section of the brain and cause "communication chaos" so to speak in the muscles. Trust me, creating this effect helps build fitness levels and keeps the mind young. Now that I have caused this whirlwind let's explore how to execute this style. Like last week, I will give you both cardio and strength options but feel free to add your own unique flair.
Workout #1A (rep based-cardio)
30 V step (15 ea lead)
25 air crunches
20 butt kickers
15 Heismans
10 body hurdles
5 plank jacks
10 body hurdles
15 Heismans
20 butt kickers
25 air crunches
30 V step (15 ea lead)
Workout #1B (rep based-strength)
30 side bends (15 ea side)
25 ball squeezes
20 curtsy lunges (L leg)
15 overhead presses
10 prisoner squats
5 bear crawls
10 prisoner squats
15 overhead presses
20 curtsy lunges (R leg)
25 ball squeezes
30 side bends (15 ea side)
Workout #2A (time based-cardio)
60 sec jump rope or toe taps
50 sec KB swing
40 sec repeaters (L leg)
30 sec self toss w/ball
20 sec Davies
10 sec boxer shuffle
20 sec Davies
30 sec self toss w/ball
40 sec repeaters (R leg)
50 sec KB swing
60 sec jump rope or toe taps
Workout #2B (time based-strength)
60 sec wall sit
50 sec hammer curls
40 sec Bulgarian split squat (L leg)
30 sec bent knee leg raise
20 sec band row
10 sec reverse plank
20 sec band row
30 sec bent knee leg raise
40 sec Bulgarian split squat (R leg)
50 sec hammer curls
60 sec wall sit
Now that you have learned a bit more about pyramids, I'm sure you see them with a bit more fondness than you did before. Hopefully you noticed that by tweaking the order around just a tad, it became a totally different workout. Variety is the spice of life (and fitness) so next time you get up, get out and get moving take a different route and explore an entirely new way to arrive at your destination. Your body and mind will thank you! See you all next time! Ciao!