Triceps on fire with Interval Workout #2

Mid January? Already? It feels strange because we skipped out for a week’s vacation in Florida. Now it’s time to get my head back in the game, and get busy working on my goals for 2017. Perhaps one of your goals this year is to kick butt in 2017 by getting healthy. It’s definitely one of my goals! Maybe losing a few lbs and building a little muscle along the way? YES! If so, I got ya covered. This interval workout focuses on toning the triceps, so throw it into your workout schedule.

Last week I broke down interval training workout #1. This week we’re going to strip interval workout #2 down to the bare bones. In this post will be the modifications for each exercise. Remember that the 31 day no excuses bootcamp is available for free along with my health & Fitness planner. Plus, I’m not gonna lie, I’m kinda excited about the things I have planned for this website in 2017.

BOOTCAMP INTERVAL WORKOUT #2

First up, Interval workout #2 is a little longer than workout #1, so bear that in mind. With the warm up and cool down stretch it’s going to take around 40 minutes. Still totally doable for most people. If you absolutely positively MUST only have a 30 minute workout then I have a couple of options for you. Reduce the rest time. The standard rest time is 15s between exercises, if you cut that out completely you save 5 minutes! Another way is to shorten the workout set time, standard is 45s so you could reduce that to 40s and save 3 minutes. Another way would be to do the first half of the workout only. Or do TWO sets of each exercise rather than the recommended three. The last option would be a better choice as it immediately saves you 10 minutes.

High Knees

Stand standing. Lift the right knee to hip height, then hop change to lift the left knee up. This is sort of like running on the spot, just lifting the knees closer up towards the chest. This gets the heart rate up fast and if you feel like the knees aren’t lifting high enough make targets with the hands. Draw the elbows into the waist. Bend the elbows to 90° and turn the palms down towards the floor. Try and make the knees touch the palms.

Modification: Obviously this is a fairly high impact movement so to reduce the intensity just lift the right knee, place it down, then left the left knee. So there is no ‘hop’ or running to change legs. Another modification would be to reduce the range of motion by keeping the knees at a lower height.

Sumo Squat

Stand with the feet wider than shoulder width, and toes turned out a little. Chest up and hands resting on the hips. Bend the knees, sitting the hips down towards the floor. Trying to ensure the knees don’t shoot over the toes or collapse inwards. For depth, aim for the hip crease to be parallel to, or slightly below, the top of the knees.

Modifications: If you need to do a regular squat with feet shoulder distance apart feel free to do that version. Another way to modify this move is to not squat down as deep. Listen to your body!

Triceps Dips

Usually you’d do triceps dips on a bench or raised surface but as this bootcamp workout is about bodyweight and no equipment here’s proof you can target the triceps without equipment! Start in a seated position, knees bent, feet on the floor. Place the hands behind you fingers pointing towards the toes. Lengthen the arms and lift your butt off the floor. Bend the elbows to lower the butt towards the floor, then extend the arms to raise back up. Try and keep the chest up and open. Don’t collapse into the shoulders.

Modifications: Did you note the bolded text above. In case you missed if… Bend the elbows. This is an exercise for the triceps so you need elbows to bend and extend. If you struggle with shoulder/wrist issues or find this movement generally difficult, keep the butt down on the floor and perform the exercise seated.

Bird Dog

The fourth movement in every round of exercises is core and this one hits core strength, mobility, and balance. Even if you don’t do the whole workout this is great as a warm up exercise. Begin on all fours. Knees under hips, hands under shoulders and engage the core. Extend the left leg behind you, with the foot lifted no higher than the hips. Lengthen the right arm forwards again hand no higher than the head (feel the bicep by the ear). Round the back a little and bring the elbow and knee in towards each other (exhale), as you lengthen the arm and leg out there is a small arching of the back (inhale). Control the movement!

Modifications: This can be particularly challenging to the balance so ensure that you are doing OPPOSITE arm and leg. Sounds silly, but many people try and do the same side. If you struggle with the balance, take your supporting arm and knee laterally further away from each other. Maybe the left hand if far towards the left side of your mat, and your right knee towards the right side. To reduce the instability further try just doing the leg and keeping both hands on the floor. Or just doing the arm.

*Repeat this exercise on both sides*

180° Jump

Might as well JUMP, go ahead JUMP! Yes that song will be in your head all day now, you’re welcome. This exercise begins standing feet hip distance apart. Sit down into a 1/2 squat then explode up into a jump turning 180° to the left. Squat down again and jump up turning 180° to the right. Repeat, repeat, repeat until your legs and lungs scream at you.

Modifications: There are a few modifications for this one depending on your challenging aspect. If the 180° turn is the limiting factor, simply cut it. Jump straight up and down, no turn. If you simply cannot jump then try raising up onto the balls of your feet. Or for another modification try a squat, then step to turn 180° to each side. Have fun with it. Figure out what part isn’t working and change it.

Squat & Side Kick

In interval workout #1 we did a squat with a front kick, this time we’re doing the squat with a side kick. Why? Double the squats Baby!  Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Sit the hips down into a squat. When you stand kick the right leg out to the right side, squat again and then kick the left leg out the left. While this is mostly strength you might find it a little cardio too as it uses all the big muscles of the booty and legs. Burn baby, burn!

Modifications: The options here are to not squat as deeply. For less intensity keep the kicks low. If balance is an issue maybe a small tap out to the side rather than a kick would be a good option here.

Side Triceps Raise

Ok I mentioned that this workout was gonna fire up the triceps and here is exercise two to tone the bingo wings. Do you use that expression? Bingo wings? Bat wings? You know, the wobbly underside of the upper arm… ugh. For this exercise lie on your right side, knees bent and together. Now the arm setup is tricky the first time you do this but… place the right hand onto your left shoulder, and your left hand on the floor in front of your right shoulder. Lift the torso away from the floor by pushing the left hand into the floor, straightening the left arm.

Modifications: It’s not uncommon to find one triceps weaker than the other, meaning you struggle to lift yourself up. To make the exercise a little easier move the left hand towards the face. This ultimately reduces the range of movement.

*Repeat this exercise on both sides*

Scissors

After all that we need a rest! Hah, fat chance. Hit the mat for a core exercise. Lying on your back, lift both legs up towards the sky. Hips are bent at 90°. Arms resting down by your sides. Engage the core! Lower the right leg slowly towards the floor, but don’t touch the floor. Let the leg hover about 3-4″ above the ground. Simply switch legs, in a scissoring motion lowering one leg at a time. The tricky part is keeping the core engaged so the back is protected. Oh, and don’t hold your breath!

Modifications: Option one is to bend the knees, have the shins parallel to the floor. Legs are heavy. lol! Another option is to not lower the legs to close to the floor. The lower you bring the legs the more challenge there is to the core. A final option would be to only move one leg at a time rather than switching and scissoring the legs. This allows you to focus on the movement, the breath and controlling the core engagement.

[tweetthis]Burn fat, build strength, and work the whole body with this interval #workout [/tweetthis]

Each exercise is done for 45s, with 15s rest between exercises. You have options. In the videos I chose to do the first four exercises and repeat them three times, then do the same thing for the next four exercises. Or you could work through all eight exercises and repeat three times the whole way through all eight. The idea is that you don’t change the sets of four. This is to get the body working through cardio, lower body, upper body and core for a little peripheral heart action training. This helps get you fitter, faster.

 

Those are the exercises for interval workout #2 of the no excuses bootcamp. Even if you don’t do this format, I hope you found something useful, inspiring or motivational from this post, and the program. Interval workout #3  is already on youtube, and I’ll breakdown the workout in a few days. Until then keep moving!