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High Intensity Interval Training

Run 1 Mile
Rest 4 Minutes

Repeat 4 Times

Abs and Core Workout:

1. Flutter Kicks – 1 Minute
2. Plank – 2 Minutes
3. Leg Lifts – 1 Minute
4. Bicycle Crunches – 1 Minute
5. Side Plank Hip Raises – 30 Seconds Each Side
6. Plank – 1 Minute

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High Intensity Interval Training

Run 800 Meters

OR

Bike/Cycle for 5 Minutes @High Intensity

Rest for 3 Minutes – Repeat 6 Times for Run 8 Times for Bike

Abs and Core Workout:

1. Flutter Kicks – 1 Minute
2. Plank – 2 Minutes
3. Leg Lifts – 1 Minute
4. Bicycle Crunches – 1 Minute
5. Side Plank Hip Raises – 30 Seconds Each Side
6. Plank – 1 Minute

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-5 Times – Each run should be fast and at a high intensity

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-5 Times – Each run should be fast and at a high intensity

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

Potential PT #1 – 800 Run

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-5 Times – Each run should be fast and at a high intensity

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Bike 800′s

Stretch/Warm Up

Bike 800 Meters with HIGH Resistance 6-8 times.
Rest 2-3 Minutes between sets

Abs/Core:

Side Plank w/ Hip Raises 2 x 25 (each side)

Lean Back Feet Raise 2 x 30 seconds

Kettlebell Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (each side) (can also use a dumbbell)

Bicycle Crunches 2 x 40 (count: 1,1,2,2,3,3..etc.)

Stretch

- K

Mixing up your training methods periodically is a great way to keep your body guessing and your muscles growing. Our daily workouts do a pretty good job at providing variety on a regular basis but another great way to mix up you training is by doing some High Volume Explosive Training routines, otherwise known as HVET. High volume explosive training can turn on biochemical pathways that trigger muscle hypertrophy and mobilize fat-burning hormones to help you torch fat and get that lean, athletic look. HVET uses 6 to 8 sets per exercise and each rep is performed “explosively”. What does “explosively” mean exactly? This is when you push through the eccentric (the contraction of a muscle during it’s lengthening) phase of a lift quickly and powerfully, then lower the weight (or retreat) from the lift slowly. A good rule of thumb, let’s say for bench press, would be 1 second up and 2 seconds down.

How does it work exactly? Muscle physiologists from Harvard recently discovered that muscle tension (i.e. muscle hypertrophy) is one of the most important factors in triggering muscle growth. So high muscle tension, particularly in the lengthening/eccentric phase of a lift, produces a larger amount of muscle fiber recruitment and thus will more rapidly increase growth. Researchers at McMasters University in Canada (led by a Dr. Tim Shepstone) did a study which showed that high-speed eccentric muscle exercises helped to increase muscle hypertrophy and stimulate growth more rapidly than slow eccentric training. Through biopsies they were able to observe that the high-speed eccentric movements caused more damage (good damage) to muscle fibers. Muscle fiber damage and repair is a large part of how we can grow our muscles (note: we are referring to small fiber injuries and not severe injuries).

If you want to try some HVET training, you can use a lot of our current workouts and adjust the way you explode through the lifts. Naturally we post a fair amount of HIIT days that are great for working into an HVET program. Here is an example of how you could set it up:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday: DO NOT USE HVET MORE THAN 3 TIME PER WEEK AND SPREAD WORKOUTS PROPERLY

Train explosively with our suggested workout or your own workout during the lifting phases and rest 1 minute between sets. Go for 8 sets of between 8-10 reps per exercise.

Tuesday/Thursday:

High Intensity Interval Training. We post a lot of these workouts and you can look at one here.

Saturday:

Distance Cardio for 30+ minutes

As always, don’t forget to take a full rest day to let your muscles properly repair and recover!

-The MidwestFit Team

Potential PT #1 – Quick Run

Warm Up

Stretch

Run 3-5 miles

or

25-45 minutes

Stretch

Just a heads up for the running schedule for the week, we’re doing a shorter run today, Thursday will be either a tempo run or some interval training, and Saturday is going to be a longer than average run (which is why this run is a little shorter than normal)

Also check out the PT of the week – Explosive Countdown and add it to every workout you do this week at the very end

- Ben

Potential PT #2

This is a good workout for lower body strength.

Calf Raises w/ dumbbells 15 x 5
Step lunges w/ dumbbells 15 x 5 (each leg)
Stability Ball Hip Raises 15 x 5
Calf Raises w/ dumbbells (yes, again) 15 x 5
Stiff Leg Deadlift w/ dumbbells 15 x 5
Barbell Lunges 10 x 5
Barbell Squat 10 x 5

-K

Potential PT #1 – Spin Class

Warm Up – 8-Count Body Builders (15), Jump Squats (10), Regular Pull Ups (10)

If you are lucky enough to have a gym that offers Spin/Cycling classes, take one today!  If you are normally a runner, a spin class will definitely challenge you in a way you are not used to.

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Run

Warm Up – 8-Count Body Builders (15), Jump Squats (10), Regular Pull Ups (10)

If you happen to have a treadmill work on some Hill Interval Running today.  Run at a Higher Speed/Higher Incline for a short period, followed by a Lower Speed/Lower Incline run to recover.  Repeat for 30-40 Minutes.

If no treadmill, bust out this run outside.  Run for 5 Minutes (fast pace), jog for 3 minutes.  Repeat for 30-40 Minutes.

Stretch

- K

Potential PT #1 – Spin Class

Warm Up – 8-Count Body Builders (15), Jump Squats (10), Regular Pull Ups (10)

If you are lucky enough to have a gym that offers Spin/Cycling classes, take one today!  If you are normally a runner, a spin class will definitely challenge you in a way you are not used to.

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Run

Warm Up – 8-Count Body Builders (15), Jump Squats (10), Regular Pull Ups (10)

If you happen to have a treadmill work on some Hill Interval Running today.  Run at a Higher Speed/Higher Incline for a short period, followed by a Lower Speed/Lower Incline run to recover.  Repeat for 30-40 Minutes.

If no treadmill, bust out this run outside.  Run for 5 Minutes (fast pace), jog for 3 minutes.  Repeat for 30-40 Minutes.

Stretch

- K

Potential PT #1 – 800 Run

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-5 Times – Each run should be fast and at a high intensity

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Bike 800′s

Stretch/Warm Up

Bike 800 Meters with HIGH Resistance 6-8 times.
Rest 2-3 Minutes between sets

Abs/Core:

Side Plank w/ Hip Raises 2 x 25 (each side)

Lean Back Feet Raise 2 x 30 seconds

Kettlebell Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (each side) (can also use a dumbbell)

Bicycle Crunches 2 x 40 (count: 1,1,2,2,3,3..etc.)

Stretch

- K

Potential PT #1 – Interval Running

Stretch/Warm Up (3 Minute Walk, 2 Minute Jog)

Circuit 2-4 Times:

Run – 4 Minutes
Walk – 2 Minutes
Jog – 2 Minutes

Abs/Core:

1. Plank Walks - 1 Minute
2. Plank on Medicine Ball - 1 Minute x 2 Times
3. Medicine Ball Toe Touches - 1 Minute
4. Lean Back Knee Tucks - 30 Seconds x 3 Times
6. Flutter Kicks – 1 Minute
7. Leg Lifts with Splits - 1 Minute
8. Stability Ball Toe Touches - 1 Minute

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Sprints

Sprint 40 yards x 5

Jog .5 miles

Sprint 40 yards x 5

Jog .5 miles

-K

Potential PT #1 – Tempo Run

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 20-25 Minutes
Run at a pace that is difficult to maintain.  You should be able to run the whole amount of time, but push yourself!

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Yasso 800′s

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-6 times.
Rest 2-3 Minutes between runs

Abs/Core:

Side Plank w/ Hip Raises 2 x 25 (each side)

Lean Back Feet Raise 2 x 30 seconds

Kettlebell Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (each side) (can also use a dumbbell)

Bicycle Crunches 2 x 40 (count: 1,1,2,2,3,3..etc.)

Stretch

- K

Potential PT #1 – Tempo Run

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 20-25 Minutes
Run at a pace that is difficult to maintain.  You should be able to run the whole amount of time, but push yourself!

Abs/Core:

Flutter Kicks – 50 (4-counts)
Plank 1 Minute
Flutter Kicks – 40 (4-counts)
Plank 45 Seconds
Flutter Kicks – 30 (4-counts)
Plank 30 seconds

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Yasso 800′s

Stretch/Warm Up

Run 800 Meters 3-6 times.
Rest 2-3 Minutes between runs

Abs/Core:

Side Plank w/ Hip Raises 2 x 25 (each side)

Lean Back Feet Raise 2 x 30 seconds

Kettlebell Half Get Ups 2 x 15 (each side) (can also use a dumbbell)

Bicycle Crunches 2 x 40 (count: 1,1,2,2,3,3..etc.)

Stretch

- K

Potential PT #1- Cardio Training

There are two different styles posted for PT one to work on Cardio Training:  Choose one or the other depending on what you personally would like to focus on.

Stretch

Distance/Endurance/Low Intensity Training:

Run 4-5 Miles

OR

High Intensity/Sprint Training

1. Run 800 Meters
2. Sprint 100 Meters
3. Bike at a high resistance for 3 Minutes (Should be difficult to complete)
4. Sprint 100 Meters
5. Run 800 Meters

Stretch

- Ben

Potential PT #2 – Legs and Core

Circuit as many times as possible in 30 minutes:

Goblet Squats 25

Stationary Jump Lunges (jump into each lunge) 20

Jump Squats 20

Clock Hops 1 minute

End Circuit

Plank 1 minute

Mountain Climbers (try doing these slowly and concentrate on form.) 30

Plank 1 minute

Mountain Climbers (slow) 30

Plank 1 minute

-K

Potential PT’s – Vacation Exercise

In honor of K being on vacation this week, check out the recent article we posted on ways to stay fit while on vacation, or when you seem to be rushed for time.

Stay Fit While On Vacation

Potential PT # 1 – Pick a Total Body Fitness PT and perform it as directed
Potential PT #2 – Pick Both an Upper Body PT and a Lower Body PT and perform each one as instructed back to back
Potential PT #3 – Pick a Total Body Fitness PT, a Lower Body PT, and an Upper Body PT and perform all 3 as instructed.  Either begin or end with your choice of the Total Body Fitness PT.

- Ben and K