Workout of the Week (WOW!)

Looking to get a head start on getting in shape for the season??? Each week a new and fun exercise routine will be posted to follow or to help get your own creative juices flowing on how to spice up your summer workouts. These workouts are designed to be flexible and adaptive to any fitness level or goals so feel free to take them in any direction you wish. The goal is to have fun while staying active and pumped for the upcoming ski season! Begin with following the workout or creating your own to complete twice or three times a week with the goal of increasing frequency of activity over time. If there are any questions, comments, suggestions, or concerns about the WOW’s, contact Becca at rfrenz@wisc.edu. Have fun and stay hydrated!

1. Warm Up- Every workout should begin with a simple warm up. This can consist of an easy jog around the block or 5 minutes on a stationary bike or elliptical machine. The pace should be laid back enough that you should be able to have a conversation of how excited you are for ski season. Next, spend some time stretching (both static and dynamic) to loosen up the muscles prior to activity. The importance of a warm up cannot be overemphasized. By warming up your muscles for the workout you are protecting against injury and strain as well as increasing the overall effectiveness of the workout.

2. Cardio- Determine the cardio portion of the workout based on your personal fitness level. A good place to start is a 1-2 mile jog/roller blade or taking a good 20-30 minute bike ride. Another interesting idea is jump roping on 4 minutes and off 2 minutes for 4 or 5 sets. If you started with 1-2 miles last week, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself! This week try going that extra 10 minutes or stopping to walk less. Other fun summer ideas for cardio and strength training can be right on the lake! Water skiing, wake boarding, tubing, ect. are great ways to work your whole body while getting a tan and having a blast at the cabin.

Another option for cardio is stairs or hills. Hills and stairs can be found almost anywhere. Try starting out with 4 100 meter sprints up hill or 4 sprints of 30 stairs. Keep in mind proper sprinting form being light on your feet and using your arms to propel. Take the downhill as recovering walking forward or backwards to stretch out your calves. (Thanks Matt Tomai for the stair ideas!)

A good way to round out a nice long run are accelerations. Finish with 6 100 meter accelerating sprints to kick your booty out of the standard long run pace.

3. Plyometrics-

Pop, Lock, and Drop It- 3 sets of 20 squats (walking forward as you take each step squat into proper tuck form until you have taken 20 steps/squats. the name comes with the order of the steps-right foot forward= “pop”, left foot forward= “lock”, squat= “drop” is one squat) *Form Alert! Weight should be in the heels with quads and knees at a 90 degree angle. You should be able to see your toes over your knees. Booty is sitting on an imaginary chair lift, shoulders relaxed, and chest lifted.

Quick Feet with a Burpie- 1 minute for 5 sets (start standing with legs spread wide in a cowboy stance doing quick feet, drop into a burpie every 10 seconds making 6 burpies per set)

Line Jumps- 45 seconds for 5 sets (find a line or imagine one to jump back and forth and side to side at a rapid pace)

Wheel Barrel- 20 feet for 5 sets (have a badger buddy hold your feet as your crawl forward working your arms, shoulders, and abs)

Tuck jumps- 45 seconds with 5 jumps for 5 sets

Lunges- 15 walking or stationary for 4 sets

Mountain climbers- 30 seconds for 4 sets (maintaining a high plank position while toe tapping up towards the hands rapidly)

Burpies- 30 seconds for 4 sets (starting in a standing position plant hands and spring back into a high plank, jump feet back towards hands and spring back up into standing position)

Plank followed by a sprint- 5 sets (hold a plank for 30 seconds-1 minute then pop up into a quick 20 yard sprint) *Try with a badger buddy! As one person holds plank have the other tuck jump from side to side or front to back over their partner’s plank, then race each other in the sprint.

Cone Intervals- 5 sets (set up 4 cones or markers about 10 feet apart from each other in a line. Sprint to each cone then back to the beginning until you reach the last cone. Some ideas for different intervals are; side shuffling, high knees, karaoke feet, booty kicks, backwards, lunging, wheel barrel with a partner, quick feet, or skipping.)

Side Tuck Jumps- 30 seconds for 4 sets (jump from side to side and front to back in a tuck) *Form Alert! Knees and quads at a 90 degree angle while being able to see your toes. Booty should be as if you are sitting in a chair, shoulders relaxed, and chest lifted.

Balance- 45 seconds for 5 sets each leg (Stand on one foot with knee slightly bent while the other leg lifted to a 90 degree angle. Try pulsing the lifted leg upwards while activating your glutes and quad or pass a ball back and forth with a partner or against a wall.)

4. Abs and Arms-

5 Minute Abs- pick 5 of your favorite ab exercises and do each for 1 minute continually until you reach 5 minutes or break each apart with a set of 10-15 push ups

Ab Ideas- forearm planks, bicycles, leg lifts (Lifting legs up and down while on your back and hands positioned under booty for stability or in a T formation for added difficulty), dead bugs (lay on back with all limbs in air while simultaneously lowering and then lifting right arm and left leg then switching to the left arm and right leg), simple crunches or sit ups

T’s- 30 for 4 sets (lay on the ground on your back and hold your badger buddy’s legs or anything to hold onto like a table or bench dropping your legs to each side and the middle. if your have a badger buddy have them throw your legs towards the ground for added resistance and challenge.)

Plank Push Ups- 30 seconds for 4 sets (start in forearm plank and push up onto your hands then transition from your palms back to forearms repeatedly.)

Dolphin Push Ups- 10-15 reps for 3 sets (Start in a forearm plank. Push your booty back and up into the air making the shape of a dolphin or an A with your body and then come back to the forearm plank. Try to use your abs and shoulders simultaneously.)

Spidermans- 10-15 reps for 3 sets (Start in a high plank/regular plank but on your hands. Alternate bringing your right and left knees to your right and left elbows while in the high plank. This activates your arms as well as your obliques/side abs. Try adding a push up in between alternating the knees to elbows.)

Push Ups- 10-15 reps for 3 sets (if not alternated within the 5 Minute Abs)

Push Up Ideas- wide armed, triangle, chaturanga (hands placed under shoulders and keeping elbows lateral against rib cage when lowering), or on knees

REMEMBER: Stay hydrated before and after workouts! This will make recovery and the workouts themselves easier and more beneficial.