Although not initially my workout, I had to write about this one. We performed it at circuit training last Friday, and I’m still aching now. This workout takes 40-45 minutes and will require mental strength as well as muscle strength. Push yourself through the pain and you will reap the benefits.

Equipment required:

  • Stability ball
  • Two dumbells 3-5 kg for lunges
  • Barbell with 10-20 kg
  • Exercise box
  • Mat

The workout:

  • Firstly, complete some stretches to warm up the body. If you can partner up with someone who can keep track on the time, it would benefit this workout.
  • You are going to perform 100 pressups. After every ten pressups, you get a ten second break. Try to alternate the pressups. Put your legs on an incline during 10 reps, or bring them into shoulder height and work your triceps. Remember to breathe through the workout. The 70-100 reps should be the toughest. Try to maintain good form throughout.
  • Now it’s time to perform 50 lunges on each leg. Incline your leg, grab your weights and push down using your leg and buttock muscles, touch the floor with the weight and come back up. That’s one rep. Perform 10 on each leg, then have a 10 second break and repeat until you have performed 5 sets on each leg.
  • Hop onto the stability ball and perform 10 crunches. Take a 10 second break each set. Try to alternate your crunches. Hold your arms high in the air to pull yourself up and add tension to the abs. Again, if you perform the crunches with good form, the last 70-100 should be a killer.
  • Now it’s onto  a bent over row. Bend over, keeping your knees slightly bent and pull in your abs. Pull the barbell up to chest height. Perform 10 then rest for 10 seconds. Remember to breathe through the pain. Try to focus through the 10 reps. This one is tough but try to push yourself through the pain.
  • It’s back to the 50 lunges on each leg. Set your leg on incline and perform 10 reps on each leg. Keep your back straight and drop down until your dumbells touch the floor then use your leg and buttock muscle to push yourself to the start. Perform 10 on each leg then take a 10 second break.
  • Lie down on the mat, hold your arms out, balance your ankles on the stability ball and raise your hips. Pull the ball in as far as can with your hamstrings, then push out. Perform 10 while maintaining good form. Keep your hips raised at all times. Take a 10 second rest between each set. The last 70-100 should be a challenge.
  • Finally, the last exercise is a weighted squat overhead raise. You will perform 100 but take a 10 second rest between every 10 reps. Keep your back straight and squat down with your weight, pull up to hip height then raise above head. That’s 1 rep.  Perform 10 and take a 10 second rest after each.
  • Warm down with some gentle stretches. Do you see why it’s beneficial to partner with someone for this workout, not just to keep track of time but to motivate during those last 7-10 sets.