WOW – Week of 3/24/14: Squat, Stagger, and Roll

The WOW, or Workout of the Week, is a short workout that you can do on your own as an add-on to your training. These workouts are designed to be mostly equipment free (so you can do them anywhere) and of medium to high intensity. Modify as you need depending on your fitness level and intensity needs.

In this week’s WOW we’re hitting your legs, shoulders, chest, arms, core, and back. Now that’s a WOW!

For the squats use a medicine ball, kettlebell, dumbbell, or bodyweight, and do each rep as a 1 1/2 squat. That means you’re going to go all the way down, come halfway up, go all the way back down, and then come all the way back up. That’s one rep. This a a great way to build strength and increase the intensity of the squat, especially if you’re doing bodyweight squats.

The staggered hand push-ups will work your chest and triceps, like all other push-up variations, but your front arm will do a little more work than in a standard push-up. You’ll also get the added bonus of extra work for your rectus abdominis (your six-pack muscles) and external obliques.

The Half Rollback with Arm Scissors is a variation on a Pilates exercise. Usually done as a part of the beginner series in Pilates, this variation will challenge even advanced exercisers because of the addition of arm scissors and the 30 second hold. Your core muscles will get a ton of work as they are used to stabilize your spine in the rollback position while you scissor your arms. Make sure you brace your belly throughout the movement.

Squat, Stagger, and Roll

Do 5 rounds of the following:

1.5 Squats (10)
Staggered Push-ups (8/8)
Half Rollbacks with Arm Scissors (30 seconds)

Click on the video above to see the full workout. Post your thoughts and time to comments below.

 

 

7 Comments

  1. Beth on March 23, 2014 at 5:14 pm

    Cute ponies!
    Very fancy with the list embedded in the video, but can we get the list of the workout the old-fashion way, too!



  2. michelle on March 23, 2014 at 5:34 pm

    You weren’t supposed to see this yet, Beth. So demanding…Ha!



  3. Rachel Dalinka on March 24, 2014 at 10:58 am

    Great workout! Great video with helpful directions. I’ll post my time!



  4. michelle on March 24, 2014 at 11:07 am

    Thanks, Rachel! Looking forward to hearing from you about your time.



  5. Mary on March 24, 2014 at 11:41 am

    Digging the intro and exit music. And Elise’s top.



  6. Beth on March 24, 2014 at 1:54 pm

    When oh when will standard…or staggered…push ups not feel so strenuous. I completed the WOW somewhere in between 10-15 min.

    Thanks for the great workout! I may be demanding, but I learned how to be demanding from my trainers. haha!



  7. michelle on March 24, 2014 at 2:04 pm

    Oh snap, Beth!