Total Body Strength Circuit

Format: Prescribed reps or Reverse pyramid: increase weight as you decrease reps. With reverse pyramid, you start lighter at the higher end of the rep range, then add resistance to decrease reps. You do not have to hit the “exact” suggested reps to be doing this right, numbers are a suggested guideline.

Circuit 1 (4 rounds):

Romanian Deadlifts (12,10,8,8)

• Begin standing with your feet hip distance apart, core braced, shoulders back and down (as if you were standing against a wall) and weighted objects in each hand.
• Push your hips back and hinge forward as far as you can while maintaining a flat back, slightly bending your knees and keeping the weighted objects close to your shins.
• Drive through your entire foot to come back to standing, pressing your hips forward, feeling your glutes working through this lift, and be mindful of not leaning back at the top.
• Repeat for max rep range.

Banded Glute Bridge Chest Flye (12,10,8,8)

• With a stretchy band wrapped around both legs above the knees and weighted objects in both hands, begin by lying on your back with your knees bent, feet planted, core braced, and lower back making gentle contact with the mat.
• Create tension in the stretchy band by gently pressing your legs away from each other and press your heels into the mat to drive your hips towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes and maintaining a braced core in a glute bridge.
• Continuing to hold the glute bridge position, extend your arms and weighted objects straight over your chest, palms facing each other.
• With a slight bend in your elbows and keeping your shoulders pulled away from your ears, open your arms out wide, stopping when your elbows are in line with your chest.
• Using the strength of your chest, bring the weighted objects back to starting position.
• Maintain elevated hips and braced core as you repeat chest flyes for max rep range.

Hinged Underhand Row (12,10,8,8)

• Begin by standing tall, core braced, shoulders back and down (as if they were against a wall) and holding a barbell (or two dumbbells) with both hands, palms facing out.
• Hinge forward at the hips at a 45 degree angle with your body, keeping core braced and back flat. Allow your weighted objects to hang beneath your chest (without round your shoulders forward) and keep your head and neck in a neutral position.
• Using your back muscles, draw your elbows up and back, squeezing between the shoulder blades.
• Maintaining the positioning of your body, lower the weight back down with control.
• Repeat for max rep range.

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Circuit 2 (3-4 rounds):

KANG Squats (12,10,8,8)

• Begin by standing with your feet hip-width distance, holding a weighted object in each hand, your core braced and shoulders back and down (as if they were against a wall).
• Bend your knees in line with your toes, sending your hips back to come into a squat.
• Drive through the heels to straighten your legs, maintaining a flat back and hinge in the hips, as you touch the weighted objects to your shins with your palms facing your body.
• Squeezing the glutes with a braced core, drive through the heels to come back up to standing.
• Repeat sequence for max rep range.

Arnold Press (12,10,8)

• Brace your core from a standing or seated position and, holding a weighted object in each hand, bend your arms to 90 degrees with palms facing each other and upper arms in line with your shoulders.
• Externally rotate your arms out by pulling your shoulder blades together to end in a 90 degree goal post position (palms will face outward at this point) and then press your arms straight up over your head.
• Reverse the movement to end in the starting position with your palms facing each other.
• Repeat for max rep range.

Box Jumps (1:00; 0:45; 0:30)

• Begin by standing facing the box (or any sturdy elevated surface) you are jumping onto.
• With a braced core, lightly bend your knees and power through your heels to explode off the balls of your feet onto the box (use your arms to propel you and land softly on the balls of your feet), squeezing your glutes as you stand upright.
• Jump or step back down and repeat for allotted time.
• MOD: Remove the jump and perform step ups with alternating legs, being mindful to drive through the heel as you step onto the box.