Tabata Zones with Bonus Core

Equipment: Weighted Objects (water bottles, dumbbells, etc), Optional Elevated Surface
Format: Perform move 1 for 0:20 seconds, rest for 0:10 seconds and then repeat for move 2. Repeat moves 1 and 2 back to back for 4 rounds total. 

Upper Body Zone Tabata

Move 1: Squat Thrust

• Begin standing with your core engaged and chest up tall.
• Bend your knees and place your hands on the floor in front of you.
• Step or jump your feet back to a tall plank, keeping your core tight and back flat, gaze about 6 inches in front of you for a neutral spine.
• Jump or step your feet back into your hands and come back to standing, loading your weight in your heels and using your momentum to power you up into a jump.
• MOD: Perform this movement with your hands on an inclined surface, like a chair, couch or ottoman. You can also take the impact out entirely by stepping back and forth rather than jumping, and coming up to a body squat rather than a jump.

Move 2: Renegade Rows

• Begin in a tall plank position with your core engaged, back flat, and shoulders stacked over your hands holding weighted objects.
• Keeping your hips square to the ground and core engaged, perform a row with your right arm by pulling your elbow straight back along your body and squeezing the base of your shoulder blade. 
• Slowly return your right arm back to the ground and repeat with your left arm.
• MOD: Do this move on an elevated surface by placing your hand on the edge of a couch or table, from a kneeling position, or remove the weights completely.

Lower Body Zone Tabata

Move 1: Skaters

• Begin standing with your core engaged and chest upright.
• Step your right foot back behind you and over to the left as your left knee bends. Your right knee will line up behind your left heel.
• In your lunge position, ensure that your chest remains upright and your left knee does not rotate or press out over your left foot to maintain stability.
• Power off your front heel to laterally hop to the other side and repeat the curtsy on the other leg. Alternate back and forth.
• MOD: Take the jump out of the move and do low impact alternating curtsy lunges or reverse lunges.
• Optional: Increase the intensity of this move by holding a light weighted objects in each hand.

Move 2: Modified Kettlebell Swings

• Begin standing with your core engaged, shoulder blades pulled back and down and your weighted object in your hands.
• Shift your hips back as you slightly bend your knees to load your weight in your hamstrings while keeping your chest up tall. 
• Drive your hips forward with power as you let your arms and weighted object float up toward the ceiling to end with your arms overhead or at eye level (be sure your rib cage is still pulled down and you’re not arching your back at the top). The power should come from your lower body rather than you muscling the weight up).
• Control the weight back down and you shift your hips back and repeat.
• MOD: Perform this move without any weight or perform Romanian Deadlifts as you increase your posterior chain strength. 

Core and Back Zone Circuit

Format: Perform each move for the prescribed repetitions and repeat for 2 rounds. 

Move 1: Cross Body Sit Ups (12 each side)

• Begin lying on your back with your knees bent and your core gently pressing into the mat to activate blueberry spine.
• Bring your right hand behind your head and cross your left ankle over your right knee.
• Lift your chest off the mat (without tucking your chin to your chest or pulling on your neck) and reach your right elbow across your body to crunch toward your left knee.
• Slowly lower yourself back down and repeat.
• Complete all reps on one side and then switch sides. 
• Optional: For additional core work, keep one leg bent and extend the other (rather than crossing it across the knee) and as you lift  your chest, bring the extended leg in toward your upper body and then extend back out. 

Move 2: Cactus Arms Extensions (10-12)

• Come down to your mat, back is flat to the ground pressing your low back into the floor, core engaged with your knees bent.
• Bring your arms to an upright 90 degree angle position, pressing your shoulders and elbows into the floor.
• Slide your arms as far upward as you can while maintaining elbow and shoulder contact with the ground.
• Optional: Drive through your heels to lift your hips off the ground as you move through cactus arms to add additional posterior activation. 

Move 3: Toe Reaches (10-15)

• Begin lying on your back with your feet together and legs straight up in the air and your core gently pressing into the mat to activate blueberry spine. 
• Lift your shoulders off the ground by pulling your chest up (without tucking your chin to your chest) to reach toward your toes. 
• Slowly lower yourself back down and repeat.
• MOD: Bend your knees instead of keeping them straight and reach toward the ceiling. 

Move 4: Swimmers (20)

• Lie on your stomach with your arms and legs extended and reaching toward the walls in front of and behind  you.
• Lift your right arm and left leg up at the same time and then alternate with your left arm and right leg and repeat back and forth.
• Keep a slight contraction in your lower back as you “swim” and keep your gaze neutral so your neck isn’t straining or hyperextending.
• MOD: Place your fingertips on the floor to support your upper body and isolate just the legs.