Equipment
Moderately heavy medicine ball or dumbbell (about 70-80% of your one-rep max)
- Stopwatch, wristwatch, or nearby clock with a second hand
- Water bottle (for hydrating before, during and after workout)
- Bench or chair
Guidelines (Think "Six" For That Six-Pack)
- Perform all six exercises in six minutes (Do six supersets. Perform just one set per exercise without resting between exercises)
- Perform six reps per exercise
- Rest 60 to 90 seconds after completing all six exercises to hydrate, then repeat the six-minute cycle
- Start with an upper- and lower-body warm-up. Finish with cooldown upper- and lower-body static stretches for flexibility
Stand-Up Exercises
Single-Leg Squats
Hold dumbbell or medicine ball overhead and perform
Single Leg Squat six times, then switch legs. This promotes balance and
strengthens core muscles (abs, lower and middle back); quadriceps; hips;
hamstrings; and shoulder and arm muscles. Learn more about the
Single-Leg Squat.
Side Lunges and Press Outs
Lunge laterally right and simultaneously explosively
press ball or dumbbell away from your chest. Continue lunging/chest
presses five more times, then do six left Lateral Lunges/Press-Outs.
Muscles worked: chest, triceps, quadriceps, hamstrings, hips, and core
muscles, including upper and lower abdominal and oblique muscles. Watch a
video demonstration of the
Side Lunge.
Dumbbell Cross Rows
Assume the athletic position with dumbbell in right
hand. Bend knees and slowly lower dumbbell across your body toward your
left ankle, pause one second, and quickly pull dumbbell up toward waist.
Repeat five times, then switch dumbbell to left hand for six rows
toward right ankle. Builds lower, middle and upper back muscles; biceps;
and abdominal muscles.
Step-Ups and Press-Ups
Place right foot atop bench or chair holding
dumbbell or ball at chest level. Explosively push off with right foot
and lift left leg high off ground while simultaneously pressing
ball/dumbbell overhead. Repeat five times, then switch to left foot
Step-Ups. Excellent lower- and upper-body muscle endurance builder.
Farmer's Walk
Hold dumbbell in right hand and walk forward six
steps, then switch hands and walk backward six steps. Promotes core
stability by forcing the side without the dumbbell to work harder. Learn
more about the
Farmer's Walk.
Ball or Dumbbell Woodchops and Twists
Assume athletic stance while holding ball or
dumbbell overhead. Quickly drive ball/dumbbell through legs while
bending knees and extending hips. Stand up and bring dumbbell/ball to
chest level, rotate side to side and repeat sequence five more times.
Muscles worked: core, shoulders, arms, chest, upper, middle and lower
back, obliques, hips, quadriceps, hamstrings. Learn why you may want to
perform this exercise if you're a
baseball player.
No comments:
Post a Comment