The best workouts are those that challenge us but require little to no equipment and can be done anywhere, at any time. These no-excuses workouts test our mettle, and our self-motivation.
Bootcamp workouts definitely fall under this category. Three times over the holidays, I got messages from boot camp students and clients (a few pictured at left) telling me that they did their own bootcamp workout while visiting family or entertaining their little ones on break from school. One student said her 11-year-old had so much fun, and got so tuckered out, she requested a nap. Another student even posted a picture of her heart rate monitor, which showed she burned 800-plus calories. Badass for sure!
I love having lots of faces in my weekly bootcamps, but also know that many of you live far away or can't make it due to schedule restraints or other reasons. So here's a Bootcamp 101 workout that you can keep "in your back pocket," so to speak, as a great calorie burner and muscle builder.
This will take about an hour including a few water breaks, and don't worry if you don't make it through the whole thing at first. No one is judging, and even doing a third of this is better than sitting on the couch!
Badass 101 Bootcamp
Warmup: 30 seconds each of...
- Jumping Jacks
- Squat Jacks
- High Knees Running in Place
- Side to Side Pogo Stick Hops
- Jumping Jacks
- Mountain Climbers
Circuit 1: Cardio/Strength Drill
- Jog up and back the length of a volleyball court or gymnasium 3 times
- 20 pushups
- Shuffle up and back the same length 2 times
- 25 squats
- Leap frog up and back the same length 2 times
- 20 pushups
Circuit 2: Cardio Tabata (4 minutes)
- Jump Squats, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Squat Jacks, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Burpees, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Jumping lunges (or regular lunges, depending on knee health), 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
Circuit 3: Strength Tabata (4 minutes)
- Regular Pushups, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Tricep Floor or Bench Dips, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Frog Pushups, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Tricep Floor or Bench Dips, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
Circuit 4: Legs
- Wall Sit, 1 minute
- Walking Lunges, 25 up and 25 back
- Wall Sit, 1 minute
- Squats, 50
- Wall Sit, 1 minute
- Walking Lunges, 25 up and 25 back
- Wall Sit, 1 minute
Circuit 5: Cardio Tabata (4 minutes)
- Skaters, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Jacks, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- High Knees Running in Place, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Mountain Climbers (20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest)
- Repeat
Circuit 6: Strength Tabata (4 minutes)
- Step-ups on a Bench or Step, Right Side, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Step-ups on a Bench or Step, Left Side, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Box Jumps, or fast steps up and down, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
- Sumo/Plie Squats, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest
- Repeat
Abs Circuit
- 25 regular crunches
- 25 crunches with feet elevated, legs at 90 degrees
- 25 bicycles
- 30-second planks, twice
