Workout – Feel Better
Texting, typing, cradling the phone, carrying the baby, resisting your dog’s pull on his leash, running the same paved trail every week. … Repetitive stress takes many more forms than we remember to consider, and that leaves us prone to injury just like a pro baseball pitcher or golfer—without the exciting victory or crushing defeat to add drama or purpose to the story of the injury.
This workout features circuits to give you the right balance of some varied movement, including body weight and moves with free weights, to reduce the risk of joint overload through repetition. Keep in mind that you can make this workout even more effective for you by paying attention to the repetitive movements in your day and introducing some variation, such as using your non-dominant hand, reversing your route, carrying your bag on your other shoulder or switching to a backpack, or using hands-free technology.
Warm-Up
Workout
- Perform eight to 12 reps of each movement before moving on to the next.
- Do the movements in sequence to complete one circuit; perform two circuits.
- Choose a weight that’s heavy enough to create fatigue but not total exhaustion.
Lateral Squat Walk With Hands Overhead
- Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart.
- Drop your hips into a squat and bring your hands directly overhead.
- Walk your right leg out, maintaining the squat, then move your left leg toward it.
- Continue walking in a squat position laterally.
- Walk back to the starting point, maintaining the squat. Repeat.
Windmill With Kettlebell
- Begin standing with your feet wider than your shoulders, holding a kettlebell in your hand.
- Shift weight into your right hip, and sit back on your hip as you bend your right knee and place the kettlebell on the ground inside your right foot.
- Open your chest up to reach your left hand to the ceiling, stacking it over your shoulder.
- Return your left hand down and press through your right foot to stand, bringing the kettlebell to trail the movement. Repeat, then switch sides. Both sides count as one rep.
Prone Plank
- Begin in a prone position on your forearms, elbows stacked under your shoulders, forearms parallel and knees on the ground.
- Keep your toes on the ground hip-width apart.
- Bring your knees up so you are in a plank position, one long line from head to heels. Hold 30 to 60 seconds.
Dumbbell Deadlift
- Begin standing with your feet under your hips, dumbbells at your feet.
- Tip from your hips, keeping your knees soft and grasp the dumbbells.
- Stand, bringing the dumbbells through and squeeze your glutes.
- Tip forward to bring the dumbbells back down to the ground. Repeat.
Cool-Down
Photo credit: Ivan Gener, Stocksy
GIFs: Mark Kuroda, kurodastudios.com
Model credit: Lauren Espinoza, 24 Hour Fitness