30-Minute Circuit Workout

Just popping in to share a quick workout with you guys, but before I get going on that, happy MONDAY! I'm trying to stay positive here, as the Monday after spring break isn't always my favorite day. Especially when the sun is expected to be out nearly all week this week. Go figure. But it's a happy Monday indeed, as this is our last week before the STAAR. And while it will be fast-paced and maybe a little bit high-stress, it's not as though I'm teaching my kids any new material, rather just reviewing some of the most important concepts. We're almost there!

And though I did not complete this workout today, I gave it a shot over the weekend, and I was at the gym hoping I wouldn't run into anyone that I know. Which, of course, I did, but I was one sweaty mess. Because not only did I complete each round for six minutes, I also completed three minutes on the treadmill in between each round. Shuffling right for one minute, walking on an incline for one minute, and shuffling left for the final minute. Note to self: don't wear a colored shirt to the gym when completing this workout.

The burpees, as usual, were killer, but so were the tuck jumps and speed skaters. I was really losing steam by round five, but I'd say that's the sign of a good workout. And I think most of these exercises are pretty self-explanatory, but I will take a minute to talk about the sit down jumping bench squats and the three-way lunge.

They may have a more proper name, but I stole this exercise from a bootcamp class that I attended at 24 Hour Fitness a couple of weeks ago. I built a step bench, like so,

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and got myself set up with a 12-lb dumbbell. Holding the dumbbell at my chest with both hands, I squatted down until I was sitting on the bench, picked my feet up off the ground and brought my knees toward my chest, placed them gently back on the floor and jumped upward while holding the weight. It adds a little bit of variety to a regular old squat. Because while I tend to shy away from doing squats, I actually enjoy doing these. Go figure.

As for the three-way lunge, it's really pretty easy, in terms of executing it. You lunge forward, come back to your starting position, but without putting your foot back on the floor. Then you lunge backward, come back to your starting position, again, without putting your foot back on the floor, and then lunge as if you are curtsying, bringing your leg back and across the other leg. 

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You could certainly make this more challenging by adding weights, but I found it challenging enough as is.

That's all I've got for you today, and before I sign off, let me just give you all a little piece of advice. If you don't care for a college, don't pick said college to do well throughout March Madness. No hard feelings or anything, UVA, but I should have known that you were going to let me down again. But as long as I've still got my Blue Devils, I'll be as happy as a clam.