Resistance Band Boot Camp

For my Boot Camp class tonight, I thought I'd shake things up a little bit by incorporating Resistance Bands as opposed to the usual free weights.  I very rarely use bands myself because they make the workout so much harder!  Luckily the gym has a huge variety of options as far as resistance (different color bands = different levels of resistance), so everyone could choose a few different bands and switch as we went through class to make it harder or easier. 

Here's what we did tonight!
I'm going to try to explain this as well as I can.  Any questions just let me know!  Everything is done with a resistance band...no free weights tonight!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Warm-Up: No resistance

16  Easy Squats (just go about 1/2 way down)

16  Easy Lunges

16  Push-ups

Mountain Climbers- 30 seconds

Hold Plank-  15 seconds

Mountain Climbers- 30 seconds

Hold Plank- 15 seconds

Open up to the right for a side plank-  hold 15 seconds

Return to center- Hold Plank- 15 seconds

Open up to the left for a side plank- hold 15 seconds

Return to the center

Mountain Climbers- 30 seconds

  Whenever I am teaching and an exercise involves our arms extended up overhead, people's lower backs automatically arch--NOT GOOD!  Starting with core exercise helps to make sure every body's back stays flat and the mid-section stays engaged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Circuit #1--Repeat 2x

Squats (24 reps)

Side Squats (24 reps)

Same set-up as above, but start with feet closer together.  Step the right foot out to the side (using the side of the foot--don't let their toes point out!) and sink into the squat.  Bring the right foot back in and repeat on the left side.

X-Walks (10 each way)

These kill! 

Bicep Curls

16 curls both arms

Hold both arms at 90* so biceps are activated

Hold left arm at 90* and begin curls with right arm 16 times, then repeat left holding the right arm at 90*

16 curls both arms

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Circuit #2--Repeat 2x

Push-Ups with band (16)

Shoulder Raises (12 of each)

Lateral Raises, Frontal Raises,

Posterior Delt Raises (similar to lateral raises but palms face the back of the room, pinkies stay up)

Upright Rows

Tricep Extensions (16 each arm)

This girl is on the beach...that makes me sad...

Plank Jacks (45 seconds)

Get in a plank position (hands under shoulders, arms straight, up on your toes, heels press back, press the belly button into the spine).  Start with your feet together, then jump them apart, then back in again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Circuit #3--Repeat 2x

Stationary Lunge with Band Pull (1 minute)

Hold a lunge with the right leg forward.  Extend arms out in front of your body holding the band (with some tension) in both hands.  Pull your hands away from each other until they make a "T" and are straight across.  Squeeze the shoulder blades together, then release.  Repeat the band pull holding the lunge for one minute.

Reverse Flye Balance

Right leg is still forward, but come up and balance on the right foot, extending the left leg behind.  Holding on to the band, open up the arms to come into a reverse flye, squeezing the shoulder blades together.  Release, then repeat 16 times.

Lunges

Burpees (1 minute)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And that's it!  If nothing else, your shoulders will be screaming...or numb...either way is fine :o)