Happy Workout Wednesday Muddernation! Will Gill, here, Start Line Emcee and CPT at TMHQ. It’s time for a Core-antine 15 Workout.
As always, we will target our core muscles and global stabilizers. I also want to show a little love to our lower and upper body as well. In this workout video, I will take you through a 5-minute warm-up and activation. Then, we will perform a Tag Team HIIT workout where I will work while you rest, you work while I rest, and so on. Finally, we will cool down and pat ourselves on the back because honestly you’re going to get your butt kicked with this one. I sure did.
Requirements
Water
Towel
Workout Mat
Warm Up
If you are new to HIIT, haven’t worked out in a while, or are simply new to working out, please don’t skip over the warm up. A warm up does just what it says: it gets your body feeling warm, activates your muscles, and mentally gets you pumped up.
A good warm up also prevents injury. Going into a workout with the mentally “I don’t have time to warmup.” is a dangerous one which can lead to a number of injuries. Furthermore, if you wind up injuring yourself, you really won’t have time for anything else since you will be nursing and rehabilitating whatever you damaged by not taking 5 minutes to prepare your body!
You know which parts of your body need a little extra TLC. Take the time to foam roll any tight muscles as well as perform active stretches and dynamic movements.
The Work Out
As stated in the intro, we’re going to be performing a Tag Team HIIT routine. The timing is “15 seconds on, 15 seconds off”, 3 times per exercise. For example, our first exercise is to Run In Place. The choreography is as follows:
15 seconds: I run in place while you wait.
15 seconds: You run in place while I rest.
15 seconds: I run in place while you take your first rest.
15 seconds: You perform your second set while I rest.
15 seconds: I perform my last set while you rest.
15 seconds: You perform your last set while I rest and prepare for the next exercise!
Those 90 seconds are a rollercoaster. While you’re performing, those 15 seconds will feel like a minute. While you are resting, that break time will breeze by like 5 seconds. Remember to breathe during your workout. While resting, take deep breathes in through your nose and out through your mouth. Most importantly, drink water.
Just like on the Tough Mudder course, we’re not looking for your fastest time or most amount of reps. We are looking for you to give it your best. Your best is what will make you better. Conquer this workout to the best of your ability and allow yourself to recover. Come back again in a week and see just how much stronger you are for your second bout!
The Why
As you come out of quarantine and begin to prepare for your next Tough Mudder, you’ll want to have a foundation of cardiovascular endurance. When I say foundation, I am referring to a starting point. What is your starting point? What is your base? You won’t know until you test your best. Performing HIIT routines like in this video will help you find your foundation. You will also improve cardio respiratory health over time in a shorter amount of time compared to continuous forms of medium-to-low intensity exercise. If you have run a Tough Mudder or two, you know how oxygen intense those runs in between each obstacle can be!
Summary
We are all of different shapes, sizes, and speeds. We all have the ability to improve. Take some time to exercise if not 15 minutes a day, maybe 5 minutes. The physical and mental rewards are infinitely limitless. Put your best to the test and I look forward to seeing you for the next workout.
Will Gill has been part of the Tough Mudder team since 2016. He’s a Los Angeles-based personal trainer and travels across the U.S. motivating Mudders as the start line emcee. You can also catch him DJing in the Mudder Village Festival. Follow him on Instagram for workout tips, music, and more.