Armageddon Workout

Intermediate / Advanced Level

Armageddon is a simple yet potentially brutal workout that contains a lot of reps. It’s for this reason that the workout is aimed at an intermediate to advanced level. The movements are simple enough but it’s the sheer amount of reps that could cause you problems. For beginners that wish to give it a go, I would recommend either setting yourself a time limit and seeing how far you get, or scale the reps down. Remember to make sure you warm-up fully before proceeding with this workout.

Burpees

Burpees have a reputation. They are truly a marmite exercise, you either love them or hate them. But when it comes to movement patterns that you can perform with your own bodyweight they don’t come much better, or effective.

Benefit

The burpee is a full body exercise that will work most of the major muscle groups in your body whilst also helping to improve your aerobic fitness, balance, core conditioning and power. With each rep you will work your arms, chest, glutes, quads, hamstrings and abs. After a few burpees your legs may feel like lead, and your lungs will be bursting at the seams, but your calorie burn will be through the roof.

INSTRUCTION

1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart, and your arms down by your sides.

2. Lower yourself down and place your hands directly on the floor just infront of your feet. Shift your weight onto your hands so you come onto the balls of your feet. (See Fig.1).

3. Jump back to softly to land on the balls of your feet, you should find yourself in a straight arm plank position. Lower your body to the ground. Your body should form a straight line from your head to heels throughout. (See Fig.2). This should all be done at speed. Go too slow and you will be making it harder on yourself.

4. As you press yourself up from the floor jump your feet back in and explosively jump up into the air. As you land go straight into the next rep.

5. Move with speed, but don’t go too fast…or you’ll burn yourself out after a few reps.

Air Squats

Air squats are one of the fundamental movement patterns that you can perform with your own bodyweight. Most commonly performed with a barbells or kettlebells. It’s generally accepted that air squats are a valuable exercise in any athletes or everyday person’s training arsenal.

Benefit

Air Squats are an excellent lower body conditioning exercise for beginners to master. It will help build a base for fantastic muscular endurance as well as core conditioning and power.

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with the toes pointing out slightly. Arms down by your side. (See Fig. 1)

2. Sit back onto your heels lowering yourself to the ground, pushing your knees out so your thighs are positioned over you feet. Remember to keep the back straight with the chest held high.

3. Descend into the lowest squat possible. Ideally you want to be able to achieve a full depth squat, but for now don’t worry about your depth, focus more on your form. (See Fig. 2)

4. Keeping your weight onto your heels, drive the hips upwards fully extending the legs and knees until a lockout is achieved.

Push-Ups

Push-Ups are a great exercise for the core and stabilising muscles, as well as for the chest, shoulders and arms.

Benefit

Push-Ups are an excellent upper-body exercise to build strength, muscular endurance and power; perfect for muscle isolation whilst tying in the core and working the chest and arms.

INSTRUCTION

1. Position your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Rotate the arms so the crease in the elbow is facing forward. This will help lock the shoulder in. Keep your legs together and make sure you core, abs and glutes are under tension. (See Fig. 1)
2. Keeping your torso straight lower yourself towards the floor, bending at the elbows and feeling the tension across the chest. Your upper arms should be tucked close into your torso as you hit the lowest point. (See Fig. 2)
3. Engage the chest and triceps and push back up, straightening the arms back out.  Maintain a neutral spine throughout. Repeat the movement from point 2.

Russian Twist

The Russian Twist is an abs exercise that strengthens up the muscles that you will missing with your standard crunches and sit-ups. You don’t have to use a weight, they can be performed equally as effectively without. But it’s important to ensure that the exercise is performed correctly, so if you are using weight and struggling to maintain form, then either reduce the weight or perform the exercise unweighted.

Benefit

Russian twists are a great exercise to strengthen your core, obliques, and spine. If performed correctly they will also help to improve your balance and build stability in your spine.

INSTRUCTION

1. Start by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Lean back so your upper-body is roughly at a 45º angle to the floor. Hold your arms straight out in front of your body and slowly lift your feet up. (See Fig. 1).

2. Ensure that your back is straight, try not to round the shoulders and maintain tension in your core throughout.

3. Rotate your arms to the right side of the body. Follow your hands with your eyes. Try to rotate round as far as possible limiting the amount of movement in your legs. (See Fig. 2).

4. As you rotate round to the opposite side make sure you keep the arms up, and again follow your hands with your eyes. Rotate round as far as possible. (See Fig. 3). That will be one rep.

5. Try to keep the movement as smooth and controlled as possible. If you are using a weight and your arms are dropping down, lighten the weight or go for the unweighted variation. Repeat the movement from point 3.