Epidemic Workout

Intermediate Level

This is a relatively simple AMRAP style workout where the aim is to complete as many reps as possible in the 20 minute time cap. All you need is yourself and a Kettlebell. If you don’t have access to a kettlebell you could use a dumbell as an alternative, the movements will remain the same. Remember to make sure you warm-up fully before proceeding with this workout.

Push-Ups

Push-Ups

Goblet Squats

Goblet Squats

One Hand Swings

One Hand Swings

Burpees

Burpees

Single Arm Thrusters

Single Arm Thrusters

Mountain Climbers

Mountain Climbers

INstruction

AMRAP 20

The idea with AMRAP workouts is that you perform all the exercises back to back with little to no rest. Once you’ve completed the last exercise go straight back into the first one. Keep repeating them and aim to get as many reps/rounds completed in the 20 minute time limit.

The way to approach this workout is to attack it, don’t go too heavy with the weight as you want to rely on your endurance and cardio fitness to get through it. Go too heavy and you will suffer a lot sooner. Aim your work capacity at around 85% effort level throughout, depending obviously on your current fitness levels, either way you want to limit the amount of rests you take so move well and at a pace you think you can maintain. You will be completing a lot of reps so concentrate fully on what you are doing, and maintain good technique. Don’t jeopardise technique for speed. Even though you’re against the clock.

NOTE: If you don’t have access to a kettlebell you can use a dumbell as a replacement. If you are able to perform Kettlebell Snatches well, replace the One Hand Swings with Snatches.

Bodyparts Worked

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.

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

 

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.

Goblet Squats

The Goblet Squat is a familiar movement pattern most commonly performed as a warm-up before squatting with a barbell. It’s generally accepted that the Kettlebell Goblet Squat is a valuable exercise in any athletes or everyday person’s training arsenal.

Benefit

The Goblet Squat is an excellent lower body conditioning exercise that will build fantastic posterior chain strength and muscular endurance as well as core conditioning and power.

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

 

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with the toes pointing out. Hold the kettlebell in a comfortable, safe manner in-front of your chest. Either by the handles or with your hands round the ball. Tuck the elbows in and position the shoulders back and down. (See Fig. 1)
2. Sit back onto your heels lowering yourself to the ground, pushing your knees out. Remember to keep the back straight with the chest held high. Don’t let the Kettlebell drop down from in-front of your chest.
3. Descend into the lowest squat possible, your elbows should finish on the inside of the knees, with the knees pushed out, and the chest held high. (See Fig. 2)
4. Keeping your weight onto your heels, drive the hips upwards fully extending the hips and knees until a lockout is achieved.

One Hand Swings

One Hand Swings are one of the foundation movement patterns for all the ballistic based kettlebell exercises. If you can’t perform One Hand Swings with correct technique you will not be able to progress to the other ballistic movements, such as the clean and the snatch. The One Hand Swings teach you the key motions and principles behind these movements.

Benefit

One Hand Swings are an excellent whole body conditioning exercise that will build fantastic posterior chain strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness as well as core conditioning and power.

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

 

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand behind the kettlebell with your feet shoulder width apart. The grip should be neutral, your fingers underneath the handle and the thumb positioned on top. Bend at the waist and push your hips away keeping your knees over your ankles (think dead-lift). As you pull the kettlebell back, relax the arm and maintain a neutral position with the head.
2. Push the kettlebell away from the body using the elastic energy in your hips to propel the kettlebell upwards. The grip should remain neutral (thumb up). Relax the arm, let the legs, hips and back do all the work. This should be a fluid motion.
3. On the upswing the kettlebell should reach chest height. At the top of the motion make sure you have a quadruple extension – ankles, knees, hips and torso.
4. As the kettlebell travels into the downswing, bend slightly at the knees, forward at the hips, and push your hips backwards actively push the kettlebell between your legs. All the time making sure the back and head maintain a neutral position. This will help to develop flexibility in the posterior chain. Repeat the movement from point 2.

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.

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

To make burpees a little bit easier don’t lower yourself down to floor. Stop in your plank position and then jump the feet back in.

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.

Single Arm Thruster

The Single Thruster combines two exercises into one; a Front Squat and an Overhead Press. They can also be performed with barbells, or dumbells. The Single Thruster is an effective exercise for a multitude of goals because it forces the entire body to work together.

Benefit

The Single Thruster is a great exercise to develop strength in the posterior chain group of muscles and power in the arms, back shoulders and core. It also links the upper-body and lower-body as one unit to build whole-body functional strength.

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 3

INSTRUCTION

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Clean one kettlebell into the rack position. Relax the arms with the shoulders positioned back and down. (See Fig. 1)
2. Sit back onto your heels lowering yourself to the ground, moving your hips backwards as if sitting in a chair. Remember to keep the back straight with the chest held high.
3. Descend into the lowest squat possible aiming to get your hamstrings touching your calves. It’s not necessary but you will develop more power the lower you initially squat. (See Fig. 2)
4. Keeping your weight onto your heels, drive the hips upwards fully extending the hips and knees. Use this power to drive the kettlebell overhead until a lockout is achieved. Make sure you bring your head past the arm so your ear is level with your biceps. (See Fig. 3)
5. As the kettlebell is released from overhead, you want to descend back into squat. Repeat the movement from point 2.

Mountain Climbers

Mountain Climbers are an awesome exercise that will get your heart rate up, and they work nearly every muscle group in the body - shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest, obliques, abdominals, quads, hamstrings and hip abductors. Perfect for conditioning workouts and circuits.

Benefit

Mountain Climbers often find their way into my workouts and classes. They are a great exercise that will help not only build aerobic endurance, but also core strength, stability, and agility.

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

 

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 shoulders in. Your feet should be hip width apart, and make sure you core, abs and glutes are under tension. (See Fig. 1)

  2. Keeping your hips as still as possible lift your right foot off the floor and pull the knee in towards the right elbow. Try not to rock forwards at the shoulders. (See Fig. 2)

  3. Drive to right foot back to the start position trying to remain as stable as possible. Perform the same movement on the left side, this time driving the left knee towards the left elbow. This will be 1 rep. Repeat the movement from point 2.

  4. Continue to alternate the movement with the legs, trying to move as quickly as possible maintaining a neutral spine throughout.

 
“The activity which seems unthinkable today can become your warm-up in the future!”
— Francis Shenstone