Pandemic Workout

Beginners / Intermediate / Advanced Level

Pandemic is a simple workout consisting of four bodyweight exercises. It may be simple but you are going to need some strength, endurance, and an ability to recover quickly, as it's all about how many reps you can do in a minute of each exercise. There’s not a lot of rest so it will be a mental battle as well to keep moving. The reason for the workout covering all levels is because the fitter of you will be able to perform more reps quickly, and recover faster for a greater sustained effort. Make sure you warm-up fully before proceeding with this workout.

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.

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.

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.

Tuck-Ups

Benefit

Tuck-Ups are a great abdominal exercise because they emphasise both the lower and upper portions of the stomach at the same time.

INSTRUCTION

1. Lie down on the floor with your arms outstretched behind your head. Your legs should be together with your toes pointed as much as possible. (See Fig.1)

2. Start to lift your arms from behind your head, simultaneously lifting the legs and torso. Keep the core and abs under tension.

3. As you raise the legs and torso from the floor, the aim is to tuck the knees as close into the chest as possible. This is achieved by lifting the torso right up, so you are sitting right up on your glutes. Hold for a breath to maintain control. (See Fig. 2)

4. With control reverse the process lowering the legs and torso all the way back to the floor with the arms outstretched.

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.