Countdown To Fitness: A Calisthenics And Bodyweight Workout

“Workout for a Cure” - Countdown to fitness, 100,90,80,70,60,50,40,30,20,10 workout.

Recently I was honored to be asked to create and lead a workout for a great cause. Our local “Relay for Life” team had the novel idea to organize a workout to raise money for the fight against breast cancer.

As we know almost everyone has been touched in some way be this disease.  Be it a sister, mother, friend or yourself the diagnosis can be devastating.

We are all familiar with some of the risk factors such as heredity, chemicals in our environment and advancing age, just to name a few.  Sometimes it just happens, but there are a few things we can do to reduce our chances of getting cancer.

A healthy, clean diet, as free of chemicals as possible, maintaining a healthy weight, no smoking and plenty of exercise  are ways to make you an overall healthier person as well as reducing your risk of breast cancer.

The workout we did for the fund raiser is great for individuals or large groups.  You should do the exercises as listed and at a fast pace.  You RPE (rate of perceived exertion) should be high.  So put on some good, fast music and have fun.  This routine should only take 15-20 minutes.

Workout Notes

• Bodyweight squats - Using no extra weight, feet should be slightly wider then hip width with feet pointed at a slight angle.  Push butt to the rear as if sitting in a chair,  keep chest and face up to maintain correct position. Try to squat low enough so thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Leg lifts - Lie on floor and lift both straight legs or modify w/bent knees.
• Knee extensions - Seated on floor, lean back on hands, draw knees toward chest, then extend to straight leg.  Keep legs off the floor!  Modify if needed by working one leg at a time.
• Hands up push up - Starting position is chest on floor, place hands in push up position lift yourself up to a push up, return to starting position and lift hands off floor for each rep)
• Burpees - From standing position place hands on floor, kick both legs out behind you, drop chest to floor, push up and jump feet back in, stand and jump off floor and clap hands, this is one rep.  If you need to modify you can walk legs back one at a time, keep chest off floor and skip the jump at the end.

Good Job, time to catch your breath!