100's Challenge

This past weekend while I was in Palm Beach, I asked my trainer to send me some workouts so I didn't slack off and one of them that she sent me was this 100's Circuit Challenge. When I first saw this challenge, the triple digits alone made my body hurt but I decided I should give it a try and although it was definitely tough I shocked myself with being able to get through it a lot easier than I had anticipated. I got through this in under 20 minutes, time yourself and see where you end up:

1) 100 Squats with Shoulder Press using 5lbs

 

2) 100 Deadlifts using a 45 lbs bar

3) 100 Sit-Ups

4) 100 Forward Walking Lunges

5) Wall Sit with Bicep Curls using 5 lb weights- this was the most difficult to get through the 100

 6) 100 Wide Mountain Climbers - get into a plank position and then bring your right knee to your right elbow and then do the same with the left side. This exercise obviously cannot be done at the speed as regular mountain climbers but still try to have a quick pace
 

 
 

Kettle Bell Circuit

A couple months ago I decided I was going to make an effort to multitask and get a workout in while watching TV- so I ordered a 20 pound kettle bell weight since it doesn't take up much space (non NYC-ers wont relate to this storage/space issue). It's crazy to think you can get an entire workout in with just 1 weight. Here is an example of a circuit workout using a kettle bell. Try this out at the gym and if you like it, you should get one for home also.

20 Over Head Swings - stand with your legs a little wider than shoulder length apart with bent knees and take the kettle bell in between your legs and swing it above your head, so your arms are straight in the air then swing it back down and repeat 20x.

 

20 Squats - holding the kettle bell in front of you 20x.

20 lunges with bell cross over- holding the kettle bell with your right hand lunge forward with 1 leg and then pass the kettle bell under your lunging leg to your left hand. Then stand up and step forward with your other leg and pass the weight under your lunging leg from your left hand to your right.

 

20 Side Crunches - stand up straight with the kettle bell in the right hand with the weight at your side. Lean your body to the side with weight so that the weight goes from your thigh to your calf. Repeat ten times then switch to the other side.

20 One Arm Rows - use a bench and put one knee one the bench and your other foot on the ground. Pick up the kettle bell and do 10 rows and then switch to the other side.

 

40 Russian Twists - sit on the ground with your knees up. Raise your legs slightly off the ground and then hold the kettle bell with both arms and twist from side to side with the weight 40x.

 

This is the entire circuit and you should repeat the whole thing 3 times. Try not to take more than 30 second breaks in between exercises so that you can get your heart rate up. 

Just as a footnote: by no means am I a fitness model, trainer, etc - I work a lot so I am always looking for quick effective workout that I can squeeze in, not to mention that if I don't make it to the gym before it closes, I can do this in my apartment. If you have workouts that you've had a lot of success with please share them. I'd love to try them out!