Workouts

[MFA]

1. Warm-up (2 Rounds)​

The warm-up prepares the body for the workout:

• Jumping Jacks: Hands up overhead, feet kicking out to the sides.
• Butt Kicks: Kick your feet up high so your heels reach your glutes.
• Bodyweight Squats: Drop down comfortably, ensuring knees track over ankles and pushing up through your heels.
• Arm Circles: Start small and gradually increase the size of the circles, then switch direction (backwards).

2. HIIT Circuit (2 Rounds)​

Remember the structure: 30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest.

• Reverse Lunges (Right Leg, then Left Leg): Step back, gently tap the knee down, and explode back up. Push through your front heel and keep the reps fast.
• Push-ups: Hands down on the mat. Keep your core engaged and spine neutral.
  • Modification: Drop to your knees (assisted kneeling pushup).
  • Focus: Use a wider grip for chest focus or elbows tucked in for tricep focus.
• Bicycle Crunches: Lay on your back, hands behind your head for support. Bring opposite elbow to opposite knee, exhaling as you crunch. Keep your low back pressed into the ground and contract your abs.
• Glute Bridges (Right Side, then Left Side): Lay on your back, bring your heel close to your glute. Pull your opposite knee into your chest to help isolate the working glute. Push up through the heel into full hip extension, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings.
• Spider-Man Planks: Start in a high plank position. Bring your knee to the elbow on the same side (e.g., left knee to left elbow). Really crunch the obliques and control your breathing.

3. Cool-down​

Stretch out the working muscles:

• Standing Toe Touch: Reach down for your toes.
• Walking Hamstring/Groin Stretch: Take a wide step and slowly walk your hands over to the other side.
• Seated Forward Fold: Sit down, point your toes and reach forward. Then, flex your feet (toes to the sky) and pull them toward you.
• Seated Straddle Stretch: Kick your feet out, then crawl down towards the center. Slowly walk your hands over to one side to stretch the adductors and hamstrings, then repeat on the other side.
• Seated Side Bend: Sit upright, reach one arm up and over to stretch your lats and obliques. Repeat on the other side.
• Kneeling Lunge with Arm Reach: Step back into a lunge (straight back leg, bent front leg). Reach your arm across your body, and then up and over for a stretch. Switch sides and repeat.

 

[JayKosta]

If you really do 20 minutes of that HIIT program - meaning 30s full-out doing the exercise, and then rest for 30s and do more bouts, then immediately move on to the next exercise and continue the routine - it will be a very hard workout and will leave you drained for hours - don't plan on doing much else except rest. And 30s rest between bouts might not be enough for recovery - you might need to extend up to 90s recovery between bouts.
For a similar Sprint Interval Training (SIT) google 'sprint 8'.
If you lay back on the intensity of each bout, it can still be a good workout, but really isn't High IIT .

 

[MFA]

This 10-minute session is a bodyweight mobility HIIT workout designed to boost your mobility, burn calories, and build strength in a deep range of motion.

The main circuit consists of two sets of three exercises, with a high intensity 50 seconds of work and only 10 seconds of rest (just enough time to transition to the next exercise).

1. Warm-up (1 Minute)​

• Rotational Lunges: Take a step back, and as you lunge down, rotate your torso in the direction of the back leg. You can alternate sides or twist in both directions. Keep your chest tall and get your back knee low.

2. Main Circuit (2 Rounds)​

Round 1: Focus on Right Leg for ReachbacksRound 2: Focus on Left Leg for Reachbacks

• Reachbacks:
  • Set up with one leg turned out in front and the back leg bent, resting on the ball of the foot (heel up).
  • Place the hand opposite the front leg on your shoulder (e.g., right leg in front, left hand on right shoulder).
  • Using the arm of the back leg, lean back and try to tap your kneepit or heel, then return to a straight leg.
  • Focus on keeping your hips flat and your base wide for stability. You should feel the quad and calf working.
• Plank to Low Squat Catch:
  • Start in a solid plank position (hips low, core tight).
  • In one powerful movement, push up and jump your feet forward, catching yourself in the deepest squat you can comfortably reach.
  • Step or jump back to the plank position. If jumping is too much, you can step forward and back. Maintain a low position on the jump-in.
• Dolphins:
  • Start in a forearm plank, then push your bottom up into a Downward-Dog-like position (high hips, straight legs).
  • Lean forward, getting your chin to touch your thumbs, and then push back to a full shoulder stretch.
  • Keep your hips high for more intensity, or walk your feet back for a rocking motion.

3. Finisher (1 Minute)​

• Low Lateral Lunge Shifts: Get into your lowest lateral lunge possible. Keeping your chest tall, shift your weight side-to-side, maintaining a low position. Keep the knee of the bent leg pushing out. You can use your hands to assist if needed.

4. Cool-down​

• Tucked-Toe Seated Stretch: Sit on your heels with your toes tucked under to stretch the bottoms of the feet. Rock gently side to side.
• Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch: Bring one leg forward, bending the knee. Keep the back leg straight with the heel down. Tuck your tailbone under and rock slightly forward and back to feel the stretch in the front of the hip. Switch sides.
• Standing Shoulder/Hamstring Stretch: Clasp your hands behind your back. Hinge forward and let your arms drop toward the floor. Shift your hips side to side to stretch the hamstrings, calves, shoulders, and chest.
• Roll Up: Give a small knee bend, pull your hands toward your back, tuck your chin to your chest, and slowly roll all the way up to finish.

 

[MFA]

1. Warm-up​

The warm-up focuses on dynamic movements to open up the chest, shoulders, and hips:

• T and Y Swings: Step side to side while swinging your arms open wide to form a big "T" shape, then switch to a big open "Y" shape overhead.
• Dynamic Hamstring Kicks: Perform big, open kicks, trying to kick up as high as you can to actively stretch the hamstrings. Keep the standing leg as straight as possible.
• Quad and Hip Stretch: Grab the opposite foot with one or two hands, hinge forward slightly, and gently pull to extend the hip and stretch the quad. Stand up and switch sides.
• Plank to Downward Dog Calf Cycle: Start in a high plank, then press back into a Downward Dog position and cycle the heels to the ground to stretch the calves. Return to a plank.
• Side Squat with Knee Hug: Step out into a side squat, then drive up, pulling the opposite knee toward your chest. This opens up the inner thigh and stretches the hamstring.

2. Main Workout Circuit (2 Rounds)​

Structure: 40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest.

1. Suitcase Squat with Clean: Hold dumbbells at your sides (suitcase position). Perform a deep squat, then drive up explosively, using the momentum from your lower body to "clean" the dumbbells up to your shoulders. Focus on a slow eccentric (way down) and an explosive pop (way up).
2. Front Rack Reverse Lunge with Punch: Hold dumbbells in the front rack position (at your shoulders). Step back into a reverse lunge. As you drive up, perform a punch straight up overhead with one arm, then return the dumbbell to the front rack. Alternate lunge sides and punching arms.
3. Side Squat with Clean: Step out to the side into a side lunge/squat (splitting the knee with both dumbbells). Drive off the stepping foot explosively into a clean, bringing the dumbbells to the front rack position. Perform all reps on one side for this round.
4. Deadlift to Upright Row: Hinge your hips back, keeping your back flat for the deadlift. As you return to standing, drive up and immediately pull the dumbbells into an upright row, getting the elbows high and sticking the squeeze at the top.
5. Wood Chop (Single Dumbbell): Hold one dumbbell with both hands. Swing it across your body (from low outside hip to high opposite shoulder), punching it over the top of the shoulder and returning with control. Alternate the chop side continuously. Keep your core tight.
6. Single-Leg Deadlift (Hinge) to Row: Stand on one leg (or tap the back toe for balance assistance). Hinge forward into a single-leg deadlift. At the bottom, perform a row, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Return to the standing position. Alternate legs with each rep.
7. Bicycle Press (on the ground): Lie on your back. Starting with opposite arm/leg up (e.g., right arm/left leg), press the dumbbell up as you switch the leg position (punching up with the opposite arm). You can float both heels for more core work, or tap the non-working heel to the ground.
8. Mountain Climbers: Finish the round with a high-plank position, rapidly cycling your knees toward your chest to raise the heart rate.

3. Cool-down​

• Snow Angels: Lie on your back and perform big, slow snow angel motions with your arms to relax the shoulders and chest.
• Supine Straight Leg Raises: Lie on your back and raise one straight leg up, holding for a count of four, then slowly lower it. Alternate legs.
• Tabletop Forearm Stretch: Start in a tabletop position (on hands and knees). Place your palms facing away from you on the ground for a forearm and bicep stretch. Shift your hips back and forth for an active stretch. Then, flip your hands so the top of your hand is on the ground to stretch the top of the forearm and wrist.
• T-Spine Rotation: Start in a tabletop position. Thread one arm underneath your body, then open up, rotating your spine and extending the arm toward the ceiling. Exhale at the top and alternate sides.

 

[MFA]

How Lifting Weights Can Improve a Woman’s Body Image.​

Strength training can build confidence as well as muscle​

Exercise like many things in life is often given a pink or a blue tint: workouts for him and workouts for her.
Traditionally, women have focused on cardio and weight loss, while men have focused on strength training and muscle growth. This is slowly changing and there are some very good reasons why. Women are finding out that weight lifting may help them reach their fitness goals more effectively than dieting and cardio alone.
Strength training can completely change how your body looks and feels. It can give you a perky backside, help you feel stronger, and boost your confidence.
Here’s how pumping iron can improve your body image.

The Woman in the Mirror​

If you are like most women, body image is a sore spot for you. Many women have negative or distorted feelings about how they look. Indeed, research studies have found that 69 to 84% of American women are unhappy with their bodies.
Not surprisingly, in a culture saturated with images of bodily perfection eating disorders and plastic surgery are on the rise, especially in females.
When you don’t feel comfortable with your body, it can play out in a variety of ways. For example, you may avoid looking at yourself below the neck, or obsess over every sag, pooch, or dimple that you see when you do.
You may be uncomfortable undressing in front of a partner or when they touch a certain body part. Poor body image can increase feelings of shame, anxiety, and depression..)
In an effort to deal with their negative self-image, some people turn to online movements like body positivity and body neutrality, which promote acceptance of diverse body shapes and sizes.

Strength Training Can Also Improve Your Body Image​

While there is something to be said for accepting and loving yourself where you are, this doesn’t mean that you can’t change the status quo. Weight lifting can drastically change your body composition and self image for the better.
In one study of older women, who lifted weights twice a week, the researchers found significant improvements in body image and quality of life in just 10 weeks.
In the past, women have avoided the weight section of the gym due to fears of bulking up and looking too “masculine”. Many women just want to look fit, they don’t want to look like a body builder, and they underestimate just how hard it is for a woman to gain that kind of muscularity. Female body builders spend *hours *in the gym and follow very rigorous training and diet protocols.
If you’re like the average woman, you’re not going to put in that kind of work. Plus, you probably don’t have the testosterone to gain extreme muscle mass easily. So, don’t worry that you will become muscle-bound.
But you *will *gain muscle and that is a very good thing. For one, more muscle makes it easier to lose and maintain your weight as you age. Most of us gain weight as we get older and this is partly due to sarcopenia, the muscle loss that accrues with age.
Strength training increases muscle, which increases metabolism, even at rest. So, you can slow down a major marker of aging with lifting. Getting stronger has practical benefits allowing you to move more freely and lift heavy objects. Having some muscle reduces your risk of being a frail old lady.
Hitting the weights also improves skin health, as we grow older our dermis, the middle layer of the skin gets thinner, leading to more wrinkles and sagging. Strength training has been found to improve dermal thickness. Who doesn’t love a little less sag as they get older?

Health Benefits of Strength Training:​

Of course, looking better is only one reason to pump some iron. Weightlifting has many benefits for your body and mind including:

• Improved bone health and reduced risk of osteoporosis
• Decreased risk of diabetes
• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
• Enhanced cognitive functioning
• Longer life expectancy
• Lower risk of hypertension

Bottom Line​

Strength training is a fabulous way to get fit. It can make it easier to maintain your weight, reduce your wrinkles, and help you stay mobile as you get older. Strength training can also improve many aspects of your life from reducing your risk for disease, improving your brain health, and even prolonging your life.