Saturday Morning Wake Up

Saturday morning is always a killer! After working all week, the over whelming feeling of desperately wanting to lay in bed all morning instead of getting up to work out seeps into my consciousness all too easy.

However, the feeling of achievement and the energy you have pumping through your veins when you decide that your will to train and live longer is bigger than your will to sleep your life away is just rewarding enough to tip the scales (plus, there’s always time for an afternoon nap!).

Saturday 15th February @ Storm Gym
(See links on punches for how to video’s)

A Strength & Conditioning class can mean any number of things…
On this particular Saturday, that meant a boxing circuit. This is one that you can easily replicate at home.

• Warm up with either some light jogging or skipping
• Punching circuit:
• Firstly jab/cross – 1 minute slow and then 1 minute fast
• Abs: wrap your legs onto the boxing bag and grip as hard as you can whilst doing a sit up and reaching as high up the bag as you can with your hands (50 reps)
  If you don’t have a punching bag, try holding your legs in the air at 90 degrees and reaching for your toes. Remember to keep your shoulders off the floor!!
• Then upper cut – 1 minute slow and then 1 minute fast
• Abs: The same process as above (40 reps)
• Then hook – 1 minute slow and then 1 minute fast
• Abs: The same process as above (30 reps)
• Then combine all of the above into a combination – Jab, Cross, Upper cut, Upper cut, Hook, Hook – 1 minute slow and then 1 minute fast
• Abs: Same process as above (20 reps)

If you make sure you put your all into the punches during the fast sections of the work out, I guarantee you will feel it the next morning!

What muscles are you working out during this circuit?
The obvious group of muscles are your abs but lets not sell it short. This workout is crazy good for your core. The jumping up and down and sit ups keep your core engaged at all times. The upper cut works the top half of your stomach and the hooks work your obliques. Holding your legs in the air whilst doing sit ups removes any help your hip flexor would usually provide and makes sure the abdominal muscles are doing all the work.
Punches are good for biceps and triceps right? This very true but what about the deltoids (shoulders) or your pectorals (chest) and even your rhomboids and latissimus dorsi (upper and lower back)?
The rewards are endless and your body will thank you!

Working hard @ Storm Gym

TIPS
1. The fact that you don’t own a professional punching bag is no excuse!
Try attaching a pillow to a door or even just throwing a thick quilt over the top for some padding. If not, you can lay cushions on the floor and do all of these exercises punching towards the floor rather than in front of you.
2. Visualise what you are punching. A person who has upset you that day or consider the superhero you would be protecting the innocent. Or even be the villain if that’s more your thing!
Sound silly? Trust me, it works!
3. Complete the circuit. Don’t stop until you have done all of these exercises.
Even if you have to do the sit ups in sets of 10 or even 5 at a time, keep going! You’ll be amazed at how quickly you see/feel progress!

NMK

Tags: Boxing, Circuit Training, Fitness, Health, Kickboxing, Luton, Martial arts, Muay Thai, punching bag, Storm Gym, Wellbeing