Badass weight workout #2

Badass weight workout #2

1. Power move: clean and press

5 sets of 5 reps

As much recovery as you need between sets

Again, do some experimenting to see how much weight you can handle -- this should be at the very edge of what you can manage for 5 sets of 5 reps. Start by holding the bar at your hips with straight arms and an overhand grip. Hands should be about shoulder width apart. Bend your knees and in one fluid motion, bring the bar to your collarbone. Watch your elbows and try to keep them pressing out and in toward your body; also try not to bend forward as you raise the bar. Bend your legs again and raise the bar overhead with straight arms. Maintaining control, reverse the movement: bring the bar back down to your collarbone, then back to start. For reference, I'm doing 7.5 pounds on each side plus the bar, which weighs 45 pounds: 60 pounds altogether. Husband is doing 90 pounds altogether.

2. Mini circuit: one-arm row, bosu ball pushups, single-leg Romanian dead lift

4 sets of 10 reps each

30 seconds of recovery between sets

• One-arm row

Again, choose a dumbbell that's heavy but allows you to do the movement efficiently and correctly (I do 32.5; my husband does 45). With the weight hanging from your hand, get in a tripod position over the bench: the other hand and one knee support your weight on the bench, the other leg balances you on the floor. If you bring that leg far enough out and to the side, you'll feel this in your obliques as well, a nice bonus. Make sure your back is flat and arm holding the weight is straight. Lifting FROM YOUR SHOULDER (this is important), pull the weight up alongside your ribcage until your elbow is bent at 90º. Return to start and repeat until the set is complete, then switch to the other arm.

• Bosu ball pushups

These don't need much explanation. Get in pushup position over the bosu, grip both sides of it, and go down as slow and low as you can. Do I need to say the bosu should be flipped over so the "ball" part is touching the floor and the flat part is facing you?

• Single-leg Romanian dead lifts

I have no idea why the interesting name comes from, but I do like these exercises. Again, grab a dumbbell at a weight that's significant enough to feel the difference while you squat (I use a 15, hub uses 22.5). Stand upright on one leg, with the other knee bent and holding the foot in the air behind you. Hold the weight in your opposite hand at your side with a straight arm. Bend your standing knee and drop into a deep squat, while simultaneously rotating to bring the weight across your body until it almost touches the floor next to your planted foot. Do I need to stay your weight should be in your heel? Keep your back FLAT; don't hunch over. Push through your heel to standing, repeat to complete the set, then switch legs. As with all squats, your knee should be somewhere between your ankle and your toes, not over your toes. Abs should be tight the entire time.

3. Cardio meltdown: dumbbell swings and jump squats

5 sets of 30 seconds each (10 sets altogether)

15 seconds of recovery between each set

• Dumbbell swings

Grab a dumbbell in a decent weight -- something you're going to feel, but not too much (I use a 25, hub uses 30). With your legs spread, hold the weight just below your crotch with both hands. Your legs should be very slightly bent and you should be using your back to bend forward -- a good test to know if you're in the right position is to see if you're feeling a stretch in your butt and hamstrings. If you're feeling it, you're good. Keep your arms straight and shoulders back -- shoulder blades should be pulling toward each other. In one swift motion, straighten your knees to snap upright and raise the weight to shoulder level. Bring it down WITH CONTROL so you're not swinging the motion too much, then repeat as many times as you can in 30 seconds.

• Jump squats

Oh, the torture. And these are so simple. Start in a low squat position, then jump up with your arms overhead (like, "Hooray! I'm doing squats!"). Return to the starting position and bust out as many as you can in 30 seconds. These are going to feel like hell long before you reach the halfway point but they're so worth it.

Whew!