Body Zones Tabatas

Equipment: Elevated Surface, Weighted Objects
Format: Perform move 1 for 0:20 seconds, rest for 0:10 seconds and then repeat for move 2. Repeat moves 1 and 2 back to back for 4 rounds total.  

Lower Body Zone

Move 1: Alternating Reverse Curtsy to Kick

• Begin standing with your core engaged and chest upright.
• Step your right foot back behind you and begin bending your knees until your back knee until it nearly touches the ground in a 90 degree angle (ensure your knee is not shooting out over your toe and maintain an upright chest). 
• As you stand up, power through your front heel and as you bring your back foot forward, powerfully kick it in front of you.
• Repeat with your left leg and alternate back and forth. 
• MOD: Hold on to a chair or wall to help stabilize. 

Move 2:  Bulgarian Split Squats

• Begin standing with your chest up tall in a lunge position with your back foot on an elevated surface. 
• Slowly lower yourself down by bending your knees to the depth that is comfortable for you (ensure that your front knee isn’t buckling in or bowing out).
• As you stand up, power through your front heel and come to standing. 
• Repeat all repetitions on one leg and then repeat on the other.
• MOD: Hold on to an object in front of you or wall to help stabilize. 

Upper Body Zone

Move 1: Elevated Push Up Claps

• Begin in a tall plank position with your hands on an elevated surface and stacked below your shoulders with your core engaged.
• Lower yourself toward the elevated surface by bending your elbows, keeping your shoulders away from your ears and your elbows shooting back behind you. Keep your gaze about 6 inches in front of you rather than looking up or down, to maintain a neutral spine.
• Keeping your core engaged and your shoulders away from your ears, powerfully press back up and away from the elevated surface and as you come up, explode off the surface to clap your hands together and return to your starting position.
• MOD: Perform the push up in a kneeling, or single knee down position or take the clap out and just work on traditional pushups.
• Check out my Push-up Progression Tutorial for tips on perfecting form and building strength!

Move 2: Superwoman Lifts to Trap Activators

• Lie on your stomach with your arms and legs extended.
• Lift your legs and arms off the mat together, using your lower back and glute strength.
• As you lift your body off the mat, draw your elbows back towards your ribcage, focusing on the squeeze between your shoulder blades.
• Re-extend your arms, and lower both arms and legs back to the starting position.
• MOD: Begin by isolating your upper body only, leaving your legs on the mat for stability. Perform several upper body isolated lifts. Then perform several lower body isolated lifts. Work on isolated upper and lower body lifts until you feel comfortable putting them together.

Core Zone

Move 1: Heismans

• Begin standing with your core engaged and drive your right knee out to your side as you bring your right elbow to meet it, performing a side crunch. 
• Return to standing and repeat on the other side.
• Try to keep the knees driving up high, and a fast pace alternating back and forth. 
• MOD: Take the run out of it to lower the impact and alternate driving your knees to your elbows focusing on the crunch portion of this move. 

Move 2: Knee Tucks 

• Begin in a tall plank position with your hands on the floor or elevated surface and your shoulders stacked over your wrists with your core engaged.
• Brace your core and jump your feet to bring your knees in toward your chest and then jump them back out to your starting position. 
• MOD: Hold a plank position to work on core strength. 

Bonus Zone

Move 1: Jab, Cross, Crescent Kick

• Come into a fighter stance with your left foot slightly in front of your right, and get light on your feet.
• Punch your left arm to the left for a jab, then punch your right arm across your body to the left for the cross, and then with your back leg (right), kick your foot in front and across your body as high as you’re comfortable with for a crescent kick (almost draw a circle with your foot.
• Perform all reps on one side and then switch sides. 
• MOD: Draw a crescent with your knee rather than a full kick. This is a great way to see how tight your hips are, and if one is tighter than the other.

Move 2: Zone Burpee

• Start in a standing position with your feet wider than hip distance apart.
• Bend your knees and plant your hands on the floor or mat in front of you (hands stacked directly below shoulders) and jump or step your feet back into a tall plank position, holding your belly button in to keep your core engaged.
• Bring your right knee toward your left shoulder, then your left knee to your right shoulder in a cross-body mountain climber motion.
• Jump or step your feet back in to meet your hands, loading the weight in your heels and stand.
• Once standing again, drive your right knee across your body and your left elbow to meet it and repeat on the other side. 
• MOD: Perform this from an elevated surface or step your feet in rather than jumping.