Free Workout | Rise & Grind

As the seasons transition, at least where I'm at on the East Coast, change is in the air. I've been taking a hard look at myself in the mirror about every facet of my life, and working to get everything aligned. To get myself aligned.

The way you do anything is the way you do everything. It's a decent guidepost. Helpful for identifying your own patterns.

This has been one of my favorite workouts lately. It's called the "Rise & Grind" because that phrase makes me want to puke, just like this workout did. (Just kidding, you won't puke.)

It requires two kettlebells—one heavy, and one of medium weight—and about 20 minutes. Complete three rounds of:

• 12/12 Kettlebell One-Armed Bent-Over Row
• 12/12 Bodyweight Skater Squat (as deep or little-dip as you can do)
• 12 Bodyweight Hand-Release Pushups (scale pushups as necessary! Elevate your hands up to pregress the movement)
• 12 Kettlebell Sumo Stiff-Legged Deadlift
• 12/12 Weight Plate (or other type of weight) Wood Chopper, Low to High (try High to Low, too, if you're feeling daring)

Kettlebell One-Armed Bent-Over Row

• Holding a kettlebell at your side, hinge forward from the hips approximately 45 degrees while staying wide across the chest.
• Row the kettlebell up toward your rib cage, keeping your elbow no more than 30 degrees out from your body.
• Keep your shoulder down and away from your ear.
• Return to the start position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

Bodyweight Skater Squat

• While standing, lift one foot off the ground and bend that knee with your foot behind you.
• Keeping your chest up, squat down on your working leg, allowing your knee to track in line with your foot.
• When your elevated knee touches the ground, reverse direction and stand up. If you cannot reach the ground with your elevated knee, place a yoga block or small, padded step on the floor.

Bodyweight Hand-Release Pushups

• Start in a straight-arm plank position, facing downward with your body elevated between your hands and toes.
• Line up your hands directly under your shoulders, just wider than your rib cage.
• With a stiff core and squeezed glutes, lower your body completely down to the floor in control, angling your elbows out to no more than 45 degrees.
• At the bottom position, raise your hands up off the floor by lightly squeezing your shoulder blades together. Keep your core stiff and glutes squeezed together.
• Push back up in one fluid motion without letting your low back sag. Your chest and thighs should come off the floor at the same time.

Kettlebell Sumo Stiff-Legged Deadlift

• Place a kettlebell on the floor between your feet and stand over it with a wide stance — feet about a shoulder and a half to two shoulder-widths apart — and feet turned out slightly. (The right width for you is when your shins are vertical when your hands are gripping the kettlebell.)
• Push your butt backward to hinge at your hips and slightly bend your knees to grip the the kettlebell handle with both hands.
• Keep your back flat and push the floor away to stand up with the weight, keeping your upper arms close to your sides during the ascent.
• Stand tall with your shoulders back and your chest up at lockout. Return the kettlebell to its starting position between your feet on the ground and repeat.

Weight Plate Wood Chopper, Low to High

• Hold onto the outer edges of a weight plate and step backward to assume the bottom position of a reverse lunge, with the weight plate held low across your forward-leg side.
• To stand, "pull" your body up with your lead leg, driving through your heel, and simultaneously rotate the weight plate up and around by turning your torso and lifting the plate diagonally around your body.
• Bring the weight up and around only as far as you can control without twisting at your low back.
• Return to the start position by taking a large step backward, lowering your hips as far as you can control, and lowering the weight plate back down to your side.

 

 

The post Free Workout | Rise & Grind appeared first on Unapologetically Strong.

Original Content: Free Workout | Rise & Grind