It’s time for another HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) session my friends, For those of you who are following the Bikini POW Challenge, this is your second workout of week 4 so make it count & push extra hard!
This HIIT is a plank marathon, hence the name: PLANKATHON! So get ready to get your heart rate up while tightening your core full blast!
Timer Settings
Set your interval timer to 12 rounds of 30 seconds (exercise) : 10 seconds (rest) intervals. Once you complete your first round, repeat one more time, taking a short break in between the two rounds. In case you don’t have your own interval timer, I have set one up online for this workout: Plankathon HIIT Online Interval Timer.
Workout Breakdown
Make sure you warm-up properly before doing this intensive workout (5-10 minutes), once you complete one full round of the following exercises (see order and breakdown below infographic), take a short break (about a minute) and repeat one more time for a total of 2 sets! Once your done, cool-down and stretch out those muscles, they will deserve it! You’ll be in fat burning mode for hours after finishing your workout, enjoy it! 
Exercise Breakdown
1. Burpee to Plank Jacks
1 Burpee – starting in a front plank position, hands underneath the shoulders, body in a straight line, core tight, looking downwards (neutral neck). Hop forward, bringing both feet beneath your armpits, landing into a full squat position, and jump up bringing your arms to the sky. Land back into a squat position & hop back into the starting plank position and perform 3 plank jacks – Start with legs together and just like a jumping jack, jump your legs apart and back together remaining in a plank position, keeping your core tight, supporting your lower back and your pelvis steady (keeping your body in a line – no hips up and down). Keep going until your time is up.
Perform 1 burpee followed by 3 plank jacks (the pushup is optional)
*note: this video is demonstrating a ratio of 1:5
2. Cross Knee Tuck
Starting in a front plank position, hands underneath the shoulders, body in a straight line, core tight, looking downwards, bend your right knee and cross it towards your chest. Hold for a count and bring back to starting position. Repeat on the other side & keep going until your time is up.
3. Side-to-side hop + Touch-down
Starting in a standing position, feet together, hop laterally from one side to the other, as if you were jumping over an invisible rope on the floor. Touch down each time you land on one side. Keep going until your time is up.
*note: touch-down to the side of the floor (outer side of your foot) each time you land.
4. Plank + Alternating Leg Lift
Starting in a front plank position, hands underneath the shoulders, body in a straight line, core tight, looking downwards. Keeping your body still, lift your right leg towards the ceiling, hold for a count, and slowly come back down. Repeat on the other side and keep going in this manner until your time is up.
5. Speed Jog (run in place)
Start in a standing position, feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent, arms bent to a 90-degree angle and hips slightly bent forward. Begin running in place, lifting feet of the floor and landing on the balls of your feet as quickly as you can. Keep running until your time is up.
6. Side Plank Crunch (R)
Start in a side plank position, keeping your body tight & straight from the elbows down to the ankles, with right elbow on the ground. Slowly lower your hips downwards until they nearly touch the ground and come back up into a plank position making sure that your hips aren’t moving forward or backward. Keep going until your time is up. Too hard? Try to perform this movement on your knees.
7. Toe-Touch Jacks
Start in a squat position with feet together, making sure that you’re sitting back and that your knees aren’t positioned over your toes. Touch your toes and quickly jump up opening both arms and legs, landing in a traditional jumping jack position. Jump back into starting position and keep going until your time is up.
8. Side Plank Crunch (L)
Repeat the Side Plank Crunch on your left side (as described above).
9. Invisible Jump Rope
Start in a standing position, feet a little over hip width apart and hand facing forward as if you were holding a jumping rope. Push off the ground with the toes of your feet and hop up, landing back down on the balls of your feet. Perform small circular motions with your wrists as you jump. Keep going until your time is up.
*note: you can do this exercise with or without a jump rope, have fun and mix it up with 1 leg jumps, cross jumps, etc.
10. Plank Climber
Starting in a front plank position, elbows bent underneath the shoulders, body in a straight line, core tight, looking downwards. Slowly lift up by placing your right hand on the floor, underneath your right shoulder. Next, bring your left hand to the ground as well. Then come back down bringing your right elbow back to the ground below your shoulder onto your forearm, next bring your left elbow down in the same manner as well, assuming elbow plank position. Continue this up-and-down motion until your time is up. Remember to switch sides during your next set, beginning exercise with left side instead.
*note: start by lowering your right arm to the floor during 1st set/left arm during 2nd set
11. Spiderman Plank
Starting in a front plank position, hands underneath the shoulders, body in a straight line, core tight, looking downwards (neutral neck). Bend your right knee out to the side reaching for the outside of your right shoulder. Come back into plank position and repeat on the other side. Alternate sides until your time is up.
12. Rotating Plank
Starting in a front plank position, hands underneath the shoulders, body in a straight line, core tight, looking downwards (neutral neck). Twisting throughout your entire torso, slowly rotate your body towards your right side bringing the right arm up towards the ceiling. Hold for a count and lower back down to starting plank position. Repeat on the other side. Alternate sides until your time is up.
MFS Suggests…
Better Workout. Better Results.
The GYMBOSS is a small, easy to use, repeating interval timer. This multi-use timer has many versatile functions that make it beneficial to virtually any type of exercise program. Start working out like a pro and reaching your goals TODAY!
Get your Gymboss in the color of your choice.
