by Mollie Millington | Apr 26, 2020 | exercise, quickie
You can use a kitchen timer to keep track of your intervals or download a Tabata interval timer app. If you are unclear what the exercise is I am describing, please look for a video or arrange for an in-person tutorial.
Please consult your doctor before engaging on any fitness regime.
Remember to go for QUALITY over quantity. Don’t forget to breathe! Please email me if you want tips on how to make the quickies easier or more challenging (mollie@ptmollie.com).
Tabata is a high intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise technique that lasts 4 minutes. Within that 4 minutes, you perform eight intervals that each last 20 seconds with 10 seconds of rest in between. For those 20 seconds, you should go all out to almost your maximum effort for as many reps as you can. I hope you are ready for this!
Warm up: By walking or running for 2-5 minutes until you break into a light sweat.
First 4 minutes: Squats 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest 8X.
One minute of rest.
Next 4 minutes: Push/press ups 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest 8X.
One minute of rest.
Next 4 minutes: Mountain climbers 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest 8X.
One minute of rest.
Final 4 minutes: Reverse curls (lift hips up in air) 20 seconds on, 10 seconds of rest 8X.
You are done! I can’t wait to hear how it goes.
by Mollie Millington | Apr 19, 2020 | exercise, quickie
You can use a kitchen timer to keep track of your intervals. If you are unclear what the exercise is I am describing, please look for a video or arrange for an in-person tutorial. Remember to go for QUALITY over quantity. Don’t forget to breathe! Please email me if you want tips on how to make the quickies easier or more challenging (mollie@ptmollie.com).
Please consult your doctor before engaging on any fitness regime.
Perform each of the following exercises for one minute.
- Jumping jacks/Star jumps
- Squats
- “Around the world” lunges- R front lunge, L front lunge, L side squat, L reverse lunge, R reverse lunge, R side squat
- Prisoner squats- squat with an explosive jump
- Push/press ups- against the wall or counter if you are a beginner or on your knees or floor if more advanced
- Jump rope- you can pretend to skip if you don’t have a rope
- Plank
- Push/press ups- against the wall or counter if you are a beginner or on your knees or floor if more advanced
- Crab tricep dips
- Right foot forward lunge with arms raised out in front to chest height when back knee drops down
- Left foot forward lunge with arms raised out to the side to shoulder height when back knee drops down
Go through it once and see how you feel. If you are feeling good and have the time, go through it again! Make the time.
by Mollie Millington | Apr 12, 2020 | exercise, quickie
You can use a kitchen timer to keep track of your intervals. If you are unclear what the exercise is I am describing, please look for a video or arrange for an in-person tutorial.
Please consult your doctor before engaging on any fitness regime.
Remember to go for QUALITY over quantity. Breath on the excursion (IE, exhale when pushing yourself up on the push up, inhale as you return to the ground). Keep your abs in as if there is a string from your belly button pulling through to your spine. Please email me if you want tips on how to make the quickies easier or more challenging (mollie@ptmollie.com).
2 min- Walking up and down stairs (or you can walk/run outside or in place if stairs are not available)
1 min- Wall sit
1 min- Walking lunges bringing back knee down almost to the ground
1 min- Prisoner squats (squats with a jump)
1 min- Push/press ups either against a wall or counter, on your knees or ‘regular’
1 min- Reverse curls (an ab exercise)- lay on back and lifting hips up in the air when feet are brought towards head.
30 sec- Side plank on right side
30 sec- Side plant on left side
1 min- Push hands against door frame on each side trying to create a letter T/push door frame open. Count to 10 then rest for 5 and repeat until minute is up.
Repeat this workout if you are feeling good, or add another quickie onto it!
by Mollie Millington | Mar 29, 2020 | exercise, quickie
Today’s workout is all about the fabulous number 30. Try to complete the 30 repetitions of each exercise without a break, but listen to your body too. Record how long it takes you to do one round and then challenge a friend to up the ante!
If you are unclear what the exercise is I am describing, please look for a video or arrange for an in-person tutorial.
Please consult your doctor before engaging on any fitness regime.
Remember to go for QUALITY over quantity. Incorrect form will not allow the exercise to be effective. Breath on the excursion (i.e., exhale when pushing yourself up on the push up, inhale as you return to the ground). Keep your abs in as if there is a string from your belly button pulling through to your spine.
Warm up- 1 min jumping rope (You can pretend to jump rope if one isn’t handy. Get those feet off the ground!)
and 1 min speed bag (Pretend you are repeatedly hitting a speed bag with alternating hands and bouncing back and forth on feet)
30 reps- Squats with the objective of going low by getting your thighs parallel to the ground
30 reps- Jumping jacks/star jumps
30 reps- Push/press ups (can be “regular,” on knees, or against the wall)
30 reps of the following exercises on each leg, starting with the right leg then the left.- I call this the “fire hydrant set.” Get on your hands and knees. #1 Lift the right knee up and out to the side with the knee at a 90 degree angle. Return to the ground. Repeat 30 reps on the same side. #2 Elevate right knee behind you so thigh is in line with the back. Foot should be flexed. Raise foot by pushing heel up to the ceiling, repeating 30 times. #3 Still with the right leg, extend leg straight behind you and then bring knee into to chest.
30 reps- Abdominal crunches. You choose the style. Be sure to look up and behind you to avoid pulling with the neck.
30 reps- Reverse crunches. Lying on the back, lift your hips up off the ground using your abdominal muscles. Don’t rely on momentum for this one.
30 sec- Side plank. Keep your tummy tight!
30 sec- Side plank on the other side. Tummy tight!
You have now completed 300 repetitions/seconds. Well done! Do it again.
by Mollie Millington | Mar 22, 2020 | exercise, quickie
You can use a kitchen timer to keep track of your intervals. If you are unclear what the exercise is I am describing, please look for a video or arrange for an in-person tutorial.
Please consult your doctor before engaging on any fitness regime.
Remember to go for QUALITY over quantity. Breath on the excursion (ie, exhale when pushing yourself up on the push up, inhale as you return to the ground). Keep your abs in as if there is a string from your belly button pulling through to your spine.
Warm up- Side squats facing the same way. 30 steps left and then 30 steps to the right. Repeat 3x. Stay low with bum sticking out.
1 min-Stationary squat with a leg lift (alternating legs). Only raise your leg as high up that is in a comfortable range of motion for you. Keep your posture tall and torso upright. You can hold on to the back of a chair for balance if you need to.
30 sec- Calf raise (preferably on low step).
1 min- Holding medium weights (or a soup can or filled water bottle) keep elbows next to your side (but don’t dig elbows in). Keep palms facing away from body. Keep wrists locked. Exhale as you bring your hands up towards your body. Inhale as you straighten your arms. Use only your muscle to flex and extend the elbow. Keep upper body still to avoid using momentum to assist you with the lift.
1 min- Keeping the weights in your hands, perform a lateral raise. Holding weights by your sides with the palms facing the body. Raise arms out to side to make your body shaped like a letter ‘T.’ Be sure to only lift arms to shoulder height. Raising your arms higher puts you at risk for damaging your shoulders.
30 sec- Calf raise (preferably on low step). Hold weights for extra resistance.
1 min- Overhead press. Squat with feet shoulder-width apart. Sit back with weight in heels. Have weights held at shoulder height with palms facing away from you. As you stand up from the squat, exhale and straighten your arms above your head.
30 sec- Run in place with high knees.
30 sec- Speed skater jump. You do not need to hold a weight.
1 min- Prisoner squats (similar to overhead press without weights). Squat down and explode out of the squat into a jump straight up in the air. For extra difficulty raise hands up in the air as you jump.
1 min- Leg lifts. Only lower legs as low as you can without your lower back coming off the ground.
1 min- Crab walk.
1 min- Bear walk. If you are more advanced, you can walk without lowering knees to ground. Good form is very important so make sure you have the basics down first. Video progressing to more challenging versions.
Repeat the workout if you can or mix and match with the others. Good luck!
by Mollie Millington | Mar 15, 2020 | exercise, quickie
If you have a jump rope handy, you can use it in the workout. You can also pretend to jump rope by jumping up and down and circling your wrists. A kitchen timer or app will be handy to keep track of your intervals. If you are unclear what the exercise is I am describing, please look for a video or arrange for an in-person tutorial. Please consult your doctor before engaging on any fitness regime.
Remember to go for QUALITY over quantity. Breath on the excursion (ie, exhale when pushing yourself up on the push up, inhale as you return to the ground). Keep your abs in as if there is a string from your belly button pulling through to your spine.
Warm up- Jump rope for 2 minutes (you can skip or hop with both feet off the ground).
1 min- Reverse lunge by stepping back with alternating left and right foot. Think about dropping the back knee to the ground.
1 min- Jumping jacks/star jumps
1 min- Wall sit – Sit with back against wall and knees at 90 degrees. If this is easy, hold a weight in your hand.
Shake your legs out to get rid of the lactic acid. Good job!
30 sec- Plank on forearms with bum in alignment with head. Keep abs tight!
1 min- Hip raise lying on your back- Lift your hips up in the air so there is a straight line from the shoulders to the knees. Drop hips ~3 inches and squeeze bum to bring hips back up.
1 min- Superman by flipping over onto your tummy. With arms extended above your head, gently lift opposite arm and opposite leg ~2 inches off the floor. If you are more athletic, raise all 4 limbs up. For this you only need to feel your lower back working a bit to be effective. If you feel sharp pain, stop.
30 sec- Kneel on a towel or the carpet. Raise your bum so it is just off of your feet. Do small hip circles to the left. Try to stay just above your heels. The pain means it is working! Focus on breathing.
30 sec- Hip circles to the right. Keep breathing.
Shake out those legs!
1 min- Jump over the rope. Lay it straight on the ground and stand so your feet are parallel to the rope. Hop side to side over the rope.
30 sec- Step on the rope with the rope hand so that your elbows are at 90 degrees and your forearms are parallel to the ground. Try to pull the rope up for 30 seconds (the rope will not allow you to do this but should make your biceps contract for the duration).
20 reps- Shoulder dislocations- Either fold the rope in half or hold each end, depending on how long your arms are. Imagine the rope is a stick (or you can use one) and try to keep your arms straight as you lift your arms over your head and behind you. You do NOT need to go as fast at the guy in the video goes!
30 sec- Step on the rope again, but this time lift your arms out to the side (similar to a lateral raise). Keep arms straight and try to ‘lift’ for the time to keep shoulders and back tense for the duration.
Give the routine another go if you can!
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