3-2-1 Bodyweight Workout

My Facebook status last night:

Some other noteworthy Facebook activity:

I was psyched that so many people were in my class, and I was extra psyched that 12 of them were there through the Y’s March partnership with the Boston Moves for Health initiatives.

Anyways, because I wasn’t sure how many people to expect in class tonight, I decided to go with a bodyweight focus so that having enough equipment wouldn’t be an issue.  I’ve done a few bodyweight themed classes before though (check out my bodyweight bootcamp 1 and bodyweight bootcamp 2 workouts), so I decided to give it a new twist tonight.  I went with a 3-2-1 format, where each round in the workout consisted of 3 minutes of cardio, 2 minutes of strength, and 1 minute of core.

I wasn’t lying when I said I ended up with a puddle underneath me!  I was dripping sweat.  Sometimes I judge my workout by how much sports bra sweat I have, and last night my entire sports bra was completely soaked.

To make the cardio and strength sections go by a little faster, I turned one exercise into a “series” or a mini combination.  This helped!  Here are some ideas for the cardio/strength sections if you try this workout on your own:

Jumping Jacks

• Modification – tap one foot out at a time
• Variations – regular jacks, cross feet jacks, jacks facing in all four directions, jacks with circling arms
• Advanced – jacks with a little jump out

Touchdown Lunges

• Modification – don’t touch ground
• Variations – 1 minute on the right, 1 minute on the left.
• Advanced – add a hop

Jump Rope

• Modification – march in place, alternate feet
• Variations – regular jump rope, jump side to side, jump front and back, jump one foot at a time
• Advanced – tuck jumps (knees to chest)

Pushups

• Modification – against wall, on knees
• Variations – regular, lift one leg at a time, switch back and forth between a few versions
• Advanced – diamond, spiderman

High Knees/Mountain Climbers

• Modification – knee lifts for high knees, slower knees in for climbers
• Variations – 30 seconds of each for the three minutes
• Advanced – hands up during high knees

Squats

• Modification – ball squat against wall, don’t squat as low
• Variations – regular squats, one-legged squats, squat hold, squat pulses
• Advanced – squat jumps

Burpees

• Modification – take out the jump up (just reach), take out the hop back (step back)
• Variations – 1 minute single leg burpees right, 1 minute single leg burpees left, 1 minute double leg burpee.  Any combinations of jump, reach, hop, step.
• Advanced – add the pushup!

Plie Squats

• Modification – don’t plie as low
• Variations – slow them down, speed them up, plie pulses, plie hold
• Advanced – pulses with heel lifted, plie jumps

For the prone pull-downs/Pilates swim combo, we alternated 30 second of each with rest as needed, and for the last cardio combo we alternated between jog in place, punching up and to the side with both arms while jogging, and speed bags while jogging, with rest as needed.  All the core moves are as described for the minute, but modifications on knees would be fine!

Was a super fun class, and definitely adaptable for workout routines of all levels.  Even very beginners could turn this into 30 seconds > 20 seconds > 10 seconds with the modified versions and work their way up!

Ever done a 3-2-1 style workout before?  What’s your favorite bodyweight exercise?

I’m thinking about doing another 3-2-1 style next Tuesday, but with equipment!  And maybe swap the 3 minutes of cardio for 3 minutes of strength.  We’ll see!