Mago

Sample Workout - Heavy day (usually 1x per week, maybe more if motivated)

Wife doesn't do this one if she has dance class that evening, this is one she does on non-dance days, although once you have conditioning, it can be done on any day you want to do heavy work.

I call this routine a screamer, cause you'll want to scream in the middle of it, and its over (theoretically) in 35 minutes - five circuits with one minute of rest in between, the reps are as many as you can fit in each one-minute exercise. Transition should be less than 10 secs between exercises. (beginners usually get 3 minutes to recover, then it shortens by 30 seconds each week). The weighted stuff comes first for her so she can 'coast' through the b.w. stuff and rows, but they can go in any order:

1. dumbbell thrusters (start in a squat, dumbbells at shoulder height, then push up from heels and straighten arms, finish on balls of feet, then return dumbells to start and squat down) with appropriate weight (not too heavy, or your arms will noodle before you get to circuit two - she uses 10 lb d-bells)

2. push press (standing with dumbbells at shoulder) extend up to full extension, then back to shoulders. You should have a little push with your legs with this (same weight as thrusters)

3. snatch balance. Use a wide grip, bar starts on back of shoulders with you standing, then you squat while leaving the bar in its place in the air, then lower it and stand back up (get at 10+ lb barbell from the rack).

4. box jumps (use an aerobic step platform at 18", and jump up, extend to a full standing position, then step off)

5. rowing machine (for max calories)

Do as many of each as you can. If you have to take a quick breather, do so. If you slow down, its ok. The object here is to try and maintain continual motion. Just don't quit in the middle of the workout. Keep going, even if you're wheezing like someone with emphysema - much like sustained shimmies - you can't do warp speed shimmies the first time, you keep going and the stamina builds, but you don't build unless you keep trying.

From here, we do a vinyasa (vinyasa emphasizes breath and flow) yoga sun salute (10 minutes):
prayer position
arms out, then up to overhead clap
swan dive to palms down
flatten back while touching floor
left leg back into lunge
right leg back into plank
downward dog
plank
knees chest chin to floor (butt up)
cobra
upward dog
lunge (left leg moves forward)
bring feet together, stand with hands on floor
roll up to stand with hands in overhand clap
prayer position.

thirty minutes of cardio (elliptical)
stretch

Light day (45 minutes, with appropriate rest):

This is more sendentary, with focus on each movement and perfecting the technique. This works muscle groups differently than the heavy workout.

dumbbell side bends (2 sets of 12) with 20 lbs d-bell
plank (2 times at 30 seconds)
back extensions or supermans (2 sets of 12)
triceps extension (2 sets of 12)
swiss ball pushups at hip (2 sets of 12)
wall pushups (2 sets of 12)
squats (2 sets of 12)
standing abduction (2 sets of 12)
bulgarian split leg squats (2 sets of 12)
crunches on swiss ball with ten-second backbend over swiss ball (2 sets of 12 crunches). the swiss ball is here on teh backbend so you don't fall in the middle of the backbend.

Vinyasa Moon Salute:
standing, bend backwards, reaching for wall behind
standing forward bend, lock fingers, stretch arms behind back
lunge left leg back, hands in overhead clap
downward dog
plank
knees/chest/chin (butt up)
cobra
downward dog
lunge left leg forward
standing forward bend, palms to floors
stand up, overhead clap
bend backwards, reaching for wall behind

thirty minutes of cardio (elliptical)
stretch