Be Well Workout of the Week: The Countdown to Killer Muscles 

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Ready to sweat, people? For this week’s workout, you are going to do 20 reps of each exercise, then 18 of each, 16 of each, and so on, decreasing by two reps of each exercise every round until you’re down to zero. Work hard, take breaks only when you need them, and challenge yourself to get through the workout as fast as you can. But don’t let your form go downhill with your time! Happy sweating, Be Wellers.

Be Well Workout of the Week: The Countdown to Killer Muscles 

Reps: 20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2
Knee drives
Lunge rows
Bicycle crunches
Ski jumpers
Reverse fly on physioball
Tricep dips
Single-arm, single-leg planks (in a plank lift right arm and extend in front of you, lift left leg straight up.  Then, do the other side)

Explanation of exercises: 

Knee drives: Start with your right foot on the bench. Press into your right foot and as you stand up, drive your left knee up towards your chest. Return your left foot to the floor in one fluid motion. Do all reps on the right, then on the left.

Lunge row: Standing with your left leg forward in a lunge and left forearm on thigh, row a weight with your right arm like you’re starting lawn mower. Switch to opposite side lunge for left arm.

Bicycle crunch: Lie on your back in sit-up position: feet on floor, knees bent, hands behind the head to support the neck. Lift your feet off the floor, extend your left leg to straighten, and twist your torso as you touch your left elbow to right knee. Draw the left leg in as you push the right leg out, and twist the other direction, touching your right elbow to left knee. Repeat by alternating sides in a fluid motion.

Ski jumpers: Start in a skier’s stance (like a squat, but bent forward at the waist slightly). Using your arms for momentum, jump up and to the left, landing on both feet. Jump to the right. Repeat.

Reverse fly on the physioball: With your feet against the wall and your stomach and hips on the ball, hold your chest up and raise the weights up and out to the side, squeezing your shoulder blades together.

Tricep dips: Using a bench or a chair, step your legs out a few feet in front of your body. Steady your hands on the bench or chair and, with your back just a few inches from your fingertips, lower your body to the ground. Then raise your body back to the starting position by pushing into the bench or chair. Repeat.

Single-arm, single-leg planks: In a plank position, lift your right arm and extend in front of you and lift left leg straight up. Hold for a second then return to the starting position and repeat with the other arm and leg.

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Audrey McKenna Hasse is the owner of A.M.Fit, a personal training and healthy consultation business on the Main Line. You’ll find her workouts every Monday right here on Be Well Philly.

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