Warrior Challenge

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Warrior Workout Plan

It's been a while since I posted a challenge. I see a lot of you have gotten so strong with my other challenges that it's time for a new one. This one kills!! I will post my score soon.

Each exercise unless posted otherwise is 1 minute long. Write down how many reps you can do in a minute.

Extra challenge try 3 sets!!


Mountain Climbers (H2H = Hand 2 Heel)

Assume a standard push up position on the floor, arms fully extended (up-position) and legs extended straight back, with the feet approximately 8-12 inches apart. Your hips and shoulders should be aligned, so that your back is parallel with the floor.

Brace your abdominals as you bring your right knee forward towards the right elbow, allowing the lower leg to move inwards slightly towards the bodies midline. At the same time lift the left hand off the ground and bring it back to meet the right foot instep or tap the right heel. Return the right foot and left hand back to the start position and repeat on the opposite side, bringing the right hand to meet the left foot.

Standing Side-Splits with a Ball

Photo by Susan Pittard

Stand with feet together about a foot behind a stability ball. Bend from the hips, placing hands on ball.
Keeping torso extended and abs and glutes tight, raise left leg behind you until it's parallel to the floor.
Keep your foot flexed and your inner thigh facing the floor. Rotate your torso to the left and extend left arm overhead. Turn head to gaze at left hand. Hold for 1 minute. Lower and return to starting position. Repeat on opposite leg.

Abdominal Crunch on an Exercise Ball - sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor to stabilize you. The closer your feet are together the less stable you'll be and the more your body is forced to use your abs. Let the ball roll slowly until your body is parallel with the floor. Crunch raising your torso to a 45 degree angle. 

Stability Ball S2S Knee Tucks (S2S = Side 2 Side)

This exercise can be performed using just a stability ball and placing the hands on the ground with the arms fully extended.

Personally I like to, and feel it is best, to perform this exercise with the forearms resting across a bench or chair, similar to the position you would assume if performing a forearm plank or elbowstand exercise.

With your forearms supported on a bench or chair, extend your legs back and onto the top of a stability ball. Your entire body should be pretty much parallel with the floor at this point.

Brace your abdominals and slowly pull your knees forward towards your chest and slightly across the body to the right side. Hold this position for a split second before extending the legs back to the start position and repeating, this time pulling the knees forwards towards the left side of the body.

Repeat for 1 minute.

Ball Pass

Lie on your back holding an exercise ball and lift your feet so your shins are parallel to the floor.

Lift your head, neck, and shoulders, and place the ball between your legs. Now lower your legs and reach your arms back. Come back up and grab the ball. Continue to pass the ball back and forth from your hands to your legs for 1 minute.

Long Arm Crunch - Lay in a crunch position with your arms stretched out above your head, hands clasped and arms hugging your ears. Contract your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the floor. Keep your arms straight and if your neck begins to hurt bring one hand down to support your neck.

Cross Body Mountain Climbers

This exercise requires you to go from 4 contact points to 3 contact points.

Assume a standard push up position on the floor, arms fully extended (up-position) and legs extended straight back, with the feet approximately 8-12 inches apart. Your hips and shoulders should be aligned, so that your back is parallel with the floor.

Brace your abdominals as you bring your right knee forwards and across the body towards the left elbow or armpit, keeping the foot close to the ground, but don't allow it to touch the floor. Extend the leg back to the start position and repeat on the opposite side, bringing the left knee forwards and across towards the right elbow or armpit. Return to the start position and repeat, alternating right and left.

Side Crunch on Ball - firmly place your hip on a fitness ball and lean into the ball
without your abs touching the ball. Support yourself by placing your feet against a wall. Putting your hands behind your ears and contract your oblique and releasing. Repeat and don't forget to switch to the other side.


Stability-Ball Hamstring Curl

Lie faceup with your calves on top of a stability ball, arms by your sides, and palms down. Squeeze your glutes and raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to heels. Bend your knees to roll the ball toward you until your feet are flat on the ball. Straighten your legs to roll the ball back, then lower your body to the floor. That's one rep.

NEXT PART IS BELOW IS STRETCHING AFTER YOUR CHALLENGE

Fierce Twist

Come into Chair, or Fierce pose with your knees bent, feet together.
Inhale and lengthen your spine. Exhale and twist to the right, hooking the left elbow on or around the right knee. Press your palms together and roll the top shoulder onto your back. Keep your knees even, navel drawn in, especially on the exhales.
You’re connecting to the Sea of Energy here, two finger-widths below the navel. When this is stimulated, your digestive system is said to benefit, along with giving you a more awake, energized body.
Take 5-10 breaths on this side, then either forward fold in-between with bent knees and relax like a rag doll, or move directly to the opposite side.

Wall Splits

When you invert, as you’ll be doing here, it provides you with a full body cleanse, assisting your lypmhatic system to sweep out those pesky toxins. If you really firm your fingertips into the floor and hug arm muscles to the bones, you’ll activate the points all along the hands and arms that are thought to help release pain, joint compression and boost immunity.
Come into Down Dog facing away from the wall. With squared hips (watch that the top hip and leg don’t roll open), lift your right leg up the wall, foot flexed.
As you lift the leg higher, walk your hands back until you feel a stretch in the legs, and a fiery strength in the arms. Widen and drop your shoulders, and relax your head. If you want a deeper stretch, bend your elbows back towards the wall.
Breathe here for 5-10 breaths on each side; rest in Child’s Pose in-between.

Bound Bridge

This posture is not only great for opening the heart, it presses directly on two main acupressure points. You’ll get the Sea of Vitality in the lower back, two inches away from the spine, and importantly, the Bearing Support, on the shoulder blades, two inches off the spine. This point is said to help govern immunity, especially to colds and flu.
So you’ll remain here a bit longer, aim for one minute or more. If this is hard for you, place a high block or two under your hips.
Come onto your back. Bend both knees and place your feet under your knees, hip-distance and parallel. Plant your hands by your hips and curling your tailbone up to engage the navel, lift your hips high.
Work your shoulder blades underneath you so they’re flat on the floor, and if possible, reach for your outer ankles. Note: Do not bind the hands under your body as in regular Bridge; this can lift you onto your arm muscles, and off of your shoulder blades. We want to focus the pressure points there, and into the low back. Lift your chin and arch your neck just enough so you could slip a hand between the back neck curve and the floor.
Stay here, breathing into the shoulder blades for one minute or more, then come down and gently circle your knees into your chest.