Dear Health Conscious Reader,
Summer’s here. That means it’s time to roll out your “beach-ready” body for maximum outdoor fun.
If you’re not feeling quite there yet, don’t sweat it. My good friend and PACE® trainer Coach Yari just showed me and my staff a turbo-charged 6-minute workout. It’s awesome. This routine will get your body burning fat like a blowtorch.
It figures Coach Yari would come up with something this simple. She was voted “America’s Next Fitness Phenom of 2008” by Project Breakout.
It’s an “oldie but a goodie.” It’s a basic form of calisthenics. Soldiers and athletes have been using for years to stay ripped. She calls it the Burpee. It’s also known as the “squat thrust jump.”
The squat thrust jump is super-effective because it targets all muscle groups: Chest, calves, shoulders, quads, hamstrings, arms, back… you name it. Of course, consult with your doctor if you’ve had any injuries before giving it a try.
Here’s Coach Yari demonstrating it herself:
Step 1: Just as the name says, squat!
Step 2: Place your hands on the ground.
Step 3: Thrust your legs back and land in a push-up position.
Step 4: Jump your way back to a squatting position.
Step 5: Jump up with your hands in the air. Beginners, just stand up.
Step 6: Repeat.
As you can see, it’s a simple (but challenging) variation of your basic squat thrust. Start off slow until you can get the hang of it.
Pay close attention to keeping proper form as you do the Burpee—but really give it your all, too (except for the first warm-up set, of course). Your total exertion time should be no longer than 6 minutes, but be sure to allow yourself all the recovery time you need to feel ready for your next set.
Here’s the 4-week schedule Coach Yari recommends for maximum fat-burning power:
|
|
Reps |
Sets |
Frequency |
|
Weeks 1-2 |
10 (+ 1 Warm-up) |
2 |
3 times |
|
Weeks 3-4 |
15-30 (+ 1 warm-up) |
3-5 |
4-6 times |
Coach Yari has several other 6-minute workouts that you can learn. She’s holding a 3-day Health and Fitness Retreat in Delray Beach, Florida. It runs from July 10-12, 2009. This is an event you won’t want to miss. I’ll be there as both a speaker and a participant. There are only a few slots left, so be sure to sign up today.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD