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The ultimate stadium workout

The ultimate stadium workout
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PHOTO: MENSHEALTH.COM

Menshealth.com3.10.2014

Put your strength and cardio to the test with this bodyweight routine fit for a varsity athlete.

The high-school football team aren't the only guys who can work up a sweat under the lights. You can get a lung-busting, muscle-burning workout using your nearby stadium as a gym, says Steve Di Tomaso, C.S.C.S., endurance athlete and strength coach for Envision Fitness in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada.

From the 400-meter track to the sideline benches to the steps, the stadium is the perfect workout arena. You’ll challenge your muscles in all new ways and break up the monotony of your daily running or strength workouts, he says.

PART 1: BODY-WEIGHT CIRCUIT

Perform the following exercises back-to-back as a strength circuit, only resting when noted. Do two to three total rounds.

1. Pike pushup

Stand with your back to a bench. Place your hands on the floor in front of the bench, slightly wider than your shoulders. Then place your feet on the bench behind you. Pike your hips up to the sky. Keeping your hips piked the entire time, bend your elbows and slowly lower your head until it’s just a couple of inches off the ground. Pause, and then push back to start position. That’s one rep. Do 5.

2. Feet-elevated pushup

Start in the same position as the pike pushup, but walk your hands farther away from the bench so your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels. Your feet should still be elevated on a bench. Keeping your back flat and your core tight, bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor. Pause, and push yourself back up to the starting position. That’s one rep. Do 5 reps, then rest for 30 seconds before moving to the next exercise.

3. Bodyweight staggered squat

Stand in a squat position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes forward, in front of a bench. Now bring your right foot forward until your right heel is in line with your left toes. This is your starting position. Push your hips back as if you’re about to sit on the bench, and lower your glutes until it’s a couple of inches above the bench. Hold for 4 seconds, and then push back up to the starting position. That’s one rep. Do 5 total reps on each side, then go into the next exercise.

4. Bodyweight jump squat

Place your fingers on the back of your head and pull your elbows back so they’re in line with your body. Dip your knees and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Explosively jump as high as you can. When you land, squat and jump again. Do 5 jumps total.

5. Sprints

Starting at one end of the straightaway section of the track, sprint for 100 meters. Begin the sprint at 80 to 90 percent effort and build to a full sprint by the end. Rest for 90 seconds, then repeat in the opposite direction. Rest for 90 seconds again before beginning the entire circuit again.

PART 2: STAIR FINISHER

Find a row of stadium steps that will take you at least 15 seconds to run up. Perform the following stair runs back-to-back.

1. Double - leg hops

Begin at the bottom of the stadium stairs. Stand facing the first step with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms raised. Drive your arms down, push your hips back, and lower your body. Push your arms up, jump onto the first step, and land softly with your knees slightly bent. Pause, and then repeat the movement onto to the second step. Continue to make your way to the top of the stairs. When you reach the last step, turn around and slowly jog back down.

2. Double-step stair run

Starting at the first step, sprint up as fast as you can while skipping every other step. When you reach the top of the stairs, slowly jog back down.

3. Single - step stair run

Sprint up the stairs as fast as you can while landing on every step. Slowly jog back to the start.

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