Happy Friday and Happy Happy June!
Are you participating the June Health Challenge? Things kickoff today, so be sure to get the daily fitness, food, and mindset goals!
Having a Monday off can make the rest of the week feel extremely long, but hopefully that was not the case for you this week. What fun plans do you have in store for the weekend? We have a busy one around here with book sales, volunteering at church, and taking advantage of the free museum days Denver hosts.
June is a big month around here with both Zoey’s and my birthdays. In addition, it is potentially baby #2’s birth month with a June 21 due date. After my MD appointment earlier this week, I am breathing sighs of relief that all my numbers look good for blood pressure, proteins, and liver pain and am thrilled that my MD thinks I can go into labor naturally. Now we just play the waiting game. Though, to be honest, I am nervous that I will not know what labor feels like, or what contractions really are since I did not experience them with Zoey. Everything I am reading says you know when it starts. If you went into labor on your own, did you know it was happening? I would love to hear your stories!
If you have been following the blog for any length of time, then you know I have a serious love for plyometric workouts. Not only do I enjoy them myself for their quick sweat, feeling of power, and break from running, but I love how quickly plyometric workouts seem to go, the fact that you can do them anywhere, and many of them require no equipment at all.
Before you start a plyometric workout, you need to be sure you are ready. This means you have a strong core, great balance, no current joint injuries, and can complete functional movements (lunges, squats, push ups) with additional weight. Plyometrics are designed to help increase speed and power and should not be done daily, but only one or two days a week max.
When completing any plyometric move, you really want to focus on your landing mechanics. This means that you land in complete control of your body with a neutral spine, absorb the impact, and land lightly. If you lose your balance at any point in landing, then you may need to hold off on plyometrics for a few more weeks.
Before starting any workout, especially a plyometric workout, be sure to warm up properly to avoid injury. You can get my recommended Warm Up and Cool Down Guide here.
You can also check out my must have workout resources here. These are the things I use weekly, if not daily, to make my workouts as easy and comfortable as possible.
Take Anywhere Cardio EMOM Workout – While not a strictly plyometric workout as it combines some strength moves, this workout will have you feeling powerful. Working in batches of 3 minutes, your motivation to move is to earn rest time.
Power Rounds – This is one of my favorite home gym workouts. Not only does it combine sprints (which I love), but it also combines plyometrics, making it one sweaty mess.
Plyo AMRAP No Equipment Workout – Set the timer for 15 minutes and get going with as many rounds of 6 moves as you can. Focus on form throughout the workout and rest as needed, but no stopping the clock.
5 for 5 Plyos – This is a fast workout and an excellent choice if you are short on time or equipment. With five moves in five rounds, you can fit this in on commercial breaks, or while the kids are finishing dinner.
Quick and Sweaty Plyometric Workout – This workout moves quickly with two sets of four rounds. It is a perfect workout to fight boredom and keeps you moving.
Cardio Blast Count Up – You could be done with this plyometric workout in as little as 12 minutes. Racing the clock gives you some extra motivation to work hard and stay focused.
Burpee Sandwich – If you love burpees, then this is the workout for you. You will complete 100 of them by the end!
10-Minute Body Buster – Have ten minutes? This is another boredom fighter workout as you switch between 10 reps of 5 moves for a total of 10 minutes. You can rest as needed, but no stopping the clock! I love to use this one as a fitness measurement every 4-6 weeks to see if my speed has improved. Be sure you are not sacrificing form for speed!
Cardio Countdown – I love pyramid style workouts because you can essentially create your own workout by doing any denomination of moves you choose. Just remember to keep track of how many reps you have done of each one. Time yourself for some extra movement motivation.
Get a more comprehensive workout and health program that incorporates plyometrics, full body strength, core, and interval training with the 5 Week Health and Fitness Plan. With daily workouts, mindset questions, and a weekly nutrition focus, you have everything you need to tackle your health and fitness goals.
I’m Brooke Selb, a Personal Trainer and Health Coach specializing in helping busy moms and moms to be to easily juggle mom life with family friendly recipes, and easy exercise routines to help you achieve your fitness goals that fit in with your already busy life with sound nutritional advice.
Hey Brooke!
Thanks for sharing these awesome plyometric workouts! Could you please suggest me some workouts for better mass gain and size building?
You are welcome! If you are looking to build muscle, there are a few things you need to do. High weights and very low reps combined with increased protein and water intake. It is not an easy road to build bulk. Are you training for something specific?