The Spartan Fit App Workout of the Week: A Leg Up
Each week, Spartan Director of Training Sam Stauffer is providing select workouts from the Spartan Fit app. For the full Spartan training experience, delivering Spartan-designed workouts and race-like simulations, download the Spartan Fit app now. And for the full database of Spartan Fit app workout previews, click here.
If you’re looking to get a leg up on the competition, this workout is for you. This race-inspired workout is sure to test your endurance with some lower-body and core circuits. On the Spartan Fit app, we’ve built out an entire collection of race-inspired workouts just like this one to help elevate the playing field.
More Fit App Workouts: A 30-Minute Full-Body Mash-Up
The Workout
Feel the burn with this intense leg and core workout, which will put your strength and endurance to the test. After a six-move warm-up, you’ll be guided through two time-based strength and conditioning circuits, made up of lower-body and core exercises. Your objective is to finish every set and get as many good reps in as possible before the timer ends. We’re going to deep dive into circuit No. 2.
More Fit App Workouts: 3 for 3
The Set-Up
The nice thing about this workout is that it is 100 percent bodyweight. No need to track down a pull-up bar or kettlebell. It's just YOU and some space! Let’s take a look.
The Strength Circuit
Perform three rounds of 60 seconds on and 30 seconds off.
Burpee
A few key things should happen here. First, your chest should touch the ground at the down position. Secondly, your feet should leave the ground at the up position. Thirdly, your hands should clear the top of your ears at the up position. Lastly, there should be no forward lean while jumping.
Pro Tip: Sixty seconds is longer than you think! Pace yourself with the burpee.
Related: The Art of a Perfect (and Powerful) Burpee
Alternating Single-Leg Hip Lift
Begin by lying flat on the ground with your legs bent. Curl your toes in toward your shins so your heel is the only part of your foot on the ground. (This will keep the tension in the glutes and hamstrings, rather than in the quads.) Drive one knee up toward the chest, as far as it will go, and do your best to hold it there.
Squeeze your glutes and raise your hips off of the ground. You will not want to hyperextend at the lower lumbar here. Rather, you should look to create a straight line from your knees all the way to your head. The key at the top of the movement is to squeeze your glutes tightly while keeping the tension on the driving knee. Repeat this motion, alternating between legs.
Pro Tip: Stick a tennis ball between the hip and the quad of the driving knee. This will help you feel, and keep, the tension throughout the exercise.
Related: How to Do a Plank and Build Insane Core Strength
Clock Plank
The clock plank is a great way to gamify a regular boring plank. You will start this exercise in the palm plank position, with your feet together — you can spread your feet apart, if putting them together is too challenging — and your hands directly under your shoulders. Visualize a clock beneath your chest. (The size of the clock is totally up to you, but the bigger the clock, the harder this exercise becomes!) Starting with your left hand, you will tap the 12, 9, and 6, resetting your hand after each tap. Transitioning to your right hand, you will tap the 12, 3, and 6, resetting your hand after each tap.
Pro Tip: Do your best to keep your hips completely level throughout this exercise. In fact, rotating the hips too much can take away from the benefits of this exercise. As mentioned above, if having your feet together makes it too challenging to complete this exercise without rotating your hips, it is totally acceptable to widen your feet, therefore widening your base of support.
Get the complete workout, and more just like it, on the Spartan Fit app. AROO!
