Building Block Workout - Part 2: DIY Workout programs

Our next part of the Building Block program follows directly from our last post: https://into-you.com.au/building-block-workout-part-1/

The purpose of these posts is to give you the tools to DIY workout programs! You can literally decide waht your goal is for the day (eg. strength, cardio, stretch) and mix up the exercises to achieve those objectives.

Here are the blocks for your DIY workout:

PUSH UP

LUNGE

PULL UP

SQUAT

HOVER

CARDIO

We have discussed Push ups and Lunges, our next block is:

PULL UP
– The trick with pull ups is to mix up the objects from which you’re pulling up from: chin up bar, TRX, Smith machine, edge of a veranda, tree branch, etc. Then mix up your hands positions, eg. reverse grip, neutral, using a towel, etc. Then think of single arms and legs, and then use your head and legs as drivers to mix up the load.

Ordinary old chin up made different with a head driver

Underhand TRX pull up

Neutral grip TRX pull up

Leg drivers in a chin up

Pulling anything counts, even tug-o-war!

Swinging left to right in the pull up. If your feet are on the ground you can step

Pulling yourself over objects

Lat pull down and variations

A more upright version of TRX Pull Ups

Single leg

SQUATS
Squats can be modified using pretty much any tool out there; fitballs, freeform boards, TRX, power plate, etc. You can matrix the feet, use the arms as drivers to mobilise the spine, turn your head, add weight, stiffen the knees into a deadlift, put the weight in a variety of positions (front back, one shoulder, by your sides, etc), woodchop, box jump, and more! In fact, squat options are SO NUMEROUS, it is no wonder that they feature in every online workout program!

The ol’ squat and press

Woodchop with the ball – you can also use cables and elastics

Squat jumps or box jumps

Squats with arm drivers, in this case stretching the chest

Deadlift

Tyre flips

Squat and upright row, with a cable.

Squat for range, holding on

Matrix your foot position (different position every rep)

plain ol’ front-loaded squat

Back loaded squats – also toes turned out

Fitball squats

Bosu squats, the Rip stick offers a greater challenge to the core

HOVER
A hover is a static ab hold, and i like them because they use gravity to train your trunk to hold it’s self in alignment (in an ideal world anyway!). Plus, there are unlimited options for variety, including side hovers, reverse hover (nose to the roof), driving with your toes, hips, hands or head, and add tools like freeform, fitballs, and power plate.

Toes in the TRX

Hover on Toes on Power Plate and elbows on fitball

Hover and twist

Side hover, knees or toes, with or without the powerplate

Reverse hover – heels on a fitball

Fitball hover

Reverse hover

Scorpion hover – where your feet step over eachother (alternate)

Army crawl hover

Side hover, stepping forward and back with the top leg

Hover and reach forward

Hip lift and reach

Step through hover

Knees on the freeform – adding movement or putting the elbows on the freeform will change the load

Reverse hover with the freeform

Beast crawl from Animal Flow

CARDIO
Cardio is the most open-to-interpretation category of them all! Basically anything that gets your heart pumping is fine! Do it for a minute. Ideas include burpees (side ones if you have abdominal separation), jogging, skipping, rowing, step ups, cycling, mtn climbers, ball slams, turkish get ups (add your ideas in the comments!). A couple of tips for cardio: change levels, the more levels the more puffed-er you’ll be. Mix up fast movements with heavy weights, both will get you cracking! Change directions, the more directions involved in a movement, the more huffy puffy. Below are just a few of the things that have gotten us puffing over the years at IntoYou!