[Terra Core Series] 15-Minute Plyometric EMOM Workout

Happy Friday to you!  I've been so excited for today because I get to share the first workout in my new Terra Core workout series on the blog!  If you haven't yet caught the rundown on what this awesome piece of equipment is, check out my introduction post here from earlier this week.  I'm seriously in love and I think this is something everyone (yes, everyone!) needs to have in their home gym collection. 

But okay, onto the workout.  Today's workout is a new(er)-to-me-structure called EMOM, which stands for Every Minute On the Minute.  I learned about this time structure in a bootcamp class I took a few months ago and I love it because it's high intensity, with variable rest periods where the harder (read: faster) you work, the longer you get to rest.  The structure is explained below if you're new to this format.  Today's EMOM features almost all plyometric moves which will ramp up your heart rate and work your lower body all at once.  So grab your Terra Core (or a Bosu*) and clear some floor space - let's do this!

15-Minute Plyometric EMOM Workout

What You'll Need: a Terra Core trainer* and a timer.  
*If you don't have a Terra Core (I highly recommend getting one - 15% discount with code INFITINHEALTH), you can do this workout on a Bosu ball, with a slight modification to the lateral walks (as described below).
What You'll Do: set your timer for 15 minutes.  When it begins, start with exercise #1 and try to complete it as fast as you can within that first minute.  When you finish that exercise, the duration of that minute is time for rest (so the faster you finish, the more time you'll have to rest).  When minute 2 starts, move onto exercise #2, only resting for the duration of that minute.  Keep going with the exercises in this fashion for the full 15 minutes (you'll complete 3 5-minute rounds of the 5 exercises above).

20 Low Squat Jacks - get into a low squat position with your feet places on either side of the Terra Core.  From here, hop up onto the Terra Core maintaining the same upper body height (i.e. not standing up in either position).  Keep going for 20 (each hop on counts as 1). 

10 Lunge to Knee Drive Skips (each leg) - start in a lunge position with your front foot on top of the Terra Core.  From here, drive your back leg up toward your chest fast as you stand.  As your knee comes up, push off of the foot that's on the Terra Core to hop upward in a small skip.  Land back down, and reverse the move to a backward lunge (back into the position you started).  Go for 10 reps on each leg, moving quickly.

10 Lateral Squat Walks + Jump - start at one end of the Terra Core, with your inside foot resting on the edge.  From here, propel yourself upward in a jump (as shown in picture 1), pushing off both legs, but actively engaging your quads more in the leg that's raised.  Land back down with that foot on top of the Terra Core (2), and walk sideways across it, maintaining a low squat position (3, 4).  Once you reach the other side, jump again.  Now walk back the way you came.  Each pass across the Terra Core counts as 1 (or you can just count the number of jumps you do) - 10 total.  *A note on using the Bosu with this move: since the Bosu is circular, you won't have the surface area to actually walk across it, so simply step up and over, jumping on each side.

15 Reverse Burpees - these are one of my favorite moves to do on the floor for some leg work and cardio, but adding the Terra Core makes it both slightly easier and more challenging.  (Easier because you're elevated off the floor, so standing up is less of a challenge; harder because rolling back onto the unstable surface forces you to engage your abs a lot more to maintain balance.) Start standing with the Terra Core directly behind you length-wise.  Sit down on it, and roll back so your back is flat and feet are lifted off the ground (as shown).  From here, roll back up to a standing position, and in one motion, jump upward.  When you land, immediately roll back onto the Terra Core again.  Keep repeating that motion for 15 reps.

15 Plank Jacks - boy, these ones got to my quads a lot more than I thought they would!  Try to move quickly with these ones... start in a plank position with your body parallel to the Terra Core, hands on the ground and your feet elevated (as shown).  From here, hop your feet off, bending your knees as you land (shown).  Now push off your toes and hop back up onto the Terra Core, squeezing your quads and glutes.  Keep hopping on and off for 15 reps (each hop off counts as 1).  Trainer Tip: keep your abs engaged here, too.  Even though this will mainly work your quads, you'll want to maintain a neutral spine, which means sucking that belly button in and keeping those abs active.

Repeat 2 more times for the full 15-minute workout.

Whew!  You are DONE! I hope your legs are thanking you. Let me know how you liked the workout, whether you're trying it on the Terra Core or on a Bosu.  And reminder, you can get 15% off the Terra Core with code INFITINHEALTH.

Readers: chat with me!  Have you tried using the Terra Core yet?  What do you think?!  Have you ever done an EMOM workout before?  If so, how do you like them?  Do they challenge you to push yourself?  What's everyone up to this holiday weekend?

Spotlight On: The Terra Core

Disclosure: I was gifted a Terra Core from Terra-Core Fitness in exchange for a review and feature here on the blog.  As always, my opinions, text, and workout creations with the Terra Core are my own.  I genuinely love this piece of equipment (it's soooo versatile and fun to use) and I hope you do too!

You guys, I'm SO EXCITED to introduce you to the Terra Core.  If you saw my sneak peek on Instagram yesterday, you'll know I'm STOKED - talk about awesome new pieces of fitness equipment... this one takes the cake for my new favorite!  It was released in early 2016, so it's still a relatively new fitness tool, but it's catching on, and I have no doubt you'll be seeing these in every major athletic club and fitness studio around over the next few years (so get in on the action early!).

Seriously though, I've been playing around with this thing for a few months now, developing some great workouts for you - soon to be a new series on the blog because I love it so much.  This baby is here to stay, so get ready - challenging and fun workouts are coming 'atcha, starting with number one on Friday!  

So, what is it?

The Terra Core is like a combination of a balance/stability trainer (like the Bosu), a bench, and a stepper... plus a LOT more.  It's an oblong piece of equipment that has an air-filled dome on the top, providing instability when stepped or jumped on.  Unlike most other stability trainers that have a flat, mostly unusable bottom surface, this one has a BUNCH of versatile features like power grip handles, long metal bars for carrying or lifting, and grooves along the curved edges to hold all kinds of resistance tubing.

The top dome is made of a thick, smooth plastic and a rougher plastic to provide some traction.  It stands about 10 inches tall from ground to top, and weighs 28 pounds.  The base is incredibly sturdy and well-made, and the oblong shape provides a lot more surface area to work with, for example when doing wide-stance squats, lying down for crunches, or using as a bench.  It's definitely a portable piece of equipment, too, so you can take it with you to a park or move it outside for a change of scenery.  Below is a picture of the Terra Core in relation to my feet for size comparison (don't mind the dust on top - I filmed a workout with this outside on the porch):

Possibilities on both sides!

Underneath, the Terra Core offers SO many possibilities for exercises.  (It's actually been an exciting challenge to put together workouts because there are endless options running through my head!)  At each end it has smaller power grip handles to perform, say, bent over rows, push ups, or a clean and press (yes, those are all included in upcoming workouts!).  The longer metal bars that run parallel to it can be used for push ups, rocking back and forth in a plank for some ab work, or just for carrying it around.  You'll also notice the molded grooves along the rounded edges... those are slots to hold resistance tubing when the Terra Core is dome-side-up - a great feature to easily transition from a move on top to immediately using the band, or to use as a bench prop for supine work.  I won't go into too much detail about all the exercise possibilities in this post since there will be a whole workout series devoted to this tool (starting Friday!).  So stay tuned for those, but keep reading because you guys get a special reader discount!

Special discount for blog readers!

The Terra Core is a bit on the pricier side of exercise equipment, running $199 plus tax.  But I'm happy to share 15% off using code INFITINHEALTH at check out, bringing it to $169 plus tax.  With all the possibilities of exercises (over 250!) and workouts you can create with this thing, it's a REALLY great addition to for your home gym or fitness studio.

And for all my fellow trainers and instructors out there, Terra-Core Fitness has partnered with the American Council on Exercise to offer certifications in Terra Core classes and training!  CECs using an awesome piece of equipment?  YAAASS!  The certification and classes will be coming out soon (I can't wait), but in the meantime, check out ACE's review and first thoughts about the Terra Core here.  Stay tuned here on Friday for the first in the Terra Core workout series - a plyometric EMOM (every minute on the minute)... it's a quad & glute burner for sure!

For more information on the Terra Core, visit the Terra Core Fitness website, and check out their Instagram for some awesome Terra Core workout videos!  

Readers: chat with me!  Have you heard of the Terra Core before?  Does anything about it intrigue you?  What exercises would you like to see?  If you're a fellow trainer/instructor, do you think you'd be interested in becoming Terra Core certified?  How do you think your clients/classes would like these?  Hope you all have a great rest of your week, and I'll see you back here on Friday for a killer workout!

12-Minute Abs On Fire Workout

Happy #FitnessFriday to you all!  Today's workout is one I've had in the works for a while now, and I'm really exited to finally share this!  I've done this format in my classes many-a-time, and this combo in particular left everyone exhausted in the best possible way [insert evil instructor laugh here].  This one's great if you're short on time - 12 minutes is all you need.  My favorite part about it is you don't need any equipment at all besides a soft surface to lie down/kneel on.  You can do this outdoors, indoors, at the gym, at home, traveling, probably even on a plane if you were so inclined.  (Hey... I've done it, haha).

Before we get started, I'm trying out something new(ish) here on the blog.  I've recently been getting into making playlists on Soundcloud (I'm probably the last one on earth), and the songs on my workout mixes pump me up so much for the gym, so I wanted to start sharing them with you here.  I've included my most recent compilation here in this post, but check the blog sidebar on the right for updated ones when I have them.  My gym music tastes are usually electronic/dubstep/techno remixes (fair warning: there are some swears).  Hope you like it! 

12-Minute Abs on Fire Workout

What You'll Need: just about nothing! If you want an exercise mat, go for it.  Otherwise, just a soft surface on the floor for your back and knees. 
What You'll Do: each exercise you'll do for 1 minute, with 30 second breaks in between every set of moves (of which there are 4).  You'll add on each subsequent move to the end of the preceding move in each set.  So... 
Set 1 = start with the first exercise for 1 minute.  Then rest for 30 seconds.  
Set 2 = exercise #1 again for 1 minute, and go immediately into exercise #2 for 1 minute with no break. Then take a 30 second breather.  
Set 3 = 1 + 2 + 3 (all 1 minute each) + 30 second rest
Set 4 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4* (all 1 minute each) 
*exercise #4 in this workout is done on each side.  I'll leave it up to you whether you want to do the full minute on each side or 30 seconds each.

Heel Touches - lie down on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms straight reaching for your heels.  From here, engage your abs by lifting your upper back and shoulder blades off the floor/mat.  Rotate laterally so you alternate touching the back of each heel, as shown.  Keep it going for 1 minute, trying to engage your abs the whole time.  Trainer Tip: the closer your heels are to your butt, the easier this is; the farther away they are, the more difficult.  I want you to really have to REACH for those heels, but if you need a rest briefly, bring your feet in closer to your butt for a few seconds.

In & Outs - stay on the floor, legs extended with hands by your sides, elbows on the ground as shown.  Bring your knees to your chest (and chest to your knees), using your abdominals to pull your legs in and chest up (your hands don't do any pushing here).  Elbows should come off the ground, but hands stay planted.  Keep 'em going for 1 minute. Trainer Tip: if you want to increase the intensity, take your hands off the floor and extend them overhead and reach for your toes on the way up.

Scissor Pulses - start on your back, with your legs in an L (both straight, one hovering over the floor and one up in the air).  Keep your legs in that L and pulse up twice towards the foot that's raised, trying to get your shoulder blades off the mat if you can.  Once 2 pulses are done, switch legs, and do 2 pulses up on the other side.  Keep alternating for 1 minute, 2 pulses each side before switching.  Remember to keep the leg that's parallel to the ground hovering and not resting on the floor.

Leaning Oblique Twists (each side) - alright, you have a choice with this one.  Stick with either 30 seconds each side, or do a full minute on each side... Let's start on the left side.  So you'll kneel down on your left knee, and extend your right leg out straight.  Place your right hand behind your head and lean to the left so your body forms a straight line from neck to toe (as shown - you'll feel your right obliques engage here).  From this position, twist your torso to bring your right elbow down towards the floor (shown).  Bring yourself back up to that starting position, maintaining that straight line from neck to toe (keep that spine straight).

New activewear brand alert: XXIV Active

The tights I'm wearing in today's workout are made by XXIV Active (24 Active), an up-and-coming activewear line, which debuted with some awesome high-waist leggings & matching bra sets back in late-2016.  They have a small but amazing selection, which is steadily growing.  (I'm eyeing these gorgeous bordeaux colored 7/8 tights now!)  The ones shown here are really comfy.  They're a bit too high-waisted for my liking (easy fix though - I just rolled them down a little), but I think they'd be perfect for the crop-top/high-waist legging trend that's going on in the yogi world.  The 2-tone mesh at the back of the knee is a nice touch, too, and with mesh popping up everywhere now, they're perfect.  If you like jumping on activewear brand bandwagons early, check these guys out - you'll be hearing big things from them soon!

Readers: chat with me!  What's your favorite way to work your abs - bodyweight exercises?  Equipment?  What athleisure trends are you loving lately?  Thoughts on workout playlists being included here?  What music genre gets you pumped to work out?