Read Chris Powell's Choose More, Lose More for Life Online
Authors: Chris Powell
Tags: #Health & Fitness / Diet & Nutrition / Weight Loss, #Self-Help / Motivational & Inspirational, #Health & Fitness / Exercise
Breakthrough Training Tactic:
power breathing and +2 method
What You’ll Need:
a stopwatch, a clock with a sweeping hand, or a smartphone app with timer
PROTOCOL
1. Do as many repetitions as you can of Exercise #1 (see below) for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. That’s a 30-second interval.
2. Repeat the interval 5 more times, for a total of 3 minutes.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for Exercises #2 and #3.
There you have it: 3 exercises for 3 minutes each = a 9-Minute Mission!
(See the 9-Minute Missions exercise instructions following the five mission protocols for information on these exercises.)
THIGH MASTER (LOWER BODY)
Exercise #1: Back Lunge
Exercise #2: Air Squats
Exercise #3: Bridge-Ups
RUN LIKE THE WIND (TOTAL BODY)
Exercise #1: High Knees
Exercise #2: Push-Ups
Exercise #3: Back Lunge
TGIF (TOTAL BODY)
Exercise #1: Dive Bombers
Exercise #2: Knees to Elbows
Exercise #3: Air Squat
SHOULDER SHAKER (UPPER BODY)
Exercise #1: Bench Dip
Exercise #2: Pike Press
Exercise #3: Squat Thrust
This strategy’s all about short, quick circuits, performed as fast as you can, as many as you can, for 2 minutes. Each of the four Missions I outline challenges and develops your cardiorespiratory endurance, stamina, and speed—a 2-minute window is perfect for this. Don’t worry about burning out, you get to rest and recover for a minute between each 2-minute surge. Use power breathing to
break through your mental barrier and conquer your Mission. Once you feel comfortable and proficient with the movements, go hard and fast with this one!
Goal:
Do as many circuits as possible during each 2-minute interval
.
Breakthrough Training Tactic:
power breathing
What You’ll Need:
a stopwatch, a clock with a sweeping hand, or a smartphone app with timer
PROTOCOL
1. Perform the set number of repetitions of Exercise #1, immediately followed by the set number of repetitions of Exercise #2 and the set number of repetitions of Exercise #3 to complete a circuit. Do as many circuits as you can in 2 minutes. Go all out! Take 1 minute of rest. That’s an interval of 3 minutes.
2. Repeat the interval twice more for a total of 3 circuits.
Fantastic! 3 circuits for 3 minutes each = a 9-Minute Mission!
(See the 9-Minute Missions exercise instructions following the five Mission protocols for information on these exercises.)
| Exercise #1: Burpee | 5 reps |
| Exercise #2: Twisters | 5 reps |
| Exercise #3: Marching Soldiers | 5 reps |
| Exercise #1: Squat Thrusts | 3 reps |
| Exercise #2: Twisters | 6 reps |
| Exercise #3: Swing-Ups | 9 reps |
| Exercise #1: Twisters | 7 reps |
| Exercise #2: Marching Soldiers | 7 reps |
| Exercise #3: Squat Thrusts | 7 reps |
| Exercise #1: Knees to Elbows | 11 reps |
| Exercise #2: Dive Bombers | 7 reps |
| Exercise #3: Mountain Climbers | 11 reps |
This strategy’s all about maximum repetitions. The Missions challenge and develop your muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance and your stamina. Three minutes is a long time when you’re performing a single exercise. You can expect to build up a big burn in your muscles and hit a wall that stops you from performing any more reps. When you reach that wall, simply use the +2 method and continue chipping away at your reps until you finish the 3-minute interval!
Goal:
Do as many repetitions as possible during each 3-minute interval
.
Breakthrough Training Tactic:
+2 method
What You’ll Need:
a stopwatch, a clock with a sweeping hand, or a smartphone app with timer
PROTOCOL
1. Do as many Exercise #1 repetitions as you can in 3 minutes.
2. Immediately do as many Exercise #2 repetitions as you can in 3 minutes.
3. Immediately do as many Exercise #3 repetitions as you can in 3 minutes.
Right on! 3 exercises for 3 minutes each = a 9-Minute Mission!
(See the 9-Minute Mission exercise instructions following the five Mission protocols for information on these exercises.)
PUSH ’N’ PRESS (UPPER BODY)
Exercise #1: Triangle Push-Ups
Exercise #2: Bench Dip
Exercise #3: Pike Press
BUTT OUT (LOWER BODY)
Exercise #1: Squat Jacks
Exercise #2: Marching Soldiers
Exercise #3: Back Lunge
THE WASHBOARD (CORE)
Exercise #1: Mountain Climbers
Exercise #2: Swing-Ups
Exercise #3: Plank
MONDAY FUNDAY (TOTAL BODY)
Exercise #1: Triangle Push-Ups
Exercise #2: Twisters
Exercise #3: Air Squats
This strategy’s all about stepping it up. The early rounds seem easy at first, but beware: These missions sneak up on you! As the number of reps gets higher and higher with each round, you’ll feel your muscles burning and your heart beating hard. Be sure to power breathe early to break through your mental barrier and beat your mission!
Goal:
Do as many circuits as possible in 9 minutes. Go as high as you can!
Breakthrough Training Tactic:
power breathing
What You’ll Need:
a stopwatch, a clock with a sweeping hand, or a smartphone app with timer
.
PROTOCOL
1. Do 1 circuit of 1 repetition of each of the 3 exercises.
2. Do 1 circuit of 2 repetitions of each exercise.
3. Ladder up: Do a 3-rep circuit, then a 4-rep circuit, etc., to complete as many circuits as you can in 9 minutes.
Check it out: 9 minutes of laddering up = a 9-Minute Mission!
(See the 9-Minute Mission exercise instructions following the five Mission protocols for information on these exercises.)
HARD CORE (CORE)
Exercise #1: Swing-Ups
Exercise #2: Knees to Elbows
Exercise #3: Mountain Climbers
THE PULSE POUNDER (TOTAL BODY)
Exercise #1: Burpee
Exercise #2: Knees to Elbows
Exercise #3: Air Squat
DRILL SERGEANT (UPPER BODY)
Exercise #1: Commander Push-Ups
Exercise #2: Pike Press
Exercise #3: Burpee
STEP IT UP (LOWER BODY)
Exercise #1: Back Lunge
Exercise #2: Bridge-Ups
Exercise #3: Squat Jacks
This strategy’s all about pacing yourself. Don’t come out of the gates sprinting on this one. That’s what the Rapid Rounds Missions are all about. These Missions are about finding a challenging but steady pace for doing a 3-exercise circuit over and over again for 9 minutes. Use power breathing early on in your Mission and stay focused there. Your muscles will burn and your mind will wander, but keep coming back to your breathing. Push yourself beyond your comfort zone—break through your mental barrier! You can do it!
Goal:
Complete as many circuits as possible in 9 minutes
.
Breakthrough Training Tactic:
power breathing
What You’ll Need:
a stopwatch, a clock with a sweeping hand, or a smartphone app with timer
PROTOCOL
1. Perform the set number of repetitions of Exercise #1, immediately followed by the set number of repetitions of Exercise #2 and the set number of repetitions of Exercise #3 to complete a circuit.
2. Repeat the circuit continuously for 9 minutes.
Done! 9 minutes of continuous circuits = a 9-Minute Mission!
(See the 9-Minute Mission exercise instructions following the five Mission protocols for information on these exercises.)
| Exercise #1: Squat Thrusts | 5 reps |
| Exercise #2: Swing-Ups | 10 reps |
| Exercise #3: Marching Soldiers | 15 reps |
| Exercise #1: Mountain Climbers | 8 reps |
| Exercise #2: Bench Dip | 8 reps |
| Exercise #3: Dive Bomber | 8 reps |
| Exercise #1: High Knees | 30 reps |
| Exercise #2: Back Lunge | 20 reps |
| Exercise #3: Squat Jacks | 10 reps |
| Exercise #1: Swing-Ups | 13 reps |
| Exercise #2: Mountain Climbers | 13 reps |
| Exercise #3: Twisters | 13 reps |
Your body is made to run, jump, push, pull, crunch, and squat. This is how we move through life! We squat when getting in and out of a car, we crunch when we sit up in bed, we push up when getting off of the ground, we run when we need to get somewhere quickly. Every exercise in the 9-Minute Missions incorporates these fundamental movements of the human body. In essence, by doing your 9-Minute Missions you’re training for real life.
With thirty exercises to choose from, I really mix it up in the twenty 9-Minute Missions. Whatever your mood, your energy level, or your appetite for something new, you get a brand-new mission each and every weekday for a month!
Have fun!
Core:
The muscles of the abdomen (transversus abdominus, rectus abdominus, internal and external obliques, and all stabilizing, supporting muscles surrounding them).
Crunch:
Flexing the spine, bending forward.
Extend:
Opening a joint to its fullest potential.
Lock:
Holding a set joint position.
Pike position:
The triangle position like the “downward dog” pose in yoga. Arms are fully extended with head tucked between the shoulders. Hips are as high in the air as possible, with legs extended and toes on the ground. Push the heels toward the floor.
Plank position:
There are two variations: One is identical to the top of a push-up, rigid from heel to shoulder, with hands underneath shoulders and elbows extended. The second plank position is similar, except the body is resting on the elbows.
Whenever you embark on your 9-Minute Mission, it is always good to warm up before you start and cool down when you’re done.
Warm up fast by moving the biggest muscle groups in your body (in your legs). This increases your body temperature and the blood flow to your muscles and joints. You often do this by mimicking jumping rope or jogging in place, but you can do high knees, jumping jacks, or anything that gets your heart pumping and increases your body temperature! Then move on to 4 simple movements for 1 minute each that gently stretch and contract your muscles. The key is to keep moving through the warm-up movements and never hold any one position. You may go back and forth through the movement 6 to 8 times in the minute. This prepares your muscles to contract and relax faster, improves joint mobility, and helps to prevent injuries. Five to 6 minutes of movement makes an ideal warm-up or cool-down, but you’ll benefit even from only 2 minutes if you are crunched for time. Your body’s warm when you begin to break a light sweat.
Cooling down lets your heartbeat and breathing slow down gently, and prevents your blood from pooling in your extremities. You can simply walk or jog in place for a minute or two, then go through the same movements as the warm-up. Instead of continuously moving through the motions as in the warm-up, hold each position for 30 seconds during the cool-down. This is a great time to gently stretch and lengthen the muscles while they are warm.