The 8-Hour Diet (36 page)

MAKE IT EASIER

Don’t lower into a full range of motion pushup or simply perform a pushup hold.

MAKE IT HARDER

Increase speed of movement or perform with your feet closer together, or even better, on one leg at a time.

WORKOUT A | EXERCISE 4

WHY IT WORKS:

The in and out squat will put you on the fast track to leaner, more toned legs. Its benefits include:

Training your thigh muscles to stabilize your knees isometrically under a dynamic side-to-side movement with your feet.

Involving your body’s biggest and strongest muscles to blow-torch fat and cause a massive metabolic disturbance that will have you burning calories even after you stop doing it.

Offering a lower-impact alternative to traditional up-and-down squat jumps for those individuals with a history of knee pain.

HOW TO DO IT:

1.
Assume the athletic, semisquat position with triple bends in your knees, ankles, and hips with your feet close together. (This is also how you’ll land.)

2.
Now jump your feet out, landing softly and sticking it for a count, without letting your hips rise.

Return to the starting position and repeat for 30 to 60 seconds.

Imagine you’re in a tiny house with a low ceiling and keep your head and hips down throughout the movement to protect your knees.

MAKE IT EASIER

Don’t lower down as far into a squat or simply just perform a squat hold within a pain-free range of motion.

MAKE IT HARDER

Increase speed of movement, perform the movement from a deeper squat position, or move in multiple directions.

WORKOUT B | EXERCISE 1

WHY IT WORKS:

If you’ve ever seen the movie
Predator
or the celebration dance of Green Bay Packers’ sack master Clay Matthews, then you’ve seen this mighty metabolic mobility move before. You can expect these benefits:

In a minute or less, you’ll fire up the nerve pathways that link your mind and muscles and mobilize tight areas in your ankles, hips, and upper back, making for quite possibly the world’s quickest warm-up.

This upgraded version of traditional jumping jacks is easier on the shoulders because you move your arms out to the sides instead of overhead, plus it integrates a squatting pattern that works the belly-busting muscles of your hips and thighs.

It’s also a cardio drill that works your body in all three planes of motion, so it’s better than traditional straight-line running. It will actually boost sports performance and reduce your risk of injury in sport.

HOW TO DO IT:

1.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold both arms straight in front of you, palms together. This is the starting position.

2.
Jump your feet apart, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body into a squat while pulling your arms apart and squeezing your shoulder blades together. (Your arms should be in line with or slightly behind your shoulders.)

3.
Now shift your weight over your right leg and then your left leg before bringing it back to center and returning to the starting position.

Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds, gradually increasing your speed and range of motion.