Plyometrics Galore, Banana-Blueberry Protein Bars, Summer Recipes!

I am so happy you all enjoyed the TABATA workout post! Tabata workouts are hardcore, fun, quick and extremely effective, so I really am glad you enjoyed it! Remember 8 rounds, 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest…Repeat 3 times for a 12 minute KICK BUTT workout!

Side note, am I the only one who is crazy obsessed with Stabucks Passion Iced Tea?

I cannot get enough of this stuff!!

I want to share some of my all time favorite plyometric moves that I incorporate into my routines all of the time! Usually I will add some plyo’s into my leg routine or finish out with plyos to add power and strength to the lower body while keeping heart rate and calorie burn high. Plyometric exercises help build leg endurance and help you work on agility as well, making it a great addition to your traditional workout. If you are NEW to plyometrics, start with as many reps or as much time as you can, and build your way up. There is no need to rush into these movements, your body should become accustomed to the explosive nature of the exercises first.

THE MOVESLeapfrog: This exercise is basically a moving jump squat.
Set Up: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, arms extended by your sides
Execution: Bend both of your knees and reach your arms behind you. Explode upward, pressing through the balls of your feet and swinging your arms overhead to leap forward as high up as you can. Land softly in a squat position.

In and Out Jump Squat: For this exercise you will need a step with 1-2 risers.
Set up: Straddle the step so that your stance is wide with your feet planted on either side of the step.
Execution: Jump to bring your feet on top of the step. Squat, then jump again, landing with your feet on either side of the step.
***If you want to try an advanced version, use more risers or a weight bench for added height

Mountain Climbers:
Begin in a pushup position on the hands and toes and bring the right knee in towards the chest. Jump up and switch feet in the air, bringing the left foot in and the right foot back. Continue alternating the feet as fast as you can for desired time or reps

Prisoner Jump squats: Similar to the traditional jump squat with a little more CORE focus. By placing the hands behind the head and leaning the torso forward, you engage the abs and the back, which challenges the core.
Set Up: Begin with feet wide and the hands behind the head. Squat as low as you can, taking the torso slightly forward without rounding the back.
Execution: Jump up as high as you can, keeping the hands behind the head. Land softly!

Alternating Split Squat Jumps
Set Up: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Step back with left leg, standing on the ball of your back foot. Your feet should be in a staggered stance. Keep your head and back straight, in a neutral position, and place your hands on your waist.
Execution: Jump straight up as you thrust your arms forward, elbows still bent. Switch legs in midair, like a scissor, and land in a lunge with your left leg forward. Repeat, switching legs again.

Hop Squat Touch:
Set Up: Start with your feet together.Execution: Hop out into a plie squat position while simultaneously touching the floor. Feet come back together in the middle and repeat.

Bosu Burpee: Taking the Burpee up a notch!
Set Up: hold Bosu out in front of shoulders with the dome facing away from your body. Perform a burpee (squat down touch the floor, shoot legs back into a plank position, squat back in, stand up ) with the Bosu in your hands, dome touches the floor. Lift the Bosu in front of your shoulders at the top.

Traveling Burpees: Begin performing 1 burpee, at the end, jump squat forward, and repeat. Perform for the length of the room. **these will make your heart rate SOAR

Reverse Lunge with Hop at the Top: Perform a reverse lunge, bring knee up to your chest and shoot up into the air as high as you can. Perform desired reps all on 1 side, and then repeat

Push Up with Knee Drive: A twist on the traditional Push up!
Set up: Begin in a push up position
Execution: perform a push up and at the top, bring your right knee under you, in towards your chest. Perform another push up and repeat with the left knee.

BOSU Hop Over:
Set Up: Start standing next to a BOSU ball and place the right foot in the middle. Squat down and quickly jump over the dome landing with the left food on the BOSU in a squat. Continue for desired reps

Explosive Step Ups

Set up: Start with 1 foot on a bench or step with risers so that it creates a 90 degree angle (for beginners, start with just 1 or 2 risers on a step)

Execution: Contract your glutes as hard as possible while pushing through the heel to explode up and off the step or bench as high as possible. I like to perform the desired reps all on one leg at a time, then switch, but you can alternate legs!

Other cardio blasts I love:

High Knees

–High Skips

–Lateral Shuffles

–Jumping jacks/Mountain climbers: I alternate 10 jacks, 10 mountain climbers for 1 minute

–Vertical Jumps: Feet close together, jump as high as you can, land softly.

–Jump overs: Place a jump rope on the ground, feet close together, jump back and forth over the rope

–Jump squat onto a bench

Now that you have seen my favorite plyo moves, I am sure you are lost as to where to incorporate these exercises into your routine, OR how to create a plyometric routine. I would suggest one of 3 things

1. Add plyometric moves into your weight training days in between sets to keep your heart rate elevated. Below I have given a sample chest and back day with added plyo’s

EXAMPLE:

Set 1-repeat 3 sets of 12 reps

Flat Bench Press

Lat Pull down

**Hop squat touch-30 seconds

Set 2-repeat 3 sets of 12 reps

Incline DB chest press

Narrow grip cable back row

**Prisoner squats-30 seconds

Set 3-repeat 3 sets of 12 reps

Chest fly-machine, DB or cable

1 arm DB back row

**Reverse lunge with hop at the top-20 seconds each leg

2. Go back and forth between cardio on a machine, and some plyometric moves

EXAMPLE
10 minutes incline walk on treadmill (speed 3.5-4.0, incline 12%)

**10 bosu burpees, 20 seconds high knees

Run 1 mile as fast as you can on treadmill

**10 each side mountain climbers, 10 hop squat touch

10 minute stairmaster intervals for 1 minute each

**10 feet on fire, 10 jump squats

3. Set up a great, high intensity plyometric workout! Find space in an open space such as a track, yard or group fitness studio. You will need a bosu ball, step with risers or weight bench. Repeat each set 2-3 times!

Set 1

• Leap frog (10 reps)

• High knees (30 seconds)

• Mountain climbers (30 seconds)

• Leap frog (10 reps)

Set 2

• Bosu burpee (10 reps)

• Prisoner jump squats (10 reps)

• Bosu hop Overs (10 reps)

Set 3

• Bench jump squats (10 reps)

• Mountain climbers (on BOSU-blue side facing down) (30 seconds)

• Alternating split jump squats (10 each side)

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Here is a recipe for protein bars that you can enjoy after your plyometric workout! They are perfect for the summer time, bursting with fruit flavor, protein and healthy carbs!

Banana Blueberry Protein bars

2 scoops Vanilla Protein powder

1 cup Oats

4 egg whites

1-2 bananas

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp natural peanut butter or almond butter

½ C blueberries

Stevia (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix the oats, protein, cinnamon and stevia in one bowl

In a separate bowl, mash up the bananas with a fork or masher, add the egg whites, vanilla extract and peanut butter. Add wet to dry, mix well together and add the blueberries right before transferring to the baking sheet.

Spray a nonstick cooking spray in an 8″x8″ baking dish. Spread the mixture in an even layer, over the bottom of the dish. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until the edge starts to pull away from the sides of the dish.

Number of Servings: 9

Some other awesome summertime recipes to check out!