Fitness | initiation to cross training: week 1 program
The first part of a complete 4-week cross training program includes 2 weekly sessions featuring a series of kettlebell exercises (swing, squat, and deadlift).
TO INTRODUCE YOU TO CROSS TRAINING, HERE IS THE PROGRAMME FOR THE 1ST WEEK, PUT TOGETHER BY JIMMY, OUR DOMYOS COACH. IT CONSISTS OF 2 WEEKLY SESSIONS (REMEMBER TO MAINTAIN A 48-HOUR RECOVERY PERIOD BETWEEN YOUR 2 SESSIONS).
SESSION 1: KETTLEBELL EXERCISES AND PULL-UP BAR
Do 3 sets (increase the intensity with each set) of the following 3 exercises. Do each set for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of rest between each set.
• Exercise 1: jumping jack
• Exercise 2: kettlebell deadlift
• Exercise 3: plank
Exercise 1: jumping jack
• Objective: developing cardio-vascular health.
• Exercise: stand upright with the feet together and arms alongside the body. Jump by spreading the feet apart with the toes pointing slightly outwards and knees slightly bent. Bring your arms out straight and in a horizontal position. Then return to the starting position and repeat the movement while keeping a steady pace.
• Breathing: breathe in at the starting position and breathe out as you spread your legs.
• Safety instructions: look far in front of you. Remember to tense your core muscles throughout the exercise.
Exercise 2: kettlebell deadlift
• Targeted muscles: hamstrings, glutes and back.
• Exercise: lower the kettlebells to calf level and raise them until the body is fully extended. The arms stay straight.
• Breathing: breathe in as you go up.
• Safety instructions: keep your back flat and push the glutes backwards. The knees are slightly bent.
Exercise 3: plank
• Targeted muscles: rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis and oblique muscles.
• Exercise: resting on the forearms and toes, raise the pelvis to the point where your legs, hips and upper body are perfectly aligned. Hold the position.
• Breathing: breathe slowly and deeply, while maintaining the plank position
• Safety instructions: take care not to arch your back during the exercise.
• Easier option: put your knees on the ground while keeping your hips high.
Exercise 1: jumping jack
• Objective: developing cardio-vascular health.
• Exercise: stand upright with the feet together and arms alongside the body. Jump by spreading the feet apart with the toes pointing slightly outwards and knees slightly bent. Bring your arms out straight and in a horizontal position. Then return to the starting position and repeat the movement while keeping a steady pace.
• Breathing: breathe in at the starting position and breathe out as you spread your legs.
• Safety instructions: look far in front of you. Remember to tense your core muscles throughout the exercise.
Exercise 2: kettlebell deadlift
• Targeted muscles: hamstrings, glutes and back.
• Exercise: lower the kettlebells to calf level and raise them until the body is fully extended. The arms stay straight.
• Breathing: breathe in as you go up.
• Safety instructions: keep your back flat and push the glutes backwards. The knees are slightly bent.
Exercise 3: plank
• Targeted muscles: rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis and oblique muscles.
• Exercise: resting on the forearms and toes, raise the pelvis to the point where your legs, hips and upper body are perfectly aligned. Hold the position.
• Breathing: breathe slowly and deeply, while maintaining the plank position
• Safety instructions: take care not to arch your back during the exercise.
• Easier option: put your knees on the ground while keeping your hips high.
2-10kg Adjustable Kettlebell
✓Designed for beginners
✓The discs are soft to avoid injury when in contact with the arm.
✓QR code will guide you through the exercises
✓Adjustable, from 2 kg to 10 kg using four flexible 2 kg weights
MAIN CROSS TRAINING SESSION
Perform 5 sets of each of the 3 following exercises within as short a time as possible.
• 15 Russian Swing
• 15 Toes to bar or knees to elbow (simpler solution)
• 15 Push presses with kettlebells
Exercise 1: Russian Swing With Kettlebell
• Targeted muscles: hamstrings, glutes and back.
• Exercise: stand upright with your feet hip-width apart. Thrusting your hips forward, swing the kettlebell to eye level and lower it back down between your knees.
• Breathing: breathe out as you raise the kettlebell.
• Safety instructions: thrust your glutes backwards and keep your back flat.
Exercise 2: toes to bar or knees to elbow (simpler solution)
•Targeted muscles: rectus abdominis.
•Exercise: while hanging from a pull-up bar, bring your feet to the bar (toes to bar) or your knees to your armpits (knees to elbow).
•Breathing: breathe out during the effort phase.
•Safety instructions: remember to tense your body throughout the exercise.
Exercise 3: push presses with kettlebells
• Targeted muscles: thighs and shoulders.
• Exercise: do a quarter squat, then stand up and raise the kettlebells above your head.
• Breathing: breathe out as you straighten up.
• Safety instructions: control your descent and tighten your abs during the entire exercise.
Exercise 1: Russian Swing With Kettlebell
• Targeted muscles: hamstrings, glutes and back.
• Exercise: stand upright with your feet hip-width apart. Thrusting your hips forward, swing the kettlebell to eye level and lower it back down between your knees.
• Breathing: breathe out as you raise the kettlebell.
• Safety instructions: thrust your glutes backwards and keep your back flat.
Exercise 2: toes to bar or knees to elbow (simpler solution)
•Targeted muscles: rectus abdominis.
•Exercise: while hanging from a pull-up bar, bring your feet to the bar (toes to bar) or your knees to your armpits (knees to elbow).
•Breathing: breathe out during the effort phase.
•Safety instructions: remember to tense your body throughout the exercise.
Exercise 3: push presses with kettlebells
• Targeted muscles: thighs and shoulders.
• Exercise: do a quarter squat, then stand up and raise the kettlebells above your head.
• Breathing: breathe out as you straighten up.
• Safety instructions: control your descent and tighten your abs during the entire exercise.
Warm down / abdominal breathing (with the diaphragm)
Lie on your back with your arms alongside your body. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing (only the belly should move while the rib cage remains still; to check that you are doing it properly, place one hand on the belly and the other on the chest). Breathe in through the nose for 3-4 seconds by pushing out the belly using the diaphragm, then breathe out through the mouth for 6 seconds as you tuck in your navel (deep and natural exhalation, without forcing). Repeat for 2 minutes.
SESSION 2: KETTLEBELL EXERCISE AND DOMYOS STRAP TRAINING (STRENGTH TRAINING STRAP)
Combine the 2 exercises below for 3 minutes:
• 20 tuck jumps
• 20 mountain climbers
At the end of this set, give yourself 1 minute of rest. Then complete sets of the following 2 exercises for 3 minutes:
• 10 press-ups
• 10 pistol squats with Domyos Strap Cross Training (alternate between right/left side)
Exercise 1: tuck jump
• Objective: develop cardio-vascular health and strengthen the quads.
• Exercise: do a quarter squat then jump and bring your knees to the chest.
• Safety instructions: do not land on your heels and keep your body tight.
Exercise 2: mountain climbers
• Targeted muscles: abs.
• Exercise: position yourself in a plank position, face down, supporting yourself on extended arms. Bring your knees up to your chest, alternating between the right and left knee.
• Breathing: breathe out as you bring the knee to your chest.
• Safety instructions: do not arch your back.
Exercise 3: press-up
• Targeted muscles: pecs and triceps.
• Exercise: whether you are on your feet or your knees, breathe in as you lower the chest to the ground and breathe out as you extend your arms.
• Breathing: breathe out as you extend your arms.
• Safety instructions: do not arch your back.
Exercise 4: pistol squat with the domyos strap training
• Targeted muscles: quads and glutes.
• Exercise: shift your bodyweight backwards and use the Domyos Strap Cross Training to stay balanced. Bend one leg then stand back up (squat on 1 leg).
• Breathing: breathe out as you rise up.
• Safety instructions: keep your back flat and your arms slightly bent.
Exercise 1: tuck jump
• Objective: develop cardio-vascular health and strengthen the quads.
• Exercise: do a quarter squat then jump and bring your knees to the chest.
• Safety instructions: do not land on your heels and keep your body tight.
Exercise 2: mountain climbers
• Targeted muscles: abs.
• Exercise: position yourself in a plank position, face down, supporting yourself on extended arms. Bring your knees up to your chest, alternating between the right and left knee.
• Breathing: breathe out as you bring the knee to your chest.
• Safety instructions: do not arch your back.
Exercise 3: press-up
• Targeted muscles: pecs and triceps.
• Exercise: whether you are on your feet or your knees, breathe in as you lower the chest to the ground and breathe out as you extend your arms.
• Breathing: breathe out as you extend your arms.
• Safety instructions: do not arch your back.
Exercise 4: pistol squat with the domyos strap training
• Targeted muscles: quads and glutes.
• Exercise: shift your bodyweight backwards and use the Domyos Strap Cross Training to stay balanced. Bend one leg then stand back up (squat on 1 leg).
• Breathing: breathe out as you rise up.
• Safety instructions: keep your back flat and your arms slightly bent.
MAIN CROSS TRAINING SESSION
Do 21, then 15, then 9 reps of each of the following 3 exercises, in as short a time as possible:
• Burpees
• Thruster with kettlebells
• Sit-ups
Exercise 1: burpees
• Objective: developing cardio-vascular health.
• Exercise: start in an upright position with the feet hip-width apart. Quickly switch to the plank position and bring both feet back together behind the hands. Without pausing, jump with your legs stretched out and arms extended over the head.
• Breathing: breathe out as you go down to the plank position and breathe in as you rise upwards; breathe out as you jump up and breathe out as you return to the starting position.
• Safety instructions: control your descent and do not arch your back.
Exercise 2: thruster with kettlebells
• Targeted muscles: quads, glutes and shoulders.
• Exercise: do a complete squat followed by a press.
• Breathing: breathe out as you go up.
• Safety instructions: control the descent and keep your abs contracted.
Exercise 3: sit-up
• Targeted muscles: rectus abdominis.
• Exercise: lie on your back, then sit up and bring your hands to your ankles.
• Breathing: breathe out as you sit up.
• Safety instructions: keep your navel tucked in.
Exercise 1: burpees
• Objective: developing cardio-vascular health.
• Exercise: start in an upright position with the feet hip-width apart. Quickly switch to the plank position and bring both feet back together behind the hands. Without pausing, jump with your legs stretched out and arms extended over the head.
• Breathing: breathe out as you go down to the plank position and breathe in as you rise upwards; breathe out as you jump up and breathe out as you return to the starting position.
• Safety instructions: control your descent and do not arch your back.
Exercise 2: thruster with kettlebells
• Targeted muscles: quads, glutes and shoulders.
• Exercise: do a complete squat followed by a press.
• Breathing: breathe out as you go up.
• Safety instructions: control the descent and keep your abs contracted.
Exercise 3: sit-up
• Targeted muscles: rectus abdominis.
• Exercise: lie on your back, then sit up and bring your hands to your ankles.
• Breathing: breathe out as you sit up.
• Safety instructions: keep your navel tucked in.
Warm down/abdominal breathing (with the diaphragm)
Lie on your back with your arms alongside your body. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing (only the belly should move while the rib cage remains still; to check that you are doing it properly, place one hand on the belly and the other on the chest). Breathe in through your nose for 3-4 seconds while inflating your belly and lowering your diaphragm, then breathe out through your mouth for 6 seconds while pulling in your navel (deep, natural breathing – don't force it). Repeat for 2 minutes.