One of the Hardest Workouts Ever!

I’ve never come so close to puking in the gym as I did last night.  It may have been the hardest gym workout I’ve ever completed.  It’s by far the hardest workout I’ve ever completed that didn’t include any time on cardio equipment.  I completed Day 57 – Quads/Calves and am so glad it’s in my past!

Even if you’re not doing this plan but want to challenge yourself, try this workout. 

 

Killer Quads/Calves Workout

I started with a warmup for a few minutes on the eliptical to get my heart rate up.

Doing jump squats immediately after leg press is INTENSE!!!  In a superset, you don’t rest until both exercises are done.  In this case, you do 15 leg presses, 15 jump squats and then rest for a minute or two.  Repeat that cycle 3 times.

Jump squats are when you bend your knees so that your calves are parallel to the ground and then jump out of them up into the air and back into a squat.  HOLY BURN IN MY LEGS.  Here is where I started dripping with sweat.

For the smith single-leg split squat, put a bench right behind the smith machine.  Put one leg onto the bench and do squats with one leg.  I only used the bar for this exercise and just concentrated on perfect form.  Make sure your quad gets parallel to the ground.  Do 15 on each leg and then jump rope for one minute as your active rest.  After the 1 minute is done, you go immediately back into the squats.  A working set doesn’t allow you to actually rest until the end of your 3 sets.  This was HAAAAAAARD.

I also had no idea that I couldn’t jump rope for one minute.  I remember being young and jump roping forever.  Well apparently my forever is now about 25 jumps and then I had to stop for a few seconds, then did about 25 more.  50 total in each minute.  What a doozie!

This lunge and jump superset had me wanting to puke afterwards.  I did 20 walking lunges with a 20lb barbell on my back.  Immediately after the lunges, squat down and jump as far forward as you can.  Do 20 forward jumps.  I never realized jumping is so hard!!!!  In this superset you can rest after long jumps.  Do the lunges, jumps and rest 3 times.

This superset above was one of my favorites of the exercise.  Do leg extensions for 20 reps.  I think I was able to do 20 with good form with about 55lbs.  Afterwards, jump from side to side (one leg to one leg).  I was acting as if I had a cone in between that I was jumping over.  You plant your right leg and jump off of it to the other side of the imaginary cone, then plant your left and jump off that to the other side.  Do this for 20 reps. 

Then what do you know….SQUATS.  BAM…IN YOUR FACE.  Do 30 reps..yes 30!!!!! on the smith machine.  I put my heels on two weights to make my quads emphasized.  I only squatted the smith machine bar because 30 reps is a LOT.  I just concentrated on form.  Take a break after each set of squats.

The next working set is non-stop and intense.  Do 20 calf raises on the machine followed by 1 minute of jump roping.  Go immediately into the calf raises again and continue back to jump rope.  I like how this routine calls jump roping active “rest”.  There’s no part of rope jumping that is “rest”. hah.

The final working set was more calves:

Do 20 reps of calf presses using the leg press machine.  Just put your toes at the bottom of the big leg press and push it up without bending your knees.  Follow the calf press with more jump roping. There is no resting between this working set.  Do this cycle for 3 sets and then rest. 

I seriously thought I was going to lose my cookies a few times during this workout.  The workout seemed to take forever, however it only turned out to be an hour.  I burned about 600 calories without stepping a foot on a treadmill.  Woohoo!

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Here’s my theory about this workout….

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If you try this workout out, please let me know how it goes!  I’m curious to know if it is as hard to everyone else as it was to me!!! I’m back to more of those dreaded sprints for tonights workout!

I’m SO ready for a weekend right about now!

**Erin**

 

10 thoughts on “One of the Hardest Workouts Ever!”

  1. I just did this last night! The long jumps killed! I am so glad to have discovered your blog today! I’m needing some guidance on making the last phase work.

    Reply

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