Twenty Minutes of Tabata (aka Hell)

We had a tough workout on Monday and a good run on Wednesday and wanted to finish the week strong. However, we needed a quick one today, so we went Tabata.

I chose the four exercises that I think of as the core of the modern workout - kettlebell swings, planks, burpees, and myotatic crunches.

Warmup: Treadmill run for 220 yds @ 7.5 mph

Each set was 20 seconds
- we "rested" for 10 seconds while moving between stations.
Each Tabata period was 2 circuits - 8 sets.
We rested for 1 minute in between each period.
We did four total Tabata periods - 32 total sets.

Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
-- (Crossfit - Overhead)
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs
and again
Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs

1-minute Break

Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs
Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs

1-minute Break

Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs
Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs

1-minute Break

Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs
Two-hand Kettlebell Swing x 20 secs @ 10#
Plank x 20 secs
Burpees x 20 secs
Swiss Ball Crunches x 20 secs

You know it's bad when planks are the rest in this workout.
After 20 minutes we were wiped out.

Rich always says this is like mat drills during off-season workouts for football, and they really are. Maybe those old coaches knew something after all.

The Perfect Posterior: Kettlebell Swings and Cheap Alternatives from Tim Ferriss