This past Friday I turned 31! Do I feel 31…well when I was 21 I felt like 31 must feel like the edge of old people’s cliff, but now that I’m 31 I feel like I’m 21, really I do.
I know I’m healthier than when I was 21 and in better shape. My eating habits are better, my exercise routine more consistent, full of variety, and more effective. I’ve spent the last 6.5 years with my best friend, and I know we are exactly where God wants us to be, and letting God use our lives for His glory. 31 is so much better, than 21!
On Friday I was still getting over a cold, but put together a quick and sweaty, 31 minute workout because…that’s what I wanted to do to celebrate turning 31!
The 31 at 31 Workout
This workout is meant to be completed “Tabata style.” “Tabata” is the name of a particular type of workout that provides similar health benefits to that of cardio workouts, but Tabata has a bit more “umph.” If you’d like to know more about Tabata you can read about it here and here.
*What you need for the workout: a timing device, light weights (5-15 lbs.)
** Set your timing device (I have one of these, I love it) for 20 rounds of 20 sec (all out work) intervals, and 10 sec (rest)
Yep, that’s my sweet birthday banner in the background. We know how to party.
Warm up (5 min.) – jumping jacks, running in place, push ups, skaters, plank (1min. of each)
Tabata #1 – Legs on Fire (all exercise completed without weights)
1.Sumo squat with row – 20 sec (high intensity/HI) then 10 sec (rest)
2.Jumping jack to a lunge – jump your feet out to the sides and then back in swinging your arms like a jumping jack, after you complete one full jack, jump up landing in a lunge position with your right leg in front and your left to the back. Jump up from your lunge and repeat another jack followed by a left leg lunge. Complete as many reps as you can. –
20 sec (HI) then 10 sec (rest)
3.Jump Squat Switch – 20 sec. (HI) then 10 sec (rest)
4.Lateral lunge with leg lift – lunge to the right and lift, then to the left and lift, keep alternating- 20 sec. (HI) then 10 sec (rest)
5.Speed squats (3) + tuck jump – 20 sec. (HI) then 10 sec (rest)
*Repeat entire workout 3 more times for a total of 10 minutes of training. (20 rounds)
**Rest for 2 minutes before completing the next Tabata.
Tuck jumpin’!
Tabata #2 – Arms and Abs – reset your timer for 20 rounds of 20 sec (all out work) intervals, and 10 sec (rest)
1.Mountain Climbers (3) + tricep pushup – do 3 complete mountain climbers, and then pause in pushup position and do the tricep pushup. Drop to your knees to complete the pushup if you need to, and then back to your toes for 3 more mountain climbers. – 20 sec (HI) then 10 sec (rest)
2. Single Arm Clean and Press (5-15lb weight) – alternate arms with each round of the tabata- 20 sec (HI) then 10 sec (rest)
3. Low Plank Jacks – 20 sec (HI) then 10 sec (rest)
4. Half Burpee to Shoulder Press (5-10 lb. weights) – squat down and place you hands on your weights on either side of your feet. Jump your feet back to straight arm plank position then jump you feet forward and stand bringing your weights up to your chest and pressing them over your head. Bring the weights down and complete the exercise again. – 20 sec. (HI) then 10 sec (rest)
5.Competition Burpee to tuck jump – From a stand jump to push up position dropping your belly all the way to the ground. Push up with your arms and jump to your feet at the same time, and jump into the air bringing your knees up into a tuck jump. Land softly on your feet, and jump back again to your belly down pushup position. -20 sec. (HI) then 10 sec (rest) *to modify, step up to your feet and then do a straight body jump into the air.
*Repeat entire workout 3 more times for a total of 10 minutes of training.
**Cool down with some slow jogging in place and stretching for 4 minutes.
Total Workout time: 31 minutes
*Note: This is a tough workout, and 20 rounds is alot, I was a sweaty mess at the end. Feel free to modify the number of rounds that you do for your fitness level. If you want repeat each tabata 2 or 3 times only instead of 4. Just remember that during your 20 sec of work, you really need to push HARD.
When you finish this workout please leave me a comment letting me know how it went, and what you thought of the workout. Or if you have questions about the workout, leave them in the comments and I will respond.
Questions: Have you done a Tabata type workout before? How often do you workout per week? How often would you like to workout per week? What’s your favorite birthday tradition?
Fitness in the Kitchen 
How COOL, Liesl! 🙂 Can you do videos with these? 😉 Just to actually show how to do the individual exercises?? It takes awhile for me to figure out them by just reading…hard to visualize. I realize you are busy with more important things… 😉
Amy VH 🙂
Never mind. I see now the links to the videos! THANKS! 😀
Amy- Glad you noticed the video links. Eventually I would like to video myself going through the workouts for my readers, hopefully soon, it’s something I’m working on. I try to explain the moves the best I can, but even personally when I read other blogs it helps me so much to watch the videos with each move. Hope you’ll keep reading until I get to that point. And as always, you can email me if you just can’t figure out a move, and I’ll explain it better for you.
Happy Birthday! At 5 years your senior I have one small piece of advise to share… Don’t get injured. I’m sure you’ve figured that out already but I always have to remind myself that the recovery from the injury alway takes away from future workouts more than if I would have just not hurt myself in the first place.
I’ve found that I get really good workouts by using medium weight (instead of heavy like I did in my 20’s) and just increase the intensity by keeping rest between sets to an absolute minimum. Always going for the muscle burn… working the muscle and not the joint.
Anyway, keep it up! If we see each other again we can have a flex off 🙂
Hey Mike,
Hope you and your family are doing great!
Thanks for the advice. I totally know what you mean about injuries…I hate them. And I have learned to be more careful as I get older and listen to the cues my body is giving me and use those to decide how hard I push myself, without making excuses of course. 🙂
I also have noticed that a mixture of plyometrics or high intensity cardio moves with medium strength moves in a circuit style workout has been giving me great results.
We’ll have to make sure to see each other again, so I can hold you to that flex off.
I exercise six times a week and like the 30 minute workout, but am wondering how your joints hold up with some of these moves like the jump squat switch?
Hey Narah!
I have found that it is best to alternate a workout that has more plyometric moves (jumping) with a strength training workout, yoga, or something a little more “loving” to your joints. Also, after a plyometric workout or a run I usually take glucosamine, which I find helps my joints. There are also foods you can incorporate into your diet to keep your joints healthy, you can think of them as natural anti-inflammatories if you will. Omega 3 rich salmon and tuna for starters. Incorporate these into your diet twice a week, and see how you feel. You could try a fish oil supplement as well, but I prefer the real food approach to supplements.
*Disclaimer: I am not a certified nutritionist or health expert. Any advice I give is from information I have gleaned from my own studies, and personal experimentation through diet and exercise.
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