Full Body Interval Workout -with Chelsee Strojny

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For this week’s workout, we’ll be following Chelsee Strojny in a three part training session that will seriously challenge your resolve, as well as build power, endurance, and all the other qualities that go into building an athlete.

Read on if you think you’re up for the challenge.

Part One: Dumbbell Snatches to Rowing Your Boat (vigorously down the sea)

The workout begins with an intense combo of dumbbell snatches and max effort rows (on the cardio machine). This union of weight and cardio will skyrocket your heart rate, and test your limits, as well as focus. And stay focused you must. Because dumbbell snatches aren’t an exercise to take lightly. No pun intended.

Start with a dumbbell directly below you, so that you are standing over it evenly.
Squat down so that you’re in a similar starting point to a deadlift.
Lift the dumbbell with the legs and back, coming straight up with the dumbbell — make sure not to bend the arm too early.
Once you’ve pulled as high as you can, turn the elbow under the dumbbell, ending the overhead position of the exercise

Once you’ve completed ten reps — per side — you will move directly to the cardio row machine. Upon arrival, row like a fisherman who’s just lured the kraken. Obviously, no fisherman could ever row fast enough to escape the tentacles of the kraken, because the kraken is king. Or, is it? (This begs the question, if a megalodon and a kraken got into a fight, who would win? My money is on the kraken, personally.)

Anyway, give the rowing your max effort for two minutes.

You will do three rounds of this with two minutes of rest in between each. After you’ve completed all three rounds, rest for five minutes and gear up for part two.

Part Two: Back Squats to SkiErg

To perform a squat properly and safely doesn’t start on the first rep, or even after you’ve stepped away from the rack. It starts AT the rack. To begin, step under the bar. Place your hands a little wider than shoulder width. Whether squatting with a high or low bar placement, create a shelf with your upper back by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Tighten your grip around the bar. When I say tight, I mean white knuckle that s***. With the bar gripped, pull it down on your back (not to be confused with taking it off the rack), pointing your elbows toward the ground.

Position your feet so that they’re a little wider than shoulder width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Now you’re ready to unrack

Your journey from the rack to where you’ll perform your squat should not be a long one. Staying in line with your previous foot placement, don’t take more than two or three steps back after you un-rack. The more steps you take, the more time you have the bar on your back, resulting in best case scenario extra expended energy prior to starting the set, and worst case scenario, injury — the injury part isn’t really common but can happen, especially at heavier weights…

All right, now we’re under the bar, and in position.

Once in position, reaffirm your feet are in the right position.
Take a deep breath, get ready for glute gains
Initiate the squat through the hips by engaging your core, controlling your spine and pushing your hips back.
The bar should travel in a vertical path above the center of your feet throughout the movement.
Keep your upper back tight, chest up to avoid leaning too far forward. Knees should stay directly in line with your toes, and don’t let them bow in.
When thighs are parallel to the floor (or slightly below if you’re one of those deep humans), press through your heels to straighten your legs and lift your torso to the initial position.

Once finished with your back squats, move directly into the SkiErg. If you’re wondering what a SkiErg is, then you’re not alone. I didn’t know what they were called until…five minutes ago.

Now that you know what the machine is, and you’re likely watching the video while following along, to perform this exercise is pretty similar. Imagine you’re a cross country skier, adeptly outskiing the abominable snowman, except you can only use your poles (meaning your feet stay grounded during the exercise).

Do this for two minutes at max effort.

Perform three rounds of this superset, resting two minutes between each round. Once finished, rest five minutes while you prepare for the final battle.

Bodyweight Circuit

You’re almost out of danger. Just a little bit longer! The best is saved for last. This last circuit will be entirely bodyweight, pulling up to climb over any walls that dare stand in the way, triceps-dipping to push past others, performing sit-ups because obviously, and lastly, box jumping over any other obstacles.

You will not rest in between any of the following exercises.

Pull-Ups

Leap up and grip the bar with your hands shoulder width apart (or a little wider) and your palms facing away from you. Hang with your arms fully extended, you can bend your legs at the knee if they’re dragging on the ground.
Keep your shoulders back and your core engaged throughout. Then pull up. Focus on enlisting every upper body muscle to aid your upward endeavours.
Move upward until your chin is above the bar, then downward until your arms are extended again.
Perform eight reps.

Triceps Dips

To get set up, slide two flat benches together so that they’re parallel to each other — or really any other flat platform will work. They should be far enough apart so that you can get full range of motion without your back hitting the bench where your hands will be placed.
Sit down on one of the benches, facing the other bench, and place your hands at about shoulder width grip at your sides. Situate your feet on the opposite bench, press up to the starting position.
From here, slowly lower your body until your elbows form about a ninety degree angle (a little lower if you have the flexibility).
Power up. That’s one rep. You’ll perform eight.

Sit-ups

Have your knees bent and feet placed flat on the floor. You can cross your arms over your chest or behind your head.
Tighten your abdominal muscles by drawing in your belly button, and flexing.
Keeping your feet on the ground, slowly lift your head first, followed by your shoulder blades — avoid momentum here.
Focusing on contracting your abdominal muscles, pull up front he floor until you’re at a ninety degree angle
Slowly bring the torso back to the floor.
Perform eight reps of this.

Box Jumps

Have a box that’s the appropriate height already set up. The appropriate height is of course subjective. You want it to be one that you can easily manage for 10-12 reps without having to worry about catching your shin on and falling face first — unless that’s your idea of fun, then you do you.
Standing with both feet planted about a foot away from the box, jump with both legs at the same time onto the box.
This part’s important…land and don’t fall forward.
Gently hop back and off the box
Perform eight reps of this movement

You will go through four rounds of this circuit. This circuit can be performed without any rest between rounds, and up to two minutes between each, but no longer than two.

Putting it all together

Part One: Three Rounds

10x Dumbbell Snatch
2min Max Effort Row
2min rest

Five minutes of rest

Part Two: Three Rounds

10x Back Squat
2min Max Effort Ski Erg
2min rest