Atletica Vol 3

Atletica Vol 3 is an advanced, total body metabolic weight training workout. And it is intense. It is only 48 minutes, but wow. Just like Ilaria‘s other workouts she can pack a lot into 48 minutes. A LOT. She has 4 volumes of Atletica and this one is by far the most advanced. I did this workout on a Saturday. Saturdays are my long workout days. Monday  through Friday I often do doubles–an hour long workout in the morning then my “double” is a shorter workout in the afternoon after work. However on Saturdays my morning workout is usually approximately 90 minutes. So, last week when I did Atletica Vol 2, even though it was intense, it was only 45 minutes so I did an X10 workout afterward. Since Atletica 3 is 48 minutes I planned to do the same thing this morning. When I was finished Atletica Vol 3, my thighs were trembling so violently there was no way I would be able to do an X10. My legs were wanting give out before the workout was finished btw. Even though it is a total body workout, the focus is shoulders, chest and lower body. However, it is a high rep endurance workout, so you are working all of the ancillary muscles as well–so it qualifies as total body. And if you use challenging dumbbells you get an excellent and intense cardio workout as well. And BTW–this workout is entirely low impact. In truth, metabolic weight training really doesn’t get any better than this. In fact, I am so sold that I feel it is very important for me to start working all of Ilaria’s Atletica workouts (Vols 1-4) into my rotation because these are some of the best workouts out there. I have to say tho–there is a dread factor. They are not fun in the same way that my favorite trainer, Cathe‘s, workouts are, but they are incredibly intense. I really hope she keeps coming out with these amazing workouts. I can’t believe it took me so long to buy them then to do them!

This workout is set up in 3 rounds. Each round is intense so if you only have 10-15 minutes open–do a single round. One round will kick your butt. The workout is chaptered by rounds so you can go straight to whatever round you want or play the whole workout. The workout is made up of 10 exercises. 8 of them use dumbbells; 2 are body weight only. 5 of them are done standing and 5 of them are done on the ground. Each round does the same 10 exercises but does them differently. All 3 rounds are hard but I would say round 2 is the hardest because it is the longest. Ilaria and crew only have one set of dumbbells; however, after my experience with Altetica Vol 2, I made sure I had a variety available. In this workout, for me at least, the dumbbells I used depended not only on the exercise, but the round I was in–and you’ll understand why in just a minute. I also started conservatively with 10 pound dumbbells. I had 8 pound dumbbells nearby. In the future, just like in Atletica 2, I will probably stick with 10 pounds for most of the exercises, increase to 12 pound dumbbells for some of the exercises and, for others, 8 pounds was plenty! Remember–this is a high rep, fast-paced workout. Hard to go too heavy.

A few fun tidbits that highlight how hard this workout is. In round two, one of the male exercisers–a big, muscular man who is in a lot of her workouts, was making pain noises during one of the exercises–loudly. He was using heavier dumbbells than everyone else, but he was really struggling. And during a lower body move in round 3, Ilaria pounded on her outer thigh/hip and grimaced in pain as if to eke those final reps. They were feeling the pain, too. And Ilaria is a machine btw–so that says something.

Here is a brief summary about how the rounds work, then I will give the break down. Round 1 alternates each of the standing exercises with the floor exercises. You do each exercise for one minute. Round 2 alternates the exercises in the exact same way as Round 1, but you do the standing exercises for two minutes and the floor exercises for one minute. Round 3 is a little different. You do all of the standing exercises, then all of the floor exercises–each for a minute. The floor exercises are put together in a different order than they were in the first two rounds, but that is to give your muscles a brief respite. Now, during the first two rounds you get a brief rest between the exercises–very brief, granted, but a rest at least. For round 3, you hit all of the standing exercises one after the other with no rest. Then a very brief respite before hitting the floor for the floor exercises. Here is the breakdown:

Altetica Vol 3 is 50 minutes long; 2 minute intro, 4 minute warm up, 42 minute training time and  2 minute stretch.

Round 1 (do each move one minute):

1. Clean and press

2. Push ups alternated with renegade rows–right arm

3. Plie squat with overhead press–you do an overhead press as you plie squat (this is very challenging); you will alternate one plie squat with dumbbells at your shoulders with one plie squat with overhead press.

4. Push ups alternated with renegade rows–left arm

5. Double arm dumbbell swings (a kettlebell move)

6. Kneel on floor in lunge position but with back knee on the floor–lift back knee for a few seconds then lower back to floor

7. Alternating back squat (squat back with right leg then with the left leg) with one arm overhead press

8. Kneel on floor in lunge position but with back knee on the floor–lift back knee for a few seconds then lower back to floor–other leg

9. Alternating snatches

10. Put dumbbells on floor in front you; do one push up, then move the dumbbells (while remaining in plank) under your chest; do another push up, then move the dumbbells back in front of you–keep alternating.

Round 2 is the same exercises and order of Round one, but do all of the standing exercises (numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, & 9) for two minutes and all of the floor exercises (numbers 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10) for one minute.

Round 3 (each exercise is done for one minute)

1. Clean and press

2. Plie squat with overhead press–you do an overhead press as you plie squat (this is very challenging); you will alternate one plie squat with dumbbells at your shoulders with one plie squat with overhead press.

3. Double arm dumbbell swings (a kettlebell move)

4. Alternating back squat (squat back with right leg then with the left leg) with one arm overhead press

5. Alternating snatches

6. Push ups alternated with renegade rows–right arm

7. Kneel on floor in lunge position but with back knee on the floor–lift back knee for a few seconds then lower back to floor

8. Push ups alternated with renegade rows–left arm

9. Kneel on floor in lunge position but with back knee on the floor–lift back knee for a few seconds then lower back to floor–other leg

10. Put dumbbells on floor in front you; do one push up, then move the dumbbells (while remaining in plank) under your chest; do another push up, then move the dumbbells back in front of you–keep alternating.