HIIT/Heavy Weights/Stability Ball

HIIT/Heavy Weights/Stability Ball is another one of Yvette Bachman‘s long but excellent workouts. But luckily it has two distinct parts so it is easy to cut this down to approximately an hour in length. It is primarily strength + cardio but there is also a good bit of stability ball cardio/core/hamstring work at the end. As the title suggests, this is heavy strength work. You are working your shoulders, biceps, triceps and hamstrings/glutes/low back and you do each exercise 8-12 reps. There are 4 strength exercises that are alternated with cardio exercises and that is one circuit. You repeat the circuit 3 times. The cardio changes each time you repeat the circuit but the strength exercises remain the same. Each circuit also ends with slider core work. The circuit work itself ends with some additional cardio, another (different) shoulder exercise, then you move on to the stability ball work. This takes a total of 52:30 minutes (including the warm up). Scrub forward to the stretch, which is 3 minutes, and you have a 55:30 minute cardio + strength workout. Perfect for my work mornings!

I really challenged myself on the strength exercises in this workout. When previewing it and choosing my weights, I almost wrote in 20 pounds for the dumbbell I would use for the one arm clean and press, but then Yvette said she was lifting 35 pounds! And she did–with excellent form! I was so impressed I decided to challenge myself and use a 25 pound dumbbell. Outside of STS Mesocycle 3, I’m not sure I have ever lifted that heavy for shoulders. It was tough but I did it. I didn’t get 12 reps tho. But that is okay because you are doing 8-12 reps. I got 11 reps the first circuit then my reps decreased every time we repeated the circuit but I always got at least 8 reps (I only did 8 reps the 3rd/final circuit). I found this to be an excellent and intense workout. Luckily my favorite part was the first 52:30 minutes, since that is what I will be returning to most frequently.

HIIT/Heavy Weights/Stability Ball is 75 minutes long; 10 minute warm up, 42:30 minutes of cardio + strength (shoulders, biceps, triceps & hamstrings/glutes/low back), 18 minutes of stability ball cardio and 3 minute stretch. Equipment: step @ 8 inches (set up horizontally when workout starts), sliding disks, various dumbbells and stability ball. Yvette also wore weighted gloves for the cardio + strength portion and I did, too. The structure is 40 seconds of cardio alternated with strength which is done for 8-12 reps

1. Switch feet jogs w/ toes tapping top of step
2. One arm clean and press (Yvette used one 35# DB, I used one 25# DB)
3. Lateral jacks over step (lengthwise)
4. Repeat #2 on other arm
5. Burpee w/ hands on step + one plank jack and 2 standing jacks
6. Bicep curls (Yvette used 25# DBs, I used 20# DBs)
7. Uneven jump squats (one foot is always on step, each time you jump you turn slightly so when you land other foot is on step)
8. Overhead tricep extension (Yvette used one 35# DB, I used one 30# DB)
9. Burpee + jump on step and squat pulse 3x
10. Deadlifts (Yvette used 25# DBs, I used 35# DBs)
11. Alternating side lunges w/ jump in between lunges
12. Sliding mountain climbers
13. Start on step, lower into narrow squat and do fast tap backs to floor while pushing arms overhead
14. Repeat #2
15. Step one foot on step and other out to side, alternate sides
16. Repeat #2 on other arm
17. Burpee w/ hands on step and when you jump in you land in a wide squat (do not stand)
18. Repeat #6
19. 3 lateral jogs + 1 knee pull
20. Repeat #8
21. Step w/ knee pull + 2 jump lunges on floor; ends w/ all jump lunges
22. Repeat #10
23. Repeat #21 on other side
24. In plank, slide feet in and out, bringing knees to chest
25. A step + 2 jacks; ends w/ just jacks
26. Repeat #2
27. Corner to corner Mario (knee pulls w/ hop and arm raise)
28. Repeat #2 on other arm
29. Squat jump to corner of step (land w/ one foot on step) + 2 jacks, alternate sides on squat jump
30. Repeat #6
31. Burpee w/ hands on step + 2 air jacks
32. Repeat #10
33. Corner to corner 3 knee repeaters
34. Repeat #8
35. In straight arm plank on floor, 6 shoulder taps, jump feet in, jump on and off step
36. Glider creepy crawlers (in plank, side foot in, bringing knee to opposite elbow)
37. At side of step w/ one foot on step do 3 pulse squats then jump lengthwise over step and repeat on other side
38. In straight arm plank, alternate raising straight arms to side
39. Fast hopping side lunges while doing 2 punches down and 2 arm raises overhead
40. Start standing, walk hands out to plank, do 2 plank jacks, walk hands back to feet, stand and do 2 standing jacks
41. Squat jump corner to corner (one foot always on step when landing in squat)
42. In straight arm plank, punch each arm in front of you then bringing each knee in under body
43. Corner to corner power 3s
44. Alternating overhead press (18# DBs)
45. Straight arm plank hold

@52:30 put step away and remove gloves if you are wearing them. Get stability ball. This takes about 1:20 minutes.

1. Squat jack and bounce ball on floor 2x while in squat; add 4 jogs between squat jacks; ends just jogging bringing ball side to side
2. Squat bringing ball to floor and overhead when standing; the squat changes to a squat jack
3. Heel digs while holding ball overhead
4. Wide leg side to side taps while pushing ball out in front of you
5. Low impact skaters while swing ball overhead to side them down low to other side (a sort of ball chop)
6. Squat jack and bounce ball on floor 2x while in squat
7. Step together, step touch while arching ball overhead then to side/floor; changes to holding ball straight in front of you at chest level and twisting it from one side to the other as you step
8. Mambo forward and back while swinging ball side to side
9. Squat jack and bounce ball on floor 2x while in squat w/4 jogs between squat jacks
10. Repeat #8 w/ other lead leg
11. Plank hold w/ hands on ball

Grab mat, keep ball.

1. Lay on back w/ heels on ball and hips raised, roll ball in and out, bringing knees in to chest 25x (hamstring roll ins)
2. Wide/low skaters while arching ball overhead and tapping to ground at side
3. Lay on back w/ heels on ball, hands behind head w/ elbows out to sides, crunch torso while rolling ball in and out 25x (tap elbows to knees)
4. Step shuffle side to side while circling ball in the middle and raising ball to overhead/to side
5. Lay on back, legs raised to ceiling w/ ball between ankles/calves, raise and lower ball by bending and straightening legs 25x

Get rid of ball.

1. 2 scissor runs + squat jump; ends w/ squat pulses
2. Mummy kick runs
3. Hop, hop, jump lunge; alternate legs; ends w/ just hops
4. Cross jacks
5. Step together step touch while pushing arms overhead; changes to circling arms and lifting one leg out to side
6. High knee runs + jacks
7. Marios (alternating hopping knee raises)
8. In forearm plank, drop hip to side, alternate sides; hold forearm plank

For more info on Yvette Bachman and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.