Signature Series Vol 1

Signature Series Volume 1 is one of Tracie Long‘s new workouts. I meant to get to it a lot sooner but it didn’t ship when she had initially said it would and by the time it finally shipped, I was in the midst of my 2 months of Cathe Live. But that is over now so I finally got to try it. It did not disappoint! Another excellent Tracie Long workout. This one ranks up there with two of my absolute favorite Tracie Long workouts: Stronger Longer Volume 1 and Volume 2. In fact, it is the same type of workout as the Stronger Longer workouts, but even more mobility focused. This is a total body strength and mobility workout. It is made up of a lot of functional movements, too. You are not going to burn a ton of calories with this workout but don’t let that deter you! This workout will benefit you in so many other ways. Especially as you age. Do not misunderstand, this is not a workout for seniors but as you get older, mobility work becomes more and more important and there is a lot of it in this workout. She does straight mobility work, strength mobility work using dumbbells and flexibility mobility work. You are getting it all in this workout. This is not a high rep workout. Tracie never reps you out on any move, so you can challenge yourself with your weight choices. I am a wimp when using ankle weights for mat work and tend to reach for my one pound ankle weights more often than I should. But for this workout I used my 2.5 pound ankle weights and though it did challenge me, it was doable because she did not give you a million reps. I was burning out by the final reps but did not have to take any personal breaks to thaw my muscles out so I could continue. So the perfect amount of reps!

You can purchase Tracie’s Signature Series (and many of her other workout DVDs) at her website, at Total Fitness DVDs and on Amazon.

Signature Series Volume 1 is 49:30 minutes; 13 minutes of mobility training, 22 minutes of strength and cardio, 8 minutes of lower body floor/mat work, 2:30 minutes core and 6 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, yoga block and a yoga strap or pilates band. Tracie does not reveal the weights of the dumbbells she uses, she just tells you to get heavy or lighter weights and sometimes suggests a weight range. So the dumbbell weights listed below are what I used.

Mobility Training (13 minutes) (starts with yoga block on floor in front of you; Tracie shows you how to use it in most of the moves if needed)

1. Archer’s lunge (with legs wide, lunge deeply to side with torso rotations)
2. Wide straight leg forward fold with torso rotations, one hand on the floor (or yoga block), other reaching to ceiling
3. Sit on floor with one leg bent at 90 degrees in front of you and one bent at 90 degrees behind you, lean forward over front leg reaching hand along floor; one hand is on floor beside hip, lift glutes off floor while reaching other arm to ceiling
4. Legs are in same position as start of #3, raise back heel off floor while knee presses into floor then raise knee off floor while keeping toe on floor (one hand is resting on yoga block behind you)
5. Repeat #1-4 on other side of body
6. Legs are still in same start position as #3, keeping feet on floor, lift both knees and rotate them so that leg positions have swapped, leaning torso forward over front leg, continue swapping leg positions back and forth
7. Golfer’s rotation (lay on side, bottom leg is extended straight and in line with the hip, top leg is bent in front of you with yoga block under knee, bottom arm is extended straight in front of you on floor, reach other arm over bottom arm then circle it overhead and to the other side of the body so your arms are now extended open in a T, return arm to start and circle it again into the T position, but this time circle low along hip)
8. Lay flat on back, extend right leg straight on floor, left leg is bent, foot on floor and a little out to the side, right arm is extended to side on floor and left arm is raised straight to ceiling, roll torso up, raising onto right elbow and reaching right left arm to ceiling then lower back down; add pushing yourself up onto your right hand and raising your hips so you are balanced on your left foot, the side of your right foot and your right hand (left leg is still bent and right leg is still straight), bring right leg through so you are now in a kneeling lunge with right knee/shin in floor, push hips back toward heel while still reaching arm to ceiling, raise right hand off floor so you are now in an upright kneeling lunge, place right hand on floor and lean torso forward over front leg while rotating torso and reaching other arm to ceiling, place left hand on front foot and rotate torso in the opposite direction, reaching left arm to ceiling

Weights & Cardio (22 minutes):

1. Alternating step backs with bicep curls (when stepping back, front leg remains bent, torso hinged slightly forward and leg stepping back is straight); add a straight leg lift when leg is stepped back (10# DBs)
2. Step back into reverse lunge and hold, do a hammer curl into overhead press, alternate legs (10# DBs)
3. Repeat #1
4. Start standing, bend knees and place hands on floor and walk out into plank, do 4 push ups, walk hands back to feet, stand and jump; changes to 1 push up instead of 4
5. Slow goblet squats, bringing elbow to knees while in squat; at bottom of squat, place one end of DB on floor and straighten legs, bend legs again, lift DB back into goblet position and rise (one 25# DB)
6. Repeat #4 but instead of push ups do spiderman jump lunges (wide mountain climbers)
7. Start in wide split stance holding one DB in both hands overhead with straight arms, do stationary lunge tapping back knee to floor and keeping DB overhead (one 15# DB)
8. Remain in kneeling lunge with back knee on floor, bringing DB to chest, from this position, push DB out straight in front of chest, bring back to chest, push DB overhead, do one overhead tricep extension and lower DB back to chest (DBs)
9. Repeat #7 on other leg
10. Repeat #8 but only do overhead tricep extensions
11. Start standing, do a single leg squat, raising other knee into chest while hinging torso forward, lift leg straight behind you and hold a few seconds (balance move), alternate legs (15# DBs)
12. Stand with legs wider than shoulder width apart, lower into squat while also doing a hammer curl and racking/holding DBs at shoulders, in this position raise part way, lower back into squat, then stand, lowering DBs to sides (15# DBs)
13. Alternate #11 & 12, doing one rep of each and alternating legs when doing #11
14. Alternating side lunges; changes to 3 alternating side lunges, reaching one DB down toward opposite foot when lunging then do alternating tricep kickbacks, one on each arm then one double arm tricep kickback (10# DBs)
15. Combine #11 & 12, alternating sides when doing #11
16. Hold chair pose briefly then do squat jacks, raising straight arms beside ears (like a chair pose) every 3rd jump
17. Triangle skaters (lateral skaters moving forward and back so you make the shape of a triangle)
18. Squat jacks, raising straight arms beside ears (like a chair pose) every 3rd jump
19. Alternating side lunges, after every 3rd lunge raise one straight leg to side while also raising straight arms overhead; side leg lift changes to a power knee (knee raise with a hop)
20. Repeat #17-19
21. In tall double kneeling position (body straight from knees to top of head) do squats, lowering glutes to heels; add stepping one leg forward so you are in kneeling lunge, bring other leg to join it so you are standing, reverse the motion lowering into kneeling squat before repeating (12# DBs)
22. Lay on mat, knees bent and hips raised so you are in bridge, holding one DB in both hands, do pullovers while holding bridge isometrcially; continue holding bridge isometrically while also holding DB overhead isometrcially, in this position, raise one knee and hold for about 3 seconds, alternate legs (one 20# DB)

Floor Work (8 minutes): (Tracie is already wearing ankle weights when this section starts so you will have to pause your DVD to put them on. Tracie did not reveal the weight of her ankle weights. I used 2.5 pound ankle weights.)

1. In modified straight arm side plank (bottom knee on mat), top leg is straight, raise top leg, pull knee in to chest, extend leg straight again and lower
2. Lower into modified elbow side plank (bottom knee on mat), top leg is straight, raise top leg and pulse 3x then pull knee into chest, flex foot and push foot out 3x
3. Repeat #1 but in modified elbow plank
4. Repeat #1 but this time you are laying on your side on mat, bottom arm extended on floor overhead with head reading on arm
5. Get on hands and knees; raise and lower bent leg out to side; lower to elbows, raise bent leg out to side and circle bent leg so it is behind you then, keeping leg bent, raise foot to ceiling
6. Repeat #1-5 on other leg
7. Lay on stomach with legs extended straight on floor, extend arms in front of you and raise head/chest in superman then, while keeping arms straight, rotate arms out to sides, bending elbows so you can bring hands to small of back then reverse motion, returning to superman pose then lowering head/chest/arms to ground

Core (2:30 minutes):

1. Lay on back and raise bent knees to 90 degrees, place palms against thighs, alternate lowering bent legs, tapping toes to floor; straighten both legs and continue alternating scissoring straight legs; keep both legs raised to ceiling (legs together now), raise both arms straight in a V and raise head/neck/shoulders, hold this position briefly
2. In wide leg straight arm plank, raise one arm, raise the other arm, tap insole of one foot under body with opposite hand, tap insole of other foot with other hand; changes to one push up + insole taps

Stretch (6 minutes):

1. Kneeling lunge stretch
2. Butterfly stretch
3. (grab your stretch strap) Lay on back, one leg extended straight on floor, other leg is extended straight to ceiling with stretch strap wrapped around sole of foot, using strap, pull foot down toward you to stretch hamstring; open straight leg out to side, still pulling on foot with strap; extend straight leg across body to opposite side, still pulling on foot with strap
4. Still laying on back, one knee bent with foot on floor, cross ankle over opposite knee and lower knee toward ground, while ankle pulls down opposite knee
5. Repeat #3-4 on other leg