CALISTHENICS FULL BODY WORKOUT – Bodyweight Complexes | Day Four

Calisthenics Full Body workout –  Bodyweight Complexes | Day 4 is another very challenging body weight strength workout from Caroline Girvan. I previewed this workout yesterday and, after doing her other body weight strength workouts this past week, I thought this one looked easier. How silly of me! It was not easy. The complex structure is what really killed me. I was able to keep up with Caroline for all of the lower body exercises but for the upper body exercises I was on my own. I could not keep up with her pace. And Complex 3–I seriously did not think that would be as brutal as it was. But man, actually doing it burned my shoulder and arm out big time (the one on the yoga block). And even though I could keep up with Caroline when doing the lower body exercises, that does not mean they did not burn my legs out. My legs were burning big time! This is an excellent total body strength workout using no equipment except a mat and a yoga block. Perfect for travel or any other time you want to mix things up.

This workout consists of complexes; each complex contains 2 exercises. What this means is you are doing 2 exercises with no rest between exercises and you do not stop alternating those two exercises until the time is up. Each complex is done for 3 minutes then you get a 20 second rest before moving on to the next complex. The complex you are working through is listed in the lower left hand corner of the screen for your reference. It lists each exercise you are doing and the amount of reps you do for each exercise. This is especially useful if you cannot keep pace with Caroline then you can still keep track of your complex. There is a timer in the upper left hand corner of the screen, counting down your 3 minutes of work as well as your 20 seconds of rest. Caroline previews your next complex during the recovery. This workout is set to great music, no talking. There is also a little bar at the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage. There is a graphic in the lower right hand side of the screen counting down your complexes. There are 11 complexes but if a complex is done on one side of the body then you will repeat it on the other side of the body, so my breakdown below makes it appear as if there are less than 11 complexes.

Calisthenics Full Body workout –  Bodyweight Complexes | Day 4 is 40:58 minutes; 1 minute intro, no warm up and 2:30 minute stretch. Equipment: yoga block or thick book and a fitness mat.

Complex 1:

1. Superman, 10 reps
2. Deadstop push ups, 10 reps (in straight arm plank, lower body to mat and lift hands off mat, place hands back on mat and push back up to plank)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 3 minutes

Complex 2:

1. 1/2 rep heel elevated squats, 10 reps (heels are elevated on yoga block, lower to bottom of squat but only raise halfway)
2. Full range heel elevated squats, 10 reps
3. Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 3 minutes

Complex 3:

1. Low to high plank, 10 reps (in straight arm plank with one hand on yoga block and other hand on mat, the hand not on the yoga block lowers to forearm then back to straight arm plank–hand/arm on yoga block remains stationary)
2. Uneven push up, 10 reps (in straight arm plank with one hand on yoga block and other hand on mat, do one push up then rotate into side plank, reaching hand on mat to ceiling)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 3 minutes
4. 20 second rest
5. Repeat #1-4 on other side of body

Complex 4:

1. Elevated curtsy lunge, 10 reps (front foot is elevated on yoga block, step back into curtsy lunge)
2. Elevated reverse lunge, 10 reps (front foot is elevated on yoga block, step back into lunge)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 3 minutes
4. 20 seconds of rest
5. Repeat #1-4 on other side of the body

Complex 5:

1. Plank hips up & down, 10 reps (alternate forearm plank with pushing hips back into dolphin pose)
2. Plank hip drops, 10 reps (in forearm plank, rotate hips side to side, tapping side of hip on mat)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 3 minutes

Complex 6:

1. Rear foot lift lunge, 10 reps (with front foot on yoga block, lower into lunge and when you raise out of lunge, lift back foot off the ground briefly)
2. Staggered squat, 10 reps (single leg squats with front foot is still on yoga block and back foot is on floor in kickstand)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 3 minutes
4. 20 second rest
5. Repeat #1-4 on other side of body

Complex 7:

1. Toe reach, 10 reps (lay on back with legs extended straight to ceiling, crunch upper body, reaching hands to toes)
2. Leg lower, 10 reps (still on back, legs still extended straight to ceiling, hands behind head with shoulders elevated, lower straight legs a few inches off the floor, then raise back to ceiling)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 3 minutes

Complex 8:

1. Hover to down dog, 10 reps (alternate downward facing dog with bear pose–bend knees until they are a few inches off the mat)
2. Alternating kick thru, 10 reps (in bear pose (on hands and toes, with knees bent and elevated a few inches off the floor), kick one leg under body, rotating torso and raising opposite hand off floor, alternate sides)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 3 minutes

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