41MIN Power Pilates // Day 9: HR12WEEK 5.0

41 Min Power Pilates is Day 9 in Heather Robertson‘s HR12Week 5.0 program.

OMG this workout was tough. Much tougher than I expected. My shoulders were fried before we even finished the first circuit! This is a total body workout full of compound moves that work many muscle groups within the same exercise. However your shoulders are definitely hit the hardest. Mine are still aching.

This is a circuit based workout. There are 3 circuits and each circuit is done twice. The exercises are done interval style: 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of recovery. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Heather previews the next exercise. At the bottom of the screen during the preview, there is a small graphic with a weight recommendation–light, medium or heavy

41 Min Power Pilates is 41 minutes; 30 second intro, 4:45 minute warm up and 4:15 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and fitness mat. Heather recommends light to medium dumbbells (2-12 pounds). The weights listed below are what I used.

Circuit 1:

1. Side clam & kick (lay on side on one hip and same side elbow, both legs are bent at 90 degrees, top arm holds a DB and is extended to ceiling, lift hips while opening top knee, keeping soles of feet together, hold this position while kicking top leg straight, bend knee again bringing soles of feet together again, close knees and lower hips back to mat–arm remains raised throughout interval) (one 12# DB)
2. Plank row & press (hold straight arm side plank, top arm is holding one DB, lift DB from floor upright row style keeping it close to body, raising arm to the ceiling) (12# DBs)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 on other side of body
4. Bear kick & row combo (in bear pose holding one DB in each hand (bear pose=on hands/DBs and toes w/ knees bent at 90 degrees and knees a few inches off mat), do one row each arm then lift each leg toward ceiling keeping legs bent at 90 degrees) (25# DBs)
5. Repeat #1-4

30 second rest

Circuit 2: (I used 5# DBs for everything in this circuit)

1. Plie & squeeze (stand with legs open wide and toes turned out holding one DB in each hand with palms facing forward, lower into plie squat while also raising DBs to sides, hold plie squat and pull elbows behind ribs, push DBs back out to sides and raise out of squat while lowering arms)
2. Heel lift squeeze (still holding one DB in each hand with legs wide and toes turned out, lower into plie squat and hold isometrically, raise one heel while also pulling same side elbow behind ribs, alternate sides)
3. Curtsy & tuck (hold one DB in one hand, extend DB straight overhead while doing a step back curtsy/cross-back lunge, when you raise out of lunge raise knee out to side while bringing elbow of arm holding DB down to thigh)
4. Repeat #3 on other side of body
5. Squat & front raise (stand holding one DB in each hand, lower into squat while also doing a double arm straight arm front raise, lower DBs when you return to standing)
6. Repeat #1-5

30 second rest

Circuit 3:

1. Bicycle chest press (lay on back with a DB in each hand and legs raised w/ knees bent at 90 degrees, push DBs to ceiling in a chest press while extending one leg straight so it is a few inches off the mat, when you lower DBs return leg to 90 degrees, alternate legs) (25# DBs)
2. Roll up and lift (lay on back with legs extended straight on floor, hold one DB in both hands, arms are extended overhead, do a full sit up, keeping arms straight and leading with DB, when you are sitting upright w/ DB/arms extended straight in front of you, raise DB to ceiling, reverse motion lowering back to start) (one 15# DB)
3. Glute bridge & press (bridges w/ skull crushers=lay on back with knees bent and heels close to glutes, hold one DB in each hand, DBs are beside ears with elbows pointing to ceiling, lift hips into bridge while straightening arms and extending DBs to ceiling, arm between shoulder and elbow remains stationary) (12# DBs)
4. Loaded dead bug (lay on back, legs are raised w/ knees bent at 90 degrees and arms/DBs are extended straight to ceiling, lower one arm/DB overhead while also extending the opposite leg straight) (12# DBs)
5. Around the world crunch (lay on back with legs raised and knees bent at 90 degrees, hold one DB in each hand, extend arms/DBs overhead, as you crunch upper body extend arms out to sides so they meet behind thighs at top of crunch then extend arms back out to sides and overhead as you lower upper body, legs remain stationary the entire interval) (5# DBs)
6. Repeat #1-5

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