This 15-Minute 'Odd Object' Workout Will Rebuild Strength and Muscle, Fast
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With UK gyms making preparations to start reopening a soon as they are given the green light so to do, now is the time to start rebuilding the out-and-out strength you've lost as an unavoidable casualty of the war of bodyweight workouts that has so far defined lockdown.
This session calls for a heavy object of some kind that you can drop and throw around a bit. If you're lucky enough to have a D-ball then you're ready to go. Otherwise, make yourself a sandbag (here's how), grab a bag of the compost you bought in a rush of grow-your-own zeal, or fill a duffle bag with anything weighty and, crucially, unbreakable.
For each exercise below, push for as many reps as you can in one minute. Perform the entire circuit five times for a strength-building, lung-searing protocol that takes only a quarter of an hour. Grip it and rip it.
1A) Object Over Bar, max reps in 60sec
Keep your back straight as you bend down to grip your chosen object in both hands. Lift it to your chest and rest it on your thighs (A). Now, stand up explosively and push it over a bar, set above chest height (B). A broomstick wedged into a tree or bush works just as well. Duck underneath and repeat on the other side. Go hard for a minute, then rest for 60 seconds.
1B) Bear Hug Carry, max 20m lengths in 60sec
Lift the object back up, but this time hug it as tightly as possible to your chest (A). Take long, powerful steps forward and focus on breathing steadily and deeply (B). Don’t worry if you drop it: just pick it up and continue from where you left off until the minute is up. Then, take another 60 seconds’ rest.
1C) Object Over Shoulder, max reps in 60sec
Grip the thing again with a straight back (A) and lift it to your chest, resting it on your thighs. Power upward and roll it over one shoulder to the floor (B). Turn around and repeat for 60 seconds, then take two minutes’ rest. You’ll need it since you’ll then start from the top for four more rounds.
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