Monkey Muscles for Year of the Monkey
Happy Chinese New Year! As you probably already know, this year is the Year of the Monkey! Monkeys are my favorite animals, so it seems fitting that my CNY horoscope says that this year is going to be a great one for me!
Yesterday, to get myself ready for the Year of the Monkey, I decided to work on my “monkey muscles” at the gym. Think about which muscles a monkey uses when she walks or climbs, and I pretty much worked those muscles out yesterday afternoon!
It’s been a long time since I’ve done a tabata workout, so I thought I’d put this one together for all of us, and share with you my workout from yesterday! Enjoy!
Quick note: Consult with your doctor before starting any physical exercise activity. I am not a doctor or certified personal trainer. Do these exercises at your own risk!
Lex’s Monkey Muscles Workout
- First things first, I warmed myself up for 10 minutes with some cardio. This time, I used the row machine, as opposed to the trusty treadmill or elliptical. I really gave my monkey muscles a good burn! This was my first time using the row machine without any instructions from a trainer, and I was proud of myself for sucking it up and just giving it a whirl (literally).
- Next, I did my tabata workout (see image below). For a tabata workout, you perform each exercise for 20 seconds, with 10 seconds of rest. Once you finish the fourth exercise, you start back at the top and go through it again. The entire workout takes just 4 minutes, but they are supposed to be an intense four minutes! I used dumbbells for these exercise, but you can also use kettlebells for some of the exercise, or just your body weight.
- Next on the menu was a 10-minute ab workout, which I’ll share with you soon!
- Finally, I did a 10-minute cool down on the treadmill, and foam rolled/stretched myself out. Of course I took an amazing shower afterwards, and sat in the sauna for a few minutes.