Renegade HIIT Training

Today’s workout is a high-intensity interval challenge with the addition of a high-skill movement called the "Renegade Row." This is a fantastic movement that requires core strength, coordination, and balance and becomes even more challenging under the fatigue generated by the cardiovascular endurance movements.

Although most of the work you will do in this workout is with the row/bike and the burpees, your score is determined by how many repetitions of the Renegade Row you can complete over the 5 rounds.

Why is this workout great for mid-life women?

• Heart health - HIIT training is well-known for its cardiovascular benefits. The shorter duration of this workout allows for these benefits without over-training.
• Metabolic health - This workout moves your body from head to toe! When your muscles are working, they are utilizing blood sugar and burning fat which favorably impacts body composition. The complexity of these movements promotes neuroendocrine adaptation: A phenomenon that can be your end-run around your changing hormones.
• Joint health - The Renegade Row targets shoulder stability and strength helping to stabilize joints that are challenged by changing tendons, ligaments, and rotator cuff muscles in response to the changing hormones of perimenopause and menopause.
• Bone density - The burpee is a plyometric movement that can help stimulate your bones. When we jump, run or even just step, the bones respond to this mechanical stimulation in a way that can help mitigate the decline in bone density that is seen during mid-life with declining estrogen.

So what are y’all waiting for? Let’s start this week off on your way to a fitter, faster, stronger you!

Warm Up

3-5 minutes of easy jog, row, or bike.

AMRAP 6 minutes (As many rounds of the 3 movements in 6 minutes) Perform each movement in sequence for as many times as possible at low to moderate intensity on a 6 minute clock. Remember: This is the warm-up!

• 6 up - downs
• 12 mountain climbers (Right + left = 1 repetition)
• 6 Plank Shoulder taps

Movement Practice

Take 5-10 minutes to select your options for the workout. The goal stimulus is to be at an RPE (Rate of perceived exertion) of 8-10/10 for the full 3 minutes. There is 1:30 of rest between rounds.

Movement options:

• The ideal cardio choice is the row or the bike. If neither of these are accessible to you, running is an excellent substitute. Modify the distances to whatever you can achieve in ~1:30 at RPE of 8-9 out of 10. 
• If neither cardio options are accessible to you, 18 sumo deadlift kettlebell high pulls using light weight is an excellent option.
• For the burpees, you can substitute up-downs. Adjust the number of repetitions to what you can do in ~ 1 minute at an RPE of 8-9. After the burpees you should have about 30 seconds left to do the renegade rows.
• For the renegade row, use light-moderate dumbbell weight where you can perform repetitions continuously for about 30 seconds. If dumbbells are not available, you can substitute plank shoulder taps (from the knees or toes).

Workout

Every 3:00 x 5 rounds (rest for 1:30 after each round)

• 18-calorie row / bike or 400-meter run
• 12 burpees
• Maximum renegade rows in the remaining time until the end of the 3 minute interval.

Rest 1:30

Score: Total number of renegade rows.

Cool Down

If there is ever a day when deliberate recovery is in order, it’s today! I did this workout last week, as written, and it left me wondering what just happened.

Jumpstart your recovery with this 20-minute restorative yoga sequence by Five Parks. #dontskiptheyoga