Posts Tagged ‘hirt’

How to do Wall Balls

Friday, July 9th, 2010
Wall Balls
Wall Balls

Wall Balls is a silly name for an exercise, I know, but that’s what you get when you borrow exercises from Crossfit. In fact, Wall Balls are a great conditioning exercise that builds full body stamina and endurance. It will also make you sweat.

This is an exercise that integrates perfectly into a high intensity interval training (HIRT) circuit, and can also be used to build high intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions, but do not translate that well into Tabata training.

Wall Balls also can be used separately as a full body conditioning exercise by attempting to complete X reps as fast as possible, or by attempting to complete as many reps as possible in a set time limit. Either way, it burns!

Medicine Ball Training

Medicine ball training has been around for a long time, and in fact they were used frequently at gyms back in the 18th and 19th centuries. Ancient (3000+ years ago) wrestlers and other athletes used to train with various sand-filled implements, which evolved over time into the medicine ball.

The standard medicine ball is a weighted rubber ball measuring roughly 14 inches in diameter, although sizes vary greatly nowadays as you can get a medicine ball from the size of your fist to the size of your body.

Used in a wide variety of fitness programs, medicine balls can be benched, rowed, curled, pressed, squatted, tossed, caught, bounced, squished, and generally manhandled all for the sake of fitness.

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40 Minute Abdominal Workout

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

This is a 40 minute abdominal circuit. I also refer to this type of workout as a HIRT routine.

Warm-Up

5 minutes of non-stop kickboxing combinations, jump rope, or calisthenics

Circuit 1

Try to perform this abdominal circuit at least four times in a 5 minute time period without resting between exercises or sets. You should attempt to complete the required reps for each set before moving onto the next exercise. When you finish the last exercise, start at the top again until your time is up.

Once the first 5 minute circuit is up, rest for 2 minutes, then repeat this circuit again.

Gauge your progress by counting the number of circuits you can complete in 5 minutes.

  1. Windshield wipers (or Russian twist holding a medicine ball if you can’t handle it) – 10 wipes or twists
  2. Sit-ups with medicine ball on chest – 20 sit ups
  3. Flutter kicks – 40 total kicks

Circuit 2

Try to perform this abdominal circuit at least four times in a 5 minute time period without resting between exercises or sets. You should attempt to complete the required reps for each set before moving onto the next exercise. When you finish the last exercise, start at the top again until your time is up.

Once the first 5 minute circuit is up, rest for 2 minutes, then repeat this circuit again.

Gauge your progress by counting the number of circuits you can complete in 5 minutes.

  1. Crunches with punches: throw a punch past your opposite knee with each crunch – 30 crunches
  2. The Captain’s Chair (vertical leg raise) – 10 leg raises
  3. Ab wheel roll outs to the left, straight, right, repeat – 15 roll outs (5 at each angle)

Cool Down

5 minutes of non-stop kickboxing combinations, jump rope, or calisthenics

Stretch for at least 5 minutes.

A Killer HIRT Circuit by CrossFit’s Willie Albert

Friday, February 12th, 2010

At a body weight of 180 lbs, Willie Albert of Iron Will Strength and Fitness in Ottawa Ontario Canada performs 10 total rounds of barbell back squat with 445 lbs, standing military press with 135 lbs, and barbell deadlift with 425 lbs. He was attempting to complete this circuit for time and finished in 4:35.

For all you math geniuses, that would be a total of 10500 lbs of work in less than 5 minutes. He’s not lifting elite powerlifting numbers, but to complete 10 rounds of this in 4 and a half minutes is impressive to me. I bet if he were going for a 1 rm, he’d be squatting and pulling in the 600s, and would be shoulder pressing 200+.

Keep reading to view his video…

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Hardcore Circuit Training for Men

Friday, January 8th, 2010

Hardcore Circuit Training for Men (and Women)

Hardcore Circuit Training for Men
Hardcore Circuit Training for Men

Chohwora Udu & Jim McHale are the Authors of Hardcore Circuit Training for Men, which is available at SportsWorkout.com and bookstores nationwide.

Special Project Swole discount:
Use coupon code HCCT to get 15% off the cover price!
Click here to order.

My Review

I posted an article written by the authors of the book Hardcore Circuit Training for Men the other day, called Losing Weight with Circuit Training. Since then I found my copy of the book and finished looking through it.

Here is what I think:

First and foremost, despite the book’s title, this is not just a book for men. These circuits can be used and adapted by women and even kids. It can be used by weightlifters, triathlon athletes, regular athletes, MMA fighters, boxers, and pretty much anyone else who is looking to develop their conditioning.

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Lose that Holiday Weight Gain, the Circuit Training Way!

Monday, December 28th, 2009

Circuit Training for Fat Loss

Hardcore Circuit Training for Men
Hardcore Circuit Training for Men

Chohwora Udu & Jim McHale are the Authors of Hardcore Circuit Training for Men, which will be available at SportsWorkout.com and bookstores nationwide on January 1st.

Special Project Swole discount:
Use coupon code HCCT to get 15% off the cover price!
Click here to order.

I will actually be reviewing this book in a couple days. It seems pretty good so far.

Lose that Holiday Weight Gain, the Circuit Training Way!

By: Chohwora Udu & Jim McHale

Overindulging during the Holiday season is all too easy, we know from experience! Even the best intentions can get forgotten amongst all the different parties and generous portions.

So what happens in January when you want to shed those extra pounds? Back to the same old gym routine? Why not start the New Year with a new training philosophy – high intensity circuit training.

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What is HIRT (High Intensity Resistance Training) and How Should You Use It?

Friday, December 11th, 2009

What is High Intensity Resistance Training (HIRT)?

Originally written: November 20, 2009
Updated: December 11, 2009


Click Here to Browse the Table of Contents for This Post

High Intensity Resistance Training (HIRT) is essentially resistance training for fat loss, and like HIIT, it really is a big deal. HIRT training is the most effective way to increase your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), increase your Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption (EPOC), and burn calories at the same time.

When using HIRT you will execute several exercises together (sometimes called a super-set or giant-set), for a certain number of reps per set, for a certain number of minutes, without rest.

Along with HIIT, HIRT is a useful tool when avoiding endurance cardio while trying to lose fat, and it actually increases muscle mass more effectively than HIIT.

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