FIT IN TIME

Workouts for the on-the-go executive.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel
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Workouts for the on-the-go executive.

THE WORKOUT

01 Squat jumps (30s)

02 T-Push up (30s)

03 Side plank (30s)

04 Alt jumping lunges (30s)

05 Towel pull-ups/rows (30s)

This is an improvised version of the row exercise that you can perform at home, in the office or in your hotel room. Take a bath towel and spread it flat over the top of a door and shut the door tightly, ensuring that the towel is secured and firmly in place.

Incline your body at an angle so that your feet are facing the door, with your upper body leaning away as you hold onto the ends of the towel firmly with both hands. Focus on your upper body strength and pull yourself up in consistent row movements.

06 Front leaning rest into elbow/low plank (30s)

Repeat these 6 exercises in this sequence, 3 times, for a total of 15 minutes.

15sec breaks in between each exercise.

OVERVIEW

This workout is ideal for the jet-setting executive who shuffles between international meetings. Insufficient sleep paired with irregular mealtimes can result in you packing on the pounds quickly, if left unchecked. Apart from focusing on your core and entire upper and lower body, the routine will improve your overall strength, stamina and help reduce overall body fat. Designed to accommodate the office, hotel or home setting, this workout eliminates any excuse you have for not exercising, whether it’s just before you tuck into breakfast or in between meetings.

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THE WORKOUT

THE WARM-UP, 5MIN

01 Lizard stretch (30s per side)Assume a lunge position with your right knee forward while keeping arms on the inside of legs. Right knee should be slightly outside of right shoulder and palms should be directly below shoulders for good support. Lower left knee to ground. Keep chest up and shift weight forward to increase stretch.

02 Pigeon stretch (30s per side)Assume a downward dog position with your knees right below your hips and your hands slightly ahead of your shoulders. Bring right leg forward in a 90 degree angle - your right shin should be parallel to your hips – and lower torso into a seated position. Your left leg is fully extended behind you. Try to keep your spine long.

03 Glute bridge hold (30s) Repeat twice, for a total of 5min.

THE WORKOUT, 20MIN
01 Rows (30s)
02 Push-ups with T-rotation (30s)
03 Mountain climbers (30s)Assume a plank position with arms and legs stretched out. Tighten your abs and drive one knee towards the chest while alternating between both legs in quick succession. Adopt a “running” momentum to ensure effectiveness of workout.
04 Rest (60s)
05 Bodyweight squat (30s)
06 Reverse lunge (30s)

07 Burpees (30s)08 Rest (60s) Repeat these 8 exercises in this sequence, 4 times, for a total of 20min.

THE COOL-DOWN, 5MIN
01 Pigeon stretch (30s per side)
02 Quad stretch (30s per side)
03 Lat stretch (30s per side)
04 Chest stretch (30s per side)

05 Deep breathing (60s) 

OVERVIEW
Whether its long-haul or short-haul trips abroad, travelling regularly can take its toll on your body. Different time zones, varying weather conditions and constantly shuttling between cities can affect both your posture and health in the long run. This routine will help you work on the areas that usually tighten up from too much air travel (the hip and shoulder girdles) and activate the postural muscles that sometimes become inactive from too much sitting. On the performance front, it will help you train your heart and lung capacity for endurance activity and fend off the lethargy associated with travelling. Specifically intended for a full-body perk-up, it exercises the entire body: upper (back, chest, shoulders, arms, core) and lower (glutes, thighs, calves).
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A TYPICAL SESSION AT F45

CLASS INTRO, 5MIN

Heads-up of the workout sessions, together with detailed demonstrations of all the exercises by the trainer WARM-UP, 5MIN

High knees, glute stretches, push-ups and hip thrusters

THE WORKOUT, 35MIN

9 exercises set up across 3 “pods”. Each pod has 3 exercises.

POD 1
EXERCISE 1: Battle rope slams (4 x 20s on, 10s off)
EXERCISE 2: Lateral jumps over hurdle (4 x 20s on, 10s off)

EXERCISE 3: Rip 60 plyometric lunges (4 x 20s on, 10s off)

Plyometric lungesStand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step forward with your right foot. Begin exercise by lowering body down until your forward thigh (right thigh) is parallel to the ground and back knee is almost touching the ground. As soon as you reach this point, “explode” back up as high as you can off the ground. Land softly on your feet with a bend in your knees, immediately drop back down into a lunge and “explode” back up. Repeat movement while alternating between legs.Repeat above for 2 laps and proceed to Pods 2 and 3.1min water break between each pod. Pods 2 and 3 follow a similar time format but with 3 different exercises in each pod.

COOL-DOWN, 5MIN

Light full-body stretches

OVERVIEW
If a typical day at work entails having to attend decadent meals to seal the deal with a prospective client, this is a fitting workout. In addition to focusing on strength training, endurance and cardio, the best part about F45 has to be its focus on high intensity interval training, which is known to burn calories up to 48 hours after the session. Apart from this, the workout strengthens your ability to perform everyday activities, from being able to run after your child without losing your breath to being able to lift up a heavy box without spraining your back. Whether you are hoping to fit into an old pair of jeans or a runner who’s trying to up your game on the track, this is probably the gym to help you on your way.
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A TYPICAL SESSION AT THE FITNESS PROTOCOL
THE WARM-UP, 10MIN

Light full-body stretches

THE WORKOUT, 40MIN

01 Clean and Jerk, with kettlebell (Substitutes: barbell or dumb-bell)Firmly grip kettlebell by the handle with one hand. Raise and rest it on your upper chest, just below the collar bone, as you straighten your knees, rotating your wrist so the palm faces forward. Keeping your torso upright and bending the knees, swing the bell between your legs. Immediately straighten your knees and bring the bell back to resting position on your shoulder. Dip knees. Jump while raising the kettlebell overhead in a 12 o’clock position to a lockout, using your body’s momentum to move the weight. Bring the bell back to resting position on your shoulder.100 reps per arm with proper technique observed.

THE COOL-DOWN, 10MIN

Light full-body stretches

OVERVIEW
If you spend a large chunk of time entertaining clients, you would be familiar with the strain of having to maintain a public image, despite feeling fatigued. This workout will not only help to improve your stamina to last you through long days, but also help transform you into a lean, mean fighting machine. Minimalism is the name of the game at The Fitness Protocol where workouts are focused on technique and deliverance more than anything else. Like the kettlebell Clean and Jerk session, most of the workouts here concentrate on compound exercises, which focus on minimal movements while benefiting as many muscles as possible. The Clean and Jerk session might seem unassuming on paper, but it works on every muscle group in the body, enhancing muscular power and burning fat in the process.