CROSS-CONDITIONING BODYWEIGHT TRAINING
Could there be one program for all fitness levels that covers every element of strength, mobility, and cardio-vascular conditioning? That was the question I tried to answer for a charity bootcamp that we did at my church to raise money for our mission trip to Kenya. I knew that we would have a large crowd so it needed to be simple, yet effective for the more advanced attendees. The results and feedback were amazing so this program made it into a 4-week cycle with all of our bootcamps. I’m pleased to share it with Faith & Fitness Magazine readers. Print this article so that you can keep the listed six rounds of exercise handy and make your own personal notes. View the video from your mobile device wherever you exercise – your gym, home, outside park, church, workplace or when you are traveling. I invite you to add a comment at the end of this article to share your thoughts and experiences with others.
30×4 (30 to the power of 4) is a 30 minute program of 30 different exercises performed for 30 seconds each with only 30 seconds of rest between each exercise. There are 6 rounds of 5 different “targets”:
– Upper Body Strength – Lower Body Strength – Mobility – Core – Cardio blasts
30×4 follow-along video tutorial
Use this 30×4 follow-along video tutorial from the Faith & Fitness Magazine YouTube Playlist. I shot it on location at one of our bootcamps.
1. Upper Body Strength – 1.5 Push-ups 2. Lower Body Strength- Squat/Hold/Jump 3. Mobility – Inchworm 4. Core – Plank 5. Cardio -Jumping Jack
6. Upper Body Strength-Push-up Jacks 7. Lower Body Strength- Single-leg lunge 8. Mobility – Full-body circles 9. Core – Russian Twists 10. Cardio – Mountain Climbers
11. Upper Body Strength– Spider Push-ups 12. Lower Body Strength– Other Single-Leg Lunge 13. Mobility – Exaggerated Bear Crawl 14. Core – Reverse Trunk Twists 15. Cardio – Defensive slides (3yd . course)
16. Upper Body Strength– Scorpion Push-ups 17. Lower Body Strength– Alternating Lateral lunges 18. Mobility – Single-leg RDL and reach 19. Core – Knee-Tuck Hip Thrusters 20. Cardio- Star Jumps
21. Upper Body Strength – Thread the Needle Push-ups 22. Lower Body Strength – Squat and Reach 23. Mobility – Rotational toe-touches 24. Core – Dollies 25. Cardio – Speed Skaters
26. Upper Body Strength – Rolling Push-ups 27. Lower Body Strength – Speed Lunges 28. Mobility – Hip abductions with internal/ext. rotations 29. Core – Straight-leg raises (slow flutter kicks) 30. Cardio – Burpees
You’ve now done 30 exercises in 30 minutes.
Our title asked if this could this be the best bodyweight training program ever. The answer is no. The obvious problem is too many push-ups and not enough pulling activities. If you are able to do this near pull-up bars or have something (staircase, strong table, etc) that you can hang under for body-weight rows, I recommend subbing them in on rounds two and four. But this might be the best bodyweight program that has no limitations to space or equipment requirements.
SPEAKING OF NO SPACE LIMITATIONS…
We often discuss with our clients that you don’t need a gym to have a great workout and you don’t need a church to experience God’s love. Almost all of my best workouts have been outside with just a few implements and with friends in a positive, hard working environment. Same goes for my spiritual health. Almost all of my most profound “God moments” have happened on mission trips with our youth group or with our adult Sunday School class on service projects. I view church attendance as my “maintenance plan” to recharge and refocus for the week ahead. I view mission trips as the time that God will speak to me the most and I know that I will see His love in action.
My thoughts about my 2012 10-day trip to Kenya might surprise you. I am serving others, but I’m receiving way more than I offer. I have heard about the faith of the people with whom we will be working …it is humbling. Maybe that is what I need right now, to be humbled in my faith. Instead of having all of the answers as a leader on a mission trip, maybe I need to ask a few more questions, and be quiet and listen.
Be open to learning and exploring with the 30 challenges I have presented to you and take them with you this summer when you go the beach or other vacation spots.
Live with Strength! – Jason Rhymer, Faith & Fitness Magazine Training Department Editor
