Perfect Fitness Daily Workout Blog

“Maxim”ize your fitness with a Perfect Fitness workout that was featured in the February 2010 issue of Maxim magazine. They were looking for a do anywhere workout with explosive power. Who better than a former U.S. Navy SEAL — and Perfect Fitness CEO Alden Mills — to rise to the challenge. Do you want to get shredded and build speed? Here’s what you need: a do anywhere workout that will maximize your results. 

 Do three sets of each exercise.  Rest no more than 30 seconds between sets.

The Rocket Launch

Squat down, then jump up.  At the top, reach arms and legs out wide.  That’s one.  Do 15.  Warning:  You’ll look like a not very hetero male cheerleader.  Face-punch any clowners.

The About-Face

Stand with feet shoulder width apart.  Jump up, rotating body 180 degrees.  That’s one.  Repeat for 60 seconds.  If you get dizzy and sick, quit crying and keep going, maggot!

The Bullet Dodge

Balance on right leg, Clench abs.  Explode up and to the left, landing on the left leg.  Now jump right.  Do 20.  For instant pain squeals, perform while holding a medicine ball.

The Dash ‘N’ Puke

Place two markers 15 yards apart.  Start at one and sprint to the second, leaning down to touch it while you change directions.  Sprint back to the starting line.  Vomit.  Do 10.

Find somewhere outdoors where you can do pullups

Here in the Bay Area (where Perfect Fitness HQ is located), we’ve been plagued with some extended “June and July Gloom” this summer.  But the mercury is finally starting to rise and in celebration of hotter days to come, we are taking our workouts outside this week. 

Find a park or other public place equipped with a chin-up bar and a bench, grab some running shoes, and you are on your way.

Equipment: 

• Chin up bar
• Park bench
• Recommended: watch or timer

Start with a 10-minute jog to warm up.  Ideally, if the park is located within 10 minutes of your house, you can jog there and back. 

Perform the following sequence of movements 2-3 times. If needed, perform some easy squats, shoulder rolls, and other dynamic stretches to loosen up any tight body parts before beginning. 

1. Pull-up – as many as you can in 30 seconds 

*if you struggle to complete one pull-up, perform negative pull-ups instead, or find a low bar (parallel bars work great) and perform Australian pull-ups. 

2. Step ups – using park bench or other sturdy object, step up explosively, slowly and controlled step back down and repeat for 30 seconds on each leg (total: 1 min) 

3. Hanging knee raise – Hang onto chin up bar and activate core by pulling navel into spine. Perform as many continuous knee raises as possible with good form (no swinging), up to 15 repetitions. 

4. Side travelling push-up: perform a regular pushup. At the top of the movement, walk right arm and right foot to the right, left side following. Perform another pushup then walk to the left. Repeat walking to each side 10-12 times. 

5. Sprint/jog – find a lawn or other area where you can run for 100M straight. Sprint for 10 seconds out, then jog back to start. Repeat six times. 

Cool down jog for 10 minutes.

This is one of our favorite short (but intense) workouts so we are featuring it again!  Don’t be intimidated if it seems TOO intense–you can always modify the movements to suit your fitness level.  Just remember to push yourself for the whole 10 minutes.  You’ll feel so good after!

The Sweat-in-10 Workout
This week, try swapping one of your hour long battles in the gym with this ten minute workout, designed to have you break a sweat and work your entire body in less time than two commercial breaks on TV.

Instructions: Make sure your body is warmed up before starting. Try to perform the following sequence of movements, without stopping, two times in ten minutes. As always, listen to your body; if you feel you are not getting enough oxygen or are compromising your form, take rests as needed.
Equipment:

• Perfect Pullup (or chin-up bar)
• Watch or stopwatch

*Optional – Perfect Pushup

1. Pushup – complete 8 pushups, rotation optional. After the 8^th pushup, hold in the down position for 8 counts. Make sure to keep breathing through the hold.  Repeat pattern one minute.

Hold in down position

2. High knees – from a standing position, Lift knees as high toward chest as possible while running in place as fast as you can for one minute.

3. Narrow chin-up –position hands slightly narrower than shoulder width. If you are using Perfect Pullup, face palms toward each other to start and rotate palms inward to face your body in the up position; if using chin-up bar, hold hands in chin-up position. Complete as many pull-ups as you can in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.

4. 8 count body-builder – Lower hands to regular push up position. Kick both legs out to push up position. Conduct one pushup. Open legs shoulder width in a single motion. Close legs in a single motion. Use abdominals to pull both knees up to hands. Repeat for one minute.

5. Side plank – lie on your left side with left elbow directly under left shoulder, legs extended. Lift body off ground, forming a straight line from head to feet. Hold position 30-seconds. Repeat on right side.

Rest for 30 seconds, then repeat sequence. For an added challenge, try the 10-minute workout twice over the course of one day.

Teammates,

You have made it to the third and final week of your first 21-day challenge! Three weeks is a generally accepted length of time required to establish a habit, so give yourself some credit for taking steps towards lasting behavior change.

Week 3 introduces chair pushups, so the intensity is going to heat up. As always, make sure that you listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, or is causing you pain, modify the workout. It’s not worth getting hurt!

Day 15:

1 pushup regular
1 pushup regular chair
2 pullup
2  tricep dip with knee lift
1 ab ripper oblique
1 leg bridge

Day 16:

15 min cardio: interval 2
1 squat wide
1 squat single leg
1 lunge with balance
1 lunge
1 ab ripper
1 leg bridge

Day 17:

1 pushup regular – chair
1 prisoner pullup
1 standing row
1  tricep dip with knee lift
1 ab ripper oblique
1 leg bridge

Day 18:

20 min cardio:  cycle outdoor
1 squat regular
1 lunge with balance
1 ab ripper
1 leg bridge

Day 19:

1 pushup close
1 australian pullup
1 tricep extension
1 ab ripper oblique
1 leg bridge

Day 20:

REST or 20 min cardio (your choice)

Day 21: 

RETEST YOUR MAX
pushup regular
pullup
dip
ab ripper
squat

Congratulations on completing your first week of the 21-Day Push-Pull-Dip Challenge!

Here is the plan for Week 2:

Day 8:

1 pushup regular
1 australian pullup
1 prisoner pullup
1 tricep extension
1 ab ripper oblique
1 leg bridge

Day 9:

20 min cardio: hill repeats
1 squat regular
1 lunge with knee up
1 ab ripper
1 leg bridge

Day 10:

1 pushup wide
1 pullup
1 tricep dip
1 tricep extension
1 ab ripper oblique
1 leg bridge

Day 11:

20 min cardio: cycle outdoor
1 squat wide
1 lunge
1 lunge with knee up
1 ab ripper
1 leg bridge

Day 12:

1 pushup close
1 australian pullup
1 prisoner pullup
1 tricep extension
1 ab ripper oblique
1 leg bridge

Day 13:

20 min cardio: hike
1 squat single leg
1 squat regular
1 lunge
1 ab ripper
1 leg bridge

Day 14:

Rest
Stay fired up, and to connect with others who are taking the 21-Day Push-Pull-Dip Challenge, check out our Facebook fan page.

The Perfect Multi-Gym in use for wide-grip pullups