Alexa Towersey’s resistance training workout

Resistance training targets the full body with particular emphasis on the posterior chain and core for both strength and physique shape and allows you to work towards YOUR own objective by having targeted options with both your rep range and load.

 

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It also provides exercises designed to challenge your grip, in addition to providing some of the progressions needed to achieve a pull-up.

The HIIT component is representative of Jenna’s ALL IN program. It is designed to challenge your strength, power, coordination and overall fitness, with the metabolic requirement of high reps, moderate load and minimal rest raising your heart rate as quickly as possible and keeping it elevated for up to 36 hours post workout.

The active rest and recovery component is highly recommended – not only as a stress management tool, but also to allow you enough time between workouts so that you can perform at your best. For both increased fat loss and muscle repair, in addition to supporting all the detoxification channels that may have been overworked over the holidays, I recommend power walking, foam rolling, infrared sauna and epsom salts baths.  Supplementing with a pharmaceutical-grade magnesium is also suggested.

 

This workout consists of a standalone EMOM, followed by two supersets.

EMOM stands for ‘every minute on the minute’. The beauty of this format is that you can structure the rep range and load of the EMOM to target your own specific goals.

If you’re an advanced lifter, know your one rep max (1RM), and if you want to opt for pure strength and no advance in muscle size, aim for three reps with an exertion level of 8/10.

If you’re a beginner to intermediate lifter and want to aim for more strength and minimal size, aim for five reps and an exertion level of 6–7/10.

If you’re a beginner lifter and prefer to stick to lighter weights for form OR you want to aim for fat loss with a little lean muscle gain, then aim for 10 reps with an exertion level of 5/10. You should be able to complete all 10 reps for all 10 sets at the same weight – so don’t be a hero by trying to go too heavy!

Perform each exercise for the reps/time that are prescribed.  Where there is a superset [e.g. C1 & C2], perform the exercises one after the other with no rest in between. After you have completed the superset, rest 30 seconds. Complete three to five rounds before moving on to the next superset. To progress these workouts, you can increase the load (heavier weights), the time under tension (slow it down), and/or the volume (add a set each week).

NOTE: you should never sacrifice FORM for load, time or volume.

 

 

Model: Alexa Towersey (@actionalexa)

 

Photography: Jason Lee // @jasonminilee

Location: 98 Riley Street Gym // 98gym.com // @98rileystgym

Wearing: styling by StyleRunner // @stylerunner

 

Alexa wears: Top by Heroine Sport, tights by Lilybod

 


 

 

A1

Barbell Glute Bridge EMOM – goal-dependent rep range (3,5 or 10). Complete required amount of reps every minute on the minute for 10 minutes (so 10 sets in total).

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Feet need to be set up in line with the sit bones: so align the hip bone, knee and 2/3rd toe. Place a towel or mat across the front of the hips underneath the barbell.  Drive your hips up to the ceiling, squeezing the glutes. Keep a slight posterior pelvic tilt throughout to make sure you are using the glutes rather than the lower back. If you struggle to engage the glutes, pop a band around your knees, lift the toes and even turn your feet slightly out.

 

NOTE: 2 mins rest after EMOM to start first superset

 

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B1

10 x barbell romanian deadlift into bent-over row

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Feet hip-distance apart, hold the bar in front of your thighs. Pin the shoulders back and keep them set throughout.  The RDL part of the movement is initiated by a hip hinge (imagine you’re shutting a car door with your butt) – as your hips go back, the upper body naturally comes forward.  Come to a position where your upper body is almost parallel with the floor, then perform the bent-over row, pulling to the bottom rib with elbows squeezing in. Drive through the heels to come up and squeeze the glutes at the top.

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NOTE: If you struggle to keep your shoulders back throughout, you can perform this movement with an underhand grip.

 


 

 

B2

30-sec dead hang

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With hands just wider than shoulder distance, hang from a pull-up bar using an overhand grip. Note: make sure you wrap your thumb around the bar and focus on gripping hard. Let your shoulders shrug up to your ears.

NOTE: Rest 2 mins before next superset

 


 

 

C1

10 x rack hold step-ups

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Hold two kettlebells in front of the body with the inside of your wrists touching.  Plant your top foot on a box and focus on engaging your glutes and hamstrings to pull you up through the heel, as opposed to pushing too much with the bottom leg. Keep the top leg elevated for all of the reps, then switch sides.   

 

 


 

C2

10 x knee tucks

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Set yourself up in a plank position with your shins and the top of your feet on a Swissball, hands directly underneath the shoulders. Initiate the movement from the lower abs by lifting your hips towards the ceiling as you draw your knees in towards your chest.  Lower with control and repeat. To avoid dropping through the lower back, keep your glutes tight and your abdominals drawn in to the spine throughout.

 

 

 

 

 

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