Easy Tough Workouts

Although I sometimes train clients who have ridiculous (-ly enviable) home gyms setups, I don't have much in the way of a home gym myself. No bench, no bars, no weight plates. We just don't have the space indoors for a tricked-out setup, and I'm a little too vain about my back yard to fill it full of junkyard "strongman" gear (my wife might have a thing or two to say about that as well) either, though I do have fantasies of getting some old tires and concrete to chuck around back there.

I also enjoy the gym environment, even, yes, the much-reviled commercial gym vibe. As misguided as many of the members are, as much as they might curl in the squat rack and perform body part splits consisting of biceps on Mondays and triceps on Tuesdays, as much as they might preen and shout and do lots of machine work, I like being around people who are trying to get healthier, stronger, bigger, better. It makes me feel like one of the brotherhood, albeit a slightly older, hopefully wiser, brother. So I'll schlep a few blocks to a gym rather than overload my living space with fitness flotsam.

However, as last week's video suggests, I'm not adverse to having a few gee-gaws around. I like a few toys here and there, and I like being able to put together a killer workout in no time flat, go out into my back yard and slam it out when I can't get to the gym or just want to squeeze some nature-time into my desk-and-gym-bound existence. In the vid I talked about the medicine ball, the reaction ball, and the foam roller. I also have a heavy bag and gloves, a jump rope, a TRX, some athletic marking cones, and a 35-pound kettlebell. With apologies to non-West coasters, the weather's been nice lately, so on days when I don't hit the gym I'll just lay out some of my toys in the yard, invent a circuit, and go to town. Here's one I did yesterday:

Jump Rope, 100 revolutions

Medicine Ball Throwdown, 20 reps

Heavy Bag, 150 punches in 2, 3, or 4 punch combinations

TRX Body Row, 15 reps

Kettlebell Snatch, 5/arm

Reaction Ball Bounce, 20 reps

27" box jump (onto stairs), 10 reps

Feet-Elevated Pushup, 15 reps

I went through the above circuit five times, timing myself as I went along and trying to get faster with each subsequent round. I was done--and soaking with sweat--in about a half-hour.

The beauty of this workout was its speed, its accessibility, and, no small thing, how FUN it was. Eight movements done in quick succession over and over keeps you guessing. You don't zone out. And if you're pushing for speed at all times, it's exhausting in the best way.

Obviously there are a million combinations of body-weight and minimal-equipment moves you can string together to create a conditioning workout like this one--including agility drills that I'm avoiding at present due to my knee injury--but you get the idea: get some toys, put them in an open space--preferably outside--and crash about for a half-hour or so.

Not rocket science, but extremely enjoyable and effective nonetheless.