The training style of personal trainer and army veteran Erik Bartell combines high intensity with functional whole body strength and fitness. If you haven't tried one of his live classes on the M&F Instagram page every Tuesday and Thursday morning, you'll understand what he means after completing this full body punisher.
“Remember, even if you're getting it right, you don't always feel like you are in the best shape of your life every time you work out,” he says. "So give yourself grace." Additional Bartell training programs can be found at www.erikbartell.com.
Erik Bartell's full body explosion workout
Warm up: Do steady state cardio (running, rowing, etc.) for 3 minutes.
Primer:
- Inchworms to World’s Greatest Stretch (6 reps)
- Alternating reverse lunge (10 reps)
- Alternating forward lunge (10 reps)
- Alternating Side Lunge (10 reps)
- Y-raises (10 reps)
Conditioning:
- AMRAP * x 10 min.
- Sandbag Sprawl to Squat (10 reps)
- KB swing (10 repetitions)
- Sandbag Alt. Over the shoulder (10 reps)
Strength training: (Rest 2 minutes between sets)
- Glute Bridge according to Alt.DB Floor Press (3 sets, 10 reps) Superset with bench lying DB Row (3 sets, 10 reps)
- (Rest 2 minutes between sets)
- Kettlebell Rack Bulgarian Split Squat (3 sets, 10 reps) Superset with trap bar deadlifts (3 sets, 10 reps)
Paver:
- Parallette push-up (1 min.)
- Chop with tornado ball seat (1 min.)
- Slide slide (1 min.)
Exercise Instructions:
Courtesy Erik Bartell
Slide slide:
- Functions: Full body
- How it goes: Grasp the arms of a loaded sled with both hands in a neutral position. Keeping your body at an angle of or about 45 degrees, propping up your core, and keeping your arms outstretched as you use your legs to ride the sled.
Courtesy Erik Bartell
Parallel pushups:
- Functions: Chest, triceps, shoulders
- How it goes: Grasp the parallets with a neutral grip a little wider than shoulder width apart. Your body should be in a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders. Squeeze your abs as tight as you can and keep them tense throughout the exercise. Lower your body until your chest sinks under the bars, then push yourself back to the starting position.
Courtesy Erik Bartell
One-armed kettlebell swing
- Functions: Back chain, core, quads
- How it goes: Position the kettlebell between your feet. Push back with your bum and bend your knees to grab the KB. Your back should be flat when you are looking straight ahead. Lift the KB off the floor and swing it vigorously up between your legs. Try to keep your arm straight throughout the movement.
Courtesy Erik Bartell
Tornado Ball seated chop
- Functions: Trunk, biceps
- How it goes: Sit on the floor with your feet in front of you while you hold a tornado ball. Keeping the rope taut as you chop back and forth from side to side, twisting your torso in the direction the ball hits the ground.
Courtesy Erik Bartell
Squat sandbag sprawl:
- Functions: Full body
- How it goes: Hold a sandbag in front of you. Place it on the floor with both hands, hang it by your hips, and jump back with both feet so that you land in a plank position. Hop up your feet, row the sandbag against your chest, and twist your wrists to slide the sandbag up and over your head so it gently rests on your traps. Do a squat, explosively sliding the bag up and over your head. This is a repetition.
Courtesy Erik Bartell
Deadlift with trap bar
- Functions: Full body
- How it goes: Stand in the center of a loaded hex bar and crouch to grab the handles. In the starting position, your thighs should be just above the floor and your torso should be bent forward at about a 45-degree angle. Propel your heels through the floor as you extend at your knees and hips to achieve a fully upright position, then slow down
