Ultimate Fat Burning Ski and Sport Workout

Stephanie Levinson - The Ultimate Fat Burning Ski and Sport Workout

Have you ever wanted to do a functional metabolic workout that has a sporty flair and uses a medicine ball while working on balance and core work? That is what this workout is and it does it all in 3 short workouts.

Menu: You can pick Play All or Pick a Class which let you choose any 3 of the workouts. Each workout is 25 minutes in length.

Equipment: You need light dumbbells (see note below), mat, medicine ball (or you can use a dumbbell), and a step.

Weights: For weights I would not use anything too heavy, there are a lot of challenging moves and sometimes you are moving fairly fast through the moves, so anywhere from 3-6 pounds would be heavy enough.

Music: Fairly motivating fast paced style of music which mostly plays in the background. I was pretty focused on listening to the instructor and on keeping good form, so I did not notice the music a lot. There is slightly slower jazzy music that plays towards the end of one workout. In another workout there was a more club sounding type music that had a siren sound to it. Again, I did not notice the music that much, but some might find it bothersome at times.

Background: This video takes place outside with scenery of rocks and trees.

Noise: There is some background noise from it being outside which sounds like roadway or highway noise.

Instructor: She is really motivating, makes you want to finish each move and progress in the workout. You can tell that she knows her stuff and is aware of really good form. She gives lots of instruction on proper form during the workout. If she offered classes near me, I would be attending them, I am sure these would be really great in person.

Type of Workout: This is a functional fitness workout that works the entire body, but particularly focuses on the core and balance. I would also consider this a metabolic workout, especially the second workout that consisted of agility drills in a HIIT style. Stephanie mentions that the moves in the workout mimic athlete's moves found in sports such as skiing. The third workout focuses on the core and includes stretching.

Note: Between some of the exercises there is a slight break where instruction or form pointers are given, but nothing that slows down the workout tremendously or breaks up the flow of the workout.

Warm-Ups: The first two workouts begin with a warm-up that is integrated into the workout so it is hard to tell where the warm-up begins and ends.

Workout 1: Strength and Balance - 25 minutes

Equipment needed for Workout 1: Dumbbells, step, and medicine ball.

-step up on step with weights and then lift weights over head (shoulder press) while lifting knee up

-squat two steps to each side while holding weights (on floor)

-stepping side to side while doing shoulder rolls

-step onto step and lift one leg up towards the back while lifting weights up into shoulder press

-lunge position on step with one leg (static), then do shoulder raises with weights (raising arms out on each side)

-from step, lunge each leg back to floor, alternating from side to side (left, right, left, right) while holding weights out in front like you would hold ski poles

-lunge position on step with other leg (static) and do shoulder raises out to sides again while holding weights

-squat on step (facing sideways) with legs together, then hop down to one side of step and squat on ground, then go back up to step to squat together on bench, and then back to other side and squat on ground (this is supposed to be mimicking movements you would do in skiing), she does this with weights but suggests doing it without weights if it is too challenging - this move raises heart rate a lot

-straddle step and squat down and then lift one leg up to the side and then squat down again and keep repeating lifting leg up when coming up on that same side

-squat jumps (no weights) - squat on step, then jump down to straddle step and squat on floor and then jump back up again to step in squatting position and keep repeating (I modified this move by just coming up one leg at a time in a slower fashion rather than jumping up)

-use medicine ball and do side lunge (swing ball around waist to side twist) and then come to standing position and lift ball overhead, back and forth

-continue with same move as above but then add balance move by lifting one leg off ground with knee up

-step up with one leg on bench and then bring other leg up to raise knee and touch medicine ball to knee (bring medicine ball from overhead position) and then repeat lunges and knee touches with medicine ball on other side of body

-while holding medicine ball go side to side over step, slightly squatting when reaching floor (fairly fast moving)

-continue to do side to side move over step but then bring the medicine ball back towards hip

-curtsey squat off bench while holding medicine ball, move leg in and out into two squatting positions

-then from curtsey squat when coming up lift leg out to side and lift medicine ball up overhead at the same time

-then do the same curtsey squats on other side

-squat while holding medicine ball (legs in wide stance) and bring medicine ball down as squatting down and then lift medicine ball up to chest level when coming up and then continue to squat down with medicine ball but when coming up lift the leg out to the side alternating side to side

-tricep work with medicine ball - hold medicine ball in arms overhead and lower ball behind head while bending arms back and bring the ball up and down

-then do a balance move while doing tricep work, continuing to lift medicine ball up and down behind head, bring one leg up and balance on one leg with knee up

-next do really fast squats (legs together) and do tricep work (lifting ball up behind head)

-work inner thighs again by doing wide stance squat and moving medicine ball up and down from between legs to chest height

-then keep squatting in wide stance with medicine ball but when come up raise medicine ball towards each side

-tricep work again lift and lowering behind head and then adding in balance by lifting leg up (other leg)

-then take medicine ball and while holding overhead bring arms in towards head (arms are bent)

-while on step, bring one foot back to floor lunging and then when come up kick leg out to front

-pushup on bench/step (shows modification for knees)

-mountain climber move off of step (fast pace), I modified these and did them slower, for around 20-30 seconds

-single leg lift, leaning over put hands on bench, then lift one leg towards back, do one leg and then switch to other leg

-arm raises out to sides while using weights, then continue this while lifting leg up towards front

-then do upright row with weights while lifting other leg up towards front

-leg stretches on step

Workout 2: Agility and Speed - 25 Minutes

Equipment: Step and dumbbells

-jog in place

-shuffle right and left (squat towards end of shuffle)

-shuffle and then lift a leg out to side

-jogging again

-up and down on step while still jogging

-go up and down on step while jogging as fast as can for 20 seconds

-squat side to side

-agility drill - put weights on floor and hop over weights and squat when coming down, do this moving side to side, keep doing hopping over weights and then increase speed for 20 seconds

-up and down on step (on other leg), then increase speed for 20 seconds and keep going up and down

-outside leg steps over bench and then comes down on other side of bench (moving side to side), start at slow pace, then increase pace and go fast for 20 seconds

-squats side to side (active recovery)

-make squats wider moving side to side

-speed skaters moving side to side , bringing leg back behind and hand touches step, then increase speed for 20 seconds

-one foot up on bench, one foot back, bring back foot up to step and then back into lunge (leg just touches step), then increase speed for around 20 reps

-jogging in place

-3 steps to right, 3 steps to left (squat at end and touch floor with hand) (moving pretty fast)

-one foot up on step (other side), one foot back, bring back foot up to step and then back down to floor in lunge, then at faster pace for 20 reps

-agility drill - straddle step - step up and step down (left right left right), slow at first then pick up pace for 30 seconds

-squat down while straddling step

-hands on step, hop legs in and out at moderate pace

-straddle step and step up and step down again (start with other leg), slow then pick up pace for 30 seconds

-jogging in place

-hop from side to side on one leg, then faster pace for 20 seconds

-squat from side to side with legs together

-jump with legs together side to side (like skiing) - moderate pace for 20 seconds

-put weights on floor on opposite sides of workout area, move side to side touching weights with hands (increases lateral quickness)

-shuffle over step from side to side - stay low - 20 seconds

-lunge to front side (45 degree angle), then switch to other side and lunge at 45 degree angle on that side, while doing this bring knee up towards body when coming up from lunge

-squat up and over sides of step (kind of jumping side to side) (long length of step) - 20 seconds

Workout 3: Core and Flexibility Training - 25 Minutes

Equipment Needed: Mat, dumbbells, and medicine ball

-Reach up to one side with weight up overhead and then pull down (oblique crunch) and slightly lunging with leg when arm comes down, continue to do above and then lift leg up in the air when reaching arm up overhead, then switch to other side and do the same exercise

-lean side to side with weights in hands in wide stance, bringing weights up to waist when coming up, down to knees on way down

-on mat - lay back and keep head and shoulders slightly lifted then lift up to sitting position with weights in hands and have arms reaching out (straight arms out)

-using medicine ball while sitting on mat, bring ball side to side around waist, almost touching floor, if more advanced raise legs while doing exercise

-lay down on mat, hold medicine ball up overhead and then lower ball to floor while at same time lowering one leg to floor and keeping one leg straight up, then bring ball up to meet both legs straight up, then switch to other leg coming down to floor, continue doing exercise then if advanced when bringing ball to legs slightly lift butt/pelvis off floor towards ceiling

-medicine ball between legs while laying on mat (legs up in folded position) and do regular crunch, then do crunches with ball still between legs and bring legs and arms together towards belly button

-sit up and put one heel on ball and then lay down, other leg is straight out flat on floor, do crunches (creating unbalanced surface), for advanced can slightly lift leg that is on the floor, do same thing but switch legs and put the other foot on the ball and do crunches, then do them with one leg lifted off the floor

-put both heels on ball, and have legs straight out on ball, laying down, do crunches

-planks - side planks on one side on elbow, put arm up into air overhead and then bring arm down and rotate arm under chest towards floor

-regular plank on elbows

-side plank on other side, also putting arm up in air and then rotating arm under chest area towards floor and then back up

-standing with medicine ball - reach up to one side with medicine ball and then reach to opposite side towards floor in lunge, then do other side

-twist ball side to side around waist, then speed up movement

-down on mat and do stretch onto side leg, kind of like a plank

-then do stretch leaning back while sitting on knees

-then do stretch to side while sitting down

-hurdle stretch, push up into air and stretch over to side

-hurdle stretch on other side, push up into air and stretch over to side

-onto back on mat and do quick set of abs, bicycle moving legs back and forth touching elbows, then pick up speed

-drop hips to one side while laying down, pull leg up to stretch, then do on other side

-bring knees in then flex toes, bring one leg down and pull one leg into nose, then switch and stretch other leg

-do downward dog

-side low lunge stretch, then do other side

-pull nose towards knee to opposite side leg, then do other side

-hands together towards front and stretch back

-stretch out quads, stand on one leg and bring leg up towards butt in back while one arm out for balance then go into hamstring stretch, then other side

-reach from side to side then stretch inner thighs

Overall Impression: I loved that this workout was different than any other workouts I own. It definitely focuses on the core and has a lot of really great balance moves. The use of the equipment is fairly minimal and Stephanie urges you to use whatever you have for the workout. I liked that the workouts were shorter and effective. I would have liked to have seen a completely separate segment for the stretching so that it could be done on its own. I am not an adrenaline junkie and I still enjoyed this workout. There are plenty of opportunities to modify moves (less jumping or move at a slower pace) and because these workouts are on the shorter side I find them highly doable. I would rate them as intermediate, but a high level beginner might want to give them a try. There are no premixes other than the separate chapters for each workout. There is a lot of variety in this workout so if you have exercise ADD like me, then you will definitely like this one.

Note: I received this workout to review.