Bunsen Workout

Beginners Level

Bunsen is an AMRAP style workout. You want to put a big effort in on each round as the ratio of work to rest is equal, meaning you should be able to recover to put the same effort in on each round. It’s a burner of a workout that will leave your legs on fire by the end, just try and maintain the same explosiveness throughout. You have no time to take unscheduled rests. Make sure you warm-up fully before proceeding with this workout.

Air Squat Jumps

Air Squat Jumps

Push-Ups

Push-Ups

Burpees

Burpees

INstruction

3 Rounds - AMRAP 3

It couldn’t be simpler. In the 3 minutes you want to perform as many reps / rounds as you can. Once you have completed the burpees, if there is still time left in the 3 minutes, you want to go straight back into the air squat jumps. Keep moving for the full 3 minutes. After that you have a full 3 minute rest before you start again at the beginning. If you can try to count your rep total for each round, then for the following round you have something to aim for and to try and beat. This is a workout to attack, hold nothing back, and get after it.

Bodyparts Worked

Air Squat Jumps

Air squats themselves are one of the fundamental movement patterns that you can perform with your own bodyweight. We’re taking up a notch though by adding a jump in. It’s generally accepted that air squats are a valuable exercise in any athletes or everyday person’s training arsenal.

Benefit

Air Squat Jumps are an excellent lower body conditioning exercise that will help build a base for fantastic muscular endurance as well as core conditioning and explosive power.

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

To ensure your safety and stability make sure your abdominals are drawn in, and your glutes are tense throughout the full range of motion.

INSTRUCTION

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with the toes pointing out slightly. Arms down by your side. (See Fig. 1)

  2. Sit back onto your heels lowering yourself to the ground, pushing your knees out so your thighs are positioned over you feet. Remember to keep the back straight with the chest held high.

  3. Descend into the lowest squat possible. Ideally you want to be able to achieve a full depth squat, but for now don’t worry about your depth, focus more on your form. (See Fig. 2)

  4. Keeping your weight onto your heels drive the hips upwards transferring the weight onto your toes to jump up.

  5. Whilst momentarily in the air your legs should be fully extended.

  6. Initially land on your toes and roll back onto the full foot as you squat back down. Don’t land flat footed. Repeat the movement from point 2.

  7. Try to keep the movement as flowing and continuous as possible. Don’t pause after the jump, as you land go straight into the next squat element of the jump.

Push-Ups

Push-Ups are a great exercise for the core and stabilising muscles, as well as for the chest, shoulders and arms.

Benefit

Push-Ups are an excellent upper-body exercise to build strength, muscular endurance and power; perfect for muscle isolation whilst tying in the core and working the chest and arms.

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

 

INSTRUCTION

1. Position your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Rotate the arms so the crease in the elbow is facing forward. This will help lock the shoulder in. Keep your legs together and make sure you core, abs and glutes are under tension. (See Fig. 1)
2. Keeping your torso straight lower yourself towards the floor, bending at the elbows and feeling the tension across the chest. Your upper arms should be tucked close into your torso as you hit the lowest point. (See Fig. 2)
3. Engage the chest and triceps and push back up, straightening the arms back out.  Maintain a neutral spine throughout. Repeat the movement from point 2.

Burpees

Burpees have a reputation. They are truly a marmite exercise, you either love them or hate them. But when it comes to movement patterns that you can perform with your own bodyweight they don’t come much better, or effective.

Benefit

The burpee is a full body exercise that will work most of the major muscle groups in your body whilst also helping to improve your aerobic fitness, balance, core conditioning and power. With each rep you will work your arms, chest, glutes, quads, hamstrings and abs. After a few burpees your legs may feel like lead, and your lungs will be bursting at the seams, but your calorie burn will be through the roof.

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

To make burpees a little bit easier don’t lower yourself down to floor. Stop in your plank position and then jump the feet back in.

INSTRUCTION

  1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart, and your arms down by your sides.

  2. Lower yourself down and place your hands directly on the floor just infront of your feet. Shift your weight onto your hands so you come onto the balls of your feet. (See Fig.1).

  3. Jump back to softly to land on the balls of your feet, you should find yourself in a straight arm plank position. Lower your body to the ground. Your body should form a straight line from your head to heels throughout. (See Fig.2). This should all be done at speed. Go too slow and you will be making it harder on yourself.

  4. As you press yourself up from the floor jump your feet back in and explosively jump up into the air. As you land go straight into the next rep.

  5. Move with speed, but don’t go too fast…or you’ll burn yourself out after a few reps.

 
“It’s better to burn out than to fade away.”
— Kurt Cobain