Ladder Workout

Happy Sunday, folks!  It’s unusual for me to be blogging on a Sunday, and even more unusual to post a workout.  Sundays are my day of rest, in all ways… because I know Monday’s a-comin…

But as I was looking over my workout book to see what kind of heinous torture fun exercise we’re going to do in bootcamp tomorrow, I came across our ladder workout from 2 weeks ago.  Just eyeballing the simple progression on paper made me wanna do it again.

The ladder workout is aptly named, because for each given exercise, you work your way up in numbers of reps, then you work your way back down, resting minimally between sets.  You wind up doing a phenomenal number of reps for each exercise this way, and you usually hit that unique feeling of muscular failure.  I like ladder workouts best with body weight exercises, but they are also effective with traditional gym exercises using free weights (but you will likely want to go down on your weights.)

I wrote this workout using only 4 exercises: 2 upper body, 1 lower body, and 1 cardio/full-body.  The full workout including warm-up and cool-down will take you around 45 minutes.  Looking at it on paper, it doesn’t look so bad… mwahahaha…

Give it a try!

Why Try a Ladder Workout?

1. Efficiency: You get a lot done in a short amount of time.
2. Variety: The changing rep ranges keep things interesting.
3. Intensity: The gradual increase and decrease in reps create a natural progression that challenges your endurance and strength.
4. Scalability: Whether you’re a beginner or advanced, workouts with ladder structures can be tailored to your fitness level.

Benefits of Ladder Workouts

• Improved Endurance: The high volume of reps helps build muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
• Strength Gains: By gradually increasing reps, you challenge your muscles to adapt and grow stronger.
• Time-Saving: You can get a full-body workout in under an hour.
• Mental Toughness: The progressive nature of ladder workouts teaches you to push through fatigue.

Warm-Up:

• Run or walk for 5-7 minutes to get your blood flowing.
• Dynamic stretches like arm circles, leg swings, and torso twists to loosen up.

The Workout:

1. Kettlebell Swings: 25 reps to kick things off.
   • Focus on engaging your core and driving through your hips.
2. Pushups:
   Rep scheme: 5-8-10-12-15-12-10-8-5
   • Rest 30 seconds between sets and 2 minutes before moving to the next exercise.
   • Modify by dropping to your knees if needed.
3. Dumbbell Squats:
   Rep scheme: 10-12-15-20-25-20-15-12-10
   • Keep your chest up and knees aligned with your toes.
4. Wide-Grip Rows:
   Rep scheme: 8-10-12-15-20-15-12-10-8
   • Use dumbbells or a barbell, and focus on squeezing your back muscles.
5. Burpees:
   Rep scheme: 5-8-10-12-15-12-10-8-5
   • Modify by stepping back instead of jumping if needed.

Cool-Down:

• Run or walk for 5 minutes to bring your heart rate down.
• Stretch major muscle groups like hamstrings, quads, shoulders, and chest.

Tips for Success

• Pace Yourself: The beauty of ladder workouts is in the progression. Don’t rush through the reps—focus on form and control.
• Rest Smart: Take short breaks (30 seconds) between sets and longer breaks (2 minutes) between exercises.
• Modify as Needed: If you’re new to this style of training, start with lighter weights or fewer reps and build up over time.
• Track Your Progress: Keep a workout journal to monitor your improvements.

Give this ladder workout a try and let me know how it goes! And remember, even though Sundays are for rest, a little movement can set the tone for a great week ahead.

Blessed Sunday to all, and happy sweating