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Did you feast this Thanksgiving? Get in some extra work and take the Turkey Tabata Challenge! This high-intensity workout will challenge your functional performance, as well as your cardiovascular system. This workout will be very intense for the casual exerciser; use caution and scaling when participating in it.

Be sure to warm-up before the workout. Include mobility exercises as well as an active warm-up with jumping jacks, half jumping jacks, windmills, and squats. Mobility exercises can be performed with the Superfunctional™ and/or the Wall Bars. Make sure to target the hips and shoulders during your movement prep. Following the workout, cool down for 5-10 minutes with gentle stretching and mobility. Find movement prep and recovery recommendations from ACE here. 

This type of workout is best performed with Queenax™, but if you don’t have one available, then alternative options are provided. It is a complete workout that involves an array of exercise types. 

Workout Parameters

• Total Number of Exercises: 8 (divided into 4 Tabatas)
• % of Max Heart Rate (MHR): 80-90 %
• Work/Rest Ratio: 20s/10s alternating for four minutes without rest
• Rest for 3-5 minutes between Tabatas, or until heart rate is between 50-60% MHR

The Workout

Each Tabata pairs two exercises together. Alternate exercises for the four minute work period as indicated here. 

• 20/10 - Exercise 1
• 20/10 - Exercise 2
• 20/10 - Exercise 1
• 20/10 - Exercise 1
• 20/10 - Exercise 2
• 20/10 - Exercise 1
• 20/10 - Exercise 2

Tabata 1

Exercise 1: Superfunctional Single Leg Raised Squat

1. Set bar height to knee level.
2. Position the top of one foot on bar.
3. Keeping chest upright, squat down without allowing the bar to travel backward.
4. Return to starting position.

Exercise 2: Burpies

1. Squat down and jump into a plank position.
2. Perform a push-up.
3. Bring feet to your hands and hop up with arms overhead.

Tabata 2

Exercise 1: Forward Lunge

1. With hands on hips, step forward into lunge position.
2. Keep knee in line with second toe and chest upright.
3. Step forward and return to standing position.
4. Increase intensity by amplifying speed or performing jump lunges.

Exercise 2: Jump-Assisted Pull-Ups

1. Set bar at high or overhead height.
2. Grip bar and set hands wide on bar.
3. Jump to assist the pull-up, keeping shoulders down throughout movement.
4. Slowly lower body to ground and repeat.

Tabata 3

Exercise 1: Superfunctional Russian Twists

1. Hold the Superfunctional bar shoulder width apart with arms straight.
2. Lean back until you feel your abs engage and raise your legs.
3. Without bending elbows, twist the bar across your body.

Exercise 2: Stroops Side Shuffles

1. Connect the Stroops Slastix band to either your ankle (via an ankle cuff), or to your waist (using a belt).
2. Shuffle laterally away from the anchor point until you approach the end of the range of motion of the band.
3. Shuffle back toward the anchor with control.
4. Turn around at 15s to lead with the opposite side.

Tabata 4

Exercise 1: Superfunctional Mountain Climbers

1. Set the bar at the lowest height.
2. Extend into a plank, keeping arms straight.
3. Keep arms still while alternating bringing knees to chest.

Exercise 2: KB Swings

1. Hold KB with both hands.
2. With straight arms, swing KB between legs and squat down.
3. Swing KB through to shoulder height, driving hips forward.

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