Try This Boutique Bootcamp Workout at Your Own Gym

I've been on a serious indoor-cycling kick for awhile, but after spending time at the Sonima Wellness Center in San Diego, CA, I remembered how much fun it can be to mix things up. While the Sonima schedule is packed with meditation and yoga classes, I was surprised to see one class listing: Sonima Bootcamp. This fast-paced and challenging class got my heart pumping and left me with a case of oh-so-satisfying soreness the following day.

Source: POPSUGAR Photography

You might not be able to head to Southern California right now, but health coach, personal trainer, and center director Alyssa Brown has shared a plan that will help you get a taste of this class experience in your own gym. You'll need a bench, TRX cables, a BOSU ball, and a medicine ball to complete this workout.

Exercise One: Hop Overs

  • Stand to the right side of a gym bench, and grip the edge of both sides with your hands.
  • Push down into your hands, engage your core, and spring your hips up up as high as you can while hopping both feet over to the other side of the bench.
  • Repeat this movement back and forth for one minute. If this feels too intense, take a modification, and climb back and forth over the bench while keeping one foot on the ground. 

Exercise Two: Stork Walks

Megan Wolfe Photography
  • Bring your hands behind your head.
  • Draw your elbows wide, lengthen your spine, and pull your shoulder blades down.
  • Elevate your right knee to a 90-degree bend, balancing on your left foot, then step forward. Elevate your left knee to a 90-degree bend, balancing on your right foot, then step forward.
  • Pretend you are on a balance beam, walking in a straight line, keeping your spine tall, head lifted, and core engaged.
  • Continue this challenging walk for one minute.

Exercise Three: TRX Back Rows

  • Jog over to the TRX cables at your gym, and grab the TRX handles with both hands.
  • Step your feet underneath the TRX anchor, and lean your back toward the floor. Holding onto the straps, hug your shoulder blades back and down, then straighten your arms, and lean your body weight back.
  • Pull on the straps as you bring your elbows wide to lift your chest up. Engage the muscles in your mid- and upper-back and core to pull yourself up, then with control release back into the starting position.
  • Perform this motion for one minute.

Exercise Four: TRX Single-Leg Squat

  • Grab the TRX handles with both hands, holding them in front of your waist, with your elbows bent.
  • Lift your left leg out in front of you, parallel to the floor, and lower back into a squat on your right leg. Push yourself back to start.
  • Alternate your standing leg and repeat this exercise for one minute.

Exercise Five: Mountain Climbers

Source: POPSUGAR Studios
  • Start in a traditional plank — shoulders over hands and weight in your toes.
  • With your core engaged, bring your right knee forward under your chest, with the toes just off the ground. Return to your basic plank. Switch legs, bringing the left knee forward.
  • Keep switching legs and begin to pick up the pace until it feels a little like running in place in a plank position.
  • Continue "running" in your plank for one minute.
  • If you need a break, take Downward Facing Dog for three breaths, then do five to 10 Cat-to-Cow poses.

Exercise Six: Lateral BOSU Squats

Source: POPSUGAR Studios
  • Place your left foot in the center of the BOSU with your right foot parallel to your left, on the floor. Bend down into a squat position, with your backside out like you are sitting in a chair. Keep your body in a low squat, and clasp your hands in front of you for balance.
  • In one quick motion, lift your body up and jump to your left so your right foot replaces your left in the center of the BOSU. Your left foot should be parallel to your right but on the floor. Keep your body low in a squat as you plant your foot on the ground.
  • Keep moving side to side over the BOSU for one minute.

Exercise Seven: Jumping Around

Source: POPSUGAR Studios
  • Take your pick between jumping rope and Jumping Jacks for one minute.

Exercise Eight: Standing Wood Chop

Source: POPSUGAR Studios
  • Start with your feet a little wider than hip's distance apart, keeping the knees slightly bent, and bring a weighted physio ball or a five- to 10-pound medicine ball to your left shoulder.
  • On an exhale, pull abs to spine, and "chop" the ball down diagonally across your body toward your right knee. Imagine you're chopping some wood at this angle and the ball is your ax — the move is a bit percussive.
  • Focus on the rotation initiating in your torso. Remember you are moving with force but control. Don't give in to the momentum of swinging the ball around.
  • Control the ball back up to the starting position. This completes one rep.
  • Complete as many reps as possible for one minute.

Exercise Nine: Wall Sit

Megan Wolfe Photography
  • Stand with your back against a wall, placing your feet about two feet in front of you. Feet should be hip-distance apart.
  • Bending your knees, slide your back down the wall until your knees are at 90-degree angles. Your knee joints should be over your ankle joints, so you may need to inch your feet farther from the wall to create proper alignment. Don't let your knees fall into the midline of your body or sway outward.
  • Press your weight into your heels and lower back into the wall. Relax your upper body against the wall, breathe deep, and hold for one minute.

Take a one-minute break for water and a quick breather, then repeat this bootcamp circuit two more times! When you've completed this workout three times, cool down with these post-workout stretches and drink plenty of H2O.