Red Light, Green Light Workout: Using Active Recoveries

That time of the week again! Monday. To make that reminder a little less bitter, I have a fun new workout to share with you all today.

This workout couples two exercises together – one exercise as the “green light” and one exercise as the “red light”. Each “green light” exercise in the workout represents an active working strength set. You should push the muscle group you’re working by shooting for fatigue with each set. Then, you hit red and stop. But oh you don’t completely stop. You have a “red light” exercise with either some cardio or core to do as active recovery. The active recovery will keep your body working and your heart rate up while also allowing the muscle being worked in that set to rest. This workout is non-stop and a great challenge.

Ready? Set? GO!!!!

As mentioned above, you will pair exercises together – green and red. So the pairs are like this:

• Squat (barbell or dumbbells) & Scissor Kicks
• Incline Dumbbell Chest Press & Jumping Jacks
• Wide Stance Deadlift & Toe Touch Crunch (while holding weight or medicine ball)
• Barbell Row – Underhand Grip & High Knees 
• Overhead Shoulder Press – Neutral Grip Dumbbell & Reverse Lunge to Kick

Workout Details: The first exercise (the “green light”) is your working strength set. In order to better hit fatigue make sure to choose a heavy enough weight that leaves the final 2-3 reps challenging. If you don’t end fatigued, hold at peak contraction with small, controlled partial reps or pulses until fatigue. You could also do drop sets, where you do heavier weights for 6-10 reps and then drop to a lighter weight and continue until failure. The active recovery (“red light”) exercise consists of a cardio or core move done for time.

I would suggest doing each green and red pair (in order) by itself, but it is possible to do the workout as a circuit, if preferred. Also, feel free to sub out exercises you don’t like with a similar one. Don’t like chest presses? Do push-ups, for example. Feel free to let me know of any questions in the comments and be sure to let me know if you give the workout a try!

Happy Training!

Do you ever use active recovery during your workouts? How?

Tagged as: circuit workouts, fitness, strength, strength training, workout tips

Best Body Bootcamp

Register now for Round 5 Best Body Bootcamp

BBB is a flexible 8 week workout program to challenge you at YOUR fitness level. Join for new workouts, motivation, cash prizes and fun! Starts April 1.