Daylight Savings Time. Instead of complaining about it like everyone else, let’s use the idea of a clock face to create 4 new exercises you can use to expertly blend brain and body fitness.
Use Timed Sets
These exercises work best using time-based sets rather than reps. With all of the clock numbers bouncing around your brain, you don’t want the added challenge of trying to count reps!
Solo or with a Partner or As an Instructor
If you are doing these by yourself, follow the instructions and choose a suitable option. If you are a fitness leader and would like to use these for an in-person or streaming workout you are leading, you would verbally call out hours (and using 24-hour/military time would increase the cognitive challenge) to make it reactive or provide instructions prior to the beginning of the exercise for how you would like participants to sequence the movements around the clock face. This option is shown exclusively in the video for the Clock Plank.
Descriptions are below and see the videos to see them in action.
12-Hour Squat – palms pressed together, arms straight overhead. Squat and rotate arms clockwise (CW) all the way around (arms point down at bottom of squat). At top, reverse direction and rotate arms (CCW) while squatting.
Clock Jacks – imagine standing in the center of a clock. Perform lower body jumping jack following one of the options below with the right leg leading on numbers 12-1-2-3-4-5-6 and left leg leading on numbers 12-11-10-9-8-7-6. (The other leg will move in the opposite direction as this will feel most natural. I.e., when R-leg goes to 2-position, L-leg will go to 8-position.)
- Sequentially CW and CCW from 12-6 with each leg
- Even hours only sequentially from 12-6 with each leg
- Odd hours only sequentially from 12-6 with each leg
Clock Plank – 12-hour, 24-hour time, etc., Reach and tap hand to floor at the hour hand. Instructor calls out hour or if doing solo move:
- Sequentially from 12-6 with each arm, alternating arms each rep
- Even hours only sequentially from 12-6 with each arm
- Odd hours only sequentially from 12-6 with each arm
Clock Squat w/Arm Opposition Movements (follows “clock jack” foot pattern options above but uses arms instead)