Bloom to Fit Workout of the Week Episode 3: Goblet Ladder

Welcome to Episode 3 the Bloom to Fit Workout of the Week series.

Last week’s workout was a tough one, no doubt. It was a challenging bodyweight workout, but it definitely got the job done.

Unforunately (or fortunately if you’re the ambitious type), this week’s session is no different.

And I can’t wait for you to try it.

Again, I encourage you to use a modified version (either a regression or progression) if you need to. Challenge your limits but always make sure you’re listening to your body and acting accordingly.

Let’s begin.

B2F Workout of the Week Episode 3: Goblet Ladder

Total time estimate to complete the workout: 25 minutes

What You’ll Need:

For this workout, you’ll need a kettlebell, a timer, and a bit of space.

Before your workout:

It is essential that you do a proper warm-up before you start the workout. This will prep your body for the intense nature of the metabolic workout. Your warm-up should consist of the following

• A few minutes of light aerobic activity,
• Corrective stretches (optional),
• A series of mobility movements.

For details on how to structure a good warm-up, see the Perfect Warm-up Series.

The Workout

This week’s workout is the Goblet Ladder.

It is built around three exercises: kettlebell swing, goblet squat, and mountain climber. The structure looks something like this:

• 10 kettlebell swings
• 20 mountain climbers
• 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 goblet squats

Essentially, you are to do 10 KB swings and 20 mountain climbers in between each step-down of the goblet squats.

Here’s what the full workout looks like:

• 10 kettlebell swings, 20 mountain climbers
• 10 goblet squats
• 10 kettlebell swings, 20 mountain climbers
• 9 goblet squats
• 10 kettlebell swings, 20 mountain climbers
• 8 goblet squats
• 10 kettlebell swings, 20 mountain climbers
• 7 goblet squats
• 10 kettlebell swings, 20 mountain climbers
• 6 goblet squats
• 10 kettlebell swings, 20 mountain climbers
• 5 goblet squats
• 10 kettlebell swings, 20 mountain climbers
• 4 goblet squats
• 10 kettlebell swings, 20 mountain climbers
• 3 goblet squats
• 10 kettlebell swings, 20 mountain climbers
• 2 goblet squats
• 10 kettlebell swings, 20 mountain climbers
• 1 goblet squat

This adds up to 100 kettlebell swings, 200 mountain climbers, and 55 goblet squats.

Your goal is to complete this entire circuit in as little time as you can. You can rest whenever you want, but that timer keeps going until all reps are done. Obviously, the less you rest, the better your time will be.

Make sure you pick a kettlebell weight that will allow you to go through the full workout.

When done, record your time.

Here’s what it looks like:

Click play to watch the video.

After your workout

When your timer is done, start your cool-down session.

DO NOT sit or lay down. You need to gradually reduce your heart rate. Walk around taking deep breaths, do jumping jacks, or jump rope for a few minutes until your heart rates comes down.

Once your heart rate is normalized, finish your workout by going through a series of static stretches. You can click here for a full list of static stretches you can use.

Important muscles to be stretched for this specific workout: hamstrings, quads, calves, glutes, hip flexors, lower back, shoulders. 

Progressions and Regressions

There are a number of ways you can make this workout harder or easier, depending on your current fitness level and limitations. 

Regressions

Here are ways you can make the workout easier:

• Rest 20-30 seconds after each round of swings, climbers, and goblet squats,
• Work your way down by 2 goblet squats (10-20-10-10-20-8-10-20-6…),
• Instead of 10 pushups and 20 mountain climbers, do 5 and 10 of each, respectively,
• Use a lighter kettlebell weight.

Progressions

Here are ways you can make the workout more challenging:

• Don’t take any rest breaks throughout,
• Use a heavier kettlebell,
• Substitute burpees for the mountain climbers,
• For next level athletes, do the workout with two kettlebells, using the double swing and the 2KB racked squat instead of the regular swing and goblet squat. Make sure to halve the volume.

Extra Notes

Prepare for your legs to be sore as hell. The swings target the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, calves, back) while the ladder of goblet squats will destroy your quads. I would make sure your legs are fresh when doing this workout. You’ll also find your core being engaged heavily both by the swings and the mountain climbers.