I Tried a 10-Minute Conditioning Session From Simone Biles's Gold Over America Tour — It's Flippin' Hard
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Simone Biles's Gold Over America Tour features a strong lineup of world-class gymnasts. And prior to the group's Minneapolis, MN, tour stop on Oct. 13, some of them completed a 10-minute conditioning workout (because elite athletes obviously work out before they perform!). Olympic floor gold medalist Jade Carey and Olympic team silver medalist Grace McCallum each live streamed the workout, led by gymnastics veteran Chellsie Memmel, on Instagram.
There were two circuits — one with five moves and another with four. The exercises reminded me of the conditioning sessions I used to do at practice when I competed in gymnastics; they'd include high-intensity circuits with a mix of bodyweight strength and cardio moves. Plus, my coaches would often incorporate useful drills that would help us perfect our form on each event and therefore translate into better routines (think: handstand drills for bars).
For this workout specifically, expect to challenge your core, legs, and upper body with many plyometric moves. It's not a beginner's workout, but feel free to modify as needed.
10-Minute Gold Over America Tour Conditioning Workout
Equipment: A workout mat is recommended.
Directions: Make sure you warm up beforehand. Do each exercise for 30 seconds. You'll complete the first circuit, then rest for 30 seconds before completing circuit two. After another rest period, you'll do each circuit one more time through as seen below. That's two circuits, two times total. As always, make sure you cool down with some stretches.
Circuit 1
- 3 heel raises, 3 toe raises: 30 seconds
- Alternating curtsy lunge to squat: 30 seconds
- 2 jumping jacks, 2 burpees: 30 seconds
- 3 hollow rocks, 3 open-closes: 30 seconds
- Candlestick roll-up: 30 seconds
Rest for 30 seconds.
Circuit 2
- Alternating lunge push away: 30 seconds
- Pike push-up: 30 seconds
- Wide-narrow-wide squat jump: 30 seconds
- Skater: 30 seconds
Rest for 30 seconds. Repeat this entire workout, both circuits, one more time through.
Review: 10-Minute Gold Over America Tour Conditioning Workout
I personally felt breathless after a single round. I liked the fact that the circuits had a mix of different muscle-targeting exercises so I wasn't doing strictly core or strictly lower-body moves for a few minutes straight. The exercises that were most challenging for me were the double jumping jack and burpee combo and the hollow rock and open-close combo. The latter requires you to hold a hollow position for 30 seconds, and it's an ab-quake waiting to happen! My next goal will be repeating the circuits four times through for a 20-minute workout as opposed to two times for a 10-minute session.
Put on your best leotard — mine's from GK Elite — and get started! Be sure to check out a breakdown of each move ahead.
Circuit 1, Exercise 1: 3 Heel Raises, 3 Toe Raises
- Stand tall with your feet parallel and core engaged.
- Slowly raise your heels until you're on your tiptoes, then slowly lower back down to the ground. You should feel this in your calves. Repeat three times total.
- Next, lift your toes up toward the ceiling (or sky if you're outside) with your heels remaining on the floor. Repeat three times total.
- This is one rep. Continue doing three heel raises and three toe raises for 30 seconds.
Tip: for the heel raise, if you feel your ankles coming apart, try pressing toward your big toes and the balls of your feet to keep your ankles steady.
Circuit 1, Exercise 2: Alternating Curtsy Lunge to Squat
- Start standing with your feet hip-width distance apart and your hands at your chest (hands on your hips works, too!).
- Step your right leg diagonally behind you and to the left so your thighs cross, simultaneously bending both knees as if you were curtsying. Aim for a 90-degree bend in both knees.
- Pull your navel toward your spine throughout the movement to engage your core and to avoid hunching your back.
- Drive through your left foot and push off of your right toes to return to standing.
- Bend your knees, lowering into a squat, as you shift your hips and butt back.
- Return to standing, and repeat on the other side.
- This is one rep. Keep alternating, completing one squat after every curtsy lunge, for 30 seconds.
Circuit 1, Exercise 3: 2 Jumping Jacks, 2 Burpees
- Start with two jumping jacks.
- Jump off the balls of your feet as you hop your legs out, then back in, with softly bent knees.
- Next, do two burpees.
- Bend at both your hips and knees, placing your hands on the floor in front of your feet.
- Jump both of your feet backward into a plank position so your legs are completely extended behind you.
- Do a push-up, lowering your chest to the mat and returning to a plank position.
- Jump both of your feet toward the top of your mat behind your wrists, landing in a squat.
- Jump up into the air, extending your arms above your head, before landing with control.
- This counts as one rep. Keep doing two jumping jacks and two burpees for 30 seconds.
Circuit 1, Exercise 4: 3 Hollow Rocks, 3 Open-Closes
- Begin on your back with your legs straight and your arms extended overhead. Actively press your lower back into the floor and draw your belly button into your spine to engage your core.
- Lift your arms (with your biceps by your ears), then shoulders and legs, a few inches off of the floor. Maintain tight abs and glutes. This is your hollow-hold position.
- Use your core to propel yourself into a forward rock so your arms and chest are positioned higher than your legs and feet; then, rock back down, keeping your belly button pulled into your spine and your arms extended. You should be maintaining the hollow position through the entire rock.
- Do three hollow rocks total.
- For the open-close, stay in that hollow position and keep your arms overhead as you open your legs out to the sides and back together three times.
- This counts as one rep. Repeat the entire rep — the hollow rocks and open-close moves — for 30 seconds.
Circuit 1, Exercise 5: Candlestick Roll-Up
- Start standing with your feet together and arms overhead.
- With control, lead with your butt and roll backward until your arms are on the floor.
- Passing through a hollow-hold position (similar to slide four) while squeezing your legs together and keeping your core and glutes engaged, pump both legs up toward the ceiling — or sky if you're outside.
- Roll back down, push into your heels to come to standing, then jump up into the air. Land with control.
- This counts as one rep. Continue for 30 seconds.
Take a 30-second rest break before moving on to the next circuit.
Circuit 2, Exercise 1: Alternating Lunge Push Away
- Stand tall with your hands on your hips.
- Step forward with your left foot, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Keep your front knee directly above your ankle, and lower your right knee to just above the floor.
- Push away from the floor with your left foot — not coming completely back to standing but enough to straighten both legs and point your left foot forward — before lowering back down into your lunge.
- Once more, push away from the floor, this time to your starting position with your legs together.
- Repeat on the other side, and continue alternating for 30 seconds.
Circuit 2, Exercise 2: Pike Push-Up
- Begin in a Downward Dog position with your arms straight, hips lifted, and weight spread evenly between your feet and hands.
- Slowly and with control, bend your elbows outward, lowering the crown of your head toward the floor. Note: do not put any pressure on your head.
- Straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep. Continue for 30 seconds.
Tip: To modify, widen your feet to mat-width distance. This will increase stability. You can also do normal push-ups on your toes or knees.
Circuit 2, Exercise 3: Wide-Narrow-Wide Squat Jump
- Stand with your chest tall and your feet shoulder-width distance apart and facing slightly outward.
- Hold your hands at chest level (or at your hips), and bend your knees as you lower into a squat like you're sitting in a chair, shifting your hips and butt back.
- Keeping your chest lifted and your knees over your ankles, push through your feet to hop them together into a narrow squat with your feet together.
- Hop your feet back out to your basic squat, then push through your heels to bring yourself back to your starting position.
- This counts as one rep. Continue for 30 seconds.
Circuit 2, Exercise 4: Skater
- Start in a small squat.
- Jump sideways to the left, landing on your left leg and crossing your right leg behind you. Tap your right hand to the floor, squatting low in the cross-legged position. This counts as one rep.
- Shift to the other side by jumping to the right, landing on your right leg, and crossing your left leg behind you. Tap your left hand to the floor.
- Continue alternating for 30 seconds.
Tip: You can take out the jump and step from side to side or keep your crossed back leg on the floor. You can also keep your chest up and not touch the ground with your hands.
Take a 30-second rest break before starting from the top. You're completing both of these circuits one more time through to finish out your workout.