Welcome back to Everyday Beast! Today we're putting a twist on a classic comfort food. We have an awesome post-workout meal today—pizza-stuffed chicken breast (it's good, trust me). But before I show you that, we have a unique HIIT workout to get through.
For this workout, we're going to be combining kettlebell swings with Russian twists, then Farmer's carries superset with rope crunches.
Being able to innovate your workouts is huge. Gone are the days where we had to rely on what worked 20, 30, or 40 years ago. When do you ever see a farmer's carry supersetted with rope crunches? It doesn't happen. But the thing is, if you enjoy something, if it gets your heart rate up, do it. Enjoy it. Every day.
Ready? Let's do this.
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Technique Tips
Superset: Kettlebell Swing and Russian Twist
For the kettlebell swing, grab a kettlebell you know you can swing for the full 60 seconds. It's OK to challenge yourself with a heavy weight, but the point of this HIIT workout is to get that heart rate up. Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart and keep your back straight as you drive through the hips to swing that weight up. Continue swinging for the full minute, then move on to the Russian twist.
You can use any weight you want for the Russian twist, including the kettlebell you just used for the swings. Sit on the ground and lean back, balancing your weight on your hips. Lift your feet on the floor and twist side to side, holding the weight in front of your chest. You should feel your obliques burning by the end of the set.
Superset: Farmer's Carry and Rope Crunch
Hex bars are a great option for the farmer's carry since they offer handles on each side and you can easily load the bar up with a lot of weight. If you don't have a hex bar, you can also use heavy dumbbells or kettlebells. Mark out 30-40 yards to carry the weight, then lift the bar up and walk that distance. The point of this exercise is to build grip strength and get your heart rate up, so if you feel your grip slipping, pause for a second to set the weight down and adjust. The last thing you want to do is drop the weight, which is not safe for you or those around you.
For the rope crunch, kneel on the ground and face the pulley. Hold the ends of the rope attachment over each shoulder as you crunch through your abs to bring your elbows to your knees. It's really easy to bend at the hips rather than the abs, so a good trick to get that core engaged is to exhale forcefully and pull your belly button toward your spine as you crunch. Repeat for 12-15 reps.
That pizza-stuffed chicken breast we talked about? We've earned it. Let's go make it happen. See you in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 3 piece chicken breast, pounded out to ¼-inch
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- 3 oz pepperoni
- 3 tbsp black olives, sliced
- 1 cup spinach
- 3 oz fat-free mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Butterfly the chicken breast by slicing right down the middle, taking care not to cut all the way through.
- Place the butterflied breasts between two sheets of parchment paper and hammer the chicken to about a 1/4-inch thickness.
- Season both sides of the breast with salt and pepper. Spread marinara sauce on one side of the chicken (see Rob's marinara sauce recipe to make your own).
- Add pepperoni, chopped spinach, olives, and 1 ounce of mozzarella to one side. Sprinkle with chopped basil, then fold other side over. Use toothpicks to hold the two sides together. Top with additional marinara sauce, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
- Place chicken breasts in a baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees F until chicken is cooked through. Remove the toothpicks before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 cup leaves, whole fresh basil
- 12 whole plum tomato, finely chopped
- 8 clove garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise.
- Place cut tomatoes in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add smashed garlic cloves. Toss to coat.
Looking at these two recipes, you might look at the cheese and think, "Am I allowed to have that in my meal plan?" The answer, of course, is it's up to you to take the time to figure out how to incorporate things like cheese and pepperoni into your macros. That's what being an Everyday Beast is all about: Taking the time to create something delicious and not mundane, that still fits with your goals.
Prepping multiple meals at once is the key to staying on track. Set yourself up for success by planning ahead. This recipe is perfect for that. You end up with three chicken breasts, so you can eat one now and save the other two for tomorrow and the next day.
My favorite thing about this recipe is you still get all the flavors of the pizza while supporting your physique goals. Finding those little ways to still get what you want is so important to your long-term success.