Wednesday Workout: Gym Time with Andrea Burke (with Videos)

BrainspiralApril 8, 2015
Germany's Andrea Henkel, now Burke, after the last race of her career in March 2014 at Holmenkollen in Oslo, Norway. (Courtesy photo)
Germany’s Andrea Henkel, now Burke, after the last race of her career in March 2014 at Holmenkollen in Oslo, Norway. (Courtesy photo)

For Andrea Burke, formerly Henkel, retirement has meant embracing workouts in a new form. The 37-year-old German, who stopped racing a year ago and married Tim Burke in October, has found that in the time since she’s been able to enjoy mixed methods of exercise.

A four-time Olympic medalist and the first biathlete to win every individual event at World Championships, Burke is currently transitioning to moving from Oberhof, Germany, to Lake Placid, N.Y., where her husband grew up. There, she aims to start a personal-training business, and has been taking classes and getting licenses to do so.

In an email earlier this spring, she provided this strength workout as a cross-training option, “especially when you do not have so much time or the conditions are very bad outside,” she wrote. “I promise you some sweat and heart rate.”

Burke added that she started doing gym sessions like these in the last two years, and more so when she finished biathlon.

“I really like to do [these] kind of programs for staying in shape and get some heart rate between studying,” she wrote. “It’s a great possibility to work out by having not so much time but still feel I get a good workout done.”

She recommends doing this kind of full-body workout twice a week.

Warmup:

  • 10 minute jog or bike
  • Hand walk (10 reps) (see video)

Workout:

Part 1 (do 4 times in a row with 30 seconds rest in between)

  • 15-second stationary sprint (in place with knees up)
  • 5-second rest
  • 15 seconds of burpees (video)

Part 2: Strength circle (do 2 complete sets with a deep breath between each exercise)

Andrea Burke demonstrates a leg raise on a pull-up bar. Do as many as possible to improve core strength. (Courtesy photo)
Andrea Burke demonstrates a leg raise on a pull-up bar. Do as many as possible to improve core strength. (Courtesy photo)
  • Step up (20 on each leg) (video)
  • Side plank on hand, small hip movements (50 on each side) (video)
  • Lunges with upper-body turn (video)
  • Plank on elbows, heels moving forward and backward (1 minute) (video)
  • Back exercise, with arm movements as big as possible (1 minute) (video)
  • Side plank on hand, elbow to knee (20 each side) (video)
  • Leg raise on pull-up bar (see photo at right)

Part 3: (Do each exercise as fast as possible for 20 seconds for a total of 3 sets with 10-second rests in between)

  • Jumping jacks
  • Mountain climbers
  • Squats
  • Push ups

Cool down:

  • 10-minute jog or bike

Brainspiral

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