A Rubbish Core Workout VS A Proper HIIT Set

For a few Sundays at the gym, the workouts were really chill. The Sunday before last, I laughed so hard when I saw what was written on the board. WHAT!?!!!! This workout wouldn't even raise my heart-rate much, not even if went all out at burpees. This was lame for HIIT. 

Glute bridges, core holds and swimmers? Holding these for 25 seconds works out exactly......... nothing, unless you've never even done them in your entire life. These are the warm-up moves at Ritual, which are fine, but as part of a workout? This is lazy structuring of a workout program. If this workout is meant to strengthen the core and be like pilates, it was nowehere near the intensity of my average mat pilates class. 

Well, since I was already at the gym, I gotta go through with it. Don't they always say that 'doing something is better than nothing' right? OMG. That is so NOT quite apt. This 'workout' was seriously a waste of time. I didn't even break a sweat. I was a tad annoyed. I'm already still annoyed that they removed lunch-time classes on week days, and my schedules forces me to come to the gym on weekends (which I really dislike; I prefer working out on week days). I made time to come to a weekend class for this sort of workout that's pretty much something I do at home daily? Walaoeh.

THEN. Last Sunday, when I saw the board, I blinked. Did someone hear my comments about too-easy workouts? Hahahah. This workout was gonna hurt. There were pull-ups followed by hanging leg raises, plenty plenty plenty burpees, press-ups and such. Woah. 

Okaaaay. I might as well sweat huh. I went all out. Ditched the option of doing a plank after pull-ups. I did 'em four proper pull-ups for 25 seconds and continued with hanging leg raises for the next 25 seconds. The triceps, lats and obliques worked together beautifully. I didn't cheat, I did them enthusiastically to fatigue point. I felt awesome after. Pull-ups are always great to build strength and work the core. My armpits ached the next day. Wheeeeee.

Now, this type of a workout last Sunday is a proper HIIT. This is what Ritual workouts should be. Just hold off on the core workouts, Ritual coaches. Your current 'core' sets aren't the least bit inventive or effective. Or at least check with a pilates instructor how to go about it? It felt like that instructors aren't even sure of what goes into movements to work the core. They should just stick to what Ritual is known for — do HIIT.