Muscle & Fitness Australia — November 2017

NOVEMBER 2017 / MUSCLE & FITNESS 67

TABATA

CARDIO

INVENTOR:
ROYAL H. BURPEE
EXERCISE:
BURPEE
Contrary to popular belief, the burpee
wasn’t named after the puke-tinged
belches felt after doing these for a
set of 50. There’s someone to blame
for creating this hellish exercise, and
his name is Royal H. Burpee. It was
initially designed as a fitness test,
not fitness torture. Since then, it has
become a go-to finishing move for HIIT
practitioners around the globe and a
CrossFit staple. It hits every muscle,
jacks up the heart rate and is an

EXERCISE SETS REPS REST

HANGING

KNEE RAISE

4 20 SEC 10 SEC

BURPEE 4 20 SEC 10 SEC

excellent bang-for-your-buck

movement.

HOW TO DO IT: start in a standing

position. Smoothly drop down into a

squat. Place your hands on the floor

with your knees tucked to your chest.

Straighten your legs back, bringing

your body into the top of a push-up

hold. Perform a push-up. Tuck your

knees back up to your chest. Stand tall.

Jump as high as you can. Repeat.

INVENTOR:

ED ZERCHER

EXERCISE:

ZERCHER SQUAT

A strongman in the 1930s, Ed Zercher

loved unusual, obscure exercises and

135

24

training implements. So it’s no wonder

why he invented this devilish squat

alternative that, while not the most

comfortable, helps keep the lifter in a

more upright position and recruits more

upper-back muscle than a back squat.

HOW TO DO IT: the lifter should have

a neutral spine and extension through

the ankles, knees and hips. The Zercher

squat helps you achieve this because of

the bar position – it sits in the crook of

your elbow. Set up the bar in a power

rack, at about chest height. Rest

the bar in between your biceps

and forearms. Grip your

hands together. Brace

your body, create

tension from head

to toe, then squat.

PA RT 2 WHAT’S IN A NAME?