Last week, I shared the first of three Joss Whedon universe workouts, inspired by Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. This week I’m dredging up another old Whedon television show that sadly didn’t last nearly as long as fans would have liked.
Firefly was a class of cargo ships that set the stage for a rough-and-tough crew and several “passengers” making their way across the solar system, trying to get by and stay alive another day. What made Firefly so unique was combining genres so eloquently. Who would have thought that a Sci-Fi Western in space would just work so well?
And let me tell you, it DID work. Just because the network cancelled the show after 13 episodes does not mean this show did not work. Even today, close to two decades after Firefly got cancelled, fans STILL rant and rave about how much of a mistake it was to cancel the show. And how excited they get at just the RUMOR of it coming back (sorry, Browncoats, I haven’t heard if it’s coming back or not).
So, to honor Captain Mal and the crew of the Serenity, I give you the second Tabata in my Joss Whedon Fandom Fitness series. To refresh your memory, a Tabata is an interval workout with 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds of one exercise. Rest one minute, then do 8 rounds of the second exercise, and so on for four exercises. Your total time working out is 20 minutes (with rest between sets).
The Tabata of Serenity
- Browncoats Burpees: if you still aren’t sure how to do a burpee, how are we even friends? Start from standing position, squat to place your hands on the floor. Step or jump back to a plank position. Lower yourself completely to the floor, then push yourself back up to a plank. Step or jump your feet back to a low squatting position. Jump back up to standing. Use a chair or bench to modify as needed.
- Captain Mal Crunches: Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands right at the crook of your neck, at the base of your skull. Using your core muscles, squeeze your abs and lift your shoulders off the floor. Press your hands into your head, and you head into your hands to keep your neck neutral. Once your shoulders are fully off the floor, slowly lower yourself back to the ground.
- Serenity Swimmers: This is a back extension exercise, just like Flyaways. Lay on your stomach with hands out in front of you. Arch your back to lift your shoulders and legs off the ground, kicking your feet in a scissor/flutter motion. Pump your arms in front of you at the same time. You can stay in the extended position for the entire 20 seconds of work and then relax, or you can do 10 reps and relax for a second and then repeat.
Modification- If you have what is known as a physio ball, you can practice this exercise on the ball, which will work on your coordination, balance, and back muscles
Cancelled too soon Broad Jumps: So, yeah, I was trying to figure out what exercise we do that ends abruptly. The only one my husband and I could come up with is Broad Jumps, also called Kangaroo Jumps. Start in standing position. Bend slightly down and swing arms back to help with propulsion, then jump as far forward as you can, letting your body land in a squat to stabilize your effort.
Modification- Just hop as far as you are comfortable. If hopping is not in your game plan for the day, do walking lunges
And if you finish in a pool of sweat, you will be cursing me like Wash “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal.” But I didn’t betray you, I just make you stronger.