By: LL
I was recently asked to work as a sub for a fellow trainer's 20-20-20 class. During my spin instructing sabbatical, I have relished every opportunity to teach and try new classes. However, since I have never taken a 20-20-20 class, I knew that I needed to try out a few before I would feel comfortable filling in. So the other day, I went to my first 20-20-20 over my lunch.
For those of you unfamiliar with the 20-20-20 (or Three Workouts in One), this fitness class combines 20 minutes of cardio, with 20 minutes of strength training, followed by 20 minutes of core/balance with stretching. The class fits nicely into the lunch hour and gives you plenty of time to cool down during the last 20 minutes.
I attended a class taught by Fonda, a petite blonde who's energy was extremely contagious. The cardio portion consisted of low to high to low calesthetics (i.e. burpies, jump rope, step ups, jump squats), which she smoothly transitioned into strength training as she introduced light hand weights into the step ups. During the strength training, she focused on the biceps/triceps, shoulders, hip flexors and lower back, using 3 and 8 lb hand weights and an exercise ball. By the end of the 20 minutes, my legs were tired and I was ready for stretching, but had to get through just over 10 minutes of scissor kicks, side plants, and boat rows.
Even though the class only consisted of about 12 minutes of high energy cardio, that combined with the strength training, core, and stretching made for a tough workout. And even though I knew that each portion would last no more than 20 minutes, it did not make it any easier to get through.
Conclusion: I think that a 20-20-20 class has a very similar structure to other cardio and strength training classes, but it provides participants with a precise timeline. Plus, it is great for a short workout because it combines all three essential exercise components into one power hour - perfect for the lunch hour.
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