Day 3 hands the work to your arms. The circuit opens with 20 side jacks and continues with 20 punches, 20 overhead punches and 20 punches - four exercises straight through, 2 minutes rest, 3, 5 or 7 sets by level. It is the first of five punch days in this program, and they all share the same last three exercises, so learn the pattern now.
Side jacks warm up the trunk from the wide stance you met on Day 1 - one arm reaching up and over, other hand on the hip, alternating - and get the breathing going before the shoulders take over. Punches come from a boxing stance, feet staggered, hands up in a guard: extend one arm straight forward, snap it back, then the other, 20 punches being 10 from each hand. Overhead punches use the same stance and guard but drive the fist straight up toward the ceiling, working the shoulders vertically instead of horizontally. Bracketing the overhead block with two rounds of straight punches means the deltoids get 60 reps in a row without ever really coming down, which is where the cardio in a punch day comes from.
Punch with the whole body: a slight pivot of the back foot and turn of the hips into every straight punch, full arm extension, and the hand back to your chin before the next one starts. Overhead punches reach up with a straight arm and the shoulders staying down. Keep the knees soft and bounce lightly on the balls of your feet through all 60 punches so the legs stay involved.
Twenty side jacks and sixty punches - the legs bought the ticket and the shoulders took the ride.
Make it Harder: Add a small hop between stances every fifth punch - switch which foot is forward and keep punching without dropping the guard.
Make it Easier: Cut each punch block to 12 and the side jacks to 12 as well - same shape, smaller dose.
