Harry Garside is no stranger to extreme workouts, but his latest is one that will seriously destroy your core.
Fresh from completing a challenge that saw him not breathe through his mouth for 24 hours, Australian boxer Harry Garside is back with another extreme fitness test. But, while it certainly still challenges his cardiovascular system, similar to his previous challenge, it more so serves to improve his core strength.
Taking to his Instagram Stories to show off his workout, Harry Garside can be seen in what appears to be a home garage gym completing a series of core exercises that would have us begging for mercy were we to try them ourselves.
WATCH: Harry Garside’s Extreme Core Workout
Medicine ball wall throws
Harry starts with some medicine ball wall throws (a favourite exercise of Chris Hesmworth) followed by a couple of quick jabs with his fists and then switches things up by working on some quick footwork before throwing the medicine ball at the wall once again.
Medicine wall workouts, such as Harry’s, help to target virtually every muscle in your body, according to Healthline. In Harry’s particular case, he will be primarily targeting his obliques (due to the rotation of his torso) and his shoulders (based on the way he holds the ball before throwing it at the wall).
What is also apparent from Harry’s videos, is how intense the exercise is. He grunts consistently during the exercise, indicating it’s no walk in the park. Indeed, medicine ball workouts also increase your heart rate, owing to the fact they can be performed quickly and require you to exert great amounts of strength. This in turn can help to improve cardiovascular fitness and overall endurance.
Handy when you’re a boxer who needs to be prepared to fight for 12 rounds.
Gym ball torso rotation
Following his medicine ball wall throws, Harry moves on to some more core crushing exercises. The first is a gym ball torso rotation. This sees him laying on a gym ball whilst holding a dumbbell up above him, and completing rotations to either side whilst keeping the dumbbell held out straight.
By using a gym ball, Harry needs to recruit his core muscles and his glutes, to help keep him stable on the unstable surface. The addition of the dumbbell creates even more instability when he rotates to the side. It’s not clear exactly what weight of dumbbell Harry is holding, but judging by the size (and his grunts) we’d say it’s at least 10kg, if not more.
If you want to try this exercise for yourself, then start without a weight and rotate in the same manner, with your hands held together out in front of you.
American kettlebell swings with rotation
Finally, Harry performs some American kettlebell swings, but adds in a rotation at the hips. The American kettlebell swing is an extension of the classic kettlebell swing (also known as a Russian kettlebell swing). Where the latter finishes with the kettlebell around hip height, the American version sees you continuing to swing until the kettlebell finishes above your head.
Some people in the fitness industry see it as a redundant move and one that has potential to cause more harm than good (see here), but some others still see it as a beneficial move that is better for improving endurance, rather than strength.
BarBend says of the American kettlebell swing, “lifters need to have enough shoulder mobility and scapular stabilisation to be in the overhead swing position.”
“American swings can sometimes lead to compensation patterns when a lifter lacks overhead mobility and stability are present. This means the lifter may rely on other muscles — muscles that aren’t meant to be engaged — to pick up the slack during American swings.”
If you do want to try an American swing, do so with a light kettlebell and only if you have good shoulder mobility. You also need to ensure you perform it correctly to avoid injury.
In Harry’s case, he does appear to be using a lightweight kettlebell, and he recruits his core muscles and the momentum from the rotation to facilitate the swinging motion, as opposed to using his shoulders. He does, however, appear to move his head and neck forward at the top of each swing, something Barbend says should be avoided.
This particular exercise is a good example of how it might not always be a good idea to mimic athletes’ workouts. You can still perform kettlebell swings with a rotation, but have the kettlebell finish around mid-torso height. This not only is a safer movement to perform, but can help improve explosive strength, too.
All in all, it’s an incredibly intense workout that certainly has its merits with regard to increasing your core strength. Just remember, Harry is a trained professional athlete, so if you want to try it for yourself, go easy on the weight and make sure to nail the technique.
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