“IF YOU CAN move your feet, you can play.”
That’s Tone House Head Coach and Founder Alonzo Wilson’s mentality when he creates tough workout sessions for everyday athletes, whether they’re actually building up their bodies for sports or they’re just trying to get into better shape. “Play” doesn’t just mean stepping onto a field to compete; Wilson centers movement in his fitness practice, breaking away from static weight pumping sessions that keep exercisers’ feet planted on the floor and challenging them to crawl, roll, and jump around the space. Play means that you can do all that—and endure through challenges—which has more real-life payoffs than you might expect.
“This helps you not only just physically, but [also] mentally,” says Wilson. “It transfers on and off the turf.”
Wilson used this philosophy to create this intense five-minute conditioning workout, which includes drills that anyone who has endured a classic football two-a-day practice will recognize. You won’t need any weights or equipment to take on the series yourself, just some cones you can use to mark out spots on the gym floor.
If you do choose to take on this workout, you can follow along with Wilson’s cues—but make sure that you’re moving at your own pace. While he says it’s “five minutes of fun,” it will be tough to keep up throughout the entire period. Rest when you need, and make sure to keep your form on point.
The Tone House 5 Minutes of Fun Conditioning Workout
Round 1 – Low Buzz Drill
Set the cones up with three in a row, spaced about two feet in between each. Place a final cone about two body lengths in front of the others parallel to the middle cone. Start behind the middle cone in a bear crawl position, with your palms flat on the floor stacked directly below your shoulders and a flat back. At Wilson’s cue, “buzz” your feet (chop them quickly on the floor like you’re running in place). When Wilson says left or right, perform a seated roll to that direction. Do that by rolling yourself to the side on your butt, then immediately return to the starting position and buzz your feet. When Wilson says down, drop your chest to the floor, as you would in a burpee. At the cue to go, gallop forward by placing both palms on the floor in front of you, then swinging your hips forward. Move to the front cone, then perform backwards updowns back to the starting position. Do this by starting with the pushup, then leaping backwards off both feet back to the starting position. That’s one round; you’ll do four total.
Round 2 – Rocket Lunge
Start in an athletic lunge position, with your arms cycled as if you were in stride (if your left leg is forward, your right arm should be up, and vice versa). Hold this position, with your bottom knee raised just off the floor. At Wilson’s cue, perform 10 rocket lunge reps, exploding off the floor on one leg and driving the opposite knee up. Land and return to a reverse lunge position before the next rep. After finishing the reps, return to a lunge hold position and wait for Wilson’s cue.
Round 3 – This Way and That Way Drill
Set up a pair of cones about six feet apart. Start standing at one of the cones in an athletic stance, with your feet hip-width apart, your knees slightly bent, and your hands up and ready. From there, Wilson will give you the cues you need throughout the rest of the period. These include shuffling around the cones to the left and right, buzzing your feet, performing high knees, pushups, mountain climbers, squats, and jumping up and down. It’s brutal, so follow the commands as you can.
