Don’t be afraid to get a little dirty working out! Earn that shower!
This workout format is based off one of my absolutely favorite workouts in the world. It’s a progressive strength series I used to do with my coach in Denver, famous Mr. America Tom Terwilliger.
You take 2 complimentary strength moves and do them back to back, as a superset – but here’s what makes this tough: you have to do the prescribed amount (7 of each move for today’s circuit) back to back for 10 minutes.
Having the clock ticking down always makes me push myself to do more – not rushed, mind you – we want to have perfect form throughout or it doesn’t count. But I ALWAYS surprise myself with how much I can get done in 10 minutes.
Sounds fun, right? I saved the best part for last.
Once you do your superset, you’re going to add a little finishing cardio piece at the end to really fire up your metabolism.
I’ve got two 10-minute blocks for you to try today, and your goal is going to be to get 6-8 rounds total within each 10 minute block.
I want you to warm up with a few rounds of some great core moves (I’ve got the ones I did today below for you), then set your phone or timer for 10 minutes and start your rounds!
I like to write down each round on a piece of paper nearby to keep track of my sets (otherwise I lose count) – so keep track and let me know how you do.
Try this workout again 3-4 days later to see how you do – your body will get stronger fast, and pushing against the clock will help you get more out of it than you think you can.
Our mind always gives up before our body does….but you can use tricks like the clock to maximize your workouts.
For my advanced peeps, try this with weight if you’re used to lifting – and drop it down to 5 reps instead of 7 with the squats, push-ups, deadlift/reverse lunge combos. Keep your cardio pieces the same. Intermediate, try it without weight first to get a good baseline and then add some light dumbbells. This is a killer workout WITHOUT weight and a total fat burner no matter how you slice it!
TRIPLE THREAT FAT-BURNING FULL BODY CIRCUIT
WARMUP: 3 Rounds
1. Cross-Cross Squat 15-20
- Start out standing, feet hip width distance apart with your hands behind your head. Shift your weight back to your heels, and keeping your chest up, gaze forward lower yourself to a body squat.
- As you come back up, lift your left knee to meet your right elbow. Lift your right knee to meet your left elbow. Squeeze through your core.
- Drop right back down to a body squat again and repeat!
- You can take the cross out of this if balancing is challenging. If you do that, I want you to add a 30-second set of bicycle crunches to each round of your workout so you don’t miss the benefit of this for your abs.
2. Plank: 45 seconds-1 minute
- Tall Plank (top photo): Position your hands below your shoulders and make a straight line with your body up on your toes.
- Keep your lower back pressing up to an invisible glass ceiling. DO NOT let it arch.
- Keep your gaze out in front of you.
- Kneeling Plank (bottom photo): Position your hands below your shoulders and make a straight line with your body from a kneeling position. Keep your lower back pressing up to an invisible glass ceiling. DO NOT let it arch. Keep your gaze out in front of you. You can come onto soft fists or hold dumbbells if your wrists bother you at all.
10-Minute A Block
1. Body Squat: 7
2. Push-Ups: 7
- A proper push up begins with the exact same form as a plank. Hands are stacked right below your shoulders, core is tight, back is actively engaged (not arched), body is in a nice straight line and your gaze is slightly in front of you.
- Lower yourself toward the floor until your elbows break the 90 degree angle, or your chest touches the ground.
- Press straight back up. Your body should move up and down as a unit, in a straight line. You don’t want to be a worm with parts of your body dangling or dropping down ahead of each other.
- A great variation is to drop to your knees. Use the same good form – straight body line, back is actively engaged (not arched), core is tight and keep that upper body alignment – hands are stacked right below your shoulders. You can also come onto soft fists or hold light dumbbells if your wrists bother you.
Finisher: Jumping Jacks: 30
- Begin with your feet together, hands at your sides. Keep a soft bend in your knees, and evenly distribute your weight between your feet.
- Jump your feet out slightly wider than your hips, and bring your hands up above your head to clap.
- Keep your chest up and open. If your shoulders are rounding forward, you can cause pain when you fling them up overhead. Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together to keep your chest open as you go through this motion.
- Land lightly on your feet. Keep that soft bend in your knees.
- If at any time you need a break, slow down and take out the jump. Side step to the right and raise your arms overhead, then sidestep to the left and bring them down. Repeat until you can jump again, or take out the jump entirely and just do step outs.
10 Minute B Block
1. Single Leg Good Morning/Deadlift to Reverse Lunge Right: 7
- Begin standing, core engaged, arms in front of you. Position your weight on your right foot (1).
- Hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back nice and flat as you reach your arms out straight and extend your left leg behind you (2). Balance through your right foot. Keep your head lifted and look forward over your fingertips.
- Smoothly return to stand, without putting your foot down (3). Once you have reset your body, drop into a reverse lunge with your left foot behind you (4).
- Come to a nice 90 degree bend in your right leg. Be sure your right knee tracks in line with your right foot, and doesn’t go past your big toe. Step back up to stand and repeat – performing all 7 combined movements on the right before switching to the left.
- Perform this move with a wall in front of you or a chair for balance if you haven’t tried either of these before. You may also do 2 good mornings on both feet – see this post for a great demo (keep in mind in that demo the double leg good morning is combined with a chair sit), and then add 2 reverse lunges afterwards.
2. Single Leg Good Morning/Deadlift to Reverse Lunge Left: 7
- Begin standing, core engaged, arms in front of you. Position your weight on your left foot (1).
- Hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back nice and flat as you reach your arms out straight and extend your left leg behind you (2). Balance through your left foot. Keep your head lifted and look forward over your fingertips.
- Smoothly return to stand, without putting your foot down (3). Once you have reset your body, drop into a reverse lunge with your right foot behind you (4).
- Come to a nice 90 degree bend in your left leg. Be sure your left knee tracks in line with your right foot, and doesn’t go past your big toe. Step back up to stand and repeat – performing all 7 combined movements on the left.
- Perform this move with a wall in front of you or a chair for balance if you haven’t tried either of these before. You may also do 2 good mornings on both feet - see this post for a great demo (keep in mind in that demo the double leg good morning is combined with a chair sit), and then add 2 reverse lunges afterwards.
Finisher: Mountain Climbers: 30
- Start in a tall plank position, with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your arms straight. Keep your upper body in a straight line – don’t let your lower back sag. Keep your hips as low as you can as you begin to run in place, bringing you knees up to your chest. Find a comfortable breathing rhythm and pace.
- It’s okay if your hips start to lift, but try to keep them down as much as you can for the full duration.
- If your wrists bother you, hold light dumbbells or come onto soft fists. You can also take a quick break and hold plank anytime. You can also STAND and perform high knees to get some core burn without being on your wrists or shoulders at all.
Betty Rocker is a Health Coach and Nationally Certified Structural Integrationist who realigned and rehabilitated motorcycle racers and extreme sports athletes in her private practice for many years before turning her focus to nutrition and fitness. She began teaching health and nutrition based cooking classes at Whole Foods Market in Denver in 2012. She has completed studies at Tufts University, FIU, BCMT and has continued her education in science at Front Range Community College. Read her complete bio.