The Secret 3-Move Circuit Your Trainer Hasn't Told You About
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Finding the motivation workout is one thing, but finding the time is another. Luckily you don't need to be at the gym or in Spin class to get a great workout. You don't even need anything but your body and an awesome playlist to get you going. This trainer's secret three-move circuit will help get you fit anywhere, from the park to your living room. It's easy to follow and totally effective. You'll work your entire body so you can feel your best physically and mentally. We got the scoop on how to do this secret circuit and why it works from Youfit Health Club's fitness education expert, Raphael Konforti, MS, CPT.
The Workout
OK, so what's this secret circuit exactly? As Konforti explains it, "The secret is in the simplicity. Simple exercises work really well at engaging the muscles properly and getting the heart rate up, which is key to any good workout. This secret circuit is made up of nothing but the best — planks, burpees, and push-ups. Depending on how much energy and pizzazz you've got for the day, you can do anywhere from three to five rounds total. You'll do each exercise for 30 seconds and try to go through all three exercises without taking a break in between. Do your best to keep moving as much as possible during the 30 seconds. If it feels really challenging or like you can handle more, take advantage of the progressions and regressions for each move."
Directions: Do each of the three exercises for 30 seconds before moving directly to the next exercise. Do three to five rounds.
Exercises:
- Plank
- Burpee
- Push-up
Keep reading for more details and tips on each exercise.
Plank
This first exercise challenges your core strength and stability. The plank is one of the best ways to tone your midsection and strengthen it so you can handle whatever life throws your way. It's also an exercise that doesn't take much time to improve on. After doing this workout just a couple times, it'll feel so much easier to hold a plank and you'll literally feel your core getting stronger.
Konforti's Trainer Tip: "The most important part of any exercise and especially the plank is alignment. For the plank, you'll start on your elbows than lift your body up so your neck, shoulders, glutes, and heels make one straight line. Be sure not to make a tent by poking the hips up or make a hammock by letting your hips drop. Staying aligned ensures that your core is doing the work and getting the results. To make it less intense, drop down to your knees, or up the ante by walking your elbows out past your shoulders," said Konforti.
Burpee
We all know that person that seems to have endless time in their day to check everything off their to-do list. Before you think there's not enough time to exercise, think again, because the burpee is a huge time-saver. But it isn't just about time — it's also about fat loss, and the burpee will scorch off some calories!
Konforti's Trainer Tip: "Burpees are great for their ability to get the heart rate up quickly. Many exercises take time to build up to the intensity that burpees offer straight away. If you value your time, burpees need to be a part of your workout. There's plenty of variations to make burpees 'fun.' You can either walk it out or add in a tuck jump at the top by bringing your knees up to your chest as you jump. The 30 seconds will be over before you know it and the high intensity means that once you stop working, your body won't. Your body will keep burning for hours!" explained Konforti.
Push-Up
Push-ups are another feel-good exercise; after knocking out a few good reps, you'll truly feel like you can take on the world. Beyoncé said girls run the world, but I think she'd agree that girls who do push-ups really feel like queens. Did we mention that push-ups will give your regal self the benefits of a stronger, boosted bust and tighter triceps? We thought that would get a royal notice.
Konforti's Trainer Tip: "There's really no better exercise for targeting the underarms, chest, and shoulders than push-ups. They're a great test of strength that you can quickly see their progress with. Again, alignment is key on push-ups. It's best to start with the kneeling version. Resting your knees on the ground, place your hands directly underneath the shoulders and keep a straight line from your head to your knees. Keeping the elbows in like chicken wings, lower yourself down and press back up through the elbows. To add some spice to this move, try changing your hand positioning every rep so every push-up feels slightly different."