Don't waste your time on a long, boring, mundane workout. Here's an eight-move bodyweight workout that moves fast and targets all the major muscle groups you care about: arms, abs, and butt. It will also get your heart rate up, up, up.
Directions: Complete 15 reps for each of the eight moves. Repeat the cycle again decreasing down to 10 reps per move, then a last cycle for five reps. Not enough of a workout for you? Repeat this 15-10-5 workout one or two more times.
The Moves
- Push-Ups [1]
- Squats With Overhead Reach [2]
- Alternating Forward Lunges [3]
- Burpees [4]
- V-Crunch [5]
- Single-Leg Bridge [6]
- Side Planks Dips [7]
- Superman Lift [8]
Basic Push-Up
- Start in plank position with your arms and legs straight, shoulders above your wrists.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest to touch the ground. Then straighten the arms, moving the body up as one unit. This counts as one rep.
- If this is too difficult, do this exercise with your knees on the floor [9].
Squat With Overhead Reach
- Begin with your feet slightly wider than hip's width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Raise your arms up until your upper arms are even with your ears. If this is too difficult, rest your hands on your hips.
- Keeping weight in your heels, sit back into a deep squat. Make sure your knees do not go beyond your toes or roll in or out of alignment. Keep your abs engaged as you squat.
- Deepen your abdominal engagement as you press through your heels to return to standing, completing one rep.
Forward Lunge
- Stand tall with your feet hip's width distance apart. Bend the elbows at your sides, or rest your hands on the hips.
- Step forward with the right foot, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Keep the front knee directly above the ankle, and lower the left knee to just above the floor.
- Keep the weight in your heels as you push back to the starting position.
- Repeat stepping with the left foot this time, completing one rep.
Classic Burpee
- Begin standing with the feet hip's distance apart.
- Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
- Do a squat thrust by jumping your feet back into a plank position.
- Do one basic push-up, bending the elbows and then straightening back to plank.
- Step or jump the feet forward to the hands and come into a squat.
- Do an explosive jump straight up, getting as much height as you can, completing one rep.
V Crunch
- Lie on your back, and lift your legs and arms up so they are extended toward the ceiling. Lift your upper back off the floor, reaching your hands toward your feet.
- Lower your legs toward the floor while reaching your arms overhead, keeping your shoulders off the mat and lower back pressed into the mat.
- Repeat the crunch motion to complete one rep.
- If this is too difficult, do it with your knees bent.
Single-Leg Bridge
- Lie on your back, with the knees bent, and place your hands on the floor for stability. Extend the left leg out.
- Pressing your right heel into the floor, lift your pelvis up, keeping your body in a stiff bridge position.
- Slowly lower your body to the floor. This completes one rep.
- Do all reps on one side, and then repeat on the left.
Side Plank Dips
- Begin in a side elbow plank on your right side with your heels stacked.
- Inhale and lower your pelvis to the floor, so your right hip hovers just off the floor.
- Exhale and press up through your right waist to lift your pelvis and return to side plank. This completes one rep.
- Do all reps on one side, and then repeat on the left.
Superman Lifts
- Lie face down on your stomach with arms and legs extended. Keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Keeping your arms and legs straight (but not locked) and torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form an elongated "U" shape with your body — back arches and arms and legs lift several inches off the floor.
- Hold for two to five seconds and lower back down to complete one.