Just because you can’t make it to the gym doesn’t mean you have an excuse to skip your workout!
When you don’t have access to equipment, you can still get amazing results using just your own bodyweight.
By shortening rest, increasing volume slightly and by using different tempos and hybrid movements, you can challenge yourself without any tools in a very small space.
So if you can’t hit the gym, you can stay on track with this 20s Triset Blast to torch your chest, shoulders, triceps, abs and legs!
The 20s Chest And Legs Trisets
QUICK WARM UP OPTION: Complete 1 round through the quick stretching flow below as well as 1-2 rounds of the activation. STRETCHING: 5-10 reps per side Inchworm Flow ACTIVATION: 10-15 reps Tabletop Bridge 10-15 reps Downward Dog Scapular Presses 8-12 reps per side Bulldog Shoulder Taps
WORKOUT: Complete 3 rounds of each triset, resting only as needed. After you complete all 3 rounds on a triset, quickly move to the next series. Time how long it takes you to complete everything and try to beat that time next week! For any unilateral or one-sided move like the Lunges or Tricep Push Ups, you can complete 10 reps per side if you’re a beginner to intermediate exerciser. If you’re more advanced and have been working out consistently, you can work up to 20 per side!
TRISET #1: 20 reps Squat with Pulse 20 reps Forward to Backward Lunge 20 reps Bulldog Ins and Outs TRISET #2: 20 reps Wide Grip Push Ups 20 reps Tricep Push Ups 20 reps Plank Hip Dips TRISET #3: 20 reps Sumo Squat to Calf Raise 20 reps Push Up Toe Touch 20 reps Tabletop Dip Toe Touch
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Squat with Pulse:
To do the Squat with Pulse, start standing tall with your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. Sit your butt back and down, squatting through a full range of motion. Keep your chest up and don’t round over.
Sink down to about parallel while keeping your heels down. You may go slightly below parallel but don’t make this the deepest squat you’ve ever done. From the bottom of your squat, pulse up a few inches then sink quickly back down.
While you don’t want to bounce, this is a very quickly little pulse a few inches up and then back down.
Then drive back up to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top before repeating the squat with a pulse at the bottom.
Forward to Backward Lunge:
To do the Forward to Backward Lunge, start standing tall with your feet together. Then lunge forward on one side. Bend your knees as you sink down as if lowering to half kneel on the ground. Try to get your front knee bent to about 90 degrees, sitting back in your heel. Drop your back knee down toward the ground as you keep your chest up.
Then drive back through your front heel to come back up to standing. You can tap your toe down center if needed or move right into the backward lunge.
Step back with the same leg you lunged forward with and sink into a backward lunge. Keep your chest up as you sit back in your front heel and drop your back knee down toward the ground. Then drive back up to standing, driving through your front heel.
Repeat, moving right back into the forward lunge on the same side.
Bulldog Ins and Outs:
To do Bulldog Ins and Outs, set up on your hands and knees with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. Flex your feet and lift up onto your hands and the balls of your feet.
Holding this bulldog position, jump your feet out wider so that your legs move open while your knees still stay about under your hips. Don’t let your legs straighten out as you jump out wide.
Then jump your feet back in and even closer together than where you started. You can jump them all the way together even and then jump back out.
Keep jumping your feet in and out as you keep your butt down and stay in that bulldog position.
To modify the move, step one foot out wide and then the other before stepping both back in and together.
Wide Grip Push Ups:
To do the Wide Grip Push Up, set up in the high plank position with your hands out wider at chest height. A great way to figure out a width to start with is to make your hands into fists and place your knuckles together. Lean forward and lay your arms on the ground with your knuckles together. Your elbows will be pointing out and, right at the end of each elbow, you will place your hands. Make sure your hands are at chest height and not way up by your head.
Then in the high plank position with your feet close together and your body in a nice straight line from your head to your heels, lower your chest down to the ground. Do not let your hips sag or your butt go up in the air. Make sure your entire body moves as one unit.
Lower all the way down then press back up with your body moving as one unit. Full straighten your arms out at the top and repeat, lowering back down. Try to keep your entire palm firmly on the ground as you press and lower.
Beginners can do the Wide Grip Push Up from their knees or off an incline.
Tricep Push Ups:
To do Tricep Push Ups, lie on your side with your legs out straight or bottom knee bent. If you bend both legs it will make it harder. Wrap your bottom arm up and place your hand on your opposite shoulder or around your ribs. Place your top hand down on the ground at about shoulder height or right below. The more you place the hand down toward your belly button, the harder the move will be.
Then press the ground away with that hand on the ground, feeling your tricep work to push your upper body up. Press up until your arm is extended and lower back down to the ground. Keep yourself on your side as you press and lower. Your chest may slightly rotate toward the ground as you press, but make sure you really focus on the back of your arm working.
Repeat, pressing up again until your arm is fully extended. Adjust your hand placement or your legs so you can press and stay under control. Also, engage your abs so your legs aren’t flopping around as you lift. You want to keep your legs down or regress the move to make sure that you can.
Plank Hip Dips:
To do the Plank Hip Dips, set up on your forearms and either your knees (beginner) or toes (advanced). Your elbows should be under your shoulders and your body should be in a nice straight line from your head to your heels or knees. Squeeze your glutes and keep your core tight with your belly button drawn in toward your spine. Do not let your hips sag or your butt go up toward the ceiling.
Then rotate, dropping your hips toward one side. Try to touch the ground as you rotate without your hips sagging or butt going up in the air. Also, do not let your elbows come up off the ground.
Come back center then drop your hip to the other side. Alternate hip touches until all reps are complete.
You will feel everything twisting even down to your feet or knees. Do not let yourself go all the way over. Make sure to control the twists and just touch the hip down before twisting to the other side.
Sumo Squat to Calf Raise:
To do the Sumo Squat to Calf Raise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Turn your toes out slightly. Keeping your chest up, sink down in a squat. Sit your butt back and keep your chest up. Make sure your knees stay in line with your hips and ankles. Do not let your knees cave in.
If your knees cave in, adjust your stance, bringing your feet closer together. Then drive back up to standing and squeeze your butt.
As you fully stand, push off the balls of your feet to raise your heels off the ground and perform the calf raise. Keep your toes slightly pointed out and make sure to push off the entire ball of your foot.
Lower your heels back down to the ground and repeat the sumo squat.
Push Up Toe Touch:
To do the Push Up Toe Touch, set up in the plank position on your feet and hands with your hands under your shoulders and your feet about shoulder-width apart. Putting your feet closer together can make it harder to balance and force your core to work harder. Your body should be in a nice straight line.
Then from this plank position, reach one hand back toward the opposite ankle. As you reach back, push your butt up in the air. Reach back toward the opposite ankle and then move back into the plank position, placing your hand back down on the ground.
Perform a push up, dropping your chest toward the ground with your body moving as one unit. Press back up and then reach the other hand back toward the opposite ankle.
Push your butt up into the air every time you reach back, but make sure to come back forward into the plank position before performing the push up.
Tabletop Dip Toe Touch:
To do the Tabletop Dip to Toe Touch, start with your butt on the ground and then place your hands behind you as you bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground.
Then lift your butt up off the ground. Perform a little dip, bending your elbows as you touch your butt back down to the ground.
Then lift up, bridging your hips up a bit, as you kick your leg up and reach your opposite hand to touch your toe. Place your hand and foot back down, then repeat the dip and then kick the other leg up and reach your other hand to touch your toe.
Move quickly without rushing so much that you don’t stay balanced. Also, make sure to perform a little dip after each toe touch, bending your elbows slightly to touch your butt down.
Looking for a calorie-torching HIIT workout you can do anywhere, no equipment needed? Then you’ll love these 4 Full-Body HIIT Workouts using just your own bodyweight!
Whether you have 5 minutes or 30 minutes, these high intensity interval workouts have you covered!
So whether you need a quick option to do at home on a busy day, or a way to burn fat while you travel, you have 4 killer workout options below!
4 Bodyweight HIIT Workouts
You’ll find each workout in the videos at the times below. And for quick reference, I’ve written out the workouts below as well!
1. The 30 Minute 30s Blast! (0:10) 2. The 5-Minute Full-Body Cardio Burner (3:34) 3. The 10-Minute Cardio Pyramid (4:32) 4. The 30/15 Full-Body Blast (6:54)
The 30 Minute 30s Blast!
Complete 4 rounds through each circuit, moving from exercise to exercise without resting. Bring your heart rate down between rounds with the active rest movement. If needed, fully rest during that time instead of performing the exercise. Or perform a modified variation that allows you to recover. Rest 1-2 minutes after completing all rounds of a circuit before moving on to the next one.
CIRCUIT #2: 30 seconds Sumo Squat Jumps 30 seconds Criss Cross Push Up Hop 30 seconds Low Side To Side Lunges 30 seconds Lateral Crawl Shoulder Tap 30 seconds Two-Way March “Active Rest”
CIRCUIT #3: 30 seconds Double Hop Burpee 30 seconds Climber Push Up Rolls 30 seconds Lateral Hops 30 seconds C-Sit Rotational Knees 30 seconds Fighter Practice “Active Rest”
The 5-Minute Full-Body Cardio Burner
Set a timer for 20 second intervals of work and move from exercise to exercise without resting. Complete 3 rounds through.
CIRCUIT: 20 seconds per side Curtsy To Skip 20 seconds Downward Dog To Knee Tuck Push Up 20 seconds In and Out Squats 20 seconds Rotational Row Sit Up
The 10-Minute Cardio Pyramid
Set a timer for 30 second intervals of work and move from exercise to exercise without resting. You will go through the exercises to the “active rest” then go backward through the moves. If needed, fully rest during the 30 seconds of active rest.
PYRAMID: 30 seconds Double Hop Burpee 30 seconds Criss Cross Push Up Hop 30 seconds Squat Cross Jacks 30 seconds Lateral Crawl Shoulder Tap 30 seconds C-Sit Rotational Knees 30 seconds Lateral Hops 30 seconds Climber Push Up Rolls 30 seconds Rotational Row Sit Up 30 seconds Sumo Squat Jumps 30 seconds Two-Way March “Active Rest” 30 seconds Sumo Squat Jumps 30 seconds Rotational Row Sit Up 30 seconds Climber Push Up Rolls 30 seconds Lateral Hops 30 seconds C-Sit Rotational Knees 30 seconds Lateral Crawl Shoulder Tap 30 seconds Squat Cross Jacks 30 seconds Criss Cross Push Up Hop 30 seconds Double Hop Burpee
The 30/15 Full-Body Blast
Set a timer for 30 second intervals of work with 15 seconds to transition between moves. Complete 4-6 rounds through. Rest an additional 45 seconds between rounds if needed otherwise only rest the 15 seconds between moves!
CIRCUIT: 30 seconds Double Lunge Burpee 15 seconds Rest 30 seconds Push Up Scorpions 15 seconds Rest 30 seconds In and Out Squats 15 seconds Rest 30 seconds Lateral Crawl Shoulder Tap 15 seconds Rest 30 seconds Elbow Bicycles 15 seconds Rest
We NEED to work on our ability to recruit those muscles to stabilize from the ground up.
Our feet and lower legs are our foundation. And we need a strong and stable foundation if we want to be stronger further up our body.
That’s why in my Booty Burner (2.0) I made sure to include a BALANCE routine, which of course you have to repeat even though you’d love to skip it.
My Booty Burner 1.0 had the Yoga Booty Burner, which people hated…And this new one has The Balance Booty Burner, which oddly stinks in a different way! YAY!
(And if you find balancing is a struggle, I coach you in the follow along workouts, providing variations you can start with to build up!)
These Booty Burner workouts are so key though because of the “ankle-butt connection.”
They help you improve your balance and mind-body connection as you build a strong foundation and activate your glutes!
Especially if you’ve ever had foot or ankle issues…even ones 10 years ago that no longer “bother” you… your current knee or hip pain may be connected!
And all of the glute activation in the world won’t fully add up IF you aren’t doing the right moves to establish that mind-body connection from the ground up!
It’s why you NEED glute activation series like this one!
So try the Balance Booty Burner from my Booty Burner 2.0 below!
Complete 1-3 rounds of the circuit below, pausing briefly to rest and switch sides after all 4 moves are complete (up to 20 seconds). You want to complete all 4 moves on one side before switching. If you find you can’t complete all 4 moves without pausing, you may want to switch sides after the first two moves or rest 40 seconds between rounds.
CIRCUIT: 20 seconds per side Warrior III 20 seconds per side Warrior III Squats 20 seconds per side Standing Clams 20 seconds per side Side Shift Skaters
The quick reference image below is taken from the 28-Day Booty Burner Book, BUT with the program you’ll also get video workouts so you can workout with me and I can coach you through the moves!
Whether you need an amazing workout to do at home or you want to stay on track while traveling, this 30/10 Cordio Workout is a must-do routine!
It’s one of the fun interval workouts in my Bodyweight Blast, included in my Macro Hacks Challenge!
The 30/10 Cordio
WORKOUT: Set a timer for 30 seconds of work and 10 seconds to rest and transition between moves. Complete 2-4 rounds through each circuit without resting extra between rounds. (You may add an extra 40 seconds between rounds if needed so that you don’t have to pause or rest during the 30 seconds of work.) Rest 1-2 minutes between circuits.
CIRCUIT #2: 30 seconds Tuck Jump to Plank Tucks 10 seconds Rest 30 seconds Half Burpee (with push up) 10 seconds Rest 30 seconds Diagonal Skaters to High Knees 10 seconds Rest 30 seconds Hops To Sit Thru 10 seconds Rest 30 seconds Frog Kicks 10 seconds Rest
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Switch Stance Burpee: To do Switch Stance Burpees, look straight ahead but rotate your body to the right so your feet are angled forward but facing slightly right. Stagger your back foot slightly forward of your front foot. Then squat down to about parallel to the ground. You won’t want to stand up at any time once you start but will just pop back up into this squat. From this squat position, place your hands down in front of you on the ground and jump your feet back into a plank so that you are now in a plank pointing straight ahead. Perform a push up with your body moving as one unit to drop your chest to the ground. Beginners can remove the push up or perform it from their knees. Push back up and as you come up to the top of the plank, jump your feet in so you can come into a staggered stance squat facing to the left. Pause just briefly to sit in the squat. Then jump back into a plank center, do a push up and jump into a staggered stance on the first side. Move quickly alternating staggered stance squats on each side.
Bear to Crab Crawl: To do the Bear to Crab Crawl, start on your hands and the balls of your feet with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Your knees should be just a few inches off the ground. Begin to crawl forward stepping one hand and the opposite foot forward. Then move the other hand and foot. Keep alternating sides, making sure the opposite arm and leg step at the same time. Crawl a few steps on each side (based on the space you have). Then lift one hand and kick the opposite knee under your body as you rotate your chest open toward the ceiling. Pivot on the foot and hand that is down so you can rotate into a tabletop bridge. You will place both feet flat on the ground with your chest pointing up toward the ceiling and hands on the ground down at about shoulder height. Begin to crab crawl, stepping one foot and the opposite hand forward. Then the other foot and hand. Your hands can be pointed out to the sides to put less stress on your shoulders. Crab crawl back to the start then flip back over, reaching your hand over your body toward the ground as you pivot on your feet to bring one knee back under and through to return to that bulldog position on your hands and the balls of your feet.
Oblique Twist High Knees: To do Oblique Twist High Knees, bend your elbows and bring your hands together at about chest height with your elbows flaring out to the sides. You want to think of your hands as a target to try and rotate toward your knee as you do a high knee run. Then begin to do a high knee run, tucking your knees up as high as you can. As you bring your knee up, rotate your torso to bring your hands across your body and toward that knee. Then as you straighten that leg out and run the other knee in, twist and bring your hands toward that knee. Keep your hands up at your chest with your elbows flared up and out. Move quickly twisting toward each side as you bring your knees up. To modify, march instead of running.
Inchworm Plank: To do the Inchworm Plank, set up in a forearm plank from your toes with your elbows under your shoulders and your body in a nice straight line down to your heels. Begin to walk your feet in toward your head, keeping your legs straight as you take very small steps forward. Your butt should go up in the air as you walk your feet in to pike up. Walk in as far as you mobility allows. Then jump both feet back out (beginners may walk back out instead). Do not let your hips sag toward the ground as you return to the forearm plank. Then repeat walking back in before jumping back out.
C-Sit Rotational Knees: To do the C-Sit Rotational Knee, sit on the ground with your feet flat and knees bent. Lean back and bring your hands together up at your chest with your elbows out. Engage your abs as you hinge back slightly. Then lift one knee and rotate toward that knee trying to bring your opposite elbow to touch your knee. Keep your elbows out and hands in together as you rotate. Place that foot back down as you lift the other knee to rotate the opposite elbow to touch it. Do not sit up at any time. Stay in that slightly hinged back position, making sure to brace your abs.
Tuck Jump to Plank Tucks: To do Tuck Jump to Plank Tucks, start standing tall before sinking to place your hands on the ground and jump your feet back into a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your feet a few inches apart. Brace your abs and don’t let your hips sag as you jump both feet in to bring your knees close to your elbows. Try to jump in so your knees are at least under your hips if not closer in. Use your abs to try to get them just a few inches from your elbows. Do not jump in so much that you sit back on your heels. Then jump back out into the high plank position. Do not let your butt go up in the air and keep your hands under your shoulders. From the high plank position, jump your feet all the way up to come back up to standing. As you come up to standing, swing your arms back and jump up, tucking your knees up toward your chest. Land with your knees soft and then sink back down to move back into that high plank position before tucking your knees in again. Beginners can do a squat jump or bodyweight squat instead of the tuck jump. They can also step back into the plank position and step one knee in at a time. And then extend one leg back out at a time to keep the move lower impact. You can also modify the plank and tuck by placing your hands up on a bench after the bodyweight squat if you can’t get down to the ground.
Half Burpee (with push up): To do Half Burpees, you can modify the move by removing the push up or advance the move by adding one in. To start, set up in the high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your feet about shoulder-width apart. Then jump both feet up and outside your hands so your in a squat position. Try to really jump all the way in to your hands. Quickly jump back into plank. Try not to let your butt go way up in the air as you jump from the squat back to plank. From here perform a push up with your body moving as one unit. You can go down to your knees as well to do the push up before moving back to a plank from your feet. Move quickly after the push up, jumping back into the squat position. Then repeat, jumping back out into plank. Do not let your hips sag or your butt go up in the air in the plank position. Again perform another push up then jump back in.
Diagonal Skaters to High Knees: To do Diagonal Skaters to High Knees, start to one side and the back of the space you have as you’ll be jumping laterally and forward. Stand and shift your weight onto your outside foot as you swing your arms across your body toward that side. You will lift that inside leg and even let it cross back behind your standing leg. Bend the knee of your standing leg slightly and load that leg and glute, even slightly popping your hip out toward that side. Then jump laterally and forward at an angle to land on your other foot. Swing your arms across your body to help propel you further. Land on that other foot and quickly sink to load so you can jump diagonally forward and across to your starting foot. Do that again to land on the other side. Think about completing 3-5 diagonal skater hops based on your space! Once you’ve completed 3-5 lateral diagonal hops forward, high knee run backward or back pedal back to the start and repeat. To modify, keep your lateral hops smaller while still moving diagonally forward and even march back instead of running back with high knees.
Hops To Sit Thru: To do Hops To Sit Thru, start in the plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your legs together. Your body should be in a nice straight line from your head to your heels. Then, with your legs together, jump your feet in toward your right elbow, rotating so that your knees come outside your elbow. Jump back into the plank position with your feet back center and your body in a nice straight line. Then jump your feet back in, but this time toward your opposite elbow. Rotate to bring your knees toward the outside of your elbow. Jump your feet back out center, but not completely extended. Then rotate open toward the right and kick your left leg under your body and through toward where your right hand is. As you bring your left leg forward and through, lift your right hand. You want to rotate all the way through with your left leg out straight so that you are almost sitting with your left hand down to support you. You want to “sit through.” Then bring the left leg back through so you are back in the starting position position on your hands and the balls of your feet. Next rotate to the left and kick your right leg through and forward as you lift your left hand. Come back into the short plank and then perform the hops toward each elbow. In between the hops, jump fully back into a plank but then don’t jump all the way out after both hops are complete before you do the sit thrus to each side.
Frog Kicks: To do Frog Kicks, lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your legs out straight on the ground in front of you. Bring your heels together while turning your toes out. You can then slightly crunch your upper body up to help press your lower back into the ground or you can fully relax your head down. Lift your legs up off the ground so your heels are about a foot off the ground. Keeping your heels together, bring your heels in toward your butt. Your knees will bend out wide as you’ll keep your hips externally rotated. Letting your knees fall open, bring your heels in, keeping your lower back against the ground. Then kick your legs back out straight and repeat. If you feel your lower back, kick out and up higher. If you feel your hip flexors really taking over, play around with how much you let your knees go out wide as you tuck in.
Getting in a killer cardio workout doesn’t have to mean using a piece of cardio equipment.
You don’t need a treadmill or a bike or to spend hours running to improve your cardiovascular health and conditioning while blasting fat to help with your weight loss efforts!
So if you’re short on time and need a workout you can do ANYWHERE, these 10 moves can help you out!
Whether you pick 4-6 and do 30 seconds of work with 15 seconds of rest or even do a 20/20/20 set up, you can get in a killer workout no matter where you are in just under 30 minutes!
Need some killer cardio workouts using these moves?
This move will get your blood pumping as it sets your legs, lungs and, even your core, on fire!
This hybrid move combining Snow Board Hops with Plank Skiers is a great full body movement that’s a “fun” spin on that traditional burpee.
To do Snowboard Hop Skiers, start with your feet in a slightly staggered stance and your back foot out in front of your front foot. Look forward over that front leg and then squat down to place your front hand down on the ground by your toe. Do not simply round over to place your hand on the ground. Squat down. Do not touch the ground if that means rounding over with your butt up.
Then jump up and rotate, switching to land in the slightly staggered stance on the other side. Sink down then reach your hands down to jump back into a high plank position from your feet and hands with your hands under your shoulders and feet close together.
Holding the plank, jump your feet up and in toward one side, bringing your knees as close to the outside of your elbow as possible.
Jump back into the high plank position center then jump your feet up to the other side, again bringing your knees as close to the outside of that elbow as possible. You want to feel your core rotate to tuck your knees up to the outside.
Jump back center then jump up and in to come into that snowboard squat position.
Lift your hands up and jump back to that first side before jumping back again to repeat the plank and skier hops to each side.
You can include just two snowboard hops and always jump back on the same side if you alternate which side you start with and have an even number of rounds. Or you can include 3 snowboard hops even so you are alternating sides you jump back for the skier hops on.
Tuck Jump to Plank Tucks:
This killer burpee twist will work your legs, especially your quads, as well as your abs and shoulders. It is a high impact movement, that requires proper landing mechanics.
So if you have knee pain or need to reduce impact, sub in a bodyweight squat for the tuck jump and step back and in instead of jumping for the plank tucks.
To do Tuck Jump to Plank Tucks, start standing tall before sinking to place your hands on the ground and jump your feet back into a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your feet a few inches apart.
Brace your abs and don’t let your hips sag as you jump both feet in to bring your knees close to your elbows. Try to jump in so your knees are at least under your hips if not closer in. Use your abs to try to get them just a few inches from your elbows.
Do not jump in so much that you sit back on your heels.
Then jump back out into the high plank position. Do not let your butt go up in the air and keep your hands under your shoulders.
From the high plank position, jump your feet all the way up to come back up to standing. As you come up to standing, swing your arms back and jump up, tucking your knees up toward your chest.
Land with your knees soft and then sink back down to move back into that high plank position before tucking your knees in again.
Beginners can do a squat jump or bodyweight squat instead of the tuck jump. They can also step back into the plank position and step one knee in at a time. And then extend one leg back out at a time to keep the move lower impact. You can also modify the plank and tuck by placing your hands up on a bench after the bodyweight squat if you can’t get down to the ground.
Squat Double Lunge:
Can you say jello legs?!
This hybrid leg exercise will get your blood pumping and really target your legs. (It will also challenge your coordination a bit, which is never a bad thing!)
To do the Squat Double Lunge, start standing with your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart. Sink down into a squat, sitting back as you sink to about parallel to the ground. Keep your chest up and your heels down.
Jump up out of the squat and, as you come to land, sink into a lunge with one foot forward and the other foot back. Make sure your front heel is down and all of your weight isn’t in that front leg.
Drop your back knee down toward the ground as you bend that front knee to about 90 degrees then explode up and switch legs, landing in a lunge on the other side.
Again sink into that deep lunge and jump up, bringing both feet back to parallel to sink into a squat.
Make sure that as you land with each move, you bend your knees and don’t land with your legs locked out.
Each time you will perform the squat then a lunge to each side. You can alternate which side you lunge with first.
Beginners may step instead of jumping and may not perform as big a range of motion. You may also step and do a straighter leg lunge if you need to reduce knee flexion.
Squat Twists:
Work your legs and your core with this squat to twist movement.
The squat jumps will get your blood pumping and legs working, while the twist is a great move for your core, especially your obliques!
To do Squat Twists, start standing with your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart. Sink into a squat to about parallel to the ground, keeping your heels down and chest up. Really sit your butt down and back.
Then jump up out of the squat and, as you leave the ground, rotate your hips to pivot your lower body and feet toward the right or left. Land on the balls of your feet with your hips angled toward one side but your chest still fighting to face forward. Swing your arms to the opposite side you’ve rotated your feet to.
Land quickly on the balls of your feet and push off to move back into the squat facing forward. Bend your knees as you land and quickly sink to then jump back up and rotate your hips the other way. Feel your core working to twist.
Beginners may not sink as low in the squat and may stand up out of the squat, stepping with just one leg in front to twist their hips, touching that toe to the ground before stepping back to sink back down.
Corn Cob Push Ups:
Not every cardio move we do has to be high impact.
And by mixing up the areas we work over a cardio circuit, we can allow ourselves to recover while not having to fully rest.
So if you did a Squat Double Lunge, you could then “rest” your legs by doing a Corn Cob Push Up to work your chest, shoulders, triceps and core.
This way you’re still getting work done and even keeping your blood pumping while allowing different areas to recover.
To do Corn Cob Push Ups, set up in the high plank position with your feet together. Your hands should be just outside your chest or maybe slightly wider.
With your body in a nice straight line, lower your chest to the ground. Holding just hovering over the ground, shift your weight to one side. Then shift back center. Then shift your weight to the other side.
Come back center and then press back up. Make sure your body is in a nice straight line the entire time.
Beginners can do this from their knees or off an incline. Make sure as you move at the bottom that your butt doesn’t go up in the air.
Push Back Push Up:
This push up variation is a great one to include in your cardio workouts as it will not only work your upper body, but also really challenge your core while getting your blood pumping!
However, it is a very challenging variation when done from your toes. So make sure to modify off an incline or from your knees to prevent neck, shoulder or even lower back aches and pains if needed.
To do the Push Back Push Up, set up in the high plank position with your feet about hip-width apart or slightly closer together and your hands just outside your chest. Beginners can also do this from their knees.
Then from this plank position sit your butt back toward your heels as if doing a child’s pose without your knees on the ground. Beginners can actually do child’s pose, sitting back with their knees down.
As you come back forward stay as close to the ground as possible. You are shooting forward into the bottom of the push up. You want to think about skimming forward with your body just off the ground.
Once you’re in a nice straight line at the bottom of a push up, press up to the high plank position then sit back again to repeat.
Do not let your elbows flare way up above your shoulders as you come forward or push up. You want your upper arms to create more of an arrow shape with your body or even stay in slightly closer to your sides.
Beginners can do this all from their knees. To make this move a little less advanced from the toes, you can reverse the move.
Instead go from the high plank to the bottom of the push up then from the bottom of the push up sit your butt back onto your heels. You will then come back forward into the high plank position to repeat. This makes the movement a little easier on your upper body, but far from easy!
If the knee version is too easy but the others from the feet are too much, try placing your hands up on a low incline!
Plank Skater Hops:
Cardio and core all in one move.
This hybrid plank is a great way to challenge your shoulders, abs, obliques and quads while setting those lungs on fire hehe
(It’s always great when we can also include a diversity of movements that get us moving in every direction too!)
To do Plank Skater Hops, start in a bulldog position from your hands and toes with your knees bent to about 90 degrees and feet together behind you. Straighten one leg out to the side and slight back, touching the toe down. You may even slightly shift the other foot more center under your body as you reach the straight leg out to the side.
Then hop that straight leg back in, bending it as you do, as you hop the other leg out laterally. You will almost be shuffling back and forth laterally while in the plank position. Keep your hands under your shoulders as you do. Your butt shouldn’t be way up in the air as you shuffle/hop side to side. You may “bounce” but your butt shouldn’t be up in the air.
Beginners may do less of a hop and move more slowly while advanced exercisers should hop quickly side to side. Remember to keep one knee bent under your body as the other leg goes out to the side. The straight leg will be out to the side and slightly back as you hop back and forth.
Single Arm Plank Jacks:
Work on your anti-rotational core strength, and even your coordination, with this plank jack variation! This is most definitely an advanced movement so you may either need to slow it down to start or stick with the basic plank jack.
But this move is a great way to challenge your shoulder stability while really targeting those obliques, quads, glutes and even your inner thighs!
To do Single Arm Plank Jacks, set up in a high plank position with your hands a bit closer together under your shoulders and your feet together. Brace your abs and make sure your body is in a nice straight line.
Then jump your feet out wide, and as you do, lift one hand to touch your opposite shoulder. Resist the urge to really rotate as you lift the hand or let your butt go up in the air. Try to keep your hips down and your core as square to the ground as possible.
Jump your feet back together and place the hand back down. When you quickly jump your feet out again, this time lift the other hand to touch your opposite shoulder.
Jump quickly back in and lower the hand back down. Keep repeating the jack with your feet, alternating which hand you lift to tap your shoulder.
Run, Punch, Banana:
Just like I like to include push ups so that you can allow areas to recover while still putting in work, I also love including more isolated core movements in my cardio workouts.
Not only can these moves help you build a lean, strong core, but they can also help you lower the intensity for an interval to more fully recover WITHOUT actually having to fully rest.
Sometimes it’s not just cycling the areas you’re working but actually about cycling the intensity of the movements you include!
This is a great way to get more out of less time!
To do Run, Punch, Banana, start lying on your back with your legs out straight and arms reaching back overhead. Lift your shoulder blades and legs off the ground, bracing your abs and engaging your glutes. You can think about pressing your lower back down into the ground to help engage your abs. Your head should be in line with your arms overhead. Do not tuck your chin. This position is the banana.
Then roll to one side. Do not roll all the way over, but just angled onto your side to feel your obliques work. Do not touch your hands or legs down.
Roll back center then sit up, drawing one knee in as you punch the opposite hand out toward your feet. Keep the other leg out straight on the ground as you bring your other hand in at your chest.
Straighten that leg back out as you bring your hand back in toward your chest. You will want to tuck the other knee in and punch the other hand out to switch sides at the same time. (So as one leg is straightening out the other is tucking in so that you can run and punch quickly.)
After performing a knee tuck and punch to each side, straighten both legs out and reach both hands back overhead to lower back down into the banana position.
Roll onto your other side once you’ve lowered down then come back into the banana position and repeat the punch and run sitting up.
Beginners can keep their legs up higher toward the ceiling in banana and perform more of a crunch instead of sitting all the way up to run. They can even touch the toe of the opposite leg from the one they are tucking in down to the ground to reduce the strain on their abs so their lower back doesn’t take over.
If you feel your lower back engaging during this move, it is key you modify so you can feel your abs working!
C-Sit With Rotational Chops:
This is another great core-intensive move that, while working your abs, hip flexors and quads, will allow your heart rate to come down and your body to recover a bit for the next intense bout.
This can be a more challenging move if you struggle to prevent your lower back from engaging so make sure to really get that c curve as you sit back. Do not arch! If you feel your lower back engaging, you need to modify.
To do C-Sit Rotational Chops, sit on the ground with your knees bent and heels on the ground. Then hinge back, rounding your back almost as if you are slouching or creating a “c” shape with your back. Engage your abs. Reach both arms out in front of you at about chest height.
Then twist to reach one hand back toward the ground behind you as you kick the leg on that side up toward the ceiling and reach your other hand toward the outside of that foot. You will reach the opposite hand toward the opposite foot as you rotate.
Open your chest up as much as possible and actually twist through your spine don’t just try to reach further from your shoulder.
Then lower the foot back down as you rotate and reach the other way, kicking the other leg up as you reach toward that foot and then also back toward the ground behind you.
Move at a controlled pace as you really reach both back toward the ground behind you and toward your foot. Feel around your rib cage as well as your abs and quads working.
Need some killer cardio workouts using these moves?
Split Squat Jumps are a great cardio and leg exercise, but also a very challenging movement, requiring strength and balance.
Plus, if you struggle to properly load your glutes during a basic lunge, and tend to put too much strain on your knees, you’re going to struggle to control your recruitment patterns even more as you speed this move up and actually jump up off the ground.
With jumping lunges of any kind, one of the first modifications to try is to reduce the impact.
Start with a smaller jump or even a skip to switch instead of a big jump where both feet leave the ground at the same time.
You can even slow them down, doing a pulse in each lunge to work your legs while reducing the impact and giving you an extra second to stabilize.
If flexion is an issue, you can try not sinking as low and instead do a slight bit more of a hip hinge on the lunge with a straight back leg.
You can also step back instead of jumping or do a skater squat with backward tap.
While stepping back you can use more or less flexion as needed, the skater squat will completely eliminate active flexion as you’ll stay in that high hinged squat and simply touch back.
You can also reduce impact and even make the step back lunge a bit more challenging by adding in sliders!
If you move quickly, all of these can really get your blood pumping!
Another option is to completely swap moves and instead do a kettlebell swing or speed hip hinge if you have knee issues making lunges contraindicated.
These are posterior chain focused leg moves that will get your blood pumping.
While you always want to start by modifying with as similar a movement pattern as possible, both of these two moves are still lower body focused and will get your blood pumping even if they aren’t lunges!
The key is to modify and stay true to what you want to work and get out of the workout!
Want more ways to modify common cardio moves? Want some great cardio workouts to help you burn fat and build strength?
