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.
Yea yea yea…we’ve all heard we can’t spot reduce an area.
And while this is true to some extent, doing workouts focused on the areas we would like to “improve” while dialing in our diet is ESSENTIAL if we want results.
We build the lean muscle that looks amazing with our workouts and then REVEAL that muscle with our diet.
By working specific areas with more focused movements, we can mobilize the fatty acids in the surrounding tissues.
So if you do moves focused on your triceps, you can mobilize more fatty acids in the tissues around your triceps.
But you can’t just then do a bazillion tricep extensions and expect results. You’ve got to put those mobilized fatty acids to work to burn them off!
That’s why you want to include moves to target your trouble zones while also burning off those mobilized fatty acids with compound moves and cardio!
You can do all of these things in a single workout even. Even if you only have your own bodyweight and 10 minutes!
So if you need a killer, quick workout to target some of those common “trouble zones,” like your abs, glutes, inner thighs and triceps, you’ll love this Burner workout from my 28-Day Core Burner program! (And if you need help with the diet side of this things, this program does have that option!)
The 10-Minute Trouble Zones Burner
Set a timer for 20 second intervals of work and move quickly from one move to the next. Try not to rest during the 20 seconds of work, but modify as needed. Complete 3 rounds then perform the active rest for about 20 seconds and move on to 3 rounds of the second circuit. Beginners may rest fully instead of doing the Wacky Jacks.
CIRCUIT #1: 20 seconds Mountain Climber Burpee 20 seconds per side Curtsy Lunge to Leg Lift 20 seconds Alternating Leg V-Ups
20 seconds Wacky Jacks
CIRCUIT #2: 20 seconds Alternating side Lunges with Hops 20 seconds per side Tricep Push Ups 20 seconds Spiderman Mountain Climbers
If you love this workout, check out the entire 28-Day Core Burner program…there are even follow along workouts if you enjoy doing a video workout with me!
BUT for the quickest and best fat loss results possible?
Both diet AND exercise must work together.
You don’t get that lean strong look WITHOUT dialing in your training.
As I like to say, abs aren’t made in the kitchen…they’re REVEALED in the kitchen.
And that is why pairing a healthy diet with a proper workout routine is key.
(If you need help with the diet side of things, CLICK HERE…otherwise let’s have some workout fun!)
The 30/10 Bodyweight Fat Torcher
Set a timer for 30 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest to transition to the next exercise in the circuit. Do not rest during the 30 seconds of work. It is better to modify the move so that you can keep moving!
Complete 4-6 rounds through the circuit. If needed, you may add in an extra 40-90 seconds of rest between rounds. Otherwise only rest the 10 seconds between moves!
CIRCUIT: 30 seconds Skier Hop Burpee 10 seconds Rest 30 seconds Double Pulse Squat Jumps 10 seconds Rest 30 seconds Half Burpee with Push Up 10 seconds Rest 30 seconds Squat Jump Bulldogs 10 seconds Rest 30 seconds Crawl with Sit Thru 10 seconds Rest
Remember, the key is to keep moving the entire 30 seconds while performing QUALITY reps. If you feel your form faltering or you have to rest, try regressing the movements.
Now…Let the sweat fly with this fun 30/10 workout!
MODIFICATION SUGGESTIONS:
If you are struggling with a move, these quick tips will help. I have a whole section on modifying moves to fit your needs in the Cardio Burner program too!
Skier Hop Burpee: To modify, step back on the burpee instead of jumping or even put your hands on a bench instead of going all the way down to the ground.
Double Pulse Squat Jumps: Take out the jump and just do a squat to calf raise instead of leaving the ground. You can even squat to a bench if you need to protect your knees.
Half Burpee with Push Up: Take out the push up or go down to your knees to do the push up. You can even do this off a bench instead of off the ground.
Squat Jump Bulldogs: Instead of doing the jump knee tuck, do a basic bodyweight squat. You can also also walk back instead of a single push back from the squat position.
Crawl with Sit Thru: To modify, keep both hands on the ground for the sit thru and even keep more of a plank position. You can also do the crawl on your knees if needed.
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Grab a booty band and get those glutes, and even your abs, firing with this activation series!
Really focus on what you feel working as you go through this 5-minute burner.
Because this burner isn’t about adding more resistance or heavy weights – it’s about creating that pump or “burn.”
You want to use it to improve your mind-body connection before your run, ride or lift so you can quickly and efficiently recruit the right muscles to work when you need!
Because if we aren’t recruiting the correct muscles, we can end up compensating and overloading muscles not meant to carry the full load. And this is what leads to injury.
So if you want to prevent low back, hip, knee and even ankle pain, include a quick glute activation series before your workout!
Just remember…don’t just rush through the movements! Feel those glutes and abs working and focus on feeling that BURN!
The 5-Minute Booty Band Activation Series
Complete 2 rounds through the series, working for 30 seconds on each move. Do not rest between moves or rounds.
SERIES: 30 seconds Booty Band Wall Sit 30 seconds Booty Band Skater Walks Forward/Backward 30 seconds Glute Bridges 30 seconds Plank Lateral Taps 30 seconds Abduction Toe Touches
And it’s because interval workout designs are not only a great way to get your blood pumping, but also improve your conditioning and even build strength!
Plus they are very EFFICIENT workouts that allow you to pack in more to less time.
So if you’ve got a busy schedule? Interval workouts are a great way to go!
Plus, the results you get from your interval workouts can dramatically differ depending on the interval set up you use and the moves you include.
This means you can adjust not only the time you work, but also the time you rest to get exactly the results you want from your workouts!
(And you can adjust the intervals to fit your current fitness level and progress as you get stronger!)
Below are 3 of my favorite interval workout designs and how you can use them to get the lean, strong body you’ve always wanted!
3 Killer Interval Workout Designs:
The 20/20/20 Set Up:
I love this interval set up because it is so versatile and has seriously killer fat burning benefits because you end up working hard for 40 seconds followed by 20 seconds of rest!
It also has shorter intervals of work which, no matter what variation of the set up you do, allow you to really be more explosive when you work!
With this interval set up, you’ll work for two intervals of 20 seconds and rest for 20 seconds between each round.
This workout can use two types of rest (both full and active), depending on the moves you select.
For instance…You’ll get active rest by alternating the areas that work in the back to back intervals before fully resting between rounds. This can be great way to improve your recover times and even lactic acid tolerance.
By working two different areas or muscle groups back to back, one gets to rest while the other works so you can pack in more work to a shorter time, BUT also get more rest to be able to go harder each work interval.
It can almost make the workout feel more like a 1:2 ratio of work to rest, especially if you also cycle the intensity of those two moves back to back.
However, you can also make this 20/20/20 design feel like a 2:1 ratio of work to rest by working the same areas back to back (or even doing two full body moves back to back) before resting.
This can be a great a great way to improve your work output and even start to work on your speed endurance (aka pushing to maintain a higher intensity for longer).
And then you can change up the interval set up even further, by eliminating full rest altogether and include “active” rest for that third 20 second interval.
This active rest should allow your heart rate to come down, but you won’t as fully recover. So it should be a lower intensity movement or at least one you do at a lower intensity.
Sometimes even using isometric holds as active rest can be a good option as it will still make your body work but allow you to bring your heart rate down.
It turns this interval design into more of a tempo workout, especially if you cycle from a super intense move, to a moderate to intense move to a recovery move.
And is great to improve your endurance and even your recovery!
This workout can not only be a full-body killer, but it can help you improve your recovery times and even build your endurance.
By cycling the intensity of moves and areas worked, it can even help you improve your work capacity as you blast fat and even build strength!
With this workout design, you’ll work for 30 seconds on each move with no rest between moves. Your “rest” between rounds will be an active rest move.
It will improve your endurance and recovery times as you don’t get a full break between rounds. This will mean though that your intensity and output may DECREASE over the rounds of work.
However, the more you cycle the areas worked, and even the intensity of moves you use (maybe even including an isolation exercise for the core after a few more intense moves) on top of the active rest interval, the more you can work at a higher intensity for those full-body hybrid or compound movements earlier in the circuit.
(You’ll see in the example below even the use of an isometric for active rest, which I mentioned earlier.)
EXAMPLE: 30 seconds Burpee 30 seconds T Push Ups 30 seconds Skater Hops 30 seconds Cherry Bombs (aka isolated ab move) 30 seconds Wall Sit “Active Rest”
Beginners can even include a full 30 second interval of rest while alternating exercise intensity over the round itself. There may be more ups and downs in the movement intensity so that they don’t have to rest extra during the intervals of work.
EXAMPLE: 30 seconds Burpee 30 seconds March in Place 30 seconds Squat Jumps 30 seconds Crunch 30 seconds Rest
The key with these intervals is to pick a move that challenges you and makes you want to stop, BUT that you can continue to do the entire 30 seconds, even if you have to regress.
You do not want to rest during the intervals of work, but you also want to recognize that these moves won’t be as explosive as shorter intervals of work with longer rest periods!
The 40/20 Set Up:
This is a killer interval set up that will really make you feel the burn as you challenge your lactic threshold while improving your endurance and work capacity.
You won’t be near as explosive the entire interval of work as you could if you worked for only 20 seconds. You may be pushing at more like 80% so that you can make sure you work consistently throughout the 40 seconds.
And your work output WILL decrease over the rounds as 20 seconds is far from enough time to recover.
But this is the point of this workout and, depending on the way you use the interval set up, you can even mitigate some of the decrease in output.
The key is to select moves that make you work hard the entire 40 seconds, but that you don’t max out on so much, you can continue to work the next round through.
You can also adjust this 40/20 set up in two main ways.
You can do a circuit where you alternate areas that are working to keep your output higher (areas will then get more rest than just the 20 seconds as another area works).
You can do all rounds on one exercise with only 20 seconds of rest between rounds. This will lead to a quicker decrease in work output as you’ll be working the same muscles over and over again with only half the time to recover!
Both though have benefit, it just depends on your goals.
If you want to work on pushing through fatigue to even improve your recovery time (which could be great if you’re training for a race), you may want to use the second set up.
This can also be great if you’re working to build strength endurance.
For that set up, you would just an exercise, say the Rower and stay on it for 5 rounds of 40/20 then go to another exercise after those 5 rounds to do intervals of 40 on, 20 off.
However, if you use the first design, you would create more of a circuit, with 20 seconds between moves.
You could then cycle areas worked and even the intensity of the moves so that areas get more rest so the intense moves you can go harder on.
EXAMPLE: 40 seconds Side Shuffle with Down Up 20 seconds Rest 40 seconds Climber Push Ups 20 seconds Rest 40 seconds Split Squat Jumps 20 seconds Rest 40 seconds Sit Ups 20 seconds Rest
This would allow areas to rest and recover a bit as other muscle groups worked more. It would allow you to have a higher work output throughout (which you can even track by recording reps each round!).
The great part about all 3 of these interval set ups is you can build strength and burn fat without having to spend hours in the gym. AND you can tweak them to match your needs and specific goals!
For more amazing workouts to help you see fabulous results, check out my Dynamic Strength program.
Build a strong back and sexy arms with this Back and Bicep Triset Blast (and KILLER bicep drop set burner!). YOUCH!
If you want a strong back that not only looks amazing, but also helps you improve your pull ups AND avoid neck and shoulder pain, this workout is perfect to include in your routine.
An added bonus of this workout is that it will also strengthen your core by using some great hybrid plank variations. Work your back, shoulders and abs all at once!
Talk about some great bang for your buck!
If you like this workout, check out my other killer upper body series in my Arm Burner cards!
Whether you want strong, sexy arms, a toned back, to improve your pull ups and push ups or even to avoid injury, the Arm Burners have you covered (and there are some killer hybrid core moves and cardio burners in there too)!
Now to the workout fun!
The Back And Bicep Blast
Complete 3 rounds of each triset, resting 45-60 seconds between rounds. Then rest 1-2 minutes between trisets. After all 3 trisets are complete, complete the Bicep Burnout!
TRISET #1: 10-15 reps per side Single Arm Plank Rotation with Knee 6-12 reps per side Alternating Arm Dumbbell Rows 10-15 reps per side Superman Waves
TRISET #2: 6-12 reps Lat Pull Downs 10-15 reps Back Flyes 10-15 reps per side Side Plank Rows
TRISET #3: 10-15 reps Mini Pull Ups 6-12 reps per side Suspension Trainer Single-Arm Rotational Rows 10-15 reps per side Bench Plank Rows
BICEP BURNER: You’ll complete 3 rounds in this drop set series.
Complete 6 reps of each of the 3 bicep curls back to back with one weight. Then quickly switch to lighter weights for 9 reps of each. Then again drop the weights and go lighter for 12 reps of each. Make sure to pick a weight that challenges you for the reps listed!
CIRCUIT: 6-9-12 reps Full Bicep Curls 6-9-12 reps Bottom Curls 6-9-12 reps Top Curls
(Feel the burn!? Get more killer Arm Burner Workouts HERE! YAAASSS!)
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Single Arm Plank Rotation with Knee:
To do the Single Arm Plank Rotation With Knee, set up in a side plank position from your hand with your bottom leg in back of your top leg.
Then lift that back leg as if kicking it back and up toward the ceiling slightly. Reach your top hand out in front of you and overhead. Your chest will rotate toward the ground as you lift up into this side plank position with your opposite arm and leg raised.
Rotate your chest back open as you tuck your raised leg under and forward, driving your knee forward as you tuck your raised arm down to meet it. Try to touch your knee to your elbow as you rotate your chest back open and away from the ground.
After slowly tucking the knee to the elbow and feeling yourself pivot around that shoulder. The muscles around your rib cage should really be working. Then kick the leg back out and reach back out and overhead with your hand.
Move slowly to stay balanced and try to keep your hand on the ground under your shoulder.
Beginners can tap the toe down behind them or even just do the knee tuck without the kick out.
Alternating Arm Dumbbell Rows:
To do Alternating Arm Dumbbell Rows, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing in and hinge over, pushing your butt back while keeping your knees soft and back flat. Engage your upper back with your arms extended down toward the ground.
Then drive one elbow down and back toward your hip as you row the dumbbell up to your chest. Do not shrug your shoulder and really focus on pulling with your back. Do not turn it into a bicep curl. You should row the weight up to about nipple height.
Lower the weight back down and row up on the other side. Brace your abs and really pull with your back. Do not bounce with the weight or rotate a ton just to try to row up higher. Make sure you don’t hyperextend your lower back as you stay hinged over.
Brace your abs, press your chest out and keep your knees soft the entire time to protect that lower back and focus on working your upper back.
Also, look slightly out to keep your head about in line with your spine and not strain your neck. Move at a controlled pace as you row, alternating arms. You do not have to pause with both at the bottom but can row one up as you lower the other down.
Superman Waves:
To do Superman Waves, lie face down on the ground with you arms reaching overhead and your legs out straight behind you.
Then lift your arms and legs off the ground, engaging your glutes and back to lift. Try to lift your chest up as high as you can and get your quads off the ground as much as possible.
Holding here, sweep one arm out and down toward your side, keeping your arms straight. Keep the other arm reaching straight out overhead as you wave the other arm down.
As you lower one arm down by your side, keep it as high off the ground as possible to work the back of your shoulder.
Wave the arm back overhead then sweep the other arm out and down to your side. Keep alternating sides as you engage your back and butt to stay up in the superman position. Move at a controlled pace.
Lat Pull Downs:
To do Lat Pull Downs, you can use a machine or even resistance bands. Using a resistance band, anchor the resistance band up high and grab the band in both hands with your palms facing away. You can use a variety of grips and even hold it with your palms facing each other or toward you.
Then step back so that there is tension on the band even with your hands extended toward the anchor point. Sink into a lunge with the back leg straight. You can also stand with your feet together if you don’t need to counterbalance against the band. Lean forward over the front leg with your back flat and reach your hands up overhead toward the anchor point as you hold the band. You want to create a nice straight line from your hands to your tailbone so that you can mimic the vertical pull of the Pull Up.
With your chest pressed out, pull the band down to your shoulders, driving your elbows down toward your hips. Feel your shoulder blades retracting and the sides of your back working to pull the band down. Keep your core tight as you pull the band down and do not let your back round as you pull.
Hold for a second at the bottom of the pull then extend your arms back overhead and repeat. Make sure to keep your back flat and draw your shoulder blades down and back as you pull the band down to you.
Step further away from the anchor point to increase the tension on the band and make the move harder. You can also use a heavier band.
Back Flyes:
To do Back Flyes using dumbbells, hold a light dumbbell in each hand. Start light so that you can focus on your upper back and the backs of your shoulder’s working without engaging your upper traps, neck or lower back.
Hinge over at the hips holding the weights with your arms hanging straight down toward the ground. Keep your back flat and slightly bend your knees. Make sure to drop your chest to about parallel to the ground. If you start to stand back up, you could start to overuse your upper traps instead of using your upper back. You do not want to turn this into an upright row.
Then, bracing your abs, fly your arms out to the side. Keep your elbows soft as you lift your arms out to the sides and back toward the ceiling at about, or just below, shoulder height. Pinch your shoulder blades together as you fly your arms open and really feel your upper back and the backs of your shoulders working. Keep your neck relaxed as you fly.
Lower back down and repeat the fly. Try not to swing, but really focus on using your back to lift. Also, make sure to keep your elbows soft as you fly your arms up and out.
If you feel your neck and upper traps engaging, you can place your head against the wall or on top of a bench. Also, make sure your low back doesn’t engaged as you keep your back flat. You may need to brace your abs more or bend your knees slightly, especially if your hamstrings are tight.
Side Plank Rows:
To do the Side Plank Row, set up in a high side plank from your hand with your feet staggered (your top foot will be in front). You will hold a dumbbell just off the ground down in front of you with your top hand.
Keeping that nice side plank position, row that weight up and across your body, driving your elbow back toward the wall behind you. You will slightly rotate open as you row. Feel your back pulling the weight up and across as your bottom side works to keep your bottom hip up for that nice plank position.
Lower the weight back down and across toward the ground and repeat the row.
Mini Pull Ups:
To do Mini Pull Ups, start hanging from the bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands about shoulder-width apart.
From this dead hang position, press your chest out and up toward the bar as you draw your shoulder blades down and together. Feel your back engage as you draw your shoulder blades together and press your chest up toward the bar. You will feel your shoulders “unshrugging.”
Don’t bend your elbows and turn this into a pull up. You are simply working on that initial retraction and engagement. Really press your chest out and retract your shoulder blades, bringing them down and together.
Again, do not bend your arms to pull up. Use your back and feel your back engage. You should also feel your shoulders go down as your chest lifts up.
Pause at the top then relax back down to a full dead hang and repeat. Remember, you are not bending your elbows to make this movement bigger.
Suspension Trainer Single-Arm Rotational Rows:
To do a Single-Arm Rotational Row, grab one strap in one hand. Walk your feet forward and lean back to put your body at an incline. Start with your hand holding the strap in at your chest as you reach the other hand up the strap as high as you can. Do not let your shoulder holding the handle shrug. Pretend you’ve already rowed up and you’re driving your elbow down and back as your hand is in at your chest and your body is rotated toward the strap.
Then lower yourself down, extending the arm holding the strap as you rotate the hand reaching up down toward the ground almost as if you are doing a hanging side plank. Keep your body in a straight line and don’t let the hips sag toward the ground.
Keeping your core tight, row your chest back up to the handle, and as you do, rotate back to the start, turning your chest back toward the strap as you reach your other hand as high up the strap as you can.
Do not shrug your shoulder as you row. Really feel your lat and back on the side you are rowing with working. To advance (or regress this move), change the incline of your body. The closer you get to parallel to the ground, the harder the move gets.
Bench Plank Rows:
To do Bench Plank Rows, hold a dumbbell in one hand and place your other hand down on the bench as you move your feet back so you are in a high plank position. Set your feet about hip-width apart so your core doesn’t rotate as you row. Let the arm with the dumbbell hang down.
Then holding this plank position with your abs braced and back flat, row the weight up to your chest, driving your elbow back. Make sure to pull from your back as you row the weight up to about chest height. Don’t shrug your shoulder as you row or turn it into a bicep curl. Feel your back engage as you row it up.
Then lower it back down and repeat. Make sure to keep your core engaged so you don’t sag or rotate as you row. If you have wrist issues or even want to make it harder, go down to your forearm on the bench.
To make it easier, use a higher box. Do not go lower than a box at about knee height!
Full Bicep Curls, Bottom Curls, Top Curls:
To do the three different bicep curls, hold a dumbbell in each hand, standing with your feet about hip-width apart and arms down by your side with your palms facing up.
Without swinging the weights, curl them all the way up to your shoulders, keeping your elbows pointing down toward the ground. Control the lower back down and repeat. That is the full bicep curl.
To do the Bottom Bicep Curl, you will only curl the weights up to the point your forearms are about parallel to the ground and then lower back down. You are curling for only the bottom half of the full curl. Even take a quick pause when you reach that halfway point.
To do the Top Bicep Curl, you will start at the top of that bottom curl, so about halfway up in the curl. From this point, you will curl the weights to your shoulders. When you lower back down, control the weights down to that halfway point. Don’t go lower and make sure to pause there so you can’t use much, if any, momentum. Remember you are curling to the top and lowering so that your forearms are parallel to the ground.
