Train your body as one muscle

Multi-directional movement patterns are the new favorite with trainers and fitness professionals. Why? Backed by solid scientific rationale, they recruit all the major muscle groups, increase whole-body strength and burn through an epic amount of energy in a single workout.

Another way of seeing multi-directional movement exercises is that they treat your body as just one muscle. Weight training machines, by contrast, focus on one muscle group at a time, and only involve a limited amount of muscle tissue. This means spending a lot of time on a minor amount of calorie burning.

In this workout, we get off the machines and challenge multiple muscle groups to work together in compound movements, develop total body strength and intensify calorie metabolism in a shorter period of time. Did we say stronger and fitter in less time? You bet your soon-to-be-sweet butt we did.

The workout below uses a traditional format: complete all sets of each exercise before moving onto the next.

Prep a. Dumbbell deep goblet squat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8COMhl-hgBU

• Select a light dumbbell and hold it vertically in front of your chest with both hands.
• Push your hips back and sink into a squat while maintaining a long spine.
• To return to standing, push your feet into the floor while driving your hips forward.

Reps: 6 Sets: 1-2
Intensity/Load: Light
Tempo: Slow to 5s hold Rest
Interval: 30-45 seconds

Prep b. SLB hinge to lock-step and type 2 rotation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrnFtdxoGkA

• Balance on your left leg with a slight bend in your knee.
• Lean forward at the hips while extending your right leg behind you.
• As you return to standing, step forward with your right leg while reaching back with your right hand (rotating to your right) and overhead with your left hand.
• Repeat on other side.

Reps: 6 each side
Sets: 1-2
Intensity/Load: Bodyweight
Tempo: Slow to 5s hold
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

1. Plank push back to single leg squat and balance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxnuwZ7bvpc

• Hold a high plank (push-up) position with your right leg in the air. Walk your hands back to your right foot and stand up on your left foot. Hinge at your hips to lower your hands back to the ground. Use your hands to “walk” back to the starting position.
• Repeat on other side.

Reps: 6-8 each side
Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Bodyweight
Tempo: Natural
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

2. Reverse lunge then 2 hand cable row

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0OBhRFTgEs

• Use a cable column with 2 handles and the pulley at chest height. Start in a standing position with the feet approximately hip-width apart and the knees slightly bent.
• Step back with the right foot while lowering into your left hip. At the bottom of the lunge, pull the cable to your chest in a rowing movement.
• Extend your arms and step forward into the starting position. Alternate legs.

Reps: 6-8 each side Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Medium-Heavy
Tempo: Natural
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

3. Cable flyes — alternating arm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpVIGh1dJng

• Use a cable column with 2 handles and the pulley at chest height. Holding the handles, step forward and keep your feet hip-width apart with your hips and knees slightly bent. Bring both arms straight out in front of your chest. This is your starting position.
• Keeping your arms straight, slowly rotate your right arm to the side at shoulder height. Keep your left arm straight out front.
• Be sure to keep your right arm straight as you rotate it back to the start position, and then repeat using your left arm.
• To maintain stability, contract your abdominals and glutes, and think about pushing your feet into the floor.

Reps: 10-12 each side
Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Medium-Heavy
Tempo: Natural
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

4. Wide lateral deadlift

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ7ArlQU-QY

• Start in a wide stance with your toes pointed straight ahead and your feet parallel. Hold a kettlebell in front of you.
• Shift your weight to your left leg. Maintaining a straight spine, push your pelvis backwards while hinging at the hip to lower the weight towards the floor.
• Push your left leg into the floor and drive your hips forward to return to standing.
• Repeat on the alternate side.

Reps: 6-8 each side
Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Medium-Heavy
Tempo: Natural
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

5. 1 arm DB curl to torso rotational press

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=133CcF_Idz8

• Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and holding a dumbbell in each hand. Using the right hand, perform a bicep curl and bring the weight to your shoulder.
• While keeping your left foot pressed into the ground rotate your right foot and hip, turning your body to your left. At the same time, push your arm overhead into a shoulder press.
• Lower the weight as you rotate back to the start position. Repeat using alternating sides.

Reps: 10-12 each side Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Medium-Heavy
Tempo: Natural
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

6. Release push to alt. kick under side plank hold

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNOd06TrJso

• Start in a traditional push-up position. Lower yourself down and push back up.
• At the top, push your left hand into the ground and rotate your shoulders to the right. Reach your right hand vertically into the air. At the same time, pick up your left foot and extend it across your body, past your right foot. Hold here for 5 seconds.
• Return to the start position, and repeat on the other side.

Reps: 6-8 each side Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Bodyweight
Tempo: Slow to 5s hold
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds