An Express Workout for When You Just Don’t Have an Hour to Spend at the Gym
So you’re late getting to the gym and really need a quick, effective, sweat-inducing, total-body workout? Here is a total-body express workout that will get you firing on all cylinders for an energized start to your day or to finish you for the night. It will only take you 24 minutes—on your mark, get set, go!
Instructions: Perform these six drills for one minute each. Set a timer for 60 seconds, complete each movement and then continue on to the next with little to no rest between movements. Repeat this entire circuit three times—resting one to two minutes between each circuit, as needed—for a brilliantly balanced, strength-endurance and high-intensity steady-state energizing cardio workout. (I would also suggest downloading and listening to the “Rocky” or “Top Gun” soundtrack for added motivation.)
WARM-UP
Run or Jump Rope: If you have the space to go for a run or use a treadmill or have a jump rope with you, get started by running or jumping for 60 seconds.
WORKOUT
Shuffle Medicine-Ball Chest Press
- Assume an athletic-ready position holding a medicine ball at your chest.
- Shuffle to the right while simultaneously pressing the ball away from you at arm’s length.
- Bring the ball back to your chest and press it away as you continue shuffling a few yards.
- Shuffle side to side as you press the ball away and pull it back in for 60 seconds.
- Reach the ball overhead with both hands.
- Get as high as you can and then initiate the chop by driving both hands down toward the ground like you are hitting a fence post with a sledgehammer.
- Decelerate the ball by hinging your hips and bending your knees and ankles and braking as the ball gets to knee height. Perform this for 60 seconds at a moderate pace.
- Assume a prone position on the ground with your hands at shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart.
- Press yourself off the ground to come into a high plank. Lower yourself back to the ground.
- Lift your hands off the ground a few inches. Place your hands on the ground and press yourself off the ground again.
- Repeat for 60 seconds.
- Do a normal jumping jack, but on your next jumping jack, travel to the right for a few reps.
- Then do a jumping jack to the left for a few reps.
- Repeat, jumping side to side for 60 seconds.
- Summon your inner Rocky Balboa and shadowbox.
- Throw jabs, straight rights, hooks and uppercuts against your mirror image.
- Don’t forget to slip and dodge those deadly strikes. Perform for 60 seconds.
Photo credit: visualspace, Getty Images; Tom Casey, box24studio.com
Model: Krista Jacobs, 24 Hour Fitness