Are you sticking with the 30-day squat challenge? I am, and I’m definitely feeling it from time to time – awesome! If you’re participating, you know that today is a squat-rest-day, but I’m not going to let you off the hook that easily :). I’ve created a new circuit workout with no squats required … although your legs and butt will definitely feel the burn! (Here is my first circuit workout if you missed it). Enjoy!
This is a quick, full-body workout (each mini-set includes a cardio, lower body, upper body, and core move), and took me about 14 minutes per round. One round is great in addition to a short run, or if you’re tight on time. If you want a challenge, rest one minute between sets and repeat 2-3 times through! Here are some explanations for each move:
- Jumping Jacks: Jump your feet apart and bring your arms straight out to the sides, landing in an “x” position, then jump back together.
- Side lunges: Stand with feet together, hands on hips, and lunge your right leg out directly to the side, right knee bent and left leg straight and planted on the floor. Push off of bent right leg and come back to standing. Repeat on left side, and continue alternating sides until you reach 50 total (25 on each side). For an added challenge, hold water bottles or light weights and do a bicep curl with each lunge.
- Push-ups: From plank position, bend arms into full push-up. If this is too tough, you can keep your knees on the ground.
- Double leg lifts: A great oblique workout. Laying on the floor on your right side, with right elbow bent and hand propping up your head, lift both legs together about 6 inches off the floor, and bring back down to the floor together. Do 20 on right side, then 20 on left side.
- Tuck jumps: With feet together, jump up into a tuck position. I keep my hands in front of me, palms down, to give my knees a target to hit as I jump up.
- Front lunges: With hands on hips, lunge forward with one leg, and keep your knee above your ankle. Alternate legs to complete 25 reps on each leg. For an added challenge, hold water bottles or light weights and do an overhead press with each lunge.
- Tricep dips: With your hands behind you on a chair and legs straight in front of you, dip down until your arms are in a 90-degree angle. If you don’t have a chair, you can do this on a bench or on the floor, and if it’s too hard, bend your knees.
- Bridge lifts: Laying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on floor, raise your butt straight up, hold for one second, and lower. For an added challenge, lift straight right leg straight up to sky with heel flexed as you do the first 20 bridge lifts, then switch legs for the second 20.
- High knees: Similar to jogging in place, but lift your knees up high as you jog between legs. One rep includes bringing your right knee up and then your left knee up.
- Mermaid kicks: You’ll feel this pinch in your butt, I promise! Sitting on floor, bend right leg at 90-degree angle in front of you. Bend left leg at 90-degree angle behind you. Lift left leg up with knee still bent, then straighten leg out to side, return to bent, and lower. Complete 20 reps on left, then switch and complete 20 on right.
- Arm circles: Standing up with arms directly out to sides, circle your arms forward in small circles 30 times, then backwards 30 times. For an added challenge, hold water bottles or light weights.
- 60-second plank: Hold your body straight in push-up position, either with bent elbows on floor or hands on floor and straight arms. Stay still for 60 seconds.
Now, for a bit of humor, check out my older sister’s Facebook post from last night. My nieces (and nephew) are so cute!
So tell me in the comments … which of these exercises is the most challenging for you? Done any great workouts lately?
So I think we mentioned on Facebook that we did this on our honeymoon and were sore for two days. Thank goodness for the lounge chair by the pool! Anyway, we couldn’t stream the video/links to see the moves and now that we are home……we got the mermaid thing TOTALLY wrong. I would describe our move as more of a dog lifting its leg to pee and then extending its leg outward. Oops!!!!! A fun bonding moment to say the least. Still, this challenge was an amazing and quick workout that BURNS! On a more serious note, the double leg lifts hurt my hip bones…..any advice? Does putting a pillow there get the same impact on the core/abs?
Is it too mean to say I’m glad you were sore? 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know you did it, and that it worked. You guys are the best (and I’m laughing out loud thinking about you guys trying to figure out the mermaid thing, although it doesn’t sound like you were THAT far off!). The double leg lift hurts my hips, too – I put a folded towel under there, and I don’t think it’s any less effective. As long as the pillow isn’t really stabilizing you and it still feels tough, I say go for it!
this workout looks so perfect for next time i need a workout to do at home or while on vacation and am short on time. thank you! pinned it!
Thanks for pinning Caitlin! Hope you like the workout!
Sadly, a long walk with a friend last night is the best workout I’ve had in a long time since it is the only one! I’m so glad that she dragged me out! Today, I’m feeling inspired and it looks like I’m going to make it to the gym. 🙂
That’s awesome that you’re feeling inspired! I hope you enjoy the gym. Thanks for stopping by!