Focus & Benefits: Target your cardiovascular endurance and anerobic prowess in this total body routine with progressively challenging circuits. The “ladder-up” format of the cardio circuits requires you to increase your rep counts by two while alternating between two multiplanar exercises, not only testing your physical agility, coordination, and stamina but also stimulating your mental engagement (mind-muscle connection). The HIIT (high intensity interval training) segments are straightforward, each including one exercise so that you can truly focus on an all-out, maximum effort for short bouts of time. Training your body to respond to these varying cardiovascular demands will improve oxygen and energy utilization, which translates to improved physical performance and bumps up the enjoyment factor for your workout experiences.
Equipment: No equipment is needed for this workout other than an optional mat (potentially for your push-ups and/or the mountain climbers).
Tips & Helpful Information: Pace yourself during the 60-second cardio intervals, aiming to fill the entire working interval with consistent, quality movement. For the HIIT segments, your focus shifts from energy conservation towards using whatever energy you have as quickly as possible (with minimal regard for subsequent rounds of work). In this workout, you should feel the exertion difference between endurance (around a 5 to 7 on a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is maximum effort) and HIIT (between an 8 to 10 on this same scale).
Difficulty & Modifications Explained: This workout is rated as a level 4 due to the coordination required to switch between exercises in the cardio circuits as well as the overall progressive increase in intensity from start to finish. To reduce the difficulty/intensity, decrease exercise range of motion, slow down your cadence, and/or opt for exercise modifications versus progressions.
Closing Notes: This is a bodyweight-only routine so you ultimately determine how challenging this workout is for you! Be honest with yourself and (safely) lean into the discomfort – work a smidge harder than you think you can and remember that we oftentimes underestimate our own capabilities because our brains are designed to protect us from discomfort!
Workout
Warm-Up: 30 sec per exercise, no rest between exercises (4:00)
-Alt. Knee Hugs
-1/2-Pulse Squats
-Reverse Lunge + Zombie March – R
-Reverse Lunge + Zombie March – L
-Squat-to-Plank Step Back
-Push-Up + Knee Pull-Ins
-Jump Rope + Feet Shuffles
-High Knees (mid-tempo)
***30 sec off***
-Cardio Circuit Format/Directions: 60 sec on / 20 sec off / 2 rounds / Starting at 2 reps, “ladder-up” by 2 reps per exercise during each 60-second work interval.
-HIIT Round Format/Directions: 30 sec on / 15 sec off / 3 rounds
Cardio Circuit #1: (2:30)
-Exercise 1: Squats
[Transition Move: Squat Thrust]
-Exercise 2: Lateral Push-Ups
***30 sec off***
HIIT Round #1: (2:00)
-Lateral Shuffles + Touchdowns
***Water Break #1***
Cardio Circuit #2: (2:30)
-Exercise 1: Skaters (SL Lateral Hop) + SL Vertical Hop (reps total)
[Transition Move: Pop-Up Squat Jack]
-Exercise 2: Sumo Squat/Horse Stance – Alt. Cross Punches (reps total)
***30 sec off***
HIIT Round #2: (2:00)
-Mountain Climbers
***Water Break #2***
Finisher Format: Complete Exercises 1 and 2, 20 sec each, no rest between exercises. Rest for 20 sec then complete Exercise 3 for 20 sec. Rest 20 sec before completing the circuit again.
-Ex1: 20 sec on / Ex 2: 20 sec on / Rest: 20 sec off / Ex 3: 20 sec on = 2 rounds (20 sec off between rounds) – an advanced math equation
Finisher Circuit #1: (3:00)
-Exercise 1: Squat-to-Plank Step Back
-Exercise 2: Squat Thrusts
***20 sec off***
-Exercise 3: Burpees
***30 sec off***
Finisher Circuit #2: (3:00)
-High Knee March
-High Knee A-Skips
***20 sec off***
-High Knees
Cool-Down: approx. 30 sec per stretch (approx. 4:00)
-Split Stance Quads/Hip Flexors Stretch – R
-Hamstrings/Hip Hinge Stretch – R
-Split Stance Quads/Hip Flexors Stretch – L
-Hamstrings/Hip Hinge Stretch – L
-Overhead Triceps Extension + Lats Stretch R
-Overhead Triceps Extension + Lats Stretch L
-Chest Opener Stretch
-Standing Cat/Cow Stretch