Now that’s the face of determination…

We’re back with another daily workout challenge for you guys.  This one is a serious fat burning workout and is something we like to call, The Total Shred Challenge.  As the name implies, this is a high-intensity circuit designed to shred you up and give you that lean, mean, athletic looking physique.  Not only that, this is a great workout for those looking to build their endurance in preparation of a race or other event.  Simply put, The Total Shred Challenge is going seriously put a hurting on your excess fat, leaving you trim and in tip-top shape.

This fat burning circuit is going to start off with a brisk quarter-mile run.  A quarter-mile isn’t all that far, so really push yourself here and set a good tone for the rest of the workout.  Whether you’re doing this outside or in the gym, it doesn’t matter.  Hop off the treadmill or stop running and immediately hit the ground.  Get going on those hindu push ups – they may not seem like much at first, but 25 at a time is a LOT. 

The hindu push up is what many consider to be the “ultimate” push up.  You’ll be using a static hold and slow, drawn out reps to really engage your muscles in a way a standard push up never could.  It’s actually very similar to some yoga movements, which are also great at helping you improve strength and muscular definition.

EPOC and The Fat Burning Workout

Anyone else want that “shredded” look?

From here, we’re kicking the cardio back into high gear with 25 mountain climbers.  This sudden switch between cardio/strength/cardio is designed to keep your heart rate elevated and push your EPOC to the max.  For those that aren’t aware, EPOC is responsible for getting your body back to a pre-exercise state AFTER your workout has ended.  To do this, energy or calories are required, thereby helping you continue to burn calories well after the workout has ended.  Harder you work, the more muscles you hit, and the more intense your cardio, the longer and harder it’ll be for your body to get back to that pre-exhaustion state.  ANY effective fat burning workout is going to be concerned with spiking your EPOC.  Burning calories while you’re actively working out isn’t enough.  You need something that is intense enough to give you that all day calorie burn.  Lucky for you, The Total Shred Challenge is that workout.

We’ll again slow things down a bit with 25 eagle sit ups.  These are performed flat on your back with your feet spread as wide as possible.  Sit up while keeping the backs of your legs firmly planted into the ground.  Give a slight turn to the left, reaching to touch your left toe with your right hand, before going back down and repeating to the opposite side.

We close things out with 25 body weight squats.  Perhaps the “easiest” exercise of the bunch, these squats are going to get a whole lot more difficult in the later rounds.  When your legs start turning to jelly and you feel like a breeze could knock you over, you’ll understand how hellacious these could be.  Be sure to get parallel (thighs parallel to the ground) and keep a straight back throughout the movement.  Really squeeze your quads and glutes as you contract at the top of each rep.

The Right Combination for Fat Burning Success

This combination of cardio/strength exercise is a sure-fire way to spike that metabolism and help you burn fat FAST.  One last point that hasn’t been mentioned – this workout is for time.  What that means is you’ll time yourself to complete all four rounds of the below circuit.  Be sure to write down your time and challenge yourself later on to beat that time.  After a while, you should notice a positive trend indicating improvement.  Using a variety of timed workouts like this has shown to be one of the best ways to push yourself to new limits and make the fastest progress possible, in my experience.  Another timed workout that complements this one well would be The 1,200 Rep Challenge. 

The Total Shred Challenge

• Run 400 meters (quarter-mile)
• 25 hindu push ups
• 25 mountain climbers
• 25 eagle sit ups
• 25 body weight squats

Repeat four times total and be sure to jot down your time.

Need Extra Motivation, Support, or Advice?

As always, one of the things we really push here at Share it Fitness is sharing (go figure) amongst our community of fans. Catch us on Twitter and let us know how the #totalshredchallenge is going for you!

If you’re looking to discuss this challenge workout with other people just like you, head over to our forums and take a look at The Total Shred Challenge sub-topic!

• Bio
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Matt

Co-Founder at Share It Fitness

Matt has been involved in the fitness industry for over 10 years and has worked with, and helped countless individuals improve their lives. After college, Matt started his fitness career working in the trenches as a personal trainer for a big corporate gym. It was here he saw how impersonal Big Fitness really was. Clients weren't people, they were just sales waiting to be made. After branching out and starting his own personal training business in San Diego, Matt soon developed the idea of Share It Fitness and started our (now highly successful) blog. A fitness junkie himself, Matt knows the importance of incorporating exercise into your life. When he isn't working at Share It Fitness, you can find Matt running, biking, taking yoga, or pumping iron around San Diego.

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