You want to look like a lean, mean, fit athlete? We'll you better start training like a lean, mean, and fit athlete.
It’s Friday…for a lot of you the week is pretty much over and you’ve already begun switching into weekend-mode…even as you read this from your desk at work. That’s all well and good and I don’t blame you for wanting to check out early….but do yourself a favor and don’t forget about your fitness the way you did about the cover sheets on your damn TPS reports.
Being that it’s Friday, I think something short, sweet, and intense will do the trick today. I actually created this two cross-training circuit a couple of months ago and ran through it at the gym last night. This workout is intense and will do wonders for your endurance as well as helping you get a nice muscle burn going. As I often preach, if you want to look like an athlete, you’ve got to train like an athlete. This athletic conditioning circuit is perfect for those wanting to break from their standard routine and add a little variety to their workouts.
Do your best to complete all 10 rounds of the circuit in under 20-30 minutes.
The Workout
Rounds 1-5
- Barbell Squat/Front Press x 10 reps - Holding a barbell at shoulder level squat down and as you rise, push the barbell up and over your head, extending arms fully.
- Plated Box Jumps x 10 reps
- Plank Rows x 16 reps
- Barbell Curls x 10 reps
- Jump Rope 1 minute
Aim to perform all five exercises in a row without rest. After the 5th exercise rest for 30 seconds. Repeat the circuit a total of 5 times. At the end of the 5th round give yourself a full two minutes of rest time.
Rounds 6-10
- Hindu Push Ups x 10 reps
- Barbell Box Jumps x 10 reps – With the barbell behind your neck perform box jumps.
- Curl Press x 8 reps per arm – Bicep curl into an overhead press. Perform one arm at a time.
- Mountain Climbers x 30 reps
This routine is extremely effective in that it utilizes aspects of plyometrics, standard weight training, and traditional cardio to give you an all around total body burnout. Cross-training in this fashion is a fantastic way to develop a lean physique and an athletic skill set. Whether you complete in athletics or not is not the point. By becoming more athletic you’ll be able to function better in real life and protect yourself from injuries that often afflict other, less agile and fit individuals.
Bonus Work
If you’re feeling especially motivated (as I was yesterday) go for a little bonus work at the end of this workout.
- 200 crunches in as few sets as possible. I was able to knock these out in 4 sets…see if you can top that.
- 200 push ups in as few sets as possible. For these it took me 5 sets to complete…give it your best shot and try to do it in 4 sets!
Keep in mind this is just one type of cross-training conditioning workout. There are countless other programs that can be designed using cross-training methodologies that will help you achieve the physique and health you’re after. Always look to mix things up and head over to ShareItFitness.com if you’re ever looking for more routines, both video and text-based or assistance from our staff of health and fitness professionals.
Matt
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