Cardio Training Article Archive

The Winter Warrior Workout Plan Part 1 of 3

: Follow this workout plan and there’s no reason you can’t keep in this kind of summer shape year round…

Summer has officially been dead for almost 3 weeks now, the weather is starting to cool down, swimsuits are going into hibernation, and waistlines everywhere are slowly but surely starting to expand. Does all of this just sound too depressing to even think about to you? Unfortunately for millions of hardworking summer fitness freaks, the fall and winter months are when their motivation takes a hit and their well-deserved progress they’ve made all summer slowly melts away; covered in a pale, flabby layer of winter fat.

First off, if you’re reading this, you’re a human, not a bear. You don’t need winter fat, nor do you need to hibernate all winter long. Odds are you’ve been going at it full-throttle for 4-6 months and are probably in need of a serious change to your workout plan. We’re going to give you something so uniquely awesome, it’s sure to jumpstart your metabolism, as well as motivation, and keep you on the track to lean body heaven.

Something else to keep in mind; it’s a lot harder to eat healthy during the cold winter months when EVERYTHING seems more difficult. Farmer’s markets are gone, the days are shorter, and picking up a quick meal on the way home seems oh so easy. Let’s not forget about the Thanksgiving to New Year’s gauntlet which is sure to throw more pies, cakes, and fatty goodies at you than any other time of the year.

This winter, we need something that is SERIOUSLY going to combat all of these things working against us. To keep this a fair fight, we need a workout plan over-the-top, but engaging enough to keep you on top of things all fall and winter long. I KNOW how hard it can be to get yourself to the gym when its overcast, rainy, and 42 degrees out….so a lot of these workouts can be done from your living room…provided you have a little bit of room and a couple of pieces of equipment.

The Winter Warrior Workout Plan

This plan uses a lot of full body workouts to keep your metabolism spiked all winter long. The short rest times and explosive movements are great for burning fat (much better than boring steady state cardio) and keeping your endurance levels high and heart healthy. We’ll only *require* you go to the gym once or twice a week for the complex lift sequences. These are very important as we can’t let our muscles atrophy over the winter. By keeping the muscles engaged all winter (and assuming you’re eating healthy), it’s very likely you’ll come out more ripped and lean than you were in the middle of summer.

Weeks 1-6

Day 1:

Tips: Burn 5-600 calories, spike EPOC, build explosive lean muscle in the lower body. Repeat each circuit a total of three times. This workout can be completely accomplished at home, so no need to head to the gym today.

Warm up: Turbo Jacks 90 seconds
Circuit 1: Breakdowns 1 minute/Broadway Shuffle 1 minute/180 Planks 1 minute/REST 1 minute
Circuit 2: Cross Jumps (use cans or dumbbells) 1 minute/Donkey Squats 1 minute/10 Hindu Push ups/1 minute rest
Circuit 3: Horizontal Jacks 1 minute/Turbo Lunges 1 minute/Turbo Hops 1 minute/ 1 minute rest
3 x 25 Bicycle crunches
3 x 1 minute Planks
3 x 25 Dumbbell (or can) Crunches

Day 2:

Tips: Maintain the heightened metabolism we established in day one, burn an additional 5-600 calories, completely fatigue the muscles, hit all major muscle groups. Unless you’ve got a great home gym, you will want to get yourself to your gym or fitness center for today’s workout. We’re going to use complex workouts to burn your muscles and increase your endurance. Repeat this complex 6-8 times total. Be sure to use a weight that allows you to perform 8-10 reps on your WEAKEST exercise.

8-10 Dumbbell Curl Press
6-8 Bent Over Dumbbell Row
6-8 Hanging Knee Raises
6-8 Push Up Plank Rows
8-10 Burpees
8-10 Squat Press
10-12 Russian Twists with Dumbbell

Day 3:

Tips: Again, this is another workout you can easily do at home as long as you have a little room. This workout is going to require you to use a jump rope. Don’t already have one? Luckily you can pick one up for under $10 at Play It Again Sports or something similar. This workout is extremely intense and great at building shapely muscles in your lower half while helping you melt fat all over your body and tighten your midsection.

15 rounds of:

Jump Rope 1 minute/Max Burpees 30 seconds/Plank 30 seconds

Day 4:

Tips: You’re likely going to have to head to the gym to get on a treadmill and stationary bike here. But don’t worry, this one is going to be short and sweet. We’re all about doing HIIT cardio today, i.e. short periods of 100% max effort followed by a slower and longer less intense period. This is one of the best, if not the best way to burn that annoying fat covering your stomach, sides, and lower body. Remember, 100% max effort means as FAST AS YOU CAN GO. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to catch your breath during the slow periods.

Minutes 1-12 (30 second sprint/1:30 jog)
Minutes 13-14 Bump treadmill incline to 7.5% and set speed to 5 mph
Minutes 15-16 Bump treadmill incline to 10% and set speed to 3.5 mph
Minutes 17-24 (30 second sprint/1:30 jog

Get off the treadmill and head immediately to the stationary bike…

Minutes 1-6 (45 second sprint/45 second relaxed pace)
Minutes 6-8 Bump resistance to 50% of max and grind it out….keep those legs moving!
Minutes 9-15 (45 second sprint/45 second relaxed pace)

Day 5:

Tips: Today we’re all about doing heavy, complex lifts. We’re going to focus on going heavy, setting rep ranges between 5-8 while doing 3-5 sets per exercise. Make sure you’re using a weight that causes you to fail before completing your last rep on your final set or two. In the coming months we’ll change things up, but for now, focus on using heavy weights.

4 sets of 5-6: Bench Press
4 sets of 6-8: Barbell Squats
3 sets of max: Wide Grip Pullups
4 sets of 6-8: Skullcrushers
5 sets of 5: Clean and Press
3 sets of max: Push Ups
4 sets of 6-8: Single Arm Dumbbell Rows
3 sets of max: Dips
5 sets of 5: Close Grip Seated Row

A quick tip…if you are unsure of any of the exercises in this workout plan, simply hop over to ShareItFitness.com and browse our Body Diagram tool. We feature hundreds of exercises demonstrated on video, so simply take a look and make sure to get the form down right.

This plan takes you through six weeks of workouts. After this point, you’ll want to check out part 2 of this 3 part series and follow along for the next six weeks. Expect a stark change in parts two and three as we aim to confuse your body and keep your muscles and cardiovascular system guessing about what’s coming next. We’ll be sure to slowly increase the difficulty of workouts so you’re guaranteed to keep making progress.

In total, we’re giving you 18 weeks of fat blasting and lean muscle-building workouts. Depending on when you start, this should take you to right about the end of February or early March. Give yourself a well-deserved and much-needed break of two weeks. When you’re fully recuperated and ready to get back at it, spring should just about be ready to start blooming and hopefully you’ll have a much improved and fit body to go along with it.

Like Our Workout Plan? Want More Great Share It Fitness Content?

Head on over to our full site, shareitfitness.com and check out all that we have to offer. If you’re looking for additional workouts or fitness classes on video, we’ve got you covered. Share It Fitness features one of the largest libraries of OnDemand fitness classes on the web. Head on over and sign up for free at shareitfitness.com and browse our OnDemand library. Whatever you like doing to keep fit, we’ve got something for you, so come check us out today!

The Fat Blasting Circuit Workout That Will Change You Forever

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Matt Posted in Cardio Training, Strength Training, Training Leave a comment

This OnDemand circuit workout is perfect for killing fat at the gym OR at home...

It’s Friday..and for most of you, your minds are already shifting into weekend mode. That’s all well and good, but don’t let yourself fall into a little something I like to call the weekend trap. You know the weekend trap all too well; get home from work, immediately begin making plans for the evening as you reason to yourself… It’s the weekend damnit! I worked hard all week, one missed workout isn’t going to kill me! And as you know all too well, a missed workout Friday usually translates into missed workouts Saturday and Sunday too.

Let’s Get Going!

Let’s do out best to avoid this and get in a solid workout today…how’s that sound? And better yet, if you’re able to sustain the pace you’d been keeping all week, hitting that Saturday/Sunday workout becomes all the less difficult to muster.

I know a lot of plans recommend a 5 day per week routine…this is simply a recommendation. I know when I create plans and use a 5 day a week routine, it’s simply so I don’t burn you guys out. The fittest, healthiest, and most physically appealing people are working out a solid 6-7 days a week. Keep in mind, every day doesn’t have to be grueling, but getting out there and elevating your heart rate, working your muscles, and getting a sweat on will help you reach your goals faster.

So, with that in mind, I’ve got a little dumbbell circuit workout for you today. Lead by the lean, mean, Casey Kirch, this class is perfect for a friday afternoon (or morning) workout. You’re in and out in less than 40 minutes, and hit all of the major muscle groups in the process. What’s more, Casey has carefully timed each of the rest intervals so all you have to do is lift/rest when he does.

As an added bonus, because of the strict rest times and complex lifts found in this circuit workout, you’re guaranteed to bump your EPOC and seriously spike your metabolism. That means you’re going to burn more calories AFTER the workout has finished. So while you’re laying in bed Saturday morning thinking about the 101 reasons you can’t go get your workout on…this circuit workout will STILL be working its magic….although don’t take that as an excuse to stay in bed until 1 pm!

What Do I Need?

For this workout, not much. You’ll need your own bodyweight, a little space, and a set of dumbbells. Whether you’re taking this class at home on your computer or at the gym following along on your phone or tablet, make sure you have a little room to move around. Casey moves quickly between exercises, so make sure you’re paying attention. Other than that, get loose, have a bottle of water nearby, and get ready for 40 minutes of virtual training like you’ve never seen before!

To take our Dumbbell Circuit class by Casey Kirch, click HERE!

Burn Fat Fast with This 10 Minute Workout “Finisher”

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Matt Posted in Cardio Training, Training, Weight loss Leave a comment

Use this 10 minute “finisher” to burn fat fast and give your metabolism a kick in the pants.

Think back over the course of the past month. How many workouts do you think you did? 10, 15, 20 or more? Okay, great. Now, do you recall how you ended most of these workouts? Maybe a little ab work? How about a few dumbbell curls to pump up those biceps before you walk past all the chicks on the treadmills on your way out. Perhaps a light one mile jog to finish things out? Do some of you even remember doing anything in particular to finish off your workout before leaving the gym?

If you’re like most people, the end of your workouts probably leave a lot to be desired. Today, I’m going to explain to you why you need to change this, and why the last 10 minutes of your workout are arguably the most important 10 minutes of your ENTIRE day.

Physiology Is Your Friend

I’ve touched on this several times in past articles, but I’ve got to highlight the phenomenon known as EPOC one more time. For those that don’t know, EPOC stands for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption. This represents the number of calories burned while your body attempts to get itself back into a pre-exercise state. You see, everything your body does to regulate itself requires energy; i.e. calories. In brief, the harder you exercise, the more work your body has to do to get itself back to the way it was before your killer workout.

The key to successfully boosting your EPOC to stratospheric levels AND maintaining a good workout while you’re in the gym is highly dependent on:

High intensity
Carefully calculated rest times
Complex movements hitting multiple parts of the body at once

You probably already know how to bring the intensity. What you may not know are how to use rest times to satisfactorily allow you to continue exercising at a high level, but push you hard enough that EPOC receives a significant boost. You can’t just go out there, pump some weights, take a breather, maybe run on the treadmill for a while, and expect to reap all of the EPOC benefits. You want to maximize EPOC and burn fat fast? Then you need a carefully designed workout that takes into account all of the above.

Additionally, if you think simply jacking your heart rate through high-intensity cardio alone is going to get the job done, guess again. Lifting heavy weights takes a major toll on the muscles (in a good way) and spikes your heart rate as well. This combination of extreme muscle fatigue and increased respiration and heart rate are the perfect storm for a sizzling EPOC. Combining heavy weights with high-intensity cardio is the single best way to increase your post-exercise caloric burn. Next, I’ll show you how we can realistically accomplish this.

The Most Intense 10-Minutes of Your Life

Before people start jumping on me for my choice of words, allow me a brief admission. I’ve never given birth to a child. I’ve been told in some cases, that process can go on for days. So please, forgive my slight exaggeration in calling this the most intense 10-minutes of your life. I fully respect the intensity it takes to shoot a watermelon sized human out of your body. But, bottomline, this workout is KILLER. Thankfully though, it’s not long enough that you want to die. It’s the right mix of intensity and length that does the job without completely burning you out.

So check it out, we’re going to shift between high-intensity plyometric work and low rep/heavy weight lifts…and we’re going to shift quickly and with limited rest, so get yourself ready for 10 minutes of intensity.

1 minute squat jacks
1 minute turbo hops
2 x 6 dumbbell snatches per arm

Tips: On the snatches, perform right side, left side, 15 seconds rest, repeat. Use a weight that is heavy enough that completing the final rep of each set is difficult.

30 Second Rest

1 minute Plated Speed Skaters
1 minute Lateral Hops
2 x 6 Bent Over Dumbbell Rows

Tips: On the Bent Over Dumbbell Rows go for only 30 seconds rest between sets and again, go heavy so the final rep of each set is very tough to complete.

30 Second Rest

1 minute Box Jumps (substitute squat jumps if no access to a box)
1 minute Mountain Climbers
Windshield Wipers until failure

So there you have it; this is the 10 minute workout finisher that is going to completely change your outlook on weight loss and staying fit. Bet you never thought something so short could be so effective. How effective you may be wondering? Well, keep reading…

The Little Things Add Up

By now we should have a clear understanding of what EPOC is and why we want to use it to our benefit. After all, continuing to burn loads of calories after you’ve gotten off the treadmill, gone home, and laid yourself out on the sofa is a pretty awesome thing. I want to show you in a more concrete way why this 10 minute workout is literally going to change your life. Take a look..

As we know, caloric burn is dependent on several variables such as weight, gender, muscle mass, etc. So the numbers I’m giving you below are simply guidelines to illustrate my point. These stats are fairly accurate for my body type. As a reference, I’m 5’10″, 165lbs, ~8-10% body fat..so it’s safe to say I probably burn more calories during exercise than most, but I digress..

Over the course of 10 days, I calculated that this 10 minute workout finisher burns on average ~140 calories per workout. While 140 calories may not seem like much, lets take a look at that number in the grand scheme of things…

140 calories burned x 6 workouts a week = 740 EXTRA calories burned a week
740 calories burned a week x 4.33 weeks a month = 3,204 calories a month

We should also know by now that 3,500 calories is equal to one pound of body fat. So, with this 10 minute finisher tacked on to the end of your workout, you instantly, magically, and wonderfully are now losing an extra 12 pounds a year. Again, this is on top of EVERYTHING you are currently doing. Consider this excess fat burn a little bonus.

BUT WAIT….

Didn’t you say that EPOC will continue to help burn fat AFTER the workout? As a matter of fact, I did. So hold on to your horses, because things just got even better here. Not only are you burning 3,204 calories a month WHILE you’re actively engaged in this workout, but since this 10-minute finisher is designed to spike EPOC, you’re getting all of the post-exercise calorie burning benefits as well. So when combined together, this nifty little workout finisher is helping you seriously torch calories, burn fat FAST, and build lean, strong muscles across your body. Not bad for 10 minutes of work, huh?

Using This Workout

It doesn’t matter WHAT plan you’re on now. Whether your on our Total Body Blitz plan, doing Crossfit WOD’s, or doing the P90x DVD’s, it doesn’t matter. This 10-minute finisher is easily tacked on to ANYTHING. Since it’s so short, you don’t have to worry about it throwing off your next day schedule.

Like I said, this plan is just right bit of intensity and length, making it something you could theoretically do after each workout. That said, if you are performing this long-term, consider shifting the weight training exercises every 2-3 months. Wide grip pull-ups, heavy lat pull downs, bench press…there are tons of complex movements that would fill in nicely. The cardio exercises are what I consider to be some of the best exercises for jacking your heart rate, as well as hitting the major muscles in your lower body and core. Keep them constant and shuffle the resistance work as you see fit.

The Med Ball Cardio Video Challenge: 30 Minutes of Simple, Yet Effective Fat Burning Goodness

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Matt Posted in Cardio Training, Training Leave a comment

A medicine ball and YOU is all you need for this intense workout.

These are the reasons I love exercise. Unlike so many other things in our lives, it doesn’t need to be complicated. Sure, there are people and programs who make it seem overly complicated, but it’s not really. I often liken a great trainer to a great artist; being able to come up with routine after routine, each different, yet as effective as the next, while using a wide variety of mediums requires true skill. It requires a certain instinct; something that can’t necessarily be learned. Finding a program and/or trainer who doesn’t just help you exercise, but helps you exercise WELL is paramount to your success.

Exercising vs. Exercising Well

As expected there are differences between exercising and exercising well. Exercise is simply done for the sake of exercise. You do it because you feel like you need to. Little time or care has gone into your routines. They grow stale and they don’t recognize who YOU are and what YOU are looking for in a workout. Exercising well is the smart way of going about things. It utilizes the less is more approach. It’s aware of what you’re looking for in a workout. It delivers big results as efficiently as possible.

A big part of what we try to do at Share It Fitness is make top-quality fitness instruction more accessible and effective than the current state of affairs allow. DVD programs are awesome, but they’re hundreds of dollars. Group fitness classes are cool, but you can’t always adjust your schedule, and their costs start to add up quickly as well. Our OnDemand fitness classes strive to bring you the same level of instruction, while affording you the convenience of taking your workout anywhere, anytime.

Fitness is Simple

Have you ever walked into someone’s home and seen tons of fitness contraptions, gizmos, and dusty equipment scattered about? How about those people who bounce from one machine to the next at the gym? While everything has its place, this certainly isn’t the only way to exercise well. We pride ourselves on being able to create amazing, body-changing, heart-pounding workouts with next to nothing. This is what we think separates our method and our trainers here at Share It Fitness. With that said, we’ve created a beautifully simple, yet highly effective fitness class for all of you at home (or at the gym) to follow along with. This fat burning workout video is minimalistic in nature, this class requires the use of only your own body weight and a small medicine ball (or dumbbell if you don’t have access to a medicine ball).

Share It Fitness trainer, Sharon Blair, has created this class with one thing in mind: BURN FAT. This class is great for increasing your endurance or simply used as a fat burner. As with all Share It Fitness classes, our format is created in such a way that you are encouraged to keep pace with your trainer; this is how we are able to ensure our workouts are so effective. Match Sharon’s speed and intensity (while maintaining form) and you’ll be dripping sweat and burning calories in no time. If you aren’t quite at her level, don’t worry, work your way up to it. If you’re ready for a real challenge, run through this class twice for an almost full hour of non-stop cardio conditioning.

Med Ball Cardio Challenge

Click HERE to take our 30-minute calorie blasting Med Ball Cardio Challenge Class

The Total Body Superset Complex Workout Plan

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Matt Posted in Cardio Training, Strength Training, Training, Uncategorized, Weight loss 16 Comments

Training with intensity is key to success with this program...

By now, you’ve got to realize we feature a lot of workout plans on Share It Fitness. We’ve had tons of success with our total body transformation plan, Total Body Blitz. The Greatest Ab Workout in the World has also developed a legion of loyal followers. The great thing is, combining or moving on to other plans is something we highly encourage here at Share It Fitness. There isn’t ONE plan that will give you everything you need for the rest of your exercising life. Once you’ve made it through one plan, start looking for another.

One of the great things about our plans is that we try them out on ourselves and our completely willing (I promise) ~~guinea pigs~~, real-life clients before submitting to our online fans. We see what works, what doesn’t, and in turn, you, our online readership only see the best and most effective fitness routines. This is what Share It Fitness is about and this is why we’re different. That said, it’s been some time since we come out with another plan…so hold on to your hats, because we’ve got something that is simply going to blow you away.

By now, we should be familiar with the idea of complex workouts. Complex workouts are great for building muscle, burning fat, and making the most of your time in the gym. I got to thinking though…what if we were to take the standard complex workout format and break it down into a more specific routine. What if there were a way to create a hybrid split/complex routine that still managed to achieve massive amounts of fat burning power? Well after a little trial and error, I’ve got something that turns everything else on its head; meet Superset Mini-Complexes.

Superset Mini-Complexes are for anyone looking to up their intensity in the gym, while maximizing their time, AND focusing more of their efforts on improving their physique through the development of lean muscle mass.

How They’re Performed

Similar to regular complexes, we perform a series of exercises one after another, with rest only after the completion of the final exercise. However, instead of sequences featuring 5-8 exercises as normally found in a complex workout, we break things down into 3 exercise complexes, performed in superset format. Similar to supersets, we perform exercises hitting differing muscle groups one after another. However, to put a twist into things, we add a third exercise, which goes back to hitting the first muscle we targeted, thereby inducing extreme fatigue (and growth). Additionally, the shortened rest times keep intensity and fatigue on the muscles through the roof. An example exercise sequence in the Superset Mini-Complex workout would look like this:

8-12 Incline Bench Press, supersetted with
8-12 Incline Dumbbell Curls, supersetted with
8-12 Incline Dumbbell Flys, rest 30 seconds, repeat entire sequence 2-3 more times.

One point of note, the weights used during these exercises sequences should be slightly lower than you are accustomed to. To perform these exercises listed, especially with short rest times, it’s vital to use a weight that is doable. Whatever weight you choose, you should be reaching failure on most (if not all) exercises by the third or fourth set.

Why They’re Awesome

This workout plan is great for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, they allow you to hit your entire body effectively in a short period of time. However, unlike regular complexes, you can really get in and hit your muscles to a greater degree. Because of this, this workout routine is great for anyone who has trouble building muscle, or simply wants to continue improving their physique through muscle development. Complexes are great in that they bump the heart rate while allowing you to hit your muscles, but to really get the muscle-building benefits of a serious weight training workout, you’ve got to attack the fibers and make the beg for mercy…which is exactly what Supersetted Mini-Complexes do.

For those concerned with the inclusion of fat burning benefits in a workout plan, rest assured the high-paced format of these workouts will get your heart rate pumping at and the sweat dripping. The short rest period of 30 seconds is just enough to allow you to catch your breath, but not enough for your heart rate to completely drop down. This is one of the bigger problems with a split schedule routine, i.e. chest/triceps one day, back/bi’s the next, etc. How many times have you seen someone at your gym do a set of a particular exercise, put the weight down, the sit and rest for 60-90+ seconds? This format is great for body builders or other individuals interested in large, yet not so functional, muscles…but for anyone else wanting to burn some fat and develop a lean, athletic physique…not so much.

This format is all about inducing serious fatigue, then backing off as not to over train the muscle. Training in this manner allows you to shock your muscle fibers in a way they likely haven’t seen in quite a while, if ever. Most people don’t train in this manner, so whenever someone new starts this plan, extreme soreness for the first week or so is expected. That said, once past the soreness, all you have to look forward to are serious gains.

The Workout

Day 1 – Upper Body Focus

Mini-complex #1

8-12 Bench Press, superset with
8-12 Lateral Dumbbell Raises, superset with
8-12 Dumbbell Flat Bench Flys
Rest 30 seconds, repeat 2-3 more times

Mini-complex #2

8-12 Single Arm Dumbbell Rows, superset with
10-15 Feet Elevated Push Ups, superset with
8-12 Curl Presses
Rest 30 seconds, repeat 2-3 more times

Mini-complex #3

8-12 Dumbbell Military Press
8-12 Overhead Tricep Press, superset with
8-12 Bent Over Rear Delt Dumbbell Flys
Rest 30 seconds, repeat 2-3 more times

Mini-complex #4

8-12 Tricep Rope Pushdown, superset with
8-12 Close Grip Lat Pulldown, superset with
Dips til failure
Rest 30 seconds, repeat 2-3 more times

Day 2 – Lower Body Focus

Mini-Complex #1

8-12 Smith Machine Squats, superset with
15-20 Smith Machine Calve Raises, superset with
8-10 Squat Jumps
Rest 30 seconds, repeat 2-3 more times

Mini-Complex #2

8-12 Reverse Barbell Lunges, superset with
8-12 Barbell Bench Step Ups, superset with
8-12 Bulgarian Squats
Rest 30 seconds, repeat 2-3 more times

Mini-Complex #3

12-15 Russian Lunges, superset with
25-30 Bodyweight Squats (get 90 degrees!), superset with
8-12 Leg Press Machine
Rest 30 seconds, repeat 2-3 more times.

I’d recommend taking these two workouts and alternating between them so you are hitting your upper body muscles 2-3 times a week (play around with what ratio works best for you) and your lower body 1-2 times a week. In addition, I recommend some short HIIT cardio on off-days. A full program with this routine would look like this…

Monday: Day 1 Superset Mini-Complex Workout
Tuesday: Day 2 Superset Mini-Complex Workout
Wednesday: REST
Thursday: 15-20 minutes HIIT Sprinting (:30 second sprint/1 minute jog)
Friday: Day 1 Superset Mini-Complex Workout
Saturday: Day 2 Superset Mini-Complex Workout
Sunday: 15-20 minutes of HIIT Sprinting/Cycling/your choice using a sprint/rest ration of 50% (as used on Thursdays workout)

Every body is different, if you need more weight training, feel free to mess around with my schedule and adjust accordingly. Just be sure you are NOT over training. If your muscles are still sore from a pervious workout, I would highly suggest you either train the opposite day or get in a little extra HIIT cardio.

The happy medium for our participants we tested this workout on have been about 2-3 days of upper body training with 1-2 days of lower body training. Figure out what works best for your body then roll with it for 2-3 months.

Keeping Things Fresh

If you want to keep things fresh, feel free to mess around with the exercises to find different things to challenge yourself. Head on over to our full site, ShareItFitness.com and browse our exercise video library. We’ve got hundreds of exercises demonstrated on video for you. Just browse by body part and you’ll surely find things to supplement what I’ve listed above.

Additionally, and this is very important, make sure you are keeping track of the weights used in a journal, notebook, on your computer, etc. Reference this often and continually make efforts to bump the weights. One of the best ways to avoid plateau and keep making progress is by always looking to increase weights as your strength improves. It’s impossible to improve your strength and physique if you’re using weights that are too easy or that your body has grown used to. Don’t be afraid to push yourself. It’ll likely take a bit of mental willpower to lift weights that are uncomfortable at first, but once you see you can make it through a full workout, the next time out will be that much easier.

Happy lifting to everyone, and as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Like This Workout Routine?

…Then you’ll love everything we’ve got over at ShareItFitness.com. We feature one of the largest full-length exercise video databases on the web in our OnDemand library. Browse hundreds of group fitness classes and DVD-style workouts that you can stream on any phone, tablet, computer, or television. All available at the touch of a button, and best of all, free for a little while longer.

Re-Energize Yourself: An NFL Caliber Workout for an NFL Caliber Body

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Matt Posted in Cardio Training, Strength Training 1 Comment

The NFL season is just about here, and I think it’s time we take a cue from the masters of the Gridiron and give our workouts a facelift. By this time of the year, summer is winding down and your workouts are likely getting just a tad stale. Like most things, change is needed to continue moving the bar forward. While there are a million and one ways to mix things up, people often get so overwhelmed with their options that they end up changing nothing.

In order to combat this, we’re going to take some workout ideas from some of the NFL’s best. This workout series is designed to increase your strength, power, and speed. Some of you may be scratching your heads thinking, “Why do I need to increase my strength, power, and speed?” Well, while you may not NEED those physical abilities, the body that come with developing those physical abilities is something I’m willing to bet you ARE after. Who doesn’t want to look like a lean, toned, and well-developed athlete after all?

By performing a workout that quickly shifts between power lifts, speed/agility drills, and advanced lifting formats like drop sets, you’ll be able to effectively train like an NFL caliber athlete and develop a killer body in the process. This workout is for men or women; workouts that claim to be gender-specific are almost always gimmicky and you should steer clear.

The following plan gives you two separate days of workouts. Based on your current fitness program you may want to combine both days with what you’re currently doing, you may include only one, or you may decide to repeat the workouts below up to 4-5 days a week.

Workout A

The first workout in this series is all about helping to increase your speed, agility, and explosive power. Again, these may not seem like vital life skills given your occupation, but developing these skills by way of this workout will help you burn tons of calories, increase lean muscle mass, and tone up across your body. All you’re going to need t accomplish this workout is a little area outside or in your gym, making it highly versatile. You’ll be performing this workout circuit style, moving from one exercise to the next with rest only when indicated. This format of workout will help increase your endurance, fatigue the muscles in your lower body helping you build a lean set of legs and butt, and torch calories and fat.

5 yard sprints x 25. Get down in sprinter’s stance and explode up and as fast as possible for 5 yards. Stop, rest 5 seconds, repeat.
Four Point Runs x 10. Set up four cones or points in a square, each side ~8 yards long. Shuffle sideways from point 1 to point 2, run in reverse from point 2 to point 3, shuffle sideways from point 3 to point 4, and sprint forwards from point 4 to point 1. Rest 10 seconds and repeat nine more times.

3. Criss Cross Runs x 10. This drill is slightly different and will help you work on your foot work, agility, and explosive power. Shuffle from point 1 to point 2. Back pedal across the box from point 2 to point 3. Side shuffle from point 3 to point 4. Run full speed ahead from point 4 back to point 1. Repeat 9 more times. Do your best to limit the time it takes to transition from a shuffle to back pedal to full speed ahead. As you continue to work on this type of drill you’ll develop the fast-twitch muscle fibers in your league which will improve your speed and agility, all while giving you a nice, shapely tone. Rest 90 seconds before moving on to the next part of this workout.

4. 100 yard sprints x 10. Get yourself on a track or football field for this one, or simply walk off 100 yards. Sprint 100 yards as fast as possible, rest for 10 seconds, repeat. This is a variation of HIIT training which will burn a ton of calories, exponentially increase your endurance, and leave you in fantastic shape. Rest 90 seconds before moving on to the next part of this workout.

5. High Knee Runs x 10. Set up cones, or simply walk off 20 yards. Run with HIGH KNEES from one point to the other. Turn around and run back; that’s 1 full repetition. Rest 10 seconds between each full repetition. It should be noted that you will not be able to run very fast if you are doing this properly. Focus on getting your knees as high as possible and do your best not to slack as you tire. This exercise is great for developing your core, gluteal muscles, and endurance. Repeat for 9 more repetitions. Rest 90 seconds before moving on to the next part of this workout.

6. 100 Squat Jumps/50 Burpees. Complete each exercise in order, in as few sets as possible. Explode through each movement, get yourself high off the ground and land softly on the balls of your feet. Time yourself and continue to try to improve on your personal best each time out. Limit your rest and really finish strong, this is the final element of the workout.

Workout B

This workout places a greater emphasis on building your strength and muscle tone by utilizing complex exercises in a circuit style format. You will perform one set of one exercise, then move on to the next, then next, and so on. Once you’ve completed the circuit once, you’ll take a break as indicated, then start with the first exercise in the circuit again. You’ll repeat this entire circuit 8 times through. Focus on exploding through the lifts and generate power from your lower body during the overhead movements. All you’re going to need here is a barbell and dumbbell. Since we’re performing these exercises back-to-back opt for a weight slightly lower than you would normally use.

Barbell Clean and Press 8 reps
Bent Over Barbell Rows 8 reps
Barbell Squat Jumps 10 reps
Dumbbell Snatch 8 reps per arm
Box Jumps 10 reps
Dumbbell Curls 8 reps per arm
Dumbbelll Squat Press 8 reps
Rest 60 seconds, repeat 7 more times.

That circuit is brutal, no other way to describe it. But the great thing is you’re going to get a ton of cardio work (and the associated calorie burn) as well as hit almost all of the major muscles in your body. This is an extremely effective way of working out as it will literally transform you from an average gym-goer into a full-on, fit, athletic looking bad ass in a short time. If you’re committed to sticking with this two workout combo for an extended period of time, feel free to play around with this circuit a little. If you’re performing this multiple times a week, I’d recommend going with VERY light weight on some days and increasing reps 2-3 times for each exercise. Performing high reps is a great way to build strength, especially when combined with heavier/lower rep days.

So there you have it boys and girls, this is an NFL caliber workout designed to get you in the best shape of your life. Just because summer is over and cool weather is on the horizon, doesn’t mean it’s time to let your body slack. You worked hard all summer, get out of the cycle of 3-4 months of hard work, 3-4 months of slacking, and then 3-4 months of ramping back up. Go medium-high intensity all year long and you’ll be so much further along NEXT summer when you’re getting back into that bikini or board shorts.

How 60 Seconds Can Make or Break Your Workout

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Matt Posted in Cardio Training, Training, Weight loss 4 Comments

Start performing high-intensity exercises like box jumps during those precious 60 seconds...

To most people, 60 seconds isn’t much. General consensus is that not much can be done in just a minute. But hang on…what happens when you combine lots of those insignificant little minutes together? ….Well, they combine forces and become a powerful chunk of time. I realize this concept is a bit heady and I probably just blew everyone’s minds, but stay with me….

So think about it…when you’re working out you’re most likely taking a rest between sets, am I right? For 60-90 seconds, you sit around doing nothing but allowing yourself to catch a breath and your muscles to regain their strength. Let me first say, there is nothing wrong with working out in this format; hell, I work out like this from time to time. But with all things fitness, what you are doing needs to be customized to your specific goals.

Working out with 1-2 minute rest periods after each set is great for those looking to maximize their muscle mass, i.e. get big. Typically this type of workout is done by bodybuilders, strength athletes, and your run of the mill brodies looking to pump up those beach muscles. But for the vast majority of you SIF’ers, your goals are different. You most likely aren’t trying to build a huge chest and pair of biceps. You guys and girls are more concerned with losing that annoying bit of fat on your stomach, improving your endurance, or adding lean muscle mass evenly across your body. Doesn’t it make sense to opt for a workout that helps you reach your goals and stop using the standard lift, rest, lift sequence that is so common? Of course it makes sense…that’s why I’m writing this article.

You see, those 60 seconds between each set are valuable….very valuable. It’s during this period of time that you are able to transform your boring, hardly effective workout routine into something that will actually transform your body and make even the most fit people in your gym respect what you’re doing. When you reach fatigue, and continue to push yourself further than what you normally do, your body doesn’t know how to react. While your body is freaking out and unable to adapt to the additional work load, magic happens. Your endurance increases, your muscles slowly become more developed and defined, and the fat begins to start melting off your body at an increased rate.

So, for those of us who aren’t all about our beach muscles or actively engaged in sports requiring great strength, it’s time to change-up your workout format. One quick point; I’m not saying to NEVER rest. Rest is important..I’m just saying to make less wasted time by utilizing 60-75% of the time you’re currently resting after sets.

Below you’ll see the best ways to maximize the 60 or so seconds between your sets and amplify the gains you’re making.

Cardio between sets. Performing strength-based exercises followed by periods of intense cardio is one of the best things you can if you’re going for a total body transformation. Expect to increase your EPOC which will increase your metabolism, which leads to greater fat burn during (and after) your workout. A lean, athletic, and healthy body is sure to follow anyone who pushes themselves with this type of workout. Feel free to get creative with your exercises, but an example would be:

Bench Press/60 second jump rope/Military Press/60 second jump rope/Bench Press/Rest

Supersets. If you’re one of those people who has trouble putting/keeping on weight, and want to focus on building your muscles, go for this type of training over the standard lift/rest/lift sequence. A superset is when you complete two exercises back-to-back without rest between sets. You can superset the same body part, i.e. bench press and dumbbell flys or opposing body parts, i.e. skullcrushers and incline dumbbell curls. Supersets are great for giving you a great muscle burn while also helping you improve your endurance. A well-designed plan utilizing a lot of supersets will do wonders for your metabolism and physique in general.

Short rest. As you probably realize by now, variety is the spice of life. It’s also what keeps your body making progress. If you’ve been accustomed to 60-120 second rest periods, mix things up. Short rest is strictly timed and makes use of very short rest periods to throw your muscles out of whack. Rests of 10-20 seconds will allow you enough time to complete another set, but keep your muscles in a near constant state of fatigue. Consider bringing over a couple sets of weights so you can move to a lower poundage when things become too difficult…and they will. An example of a short rest sequence looks like this:

100 lb lat pulldown/10 second rest/100 lb lat pulldown/10 second rest/75 lb lat pulldown/15 second rest/50 lb lat pulldown

By doing something other than sitting around and reading about the latest celeb to get knocked up or texting your girlfriends about how your boyfriend is an inconsiderate jackass, make the most of your time. Think about it for a second, if during a 60 minute workout you have 20 rest periods of 1 minute, and you start performing work during 75% of those rest periods, you’ve just increased your workout by nearly 50%, i.e. adding 15 minutes to a 40 minute long workout.

Those little minutes are going to add up..If you do this every time, or almost every time out, it’ll be like adding another day or two to your overall workout plan. How much more progress would you be making if you had an extra day or two spent working out? Probably a lot more than you’re making now. Don’t underestimate little things like rest period. By making the most of your workout and utilizing advanced training concepts as mentioned above, you’ll start looking more like an advanced athlete and less like the chick you see flipping through an US Weekly on the elliptical every day.

Want More Awesome Tips, Articles, and Workout Videos From Share It Fitness?

The days of repeating the same old fitness DVD are over. If you want access to hundreds of group fitness classes and DVD-style workouts on video, available OnDemand 24/7, at the touch of a button, sign up for our premium site, ShareItFitness.com. We’re giving away free premium memberships for a little while longer, so don’t wait! In addition to our OnDemand library we feature tons of great recipes, fitness tips like the ones found in this article, live health and fitness professionals ready to answer your questions, and an interactive social network of other like-minded people. Don’t delay, join the revolution today!

The “Level Up” Workout: The Only Workout Plan That Progresses As You Do

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Matt Posted in Cardio Training, Strength Training, Training, Weight loss 25 Comments

Want the body of an athlete? The Level Up Workout Will Get You There....

Doesn’t it seem like almost all fitness plans are designed the same way? Week 1 you’re doing this, week 2 you’re doing this, etc. It’s just a steady stream of exercises and workouts to complete. There is no real concern for how you’re progressing or in some cases, not progressing. Let me say, I don’t think workout plans created in this manner are inherently bad. Personally, I’ve created general fitness plans, plyometric weight loss plans, and a variety of other plans that follow this format. When attempting to create a workout plan for the masses, this is an effective way to go about doing it.

But after hearing countless stories and frustrations from clients and our online users about their own personal situation, it got my wheels turning. What if there were a way to create a fitness plan, like the highly successful Total Body Blitz, that was more in tune with each individual and their abilities? Could it be possible to give direction to tens of thousands of people at one time, but respect the different fitness abilities of each individual? It took a little while, but I’ve put together what I think is the solution to this problem – The Level Up Workout.

The premise behind The Level Up Workout is simple…

Scheduled challenge workouts keep things interesting and always give you something to work towards
You only graduate or “level up” to the next phase of the fitness plan once you have passed the challenge workout.

I find introducing periodic challenges is a fantastic motivator for a couple of reasons. People are generally motivated by a challenge and it helps define the progress you’ve been making. By formatting a workout plan based on this idea, we’re able to allow people to move on to the next phase at their own pace. No longer are you thrust into doing something too difficult simply because the plan dictates that you do so. You only “level up” when you’re physically able to do so..simple as that.

The Level Up Workout

The Level Up Workout is designed as a general fitness plan to help you lose weight, i.e. burn fat, build muscle, and develop an overall athletic physique. This plan uses some of our best workout routines as daily workouts, ensuring each day is unique, effective, and challenging. If you are able to pass the initial challenge workouts, feel free to start at later weeks.

Week 1/2/3 – Focus on establishing a base of endurance for the workouts ahead.

Day 1: 20 minutes HIIT sprinting (30 second sprint/1:30 jog). 3 sets of 30: crunches, windshield wipers, v-sits.
Day 2: INTENSE Cross-Training Circuit
Day 3: 3 sets of 10: Bench Press, Clean and Press, Bent Over Barbell Row, Close Grip Bench Press, Smith Machine Squats, Bulgarian Squat Jumps
Day 4: 30 minutes HIIT jump rope (30 seconds jumping, 30 seconds rest). 30 minutes your choice of cardio (swimming, rowing, biking, running, etc.)

Week 1/2/3 CHALLENGE WORKOUT: Run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes or less.

Week 4/5/6 – Continues to focus on endurance while bumping strength training aspects by placing greater emphasis on strength/cardio combo workouts.

Day 1: 30 minutes HIIT sprinting (30 second sprint/1:30 jog). 3 sets of 20: plank ups, spider plank s, plank crunches.
Day 2: The Max Effect Workout
Day 3: 3 sets of 10: Dumbbell Twist Press, Lat Pulldowns, Dumbbell Bicep Curl, Skullcrushers, Swinging Plyo Push Ups, Weight Calve Raises, Dips.
Day 4: 30 minutes HIIT sprinting (40 second sprint/1:20 jog). 3 sets of 20: plank ups, spider plank s, plank crunches.

Week 4/5/6 CHALLENGE WORKOUT: The 1,200 Rep Challenge. Complete in 26 minutes or less.

Week 7/8/9 – We’re going to bump the strength aspect along with our cardio focus during this phase by introducing complex workouts. Continue to push yourself by using weights that cause muscle fatigue on the last rep or two of the final set.

Day 1: Barbell Complex Workout (scroll to bottom)
Day 2: BRICK HIIT: 30 minutes HIIT cycling (:30/1:30 format), 30 minutes HIIT sprinting (:30/1:30 format)
Day 3: Dumbbell Complex Workout (scroll to bottom)
Day 4: INTENSE At Home Fat Burning Plyo Circuit (Use Mon/Wed/Fri workout)
Day 5: 45 minutes cardio of your choice

Week 7/8/9 CHALLENGE WORKOUT: The 500 Challenge (may use pull up assistance if needed). Complete in 25 minutes.

Week 10/11/12 – Keep doing what you’re doing. If you’ve made it this far you’ve been totally changing your body and should be making serious progress. We’re using a lot of HIIT cardio during this phase to increase your fat burn potential and bump your endurance for the challenges ahead.On weight training days, increase the weight as the reps are significantly decreased during this phase; continue to reach fatigue on your last rep of the final set or two.

Day 1: HIIT Combo Workout: 10 minutes HIIT Jump Roping (:45 jump/:30 rest), 10 minutes HIIT sprinting (:30/1:30), 10 minutes HIIT cycling :40/1:20), 10 minutes HIIT Jump Roping (:45/:30)
Day 2: 5 sets of 5: Deadlifts, Incline Bench Press, Skullcrushers, Smith Machine Squats, Seated Row, Spider Curls, Tricep Pushdown. 3 sets of 30: 180 planks, Cross body crunch, Med ball toss crunch.
Day 3: HIIT Combo Workout: 10 minutes HIIT Jump Roping (:45 jump/:30 rest), 10 minutes HIIT sprinting (:30/1:30), 10 minutes HIIT cycling :40/1:20), 10 minutes HIIT Jump Roping (:45/:30)
Day 4: INTENSE At Home Fat Burning Plyo Circuit (use Tue/Thur workout)
Day 5: 5 sets of 5: Deadlifts, Incline Bench Press, Skullcrushers, Smith Machine Squats, Seated Row, Spider Curls, Tricep Pushdown. 3 sets of 30: 180 planks, Cross body crunch, Med ball toss crunch.

Week 10/11/12 CHALLENGE WORKOUT: The 300 Workout (For the deadlift and snatch, use the same weight you would use when doing 3 sets of 10. Use 50% less weight than your deadlift when doing windshield wipers while holding the barbell). Complete in 31 minutes or less.

Week 13/14/15 – We’re going to hit the almost 4-month mark at the end of this phase. By now, you should already be seeing huge changes in your strength levels, endurance levels, and overall physique. Things are intense at this point. If you aren’t able to keep up, I would suggest going back to the previous phase and focusing on nailing the HIIT cardio workouts.

Day 1: Black Diamond. 100 crunches and 100 hindu push ups in as few sets as possible.
Day 2: 45 minutes HIIT sprinting (:40/1:20), 15 minutes HIIT jump roping (:45/:30).
Day 3: Float Like a Butterfly Sting Like a Bee BOXING Workout
Day 4: Summer Shred Workout Plan Weeks 1/2 Day 3
Day 5: Treadmill Interval Workout

Week 13/14/15 CHALLENGE WORKOUT: 6.2 mile run, 24.8 mile bike ride, 1 mile swim. If you don’t have access to a pool, substitute the swim for a 3.1 mile run. Complete this Olympic Tri workout in under 3 hours.

**If you are unsure how to perform specific exercises and don’t see a link to a demo on Youtube, simply head over to ShareItFitness.com and browse our Body Diagram containing hundreds of exercise demos on video (or click the previous link).

Photo courtesy of Instinct Magazine

This is the final challenge in The Level Up Workout. If you are able to complete it in under 3 hours, give yourself a huge congratulations. If you are simply able to complete it, give yourself a congratulations nonetheless. You just completed an Olympic distance triathlon. Bet you didn’t think you could do that when you started all of this, did you? It’s a huge accomplishment and something to be proud of.

Hopefully by now, a new way of looking at working out and fitness has been instilled in you. You are now a full-blown lean, mean, athletic machine. You have what it takes to push yourself harder and further. But don’t think you’ve made it to the finish line. Keep working hard. Sign up for a real triathlon, go for a half-iron man, push yourself to lift heavier weights….The goal is to never stop challenging yourself. The benefit is going to be continuing to improve your health and creating a body to die for. Take what you’ve learned from The Level Up Workout over the past 5 months and cement the principles, ideas, and teachings into your life. You are now that bad-ass in the gym people look up to and wonder how they became what they’ve become. Congratulations, you made it a long way and are so much better off as a result.

Like This Article? Want More Awesome Content From Share It Fitness?

The days of repeating the same old fitness DVD are over. If you want access to hundreds of group fitness classes and DVD-style workouts on video, available OnDemand 24/7, at the touch of a button, sign up for our premium site, ShareItFitness.com. We’re giving away free premium memberships for a little while longer, so don’t wait! In addition to our OnDemand library we feature tons of great recipes, workout plans like this one, live health and fitness professionals ready to assist you, and an interactive social network of other like-minded people. Don’t delay, join the revolution today!

Can You Keep Pace With This Intense New Workout Style? Find Out…

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Matt Posted in Cardio Training, Strength Training, Training, Weight loss 6 Comments

Combining weight training exercises in a circuit style will bump your heart rate and lead to better overall gains.

Anyone into that two birds, one stone sort of thing? Hey, I mean, why would you not be? If there’s a way to save myself some time you better believe I’m going to take full advantage of that. When it comes to working out, my feelings are really no different. I find my clients/readers who are making the most progress are the one’s who are using cardio/strength workouts and fitness classes. This format is opposed to the standard strategy of breaking up a routine into separate strength training and cardio training days.

Complex workouts as well as other types of routines using active rest and/or intense-interval plyometric style training are great for getting you to push your muscles to fatigue while also working your cardiovascular system. The benefits are two-fold, you maximize your burnt calories, EPOC, and progress, while spending less time at the gym.

Meet “Pacer” Training

Unlike some of the fitness plans and work outs we feature on this blog, today’s is a bit different. The workout we’re featuring today is a video workout which has been set to a very specific pace. What does this mean? It means, the entire workout has been designed to keep intensity high and ensure you are getting a proper workout in. In order to accomplish this you need to keep pace with Casey, the trainer on your screen. We talk a lot about “keeping pace” on Share It Fitness. The reason for this is simple..our trainers have designed our workouts at a specific intensity level to ensure maximum progress. Unlike a list of exercises to complete, when we utilize our pacer training methodologies, we are more able to have control over the workout AND your progress. All you’ve got to do is keep up with your trainer…that’s it.

About The Workout

This workout is done in reverse pyramid fashion. Reverse pyramid is a style of organizing your sets so each time through, you are cutting one repetition off each exercise. This is an effective way to mix things up and keep your muscles guessing. Casey will run through the entire circuit in about 8 minutes. In order to get a full workout in, we recommend using this reverse pyramid circuit, complex style. What this means is once the circuit is complete (after ~8 minutes) re-start the workout video and run through the circuit again. You want to shoot for 4-5 total rounds, for a 32-40 minute workout.

All you’re going to need is a set of dumbbells and your own body weight for this workout. This workout is great for hitting the major muscle groups as well as hitting your beach muscles (shoulders, biceps, etc.). As I alluded to above, this style of workout is also going to bump your heart rate, increase your caloric burn, and boost your fat burn potential well after the workout has ended as a result of increased EPOC. Remember, to ensure these benefits, it’s very important that you stay with the carefully designed pace that Casey has set. If he’s moving too quickly for you, well, you now have a new goal to work towards.

The Workout

If you’re ready for a serious challenge and think you’re up for this total body transforming fitness class, simply click HERE.

Have any questions? Want to know how to make this class even harder? Leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to get back to you.

In and Out in 20: INTENSE Cross-Training Circuit Routine When You’re Pressed For Time

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Matt Posted in Cardio Training, Strength Training, Training, Weight loss 5 Comments

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.