Whenever I think of a workout that only takes about 20 minutes out of my day, I have to share it. Mainly because it reminds me, and hopefully anyone reading this, how much you can accomplish in a short amount of time. Which is a good thing because it seems like the easier and part of your daily life you make working out to be, the more likely you are to actually want to do it. And don’t get me started on the health benefit of that.
So I’ll just shut up now. Here’s a great 20 minute workout I’ve been doing a lot lately ( before a flight, on a bust day, while LEvi naps, before having a few cold beers, you get the point.) In fact I’m going to go and do this once I hit post.
I call is the 5 x 5 x 5 circuit.
Here you go…
The basic principle is this: You do a circuit that consists of five moves, do five reps of each, and repeat it five times. And it should take you 17-20 minutes to do. The key is to use weights/moves that are heavy/tough enough that you actually are challenged by only doing five reps. High five for lifting heavy.
To chose the exercises you’ll want two leg moves, two upper body moves, and one just plain old pain in the butt/gets your heart rate up move (ahem, burpies.)
Tools: I have my beloved powerblocks, and invested in this pullup bar (if you have snapchat, you’ve seen me doing pullups in my kitchen because of this. Username: superduperbek)
All set? Good.
Here’s what I do. Feel free to get creative and improvise using what you have access to.
• 5 x full burpies
• 5 x dumbbell bench press (I do these lying on the floor/a floor press since I don’t have a bench)
• 5 x single leg rear foot elevated split squats (5 reps each leg)
• 5 x single leg hip thrust with weight (5 reps each leg)
• 5 x pullups (slow and steady and controlled)
Repeat that circuit four more times.
Total of five rounds.
No breaks.
Sounds easy but it gets a good sweat going on, and is a pretty dense little circuit.
Ok I’m off to do it now. While listening to my rage Against The Machine Pandora Station. Ready, set, sweat, rawr…
Leggings pictured are from With Love From Paradise. Aka my workout gear aloha print loving spirit animal. Amie you are amazing.