Workout Your Entire Body With One Exercise
It’s time to workout your entire body with one exercise. Does this sound too good to be true? Well, it gets even better. You won’t need a gym membership, passes to an expensive class or any equipment. Heck, you won’t even need to leave the house.
That’s right. We are about to tell you to start doing your daily burpees because they will have the same effect on your body as running and cross training and will bust all those excuses you have for not committing to the cause.
Sure they are one of the most hated exercises on the agenda, but there is a reason they remain the Holy Grail for personal trainers the world over. You see, burpees target every single muscle in your body while burning through fat and wiping out those calories from the silly season. We liken it to going for a morning run, without actually leaving the comfort of your home.
Now, we will give you a moment to get over your deep hatred for the exercise that will get you that much closer to the arms you desire, the flat abs you have been working towards but haven’t quite achieved yet and those toned pins you are waiting to reveal.
If you hate burpees, chances are you are doing them wrong. Here is what you should be doing to achieve a full body workout in 10 minutes.
1. Lower into a squat position while touching the floor with your hands
2. Kick your legs back, landing in a push-up position
3. Complete a push-up (now don’t wimp out, make it count)
4. Jump with your feet forward landing back in the squat position
5. In a single movement, extend your arms and body up and jump as high as possible (put a little rocket behind it)
That's 1 repetition, so get back into position 1 and go again for the next rep.
The number of repetitions (reps) you get through in your first session depends on your current fitness level. Set yourself a time limit of 10 minutes and see how many burpees you can execute fully - take rests when needed. Then try to beat that number in your next session in 1-2 days.
Variation: if you're finding it super tough, consider doing the push-up portion of the exercise (steps 1-3 above) with your feet on the ground and hands on a bench or stable chair. As your strength and cardio improves, go to doing the exercise on the floor.
You'll be surprised how quickly your body adapts and your reps increase.
Photo courtesy of: watchfit.com