THE AT-HOME HIGH INTENSITY BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT
You don’t need a big, fancy home gym to get in shape. In fact, you don’t need any equipment at all. Burn calories and build muscle at home with this simple high intensity workout.
It's January 29th, 2019 and we are about to get hit with what some are calling a 'polar vortex'. It has the potential to be the second coldest day ever recorded in Chicago. Over these next couple days it will be a high of -13 with wind chills making it feel like 50 degrees below.
It will be very easy to pack it in these next couple days and take some time off. Relax, eat some snacks, binge watch some Netflix.
Or you could take this as an opportunity to get ahead of the game. To put the work in when everyone else is complaining about the weather.
"When you do the work that no one wants to do, you become more valuable."
Yes, it’s possible to craft an intense workout with just your body weight. No need to leave your house.
No Excuses.
HOW IT WORKS
This at-home workout without equipment is designed as a circuit. Each round of the circuit consists of seven exercises. We'll perform three total rounds, alternating between pushing and pulling (or upper- and lower-body movements). This will keep us moving, making the most of our workout time.
1 of 7
Glute Bridge
Why It Works: Even if you’re training first thing in the morning, your glutes are undoubtedly tight from sitting at desks and behind steeringwheels all day, every day. This activates the glutes—arguably the most powerful muscles in the body—at the start of your session.
How to Do It: Lie face-up on the floor with knees bent 90 degrees and feet on the floor. Squeeze your glutes and bridge your hips to the ceiling. Only your shoulders and hips remain on the ground. Hold for two seconds and then lower your hips toward the ground without touching.
10 reps
2 of 7
Hand Walks
Why It Works: This full-body move lengthens your hamstrings and calves while opening up your ankles and lower back. It also stabilizes the shoulders.
How to Do It: Stand with legs straight and hands on the floor. Walk your hands out. Keeping your legs straight, walk you feet back to your hands using short steps from your ankles.
10 reps
3 of 7
Lunge Elbow to Instep
Why It Works: This challenges the hip flexors and to a lesser degree also targets the groin, hamstrings, obliques, glutes and lats.
How to Do It: Start with your feet together standing on a mat. Take a long lunge step with your right leg so that your left leg is fully extended behind you and your right leg forms a 90 degree angle. At the same time twist your core to the left so that your right elbow is near you right foot and your shoulder is next to your knee. Drive your hips to the floor, elongating that left leg. Hold this position for a few seconds. Then, rotate your chest towards the sky and reach with your right hand extended leaving it pointed to the sky. Bring your arm down slowly, and return to standing position. Repeat with the other side.
10 reps
4 of 7
Plank-to-Pushup
Why It Works: This challenges your overall core stability by combining two effective moves in one.
How to Do It: Begin in a forearm plank position. Push from your triceps, placing your right hand on the ground and then your left hand, gradually rising to pushup position. Return to forearm plank by placing your right forearm down and then your left.
10 reps
5 of 7
3-Way Pushup
Why It Works: By doing three sets of 10 pushups in three consecutive different positions, we’re amping up this workout quickly while challenging our chest and shoulders from three angles.
How to Do It: Do 10 traditional pushups (hands directly below the shoulders) followed by 10 “diamond” pushups (index fingers and thumbs touching), followed by 10 wide-grip pushups (hands wider than the shoulders)
10 reps of each
6 of 7
Straight Leg Lowering
Why It Works: This hamstring stretch also challenges the muscles of the chest and torso.
How to Do It: Lie flat on your back with arms at your sides and legs straight up above your hips. Keeping one leg straight, slowly lower the other to just above the floor. Return to starting position and repeat. The key is to keep your toes pointed toward your shins and your back flat on the floor.
10 reps per side
7 of 7
Burpee
Why It Works: This full-body, push-up-like exercise gives you all the benefits of pushups while also challenging your cardiovascular system and ratcheting up the intensity of your workout, which is especially important when you only have a couple minutes.
How to Do It: From a standing position, squat, place you hands on the ground, and “jump” your feet out into a push-up position. Perform a pushup and then jump your feet to your hands. Then jump as high as you can, throwing your hands over your head.
10 reps
Everyone stay warm, hope you guys enjoyed this workout! Please let me know what you think in the comments below.
Remember, strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle. You can have results or you can have excuses...you cannot have both.
Angel Soto
Founder at Goal Soccer Training