Consider this strength circuit the new foundation for your workout routine. It’s a total-body circuit, meaning it hits every major muscle group. “Tackling a full-body workout versus splitting up legs and arms will help you get more done in less time,” explained Le Sweat founder Charlee Atkins, CSCS, who created this workout as part of POPSUGAR’s 4-Week Workout Challenge. After you’ve completed this circuit a few times, you’ll feel noticeably stronger and ready to progress to a more taxing workout, like the one Atkins developed for the second half of the plan.
Just remember to warm up for at least five minutes before your workout (“You don’t want to go into it cold,” Atkins said), and especially if you’re a beginner, take breaks as necessary. That includes days off if you need them — as long as you don’t allow more than two days to lapse between workouts, you should be able to continue making progress.
20-Minute, No-Equipment Total-Body Strength Workout
Directions: Complete each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by a 10-second recovery. You’ll do two rounds total of each set with a one-minute rest in between rounds. Complete both rounds of the bodyweight set before moving on to the core finisher. Before you start, do this dynamic warmup, and take time to cool down after your final circuit with these full-body stretches. Atkins also recommends foam rolling before and after workouts.
Exercises:
Bodyweight Strength Set
- Squat to knee-up
- Plank swimmers
- Leg lowers
- Single-leg hip raise
- Plank jacks
Core Set
- Plank hold
- 1/4 get-up
