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The Back To Basics Workout

No frills. No gimmicks. Just a pulse-pounding arrangement of exercises that will kickstart fat burning.

DIRECTIONS: Perform the following workout as a circuit, not resting between exercises and only resting for 90 seconds between rounds. Do four rounds total.

EXERCISE X REPS
Bodyweight Squat X 10
Pushup X 10
Walking Lunge X 20
Pullups or Lat Pulldown X 10
Sled Sprint or Weighted Run X 50 yards
Reverse Curl X 15
Skull Crusher X 15
Lateral Raise X 15
Plank X 60 seconds

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS

Bodyweight Squat: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and both hands in front of you or behind your head. Squat low to the ground, making sure your thighs get at least parallel to the floor. Engage your glutes as you stand back up.

Pushup: Get into a pushup position with your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor. Keep your back flat as you lower your body to the floor, then push back up to the start. If a straight pushup is too difficult, modify it by putting your knees on the floor. In either variation, keep your back flat throughout the move.

Walking Lunge: Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands (or to use bodyweight, just place your hands on your hips) and step forward with one foot, taking a long stride, then slowly drop your back knee to the floor. Stand back up while taking another step forward, driving through the heel of the forward foot. Continue for an equal number of reps on each leg.
Lat Pulldown: (Pictured on previous page) Sit facing the weight stack at a lat pulldown station, with your knees secured comfortably underneath the knee pads. Grab the bar with a wide grip, and pull the bar down with your lats, initiating the pull with your shoulder blades.

Sled Sprint: Grab the handles of a weighted push sled and, keeping your back flat, push it forward as fast as you can for the prescribed distance.

Weighted Run: While wearing a weight vest or holding a sandbag or other weighted implement tight to your chest, sprint as fast as you can with good form for the prescribed distance.

Reverse Curl: Grab an EZ-curl or straight barbell with a double overhand grip and let your arms hang down to your waist. Curl the bar up using only your biceps, then slowly return to the start.

Skull Crusher: Load an EZ-curl bar and lie on a flat bench with the bar in your hands. Keeping your elbows extended, set your arms at a 45-degree angle behind your head—this is the starting position. Keeping your elbows fixed in the starting position, bend your elbows to lower the bar to the top of your head. Contract your triceps hard to extend your arms and return to the starting position.

Lateral Raise: Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your elbows fully extended, lift the weights straight out to your sides, forming a T with your arms and torso. Hold the top position for one second, then slowly return to the start position.

Plank: Lie facedown on the floor, propping yourself up on your toes and elbows. Keep your core muscles tight to keep your body stable and in a straight line. Hold for the prescribed amount of time.

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