This Cardio-Heavy, Strength-Training Series Will Light Up Every Muscle in Your Body
Nike trainer Traci Copeland leads us through a workout that offers a combination of high-intensity interval training and bodyweight-based strength training, which, as Copeland puts it, means "you'll get the best of both worlds."
What's great about the structure of this workout is that it puts the strength training portion ahead of the cardio set, which pros say can be beneficial for making the most out of both types of exercises. Because strength training requires short bursts of effort and requires your muscles to use an energy source other than oxygen, structuring it first allows you to better maximize your energy throughout the entire workout. "Depending on your fitness level, your muscles and heart can only handle a set amount of anaerobic training before becoming tired," Selena Samuela, a Peloton instructor, previously told Well+Good. This means that if you start your workout with an all-out cardio burst, you may not have as much energy left to build strength after the fact.
Another benefit of the workout? It's quick, which means you can give it 100 percent effort knowing that it will be over in a blink. "People are able to go a little bit harder for that 20 minutes than they would for 28 minutes, and that's what HIIT is all about," Obé fitness trainer Mary Wolff previously told Well+Good. "Mentally, I think they're able to push themselves harder because they know they're going to be doing it for a shorter period of time."
Following Copeland's lead, you'll start with a warmup meant to wake up the muscles you'll be targeting throughout the workout, then move into a circuit of five equipment-free, full-body moves including planks, push-ups, lunges, and glute bridges. The goal of these exercises is to work multiple parts of your body at once, giving you a whole lot of bang for your buck. You'll do each move for 30 seconds, then repeat the series three times.
After that, the real fun begins with a classic Tabata series. Tabata is a form of HIIT that involves 20 seconds of all-out work followed by 10 seconds of rest for a total of four minutes—which is pretty much guaranteed to leave your heart pounding. In this case, you'll work through four moves—plank jacks, an isometric V-sit hold, single-leg deadlifts, and squat jumps—two times total. And by the end, you're sure to be spent.
While the workout is not for the faint of heart, Copeland offers plenty of modifications so that anyone can reap the benefits, regardless of their fitness level (quick reminder: there's no shame in the modification game). And after 22 minutes, you'll be able to step off the mat knowing you gave your body everything it needs for the day.
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