Training versatility seems to hit its peak during the summer, so don’t get caught without exercise ideas while you’re on the move! This head-to-toe body-firming boot-camp workout will change the way your body tackles fat. It’s meant to challenge you physically and mentally, with moves that work the shoulders, chest, core, and entire lower body. It constantly shoots the focus from your upper body to your lower body and back again, demanding more oxygen uptake, which means a bigger calorie burn. Plus, you can do this workout with absolutely no equipment at all. No excuses. You can do this!
Trainer Leslie Maltz, CPT, owner of Backyard Bootcamp, says, “Use first round to warm up and get your form on point. In the 60-second round, hit 80–85% intensity, and the 30-second lightning round is 100% full out!!”
TOTAL TIME: 60 minutes (with warmup and cool down)
ROUND 1: 20 minutes: 90 Seconds per exercise + 30 seconds rest between each exercise
ROUND 2: 15 minutes: 60 Seconds per exercise + 30 seconds rest between each exercise
ROUND 3: 10 Minutes: 30 Seconds per exercise + 30 seconds rest between each exercise
Beginner Moves:
Side Stepping
Crunches
Kneeling Pushups
Walking Lunges
Kneeling Tricep Pushups
Jumping Jacks
Plank
Squats
Hip Bridge
Pike Press
Intermediate/Advanced Moves:
Speed Skaters
V-ups
Decline Pushups (if bench or chair is available)
Jumping Split Lunges
Narrow Triceps Pushups or Dips (if bench is available)
WORKS: Core, Gluteus Maximus, Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves
Stand with feet slightly wider than hip width, hands at your sides.
Initiate with your hips and push your tailbone back into a squat.
From the bottom of the squat, swing your arms up as you jump up and turn your body toward opposite direction.
Land softly in a squat, keeping chest up.
Immediately swing arms up and jump back to starting position.
TIP: Dynamic movements like these are deceptively taxing, so keep good pacing and form throughout. Don’t let your knees travel past your toes, and keep your chest up.
Get in the top of a pushup position, with arms straight and hands at shoulder width. Place your feet on a foot-high step and then press hips up toward ceiling until torso is perpendicular to floor, walking hands back in a few inches, legs straight.
Lower top of head toward floor; press back up.
TIP: To make this move easier, perform with feet on the floor.
3 of 9
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
Walking Push Up
Steps Shown In Counter Clockwise Order (from top left)
WORKS: Deltoids, Pecs, Triceps, Serratus Anterior, and Core
Get in the top of a pushup position, hands under shoulders, arms straight, feet at hip width, and body forming a straight line from head to heels.
“Step” left leg and the left hand out to the side.
Perform a pushup, then press back up.
Keeping arms straight and abs tight, bring left hand and foot back to start. Repeat, “stepping” right hand and foot to the right and descend into pushup. Alternate stepping left and right.
4 of 9
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
SPEED SKATER
WORKS: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Maximus, Quads, Calves, Speed, and Stability
Stand with right foot in front of left, weight resting on right foot.
Swing your left leg out to the side and leap as far as you can to the left, swinging your arms to the left simultaneously and bringing your right leg behind, placing the toes of your back foot down only if you need balance.
Immediately shoot your right foot out to the side and bring your arms across your body as you leap right.
5 of 9
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
V-Up
WORKS: Core and Quads
Lie face-up on the floor with your legs straight and hands stretched above your head.
As you breathe out, tighten your abs to lift your arms and legs off of the floor until your knees are bent 90 degrees and your torso is about 45 degrees to the floor.
Inhale; return body to floor without touching hands or feet down by easing spine to floor, straightening legs, and arcing arms overhead.
6 of 9
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
Jumping Split Lunge
WORKS: Hip Flexors, Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings, Calves, Speed, and Stability
Stand in a split stance, with one foot about 3 feet in front of the other, hands at sides, elbows bent.
Lower into an evenly weighted lunge until front thigh is parallel to floor, as you simultaneously swing arms back. Don’t let back knee touch floor.
From bottom of lunge, swing arms forward and jump up. Switch legs midair and land with your opposite foot forward.
7 of 9
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
NARROW TRICEPS PUSHUP
WORKS: Shoulders,Chest, and Triceps
Get in the top of a pushup position with hands placed closer together and turned in slightly, fingers almost touching. Place feet at hip width, and be sure body forms straight line from head to heels.
Inhale and lower your body until your chest nearly touches floor, keeping elbows close to body. Exhale to press back up.
Lie face-up in front of a foot-high bench, ball, or step. Place your feet on the bench so that your knees are bent 90 degrees, and keep your hands down near your hips, arms straight.
Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips up as high as they will go, or until your torso and legs are in line.
Lower torso until it’s almost touching the floor, keeping tension in your glutes and hamstrings.
9 of 9
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
DECLINE PUSHUP
WORKS: Deltoids, Pecs, Triceps, Serratus Anterior, and Core
Get in the top of a pushup position, with arms straight and hands at shoulder width. Place feet on a foothigh bench or step and then straighten legs until your body forms a straight line from the top of your head to heels.
Lower torso toward the floor, being sure not to sway your back.
