Jen Widerstrom’s Plyometric Circuit Workout for a Lean, Toned Physique

1. Stand with your feet together, arms at sides. Lunge forward with your left leg, keeping your front knee from going past your toes, until your left thigh is parallel to the floor.
2. Hold at bottom of lunge for 3 seconds.
3. Using your arms for momentum, explode out of the bottom of the lunge but don’t switch legs. Land softly with left leg still forward.
4. Do 10 reps on each leg, then immediately move on to next move.

1. Stand with feet hip-distance apart, toes turned out slightly.
2. Squat as if settling into a chair, bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor and bringing your arms straight in front of you.
3. Hold bottom of squat for three slow seconds. Explode up, pressing through your heels as you jump up. (For beginners rising up on the balls of the feet is sufficient.) Land softly, and immediately descend into next squat.
4. Do 10 reps, then immediately move on to next move.

Tip: Jump explosively from a deep squat, using your glutes for power.

1. Place both hands near the edge of a low bench or step and extend legs behind you.
2. Brace your abs and bend elbows to 90 degrees, lowering your chest toward the bench and pointing elbows behind you. Push up powerfully, lifting hands off the bench.
3. Land softly, then immediately descend into the next pushup.
4. Hold bottom of pushup for 3 seconds. Then explode up into next pushup and repeat.
5. Do 10 reps, then immediately move on.

Tip: Use a slightly narrower grip to up intensity, or do move on floor.

1. Lie facedown, arms and legs extended diagonally in a star position, chin tucked toward your chest, and forehead touching the floor.
2. Keeping arms and legs extended, lift your torso and legs off the floor.
3. Pull elbows down toward sides, bringing hands near shoulders. At the same time, squeeze your inner thighs and bring heels together, coming into a lifted half cobra.
4. Hold in cobra for 3 seconds, then resume starting position.
5. Do 10 reps, then immediately move on to next move.

Tip: Power the arm movement with your upper back muscles.

1. Lie faceup on a mat with your legs extended forward and arms stretched overhead. For an extra burn, hold a medicine ball.
2. Simultaneously lift arms, shoulders and legs off the floor, and form a true hollow body, pressing your lower back into the floor.
3. Keeping upper body raised, bring right knee toward chest while reaching down with both hands. Return to hollow hold for 3 seconds. Switch legs, bending left knee while straightening right leg.
4. Do 10 reps on each leg. Repeat entire circuit.

The Circuit: You can do this bonus fat burner circuit in combo with any workout to fire up and finish off your muscles, or do it alone to tone your tushy in a jiffy.

The Duration: 3 Rounds

Hip-thruster Hop

Lie faceup on a mat, knees bent 90 degrees and arms extended next to hips. Raise hips and lift your left leg until it’s parallel to right thigh. Hold for 3 seconds. Switch legs, hopping right leg up while bending left knee and planting left foot on floor. Repeat without pause, alternating legs for a total of 5 reps per leg (10 reps total).

Elbow Plank with Single Leg Switches

Get in elbow plank position, with your elbows under your shoulders, forming a straight line from head to heels. Lift your right leg, holding here for 3 seconds. Then hop-switch your legs, so left leg is now lifted, balancing weight on forearms and right foot. Hold for 3 seconds. Do 5 reps per leg (10 reps total).

Hover Squat with Mini Hops

Stand with feet a few inches apart. Squat down, bending knees to just about 90 degrees, keeping weight over heels. Hop both feet outward about 6 inches, just outside hip width, then immediately hop back to narrow stance. Stay in squat position throughout the series. Do 10 hops total.