Saturday mornings should be spent outside. That’s why we asked strength and conditioning coach Dan John to design this fast and portable series of cardio workouts, one for each Saturday of the month. Use them as breathers from your weekly routine.
Related: We Asked Actor Tim Robards What Makes An Iron Core And A Better Body, This Is How He Does It
Week 1: The Core Blast
The Moves:
- Push-up-position plank
- Dumbbell swing or jumping jack
The Workout:
Set a timer for 10 minutes. Hold the push-up-position plank for 60 seconds. Without resting, do dumbbell swings or jumping jacks.
Repeat the above sequence, without resting, until the timer goes off. Rest for less than a minute and complete two more rounds.
PRO tip: Crank up the difficulty by increasing rep speed.
Related: Shed Winter Flab With These Pro Trainers’ 8-Mınute Abs Workouts
Week 2: The Sprint Set
The Moves:
- Push-up
- 30-second sprint
- Sit-up
- Prisoner squat
The Workout:
Rest as little as possible between these exercises.
- 10 push-ups.
- 30-second sprint.
- 10 sit-ups
- 30-second sprint
- 15 prisoner squats
- 30-second sprintRepeat three times.
Pro Tip: Squeeze your glutes as you press up in your squats.
Related: Sprinter Akani Simbine’s Training Schedule Might Surprise You
Week 3: The Double Header
The Moves:
- Push-up-position plank
- 30-second sprint
- Dumbbell swing or jumping jack
The Workout:
Combine elements of the first two workouts, resting as little as possible between exercises.
- 30-second push-up position plank
- 30-second sprint
- 30-seconds of dumbbell swings or jumping jacks
- 30-second sprint
Rest for 30 seconds; repeat the sequence six to eight times.
Pro Tip: Treat the sprint as your recovery period.
Related: Why Your Body Really Doesn’t Want You to Sleep In This Weekend
Key To The Moves:
Push-Up-Position Plank
Assume the starting position of a push-up, with your arms straight. Keep your head in line with your body and squeeze your abs and glutes.
Dumbbell Swing
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab a dumbbell with both hands with an overhand grip. Swing it between your legs as you bend at the hips and knees, as if you’re about to hike it to a quarterback. Then swing it up to shoulder height as you stand.
Prisoner Squat
Stand tall with your hands behind your head and your elbows back. Sit back at your hips and bend your knees until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Then press back up to a standing position.
