You might complain when your body is can’t-get-off-the-toilet sore, but deep down, you know you love it. That’s ’cause that hurts-so-good feeling is evidence that you’ve successfully initiated change on a muscular level, as your torn up muscle fibers work hard to repair themselves into bigger, more defined studs.
Problem is, as you get fitter, you have to crank up the challenge to produce that kind of soreness. Which is where this killer workout from certified personal trainer Nancy Newell, a strength and conditioning coach at Cressey Sports Performance, comes in.
Following a technique called contrast training, this workout involves starting with heavy lifting, then decreasing the resistance until you’re using just your body weight.
“As a result, even though your muscles are actually more tired by the last round, you feel lighter and can perform more work,” explains Newell. Bonus: Even though you’re repeating the same circuit of moves for each round, your emphasis changes each time, helping you stay in the moment—and helping the 30-minute session fly right by.
Perform these moves as a superset: Starting with the first pair, complete all the reps of the first exercise, repeat, then move immediately into the second exercise. Rest up to a minute, then move on to the next superset. After completing all three supersets, rest for two minutes, and move on to the next round in the same format.
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Pair One: Dumbbell Goblet Squat + Dumbbell Floor Press
Pair Two: Dumbbell Walking Lunge + Side Bridge
Pair Three: Dumbbell Farmer’s Carry + Wall Press Flutter Kicks
Round 1: Use heavy dumbbells (say, 20’s or 30’s if you’re used to 10’s), and perform five reps of each exercise (five per side for unilateral moves). Hold the side bridge for five seconds and the wall press flutter kick for 10 seconds.
Round 2: Perform the same circuit, but decrease the resistance for each dumbbell exercise, and complete 10 reps of each exercise (10 per side in all cases but the squat). Your focus? Moving the weight explosively. Hold the side bridge for 10 seconds and the wall press flutter kick for 20.
Round 3: Perform the same circuit, but this time, lose the weights and work with just your body. Do 22 reps of each exercise, completing them as quickly as possible (but never skimping on range of motion—for example, your knee should still almost touch the floor in your lunge). If you’re doing well on time, add a third set to each exercise. Hold the side bridge for 22 seconds, the wall press flutter kick for 30, and enjoy a basic walk for the farmer’s carry.