It’s time to get those hearts pumping and muscles shaking with high intensity workout!
The holiday season is about to be among us, which means lots of food and drink – all of which generally are not so healthy. Which means… we need a good ole’ fashioned butt kickin’ to burn some cals and torch that fat!
Grab a pair of heavy dumbbells and get ready for a wild ride, because this Cardio/Strength Ladder Workout is about to get crazy!
Hello 🙂 Hopefully I didn’t scare you away with all of that. This workout is killer, but also great for your body! You’ll be working every muscle group, including the heart to get a full body tone sesh. Just what we need in the midst of this busy (and delightful) holiday season. Amiright?!
I’m the biggest Christmas and Thanksgiving nerd. I love it. Every single aspect.
I’m the person that waits for the Christmas music to start playing on the radio, and yes, I’ll listen to it the entire time. I’m also big on traditions, which this year is going to be hard for me, but we’ll talk about that in another post.
Today it’s all about kicking butt and taking names.
Here’s what you’ll need
- Pair of dumbbells – I would go heady (8 – 10 lbs)
- Mat – if you do pushups on your knees
- A towel
- Waterbottle
- Bumpin’ music 🎶
- The right state of mind
Just kidding about that last one.
Here’s how it works
You’ll perform the number of reps correlated with the move and you’ll work your way down the exercises until you get to #1. But it’s not that easy, it’s a ladder, so you’ll start with 12 squat jumps, then you’ll perform 12 squat jumps again, and then 11 tricep extensions. The back to 12 squat jumps, 11 tricep extensions, 10 lunge jumps… and so on until you get all the way to the last move.
You’ll end up performing 12 squat jumps 12 times and 1 inchworm once. Make sense?
Who’s ready to do this thang?! 👊🏼
Cardio/Strength Ladder Workout
Perform each moves as many times as the number next to it; starting back with #12 each time before adding another move.
12. Squat Jumps – start with squat position, using arms jump into air, swinging arms overhead. Land softly back on both feet in squat position.
11. Tricep Extensions – standing with dumbbells in both hands, palms facing, bend elbows and lower dumbbells to base of neck, keeping elbows close to your temples (bent at 90 degree angle). Squeeze triceps to lift dumbbells back to starting position.
10. Lunge Jumps – from standing position, jump right leg back, brining both legs to 90 degrees (front thigh parallel to floor, back knee almost touching floor), using momentum and arm swing, jump and switch so right leg is front and left leg is back. Alternate this move for 10 reps (every jump is a rep). Variations: you can step back into a lunge. Or you can hop back in the middle and then hop back into a lunge.
9. Bicep Curls – standing, hold dumbbells in both hands. Curl the dumbbells up to your shoulders, squeezing your biceps at the top. Keeping your elbows still and right under your shoulders, slowly release biceps and dumbbells back to starting position.
8. Scissor Runs – with body slightly forward, alternate legs front and back while keeping arms straight and moving them up and down in front of you (like a scissors). This is a hop, not a step back.
7. Plank Walks (Low to High Plank) – starting in low plank, walk your body up to high plank by placing your hand where you elbow was and pressing your body up. Make sure to alternate which arm you go up and down with each rep.
6. Big Jacks – like a jumping jack and star jump combined. Jump into the air and squeeze your hip flexors to lifts legs straight out to the sides. Your arms will also go out to the sides, nice and straight. Land and go right up again!
5. Pushups – either on your knees or your toes perform a pushup by bending at the elbows until your upper body is at chest height. Remember to keep your body tight and eyes ahead. Squeeze your chest to lift your body back up into starting position. If you’re on your knees, keep your toes on the ground, don’t let them pop up.
4. Burpees – starting in a standing position, bend knees and place hands on ground and jump (or step) feet back into plank position. Keeping core tight, jump feet back in and lift upper body, performing a squat jump at the top.
3. Curtsy Lunges + Delt Raise – from standing position, bring right leg behind body to the left and perform a curtsey lunge – front thigh parallel to floor and back knee almost touching the floor. At the bottom of the lunge, perform a delt raise by keeping arms at a 90 degree angle and lifting arms up to shoulder height (lead with the elbows to lift). Bring arms back down, while standing.
2. Power Skips – Perform a lunge, while bending at the hips (but keeping upperbody tall) touch the floor and then drive back leg forward (and into chest) while performing a high skip on the front leg.
1. Inchworm – from standing position, walk hands on ground so that your body folds into a high plank (hold for a second) and then walk hands back into legs and stand.
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