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Regardless of your workout routine, having a fitness goal in mind is essential. And whether it’s weight loss, building muscle, increasing strength, or running faster, you need two foundational fitness elements to reach your goals: strength and conditioning. According to research, building and maintaining strength can improve your physical performance, speed, cognitive abilities, and self-esteem and help you perform daily tasks. Conversely, conditioning is doing cardiovascular exercise to boost the health and performance of your cardiovascular system. If one of these twin pillars of physical fitness is lacking, your health and performance will suffer. That’s why we’ve put together a 10-minute strength and conditioning workout for a total-body tone so you’re covering all your bases.
But let’s be honest: Not everyone has the time or resources to improve their fitness consistently. Fortunately, we here at Eat This, Not That! recognize that. That’s why we spoke with Kate Meier, CPT, a certified personal trainer with Garage Gym Reviews, who shares a stellar full-body strength and conditioning workout that you can crush in as little as 10 minutes. Plus, you only need a kettlebell and a soft surface to lie on.
To perform this ultra-effective workout, Meier says, “Keep rest periods on the short side to help build endurance. Then, perform three AMRAP (as many reps as possible) rounds. Each will have the same circuit of movements, which you’ll try to complete as many times as possible within the three-minute working period. Aim to do the same number in your third set as in your first set to ensure you’re keeping the intensity up.”
Here’s the structure of the workout:
- AMRAP | 3 minutes
- Rest 30 seconds
- AMRAP | 3 minutes
- Rest 30 seconds
- AMRAP | 3 minutes
If you want to achieve a full-body tone, keep reading for Meier’s workout. Then, when you’re done, check out 7 Best Exercises for Men to Gain Muscle Without Equipment.
Squats are one of the best movements for anyone who’s looking to improve their overall fitness. That’s because squats are a compound movement that works multiple muscle groups simultaneously and has several variations. And among the many squat variations, jump squats are among the most effective since they’re high-intensity and raise your heart rate (improving your aerobic capacity) while strengthening your glutes, quads, and hamstrings, according to Healthline.
To execute the jump squat, Meier instructs, “Start out standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Bend your knees to lower yourself into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Maintain good posture. Explosively jump up and straighten your legs as you lift off the floor and extend your arms overhead. Land into the squat and repeat.”
Kettlebells are an underrated fitness tool. The benefits of using kettlebells are numerous, including boosting overall strength (without adding too much bulk!), high-calorie burning potential, and improving functional movements for performing daily tasks, according to Active Nation.
To do this hallmark exercise of kettlebell movements, begin by standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart and holding a kettlebell with both hands. Next, lower into a slight squat position as you hinge forward at the hips, bringing the kettlebell slightly back between your legs. “Channel your glutes and shoulders as you stand up and push your hips forward while swinging the kettlebell straight up and out until your arms are approximately parallel to the floor. Finally, lower the kettlebell back to the starting position and repeat,” instructs Meier.
This calorie-torching plank exercise is similar to a classic plank, but with a high-intensity twist.
“Get into a high plank position on a mat with your arms straight out and shoulders, elbows, and wrists stacked. Your shoulders, hips, and ankles should be in line,” explains Meier. “From here, jump your feet outward and land with them wider than shoulder-width, as if you were doing a standard jumping jack. Then, jump your feet back in and repeat, keeping your core tight and hips and spine neutral throughout the move.”
No full-body workout would be complete without a six-pack sculpting exercise.
“Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your hands behind your head,” says Meier. “Lift both feet and your legs off the floor a few inches. Engage your core to crunch up and bring your right knee to your left arm, keeping your left leg straight and hovering off the floor. Next, lower your right leg and perform the movement on the opposite side, bringing your left leg to your right arm for one rep.”
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