Stuck at home and can’t make it to the gym? Try this quick workout that combines compound movements to get your heart rate up while working several different muscle groups. I love creative workouts that combine variety and sweat, and compound movements accomplish both!
Equipment needed: light- or medium-weighted dumbbells, a 20-25 pound kettle bell, and a resistance band (as pictured).
Move 1: Lateral shoulder raise into a bicep curl with backward-stepping lunge
Start in a standing position with light to medium weighted dumbbells. Proceed into a lateral shoulder raise by extending the arms out. As you lower the arms after the raise, perform a bicep curl as you step back into a lunge (curling and lunging at the same time). Complete 10-12 repetitions (each leg) for three sets.
Move 2: Dead lift and squat with kettle bell
Grab your heaviest kettle bell, and get ready to sweat! Stand with feet hip-width apart with the kettle bell hanging in front of you. Proceed into a dead lift by allowing the kettle bell to slowly reach the ground. When you come back up, reset your posture at the top. Adjusting your feet as needed and as is comfortable for you, then perform a squat with the kettle bell still hanging in front of you. Complete 12-15 repetitions of this dead lift-squat combination for a total of three leg-burning sets.
Move 3: Lying skull crusher into a sit up with a shoulder press at the top
Start by lying on the floor with a set of light-weighted dumbbells in each hand. Perform a skull crusher / lying tricep extension. When the dumbbells are extended over your face, sit up with the weights and push them upward and overhead at the top into a shoulder press. Use the momentum from the sit up in this exercise to really get your heart rate up! Perform 12-15 repetitions of this compound movement exercise for a total of three sets.
Move 4: Regular sit up with hip bridge into a pulsing hip opener
To prepare for this move, place your resistance band around your legs at about your quadriceps. Lie down, and perform a regular sit up. When you drop your upper half back on the floor, reset and raise your hips performing a glute bridge. Before letting your glutes come back down, open up the hips by pulsing twice at the top while holding the glute bridge. The resistance from the band should really make this one burn! Complete 12-15 repetitions of this combination move for three sets.
We want to know — what’s your favorite compound exercise?
First image above: Shutterstock.
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