Braxton Taylor
If you like full-body workouts that focus on pull-push-legs-core, this circuit of these fitness components will challenge you, especially if you go heavy on the lifts and push your maximum on the calisthenics. On days before or after a day such as this, you can focus on cardio only, mobility days or take a day off, if needed.
Warm up with the pull-ups, push-ups and squats/run pyramid 1-10, with 100-meter runs/walks between pyramid sets. Stop at set 10, which totals 55 reps of each exercise. If you cannot do 55 pull-ups as a warm-up (in 10 sets), skip them. If you add pull-ups, it is easiest to do this warm-up on an outdoor pull-up bar, a running area or cardio machine nearby. The push-ups/squats warm-up pyramid can be done anywhere. Replace jogging with jumping rope or jumping jacks, if needed.
Lightweight Shoulder Circuit: This shoulder circuit is effective only with five-pound dumbbells. Perform the six exercises without rest, which should take about three minutes.
Pull-Push-Legs (rest with core): The series of exercises below represent the split routine of both push-pull muscles and leg-core muscles, followed by a short round of cardio to recover for the grand finale of a mix of everything:
Push-Pull Combo: The bench and row combination of exercises is perfect for the busy gym and when you are short on time. These opposite movements work the pulling and pushing muscles of the chest, back, shoulders and arms. Rest as needed after completing the two exercises in each set.
Repeat three times.
- Dumbbell bench press 10 or push-ups 20
- Dumbbell rows 10/arm
Leg-Core Combo: The legs and core can be quickly done with minimal rest as the abs of choice or plank pose is an “active rest” from the squat exercise. But rest as needed.
Repeat three times.
- Dumbbell squats 10
- Abs of choice 25 or one-minute plank
Run/walk one mile or bike for 10 minutes/stretch: Take a few minutes and get a little cardio time between the second and third circuit of the push-pull-leg-core circuit. It is up to you what you do for cardio and how hard you go. Making this cardio time a tough sprint interval or easy Zone 2 cardio for 10 minutes is fine.
Pull-Push-Legs-Core: The final section is a quick circuit that doubles up on a few exercises to keep you moving. Rest as needed at the end of the circuit or do a short two- to three-minute easy cardio before going to the next set of the circuit:
Repeat four times.
- Pull-ups max or pulldowns 10
- Dumbbell biceps curl/military press 10
- Lunges 10/leg or leg press 10
- Abs of choice 25
Cooldown Cardio and Stretch: The last workout is to loosen up any tight muscles and lower the body temperature with easy cardio time, stretching and foam rolling, as needed.
- 5- to 10-minute bike, walk or jog
- 5-minute stretch
- 5-minute foam roll
One day, when you are busy and the next day is even busier, consider doubling up and getting your upper- and lower-body days done in a single workout. This split is helpful as a full-body and cardio split routine if you like to do longer cardio sessions on the days between resistance training.
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