Our bodies are made up of over 600 muscles, and strengthening them is a great way to show your body some love!
Strength training is any exercise that uses weights (dumbbells or barbells), resistance (bands, cables, water bottles etc.), or any body weight training (push ups, pull ups, squats, etc.) that creates resistance against gravity.
Pairing strength moves with cardio is my secret recipe for sculpting beautiful muscle and helping shed excess body fat (1), which is exactly what you’ll be getting in this Home Workout Domination Style workout today in under 20 minutes!
Strength training has been shown to increase your metabolism, reduce body fat and blood pressure and improve your cardiovascular ability (2). It has also been shown to increase bone density (3), reduce low back pain (2), improve coordination, balance and posture (4), all of which are essential for keeping our bodies in tip-top shape as we go through life.
Strength training also helps improve your sleep which as you know, is the foundation of your 4 pillars of health. Sleep is critical for recovery, stress management and your overall level of happiness!
When it comes to strength training, it’s so important to be mindful of your form. Activating your glutes and engaging your core properly makes the workout more effective, helps you train efficiently, makes you stronger and prevents any injuries.
This is your time, Rockstar! Grab some dumbbells or water bottles, a band if you have one, and let’s #stropdropandbettyrock.
One-off workouts are great, but having a plan to follow is even better! Check out Home Workout Domination for a total home workout program that uses minimal equipment and will get you on track to feeling and looking your best!
Love Your Body Strength and Cardio Supersets
Click to expand and see all workout move descriptions.Perform each superset for 2 rounds for the prescribed amount of reps and time. Rest as needed.
A1: Squat to Overhead Press 10
- Bring your weighted objects to your shoulders, feet hip-width distance apart. Feet are hip-width distance apart, chest up and open, core engaged.
- Sit your booty back, weight in your heels. Engage your core as you come back to standing, squeeze your booty at the top and press your arms overhead.
- Bonus Move: Add a mini resistance band if you have one.
A2: Jack Punch (0:30)
- Start out in a strong stance, feet are hip-width distance apart and start jacking your feet in and out.
- As you are jacking your feet in and out add in a punch alternating between the left and right arm.
- Mod: Take the jack out and do step outs from side to side.
B1: 2 Bear Crawls + Tricep Dips 12
- Come down to your mat and grab some light dumbbells (if you are using them), grab ahold of them coming into a tabletop position being sure your wrists are aligned.
- From the tabletop position lift your knees off the ground about 2 inches into a bear crawl position. Holding your dumbbells do a row on each side then dip down with your arms. Being sure to keep your core engaged and shoulders stacked just above your wrists.
- Mod: Drop down to both knees or one knee.
B2: Split Squat Jumps (0:30)
- Position yourself in a forward lunge, with your knees lined up with your toes, chest up, core engaged.
- Jump into the air, landing in a forward lunge with the opposite leg leading. Land lightly, and use your arms to propel you.
- Mod: You can take the jump out if you need to modify this, and do alternating forward lunges. Always feel free to hold onto the wall or a chair back to stabilize you in these single leg moves!
C1: Sumo Deadlift to High Pull Row 12
- Start in a sumo squat position with feet wider than hip distance and toes turned out at an angle.
- Squat down with your hands reaching in the center between your feet. Keep your core engaged and chest up.
- Come back up while pulling your elbows up and out (fists should end up just below your chin) in a high row.
- Bonus: Add a mini resistance band!
C2: Alternating Crescent Kicks (0:30)
- Come into a fighter stance with your left foot slightly in front of your right, and get light on your feet. Go ahead and bounce around a few times, bringing your hands up by your face.
- Your kick will come from your back leg, and you’ll want to imagine you’re going to draw a crescent with foot during the kick. So it arcs up (as high as you’re comfortable with) and across in front of your body. Land back in your stance and bounce a couple times to reset and do it again. Alternate between legs.
- You can kick low, or turn it into a knee kick. This is a great way to see how tight your hips are, and if one is tighter than the other. The hip joint is generally not super flexible, and this is a very good move to remind it how much it can move. Follow this up with some pigeon stretches to open up your hip if you feel tight or have a hard time kicking up.
Great job Rockstar! Remember, the things that challenge us are the things that change us. When we meet ourselves where we are at and do our best, we get stronger!
I can’t wait to hear from you and if you enjoyed this workout! Leave a comment below and let me know- I love hearing from you.
Ready for more? I’ve got you covered!
The Home Workout Domination program is perfect if you’re looking for a time-saving resistance training plan to do at home, at the gym, or on the road – it will torch body fat, and tighten and strengthen your legs, glutes, abs, and arms – total body domination!
Check out Home Workout Domination right here!
- Willis, LH et al. “Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults.” Journal of Applied Physiology. 2012. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23019316
- Kraemer, Willam., Ratamess, Nicholas., French, Duncan. “Resistance training for health and performance.” Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2002. Web. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11932-002-0017-7
- Watsone, Steven et al. “High‐Intensity Resistance and Impact Training Improves Bone Mineral Density and Physical Function in Postmenopausal Women With Osteopenia and Osteoporosis: The LIFTMOR Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 2017. Web. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jbmr.3284
- Barnett A., Smith B., Lord SR., Williams M., Baumand A.”Community-based group exercise improves balance and reduces falls in at-risk older people: a randomised controlled trial.” Age Ageing. 2013. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12851185/