Saturday Sweat Fest: 20 Minute at Home Two-in-One Cardio & Sculting Workout (With Instructional Videos)



Do you want to shed the pounds at maximum speed?  If this sounds good to you then follow my 20 minute two-in-one cardio/sculpting workout.  It is a great way to cross cardio by performing strength moves at a heart-pumping pace.  This workout targets the entire body and blasts calories in only 20 minutes. Research suggests that short workouts can increase the resting metabolic rate and improve bone density.  Even better just 15 minutes of exercise a day can add an average of three years to your life. The great thing about these exercises is that they can be modified to be more or less challenging depending on your fitness level, and they can be done just about anywhere. I know you can carve out 20 minutes a day to do something good for yourself so grab a bottle of water, an exercise mat (if needed), a set of dumbbells (optional), and a smile (mandatory). If you stick with me I promise you will burn off that extra holiday weight and fight those daily stresses the healthy way. 

For your covienance I have posted a 20 minute countdown timer to this blog to help you during your sweat session.



Exercise #1: Warm-up - Jog in place for 2 minutes

Exercise #2: Frogger – 2 minutes (weights optional)

From a squatting position hinge forward from your hips about 45 degrees, extend your arms, pressing dumbbells into the ground directly below your shoulders. Jump your feet back into a full plank position, holding your abs in tight. Jump your feet back into your 45 degree squat and raise your arms over your head into an overhead press. Lower your arms and return them to your sides, slowly roll your body to standing position one vertebrae at a time. Repeat until the 2 minutes is up.

Exercise #3: Pushups – 1 minute

Exercise #4: Super Charged Jumping Jacks – 2 minutes

From a standing position bring your knees and legs together. Bend knees to a squatted position while keeping arms and hands in front of you creating a ball. In one move extend legs and arms out in opposite directions forming a star. Jump arms and legs back into starting position. Repeat for 2 minutes.

Extra Credit: Don’t let your feet touch the ground when forming the star.

Exercise #5: Side Plank Push-Ups – 2 minutes (1 per side)

Lay on the ground with the right side of your body facing the sky. Bring your left hand directly under your left shoulder and raise your body up into a side plank position. Lower your left hip to the ground without bending your elbow tap your hip and raise back up. Continue raising up and down for 1 minute, switch sides and repeat for another minute.

Exercise #6: Tap & Curl - 2 minutes (1 per side)

Standing with your feet hip width apart and your arms at your sides, holding a dumbbell in your right hand, lift your right foot a few inches behind you. Keeping your left knee slightly bent, hinge forward from hips and reach weight towards your left foot with your right leg extended behind you. Stand back upon both feet then bend right elbow by your ribs to curl the weight towards your right shoulder; lower the dumbbell and return to starting position. Repeat on opposite side. (one minute each side).

Exercise #7: Abdominals - 3 minutes (30 seconds per exercise)

1) Leg Lifters – Lay flat on the ground with your face up. Raise your legs to the sky without bending your knees and then lower them to the ground. Repeat for 30 seconds

2) Bicycle Crunches – Lay flat on the floor with your face up. Lift legs an inch above the ground and bring your hands behind your head. Bring your right knee in to meet your left elbow while keeping your left leg straight. Then straighten your right leg and bring your left leg in to meet your right elbow. Continue for 30 seconds.

3) Toe touches – Lie on the ground face up and bring your legs facing the sky with locked knees. Reach both hands up to meet your toes. Lower hands and then repeat for 30 seconds.

4) Inchworms -  Lie on the ground and bend your legs to a 90 degree angle with your knees up and feet on the ground. Stretch you’re down to your sides. Reach for your right ankle with your right hand and then reach for your left ankle with your left hand. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Exercise #8: Lateral Skaters – 2 minutes

Stand with your feet hip width apart and your arms at your sides. Hop 3 to 5 feet to the left pushing off with your left foot and landing on your right leg. Do a single leg squat towards the ground and return to standing position switch legs. Hop 3 to 5 feet to the right pushing off with your left foot and landing on your right leg. Do a single legged squat towards the ground. Continue repeating sides for 2 minutes.

Exercise #9: Lunge and Twist – 2 minutes

Start in a standing position, then lunge forward with your right leg while holding your arms straight out in front of you. Twist to the right and then twist to the left. Return to center and pushing off with your right foot return to standing position. Repeat on opposite side. Continue rotating sides for 2 minutes.

Exercise #10: High Knee Jumps – 2 minutes

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Squat down about halfway to the ground and jump your knees up to your chest. Be sure both feet are off the ground at the same time and try to get as much height as possible. Return to starting position and repeat for 2 minutes