Workout of the week: 10-min functional bodyweight workout

24th July 2023

ALL LEVELS / functional bodyweight workout / 10 minutes

Equipment: Gym mat

Functional training is the only training method that’s naturally fun; after all, you can’t write it without writing fun. Jokes aside, functional workouts are fun but also an effective way to get fit. This type of training mimics everyday movements and helps you build practical strength and enhance your overall fitness. Plus, since it’s a bodyweight workout, you won’t need any gym equipment to perform it — everyone can do it!

Our functional bodyweight workout has 4 exercises: 2 main exercises and 2 others to perform between rounds. This means you don’t have rest periods. You’ll do the number of reps of the first exercise and half of those reps on the second one. That completes a round. This workout has 4 rounds. Between each round, perform two core exercises before repeating the process. In total, this workout will take 10 minutes to complete.

Main exercises:

Squats 50, 40, 30, 20x
Inverted press 25, 20, 15, 10x

Between rounds exercise:

V-sit explosive 15x
Bicycle crunch 15x

Ready? Let’s have some fun(ctional)!

WORKOUT SETUP

4 exercises
4 rounds
No resting time
Perform 2 exercises between main ones
10 minutes total
Equipment: Gym mat

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

4 rounds

1 – SQUATS

50, 40, 30, 20 reps

Stand on your feet, placing them at the same distance as that of your shoulder lines.
Engage the core and go down to the floor, maintaining your knees on the line of your feet. Maintain the abs and glutes tight to control your hip and stabilize the movement. Use your arms to help you with your balance.
Keep your feet attached to the floor and squat as down as possible without lifting the heels or feeling pain in your lower back.
Repeat.

2 – INVERTED PRESS

25, 20, 15, 10 reps

Begin in a push-up position, with the core engaged and the shoulders set.
Keeping arms and legs straight, push the hips up to come into the inverted V position. This is the start position.
Keeping the shoulders set and the core engaged, lower your head towards your hands, keeping the elbows out to the sides.
Imagine the same motion as a standing overhead press with a barbell.
Maintain a strong core as you push back to the start position.

3 – V-SIT EXPLOSIVE

15 reps

Lie on your back with your arms overhead.
Engage the core, and rapidly bring the hands to the feet, while making a v-position with your body.
Make sure you keep the arms and legs as straight as possible.
Return under control and repeat.

4 – BICYCLE CRUNCH

15 reps

Lie on the floor with your lower back on the ground and your knees flexed. Engage your core.
Place your hands behind your head, pull your shoulders from the floor and raise your feet from the floor.
Emulate the bicycle pedal motion and bring one knee up, stretching the other.
Simultaneously, rotate your torso to help your knee touch your opposite elbow.
Do the same on the other side and repeat.