Workout of the week: 30-min functional workout for strength

18th January 2021

JAKOB RITTER

Personal trainer from Vienna, Austria

Jakob is a highly experienced personal trainer who specializes in health and mobility training. He supports his customer with weight loss, as well helps to build a strong muscular body.

Follow him on Instagram: @fitterritter

30-MIN FUNCTIONAL WORKOUT FOR STRENGTH

ALL LEVELS / functional workout for strength / 30 minutes

Equipment: Dumbbells, kettlebell and gym mat.

Finding the inner strength to exercise is not always straightforward. Some people prefer to workout in the morning, others in the afternoon. Some feel challenged by training with someone, and others favour working out alone.

All this to say that we are all different. And we all find ways to deal with those days where we feel like not working out at all. We just do the work.

This fully functional workout does the work too. It’s a proper training session with an emphasis on strength, prepared by Jakob Ritter, our personal trainer from EVO Mariahilfer Straße in Vienna.

You have 5 exercises ahead to be performed in 3 rounds:

Alternating jumping lunges
Push/Row combination
Kettlebell/dumbbell core twist
Kettlebell deadlift
Squat to calves raise combo

The number of repetitions will change from exercise to exercise, and you can adjust them according to your fitness level. If this is the first time you’re performing a functional workout, focus on perfecting your movements and less on how fast you can finish it.

30-MIN FUNCTIONAL WORKOUT

1 – CURL TO SHOULDER PRESS

12 – 15 Reps, 3 rounds

Grab two dumbbells with adequate weight for your fitness level.
Standing up straight, have the dumbbells resting at your sides with the palms facing inwards.
Slowly raise your forearms forward until your wrist rests above your elbow.
Now explosively lock out your arms and raise the dumbbells above your head.
Hold the position for a second and return to the starting point by reversing the motion.
Repeat.

2 – PUSH/ROW COMBINATION

8 reaps each side, 3 rounds

Grab a light dumbbell and set your body up.
Your hands and feet should be more than shoulder-width apart.
Now lower your body until your chest is parallel to your hands.
Push up with power and start rowing one dumbbell up to your chest.
Slowly return to the starting position until you have reached the desired rep range.

Jakob’s quick tip: You must have your body under tension throughout the entire motion.

3 – KETTLEBELL/DUMBBELL CORE TWIST

10 reps each side, 3 rounds

Find a soft ground, preferably a matt and grab a kettlebell or dumbbell with an adequate weight.
Place your glutes on the floor and lift your feet in the air.
Now grab the kettlebell as indicated in the video below.
Slowly start twisting the kettlebell until you can feel a slight stretch on the opposite core side.
Hold for a brief second and turn to the other side.
Repeat for the desired rep range.

4 – KETTLEBELL DEADLIFT

12 reps, 3 rounds

Grab a kettlebell and place it between your feet that should be shoulder-width apart.
Slightly bend your knees, bend your upper body forward and grab the handle.
Now tension your core and while keeping your back straight lift the kettlebell up to hip level.
At the top, you should be standing proud while keeping your shoulders, core and glutes under tension.
Now slowly return back down while keeping the tension in your body.
Repeat for the desired rep range.

5 – SQUAT TO CALVES RAISE

12 to 15 reps, 3 rounds

Standing up straight, place your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart with your toes pointing outwards.
Extend your arms in front of your body.
Now squat down until your upper leg is about parallel to the floor.
Explosively lift yourself and finish the exercise by standing on your toes when returning to the top.
To even further enhance explosiveness, you can use your arms for a bit of momentum.
Repeat for the desired rep range.