We’re back today with a full-body bodyweight workout—say that 10 times fast! Since you’ll be doing 10 different moves—which will hit your body all over, no less—we recommend setting aside time for an adequate warm-up before diving in. Today’s workout focuses mainly on strength training, so it’s best to start with a dynamic warm-up that focuses on loosening the muscles you’re going to be working.
This five-minute warm-up is a SELF favorite. Here, you can take your sweet time stretching your hamstrings and beginning to engage your core, glutes, and leg muscles. When we say take your time, we mean it—that way you can breathe into your stretches and ensure you’re practicing proper form, preparing your body for what it will do in the workout up next.
Now let’s break down today’s full-body bodyweight workout—the last strength workout of our SELF Better Together Challenge. You’ll start with a squat to curtsy lunge, targeting your inner thighs and glutes, and then move to the floor for your Spiderman, setting that core on fire. You’ll finish the first circuit with a glute bridge—great for your core, glutes, and hips—and a tuck-up, working your abs and hip flexors.
Once you make it through the circuit, you’ll head to the countdown finisher, if you’re up for a final burner challenge (and we know you are!). The finisher hits your glutes and core, much like the workout circuit, but also adds a cardio kick with 30 jumping jacks. You’ve got five minutes to get through five moves (doing each for the designated number of reps), and then you’ll finish strong with a forearm plank hold. Pro tip: Remember to smile and breathe.
Today is our last strength-focused day. Tomorrow you’ll have the day off—might we suggest taking a walk with a friend or trying one of these guided meditations?—and then on Monday you’ll sprint to the finish with our final cardio workout. Whether you’ve done all of these workouts or are jumping in with us now, don’t forget to take a second to express some gratitude to yourself for getting here today. Showing up is half the battle. Let’s go!
The full-body bodyweight workout below is for Day 26 of the SELF Better Together Challenge. Check out the full month of workouts right here. Or go to the workout calendar here. If you haven’t signed up to receive daily emails, do that here.
WORKOUT DIRECTIONS
Do each move below for your selected interval of work and rest. At the end of all the moves, rest for 60 seconds. That’s 1 circuit. Do the circuit 3–5 times. Then try the countdown finisher.
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Option 1: 30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest
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Option 2: 40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest
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Option 3: 50 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest
EXERCISES
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Squat to Curtsy Lunge (Right Side)
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Squat to Curtsy Lunge (Left Side)
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Spiderman
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Glute Bridge
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Tuck-Up
COUNTDOWN FINISHER
Start a timer for 5 minutes. Do each move below for the indicated number of reps, as quickly as possible, with no rest. After you finish all the moves, hold a forearm plank until the timer runs out. Note: Each side equals 1 rep.
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Russian Twist x 50 reps
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Squat x 40 reps
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Jumping Jack x 30 reps
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Glute Bridge x 20 reps
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Tuck-Up x 10 reps
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Forearm Plank Hold
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Pinterest
Kelsey McClellan1 Squat to Curtsy Lunge
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Start with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged, and hands held in a prayer or fist at chest height.
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Do a squat by hinging at the hips, sending your hips back, and bending both knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
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As you stand, bring your right foot behind your left leg, placing it down diagonally and behind you.
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Bend both knees and sink into a curtsy squat, keeping your hips tucked and core engaged.
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Return to your starting position and do another squat, then repeat the curtsy lunge on the same side.
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Do all of the reps on one side, then repeat on the other.
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Pinterest
Katie Thompson2 Spiderman
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Start in a high plank position, with your wrists directly under your shoulders, core engaged, hips level, and legs extended straight behind you.
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Lift your right foot and bring your right knee to tap your right triceps.
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Return to starting position, then repeat on the other side, bringing your left knee to your left triceps.
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Continue to alternate sides, keeping your core engaged and hips level.
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Pinterest
Katie Thompson3 Glute Bridge
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Lie faceup with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and heels a few inches away from your butt so that your fingertips graze your heels when arms are at your sides.
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Squeeze your glutes and abs and push through your heels to lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
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Pause and squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower your hips to return to the starting position.
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Pinterest
Remi Pyrdol4 Tuck-Up
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Lie faceup with your legs extended and arms overhead so that all of your limbs are resting on the floor.
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Engage your core and lift both arms and legs a few inches off the floor to come into a hollow hold position.
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Now crunch up, sitting all the way up and simultaneously bringing your knees to your chest, and wrap your hands lightly around your shins. Keep your core tight to balance on your sit bones—do not grip your shins or hug your knees in order to achieve balance.
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Lower to return to hollow hold position and repeat.
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Pinterest
Katie Thompson5 Russian Twist
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Sit tall with knees bent and feet flexed, so heels rest on the floor. Keep your back as flat as possible, chest up, and core engaged.
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If you’re using a weight, hold one weight with both hands close to your chest. If you’re not using a weight, hold hands in prayer at chest height.
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Rotate your torso and arms to the right, bringing hands down by your side. (Your hands do not have to touch the floor.) Keep your legs and hips as still as possible, and do not arch or round your spine as you twist.
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Repeat on the other side. Move as quickly as possible, rotating side to side, while maintaining good form.
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Make it harder: Lift feet off the floor, so shins are parallel to the floor and you balance on your sit bones throughout the exercise.
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Pinterest
Katie Thompson6 Squat
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Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and core engaged.
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Send your hips back and bend both knees to drop into a squat, allowing your knees to bend to at least 90 degrees, so both thighs are parallel to the floor.
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Return to starting position by squeezing your glutes to stand.
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Make it harder: You can hold a dumbbell at your chest or a dumbbell in each hand.
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Pinterest
Katie Thompson7 Jumping Jack
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You’re likely very familiar with this exercise, but just in case: Stand with your feet together, core engaged, and hands at your sides.
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Jump your feet wider than hip-width apart and bring your arms up to clap your hands overhead.
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Jump your feet back together and bring your arms to your sides to return to starting position.
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Continue in this way, moving as quickly as you can.
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Pinterest
Katie Thompson8 Forearm Plank Hold
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Place your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel. Extend your legs behind you, feet hip-width apart. Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads.
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Hold.
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Make it easier: If it’s difficult to hold the plank for the full time period, gently allow your knees to come to the floor, take a few deep breaths, then lift them again. Resist the urge to simply collapse your chest to the floor. Work to bring knees to the floor with control, then lift them again.
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