BeWOW: Can You Complete This Tough 3-Minute Challenge?

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Grab a stopwatch, guys. For this week’s workout, you’re going to complete six three-minute rounds, each round with two exercises. You’ll start by doing one of each exercise in the round, then two of each exercise, then three, and so on, switching off until your stopwatch reaches three minutes. Then you’ll move on to the next round of exercises.

The goal is to keep moving until you reach the end of the six rounds—you’ll be sweaty, but it’ll be worth it. Now, set your stopwatch for three minutes and see how many reps you can squeeze in. Good luck!

The Tough 3-Minute Challenge

(Do each round for three minutes)

Round 1:
Push-ups
Sit-ups

Round 2:
Tricep dips
Ski jumpers

Round 3:
Plank rows (on each side)
Squat thrusts

Round 4:
Squat with overhead press
Bicep curls

Round 5:
Lunge jumps holding dumbbells (on each side)
Ab twists

Round 6:
Dead lifts
High pulls

Explanation of exercises:

Push-up: Start lying face down with your chest on the floor, with hands facing forward and palms down in line with your shoulders; elbows should be pointing back. Push up until arms are extended (the inside of the elbow should be facing forward) and drop back down.

Sit-up: Lie on your back with feet on the floor and knees bent. Put your hands behind your ears. Without pulling on your neck and using only your abs, lift your shoulders off the mat and come to a full sit-up position. Lie back down slowly.

Tricep dips: Using a bench or a chair, step your legs out a few feet in front of your body. Steady your hands on the bench or chair and, with your back just a few inches from your fingertips, lower your body to the ground. Then raise your body back to the starting position by pushing into the bench or chair. Repeat.

Ski jumpers: Start in a skier’s stance (like a squat, but bent forward at the waist slightly). Using your arms for momentum, jump up and to the left, landing on both feet. Jump to the right. Repeat.

Plank row on a bench: With hands on a bench and toes on the floor, put your body in plank position with a kettlebell on the bench in front of you. Holding your body steady with your left arm, pick up the kettlebell with your right hand, let your right arm fully extend (hang), then pull it back, elbow reaching to the ceiling, for a row. Return it to the starting position and repeat. Do half of the reps with your right arm, and half with your left.

Squat thrust with medicine ball or kettle bell: With your hands on the medicine ball, jump your feet back to a strong high plank position. Don’t let your hips sag. Then jump your feet in and grab the ball and stand up.

Squat with overhead press: Hold free weights at your shoulders, and do a squat. As you stand back up, press the weights over your head.  Return them to your shoulders as you squat back down.

Bicep curls: Hold dumbbells at your side with palms facing forward. Pretend your elbows are glued to your midsection and curl the weight toward your shoulders, keeping your upper arm still. Slowly return your weight to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Lunge jumps: Start standing with feet together and step forward with the left leg into a lunge, bending knee to about 90 degrees. Jump as you stand back up and switch legs before you land, so your right leg is forward. Lunge again, then jump, putting your left leg forward, and so forth. Left and right counts as one.

Ab twists: Sit on the floor with knees bent, heels pressing into the ground. Lean back slightly and use your abs to twist side to side.

Deal lift: Stand with legs shoulder-width apart and dumbbells in hands. Bend knees slightly and lean forward with your arms moving towards the ground, until your back is at a table-top position. Slowly return to the starting position.

High pulls: Stand with feet hip width apart and a dumbbell in each hand. (Note: You can also use a resistance band if you’re outdoors.) Tip forward at the waist then stand up, pulling the weights up to chest height at the same time. Lower the weights slowly and repeat.

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Audrey McKenna Hasse is the owner of A.M.Fit a personal training and healthy consultation business on the Main Line. You’ll find her workouts every Monday right here on Be Well Philly. 

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