Be Well Workout of the Week: The Fast-As-You-Can 40-Rep Challenge

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Ready to burn some calories and build some muscle? You’ve come to the right place. This week’s workout goes like this: You’re going to do 10 reps of the eight exercises listed below, as fast and as hard as you can. The goal is to go through the circuit four times, working as hard on the last rep as you did on the very first one. And don’t even think about slowing down—you should be moving as quickly as you can from start to finish. Then, once you’re done with all four rounds, give yourself a big ol’ pat on the back. You totally deserve it.

Be Well Workout of the Week: The Fast 40-Rep Challenge

Do 10 reps of each exercise, four times through.
Burpees
Bent-over rows
Rotating push-ups
Toe touches
Dead lift
Tricep dips
Plié squat with overhead press
Sit ups

Explanation of exercises

Burpees: Just like an up-down in football. Put your hands on the ground, jump your feet out behind you so you’re in push-up position, hit your chest to the ground, and bring your feet back in, stand up.

Bent-over rows: Hold a dumbbell in your hand with feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Bend forward from the waist, keeping your spine straight and letting your hand fall forward in front of you. Pull the dumbbell back (you should feel like you’re rowing a boat), squeezing your shoulder blade. Release and return to the starting position.

Rotating push-ups: Do a push-up, lift one arm at the top of your push-up, rotate your chest towards the ceiling, look up at your hand, put your hand back down, do a push-up and repeat on the other side.

Toe touch: Lie on your back with legs in the air, so your body forms an L shape. Reach your hands towards your toes and try to touch them, lifting your shoulder blades off the mat. Hold for a beat, then release your upper body down, keeping your legs straight up. Repeat.

Dead 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.

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.

Plié squat with overhead press: Hold the weights at your shoulders and standing with your feet a little further than hip width apart. Turn your feet out 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.

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.

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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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