Are you a fan of full-body workouts? No? Well, you'll be a fan of this one as it torches the fat and boosts metabolism which helps burn calories long after the session has ended – just look at Chris' physique in the video below. As an added bonus, this low-impact home workout uses no equipment; as long as you have a couple of sturdy chairs at home, you're all set and ready to go!
Unlike the push-pull-leg exercise routine, full-body workouts such as this one utilise many muscle groups at the same time to maximise energy usage and help you lose weight in the process. Since your heart rate is going to go up and down as you exercise (depending on the intensity you choose), this 15-minute home workout will also improve cardiovascular performance.
But there is more! As well as burning fat, this workout will also help build muscle – not overnight but gradually – which is needed for long term weight loss. If you have more muscle mass, your body burns more calories even when you aren't exercising. This increased basal metabolic rate (or BMR for short) will allow you to consume more calories without risking piling the flab back on your body.
Strength exercises, especially compound exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups, can also strengthen joints and ligaments, as long as you rest between workouts.
Now, check out Chris Heria's complete 15-minute full-body workout!
Chris Heria's complete 15-minute full-body workout: Exercises
Chris' workout consists of 15 exercises, each performed for 45 seconds with a 15-second rest between. If an exercise is high-impact (e.g. burpees), Chris offers a low-impact version to do; choose one that matches your fitness level the most. Don't know what your fitness level is? Find out how fit you are using these seven fitness tests.
Although you don't need any equipment for this workout, some might prefer wearing workout shoes or cross-training shoes for burpees etc. If you're concerned about safety when doing inverted rows (one of the 15 exercises listed below), feel free to use suspension trainers attached to a pull-up bar or an anchor point.
Here is how to split up the workout:
- Burpees (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Pike push-ups (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- 90-degree toe taps (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Tricep extensions (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Single-leg push-up (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Chair dips (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Body rows (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Tucked reverse leg extensions (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Side lunges (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Explosive lunges (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Squats (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- High plank to low plank (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- In and outs (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Plank hold (45 sec)
- Rest (15 sec)
- Russian twists (45 sec)
For more full-body action, check out these workouts: 6 single-dumbbell exercises for a full-body blast, 12 best no-jump exercises for an apartment-friendly home workout, 200-rep kettlebell full-body workout from ex-MMA fighter Shanie SMASH and finally, a 12-minute boxing full-body workout by Tommy Duquette.