Mix & Match Workout with Cari Fit

Instructions: 

1. 1. Decide which body area(s) you want to focus on (lower body, upper body, core)
   2. Choose 5 exercises from below that target desired area. 
   3. Repeat all exercises 2x through without stopping 
   4. Rest for 2 minutes
   5. Repeat steps 1-3.

Equipment Needed:

Focuses on: lower body, upper body 

1. Bring your feet hips-width apart and squat bringing weights to the tops of your shoulders. 
2. Press through your heels as you come to standing, straightening your arms and pressing the weights up toward the sky. 
3. Repeat for 15 reps. 

exercise 2: 15 Stacked Feet Push-up

Focuses on: Upper body, core

1. Come to a plank position and stack one foot atop the other.  
2. Keeping your feet stacked, perform 15 push-ups. 
3. Be sure to alternate feet in second round so you’re even.

exercise 3: 10 Double TROUBLE Rows

1. Bend at the hips into a squat and row with a narrow grip and your arms close to your body (palms facing in)
2. Bend at the hips into a squat and row with an underhand grip (palms facing the ceiling)
3. Repeat, alternating, for 10 reps.  Be sure to resist the movement in both directions to feel the burn.

  

exercise 4: 21’s

1. 7 reps of bicep curls in the lower range (from your thighs to waist height)
2. 7 reps of bicep curls in the upper range (from waist height to shoulders)
3. 7 reps of bicep curls in full range (from thighs to shoulders) 

exercise 5: 20 Plank Tucks

1. Start in forearm plank (forearms on the ground with elbows below your shoulders and your feet extended behind you).
2. Bend your left knee and bring it along your side toward your left tricep (try to touch your arm!) then bring it back to meet your right. 
3. Repeat the same with your right side – right knee to right tricep. 
4. Alternate legs while keeping your upper body as still as possible (trust me, you’re abs will be feeling it!)

exercise 6: 15 Overhead Tricep Extensions

1. Stand with one foot planted slightly in front of the other (for a strong, supported stance)
2. With your arms overhead and your upper arms close to your ears, bend at the elbows, bringing the weights toward your upper back.
3. Squeeze your triceps as you straighten your arms and bring the weights up toward the sky. 

exercise 7: 15 Squat Jumps

Focuses on: lower body 

1. With feet hips-width, bend down into a squat 
2. Press through your heels as you jump up toward the sky and then land softly with a bend in your knees and back into a squat.  
3. Repeat squatting low and jumping high for the 15 reps.

exercise 8: 10 Jump Lunges

Focuses on: Lower body 

1. From a lunge position (front leg bent to 90 degrees and back leg behind you with knee bent toward the ground) jump up and switch legs mid-air to land with opposite leg in front in a lunge position.
2. Repeat, alternating, for 10 reps. 

exercise 9: 30 Sets of Bicycle Crunches

Focuses on: core 

1. While laying on your back with your hands clasped behind your head, extend your legs straight to 45 degrees (halfway between the ground and straight up toward the sky). 
2. Bend your left knee as you bring it toward your chest while bringing your right elbow to meet it. 
3. Come back to center and then alternate, bringing the right knee in to meet your left elbow. 
4. Be sure to twist from your center and keep your elbows as far out to the side as possible.

Exercise 10: 15 Deadlifts with upright rows

Focuses on: lower body, upper body 

1. From standing, bend at hips and knees bringing weights down toward the tops of your feet. 
2. As you come back to standing, bring the weights along the front of your body up to your chest. 
3. Repeat for 15 reps.

Cari Shoemate is a blogger and fitness expert with certifications in personal training, group fitness and yoga. She is a regular contributor to many international magazines and has spent many hours in front of the camera demonstrating workouts and providing health and fitness tips on major tv networks such as NBC, CBS, Fox and E!. She provides workouts, advice, articles and videos on her blog: Cari-Fit.com. She is a new mom, ultra-marathoner and is co-owner of Bombshell Bootcamp in Houston.