If you’ve been an LG Girl for some time, you know we usually don’t do total body workouts. With the start of a new year and on a day where many of us are likely getting back into the swing of things, it’s the perfect option. You can scroll right down to the workout or spend a few seconds hearing why I don’t suggest total body workouts 95% of the time and why I do include them about once per month to once every other month.
WHY NOT TO DO TOTAL BODY WORKOUTS
(1) Here at LG.com we train smarter not harder. For our physical goals, most of us are working towards a fit and lean body with visible muscle definition, which comes through a lot of specialized and isolated training. For us, total body workouts don’t work a single muscle group great enough to cause significant muscle breakdown (remember… muscle breakdown = good! Those muscles grow back bigger and stronger to what we call “results”)
(2) Greater calorie burn, smalorie burn… MYTH! Some trainers may say to do total body workouts because working larger muscle groups and more muscle groups at one time will burn a greater amount of calories. Well there’s truth to some of that, we should note… the amount of calories burned has a whole lot more to do with the intensity we bring to the workout than with the workout itself. Burning lots of calories does not equate to a fit and lean body; for that, we need strategic training, such as picking 1-2 muscle groups per day to train!
WHEN + WHY TO INCLUDE A TOTAL BODY WORKOUT
WHEN: I like to do total body workouts under these circumstances… when I’m getting back into a fitness routine, when I have little to no equipment to work with, when I’m a little bit but not really sore in multiple muscle groups.
WHY: Let’s break it down… total body workouts totally have their place! hehe! Personally, when I’m a little off track or getting back into fitness after a vacation or down time, a total body workout is a nice introduction back into a regimen. It’s like a warm up to every muscle group. I also like total body workouts when I’m in a hotel without a gym or on vacation with no equipment and in the mood to get active. Finally, you know those days when you’re a little sore all over (maybe from a yoga class or something) but not really sore where you can’t work out… those days when you’re like “I don’t know what to do” – that when I like a total body workout too!
TOTAL BODY CIRCUIT WORKOUT
COMPLETE 4 ROUNDS
complete these 2 exercises back to back for a total of 4x before moving on
EXERCISE 1: 15 reps – Wide Curls
EXERCISE 2: 30 reps – Jumping Jacks
COMPLETE 4 ROUNDS
complete these 2 exercises back to back for a total of 4x before moving on
EXERCISE 1: 15 reps (each side) – Clean + Press
EXERCISE 2: 10 reps – Burpees
COMPLETE 4 ROUNDS
complete these 2 exercises back to back for a total of 4x before moving on
EXERCISE 1: 10 reps (each side) – Plank Tricep Kickbacks
EXERCISE 2: 30 reps – Jump Rope (or Jump Rope Motions)
COMPLETE 4 ROUNDS
complete these 2 exercises back to back for a total of 4x before moving on
EXERCISE 1: 15 reps – Overhead Squats
EXERCISE 2: 30 reps – High Knees
COMPLETE 4 ROUNDS
complete these 2 exercises back to back for a total of 4x
EXERCISE 1: 6 reps (each side) – Push Up Twists
EXERCISE 2: 30 reps – Mountain Climbers
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