Tired of the same boring treadmill routine or stomping on the Stairmaster? Ditch them, you can actually get your cardio fix by lifting weights. This three-move barbell workout uses power-packed moves that won’t just ramp up your heart rate for a total-body burn and torch plenty of calories, but it will help sculpt lean muscle too. What's even better is it'll only take you 15 minutes.
When we say ‘power-packed moves’, we’re referring to compound exercises by the way, which hit lots of muscles at once, spiking your heart rate for a high calorie burn. Just to make things even spicier, this workout is an EMOM, which is an acronym for ‘every minute on the minute’. This is where you complete a specific exercise at the start of each minute, then rest for the remainder of the minute once you’ve finished your reps – so the faster you work the more rest time you have. It won’t just help you burn calories during the workout, but it'll keep your metabolism going once you’ve completed it too making it excellent for fat loss.
You've got three exercises to work through and you’re going to complete five rounds in total, which means 15 minutes on the clock. As reps are high (and you’ve got quite a few rounds to work through), keep the weights light, so that you can move through your reps quickly and powerfully, without compromising your form. If you don't have a barbell, just use two dumbbells or kettlebells instead. Stopwatch at the ready, here’s your exercises:
- Minute 1: 12 Power cleans
- Minute 2: 12 Front squats
- Minute 3: 12 Push press
We’ve got plenty more workouts that can help get your heart rate up and burn calories without having to set foot on the treadmill, like this full-body dumbbell workout. If you found the barbell workout was a little too high-intensity, then this five-move kettlebell workout will be a better choice – not only is it gentle on the joints, but it’s a great full-body workout that’ll burn fat and build strength.
