Bikini Boot Camp Challenge: Week 4

This week’s workout is a total body circuit from FitFabCities.coms. This is the first of the Bikini Boot Camp workouts that I took too the gym with me. All of these moves can certainly be done at home, but sometimes it’s nice to switch it up and have heavier weights available for an added challenge. If you don’t have access to a resistance band or dumbbells, see my modifications for some of the moves below.

I really liked this circuit because it’s a true total body circuit, in that it targets all of the major muscle groups and alternates back and forth between upper and lower body training. Honestly, I thought this was going to be a lot easier than it turned out to be! I wasn’t expecting to break a sweat, but I took very minimal amounts of rest and let me tell you, my heart rate was pretty elevated the entire time. Also, this is an awesome workout for your butt! I know this not only because of all of the lunges and squats, but because while the rest of my muscles are pretty OK, my glutes are totally sore! I was able to complete 3 rounds of the circuit in about 30 minutes. For the best results, repeat the circuit at least 2 times!

This is a quick breakdown of all of the moves in the circuit. Watch the video for a demonstration of each move:

1. Lunge with single arm row
2. Push-ups
3. Stationary lunges
4. Upright row
5. Squat (or squat jump)
6. Tricep kickback
7. Walking lunge and bicep curl
8. Plank and row

For those of you without access to equipment.

• For the Lunge with Single-arm Row - Try a lunge with an overhead press instead 
• And again, water bottles (or anything heavy that you can easily hold onto, really) are a great replacement for dumbbells in any of the moves involving weights.
• If you don’t have weights at home but have access to a gym, print out the list of exercises and take it along with you!

And finally, since many of you have been asking questions such as:

• Do I need to add cardio on top of doing this or is this enough cardio?
• How frequently should I be doing the Boot Camp Workouts for maximum results?
• Should I be doing cardio in addition to each of the week’s workouts?
• I want to lose X amount of weight, what should my plan be?

All very good, legitimate questions and I’ve answered them all (and more) in my “Complete Guide to Exercise” here! If there’s anything else you’re wondering or curious about… Ask away!

Now, go get your Total Body Circuit training on and report back here!

How do you feel after this workout?