Fit Club Weekly Workout: 20-Minute AMRAP Workout

Hey, everybody! Our OBB Fit Club Trainer Jani is back with another awesome, fast workout that you can do at home! If you’ve missed our other two workouts, check out the Totally Body HIIT Workout here and the Squats and Pushups Workout here! If you’re just getting started, check out this post. Also, be sure to follow us on Instagram, and if you want to be Fitbit friends, send us a request at kate@ourbestbites.com and sara@ourbestbites.com!

The workout I put together for this week is a 20 minute AMRAP.  AMRAP stands for As Many Rounds As Possible.  It’s another high-intensity workout and therefore another calorie torcher.  I failed to mention in my previous post that another awesome benefit of high-intensity training is the afterburn or EPOC effect (excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption).   Without boring you with all the details, basically that just means, not only do you burn lots of calories during your workout, but your metabolism will continue to burn calories at a higher rate for the next 2 to 48 hours!

AMRAP workouts typically combine full body movements, building both cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength.  I’m all about efficient workouts.  Many people prefer to do their cardio in one session and then their strength in another.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but for me and those who workout with me know, I like to pack in as much in our time as possible so that when we are done, we are DONE!!!  It’s not the amount of time you spend working out that matters, it the quality of exercises and the EFFORT that you put in.

You ready?  You will need a timer, a pair of hand weights, and a jump rope.  If you don’t have a jump rope you can just pretend you do and go through the motions.  Make sure you warm up before you begin…don’t skip this!  It is important that your heart, lungs, muscles, and joints are prepared for higher intensity.  If you need ideas for a warm-up, you can get them from my previous post.

Set your timer for 20 minutes, follow the exercises and reps listed, and repeat again and again until the timer goes off.  Keep track of your rounds!  This is a great way to measure your progress and compete with yourself.  Try to beat your last workout, even by just one rep if possible.  Remember, this is an intense workout! You should be working at a pace which you feel is hard to very hard. However, DO take breaks if you need to.  If you feel yourself getting nauseous, dizzy, or lightheaded, you probably over-did it. Try walking around, drink some water, and wait until your heart rate and breathing rate slow down and when you resume working out, tone it down a bit.  Good luck, you CAN do this!  Leave a comment and let us know how many rounds you got in!  Make sure to watch the video below to see how to properly execute the exercises and implement modifications if needed.

1. 15 squat press. Feet are hip width apart or wider, whatever you prefer.  Keep your head and chest up and knees behind the toes as you lower hips to floor.  Press dumbbells toward ceiling as you come up to stand.
2. 10 Reptile Burpees. Keep core tight, shoulders right above the wrists while in plank.  Bring your RIGHT knee to your RIGHT shoulder 1 TIME and LEFT knee to LEFT shoulder 1 time, then jump feet toward hands and jump up.  See video for modification.
3. 16 single-leg reverse flies (8 right leg, 8 left leg). Balance on RIGHT leg, hinge from hips,  do 1 reverse fly squeezing the shoulder blades together, then return to starting position.  Repeat 8 reps on the right leg and then 8 more on the left.
4. 10 push-up/ jump in-out. Starting in plank position do one push-up, then jump both feet in toward the outside of your hands, then jump back out, returning to plank.  Thats one rep.  Repeat 10 times.  See video for modification.
5. 100 jump ropes. Just get that rope around 100 times, doesn’t matter how you do it.  I know for those of us that have had babies, this can be an “issue” so just do what works best for you.  For me, I alternate a two feet jump and alternating high knees.

AB BONUS (To be completed after the 20 minutes):

• 1 minute hover or low plank. Keep your core pulled in.  If you start to feel it in your lower back or feel your low back arching, drop to your knees.
• 30 in/out abs. Seated position, lean back while balancing on your hips and bring your knees in toward your chest.  Can place hands behind your hips for support.

Print and Cut the Reference Card for this workout by Clicking Here!

So many of you requested a video reference for our last HIIT workout, so we decided to try it out this time so you can actually SEE the moves and make sure you’re doing them correctly!  This video features our fabulous trainer, Jani.  Let us know in the comment section what you think of the video and we’ll consider doing more!

Jani has over 20 years of experience working in the fitness industry.  She has a BS in Health Promotion and is certified in many disciplines including personal training, group exercise, yoga, Pilates, TRX suspension training, Insanity®, Zumba®, and water fitness.  She currently teaches a variety of group exercise classes for the Treasure Valley West YMCA in Boise, ID  and also owns her own personal training business, Body Balance Training.  As a busy mom of five kids she understands the challenge of finding a balance between  family , church, work, maintaining a home, and taking care of ourselves.  She believes that if we can make our own health and well-being a priority, we will be better equipped to handle the demands of a busy lifestyle and enjoy a better quality of life.