Bodyweight Workout This is the basic “Commando cardio” a full blown intense bodyweight workout! Rembember…this is the easiest workout version.

If these body weight exercises have you confused, you can see most of them in video on our main exercise descriptions page.

Condition level: Beginner Commando

Exercise type: Bodyweight High lactic acid threshold training workout

Goal: Fat loss, coordination, strength, and stamina

Duration: Three months, 3 times per week workout

Session length: 30-40 minutes per workout

Atmosphere: Hardcore

Indoor bodyweight workout warm up:

Quick 3-minute jog

Arm circles 30 seconds each way (forward and back) while hopping back and forth on toes.

20 Bodyweight squats

20 toe raises

20 jumping jacks

20 pushups

Stretches:

Chest- arm against wall

Lunge side

Lunge front

Low squat

Forward calf and hip flexor

Bent over lower back and hamstring

Cross body back and shoulder

Workout exercises and sequence:

Pushups continuous for one minute, hold the top position if you cannot continue.

Sit-ups continuous for one minute, hold the top position if you cannot continue.

Pushups 20 repetitions (reps)

Sit-ups 20 reps

Pushups 15 reps

Sit-ups 15 reps

Pushups 12 reps

Sit-ups 12 reps

Body weight squats 1 min

Bodyweight V-ups 30 seconds (sec) This is a sit up where both the lower and upper body come off the ground to meet at a point above your stomach.

Alternate forward lunges 1 minute (min)

Bodyweight V-ups 30 sec

Burpee’s 30 seconds From the standing position, squat down and shoot your legs back so that you are now in the push up position. From there pull your legs back in stand up and jump with your arms overhead.

Side to side lunge

Break for one minute

Skip rope for one minute

Bodyweight squats 1 minute

Bodyweight V-ups 30 sec

Low position squat holds (5 second bottom holds) 1 minute

Mountain climbers 30 sec While in the push up position pull your legs in one at a time so that you are essentially running in the horizontal position if you go fast enough.

Bodyweight V-ups 30 sec

Side to side lunge 30 sec

Break for one minute

Skip for one minute

Pushups 25

Arm circles 30 sec forward than back Keep thumbs pointing down.

Pushups 15

Arm circles 30 sec forward than back

Pushups 10

Arm circles 30 seconds forward and back

Skip one minute

Bodyweight V-ups 30 sec

Squat thrusts 30 seconds Almost like the mountain climber but while in the push up position both legs are pulled in and shot back at the same time.

Jumping jacks 1 min

Bodyweight V-ups 30 sec

Knees high jog 30 seconds

Butt kicks jog 30 seconds Running on the spot while kicking your own butt!

Side crunches 30 per side

Rest 30 seconds

Finishing ab routine

Hip rolls x20 Raising the hips and tailbone off the ground, a reverse crunch.

Crunches x20

Static hold bridges for 1 minute. Basically a pushup position but your bodyweight will be resting on your forearms instead of your hands, just hold it!

Repeat circuit 3 times with no rest.

Outdoor bodyweight workout:

- Periods of light jogging followed by sprints (2minute jog, one minute sprint)

- Every 5 minutes break for push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks or bodyweight lunges.

- Depending on location chins and bench dips are optional

- Total run time would be 30-40 minutes

This would be the basic commando cardio bodyweight workout. I’ll be posting some versions of the harder bodyweight workout we do in a group setting soon. Its great stuff and nothing will get your waist line down and your functional strength up faster than these heart pumping bodyweight workouts that come from my army background.

Next: Cardio Alternatives

Previous: Swim Workouts for Cardio

© 2008, Stew Smith