30-Minute HIIT Circuit (Full Body)

How To Do A Push Up and Kneeling Shoulder Press:

1. Start in high plank position, shoulders stacked over your wrists, legs shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower your chest towards the floor, performing a push up. Elbows fall back towards your body.
3. Exhale as you push back up, returning to high plank position. Repeat this movement for 20 seconds.
4. Then, pick up both dumbbells and kneel on the floor. Both knees on the mat with legs bent at 90 degrees, toes tucked under and core engaged.
5. Rack the dumbbells at your shoulders, palms facing in.
6. Exhale as you press the dumbbells straight overhead, locking out the elbows.
7. Then lower the dumbbells with control back to the shoulders. Repeat this movement for 20 seconds.

How To Do A Split Squat:

1. Start standing feet hip-width apart holding one dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Step your right leg back into a lunge position. Imagine your feet are on train tracks – front left foot planted on the mat and back right toes on the mat.
3. Your feet will stay planted in this position throughout the entire movement.
4. Lower your back right knee towards the mat until your front thigh is parallel to the mat. Both knees bent at 90 degrees. Shoulders remain stacked over hips.
5. Then drive up through your front heel to stand tall, returning to the top of the movement.

How To Do A Lunge Hold, Dumbbell Press Out and Balance Hold:

1. Start in a low lunge: right leg forward, left leg extended behind you, both knees at 90-degree angles, holding a dumbbell horizontally at your chest.
2. Brace your core as you press the dumbbell out in front of you, holding it at shoulder height. The further the dumbbell is from your body, the more challenging this move will be. Hold for 3 seconds.
3. Then, bring the dumbbell back to your chest, and press through your front heel to drive your back knee forward, hovering it so your thigh is parallel to the ground, knee bent at 90 degrees, foot flexed. Press the dumbbell overhead and hold for 3 seconds.
4. Return the dumbbell to your chest as you step your left leg back, returning to a low lunge.

How To Do A Runner Lunge:

1. Step your right leg back into a reverse lunge, dropping your right knee down towards the ground as you lower your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh parallel to the floor.
2. Keeping your torso upright, jump with enough force to drive your right foot ahead of your left foot. Think of your feet as being on parallel train tracks.
3. “Run” your feet for two counts (like you’re cross-country skiing). Once you reach the third count, drop your left knee back into a lunge.
4. Repeat this movement, alternating lunge drops on each leg.

How To Do A Dumbbell Back Row and Bicep Curl:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Grip a set of dumbbells, palms facing out away from the body.
2. Hinge at the hips until your chest is parallel to the floor.
3. Pull the dumbbells back towards your hips, performing a bent over back row. Feel your shoulder blades squeeze together with each row. Repeat this movement for 20 seconds.
4. Then, stand tall and squeeze your bicep muscle to curl the weights up to shoulder-height as you exhale, performing a standard bicep curl. Repeat this movement for 20 seconds.

How To Do A Staggered Deadlift and Clean Squat:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell in each hand at your hips, palms facing in towards your body.
2. Stagger your feet, so your right leg is slightly in front of your left foot. Kickstand your back left foot, left heel floating off the ground. Keep 80% of your weight in your front foot, 20% in your back left toe.
3. Maintain a staggered stance as you hinge at the hips. Pushing your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbells down the front of your legs; core tight.
4. Then, drive through your front heel to stand tall, bringing your left foot parallel to your right foot.
5. As you stand, bring the dumbbells up towards your chest (this is the “clean” portion of the clean squat).
6. Holding the dumbbells in a front racked position, lower down into a squat position; hips parallel to knees. Driving your knees out toward your outer three toes.
7. Drive through your heels to stand tall again, finding a staggered stance again by stepping your left foot back. That’s one rep.
8. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat this sequence of one staggered deadlift and one clean squat.

How To Do A Staggered Woodchop:

1. Start standing in a staggered stance, right foot slightly in front of left, soft bend in your knees, core engaged. Hold one dumbbell horizontally between your hands.
2. Slightly bend your knees as you bring the dumbbell to the outside of your left knee.
3. Then exhale as you use your legs, hips and glutes to drive the dumbbell crossbody, extending your arms up overhead on the right side. Think left knee to right shoulder.
4. Lower the dumbbell with control back towards your left knee, returning to the starting position. Repeat this movement.

How To Do A Lateral Bound and Dumbbell Pick Up:

1. Start by placing two dumbbells horizontally on the mat in front of you; about two feet apart.
2. Stand with feet hip-distance apart, one foot on each side of the dumbbell on the right side of the mat. Sit your hips down and back into a loaded squat position as you reach your right hand down to pick up the dumbbell on the mat between your legs.
3. Drive through your heels to stand tall, pulling the dumbbell between your legs up towards your hips. Then perform another squat to return the dumbbell back to the mat.
4. Hold the loaded squat position as you drive off your outside, right leg to bound laterally to the dumbbell on the left side of the mat. Performing a lateral jump squat and landing softly with one foot on each side of the dumbbell.
5. Again reach down to pick up the dumbbell, this time with your left hand. Drive through your heels to stand tall, pulling the dumbbell between your legs up towards your hips. Then perform another squat to return the dumbbell back to the mat.
6. Repeat this side to side pattern.

How To Do 1.5 Overhead Tricep Extensions:

1. Stand with feet hip-distance apart, core engaged and soft bend in your knees.
2. Hold one dumbbell vertically between your palms overhead.
3. Bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle, bringing the dumbbell behind your head. Think ‘hide the dumbbell, show the dumbbell’, if you were watching yourself in a mirror. Keep your elbows close to your ears throughout the entire movement (don’t let your elbows flare out as you fatigue).
4. Raise the dumbbell halfway up, then lower back behind your head.
5. Then raise the dumbbell all the way up, overhead.
6. Think: all the way down, half way up, back down and to the top.

How To Do Lateral Squats:

1. Start with your feet wider than your hips (think a wide squat stance squat), with your knees and toes pointing forward. Or toes just slightly turned out away from your body.
2. Hold one dumbbell at your chest like you would during a goblet squat (vertically so dumbbell is touching your collarbone and sternum), elbows tucked in.
3. Shift your weight into your right heel as you push your hips back, bending your right knee while leaving your left leg straight. Think of performing a single leg squat with your right leg while your left leg remains straight.
4. Then, drive through your right foot to reverse the movement, pushing you back up to center.

How To Do 3 Side Plank Crunches and 3-Second Side Plank Hold:

1. Begin in a side plank position, left forearm on the mat and shoulder stacked over elbow. Option to bring your bottom knee to the mat for extra stability or increase the challenge by fully extending your left leg, balancing on the outside edge of your foot.
2. Keeping your hips high and core stable, extend your right arm overhead and right (top) leg off the mat. Flex your extended right foot to engage your leg muscles. Hold this side plank position for 3 seconds.
3. Then, perform a side plank “crunch” by pulling your right knee in to meet your right elbow, before extending back out. Repeat x3 reps.
4. Continue this pattern of a 3 second side plank hold, followed by 3 side plank crunches.

How To Do A Lateral Lunge and 2 High Knees:

1. Stand with feet hip-distance apart.
2. Step your right leg out to the side as you push your hips back, bending your right knee while leaving your left leg straight. Think of performing a single leg squat with your right leg while your left leg remains straight. Knees and toes are pointing forward.
3. Then, drive off your right foot to reverse the movement, exploding back up to center.
4. Perform two high knees, driving your left knee up to chest height, then your right knee. Core is engaged.
5. Repeat this lateral lunge movement on the right leg; then switch sides for the second set.

Beef: High-Quality Protein For Muscle Recovery

A 3-ounce serving of lean beef provides 25 grams of high-quality protein, which is the optimal amount to help active individuals recover from exercise (Beef Council Strength Guide).

As a trainer I know the importance of refueling with high-quality protein to repair muscle tissue.

And I believe a balanced diet includes high-quality protein AND other nutrient-rich foods for building and maintaining strength. Which is why I love the list of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients included in one serving of beef:

• Zinc — supports the immune system and metabolism function.
• Iron — supports many vital functions in the body — including energy production, immune system, and regulation of body temperature.
• Vitamin B12 — helps keep the body’s nerve and blood cells healthy.
• Riboflavin — is needed for overall good health. It helps the body break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats to produce energy.
• Niacin — boosts brain and skin function.
• Vitamin B6 — helps the body turn food into energy.
• Selenium — is important for thyroid health and boosts the immune system.

Check out the below graphic from the MN Beef Council Strength Guide.

Beef’s Top 10 Essential Nutrients