35-Minute Marine Workout

How to Do a Pull-Up

1. Start standing underneath your pull-up bar, feet hip-width apart, neck and shoulders relaxed.
2. Reach up and grip the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, palms facing away from your body.
3. Allow your body to hang freely with your arms fully extended.
4. Initiate the pull-up by squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling your chest towards the bar. Keep your elbows pointed downward throughout the movement.
5. Continue to pull your body, pulling your chest up until your chin is above the bar, or as high as you can comfortably go. Keep your core engaged and your body straight throughout the movement.
6. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position, extending your arms fully.

Modification: Option to perform assisted pull-ups with a long loop resistance band. Or perform a standing dumbbell back row and dumbbell clean. If you want to improve your pull-ups, check out my free 12-week pull-up progression guide. 

How to Do a Push-Up

1. Start in a standard high plank position, feet hip-width apart and shoulders stacked over your wrists. Press evenly into your hands to distribute your weight amongst all 10 fingers. 
2. Hold this plank position, maintaining a straight line with your body, gaze slightly in front of you.
3. Slowly lower your chest down towards the ground as your elbows fall back towards your hips (not out to the sides, keep elbows tight to the body).
4. Once you’ve reached the bottom of your push-up, exhale as you push back up into a high plank position (the top of your push-up position).

Modification: If you can’t do a full push-up on your toes, substitute one of these push-up modifications. Or check out my entire 12-week push-up progression program! 

How to Do a Farmer’s Carry March

1. Start in a standing position, feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Engage your core, then drive your right knee up in line with your right hip. Right knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Ground through your standing leg to remain stable.
3. With control, return your right foot to the ground.
4. Switch sides, driving your left knee up in line with your left hip before lowering with control.

How to Do a Plank

1. Start kneeling on the ground — forearms on the mat, shoulders stacked over elbows.
2. Step both feet back, forming a long line from head to tailbone.
3. Squeeze your abs and pull up on your knee caps to engage your core. Avoid “piking” hips up or letting hips drop. Focus on keeping a neutral spine.

Modification: Drop to your knees to perform a modified plank.

How to Do a Squat

1. Start standing with feet shoulder-width distance apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down parallel with your knees. Drive your knees out toward your outer three toes.
3. Drive through your heels to stand tall, returning to a standing position.

Modification: If squats hurt your knees, substitute one of these lunge/squat alternatives.

How to Do a Overhead Dumbbell Press

1. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell horizontally at your chest. Shoulder blades are pulled back and down.
2. Engage your core, slightly tucking your pelvis to protect your low back. Then push the dumbbell overhead until your arms are fully extended, elbows near your ears.
3. Slowly and with control, lower the dumbbell down to the starting position at shoulder level and repeat.

Notes: Marine units typically would use a weighted ammunition can for this exercise. The standard ammo can used is 30 pounds, and Marines aim to get max reps in 2 minutes. You could also substitute barbell presses or sandbag presses. 

How to Do a Deadlift and Clean

1. Start standing, feet hip-distance apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
2. Hinge forward at the hips to perform a deadlift, pushing your hips back as you lower the dumbbells down along the front of your body. Focus on keeping your back in neutral alignment with your neck and shoulders throughout the entire movement. Keep a slight bend in your knees.
3. Then, drive through your heels to push your hips forward, squeezing your glutes as you return to a standing position. As you press your hips forward to stand, “clean” the dumbbells up towards your shoulders. Catch the dumbbells at your chest in a front rack position.
4. With control, lower the dumbbells to your hips, returning to the starting position.

How to Do a Burpee

1. Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides.
2. Bend your knees and drop your hips as you lower into a squat position, then place your hands on the floor directly in front of your feet.
3. Shift your weight into your hands as you jump your feet back to softly land on the balls of your feet in a high plank position. Your body should form a straight line from your head to heels.
4. Elbows fall back towards your body as you lower your chest towards the ground, bringing your chest to meet the floor. Press back up and return to high plank.
5. Jump your feet up, landing outside your hands in a loaded squat position. Then drive through your legs to explode up, reaching arms overhead as you stand tall, returning to starting position.

Modification: Substitute towel slams for burpees. Or perform walking burpees, stepping your feet in and out of plank position rather than jumping.

How to Do a Front-Rack Carry

1. Start in a standing position, feet hip-width apart, holding one dumbbell in each hand at your shoulders, palms facing in towards each other (front-racked position).
2. Engage your core, then drive your right knee up in line with your right hip. Right knee bent at a 90-degree angle.
3. Ground through your standing left leg for stability, then return your right foot back to the ground.
4. Switch sides, driving your left knee up in line with your left hip. Return to starting position and repeat these alternating high knee lifts.

How to Do a Lateral Shuffle

1. Start standing in an athletic stance, feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, core engaged.
2. Leading with the right foot and following with the left foot, take two large shuffles towards the right. Option to tap the ground.
3. Then reverse the movement, leading with your left foot as you take two large shuffles towards the left, returning to starting position.