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30-Minute Metabolic Conditioning Workout (MetCon, Day 10)

By: Lindsey Bomgren, CPT | January 1, 2024

Build strength, burn fat and increase endurance with this high-intensity, metabolic conditioning workout. Four compound strength training exercises are combined in an efficient full body conditioning workout; designed to push your strength and endurance capacity. You’re challenged to complete 100 reps of each exercise by the end of this metabolic workout.

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This is DAY TEN of our MetCon 100 Program.

Woman performing a lunge hold and rotate with a dumbbell in a cardio and core workout

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Squats, push ups, swings and back rows – this intense metabolic conditioning workout is just four moves, but targets every major muscle group in the upper body and lower body.

The tenth and final workout of our 2-Week MetCon 100 Program combines some of the best exercises from previous MetCon Workouts into one challenging test of strength and endurance.

Powerful metabolic conditioning exercises will challenge your upper and lower body strength, cardio conditioning, core stability and endurance.

Metabolic exercises maximize calories burned both during and after your workout, making this an efficient workout for building muscle and burning fat.

two women performing dumbbell back rows as example of metabolic conditioning

Metabolic Conditioning FAQs

What Is A Metabolic Conditioning Workout?

Metabolic conditioning, also known as MetCon, is a form of training designed to burn fat, build muscle and improve cardiovascular conditioning and endurance. Metabolic conditioning workouts typically involve short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by short periods of rest.

What Is Metabolic Conditioning?

Metabolic conditioning is a form of training that recruits the body’s three metabolic systems or energy systems. This includes the phosphagen system (quick energy bursts, like sprints), glycolytic system (medium energy expenditures, such as timed intervals), and oxidative or aerobic system (endurance exercise). The amount of time, number of reps, and dumbbell weight can all influence which energy system is engaged.

Is Metabolic Training The Same As Cardio?

Although there are some similarities, metabolic training is more than just cardio. Metabolic workouts focus on building muscle and increasing EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), which boosts metabolism and burns calories after the workout is completed. Whereas cardio workouts focus on getting your heart rate up and increasing cardiovascular health and endurance.

What Are The Benefits of Metabolic Conditioning?

Metabolic conditioning workouts efficiently build strength and increase endurance in a short period. MetCon workouts also increase “after burn” or the amount of energy your body continues to use after a workout, which can lead to fat burn and weight loss.

two women performing dumbbell squats as part of metabolic conditioning workout

30-Minute Metabolic Conditioning (MetCon, Day 10)

Challenge your total body strength and endurance with this metabolic workout.

This strength and HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout challenges you to complete 100 squats, 100 push ups, 100 kettlebell swings and 100 back rows.

I suggest doing this workout once a week as part of a well-rounded exercise program.

Workout Equipment:

A medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells. Option to add a kettlebell for the swings.

I suggest anywhere from 8-25 lbs. We’re using 15-30 lbs in this workout.

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woman performing kettebell swings as example of metabolic workout

Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Metabolic Conditioning Workout on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, Lindsey Bomgren. 

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • 4 Full Body Metabolic Exercises
  • Count Reps (complete 10 repetitions of each exercise)
  • Repeat All 4 Exercises x10 Sets For A Total of 100 Reps Per Exercise
4 Full Body Exercises (Metabolic Conditioning Workout)!

Workout Outline

  1. Dumbbell Squats
  2. Push Ups
  3. Kettlebell Swings
  4. Back Rows
two women performing kettlebell swings as part of metabolic conditioning workout

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

youtube icon MetCon Workout

4 Metabolic Conditioning Exercises

Dumbbell Squat

Targets: Legs, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, hips and core.

Your 100 rep challenge from MetCon Day 3 (Squats) is one of the best compound lower body exercises.

two women performing dumbbell squats as part of metabolic conditioning workout

How To Do Dumbbell Squats

  1. Start standing feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in towards each other.
  2. Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down parallel with your knees. Aim for 90-degree bends in each knee. Drive your knees out toward your outer three toes.
  3. Drive through your heels to stand tall, returning to a standing position.

Push Up

Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs and core muscles.

A notoriously tough move, the 100 rep challenge from MetCon Day 2 (Push Ups) also requires deep core strength.

two women performing push ups as part of metabolic conditioning workout

How To Do Push Ups

  1. Start in a standard high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, weight evenly distributed amongst all 10 fingers. Pull your kneecaps up towards your belly, feet hip-width apart. Option to place your hands on weights if you have wrist pain.
  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 at the bottom of your push up, exhale as you push back up into high plank position (top of your push up position).

Modification: Substitute incline push-ups by placing your hands on a chair or bench; or drop to your knees for modified push ups.

Kettlebell Swing

Targets: The posterior chain (backside of the body) including the glutes, hamstrings, hips, core, and all the stabilizing muscles in your back and shoulders.

This low impact power exercise was your 100 rep challenge for MetCon Day 5 (Swings).

two women performing kettlebell swings as part of metcon workout

How To Do Kettlebell Swings or Dumbbell Swings

  1. Start standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart; engage your core.
  2. Hinge forward at the hips to reach for the kettlebell handle with both hands. Place your hands on the horns of the bell, palms facing your body.
  3. Then with a slight bend in your knees and weight in your heels, ‘hike’ the kettlebell back between your legs to start the swing movement.
  4. Drive through your heels to stand tall, pushing your hips forward as you squeeze your glutes to swing the weight up to shoulder height (full hip extension at the top). Aim for shoulder height, with arms extended out away from the body. Think long, loose arms (your arms are just a vehicle for moving the bell, your hips and glutes generate the power to move the bell).
  5. As the kettlebell begins to descend, think of catching the weight with your hip hinge movement, loading the glutes and hamstrings.

Back Row

Targets: Latissimus dorsi (or lats; the largest back muscle known for its large, flat “V” shape).

An essential upper body pull exercise, this move was your 100 rep challenge in MetCon Day 7 (Back Rows).

two women performing back rows as part of metabolic conditioning exercises

How To Do Back Rows

  1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Grip a set of dumbbells, palms facing in towards each other.
  2. Hinge forward at the hips until your body is in a straight line, neck in line with your spine, flat back, and belly button pulled back towards your spine. 
  3. As you pull the weights back towards your hips in a rowing movement, squeeze your shoulder blades together. Stop when your elbows are in line with your hips.
  4. With control, slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position. Think up on a one-count, down slow and controlled on a two-count.
woman flexing with text overlay describing MetCon program

MetCon 100: FREE Metabolic Conditioning Program

A 2-week metabolic conditioning program designed to show you that you’re stronger than you think. 

If you liked this full body workout at home, download the FREE, 2-Week Workout Plan.

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8 comments

  1. I just finished this program for the second time (WOD)! 20-lb. weights and 25 for the swings, and all of the push-ups from my toes! Thanks for helping all of us to keep striving to do better so we keep getting stronger. I’m so grateful to the whole NML team!

    • Sarah! Way to go, I hope you are proud of all your hard work! Crushing those heavy weights and push ups!!! Thank you so much for doing this program with us and we hope you come back for more! -Lindsey

  2. I think you should change the name to MenCon, Mental Conditioning! It took a lot to wrap my head around repeating this today. Thank you for pushing us further than we think we can.

  3. This program is amazing!! Thanks for showing us we can do even more than we think we can. I loved seeing progress within the two week program, and I’m excited to see even more growth in round 2!

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