Build total body strength and challenge your endurance with this 25-minute full body endurance training workout. Stack on moves throughout this pyramid-style format for a challenging and efficient dumbbell workout.
Our pyramid workouts are considered some of the most challenging workouts on the blog. The “stack-on” format is a true mental and physical challenge – which is probably why they’re some of your favorites!
This is the first time we’ve ever included a pyramid workout in a 2-week program. Today’s workout will challenge both your muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
Endurance Training FAQs
What Is Endurance Training?
Endurance training is designed to improve muscular strength and power. Some of the most common training methods that personal trainers build into full body endurance workouts are weight training, mobility, core stability, speed, agility and plyometrics.
What Is The Best Way To Train Endurance?
Performing aerobic exercise regularly strengthens your heart and lungs and improves your circulation, which can help you build stamina and endurance. Aerobic exercise is any type of cardio or cardio conditioning, such as walking, swimming, running, cycling or high intensity interval training (HIIT workouts).
Why Is Increasing Muscular Endurance Important?
Endurance is the ability to exert energy for extended periods of time. It also refers to the ability to resist, withstand and recover from trauma, injury or fatigue. Building muscular endurance has many benefits, like increasing athletic performance and energy levels, increasing metabolism, building muscle and reducing risk of injury.
Can You Do Strength And Endurance Training Every Day?
Endurance workouts should challenge your muscular and cardio capacity. You need to give your body time to recover between endurance workout sessions. Most trainers recommend doing endurance workouts no more than 2-3 times a week (American Council on Exercise). Check out my Free Home Workout Plans for guided workouts.
25-Minute Full Body Endurance Training: Pyramid Workout (Stronger 25, Day 10)
Challenge your muscle endurance with this 25-minute full body endurance training workout.
This workout is effective, efficient and engaging — compound strength exercises will target every major muscle group and raise your heart rate in under 30 minutes.
Timed Intervals (30 seconds of work, 30 seconds rest; complete as many repetitions as you can in the timed interval)
Pyramid Format (we’ll add on moves as we work “up” the pyramid, and then drop off moves as we work our way back “down” the pyramid)
A Pyramid Format Looks Like This:
Set 1: Perform move 1 for 30 seconds (as many reps as you can), followed by 30 seconds of rest.
Set 2: Perform move 1 for 30 seconds and then move 2 for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of rest.
Set 3: Perform move 1 for 30 seconds, and then move 2 for 30 seconds, and then move 3 for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of rest.
Continue this stack-on, pyramid format until you complete moves 1 through 5. Then you have the option to go back down the pyramid in reverse order, dropping off move 1, then move 2, then move 3 and so on.
Trainer Tip: Pyramid workouts are challenging tests of endurance. Follow along with the workout modifier for options to scale each move, or decrease the weights as you start to fatigue.
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, lower back, shoulders and deep transverse abdomen muscles (core).
How To Do A Squat Pulse and Single Arm Snatch
Start in a standing position, feet hip-width apart or slightly wider, core engaged. Hold one dumbbell in your right hand, palm facing in.
With chest up, lower down into a squat, pushing your hips back and down until your hips align with your knees (making a 90-degree angle with your hips and knees). Knees push out towards your outer three toes.
Pulse for a two-count, transferring the dumbbell to your left hand on the second pulse.
Then exhale as you drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes to stand tall.
As you stand, perform a single arm snatch on the left arm. ‘Snatch’ the weight overhead with your left arm (using the power and momentum created by your legs and hips). You should finish standing tall with your left arm straight overhead; lock out your elbow.
With control, lower the dumbbell back down to shoulder height.
Then lower the dumbbell all the way down as you sit into a low squat and pulse for a two-count, this time transferring the dumbbell to your right hand on the second pulse.
Repeat, performing the single arm snatch on the right arm.
Modification: Option to omit the overhead snatch and instead perform a squat pulse and dumbbell clean, cleaning the dumbbell to shoulder height.
Bear Crawl Back Rows
Targets: Abs, core, quads, back and shoulders.
How To Do A Bear Crawl Back Row
Start in a table top position on all fours with shoulders stacked over wrists and hips stacked over knees. Place one dumbbell on the mat in between your hands.
Engage your core and tuck your toes under to hover your knees off the ground; this is bear crawl position.
From bear crawl, grab the dumbbell with your left hand and pull the dumbbell towards your ribcage to perform a single arm dumbbell back row.
Hold for a moment, then with control, return the dumbbell to the mat.
Repeat, alternating the arm that performs the single arm back row as you hold a bear crawl for the timed interval.
Modification: Option to omit the bear crawl hold and instead hold a low squat, performing alternating single arm back rows.
Push Up and Staggered Burpee Get Up
Targets: Full body with an emphasis on the legs, hamstrings, hips, glutes, chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs and core muscles.
How To Do A Push Up and Staggered Burpee Get Up
Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then take a staggered stance; so your left leg is slightly in front of your right foot. Kickstand your back right foot, right heel floating off the ground. Keep 80% of your weight in your front left foot, 20% in your back right toe. Both toes facing forward. Hold one dumbbell in your right hand at your side (palm facing in).
Hinge forward at the hips, pushing your hips back as you lower the dumbbell down the front of your body. You should feel a stretch in the back of your legs (hamstrings).
Place the dumbbell on the ground in front of you (between your feet) and perform a burpee. Place your hands on the mat and jump your feet back into a high plank position.
Then perform a push up. Maintain a straight line with your body, gaze slightly in front of you as you slowly lower your chest down towards the ground. Elbows fall back towards your hips (not out to the sides).
Once at the bottom of your push up, exhale as you push back up into high plank position.
Then jump your feet back in, finding a staggered stance on the opposite side, this time right foot is slightly in front of your left foot.
Grab the dumbbell with your left hand this time and pull the dumbbell up along your leg (as you would in a deadlift).
Modification: Omit the burpee and perform push ups and alternating wide climber foot taps.
How To Do A Lateral Lunge and Bicep Curl and High Knee Switch
Start standing, feet hip-width apart, slightly bent knees. Hold one dumbbell horizontally in front of you.
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. Let the dumbbell fall towards your right foot.
Then, drive off your right foot to reverse the movement, pushing back to center. As you stand tall, perform a bicep curl by curling the dumbbell up to shoulder height. You’ll also perform a knee drive on the right knee, driving the right knee up to form a 90-degree bend.
Then, transfer the weight by planting your right foot on the ground as you drive your left knee up in line with your left hip. Repeat the lateral lunge, this time stepping the left leg out to the side.
Deadlift Clean and Pivot Squat Press
Targets: Hamstrings, glutes, hips, quads, back, shoulders and core.
How To Do A Deadlift Clean and Pivot Squat Press
Start standing feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell horizontally in front of you.
Hinge forward at the hips, pushing your hips back as you lower the dumbbell down along the front of your body. You should feel a stretch in the back of your legs (range of motion looks different for everyone). Focus on keeping your back in neutral alignment with your neck and shoulders throughout the entire movement (straight line from head to tailbone). Keep a slight bend in your knees to avoid ‘locking out’ the joint.
Then, drive through your heels, squeezing your glutes as you drive your hips forward to return to standing.
As you stand tall, clean the dumbbell up, catching it at shoulder height.
Then, step your right foot out to a 45-degree angle, stepping so your feet are now shoulder-width apart.
Lower down into a squat position, lowering your hips down parallel with your knees. Drive your knees out toward your outer three toes. Hold the dumbbell at shoulder height throughout the movement.
Drive through your heels to stand tall, squeezing your glutes as you come back to face forward. As you stand tall, press the dumbbell overhead, locking out biceps near ears.
With control, lower the dumbbell back down to shoulder height and repeat the deadlift clean and pivot squat press sequence.
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2 comments
This was off the charts “holy bananas”! Had to increase most of the rest times but I completed the workout and finished the Stronger 25 challenge!! I absolutely feel stronger, stronger than I’ve probably ever been! I did every push-up in this work out from my toes (I’m slow so it was about 4 each time), which means I’ve already crushed one of my fitness goals this year! Thank you for these amazing workouts!!
Michelle! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this ‘holy bananas’ workout! Way to go and I’m so happy to hear you’re feeling STRONG after completing this program!! And love to see you tackling those fitness goals! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey
Endurance Workout
Endurance Workout
This was off the charts “holy bananas”! Had to increase most of the rest times but I completed the workout and finished the Stronger 25 challenge!! I absolutely feel stronger, stronger than I’ve probably ever been! I did every push-up in this work out from my toes (I’m slow so it was about 4 each time), which means I’ve already crushed one of my fitness goals this year! Thank you for these amazing workouts!!
Michelle! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this ‘holy bananas’ workout! Way to go and I’m so happy to hear you’re feeling STRONG after completing this program!! And love to see you tackling those fitness goals! Keep up the great work! -Lindsey