15-Minute Cardio With Weights (Zone 2 Cardio)

How to Do a Dumbbell Swing and Single Arm Shoulder Press

1. Start standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart; engage your core. Hold one dumbbell vertically with both hands.
2. With a slight bend in your knees and weight in your heels, hinge forward at the hips as you ‘hike’ the dumbbell back between your legs to start the swing movement.
3. 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.
4. Repeat for a second dumbbell swing. As the dumbbell begins to descend, think of catching the weight with your hip hinge movement, loading the glutes and hamstrings.
5. After the second swing, power the dumbbell up to your right shoulder. Your elbow should be in line with your shoulder (maintain a neutral grip).
6. From here, perform a single-arm dumbbell shoulder press. Press the dumbbell straight overhead, locking out the elbow, right bicep near the right ear.
7. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down towards the right shoulder and repeat for a second single arm shoulder press.

How to Do a Lunge and High Pull and Cross Body Crunch

1. Stand with your feet wider than your hips, heels in and toes pointed out (sumo squat stance). Hold one dumbbell in your left hand.
2. Pivot to your right and perform a lunge, dropping the back left knee to the mat, right leg is forward. Lower your hips until both knees reach a 90-degree angle, front thigh parallel to the floor. Aim to tap the dumbbell in your left hand to the ground.
3. Drive through the front right heel to stand tall as you pivot back to center.
4. As you stand tall, perform a dumbbell high pull or upright row. Pull your left elbow up towards your left shoulder, gliding the dumbbell up your body to front rack it at your left shoulder.
5. Shift your weight into your left foot as you drive your right knee up to meet your left elbow, crunching through your right side abs.

Modification: Omit the cross body crunch and perform a lunge, high pull and single arm press.

How to Do Weighted High Knees

1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, shoulders stacked over hips. Slightly tuck your pelvis to brace your core. Hold one dumbbell vertically or horizontally at your chest.
2. Drive your left knee up in line with your left hip.
3. Then alternate the movement. As you bring your left foot back to the ground, drive your right knee up in line with your right hip.
4. Repeat, alternating the knee that drives up. Core is engaged the entire time.

Modification: Slow down the movement, performing alternating knee drives.

How to Do a Deadlift Clean and Side Step Squat Thruster

1. Start in a standing position, feet hip-width apart and knees bent. Hold one dumbbell horizontally between your hands.
2. Hinge at the hips, pushing your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbell down the front of your legs.
3. Drive through your heels to stand tall. As you stand, bring the dumbbell up towards your chest (this is the “clean” portion of the clean squat).
4. Step your left leg out to the side so that your feet are now shoulder-width apart. With your weight in your heels, sit your hips back as you lower into a squat, striving for a 90-degree angle between your hips and knees. 
5. Drive through your heels to stand tall. As you stand, step the left foot back in toward center as you press the dumbbell directly overhead to perform a squat thruster.

How to Do a Staggered Stance Uneven Ground Pound

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. 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. Place a dumbbell vertically on the ground near your front right foot.
2. Bend forward at the hips maintaining a flat back, belly button pulled back towards your spine. Reach down to grab the dumbbell in your left hand.
3. Pull the dumbbell in your back towards your left hip as you send your right fist down, right arm long.
4. With control, lower the dumbbell back to the starting position as you pull the right fist toward your right hip.
5. Repeat, moving at a quick pace to perform three single arm dumbbell rows on the left arm.
6. After the third dumbbell row, hinge forward to place the dumbbell back on the ground near your feet.
7. Switch your staggered stance so that your left foot is now slightly in front of your right foot. Repeat, this time grabbing the dumbbell with your right hand.