When it comes to working out, you want to make sure to show all of your muscles some love. This full-body workout does just that, challenging all of your major muscle groups in your upper and lower body: back, shoulders, chest, quads, hamstrings, and glutes. In the circuit, you’ll be alternating between upper-body and lower-body moves, which gives each muscle group time to recover before hitting it again.
The good news is, you’re already familiar with the upper-body moves on today’s roster—specifically, the bent-over row, overhead press, and the chest press. It’s really important to master a move and feel comfortable with it before you progress to more advanced variations. So moving through these exercises again should feel like a major win for you and your body because you’ve done them already. Trust that you know what to expect and that you know how to perform the exercise—now work on perfecting it.
And if you feel like you’ve already got it down? Then you may want to challenge yourself even further—maybe by trying a heavier weight than you did the first time, or by adding an extra rep or two to any move in this full-body workout.
This doesn’t mean you should go through your routine on autopilot. Quite the opposite. Take this as an opportunity to really tap into your mind-muscle connection big time. For example, if you are doing a chest press, really think about the muscles you are using—pectoral muscles, deltoids, triceps, and a host of other muscles that work to stabilize or simply help the movement along. When you’re doing the row, focus on activating your rhomboids, the muscles in your back that retract your shoulder blades. This mind-muscle connection can help make your workouts even more effective.
Also, try to have fun. Working out is time spent just for you, so let yourself enjoy the process. You deserve it!
The workout below is for day 4 of the SELF New Year’s Challenge. Check out the full four-week workout program right here. Or go to the workout calendar here. If you’d like to sign up to receive daily emails for this challenge, you can do that here. (edited)
WORKOUT DIRECTIONS
Aim for 8–12 reps of each exercise. Rest for up to 30 seconds between exercises. Rest 60–90 seconds after each round. Complete 2–5 rounds total.
EXERCISES
- Bent-Over Row
- Split Squat
- Overhead Press
- Glutes Bridge
- Chest Press
BONUS MOVE
After your last circuit, try the bonus move for 60 seconds.
- Biceps Curl