5 Exercise Combos That Work Just as Well as Burpees
Just as much sweat, just as many results. (Image Credit: Kathleen Kamphausen/Lauren Ahn)
Assuming you want to transform your body (and don’t mind temporarily torturing yourself), burpees are just about the best exercise out there, according to Massy “Mankofit” Arias, Instagram star and certified fitness trainer. Most fitness gurus agree: The dynamic plank/push-up/jump combo is remarkably effective. It engages your upper body and lower body, and counts toward both strength training and cardio. It’s like magic—except it’s hard work.
Related: 7 Tricks to Look Hot AF in a Strapless Dress
Instead of putting your body through the wringer doing the exercise that everyone loves to hate, challenge yourself to a combination of two easier exercises. The combos below, designed and demonstrated by Massy, will deliver similar results as burpees—but they’re way more tolerable. Pick one combo below, and try 30 to 60 seconds of each exercise before moving on to the next. Then rest for 30 to 60 seconds, and repeat as many times as you want (or move on to another combo).
Combo 1: Jumping Jacks + Squat With Curl to Overhead Press
(Image Credit: Kathleen Kamphausen/Lauren Ahn)
Related: 6 Orgasmic Stretches for Tight Hips
How to do jumping jacks: Stand with your feet together and your arms along your sides. Simultaneously jump both feet apart and bring both arms out to the sides, reaching your hands up to the sky. Jump back to starting position to complete one rep.
How to do squats with a curl to overhead press: Grab one 3- to 10-pound dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other, and stand with your feet about hips-width apart. Lower down into a squat as you bend your elbows to curl the weights up to your shoulders. Release the weights as you press into your heels and straighten your legs to stand, then bring the weights up to your shoulders, and extend your elbows to drive the weights straight up to the ceiling. Next, bend your elbows to bring the weights back to your shoulders, drop the weights along your sides to return to starting position. That’s one rep.
Combo 2: Frog Jumps + Plank Jacks
(Image Credit: Kathleen Kamphausen/Lauren Ahn)
How to do frog jumps: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulders-width apart with your toes turned slightly outward. Bend your knees and sit your hips back into a squat position until you can reach the floor between your feet with your right hand. Tap it, then jump straight up and land with your feet in the starting stance. Reach down and touch the floor with your left hand. Continue to jump and alternate hand taps, moving at your own pace.
How to do plank jacks: Start in a forearm plank position with your shoulders stacked over your elbows and your body in a straight line from the top of your head to your toes. Keeping your butt as low to the ground as possible, jump both feet out to the sides. Jump back to starting position. That’s one rep.
Combo 3: High Knees + Alternating Front Lunges
How to do high knees: Stand on your right foot as you lift your left knee to hip height and bring your right arm forward. Then hop to your left foot and lift your right knee to hip height. Continue to alternate legs in quick succession.
How to do alternating front lunges: Take a wide stance and turn your toes and hips to face left. Keeping your shoulders stacked over your hips, bend both knees to 90-degree angles and lower into a lunge. Press up through your heels as you straighten your legs to come back to standing position, turn your toes and hips to the right, and lower into a second lunge. Continue to alternate sides.
Related: My Mom Made Me Hate My Body
Combo 4: Elevated Mountain Climbers + Knee-Up to Backward Lunge
(Image Credit: Kathleen Kamphausen/Lauren Ahn)
How to do an elevated mountain climber: Get into plank position with your hands on a box or bench, shoulders stacked over your wrists and elbows soft. Bring your right knee into your chest, then quickly extend the leg to return to starting position. Repeat with the opposite knee and continue to alternate in quick succession.
How to do a knee-up to backward lunge: Place your right foot on top of a box or bench. Press into the right heel to come up to a one-legged standing position on the box, immediately driving your left knee up toward your chest. Gently place the left foot back on the floor. Then lift your right foot off the box and step it directly behind you, bend both knees 90 degrees to lower into a backward lunge. As you press into your left heel to stand up out of the lunge, and place your right heel up on the box to return to complete one rep and return to starting position. After 15 to 30 seconds, repeat on the opposite side, stepping up with your left foot and lunging back with your right one.
Combo 5: Box Jumps + Inchworm Walkouts
(Image Credit: Kathleen Kamphausen/Lauren Ahn)
How to do box jumps: Face the box or bench (start with one about knee-height, and go up from there) and stand with your feet about hips-width apart. Sink your hips backward and bring both arms straight out behind you. In one explosive movement, swing both hands forward as you jump both feet up onto the box. Come all the way up to a standing position, squeezing your butt. Then step down one foot at a time. That’s one rep.
How to do an inchworm walkout: Stand with your feet about hips-width apart. Place your palms on the ground and walk them forward until your body forms a straight line between the top of your head and your heels. Your palms should be about shoulders-width apart. Then walk your hands back toward your feet and come up to standing position.
By: Elizabeth Narins
Massy is wearing a Marbled Sports Bra, VIMMIA (Available at Scoop NYC), $85; Marbled Yoga Pants, VIMMIA (Available at Scoop NYC), $105; Rose Gold Sneakers, NEW BALANCE, $79; with makeup by Jay Suarez.
More from Cosmopolitan.com:
7 Ways to Fake Your Way Through Any Fitness Class
15 Surprising Things I Learned From Doing the Exact Same Workout All Month
