This 8-Minute Workout Video from Jillian Michaels Will Exhaust You
If you're not getting breathless during your workout, well, you're not doing it right. It's easy to fall into a gym routine that you can breeze through day in, day out-but if you're not pushing yourself to the point of fatigue or challenging your body in new ways, you'll likely stop seeing progress.
An easy way to kick-start those changes: Add a killer HIIT circuit with moves you've never done (or seen!) before. This eight-minute workout video is from fitness queen Jillian Michaels and inspired by the quick, creative workouts in her new training app.
"This routine provides a total-body workout with fresh exercises that you haven't seen a thousand times," says Michaels. "You can even do it with zero equipment if need be." Just ditch the dumbbell and do all the moves sans weight-you'll still get a great workout.
"The benefits of the overall workout are fat burning, muscle conditioning, and improved cardiovascular endurance," she says. Add the eight-minute circuit to your routine once or twice a week on nonconsecutive days. (Consider incorporating her 20-minute strength workout into your weekly routine, too. Plus, learn how to plan your weekly workout routine for the best results.)
How it works: Watch Michaels demo the exercises in the video above. Do each of the moves below for 30 seconds with as rest as possible in between each move. Do the full circuit twice.
You'll need: Alight- or medium-weight dumbbell
Hollow Man Lift
A. Lie faceup on the floor with legs extended, holding a dumbbell in each hand on top of thighs, palms facing up. Engage core and lift feet and shoulder blades to hover off the floor, weights hovering over thighs. This is your starting position.
B. Draw belly button to spine to shift weight forward and lift dumbbells overhead, lowering feet to the floor and sitting up so torso is perpendicular to the floor. Dumbbells should be stacked directly above shoulders and core should be engaged (don't let ribs flare open).
C. Slowly lower back to starting position, tapping shoulder back to the floor before beginning the next rep.
Repeat for 30 seconds.
Skater Burpee
A. Stand on the right foot, left leg hovering off the floor and crossed slightly behind right leg, arms in a ready position.
B. Swing left leg forcefully to the left, extend arms wide, and push off right foot to jump laterally, landing softly on the left leg. Allow the right foot to cross behind the left leg, hovering off the floor.
C. Do a one-legged burpee: Crouch down to place palms flat on the floor shoulder-width apart in front of the left foot. Hop left foot back to a one-legged plank and lower chest to the floor, still hovering right foot off the ground.
D. Press chest away from the floor to return to one-legged plank, then jump left foot forward up to hands.
E. Stand, and jump laterally to the right, landing on the right foot to perform a one-legged burpee on the other side.
Repeat for 30 seconds.
Scale down: Perform the burpee with two feet or simply hop feet back, then forward (eliminating the push-up).
Plank Hold to Chaturanga Push-Up
A. Start in a forearm plank with palms flat on the floor, forearms extended straight forward in front of elbows.
B. Press into palms to lift elbows off the floor, coming into high plank. Step feet forward as needed to maintain plank position.
C. Bend elbows straight back, tight to ribs, to lower chest into a Chaturanga push-up. Pause when chest reaches just below elbow height, then press chest away from the floor to return to high plank.
D. With control, lower elbows to the floor (and step feet back as needed) to return to the forearm plank starting position.
Repeat for 30 seconds.
Bear Bird-Dog
A. Assume tabletop position on hands and knees with shoulders stacked over palms and hips over knees. Draw belly button in to spine and lift knees to hover off the floor to start.
B. Keeping core engaged, lift right hand off the floor and extend arm forward, biceps next to ear and palm facing in. Simultaneously lift the left leg and extend it straight backward, toes pointing down. (Resist the urge to arch the lower back to lift the leg, and try to keep hips square.)
C. Slowly lower the right hand and left foot to return to starting position. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg without lowering knees to the ground in between.
Repeat for 30 seconds.
Scale down: Perform a regular bird-dog (don't lift knees off the floor to start).
Pop-Up Front Kick
A. Kneel on the ground with the right shin and top of right foot on the floor, left foot on the floor with knee pointing up, and hips sitting back on the right heel. Clasp hands in front of chest to start.
B. Press into the left foot and kick into the right leg to stand, balancing on the left leg and kicking the right foot forward in a front kick (drive the knee up, then snap the foot forward, as if making contact with the right heel on a heavy bag).
C. Recoil the right leg and immediately lower right shin onto the ground to return to starting position.
Repeat for 30 seconds. Do the next round on the opposite side.
Plank Jack Taps
A. Start in a high plank position with feet together and shoulders over wrists.
B. Simultaneously hop feet apart and tap the left shoulder with the right hand.
C. Simultaneously hop feet back together and return the right palm to the floor.
D. Repeat, this time tapping the right shoulder with the left hand. Continue alternating.
Repeat for 30 seconds.
Scale down: Hop feet out, then in. Then tap each hand to the opposite shoulder.
Superman Angel Dumbbell Pass
A. Lie facedown on the floor with arms extended forward, biceps by ears, holding a single lightweight dumbbell horizontally in both hands. Engage core and press hips into the floor to lift hands (holding dumbbell) and feet off the floor to start.
B. Transfer the dumbbell to the left hand and circle both arms out to the sides and down to meet at the lower back, while opening legs wide (feet still hovering off the floor).
C. Transfer the dumbbell to the left hand, then circle both arms out to the sides and overhead and squeeze feet together to return to starting position.
D. Repeat, this time starting with the dumbbell in the opposite hand. Continue alternating.
Repeat for 30 seconds.
Scale down: Perform the move without a dumbbell.
Weighted Side Lunge on Heel
A. Stand with feet together, holding a medium-weight dumbbell horizontally in front of chest with both hands.
B. Take a big step to the right with the right foot, lowering into a lateral lunge and spinning onto the left heel so toes and left knee point to the ceiling. Simultaneously, extend dumbbell forward so arms are fully extended.
C. Pivot left toes back to the ground while pressing off of the right foot and drawing the dumbbell back to chest to stand, returning to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Repeat for 30 seconds. Do the next round on the opposite side.
