Kayla Itsines's 28-Minute Calorie-Burning Full-Body Workout
Aussie trainer Kayla Itsines, founder of the Sweat With Kayla app and the Bikini Body Guide, created a full-body circuit workout for POPSUGAR, and we're sure you're going to love it. Well, at least you will love the results. Press play to see the exercises in each circuit, then read below for additional instruction and tips. And, lucky for all of us, Kayla Itsines will be leading a real-time workout at POPSUGAR's Play/Ground event in NYC on June 9 and 10! Get your tickets here.
Workout Instructions
Each circuit is seven minutes (use a timer to keep track of the minutes). Aim to complete the exercises in each circuit as many times as you can in seven minutes before moving to the next circuit. While you're aiming to complete each exercise as quickly as possible, it is important that you maintain proper technique throughout.
Arm Circuit
Snap Push-Ups
Place a step horizontally in front of you. Place both hands on the step slightly further than shoulder-width apart and both feet together behind you, resting on the balls of your feet. This is your starting position. While maintaining a straight back and stabilizing through your abdominals, bend your elbows and lower your torso toward the step until your arms form a 90-degree angle. Push through your chest and extend your arms to lift your body back into starting position. Jump both of your feet in toward the step, ensuring that your feet remain shoulder-width apart. Keeping your body weight on your hands, kick both of your feet backward into starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.
Tip: Ensure that your feet remain shoulder-width apart as you jump them in toward your hands.
Negative Triceps Dip
Start seated on a bench. Position your hands on the edge of the bench under your glutes and directly below your shoulders. Ensure that your fingers are facing forward. Shift your glutes forward off of the bench. This is your starting position. Taking a full three seconds, slowly lower your body by bending at the elbow until you create a 90-degree angle with your arms. Ensure that your shoulders, elbows, and wrists remain in line with one another at all times. Taking one second, push through the heel of your hand and quickly extend your arms to return to starting position. Avoid using your legs to assist you and always try and maintain an upright position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.
Tip: Avoid hunching and maintain an upright posture ("proud chest") throughout the movement.
Commando
Start by placing your forearms (wrist to elbow) on the floor and extending both of your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet. This is called a plank position. Release your right forearm and place your right hand firmly on the floor directly below your right shoulder. Push up onto your right hand, followed immediately by your left in the same pattern. Ensure that you brace through your abdominals to prevent your hips from swaying. Return to plank position by releasing your right hand and lowering onto your forearm before doing the same with your left hand. Repeat this exercise, starting with your left hand. Continue alternating between right and left for the specified number of repetitions.
Tip: Keep your shoulders in line with your hands. Engage your core to prevent your hips from swaying.
All-Abs Circuit
Start a timer for seven minutes and aim to complete the exercises in the following circuit as many times as you can before your timer goes off. While you're aiming to complete each exercise as quickly as possible, it's important that you maintain proper technique throughout.
Bent Leg Raise and Hip Lift
Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat and place both hands underneath your coccyx bone as shown. Extend both legs out and engage your abdominal muscles by drawing in your belly button to your spine. This is your starting position. Keeping your feet together, contract your abdominal muscles and bend your legs to bring your knees to your chest. Allow your lower back to lift off of the floor as shown to allow full contraction of your abdominals. Briefly hold this position and then slowly extend your legs to return to starting position. Complete 15 reps.
Tip: Tuck your knees all the way in to your chest to fully contract your abs.
Outward Snap Jump
Place both hands on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart with both feet together behind you, resting on the balls of your feet; this is your starting position. Quickly jump both feet outward so that they're wider than your hips, as shown. Quickly jump both feet inward to bring them back together into the starting position. Continue alternating between feet together for 20 reps.
Tip: Keep your shoulders in line with your hands. Engage your core to keep your hips stable.
Straight-Leg Sit-Up and Twist
Start by lying straight with your back on the floor, both arms extended above your head. Place both hands behind your head. Engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in toward your spine; this is your starting position. Keeping your heels firmly planted on the floor, slowly lift your head, shoulder blades, and torso off the floor. Ensure that it's your abdominals that initiate the movement and that you do not use your arms to swing your torso up. As you sit up, extend your left arm and twist over the right side of your body as shown. Slowly untwist and lower your torso back into starting position. Repeat using your right arm and twisting over the left side of your body; this counts as one rep. Continue alternating between left and right for a total of 20 reps.
Tip: Your abs should be initiating this movement. Avoid using your arms to swing yourself up.
Leg-Toning Circuit
In and Out Jump Squat
Plant both feet on the floor further than shoulder-width apart. Point both feet slightly outward. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees point toward your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor, ensuring that your back remains between 45 and 90 degrees of your hips. This is called sumo squat position. Propel your body upward into the air. Reposition your legs to land in close squat position, with your feet a fist-width apart. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor, ensuring that your back remains between 45 and 90 degrees of your hips. Propel your body upward into the air and reposition your legs to land in sumo squat position. Continue alternating between sumo squat position and close squat position for the specified number of repetitions.
Tip: Ensure that your knees remain in line with your toes for both of these movements.
Alternating Front Lunge
With your hands on your hips, plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position. Take a big step forward with your right foot. As you plant your foot on the floor, bend both knees at approximately 90 degrees. This is called a lunge position. Transfer your weight onto your left foot and take a large step back with your right foot to return to starting position. Repeat, stepping forward with your left foot. Continue alternating between right and left lunges for the specified number of repetitions.
Tip: Ensure that your front knee is not more forward than your toe and that your weight is evenly distributed between both legs.
X Hop
Plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Ensure that your back remains between 45 and 90 degrees of your hips. This is called squat position. Propel your body upward into the air. Extend and reposition both of your legs to land in a lunge position with your left leg forward and right leg back. Ensure that your weight is distributed equally between both legs. Immediately propel your body upward into the air again. Extend and reposition both of your legs to land back into squat position. Immediately propel your body upward into the air again. Extend and reposition both of your legs to land in a lunge position with your right leg forward and left leg back. Continue alternating between lunge and squat movements for the specified number of repetitions. Each movement of the feet is equivalent to one repetition. Breakdown: The sequence will be: squat, lunge left leg forward, squat, lunge right leg forward.
Tip: Land with "soft" knees each time that you land to prevent injury.
Cardio Circuit
Lay-Down Burpee
Plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, and place your hands on the floor directly in front of your feet. Keeping your body weight on your hands, kick both of your feet backward so that your legs are completely extended behind you, resting on the balls of your feet. Your body should be in one straight line from head to toe. This is called push-up position. While maintaining a straight back and stabilizing through your abdominals, bend your elbows and completely lower your torso toward the floor. Release both hands, and extend your arms out in front of you. Reposition your hands on either side of your chest. Push through your chest and extend your arms to lift your body back up into push-up position, resting on the balls of your feet. Jump both of your feet in toward your hands, ensuring that your feet remain shoulder width apart. Propel your body upward into the air. Extend your legs below you and your arms above your head. Land in a neutral standing position, ensuring that you maintain "soft" knees to prevent injury. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.
Tip: Ensure that you are not arching your back as you come up from the floor. Your body should be in one straight line from head to toe.
X Mountain Climber
Place both hands on the floor shoulder-width apart and both feet together behind you, resting on the balls of your feet. This is your starting position. Keeping your left foot on the floor, bend your right knee and bring it into your chest and toward your left elbow. Extend your right leg and return to starting position. Keeping your right foot on the floor, bend your left knee and bring it into your chest and toward your right elbow. Extend your left leg and return to starting position. Continue alternating between right and left for the specified number of repetitions. Gradually increase your speed, ensuring that the leg that is moving does not touch the floor.
Tip: Keep your shoulders in line with your hands.
X Jump
Plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder width apart. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Lean your body forward slightly so that you are able to touch your left foot with your right hand. Propel your body upward into the air. Extend both your legs and your hips before landing back into squat position. When landing, ensure that you maintain "soft" knees to prevent injury. Lean your body forward slightly so that you are able to touch your right foot with your left hand. Propel your body upward into the air. Extend both your legs and your hips before landing back into squat position. Continue alternating between left and right for the specified number of repetitions.
Tip: Make sure that you rotate through your upper body rather than your lower body. Keep your knees in line with your toes at all times.
