Take it up with the panel of expert trainers, who are among some of the best in the country and provided ten strength and muscle building workouts that’ll take you 10 minutes or less to complete.
“Using the hex bar and your own bodyweight, you’ll work the body through pushes, pulls, and carries for a full-body attack,” says Otey.
Hex Bar Workout
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Deadlift
4
12
Bent-Over Row
4
12
Farmers Carry
4
30 Seconds
Pushups
4
25
3 of 10
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
MODIFIED ESCALATING DENSITY TRAINING
By Matt Pudvah, head strength coach for the Sports Performance Institute at MAC.
“This workout is based off principles of a method known as Escalating Density Training,” says Pudvah. “The goal here is to cram as much volume as possible into a fixed amount of time.”
MODIFIED ESCALATING DENSITY TRAINING
Exercise
Sets*
Reps
Dumbbell Goblet Squat
*
8
Pullup
*
8
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
*
8
Dumbbell Bench Press
*
8
*Set a timer for 10 minutes and then perform one exercise after the other, without resting, until the time is up. Aim to complete as many sets of each move as possible.
4 of 10
Lyashenko Egor via Shutterstock
FULL-BODY FINISHER
By Matt Pudvah, head strength coach for the Sports Performance Institute at MAC.
“This quick-hitting circuit will test your strength and conditioning levels,” says Pudvah. The workout makes a great finisher, but he says it can also be used as a warmup with lighter weights.
FULL-BODY FINISHER
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Kettlebell Swing
6-8
10
TRX Row
6-8
10
Split Squat
6-8
10
Pushup
6-8
5
5 of 10
Petrenko Andriy
FULL BODY STRENGTH CIRCUIT
By Brandon Smitley, co-owner of THIRST gym in Terre Haute, IN.
Build strength and conditioning with this quick, full-body workout. Minimize rest between sets, and continue through the circuit 2-3 times as time allows.
FULL BODY STRENGTH CIRCUIT
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Deadlift
2-3
5
Dumbbell Floor Press
2-3
8
Bentover Dumbbell Row
2-3
8
Reverse Lunge
2-3
8 Per Leg
V-Up
2-3
12
6 of 10
Per Bernal
UPPER BODY STRENGTH WORKOUT
By Brandon Smitley, co-owner of THIRST gym in Terre Haute, IN.
Give your upper body a quick tune-up with Smitley’s four-exercise workout that blasts your back, shoulders, and delts.
UPPER BODY STRENGTH WORKOUT
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Inverted Row
3
Max
Dumbbell Bench Press
3
8
Rear Delt Raise
3
15
Arnold Press
3
8
7 of 10
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
LOWER BODY STRENGTH WORKOUT
By Brandon Smitley, co-owner of THIRST gym in Terre Haute, IN.
Smitely likes this lower body-focused workout, which can be performed in minimal space at the gym or at home. All you need is a kettlebell, dumbbells, and a step or bench.
LOWER BODY STRENGTH WORKOUT
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Dumbbell Goblet Squat
3
10
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
3
10
Step-Up
3
8 Per Leg
Kettlebell Swing
3
15
8 of 10
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
UPPER BODY WORKOUT + RECOVERY
By Jim Smith, CPPS, owner of Diesel Strength & Conditioning.
Ten minutes necessitates a quick workout, but that doesn’t mean you can’t build in a minute of recovery. After knocking out this two-pronged upper body challenge, finish with some feel-good static hangs.
UPPER BODY WORKOUT + RECOVERY
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Incline Dumbbell Press
3
10
Pullup
3
Max Reps
Static Hang*
*
*
*Hang from a pull-up bar, and take five deep breaths with long exhales for recovery and improved movement.
9 of 10
Per Bernal
SHOULDER ACCESSORY WORKOUT
By Jim Smith, CPPS, owner of Diesel Strength & Conditioning.
Smith says that short “micro-dosing”—targeted work focusing on specific muscles—can be a great strategy for improving imbalances and weaknesses. In turn, this will help the main lifts in your primary workouts.
SHOULDER ACCESSORY WORKOUT
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rear Delt Flye
3
20
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3-4
8-12
10 of 10
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
GLUTE ACCESSORY WORKOUT
By Jim Smith, CPPS, owner of Diesel Strength & Conditioning.
Get those glutes firing and improve your deadlift with this lower body-focused workout. Perform as many good reps and sets as time allows.
