Train your body as one muscle

Multi-directional movement patterns are the new favorite with trainers and fitness professionals. Why? Backed by solid scientific rationale, they recruit all the major muscle groups, increase whole-body strength and burn through an epic amount of energy in a single workout.

Another way of seeing multi-directional movement exercises is that they treat your body as just one muscle. Weight training machines, by contrast, focus on one muscle group at a time, and only involve a limited amount of muscle tissue. This means spending a lot of time on a minor amount of calorie burning.

In this workout, we get off the machines and challenge multiple muscle groups to work together in compound movements, develop total body strength and intensify calorie metabolism in a shorter period of time. Did we say stronger and fitter in less time? You bet your soon-to-be-sweet butt we did.

The workout below uses a traditional format: complete all sets of each exercise before moving onto the next.

Prep a. Dumbbell deep goblet squat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8COMhl-hgBU

Reps: 6 Sets: 1-2
Intensity/Load: Light
Tempo: Slow to 5s hold Rest
Interval: 30-45 seconds

Prep b. SLB hinge to lock-step and type 2 rotation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrnFtdxoGkA

Reps: 6 each side
Sets: 1-2
Intensity/Load: Bodyweight
Tempo: Slow to 5s hold
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

1. Plank push back to single leg squat and balance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxnuwZ7bvpc

Reps: 6-8 each side
Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Bodyweight
Tempo: Natural
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

2. Reverse lunge then 2 hand cable row

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0OBhRFTgEs

Reps: 6-8 each side Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Medium-Heavy
Tempo: Natural
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

3. Cable flyes — alternating arm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpVIGh1dJng

Reps: 10-12 each side
Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Medium-Heavy
Tempo: Natural
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

4. Wide lateral deadlift

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ7ArlQU-QY

Reps: 6-8 each side
Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Medium-Heavy
Tempo: Natural
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

5. 1 arm DB curl to torso rotational press

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=133CcF_Idz8

Reps: 10-12 each side Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Medium-Heavy
Tempo: Natural
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds

6. Release push to alt. kick under side plank hold

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNOd06TrJso

Reps: 6-8 each side Sets: 3-4
Intensity/Load: Bodyweight
Tempo: Slow to 5s hold
Rest Interval: 30-45 seconds