This is a fantastic total-body circuit workout done using just a few simple pieces of equipment.

You'll cover every major muscle group in your body with a special emphasis on the core (you'll see).

You're going to be doing...

• 3 sets of an explosive exercise - barbell hang clean and press
• 3 sets of an upper body push exercise - dumbbell bench press
• 3 sets of an upper body pull exercise - chin-ups
• 3 sets of a squat - goblet squats
• 2 sets of a hip hinge - barbell and dumbbell stiff-legged deadlifts

In between EVERY single set that you do, instead of rest, you're going to be doing dumbbell crawling, about 15-20 feet, there and back.

Dumbbell crawling is a fantastic core exercise...you hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands then crawl forward. Every "step" you take has one foot and one hand off the ground, which puts cross-tension through the core.

Now, naturally you can sub in any other exercise that fits the movement patterns above.

For example, for explosive training, you could do jump squats or one arm dumbbell snatches, for upper body push, you could do push-ups or band or barbell presses, for upper body pull, chin-ups or inverted rows, for squats, a single leg squat or lunge, for hip hinge, a dumbbell or kettlebell swing.

For the crawling, you will need a pair of dumbbells (or other fairly heavy objects that you can easily hold onto that will also support your bodyweight.

Here's what the workout looks like.

 

1. Barbell Hang Clean and Press

 

2. Dumbbell Crawling

Go up and back again, using a crawling movement pattern. I would suggest practicing this one a bit with light weight to get an idea of the movement and how it feels with weight.

You will be doing this between EVERY set of every exercise that you do, instead of rest.

 

3. Dumbbell Bench Press

 

4. Chin-Ups

 

5. Goblet Squats

 

6. Barbell and Dumbbell Stiff-Legged Deadlift.

Since you're just doing 2 sets of this one, switch which hand grips on which implement on the second set.

 

7. Finish With a Heavy Dumbbell Crawl

This is optional, but I used the heavier weights to finish off the workout with a final crawl.

 

The whole workout will be done in about 17-20 minutes...you will have worked every single major muscle group in your body with special emphasis on the core.

This style of circuit training is also fantastic for fat burning...the constant work brings in the aerobic system very strongly even while you're doing heavier-load weight training.