This is a great metabolic conditioning and high-volume workout for your entire body, cycling through a push, a pull, and a squat/lunge continuously for a set amount of time.

You'll be going through three exercises covering all the big muscle groups as prime targets, with the smaller muscles being worked secondarily.

The key here is that you'll just be doing TWO reps of each exercise. This is going to minimize lactate build-up in your muscles, allowing you to function at a fairly high and consistent level of strength and performance for relatively long periods of time....which means you're going to do a LOT of work.

And that's exactly what we're looking for in a good conditioning workout.

You're going to do this for a block of time... e.g. 5, 10, 15 minutes or more. I did a block of 15 minutes when I went through this one and it was just about right for me.

The biggest key to performing this workout most effectively is the smooth and fast transition between exercises.

There is NO rest between exercises so that you're shifting blood flow constantly around your body (similar in concept to "Peripheral Heart Action Training" by Bob Gadja, if you're familiar with it). This makes your body very inefficient in that it can never get into a groove with any one exercise.

And for fat-loss, inefficiency is CRITICAL for best results because it burns more calories.

Let's get into it...

There are a couple of setups you can use for this one. The first is done using a power rack with a chin-up bar. I will also include some other options, including another setup that is perfect if you're not strong enough to do chin-ups or the pop-up push-ups from a lower bar.

Here's what it looks like.

 

Exercise 1 - Pop-Up Push-Ups

Set a bar on the rails, braced up against the far uprights of the rack. The height of the rails will depend on how strong you are in terms of popping back up to a standing position (you'll see). Test this one before you do the workout.

Fall down forward and catch yourself on the bar. Obviously, you want to be careful here. Open your hands wide on the way down.

Now explode off the bar into a push-up.

Use enough force to come back up to a standing position then repeat.

You're just going to do 2 reps here.

 

Exercise 2 - Pull-Ups, Chin-Ups or Reverse Grip Chin-Ups

From where you're standing at the top of the second Pop-Up Push-Up, grab the chin-up bar.

You can use either a reverse-grip chin-up (close grip), a wide-grip pull-up, or a regular chin-up here. As you go through the full workout, you can vary which grip you use for a more complete back workout.

Perform 2 reps.

On the way down from your second rep, set down on one foot in preparation for...

 

Exercise 3- Single-Leg Squats

These are done with the non-working leg held behind you rather than in front like a pistol.

Use the uprights of the rack to brace your hands (don't grip onto the uprights), to help keep your balance. Try to keep your back foot toes off the ground. Touch your knee to the ground, then come back up.

Do 2 reps on each leg.

When you're done, stand up and drop directly down into the Pop-Up Push-Ups again.

Repeat for the full block of time that you've determined to do (I liked 15 minutes as a good block, but you can use whatever you like).

This rotation will allow you to perform a TON of work, without compromising performance.

If you don't want to do these in a rack (or you don't have a rack), you can use a flat bench for the push-ups instead (still using a chin-up bar, though). You'll likely need to adapt your body position on the push-up (knees and hips bent) in order to keep the smooth transition to the pull-up. Just be sure the bench isn't on a slippery floor if you use it for these.

You'll grip onto the bench during the single-leg squats.

 

An Easier Option

Now, if you can't do chin-ups or pull-ups, and you want to set the bar higher for the push-ups, here's the adjustment you'll use. These can also be done in the rack, or using the bar of a Smith machine.

The idea of continously cycling through bodyweight exercises is exactly the same, just with some modifications.

Set the bar to about waist height.

Perform the Pop-Up Push-Ups (2 reps).

Grab the bar then walk your legs under it quickly, getting into position for Inverted Rows.

Then immediately do 2 reps of Inverted Rows.

Quickly walk your legs back up and stand up, still gripping the bar.

Now come down into the Single Leg Squtats. Do 2 reps on each leg.

Switch legs.

Go straight back into the push-ups and repeat until your time block is done.

This modification will allow you to perform the sequence, no matter what your strength level.

Overall, this is a fantastic 3-exercise combination done using just bodyweight. It's going to hit every major (and a lot of minor) muscles groups in your body with a lot of training volume for maximum metabolic conditioning.

Watch the full video of this circuit in action here...

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Want More Metabolic Conditioning and Fat Loss Workouts Like This?

Then check out my book "Metabolic Monsters"...it's packed with killer circuits just like this one to help you get lean and strong while keeping ALL your muscle mass.