Try This 8-Minute Workout to Improve Your Full Body Strength at Any Fitness Level
When a trainer instructs you to perform a specific exercise and do as many repetitions as possible in a set time, like 30 seconds, how do you determine the right pace?
Well, it’s really up to you. These workouts, often known as AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible), allow you to tailor the intensity to match your current fitness level and energy levels on any given day. You have control over how much effort you put in. An AMRAP session can be an opportunity to completely exhaust your muscles or focus on perfecting your form at a slower pace.
According to Jason Khalipa, author of As Many Reps As Possible: Succeeding In Competition, Business, and Life By Making The Most Of Every Single Minute, “AMRAP workouts are about achieving your goals—big or small—through dedication, hard work, limited distraction, and focus,” as previously shared with Well+Good.
Certified personal trainer Elisabeth Akinwale, founder of 13th Flow Chicago, presents a series of AMRAP intervals in this new eight-minute, full-body workout video as part of Well+Good’s ReNew Year movement program. “You can adjust the speed at your own discretion,” she explains.
Akinwale has crafted this dynamic strength workout to cater to your individual fitness level. The routine includes reverse lunges, Supermans, windshield wipers, and several other exercises to target different muscle groups in various movement planes. Each exercise is performed for 30 seconds, allowing you to choose a pace that suits you during that time frame. Akinwale emphasizes, “Any pace that works for you is great. It’s your workout, so make it your own.”
Some exercises may feel easier and allow for quicker completion, while others might require a slower pace to ensure proper technique. It’s essential not to rush through the motions, maintaining full range of motion and proper form throughout. Akinwale advises, “Our aim is to move consistently throughout the duration of each interval.”
If you participate in the ReNew Year plan, you’ll receive a week’s worth of daily workouts like this one every Sunday this month, all curated by Akinwale, drawing on her experience as a trainer, former gymnast, Olympic weightlifter, CrossFitter, and social worker.
One key point she stresses is that it’s okay to ease off during a workout if needed. True strength is manifested in being attuned to your body’s cues and responding accordingly. “If it becomes too much, simply dial it back a bit,” she recommends.
If you follow the ReNew Year program, you’ll revisit this same workout multiple times to become more familiar with the exercises and track your progress throughout the month. Akinwale encourages, “You can always push yourself further next time.”
