Workouts don’t need to be complicated to be effective, and by effective we mean leave every muscle burning and you gasping for breath. The workout challenge below comes from Grant King of Military Fitness in Fulham, London, and it’s a masterclass in both simplicity and savagery.
“This workout is a test of physical and mental strength,” says King. “Complete the round twice and record your time. All you need is access to an AirBike, rowing machine and either a treadmill or a 1km running route.”
There are just eight stations in the circuit, and to help motivate you to complete the two rounds as quickly as possible, King has provided time guides to let you know how you’ve done. Don’t be discouraged if you fall into the below average or need improvement categories – treat it as a reason to come back and improve next time around!
Workout Challenge
1 Run
Distance 1km
Cover 1km as fast as possible, either on the treadmill or in the great outdoors.
2 Burpee
Reps 20
From standing, drop into a crouch, then kick your feet back into a press-up position. Jump your feet forwards again so they’re next to your hands, then stand and leap straight up, throwing your hands up above your head.
3 Press-up
Reps 50
Get into a top press-up position, then lower your chest towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides. Push back up to the starting position. Do that 50 times... you may need a few breaks (we would).
4 Sit-up
Reps 50
Another casual 50 reps. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet planted on the ground. Use your core to pull your head and shoulders up off the ground and bring your torso to your knees. Lower with control. If your form starts to falter, take a break.
5 Row
Distance 1km
Another kilometre of cardio, this time on the rowing machine.
6 Unweighted squat
Reps 50
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then lower, bending at the knees and pushing your hips back until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Drive up through your heels to return to standing.
See related
- The Top 10 Gym Challenges
- Fitness Challenges For Every Age From 20 To 80
- Eight Workout Challenges To Test Your Mettle
7 Lunge
Reps 50
From standing, take a big step forwards and lower until both knees are bent at a 90° angle. Push back up and then lunge on the other leg. Do 50 reps in total.
8 AirBike/Assault Bike
Distance 3km
Smashing out 3km on an AirBike is a horribly hard workout in itself, so having to round off two circuits with it is, well, quite something. Enjoy!
Target Times
So how did you do?
- Under 40 minutes – Very Good
- 40-45 minutes – Good
- 45-50 minutes – Average
- 50-55 minutes – Below average
- 55+ minutes – Needs improvement
