Cardio HIIT/Bicep/Back/Core Circuits

Cardio HIIT/Bicep/Back/Core Circuits is another awesome workout from Yvette Bachman. I have worked every other muscle group this week except back. I had a different back workout scheduled for today but I love Yvette’s workouts so much that when I saw this workout had “back” in the title I did a swap. It didn’t give me as good of a back workout as I would have gotten had I stuck with my planned workout (Barlates: Back Strength) but I still loved it. It did work my back well–so I am not saying it’s not a good back workout. It just isn’t as thorough as Barlates: Back Strength. But I am not sorry! It was too much fun! This is a bootcamp style workout. As the title suggests, it is done in circuit format. There are 14 circuits and each circuit contains 3 exercises: 1 minute of cardio + 40 seconds of strength training + 30 seconds of core work (except for the final circuit, #14–that one is different). For the first half of the workout your strength work focuses on your back and for the last half your strength work focuses on your biceps.

This is the 3rd workout by Yvette that I’ve done and I have loved them all so far. I found this one easier than the other two I have done (Cardio/Kickbox Bootcamp and Legs (& Chest) Day w/ Step & Cardio) but it was still an excellent workout. The cardio wasn’t as intense as it was in the other two workouts (not HIIT level). Yvette wears weighted gloves in her workouts. I wore them in the Cardio/Kickbox Bootcamp workout but not in the other one. I didn’t wear them today either but they would probably do a good job of increasing intensity. I still got a great workout, so I am not complaining. BTW–Yvette posted another cardio + strength workout this morning that also works your back and biceps–this time with heavier weights. In that one you do 5-8 reps of the strength exercises rather than timed strength circuits, so you can lift heavier and work your back even better. I cannot wait to try that one!

Cardio HIIT/Bicep/Back/Core Circuits is 58:30 minutes long; 8:30 minute warm up and 2:45 minute stretch. Equipment: step @ 8 inches and set up vertically, a 6 pound medicine ball and a variety of dumbbells (Yvette has 8-25 pound dumbbells). I have a lot of medicine balls so I used several different weights if I felt the exercise needed something heavier. Below, the dumbbell weights and medicine ball weights listed are what I used.

Circuit 1:

1. With hands on step, jump over step 3x then stand and do one jump
2. Alternating plank rows w/ hands on step and DBs on floor beside step (20# DBs)
3. Sit up with pullover at bottom and toss ball at top (10# med ball)

Circuit 2:

1. 3 straddle steps on step, jump back 3, 2 jacks; ends w/ 8 jacks
2. Burpee + bent over wide rows (palms facing forward) (you will set DBs on step when doing burpee) (20# DBs)
3. Lay supine w/ legs straight on floor and arms extended straight overhead holding ball–crunch up while raising one straight leg and touch ball to foot, alternate legs (10# med ball)

Circuit 3:

1. Lateral squat jumps over step (one foot always on step, tap step w/ one hand when squatting)
2. 2 narrow bent over back rows + jack on and off step once (20# DBs)
3. Russian Twist sitting on step w/ feet raised (one 10# DB)

Circuit 4:

1. Box jumps on step (one foot always on step–jump forward, jump laterally over step, jump back, jump laterally over step)
2. Lat pullover (one 30# DB)
3. Push legs in and out while sitting on step (hands on step behind you)

Circuit 5:

1. Long jump straddling step, burpee w/ hands on step, fast shuffle/jog back
2. Rear delt flys (10# DBs)
3. Lay on floor w/ knees bent and feet on floor, do a narrow chest press, full sit up and punch to side–alternate sides (8# DBs)

Circuit 6:

1. Lateral step over step + 2 jacks pushing med ball overhead (6# med ball)
2. Rhomboid squeeze (hold elbows against waist, elbows bent, palms facing ceiling–bring DBs out to side then back in front of you) (10# DBs)
3. Skull crusher press (lay on floor w/ knees bent and feet on floor, do a pullover, full sit up pushing DB overhead) (one 12# DB)

Circuit 7:

1. Step one foot on step while stepping other foot out to side, repeat on other leg then do a step knee raise each leg; ends w/ 8 step knee raises (Yvette calls them “Marios”)
2. Renegade rows (25# DBs)
3. Sit on floor, torso leaned back slightly, knees bent w/ heels on floor, hands clasped and arms straight–bring straight arms overhead then down to side of body tapping floor, alternate sides (like a woodchop)

Circuit 8:

1. Straddle step + step knee jump
2. Superman hold then push up into plank hold
3. In straight arm plank tap hand to opposite shoulder

30 second water break

Circuit 9:

1. Lateral step over step while pushing ball overhead then beside step narrow squat tapping ball to ground (10# med ball)
2. Sumo squat w/ bicep curls (15# DBs)
3. Sit on step, feet raised and ankles crossed, torso leaned back and holding med ball–twist ball to one side, return to center and push ball overhead, alternate sides (6# med ball)

Circuit 10:

1. Burpee + one plank jack + 2 standing jacks (hands on step for burpee)
2. Hammer curl to overhead press and when lowering DBs do it slowly to count of 3 (15# DBs)
3. Standing knee pulls w/ med ball (6# med ball)

Circuit 11:

1. Step one foot on step while stepping other foot out to side, repeat on other leg then step on step while raising one leg out straight behind you (do both legs) (she calls these “superwomans”); ends w/ just superwomans
2. Pulse squat 3x w/ one foot on step + step both feet onto step and do one hammer curl; ends w/ 4 hammer curls (15# DBs)
3. Other leg: Standing knee pulls w/ med ball (6# med ball)

Circuit 12:

1. Straddle steps on step + front kick
2. Other leg: Pulse squat 3x w/ one foot on step + step both feet onto step and do one hammer curl; ends w/ 4 hammer curls (15# DBs)
3. Straight arm plank w/ hands on med ball, step feet in and out

Circuit 13:

1. Step one foot on step while stepping other foot out to side, repeat on other leg then do 3 knee repeaters (both legs); ends w/ just the step outs side to side
2. Burpee + 2 supination curls (burpee done w/ DBs on step) (15# DBs)
3. Lay supine w/ legs straight on floor and arms extended straight overhead holding ball–crunch up while bringing knee into chest and touching ball to shin, alternate legs (6# med ball)

Circuit 14:

1. Straddle squat on step; ends w/ pulsing squat (one 15# DB)
2. T stand planks
3. Repeat #1 starting straddle squats on other leg

For more info on Yvette Bachman and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.