GLOW UP CHALLENGE // DAY 1: Full Body HIIT Workout

Full Body HIIT Workout is part of Heather Robertson‘s week long Glow Up Challenge, which is 7 days of workouts plus a nutrition guide and other suggestions for a holistic approach to getting on your “glow.” I am not doing the program but I do plan to eventually do all of the workouts. In fact, I have now done all of the Glow Up workouts except for one (Day 7), which I plan to do this week. For more information on her Glow Up program (and other programs–all FREE), visit her website.

This is another metabolic cardio + strength workout from Heather. This workout is made up of 3 circuits. Each circuit contains 6 exercises; 2 of those exercises are cardio exercises and the other 4 are compound strength exercises. Each circuit is done twice. I could not lift heavy dumbbells in this workout. Some of the exercises are done at such a brisk pace that I would not have been able to keep pace with Heather if I used heavier dumbbells and others had so many different aspects to them (#1 in Circuit 3 is a good example) that you are forced to use a lighter weight. In that exercise, you combine 3 different exercises. For 2 of those exercises I could have used a heavier weight but one of them (pressing both dumbbells straight in front of me while in side lunge) I cannot, so I was forced to go with a lighter weight. I was still working hard throughout this workout. I got some strength work and lots of cardio. According to my FitBit I burned 313 calories and spent a total of 14 minutes in my peak heart rate zone. Since this workout is only 42 minutes, I used Heather’s Total Body Tabata Workout // 12 Minute Tabata with Weights as a finisher. That workout really finished me off after this one. This workout has a very short cool down/stretch (only 1:15 minutes!) so using a finisher with a longer stretch is a good idea. Her 12 Minute Tabata doesn’t have a long stretch either (2:15 minutes) but at least it was longer and more thorough than what this workout gives you.

Full Body HIIT Workout is 42:48 minutes; 1:30 minute intro, 3 minute warm up and 1:15 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and a fitness mat. Heather is using 5 and 10 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used. Since this is the first workout in the Glow Up Challenge, Heather gives an overview of the challenge during the intro. The exercises are done interval style: 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of recovery. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of the screen counting down the intervals and recoveries. During the recovery Heather previews the next exercise.

Circuit 1:

1. Squat row & press (stand with legs wide (sumo squat fashion), squat with DBs between legs, when you stand do one upright row, squat again and when you stand do a hammer curl into an overhead press) (12# DBs)
2. Push up & tap (start in straight arm plank with one light DB in each hand, tap DB to opposite shoulder, repeat on other side then do one push up) (6# DBs)
3. Weighted jacks (jumping jack legs, do overhead press in time with legs) (5# DBs)
4. Side lunge & press (stand with legs wide, holding one DB in one hand, lower into side lunge and reach DB toward opposite foot, straighten leg and do a single arm overhead press) (one 15# DBs)
5. Repeat #4 on other side of body
6. Frogger (holding one light DB in each hand, stand with legs wide, squat and tap ends of DBs to mat, stand and raise DBs overhead while also raising onto toes) (5# DBs)
7. Repeat #1-6

30 second rest

Circuit 2:

1. Deadlift lunge & curl (one deadlift + one reverse lunge with a hammer curl, alternate legs when lunging) (16.5# DBs)
2. Sumo swing (stand with legs wide, toes turned out, holding one DB in each hand, squat and swing both DBs between legs, when you stand do a single arm kettlebell swing using DB, alternate arms) (12# DBs)
3. Broad jump and shuffle (stand at one end of your mat, jump forward the length of your mat then shuffle backward, back to the starting position)
4. Stand ups and press (start in high kneeling on mat holding a DB in each hand behind head, step forward into kneeling lunge with one foot, step the other foot forward and stand, when standing raise DBs overhead, lower DBs back behind head (French press/overhead tricep extension) and step one foot back into kneeling lunge then step other foot back so you are back in starting position of high kneeling, alternate lead leg)
5. Rear fly combo (hinge forward, do one rear delt fly (arms raise to sides in a T), one straight arm lat/tricep raise (arms raise behind you and stay close to sides), and one straight arm raise to the front (arms frame head), cycle through these 3 versions) (6# DBs but in the future I will use heavier DBs)
6. High knee run
7. Repeat #1-6

30 second rest

Circuit 3:

1. Side lunge & raise (stationary alternating side lunges, between each side do one double arm bent arm side raise, when lunging push both DBs in front of you at chest level) (6# DBs)
2. T push ups (one push + one side plank, raising one arm/DB to the ceiling, alternate sides/arms with a push up between each side) (10# DBs)
3. Shadow box (alternating weighted front punches) (5# DBs)
4. Toe touch & leg drop (lay on back on mat, hold one DB in both hands, arms are extended straight to ceiling, raise both straight legs to ceiling, crunch upper body, reaching DB to feet then lower straight legs until they are a few inches of the floor, return to starting position) (one 15# DB)
5. Squat & curtsy (hold DBs together at chest, do one squat + one cross-back/curtsy lunge, alternate sides with a squat between each side) (one 25# DB)
6. Burpee press (hold one DB in each hand, place DBs on mat, jump feet back to plank, jump feet back in to DBs, stand and do a hammer curl into an overhead press) (16.5# DBs)
7. Repeat #1-6

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