Full Body METCON // Metabolic Conditioning Workout

Full Body METCON // Metabolic Conditioning Workout is an intense total body strength workout from Heather Robertson. It is short but it will work you very well. Of course, as always, how hard you work and how well you are worked depends on your dumbbell choice. Mine was ambitious for my strength/fitness level but I was able to do it. It worked me very hard though. After only 30 minutes I was worn out! According to my FitBit I burned 200 calories and spent a total of 17 minutes in my cardio and peak heart rate zones (15 cardio/2 peak). It got more intense for me as the workout progressed. Those 2 minutes in my peak heart rate zone were during the final circuit. An excellent and intense metabolic workout.

This workout has 3 circuits, each containing 4 exercises. Each circuit is done 2 times before you move on to the next circuit. The exercises are all done interval style: 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of recovery. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Heather previews the next exercise.

Full Body METCON // Metabolic Conditioning Workout is 29:56 minutes; 30 second intro, 2:15 minute warm up and 2 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and a fitness mat. Heather is using 10 and 15 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

Circuit 1:

1. Lunge, curl & press (stationary/static lunges, holding a DB in each hand, lower into lunge, as you rise out of lunge do a double arm hammer curl bringing DBs to shoulders, hold while doing a single arm overhead press, lower DB back to shoulder then lower both DBs back to sides as you lower back into lunge) (15# DBs)
2. Repeat #1 on other side of body
3. Sumo & raise (stand with legs wide and toes turned out, hold one DB in both hands, lower into sumo squat reaching DB toward ground, when you stand, raise DB overhead keeping arms straight) (one 20# DB)
4. Squat & hop (hold one DB goblet style, do one goblet squat, squat again placing end of DB on floor, release DB and jump, land in squat, pick up DB goblet style and stand) (one 35# DB)
5. Repeat #1-4

30 second rest

Circuit 2:

1. Pullover crunch (lay on back holding one DB in both hands, legs are raised and extended straight at 90 degrees, DB is extended to ceiling, do a pull over, when you return DB to start, bend knees and pull them into chest while crunching upper body and bringing DB to knees) (one 25# DB)
2. Chest press bicycle (lay on back, bicycle legs while doing chest press) (25# DBs)
3. Kneeling L raise (in high kneeling one arm does a straight arm front raise while the other arm is doing a straight arm side raise at the same time, alternate arms) (8# DBs)
4. Curtsy & press (alternating curtsy lunges, between each lunge do a double arm overhead press) (15# DBs)
5. Repeat #1-4

30 second rest

Circuit 3:

1. Ninja row & curl (in straight arm plank holding one DB in each hand, do one renegade row each arm, jump feet into DBs and rise into a deep lunge, hold and do a double arm bicep curl, place DBs back on floor and jump feet back to plank) (15# DBs)
2. Skull crusher & crunch (lay on back with legs raised and bent at 90 degrees, hold one DB in both hands, do one skull crusher, lower DB behind head and crunch upper body bringing forehead to knees) (one 20# DB)
3. Side lunge & row (alternating stationary side lunges, when in lunge, reach DBs to floor, between each lunge do one upright row) (13# DBs)
4. Side shuffle & jack (hold one DB in both hands at chest level, lateral shuffle the length of your mat then jack the legs while pressing DB overhead) (one 10# DB)
5. Repeat #1-4

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