No Jumping METCON // Low Impact Workout

No Jumping METCON // Low Impact Workout is an intense metabolic strength workout from Heather Robertson. With Heather, low impact does not mean low intensity! Unfortunately this is not a total body workout. She gives the muscle groups you are working some nice work but (as usual) the back is gyped. Your shoulders get a lot of work. In fact, at the beginning of Circuit 5 I was struggling with the first exercise the first time through the circuit because my shoulders were still burning from Circuit 4! The second time through that circuit they felt stronger. Use the right weights for your strength level and Heather will really get your heart pumping. I was working hard! I combined this workout with Heather’s Total Body Strength & Cardio to round out my hour and also to make sure my back got some work.

This workout is made up of 5 circuits. Each circuit contains 3 exercises and is done two times before moving on to the next circuit. The exercises are all 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 your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Heather previews your next exercise.

No Jumping METCON // Low Impact Workout is 37:00 minutes; 2:35 minute warm up and 3:15 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and fitness mat. Heather is using 5 and 10 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

Circuit 1:

1. Squat & curl (stand with legs wider than hip width holding a DB in each hand, lower into squat, do one double arm hammer curl then stand) (18# DBs)
2. Side bridge & fly (hold side elbow plank, top arm is extended straight in front of you holding a DB on the mat, raise DB to ceiling keeping arm straight then lower back to mat) (one 8# DB)
3. Repeat #2 on other side of body
4. Repeat #1-3

Circuit 2:

1. Wall sit & curl (hold a wall squat while doing alternating bicep curls) (15# DBs)
2. Press combo (lay on back on mat with knees bent and feet on mat, hold one DB in each hand, elbows are close to sides, push DBs to ceiling then bend elbows doing a skull crusher, straighten arms again then lower elbows back to mat) (13# DBs)
3. Plank & reach (in straight arm plank with a DB in each hand, alternate doing a straight arm front front raise, lifting arm/DB to shoulder level) (5# DBs)
4. Repeat #1-3

Circuit 3:

1. Lunge & press (stationary lunges holding one DB at your shoulder and other DB at side (same side as front leg), lower into lunge with DB at shoulder, at top of lunge do a single arm overhead press) (18# DBs)
2. Repeat #1 on other side of the body
3. Cross punch (holding a DB in each hand do alternating cross punches, pivoting to side with each punch) (5# DBs)
4. Repeat #1-3

Circuit 4:

1. Toe touch & leg drop (lay on back with legs extended straight to ceiling, hold one DB in each hand, arms are straight, reaching DBs to ceiling, lower straight legs until they are a few inches off the mat, raise legs back to ceiling, do an upper body crunch reaching DBs toward feet) (15# DBs)
2. Push up & tuck (in straight arm plank, bring one knee to elbow on outside of body, repeat on other side of body, return to plank and do one push up)
3. Plank & press (stand with a DB in each hand, squat and place DBs on mat, step feet back into plank, walk feet back into DBs, stand and do a bicep curl into an overhead press) (18# DBs)
4. Repeat #1-3

Circuit 5:

1. Lunge & pass (alternating reverse lunges, holding one DB in one hand, at bottom of lunge arms are extended to sides in a T, between each lunge, close arms in front of you (doing a straight arm chest fly), passing DB to other hand) (one 5# DB)
2. Curtsy lunge & raise (alternating curtsy/cross-back lunges, between each lunge do one straight arm side raise) (8# DBs)
3. Single arm swings (hold one DB in each hand, swing both DBs between legs kettlebell swing style, but at top of swing only raise one DB to shoulder level, alternate arms with each swing) (15# DBs)
4. Repeat #1-3

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