When it comes to exercising I like to keep changing things up so that I don’t get bored with my workouts. Additionally, doing varied routines helps to target different muscle groups to get all over strengthening and toning. Here’s an easy way to get a total body workout by mixing and matching exercises. Plus, you can use the free printable guide to plan out multiple fitness routines that you love.
Coming Up with a Total Body Workout Recipe
Combining Exercises
The easiest way to create a total body workout is to keep things simple and combine excerises that focus on each specific area of the body. For example, legs, arms, abs, and back.
It’s also important to add in some cardio to get that heart rate going and improve endurance.
To top it off, include a couple of exercises that work multiple muscle groups.
Below you will find several ideas for exercise moves that aim to strengthen isolated parts of the body. Plus, choices for both cardio and full body exercises.
Be sure to get the printout that shows all of the mix and match options and gives you a spot to create your workout. Print multiple copies to continue coming up with different workouts to cover your whole week!
Cardio
I like to get my cardio out of the way first. It helps to get my muscles warm and fires up my energy to complete the rest of my routine.
Here are some ideas that require little to no equipment. You can modify the times to fit your personal needs.
- Jump rope: 2 min on, 1 min rest, 5-10 reps
- Jog/Run 20-40 minutes
- Walk 30 minutes
- Jumping jacks 2 min, 30 sec rest, skater 2 min, 5-8 reps
- High knees 1 min, punches 1 minute, 30 sec rest, 5-10 reps
- Bike riding 30 minutes
- Machine cardio such as stationary bike, or elliptical 20-30 minutes
Legs
Choose 2-4 legs exercises to include next in your workout. Complete 2-4 reps of each exercise. To increase the difficulty on some of these exercises you can also add in resistance bands.
- 25 Squats
- 25 Sumo squats
- 25 side lunges (each side)
- 20 squat jumps
- 25 bridge lifts
- 25 heel raises
- 25 donkey kicks (each side)
- 25 fire hydrants (each side)
- 20 side kicks (each side)
- 1 min wall sit
Arms
Next, choose 2-4 arm exercises for your total body workout. Complete each set 2-4 times. Some require dumbbell weights. I recommend 5-10lbs depending on your fitness level
Without weights:
- 25 push ups (regular or on knees)
- 25 Tricep dips
- 20 commandos (plank position down to elbows, back to hands)
- 25 side arm circles, 25 forward arm circles
- 20 Shoulder taps (plank position, tap left shoulder with right hand, alternate sides)
With weights:
- 20 Bicep curls to over head press
- 20 Upright rows to side extensions
- 20 chest presses
- 20 tricep kickbacks
- 20 reverse flies
Abs
You don’t want to miss those abs. Pick 2-4 abdominal exercises for your workout. Again, do 2-4 reps of each one.
- 25 crunches
- 25 reverse crunches
- 20 windmills
- 25 straight leg heel pulses
- 20 leg lefts (make it harder with a medicine ball)
- 30 sec scissor kicks
- 1 min plank
- 30 Spider-Man
- 30 sec side plank (each side)
- 20 Russian twists
- 20 overhead pendulum (reaching overhead, bend at the hips to the left, then to the right)
Full-Body
Lastly, choose 2 full body exercises to end your workout with. Do each exercise for 1 minute, for 1-3 reps with a 30 second rest in between.
- Plank jacks
- Mountain climbers
- Burpees (with or without push-up)
- Star jumps
- Box jumps
- Plank push-up (plank position to downward dog)
- Wide leg squats with upright row (with weight)
Use the Mix and Match Printable
To make putting together your workout easy, I created a mix and match printable. It is also editable as a PDF of you prefer to keep it digital.
Simply click here or the image above and enter your email address to have it sent directly to your inbox. Download and print. Then chooses your exercises and write down your workout in the space provided.
Print multiple copies so that you can continue to mix it up with different workouts throughout your week!
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Hi, I’m Megan, the creative voice behind DIY Detectives. Within these pages you will find bits and pieces of my life as a wife to a former Marine and a mom to five kiddos. I love sharing tips, trips, and tutorials of all the things we take on at home. After all, life in general is just one big DIY project.
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