Full-body workouts help you lose weight in two key ways. First, you do vigorous cardiovascular activity that increases your heart rate so you burn calories quickly. Second, you target every major muscle group, adding dense muscle tissue that gradually raises your basal metabolic rate so you burn calories even while at rest. Doing full-body workouts such as circuit training, power yoga, boot camp or vigorous calisthenics burns more than 500 calories per hour. If you exercise for an hour daily, you lose more than 1 lb. per week. If you have injuries or health problems, speak with your doctor before starting an intense exercise regimen.
Step 1
Warm up for 10 minutes by doing moderate cardiovascular activity such as walking on a treadmill, cycling, treading water, jogging in place or marching in place. When your muscles feel warmer and more elastic, do stretches and joint rotations.
Step 2
Do five minutes of vigorous cardiovascular activity such as running on a treadmill, climbing stairs, rowing quickly on a stationary rowing machine or high-impact dance.
Step 3
Spike your heart rate for one minute by doing a speed or strength interval. Do deep squat jumps, skip rope, sprint, do jumping jacks or burpees, or jump on and off a stable raised platform, landing with both feet.
Step 4
Jog in place for 30 seconds to recover. Your heart rate stays high as long as you keep moving.
Step 5
Target your major muscle groups with vigorous calisthenics such as pushups, pullups, crunches on an incline board, deep squats, triceps dips and bench presses. Do two or three exercises for five minutes total.
Step 6
Repeat this circuit of cardio activity, speed interval and strength training for the duration of your workout.
Step 7
Cool down by jogging and slowing to a moderate walk over the course of 10 minutes. Stretch your limbs and do joint rotations while breathing deeply.
Tips and Warnings
- As you get more fit, increase the calories you burn by extending your speed intervals or adding weight to your strength-training exercises.
- Reduce your chances of injury by wearing cross-training shoes with good ankle and heel support.
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