This fun routine utilizes one of the most underrated movements in the gym: the loaded carry. It might not look like much, but it’s a favorite of many top strength coaches for its dynamic list of benefits. It improves grip strength—which may not sound all that important, but is crucial for being able to lift heavier weights in a range of exercises, as well as mastering moves like chinups and pullups. But more than that, loaded carries are a functional, low-risk exercise that gets everything working: your shoulders, core, and legs. After a few weeks, you’ll notice other weighted exercises feel easier, and you’ll build more steady cross-strength and balance. The list goes on and on.
Combined with the two other exercises—cardio-boosting, glute-activating skier swings and lower-body sculpting reverse lunges—your arms and legs will be shaking at the end of this set. You can do this one of two ways: You can select a weight and use it throughout the entire circuit; or for more of a challenge, you can grab two to three pairs of dumbbells—one very heavy, one pretty heavy, and one not so heavy. (For me, that might be something like a pair of 50s, a pair of 35s, and a pair of 10 or 15s. Play around with using different weights to get a feel for what will challenge you without compromising your form.)
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If you’ve got a lot of open space, you can set this up like a shuttle drill: Leave the pretty-heavy weights at your “start” point, then place the not-so-heavy weights about 20 to 30 feet away (ideally, you want to be able to complete a 30-second loaded carry in one direction). Go back to the start and pick up your very-heavy weights, and perform the carry to the other end. Set them down and pick up the not-so-heavy weights to perform the skier swing, and then grab the heavy ones again to perform the second carry and return to start. Again, swap those for the pretty-heavy dumbbells and complete the reverse lunges. Tight on space? You can do the same shuttle-like setup, but keep both pair of extra weights at the “start” and just walk out and back, repeating as needed in the 30 seconds. (Work your whole body in just 18 minutes with Women's Health's All in 18 DVD!)
You can do a few sets as a finisher after any total-body gym routine, or as a way to add in some quick-but-functional lifting after a run or cardio workout. For a stand-alone sweat session, aim to complete six total rounds for an 18-minute workout.
