Ah, the dog days of summer. It’s the time of year when it feels like anything can happen: work, travel, family gatherings, day trips galore. But whether you’re home or away this season, you’ll be able to carve out the time—and find the motivation—to work up a sweat with this simple series of bodyweight moves.
Get a Tabata playlist ready and start your timer: you’ll be working all-out for 20 seconds followed by a scant 10 seconds of rest. Trust us, it may look easy, but you’ll be spent by the time your final set is behind you.
Equipment
None!
How to Do It
Each set has two no-equipment moves—you’ll alternate between the two exercises for a total of eight rounds in each set. Work as hard as you possibly can for the first exercise, trying to fit as many reps as possible into 20 seconds of work, before resting for 10 seconds. Do the second exercise in the same manner and continue, going back and forth between the exercises, for four minutes total. Rest for up to one minute between sets.
Tabata 1
Work: 20 seconds, Rest: 10 seconds, Number of rounds: Eight (four of each exercise)
1a Squat Jacks
Stand tall with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Jump your legs out wide, clapping your hands in front of your chest, then hop your feet back to the start. Continue for your set.
1b Prisoner Squat
Space your feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands behind your head. Push your hips back and bend your knees to squat, watching that your knees don’t extend past your toes. Stand and repeat, maintaining a peppy pace.
Tabata 2
Work: 20 seconds, Rest: 10 seconds, Number of rounds: Eight (four of each exercise)
2a Hand-Release Push-Up
Get into a high plank position on the ground with your hands under your shoulders. Bend your arms to lower your chest to the ground, quickly lift your palms from the floor, then plant them and extend your arms to return to the start.
2b Jump Squat
Stand with your feet under your shoulders. Squat down, bringing your hands together in front of your chest, then leap into the air, pushing your arms back to help propel you higher. Land softly with slightly bent knees, and immediately repeat.
Tabata 3
Work: 20 seconds, Rest: 10 seconds, Number of rounds: Eight (four of each exercise)
3a Reverse Lunge with Knee Drive
Start with your feet together. Take a big step back with one foot and bend both knees to lunge. As you return to the center, don’t plant your foot; instead, raise your knee in front of your body. Immediately step that foot behind you once again, and repeat rapidly. During your next set, switch legs.
3b Burpee
From a standing position, crouch down and place both hands on the ground. Jump your legs behind you, perform a push-up, then hop your feet back toward your hands. As you stand, jump as high as you can into the air. Land, and immediately repeat.
Tabata 4
Work: 20 seconds, Rest: 10 seconds, Number of rounds: Eight (four of each exercise)
4a Skaters
Bend your knees slightly, then jump to your right, landing on your right leg and sweeping your left leg behind you. Quickly jump in the same manner to the left, and continue for your set.
4b Plank with Shoulder Tap
Get into a high plank position on the ground with your hands under your shoulders. Keep your core tight, shoulders stable, and hips level as you alternate tapping each shoulder with your opposite hand.
Demonstrated by Dacia Lucas and Esmin Feliciano
Photography by Paul Buceta
Hair and Makeup by Lori Fabrizio
