The 10 best workout challenges to put your body to the test
- 7 years ago
Let's put whatever workout routines you're following to the side right now—it's time for a challenge or break from the typical grind. These one-off workouts will test your muscular strength and endurance, and push you past pain thresholds. Sound a little too intense? That's OK. Take on each workout at your pace, focus on your form, and gradually make progress. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or workout-lunatic we're got a challenge to fit your abilities.Wyatt Krueger, a Level-1 CrossFit instructor, owner of CrossFit Amherst, and contributing expert to Men's Fitness and HUMANFITPROJECT demonstrates his series of 10 challenges.Click on the links below to watch the videos.CHALLENGE 1: THE 20/10 CHALLENGE
Complete all exercises as one circuit. Rest 30 seconds in between circuits. Complete for a total of 5 rounds.20 Squats
10 Renegade Row Push Ups
20 Front Squats
10 Renegade Row Push Ups
20 Front Raises
10 Renegade Row Push Ups
20 Forward Lunges
10 Renegade Row Push Ups
20 Reverse Lunges
10 Renegade Row Push Ups CHALLENGE 2: THE DUMBBELL COMPLEX CHALLENGE
Without putting the dumbbell down—complete the following exercises as a circuit. Rest 30 seconds between sets. Attempt to increase the weight with each set. Complete 3 total sets.10 Dumbbell Squats
10 Dumbbell Squat Cleans
10 Dumbbell Thrusters
10 Dumbbell Shoulder Presses CHALLENGE 3: THE DESCENDING REP SCHEME
Rep scheme is descending, and allows for great strength work as well as some conditioning. Each movement is performed for 10 reps. Once all are completed you then perform each movement with 9 reps, and so on down to 1 rep of each movement.10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1Bench Press
Deadlift
Dips
Pull Ups CHALLENGE 4: THE 500 REP CHALLENGE
Move through this circuit one time at 50 reps per movement.1-50 Push Ups
2-50 Air Squat Jumps
3-50 Inverted Barbell Pull Ups
4-50 Neutral Grip Dumbbell Shoulder Press
5-50 Dumbbell Front Squat
6-50 Russian Twists
7-50 Renegade Rows
8-50 V-Ups
9-50 Bench Hops
10-50 Mountain Climbers CHALLENGE 5: THE BY-THE-RACK BEAR COMPLEX
You will complete four sets. Increase weight each set: Perform all 5 movements in succession, 2:00 rest between sets:5 Hang Cleans
5 Reverse Front Rack Lunges (5 each side)
5 Push Press
10 Back Squat
10 Sumo Deadlift High PullLooking for a total-body transformation program with a little bit of everything for everyone instead? DOWNLOAD the June 2016 update of The 21-Day Shred and the SHRED SERIES. FOLLOW program designer and Men's Fitness executive digital director Mike Simone on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Use the hashtag #The21DayShred for questions and photo submissions. CHALLENGE 6: THE 1-MINUTE CHALLENGE
At the start of every minute, complete the following exercises as quickly as possible. Rest for the remainder of that minute and begin again at the start of the next minute. Continue for a total of 10 minutes.5 Barbell Thrusters
5 Burpees CHALLENGE 7: THE GIANT SET CHALLENGE
Complete each exercise with :10 rest between movements and 1-2 minutes rest between sets. Complete a total of 5 sets.5 Deadlift
5 Bent Over Barbell Row
5 Chin Ups
5 Reverse Dumbbell Flys CHALLENGE 8: THE KETTLEBELL "OLY" CHALLENGE
Complete five rounds.KB Snatch
Complete as many as possible in 45 seconds.
Rest 15 secondsKB Clean
Complete as many as possible in 45 seconds.
Rest 15 seconds.
Complete all exercises as one circuit. Rest 30 seconds in between circuits. Complete for a total of 5 rounds.20 Squats
10 Renegade Row Push Ups
20 Front Squats
10 Renegade Row Push Ups
20 Front Raises
10 Renegade Row Push Ups
20 Forward Lunges
10 Renegade Row Push Ups
20 Reverse Lunges
10 Renegade Row Push Ups CHALLENGE 2: THE DUMBBELL COMPLEX CHALLENGE
Without putting the dumbbell down—complete the following exercises as a circuit. Rest 30 seconds between sets. Attempt to increase the weight with each set. Complete 3 total sets.10 Dumbbell Squats
10 Dumbbell Squat Cleans
10 Dumbbell Thrusters
10 Dumbbell Shoulder Presses CHALLENGE 3: THE DESCENDING REP SCHEME
Rep scheme is descending, and allows for great strength work as well as some conditioning. Each movement is performed for 10 reps. Once all are completed you then perform each movement with 9 reps, and so on down to 1 rep of each movement.10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1Bench Press
Deadlift
Dips
Pull Ups CHALLENGE 4: THE 500 REP CHALLENGE
Move through this circuit one time at 50 reps per movement.1-50 Push Ups
2-50 Air Squat Jumps
3-50 Inverted Barbell Pull Ups
4-50 Neutral Grip Dumbbell Shoulder Press
5-50 Dumbbell Front Squat
6-50 Russian Twists
7-50 Renegade Rows
8-50 V-Ups
9-50 Bench Hops
10-50 Mountain Climbers CHALLENGE 5: THE BY-THE-RACK BEAR COMPLEX
You will complete four sets. Increase weight each set: Perform all 5 movements in succession, 2:00 rest between sets:5 Hang Cleans
5 Reverse Front Rack Lunges (5 each side)
5 Push Press
10 Back Squat
10 Sumo Deadlift High PullLooking for a total-body transformation program with a little bit of everything for everyone instead? DOWNLOAD the June 2016 update of The 21-Day Shred and the SHRED SERIES. FOLLOW program designer and Men's Fitness executive digital director Mike Simone on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Use the hashtag #The21DayShred for questions and photo submissions. CHALLENGE 6: THE 1-MINUTE CHALLENGE
At the start of every minute, complete the following exercises as quickly as possible. Rest for the remainder of that minute and begin again at the start of the next minute. Continue for a total of 10 minutes.5 Barbell Thrusters
5 Burpees CHALLENGE 7: THE GIANT SET CHALLENGE
Complete each exercise with :10 rest between movements and 1-2 minutes rest between sets. Complete a total of 5 sets.5 Deadlift
5 Bent Over Barbell Row
5 Chin Ups
5 Reverse Dumbbell Flys CHALLENGE 8: THE KETTLEBELL "OLY" CHALLENGE
Complete five rounds.KB Snatch
Complete as many as possible in 45 seconds.
Rest 15 secondsKB Clean
Complete as many as possible in 45 seconds.
Rest 15 seconds.