Army Monday: Do this exercise for physique weight solely

Two of the most common excuses for not training are "I don't have time" and "I don't have a gym". nsense. All you really need is yourself to do a bodyweight workout.

Developed by an Army National Guard and a certified strength trainer, the following routine takes just 30 minutes and requires no equipment. The results? A great calorie burning workout that hits the lower body, upper body pressure muscles (chest, delts, triceps) and cardiovascular system effectively and helps you lose the excuses above.

Military Monday is a recurring weekly series featuring expert trainers and strength trainers from the U.S. military (both veterans and active duty) in partnership with product development company Bravo Sierra. The workouts you can find here make our male and female soldiers the strongest and fitter on the planet. They can be done in different places (at home and at the gym) with minimal equipment.

Selected trainer: SSG. Stephen K. Bart, National Guard of the Delaware Army, is the Project Manager of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) for the State of Delaware and the owner and COO of CrossFit Reconstructed in Hockessin, DE. While monitoring the fitness and general physical readiness of thousands of soldiers and civilians, Bart serves his local community through the Green Beret Project and mentors youth in Wilmington, DE.

Equipment needed: "NBB" (nothing but body weight)

Time required: Approximately 30 minutes, including the warm up and cooldown.

Training overview: Bart's metabolism conditioning routine for body weight only is based on both his military background and CrossFit training methods.

It begins with a warm-up consisting of a short jog, dynamic warm-up exercises, and an alternating combination of short, progressively faster sprints and hand-release push-ups (a standardized pull recently implemented by the U.S. Army).

Then move on to the meat of workout: a 12-minute EMOM (short for "every minute in the minute") with iron mikes (lunges) and more pushups.

Finished? t quite. A shuttle sprint with maximum effort completes the routine.

"This workout is short and sweet, but it packs a huge punch," says Bart. "It will burn your legs, arms, and most importantly, your lungs."

Courtesy SSG Stephen K. Bart

Staff Sergeant Barts 12-1-2 "Fire for Effect" workout for body weight only

Warm up

As you warm up, focus on keeping your heart rate high during the sprint and try to go fast. The higher your heart rate can be during the warm-up, the better the workout will be.

For the 20 yard shuttle sprints, simply sprint 10 yards and back on any field, track, or place.

2 minutes. to run
10 yard heel path
10 yard toe walk
10-yard butt kicks
10 meter high knees
10-yard walking lungs
10 meter high knees
10-yard butt kicks
10 yard toe walk
10 yard heel path
20-yard shuttle sprint (70% effort)
5 push-ups with hand release
20 yard shuttle sprint (80% effort)
5 push-ups with hand release
20 yard shuttle sprint (90% effort)
5 push-ups with hand release

What you should know about "Fire for Effect" training with body weight only:

EMOM stands for "every minute to the minute". Use a stopwatch, timer, or smartphone to keep track of the time. A wristwatch is best for this workout.

"Iron Mikes" are military conversations for walking lunges. Keep your hands on top of your head and dive as far as you can, every minute.

For hand-release pushups, start on your stomach with your arms snug against your body and your fingers under your shoulders. Push to the top of a push-up, then lower yourself to the floor. At the end of each repetition, lift your hands slightly off the floor and immediately put them back down and move on to your next push-up repetition. If you can't get up to 15 reps, do as many as you can in 45 seconds.

After completing the 12-minute EMOM, rest for a minute before starting Part 2.

For your final stint of 20 yard shuttle sprints, sprint 10 yards and back non-stop for two minutes. Run as hard as you can and don't hold back.

At the end of your workout, cool off with a five-minute walk. And don't forget to hydrate!