Crashfit’s Tone & Strengthen workout is a full body workout designed to strengthen and tone the upper body, core, legs and butt.

With just five exercises it works the entire body quickly and effectively to create functional, practical strength and power that you’ll use in everyday movements. In particular, the T&S workout is designed to:

• Strengthen the muscles typically ignored by desk work, sitting on a couch or driving for long periods.
• Strengthen and tone the back, leg and butt muscles that provide a strong, sexy appearance.
• Strengthen the hip and core muscles to improve athletic performance.

Combine this workout with our Fat Burn Food Plan (coming soon) to look and feel your best. The video above shows proper form for each exercise, and photos, technique tips and more information is posted after the break…

The Tone & Strengthen Workout Routine

This workout puts the exercises in a particular order to maximize safety and effectiveness. The first two not only give you a good workout, they also loosen up your back and hips for the Kettle Bell Swings. The Mountain Climbers then work the front side and get your shoulders and chest ready for the pushups. I strongly recommend doing these exercises in the order shown. For all exercises:

• Do as many as you can.
• Minimum of 20 reps per exercise
• 50 minimum for Kettle Bell Swings

The whole thing only takse about 10 minutes, so make the most of it. For the Kettle Bell Swing, pick a weight that lets you do safely at least 50 reps. When you’re picking your weight, keep in mind your daily activities and fitness level. If you’re routinely lifting heavy things (children, boxes, etc.), choose a weight that’s about half of that . I’m using a 25lb kettle bell is what I’m using in these photos and video – I’m an avid cyclist and it’s plenty of weight. Beginners should start with 5lbs to 10lbs. (Practice with an unopened gallon of milk to see what 8lbs feels like, just don’t drop it!)

Together, these moves will help give you a great beach body by shaping the muscles in your butt and back (kind of like a “butt lift”), strengthen your core and hips for more explosive sports performance and generally improve your fitness. To maximize fat loss, do this workout first thing in the morning followed by a high protein, low carb breakfast. To really drop the fat, follow our Fat Burn Food Plan.

Supine Bridge

• Start this exercise by lying on your back and bringing your knees up to form about a 90º angle (left).
• Your upper back should be flat on the ground, and your lower back should maintain its natural arch. You can tell if it’s in the correct position if you’re able to slide your hand underneath your lower back. If you’re unable to do this because of excess mid-section girth, just focus on keeping your abs relaxed.
• Keep your arms and head relaxed and lying flat on the ground. Do not attempt to lift your body with your head or neck.
• Lift your toes slightly, this will help you focus the effort on your glutes (butt) rather than activating the hamstrings.
• The movement begins by lifting your butt off the ground. You should feel the effort almost entirely in your butt, not your legs or abs.
• Focus on pushing down into the ground through your heels.
• At the top of the movement, you should be resting on your heels and shoulder blades. Your body should form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
• If you feel the exercise mostly in your hamstrings (back of your thighs), adjust your heel position and/or the amount of toe lift.
• Do as many reps as you can, minimum of 20. If you can easily do 20 or more, try lifting with one leg at a time as shown in the video.

Bird Dog

• To perform the Bird Dog, start by resting on your hands and knees.
• Your hands should be directly under your shoulders, and your knees directly under your hips.
• Keep your neck in line with your spine and your head facing straight downward throughout the movement.
• To begin, kick your right leg out.
• Keep your toes down and focus on kicking out, not up. Your heel should not rise above your butt.
• At the same time, extend your opposite arm straight out in front of you, turning your thumb up like you’re giving someone a thumbs up while shaking their hand.
• Your back should maintain its natural arch throughout the movement.
• Pause briefly at the top, then return to the starting position.
• Repeat with the other leg and arm and continue to alternate sides.
• Do as many reps as you can, minimum of 20 total (10 per side).
• To make it a little harder, pause for 3 to 5 seconds at the top before lowering your arm and leg.

Kettle Bell Swings

• Begin with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
• Toes should point between straight forward and 15º out.
• Hold kettle bell with both hands, letting it hang in front of you.
• Bring shoulders back and down and keep your head facing straight forward throughout the movement; this will keep your back in a natural arch and keep you from bending too far forward.

• Start the movement by pushing your butt backwards as though you were going to sit in a chair.
• As you come down, keep your knees in line over your toes and don’t let them extend in front of your toes.
• Come down as far as you can, stopping when your thighs are parallel with the floor.
• Your lower back should maintain a natural curve.
• On the first movement, swing the weight slightly backward between your legs and immediately start the upward movement.

• The upward movement should be fast and powerful, as though you’re trying to jump off the ground.
• The weight is lifted entirely by momentum…do NOT lift the weight with your arms or shoulders.
• The weight should rise to about face or neck level. Do not let it rise higher than your head.
• The movement is a straight vertical, up-and-down lift, not a swing. Your hips should not thrust forward.
• As you come back down, do not bend forward. Maintain proper back form, and let the weight gently swing between your legs.
• Repeat movement as many times as you can; shoot for a minimum of 50 reps. If necessary, it’s OK to rest for a second in order to get 50 total.
• If you’re regularly doing more than 60, move up to a heavier weight.

Mountain Climber

• The Mountain Climber works your entire core along with a little shoulders and chest.
• To perform the Mountain Climber, start in the standard pushup position on your hands and toes.
• Your hands should be directly under your shoulders, slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
• Your head and neck should remain in line with your spine, and you should face down looking just in front of your hands.
• Bring one knee up to your chest, squeezing briefly at the furthest forward point, then return to the starting position.
• Repeat with the other leg and continue to alternate legs.
• Do as many as you can, minimum of 10 per side.

Standard Pushup

That completes the Tone & Strengthen workout. GREAT JOB!!!