Admit it: Your motivation skyrockets whenever you're challenged. Throwback to that time your roommate dared you to eat an entire pint of ice cream in one sitting—and you crushed it. (No? Just me?)
Well, get ready for a challenge that will make you feel a hell of a lot better afterward. Women's Health teamed up with NASM-certified fitness trainer Bree Branker to create the Women's Health Summer Workout Challenge, a 4-week plan designed to get you some serious results. Bonus: Each workout is less than 30 minutes, tops.
Ready to build muscle, sweat buckets, and work your way to a stronger body? Sign up for a Women's Health+ membership to access all the workouts below—and tons of other perks. You'll get access to our members-only newsletter, a subscription to the magazine, unlimited digital content, and even 50 percent off a subscription to our All Out Studio fitness app.
Don’t stress if you’ve never even picked up a dumbbell. “The moves are quite foundational, so this is great for all levels,” says Branker. “To make it more advanced, simply add heavier weight and complete extra reps!
Every week of the challenge, you'll do four workouts: Lower-Body, Upper-Body, Full-Body, and Abs. You also have the option to do a cross-training workout one day, and take two rest days. As you go through the challenge, reference this calendar to keep track of which workouts to tackle day-to-day:
You can find links to each workout routine below:
Monday: Upper-Body Workout
Tuesday: Lower-Body Workout
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Abs Workout
Friday: Full-Body Workout
Saturday: Cross-Training
Sunday: Rest
Access Your 4-Week Summer Challenge Workouts!
Each week, you'll focus on a new mini goal.
Week one, master your form. “These moves work wonders for lean, toned muscle mass if they’re done properly,” says Branker. Not to mention, proper form means optimal results and less risk of injury.
During week two, try increasing the number of reps you crank out per set. So if you did 10 reps in 40 seconds the first go-round, aim for 15, and so on.
Join our Facebook group for daily motivation, progress checks, and more!
For week three, Branker suggests upping your weights, especially if you’re working on building more muscle mass—just make sure your form is solid before doing so. “If you’re compensating to keep the weight, drop it,” she says. “It’s all about dialing in and listening to your body.”
Then, in week four, challenge yourself to do another round (or two) of the circuit. How do you know it’s time to level-up? “Take note of how long you feel breathless after a workout,” says Branker. “If your heart rate returns to normal so quickly that you’ve clearly got more in the tank, use it!”
As far as motivation goes, Branker suggests rewarding yourself for reaching each milestone in your fitness goals (think: completing one week of the challenge; squeezing in an extra round during abs day). “It can be reservations at your favorite restaurant, that new pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing, whatever! But I love treating myself!”
Speaking of treating yourself…be sure to actually take advantage of those rest days. “Make plans to chill,” says Branker. “Maybe it’s a movie, a dinner, or show. Deliberately put yourself in a situation where you aren’t active.”
And, most importantly, “Have fun! If it’s not fun, you won’t want to do it,” says Bree. “Find a workout buddy, a great playlist, a cute fitness outfit—and make the time you spend on this challenge time you look forward to.”
Join Women's Health+ today for exclusive access to this challenge, a subscription to Women's Health, and more sweet perks!
Kristine Thomason is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience creating content for print and digital publications. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at mindbodygreen, and the fitness and wellness editor at Women’s Health. Kristine's work has appeared in Men's Health, Travel + Leisure, Health, and Refinery29, among others. She holds a journalism degree from New York University, and is certified in personal training by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
