Free Full Workout: Try This Functional Squat/Pull/Core Workout

You’ll need one kettlebell, a glute loop, a long band, and about 40 minutes.

Photo by MARK ADRIANE on Unsplash

Free Functional Workout

Warm-up

2 Rounds

• 10/side Lateral Banded Walk
• 15 Band Pull Aparts (palms up)
• 10/leg Banded Donkey Kickbacks

Strength

3 Rounds

• 8–10 Glute Loop Goblet Squat @ 30X1
• Rest 30 seconds
• 8–10 Crush Grip Bent Over KB Row @ 20X1
• Rest 60 seconds

3 Rounds

• 8–10/leg Goblet Reverse Lunges @ 20X1
• Rest 30 seconds
• 45–60 second Banded Straight Arm Plank
• Rest 60 seconds

Finisher

2–3 Rounds

• 10 Jump Squats
• 12 Beast with Alternating Leg Kick Through
• Rest 30 seconds

Step-by-Step Instructions

Flow through 2 rounds of the warm-up at your own pace, resting as needed. If you’re unsure of the movements, you can find demos with a quick YouTube search. Once you’ve completed this, you should feel primed and ready to start the strength portion. Feel free to add in some extra dynamic stretching or mobility drills if needed.

Please note that the rest times in the strength portions are programmed for a reason. Follow the rest times and tempos as prescribed for the best results! (If you don’t know how to read tempos, head to this blog post where we break it down).

Glute Loop Goblet Squat

The added loop will challenge you to keep your knees from caving in, strengthening your hip abductors and core.

1. Place the glute loop just above your knees.
2. Start with your feet wider than shoulder width apart and descend to just below parallel with the floor. Apply pressure through your heels and balls of your feet.
3. Keep your core and glutes engaged with your chest up. Think: Tall, proud chest!
4. Drive back up to the starting position, finishing each rep by pressing your hips through at the top.
5. The prescribed tempo is a 3-count lowering into the squat, 0-count pause in the bottom position, explode up, and a 1-count pause at the top before beginning another rep.
6. Perform 8 to 10 reps. Rest for 30 seconds before performing the crush grip bent over row.

To increase difficulty you can do a barbell loaded front squat. To scale this move, perform each rep to a chair or bench and/or ditch the added weight.

Crush Grip Bent Over Row

Be sure to keep your core engaged and your back flat.

1. Begin in a hinged position with your feet slightly more than shoulder width apart.
2. Grab the kettlebell bottoms up with both hands, squeezing into it with the palms of your hands for grip.
3. Be sure not to let your back round by engaging your core and glutes.
4. Squeeze your scapula down and back and pull the kettlebell towards your abdomen.
5. Keeping everything engaged, lower the kettlebell back to the starting position.
6. The prescribed tempo is exploding the kettlebell up towards the abdomen, pausing for a 1-count at the abdomen, lowering for a 2-count, and immediately repeating another rep.
7. Repeat this exercise at tempo for 8 to 10 reps, rest 60 seconds, and start the sequence over with the glute loop goblet squat for two more rounds.

You will perform all 3 rounds of the first superset before moving onto the next strength superset.

Goblet Reverse Lunges

Generate your power from your front leg. You should feel this in your glute muscles on the working leg.

1. Begin with your feet under your hips and the kettlebell in a goblet position.
2. Step back with one leg while lowering down on the front leg.
3. Keep your core engaged and shoulders down and back.
4. Gently tap your back knee to the floor.
5. Drive through the front leg to stand back up with your feet directly under your hips.
6. The prescribed tempo is 2-count lowering, no pause at the bottom, explode up, 1-count pause at the top.
7. Repeat this exercise at tempo for 8 to 10 reps on one leg before performing 8 to 10 reps on the other leg.
8. Rest 30 seconds before performing the banded straight arm plank.

Banded Straight Arm Plank

We’re adding an extra stimulus to the straight arm plank. This will force you to engage your serratus anterior (a muscle that helps you steer clear from a winging scapula).

1. Place a long band across your upper back, holding an end of the loop in each hand.
2. Assume a plank position with straight arms, feet together or directly under hips, and hands directly under shoulders.
3. Press palms into the floor and grip the floor with your fingers.
4. Create your own full body tension and tuck your pelvis under to be sure you are engaging your core and glutes.
5. Hold for 45 to 60 seconds unbroken.
6. Rest 60 seconds before starting the superset over with goblet reverse lunges.

Perform 3 rounds of this superset before moving on to the finisher circuit.

Jump Squats

Focus on quality here! We know it’s easy to get sloppy when you feel the burn (trust, we have to fight this ourselves all the time).

1. Stand upright with your feet just over hip width apart.
2. Hinge back through your hips while reaching arms forward and bending your knees until your thighs reach parallel to the floor.
3. Explode up off of the floor with arms reaching down and back, finishing with a final push through the toes.
4. Land softly by dipping 45 degrees through the knees.
5. Repeat for 10 reps.

After finishing the jump squats, without resting, begin the beast with alternating leg kick throughs.

Beast with Alternating Leg Kick Through

These will be especially hard while your quads and lungs are on fire from the jump squats.

1. Begin in a quadruped position. Hands under shoulders, knees one inch off the ground and stacked beneath your hips.
2. Press into the floor (visualize pushing yourself away) with your four points of contact: palms/fingers and toes on each side.
3. Bring your left knee forward while lifting your right hand off the ground.
4. As you bring your knee forward, rotate your body to follow your right arm.
5. Your elbow should point up and back with your hand almost grazing your right ear.
6. As you rotate, straighten out your left leg, with your only points of contact being your left hand and right foot.
7. Be sure to keep your left shoulder down and back, engaging your scapula and upper back muscles.
8. Return back to the quadruped position by rotating until your right hand and left foot return to the ground.
9. Repeat on the opposite side.
10. Perform 6 reps/side for 12 reps total.
11. Rest 30 seconds before beginning the superset again. Repeat for 2 to 3 rounds.

Smarter Sweat Takeaways

We recommend finishing out your workout with a short cool down walk and some static stretching or a few minutes of static back. If you enjoyed this free functional workout, head to our Instagram where we post weekly workouts and mobility flows.

We’d love to know how this workout goes for you! Tag us on instagram @smartersweat or shoot us an email.

By Ashley Pfantz

Ashley is the cofounder of Smarter Sweat, certified personal trainer and professional health and fitness coach. She also owns Pfancy Fitness, an individualized fitness, nourishment, and lifestyle coaching business where she coaches all of her clients remotely.

Originally published at https://www.smartersweat.com on October 26, 2020.