The 8-Hour Diet (37 page)

MAKE IT EASIER

Perform at a slower, more controlled speed or don’t squat down as far.

MAKE IT HARDER

Increase the speed of the movement or perform longer isometric holds at the bottom of the squat position.

WORKOUT B | EXERCISE 2

WHY IT WORKS:

As they say, you must learn how to crawl before you can learn how to walk. And sometimes the best moves to burn fat are the ones we haven’t done in a while (if ever), like crawling. Its benefits include:

Being a foundational locomotion pattern that works your whole body with a specific emphasis on your shoulders and core.

Building your quads much more than a regular straight-legged pushup position.

Muscling up your upper body by moving on all fours instead of just your legs.

HOW TO DO IT:

1.
Assume a bent-knee pushup position with your palms loaded with hands underneath your shoulders and your knees bent at 90-degree angles with your feet underneath your hips.

2.
Now move your right hand and your left foot forward so that your opposite hand and foot are moving together in a contralateral pattern.

3.
Switch sides and repeat for 30 to 60 seconds at a time.

MAKE IT EASIER

Perform slower and smaller crawling steps or simply hold the bear crawl position isometrically

MAKE IT HARDER

Increase speed, distance traveled per step, or move backward or side-to-side. You can also perform bear crawls ipsilaterally with the same hand and foot moving together to increase the challenge.

WORKOUT B | EXERCISE 3

WHY IT WORKS:

Many people consider the Turkish Get-Up, where you move from lying on your back to a full stand and back again, to be the ultimate total body exercise. That being said, it can be a tough and technical movement to perform, especially when in a state of fatigue. Enter my favorite metabolic version of a get-up called kick-through that will make you feel like you’re literally break-dancing the fat off your belly. Its benefits include:

Working single-arm shoulder strength and stability, much like a side plank.

Teaching you how to move quickly and safely from a plank to bridge position and back.

Hammering your hips, obliterating your obliques, and assaulting your abs in an almost criminal way.

HOW TO DO IT:

1.
Assume a bent-knee push-up position with your palms loaded with hands underneath your shoulders and your knees bent at 90-degree angles with your feet underneath your hips.

2.
Now kick your right leg underneath you as you roll onto your right hand to assume a one-arm, one-leg hip bridge position. Hold for a count.

Reverse the movement, move to the other side, and repeat for 30 to 60 seconds at a time.

MAKE IT EASIER

Move at a slower, more controlled pace, or sit on the outside of your hip as you move to each side.

MAKE IT HARDER

Increase speed of motion or perform isometric holds in the one-arm, oneleg hip bridge position for 3 to 5 seconds at a time on each side. This move can also be performed forward to really increase the challenge.

WORKOUT B | EXERCISE 4a

WHY IT WORKS:

One of the best moves to build a better butt, boost metabolism, and ramp up fat loss is the power step-up. Not only is it a lower-impact version of lunge/split jumps that’s easier on the knees, but it also trains both knee and hip extension, which is critical to proper running mechanics and overall athletic performance. Bottom line—the glute complex comprises the most metabolically active, calorie-burning tissue in your body. This means the more junk you’ve got in the trunk, the less fat you’ll have everywhere else!

HOW TO DO IT:

1.
Place your left foot onto a stable box/bench/step with your knee and ankle aligned, heel loaded and shin vertical.

2.
Drive through your left heel and swing your arms overhead as you switch your legs midair, landing softly on the other side.