20-Min Cardio + Sculpt BURN: Full Body Workout

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to today’s workout! This is a great, unique workout with some fun exercise moves. One round of this routine will take 20-Minutes. You can do one round or up to three rounds. We have cardio bursts in this workout. In between each exercise you can do cardio of your choice: marching in place, jogging, high knees, jumping jacks, jump rope or kettlebell swings. You can even mix it up and switch the cardio during each interval.

Affiliate links for some equipment I use in this workout: The gym mat I use: https://amzn .to/3KFH4o2 and the running shoes I wear: https://amzn .to/3Zd1UiM. My leggings are from Fabletics: https://www.fabletics.com/invite/189896435/.

I hope you enjoy today’s workout. Let me know what you found most challenging and what you enjoyed the most about this routine. It’s a very effective workout routine that requires No Equipment and can be done anywhere. I worked up a great sweat after just one round of this routine.

I will be filming another workout this week, so be sure to check back. Tonight we have belt testing for karate, so hopefully Jesse and I can move up to the next rank. It’s been tricky balancing our schedules, but we continue to enjoy learning martial arts as a family. Over the next couple months there are some more karate tournaments owing up, so we might compete again soon.

I did some martial arts inspired workouts with one of the kinesiology classes I teach, so if you are interested in seeing that here let me know. Have fun today and give yourself a pat on the back for showing up and making a healthy choice for yourself today.

Melissa

You can find me on Social Media: @BenderFitness and on Facebook: @MelissaBenderFitness Pinterest: Pinterest.com/BenderFitness TikTok: @BenderFitness

If you want to help support BenderFitness so we can keep bringing you new workouts, your donation is greatly appreciated: https://www.patreon.com/BenderFitness.

Shop BenderFitness recommendations on Amazon (we get a small commission, but it doesn’t change the price for you!): https://www.amazon.com/shop/benderfitness

Shop BenderFitness Gear: https://my-store-c67ce6.creator-spring.com

The Workout:

Squat to Tip Toe
Twisted V-Up
Pushups
Lunge Lift to Chair (Alternating)
Scissor
Cactus, Squeeze, Stretch
Surfer
Alternating Side Plank
Up/Down Dog or Dive Bomber
Knee to Chest Heel Press (Alt)
Prone Heel Press
Hand to Shoulder Plank
Plié Reach (Alt)
Dead Bug
Reverse Plank Step Outs

Photo Tutorial:

How To: Pistol Squat – 5 Exercises to Build to a Pistol Squat – with Progressions

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to today’s tutorial: How to Pistol Squat. This has been a popular video request. A lot of people want to master a single leg/pistol squat, but they don’t know where to start. If this is a skill you’ve wanted to accomplish you have come to the right place!

Benefits of Pistol Squats

Pistol squat photo tutorial: single leg squat

Pistol squats are one of the best exercises you can do for your lower body. They are very effective for building strength through the glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, core, hip flexors and hip adductors. They also help to decrease muscular imbalances, improve balance, and increase functional mobility.

Why You Can’t Pistol Squat and How to Fix It:

A lot of people ask me why they can’t pistol squat. There are three main components of a pistol squat:
1. Strength

2. Balance

3. Mobility/Flexibility

In order to pistol squat you need to work on all three of these areas. In the video below I will take you through five exercises, with progressions to help you build the strength, balance, and mobility needed for this skill.

You need to have enough single leg strength to lift your entire body. While there are many ways to build lower body strength, I demonstrate some effective techniques, with transferable skills in this video. We are focusing on single leg exercises to also improve balance while building strength.

Often, I see people who have the physical strength and balance to complete this skill, but they don’t have enough mobility and range of motion. Keep in mind, each of these skills can be improved on, but it takes time and practice. You should also practice each skill on both legs.

Flexibility and Balance fluctuate. Some days balance skills will feel easier than others. Balance and flexibility can be impacted by how much sleep you got, and even how hydrated you are, but the best way to progress these skills is by practicing.

You need to be consistent in going through these skills, but the feeling of accomplishment that you feel when you achieve your first pistol squat will be worth it! There is a mental benefit that comes with working on a difficult skill. Enjoy the progress and notice each gain along the way.

The Video Tutorial:

Seated hip Flexor lift: builds strength and mobility through the core, quads and hip flexors.
Single Leg Sit to Stand: builds strength to lift your body weight with one leg. Progress this skill by eventually sitting and standing from lower surfaces.
Elevated single leg squat: Builds strength, and the elevation allows you to go more deeply into the squat to progress your range of motion.
Supported single leg squat: puts together each component of the movement while using support.
Deep Yoga Squat: Improves mobility and flexibility necessary for the full movement. Progression: add the leg lift, and eventually practice the full movement from this position.

I hope that you find this video helpful! I would love to hear how you progress with your goals and through each exercise. Are there any other exercises that you would like to see a video tutorial for? Let me know in the comments.

Melissa

You can find me on Social Media: @BenderFitness and on Facebook: @MelissaBenderFitness Pinterest: Pinterest.com/BenderFitness TikTok: @BenderFitness

If you want to help support BenderFitness so we can keep bringing you new workouts, your donation is greatly appreciated: https://www.patreon.com/BenderFitness.

Shop BenderFitness recommendations on Amazon (we get a small commission, but it doesn’t change the price for you!): https://www.amazon.com/shop/benderfitness

Shop BenderFitness Gear: https://my-store-c67ce6.creator-spring.com

20-Minute Yoga Stretch & Mobility Flow

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to a new week! This week we are starting with a simple yoga flow for stretch and mobility. This 20-Minute flow can be done on its own or used to warm-up or cool down after a more intense workout.

Some things to keep in mind during your flow:

-Don’t force anything. One of the most important things to learn in yoga is how to listen to your body.
-Flexibility fluctuates. Some days you will be more flexible and others you will feel tighter. Hydration, rest, food, stress, previous workouts or soreness, all of these things can impact your flexibility.

If you like this flow (or you are looking for a longer flow) you might like these routines: Yoga Flows.

This flow is a little bit more gentle and focused on hip mobility and releasing areas of tightness or tension. My shy cat, Buffy, made a visit to our photo session before we filmed this routine.

This weekend, I also did Jesse’s 21 and Done workout followed by a 1-mile run on the treadmill. It has been wonderful to get back to a consistent workout routine and filming routine.

I encourage you to practice self compassion during this routine. If you aren’t familiar with yoga (or even if you are) some of the movements may feel difficult. You are capable of doing difficult things. Typically when we find something uncomfortable it’s because it is taking us outside of our comfort zone and we are learning or trying something new.

If you are new to yoga give yourself grace and don’t tell yourself things like “I’m so bad at this” or “I’m not flexible enough.” You can change that narrative and say, “I practiced mobility,” “I tried something new and challenging today and didn’t give up because it was outside of my normal experience.”

I hope that you enjoy this flow and find it a useful part of your practice.

I am planning to make some updates to my website soon. I would love to hear which functions/tabs on my website you consistently use to navigate and find what you are looking for. I don’t want to take away tools that you are regularly using. I would also love to hear your thoughts on this flow. Did you like it, was it a good challenge, too easy or hard? Let me know!

I will see you soon with a new workout. We have lots of fun things coming your way! If you have any video requests post them in the comments.

Enjoy!

Melissa

You can find me on Social Media: @BenderFitness and on Facebook: @MelissaBenderFitness Pinterest: Pinterest.com/BenderFitness TikTok: @BenderFitness

If you want to help support BenderFitness so we can keep bringing you new workouts, your donation is greatly appreciated: https://www.patreon.com/BenderFitness.

Shop BenderFitness recommendations on Amazon (we get a small commission, but it doesn’t change the price for you!): https://www.amazon.com/shop/benderfitness

Shop BenderFitness Gear: https://my-store-c67ce6.creator-spring.com

The Yoga Flow:

Yoga down dog with bent knees — Down Dog with Bent Knees

10-Minute CARDIO BURN HIIT: Home Workout – No Equipment Exercise Circuit

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to a fantastic and fun, Quick HIIT Cardio Burn workout. One round of today’s workout will only take 10-Minutes. So push yourself hard, and repeat it if you have the time and the energy to do so!

Today’s workout is led by Jesse. When I say he made today’s workout fun, you don’t just have to take my word for it. Check out the video and the photo tutorial and you will know that his humor and charisma was out FULL FORCE during this workout. So don’t be surprised if you get in an extra core workout from laughing during this routine. You won’t be bored during this workout.

Yelling cat — Gambit demands that you have a great workout today!

I love short, intense HIIT workouts. I like when they are quick, because mentally it allows me to really push myself to get in max reps, and then I can repeat it or pair it with another workout.

An important aspect of training that often gets overlooked is the development of mental fortitude. When you first start training you don’t just teach your body to grow stronger and push through, you teach your mind. You develop the mental strength to push through the challenging moments, and that doesn’t just apply to your workouts, it also applies to your every day life. You are learning how strong you are in a multitude of ways. I believe that is one of the biggest reasons why exercise helps improve self confidence. It’s not all about physical changes, it’s about learning how capable you and your body are. You learn how much you can endure and your brain learns how to work through difficult things and moments.

Exercise is so much more than aesthetic. It really improves and balances both your physical and mental health in so many ways. I have noticed that it’s easier for me to remain patient in stressful situations when I workout regularly.

If you enjoy this workout you might also like my 25-Minute Body Weight HIIT and my 15-Minute, Sculpt, Strengthen & Burn Cardio Routine.

Leaping for joy during a fun workout — Jesse having fun with his Air Jumps

Let me know if you had as much fun working out with Jesse as I did filming him during this workout. I apologize if the camera gets shaky at all, I was focused on not bursting out laughing while I was filming. I’m trying to convince him to film one workout per week, and be a more regular in front of the camera personality. So if you enjoyed the workout please let us know.

Have fun, and I will see you soon with a new workout!

Melissa

If you want to help support BenderFitness so we can keep bringing you new workouts, your donation is greatly appreciated: https://www.patreon.com/BenderFitness.
Shop BenderFitness recommendations on Amazon (we get a small commission, but it doesn’t change the price for you!): https://www.amazon.com/shop/benderfitness
Shop BenderFitness Gear: https://my-store-c67ce6.creator-spring.com

Set your Interval Timer for 10 Rounds of 10/50.

Air Jump Rope
Sumo Squat
Lateral Jump
Lunge Kick: Right
Lunge Kick: Left
Heel Tap Jump Squat
Standing Knee Drive Twist: Right
Standing Knee Drive Twist: Left
Surfer
Pendulum

Repeat up to 3X

25-Minute FULL BODY BURN: No Equipment Workout

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to a fantastic and effective 25-minute full body workout. This no equipment exercise routine incorporates some of the best body weight exercises to create a fantastic full body exercise routine.

The full length workout video and photo tutorial are below. This is an interval workout, so you should push yourself for max reps during each interval. No matter what your health and fitness goals are, this is a great routine to help you get there.

Bicep flex after working out — Post workout flex.

I really needed this workout both physically and mentally. I was tired all day and I knew exercise would help, but I kept pushing it off. After the workout I felt a million times better. When it comes to exercise, getting started is the hardest part. It’s important to get into the habit of exercising regularly even when you don’t feel like it. Obviously, illness and injury require rest, but I’m talking about normal days when you just aren’t in the mood. Make it a normal part of your routine.

You should also try to make eating lots of veggies and nutrient dense meals a part of your normal routine. Today I made a delicious Tofu + Veggie Penne with Balsamic Glaze. I was just winging the recipe with ingredients that we had on hand, but it was delicious! My daughter kept asking for more veggies and tofu. In fact, she liked those more than the noodles! So it was an all around win as far as family meals go.

Healthy tofu and vegetable pasta — I shared this recipe on Facebook and Instagram. Tofu + Veggie Penne with Balsamic Glaze.

Yesterday, Jesse filmed a fun and challenging 10-Minute Cardio Burn HIIT workout. I was trying so hard not to burst out laughing from behind the camera when he was teaching the workout. He made it very fun, and I feel safe saying you are guaranteed to laugh at least once during the workout. That workout will be out later this week (and Patreon supporters already have early access to the video).

It has been so wonderful to get back into a consistent workout and filming routine. We’ve been putting out a lot of videos each week, so be sure to check them out if you haven’t already. You can find them here: New January Workouts and New February Workouts.

We have done a wide variety of workouts recently from quick 4-minute per round Tabata exercise routines, to dumbbell workouts and 25-minute no equipment workouts. Plyometric to Low Impact exercise routines. There are plenty of workouts to choose from.

Melissa

The Workout:

Set your interval timer for 25 Rounds of 10/50.

Jog in Place
Reverse Lunge Knee Drive: Right
Reverse Lunge Knee Drive: Left
Pendulum Hop
Rotating Push-ups
Crab Knee Touch
Heel Tap Crunch
Reverse Plank Leg Lift
Elevated Leg Adduction: Right
Elevated Leg Adduction: Left
Side Plank Bottom Leg March: Right
Side Plank Bottom Leg March: Left
Leg Circles: Right
Leg Circles: Left
Leg Series: Right
Leg Series: Left
Hydrant: Right
Hydrant: Left
Bird Dog Squeeze: Right
Bird Dog Squeeze: Left
X-Squeeze Me
Pendulum Hop
Reverse Lunge Knee Drive: Right
Reverse Lunge Knee Drive: Left
Jog or March in Place

10 Min Fast Burn: Full Body Compound Dumbbell Exercises – Low Impact, No Jumping Workout

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to my workout of the day. Today’s workout is a 10-Minute Interval a workout with Dumbbells. We are focused on Compound exercises to maximize the burn and efficiency of this full body workout routine. You can do one round of this workout or repeat it up to 5X if you are looking for a longer workout session today. You will find the real time, full length workout video below, along with the photo tutorial for each exercise.

I did this workout routine with some of my students last week. We did one round for time (as filmed) and the second round for 20-reps per exercise. I like to combine both techniques for workouts like this, because it really changes the challenge and dynamic of the workout. I personally found it harder to do the round for repetitions, but some of my students found the timed round more challenging. Both are beneficial, so whichever technique you use, you are going to get in a fantastic full body workout with some of the best compound exercises out there. I would love to know how many rounds of this workout you did, as well as if you went for time or reps.

We have filmed several new workouts recently. Be sure to check out the 25-Minute, No Equipment Low Impact Workout if you haven’t tried it already.

This is another Low Impact, but highly effective workout routine. It is an apartment and hotel friendly workout. I enjoy the power built by plyometric workouts (like the Tabata workouts I shared recently) but it’s great to have options and variety. If there is a specific style of exercise you would like to see next, let me know in the comments.

Dinner Time:

Remember, it’s important to support your workout routines with healthy and nutritious foods to power your body. Below is a photo of my son’s dinner plate last night. The entire family had the same meal, but for some reason I only took a picture of his plate.

We had air fryer salmon, broccoli and mashed potatoes. I try to keep about half of the plate veggies to ensure we are all getting lots of nutrients.

Kids plate with air fryer salmon, broccoli and mashed potatoes

Feeding my kids healthy meals.

I hope you enjoy todays workout!

Melissa

This post may include affiliate links through which BenderFitness makes a small commission.

The Workout:

Interval Timer set for 10-Rounds of 10/50

Curtsy Lunge: Right
Curtsy Lunge: Left
Skier
Row and Reach
Sit Thru Press: Right
Sit Thru Press: Left
Renegade Row
Kneeling Wood Chopper: Right
Kneeling Wood Chopper: Left
Angel Abs

25-Minute Low Impact, Full Body Burn Workout: No Equipment, No Jumping Exercises

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to a brand new BenderFitness workout. Today’s workout is an amazing Low Impact (no jumping) workout routine that will take 25-Minutes to complete. We are working the full body today. This is a No Equipment Workout so all you need is a little bit of space and a yoga mat.

What are the benefits of Low Impact exercises?

There are several! You have less chance of getting injured, it can be easier to get yourself going when you aren’t motivated to workout (when you’re tired just thinking of plyometric workouts can make you feel more tired), they are great for mobility, and you can still get in an amazing workout. You can also do Low Impact workouts on a daily basis.

A little workout help from Gambit the cat.

Every human body is different, some people recover from HIIT workouts with plyometric exercises more quickly (and can do those types of workouts more often) and others experience more muscle soreness, fatigue and require longer recovery. Using both HIIT and LIIT workouts can help you to stay more consistent in your workout routine without over doing it. Even if you stick to just Low Impact workouts you can have a significant impact on your overall health, wellness and fitness level. You can still push yourself for maximum repetitions, you can still get in cardiovascular benefits, but it’s less impact on your joints.

If you love this workout, you might also enjoy THESE Low Impact Exercise Routines. Low Impact isn’t code for easy. They will still challenge you and make you stronger. You just doing have to do tons of jumping during these routines.

One thing I really liked during this routine: I felt a major burn in my shoulders and arms. Body weight exercises for the arms and shoulders can be super effective, and this routine incorporates some great ones.

It has been great sharing new workouts with you all. I hope you’ve enjoyed the new content we are putting up and that you find this workout challenging and useful. I would love to know if you had any favorite moves from this routine, and if you have any workout requests for videos you would like to see.

Have fun & check back soon for more new workouts!

Melissa

https://youtube.com/watch?v=NtItJDhauP8

https://youtu.be/NtItJDhauP8

Interval Timer: 25 Rounds of 10/50
Total Workout Time: 25 Minutes