Workout of the week: 15-min metabolic strength workout

ALL LEVELS / metabolic strength workout / 15 minutes

Equipment: Dumbbells, kettlebell & gym mat

January 20th, 2025: a day infamously known as Blue Monday, often called the most depressing day of the year. While it might sound like just another internet buzzword, there’s some truth to it. The combination of cold weather, post-holiday fatigue, and the reality of returning to routine can take a toll — not only on your mood but also on your metabolism. To help shake off that feeling, we’ve got just the thing: a metabolic strength workout.

A 15-minute session divided into 2 groups, each containing 3 exercises to complete in 4 rounds before moving on to the second group. You must perform each exercise for 30 seconds, without resting between them. Last but not least, you’ll get 30 seconds to rest between rounds and 1 minute between groups.

1st group

Lunges
Plank row
Dumbbell deadlift

2nd group

Kettlebell swing
Kettlebell squat
Kettlebell ab twist

Let’s tackle the blue Monday!

WORKOUT SETUP

2 groups with 3 exercises
30 seconds for each exercise
4 rounds
30 seconds rest between rounds
1-minute rest between groups
15 minutes

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

4 rounds

1st group

1 – LUNGES

30 sec

Stand tall and hold the dumbbells by your shoulders.
Step your right leg forward keeping the heel down.
Raise the heel of the left leg.
Then, lower the torso until the back knee touches the ground, with a full hip and knee extension.
Repeat.

2 – PLANK ROW

30 sec

Grab two dumbbells and set your body up in a high plank position.
Your hands and feet should be more than shoulder-width apart.
Now lower your body until your chest is parallel to your hands.
Push up with power and start rowing one dumbbell up to your chest, and then the other.
Slowly return to the starting position.

3 – DUMBBELL DEADLIFT

30 sec

Begin in standing, holding a dumbbell in each hand. As the video shows, the dumbbells can be positioned in front of the body; however, if this puts too much stress on your lower back, hold the dumbbells by your side.
Engage the core and begin the movement by bending the knees slightly and hinging the hips. Then continue the bending by pushing the hips backwards, lowering the dumbbells as far as comfortable.
At the bottom of the movement, actively engage the glutes, push the feet into the floor and drive the hips upwards and forwards to return to the start position.
Repeat for time or reps.

2nd group

1 – KETTLEBELL SWING

30 sec

Hold the kettlebell with both hands.
Hinge the hips to initiate the swing movement.
Rapidly drive hip extension to swing the kettlebell upwards.
Control your swing descent with a hip hinge by swinging the kettlebell between your legs.
Repeat.

2 – KETTLEBELL SQUAT

30 sec

Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Pick a kettlebell with both hands and hold it.
Keep the kettlebell close to your chest, do a squat and maintain your chest and back straight.
Make sure you keep your core tight.
Slowly come back up and repeat.

3 – KETTLEBELL AB TWIST

30 sec

Find a soft ground, preferably a mat, and grab a kettlebell or dumbbell that is an adequate weight.
Place your glutes on the floor and lift your feet in the air.
Now grab the kettlebell as indicated in the video below.
Slowly twist the kettlebell until you can feel a slight stretch on the opposite core.
Hold for a brief second and turn to the other side.
Repeat.