20-Minute Metcon: Unconventional Bodyweight Training for Dynamic Strength & Flexibility

If My Mad Methods readers are anything like me, they have a laundry list of training goals they are working towards and doing so with a very limited resource: Time! It seems like only yesterday I was in my 20’s spending 2-3 hours a day at the gym with time to work on whatever I wanted. Now I find myself busier than ever and some days I am happy if I can set aside 20 minutes for training. My clients and friends are in the same boat. They want the best results they can get while investing the least amount of time possible. The world is moving fast and we are all feeling the pressure to keep up.

If all you had was 20 minutes to devote to training today, what attributes would you spend that 20 minutes working on? What would this program look like?

My ideal 20 minute program would allow me to work on dynamic strength and flexibility while minimizing the likelihood of overuse injuries. It would also need to be performed with no equipment and in a minimal amount of space. It would have to meet my minimum strength and cardiovascular requirements for the day and ramp up my metabolism.

The following program is an example of how to use yoga-inspired bodyweight exercises and the commonly used 20/10 interval training protocol to create a program that meets the above criteria. Using the scoring system provided, you can also track progress and even make a game out of the training session.

Bodyweight Exercises

Posture	Areas of Focus	Exercise
Downward Facing Dog	Posterior Chain	Bear Squat
Cossack	Hamstrings	Low Cossack Switch
Table	Shoulders / Chest	Table Lift
Quad Squat	Shoulders / Hips	Quad Press

Exercise: Bear Squat

The Downward Facing Dog is one of the most commonly used yoga postures for a reason...it rocks! If done well this posture works the whole posterior chain, releasing the hamstrings and stabilizing the shoulders. Put this posture into movement with the Bear Squat and you are in for a treat!

Exercise: Low Cossack Switch

The Cossack is a great unconventional drill that really opens up the hamstrings. When you alternate sides while maintaining a low-basin position with the Low Cossack Switch, your hips will definitely be talking to you.

Table Lift

Table Pose is great for decompressing the shoulders and chest, and for those of us that love push up variations. As you put this seemingly innocent pose into motion with the Table Lift, you will engage the hips while dynamically stretching the shoulders and chest. Make sure to exhale while lifting the hips and avoid forcefully throwing the hips up to prevent over-stretching the shoulders.

Exercise: Quad Press

The Quad Squat loads all four limbs equally, testing shoulder stability and hip mobility at the same time. Holding the position for any length of time is humbling, especially for those that have developed a fair amount of residual tension for strength training. As you put this posture into motion with the Quad Press it is important to keep the spine long and parallel to the earth. Also, think about driving your knees out while keeping your elbows back at 45 degrees.

Timing & Scoring Your Workout

Putting It All TogetherThe workout will utilize the popular Tabata Protocol. A round will be defined by a 20 second work set followed immediately by a 10 second rest set. You will perform 8 rounds of the first exercise followed by 1 minute of rest before proceeding to the next exercise. The score you earn for each exercise is the lowest number of repetitions you scored for that exercise in any of the 8 rounds. The total score for the workout is determined by adding the score obtained for each exercise.

Sample Scoresheet

	Bear Squat	Cossack Switch	Table Lift	Quad Press
Round 1	8	3	8	12
Round 2	8	4	9	6
Round 3	8	4	8	5
Round 4	9	5	8	6
Round 5	6	4	8	7
Round 6	5	5	8	8
Round 7	5	3	8	8
Round 8	4	5	8	10
Score	4	3	8	5

Not All Scores Are Equal

Though scoring your workout is fun and it allows you to compare your progress with friends, it is important to note that not all scores are valid. There are several x-factors involved here: How good were the repetitions? Did you travel through the full range of motions intended for the drill, or did you cheat? Could you have done the repetitions better? I would rather score low and have absolutely perfect form than to score high with bad form. Although form is not easily quantifiable and therefore cannot be part of the scoring system, we all know when we are sacrificing good form for more reps. Bad reps don’t count!

Also, take note in the above example that the trainee could have scored significantly higher if you factored in the highest score per exercise. Unfortunately,
that doesn’t count either.