The 20 minute fat burning workout! By Samantha Purnell - Part 1
It's time to get sweating! This weeks workout series and Sweat Challenge is by Samantha Purnell a NASM Certified Vermont based personal trainer. Samantha's workout series is all about getting your heart rate up, building endurance and burning fat!
Firstly, a little more about Samantha;
Hi all! My name is Samantha Purnell, a personal trainer from Vermont. A quirky, out-of-the-box, mid-twenty year old just trying to turn my passions into my career. I am the girl behind @sunshine.squats on instagram and have found that not only has Instagram allowed me to track my fitness lifestyle, but help inspire others as well. I am always on the go, looking for new workouts and programs. I love anything outside - rain, snow or sunshine - and am passionate about sharing my love for mother nature and God with others!
I am one blessed human being with great health and an incredibly support system and am beyond grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way since becoming a NASM certified personal trainer!
Why you first get involved in fitness?
I grew up in an athletic state - Vermont has been in the top 2 healthier states for the last few years and there is no question why. I grew up playing sports at the age of 2 and have been active ever since. The sense of a team and the drive and discipline you need fuels me! I recently have turned my adult life into a fit and healthy lifestyle rather than just a phase or season of sports. I have made these changes because I love my body and I believe it deserves to be nourished, pushed, pampered and fully taken care of.
Why you love living a healthy/active lifestyle and the benefits of doing so?
I love living an active and quite sweaty life, because those endorphins make me happy. I do it for the feeling. The way I look is an added bonus. When I eat poorly and don't workout I instantly (within a few days to a week) feel down, low energy. The benefits of eating healthy (nourishing and nutrient dense foods) and sweating daily push me to keep moving forward.
What is the one piece of advice that you would give to encourage anyone to start/continue a healthy and active lifestyle?
One piece of advice is to remember that even when you feel like you're not moving forward, you are - because you've made that commitment and you know you'll never fully return to where you are, so stop being hard on yourself and focus on how you feel!
Regarding your workout, what is it fundamentally based around and what does it help to achieve/why should a workout of this sort be done and who will benefit from it?
I chose a series of workouts that are comprised of three circuits with full body and dynamic movements to get you sweaty and moving in a short amount of time. The benefits of this workout are not only feeling great, but building endurance, overall fully body strength, and burning fat.
All ability and ages will benefit from exercises like these because they get your heart rate up and the exercises are in all planes of motion. From your lower body, core and upper body, there should be sweat everywhere - even the floor.
I want that heart rate up, and muscles sore by the end of the workout. It is a tough workout that challenges you mentally and physically. I also wanted to make the workout accessible for everyone. It's great if you don't have equipment at home or need something to do on vacation. It can be done in a hotel room, back deck, office space, or a gym - but all you need is yourself and preferably a workout/yoga mat!
Now go get sweaty!
Workout #1 - Monday: Sweat Challenge
Begin with a 3-5 minutes warm-up of either walking/jogging or a set of movements that will warm those muscles up and get you ready for an intense workout. The workout consists of three full body circuits that are sure to leave your dripping!
Warm-Up:
30 seconds each exercise complete twice
- Jumping Jacks
- Alternating Lunges
- Arm Circles (alternate directions)
- High Knees
Workout;
Complete each exercise for 45 seconds as hard as you can go with a 15 second rest in between moves. Take a 30 second rest in between each circuit.
Circuit 1
- Plank Jacks
- Broad Jump Squats
- Alternating Side Plank Reach Thrusts
Complete the circuit twice with a 30 seconds rest in-between.
30 seconds rest
Circuit 2
- In & Out (Jump) Push-Ups
- Curtsy Lunges
- In & Out Squats
Complete the circuit twice with a 30 seconds rest in-between.
30 seconds rest
Circuit 3
- Russian Twists
- Jump Lunges
- Cross Toe Touches
Complete the circuit twice with a 30 seconds rest in-between.
Total workout is 20 minutes (including rest times)
If you aren’t dripping in sweat by the end of this workout, then you didn't give it all you had! Make sure you have your fitness bottle with you - you'll need to keep hydrated for this sweat challenge!
As Samantha puts it, S.W.E.A.T - Stop Whining Excuses, Act Today! For more information about Samantha be sure to say hello on social media!
I: @sunshine.squats
Samantha's next workout will be posted Wednesday so be sure not to miss it!
