This is a full-body bodyweight workout that I absolutely adore. It has a great combination of exercises that builds muscle while it burns fat and gets your heart going. The moves are also fairly simple or modifiable—no pistol squats or pull-ups. While it IS bodyweight, you do need a bench, chair or ledge for the Bulgarian jump squats and the elevated shoulder presses. However, for these exercises, you don’t need it very high. 10-16 inches will do just fine.
Inspiration
I got the name from this fabulous woman, Madame X, immortalized by John Singer Sargent:
Take a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and you’ll see this fine lady, which caused quite a scandal back in the day. I’ve always been a fan of Sargent’s, but I especially love the air of mystery, beauty and daring shown here.
This workout has literally nothing to do with the painting, but I love to name my workouts according to what’s on my mind. And as she was renowned and celebrated for her beauty, may you celebrate yours with this workout.
Instructions.
Part 1:
3 rounds
- 15 Bulgarian jump squat L
- 15 Bulgarian jump squat R
- 20 sumo squat and knee up
- 8 reptile push-up and push off
Part 2:
3 rounds
- 20 diagonal outward palm push-up
- 20 elevated shoulder presses
- 10 KO squats
- 8 mountain climber push-ups
Part 3:
5 min countdown
- 5 3x pulse and jump squat
- Burpee down
- 5 one leg push-up
- Burpee up
Bulgarian jump squat
Get a chair, or even better, a low block or step. I find the ideal height is less than the usual 24-ish inches high a chair is, but that will work fine. Stand on one leg in front of the chair/block/step, upon which the top of your other foot is resting. Bend your standing leg until your thigh is parallel or almost parallel to the floor, then spring up in a jump from this position and come back down, then stand up. Always be sure to push through your heel, feel your butt muscles, and never have your knee go beyond your toes. Remember: each rep is one jump from a squat, back down to a squat, then up. You’re not doing one jump into another.
Modification:
Do the Bulgarian squat without a jump. Just come down and up. If being on one leg is too difficult, do static back lunges, where you have the other foot on the ground behind you. You could also try a jump in this position.
Sumo squat and knee up
Get in a wide stance, wider than shoulder width, with feet slightly outwards. When you go down to a thigh-parallel-with-ground position, your lower legs should be about vertical. Cross your arms over your chest. Go down in a squat, and when you come up, lift one leg as you do, and twist your body and bring the opposite elbow towards that knee. Go back down to a squat, bringing that leg down, and then when you come up, bring the opposite leg up, and so on. Each rep is one squat and one knee up, alternating each time.
Modifications:
This move is pretty simple, but gets tiring with more reps even for the advanced person. The difficulty is in the knee up as you come up, so if it’s difficult, I would separate the two: go down and up on both legs, then lift one knee.
Reptile push-up and push-off
From push-up plank, go down in a push-up as one knee bends outward and towards that elbow. Instead of returning the knee as you come up, keep the knee pointing out, and go down again, this time all the way to the floor. Release your hands, just briefly, and push back up, keeping your body taut. Put your leg back, and repeat on the other side.
Modifications:
Do both push-up and push-off on the knees, disregarding the knee out/reptile bit.
Diagonal outward palm push-up
In push-up position, put your hands a little wider than shoulder width, with your fingers pointing outwards. This puts a little more emphasis on the biceps. Then put your legs wide as well. Lift one leg and place on top of the other, so your body is on a diagonal rather than straight up and down in relation to your hands. Do a push-up in this position. Alternate each rep, placing the foot on the corresponding other diagonal position, with the other foot on top. You can make this a little more dynamic by jumping from one foot to the other if you wish.
Modifications:
Place your hands outward, if possible, on an elevated surface, perhaps on the same step or block or chair you’re using for your Bulgarian jump squats. If it’s a chair, you can easily grab the seat with your hands in this position. Continue the rest of the movement like so. If this is too difficult, try a more elevated surface, or even a wall. You could also do push-ups on your knees here if all else fails.
Elevated shoulder presses
Get into a downward dog position, with your butt in the air and your hands on the ground, arms straight. Put your feet up on an elevated surface. Lower your head to the ground by bending your arms, then straighten to lift yourself back up. You should feel this in the shoulders.
Modifications:
To make this easier, don’t elevate, and only lower as much as you can. It may not be much; that’s okay. But it should be difficult and you should feel it in your shoulders. To make more difficult, shift as much weight as possible to your upper body, leaving your toes just to keep balance. The next step in difficulty is a handstand push-up.
10 KO squats
This is one of my creations, as KO is my initials. It’s a harder bodyweight squat. Come down to parallel and pulse 5 times, then hold for a count of 5 at about the same tempo you were pulsing (I don’t usually do a full 5 seconds, but if you count at a pace it might be 3 seconds). Lower further down if you can, then come up. That’s one rep.
Modifications:
This whole exercise is a way to make a bodyweight squat more difficult, so if you can’t do the whole exercise, cut out as many things as you need. You could just do bodyweight squats if you’re a complete beginner, or you could do just the pulses and come up, or just hold for a count of 5.
Mountain climber push-ups
Do three mountain climbers. Get in a push-up plank stance, and bring one foot up and under you, like you’re climbing a mountain. For these kinds of mountain climbers, you will have both feet touching the ground. Switch your feet by jumping a bit in the air, keeping your hands down and your back straight. Switch them a total of 3 times and then take the foot under you, lift and straighten and do a one-leg push-up. Replace the foot and continue. Remember to keep your back straight and your shoulders above your hands. Each rep should have a different leg off the ground for the push-up.
Modifications:
If it’s just the push-ups you have trouble with, do the mountain climbers and drop to your knees for the push-ups and don’t worry about the one-leg thing. If mountain climbers are tough also, don’t jump your feet, but place them, and then go down on your knees for the push-up.
Part 3 burpee combo
Go into a squat, pulse 5 times and do a jump squat, returning to the squat position. Burpee down, or place your hands on the ground and jump your feet back so you’re in a push-up plank position. Do a one-leg push-up. Jump your feet up towards your hands (what I call “burpee-ing up”) and stand up.
Modifications:
Either do only the pulses and no jump, or do a jump squat and no pulses. You can place your feet back rather than jump, then do a knee push-up, before placing feet towards hands and coming up.
How did you do? Put your results in the comments below. Check out more workouts here.
