Kayla Itsines’ 28-Minute Total-Body Workout

I created this beginner-friendly workout specifically for Motto readers. It consists of two rounds of two circuits, each lasting seven minutes. Start by setting your timer for seven minutes, and aim to complete as many rounds of the exercises in Circuit 1 as you can before the timer goes off.

Once you’re done, take a 30-second break. Reset your timer to seven minutes, and do the same thing with Circuit 2.

Repeat Circuits 1 and 2 again for your full 28‐minute workout. While you’re aiming to complete each exercise as quickly as possible, remember that the most important thing is to maintain proper technique throughout.

Circuit 1 (upper body)

Commandos x 24 (12 per side)

Start by placing your forearms (wrist to elbow) on the floor and extending both of your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet (A). This is called a plank position. Release your left forearm, and place your left hand firmly on the floor directly below your left shoulder (B). Push up onto your left hand, followed immediately by your right in the same pattern (C). Ensure that you brace through your abdominals to prevent your hips from swaying. Return to plank position by releasing your left hand and lowering onto your forearm before doing the same with your right hand. Repeat this exercise, starting with your right hand. Continue alternating between right and left for 24 reps (12 per side).

Read more: Kayla Itsines Answers Once and for All: What’s the Quickest Way to Get Fit?

Lay-down push-ups x 15

Start by lying flat on your stomach, with arms extended out in front of you and legs straight behind you with feet slightly apart (A). Position your toes in toward the floor as shown. Bring your arms in toward your body, and position your hands on either side of your chest (B). Push through your chest, and extend your arms to lift your body into pushup position (C). Ensure that you maintain a neutral spine and stabilize your abdominal muscles throughout the entire movement. Slowly lower your body completely to the floor, and extend your arms out in front of you (A). Complete 15 reps.

Straight-leg sit-up + twist x 24 (12 per side)

Start by lying flat on the floor on a yoga mat with your feet extended out in front of you (A). Bend your elbows to place your hands behind your earlobes, and engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your bellybutton in toward your spine. Using your abdominals, slowly lift your head, shoulder blades and torso off of the floor. As you sit up, extend your right arm and twist through your torso to touch the floor next to your left leg (B). Slowly untwist, and release your torso backward and bring your right hand toward your ear (C). Repeat using your left hand (D). Continue alternating for 24 reps (12 per side).

Plank x 1 minute

Start by placing your forearms firmly on the floor and linking your fingers together. Raise your hips and torso off of the ground, and rest on the balls of your feet, ensuring that your elbows are directly below your shoulders. Brace your abdominals, and ensure that your body remains in one straight line from head to toe for 1 minute.

Circuit 2 (lower body)

Reverse lunge + knee lift x 24 (12 per side)

Plant both feet on the floor slightly farther than shoulder-width apart (A). Carefully take a big step backward with your right foot. As you plant your right foot on the floor, bend both knees to approximately 90 degrees, ensuring that your weight is evenly distributed between both legs. If done correctly, your front knee should be aligned with your ankle and your back knee should be hovering just off of the floor (B). Extend both knees, and transfer your weight completely onto your left foot. At the same time, lift up your right foot and bring your knee in to your chest (C). Release your right leg from your chest, and place it back on the floor behind you. That’s one rep. Complete 12, then switch sides and do another 12 reps.

X hops x 24

Plant both feet on the floor slightly farther than shoulder-width apart. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor (A). Ensure that your back remains somewhere between a 45- and 90-degree angle to your hips. This is called squat position. Propel your body upward into the air. Extend and reposition both of your legs to land in a lunge position, with your left leg forward and right leg back (B). Ensure that your weight is distributed evenly between both legs. Immediately propel your body upward into the air again. Extend and reposition both of your legs to land back into squat position (C). Immediately propel your body upward into the air again. Extend and reposition both of your legs to land in a lunge position, with your right leg forward and left leg back (D). Continue alternating between lunge and squat movements for 24 reps. (Each movement of the feet is equal to one rep.)

Burpees x 10

Bend both your hips and knees, and place both hands on the floor directly in front of your feet (A). Kick your feet backward so that your legs are completely extended behind you, resting on the balls of your feet (B). Transfer your body weight onto your hands, and jump your feet inward to land in a crouched position with your feet shoulder-width apart (C). Propel your body upward in one explosive movement, extending both your legs beneath you and your arms above your head (D). Land in a neutral standing position, ensuring that you maintain “soft” knees to prevent injury. Complete 10 reps.

Split squats x 10

Stand with both of your feet together on a step (A). This is your starting position. Bend your knees slightly, and propel your body upward into the air. Reposition your legs so that your feet land in a sumo (wide) squat position. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor, ensuring that your back remains somewhere between a 45- and 90-degree angle to your hips (B). Propel your body upward into the air again, and reposition your legs to bring your feet together. Land in a neutral standing position on top of the step, ensuring that you maintain “soft” knees to prevent injury. Complete 10 reps.

Kayla Itsines is a personal trainer from Adelaide, South Australia. She is known for her Bikini Body Training Guides and has a newly released fitness app, Sweat with Kayla.