Burn: The Burn Boot Camp 5-Step Strategy for Inner and Outer Strength

Embrace the Challenge: Transform Your Life Through Intentional Physical Activity

Intentional physical activity is the first step toward taking your life from lukewarm to on-fire living. Where you find your edge is where you’ll find yourself. Will it be difficult at times? Yes. Will it require courage? Without a doubt. But it’s time to let your faith be greater than your fear. It’s time to take what’s meant for you. It’s time to move forward. Motion creates emotion. When you move your body, your brain automatically responds by improving your mental and emotional health in just a single workout.

The Power of Daily Physical Activity

When you show up and work hard, you’ll develop greater confidence. You’ll have far less loneliness, depression, and anxiety. You’ll feel in control again. You’ll have a strong, unchangeable sense of direction. You’ll win even when life has dealt you the worst of challenges. You’ll feel connected to people. You’ll achieve any goal you set for yourself, whether health-related, nutritional, financial, relational, or professional. You’ll build the life you want from the inside out with one simple, daily action— moving your body.Burn

Burn Boot Camp workouts are a combination of bodyweight exercises, conditioning intervals, and strength building. The exercises and format may vary, depending on the routine you perform. The sample workout we are giving from our new book Burn: The Burn Boot Camp 5-Step Strategy for Inner and Outer Strength is a unique form of conditioning: burst training. This involves short, intense bursts of training lasting 30 to 60 seconds and then 30 to 60 seconds of low-impact or active recovery. It’s great for boosting metabolism, and managing stress (it reduces and regulates stress hormones), and gives you other benefits as well. For example, burst training:

  • Burns fat for nearly 36 hours after your workout
  • Improves conditioning fitness
  • Enhances overall fitness
  • Saves time

Burst Training

The Dynamic Warm-Up
Perform the warm-up for a sequence of four rounds total.

  • Butt Kickers—20 seconds
  • Walkouts—20 seconds

The Workout
Perform the workout for a sequence of six rounds total. After each round, rest for 20 seconds.

  • Jump Squats—20 seconds
  • Full Burpees—20 seconds
  • Mountain Climbers—20 seconds

The Finisher
Perform one round.

  • Half Burpees—75 seconds

Work Out Description

Butt Kickers

Target: Hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and conditioning fitness

Start: Stand tall and place your feet about shoulder-width apart. Keep your arms at your sides. Bend your knees slightly.

Action: Flex your right knee and lift it up to about waist level. Let your right foot kick your right glute. Return your right foot to the floor.

Then flex your left knee. Bring your left foot up behind you so that your heel kicks your left glute.

Alternate your kicks. Increase your speed until you’re practically jogging in place.

Continue for the recommended time. 

Walkouts

Target: Core and shoulders

Start: Stand tall and place your feet about hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly. Hinge at your hips, reach for the floor and place your palms in front of your feet.

Action: Shift your weight onto your hands and walk them forward until your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels (plank position). Tighten your core, and make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders.

Walk back to the starting position and repeat the exercise for the recommended number of repetitions.

Jump Squats

Target: Glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings

Start: Stand tall and place your feet shoulder-width apart.

Action: Bend your knees and lower into a full squat position until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Propel your body up and jump off the floor.

Then return to the start position. Descend into the squat again for another explosive jump.

Continue jump-squatting for the recommended number of repetitions.

Full Burpees

Target: Legs, hips, buttocks, abdomen, arms, chest, and shoulders—and of course, conditioning fitness

Start: Stand with your feet together. Flex your knees and put your palms on the floor in front of your feet, slightly wider than your shoulders.

Action: Kick both feet out behind you so that you are in a high plank position. Keep your core engaged and your spine straight. Perform a push-up.

After you finish the push-up, jump your feet up toward your chest and land in a squat position.

Jump in the air with your arms above your head. Land and repeat the exercise for the recommended number of reps.

Mountain Climbers

Target: Abdominals, lower back, hamstrings, and glutes. Mountain climbers help raise your heart rate but are also a low-impact exercise, which is easy on your joints.

Start: Start in the traditional push-up position. Your spine and legs should all form a straight line, with your elbows locked and your hands placed directly beneath your shoulders. Keep your core engaged.

Action: Bring your left knee into your chest and place your left foot on the floor. Straighten your left leg and jump it to the starting position, while simultaneously pulling your right leg up toward your chest.

Alternate this motion at a fast pace for the recommended time length or number of repetitions. This exercise should be done as if you are running in place from the push-up position.

Half Burpees

Target: Hamstrings, glutes, triceps, abdominals, deltoids, quadriceps, lower back, and calf muscles. Half burpees also improve conditioning fitness.

Start: Stand with your feet together. Flex your knees and put your palms on the floor in front of your feet, slightly wider than your shoulders.

Action: Kick both feet out behind you so that you are in a high plank position. All in one motion jump your big toes to your pinky fingers while palms remain flat on the floor. Lift your palms off the floor and jump with your hands over your head. Continue to kick your feet back and forth in a controlled manner for the recommended number of repetitions.

Wrap-Up

Burn Boot Camp was started by husband and wife power couple Devan and Morgan Kline in 2012. Together, the Visionary and CEO have helped families with their health and wellness, igniting a movement built on purpose, passion, and community.

Excerpt from Burn: The Burn Boot Camp 5-Step Strategy for Inner and Outer Strength by Devan Kline and Morgan Kline. Copyright © 2024. Available from Hachette Go, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto