Sculpt Your Physique With This Supersets-Based Total-Body Hourglass Workout

Whether you want to add curves or streamline your own, this plan offers the perfect balance of strength, flexibility and cardio. The goal is to build a functionally strong, symmetrical, feminine body while creating curves. This workout is created especially for women and will make you strong, not boxy!

This hourglass program has three main points of focus: building the hamstrings and glutes, cinching the waist and burning fat. Eight unique moves are arranged into three mini-circuits, each of which should be repeated three times to maximize metabolic conditioning.

Rest minimally between moves to boost calorie burn. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between rounds for adequate recovery.

Mini-Circuit 1:

Repeat three times.


Exercise	Sets	Reps
Resistance Band Hamstring Curl	1	10-15*
Gliding Disc Three-Way Lunge	1	10-15 each leg
Prone Incline Bench Row/Scarecrow	1	15

* Take one second to lift, hold for three seconds, and take one second to lower.

Resistance-Band Hamstring Curl:

Boost the Challenge: At peak contraction, lift your thighs a couple of inches off the bench and squeeze your glutes.

How to:

Loop one end of a resistance band around a sturdy object such as a cable machine and the other end around your ankles.
Lie facedown on a flat bench and hold the end of the bench with your hands, head neutral, legs and feet together.
Bend your knees and draw your heels slowly toward your glutes, pausing at the top and squeezing hard.
Lower slowly to the start, resisting the pull of the band on the return.

Gliding Disc Three-Way Lunge:

Boost the Challenge: Vary your speed, doing one set slowly and in control and another one powerfully and fast.

How to:

Stand with your right foot on a gliding disc, arms in front of you.
Extend your right foot to the rear, lowering into a deep lunge and touching your right fingertips to the floor.
Return to standing, then extend your foot directly to the side as far as you can.
Return to standing and then cross your right foot behind you diagonally while keeping your hips square, as if doing a curtsy.
Then return to standing to complete one rep.
Do all reps on one side before switching.

Prone Incline Bench Row/Scarecrow:

Boost the Challenge: Change the angle of the bench, making it lower for one set and higher for another.

How to:

Lie facedown on an incline bench set to 45 degrees and hold a set of dumbbells with your arms extended downward, palms facing rearward, head neutral.
Draw your shoulder blades together and flare your elbows as you lift the weights up; at the top, your arms should make 90-degree angles.
Hold here, then pivot your arms in their sockets, lifting the weights up in a smooth arc to come alongside your head, palms facing forward.
Reverse these steps to return to the start.

Mini-Circuit 2:

Repeat three times.

Exercise	Sets	Reps
One-Legged Stability-Ball Curl and Bridge	1	5 each side
Jack Press	1	20
Stability-Ball V-Up and Balance	1	5 each side

One-Legged Stability-Ball Curl and Bridge:

Boost the Challenge: Keep your hips elevated for the entire move, maintaining the contraction of your glutes and challenging your core.

How to:

Lie faceup on the floor with the sole of one foot on top of the ball, knee bent, and the other leg extended toward the ceiling, arms along your sides.
Lift your hips to come in line with your knees and shoulders in a bridge, then straighten the leg on the ball, rolling it away from you (keeping hips lifted).
Curl your hamstring to roll the ball back toward your glutes and lower your hips to the start to complete one rep.
Do all reps on one side before switching.

Jack Press:

Boost the Challenge: Lower into a half squat and do your jacks in this lower profile to maintain tension in the glutes and quads.

How to:

Stand with your feet together and hold a set of dumbbells (5 to 15 pounds) at your shoulders, palms forward, elbows down.
Jump your feet apart, extending your arms and pressing the weights overhead.
Jump your feet back together and lower the weights to the start.

Stability-Ball V-Up and Balance:

Boost the Challenge: On your last rep, bring both legs overhead to come into a handstand and see how long you can hold it.

How to:

Get into a push-up position with your hands underneath your shoulders and your feet on top of a stability ball, legs together.
Lift your hips and roll the ball forward to come into an inverted V, hips over shoulders.
Find your balance and extend one leg into the air.
Hold for a count of 3, then replace your leg and roll the ball back to the start.
Continue, alternating sides.

Mini-Circuit 3:

Repeat three times.


Exercise	Sets	Reps
Spiderwoman Push-Up	1	5-8 each side
Barbell Turkish Get-Up	1	5-8 each side

Spider-Woman Push-Up:

Boost the Challenge: With each rep, crawl one step forward with your hands and feet.

How to:

Get into a push-up position with your hands underneath your shoulders and your head, hips and heels in line.
Bend your elbows and lower yourself toward the floor as you bring one knee up and to the outside of your elbow.
Replace your foot and extend your arms to return to the start.
Continue, alternating sides.

Barbell Turkish Get-Up:

Boost the Challenge: Try alternating sides with each rep, switching hands in the lying position.

How to:

Lie faceup and hold a barbell straight up over your shoulder with your right arm, right knee bent, left leg and arm extended.
Keep your eyes on the barbell throughout the move to help keep it steady and level.
Begin to sit up, using your left elbow, then your left hand to assist, still keeping the barbell straight up over your right shoulder.
Bridge your hips and then swing your left leg through to the rear underneath your left arm and kneel on it.
Bring your torso upright and then extend both legs to come to a standing position.
Reverse the steps to return to the start and complete one repetition.
Do all reps on one side before switching.