Combination Exercises

These are the best kinds of strength workouts because you are working multiple muscles in one exercise. It not only saves time, but it gets your heart rate up and keeps you moving which = more calories burned during the workout. Always a plus, don't you think ladies?

This is not one complete workout, but several different options to add to your workout where it needs some spicing up. Here are some great combinations to incorporate into your workouts:

Overhead Lunge Walk: 
Legs, Glutes, Core, and Shoulders

Hold the dumbells overhead while you do 10 walking lunges. This way you can skip doing the shoulder presses altogether, but you still get them worked out. Oh I love multitasking :)

Russian Twist: 

Abs, Obliques (Yes that's a combination :)

If you don't have a partner, which you probably don't, put your feet under a couch if you need the extra support.

Lunge, Kick and Curl: 

Legs, Glutes, and Biceps

Lunge with your arms at your side. On the way up, kick up your leg while doing a bicep curl.

Squat Plus Abduction Kick: 

Legs, Glutes, and Hips

 

The best way is to use resistance bands around your ankles so you don't have to switch the resistance bands position, but this is the only picture I have to describe this.
Complete the squat, then stand up straight and kick your right leg out for an abduction. Squat again and then kick your left leg out to the side. 

Sit up Plus Shoulder Press: 

Abs, and Shoulders
Have a pair of dumbbells in your hands. Have your arms positioned where the dumbbells are by your ears (so your elbows are bent.) As you sit up, raise your arms/extend your elbows for a shoulder press.  On the way back down from your sit up, bring your arms back to the starting position with the dumbbells by the sides of your face, or ears. 

Lunge Plus Tricep: 

Legs, Glutes, and Triceps

Do this picture, but add a lunge. Start with the dumbbells overhead. When you go down for a lunge, brings the dumbbells behind your head for a tricep dip. As you stand up from the lunge, bring your arms back up overhead. ***Remember to keep your elbows close to your ears as you bring the dumbbells behind your head. Do not let them spread out wide, because then you are not targeting your triceps to the extent that you could.