Try This! The Russian dance
Take your weight routine to the next level with this high-intensity cardio drill. The Russian dance is a favorite of personal trainer and group fitness instructor Amy Dixon, who uses it on her latest high-intensity interval training video, “Breathless Body Volume 2: The Edge.” Sandwich this drill between weight-bearing exercises to create a circuit that packs in a cardio and strength workout at the same time.
What it does
This move gets your heart rate up quickly, allowing you to burn a lot of calories while challenging your leg muscles.
What to do
From a standing position, bring your arms up to shoulder height and fold them in on top of one another. (It doesn’t matter which arm is on top.) Bend your knees into a mini squat and hinge forward slightly from the hip. Push your right heel out in a forward kick, keeping the heel on the ground. Hop it back in as you kick your left heel out. Continue to alternate kicks on each leg. Advanced exercisers can make this more challenging by squatting lower and taking the forward kicks into the air with a bigger hop between sides. Beginners can make it easier by eliminating the hop and simply extending each leg from the heel to the floor in front of them.
How much
Do the drill for 30 seconds, working as hard as you can. Rest for 15 seconds. Repeat the dance/rest cycle four times.
