Cindy

Cindy is a 20-minute conditioning workout made up of pull-ups, push-ups, and air squats performed as a continuous circuit. It trains your chest, quadriceps, and lats, with your shoulders, triceps, and core working to support each movement. The goal is to keep moving at a steady pace for the entire 20 minutes.

You need a pull-up bar and enough floor space for push-ups and squats. Stand under the bar, then drop into a push-up position when it is time. No other equipment is required.

Set a timer for 20 minutes. Complete 5 pull-ups, then 10 push-ups, then 15 air squats. That is one round. Repeat the round as many times as you can before the timer ends. Count every rep you finish, or count full rounds. Your score is total reps or rounds completed.

Breathe throughout the movement rather than holding your breath. Brace your midline during pull-ups and push-ups, and keep a steady rhythm on the squats. To make it easier, use a band for pull-ups, do push-ups from your knees, or reduce the rep count. To make it harder, keep rest periods short and move straight from one exercise to the next without pausing.

Fault: Going too fast in the first few rounds and burning out before the 20 minutes are up. Fix: Start at a pace you could hold for the full workout and only speed up in the final minutes if you feel strong.

Fault: Breaking up pull-ups and push-ups into tiny sets early on. Fix: Use a rep scheme you can complete in one or two quick sets each round so you spend less time resting.

Fault: Squats getting shallow as fatigue sets in. Fix: Stand tall at the top and lower your hips below your knees on every rep.

Fault: Kipping or swinging on pull-ups out of control. Fix: Keep your body tight, drive your elbows down and back, and use a band or jumping variation if you lose your rhythm.