12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Full Body

12-minute bodyweight tabata workout

I hope you guys have enjoyed this bodyweight tabata series! I really wanted to get all five workouts posted by the end of the week and here we are pushing 11PM on Sunday … what can I say, I’ve always worked best under pressure. 😉

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Full Body


This workout is made up of three tabata supersets. For each tabata superset, set an interval timer for 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. During the work intervals, you’ll alternate between the two exercises. In other words: 20 seconds Exercise 1 / 10 seconds rest / 20 seconds Exercise 2 / 10 seconds rest and so on. Rest as needed between tabata supersets, but try to limit it to 60 seconds if possible.

Full-Body & Cardio Tabata Workout - 12 minute long and made up of three tabata supersets of bodyweight exercises

Tabata Superset 1

Breakdancer Kickthroughs | These are a little tricky to explain in words, so definitely watch the video (fast forward to about the 30-second mark). Start on all-hours, hands and balls of the feet on the floor. From here, you’re going to lift your left hand as you kick your right leg through, twisting your body upright so that you’re now facing up with your right hand and left foot on the ground as a base, your right leg extended out at a hover. Reverse the movement and flip it over to the other side. Continue side to side. I know, that made no sense. Just watch the damn video. 😉

Forearm Plank Hops | Start in a forearm plank (elbows stacked underneath shoulders, core pulled in tight—don’t let your low back sag or your butt stick up in the air). From here, hop your feet in unison to the right, back to center, to the left, and back to center. While you hop, try to hold your body in a straight line, not letting your bum pike up into the air.

Tabata Superset 2

Jump Lunge-Jump Lunge-Jump Squat | Jump lunge, jump lunge, jump squat, jump lunge, jump lunge, jump squat–that’s the pattern for this combo. Start in a lunge position, both knees bent to opposing 90-degree angles. From here, do two jump lunges, switching the front foot each time. Next time you jump, land in a squat position. Do a jump squat. Jump back into your lunge position and start from the top.

Speed Skaters | These are like side-to-side leaping curtsy lunges. Leap to the right, landing on your right foot and bending down to touch the ground by your foot with your left hand as you swoop your left foot behind the right (think of a curtsy). Come up, leaping left and reversing the move. Keep it going quickly, back and forth, trying to never let that back foot come to rest on the ground—keep the weight in the foot you land on.

Tabata Superset 3

Jump Tuck Burpees | This is a traditional burpee with a jump tuck instead of a basic overhead jump. From a standing position, squat down, bringing your hands to the floor. Hop your feet back into a plank position. Quickly hop them back up towards your hands. Do a jump tuck. For the jump tuck: Jump up into the air, using your core to pull your knees up towards your chest. Lower them quickly in time to land. You’ll want to bend your knees, sinking into a squat to prep for the jump, and you’ll land this same way, sinking into a squat to absorb the landing. As you jump up bring your hands in front of your rib cage and try to hit them with your knees.

Marching Plank Push Ups (alternate) | Start in a plank position, wrists stacked under shoulders. Lower onto your right forearm (keep your left hand planted right where it is, bending into that left elbow so that you can lower). As soon as your right forearm hits the ground, push into the left hand to press back up to straight arms in your starting plank position. Try to keep your hips level as you do this marching plank. To achieve that, you’ve got to bend into the stationary arm (don’t keep your left arm straight as you lower onto the right forearm). Isolate one side each round (so in total you’ll do it twice to the right, twice to the left).

This workout clearly kicked my butt:

12-minute bodyweight tabata workout

WEARING | Fabletics tank // leggings c/o Eddie Bauer // bra c/o Lululemon // Nike sneakers

Cheers to a productive, healthy week ahead!

signature

MORE WORKOUTS FROM THIS SERIES:

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Full Body + Cardio

Bodyweight Tabata Workout: Total Body + Cardio  - This 12-minute workout is broken up into three tabata supersets. Video included so you can follow along at home! #tabata #tabataworkout #bodyweightworkout #athomeworkout #intervaltraining #hiit

Woop! Workout 4 out of 5. This is bodyweight tabata is a full-body workout and definitely cardio-heavy. If you missed the previous three workouts in this series, they’re targeting by muscle group but use the same format:

I had some issues with the video (note to self: make sure you’re actually in the frame before doing a full tabata of push ups and mountain climbers…) so bear with the choppiness of that second superset if you follow along at home.

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout: Full Body + Cardio

This workout is made up of three tabata supersets. For each tabata superset, set an interval timer for 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. Or just follow along with the video. During the work intervals, you’ll alternate between the two exercises. In other words: 20 seconds Exercise 1 / 10 seconds rest / 20 seconds Exercise 2 / 10 seconds rest and so on. Rest as needed between tabata supersets, but try to limit it to 60 seconds if possible.

As with all workouts, make sure you’re properly warmed up beforehand. Always listen to your body, modifying or stopping as needed. I have a guided 5-minute warm up you can do as well as a gentler version of it with no jumping.

Bodyweight Tabata Workout: Total Body + Cardio - This 12-minute workout is broken up into three tabata supersets. Video included so you can follow along at home! #tabata #tabataworkout #bodyweightworkout #athomeworkout #intervaltraining #hiit

Tabata Superset 1

Snowboarders | This is essentially a rotating squat jump. Squat down, hips and butt back and down, weight in your heels. Bring your right fingertips towards the ground in front of you and look over your right shoulder. From here, you’re going to jump up and turn towards your right shoulder, rotating 180 degrees in air and landing back in a squat facing the other direction, this time bringing your left fingertips towards the ground and looking over your left shoulder. Repeat, rotating towards your left shoulder this time. A good way to think about it is you’re always looking ahead in the same direction, just changing which foot is in front.

High Knees | Maintaining good posture (don’t hunch forward!), run in place. Use your core to drive your knees up high as you do. Keep these quick! If you have knee issues or need to modify, march in place instead.

Tabata Superset 2

Hand-Release Push Ups | Start in a plank position and begin to bend your elbows as if you were doing a push up. Instead lower your body all the way to the ground. From here, lift your chest and hands off the ground, squeezing your upper back. Lower your hands back down to the ground by your rib cage and press your body back up into a high plank position. To modify perform on your knees.

Crossbody Mountain Climbers | Start in a plank position with hands stacked under shoulders, abs held in tight. Don’t let your low back arch down towards the floor. Pull your right knee across your body towards your left elbow, trying to make physical contact between the two if you can. Step the right foot back into your high plank and then repeat on the other side, left knee to right elbow. Your goal is to go fast but also to get the knee as close to touching the opposite elbow as possible. Don’t sacrifice the latter for speed.

Tabata Superset 3

Plank to Low Squat Snaps | Start in a plank position. From here, jump your feet up towards the outsides of your hands and as you do, release the hands from the floor so that you can snap up, landing in a low, wide squat position. Pause. With that same quickness, bring your hands back to the floor as you jump your feet back, landing in plank. The goal is to snap from plank to that low squat with momentum. This way there’s a brief moment when neither your feet nor hands are making contact with the ground.

Hot Feet | You probably know these best as a basketball or football drill. You essentially run in place as fast as you can while in a wide-leg squat position. With your feet a bit wider than hip-width apart, squat down. Staying low, you’ll quickly run your feet up and down. Stay on the balls of your feet and barely pick them off the floor so that you can maintain the speed.

Bodyweight Tabata Workout: Total Body + Cardio - This 12-minute workout is broken up into three tabata supersets. Video included so you can follow along at home! #tabata #tabataworkout #bodyweightworkout #athomeworkout #intervaltraining #hiit

xo Nicole

More from this bodyweight tabata workout series:

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Core

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Core - tabata superset workout focusing on core with follow-along video! #tabata #coreworkout #tabataworkout #hiit #bodyweightworkout

It’s Day 3 of this bodyweight tabata workout series, and we’re focusing on core. The remaining two days will be total body, so this is the last isolating a particular muscle group. As with the others, it’s quick—but challenging!

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Core Focus

This workout is made up of three tabata supersets. For each tabata superset, set an interval timer for 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest (or follow along with the video). During the work intervals, you’ll alternate between the two exercises. In other words: 20 seconds Exercise 1 / 10 seconds rest / 20 seconds Exercise 2 / 10 seconds rest and so on. Rest as needed between tabata supersets, but try to limit it to 60 seconds if possible.

As with all workouts, you want to make sure you’re properly warmed up beforehand. I have two warm ups you can follow along with. A 5-minute warm up and a 7-minute gentle warm up with no jumping.

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Core - tabata superset workout focusing on core with follow-along video! #tabata #coreworkout #tabataworkout #hiit #bodyweightworkout

Workout Breakdown

Tabata Superset 1

Mountain Climbers | Start in a plank, hands stacked underneath shoulders, core squeezing in tight (don’t let your low back sag or your butt stick up in the air). From this position, drive one knee at a time up towards your chest, like running horizontally. The pace on these should be quick.

V Ups | Start on your back with arms stretched overhead and legs hovering just slightly above the ground. Pull your abs in tight and press your low back to the ground. You’ll then crunch up, bringing your hands towards your toes (keeping legs and arms straight). When done correctly, your body will make a “v” shape as you crunch. This means you’re not just reaching your arms up, your chest needs to move towards your knees. Lower back down to starting position. If possible, your feet should never touch the ground between reps.

Tabata Superset 2

Plank Jump Jacks | Start in a plank position with hands aligned underneath shoulders. Jump both feet up towards your hands and then quickly back to a plank. Then jump feet out to the sides (like a horizontal jumping jack) and quickly back together. That’s one rep. When doing the “jack” part of this move, try to hold a strong plank alignment with your upper body. Don’t let your butt pike up into the air or hips sag downward.

Bicycle Crunch Sit Ups (alternate) | Start laying on your back with your hands lightly behind your head, elbows bent out to the sides, and chest open. Engage your abs, pulling your bellybutton down to the floor as you lift your legs off the ground about six inches to a hover. This is your starting position. From here, bend your right knee in towards your chest as you crunch your left elbow across to meet it, lifting your shoulders off the floor like a twisting sit-up. Your left leg should remain outstretched in a hover as you do this. Slowly return back to the starting position and continue, crunching in the same direction the entire time.

The goal is to keep the legs off the ground the whole time, but if you need to modify, your left heel can quickly rest on the floor in between reps. Each round isolate one side. So you’ll do two total 20-second intervals on the right, two on the left, alternating between the two.

Tabata Superset 3

Side V-Ups (alternate) | Start laying on your side, balancing on that bottom hip/side butt area with your bottom hand on the floor in front of you for support. Top arm is bent with hand behind your head and elbow out wide. Legs should be extended and hovering off the ground. This is your starting position. From here, you’re going to crunch up and in, keeping your legs straight as you lift your torso up and in to meet them so that your sidebody forms a “v” shape.

Use that bottom hand for support, but try to push off it minimally. Slowly lower back down and extend back out to a hover. Each round isolate one side. So you’ll do two total 20-second intervals on the right, two on the left, alternating between the two.

Clapping Bike Crunches | With your lower body, think bicycle crunch. Start laying on your back with your legs extended straight out, hovering a few inches off the floor. From here you’re going to crunch the right knee in, keeping the left leg extended out at a hover. As you do this, crunch your upper back off the floor, clapping your hands behind the right thigh. Extend back out to starting position and then do the same thing to the left. Finish the combo by crunching both knees in together and wrapping your arms around them to once again clap behind your thighs. The purpose of the clap is to force you to really crunch and keep your shoulder blades off the floor.

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Core - tabata superset workout focusing on core with follow-along video! #tabata #coreworkout #tabataworkout #hiit #bodyweightworkout

Tabata Workout Series Quick Links

If you love this workout, check out the rest of the series. All use the same format but with different focuses and exercises.

xo Nicole