Take the 10-Minute Push-Up and Plank Challenge

For other workouts you can do in 10 minutes or less, check out The Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet! 

Got 10 minutes? Then you can do this tough 10-minute push-up and plank challenge!

I did a version of this at my gym The Fit Pit a few months back, and now it’s my go-to upper-body and core workout when I can’t get to the gym and don’t have a lot of time, but want to do something. Or when I’m traveling and the hotel doesn’t have a gym (or it’s a sad and neglected one). Or, you know, when I get an FBG tattoo on my foot and I can’t wear socks or shoes, but want to do something other than yoga and shoulder presses.

The push-up and plank challenge is quick, but it definitely gets your arms burning and your core working. I’m almost always sore from it, and I am still working up to being able to do the whole thing unbroken with really good push-up form (and — confession — not just staying down in the lower part of the push-up for an extra second or two to get a “break”). Almost there!

The concept of the push-up and plank challenge is simple and there are only two moves to do: push-ups and plank. You begin in plank for the designated set amount of time, and while in plank you do a full push-up every 10 seconds. Once you hit the time set, you rest for the same amount of time. Then go on to the next plank-and-push-up interval. Feel free to modify the plank and/or push-ups by being on your knees as you need to, but try to push yourself to stick with the unmodified version for as long as you can. You got this! And, remember, it’s only 10 minutes (and five of them are rest!) …

10-Minute Push-Up and Plank Challenge

2 minutes: plank with push-ups every 10 seconds

Rest 2 minutes

1:30 minutes: plank with push-ups every 10 seconds

Rest 1:30 minutes

1 minute: plank with push-ups every 10 seconds

Rest 1 minute

30 seconds: plank with push-ups every 10 seconds

Rest 30 seconds

Collapse. Feel the burn. Feel proud!

How did you do with the push-up and plank challenge? Which interval was the hardest for you? The 1:30 one gets me every time … —Jenn