Monthly Workout · September, Fall Edition
Charge & Control
This September workout has four short blocks. Each one pairs a cardio move with a strength move, on purpose. The cardio gets your heart rate up. The strength move that follows makes you slow back down and move with control, so you get the benefits of both without rushing the reps that need care.
Your September workout: four blocks of cardio and strength
Set a timer for 30 seconds of cardio, then 30 seconds of strength. Four blocks, five rounds.
September workout block 1: lower body
30s cardio · 30s strength · 5 rounds
Feet together, arms at sides. Jump feet out wide while raising arms overhead, then jump back to start. Keep a steady, energetic pace.
Modify: Standing Jack Taps: tap one foot out to the side at a time instead of jumping.
Feet hip-width apart, dumbbell in each hand. Sit back into a squat as you curl the weights to your shoulders. Lower the weights as you stand. Slow it down here: 2 counts down, 2 counts up. This is not the place to rush.
September workout block 2: upper body
30s cardio · 30s strength · 5 rounds
Drive your knees up toward your chest, one at a time, at a quick pace. Pump your arms to match.
Modify: March in Place: lift knees to a comfortable height without adding impact.
Hinge at the hips, dumbbells hanging in front of your thighs. Stand tall as you pull the weights up toward your chin, elbows leading. Lower with control on both the hinge and the row. No bouncing at the bottom.
September workout block 3: full body
30s cardio · 30s strength · 5 rounds
Feet hip-width apart, hands up by your chin. Throw quick, light punches out in front of you, alternating sides. Stay light on your feet. This one is naturally low-impact, a good default if you need to skip the other cardio moves.
Step one foot back into a reverse lunge as you raise both dumbbells straight out to shoulder height. Lower the weights as you return to standing. Front knee stays stacked over your ankle. The raise finishes right as you hit the bottom of the lunge, slow and controlled, not a fast punch-out.
September workout block 4: core, on the mat
30s cardio · 30s strength · 5 rounds
Start in a plank position. Drive your knees toward your chest one at a time at a quick pace, keeping your hips level.
Modify: Slow Mountain Climbers: same position, walk the knees in instead of driving them.
Sit on the mat, knees bent, feet flat on the floor (lift feet for more challenge). Hold one dumbbell at your chest. Rotate slowly side to side, leading with your ribcage, not your arms. Control the rotation: twisting fast with weight is a common way people tweak their back.
From the coach
I’ve had people come to me after doing HIIT-style workouts with heavy weights, hurt, because they were still moving at cardio speed when they picked up the dumbbells. That’s exactly what this month’s format is built to prevent.
Every cardio move in this workout is followed by a strength move on purpose. Let the cardio get your heart rate up. Then let the strength move slow you back down. The jumping jacks and high knees are where you can move fast. The dumbbells are where you slow it down: two counts down, two counts up, every time.
This isn’t just a safety note. It’s the whole point of the format. If you take nothing else from this workout, take this: speed is for the cardio, control is for the weights.
Rebecca
Build the habit over four weeks with the September workout
About 5 minutes. Light weight. Focus purely on nailing the shift from cardio speed to strength control.
Same weight, same focus. Let the tempo shift start to feel automatic.
The full 25-minute workout plus your 5-minute stretch. Still prioritizing control over speed on every strength move.
Increase the dumbbells slightly on the strength moves only. Cardio pace stays exactly the same.
Want a workout built around your body?
These monthly workouts are made for a general audience. However, if you want a plan built around your goals, your schedule and any old injuries, book a free Clarity Call, and we will talk it through, no pressure.
