4 military-inspired exercises that will help you burn major calories

To make it in the military, you have to be in peak physical form. The men and women in uniform have inspired us to get in shape with a military-style circuit workout. Personal trainer Brent Bishop of Think Fitness recruited Team Goods to take part in a tailored boot camp rotating through four activities. Brent recommends doing these exercises in a circuit fashion — 1-2 minutes per exercise.

Exercise 1: Army crawl

This exercise is a multi-joint movement that engages the entire body, meaning it's great for balance, coordination and agility. It also works out your upper body core, your abs and obliques, while helping to build up your flexibility and strength. Plus, it's a great activity for the whole family! 

For a family of four, three people would be in a hand plank position, balancing on their hands and feet, while the fourth person would crawl underneath them. Once the crawler reaches the end, they get into hand plank position, while the person at the back of the line now starts their army crawl.

If you're working out solo? No problem! You can do this under chairs or just on the ground staying low and crawling about 10ft at a time.

When planking, remember: proper plank position involves having your hands flat on the ground and tip toes on the floor. In an "UP" push-up position with a straight back you hold yourself up.

Planks are GREAT for:

• Strengthening arm muscles and increasing ability to lift heavier weights.
• Working out the muscle group that's responsible for giving you the renowned six-pack look.  
• Improved capacity for stable side-bending and waist-twisting.
• A supported back and a strong, shapely booty.

Exercise 2: Wall climb

Climbing offers you a "full body workout" as it requires you to use the full range of the muscles in your body, from fingers and forearms, to back, legs and shoulders — especially on longer, steeper routes.

To do this exercise, stand before the wall. Place your hands on top of the wall. Push yourself up. Swing your legs over. Run back around and repeat.

Our hosts did this exercise climbing over two stacked plyo boxes making a 4-foot wall. At home you can use a sturdy couch with a high back, but BE CAREFUL.

Exercise 3: Rope pull plank

Rope pull planks are a great way to work your core, while also really strengthening your upper body.

For this exercise, start in forearm plank position pulling one end of the rope continuously until the entire length of rope is pulled and is underneath your body. While pulling the rope, be sure to alternate arms each time.

Our hosts did this activity with a heavy duty braided rope loosely anchored to the ankle of their partner. At home you can use any rope — or even an extension cord — loosely anchored around a chair or sofa leg. Don't have rope at the ready? No problem. Just use your imagination and pretend just reach and pull while alternating arms.

Exercise 4: Body Drag

Body drags activate and strengthen muscles throughout your body, including ones in your legs, arms, shoulders and core.

This exercise is exactly what it sounds like! Our hosts partnered up and dragged each other to a finish line. The partner on the ground was lying on a blanket that slid easily across the floor. At home, you can use a sandbag (or another heavy item) placed on a towel or bed sheet and pull across a smooth floor.

Calories expended:

For all 4 exercises, if you use 1 minute of each exercise to create a 4 minute circuit, you could burn approximately 15-20 cals per minute, depending on things like body weight and how fast you're actually going with each move.

Doing this 4 minute circuit for 3-4 rounds could burn over 300 calories. Double each station time by 2 minutes per exercise for a 8 minute 4-exercise circuit and you're looking at burning over 600 calories in well under an hour!