mbg moves With CJ Frogozo: 8-Minute Cardio Burst
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Welcome to mbg moves! In 2020, we've been working out at home more than ever—and we know our readers are, too. To help keep your fitness routine feeling fresh, we're releasing a new at-home workout every Monday, to start your week off strong. Each month will feature routines from a different incredible trainer we adore. Now, let's get moving with our first trainer spotlight: CJ Frogozo.
Look, I get it: Finding time to work out amid a super busy schedule is tough. In addition to working as an instructor at The SaltDrop and The Class, I also have a full-time job as the VP of PR and Community for Thinx. So yeah, sometimes finding time to sneak in my own workouts can be a major challenge.
That's one of the reasons I created this efficient workout for the mbg moves series. It's only four exercises, and eight minutes long—making it the perfect solution for those overscheduled days.
This routine is all about getting your heart pumping, for an effective cardio workout. I've also incorporated some glutes-focused moves for a little extra booty burn. Are you ready to get sweating? Give this speedy sequence a try.
Your 4-week challenge: This workout is Part 2 of my monthlong series (see my 8-minute lower-body blast for the first installment). I challenge you to keep doing more movement sessions each week (keep an eye out for a new workout every Monday), so by the end of the month, you're doing my 8-minute workouts three to four times weekly. Trust me; I think you'll feel a lot better in your body.
Summary
Equipment: None
Instructions: Complete 2 minutes of squats, followed by 1 minute of jump squats (keep doing squats if this is too much for you). Then, continue to 3 minutes of curtsy lunge to squats, and 2 minutes of jumping jacks. Move from one exercise to the next without rest for a full 8-minute workout.
Squat
- Start in a standing position. Bring your feet out wider than hip-distance apart. Toes turn out to 1 and 11 on a clock.
- Lower down, keeping knees over heels. Reach your butt back, and flip tailbone toward the sky. Drag your shoulder blades down your back. Separate the knees away from each other, don't let them knock in, and activate the outer glutes.
- Engage glutes to lift back up to start. That's one rep. Repeat for 2 minutes.
- At end of 2 minutes, you transition to a jump squat (see below) for 1 minute.
Jump Squat
- Start in your squat position.
- At the bottom of the squat, squeeze your glutes, press into your heels, then roll through your feet and propel upward off your toes.
- Land softly on your feet, then use the momentum from landing to move into your next squat. That's one rep. Continue for 1 minute.
Curtsy Lunge to Squat
- Start in a standing position. Bring your feet out wider than hip-distance apart, with toes pointed at 1 and 11.
- Lift one knee up next to your body, then cross that leg behind your opposite leg.
- Press your back toes into the ground, and bend your knees. Send your hips back, tailbone up, waist in, and shoulders down.
- Lift your back knee back up, place your foot back down into a squat position, then lower down into a squat.
- At the top of your squat, lift the opposite knee up and repeat on the other side. That's one rep. Continue for 3 minutes.
Jumping Jack
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, with arms at your sides.
- Raise your arms out to the sides and over your head. At the same time, jump your feet out so they're wider than hip-width apart.
- Quickly reverse the movement and return to start. That's one rep. Continue for 2 minutes.
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CJ Frogozo is the VP of PR and Community for Thinx, Inc. and a teacher at both The Class by Taryn Toomey and The SaltDrop.
In almost two decades of working in fitness and wellness, CJ has taught everything from step aerobics to vinyasa yoga. She earned her 200-hr teacher training at YogaWorks in Los Angeles under the instruction of Annie Carpenter and Sonya Cottle. She completed her barre3 certification in 2014 and created a beautiful community at their cozy West Village studio. Additionally, she has taught at The Class by Taryn Toomey since 2017 and joined the SaltDrop teaching team March 2020.
On and off the mat, she is committed to social and economic justice and sustainability. Prior to Thinx, she headed up cause-based and advocacy public relations for V-Day, Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, ColorOfChange.org, and more. Additionally, she worked for the Obama Campaign in 2008 and the Kerry Campaign in 2004.