What if the key to long-term success wasn’t “blasting fat” or “torching calories,” but building muscle — and accountability — instead? For those of us caught obsessing over numbers on the scale, celebrity trainer Brett Hoebel says it’s time to step away from the hunk of metal, and regain control of what matters most: your health, your happiness, and what he calls “sweating with soul.”
“Weight can be misleading,” says Hoebel, whose new book The 20-Minute Body hit shelves on March 24th. But unlike his previous role on season 11 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser, coaching contestants to drop double or even triple digits in weight, for the vast majority of us, “It’s about focusing on inches, not pounds,” Hoebel says. After all, the more lean muscle you have, the more calories your body is able to burn at rest. But how do you get there exactly?
Finding Freedom in Fitness
As a teen, despite staying active with gymnastics and football, Hoebel was 50 pounds overweight, and teased regularly for being ‘the fat kid.’ Instead of hanging out with friends after practice, the 14-year-old would hole up in his bedroom closet, hiding from the world with bag of junk food in his lap. And then one day, when he was forced to have his photo taken with his freshman year football team, it hit him. “I could no longer hide. I knew I didn’t want to be that same person anymore,” he remembers.
Hoebel channeled more energy than ever into football, wrestling and lacrosse, and later, discovered an unshakeable love of capoeira and martial arts. “Fitness became my freedom,” Hoebel says. “It has the power to build an inner strength that, over time, can transcend into every aspect of your life.”
Setting Up for Success
In The 20-Minute Body, the equation is simple: 20-minute workouts (think: dynamic, high-intensity routines) plus 20-minute recipes (featuring clean eats that actually taste good). Over the course of 20 days, the goal is to shed unwanted inches through a holistic and sustainable approach to fitness and nutrition. “One of my mottos is, ‘Walk your talk, and the rest will follow,’” Hoebel says. “And I really believe it’s not the dumbbell or the diet that get you in shape. It’s your accountability to your word and your belief in yourself that do.”
Inspired yet? Jump right in with this eight-minute “Booty by Brett” butt workout developed exclusively for Life by DailyBurn. Summer will be here before you know it!
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The 8-Minute “Booty by Brett” Butt Workout
They’re the biggest muscle group in your body, and yet, they’re all too often overlooked. We’re talking about the glutes. This workout will fire up your gluteal muscles from all angles, in addition to strengthening your hips and thighs. After a quick dynamic warm-up, grab a spot on the floor and get to it. As Hoebel says, “It’s booty time!”
1. Brazil Lunge Lifter
How to: To start, step back with your right leg into a reverse lunge, and plant your left arm flat on the ground, next to your left foot. Press through the front heel as you drive back up to standing, while simultaneously extending your right leg behind you, and raising both arms up in front of you as a counterbalance. Repeat for 30 seconds, then switch legs.
2. Butterfly Booty Booster
How to: Lie on the floor with the soles of your feet together, knees pointed outwards, and arms crossed above your chest. Squeeze your glutes as you lift your hips off the ground, stabilizing the body by engaging your core and pressing your upper back into the floor. Hold for two counts, then lower back to the ground. Repeat move for 60 seconds. Pro tip: Try moving your feet a few inches closer to your body (or further away) to activate different areas of the glutes. For an extra burn, pulse one inch up and one inch down (without returning to the ground) for the last 10 seconds of your set.
3. Scorpion Cross Touches
How to: Start on all fours and lift your right leg up and over to the left, as you twist your left arm back to meet your right heel. Be sure to keep your foot flexed (not pointed) in order to activate the glutes and hamstrings, rather than the quads. If you don’t have the flexibility to reach your arm over to meet your foot, focus on just the leg drives, keeping both hands planted firmly on the ground. Continue to alternate legs for 60 seconds, maintaining a strong core. Rest for 60 seconds, then repeat exercises 1-3 once more.
For more fitness and nutrition tips, exercise routines and healthy recipes, visit The 20-Minute Body. And be sure to try this killer six-minute six-pack routine when it’s time for core training.
Want more bodyweight workouts you can do at home? Head to DailyBurn.com to start your free 30-day trial today.