This is a really good one...it's a 3-exercise circuit that covers all your major muscle groups (with a special focus on your core) in one time-efficient workout.

Each of these exercises works a very different set of "primary" muscles with core muscles as a common factor between them. In addition, they each target different aspects of core training for complete conditioning.

None of these exercise are common exercises, so yes, you WILL get strange looks when you use this combo (heck, even if you train alone at home, you'll get strange looks).

You'll need either a power rack (or a Smith machine), a barbell, a bench and a couple of dumbbells to perform this one.

This workout is designed as a continuous, rotating, timed circuit, meaning you'll rotate through the series of three exercises for a set amount of time (e.g. 20 minutes) without stopping between exercises. Each exercise works different muscles, which will allow you to work basically non-stop for the entire block of time, making this an extremely time-efficient and challenging workout.

I did this workout as a "lactate"-style of workout where I used light weights and did a lot of reps. You can also choose to go a bit heavier and do fewer reps on each mini-set.

First, set the bar on the safety rails of the rack to about waist height and pull it up against the uprights of the rack to brace it. You'll need to experiment a bit with bar height before you go full-on into the workout, so you know how to get into and out of position.

I've got 135 pounds on the bar...how much you use will depend on how much you want to use for the third exercise. Also, I'm using 40 pound dumbbells for the first and second exercises.

The first exercise is called the "Back-Off Bench Press."

Set your flat bench under the bar so that the bar is about at the halfway point of the bench. Grab your dumbbells and hold them at your stomach, then walk forward and sit on the bench with your hips up close to the bar. Hold the dumbbells on end on your thighs.

Now bring your feet up onto the bench, bracing your thighs against the bar as you lie back with the dumbbells. THIS is why we practice before we do the actual workout. You need to be comfortable getting into and out of position. It's also why we're using relatively light weight for this.

Once you're lying back, your upper back and shoulders should be off the end of the bench. This is INTENSE isometric work on the rectus abdominis (six-pack abs) as it must be constantly contracted as you perform the dumbbell bench press exercise from there.

Do as many reps as you can until lactic acid build-up shuts you down (either in your chest or your abs!).

Bring the dumbbells down and forward to your thighs again, using them as a counterweight to sit up. Stand up then set the dumbbells on the end of the bench.

Now it's time to hit the second exercise..."Hip-Braced Dumbbell Rows."

Immediately come around to the other side of the bar and kneel on the bench. The height of the bar should be such that it hits you right in the waistband area.

You're going to brace your hips against the bar as you row with the dumbbells. This works your back and biceps with a strong focus on your lower back (which is part of the core) along with abdominal bracing.

Go for as many reps as you can get with the same dumbbells you used for the bench press.

When you're done, set the dumbells back down on the end of the bench and go to the third exercise..."Bench Zercher Squats."

This is where you'll be using the "bracing" bar as weight. You'll be holding the bar in a Zercher Squat position, with your arms bent and the bar held in the crooks of the elbows.

Then just stand up.

Zercher Squats work the legs and upper back. In addition, this exercise strongly works the "anti-flexion" aspect of the core, in addition to bracing. This is a shorter range of motion from normal Zercher Squats because you'll be starting from a seated position on the bench.

Do as many reps as you can with this one, pausing to sit on the bench briefly on each rep.

Then set the bar back down, push it back up against the uprights, and repeat the cycle through the exercises. Keep going for whatever block of time you want to do. I did a 20-minute workout and it was very effective.

Overall, this is an extremely useful circuit for hitting every major muscle group in your body with a special focus on the core. It doesn't take up much space and you'll get a LOT of work done in a very short period of time...great for time-efficient fat-loss training!

Watch the video of these exercises and this workout in action here...

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