A Faster Fat Burner

Slim and tone your entire body with one athletic move

By the Editors of Men's Health on MSN Health

When you're short on workout time, use the dumbbell alternating lunge and overhead press. It conditions your muscles from head to toe so you're able to streamline your routine to just a few challenging exercises, says David Jack, sport director of Teamworks Centers in Acton, Massachusetts.

For instance, you might sandwich the dumbbell alternating lunge and overhead press between a set of pullups and an abs exercise. Perform one movement and then immediately follow it up with another. Rest for up to a minute and then repeat the trio once (or twice if time allows).

The Benefit

The dumbbell alternating lunge and overhead press trains your legs, core, and shoulders. It also improves your coordination for sports because it requires you to keep your hips level and your core stable for balance as you perform complex movements.

How to Do It

1. Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at your shoulders.

2. Take a big step forward with your right leg and bend at the knees until that leg is parallel to the floor and your rear knee is just off the floor.

3. Press the left-hand weight overhead, lower it, and then push back to the starting position.

4. Step out with your other leg and complete the press with your opposite arm.

That's 1 rep. Do a total of 8 reps.

Our Expert's Tips

Don't allow your weight to carry you forward. Instead, think about dropping your hips straight down as you step. Keep your abs tight and your chest up, and squeeze your glutes.

The New Stretch: Hip Circuit

Your hips are the largest weight-bearing joints in your body. By performing this stretching circuit, you'll increase their range of motion. You'll also gain stability in your knees and more strength for squats and lunges.

1. Start on all fours, with your knees, toes, and palms on the floor.

2. Brace your abs and then bring your right knee forward and up toward your chest. Now move the same leg clockwise in a large semicircle (the larger the better) while allowing that leg to extend straight back behind you. Repeat the pattern for a total of 5 repetitions.

3. Return to the starting position. Ex-tend your right leg straight back and then move it forward and counterclockwise in a large semicircle. Do 5 reps.

4. Return to the starting position. Now extend your right leg straight out to the side and raise and lower it 5 times.

5. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg.