When the weather cooperates, I love to get outside for some conditioning work. That’s what I do pretty much every Saturday from May to September, and the fun always starts at 6:00 a.m. sharp.

This past Saturday was no exception. The sun had just risen, there was a bit of a chill in the air, and the field was damp. Perfect time to get down and dirty with a medicine ball!

I always start off with a dynamic stretching circuit like the one featured in The Warm-Up.

Then I perform a medicine ball circuit that consists of six exercises. Each exercise is conducted for sixty seconds (or ten reps) followed by sixty seconds of rest. Once the circuit is complete, I walk around the soccer field once and then repeat the process two more times for a total of three sets.

After the medicine ball circuit, I walk to a nearby playground and perform chin-ups for as many reps as possible. Then I’m done!

The whole workout takes about an hour to complete. Here’s what it looks like:

If you really want to get in shape, do strength training three to four times a week, the medicine ball circuit and/or sprinting once or twice a week, and walk daily. Of course, the exact protocol will depend on your level of strength and conditioning as well as your recovery ability. I lay it all out for you in my book Lean and Mean.

Take-Home Message: Get off the treadmill, stationary cycle, elliptical machine, or stepper. When the weather is nice, get outside and give the medicine ball circuit a whirl.