Welcome to our Heat Workout. This is the first in a series of criminal underworld workouts, each inspired by high-intensity crime movies. Drawing from the high-stakes heists in Heat, this smash-and-grab workout is all about speed and precision. Beat the clock, minimise rest, and get out clean.
Table of Contents
Click the link below to skip the intro and go straight to the workouts.
Criminal Underworld Workouts
Fast, intense, and effective—Criminal Underworld Workouts bring the grit and edge of the underworld to your fitness routine. Inspired by the calculated moves of cinema’s most notorious masterminds, these bodyweight, light resistance, and cardio routines are designed to keep you sharp, strong, and always one step ahead. Whether you’re planning the perfect heist or fighting your way out, each workout is a smash-and-grab fitness fix with just one question: Can you handle the heat?
Cops and Robbers
Michael Mann’s Heat is a masterpiece of modern crime cinema, renowned for its intense action, meticulous storytelling, and unforgettable performances. The film follows Neil McCauley, a professional thief, and Vincent Hanna, the relentless detective chasing him, as their lives intersect in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. From the iconic diner conversation between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro to the meticulously choreographed bank heist, Heat has left an indelible mark on audiences and filmmakers alike. Its legacy lies not just in its explosive action but in its exploration of professionalism, discipline, and the personal cost of obsession.
De Niro’s character Neil McCauley leads a crew of highly skilled armed robbers who meticulously plan and execute major heists, always managing to disappear without leaving any evidence behind.
Inspired by McCauley’s precision and the high-pressure heists in Heat, this workout is all about timing, speed, and execution. Designed as a smash-and-grab circuit, it pushes you to beat the clock, minimise rest, and perform with focus. Like McCauley’s 30-second rule, this workout demands you stay sharp, adapt quickly, and leave nothing behind. Are you ready to handle the pressure?
High Stakes Heist Circuits
About
The Heat Workout is a high-intensity, time-focused circuit training programme designed to push your limits, improve functional fitness, and test your mental grit. Inspired by the pressure and precision of a high-stakes heist, each circuit challenges you to complete a set number of rounds (4–6) within a strict 20-minute time cap. The workout balances bodyweight exercises, functional strength movements, and explosive cardio drills, delivering a full-body workout that builds strength, endurance, and athleticism.
Format
There are three distinct circuits to choose from: the 1st Heist focuses on speed, agility, and power; The 2nd Heist prioritises functional strength and stamina; and The 3rd Heist emphasises core stability, control, and technical accuracy. Each circuit can be scaled to 4–6 rounds (4 rounds – Beginner, 5 rounds – intermediate – 6 rounds – Advanced. This allows participants to adjust the intensity based on their fitness level. To add a competitive edge, participants who complete the circuits within the 20-minute cap earn a quick, steady-paced finisher called Free as a Bird, which serves as an easy cool-down. Those who fail to meet the time cap face the challenging Penalty Finisher: Battle of LA, designed to push them to their limits with a brutal 10-minute AMRAP of explosive exercises.
Benefits
Expect to sweat, burn calories, and develop a stronger, more functional physique. The Heat Workout emphasises quick transitions between exercises, challenging both your cardiovascular system and muscular endurance. Benefits include improved strength, speed, and agility, alongside enhanced mental toughness and focus.
Summary
- Start by choosing your level:
4 rounds for beginners or 6 rounds for advanced participants. - You’ll have a set list of exercises to complete within a specific time frame (e.g., 20 minutes).
- Work through the exercises in order, performing the required number of reps for each before moving on to the next.
- Once you’ve completed the list, return to the beginning and repeat.
- Continue completing as many rounds as possible until the time is up.
- Each exercise targets a different muscle group, allowing short recovery periods as you move to the next.
- Aim to maintain a steady pace with minimal or no breaks.
What’s Next
- If you finish within the time cap, proceed to the ‘Free as a Bird’ Finisher.
- If you do not complete the rounds in time, move on to the Battle of LA Finisher.
Silver Screen Legends
The restaurant stand-off between McCauley and Hanna in Heat is a defining moment of the film. With Robert De Niro and Al Pacino finally sharing the screen, their sharp, tension-filled exchange cuts to the heart of the movie’s themes. It’s a stripped-down yet powerful scene that solidifies Heat as a standout in the crime genre.
The Circuits
Make your choice of heist, set the timer and get after it!
Heist 1:
- Kettlebell Swings: x 15 reps.
- Push-Ups: x 15 reps.
- Box Jumps: x 12 reps.
- Mountain Climbers: x 20 reps (10 reps each leg).
- Medicine Ball Slams: x 15 reps.
- Burpees: x 12 reps.
- Sprint: x 100 metres or 30 seconds at max effort.
- Plank Hold: x 30 seconds.
Heist 2:
- Dumbbell Deadlifts: x 12 reps.
- Jump Squats: x 15 reps.
- Battle Ropes: x 20 seconds.
- Russian Twists with Dumbbell: x 20 (total) reps.
- Wall Balls (or Overhead Throws): x 15 reps.
- Alternating Lunges: x 16 reps (x 32 reps total).
- Sprint Intervals: x 20 seconds sprint, 40 seconds rest.
- Side Plank with Reach-Through: x 10 reps (each side).
Heist 3:
- Pull-Ups or TRX Rows: x 10 reps.
- Kettlebell Goblet Squats x 15 reps.
- Box Step-Ups with Dumbbells x 12 reps each leg. (24 x reps total).
- Hollow Body Hold: x 20 seconds.
- Jumping Lunges x 12 reps each leg. (x 24 reps total).
- Battle Ropes Alternating Waves: x 40 seconds.
- Medicine Ball Chest Pass: x 15 reps.
- Burpee-to-Box Jump: x 10 reps.
The Battle of LA
Towards the film’s end, there is a 10-minute climactic shootout that is a masterclass in action filmmaking. The chaotic yet meticulously choreographed gunfight through downtown Los Angeles is both visceral and grounded, setting a new standard for realism in the genre. Choreographed with the help of Special Forces SAS advisors, the scene’s authenticity and intensity have made it one of the most iconic and influential action sequences in movie history.
Getaway Finishers
Finisher: Free as a Bird
For those who complete the circuits within the 20-minute time cap. 5 minutes easy finisher and you are home free.
- Jump Rope: 2 minutes at a steady, controlled pace.
- Plank Hold: 1 minute.
- 1-minute Isometric Wall Sit.
- 2 minutes cardio of choice. 30 seconds hard, 30 seconds easy. Repeat twice.
Penalty Finisher: The Battle of LA
For those who fail to make the time cap. 10 minute AMRAP of the circuit below.
- Burpee Pull-Ups: x 10 reps.
- Sprint Intervals: x 25 metres sprint, 25 seconds jog (x 2 rounds).
- Sandbag carries: x 25 metres (change shoulders) then x 25 metres.
- Sandbag Lunges: x 16 reps (8 x reps each side).
- Lateral wall slams: x 16 reps (8 x reps each side).
- Oblique med ball slams: 16 x reps.
- Sandbag Clean and Press: x 12 reps.
- KB Sit ups: x 16 reps.
Complete all the prescribed exercises with no or little rest. Once your timer alarm goes off, you are done! Good work!!
Workout Complete
Free as a bird or crash and burn? The choice is yours. Just remember McCauley’s rule: ‘I’m never going back.’ Finish strong.
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