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Staying Fit This Memorial Day Weekend | 3-Day Workout Plan

Memorial Day Weekend is often considered to be the “unofficial” start to summer. The three-day weekend is the perfect chance to get started on your summer workout routine. With outdoor exercise options to try and time off from work, there’s no excuse. Many people often ask questions such as:

  • What is the best weekend workout?
  • How do I exercise on the weekends?

The truth is, anybody can workout anywhere with the right plan. So if you are traveling or enjoying a staycation at home, this 3-day workout plan will teach you how to stay fit on regular and long weekends.

What You Will Need For This 3-Day Workout Plan With Equipment:

Don’t worry if you don’t have equipment, we’ve offered equipment-less substitutes. For Days 2 and 3, if you don't have a heavy boxing bag or boxing gloves, you can shadowbox.

No Equipment Exercise Substitutes:


  • Push-Ups
  • Planks
  • Shadowboxing

Day 1: Saturday

The focus of the first day is on strength training. Perform these exercises as three (3) supersets, each with two (2) drills and the indicated rests between.

Bench Press - 4 sets, 8 reps


  • Lie underneath a barbell with the bar directly above your nose
  • Keeping your wrists and arms straight, grip the bar and lift it off the rack
  • Lower the bar slowly down to your chest and push the bar back up, being sure to not lock your arms fully at the top
  • Repeat

Substitute 1: Incline Push-Ups - 4 sets, 8 reps


  • Perform a push-up with your hands on an elevated surface

Substitute 2: Decline Push-Ups - 4 sets, 8 reps


  • Perform a push-up with your feet on an elevated surface

Push-Ups - 4 sets, 10 reps


  • In an all-fours position, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and straighten your arms and legs
  • Bend your arms until your chest nearly touches the floor
  • Push back up to your starting position
  • Repeat

Rest (1 minute)

Dumbbell Curls - 3 sets, 10 reps


  • In a standing position, start with your arms down by your side and a dumbbell in each hand
  • Keep your elbows firmly in place by your side, curl one dumbbell up towards your chest and lower
  • Repeat with the other arm

Substitute: Side Plank - 3 sets, 30 seconds per side


  • From a plank position, rotate sideways so that one of your forearms is planted on the ground at a 90-degree angle
  • Your hips should be raised and your body in a straight line
  • Reach your other arm up towards the ceiling so that your chest is facing sideways
  • Hold the position for 30 seconds
  • Reset to your starting position
  • Repeat on the other side

Tricep Skullcrushers - 3 sets, 8 reps


  • Laying flat on a bench, take two dumbbells or a barbell and hold it straight above your head with the inside of your hands facing each other
  • Gently bend the bar or dumbbells back towards your forehead bending at the elbow
  • Raise the weights slowly back up over your head
  • Repeat

Substitute: Tricep Bench Dips - 3 sets, 10 reps


  • Face away from a bench or similar surface
  • Plant your hands on the surface and walk your legs out
  • Bend with your arms until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle before
  • Push yourself back up
  • Repeat

Rest (30 seconds)

Crunches - 3 sets, 15 reps


  • Laying on your back, put your hands behind your head and keep your knees bent and feet planted on the floor
  • Lift your head and shoulders up slightly using your core, not your hands, as if you were trying to touch the ceiling with your head
  • Return to starting position and repeat

Opposite Hand to Leg Touches - 3 sets, 10 reps per side


  • Laying flat on the floor with your legs extended and your arms stretched out behind your head
  • Kick one leg up towards the ceiling and meet it with the opposite arm
  • Repeat with the other side

Rest (30 seconds)

Day 2: Sunday

To give your muscles a rest after yesterday’s bodyweight and weightlifting exercises, day two will focus on boxing and kickboxing exercises to maximize cardio.

This 3-round quick workout using common boxing strikes and bodyweight exercises will get your heart pumping and your blood flowing. If you don’t have a punching bag near you, you can perform all of these movements by shadowboxing:

Round 1 (3 minutes)

Jab-Cross-Lead Hook-Rear Uppercut-Cross (1-2-3-6-2) (1 minute)


  • From a guard, throw a quick punch with your lead hand straight forward, followed by a power strike from your rear hand
  • Quickly follow-up with a lead hook, keeping your elbow out, before throwing an uppercut with your rear hand
  • Throw a power cross with your rear hand
  • Repeat

Bodyweight Squats (30 seconds)


  • Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart
  • Bend your knees until your legs are bent at a 90-degree angle
  • Return to the starting position

Plank Hold (30 seconds)


  • In an all-fours position, place your elbows firmly planted on the floor and straighten your legs
  • Hold the position without letting your hips dip

Jab-Jab-Lead Uppercut-Cross (1-1-5-2) (1 minute)


  • Throw two quick jabs with your lead hand, followed by an uppercut with the same hand
  • Finish the combo with a power cross from your rear hand at head height

Rest (1 minute)

Round 2 (3 minutes)

Jab-Cross (1-2) (Coast for 30 seconds)


  • Being sure to keep it evenly spaced, throw a consecutive jab followed by a power cross for 30 seconds
  • Control your breathing and move around between combos

Freestyle (30 seconds)

Lead Uppercut-Rear Uppercut (5-6) (Coast for 30 seconds)


  • As with the jab-cross, do the same even pacing with a lead and rear uppercut aimed at the mid-body

Freestyle (30 seconds)

Lead Hook-Rear Hook (3-4) (Coast for 30 seconds)


  • Finish up the coasting with a lead and rear hook, with the rear hook thrown quickly after the lead

Freestyle (30 seconds)

Rest (1 minute)

Round 3 (3 minutes)

Cross-Rear Hook-Rear Uppercut (2-4-6) (1 minute)


  • Start with a power cross with your rear hand
  • Quickly follow with a rear hook with your elbow out wide
  • Finish the combination with a rear uppercut to the mid-body
  • Repeat

Lunges In Place (30 seconds)


  • Step forward with one leg and bend down until your lead knee is directly above your foot, and your rear knee is bent almost touching the floor
  • Return to a standing position and repeat with the other leg

Crunches (30 seconds)


  • Laying on your back, put your hands behind your head and keep your knees bent and feet planted on the floor
  • Lift your head and shoulders up slightly using your core, not your hands, as if you were trying to touch the ceiling with your head
  • Return to starting position and repeat

Jab-Lead Hook-Lead Uppercut (1-3-5) (1 minute)


  • Start by throwing a quick jab with your lead hand followed by a lead hook
  • Immediately go into a lead uppercut thrown at mid-body height
  • Repeat

Day 3: Memorial Day

On Memorial Day, opting to take part in many exercises from “The Murph Challenge” is a fantastic way to stay in shape while respecting the holiday.

What is The Murph Challenge workout?

The Murph Challenge workout is what’s known as a Hero WOD (workout of the day). It is a 45-minute to hour-long workout that is often performed on Memorial Day by CrossFit trainers, Military Members, and exercise enthusiasts.

Why do people do the Murph workout on Memorial Day?

This workout was created in honor of Navy Lt. Michael Murphy who died in Afghanistan in 2005. It was one of his favorite workouts to perform and was subsequently renamed “The Murph Challenge” to honor his passing each Memorial Day.

How do you do Memorial Day Murph?

A true Murph Challenge workout is not for the faint of heart and requires immense strength. In its truest form, it’s as follows:

  • 1-mile run
  • 100 pull ups
  • 200 push ups
  • 300 air squats
  • 1-mile run

This workout is completed wearing a 20-lb weight vest and timed.

If you are in fantastic shape already, try tackling The Murph Challenge on Memorial Day for your final workout of the weekend. However, if you still want to show your support, but recognize it may be beyond your skill level (right now!), here’s a modified version:

  • 1-mile run
  • 20 pull-ups
  • 30 burpees
  • 75 push-ups
  • 50 air squats

Feel free to forego the weighted vest if you are looking for a lighter challenge!

Stay in Shape This Holiday

Taking part in this Memorial Day weekend workout plan is a great way to keep you fit, regardless of your travel plans. For more boxing and kickboxing workouts visit the FightCamp YouTube channel, app, or our blog.

Dedicate this holiday weekend to your fitness and well-being while honoring the holiday.

Offers are available for Military members & First Responders. Speak to a FightCamp Pro by calling 213-785-3372 for details!

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The Author: Trevor Mahoney is an avid fighter who has been training for the last 15 years of his life. He has experience in boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, and kenpo karate, which has developed into a passion for overall fitness. He is a regular contributor to Quizlet, BetterHumans, and various other online publications.

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