Women's March Madness Workout: Get Fit While Celebrating the Game!

Health and Wellness
Written By Angie Bloom

March Madness isn’t just about thrilling buzzer-beaters and unforgettable plays—it's also a celebration of teamwork, dedication, and strength. This year, we’re bringing that same energy off the court and straight into your fitness routine with the Women's March Madness Workout. Whether you're a fan of women's basketball, a fitness enthusiast, or a college student feeling inspired by the action on the court, this workout is your chance to channel the March Madness spirit while improving your strength and endurance.

Designed as a full-body workout with simple equipment, this routine is fun, challenging, and totally customizable for your fitness level. Feel like a champion while targeting multiple muscle groups, enhancing your stamina, and celebrating the amazing athletes taking center stage in this year’s tournament.

Here’s everything you need to know to get started!

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What’s the March Madness Workout?

This workout is structured to mimic the dynamics of a basketball game—fast-paced, engaging, and packed with variety. You’ll tackle a mix of compound lifts, bodyweight exercises, and dynamic movements, all inspired by the strength and agility needed on the court.

Key Features:

  • A Full-Body Experience: This workout targets your legs, core, arms, and more for a balanced fitness session.

  • Minimal Equipment: Grab some dumbbells and a mat—you can tackle this routine at home or in the gym.

  • Fun and Flexible: Suitable for all fitness levels with easy modifications for every move.

  • Themed for Basketball Fans: Workouts structured to honor on-court movements like lunges, jumps, and defensive stances.

What You’ll Need:

Start by gathering the following:

  • A pair of dumbbells (adjustable weight based on strength level)

  • A yoga mat or towel

  • Plenty of water to stay hydrated

  • A timer (optional, but great for tracking intervals!)

Warm-Up (5 Minutes)

Before jumping into the workout, warming up is essential to prevent injuries and get your body ready to move:

  1. High Knees – 30 seconds

  2. Arm Circles – 30 seconds forward, 30 seconds backward

  3. Bodyweight Squats – 12 reps

  4. Side Lunges – 10 reps per leg

  5. Plank-to-Downward Dog – 8 reps

Once you’re warmed up, it’s game time!

Remember, to maximize both muscle growth and fat loss, my go-to strategy is full-body workouts. These routines keep your metabolism revved up and target all the major muscle groups within one session. You can view the entire exercise collection of this workout here.

Here’s the workout routine I’m currently doing.

Modify weights and reps as needed, and focus on proper technique over heavy lifting.

For personalized fitness advice and more routines, I recommend checking out Angie Bloom’s Personal Training Sessions. I have a lot of workouts on my blog, which you can find more, here.

Sample Workout Plan

Here’s a quick schedule to keep you on track:

  • Day 1: Full workout circuit (3 rounds)

  • Day 2: Active recovery (light stretching or yoga)

  • Day 3: Full workout circuit (4 rounds)

  • Day 4: Rest/specific focus on recovery

  • Day 5: Full workout circuit (3 rounds)

Adjust the number of rounds based on your fitness level. For beginners, starting with 2 rounds is a great option.

Nutrition Tips for Game Day Energy

Pre-Workout Meal: A banana with almond butter or a small bowl of oatmeal.

Post-Workout Meals:

  1. Grilled chicken with quinoa and roasted vegetables.

  2. Smoothie with protein powder, spinach, berries, and almond milk.

  3. Have protein-heavy meals or snacks within 30 minutes post-workout to kickstart recovery. Don't overlook pre-workout nutrition—carbs fuel your training!

Hydration:

Drink water throughout the day, especially pre and post-workout.

Bonus Tip:

Track your meals with apps like MyFitnessPal to ensure you're hitting your nutritional targets consistently.

Exciting March Madness Exercises

These exercises are structured for maximum engagement and flexibility. Complete 3 rounds of the circuit below, allowing 60 seconds of rest between sets. Full workout video is below to show exercises.

1. Jump Squats (The Slam Dunk)

Target Muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes

How to Perform:

  1. Start with feet shoulder-width apart.

  2. Lower into a squat, then explode upward, jumping as high as you can.

  3. Land softly and immediately flow back into the squat position.

  4. Reps: 15 jumps

Modifications:

  1. Beginner: Perform bodyweight squats instead of jumping.

  2. Advanced: Add dumbbells for an increased challenge.

2. Push-Ups (Strong Defense)

Target Muscles: Chest, shoulders, triceps, core

How to Perform:

  1. Begin in a plank position, hands under shoulders and body in a straight line.

  2. Lower your chest to the floor, then push back up to starting position.

  3. Reps: 10–12 reps

Modifications:

  1. Beginner: Drop to your knees for knee push-ups.

  2. Advanced: Try plyometric (clap) push-ups!

3. Walking Lunges (Fast Breaks)

Target Muscles: Glutes, quads, hamstrings

How to Perform:

  1. Step one foot forward, lowering your back knee toward the ground in a lunge position.

  2. Push off your front foot to step forward with the opposite leg.

  3. Continue alternating legs.

  4. Reps: 10 steps per leg

Modifications:

  1. Beginner: Perform stationary lunges with one leg at a time.

  2. Advanced: Grab dumbbells to add resistance.

4. Plank with Shoulder Taps (Ball Control)

Target Muscles: Core, shoulders, arms

How to Perform:

  1. Start in a high plank position, maintaining a straight body line.

  2. Tap your left shoulder with your right hand, then your right shoulder with your left hand.

  3. Avoid rocking your hips—engage your core for stability.

  4. Reps: 20 taps (10 per side)

5. Dumbbell Rows (Power Play)

Target Muscles: Back, shoulders, biceps

How to Perform:

  1. Stand with dumbbells in each hand, bending slightly at the hips.

  2. Pull the dumbbells toward your ribcage, then slowly lower them.

  3. Reps: 12 reps per side

Modifications:

  1. Beginner: Use lighter weights or resistance bands.

  2. Advanced: Add a 1-second hold at the top.

6. Glute Bridges (Winning Moves)

Target Muscles: Glutes, core, hamstrings

How to Perform:

  1. Lie on your back with feet flat and knees bent.

  2. Lift your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top.

  3. Slowly lower back to the starting position.

  4. Reps: 15 reps

Modifications:

  1. Beginner: Perform bodyweight glute bridges.

  2. Advanced: Place a weight on your hips for added resistance.

Cool Down (5 Minutes)

End your workout with stretches to relax and recover:

  1. Hamstring Stretch – 30 seconds per leg

  2. Child’s Pose – 1 minute

  3. Seated Forward Fold – 1 minute

  4. Cat-Cow Stretch – 8 reps

Stay Safe While You Sweat

  • Consult a healthcare professional before starting any new fitness regimen.

  • Use proper form to avoid injuries—when in doubt, slow down and focus on technique.

  • Listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, take a break.

Recovery Tips:

  • Sleep 7-9 hours per night to allow for optimal muscle repair.

  • Incorporate active recovery (e.g., yoga, walking) on rest days.

  • Include foam rolling, mobility work or stretching post-workout to reduce soreness.

Your body needs time to repair and strengthen—don’t skip this step!

Women’s March Madness Workout

Bring the Madness to Your Workout

Celebrate Women's March Madness and elevate your fitness while you’re at it! The Women's March Madness Workout is your chance to get moving, have fun, and feel unstoppable. Share your progress on social media using #MarchMadnessWorkout, #WomensBasketball, and #FitnessMotivation—we can’t wait to cheer you on.

If this workout has you pumped, subscribe to our newsletter for more fitness tips and tricks. Need help creating a custom workout plan? Reach out to our personal trainers for 1-on-1 guidance.

Game on, team. You've got this!

Share this workout with any fellow basketball/fitness fans who’d love it!

Remember, fitness is a personal journey. If you’re struggling to find the right strategy, don’t hesitate to seek expert guidance. For personalized training plans curated to your unique needs, visit Angie Bloom’s Coaching Services.

Now it’s time to lift, fuel, rest, and see results—your transformation starts today!

Looking for more personalized guidance? Join our community of fitness enthusiasts and get expert advice tailored to your needs. Let's make every workout count!

Also, when I’m traveling, I like to do this workout at least a few times during my week stay, so I encourage you to save this or pin it! It helps keep me on track and to keep building muscle during peri-menopause. I know this workout works, because I’ve done it many times and trust me, it’s effective! I hope you enjoy!

This workout would be great to build core strength and for cool down, full-body stretching, I really love this mobility work, here.

I love helping my clients let go of painful experiences to help them rebuild trust, self-confidence, self-worth and belief in themselves by addressing the root causes with subconscious change. The tool I use is called PSYCH-K®, and is a quick, pain-free and completely safe way to reprogram your subconscious and to create lasting change for once and for all.

Within my holistic practice, we help you create a lasting self-care practice to regulate your nervous system in your day to day-to-day life, so you can always hear and follow your whispers, instead of the big Mac truck.

If you’re ready to stop dimming your light, start making easy decisions with confidence, and follow through with what you want to achieve, while trusting your intuition, you can easily set up a free conversation with me.

>>>To Book Integrative Energetic Healing Services, click here

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Here’s a great total body workout that you can do from home. As a personal trainer for over 20 years, the most important piece when it comes to your health is making sure you are CONSISTENT. If you aren’t consistent, then you will never see results.

I love seeing you all tag me on Instagram! It’s so fun when you complete a workout and show me your progress. Allow me to cheer you on! Tag me if you try this workout @__angiebloom__

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Angie Bloom
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