USE YOUR BODY!
If you’re short on time, that doesn’t mean you necessarily have to skip your workout altogether. Using your own body weight is one of the most effective methods of training. “With just a little imagination you can use body weight exercises anywhere to fire up your core, increase your flexibility and target stubborn areas,” says personal trainer Cee Fee Dunn (ceefeedunn.com). Take a warm-up jog down to your local park and try this circuit, repeated three times. The only bit of equipment you need is the great outdoors and a park bench:
BODY WEIGHT SQUATS x30
WALK-OUTS x10
INCLINE PUSH-UPS x15
COSSACK SQUATS x20
HAPHAZARD PUSH-UPS x15 EACH SIDE
BULGARIAN SPLIT
SQUATS x15 EACH SIDE
LEG RAISES x20
BURPEES x20
TUCK JUMPS x20
SPRINTS 100 METRES
REST FOR THREE MINUTES
PUT THE KETTLE ON
“The simple kettlebell swing wins hands down for being the most efficient way to maximise your fitness in the shortest period of time,” declares Cee Fee. “It really targets your core and strengthens your lower back whilst toning your abs, bum and legs. As kettlebells require large muscle groups to work collectively and constantly, not only are you hitting your resistance training requirements, but you’re working your cardiovascular system simultaneously, too. I always recommend that women start off with an 8kg bell – you can find them at kettlercise.com, amazon.co.uk and larger Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores.”
BOX FOR STRENGTH
For a 20-minute boxer-style workout, founder and head coach at Total Boxer (totalboxer.com), Matt Garcia, recommends a simple combination of shadow-boxing, bounces and press-ups (repeat three times):
ROUND 1 (3 min)
Stand in a ‘boxers-stance’ (feet shoulder-width apart, one foot back, knees bent, back heel off the ground, chin down and arms in a fight-ready position. Your right hand should protect the chin, left hand slightly advanced). Hold your abs in tight and allow your waist to turn as you punch out at head height or above, slowly and controlled at first, breathing out with every punch, steadily speeding up while maintaining control. Rest for 30 sec.
ROUND 2 (3 min)
Press-ups: Keeping your body in a straight line and hands shoulder-width apart, touch your chest to the floor and push up. Stay controlled throughout and pause if you’re tired then go again until the end of the round.
ROUND 3 (3 min)
Back into your boxers-stance, bend your knees and bounce straight down and up. Feel the stretch in your thighs and mix every fifth bounce with a real low drop, then back up and bounce. Mix the bounces up with punches as you return to an upright position.
RUN FASTER
If you have a 30-minute gap to exercise, interval training is a great way to be able to fit in a run even when you think it’s not possible. “Training at a higher intensity means you still burn off the calories in a shorter time,” says personal trainer Chloe Bowler (chloebowler.com). “It is a great fat burner and will definitely increase your fitness.” Try the following half-hour routine:
5 MIN FAST-PACED
WARM-UP WALK
2 MIN JOG, 1 MIN
SPRINT x5
2 MIN JOG
3 MIN COOLDOWN
WALK
STRETCH
If you struggle with the times, increase the jog to 2 min 30 sec and make the sprint 30 sec until you are ready to progress.
GET PEDDLING!
When the sun is shining, don’t stay cooped up in your office. Saddle up and take to the outdoors on your bike with this 60-minute cycle workout created by professional triathlete for Team Wiggle (wiggle.co.uk), Emma Kate Lidbury (eklidbury.co.uk). Of course, there’s no excuse if the weather isn’t so great – it can be done on a gym bike too. “Be sure to push the pace on the 85 percent effort then flush your legs with two minutes high cadence spinning before repeating,” advises Emma Kate.
10 MIN STEADY WARM-UP
4x 10 MIN (BUILD PACE EVERY TWO MIN AS
70 PERCENT/ 75 PERCENT/ 80 PERCENT/ 85
PERCENT EFFORT FOLLOWED BY TWO MIN
EASY SPIN HIGH CADENCE)
10 MIN EASY SPIN TO COOL DOWN
