Stretching the truth
ANYONE who has attempted kangaroo hops and burpees in their living room, while Joe Wicks brightly yells instructions from the telly, will already know the horrible truth about keeping fit at home.
First of all, burpees, just no.
And secondly, while your face is pressed into your carpet during an attempt at a press up, it ’s just a reminder that you really need to hoover instead.
But there’s nothing like a pandemic to drive millions of us away from the gym to try and get fit at home.
This l atest ‘ how to get f it with minimal effort’ documentary rattles through the best and worst home exercises, which supplements are bad for you and which home fitness gizmos may not be worth the money.
“I want to use science to help us get the maximum return for our effort,” says journalist Mehreen Baig, whose gym bunny regime has gone entirely DIY over lockdown.
First she turns to the internet, which is packed with ripped, shiny influencers making us feel bad.
And apparently we should all be doing some strength training, leading Mehreen to put this to the test, using dumb- bells and resistance bands.
Later, she speaks to scientists about wearable fitness tech to see if it actually helps you stick to your exercise plan.
She also investigates whether popular supplements, such as pre- trainers and protein shakes, really work – and discovers some hidden ingredients we should all be avoiding.
And in a bit of good news, we find out how pursuing the perfect six- pack might not be the best idea after all.