TOTAL SYNERGY
A new wave of hybrid workouts combine killer elements for results in record time…
Fitness combos to hone and tone
INTERVAL JOGGING WITH PUNCHES
Targets: Legs, core, lower abs, triceps and shoulders
Do: 2 reps
(a) With feet shoulder-width apart, make fists at chin height. Start jogging. As right leg comes up, punch out with left hand; repeat with other side. Draw hands back to chin in a straight line. Do 20 seconds.
(b) Now sprint on the spot, arms pumping like a sprinter, bringing knees to waist height. Do 10 seconds. That’s one rep. Now repeat. Faster this time!
DOWNWARD DOG TO HIGH PLANK
Targets: Core and hamstrings Do: 5 reps
(a) Start on your hands and knees. Lift your knees off the floor, straightening your legs and lifting your pelvis. Push your chest towards your knees. Hold for three breaths.
(b) Lower your hips into a high plank and hold for 3 breaths. That’s one rep. Lift up into downward dog and do 4 more. Aching yet?
SEATED FORWARD BEND
Targets: Hamstrings, spine and lower back Do: 5 reps (a) Sit with legs out in front. With a straight back, hinge forwards at the hips as far as you can while looking forward towards your toes. (b) Inhale deeply, lengthening the spine. Exhale and push your chest towards your thighs. If you can’t reach forward without curving your spine, hold onto a towel wrapped around the soles of your feet to help you. Repeat four times.
PRESS-UP BURPEE
Targets: Core, chest, shoulders, triceps and quads Do: 4 sets
(a) In a high plank, bend your elbows and lower your chest, keeping your body in a straight line, before pushing back up. (b) Jump legs under chest, leap up and stretch arms in the air. Bend knees as you land, reach hands to the floor, jumping legs into a plank. Keep doing them for 20 seconds, then repeat with 30-sec jogging intervals.
SHOULDER FINISHER
Targets: Shoulders, triceps and core
Do: 1 rep
(a) Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms stretched out to the side.
(b) Make small, clockwise circles with arms. Start by tracing a 5p coin for 20 seconds. Then 20 seconds at 2p diameter, then a cricket ball, football, car tyre, bicycle wheel and tractor tyre. Go back down through the series to 5p in the opposite direction. This one’s harder than it sounds.
KNEE LIFT WITH HAND WEIGHTS
Targets: Full-body warm-up Do: 16 reps
(a) Hold your arms stretched out at shoulder height in front of you with a weight in each hand. Lift your right knee up towards your chest, then lower.
(b) Repeat with your left leg, this time lifting your arms up over your head. That’s one rep. Now repeat: lift left knee towards chest, then lower. Lift right leg, lifting arms over your head. Do 16 reps in total. TRICEP:LUNGE
Targets Triceps, glutes and shoulders
Do: 16 reps on each leg
(a) Holding a 1kg weight in each hand, stand with feet together, arms by sides. Step back onto ball of your right foot; then, leaning forwards, push arms back so hands are higher than hips. (b) As you lower into a lunge, bend elbows, then straighten and push arms back again. Now do 16 reps on each leg. That’s right, we said 16.
PLIE WITH TENDU
Targets: Inner thighs, glutes
Do: 16 reps on each side
(a) Stand side on to a chair, holding it with your right hand, with left hand out to the side at shoulder height holding a weight. Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes pointing out. Bend knees into a deep plié, pelvis tilted under. (b) As you straighten your legs, point your left foot and glide it, along with your arm, in front of you. That’s one rep. No one said ballet was easy.
FOLD OVER
Targets: Abs, glutes and hamstrings
Do: 16 reps on each leg
(a) Facing the chair with forearms resting on the back, fold at the waist so your back is straight and hips are directly over ankles. Lifting your left heel and bending the knee, extend your right leg behind you with toes pointed.
(b) Lift right leg to hip height, keeping hips square. Then slowly return to the start.
AB CURL WITH THIGH BAND
Targets: Abdominals
Do: 16 reps
(a) Lying on the floor, place a resistance band around your ankles. Then, keeping your lower back grounded, bring your legs straight up and off the floor (the lower you raise them, the harder it gets).
(b) Interlace your hands behind your head and lift your chest up and forwards, then lower without touching the floor. Keep this up and you’ll be ready for Swan Lake in no time.
‘DON’T STOP’ SQUAT JUMP
Targets: Legs and glutes
(a) With feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your side, go into a deep squat then jump, swinging your arms upwards and go straight into next squat. (b) Do as many as you can in 1 min (plus 2 mins rest); this is mind-over-matter training.
LATERAL WEIGHT SHIFT
Targets: Shoulders, legs, core and neuroplasticity
(a) With legs wide apart, shift into a side lunge and reach hands up, down or to the side. (b) Alternating sides, reach arms in different directions and at different speeds for 3 minutes. Don’t think – just reach.
FOREARM PLANK
Targets: Core
(a) Get into a press-up position with your weight on your forearms and hands clasped.
(b) Keep your body straight by engaging your core and glutes. Build up to 3 mins when you can. Shaking arms encouraged.
BIRD-DOG AND CRAWL
Targets: Core, glutes and balance
Do: 5 reps on each side
On all fours, keep spine neutral, stretch right arm forward and left leg back. Hold for 3 breaths. Lower limbs and crawl crab-like to left. Repeat on other side.
VICTORY POSE
Targets : Nervous system and recovery
(a) Stand tall with your arms outstretched in a V shape; hold for 3 deep breaths.
(b) Finish by lying on your back and focusing on breathing deeply into your stomach. You deserve the rest.