BOOST YOUR STRENGTH

Stuck in a rut? Power out of it with this four-week plan

Just as in any relationship, sometimes, to reignite your passion for exercise, you need to try something a little different. Your fitness equivalent to the Kama Sutra, this programme will shake up your go-to regime to help you fall back in love with sweating. Power or ‘reactive’ training incorporates dynamic, explosive moves that use bounds, jumps and throws to build functional strength and boost athleticism. It also teaches your nervous system to recruit your muscles faster; ergo, you’ll burn more calories during your workout and for hours afterwards. Consider dynamic workouts your ticket to a souped-up metabolism and a lean, strong bod. ‘It’s not just about endless box jumps and burpees,’ says Joe Dowdell, PT and creator of these workouts. ‘Instead, the circuits will set you up with moves that build momentum as you work through the plan, so you feel stronger, fitter and more confident.’

GET IT DONE

Dowdell’s exclusive power-training programme has been designed to provide the right dose of fitness dynamite and deliver killer results. Complete three sessions on non-consecutive days, alternating between workouts A and B each week. Pencil in one full rest day and use the other three days for a sweat session of your choice, be it a workout at your go-to studio or a run. Switching up the moves throughout the week is key. Both of the workouts are a spin on what’s known as post-activation potentiation (PAP), where you perform a strength-based exercise just before a power-based one with a similar movement pattern. Each has a different emphasis (workout A focuses on linear movements, workout B on multidirectional ones). This helps you squeeze more muscle power out of every single session. Ready? Let’s do this.