Got half an hour to spare? Great, that’s all the time you need for these quick yet effective workouts. Pick the body part you want to focus on and hop to it!
Research has found that short, intense bursts of exercise are much more effective than longer ones. Yes, you read that right: You can get your heart racing, tone up and burn a ton of calories if you work out a) less and b) harder.
Plus, who wants to be stuck in the gym when there is gorgeous weather outside?
Fernwood Fitness National Programs Manager Tracey Robson-Garth shares her three speedy but serious summer workouts. These routines target a major body part and, best of all, they can be done and dusted in half an hour. You know what that means — no excuses!
Fab abs
Many people don’t realise this, but your “core” is made up of your abdominals, hips and back. So if you want to improve your core, it is important that you work all three areas. If you do this workout regularly, you’ll not only notice an improvement in your posture and balance, but you’ll also flatten your tummy.
Sit ups:
- Sit up x 20
- Sit up with a twist x 20
Lying on your side:
- Side leg lifts x 40 each side
- Side plank hold for 30 seconds each side
Lying on your stomach:
- Back extensions with both hands behind your head x 20
- Back extensions with your opposite arm and leg x 10 each side
Cool down:
- Stretch full body for five minutes
Burn those buns
This routine is going to give your butt a serious workout. Your glutes are the strongest muscles you’ve got, so don’t be afraid to lift a lot of weight. When you focus on the gluteus muscles, you stimulate your quads, hamstrings and calves, which will help you get sculpted and toned legs at the same time. You need to go through all these exercises twice and when you’re done, you will have done 280 repetitions — get ready to feel the burn!
Warm up:
- Five-minute run
Go through this circuit twice:
- Basic squat x 20
- Sumo squat x 20
- 1 leg on step squat x 20 each leg
- Ball on wall squat x 20
- Bounce squat on the lower half x 20
- Lateral lunges x 20 each leg
Cool down:
- Stretch for five minutes, focusing on the lower body
Lean limbs
With plenty of skin on show in summer, many women are keen to step their arm workouts up a notch. If you want sexy arms then grab some weights and get started with this arm sculpting workout. It is important that you work every muscle (not just one!) so that you achieve a lean, symmetrical appearance. This workout will exert every muscle in your arms.
Complete three sets of eight repetitions for each of the following:
- Shoulder press
- Push-ups
- Renegade row
- Biceps curls
- Triceps dips
Cool down:
Stretch for five minutes, focusing on the upper body.
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