In the third in our series, personal trainer Christina Howells shares her top exercises you can do at home for getting fit from the comfort of your own living room
Incorporating cardio with power, high intensity resistance training (HIRT) isthe fitness upgrade our HIIT workouts have been looking for. Tough but effective it’s a great way to lose weight, burn calories and tone from top to toe that can thankfully be done with or without a gym membership.
In the third in our series, we asked fashion’s favourite trainer and Get The Gloss Expert Christina Howells for her top exercise plan that you can do anywhere, anytime without having to step outside your front door. Taken from www.thatgirllondon.com as part of a collection of workouts designed for the active woman, it fits into any schedule or diary to provide an effective way to get fit no matter how busy life gets. Use the handy GIFs below to help provide a clear guide on proper form and technique and keep risk of injury to a minimum.
The workout
The workout comprises of a series of pre-fatigue moves and high intensity exercises. “Repeat each pre-fatigue and exercise in order and then repeat the full circuit 1-2 more times,” says Christina. “I have chosen a rep range aiming from 8 - 20 for each exercise so you can build up to this.”
Sleekers - (pre fatigue)
Position
Step your left leg forward and lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90 degree angles. Your front knee is directly above the ankle and your back knee is in line with the hip. Arms out at your sides with palms forwards. Your chest is lifted, neck long and gaze forwards.
Action
Raise and lower your body up and down dropping your back knee towards the floor.
Repetitions
8-20 reps on each leg.
Sleekers jump - (exercise)
Position
Start in a lunge position with the left leg in front, knee in line with the heel and the right back knee under the hip. Arms out at your sides with palms forwards.
Action
In one explosive movement, jump in the air and switch your legs like a scissors so you land within the lunge position with your right leg in front. Keep the arms in the same position.
Hot tip
You want to keep a straight spine throughout, avoiding stooping forwards.
You can modify the exercise by stepping into the lunge alternating the legs.
Repetitions
8-20 reps on each leg.
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Caterpillars - (pre-fatigue)
Position
Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, spine straight and gaze forwards.
Action
Soften the knees and drawing the abdominal in, bend forwards to place the hands on the floor. From here walk your hands out so you come into one straight line keeping your back straight and neck long.
Walk the hands back towards the feet and softening the knees, return to standing.
Repetitions
8-20 reps.
Grasshoppers - (exercise)
Position
Begin standing with feet shoulder width apart, spine and neck are long with hands at your sides.
Action
From standing, squat down and place your hands on the floor in front of you.
Jump your feet back into a plank position so your torso is in one straight line. Immediately jump your feet back to your hands and from this crouched squatting position jump your body up using your arms to help propel you.
Repetitions
8-20 reps.
Pray it’s all over - (pre-fatigue)
Position
Feet are shoulder width apart, toes pointing forwards. Sit down and back into a squat position placing your weight in the heels. Your upper body tilts forward slightly, spine is neutral and your gaze forwards.
Action
From the squat position step your right leg back into a deep lunge so both legs bend to 90 degrees. Push yourself back up again into the squat and immediately lunge back on the other leg. In this exercise you don’t actually come up to standing, hence “pray it’s all over.”
Repetitions
8-20 reps.
Sprinters - (exercise)
Position
Step your left leg forward and lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90 degree angles. Your front knee is directly above the ankle and your back knee is in line with the hip. The right arm is bent in a runners sprint position and left arm at side. Chest and head lifted, gaze forwards.
Action
Root down into your left front foot and propel your body upwards so your foot leaves the floor. As you do so kick your right leg forwards as you bring the left arm forwards to exchange the arm position helping you explode upwards.
Top tip
You can modify this exercise by stepping the leg through into a knee lift rather than jumping.
Repetitions
8-20 reps.
Christina’s wearing the Charli Cohen Athena Body, £185. Buy online here .