“This will provide you with awesome core ab-strength and will benefit the whole body,” screams personal trainer Tim Sharp of Fitness First, who devised this killer no-gadgets-needed workout for FHM.
“Warm up with 10 minutes of jogging on the spot or a 15-minute walk, and also try to do 30-60 minutes of fast walking four times a week to really make a difference. Trust me, you’ll get great results, fast!”
The prep: Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat and arms at your side. Draw your belly button inwards (this is called “activating the core”) and squeeze in your glutes (butt cheeks).
The move: With core still activated and glutes squeezed, lift hips off the ground to form a straight line between knees and shoulders. Hold, and return to floor. Pause a second, then repeat – six times. It should take two seconds to raise, 15 seconds to hold and then two seconds to get back down. Do two sets, with a 30-second rest between. “This is more good news for your abs,” says Tim. “And if you really want to go ab-mad, add some crunches.”
The prep: Stand near a wall and bring one leg forward for support. Use your upper body to lean against the wall. Your outstretched leg should form a straight line with your body.
The move: Shift forward from the ankle joint until you feel a stretch in the calf. Hold for 20-30 seconds, and repeat for three reps. Says Tim: “This looks easy, but you’ll really know you’ve done it the day after.”
The prep: Stand against a wall and form a 90° angle (as above).
The move: Activate your core and slowly rotate your upper half away from the
arm which is on the wall – stopping when you feel a slight stretch in the back of your shoulder. Hold this for 20-30 seconds, and repeat three times. “I prefer this to ab crunches, as it’s less stressful on the body but just as effective,” says Tim.
The prep: You don’t need us to help you with this one…
The move: Lower the body, flexing only at the elbows, and keep a “neutral” spine – shoulder blades together, head up with the chin tucked in. Activate your core and aim for 15-25 reps, take a break for one minute, then repeat. Do three sets in total. “Your chest, delts and triceps get an incredible workout,” says Tim.
The prep: Kneel on the floor, legs evenly spread with your back and shoulders forming a straight line.
The move: Keeping your head down, with one arm at a time, reach out, turn the palm up and push your lower back up. When you feel the “resistance barrier”, hold for
20-30 seconds. Repeat that three times, rest for a couple of minutes then repeat. And again, aim for a total of three sets. “I love this one,” says Tim. “It’s really easy to do but it’s a great workout for your lats and shoulder muscles.”
The prep: Lie face down on the floor with your arms behind your hips. Activate the core and tense your glutes.
The move: Lift your chest off the floor, and lift your arms up and back towards the hips, rotating the thumbs towards the ceiling. Pause at the top of the lift for a moment, then return to the starting position. Do this for 1-2 minutes, rest for 30 seconds, then repeat. And again, for three sets. “This is the best static back exercise,” says Tim. “It conditions the whole back and is great rehabilitation for any old back injuries. And it’s a great tricep and deltoid workout.”
The prep: With a chair up against a wall, assume the position above. Keep feet together and your arms in line with your body.
The move: Bending the arms, lower the body until the shoulders are just above elbow height, inhaling while you do this. Straighten the arms to get back to where you started, exhaling as you do. Do three sets of 15-25 reps, with a minute’s rest between. “Do it slowly to really make your arms burn,” says Tim.
The prep: Stand upright with your body aligned, hands behind your head and fingers interlocked – but do not press them into your head/neck.
The move: Activate your core, and allow yourself to steadily drop into a squat position – aim for a three-second descent. Once down, extend your hips, knees and ankles to a standing position. Do this 25 times, rest a minute, then do two more sets of 25 each.
The prep: Stand with one hand on the wall, the other grasping an ankle.
The move: Activate your core and hold position for 30 seconds. Says Tim: “This one focuses on the quadriceps. If you have good, flexible thighs, all your lower-body exercises will benefit.”
The prep: You need something sturdy to hang from for this one, so scout the house/ local park. Grasp the bar with your arms roughly 60cm apart.
The move: Pull your body up to the chin. Lower body and repeat 8-15 times. Rest one minute and repeat for a total of three sets. “A true test of upper-body strength,” says Tim. “The first time blokes who don’t go to the gym try this they don’t manage more than six or seven, but it all comes with practice. This works wonders for the lats and biceps.”
source: http://www.fhm.com.au/site/content/article.aspx?id=20564
“Warm up with 10 minutes of jogging on the spot or a 15-minute walk, and also try to do 30-60 minutes of fast walking four times a week to really make a difference. Trust me, you’ll get great results, fast!”
1. The bridge
The prep: Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat and arms at your side. Draw your belly button inwards (this is called “activating the core”) and squeeze in your glutes (butt cheeks).
The move: With core still activated and glutes squeezed, lift hips off the ground to form a straight line between knees and shoulders. Hold, and return to floor. Pause a second, then repeat – six times. It should take two seconds to raise, 15 seconds to hold and then two seconds to get back down. Do two sets, with a 30-second rest between. “This is more good news for your abs,” says Tim. “And if you really want to go ab-mad, add some crunches.”
2. The calf killer
The prep: Stand near a wall and bring one leg forward for support. Use your upper body to lean against the wall. Your outstretched leg should form a straight line with your body.
The move: Shift forward from the ankle joint until you feel a stretch in the calf. Hold for 20-30 seconds, and repeat for three reps. Says Tim: “This looks easy, but you’ll really know you’ve done it the day after.”
3. The pec flex
The prep: Stand against a wall and form a 90° angle (as above).
The move: Activate your core and slowly rotate your upper half away from the
arm which is on the wall – stopping when you feel a slight stretch in the back of your shoulder. Hold this for 20-30 seconds, and repeat three times. “I prefer this to ab crunches, as it’s less stressful on the body but just as effective,” says Tim.
4. Push-ups
The prep: You don’t need us to help you with this one…
The move: Lower the body, flexing only at the elbows, and keep a “neutral” spine – shoulder blades together, head up with the chin tucked in. Activate your core and aim for 15-25 reps, take a break for one minute, then repeat. Do three sets in total. “Your chest, delts and triceps get an incredible workout,” says Tim.
5. Lashing the lats
The prep: Kneel on the floor, legs evenly spread with your back and shoulders forming a straight line.
The move: Keeping your head down, with one arm at a time, reach out, turn the palm up and push your lower back up. When you feel the “resistance barrier”, hold for
20-30 seconds. Repeat that three times, rest for a couple of minutes then repeat. And again, aim for a total of three sets. “I love this one,” says Tim. “It’s really easy to do but it’s a great workout for your lats and shoulder muscles.”
6. The cobra
The prep: Lie face down on the floor with your arms behind your hips. Activate the core and tense your glutes.
The move: Lift your chest off the floor, and lift your arms up and back towards the hips, rotating the thumbs towards the ceiling. Pause at the top of the lift for a moment, then return to the starting position. Do this for 1-2 minutes, rest for 30 seconds, then repeat. And again, for three sets. “This is the best static back exercise,” says Tim. “It conditions the whole back and is great rehabilitation for any old back injuries. And it’s a great tricep and deltoid workout.”
7. The tricep dip
The prep: With a chair up against a wall, assume the position above. Keep feet together and your arms in line with your body.
The move: Bending the arms, lower the body until the shoulders are just above elbow height, inhaling while you do this. Straighten the arms to get back to where you started, exhaling as you do. Do three sets of 15-25 reps, with a minute’s rest between. “Do it slowly to really make your arms burn,” says Tim.
8. The prison squat
The prep: Stand upright with your body aligned, hands behind your head and fingers interlocked – but do not press them into your head/neck.
The move: Activate your core, and allow yourself to steadily drop into a squat position – aim for a three-second descent. Once down, extend your hips, knees and ankles to a standing position. Do this 25 times, rest a minute, then do two more sets of 25 each.
9. The quad stretch
The prep: Stand with one hand on the wall, the other grasping an ankle.
The move: Activate your core and hold position for 30 seconds. Says Tim: “This one focuses on the quadriceps. If you have good, flexible thighs, all your lower-body exercises will benefit.”
10. The pull-up
The prep: You need something sturdy to hang from for this one, so scout the house/ local park. Grasp the bar with your arms roughly 60cm apart.
The move: Pull your body up to the chin. Lower body and repeat 8-15 times. Rest one minute and repeat for a total of three sets. “A true test of upper-body strength,” says Tim. “The first time blokes who don’t go to the gym try this they don’t manage more than six or seven, but it all comes with practice. This works wonders for the lats and biceps.”
source: http://www.fhm.com.au/site/content/article.aspx?id=20564
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