The 20 minute workout: Back to basics full-body workout

Woman working out

In need of a quick but effective fitness fix to lift your bank holiday weekend?

Get a sweat on and get yourself energised – all without eating into too much of your precious free time this Easter.

Personal trainer and owner of Breathe Fitness, Anthony Mayatt, has shared a stripped-back workout perfect for doing in the park or in the gym – and the best news is that it only takes around 20 minutes to complete.

‘There are many workouts online which show fancy jumps, twists and movements that look good for social media but are they actually beneficial?’ asks Anthony.

‘It’s important before doing these types of workouts to master the basics, so this is a simple bodyweight workout aimed to get you moving through the body’s seven functional movements – plank, hinge, push, pull, squat, lunge and rotation.’

If you are a beginner, perform 10 reps of each, the intermediate level is 15 reps and advanced is 20.

Repeat the routine two or three times depending on the length of workout you require.

Anthony advises to take each movement slowly and focus on technique throughout.

Workout:
Push-ups
Squats
Standing crunch with twist
Lunges
Glute bridges
Back raise with shoulder squeeze
Plank (30, 45 or 60 seconds)

The back to basics home workout

Push-ups

(Push)

Hands on the floor directly below your shoulders and feet stretched out behind you.

Lower your chest and hips towards the floor, pause then press back to the start position.

You can also do the same dropping the knees to the floor to make the movement easier

Squats

(Squat)

Stand with your feet roughly hip-width apart and drop your hips back and down as if sitting in a chair.

Squeeze glutes and push back to the starting position using your heels.

Standing crunch with twist

(Rotation)

Stand upright with arms clasped behind your head and elbows out wide and feet slightly wider than shoulder width to support you.

Crunch down and across your body with the right elbow, simultaneously raising the left knee so they meet together.

Return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite arm/leg.

Lunges

(Lunge)

Stand upright with feet together, take a big step forwards with one leg then drop the back knee towards the ground.

Return to the start and swap legs.

Plank

(Plank)

Lay flat on the ground. To start lift your body off the ground holding a straight line from head to ankles.

Forearms on the floor for an easier plank or hands directly below shoulders for harder.

Keep glutes squeezed tight and heels pushed away from you throughout.

Glute bridges

(Hinge)

Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet roughly shoulder width, arms by your sides.

Drive your hips upwards, squeezing the glutes in the top position and pushing the heels down into the ground.

Pause for a second or two before returning to the starting position.

Back raise with shoulder squeeze

(Pull)

Lay on your front with hands gently clasping behind the ears and legs stretched out behind.

Raise the shoulders off the ground keeping the head facing the floor and squeeze the shoulder blades together.

Pause in the top position and slowly return back to the start.

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