You can still reach your goals with some tweaks to your routine. This workout is great for helping you tone up for the summer and conditioning your body ready for when the gyms reopen.
This bodyweight workout from Steph Elswood's is just in time for the hotter summer months — if we even have them here in the UK. Circuit or HIIT style training is a great way to push for your goals as they have so many benefits. Plus, they're great for burning calories and getting a sweat on too.
Steph’s Workout
This workout is a circuit so that means it is going to be intense but it is well worth it. There will be 5 rounds of 45 seconds on each exercise then 15 seconds rest before you go into the next exercise. When you finish all 4 exercise that is 1 round.
Squat with a leg crunch
- Start with your feet shoulder-width and stand upright.
- Bend your knees whilst lowering your hips till your thighs just break parallel with the floor.
- Push back up through your heels, bring one leg up in a smooth motion until you touch your
- Repeat this on the other side.
Plank – shoulder to ankle taps
- Start in a high plank or press-up position.
- Engage your core.
- Take your right hand and bring it across to tap your left shoulder. Then repeat for your left hand by bringing it to tap your right shoulder.
- Next, take your right hand and push your glutes into the air to create a pike position so you can reach your left ankle. Repeat for your left hand to tap your right ankle.
Make sure you keep your body still — don't drop the hips, I repeat don't drop those hips.
Side Lunges
- Start standing with legs slightly wider than the shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed forward.
- Shift your body weight to one leg bending the knee until it reaches a 90-degree or as close as possible, angle and the other leg is straight. Glutes are pressing back behind you. Return to centre and switch sides.
- Tighten the core and keep the body as upright as you can.
Back Extensions
- Lie flat on your stomach and your back slightly arched to raise your chest off the ground.
- Bend your elbows into your body and point your hands over your shoulders. This is the starting position.
- Lock your arms out over your shoulders forming a ‘Y’ shape with your body.
- Bend your elbows into your body and make a moving ‘W’ gesture in the same fashion.
Take-Home Message
Circuits like this are the perfect at-home remedy for keeping on top of the summer fitness goals and are incredibly easy to scale up if you need to make it more challenging or scale down if you're building up your fitness.
Try Steph's other workout:
10 Basic Yoga Exercises For Beginners | Yoga Made Easy
Roll out your yoga mat and discover the benefits yoga has to offer.
Isaac is a brand communications apprentice with a passion for all things fitness. He has always had a passion for football, playing at a high youth level and enjoying 4 years of competitive kickboxing. Over recent years Isaac has dedicated himself to continually improving in the gym, enjoying both functional fitness and bodybuilding styles of workouts.
He strongly believes that you should always have balance and likes to spend his time at the weekends socialising with his friends.
