Get ready to take your body to the
top! This athletic workout builds speed, endurance and power and torches
calories for the ultimate fitness fix
Think practice makes perfect? Think again.
You’ll never catch top athletes practicing their sport all day, every day.
Instead they train smart, using a range of different workouts to build towards
their goal. And they don’t just bag an awesome body - this training tactic also
ensures they don’t over-train, keeping them injury free.
If you’re striving for a honed body and
first-rate fitness, we’ve got a workout to help you score a personal best.
Unlike pro athletes, most of us are too busy juggling work, friends and family
to commit to several different workouts a day. But don’t sweat it. Fitness
First’s new Athletic Fitness Team Workout class (available to Fitness First
members nationwide) has the answer. This clever class offers 30 minutes of
training that promises to boost speed, endurance and power in one
high-intensity interval session - great for revving your metabolism and
torching fat. You may not be able to beat Bolt over 100m Or drive a javelin
further than Bleasdale, but you will notice huge improvements in your running,
lifting, cycling and much more if you slot in a few speedy sessions.
‘Taking inspiration from the kind of
training professional athletes use, this enhanced form of interval training not
only improves your athletic capacity, but radically improves your body’s
ability to burn fat, too,’ explains Fitness First trainer Tom Eastham. ‘Each
class focuses on one key element of fitness for the full 30 minutes, but every
session incorporates the HIlT method of working at maximum effort for short
periods separated by low-intensity breaks.’
The elite elements
Exercises that get your body working as
fast as possible, such as single-leg squat thrusts and arm drives, will help to
boost your speed. So, if you take part in any sport that requires moving an
object from A to B in the shortest amount of time possible or reacting with
speed (think boxing, for example), this workout will give you a boost exactly
where you need it most.
Muscular endurance is another crucial
athletic element, but it’s often confused with cardio fitness. While you need a
strong heart and lungs to carry you through a long-distance run, cycle or swim,
good cardio fitness is useless if the rest of your muscles are unable to meet
the demands you put on them. To counter this effect, the endurance aspect of
this workout is guaranteed to get your muscles burning thanks to total-body
exercises like press-ups, lunges and squats.
Power is another must if you want to boast
the all-round strength and fitness of an athlete. This section of the workout
is about being explosive and dynamic. Jumping exercises like burgees will work
your fast-twitch muscles so you can ace that long jump, knockout punch or
backflip. Lump it all together and you’ve got an intense workout!
Make it count
Worried you don’t have the time for all
that extra training? A busy schedule shouldn’t mean missing out on medal-worthy
results. The moves from this class are simple but effective, require minimal
kit and can be done anywhere great if you find yourself struggling to get to
the gym.
Fitness First has shared the top moves from
this popular class with us to help you reach your athletic goals. In our
workout you’ll get a dose of intense interval training, cardio and athleticism
as well as a serious calorie burn that lasts long after you’ve hit the shower.
Try it three times a week for top-ranking results.
The athletic fitness team workout
Fitness First’s Tom recommends using a
circuit format to perform this workout. Perform one set of each exercise
without resting - this counts as one circuit. Rest for 60 seconds then begin
the next circuit.
·
Beginner: 3 x 10 reps
·
Intermediate: 3 x 15 reps
·
Advanced: 4 x 15 reps
V-sit with toe touch
Build endurance
Areas trained: stomach, sides of stomach
Build
endurance
Technique
·
Sit on the floor on a mat with your upper body
reclined slightly and your legs raised in the air so that your body resembles a
V shape.
·
Extend your left hand towards your right foot,
then your right hand to your left foot, while maintaining the V position.
·
Continue alternating sides.
Safety tip:
Try not to arch your lower back in this move
Squat and kick
Areas trained: bottom, front thighs, stomach
Squat
and kick
Technique
·
Bend at your knees and hips to lower into a low
squat.
·
Push through your heels to return to the
starting position, then raise one leg and kick it out in front of you.
·
Squat down again and repeat on the opposite leg,
kicking it out in different directions with each rep.
Centipede
Areas trained: stomach, shoulders, rear thighs
Centipede
Technique
·
Keeping your legs straight, reach down towards
your toes.
·
Walk your hands as far forward as possible
without letting your hips and knees touch the floor.
·
Walk your hands back to the starting position,
keeping your legs straight as you do so. Stand up and repeat.
Hot tip:
This is great way to extend your abs, rather than flex them
Kneel to feet jump
Develop power
Areas trained: thighs, bottom, stomach
Kneel
to feet jump
Technique
·
Kneel down with your hips forward and shoulders
back.
·
Jump into a squat position, landing on your
feet.
·
Return to the start and repeat.
Side lunge with slam
Areas trained: bottom, thighs, stomach
Side
lunge with slam
Technique
·
Holding a medicine ball, take a large step
sideways, bending your leg as you do so.
·
As you bend down, slam the medicine ball into the
floor in front of you, catching it as you stand back up again.
·
Push back to the start and repeat the move on
the opposite side for the next rep.
Plank with leg crossover
Areas trained: stomach, core, sides of stomach
Plank
with leg crossover
Technique
·
Start in plank position with your hands on a
step or bench.
·
Kick your right leg underneath your body to your
left.
·
Bring it back to the start position and repeat
with the opposite leg.
Safety tip:
Make sure your shoulders are above your wrists
Quick feet
Increase speed
Areas trained: stomach, rear thighs, calves
Quick
feet
Technique
·
Stand in front of a step or bench.
·
Lift one leg and tap your toe on the step.
·
Jump to switch legs and tap the other foot on
the step. Repeat.
Hot tip:
This is great move to help runners boost speed
Travelling press-up
Areas trained: chest, rear upper arms, shoulders, core
Travelling
press-up
Technique
·
Start in plank position with one hand on a step
or bench.
·
Bend your arms to lower your chest towards the
floor, keeping your body in a straight line throughout.
·
Explosively push back up to the start position
while switching your hand position so that the opposite hand is resting on the
step, and repeat the move.
Safety tip:
Perform this move on your knees if you can’t keep your body in a straight line
throughout
Knee raise
Areas trained: sides of stomach, front thighs, bottom, calves
Knee
raise
Technique
·
Jog on the spot.
·
With every other step, raise your knee to meet
your opposite elbow, rotating your body as you move.
·
Alternate sides with each rep.
