FINDING ENOUGH TIME in the day is one of the most common excuses people use when it comes to exercise but you don’t need to spend hours on end in the gym in order to lead a healthier life.
As part of a new series on The42, we want to help incorporate activity into your daily routine and complete exercises that you’ll feel the benefit of straight away.
Embarking on a new challenge can be a daunting prospect for a lot of us but exercise doesn’t need to be a chore and we’ve designed a programme that will get you feeling fit and healthy this Autumn.
There are so many different programmes and snippets of advice available to us but we’re going to start from the very bottom and help you work your way up the ladder to the top.
You may have heard of the popular couch to 5k training plan and we’ve adopted a similar method to get you up and running – no pun intended, honestly.
Over the course of the next six weeks, we’ll have a simple, yet effective, training plan that will gradually increase in intensity and difficulty.
The target for this programme is to get you from little or no exercise to completing a 15 minute workout each and every day. If you are serious about change, here is a great challenge for you and we’ll guide you through every step of the way.
For the first week, we’re going to start with a three minute workout.
It’s all about consistency in your training and people regularly go head first at a new programme and lose motivation, energy and interest after a week or two.
If you start too quickly, your body will crash and will not be able to sustain the training plan, therefore creating a yo-yo effect.
It’s always tempting to look for a quick solution but our objective here is to gradually build-up your fitness levels and that will provide the platform for you to go on and achieve your goals whether that’s weight loss or muscle gain.
This programme will test your commitment and desire and if you can come through the other end, you’ll be all the better for it.
Research has shown that participating in some form of activity for 15-20 minutes, four days a week is hugely beneficial to your overall health and well-being.
You have the power to to change for the better and there’s no need to fork out a couple of hundred Euro in the process to get going. Stick with us here on The42 and you will activate your body into the early stages of change.
- Physiology – loose weight, tone up and increase muscle definition.
- Psychological – increase confidence, self esteem and decrease stress.
- Performance – increase energy, stamina and strength.
- Health – minimise the risk of heart decrease and diabetes.
Right, that’s enough talking. Let’s do this.
(For a demonstration on the exercises, click each link)
Week 1:
Day 1:
Duration: 3 minute workout – 6 exercises to complete and 30 seconds on each exercise.
Target area: Upper body (Chest, back, shoulders, arms)
1. Alternate shoulder presses
2. Alternate punches
3. Alternate bicep curls
4. Upright rows
5. Press ups
6. Tricep dips
Day 2:
Duration: 3 minute workout – 6 exercises to complete and 30 seconds on each exercise.
Target area: Lower body (Legs, glutes, hips)
1. Squats
2. Leg lunge left leg
3. Leg lunge right leg
4. Calf Raises
5. Sumo Squats
6. Leg kicks
Day 3:
Duration: 3 minute workout - 6 exercises to complete – 30 seconds on each exercise.
Target area: Abdominals/core
1. Sit Ups
2. Bridge hold
3. Reverse Ab Cruch
4. Plank
5. Alternate jackknife
6. Plank
Day 4:
Duration: 3 minute workout – 6 exercises to complete – 30 seconds on each exercise.
Target area: Anaerobic exercise
1. Jumping jacks
2. Strides
3. Knees high
4. Burpees
5. Lateral toe touches
6. Sprint on the spot
To complete this workout, you can do all the exercises using your own weights depending on your fitness levels. If you want to challenge yourself, you can use some light dumbbells if you have any at home or simply fill up two water bottles for resistance.
Please consult your doctor if you have any concern before commencing this training plan. To see the best results in your training, exercise should go hand-in-hand with a healthy, well-balanced diet.
See you here next week and good luck!
In association with Patrick O’Hanlon, who is the founder and CEO of The Fitness Academy. For more information visit their website, Facebook or Twitter.
