BUILD STRENGTH

The table opposite shows you a go-to exercise routine for building a strong, lean and healthy body in a short time, without needing to spend all day at the gym! It consists of five functional movement patterns: push (pressing away from you), pull (tugging towards you), hip-hinge (bending from the middle), squat (flexing at the knee and hip) and pillar (stabilising your core). You simply pick one exercise from each section, do 10-12 reps of each, and repeat until you have completed three sets.

This is an incredibly efficient routine – it will give your muscles a great workout, and help you get more strength and a faster metabolism quickly. You don’t need a gym, either – each category has bodyweight exercises you can do at home. As you get stronger, you can add some simple home-based equipment, or you can go all out and join a gym – the options are there for you.

To see descriptions of all of the exercises, turn to page 244 (Functional Fitness for All – Extras).

FUNCTIONAL PICK-’N’-MIX

If you want to keep track of which functional exercises you are doing, make a copy of this table and tick off the ones you’re currently focusing on. Exercises marked with a * require gym equipment.

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FIT:5

Home help

You don’t really need equipment to do exercise, but it can help if you want to mix things up. So if you’re looking to build a home gym, start with these five items:

  1. Your body – no matter how fit you are, bodyweight exercises will make you even fitter.
  2. A circuit timer – go high-tech and download a free app for your phone, or just use a cheap kitchen timer.
  3. A suspension trainer – these consist of a number of straps or ropes that anchor to a strong point (like a door or a tree). A good suspension trainer lets you use your bodyweight in a wide range of exercises.
  4. A heavy resistance band – good for working on larger muscles, like your legs and glutes.
  5. A light resistance band – good for working on smaller muscles, like your arms and shoulders.