Short, high-intensity workouts can be the most effective if you know what you’re doing. By using your own body weight, you can finish a quick blast of exercise feeling like you’ve just spent an hour in the gym. This fast-paced bodyweight workout will fuel your best start into the new year – the EVO way.
Functional, compound movements are the key to working all your muscles and upping your metabolism: stretching, bending, twisting, turning, pushing, pulling, skip, hopping and jumping your way to a better body. No equipment. No waiting around. Just full power and maximum results.
This 10-minute training can be done when you’re short on time, whether you’re still on holidays or have a busy day ahead. If you’re really dedicated, you could add this bodyweight workout to the end of a cardio session or run. Just remember to push every move to the limit – it’s only 10 minutes, so make the most of every second.
Get a timer or stopwatch for this full-body high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocol. To maximize those 10 minutes, you need to give it your all for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
Warm-up with some quick shoulder circles to get your upper body revved up and jog on the spot. Next, perform each of the following moves for 20 seconds. Repeat twice through – and you’re done.
Best for: Toned core and upper body strength
Functional tip: When you reach the bottom of a normal push up, quickly extend your elbows and push yourself up – keeping your arm straight overhead. Alternate arms on each rep.
Best for: Super-strong shoulders and core isolation
Functional tip: Stay on your hands and toes, moving to the right first and then back to the middle. Engage abs and pull your belly button in tight.
Best for: Core strength and stabilising the spine
Functional tip: Push down harder with your forearms to force your abs to work even harder. If you feel your back rounding, lower your hips.
Best for: Great glutes, strong legs and perfect balance
Functional tip: Keep your weight through your front heel to drive your full body weight up. To make this move explosive, speed up the rate you switch your feet and do a little hop in the middle.
Best for: Calves, glutes and arms
Functional tip: Squat as you jump out of your jumping jack to strengthen your legs and glutes even further. Increase your speed for maximum effect.
Best for: Upper body gold – pectorals, deltoids and triceps
Functional tip: Squeeze your abs as tightly as you can, keeping them contracted for the whole 20 seconds. To prevent your hips from rotating, pretend you have an apple balancing on your tailbone as you perform the move.
Best for: Full body fitness – arms, chest, quads, glutes
Functional tip: Bump up your burpee power by dropping to the floor as quickly as you can, exploding straight out of the push-up, pushing through your legs into the jump.
Best for: Activating core, training muscles in abs and quads
Functional tip: Focus on pointing your toes to the ceiling to isolate your leg muscles and avoid rocking in the V-sit position by pulling your core towards the floor.
Best for: Hamstrings, glutes, triceps and shoulders
Functional tip: Keep your hips open and heels into the ground. If your hamstrings start to feel tight, bring your heels closer to your buttocks to avoid cramping.
Best for: Targeting the butt, thighs and calves
Functional tip: Boost your speed to increase aerobic intensity. For explosive leg power, jump lifting both legs into the high-knee position at the same time.