This is the stress-relieving workout you didn’t know you needed
When you don't fancy braving the long, cold walk to the gym, you can still get a solid workout from the comfort of your living room.
This 30-minute session from trainer Anna Engelschall is a great example of a workout that requires minimal equipment. All you need is a some fixed weights or a pair of the best adjustable dumbbells and you'll be able to copy the full-body workout.
The session works your whole body and incorporates elements of HIIT (high-intensity interval training), which efficiently burns calories and boosts your metabolism. A small study published in Frontiers in Psychology suggests that this type of exercise could reduce your stress levels, so it could have a positive mental impact too.
Ready to try it out? Have a look at the video below. Make note of Engelschall's form and try to replicate it in order to avoid injury and get the most out of the exercises.
This is a Tabata workout which (similar to HIIT workouts for fat loss you may have tried in the past) involves 20-second high-intensity bursts of exercise followed by short, 10-second periods of rest. This means your heart rate will stay high throughout, boosting your fitness levels, but there are plenty of opportunities to catch your breath—ideal if you’re a beginner.
Although this workout is designed to get your heart rate up, many of the movements like side-planks, dumbbell snatches and lunges require good technique too, in order to avoid injury. Because of this, you should avoid rushing through the movements and instead focus on moving intentionally and with focus. You should also take some time to warm up your body before this workout, which will improve your range of movement during the workout and help to prevent injury.
If you're finding this workout too challenging, try it without the dumbbells or lower the weight of the dumbbells you’re using. You can also take more regular breaks if you need to.
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Alice Porter is a freelance journalist covering lifestyle topics including health, fitness and wellness. She is particularly interested in women's health, strength training and fitness trends and writes for publications including Stylist Magazine, Refinery29, The Independent and Glamour Magazine. Like many other people, Alice's personal interest in combining HIIT training with strength work quickly turned into a CrossFit obsession and she trains at a box in south London. When she's not throwing weights around or attempting handstand push-ups, you can probably find her on long walks in nature, buried in a book or hopping on a flight to just about anywhere it will take her.
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