Looking for a lively way to get yourself active today? Not got much time? Maybe the weather is dreadful, and you're unable to go for your usual run, or you're trying to get back into fitness for the first time and want to stay in the comfort of your front room.
For all of the above, this 30-minute fitness blitz by top PT Niki Wibrow is perfect for you. Niki took over our Instagram earlier this month with her weight loss circuit, designed with an extremely low barrier to entry. All you need is a little bit of floor space, whether in the garden, the front room, the park or your garage, to get your body moving.
Missed it on our Instagram? Check out the workout in full below:
What's so good about this workout?
Niki's background in yoga is on display here, with lots of moves which require you to hold your position to test your core strength. These are called "isometric" moves, and you'll find they're excellent for working on your abs.
Although sit-ups and crunches are also great for challenging your core, they can also be tough on the spine. As the spine curves, it's trapped between the pressure of your body and the pressure of the floor, which means for some people, these moves aren't the best way to train your core.
Niki's yoga-inspired moves require you to hold positions to work your core. Even when these moves do require you to lie on the floor with raised shoulders, she guides you through a safe way to do this without rounding your spine.
The workout mixes isometric holds with dynamic movements to help you work up a sweat and hone your core strength at the same time. Not only does this have a cardiovascular effect, helping you to burn calories, but the muscle activation also places additional demands on your body. A report from Harvard University finds activating muscles releases a hormone called irisin, which helps burn extra calories long after the exercise session has finished.
A dynamic weight loss and core-strength workout that's kind to your back, and all you need to take part is a floor space or mat, and 30 minutes. What more could you want?
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