The equipment-free fat-burning workout that kept me in shape (and seriously sweaty) on holiday!
Howdy beauties!
Well it’s certainly been a while so I’d like to say thank you all so much for all the lovely feedback I’ve had for this blog and the Facebook and Instagram pages while I’ve been away!
Spending the majority of our Canadian holiday at our friends’ cottage on an island in the middle of Lake Chemong also meant no internet access, so thank you as always for your patience 😉
So how did we spend our time away? Apart from sun-worshipping, relaxing, cooking, eating, dancing and laughing we kept pretty active! We were lucky enough to have swimming and paddle-boarding available to us and of course I took our yoga mats and beloved Tru Fit trainer…
…But why would you workout on holiday?
Aren’t holidays supposed to be about having time off?
How can you be arsed..?
…are all questions I would have asked someone who’d told me that they’d kept active while on holiday, once upon a time. And the answer is this:
Because when regular activity is part of your life and makes you feel good, it is not a chore but simply something you do.
My husband and I feel pretty proud and happy to finally live this way (believe me, I never ever thought I would!) so maintaining our fitness just happens whenever we go away and certainly makes us feel much better.
We’re not designed to be stationary sedentary beings, which explains why barely moving on holiday often makes people feel even more tired, lethargic…and needing another holiday!
And as holidays are, for so many people often a time when they choose to overindulge, all the more reason to keep yourself active! Speaking of which, I’ll soon be sharing a couple more holiday recipes that were huge hits, so please watch this space!
What’s this workout all about then?
I wanted to put together a quick, simple intense workout, that anyone of any fitness level could do, without any equipment other than something to time yourself with (eg your phone’s stop-watch app.)
And so this 20 minute holiday fat-burning fiesta was born! (Or at least written on a piece of paper and trialled by myself and my shy and retiring friend Patti.)
The results?
I guess they speak for themselves 😀
We were both exhausted, sweaty messes by the time we were finished but also couldn’t stop smiling from the good ol’ endorphin high. We did feel pretty sore the next day (hello recovery Yoga…) but the smugness of knowing we’d survived it and worked our arses off somewhat helped.
Of course you don’t have to be on holiday to have a go at this workout (your living room, garden or even gym if you’re a member will suffice, as long as there’s enough space and you don’t mind spectators!)
Enjoy and as always, let me know how you get on 😉
Get Ready…
Stick your phone in flight mode so no one disturbs you, and use it’s stopwatch app if you don’t have a timer.
Warm up your muscles by stretching dynamically (not static!) in the three directions we move in.
Perform the following four exercises at your maximum pace for 45 seconds, with 15 seconds rest for a total of 4 rounds. If you can complete 4, aim for 6!
Exercise 1: Jumping lunges with arm rotation
Start with your left foot forward in a lunge position, with your knees soft, the heel of your right foot raised and your arms rotated to the left. Jump to swap your feet so your right foot is now forward and your arms rotated to the right. Keep swapping until you hear the beep.
Make it harder: go as fast as you can!
Exercise 2: Breakdancers
Start in the press up position, kick your right foot underneath you touching the right toe with your left hand. Repeat with the left foot and right hand, switching feet as fast as you can until you hear the beep.
Make it harder: reach your hand to the sky instead of touching the toe!
Exercise 3: Forward/Backward Jumping squats
Start in a squat position, lowering your bottom to the same height as your knees. Jump forward, landing in a squat and then jump backwards landing in a squat. Repeat until you hear the beep.
Make it harder: jump even further forwards and backwards or add in some height – you could use the bottom step of a staircase or any platform that is sturdy!
Exercise 4: Mountain climbers
Start in the press up position with your left knee brought forwards between your hands and your left foot hovering. Swap feet so your right knee is forward and your left foot is now behind you. Repeat as fast as you can until you hear the beep.
Make it harder: hover your knee outside the elbow so it’s at 90 degrees, instead of between your hands!
Here’s a video demo for you:
REMEMBER: there are going to be times throughout this workout that you are going to want to give up. It is not meant to be easy, but a steady challenge to raise your heart rate and get your body into fat-burning mode.
Listen to your body and work at your own pace – if you do need to increase the rest time between exercises then do so by slowly marching on the spot (don’t stop moving!) and if there is anything you are not sure of, always consult with a health professional.
