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WOMEN’S FITNESS

30 minute
TOTAL BODY TONER Photography: Neil Francombe/Ultra-Fit Images

light dumbbells – e.g. 2kg before working

No longer getting the results you desire? Too up to 4 or 5 kg dumbbells. Also, to add
intensity, and to increase the cardio
much ‘you’ but not enough time? Personal trainer challenge, add in a 45 – 90 second skip
session between each exercise with a
Caroline Sandry has a speedy circuit to help short recovery. If you are already fit, and
want to shape up quickly for an event, or
you fast forward your way to a better body… the beach, then add in the skipping plus
star jumps, squat thrusts and or running
on the spot to really up the intensity.
Perhaps you have been exercising Volume (sets & reps) The exercises are all compound – they
for a while, but are no longer seeing Speed work more than one joint at a time, and
positive changes. Or maybe you have a Muscle action some of them are working knee, hip, elbow
good level of fitness, but are going through Rest interval and shoulder joint in one move, so take
a busy period and do not have the time to Training frequency your time to get familiar with the
get to the gym. There are times when you Plane of motion movement and concentrate on form and
need to up the intensity and find new Exercise order technique.
challenges, and so we have devised a time Exercise selection To begin with, perform one set of 10 –
effective circuit that can be performed at Duration of session 12 reps of each exercise, and as you
home, and all you need is a step/stair or become fitter repeat the circuit 2 to 3
low bench and some dumbbells. As this is aimed for those of you that are times.
short on time, this routine varies planes of If you do choose to add in some CV
Back to basics motion and muscle action. It is then down work (skipping, jumping etc) then there
As readers of Ultra Fit, I am sure you to you to change the exercise order, and may be additional benefits - as interval
already have a good knowledge of exercise for example increase your speed or training boosts your post exercise calorie
and you understand about goals and decrease your rest intervals. This circuit is burn (EPOC) - so you will continue to burn
programmes; but sometimes even the not for beginners, however is very more calories after your session than if you
most dedicated exercisers get stuck in an adaptable. Begin with no weights (where had completed a lower intensity session –
exercise rut, and find their fitness and there is an option) and so get that skipping rope out!
toning can plateau. Perhaps you have progress to
reached a point where you are comfortable
with your routine and you regularly clock
up your 10 miles of running each week,
plus a quick weights session at the gym,
but you are finding that your body is no
longer responding in the same way and
your shape and tone is not improving.
Many new clients that approach me for
personal training are already fit and have a
good routine, but have found their weight
loss has slowed or stopped, or they have
found that they still have that excess
stomach fat, or wobbly arms that they hate
in spite of their continued efforts.
One of the principles of fitness that
should always be considered is ‘overload’
In order to elicit continued gains in CV
fitness or muscle size , strength and
endurance, the body must be subjected to
greater stress than it is accustomed to.
This can be achieved by manipulating one
of the variables of your routine – including

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WOMEN’S FITNESS

Step Ups
■ Stand in front of a step, feet hip width and parallel. ■ To advance, hold light dumbbells in front of you with
■ Step up with the right foot, and then step back to briefly palms facing inwards and elbows bent, and ‘punch’ forward
touch foot back to start position as you step up.
■ Repeat 10 – 15 on each leg. Do not lock the arm.

Plank
■ Kneel with your back to your step, hands under your
shoulders and shoulders away from your ears
■ Place one toe at a time up onto the step and draw your
abdominals in tight as you lift your knees up, so that your
body forms a straight line – like a plank! Your full
bodyweight is supported on your hands and toes.
■ Keep your spine in a neutral position, your belly button
drawn up and in and hold the position for 10 – 20 seconds.
■ To advance, lift one foot from the floor, maintaining neutral
and keeping the hips straight and level.

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WOMEN’S FITNESS

Step Lunge
■ Stand a stride’s length in front of your
step, with a single weight held in both
hands in front of you
■ Lunge forward placing right foot up onto
the box, as you bend both knees to lower
the hips. The front knee should be above
the ankle in its end position. Lift the
weight upwards as you lunge, ensuring
you keep neutral spine.
■ Repeat 10 – 15 on each leg

Side Steps
■ Stand on the left side of your step
on your right leg. Hold dumbbells by
your side for extra resistance.
■ Bend your right leg and tap your
left foot on the floor, and then
straighten right leg back up.
■ If your step is fairly low, you may be
able to perform for example 45
seconds of stepping on each side, and
if your step is higher, you could
perform 15 reps on each leg.
■ To increase the challenge, perform a
biceps curl with each step up.

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WOMEN’S FITNESS

Press Ups
■ With your hands up on the step and under your shoulders - body weight supported on hands and toes
■ Slowly bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the step, maintaining neutral spine and keeping your abdominals drawn in.
■ Exhale to push body back up to start position
■ Repeat 10 – 12 times

Reverse Lunge
■ Stand on your step facing away from the floor, feet
hip width and parallel
■ Take a big step back with the right leg, bending both
knees to lower hips towards the floor – front knee
should be above the ankle in its end position
■ Step the right foot back up to start position
■ To intensify, hold dumbbells by your sides, and as you
step back, lift the weights straight out in front of you to
shoulder height, ensuring you maintain neutral spine.
■ Repeat 10 – 12 times on each leg

To summarize –
this routine is designed to
be a short but challenging
routine and unless you add
in several CV intervals,
should take no longer than
30 minutes. Beginners
should take it slowly and
work without dumbbells to
begin with. Those fitter
individuals should use
weights, and add in some
high intensity CV work such
as skipping or running to
create further challenge, and
remember the principle of
overload – gradually
increase the demands you
place on the body to keep
seeing results.

REMEMBER TO ALWAYS WARM UP BEFORE, AND COOL DOWN AND STRETCH AFTER YOUR SESSION

Coming up next issue – a fab Pilates ab routine to flatten and strengthen your midriff…

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