15 Minute Workout #1

You do not need to be fit at all. You can start this at any stage of fitness. All you need is determination to keep going. To give you a bit of encouragement, I have re-started my training, you could come and join me and it is worth remembering that the only training you feel bad about is the training you don't do. Come on we all have 15 minutes of our lives to spare, a bit of training now could avoid a whole lot of doctors appointments later on in life!

Don't be put off by pictures like the one above, and think I will never get there, what is the point? As any trainer worth their salt will tell you, we all have to start some where, and trust me when I tell you that even Zuzana (lady above) has issues with her body.

So this regime is for anyone from someone who just needs to tone up to someone who can barely reach their knees. All of it is fixable and all of it is fine. I always say if you are reading something like this then you are making progress, as all progress starts with the idea.

For this first 15 minute work out you will be doing 2 exercises (called sets) each exercise will be done 5 times in a row (reps/repetitions). Do these as fast as you can. You are not in a race, you are not going to lose, you are not going to come last. The only person you are racing against is yourself. So what you do is

5 press-ups/push ups
then
5 squats

repeat this (set) for 15 minutes. Keep going, it does not matter how slow it ends up being as long as you keep going.

Even if you only manage one set that will be one set more than you have done before. 1 squat and 1 press up . . . doesn't matter as long as you keep trying. It is a no fail workout.

If you want facts and figures as to how good this training is I have done a chart for you here that breaks down how good this work out is compared to "standard" gym type training.

At the end of 15 minutes log how many sets you did on a pad. The next day see if you can do one more. Do this workout for 4 weeks and see the difference it makes, not only will you start losing the weight your body will start feeling more and more energised.

If you want to ramp it up you could also try this will seriously test your metal and I would advise, NOT stepping up to this until you can do the 15 Min #1 without sweating!!!

If you have never done a press up in your life do not fear here is how you can learn. Start with your knees on the floor, arms and shoulders parallel. Keeping your back flat lower your body down to your hands, then push your body back up, the more explosively you push, the more energy you use, the quicker you will start to become fitter.

For anyone who can do a complete press up remember the main point is to keep your back and legs straight. As with the beginners, all the energy you use should be in the explosive movement upward.

Start with your feet approximately shoulder width apart (perhaps a touch more). Your arms by your side

Keeping your back straight lower your body down your hands move down your side until they just about touch the floor. As you lower yourself down let your heels lift so that when your fingers are just about touching the floor you are on the balls of your feet.

Then quickly propel yourself upward as quickly as you can.

People do different things with their arms, on the upward, I raise my arms from my side to straight in front of myself. Some people prefer to raise them above their heads, this one is up to you.

Remember when doing body or any weight exercise breath in on least resistance and out on most. So on this you would breath in on the way down and out on the way up.