Express workout at home. Five effective exercises from a fitness trainer

The name Kayla Itzines has become a symbol of success in the fitness industry. The Greek-born Australian trainer became famous and rich thanks to her e-book Bikini Body Guides, which is a detailed description of workouts and nutrition tips for a 12-week course. On the wave of popularity, Kayla released the second part of the book and also introduced the mobile app “Sweat with Kayla”, which allowed her to enter the list of the richest young Australians. Itseenes and her spouse Toby Pearce’s fortune now exceeds $50 million.

In 2019, Kayla gave birth to a child, but the hassle of motherhood does not prevent the girl from keeping herself in shape and inspiring 12 million followers in her Instagram for fitness.

Recently, Itzines published an express workout that can be done anywhere. Five effective bodyweight exercises that require no equipment are just what you need to keep you fit on self-isolation!

Squats alternating with back lunges

An exercise for the quadriceps and gluteal muscles. It also involves the calf muscles, abs, biceps and back muscles.

Starting position: feet shoulder width apart.

Squat down with your pelvis backward. Your knees should not extend beyond your toes. After each squat, lunge backwards. To do this, take your leg so that when squatting, the angle of bending the front leg in the knee is 90 degrees. The knee of the back leg should be lowered as low as possible so that the shin is parallel to the floor and forms a right angle with the thigh. Do lunges alternately on the left and right legs.

The exercise is designed for 15 repetitions of the back squat-lunge linkage.

Modified burpee without jumps

Engages all major muscle groups. It seriously loads buttocks, biceps, quadriceps, shoulders, triceps, pectoral muscles, abs, back muscles. It promotes intensive calorie burning and has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.

The difference between the exercise offered by Itsines and the classic burpee is the absence of jumps.

Starting position: standing straight, feet shoulder-width apart.

Extend both arms up and stretch, taking your heels off the floor. Do not take your toes off the floor. Bend your knees and do a squat. Rest your hands on the floor and assume the plank position, straightening your legs one by one. It is important that the transition to the plank position is not done in a jump – when you straighten one leg, the second one touches the floor and serves as a fulcrum. The body should form a straight line, avoid bending the hips and lower back. Place your palms under the shoulder joints.

In this variant of burpee you do not need to touch the floor with your chest. Take turns pulling your knees up to your hands so that your thigh is parallel to the floor. Bend the leg that you straightened first. Straighten up sharply by stretching your arms up and pulling your heels off the floor, but your toes should remain in contact with the surface.

Repeat the exercise 10 times.

Plank twists

Engages abs, back muscles, gluteal muscles, quadriceps, calves, chest muscles, shoulders.

Starting position: plank with straight arms. Brushes under the shoulders, feet at shoulder width. The body should form a straight line. Lumbar and hips are not flexed, the neck is an extension of the back, the chest is in the same plane as the shoulders.

Raise one arm vertically so that both arms and shoulders are in a straight line, at right angles to the floor. The body turns following the arm, the position of the feet remains unchanged. Return to the starting position, lowering the raised arm to the floor. Then make the same turn to the other side.

The exercise involves 10 turns – 5 in each direction.

Push-ups from the knees

Engages the abs, pectoral muscles, biceps, triceps, deltoids.

Starting position: lying on the floor on your stomach.

Extend your arms forward, then bend at the elbows and place your palms shoulder-width apart. Push up from the floor on your outstretched arms, resting your knees on the floor. At the top, your arms should be at right angles to the floor and your body should form a straight line from your knees to your head. Lower your body to the floor, extend your arms forward.

It is necessary to do 10 repetitions.

Oblique twists on the abs

Act on the oblique muscles and abs.

Starting position: lying on your back, hands behind your head, feet on the floor, bent at the knees.

As you exhale, pull your shoulder to the opposite knee. Knee also pull toward the raised shoulder. The lower back and the other shoulder remain pressed to the floor. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Repeat the movement with the opposite part of the torso.

The exercise is designed for 10 repetitions – five for each side.