Photography by Lyashenko/Freepik.com; Gym equipment supplied by Rebel Elite Fitness
Move faster — and burn off dessert — with this get-nimble, get-quick routine.
Guess what? Agility drills aren’t just for border collies. In fact, they’re a crucial part of any workout plan. Being able to start, stop and change direction quickly builds stamina and sculpts insane, look-at-me legs — it may even help improve your memory and focus.
The explosive moves you see here are designed to make that good stuff happen. Oh, and they’ll send your fat burners into overdrive, says performance coach Joel Sanders, who created this routine. “More movement equals more kilojoules burnt, making these exercises ideal if you’re crunched for time,” explains Sanders. Even better: they’re mentally stimulating — something you don’t get with the typical squat or lunge. And you can do them in your lounge, no equipment needed. Score!
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Two or three times a week, perform these moves as a circuit. Starting with the first exercise, do as many reps as you can in 20 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds before proceeding to the next exercise. Rest for one to two minutes at the end of the set. Complete up to five total sets.
Watch one of our WH Staffers perform the moves:
Acceleration wall drill
Place your hands on a wall, arms straight, and lean forward so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Drive your left knee up; pause for one second, then return to start and immediately repeat with your right leg. Continue alternating as quickly as possible.
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Split Jump
Stand with your left foot one big step (about 90cm) in front of your right. Bend your knees to lower your body until your left thigh is parallel to the floor. This is a split squat. Jump up quickly, switching your legs midair so you land with your right foot in front; immediately lower back into a split squat . Continue alternating.
Lateral bound
Standing on your right foot, bend your knee and sit your hips back as you swing your right arm behind you, keeping your chest lifted . Jump to the left, swinging your left arm behind you and landing softly on your left foot . Reverse the movement to return to start. Hold for three seconds, then switch legs and repeat.
Base rotation
Stand with your feet just more than shoulder-width apart, knees bent and weight on your toes; rotate your shoulders and torso to the left. Keeping your shoulders facing in this direction, jump and rotate your lower body 180 degrees to the left, then jump to rotate back to start. Continue alternating quickly.
Looking for more fat blasting workouts? These 5 workouts burn more kilojoules than a spin class, plus here’s 6 ways to burn more kilojoules on a rowing machine.
