By Amy Lawrenson
We serve up the moves that’ll torch fat and your food cravings.
You’ve clocked up your fourth run of the week when, boom, you get the urge to demolish a big plate of… You don’t even care what. Nor do you care that it contains twice the kilojoules you just burnt. Because, dammit, you’ve earned it! “Actually, post-training cravings are usually all in the mind,” says Mike Matthews, founder of Muscle For Life. “We feel we deserve a reward for our efforts.” But there is a way to use a workout to curb hunger: namely this full-body, total-tone HIIT session. It burns fat faster, is short enough that we don’t have the same reward-focused thought process and – bonus – it actually suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin. Ready to tuck in?
Squat Jumps
Do: 10 reps Targets: Quads, hamstrings, glutes
(A) Stand with your arms crossed over your chest, head up, back straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale and squat down until your thighs are just below your hips. (B) Exhale and explode up. As your feet touch the floor, decelerate straight into the next squat jump.
Sissy Squats
Do: 10 reps Targets: Quads, core
(A) Start in a shoulder-width stance, toes pointed slightly out. Grab on to something for balance.
(B) Keeping your waist and hips straight, bend your knees and push them down and forward while simultaneously letting your body fall backward. Your heels should come off the ground as you get lower. Continue until your knees almost touch the floor and your shinbones are nearly parallel to it. Pause; return to start.
Reverse Crunches
Do: 20 reps Targets: Abs
(A) Lie down on the floor with your legs straight and arms at your sides, palms facing down. Move your legs into a “sitting position” with your thighs perpendicular to the floor and feet together.
(B) Do your first rep by inhaling and moving your knees to your chest. Your hips will rise off the floor as you bring your knees in. Hold the contraction for one to two seconds, then bring your legs back to start.
Lateral Bounds
Do: 10 reps Targets: Lower body
(A) These look easy, but require balance and agility. Start by standing on your right leg. Bend down a little to engage your quads, jump sideways to your left and land on your left foot. (B) Bend down, now on your left, and tap your right hand on the floor, engaging your waist. Come back upright and jump back to your right foot. That’s one rep. Continue alternating.
Single-Leg Dead Lifts
Do: 10 reps each leg Targets: Back, legs, shoulders, core
(A) Grab a pair of dumbbells (ones you can do 10 reps with) and stand on your left foot. Lift your right foot behind and bend that knee so your shin is parallel to the floor.
(B) Bend forward at your hips. Pause, then push back, using your glutes and keeping your core engaged. That’s one rep. Do nine more before swapping legs.
Air Bicycles
Do: 20 reps Targets: Abs, core
(A) Lie on your back and get into reverse crunch starting position. Link your hands behind your head.
(B) Peddle as if you’re riding a bike, crunching your knee across to touch the opposite elbow. Repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.
High Knees
Do: 30 seconds Targets: Quads, hamstrings, calves
An oldie, but a fat-torching goodie. Make sure your feet are hip-width apart and arms are by your side. Sprint on the spot, lifting your knees as high as you can. Pump your arms and land on the balls of your feet. Round one: done.
