Indholdsfortegnelse for Womens Health SA - No Gym Required i Women's Health South Africa

Body-weight workouts are all about going back to the simplest form of exercise – no equipment needed. Using only your weight to get fit can shape your best body and boost your confidence, making you look and feel better than ever. These exercises – planks, lunges, squats and stretches, like yoga – are very effective, says Irene Lewis-McCormick, author of A Woman’s Guide To Muscle And Strength. “Your body is a machine, and you have to learn how to use that machine correctly to get the best results,” she says. “Body-weight workouts help you do that because you don’t have any buffer, like free weights, to work with – so you learn exactly how your body works.” Machines and weights have their place, but you can reap incredible benefits by…

Nearly every major muscle in your body has a corresponding muscle group that carries out the opposite function. Take your biceps and triceps: their even matchup lets you bend and straighten your elbow without any thought. At least that’s how it should work. Unfortunately, everyday habits (like sitting at a desk), repetitive workouts (say, that half-marathon you’re training for or your three-times-a-week spinning class) and even your wardrobe (those skyscraper heels) threaten these partnerships. The result: one of the muscles becomes stronger and overpowers the other, a common condition known as muscular imbalance. “The danger of muscular imbalances is that they alter your natural movement patterns,” says personal trainer Karen Joseph. “Over time, they can pull bones and joints out of alignment, which often leads to pain and injury.” They…

Don’t think you can get a solid workout in 15 minutes? Happy news: if you have a packed schedule (or tend to lose your focus), high-intensity interval routines will give you the results you want in the time you have. But the benefits don’t stop at sculpting a seriously sexy body: high-intensity interval workouts help you sleep better, advance your flexibility, strengthen your cardiovascular system, squash stress and improve your mood, plus plenty more. Add these four super-effective body-weight routines to your regimen and you’ll have a killer bod and better health in no time.…

In the bowels of the morning – when your eyes are heavy, your brain is a mush ball and the shower feels a million miles away – you need something to wake your ass up: an activation warm-up. “As you sleep, your core temperature drops, your body becomes dehydrated and connective tissues are less flexible,” says certified strength and conditioning specialist Alex Zimmerman, creator of the following sequence. “Flowing through slow, rhythmic movements improves blood circulation, increasing your range of motion, and prepares the nervous system for what’s next.” Perform this progression three or four times a week first thing in the morning. (Or use it before any workout at any hour to boost mobility, turn up your muscles’ power potential and reduce injury risk.) Do each exercise in the…

An easy way to upgrade your normal body-weight workouts without holding dumbbells? Simply lifting your feet off the ground. The bench and the step platform are two pieces of equipment that don’t add weight or resistance to your workout, but will give your fat burn a serious boost. Even though your lower half is lifted, these tools will give you more than just killer legs; they will provide a total-body strength and cardio workout – in just 15 minutes. You can buy these tools online to exercise at home or use your surroundings to your advantage. Running in the park? Hit up the nearest bench and crush the following workout.…

Maybe you’ve seen those dangling straps at the gym and wondered, since when do gyms offer S&M classes? They’re actually suspension-training systems and there are some awesome reasons to strap one on: the contraptions tap your body weight and gravity to turbocharge basic squats and lunges, challenging your muscles in a new way. And, oh, the things they’ll do for your abs: “nearly every exercise on a suspension trainer engages your core more than traditional moves do because they require a lot more balance,” says strength and conditioning specialist Todd Durkin, who designed this routine exclusively for Women’s Health. Want a seriously sexy back too? No problem. “You’re working your entire back through pulling movements, which are hard to replicate using your body weight alone,” adds Durkin. One last bonus:…

1/ Push-up + jackknife Sit on the floor facing the anchor point. Slip your feet into the foot cradles, then flip your body over and get into push-up position with your arms straight and your body forming a straight line from head to toes. Bend your elbows to lower your torso until your chest is near the floor (A). Straighten your elbows to press your body up to the top of the push-up position (B); then, keeping your legs straight, immediately drive your hips upward into a pike (C). Slowly lower your hips to return to start. That’s one rep. Do as many as you can with good form. 2/ Hip extension Sit on the floor facing the anchor point and slip both heels into the foot cradles, then lie…

Imagine someone is reading this intro to you in a soothing voice. Take a deep breath in, then out. Now indulge us in some word association: mind-body fitness. What do you picture? A dimly lit yoga class, right? Indeed you do and the room smells of earthy incense, yes? The instructor is reciting an inspiring mantra. Maybe even two. The point is, you’re feeling quite Zen right now. Very much in tune with your body. Well, snap out of it! Here’s some real talk: mind-body workouts are no longer bound by any one discipline. They can happen anywhere – at a yoga studio, in the weights section, on a foggy morning run. That’s one of the reasons we at Women’s Health prefer calling the practice by its other, more grounded,…

The push-up, finally done right As a personal trainer, I can attest to the fact that the classic push-up is one of the most underrated exercises in existence. I would place the push-up over any arm exercise out there for sculpting sexy shoulders and toned triceps and it’s also a killer total-body move. Problem is, many women aren’t getting the full push-up payoff for one simple reason: they’re resting their knees on the ground. I’ve always felt the modified push-up carried a negative connotation, encouraging a mentality I’d prefer to avoid altogether: “Oh, sorry, you can’t do a regular push-up? Let’s treat you like a delicate flower then.” No! In fact, I nixed this notion more than a decade ago when I first became a personal trainer. The last thing…

Agility drills aren’t just for midfielders and 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,” Sanders explains. Even better: they’re mentally stimulating – something you don’t get with the typical squat or lunge. How to do it: Two or three times a week, perform these moves as a circuit. Starting with the first exercise,…

Certain fitness feats – like finishing a 10-kay in less than an hour or busting out 20 real-deal push-ups – earn you instant respect. In yoga, holding a handstand (without the help of a wall) or bending your body in half (backwards) is a quick way to stand out as a badass. But crowded classes and at-home DVDs often can’t provide the one-on-one attention you need to modify (and eventually conquer) advanced positions. That’s where the moves on these pages come in. The progressions make the most intimidating poses possible. First, find your starting point – the step you can pull off comfortably with proper form. Once you can hold that for five full breaths, move to the next stage. But don’t rush it: how fast you advance depends on…

Don’t be fooled by its minimalist, no-frills appearance: a foam roller is one of the most valuable, inexpensive and versatile pieces of gym equipment out there, says Lauren Borden, a certified structural integration practitioner and author of Taller, Slimmer, Younger – 21 Days To A Foam Roller Physique. It can help release tension in your connective tissues and work out kinks and knots. Plus, it can be used as a strength-training tool, helping to engage key muscles you want to tone, like your arms, abs, thighs and butt. Because the foam roller is a curved, unstable surface, it can replace a BOSU trainer or stability ball in many exercises to improve your balance and fire up your core muscles. Try this total-body foam roller workout, created by Borden, three to…

You probably know a dynamic (moving) warm-up can help you ward off injury and perform better during your workout. But what you may not know is that there’s a lot more to an effective pre-exercise routine than star jumps and high knees. While many dynamic warm-ups get your heart rate going, routines like this one are also designed to reduce tension, improve mobility, and activate lazy muscles – crucial steps to help ramp up your training session. And it will take only about 10 minutes (whoop!). Here are the simple steps you need in order to fire up properly. Do 10 reps of all exercises. 1 Roll with it Research shows that foam rolling can improve range of motion during a workout as well as reduce soreness after. It’s a…

His name is synonymous with Insanity (the DVD he created in 2009), but there’s nothing crazy about Shaun T’s training approach. Take this exclusive workout. Inspired by his DVD series, Insanity Max: 30, it features heart-pounding intervals designed to spike your metabolism instantly; you’ll also sculpt leaner arms and abs and sleeker, more defined legs and shoulders. Yes, please. How it works: complete as many reps of each exercise as you can in 20 seconds, resting 10 seconds between each move. At the end, rest 30 seconds, then repeat the circuit, doing as many reps as you can in 45 seconds and resting 15 seconds in between moves. Rest 30 seconds. Finish with as many reps of each exercise as you can in 60 seconds, moving from one to the…

When you have a busy work or social schedule, it’s easy to fall behind on your daily sweat sessions. But no matter how swamped you are, sneaking in exercise is crucial to staying on your game (and staying sane). Skip too many and it’ll be that much harder to get back on the proverbial horse. Solution? A short, just-the-essentials routine that puts every muscle through its paces, no equipment required. “This workout is simple, but it’ll seriously crank your heart rate and metabolism,” says strength and conditioning specialist Jen Ator, author of Shape-Up Shortcuts. You’ll also increase your flexibility and core strength and sculpt your butt, legs and shoulders. Talk about a multitasker! How to do it: Make this routine your travel go-to or do it three times a week…

Whether you’re a runner, a total gym rat or a tennis fanatic, your yoga instructor can tell. That’s because workouts that emphasise running, lifting and swinging movements leave the tell-tale signs of tight hamstrings, quads and shoulders – the trifecta of treacherous spots in fit females. Left alone, they can lead to muscular imbalances, injuries and stalled results. Here’s what can help: yoga for athletes, a practice specifically designed for active people. “Yoga gives you the power to better understand your body,” says Emilie Smith, a yoga teacher who specialises in yoga for athletes. “You learn where you’re strong or weak, tight or flexible.” By correcting those problems, you can raise your game. That’s why so many pro athletes are devotees. Plus, it strengthens your core and builds a lean,…

Tomato sauce or chutney? Flats or heels? Idols or The Voice? That eternal fitness face-off – cardio or strength training – is just as perplexing. Cardio is a known kilojoule crusher, while strength workouts build muscle and rev your metabolism. But you don’t have to choose sides: metabolic conditioning offers the best of both. By combining short, high-intensity work periods, little to no rest time between exercises and big-body movements, metabolic conditioning challenges your strength, power and cardiovascular endurance in one workout – maximising kilojoule burn during and after a sweat session, says Frank Salzone, a group fitness instructor who specialises in high-energy classes. It also helps improve your muscles’ ability to use energy during workouts, so you can push harder and get better results over time. Sound too good…

Here’s a secret: humming along inside your body right this minute is your very own personal trainer, working tirelessly to help you burn kilojoules and shed fat. It’s called your metabolism. A fast metabolism means more kilojoules burnt. And the more you burn, the easier it is to shed fat. And get this: you can make your metabolism work harder. One really effective way? This simple body-weight routine by personal trainer Nick Tumminello. It may have a fancy name – a metabolic finisher – but its purpose is simple: it provides a quick burst of energy to increase your heart rate and burn more kilojoules. And if you complete these moves at the end of your normal workout, your metabolism will stay revved for hours after you’re done – and…