If anyone asked me for my three favorite exercises, I would say burpees, planks and squats. That’s because, this trio works each and every single muscle in the body. They build an excellent foundation of strength, stamina and endurance. Just make sure your form is good and that your core (torso) is engaged at all times.
Burpees
At FZM Boutique Fitness, we love burpees! A full body exercise, burpees are the quickest way to burn fat and increase your stamina. But please do them correctly!
Come in to a squat position, lower your hands on to the floor and place your palms directly underneath your shoulders. Now jump your legs back into a high plank. Explosively jump in, stand up and lower down again for your next rep!
100 Burpees a day keep the fat away.
Planks
I love planks because they work all the muscles of the core while simultaneously increasing stability and kinesthetic awareness. The plank is often done incorrectly so please follow my tips on form!
Keep your core (torso) braced; glutes (buttocks) squeezed; and maintain your body in a straight line, to resemble a plank of wood. Make sure your elbows are directly underneath your shoulders and your neck is in line with your spine. Now hold the position for 30 to 80 seconds.
Remember, if you stick your posterior up at any point, you are resting, not planking. Check your posture in a mirror and fix it.
If regular planks are too easy, try a TRX plank or simply put your feet on a gym ball for an added challenge.
Squats
Squats build lower body strength and tone your derriere. Contrary to popular belief, squats DO NOT give you a massive behind. They do the opposite.
Stand shoulder width-apart. Maintain all your weight in your heels. Now imagine you are sitting on a chair/low stool. Take your bottom as far back and down as possible. Ideally, your squat should end below your knees. Now stand back up. That’s one rep. Do 20-40 squats as fast as possible (while maintaining good form).
If you are a seasoned squatter, dojump squats instead to increase the calorie burn. But move to plyometric variations only after your body-weight squat is perfect!
The squat is the king of all exercises. Get creative with it! Try bosu squats, TRX squats, front squats, back squats and squat thrusters! Each variation is bound to challenge you is a different way and help you get fit faster!
FZM’s 15 Minute Fat Attack
I give this workout to all my celebrity clients while they are travelling. It’s short, simple and equipment free. All you need is 15 minutes and a bit of determination!
Warm up: 3 to 6 minutes of spot jogging followed by gentle stretches.
Fat Attack:
Min One: Burpees
Min Two: Plank
Min three: Squats (full range of motion)
Rest: 20 seconds and start again
Do 5 rounds with a maximum of 30 seconds rest between each round.
Stretch!
The workout only lasts fifteen minutes so I want you to give your 120% to each movement. Your thighs will be on fire but don’t stop till the 5th round is done!
You don’t need to spend hours at the gym. A great workout can be as short as 20 minutes if it is intense enough. Therefore, push your limits and get out of that familiar comfort zone.