Manageable fitness to make a difference
Personal trainer Laura Williams’ home workout.
30 minutes of good exercise at least five times a week. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are new to exercise you should consult your GP before starting a new exercise programme.
Warm-up
• Crank up the radio and spend 10 minutes breaking a sweat – dancing, doing step-ups on the bottom stair, skipping, jogging on the spot... anything.
Skater Squats
Thighs, bottom and hips:
• Position feet shoulder width apart.
• Bend your knees, stick your bottom and hips back and squat down to the floor.
• As you straighten up, extend one leg out to the side then squat back down and this time extend the other leg out to the side as your straighten up.
• Do two sets of 30.
Scissor Legs
Stomach:
• Lie on your back with your legs extended straight up above you.
• Slowly lower your right leg towards the floor stopping when you feel your back arching.
• Then lift your leg back up to your starting position and change sides. You should be pulling your stomach in throughout.
• Do 20 leg-lowers in total.
Seated Cushion Squeeze
Inner thighs:
• Sit upright in a chair, place a cushion between your knees.
• Squeeze the cushion as hard as you can, hold for a count of 15.
• Relax and repeat.
• Do this 10 times.
Tricep Dips
Backs of arms:
• Hover on the edge of a chair, place your hands close to your sides, palms facing forward and bend your legs so your knees are at 90° angles.
• Slowly lower your body towards the floor until your elbows reach a 90° angle then push yourself up to your starting position.
• Do 2 sets of 12-15 dips.
Savvy tip
If you want to have something to boost your energy choose fruit (something starchy like a banana will give a steady energy feed). Avoid something too sugary because the energy levels will get high but then dive down again.
Pass it on – find out how fit you are
NHS Choices has lots of useful tools including this self-assessment fitness check