Build maximum strength using minimum equipment.
Build maximum strength using minimum equipment. Kelsey Wells’ PWR at Home programme cuts both the fat and the hassle.
PWR at home is a programme that does pretty much what it says. Released in april, it’s Kelsey’s signature pWr workout, but designed without the bother of hauling yourself to the gym – something Kelsey always recognised a demand for.
After the launch of pWr, she received messages from women, from stay-home mums to students, asking for a workout that didn’t require gym equipment. “I wanted to create a programme to meet these women’s needs, wherever they are at in their lives,” she says.
As for the differences between PWR and PWR at home, the most obvious would be the lack of machines or large range of weights. “But the biggest difference is in the structure,” Kelsey explains. “Instead of pyramid training, PWR at home utilises circuit training. Both programmes are similar in intensity, and are meant to help you burn fat and increase strength, but how you get there is different.”
For a taster, try this condensed version of Kelsey’s PWR at home workout. It may be shorter, but it’s no less demanding, and no less effective in delivering what the programme promises: More strength, more confidence.
YOU’LL NEED
● Dumbbells
● Recovery band
● Resistance band
● Yoga mat time
TAKEN
21 minutes, comprising three sections: Activation, Circuit, and superset. Take a minute’s rest between each section.
1 GLUTE BRIDGE
[A] With a resistance band looped around your lower thighs, lie flat on back on a yoga mat. Bend knees and position feet firmly on the mat, ensuring that they are hip-width apart and your spine is in neutral position. Allow arms to rest by your sides.
[B] Inhale. As you exhale, press heels into the mat, activate your glutes and raise your pelvis off the floor until your body forms one straight line from chin to knee, resting on your shoulders. Inhale. As you exhale, lower spine onto the mat one vertebrae at a time, followed by your pelvis.
INCHWORM
[A] Plant feet on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
[B] Bend at the hips and while keeping legs as straight as possible, place hands on the floor directly in front of feet.
[C] Inhale. Without moving feet, walk hands forward until your body is in one straight line from head to heels, resting on the balls of your feet, ensuring that legs remain as straight as possible. Exhale. Without moving feet, walk hands backwards to return to the starting position, ensuring that legs remain as straight as possible.
Reps: 10
REST FOR 1 MINUTE BEFORE MOVING ON TO CIRCUIT.
CIRCUIT
(9 MINUTES)
COMPLETE 3 LAPS OF AS MANY REPS AS YOU CAN FOR EACH EXERCISE (3, 4 AND 5) IN 40 SECONDS, WITH A 10-SECOND REST BETWEEN EXERCISES.
3 GOBLET SQUAT
[A] Holding a dumbbell with hands directly in front of chest, plant feet on the floor, slightly farther than shoulder-width apart.
[B] Inhale. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that knees point towards toes. Continue bending knees until thighs are parallel to the floor, ensuring that your back remains within 45 to 90 degrees of your hips. Exhale. Push through heels and extend knees to return to the starting position.
4 PUSH-UP
[A] place hands on the mat slightly farther than shoulder-width apart, feet together behind you while resting on the balls of your feet.
[B] Inhale. While maintaining a neutral spine, bend elbows and lower torso towards the mat until your arms form 90-degree angles. Exhale. Push through your chest and extend elbows to lift body back into the starting position.
5 FACE PULL
[A] While seated on a yoga mat, extend legs out in front of you. Wrap the recovery band around the bottom of feet so that you are holding one end of the band in each hand with an overhand grip (palms facing down).
[B] Inhale. As you exhale, bend elbows outwards and, using the muscles in your shoulders and back, bring the ends of the band in towards your face until hands are by your ears. avoid “shrugging” shoulders by squeezing shoulder blades down and back. Inhale. Extend elbows to return to the starting position.
REST FOR 1 MINUTE BEFORE MOVING ON TO SUPERSET.
SUPERSET
(6 MINUTES)
COMPLETE AS MANY LAPS OF THE 2 EXERCISES AS YOU CAN IN 6 MINUTES, WITH A 30-SECONDREST BETWEEN LAPS.
6 CURL AND PRESS
[A] Holding a dumbbell in each hand in a neutral grip (palms facing inwards) with arms extended on either side of your body, plant feet on the floor shoulder-width apart.
[B] As you inhale, bend elbows to bring dumbbells in towards chest, ensuring that elbows remain in close contact with the sides of your body.
[C] As you exhale, using the muscles in your shoulders and arms, extend elbows and press dumbbells up above head, ensuring that arms are in line with your ears on either side of your head. Bend elbows to lower the dumbbells to chest, then extend elbows to lower the dumbbells and return to the starting position.
7 SPRAWL
[A] Plant feet on the floor farther than shoulder-width apart. Point feet slightly outwards. Bend at both the hips and knees until thighs are parallel to (in line with) the floor, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes, and your back remains within 45 to 90 degrees of your hips.
[B] As you inhale, place hands on the mat between feet, ensuring that your spine remains in a neutral position. jump feet backwards so that legs are completely extended behind you, resting on the balls of your feet. Your body should be in one straight line from head to heels. As you exhale, jump feet forward in between hands, ensuring that feet are wider than your sholders, and pointed out slightly. Release hands from floor and elevate torso slightly to return to the starting position.
Reps: 10
