In just this short time, you’ll work such magic on those abs, arms, thighs and butt, we bet you’ll make this your go-to routine all year round.
In just this short time, you’ll work such magic on those abs, arms, thighs and butt, we bet you’ll make this your go-to routine all year round.
The next four weeks will get you to your dream body by whipping the top trouble zones into shape. We tapped Shaun T, the brains behind the fast-working Insanity fitness programme, to be your trainer this month for sculpting pool-ready abs, arms, hips and thighs. “Women tend to have a stubborn jiggle in their upper arms,” he says, so he built in the dip and reach move for rock-solid triceps. Plus, the entire routine will flatten your belly. “Always engage your core and every move becomes an abs move,” he explains. “Those muscles should be burning during push-ups, jumps, squats...” Better yet, all that superfirming takes only 10 minutes three times a week. “You don’t have to work out for an hour to get into bikini shape,” Shaun T says. “You can get lean and tight with a 10-minute routine. But every second of it has to count.” To hit that intensity, give it everything you’ve got in 20-second stints as you work through these eight moves. Let’s bang it out!
Your Plan Go all out with the first exercise for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 and then repeat both steps. Do the same thing for the second, third, and fourth moves. Then rest for one minute. Repeat this structure for the next four moves. The total workout time is 10 minutes. If you’re wiped out, you’ve done enough. If you have some gas left in the tank, go for another round. Do this routine three times a week on alternate days.
You'll Need A stopwatch or timekeeping app. A mat is optional.
1 SCISSORSSTANCE JACK Works butt, quads, hamstrings and inner thighs Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart and arms by sides. Squat, reaching right fingertips to left foot and left arm back and up with palm facing in to start [a]. Jump, crossing right foot in front of left and swinging fingertips to chest level with elbows bent out to sides [b]. Land in start position with opposite arms. Switch sides; repeat. That’s one rep. Continue alternating sides as quickly as you can for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat.
2 DIP AND REACH Works triceps, abs, butt and hamstrings Sit with knees bent, feet fl at, palms pressing into floor with fingertips pointing forward. Press into palms (elbows bent back rather than out to sides) to lift butt a couple of centimetres off foor to start [a]. Straighten arms, extending and lifting left leg and reaching right fingertips to touch foot [b]. Lower to start position. Switch sides; repeat. That’s one rep. Continue alternating sides as quickly as you can for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat.
3 GENIE TUCK JUMP Works butt, quads, hamstrings and calves Stand with feet together, arms at chest height with right forearm on top of left with elbows bent out to sides. Squat [a] to start. Jump as high as you can, tucking knees towards chest [b]. Land in start position. That’s one rep. Continue as quickly as you can for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat.
4 DIAMOND BACK Works back, abs and butt Lie face down with legs long, elbows bent slightly, fingertips touching and palms facing down. Lift arms, chest, and thighs off floor to start [a]. Rotate torso left, drawing left elbow towards side and looking back towards elbow [b]. Return to start position. Switch sides; repeat. That’s one rep. Continue alternating sides as quickly as you can for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat.
5 OBLIQUE KNEE TAP Works shoulders, abs, obliques and butt Start in side plank on right forearm with feet stacked and left elbow bent out to side with palm facing feet [a]. Draw left knee up to meet left palm [b]. Return to start position. That’s one rep. Continue quickly for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Switch sides; repeat.
6 PIKE-UP SPIDER LUNGE Works shoulders, abs, butt and hamstrings Start in plank on palms. Pull hips up and back so body forms an inverted V (pike position) [a]. Return to plank, stepping left foot up and outside of left hand [b]. Step foot back and immediately pull hips up and back into pike. Switch sides as quickly as you can for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat.
7 SQUAT LUNGE Works butt, quads, hamstrings and calves Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms by sides. Squat, curling fists towards chest with palms facing each other and elbows bent by sides to start [a]. Keeping arms fixed, jump into reverse lunge with left leg back [b], landing with both legs bent at 90 degrees [c]. Jump back to start position. Switch sides; repeat. That’s one rep. Continue alternating sides as quickly as you can for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat.
8 SWITCH-KICK PUNCH Works abs, butt, quads and hamstrings Lie face up with legs long and hands in fists at chest. Curl head and shoulders up, and lift legs so they hover over floor to start. Lift left leg straight up, punching right arm towards foot [shown]. Lower to start position. Switch sides; repeat. That’s one rep. Continue alternating sides as quickly as you can for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat.
For Shaun T’s latest transforming workout and diet programme, check out Insanity Max:30 ($165.36, www.beachbody.com).
“Do the absolute best you can do, then take a break. It’s that simple.”
