Short, explosive interval training is currently extremely popular. No more endless training sessions on the cardio machines, but short, powerful workouts. A high-intensity interval training is a relatively short training, in which short moments of maximum effort alternate with short moments of rest. Excellent results are achieved.
Canadian Laval University conducted a comparative study of short, explosive training and long but moderate training. And what turned out? For 15 weeks a schedule of short, explosive workouts resulted in 9 times more subcutaneous fat loss than 21 weeks of long-term training with moderate intensity.
The exercises on these pages do not only stimulate fat burning, they are also excellent cardio training and you grow muscle mass with it. And that is good news because muscles are the most active body tissue. A little more muscle and your body burn more calories during the day, even at rest.
Own body weight
Trainers make less and less use of machines. Instead, they opt for exercises with free weights or simply our own body weight. This results in a more natural way of moving, which improves your overall movement pattern.
Your balance, strength, flexibility, explosive power, body posture - everything gets better when you do movements that our bodies are made for. And most importantly: it is a training method that works. Exercises such as push-ups and squats survive all fitness trends for the simple reason that they work.
What do you need?
- Mat
- Chair
- Skipping rope
- Interval timer (You can buy a device, for example from Gymboss, or download an interval timer on your smartphone.) Set the timer for 6 times 50 seconds of action and 10 seconds of rest.)
If you perform this round of exercises twice, with 1 minute of rest, you have a complete workout in 18 minutes. Do this schedule three times a week.
Warming up: jumping for 5 minutes
Jump rope is one of the simplest and most effective cardio workouts you can do. It is also a perfect warm-up: you put all your muscles to work and within a few minutes you start to sweat!
Turn on your interval timer
During the 50 seconds action, you do as many repetitions of the first exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest. Then you do the same with the second exercise, the third, et cetera. Make sure you always have a good posture, even if you get tired.
1. Half burpee for all your muscles
Stand upright, feet at shoulder width, bend your legs and put your hands on the floor. Step back with your right foot and then with your left foot backward, so that you are in a plank position (as if you want to do a push-up). Step with your right foot and then your left foot towards your hands and come back upright.
2. Squats for legs and buttocks
Put your feet on shoulder width, stretch your arms in front of you at shoulder height and bend your legs 90 degrees as if you want to sit down. Push your buttocks back, chest forward, shoulders low, heel firmly in the ground and come up again. You have to feel your weight on your heels.
3. Push-ups for chest and triceps
Lie prone with your arms straight, your palms flat on the floor. Put your hands in front of you so that they are directly under your shoulders. Make sure your body forms a straight line from your crown to your knees, tighten your abs, your elbows point slightly backward. Lower your body to the ground and push yourself up again. Is that easy? Then try push-ups on all fours.
4. Superman for your lower back
Put your spine into the neutral position. Make sure you keep looking at the ground between your hands and keep your head in line with your back. Hold this posture for two seconds and then slowly lower your arm and leg. Now change arm and leg.
5. Dips for your triceps
Place your hands on the edge of your seat or bench. Place your hands next to your buttocks on the edge of the seat, fingers pointing forwards. Extend your arms so that your buttocks are released from the chair, move your buttocks slightly forward (so that they are just in front of the seat). Lower your body to the ground by bending your arms. Push yourself up again by stretching your arms.
6. Plank for a strong core
The plank is one of the most effective exercises for your core muscles (the natural corset of abdominal, back and hip muscles). By training your core muscles you develop a nice, upright posture, which makes you look slimmer and more confident. Keep your body stretched on elbows and feet for 50 seconds and form a straight plank from top to toe. Get out of position by lowering your knees on the floor. Take a rest if you do not last.
Beginners: do the whole workout once instead of twice. If after three or four training sessions you notice that things are going better, you go for the second round.
Advanced: do not you get enough of it? Then stick the third round or try to increase the intensity of the workout by doing more repetitions in 50 seconds.
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