January, the start of a new year, is traditionally a time when people think about their fitness and set themselves goals for the year ahead. This year is a bit different to normal than most though, in that we find ourselves in yet another lockdown, so the ways in which we can keep active are limited.
Therefore, each Wednesday during January we are going to speak to a GB player to find out what training sessions they like doing at home and why. You can then have a go yourself!
This week Megan Smithson-Booth shows us some cardio exercises to help build and maintain your fitness. You can watch her video here.
Below you will find the descriptions to each exercise that Megan mentioned in her video:
Burpees
Start with a press-up. Then jump your feet in towards your hands so you are now in a crouched position. Then quickly jump up into the air. On landing, bend your knees and return to a crouched position. Then jump your feet out, back into a press-up position. To make it easier you can start from a straight arm plank position and after jumping your feet in you can just stand up rather than jump up. Or, to make it harder, you can jump to the side after each burpee (so your first burpee would be on the left side of the space you are exercising in; then your second burpee would be on the right side of the space; then your third burpee would be back to the left side of the space; etc.)
Jumping alternate lunges into a squat
Start standing up with your feet together. Then, simultaneously jump slightly forwards with your right leg and slightly backwards with your left leg so your feet are now a stride length apart. Immediately push your left knee towards the ground (like a traditional lunge) then as you push back up jump your left leg forwards and your right leg back. Repeat the lunge (but this time you will be pushing your right knee towards the ground). Then, instead of going straight into another lunge, jump your feet back together and then out to the side so that you are now stood with your feet a stride width apart. Do a squat and then jump your feet back in together to repeat the sequence (i.e. left lunge, right lunge, squat with jumps in between).
Mountain climbers
Start in a straight arm plank position so your hands are directly under your shoulders. Keeping your core engaged, lift one foot slightly off the floor. Then bend your knee and bring it towards your elbow. Take it back out to the starting position and then repeat with your other knee. Both hands and one foot should always be on the floor. Try and increase the speed so that it almost becomes a fluid running motion.
Explosive star jumps
From a standing position, bend forwards taking your hands towards your feet. Then, jump up and out so your arms and legs are in a star position. Then jump back in and repeat.
Megan suggests doing each exercise for 1 minute, followed by a 1 minute rest, repeating 5 times in total (so that would equal 25 minutes) but you can set yourself individual targets. For example, to begin with, you may just do each exercise for 30 seconds and only repeat for 3 times.
Make sure that you have got a safe space to work in and that you warm up before and cool down after.
