Working from home got you in a slump? Take a break from slouching over your screen with this energising circuit – from online coach Diego Carrete – to help you wake up and power through.
For most of us, working from home is far from ideal. As 2020 made it a long-term reality, the novelty wore off and cabin fever set in.
Energy, motivation and movement can all suffer when we’re confined to our own four walls. But rather than succumbing to the slump, it’s all about being accountable for your levels of activity – which is where this total-body tester comes in.
For anyone struggling to move as much as they did pre-pandemic, this 25-30-minute workout is designed to get your heart rate up and your muscles purring.
“There’s a mix of push and pull movements, with core engagement throughout,” says Carrette, “which means no body chain is getting overloaded excessively.
“You could do the circuit three times a week, alongside 10,000 steps a day, to stave off the side effects of sitting still most of the day.”
HOW TO:
- As this is a circuit, complete each exercise back-to-back, with minimal rest.
- Aim for 15-20 reps of each exercise.
- Once you’ve completed the final exercise, rest for 90 secs, then repeat the whole thing for a total of 4-6 rounds.
1a. DB Bent-Over Row
- Hold a pair of dumbbells by your sides.
- Hinge at the hips and bend forward, keeping your back and legs straight.
- Brace your core and squeeze your shoulders together to rowthe weight up.
- Lower with control.
1b. DB Thruster
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, resting a dumbbell on each shoulder.
- Stand tall, with shoulders pulled back.
- Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor (less than the full distance is OK until you develop good form).
- Drive through your heels to return to standing, keeping your chest proud.
- As you stand, press the weights overhead, keeping your palms facing.
- Lower with control, squat and repeat.
1c. DB Press-Up
- Place two dumbbells on the floor and, gripping each, assume a press-up position.
- Maintain a straight line from your heels to your shoulders, with core tight.
- Pull yourself down to the floor, maintaining perfect form, then press back up.
1d. DB Triceps Dip
- Place two dumbbells, end over end, on the floor.
- Sit in front of the weights.
- Reach your arms behind you to rest your palms on the dumbbells.
- Putting your weight into your hands, extend your legs out in front and lift your torso off the floor until arms are also extended (keep a little bend in your elbows).
- Dip down until your bum is just off the floor, then press through your triceps to return to the extended position.
1e. DB Renegade Row
- Assume a press-up position with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Position your arms so that your shoulders are directly over your wrists.
- Tighten up in your core to minimise torso rotation.
- Keep one hand planted on the dumbbell, use the other to row the weight up towards your ribcage – keeping it as close to your body as possible.
- Return with control, and repeat on the other side.
1f. Leg Raise
- Lie on your back with legs straight and together, and a dumbbell positioned just behind your head.
- Grab the dumbbell by its top end.
- Keeping your legs straight, lift them up until your bum raises off the floor.
- Slowly lower until your feet hover just above the floor, hold for a count of one, then repeat.
Follow Diego Carrete on Instagram @diego.carrete
