Start here: four weeks to get fit
How long has it been since you did some exercise? A few weeks, months, more? As with any change in life, the first step is the hardest, but it really doesn’t take much to get you back in action. I know how it feels to be off the wagon: there was a point in my career when I felt the same. I was an Olympic Team GB heptathlete, used to training six days a week. When I retired in 2012, I could rest for the first time in 18 years. Six months went by and I realised I had to get moving again. It was time to get back in the gym. At one point, it was the last place I wanted to be, but after just a few easy sessions, I got the bug again. Now I’m a personal trainer and have clients from all over the world.
I have developed a four-week programme that will prise you gently off the sofa and get you feeling fit for the first time in ages – starting with just 10 minutes a day. You might think you don’t have the time for exercise, but most people can find 10 minutes in their day. After all, what could be more important than getting more energy?
A goal really helps you focus, so start by thinking about what fit and healthy means to you. Is it about being able to climb the stairs at work without getting out of puff? Or going for a long walk without your legs wobbling? By finding a personal “finish line” – one that is about you, rather than other people’s standards – you will give yourself the motivation you need to keep going. And simply by turning your attention to exercise for the next month, you will become fitter and healthier – it’s as simple as that.
This training plan is designed to help you fall back in love with exercise, easing you into a manageable and sustainable routine. It combines bodyweight exercises (promoting increased strength and fat loss, and improving general conditioning) with progressive cardio workouts that are designed to improve general fitness. The most straightforward exercise in the programme is jogging, but you might prefer swimming, cycling or using a cross-trainer. I have suggested the length of each workout, but if you start and find things too easy, do increase them. For example, you may find that a 10-minute jog is a challenge, but a 10-minute swim is not.
The plan includes four workouts a week, with two rest days. You can swap the rest days if you need to, but make sure you do have two days without exercise: they are there to maximise the results of your training. If you are unsure about whether to start physical activity, please ask your GP for advice first. And if you feel unwell, dizzy or in pain when performing these exercises, stop immediately.
The four-week plan
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Week 1
10-minute workouts
Monday Complete the Gym 1 routine, doing each exercise for 30 seconds at a time.
Tuesday Do 10 minutes of continuous cardio exercise at 50% intensity (ie, half as hard as you could). This could be jogging, swimming, cycling or cross-training. Slowly ease yourself into the session. Then complete the core workout.
Wednesday Rest day.
Thursday Complete the Gym 2 routine, doing each exercise for 30 seconds at a time.
Friday Choose your cardio exercise and do 30 seconds almost as hard as you can (90% intensity), followed by a minute standing still to recover. Repeat this eight times. Then complete the core workout.
Saturday Follow my stretch routine or do a yoga or Pilates class.
Sunday Rest day.
Week 2
20-minute workouts
Monday Complete the Gym 1 routine, doing each exercise for 30 seconds at a time. Repeat once more.
Tuesday Do 20 minutes of continuous cardio exercise at 50% intensity (ie, half as hard as you could). This could be jogging, swimming, cycling or cross-training. Slowly ease yourself into the session. Then complete the core workout.
Wednesday Rest day.
Thursday Complete the Gym 2 routine, doing each exercise for 30 seconds at a time. Repeat once more.
Friday Choose your cardio exercise and do 30 seconds almost as hard as you can (90%), followed by a minute standing still to recover. Repeat this 10 times. Then complete the core workout.
Saturday Follow my stretch routine or do a yoga or Pilates class.
Sunday Rest day.
Week 3
30-minute workouts
Monday Complete the Gym 1 routine, doing each exercise for 30 seconds at a time. Repeat a total of three times.
Tuesday Do 30 minutes of continuous cardio exercise at 50% intensity (ie, half as hard as you could). This could be jogging, swimming, cycling or cross-training. Slowly ease yourself into the session. Then complete the core workout.
Wednesday Rest day.
Thursday Complete the Gym 2 routine three times, doing each exercise for 30 seconds at a time.
Friday Choose your cardio exercise and do 30 seconds almost as hard as you can (90%), followed by a minute standing still to recover. Repeat this 12 times. Then complete the core workout.
Saturday Follow my stretch routine or do a yoga or Pilates class.
Sunday Rest day.
Week 4
40-minute workouts
Monday Complete the Gym 1 routine, doing each exercise for 30 seconds at a time. Repeat a total of four times.
Tuesday Do 40 minutes of continuous cardio exercise at 50% intensity (ie, half as hard as you could). This could be jogging, swimming, cycling or cross-training. Slowly ease yourself into the session. Then complete the core workout.
Wednesday Rest day.
Thursday Complete the Gym 2 routine, doing each exercise for 30 seconds at a time. Repeat a total of four times.
Friday Choose your cardio exercise and do 30 seconds almost as hard as you can (90%), followed by a minute standing still to recover. Repeat this 10 times. Then complete the core workout.
Saturday Follow my stretch routine or do a yoga or Pilates class.
Sunday Rest day.
- Download a pdf of the workout and all the exercises
- For more workouts, visit louisehazel.com
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