Why am I 

*always* 

looking at your feet?

What makes me different to other trainers? It's my eyes, my very special eyes which are connected to my very special brain, that is bursting with curiosity about movement. How your body moves, why it might move that way, your emotions behind that movement and how you'd like to feel about it. 

Huh? 

Every day I ask my WhatsApp group of ladies what sort of workout they are doing or considering. One asked me to look at a workout she enjoyed but found it was a bit repetitive and long. She felt it was a little bit of everything that she likes. 

I don't often look at other trainers' workouts but it's a skill I developed up whilst learning Motor Skills Analysis with Faster Function. Looking at movements as they happen, analysing which skills are being used and how muscles and bones move to meet the goal of the exercise. It's fascinating and I have never looked at movement in the same way since. 

It's an excellent example of how a biomechanics based trainer, like me, can look at a work out, shorten it, make it more efficient and give it variety for skills development. 

Take a look at this workout and read the comments I made below.

30 Minute Shred workout on Youtube

The warm up – ditch it – you’re just using up good energy that you could use in your main workout.

Round 1

Weighted squat – use a weight that is challenging to your bottom.

Push press - choose a split squat stance for more abs – varying the arm press position by rotating the wrist, or press to an angle off to the side, front, back, diagonal, builds skills and confidence.

Jump rope/high knees – great cardio and rapid change of direction.

Round 2

I would combine the first and second exercise – push press as you go down in your squat add a jump down and up.

Round 3

Lateral Lunge

The hinge at the hip builds momentum making the move easier but less challenging, use a lighter weight or reduce rest time.

Plank on a ball -

Great back exercise, doesn’t do anything for the abs. Want to challenge the abs, stand up and take the weight over and behind your head, no bent knees. It’s basically a sit up again gravity. - scrap it.

Hip hinge and chest row, could be done standing or sitting with a heavier weight. The hip hinge like before fools the brain in to thinking it’s doing the work but it’s really momentum.

This is basically a squat/row or push up – could be done against a wall.

Deadlift

Nice. No need to bend knees unless you’re clearing a significant weight that feels challenging on the back.

Leg lift, reverse sit up

Just No. There is no need to do this exercise, it doesn’t work abs in the lift, only when the legs are about 1 inch off the floor.

Squat taps

Like these – but you could change the variety of hand and feet positions to make it feel faster and build skills.

Cool down and stretches, ditch. Only do if you enjoy them.

All of the exercises are big compound movements that rely on hingeing at the hips. That's why you're finding it repetitive and needing to rest between exercises. If you are looking to build your back, bum and quad muscles – then this is good enough and there’s some nice cardio in the skipping.

If you want more abs/core, arms, shoulders, ankles, mobility and flexibility - use my suggestions.

If you 'd like to join my WhatsApp group for women who want the best advice about their fitness, wherever you are in your fitness journey, get in touch for an invitation. 

I also have a live Q&A session at the Studio on April 29th - Email to book a space.