While I was sporty from a young age, I didn’t properly get into weight training until I went to university. I was slim and fit, but I suffered a serious case of the underactive pancake butt. Fortunately my knees were young and nimble enough that I got away with no major side effects bar unsightly saggy jeans. Now over a decade of fitness industry experience later (and a fair few personal and client knee and back niggles or strength plateaus since corrected with frequent targeted glute work), I can wax lyrical about the many reasons to train glutes. I think each of these six are far more pertinent than the #belfie.

Pre-hab your knees

The link between weak glutes and dodgy knees is irrefutable. Most people make their first foray into fitness in a pair of running shoes, vowing to break up their long days at a desk and evening sofa habits with a few sprightly runs. I praise any effort to increase your activity levels, but I’ve lost count of how many cardio fiends have come to me for help getting fit after their knees took a knocking, and nine times out of 10 it comes down to weak glutes. I mean, when you’re sat on them for 90% of the day, what do you expect?

The glutes – specifically the gluteus medius that runs diagonally across the hip – help to draw the knee out over the ankle for a nice straight stride. Undertrain your glute meds and the knees have a nasty habit of pronating inwards, which can inflame the tendons around the knee, tighten the IT band and set off a series of muscular imbalances that take careful, frequent strength training to set straight.

What’s better than rehab? Prehab gets my vote every time. With results including improved mobility, a faster and more powerful stride and more enjoyable endurance training, targeting the glutes from the outset means you’re less likely to kneed (see what I did there?) serious intervention down the line.

Support your lower back

If the glutes are important in supporting your knees, they’re even more essential when it comes to the pretty minimalist musculature that sits directly above them: the lumbar spine. Aside from the quadratus lumborum (QL), which is technically a deep abdominal muscle, the lower spine relies on the interaction of the glutes and the core to remain comfortably agile. If the glutes become weak, the natural curve of the lower back becomes exaggerated and lordosis commonly occurs, which can cause you to lean back excessively and put undue strain on an already sensitive part of your spine.

Lordosis is most common in overweight and pregnant people, and as I’m currently 18 weeks into my own pregnancy, you can bet I’m training a lot of glutes. This is my go-to warm-up sequence ahead of any serious squatting or deadlifting, but if you’re just starting out it’s a great workout all on it’s own. Aim for 15 reps of each exercise, working through one side of the body at a time before repeating from the top on the other side (I’ve done just 5 to fit it into one short video).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BX17jqWjQ1S/

Squat & lunge more effectively

Speaking of squatting, deadlifting, lunging etc, once you start weightlifting you’ll naturally want to see your lifts get stronger and your weights get heavier. There’s nothing more satisfying than achieving a new PB on the squat rack, and nothing as effective at supercharging your metabolism and transforming your body shape. But without firing your glutes effectively, you can take too much of the work into your quads, and this limits how much load you can safely lift. If you have a case of lazy glutes, proper warm-ups and dedicated glute workouts are the best way to start reconnecting with your best asset. Ice Cube must have been hitting the gym a lot in the late 90s because You Can Do It makes the perfect theme tune to any good weights session.

Improve your plank

I’ve briefly touched on the connection between the core and the glutes, but something I see too often is a lower half that refuses to pull its weight during plank. As I like to say in classes, a plank is just as much about strong legs as it is about a strong core and upper body. If you’re not properly lifting your quads and squeezing your butt, your lower back is most likely hollowing towards the floor and your plank could be doing more damage than it is good. It’s also amazing how often a plank that seems to be on its last legs suddenly gets stronger and longer when you remind someone to squeeze their butt. I love to incorporate bird dogs (especially with a band) to warm up ahead of planks as it reinforces this precious interaction – if either navel or butt fail to engage, you’re going to wobble in that two-point extension.

Sprint faster

Even if weightlifting doesn’t become your bread and butter and you remain a cardio fiend, there is still plenty of reason to match the reps you put in with the miles you clock up. Aside from revisiting my first point of knee injury prehab, stronger glutes will give you more force up hills and encourage your hamstrings to support your quads, keeping your muscles fresher for longer and dramatically extending your point of fatigue (or ‘hitting the wall’). Swap just one endurance session for some serious strength training and you’ll feel the benefits almost instantly.

Create curves your momma didn’t give you

Aesthetic, yes. But if filling out your clothes better means you feel like a rockstar in your favourite jeans, then you could say a beautiful butt paves the way for confidence that’s more than skin deep. Especially when you can appreciate the hard (but satisfying) work that goes into all that swagger!

Has one or more of these reasons to train glutes inspired you? You can learn how to perform the major lifts and increase your repertoire of glute exercises by joining one of my Thursday night weightlifting classes or Saturday Bootcamps at the Windmill. Fit Brit Collective classes will run until October before I take a break to focus my attention on private clients ahead of taking maternity leave.

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As I promised in my recent New Year’s Resolutions post, I want to do more this year to give back to my sweat squad (that’s you!). Which is why I am super excited to launch a new challenge. Get ready for it… The 2016 Reps Workout! Yep, a whopping (but totally feasible) 2016 reps await!

I’ve designed this workout using extremely effective full-body cardio conditioning circuits, targeting every muscle group and jumpstarting your heart rate so you’re firing on all fat-burning cylinders as you begin your 2016 fitness journey. Because you’re constantly moving between exercises with minimal rest, you’ll be burning calories from start to finish. And with bodyweight conditioning at the heart of every section, you’ll also be strengthening and toning the muscles as you move. Plus, stronger and denser muscle tissue means a higher metabolic rate, so the super good news is you’ll continue burning more calories in the long-term as well as the short-term.

Of course, these benefits don’t come without some effort, so prepare to sweat and to give 100% to every exercise. I know that everyone is at different stages in their fitness journey, so I’ve given this workout a flexible format suitable to all levels. You have the option to complete it in one go as a 55-minute full-body session, or to break it into 3 weekly 25-minute workouts targeting your legs, torso and core respectively. That means you’ll either be completing the whole 2016 reps in one workout, or in one week. Either way, you’ll be getting healthier and fitter with every workout! 

How does it work?

There is a 5-minute warm up and 5-minute stretch section you’ll need to complete every workout. Between the warm-up and stretch, there are 3 15-minute conditioning sections – which you can complete all at once or split up over the course of the week. Within every section, progress from one exercise to the next with minimal rest. If a section calls for you to repeat the circuit, you can take up to 60sec rest before starting again!

What do you need?

You can do this workout at home, in the gym or outdoors. All you need is the following:

• The 2016 Reps Workout Cards (print or save on your phone)
• A mat (optional)
• A pair of light dumbbells (or couple of full water bottles)
• A skipping rope (optional)
• A water bottle you can actually drink from!

Get started

Sign up to my newsletter to receive the full-page workout cards previewed below. On the front you’ll see the exercises and reps you need to complete. Turn them over for a detailed exercise description to help you perform each move with perfect technique. Or, if you’re familiar with all the exercises and want a more portable workout guide, you’ll also receive a print-friendly Pocket Edition.

Stay motivated

I’ll be posting regular Instagram videos to help you master your technique and achieve the next level of fitness. Plus, you can join others taking on the 2016 Reps Workout challenge by posting about your experience using #fitbritcollective #2016reps. Become part of the inspiration and let’s create an awesome, supportive community. Stories shared = results magnified! Don’t forget to tag me, @fitbritcollective, so I can follow along with your journey!

I’m not a natural born runner. I’m not bad in the speed department, but the thought of committing to weeks on end of long distance training runs has never appealed to me, so that pretty much rules out a marathon (although I am infinitely inspired by the drive and resilience of the long distance runners among you). I prefer my cardio short and sharp, so my heart screams and my pulse soars and it’s all over before I can blink. The post-workout endorphins after a challenging tabata session are like nothing else. I feel powerful. I feel light on my feet (even if my legs don’t always oblige). I feel like I can tackle anything that comes my way.

Aside from the incredible feel-good factor of the toughest high-intensity exercises, the physical benefits are also second to none. As someone who always feels short on time, the result to time ratio of every workout is hugely important to me. And incorporating high-intensity cardio supersets into conditioning workouts is the easiest way to reduce the time of your workouts while maintaining (or even increasing) the benefits of each session.

Here are just a few of the reasons to love cardio conditioning supersets:

• You sweat more – The body heat rises more quickly with the sharp increase in energy expenditure. Cue the opening of the pores and that gloriously natural detoxifying effect of a good sweat session.

• Afterburn is amplified – The more times your heart rate spikes and then drops off again (compared to steady state cardio like endurance running, which keeps the heart rate level), the greater the metabolic activity after your training. That means by working harder for less time, you can burn more fat and calories for longer.

• Faster muscle fatigue – While this may sound like a negative, tiring your muscles out faster during conditioning segments means they get rapidly stronger to meet your regular training demands. Your body also becomes more efficient, your lactic acid threshold rising to be able to sustain greater effort for longer. Yes, this means you’ll be able to get in an extra burpee or two, but you’ll also feel the difference as you race effortlessly up escalators or catch that bus just in the nick of time.

Convinced? Time to put your new knowledge to practice. Do 3 sets of 15 reps for each of the below supersets, with 30 seconds rest between each round. I selected these combinations for super-quick transitions, so minimise any pause between the two exercises in each superset.

Deadlifts to squat jack 

Holding a kettlebell or pair of dumbbells weighing at least 10kg, assume a hip-width stance and ‘switch on’ your abdominals as you bend with a straight spine towards your toes. When the weight gently taps the floor, slowly return to the top while keeping your legs straight – and say hello to your hamstrings. Quick, straight on to your squat jacks! Drop the hips back and down and touch the sides of your heels, then explode up as you push through your heels to jump up and jack your legs out to the sides. Land in a perfect mid-width squat position and transition smoothly between every rep.

Military crawl to side to side plank jumps

I have to credit one of my colleagues at Heartcore who inspired this military crawl plank. Warning: he does it on the Reformer Pilates Bed, with the carriage opening beneath you like the jaws of an angry shark. This floor-based version is far kinder, but similarly adds variety to your plank and challenges stability through your spine. In a flat back forearm plank, stack your forearms one in front of the other. Then take a few slow controlled crawls forward by alternating which forearm is in front, following with your feet behind. Continue crawling for up to 60 seconds before moving straight into your high plank on your hands, then get that heart rate high with side to side plank jumps. Keep your back as straight as possible and your feet together as you pounce from one side of the mat to the other. Light on your toes and steady through your hips!

V-sits to resistance band crab jumps

With a resistance band tied snug just above your knees, find your long spine position on your back and slowly peel your shoulders and legs off the floor in one simultaneous movement. Meet in the middle and hover for a moment in a V-sit. The addition of the resistance band will help to reinforce your straight leg position and keep your toes together, which increases the challenge for those lower abs. Feeling crabby? A set of crab jumps will set you right with a rush of cardiovascular endorphins and a satisfying extra burn in the sides of your glutes. Plant your hands behind you and lift your hips towards the ceiling so the front of your body forms a box. Maintain this position, squeezing your glutes and engaging your core, while jumping your feet in and out against the resistance of the band.

Slider side planks to mountain climbers

Sliders* are a go-to for me when I need a home workout or want to slow down and think about form. However, they’re also great for speeding up. This combination of side pike and mountain climbers does both. Place your hands directly beneath your shoulders and the sides of your feet on the sliders, top leg in front. From here, keep your legs together and your shoulders directed towards the floor as you squeeze the sliders as far in to your torso as possible. Think about reaching your hips high towards the ceiling and exhaling into the working oblique. After up to 15 slow controlled pikes, square your hips and position your toes on the sliders, then drive one knee at a time in towards your chest. The extra resistance of maintaining contact with the floor adds a subtle core conditioning element to the classic cardio superhero that is the mountain climber.

*You can also perform this exercise using paper plates or face cloths.

Press-ups to vinyasa jump throughs

Inspired by the most challenging vinyasa yoga classes, this press-up / jump through combination will give you a gleeful burst of energy when it suddenly clicks and you can begin to speed up your transitions into your V-sit or ‘boat pose’ at the top. Start in press-up position, your hands beneath your shoulders and your glutes and hamstrings active. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees and slowly lower your chest to the floor. After you’ve completed all your reps here, fire through the core to shift the weight into your hands and kick your feet up and through to the front of the mat. Try not to let your feet touch the floor, but straight away lean back with your shoulders and lift up through your toes towards the ceiling. Hover in V-sit, then reverse. Voila!

As I leave you with my favourite fat-blitzing supersets to help you feel the burn, I’m off on the next flight to Australia. I’ll be giving my body a little rest, so I can come back to my own supersets feelings fresher and stronger. I look forward to catching up on the other side, when I’ll have lots of holiday news as well exciting Fit Brit Collective updates to report ;).

Brit x

It’s hard to think of a part of the body that isn’t worked during squats. Arms, you might say? But there are so many combination exercises you can create around the humble squat, grabbing a pair of dumbbells or a resistance band to incorporate bicep curls or tricep extensions. For the purposes of this post, I’m sticking to squat variations that primarily engage the muscles of your legs – glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves. Low- or high-impact, squats work the biggest muscles in your body and therefore help you hit the calorie-burning jackpot. They also create balance in the lower body – working the fronts and backs of your legs equally so you avoid common weaknesses like “lazy glutes”, and the chunky thighs and flat bum that can result from imbalances.

It’s time to get your glutes in gear. Work your way through the following 10 squat variations, and try pairing them with these plank exercises to complement your new toned tush with a slim, strong midsection.

Basic squat

Assume a shoulder-width stance and lower your hips back and down while your arms float in front of you for balance. Try to keep your shoulder blades pulling back – this will prevent any rounding of the spine and keep your chest facing up and forwards. Aim to get your thighs parallel with the floor, then pause at the bottom for a moment before slowly returning to a standing position. Think about contracting your glutes and hamstrings throughout to get the most bang for your buck!

Wall squat

To feel the heat in your thighs, take your squat to the wall and hold an isometric position for as long as possible. I love wall squats because they’re great for partner work – one person can perform tricep dips off the other’s thighs, then you can switch as part of a great bodyweight circuit routine. To start out, simply stand with your back against a wall and your feet about a foot from the skirting board. Sink down into your hips until your thighs are completely parallel with the floor. Engage your core and hold tight. 30 seconds is ideal for beginners, while more advanced exercisers should aim to surpass the minute mark!

Dumbbell overhead squat

Grab a pair of light dumbbells and hold them in an extended shoulder press position straight above your head. Sink into your basic squat without bending at the elbows. Remind yourself to pull your shoulders down your back throughout. The extra lever of your arms in the air will increase the challenge on your core – so you strengthen your tum while sculpting your bum.

Single leg stability squat

Another take on the isometric squat, this move activates more of the stabilising muscles around your knees and hips. It’s great for athletes who need to build up resilience to quick changes of direction and prevent injury from overtraining. Drop into a basic squat and pull your bellybutton into your spine as you hover your right leg off the floor. Extend the lifted foot to the back, then out to the side. Repeat all your reps on one side before switching over to even out your glutes!

Walking burpee squat

A great alternative to the high-impact burpee, the walking burpee squat will elevate your heartrate for a cardio burst that won’t put stress on your knees or shake the floorboards for those of us who live in creaky flats. Lower into a basic squat and plant your hands on the floor between your feet, then step one leg at a time into a plank position. Walk the legs back in and reverse the squat until you’re standing. That’s one rep.

Sumo squat

To work deeper into your adductors (those inner thigh muscles everyone stresses over during bikini season), heel-toe your starting stance until your feet are just wider than your shoulders. Make sure your toes are pointing out to 45 degrees, then drop into a squat and keep your knees tracking over your toes. The temptation will be to let your knees fall backwards, but by squeezing your adductors and resisting this temptation you’ll get a beautiful streamlining contraction through your thighs.

Deep side squat

Assume the same wide stance as above, but drop your butt back and to the side so your hip falls over your ankle on the same side. Plant your elbow inside the knee and let the other toe come off the floor. As well as building up tons of strength in the working glute, you’ll stretch and lengthen the inner thigh.

Calf-activating squat

Preparing for your basic squat, lift your heels, tuck your pelvis and squeeze your lower abdominals to stabilise your body from top to toe. Keeping your back flat, lower your hips back and down into a parallel squat. Complete 10-15 full reps on your tip toes, then get an extra ‘burn’ in your calves by pausing at the bottom of the position and lower and lift your heels. You may need to shake out your legs after this one.

Touch down squat jumps

Watch out for creaky floorboards on this one. Combine your cardio with conditioning and take your basic squat up a notch with a bit of explosive lift-off. Lower into a squat and touch your fingertips to the floor on either side of your ankles before pushing upwards with maximum force. Gently bend your knees as you land and lower straight into your next rep. Keep this one smooth and steady. Warning: your breath will want to race ahead – that’s a sign you’re working hard.

Frog squat shuffle

Time to take that dynamic squat jump one step further – or forward. From the back of your mat or workout space, lower into a deep squat and explode up and ahead by a few feet. Land in a soft squat and maintain that position as you ‘shuffle’ your feet to the start position. Don’t stop moving. Just know that your fitness is skyrocketing with every rep.

Want to see variations of more of your favourite exercises? I always take suggestions on board, so please let me know how I can help to inspire your workouts! 

Chiara Pellegrino is one to watch on the London fitness scene. With a professional dance background and a teaching presence in two of the city’s top studios, barrecore and Psycle London, she instils every class with high energy and precise effective movements. She also helps to spread her wisdom at the online home of her personal blog, 4fitnessake.co.uk. And lucky for Fit Brit Collective readers, she’s agreed to share five of her favourite barre-inspired exercises that you don’t need a barre for. Which means you can start incorporating them into your regime today – right now, wherever you are… 

When I say that I teach at barrecore I’m often asked, “Oh so you teach ballet?”…Well, not exactly.

Yes, the barre workout includes some typical positions derived from ballet, but they are revised and refined to provide a holistic fitness workout. No “port the bras” or “grand jeté’ (split jump), but lots of painful isometric contractions.

Painful yes, but definitely results-oriented.

And this is why I would wholeheartedly recommend giving these five barre-based moves a go – whether you are a barrecore addict or have yet to experience it.

Lunge

The lunge is a very popular movement in any kind of workout as the exercise has many toning, strengthening and flexibility benefits.

You can hold a bench or a surface in your kitchen for more stability, otherwise simply prepare for your lunge with your hands on the hips. Step your left leg back and make sure the right knee is in line with the right ankle. The back knee should hover just above the floor.

To give the position a “barre twist” add little isometric pulses, dropping the back knee a little lower. At all time keep the spine strong and vertical. Rolling the shoulders down the back, you want to engage also your lats and abdominal muscles.

Lunge is a great position to work on the quads, glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors.

The isometric contractions will further help in burning the fat around your muscles, and breaking down muscle fibre only to rebuild it so it’s leaner and stronger.

After a few reps, flush out the lactic acid with the full-range movement, then come back to the starting position and pulse in the low stance. For an extra tough challenge, lift the front heel off the floor as you pulse – bringing the calf and ankle stabiliser muscles into play.

Wide Second

The classic ballet “grand pliè” is very common in a barre workout.

The benefits of the position include: working your adductor (inner thighs) muscles, as well as your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves.

To set up the position, step your feet wider than your shoulders with a natural turn out of the hips. Then lower the tailbone in line with the knees, making sure the knees are tracking over the middle toes.

Get your hands in prayer or in a high V – this will increase your heart rate by pumping blood against gravity, therefore burning even more calories.

You can use isometric pulses in this position or wrap the knees out towards the pinky toes – adding to the tension on your abductors (outer thighs).

To challenge your core stability, peel your heels off the floor and continue with the same exercise.

After lots of isometric holds, it is best to release the lactic acid with a full range of motion. For a cardio burst that will leave you a little sweaty, accelerate the movement – make sure there’s a solid surface nearby for extra stability at speed.

Plank

Plank is one of my favorite positions in barre workouts as it’s a full body exercise, engaging core, back, legs and shoulders for the isometric hold.

To start, get into a kneeling position and place your elbows in line with your shoulders. Tuck your toes under and fully extend your legs, keeping lots of tension through your hamstrings so there’s a nice straight line down your back.

There are lots of choreographic options that you can perform while in a plank: twists, legs lifts, shifts of the weight forward and back, circles …

The side plank is a great option to work particularly on the obliques.

Keeping your body in a straight line, and shoulders and hips stacked on top of each other, try to lift the top leg a couple of inches or as high as you can. Squeeze it up and down for an extra glute contraction, or simply hold it and breathe through the shaking.

Bridge

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One of the very best booty builders, the bridge is a great way to focus on your glutes.

Lie on your back with the arms along the side of your body and the knees bent. Draw the heels as close as possible to the pubic bone and hover the tailbone off the floor. Make sure the spine is nice and neutral and engage the abdominals to avoid any arch or strain in the lumbar spine.

Press your hips towards the ceiling, tucking the tailbone and squeezing the glutes. Lift one leg up to tabletop or straight to the sky for a more advanced option. Lower the leg (straight or bent) to hover over the floor, then lift it back up for a full range of motion.

Abdominal Curl

This is the best position for building a rock hard abdominal wall.

Sit down with your knees bent and place your hands on the back of the thighs. Squeeze the belly button into the spine, tuck your tailbone towards your chest and hinge back, coming into a C shape with the spine.

Holding this position should feel challenging, even before you progress the movement. Once you’re comfortable in the C shape, start drawing the abdominals in to your knees without adjusting your spinal alignment. See if you can release your hands from your thighs to keep the work in your core.

Finally, to increase the work even more, lift your legs off the floor in table top or straight out to 45 degrees.

For more workout inspiration from Chiara, visit 4fitnessake.co.uk or join one of her popular classes at barrecore and Psycle London. 

I’ve been home a week now but when I close my eyes I can still hear the strong waves crashing against the untouched beaches and see the healthy green aura Sri Lanka’s lush vegetation casts over everything. Sri Lanka is a country that stays with you, and in those particularly frenetic moments at my desk, part of me wishes I could have stayed with it, too. But now I get to relive a few of the highlights by sharing them with you. Perhaps you’ll feel inclined to book the next flight to Colombo, and hopefully you’ll also pick up a few tips for staying active on holiday – whatever the destination on the departure board.

The scenery

Green is the first word that comes to mind when describing Sri Lanka. Everything from the tropical trees to the low-lying plantation to the grass on the ground is so vibrant it seems to radiate a halo of light. And nowhere is this more true than in the tea plantations around Kandy.

We stayed in the luxurious ‘tents’ of the Madulkelle Eco Lodge; more than a worthwhile resting place after a rather hair-raising four-hour ascent. The one-lane mountain road is bordered by steep cliffside vistas over a valley so lush I thought heaven must be near (though I wasn’t ready for early entry and, in any case, can’t be sure I’ve made the cut). It’s no coincidence that the nearby hiking hotspot called Adam’s Peak is a pilgrimage site with visitors believing Adam stopped here to take a final look over the land of Eden.

The final hour of the drive is lined by miles of tea fields. Beds of tea leaves looked so dense you’d think they would hold your weight if you were so inclined to jump in. On arrival, it was captivating to see the clouds roll in below and the base of the valley disappear.

After spending a few days with our heads above the clouds, it was time to get a little closer to sea level. The ocean on the south coast of Sri Lanka likes to make a statement – waves erupting from the rocks like lava. Yet the rhythmic lapping against the shore is the ultimate soundtrack for relaxation. Stick around for dusk and it’s impossible not to feel at peace – the big red sun sinking beneath the horizon in minutes as it leaves its trace in the evening’s rose-coloured clouds.

Staying active

Staying in shape (and getting even fitter) was easy in Sri Lanka. As the temperatures rose to 30 degrees and above by 8am, we established a healthy habit of going to bed and waking up early. Often the first up in the Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel in Galle, I’d have the gym to myself. Most of the equipment was a little out of date (head over to my Instagram account to see a step machine straight out of the 70’s), but it was fun to get a little old school and even run on a self-powered treadmill.

Daily swims in the beautiful Infinity pool were also the perfect way to stay cool. To avoid burning in the midday heat, I’d break my swims into two 15-minute sessions.

Making the most of the outdoors is especially important for me on holiday, as on working days in the UK I’ll easily spend all but one or two hours inside. I booked two private yoga classes on the balcony for my husband and I. Our instructor Upali specialises in Hatha yoga and had some unique approaches for getting into familiar moves, which I’ve since found useful for practising inversions like crow and headstand. Here he demonstrates a pretty impressive Scorpion handstand.

Upali definitely pushed me into some more progressive poses, so I was glad I’d spent a morning in the tea plantations warming up with a gentle stretch and flow session.

I also used the beautiful backdrop of the tea plantations to film this short sunbed circuit – proving that a sun lounger is good for more than just R&R. This sequence of step-ups, single-leg lunges, glute bridges (using the balcony railings for a little extra elevation), decline press-ups, tricep dips, plank-ups and teasers was an ideal full-body circuit to boost my metabolism and prevent any muscle loss while I took a break from my full-time routine.

Natural nourishment

Although I confess to the odd indulgence in Indian food, I prefer the creamy western varieties like Korma and Pasanda to the chilli-heavy variations loved by Sri Lanka’s locals. These fire dancers even swallowed the flames from their batons to prove just how resilient they are to the heat.

However, a daily soup course was a nice surprise, with ginger-infused broths having a warming quality without making your eyes water.

During a trip into the walled city of Galle Fort, we also stumbled across this independent spice boutique called Chilli Dragon, where I stocked up on some of my favourite ingredients like cinnamon for porridge and protein balls.

A cooler treat for the taste buds was a local drink called the Mint Frappe. Here Ben poses with the bright green beverage, which tastes as refreshing as it looks. I asked for the recipe so I could make it at home this summer, and it couldn’t be simpler.

Just blend the following: One large handful fresh mint leaves, juice of one lime, shot of sugar syrup and two handfuls ice.

I also loved the King Coconuts, served straight up with a straw, but those are a little harder to source at home…

My final favourite culinary discovery took place at the breakfast buffet: passionfruit crepes. Light and super sweet, passionfruit works so well as a pancake filling because it doesn’t need any further sweetener and packs in plenty of the antioxidants vitamin A and C, plus high amounts of dietary fibre to set up your digestive system for the day.

Serenity found

This was definitely the healthy getaway I needed to reflect on the remainder of the busy year ahead and restore some balance to my life. As I watched the sun set on our incredible holiday, I felt inspired to test some of my newfound balance in the Sri Lankan waves. Struggling to so much as to reach my foot in this pose only a few months ago, it says a lot that within a week I was able to advance my yoga practice and feel stronger and taller inside and out. In part, that’s because Sri Lanka is a land of letting go. There on the island’s southern shores, I let go of a lot of things – stress, uncertainties and ego among them. And so far I’ve managed to leave them at sea…

As many of my closest friends are preparing for their winter holidays – some to sun & sand destinations and others to the mountains with ski thermals in tow – I felt inspired to compile a workout comprising of five winter-inspired HIIT exercises. As well as being fun and seasonal, the result is a timelessly convenient and effective circuit you can use to boost your fitness for the slopes or shed some excess winter weight before the beach.

How it works

The premise of this workout is to work to your maximum effort during the intervals, and to use your recovery to mentally and physically prepare for the next exercise in the circuit. Depending on your fitness level, I suggest completing each exercise for between 30 and 45 seconds, then resting for 30 to 15 seconds to make up a full minute. Whichever time you decide on, try to stick to it and avoid the temptation to reduce your intervals as you become tired.

Use this workout for a quick HIIT session on its own, or fit into your existing workout. Complete it between one and three times for five to 15 minutes of work.

Ski jumps

Start in a neutral standing position with your knees slightly bent and your hips tucked. Bend at the hips and take your butt back towards the back right corner of the room as you drop into a squat. Now explode up and twist your body to the right to land back into a squat with your butt towards the back left corner of the room. Feel free to bring those ski poles up for extra momentum as you jump.

Speed skaters

Time to hit the ice rink. Visualise yourself in full body lycra (add in a few more finely sculpted muscles, which will of course come from making this workout a regular feature in your routine) and use your right foot to push off towards the left. Land softly on your left foot and turn your left arm back and up to the ceiling in a nice clean line. You can touch the floor with your right hand for extra support. Repeat to the right, trying to clear more distance with every rep. Listen out for competitors on your heels, and remember efficiency is key.

180 snowboard jumps

Back to the slopes, but this time you’re headed right for the snow park. The jumps are going to come quick and fast, so assume a squat position with your arms out at your sides and keep your eyes fixed over your right hand. Push off the floor to explode up and turn your body to face the other direction, this time turning to look over your left hand. Never take your eyes off the prize.

Snow crab

Let’s work a little Animal Flow into the mix and make like a snow crab. Take a full bridge posture with your arms fully extended and your hands facing forward. Squeeze your glutes and contract your abs to hold this position, now shuffle to your right in three movements and pause for a tricep dip before shuffling back in the other direction. This will build a taut core as well as animal agility.

Ice climber

Pick axe at the ready? Good. Get into a plank position with your arms fully extended and everything from your head to your heels forming a single, solid line. Simultaneously reach your left hand out in front of you and plant your right foot as near to your right hand as possible. Just as the climber uses opposite sides of the body for balance, you’re building stability through your core and testing your coordination. Pause for a second in this reach position before returning to your neutral plank and repeating on the other side.

Good luck, and remember to personalise your workout by choosing the intensity and duration that challenges you. Read my blog about effective HIIT training to get the most from your workout. And don’t forget to share your results with me in the comments below, or on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

I was so excited when several of you told me last week’s workout helped you overcome obstacles to exercising at home. Many of you said you’d either skipped workouts because you didn’t want to disturb your neighbours, or you’d wasted money on noise-absorbing mats that didn’t do the trick. In this second instalment, I give you a 20 minute circuit that uses only your bodyweight for resistance and makes you sweat by working multiple muscle groups across a wide range of motion. As it requires zero equipment and minimal space, it’s a great option for keeping fit over Christmas. Do it alone or pair it with the no-noise dumbbell workout from last week for a longer, more intense training session (you know, when the guilt sets in after devouring an entire box of truffles…).

How it’s done 

Perform each move in the full-body circuit below for 45 seconds, and leave no rest between exercises. When you’ve completed the circuit, rest for 30 seconds and repeat twice more.

Single leg squat and reach 

Ready. Steady. (I mean really steady). Go! Hover your right leg over the floor and stay strong through the core as you squat very low and reach down in front of your standing left leg. Don’t allow your right foot to touch the ground. Pause at the bottom, then return to standing and shoot your arms above your head. Perform a full 45 seconds on one side before switching legs.

Sliding single leg bridge 

Come down to the floor and lie on your back with your feet close to your bottom. Press through your heels to come into a full bridge position – the front to your body should look like a 45-degree ski jump (no bumps or dips to trip anyone up!). Taking the weight out of your left leg while maintaining level hips, slide your left heel along the floor and slowly slide it back to the start. Repeat all your reps on one side before switching over. Your glutes and hamstrings should feel hot and heavy after the full 1.5 minutes!

Single leg tricep dips 

Time to give your legs a rest. Resume the bridge position but place your hands on the floor behind you. Make sure your elbows are pointing straight back as you press away from the floor. Switch legs around the 20 second mark, or make this move slightly easier by placing both feet on the ground.

Lateral press-ups 

Turn over and place your hands directly beneath your shoulders. Make sure you have a bit of space either side of you – you’re going to cover a lot of ground with this press-up. Take your right hand as far out to the right as possible and lower your chest until it’s hovering just about the floor. Press back to the start then plant your left hand as far out to the left as possible and lower to the floor. By covering a greater distance, your heart has to pump faster to keep up and your back and core muscles work extra hard to stabilise you.

Two-way forearm plank 

Now those abs are warmed up, let’s crank up the challenge. From a high plank position, lift your right leg behind you and crunch it in to your left elbow. Extend it behind you then bring it up to the outside of your right elbow – you should feel a very intense contraction in your obliques. Perform a full 45 seconds on this side before repeating the sequence on the left.

Alternating crunch and V-up 

Almost done! This one is a great for retaining (or recovering) a flat stomach over the holidays. Contract your abdominals and gently lift your shoulders off the floor. Slowly lower, then explode off the floor and simultaneously lift your legs. Think about coming down to the floor with as much control as you come up – that’s where you’ll feel (and see) the change.

You’ve done it! Take a 30 second break, then run through the whole thing twice more.

Thank you for following this short workout series! I’m always open to suggestions and happy to take requests, so do let me know if there are any particular workouts you’d like to see on Fit Brit Collective!