Mobility has become a fitness buzzword in recent months, but there are so many takes on what it actually means and how best to apply it to your fitness regime. Here I break down the trend into the need-to-knows and the how-tos for a quick no-nonsense guide to improving your mobility (and knowing why and when it is important to do so).

What is mobility?

Mobility is essentially a fancy word for movement. Most of us are equipped to get from A to B, but along the way some muscles may be too weak to fire optimally and others may be so overused they make that movement more challenging than it should be. Without drawing attention to these imbalances, long-term movement patterns can be very seriously affected.

Now when I say seriously, this doesn’t mean you’ll walk like Quasimodo, but it does mean you could very well hit a plateau at the squat rack because tight hips and weak glutes are preventing you from transferring your weight effectively. The real danger here is that you practise poor form as a result, which over time could lead to an injury that takes you out of training and requires greater rehabilitation.

That’s where mobility comes in – in a way, it’s a form of prehabilitation, recognising the potential for injury and putting processes in place to prevent both injury and plateau. So far, so smart. But where and when does mobility fit into your routine?

The evolution of warming up 

Ideally, dedicated mobility drills will come at the beginning of a session. The days of static stretching before an intense workout are well and truly over. And for good reason! By stretching the muscle before cardio or weight lifting, you risk conditioning that muscle outside of its normal range. As the muscle is weaker when lengthened outside of your normal working range, you could strain that muscle in the process.

Instead, mobility involves dynamic movement and opening that is far less extreme than static stretching, and also allows the body to work as one, forming a skeletal and muscular chain for optimal engagement from head to toe. Some mobility drills could even be mistaken as an exercise in itself. For instance, it’s now accepted that activating the glutes with bridges, band work, crab walks and similar will help to awaken the muscles that may otherwise fail to fire correctly during bigger movements like squats and deadlifts.

How do I mobilise effectively?

So now you know the what and the why, we turn to the how. In my own mobility training, I think of activating every muscle from the toes straight up to my shoulders. Here’s how…

Add the following mobility drills together for a five-minute warm-up and see how it affects your form and movement in your next workout. My guess is you’ll be pleasantly surprised, and you won’t think twice about taking those five minutes to set yourself up for a safe, smart and strong workout. I’ll provide context for each of the drills, but you can skip straight to the exercise itself by reading the italics.

Feet first

Think about those hundreds of proprioceptors and nerve endings in your feet, each one working to send signals to your brain about how to move. Yet your feet spend most of the day crammed into shoes, not necessarily able to feel the changes in surface beneath them. It makes sense then to liberate your feet and alert them to the sensory fireworks of the workout ahead.

Before you lace up your trainers, stand in bare or socked feet and practice lifting all your toes while pressing as much of your foot into the floor as possible. Hold for a few seconds, then press the toes firmly into the floor while relaxing the arches. Perform 5-6 reps, trying to separate the toes more each time you plant them down.

Side note: You can also improve toe mobility during downtime by weaving your fingers between your toes while you sit crossed legged on the sofa, or during yoga/meditation.

Next, hover for a moment on the backs of your heels then roll as high onto your tiptoes as possible. Again, 5-6 reps should suffice. Finally, rock between the outer and inner edges of your feet, mobilising your ankle joints and surrounding ligaments. 

Box jump day? Your odds of injury just diminished substantially, so dare to jump a little higher!

Strong glutes & happy hips

The most common muscular imbalance I see is overused quads and hips and underused glutes. This is a consequence of a society where extensive sitting is encouraged – if you work in a desk-based job, you’re almost guaranteed to spend a minimum of 10 hours a day on your backside. Getting up and down uses your quads, so we naturally spend all day pushing and barely any time at all pulling. That means the back of the legs eventually suffer, and your hip flexors are squished up for so long that they get used to it, becoming tighter and less cooperative in the process.

The fix is pretty obvious: release your hips and activate your glutes. Do it at the beginning of your workout. Improving mobility around the pelvis and alerting the muscles in your derriere that there’s work to come will help you more effectively carry out compound lifts and transfer your weight during leg work like squats.

Place the right knee directly against the wall with the shin running upwards along the wall. Place your left foot on the floor so the knee is as close to 90 degrees as possible, and squeeze the butt as you press the top of your foot into the wall to gradually increase the stretch in the right hip. Hold for at least 45 seconds on each side. 

Now lie on the floor with the right foot planted and the left ankle gently resting on the right knee. Send your hips into the air by squeezing the glutes (the left hips will get a gentle stretch here, too). Do 12 slow reps, rolling one vertebra at a time from top to bottom, then pause at the top and do 20 quick pulses at the top inch of your range. Voila! Repeat on the left.

Spinal & shoulder integration

Mobility in the spine varies so much from person to person. There is plenty of kyphosis around – a pronounced inward curving of the upper back due to slouching or rounding your shoulders. However lordosis – a hypermobile lumbar spine resulting from arching in the back, common after pregnancy – can be equally problematic when it comes to lifting weights safely.

In both cases, I recommend overhead shoulder sweeps to stimulate alignment signals from the base of the spine to the top. Hold a resistance band or lightweight bar (a broomstick or mop handle is perfect) with a shoulder width grip, arms fully extended and in line with the centre of your chest. Now sweep your arms all the way up and behind until the band or bar touches your back. You may need to nudge your hands wider until you can do this comfortably without bending your elbows or moving about in your torso. Do 6-8 sweeps, aiming to close the gap between your hands each time.

Now this is important. The final move in your mobility warm-up depends on whether you’re more kyphotic or lordotic (see first para of this section for clarification). If you’re kyphotic, hold the bar or band above your head with straight arms and bend your knees into a deep squat. Try to keep the elbows extended and as close to your ears as possible as you lower down. At the base of the squat, pull your shoulder blades together to send your arms slightly behind your head while keeping your weight firmly grounded through your heels. Stand and draw the elbows back by the ears. Repeat 6-8 reps and you’ll notice the shoulders open significantly.

If you’re lordotic with hypermobility in your lower back, steer clear of the above. Instead, go to hands and knees on the floor and finish your warm-up with 6-8 cat cow stretches, emphasising the cow movements by drawing the navel in and holding with a 4 count exhale. By switching on your abs here and counterbalancing the naturally exaggerated arch of your lower back, you’ll take the important baby steps required to push your lumbar spine into proper alignment for the rest of your session and beyond.

Nimble wrists

I add this section in for the many people who complain about wrist pain during exercises performed on your hands – another symptoms of our monotonous movement habits, with our wrists hyperextended in typing or texting position for unnatural lengths of time. If this applies to you, you can reduce discomfort and improve your endurance in exercises like planks, press-ups and pikes by regularly applying gentle pressure in your wrists’ other planes of movements.

On hands and knees, take a few light press-ups with the backs of your hands on the floor and your fingertips rotated inwards towards each other, then backwards towards you.

I hope this post helps give you purpose during your all-important warm-up and get more from your strength and conditioning sessions. If you’re local to SW London, I’d love to see you in my weekly weightlifting class to help you build on your good work and further improve your mobility, form and strength while sculpting lean muscle for a supercharged metabolism. Join the class on Thursdays at 8pm in Raynes Park/Wimbledon – find out more here or drop me an email to enquire.

Happy Bank Holiday Monday! Today is a big day! Not just because it’s an extra day off work, or because it follows pay day, or because it feels like the first long weekend of summer. Today is a big day because The Lean Body Jumpstart VIP Challenge is officially underway! This is the holistic 30 day fitness, nutrition and lifestyle jumpstart to establish healthy habits for life and start feeling seriously awesome in time for summer. Don’t worry, there’s still time to get involved if you don’t have yours yet. Everything you need is contained within one easy-to-follow ebook, so the challenge starts when you do. And there’s a private Facebook community for group and 1-2-1 support if you want a little extra motivation along the way.

Of course, I couldn’t do all of this all on my own. For this exciting new project, I proudly partnered with Cantara Armah from award-winning fitness and lifestyle blog Gymbags & Gladrags. Cantara’s blog has gone from strength to strength as she has shared her personal fitness journey over the last few years, tracking weight loss, fine-tuning her diet and sharing effective and healthy ways to get stronger, become leaner and feel more confident from the inside out. I wanted to learn a little more about what gets her out of bed and into her trainers, so she kindly agreed to answer my most pressing questions and open up to the Fit Brit Collective community. Read on to learn more about Cantara, then click here to find out more about our ebook and how to jumpstart your fitness (now available from only £9 as a limited time introductory offer).

You started Gymbags and Gladrags anonymously. What was your motivation for blogging, and why did you keep your blog a secret to begin with?

Gosh, that feels like so long ago now! I started Gymbags and Gladrags because I wanted to improve my health and fitness but struggled with sustaining my motivation long enough to see a real difference. I hoped starting a blog would help me connect to other girls on a similar journey and help to boost my motivation (it did!) but I didn’t want all my friends and family to know that I was ‘on a diet’ or blogging about salads and the like. I was never anonymous as my name was on my blog and social media, I just kept it all a secret from people I knew in real life.

People love the real you behind your blog! No gimmicks, no over filtering/photoshopping, nothing but your genuine pursuit of health and balance. Are there any hard and fast ‘rules’ you live/blog by?

To always be myself and to be useful to my readers. When I started out, my blog was all about me; what I was eating, what workouts I wanted to do… My blog is still about me to some degree but now I focus more on helping my readers. I will never write a post like ‘How to lose 20lbs in 10 days’ because that is just not healthy. Instead, I focus on long-term health and I ignore the quick fixes and faddy diets.

What’s the ultimate mission behind Gymbags and Gladrags?

To become even more useful for my readers. There is a lot of faddy information out there on how to lose weight and improve your health, from weight loss pills to starvation diets to detox teas. I want Gymbags and Gladrags to be a resource people can trust. A place full of tips and advice that won’t require you to spend hours in the gym, have no social life, be scared of a certain food or go bankrupt over your food shop. Instead, I want Gymbags and Gladrags to become a supportive and positive community that will improve your long-term health.

You’ve done Psycle challenges, barre challenges and tried loads of London’s most iconic workouts. What’s your favourite exercise and why?

It’s still Psycle! I just don’t enjoy running (I’ve tried, I really have), but I’ve fallen in love with spin and Psycle is just addictive. It feels more like a night out than a workout – minus the hangover!

Before we released The Lean Body Jumpstart, you were the first to test run the workouts. What has your personal experience with the training?

I really enjoy the workouts – they were tougher than I thought! I’ve done several HIIT workouts in my time, lifted weights heavier than my bodyweight and sweated it out in some of London’s top studios, so I was a bit surprised at how sweaty I was from The Lean Body Jumpstart workouts. I love that you can do them anywhere! It really gives me no excuses on those days when I just don’t feel like going to the gym.

The recipes in The Lean Body Jumpstart are personal favourites of yours. How important is cooking as part of your weight loss and fitness journey?

Cooking is how I really learned to eat healthily. Lots of convenience foods have added sugars, salts and additives; by cooking your own meals you can avoid all of that and really get creative in the kitchen. For The Lean Body Jumpstart, I really wanted the recipes to be as faff-free as possible. We don’t always have the time to spend hours in the kitchen, so a lot of the recipes can be made in under 30 minutes.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your pursuit of your optimal fitness and ideal body shape?

To enjoy the journey. I used to be so hung up on the end result. I tried endless quick fixes that only made me further from my goal in the end. Now I try to enjoy every workout; celebrating each time I can lift a bit heavier or do an additional rep and each time I make a healthy choice. Some days I’ll eat chips and some days I’ll eat kale. It’s all about getting the right balance that you can maintain for life.

Who do you look to in the blogging and/or fitness industry for inspiration?

Brit, I honestly look up to you. I love your drive and enthusiasm. You make every workout so much fun and it’s clear you really care about your clients. That’s why I couldn’t think of a better person to partner with for The Lean Body Jumpstart! I also look up to Massy Arias because she is just so super fit and incredible, and also Nicole Mejia because I love her figure. I have a similar shape to her so it is great to have found a fitspiration with thick thighs and a petite torso. The goal is to be as toned as her!

Now it’s your turn! Start your fitness journey today and join our growing community of The Lean Body Jumpstart challengers! Post your experiences and workouts using #LeanBodyJumpstart so you can connect with others following the programme. Good luck!

Brit xx 

“Help me lose an inch off my thighs.”

“Why can’t I lose the padding around my bra line?”

“I just can’t shift the weight beneath my bellybutton.”

“I’m still carrying extra weight on my chest.”

(That last one is from the guys – most of the ladies I meet, like me, find their boobs are only too willing to downsize!)

I hear so many trouble spot specific complaints from clients, and these are just a few of the most common body woes I encounter. And never are these insecurities more evident than in the run up to summer. While I’m all for setting goals in your training and the desire to improve overall fitness and appearance, here are a few reasons I feel uncomfortable about this emphasis on trouble spot training:

1. The problem: Zeroing in on areas of the body we don’t like encourages self-flagellation. Exercise is meant to be an endorphin-releasing, confidence-boosting activity that makes us feel great. It is not meant to be something that reinforces negative thinking and turns up the volume on our self-doubts.

The fix: I encourage clients and friends to turn these body woes on their head and tell me instead what they love about their bodies. Then I make sure to include exercises that will improve the areas of fitness or appearance that are less loved alongside exercises that will continue to improve the features they love (because acing an exercise or drill and getting even more awesome at something is super satisfying and keeps us coming back for more).

2. The problem: Targeting a very specific muscle or region can be next to impossible. The body is a complex machine of moving, working parts, and each supports the other. In order to exercise effectively, we need to embrace this working relationship and improve functional movement through a full range of movement. Trying to isolate one area can seriously impact the benefits of an exercise regime as you can weaken one group of muscles at the expense of another or reduce your overall energy output by overlooking the more dominant calorie-burning muscles of the body.

The fix: By all means, if you want to do isolation exercises (think glute kickbacks for a peachier bum; leg lifts for a firmer low tummy; supermans for leaner looking lats), include them as part of your overall fitness regime. In fact, each of the exercises I mention above are highly beneficial for posture, alignment and muscular coordination. But each of them are far more beneficial after practising more dynamic movements before them. Get your squats, planks, rows and press-ups in without fail – these will improve functional performance and strength and stimulate your metabolism. Bigger muscles require more energy, so working from bigger to smaller muscles keeps your overall output high. Plus, those little muscles you’re isolating will be more active and receptive to the smaller targeted movements that follow.

My new ebook The Lean Body Jumpstart also uses a lot of compound exercises, which allows you to hit the biggest and smallest exercises in a single exercise. The result is improved strength, a higher heart rate and bigger calorie burn. Which leads me to my third point…

3. The problem: In order to effectively burn fat – wherever it is stored – you absolutely have to get your heart rate up. That means tough, sweaty work. That means cardio, or a faster pace of conditioning such as compound exercises and circuits. Making muscles stronger and firmer is of course desirable, but make sure to pair your strength training with roughly the equivalent amount of cardiovascular activity in order to melt away excess fat inside the body (visceral fat lining the organs) and outside (that includes those niggly ‘trouble spots’).

The fix: Stop obsessing about whether a particular workout is helping to strengthen or tone a particular muscle or area, and get out and enjoy some cardio for the sake of feeling happy, free and fit. We have to think and analyse so much in our everyday lives, and cardio is the ultimate opportunity to switch off and escape. And yes, it is working. There is no muscle in your body more important than your heart. Treat it well. I promise, it will give back just as much.

It’s not all doom and gloom for isolation work. As I said, there is a time and place for targeted training within your regime. And there are plenty of positives, too. The abs are often a focus of isolation work, and anything that helps to strengthen and tighten the muscles around the spine will ultimately lead to better posture and safer, more efficient exercise. If you choose to track your results, it can also be immensely rewarding to learn you’ve lost X number of inches from your tummy or gained X number of centimeters in lean muscle around your arms. The important thing is to keep your fitness in perspective.

Ultimately, switching to a lighter summertime wardrobe should feel awesome. You should feel proud of your body and what it can do. And those assets – the ones you work hard for and the ones with which you are naturally gifted – are beautiful because they’re yours and help to make you who you are.

I’m very excited to announce that from 11 June I’ll be hosting weekly bootcamps on Wimbledon Common. To put all these lessons into practice in the presence of a dedicated community of Fit Brit Collective bootcampers, sign up now to join me. There will be extra incentives and rewards during the launch event, including freebies from some of London’s most popular sports nutrition and fashion brands. Spaces are limited and expected to fill up fast, so find out more and email me at brit@fitbritcollective.com to secure your place!

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!

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! 

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! 

If, like me, your living room floor is directly above someone else’s bedroom, you’ll understand my reticence at tuck jumping my neighbours awake in the mornings. Or knocking the dust off their roof as an unwanted reminder that they’re well overdue a spring clean. But sometimes, like in the busy lead up to Christmas, the only time we can squeeze in a workout is at home, sandwiched between our work, personal and social commitments. That’s why I’ve developed this no-noise high-intensity workout to make sure you’re taking as much care over your waistlines as you are over that gargantuan Christmas to do list.

How’s it work?

Instead of jumping around, I use compound movements to maximise the blood flow around the body and get your heart pumping without setting off the neighbours. By incorporating light dumbbells, you’re also working against resistance and calling your deep inner abdominis muscles into action (the ones that provide a nice flat base for your six-pack). As an added bonus, the low-impact nature of the routine also means it’s gentle on your joints – useful when you’re packing a few extra pounds after inhaling that Christmas turkey.

More to come

If you want a little more, I’ll be posting a second no-noise high-intensity circuit at the same time next week, which works great as an addition to this one or performed on alternate days.

Let’s get started

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. If you don’t have a set of light dumbbells (I’m using 1.5kg), fill up a couple of 500ml water bottles instead. It should take you roughly 20 minutes – just enough time to counterbalance that extra mince pie.

Side steps with lateral raises

This move will warm up your cardiovascular (read: fat burning) system and switch on the muscles in your core, shoulders and arms. As you take two steps out to the right, raise your arms out to the sides, staying in sync with your feet. Repeat to the left. The longer and straighter your arm extensions, the greater the challenge and benefit.

Squat with overhead press and leg extensions

Holding your dumbbells in front of your shoulders, drop into a mid-stance squat. Think about pressing your butt directly back and down, while keeping your core engaged so your chest remains facing forward. As you come up, take most of your weight in the left leg and extend your right leg out to the side. Press the dumbbells directly overhead at the same time. Simultaneously lower your leg and the dumbbells, and repeat on the other side.

Reverse lunge with bicep curls

Assume a wide reverse lunge stance, holding the dumbbells by your side. Bend your front leg and drop your back knee towards the floor as you curl the dumbbells into your shoulders. Keep everything above the elbow completely still, isolating the contraction in your lower arms. Return to standing as you lower the weights.

Reverse lunge with robin hoods

Assume the same wide reverse lunge stance on the opposite leg. This time, as you lower your back knee towards the floor, raise one dumbbell long and straight out in front you and row the other one up and in to your shoulder. You should look like you’re stringing a bow. Lower your arms and return to standing, then switch arms for alternating reps.

Speed walking burpee

A traditional burpee is likely to shake the chandeliers below, but that’s not necessary when this variation is perfectly effective at spiking your heart rate and recruiting multiple muscle groups. From a high plank position, step one foot up to your hand on the same side, then repeat with the opposite foot. You should be in a low squat position. Now explode up and reach your hands to the ceiling. Return your hands to the floor and walk each respective foot back into a plank. The key to this move is speed and control.

Standing oblique crunch with overhead press

From standing, hold one dumbbell directly overhead on your right side and contract your obliques as you lower your elbow and bring your right knee out and up to meet it. Lower your leg and extend the dumbbell with control. Repeat for 45 seconds on one side, then repeat for a further 45 seconds on the other side.

Squat hold with arm punches

To complete the circuit, lower into a squat (thighs parallel with the floor, please!) and hold your dumbbells in front of your chest. Holding your lower body absolutely still, punch the right dumbbell across your body and quickly follow with your left. This should be fast, but not so fast that you lose control and can’t feel the twist through your core.

Well done! Take a 30 second break, then run through the whole thing twice more.

Come back next Monday for the second no-noise high-intensity workout, and feel free to leave feedback in a comment below. (PS. I’ve only just discovered how to create GIFs so I promise to make the exercise demonstrations a little more fluid going forward!)

If you haven’t tried the ViPR yet, it’s high time you get familiar with the rubber tube that’s raised the bar for strength and conditioning. Think traditional barbell exercises with a more fluid range of motion, and stability challenges that incorporate your full body. Think faster, more effective and – most importantly – more interesting workouts.

You can swing, push, pull, curl or roll a ViPR – and therein lies its beauty. You get three-dimensional movement and effortless transitions from one exercise to the next. So you can guess why I like it. Quick, successive exercises and compound movements form the basis of most of my workouts. I don’t believe in isolated exercises like bicep curls or tricep kickbacks because I know I can get more from them if I combine them with a squat or a lunge.

Although the workout below is technically designed to target your legs, the demand for full-body coordination means you’ll also feel it in your core and postural muscles. And in just three moves you’ll hit your legs from all angles – generating effort from your hamstrings and glutes as much as your quads. This too supports better posture and helps you build the power you need to excel in running, yoga, sport or any activity you enjoy.

Allow 10 minutes; Complete 3 circuits; Rest 1min between circuits

1. Squat with alternating shoulder press

Hold a ViPR in both hands over your right shoulder. Drop into a low squat, then press the ViPR straight above your head as you come to standing. Drop into a low squat with the ViPR over your left shoulder. Continue alternating until you’ve done 8 reps on both sides.

16 reps total; 6-8kg ViPR

2. Lunge and twist

Hug the ViPR into your chest, cradling it in your arms. Step forward into a front lunge on your right foot, then twist your torso over your bent knee. Return to standing and repeat to the other side. Perform 10 reps on both sides.

20 reps total; 6-8kg ViPR

3. Bridge (Advanced option: Single leg bridge)

Lie down on a mat with the soles of your feet resting on the ViPR. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until the front of your body forms a straight line from top to toe. Pause for a moment at the top. Slowly lower and repeat.

15 reps total or 10 on alternating legs; any weight ViPR

Want to learn more or share your ViPR experience? Leave a comment below!

Watch the above video for my 10 favourite exercises, which are designed to work major muscle groups as well as targeting trouble spots like your bum and tum. Try them as a complete full-body circuit or add just a few into your existing regime. I recommend at least 10 reps of each and 2-4 sets.