From The Straits Times    |


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For the time-starved woman, here are some half-hour regimens (we promise!) that help you burn fat, strengthen muscles or tone up.

YOU WANT TO TONE UP
Try this workout by: Jason Lim, trainer at Active Red (www.activered.sg)
Benefits: Tones and tightens biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, abs, core, hips and calves.

1 WARM UP FOR FIVE MINUTES WITH:
30 seconds of skipping – two reps.
30 seconds of knee-ups (marching on the spot) – two reps.
30 seconds of arm circles – two reps.
30 seconds of jumping jacks – two reps.

Take a one-minute break.

2 SHADOW-BOX FOR FIVE MINUTES WITH:
30 seconds of straight punching with jabs and crosses – two reps. Punch the air with short, stabbing strokes. To cross-punch, stand with your fists on either side of your face, one leg in front of the other. Just before punching, push off from your rear foot and thrust your hips forward. Throw a punch so your arm crosses your body in a straight line.

30 seconds of upper cuts – two reps. Punch upwards from your waist, keeping your arms slightly bent.

30 seconds of squats and straight kicking – two reps. Squat, get up, and kick the air.

Take a two-minute break.

3 DO FIVE MINUTES OF CONDITIONING BY:
Holding a squat for 30 seconds, two times.
Holding a push-up for 30 seconds, two times.
Holding an abdominal crunch for 30 seconds, two times.

Take a two-minute break.

4 DO FIVE MINUTES OF CARDIO TRAINING WITH:
30 seconds of jumping jacks – two reps.
30 seconds of running on the spot – two reps.
30 seconds of burpies (squat thrusts) – two reps. From a standing position, drop into a squat with hands on the ground, then extend your feet behind you in one quick motion into a plank position. Return to the squat in one quick motion. Finish by jumping straight into the air as high as possible. Take a two-minute break.

5 DO FIVE MINUTES OF CONDITIONING WITH EXERCISE TUBING:
Hold a shoulder press for 30 seconds, two times. Stand, grab the tubing handles and bring the tubing around your back and underneath your armpits. Straighten your arms as you extend the handles above your head. Lower arms and repeat.

Hold a lateral raise for 30 seconds, two times. Standing with both feet on the centre of the tubing, grab the handles and pull up and outwards, so your arms are parallel to the floor. Hold, then lower arms and repeat.

Hold a tricep kickback for 30 seconds, two times. Stand with your right leg bent in front of your left. Place tubing under your right foot and rest your right hand on your right thigh. Grab the handle with your left hand and extend your left arm, pulling it behind you.

Hold a bicep curl for 30 seconds, two times. Standing with one foot on the centre of the tubing, grab the handles and bend your arms slightly, with the fingers of your closed fists facing you. Pull handles towards you, bending your arms all the way.

Take a one-minute break.

Stretch for five minutes to cool down.

YOU WANT TO BURN FAT
Try this workout by: Sam Naqvi, master trainer at Funky Fitness (www.funkyfitness.net)
Benefits: Torch up to 300 calories with this high-metabolic workout.

Two minutes of jumping jacks.

Two minutes of line-hops (step sideways over a stretched-out jump rope).

Do 15 burpies.

Do 20 side lunges using 2kg or 3kg dumb-bells. Stand with feet together. Keeping your right leg straight, step out to the side with your left leg and bend your left knee. Push off from your left leg and return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.

Do 20 crawl-forwards. From a standing position, drop into a squat with your hands on the ground. Crawl forward, without moving your feet, until you reach plank position. Crawl back to a squat and return to standing position.

Do 50 broom rotations. Hold a stick or broom vertically in front of you. Keeping your hips and lower torso facing forward and tucking in your abs, twist your upper torso from side to side, Keep your head facing forward.

Do 15 to 20 oblique crunches. Lie on your back on an exercise mat, with knees bent. Rest your right leg over your left. With hands behind your head, lift your body using your abdominal muscles and move your left elbow towards your right knee. Lower your body. Repeat on the other side.

Do the bridge pose five to 10 times. Lie on your back, with knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart.

Take a deep breath and press your feet into the mat and squeeze your butt as you lift your hips. Straighten your body and hold a few seconds. Keeping your spine straight, lower your back to the mat.

Do the plank three times. Lie face- down, resting on your forearms, with palms flat. Push off the mat to rest on your elbows and toes. Straighten your back. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abs to keep your butt from sticking up or sagging. Hold 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat two more times.

YOU WANT TO BUILD MUSCLE
Day 1: 
WORK YOUR LEGS AND CHEST WITH:
Stiff leg dead lift: Stand and hold one dumb-bell in each hand against your sides, palms facing in. Bend your knees, then straighten up again, keeping your back and hips straight.

Bench press: Lying on your back on a bench or step board, hold two dumb-bells at chest level, with palms facing your feet. Breathing out, raise the dumb-bells straight up, until your elbows are nearly locked. Hold. Breathe in and lower them slowly till your arms form a 90-degree angle. If you don’t have a bench or step board, you can do this standing up, using a workout rubber band instead of dumb-bells, with the band anchored on a doorknob.

Day 2:
TARGET YOUR BACK MUSCLES AND BICEPS WITH:
Dead lift: Stand and hold a dumb-bell in each hand. Bend your knees and lower the dumb-bells while breathing in. Hold. Return to standing position while breathing out.

Alternate dumb-bell curl: Stand and hold a dumb-bell in each hand. Your arms should hang by your sides. Raise one dumb-bell to your shoulder. Hold. As you lower dumb- bell, slowly raise the other one. Don’t jerk your upper body.

Day 3:
STRENGTHEN YOUR SHOULDER MUSCLES WITH:
Seated dumb-bell raise: Sit on a bench or your sofa and hold two dumb-bells at shoulder level, with arms bent and palms facing forward. Push the dumb-bells up until your elbows nearly lock. Hold. Lower them. Keep your body straight.

Tricep kickback: Place one knee and one hand on a bench or on the side of your bed or sofa. Grab a dumb-bell with your other hand, palm facing your body, upper arm parallel to your body. Push the dumb-bell back by extending your elbow. Hold. Return to starting position. Keep your upper arm still throughout.

This article was originally published in Simply Her February 2013.