Full Body Workout At Home Without Equipment

BACK TO BASICS

Expect to swap jumping jacks for slowed-down squats this year, as we move away from fast and frantic HUT workouts towards more considered, mindful types of exercise such as LISS (low-impact steady state) and HILIT (high-intensity low-impact training). The reasons for the change of pace? Reducing the risk of spiking often already-high cortisol (stress hormone) levels in the body and preventing unnecessary impact-related injuries, according to Charlotte Cox, founder of FLY LDN (flyldn.co.uk), which has introduced low-impact classes to cater for demand. So too has David Lloyd Clubs, by adapting its signature SYNRGY class to include LIIT (low intensity interval training; davidlloyd.co.uk).

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Mastering the basics of exercise will also grow in popularity, with a new focus on exercising with good form for maximum results and safety. ‘There is much debate in the fitness sector about how every workout should focus on “the big three” -the bench press/press-up, squat and deadlift – as these work all the major muscle groups and ensure our bodies are worked efficiently and effectively,’ says Martin Hamer, fitness and nutrition coach at The Training Room (thetrainingroom. com). The brand new Form & Focus class from BXR London (bxrlondon.com) has been created to embrace this trend, with classes of no more than 12 people learning the mind and body basics of performing deadlifts, squats, push and pulls, and overhead lifts to develop strength, range of motion and technique.

No access to a gym? You can still benefit from going back to basics. First, read up on the correct form for press-ups, squats and deadlifts, and remind yourself which muscles you should be working. Second, slow it down. Don’t just ‘go through the motions’ without thinking about when you should inhale and exhale, and which muscles you should or shouldn’t be recruiting. Finally, aim for three or four sets of 10 reps of each exercise to fine-tune technique and fatigue muscles for a full-body workout.

INCLUSIVE FITNESS

While the fitness industry isn’t renowned tor championing inclusivity – you only need to type #titspo into Instagram to see all the images of toned women in matching crop tops and shorts to work that out – we’re set to see positive changes in 2019 after all the talk around body positivity. Following on from Sport England’s latest ‘This Girl Can’ campaign, which challenges stereotypes by using real women exercising in real situations, Spin studio Boom Cycle (boomcycle.co.uk) is launching its #CutLoose crusade to get more people working out ‘with a focus on the way they feel rather than conforming to look a certain way’. Meanwhile, yoga franchise Fierce Grace (fiercegrace.com) continues to smash down preconceptions about who can do yoga with classes like S.O.B (Stiff, Old or Broken) and marketing images of an older man doing an arm balance with his walking stick nearby. This March also sees Live Well London (livewelllondon.com), athree-day wellness festival of talks, workshops and classes for all ages, genders and abilities.