YOU DON’T NEED a gym or even exercise equipment to get fit. Using just your own body weight is one of the most effective strategies to get in shape.
It is handier than an exercise that requires equipment, and you can engage more muscles simultaneously than if you were isolating one body region with weights. When we utilise our bodies instead of machines, we activate the core muscles and use our stabilising muscles more, which means you can exercise more safely and help to prevent any injury or strain.
What is the result of stringing together six exercises, including movements such as side high knee run, single leg stand, press-ups, plank splits, squats, and star jumps? You receive an excellent full-body workout with no equipment required.
Daily reinforcement of the benefits of eating healthier and exercising can lead to long-term changes in behaviour. According to new psychological research involving the University of Warwick, simple repetition is the key to hacking our brains to form good, solidhabits. This can help you to develop an intrinsic motivation to exercise.
My training principles align with the research. Working with professional athletes, I witnessed how habits result from what they desired versus what they did—allowing me to develop this scaled-down adaption of my Super-A fitness program. I'm not a psychologist, but I do know that desire plays a big part in motivating our behaviour.
With self-mastery, we can also train our mind and body using our breath. Breath awareness harmonises the mind and body and provides a physical anchor to bring us back into control during a difficult situation.
HOME FITNESS RE-SET
Six simple exercises for adults and children to build discipline, self-confidence, and focused awareness
There are three essential components: the goal, learning the exercises and reinforcing self-confidence. Providing goals instils the ability to take responsibility for your actions and learning:
• Fosters a "can-do" attitude
• Establishes discipline and intrinsic motivation
• Encourages the setting of personal objectives
• Instils pride in overcoming difficulty
Getting fit is specific, measurable, and trackable. How many press-ups, squats or star jumps can you do in one minute? Every exercise provides an incremental objective that can help you stay motivated, continue to improve and achieve your personal best.
The absolute beauty of Super-6 is its simplicity. Six simple exercises turn fitness from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation for life and build self-confidence that promotes well-being. It is challenging yet achievable and will help you understand how to develop and thrive in life.
HOW TO
HIGH KNEE RUN
Stand up straight with arms by your sides and start running on the spot, lifting the knee as high as you can while bending the opposite arm at the elbow
PRESS-UPS
Begin in plank position with hands slightly wider apart than your shoulders. Your arms, back and legs should be straight. Bend your elbows to lower your straight body towards the floor. Pause then push back up to plank.
STAR JUMPS
Stand with your arms by your sides and your feet hip-width apart. Jump off the ground and spread your legs, so your feet land wider than shoulder-width apart, simultaneously taking your hand's to shoulder height. Jump back to starting position and repeat.
SINGLE LEG STAND
Stand tall with your feet hip width apart. Lift one foot off the floor and hold still for as long as you can. Swap to the other side. When you are ready, do it with your eyes shut
SQUATS
Stand tall with your feet hip width apart and a chair or stool behind you. Bend your knees and push your bottom back as if you are going to sit on the chair. Don’t touch down and push through your legs to stand back up tall.
PLANK SPLITS
Begin in plank position with hands slightly wider apart than your shoulders and your feet wider than hip width apart. Your arms, back and legs should be straight. Jump the legs out and in keeping the core engaged.
I invite you to take up the challenge – simply try the Simple-6 once a day for one week.
