FIRE IT UP ‘The aim is to push your metabolic rate through the roof,’ says Ben Gotting, personal training manager of Gymbox in Holborn, central London, who devised this metabolic circuit. ‘Don’t pace yourself. Keep your form but do as many reps of each exercise as you can for each time slot. With a thorough warm-up and warm-down you should burn as much as 1,000 calories. The exercises alternate between upper- and lower-body moves so no excuses – you’ll have enough respite to push yourself as hard as you can.’
HOW TO DO THIS WORKOUT
Beginners should use 12kg kettlebells and an Olympic bar with no weight on it, and alternate between doing as many reps of the exercise as you can for 20 seconds with resting for 20 seconds. If you’re a bit more experienced, use 16kg kettlebells and a 40kg barbell, and work for 30 seconds on, 20 seconds off. Advanced trainers should use 20kg kettlebells and a 60kg barbell, and work for 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off. Complete the circuit six times, resting one minute between rounds.
FRONT SQUAT Hold a barbell against the top of your chest and shoulders with hands just wider than shoulder-width apart and your elbows high. Keeping your chest up and back straight, squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, then drive back up.
BENT-OVER ROW
Stand with a kettlebell in each hand with palms facing. Bend forward, hingeing from your hips, not your waist, and bend your legs slightly. Keeping your back slightly concave and your elbows tucked in, row the weights up towards your armpits.
SQUAT
Stand with your legs just wider than shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell against your traps with hands twice shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and chest up and lower into a squat until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Drive through your heels to stand.
PUSH PRESS
Hold the kettlebells at shoulder height, with your core braced and back straight. With feet shoulder-width apart, lower into a quarter squat, then drive through your heels to stand and use the momentum to press the weights overhead.
ALTERNATING LUNGE
Holding kettlebells, lunge forwards, keeping your front knee over your front foot, until your back knee is just off the floor. Drive through the heel of your front foot to return to the start. Repeat on the other leg and alternate sides.
ALTERNATING
SINGLE-ARM SWING
Hold a kettlebell in one hand with your arm hanging straight. Swing the bell between your legs, then thrust your hips forward and swing it up to eye level. Swap hands so you bring the bell down with the other hand.
