General Overall Fitness
If your goal is general fitness you should aim to perform three 20-25 minute HIIT sessions per week plus at least two 30 minute resistance training sessions per week covering upper body, core stability and lower body exercises.
Alternatively you could try circuit training as recommended by the British Army. Circuit training involves rotating through a set sequence of exercises, performing 10 repetitions of each exercise, and then repeating the sequence 3-5 times. It is a great way to develop overall cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle endurance. The following table shows an example of a typical circuit training regime:
| Exercise | Description |
|---|---|
| Squat jump |
Stand with feet hip-distance apart and bend your knees until your hands touch the back of your calves. From this position, leap up into the air, landing back down into the squat position and touching your calves between each rep. |
| Decline press-up |
Place your feet on a raised surface, such as a sturdy chair, so that your shoulders and head are lower than your hips. Begin with arms shoulder-width apart, fingers facing forward, back straight and body in a straight line. Look slightly ahead, not at the floor. Lower your body towards the floor — elbows pointing back, not splaying out to the side. Stop when your chest and hips are an inch off the floor, then straighten your arms to return to the start position. |
| Sit-up on ball |
Lie on a Swiss ball with your feet on the floor. Adjust yourself so that your bottom is just off the front of the ball, with your buttocks unclenched and your hands either beside your head or crossed over your chest. Contracting the abdominals, raise and flex the upper torso as far as you can without moving the ball underneath you. Pause, then lower and repeat. |
| Basic burpee |
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and lower body towards the floor. Once your hands touch the floor, thrust your legs to the rear into a press-up position, keeping your back straight and tummy pulled in. Then bring your knees back in, take the weight off your hands and stand up. Add a vertical jump at the end of each rep, to increase the difficulty. |
| Double dip |
Place your hands on one chair or bench with fingers pointing forwards, arms shoulder-width apart and feet on another chair opposite you. Shuffle your bottom off the front of the chair and lower yourself down until your elbows reach a right angle. Don’t hunch your shoulders up to your ears. You can also do this exercise with a Powerbag. |
| Step-up with weights |
Stand in front of a step with a dumbbell or other weight in each hand, resting by your thighs. Step up with your right leg, bring your left foot up, then step down with your right leg, following with the left. Continue for the set, and then swap sides. |
| Supermans | Lie face down on the floor, with your arms extended flat on the floor over your head. Lift your right arm and left leg off the floor simultaneously, keeping the hips and pelvis centred, and your head in line with the spine. Lower, and then lift your left arm and right leg off the floor. Continue to alternate for the set. |
| Crunches | Start by lying on the floor with your hands beside your head. Sit up, bringing your knees to your chest, and then rock back, fully extending your legs before bringing the knees in to meet the chest again. Do not allow the feet to touch the floor between reps. |
