London trainer Maiken Skoie Brustad has given readers the home workout that will strengthen your core in no time.
PT, who works at Blok London, Rumble Gym, Third Space and trains people at The Ned, has shared her five favorite exercises to get us through lockdown.
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She believes that focusing on your fitness can be a powerful form of self-care in these difficult times but stressed that people should not be too hard on themselves.
She said: “So many people are idle and feel like they are not doing anything important.
“Exercising yourself is the most important thing you can do. It will also help your sleep, which is always good.”
Maiken added that exercise can help you through the uncertainty of lockdown, as it is always possible to exercise at home or outdoors.
When it comes to New Year’s goals, the trainer advised Londoners to set a series of small goals to tick off on the way to a big goal, to ensure training doesn’t become stressful or pressured.
The training
Maiken says it’s important to vary your body in the plank position for optimal core results.
The exercises include different plank variations and stomach curls to get us more active.
You should ensure that you are in a straight horizontal position, with your stomach and glutes engaged.
Watch the video to see the full moves, and below you can read about the exercises and how long you should do them depending on your fitness level.
Exercise 1 – Stomach crunches
Maiken says these are great for really getting the crunch movement.
Exercise 2 –Rotating planks
These are really effective for working with slants
Exercise 3 – Side planks
These can be modified for those who struggle with the full side plank.
Exercise 4 – Plank Jump
A tough one!
Exercise 5 –Dynamic planks
This tricky move is perfect for building core strength.
The exercises can be modified to suit your fitness levels
Beginners – 30 seconds on each exercise, doing each three times
Intermediate – 45 seconds on each exercise, doing each three times
Advanced – 1 minute on each exercise, do each three times
Maiken is on Instagram at @PTmaiken
Will you be trying this at home? Let us know in the comments section here .
