Do you need equipment to exercise?

There are hundreds of exercises to choose from, many of which don't require equipment. Many people who come to my fitness groups in Tideswell know I am a firm believer in using minimal equipment and giving people routines they can do at home. Often I hear people say "i don't have any equipment" to which I reply "no problem give this a try"

 

In the Peak District we are lucky to have such wonderful places to workout in, i train people at local parks or trails often using no equipment. Below is an example of what you can do both at home, in the park or on the trails.

 

The Workout

Warm up

March on the spot 3 mins or go for a jog

ski jumps 1 min

 

 

For strength and body conditioning

do 3 sets of 10-12 reps

 

For a more cardio circuit/workout

Try doing each exercise for 1 min with no rest in between. Do the circuit once or twice.

 

At the circuit classes in Tideswell we do both and I often tell people what the exercise are for

 

The exercises:

1) Squat: This strengthens front and and back of the thighs plus also the glutes.

2) Press up, whether full, box or 3/4 or cat press: This strengthens tricpes, upper back, shoulders and chest muscles.

3) Lunge: This strengthens and defines the glutes and thighs.

4) Lying leg push out: This really works the core muscle as well as the hip flexors.

5) Lunge with a twist: This targets the legs and challenges balance, this exercise i call lunge with a tidza twist.

6) Plank: Again this really works the core muscles and i often use this exercise in a challenge where I give free sessions or prizes of t shirts to the winner.

 

The above are just a few of the things you could do. If you want to know more then join sweat and smile personal training at one of our circuit classes and then you could for free get exercises that you can do at home. Also remember I visit people in their own homes as well.

 

Below is a fitness workout I often give my clients to do outside. I have used it at Goyt Valley, High Peak trail, local parks in Stockport and Chinley. As you will see this fitness workout needs no equipment. But why train outside? Fitness and getting fit does not need to be confined to the indoors or the gym, even when i was a personal trainer in a gym i would often take clients outside to train and even to this day I still do. Outside in the peak district it is lovely to do a run and doing this run around places such as Hope, Yorkshire Bridge or Lineacre reservoir will burn more calories than on a treadmill in the gym, as you will use gravity and your own power rather than a machine.

 

Below is a session I took a client on who lives in Furness Vale

Warm up

Warm up with a run to your local park or if you have to drive to say Tissington Trail spend 10 mins gentle jogging.

 

Tree sprints: Pick two trees that are about 50 metres apart. Sprint from 1 tree to the other one and back take 30 seconds recovery and to 4 more times.

 

Run at a gentle pace to a bench and do

15 press ups, if advanced try clap press ups (made my client do this) ie push off the bench and clap your hands.

NO rest

15 Tricep dips

1 min rest and then do 4 more times

 

Step ups

using the same bench do 2 sets of 2 minutes of stepping up and stepping down.

 

I take a mat with me and then do a few more tree sprints but add the plank or sit up each time.

 

cool down with a slow jog and a stretch.

 

Recentry I obtained two new clients in Ashford in the Water which is near Bakewell. We train in their local park. Having now done 3 sessions with not much equipement I was amazed to be asked by some local football players if they could join in which they now do.