With Christmas season in full swing, work parties, booze and an infinite number of pigs in blankets lie in wait
To stay active and burn calories over the festive period, try this HIIT workout from personal trainer and Made in Chelsea star Lonan O’Herlihy.
It can be done at home in minimal time with minimal equipment – even using household objects for resistance.
About the home-based HIIT workout
O’Herlihy has provided a short video of the workout which guides you through the process. The self-proclaimed ‘Posh PT’ explains what exercises to do and how to perform them correctly.
The HIIT workout doesn’t necessarily need to be done at home – you can easily get it done on your lunch break or at the park (weather permitting). The difficulty of the workout can also be tailored to your individual goals and fitness levels.
Gym equipment can be expensive, and O’Herlihy’s workout shows how any household object can be used for resistance-based exercises. The Made in Chelsea star’s HIIT session features Sony’s newest wireless speaker – the SRS-XB501G – which can also aid motivation through music.
The speaker’s combination of bass-y sound and portability compliments a high-intensity workout involving speed, endurance and strength.
You can view the workout below.
If you prefer to see a workout in writing, here are the basics. This session comprises eight exercises:
- One arm push-ups
- Knee push-ups
- One arm kettlebell swings
- Squat with shoulder press
- In-and-out squat jumps
- Rear raised leg lunges
- Russian Twists
- Toe taps
Make the most out of your HIIT training
O’Herlihy has provided further tips for optimising home-based HIIT workouts:
- Keep your HIIT to a maximum of 30-minutes, after that you’ll start to lose your form leaving you prone to injury.
- Pick the right kit for you – the joys of HIIT are that you can work out your intensity, so don’t worry about investing in all the kit right away.
- Always warm up and cool down for at least five minutes before and after your HIIT workouts. It’s important to not just stop after HIIT as that can leave you feeling lightheaded, so cool down gently afterwards.
- Keep the intensity high throughout. Music is a great way to keep your energy levels up and give you a beat to work to, pick bassy music for the best results and turn it up!
- Make it fun! The Sony XB501G speaker also has line lights which flash in time with the music, making it even easier, and more fun, to stick to the beat and work through your session.
Read more:
- How to minimise weight gain over Christmas
- Dolph Lundgren and Florian Munteanu share their fitness tips
- Five of the worst fashion mistakes I made when I first started the gym
- Common exercise excuses and how to overcome them
