Hooley freakin’ dooley. It’s been a while since I posted one of these bad boys! But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been out there sweating, stretching, glowing, jumping … I just haven’t been typing about it.

So for today’s brand spanker, I would like to go back to basics and give you guys a few circuits that I have been slogging away at and quite enjoying, as well as giving a bit of helpful information to help you monitor your training intensity.

Are you aware of what your maximum heart rate is? Exercise intensity is typically measured by calculating how hard your heart is working and determining heart rate (number of beats per minute). This is made a hell of a lot easier if you have a GPS watch//heart rate monitor. If, like me, you have had and lost said heart rate monitor, then let’s figure out how they would calculate it in the old days! Count the number of heart beats for six seconds, add a zero, and this is your working heart rate. So lets just say you counted 12 beats in 6 seconds – your heartrate would be sitting around 120bpm. But how do we figure out if we are working hard enough? My trick is to imagine seeing a chin up comp in the distance with competitors like Channing Tatum, Ryan Gosling and Zac Efron glistening in the sun – would you be able to run over? Yes? Push yourself harder. No? IT’S THE HOLY TRINITY OF MEN – OF COURSE YOU CAN!

But if fantasy scenarios aren’t ‘legit’ enough for you to figure out whether you’re working hard – then take a few seconds now to calculate your ‘training zone’. This is the area in which your heart rate must stay to achieve optimal fat burning and cardiovascular benefits.

Calculating your personal ‘Training Zone’

Subtract your age from 185 and this determines your Maximum Heart Rate and identifies the highest aspect of your ideal training zone. Then subtract 20 from this number and that gives you the floor level of your training zone. So, for me, my maximum heart rate is 160 (185-25) so my training zone would be between 140-160bpm. It’s recommended that you exercise within (not below or exceeding) your training heart rate range for 15-20mins at least 3 times a week to experience any cardiovascular benefits. Aim for daily sweats for bonus points!

How do we get that heart booming? It’s circuit time baby. The following circuits have been collected over years of finding a powerful, but not overly complicated, routine that I can take anyways. Outdoors, indoors, hotel root. S’all good! Today’s featured routines are courtesy of Lorna Jane’s beautiful book MORE.

Leg Workout

20 squats // 30 lunges // 40 calf raises // 50 sec wall sit // 100 jumping jacks // 50 sec wall sit // 40 sumo squats // 30 leg raises // 20 squats

aaaaand REPEAT!

Little space//big results

1 min plank // 50 crunches // 40 bicycle crucnhes // 60 sec wall sit // 30 squats // 20 tricep dips // 10 push ups

aaaaand REPEAT until fatigued!

Cardio Crunch

2 min walk // 10 min run // 1 min walk & 1 min sprint REPEAT 5 x // 60 crunches // 60 sec wall sit // 1 min plank // 5 min stretch

Abs Baby

1 min plank // 15 bicycle crunches // 30 sec side plank RIGHT SIDE // 15 bicycle crunches // 30 sec side plank LEFT SIDE // 15 reverse crunches // 1 min V – Sit // 3 min rest

aaaaand REPEAT 3 times!

Happy sweating my darlings!

Blessings, biceps and buns of steel x

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Images found here and here.