Kayla Itsines is a fitness powerhouse — the Instagram star and personal trainer has inspired millions of women around the world to get active (check out the new SWEAT app founded and created by Kayla's partner Tobi Pearce) and healthy. Here, she shares a seven-minute routine for beginners that can be done anywhere!
Set your timer for seven minutes and aim to complete the exercises in the below circuit as many times as you can before the timer goes off! While you’re aiming to complete each exercise as quickly as possible, it is important that you maintain proper technique throughout.
Exercise 1:
Beginner version: Sumo squat
Plant both feet on the floor further than shoulder-width apart. Point both feet slightly outward. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees point toward your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor, ensuring that your back remains between 45 and 90 degrees of your hips. Push through your heels and extend your legs to return to a neutral standing position. Repeat 15 times.
Advanced version: Sumo jump squats
Plant both feet wider than shoulder-width apart with your feet pointed outwards. Ensuring that your knees point towards your toes, bend your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. This is called sumo squat position. Pushing through your heels, propel your body upwards in the air in one explosive motion, extending your legs in the air and landing in sumo squat position. Repeat 15 times.
Exercise 2:
Beginner version: Static lunge
Plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Take a big step forward with your left foot. As you plant your foot on the floor, bend both knees at approximately 90 degrees.
If done correctly, your front knee should be aligned with your ankle and your back knee should be hovering just off of the floor. Gently touch your right knee on the floor before extending both knees. Complete 12 repetitions on each leg.
Advanced version: Jump lunge
Set up your body in the same lunge position outlined above. Then, propel your body upwards into the air. While in the air, extend both legs and re-position them so that you land in lunge position with your right leg forward and left leg back. Continue alternating between left and right for 15 repetitions.
Exercise 3:
Beginner version: Lay-down push-up
Start by lying flat on your stomach, with arms extended out in front of you and legs straight behind you, resting on your knees. Bring your arms in towards your body and place your hands on the floor on either side of your chest. Push through your chest and extend your arms to lift your body back up into a modified push-up position, resting on your knees.
Ensure that you maintain a straight back and stabilize through your abdominal muscles. Slowly lower your body completely to the floor and extend your arms out in front of you. Repeat 15 times.
Advanced version: Lay-down push-up (on your toes)
Set up your body in the same push-up position outlined above, but rest on the balls of your feet. Ensure that you maintain a straight back and stabilize through your abdominal muscles. Repeat 15 times.
Exercise 4:
Beginner version: Raised leg sit up + clap
Start by lying straight on your back on the floor, with your feet elevated so that your shins are parallel to the floor and hands behind your earlobes. Engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine. This is your starting position. Slowly allow your head, shoulder blades and torso to lift off the floor.
Ensure that it is your abdominals that initiate the movement, and that you do not use your arms to "swing" your torso up. As you sit up,reach forwards with your hands and touch the palms of your hands together below your legs. Slowly release your arms and torso to return to starting position. Repeat 15 times.
Advanced version: Bent-leg jackknife
Start in the same position as outlined above. Keeping your feet together, contract your abdominal muscles and bend your legs to bring your knees into your chest. At the same time, bring your arms forwards towards your feet, slowly lifting your head, shoulder blades and torso off of the floor. Briefly hold this position and then slowly release your arms and legs downwards until they are both just slightly off of the floor. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.
Check out Kayla's new BBG Stronger program in the SWEAT App from her partner Tobi Pearce!