Manuela is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and a lifestyle & weight management consultant at the bodysculptor fitness centre. Her exercise tips will help you find the motivation to reach your fitness goal and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

You can repeat the sequence of the 5 exercises below as many times as you can. For each exercise there are different variations for different levels, so you can choose the level that suits you best.

While exercising outside, don’t forget to hydrate yourself more than usual and make sure the area where you are working out is safe. Enjoy!

1)    10 walking lunges:  Strengthens the quadriceps and gluteal muscles (glutes);

• Step forward so that the front knee is at 90 degrees over your ankle and the front thigh is parallel with the floor and the back knee almost touches the floor.
• To increase the intensity you can have the arms along the ears or to the sides.
• If you’re a beginner you can have the arms by your waist and you can lower yourself just half way.

2)      10 Inclined Push Up: Strengthens the chest muscles, anterior deltoid and triceps.

• You need to keep the core contracted by pulling the navel into spine.
• You can choose the angle of difficulty, the more inclined you are, the harder it is.
• For increased intensity you can lift one foot off the floor, then switch legs.
• If you’re a beginner you can keep both feet on the floor and start closer to the standing position placing both your hands on a bench.

3)      Superset: 5 Unsupported Lunge & 5 Single Leg Squat on each leg: Strengthens the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes;

• To keep your balance you also need to involve the core.
• This is a more difficult exercise, you can really feel the burn in your glutes.
• Holding the bar (or even both bars if you need to) lower yourself into a lunge without touching the floor with your back leg.
• Then bring the same leg forward, extended parallel with the floor into a single leg squat without touching the floor.
• If you have knee problems go as far as you feel comfortable or choose the option of a regular squat and regular lunge; you can hold the bars to help with balance.

4)      10 Lying Pull Ups:  Strengthens the upper and middle back, rear deltoid and biceps while also engages the core to keep your body straight.

• Start by sitting in between the bars, grip them with palms out and pull yourself all the way up.
• Keep your body straight to avoid unnecessary and negative strain.
• Support yourself on your heels.
• To increase difficulty you can lift one foot of the floor.
• If you’re a beginner you can bend your knees or rest your hips on the floor in between repetitions.

5)    10 Knees to chest with 10 leg lifts and 10 twists: Strengthens the abdominals with focus on lower abdominals and oblique muscles.

• From a seating position with legs extended on the floor, bend your knees to chest then extend them in the air, pause for a second then lift the legs a bit higher and repeat the sequence without touching the floor for 10 repetitions.
• Then perform a twist on each side keeping with the heels on the floor or lifting them both for increased difficulty.
• If you’re a beginner, you can pause and rest your heels on the floor in between the first 2 exercises.

If your goal is to have a healthy and fit physique, I can design a fitness programme and meal plan that is uniquely yours and brings you promptly into shape – something that you can follow even if you train at home.

If you wish to get the benefits of a personalised training, which is very cost effective and motivating, on 10 Oct I’m starting a new series of group workouts of maximum 6 people.

This is a weight-training programme that runs four days a week each month, mornings and evenings.

When applicable I modify it to match each participant’s needs. Therefore all levels are welcome. Meal plans and bi-weekly assessments are an important part of the success and are included in this programme. The morning session has a yoga/pilates class on the forth day of each week’s schedule.

For more information email [email protected]