Slim and fit in 18 minutes

Short, explosive interval workouts are very popular right now. No more endless training sessions on the cardio machines, but short, powerful workouts. High-intensity interval training is a relatively short training, in which short moments of maximum effort are alternated with short moments of rest. Excellent results are achieved.

Canada’s Laval University conducted a comparative study between short, explosive training and long, moderate training. And what turned out? Following a 15-week schedule of short, explosive workouts resulted in 9 times more subcutaneous fat loss than 21 weeks of sustained moderate-intensity exercise.

The exercises on these pages not only stimulate the Fat Burning, they are also an excellent cardio workout and you build muscle mass with them. And that’s good news, because muscles are the most active body tissue. A little more muscle and your body burns more calories throughout the day, even at rest.

Own body weight

Trainers are making less and less use of machines. Instead, they opt for free weight exercises or simply our own body weight. This results in a more natural way of moving, which improves your overall movement pattern.

Your balance, strength, flexibility, explosive power, posture – everything improves when you do movements that our bodies are made for. And most importantly: it is a training method that works. Exercises like pushups and squats survive all fitness trends for the simple reason that they work.

What do you need?

• Mate
• Chair
• Skipping rope
• Interval timer (You can buy a device, for example from Gymboss, or download an interval timer on your smartphone. Set the timer for 6 times 50 seconds of action and 10 seconds of rest.)

To work

If you perform this round of exercises twice, with 1 minute of rest, you will have a complete workout in 18 minutes. Do this schedule three times a week.

Warm-up: jumping rope for 5 minutes
Jumping rope is one of the easiest and most effective cardio workouts you can do. It’s also a perfect warm-up: you put all your muscles to work and within a few minutes you’ll start to to sweat!

Turn on the interval timer
During the 50 second action, do as many reps of the first exercise as possible followed by 10 seconds of rest. Then do the same with the second exercise, the third, and so on. Make sure that you always have a good posture, even if you get tired.

1. Half burpee for all your muscles
Stand straight, feet shoulder width apart, bend your legs and place your hands on the floor. Step back with your right foot and then your left foot so that you are in a plank position (as if you were doing a push-up). Step with the right foot and then the left foot towards your hands and come back to a fully upright position.

2. Leg and Butt Squats
Place your feet shoulder-width apart, extend your arms out in front of you at shoulder height and bend your legs 90 degrees as if to sit down. Push your butt back, chest out, shoulders low, heels firmly into the ground and come back up. You should feel your weight on your heels.

3. Chest and Triceps Pushups
Get on your knees on a mat. Place your hands in front of you so that they are directly under your shoulders. Make sure your body is in a straight line from your crown to your knees, tense the abs tight, elbows pointing slightly back. Lower your body to the floor and push yourself back up. Is that easy? Then try a push-up on all fours.

4. Superman for your lower back
Lie on your stomach on the floor, extend your arms in front of you and lift your arms up. Be careful not to throw your head back. Keep your arms off the floor for two seconds, tighten your buttocks and then slowly lower your arms back down.

5. Dips for the Triceps
Sit on the edge of your seat. Place your hands next to your buttocks on the edge of the seat, fingers pointing forward. Extend your arms so that your buttocks are free from the chair, move your buttocks slightly forward (so that they are just in front of the buttocks). Lower your body toward the floor by bending the arms. Push yourself back up by straightening your arms.

6. Plank for a strong core
The plank is one of the most effective exercises for your core muscles (the natural corset of abs, back and hip muscles). By training your core muscles, you develop a nice, upright posture, making you look slimmer and more confident. Keep your body extended at elbows and feet for 50 seconds, forming a straight plank from head to toe. Come out of the position by lowering your knees to the floor. Take a break if you can’t keep it up.

Beginners: Do the entire workout once instead of twice. If you notice improvement after three or four workouts, go for the second round.

Advanced: can’t get enough of it? Then add a third round or try increasing the intensity of the workout by doing more reps in 50 seconds.