Let’s HIIT the Beach

Skipped the green juice and not put in your burpee groundwork lately? Need to feel toned and bronzed poolside, fast? Follow our express high intensity interval training workout before prepping your limbs with our carefully-curated product selection for a leaner, more body confident you

 

Move more

The 10 in 6 plan: 
Tone up in 10 minutes over 6 days

Live Gorge recommends following this plan for 2- 4 weeks before you jet off

• Combine with a high protein, low GI diet packed with a colourful mix of fresh fruit and vegetables 
• Drink 2 litres of water, daily
• Keep alcohol to a minimum 
• Work on each exercise at maximum capacity (you should be out of breath) for 30 seconds 
• Intersperse each exercise with ten seconds rest
• Repeat each exercise three times in total

Week 1

Target: Lower Body & Core

BURPEES

• Jump into the air with your arms fully extended. 
• Drop down into a half push up position with your legs bent, placing your arms on the mat/grass in front of you. Kick your legs out to full extension behind you, so you are in a plank position.
• Bring your feet back in to your original half push up position. 

PT’s Pro Tip: Try to make the move as fluid and fast as you can.  

RUNNERS

• Place your hands on the mat/grass in front of you. 
• Stretch your legs out to full extension behind you. 
• Alternating knees, bend each up to your chest (as if running on the spot). 

PT’s Pro Tip : Keep your back as flat as possible and drop your hips low. 

Target: Upper Body

TRICEP DIPS

• Place your hands behind you on the edge of a bench or a chair and extend your legs out with your toes pointing up. 
• Keeping your chest as upright as possible, lower your bottom to one inch from the floor and up again to bench/chair height. 

PT’s Pro Tip:  Keep your hips close to the bench or chair and upper body still. If you are new to these, try bending your legs at a 90 ° angle and lowering yourself down from this position.   

PRESS-UP SIDE PLANKS

• On a mat, place your hands shoulder width apart, stretch your legs out behind you and lower your upper body and chest to the floor. 
• Rotate your upper body and right arm to 45°, so your arm stretches out towards the sky or ceiling and look up at your outstretched arm. 
• Repeat the press-up before planking on the left side.  

PT’s Pro Tip: If you find the full press-up too challenging, start with a half press – up on your knees- with feet crossed and legs bent behind you. Concentrate on keeping a flat back and going as low to the ground as you can. (without touching). 

Target: Core  

100's

• Lie down on the mat/grass, with your legs bent at a 90° angle.
• Keeping it bent, slowly lift your right leg up so your knee is directly above your hip. Repeat with the left leg. 
• With both legs raised, engage your TVA (transverse abdominal muscle/core) and slowly lift your torso and shoulders off the ground. 
• Keeping your arms parallel to the ground, slowly move them up and down in a ‘flapping’ motion. 

PT’s Pro Tip: Concentrate on moving your arms with a slow, controlled motion and focus on your breathing. 

SUPERWOMANS

• On a mat/the grass go onto all fours with shoulders and wrists in direct alignment and back flat. 
• Slowly extend your right leg and left arm to full extension. 
• Repeat on the opposite side.

PT’s Pro Tip: Concentrate on keeping your abs tight and engaged as you do this. Focus on a fixed object in front of you to help with your balance. 

Week 2:

Target: Lower body

SQUAT JUMPS

• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and engage your core, pulling your abs and glutes in tight. Lower your hips and bottom down to a 90 °angle and into a squat position. 
• Jump up and extend your legs to a standing position, before squatting down again. As you squat down and land on the floor, clasp your hands together at chest level.  

PT’s Pro Tip: Squeeze your thighs and glutes as you come down and keep your upper body as straight and still as you can. 

ICE SKATERS

• Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart. 
• Leading with your right leg, jump out to the side bringing your left foot behind your right.
• Squat down, keeping your torso and upper body straight. Repeat on the left side. 

PT’s Pro Tip: Try to squat as low as you can and keep your upper body tall and straight as you do. 

Target: Upper body

BODYWEIGHT SHOULDER PRESSES

• Place your hands out on the grass/mat in front of you and keep your torso at a 45 ° angle. 
• Leading with your elbows, slowly lower your head to the floor, aiming to touch the mat or grass. 

PT’s Pro Tip: Keep your back as straight as possible and move your bodyweight through your shoulders. Try to isolate the movement here. 

CLOCK FACE PRESS-UPS  

• On a mat/the grass, place your hands shoulder width apart, stretch your legs out behind you and lower your upper body and chest to the floor. 
• Alternate the position of your arms by placing your right arm at 1 o’clock and press, 2, o’clock and press, then three o’clock and press. Repeat these three clock positions on the left arm. 

PT’s Pro Tip:  If you find the full press-up too challenging, start with a half press – up on your knees – with feet crossed and legs bent behind you. Concentrate on keeping a flat back and going as low to the ground as you can. (without touching). 

Target: Core & Lower Body

GLUTE BRIDGES

• Lie down with your back, neck and shoulders on the mat/grass, arms fully extended by your sides and your knees bent. 
• Engage your glutes and quads (squeezing them together), then raise your hips up to the sky/ceiling, pushing your palms into the ground as you lift. Hold for the count of five. 
• Lower your hips to the ground, keeping them an inch off the floor, before raising them up again as before.  

PT’s Pro Tip: Work your glutes even harder by imagining you are holding a beach ball in between your thighs as you raise your hips. Keep the tempo slow, to intensify the result. 

COMMAND PLANKS

• Lie face down on the mat/grass with your forearms and elbows touching the floor. Raise your hips and legs up, keeping your back as flat as possible and hips low to the ground. 
• Starting on the right side, bring your elbow up, so you are resting on your right hand, then back down to rest back on your elbow. Repeat on the left side. 

PT’s Pro Tip: Always keep your arms directly underneath your shoulders, with your line of vision directly aligned with your fingertips. (so arms remain straight and elbows don’t point outwards).  

Step 2: Boost & Buff

Mio Skincare The Mio Body Brush, £14.50
mioskincare.co.uk
Here at Live Gorge HQ we really rate dry body brushing. Do it for three minutes every morning before showering and you’ll start to see the difference in a week. Skin becomes silky smooth – really it’s addictive- and looks even and glowing. This one from Mio is our all-time favourite. It neatly fits into the palm of your hand and is made from a combination of natural boar bristles and rubber massage nodules, which work together to stimulate your circulation and break down fatty deposits and cellulite. Start from your feet upwards and always brush towards your heart using light strokes.  Concentrate on the backs of the thighs and your bottom. On the stomach sweep in a clockwise direction. 

Neom Real Luxury Body Scrub, £34, neomorganics.com
Not only does this sugar scrub smell heavenly, it leaves limbs baby soft and beautifully hydrated. The potent blend of 24 pure essential oils instantly de-stress body and mind. Lavender relaxes, Brazilian Rosewood balances and Jasmine uplifts. It’s a real feelgood hit for your senses.  

Step 3: Smooth, tone and bronze

Mio Skincare The Activist Active Body Oil, £29.50, mioskincare.co.uk
Marketed as a “superfood for dry, stressed skin”, this dry body oil is, in our opinion, one of the best on the market. Rich in antioxidants, omegas and vitamins, it seals in moisture and promotes supple skin, all over. Sweet almond oil heals, argan oil is rich in Omega 9 and 6 to improve skin elasticity and carrot seed oil is packed with antixodant Vitamins A C and E to rejuvenate skin texture. Smooth it onto damp skin post-shower to fade stretch marks, scars and promote a flawlessly even skin texture. We love the company’s “fit skin for life” tag-line, too. 

Clarins Renew- Plus Body Serum, £41, 
clarins.co.uk
In our experience, cellulite creams claim to do a lot, yet too often don’t deliver on their hefty price-tagged promises. This serum is a different story. It’s not specifically formulated to target cellulite, instead it works on skin texture. Pro-retinol (Vitamin A) and Water Lily extract promote cellular renewal and quench thirsty, dehydrated skin. Apply every night before bed and wake up with supple, more youthful looking limbs. (Trust, us you’ll be reaching for your new Hidden Jeans cut-offs in a matter of days). 

Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel, £20, 
clarins.co.uk
This is the fast-track to a honey-hued body. And the best news is, you barely have to wait five minutes before dressing. The gel texture is light and non-sticky and the colour stays streak-free. (win, win!) Smooth onto limbs after a thorough exfoliation. Customise your colour by how often you reapply it. For a richer, almond shade use it daily, or keep it more natural looking with top ups every two-three days. 

Decleor Tan Activator Serum, £45,
decleor.co.uk
One week before your holiday, introduce this to your body prep plan to help prepare your skin for sun exposure and achieve a really even golden glow.  Carrot and Buriti essential oils are rich in beta carotene which stimulate melanin production and promote a long-lasting tan, all over. When you hit the beach liberally apply a high factor at regular intervals and moisturise well post sundown for best results.  

Rae Feather Monogram Tassel Basket, £75
raefeather.com
The hottest natural baskets this summer come from Rae Feather, personalize with your initials and pick your own tassel colours for instant poolside kudos. Check out the pom pom and striped versions, too. 

Bikini by Melissa Odabash.