ALTERNATIVE EXERCISES

Below are a list of exercises that you can use as an alternative to the ones on your programme. The exercises become progressively harder as you scroll down.

 

AEROBIC

BUTT-KICKERS

Spring from foot to foot on the spot. Bring the foot up to the bottom every time. Use the arms in a running action. Keep the tempo fast.


ICE SKATERS

Spring laterally from foot to foot, traveling as far as possible. As you land, take the free leg behind you and touch your knee with the opposite hand. The movement should be continuous and fast pace.


BOX JUMPS — Box

Stand with your feet either side of a box or bench. Bend your knees and jump with both feet landing on top of the box, jump off. Keep the movement continuous and fluid.


BURPEE — Box 

Stand facing a box with your feet hip width apart. Reach overhead then place your hands on the box and jump your legs back into a plank position with your body extended. Jump your feet back towards the box and begin again. Keep the movement as fluid as possible.


BURPEE — Box

Stand facing a box with your feet hip width apart. Jump as high as possible then place your hands on the box and jump your legs back into a plank position with your body extended. Jump your feet back towards the box and begin again. Keep the movement as fluid as possible.


PUNCHING DRILL — Dumbbells

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold dumbbells at chest height with the arms bent. Alternately punch forwards as fast as possible. Keep the core engaged throughout.


SQUAT JUMP

Begin standing with your feet together, jump and land in a wide squat with the feet and knees turned out slightly. Jump back together, keep the movement continuous.


SPRINTS

Spring from foot to foot on the spot. Bring the knee up as high as possible. Use the arms in a running action. Keep the tempo fast.


ANKLE TOUCHES

Begin in a plank position on your hands. Lift your hips, keep your legs straight and reach a hand backwards to touch the opposite ankle. Return to the plank position and repeat to the other side.


SQUAT THRUST

Place your weight onto your hands and toes. Extend the body in a straight line with the shoulders placed over the wrists. Alternately draw a knee towards your chest, springing from 1 foot to the other. Keep the movement continuous and core engaged.


SKIPPING – Rope

.Stand up straight. Engage your core. Bend your arms at a 45 degrees angle, with elbows close to your sides and hands pointed outward. Keep your arms relaxed and a loose grip on the handles. Turn the rope with your wrists, not the entire arm. Bend your knees slightly and jump on the balls of your feet. Your heels should never touch the ground. Keep the jumps small, an inch off the ground is enough to clear the rope.


SKIPPING — Rope

Stand up straight. Engage your core. Bend your arms at a 45 degrees angle, with elbows close to your sides and hands pointed outward. Keep your arms relaxed and a loose grip on the handles. Turn the rope with your wrists, not the entire arm. Stand on 1 leg and hop over the rope with your weight on the ball of your foot. Your heel should never touch the ground.


CATERPILLARS

Stand with your feet hip width apart. Bend the knees, reach to the floor and walk your hands forwards as far as possible maintaining core control. Walk the hands back to your feet and stand upright.


BREAKDANCE

Begin on all 4s with the knees raised just off the floor. Take your weight onto 1 hand and the opposite foot and simultaneously twist the body and pass the free leg under the body. Straighten the leg then return to centre and repeat side to side. Keep the movement continuous.


BURPEE

Stand with your feet hip width apart. Jump as high as possible and simultaneously turn 180 degrees. As you land, place your hands on the floor and jump your legs back into a plank position with your body extended. Jump your feet back towards your hands and begin again. Keep the movement as fluid as possible.


SQUAT — Box

Stand with your feet hip width apart, squat and jump onto the box landing in a squat position. Step backwards off the box and begin again. Keep the movement fluid and aim to maintain neutral spine throughout.


BURPEE

Stand with your feet hip width apart and jump as high as possible. As you land, place your hands on the floor and jump your legs back into a plank position with your body extended. Jump your feet back towards your hands and begin again. Keep the movement as fluid as possible.


LUNGE – TRX

Stand facing the TRX. Hold both handles with the arms straight and lean back slightly. Raise one leg behind you and bend your supporting leg to a backward lunge position, but do not let the back foot touch the ground. Alternate sides as you push through the supporting leg and laterally spring/hop to the other leg.


LUNGE JUMP – Weight

Stand with 1 foot forward in a lunge position and hold a plate in both hand. As you lower into the lunge rotate the weight across the front leg. Push through both feet and jump into a lunge on the other side and simultaneously rotate the weight to the opposite side.


PLANK

Place your weight onto your hands and toes and extend the body into a hand plank position. Engage the core, rotate the body and take 1 hand to the ceiling. Alternate side keeping the temp fast.


PLANK

Place your weight onto your hands and toes, draw your navel to spine and create a straight line through the body. Make sure your hands are underneath your shoulders and maintain neutral spine. Jump the legs apart and together.


FROG JUMPS

Squat in a frog position, feet and knees turned out and your hands on the floor between your legs. Reach forward with your arms and take your weight onto your hand. Jump the legs forward and reach your arms up to shoulder height. Reverse the movement jumping backwards.


BURPEE

Stand with your feet hip width apart and jump as high as possible. As you land, place your hands on the floor and jump your legs back into a plank position with your body extended. Perform a press-up. Jump your feet back towards your hands and begin again. Keep the movement as fluid as possible.


ANKLE TOUCHES

Begin in a plank position on your hands, shoulder width apart. Lift your hips, keep your legs straight and reach a hand backwards to touch the opposite ankle. Return to the plank position perform a press-up and repeat to the other side.


TUCK JUMPS

Begin standing with your feet hip width apart, bend the knees and jump as high as possible bringing your knees up to your chest. Land then prepare again.


POWER SKIP

Hop as high as possible bringing your arms forward to help the movement, land and take the raised leg behind you into a long lunge position and place your hands to the floor either side of your front foot. Keep the movement continuous and high energy.


SQUAT THRUST

Begin with your feet hip width apart, hands placed on the floor in front of you, knees bent and weight pressed back over feet. Take the weight forwards over your hands and simultaneously jump the legs as close to your hands as possible. Jump back. Keep the movement continuous.


ROLLING JUMP

Stand with your feet hip width apart and jump as high as possible, as you land, bend your knees and take your weight onto your bottom. Roll backwards with the knees bent, as you uncurl use the momentum and push with the hands to stand up.


SQUAT THRUST

Place your weight onto your hands and toes. Raise 1 foot and extend the body in a straight line, with the shoulders placed over the wrists. Hop the supporting leg forwards (towards the chest) and backwards. Keep the movement continuous and core engaged.


DONKEY KICKS

Begin crouched down then rock the body forward, push through your feet and take your weight onto your hands into a half handstand. Kick out with your feet, extend the legs then return to the starting position.


PRESS-UP

Begin standing, reach to the floor and walk your hands forward to a plank position with your hands beneath your shoulders. Perform a tricep press-up and keep your elbows to your side. Jump your feet either side of your hands with your knees bent. Walk straight out onto your hands to repeat.


STARFISH PRESS-UP

Begin in a press-up position with hands and feet close together and arms extended. Jump the hands and feet wide and lower until your chest is just off the floor. Push away forcefully and use the momentum to jump the hands and feet back together.


TRICEP PUSHBACK

Begin with your hands placed shoulder width apart and your weight pushed back over your feet with the knees bend. Move your weight forwards over the hands maintaining slight knee flexion, perform a tricep press-up and push back onto your feet with the arms extended.


BURPEE

Stand with your feet hip width apart. Jump as high as possible and tuck your knees to your chest. As you land, place your hands on the floor and jump your legs back into a plank position with your body extended. Jump your feet back towards your hands and begin again. Keep the movement as fluid as possible.