The nation’s favourite Pocket PT, Courtney Black, shares her easy at-home workout, designed to help you get shape up…
By Florence Reeves-White
Courtney Black is a force to be reckoned with, a woman with an army of warriors doing her workouts everyday. Her app, The Courtney Black Fitness App, offers real-time workouts with hybrid versions of HIIT, strength training, boxing and even a little bit of boogying.
If her huge social following, podcast, book and personal workout wear line weren’t enough to denote that Black really is the new black when it comes to trendy exercise routines, she’s now our latest cover star as well. The joy of her upbeat workouts shines a light on the darkest of days, with a chatty, relaxed demeanour that’s managed to put many at ease during such a tumultuous time.
So, exclusive to Women’s Fitness readers, Black has given us a few workout moves to try at home, giving you a taste of her testing methods. Follow them today for the first step on your journey back to Black.
How to do it: Perform each of the following exercises in order for 45 seconds, then take 15 seconds of rest between moves. Repeat the full workout three times.
Full body at-home workout from Courtney Black
Squat press
Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing.
Lower your legs to a 90 ̊angle by bending at the knees and pushing your bottom backwards.
Push through your heels to stand up and explosively press the weights overhead.
Lower the weights back to shoulder height in a controlled manner, then repeat the sequence.
Reverse lunge with lateral raise
Start with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing, back straight and your legs together.
Step back with your right leg, taking a large step so your front knee is bent to a 90 ̊ angle. Simultaneously raise your arms out to the sides.
Step your back leg in and repeat with your left leg, making sure both knees hit a 90 ̊ angle and your front knee doesn’t go over your big toe.
Renegade row
Start in a high plank position with your wrists under your shoulders, your body in a straight line and a dumbbell under each hand.
Gripping the dumbbell, pull your left hand up towards your chest, palm facing in towards your body. Push through your right hand as you perform this action.
When the dumbbell is at chest height, lower it to the floor and repeat on the right side.
Continue alternating. Try to keep your body parallel to the floor and as still as possible.
Lateral lunge to upright row
Stand with your feet together, a dumbbell in your left hand by your side while your right hand is on your hip.
Take a step to your right into a side lunge, bending your right knee and dropping your hips. Lower the dumbbell towards the ground.
As you raise out of the lunge position, row the dumbbell up toward your chest, leading with the elbow. Lower the weight to the starting position and repeat for 45 seconds, then swap sides.
Bent over row to fly
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bend your knees slightly. Hinge forward from your hips, maintaining a neutral spine.
Hold this position and draw both elbows back as far as you can, squeezing your shoulder blades at the top.
Lower the weights by straightening your arms.
With palms facing each other, squeeze your shoulder blades to lift your arms out to the side until the weights are at shoulder level. Lower and repeat the entire sequence.
