Ready to strengthen, stretch and sweat? Take your workout to your garden, park or even the beach with this full-body HIIT circuit

Newsflash: you don’t need a lot of equipment to get a good workout! In fact, all you need is your bodyweight and some space. The beauty of this mini circuit is that you can do it anywhere – think, your garden, the local park or even a beach. From heart-pumping burpees to core-blasting crunches, this high-intensity bodyweight workout is a simple, effective way to challenge your whole body, all the while breathing in some good-old fresh air and taking in the natural surroundings. Raining? Not to worry. You can also do it in your living room, so now there’s no excuse to skip a workout!

How to do it

After a five-minute warm up (try walking around the block or doing a few rounds of star jumps and hip circles), perform this circuit five times through. Move from one move to the next as quickly as you can, then take 60 seconds rest between each circuit. Ready? Let’s go!

Burpees

NIKON D850 · f/13 · 1/200s · 58mm · ISO200
NIKON D850 · f/13 · 1/200s · 58mm · ISO200

Reps: 15

Not only is the burpee a compound move that works everything from your legs to your arms and core, it’s also incredibly efficient at burning calories and improving your overall co-ordination.

  • From standing, lower into a squat position with your hands placed either side of your feet.
  • Jump your feet backwards into the plank position. Ensure your shoulders are over your hands, your core is engaged and your body is in a straight line from shoulders to feet.
  • Next, jump your feet back towards your hands then jump up into the air, taking your arms overhead.
  • Land softly and squat back down, placing your hands either side of your feet again, then jump your feet back into the plank position. This is one rep. Keep going.

Air Squats

NIKON D850 · f/13 · 1/200s · 58mm · ISO200

Reps: 5

Air squats are an effective way to get your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes engaged – all at once.

  • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outwards and fingertips behind your ears.
  • Engage your core muscles and pull your shoulder blades together slightly to push your chest out.
  • Squat down as if you were about to sit on a chair, keeping your weight in your heels so you don’t lean forwards.
  • Hold for a few seconds, then rise up by pushing through your heels and using your glutes to return back to the standing position.

Raised Leg Crunch

NIKON D850 · f/13 · 1/200s · 70mm · ISO200

Reps: 20
A great spin on the usual crunch exercise, this move will not only stretch out your hamstrings but also work your upper and lower abs.

  • Lie on your back and raise your legs, so they are pointing towards the ceiling with knees straight and squeezed together. Extend your arms parallel to your legs.
  • Engage your abdominal muscles then lift your shoulders and upper back off the floor, raising your hands higher into the air. Think about lifting your chest to the sky instead of rounding your shoulders.
  • Hold the crunch for one second and slowly lower to the starting position, then repeat.

Press-Ups

NIKON D850 · f/13 · 1/200s · 70mm · ISO200

Reps: 10
Press-ups work the chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, core and back all at once.

  • Begin in a high plank position, with hands under shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Stay on your toes or drop to your knees (see left) if full press-ups feel too tricky.
  • Keep your abdominals and legs engaged as you slowly lower your chest towards the ground. Your elbows should bend and point behind you, rather than flaring out to the sides.
  • Exhale as you push back up to plank, then repeat.

Mountain climbers

NIKON D850 · f/13 · 1/200s · 70mm · ISO200

Reps: 30 seconds
This move will get your heart rate up while working your shoulder and chest muscles, as well as biceps, triceps, obliques, abs, quads and hamstrings.

  • Start in a high plank position, with arms and legs long, abdominals engaged and your body in a straight line. Squeeze your glutes and draw your shoulders away from your ears.
  • Pull your right knee into your chest. As the knee draws towards the chest, squeeze your abs even tighter to make sure your hips don’t sag.
  • Return your right foot, then quickly switch to pull the left knee towards chest (B). Continue to switch knees (right, left, right, left), always switching simultaneously in a ‘running’ motion.