Here’s how you can get fit in time for summer without having to pay for a bootcamp

You don’t even need a gym membership

5 years ago

We can’t all be those annoying people who jump out of bed in the morning and dash over to the gym, or run a quick 5K just because they love it. Some (many) of us have spent the last few months spread horizontal on the sofa watching Sex Education and sampling a Domino’s tasting menu.

Obviously, every body is a beach body, but if you’re feeling a little guilty about having dodged the lycra for so long, then we’ve got something that will help: we spoke to personal trainer Riccardo Lovo about how you can squeeze in a quick full-body workout, with minimal equipment, to make you feel a bit better about slinking into your swimwear.

Click on the white dots to shop the looks.

Get in shape for summer without having to set foot inside a gym – check out Decathlon’s newest range here

Warm up

Inchworm to Spiderman lunge:

Targets: Hips, core

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This stretch is great for opening the hips, which will help you have a better workout in general.

– From a standing position, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
– Walk your hands forward to the end of the mat into a plank position.
– Leaving your left foot behind, bring the right foot forwards to the outside of your right hand, opening up your hips as you do it.
– Then do the same on the other side, bringing your left foot forwards.

Repeat 4 x 10.

Tyla wears:

Domyos Women’s Seamless Yoga Pants – £12.99

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Domyos Seamless Long Dynamic Yoga Sports Bra – £12.99
Newfeel PW 100 Women’s Fitness Walking Shoes – £9.99

Equipment:

Quechua Hiking Flask 500, Fast opening top, 0.8 Litres – £4.99
Domyos 500 Comfort Pilates Floor Mat Size M, 15mm – £19.99
Domyos Kettlebell, 8kg – £14.99

Cat Cows:

Targets: Back, core

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Cat cows make sure that the back is well warmed up before beginning the workout in full, to help avoid injuries.

– On all-fours on your mat, place your hands shoulder-width apart, with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
– Lift your head, push your ribs down and raise your tailbone.
– Then round your shoulders and tuck your chin in, arching your ribcage as you do it.

Repeat 4 x 10.

Owain wears:

Domyos 100 Sportee 100% Cotton Regular-fit Gym Stretching T-Shirt – £1.99
Domyos FST 100 Cardio Fitness Shorts – £3.99
Domyos 500 Fitness Cardio Training Shoes – £19.99
Kalenji Kiprun Thick Socks – £3.99

Equipment:

Quechua Hiking Flask 500, Fast opening top, 0.8 Litres – £4.99
Domyos 500 Comfort Pilates Floor Mat Size M, 15mm – £19.99
Domyos Kettlebell, 8kg – £14.99

Get all the gear you need to get fit without dropping your whole student loan – check out Decathlon’s affordable fitness equipment here

Lower body workout

Dead Bug:

Targets: Core, legs

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These will help get you those Emily Ratajkowski abs. Try to maintain a very slow and controlled movement, so you can activate as many muscle fibres as possible.

– Lie on your back, with your knees in the air at a right angle, and your arms straight upwards.
– Simultaneously extend your right arm and left leg until they’re both parallel with the floor.
– Return to your starting position and repeat with your left arm and right leg.
– To make this exercise harder, add a dumbbell, and hold with your lowering arm.

Repeat 4 x 10.

Owain wears:

Equipment:

Quechua Hiking Flask 500, Fast opening top, 0.8 Litres – £4.99
Domyos 500 Comfort Pilates Floor Mat Size M, 15mm – £19.99
Domyos Kettlebell, 8kg – £14.99

Front squat to overhead press:

Targets: Quadriceps, glutes, triceps

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This exercise enables you to transfer kinetic energy from the squat into the overhead press, which works the front deltoid and the triceps, as you’re pushing the resistance from the band upwards.

– Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, loop the resistance band around both feet, behind your shoulders, and around in front of your neck.
– Push your hips back and lower your body into a squat, and straighten your knees again, keeping the band at neck level.
– Then, push your arms up and outwards so that they’re directly above your head, before returning your hands to in front of your neck.

Repeat 4 x 10.

Tyla wears:

Domyos Women’s Seamless Yoga Pants – £12.99
Domyos Seamless Long Dynamic Yoga Sports Bra – £12.99
Newfeel PW 100 Women’s Fitness Walking Shoes – £9.99

Equipment:

Domyos Kettlebell, 8kg – £14.99
Domyos Hex Dumbbell, 5kg – £10.99
Domyos 100 Pilates Resistance Elastic Band, Medium – £3.99
Quechua Hiking Flask 500, Fast opening top, 0.8 Litres – £4.99

Banded glute bridge:

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings

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This exercise focuses on your glutes and hamstrings, helping you get those buns of steel.

– Lie on the mat with your feet hip-width apart, knees bent upwards, and hands by your sides.
– Position a resistance band around the top of your knees, and raise your glutes up until your body is in a straight line, 45 degrees from knee to shoulder.
– As you raise your hips, try to squeeze your glutes in order to activate them and get more out of your workout.
– To make this exercise more challenging, hold a kettlebell on your hips.

Repeat 4 x 10.

Owain wears:

Equipment:

Domyos Kettlebell, 8kg – £14.99
Domyos Hex Dumbbell, 5kg – £10.99
Quechua Hiking Flask 500, Fast opening top, 0.8 Litres – £4.99
Domyos 500 Comfort Pilates Floor Mat Size M, 15mm – £19.99
Domyos Mini Band tri-pack – £3.99

Whether you’re looking to tone up or just have some fun working out with your mates, Decathlon has everything you need for a cheap, effective workout – check out what they have to offer here

Upper body workout

Push ups:

Targets: Arms, shoulders, chest, core, glutes

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A push up is a great full-body workout – if this version is too tricky, feel free to drop your knees to make the exercise easier.

– Facing downwards on your mat, place your hands underneath your shoulders with your legs together, straight out behind you with your toes tucked under.
– Push up on your hands until your arms are straight, and lower your body back down again, trying not to touch the mat as it will help you engage your core.

Repeat 4 x 10.

Tyla wears:

Domyos Women’s Dance Crop Top With Thin Crossed Straps – £4.99
Domyos 500 Women’s Cardio Fitness Leggings – £12.99
Newfeel PW 100 Women’s Fitness Walking Shoes – £9.99

Equipment:

Bent over rows:

Targets: Back, shoulders, biceps

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You can increase the difficulty of this exercise by crossing the resistance band in front of you and holding onto the right end with your left hand, and the left end with your right hand.

– Place a resistance band under your feet, shoulder width apart, holding onto the band in front of you.
– Lean forwards, slightly bending your knees and keeping your back straight and as parallel to the floor as possible.
– Making sure that the band is pulled taut, bring your arms to the outside of your torso in a rowing motion, squeezing your shoulder blades together and opening your chest as you do.
– Try to pull the band with your back rather than your biceps in order to work more areas of your top half.

Repeat 4 x 10.

Owain wears:

Equipment:

Stock up on summer workout gear without blowing your whole student loan – check out Decathlon’s exercise equipment and clothing here

Cardio workout

Jumping jacks:

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– Start standing with your hands by your sides.
– Simultaneously jump your feet outwards and raise your arms above head so that you end up in a star jump position.
– Jump again to bring your feet back to centre, and your arms arms back to your sides.

Repeat for 30 seconds.

Owain wears:

Equipment:
Domyos 500 Comfort Pilates Floor Mat Size M, 15mm – £19.99

Plank:

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– Lie downwards on your mat, while keeping your body straight and parallel to the floor.
– Raise your weight onto your elbows while tucking your toes underneath you and hold your position.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Tyla wears:

Domyos 520 Reversible Women’s Cardio Fitness Tank Top – £7.99
Domyos 500 Women’s Cardio Fitness Leggings – £12.99
Newfeel PW 100 Women’s Fitness Walking Shoes – £9.99

Equipment:

Loop banded lateral walk:

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– Place a resistance loop just above your knees.
– Stand with your legs apart and drop into a squat position (legs bent, glutes back, back straight).
– Walk sideways, keeping your knees parallel to each other.
– Repeat in the opposite direction.

Repeat taking ten steps each side.

Owain wears:

Equipment:

Domyos Kettlebell, 8kg – £14.99
Domyos Hex Dumbbell, 5kg – £10.99
Quechua Hiking Flask 500, Fast opening top, 0.8 Litres – £4.99
Domyos Mini Band tri-pack – £3.99

Sit ups:

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– Sit on your mat with your feet hip-width apart in front of you, and your arms crossed over your chest.
– Lie back onto your mat and sit up again, engaging your core to bring you up.
– If this exercise feels too easy, place a weight, such as a dumbbell or a kettlebell, against your chest, and raise it upwards with your arms as you sit up.

Repeat for 30 seconds.

Tyla wears:

Domyos 520 Reversible Women’s Cardio Fitness Tank Top – £7.99
Domyos 500 Women’s Cardio Fitness Leggings – £12.99
Newfeel PW 100 Women’s Fitness Walking Shoes – £9.99

Equipment:

Burpees:

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– Starting from standing, drop into a press-up position.
– Do a press-up, then raise yourself up until you’re standing again.
– Then, jump with your arms directly above your head, before dropping back into the press-up position again.

Repeat eight times.

Owain wears:

Equipment:

Personal Trainer: Riccardo Lovo (@riccardo.lovo)

Photographer: Aline Aronsky (@photosbyaline)

Models: Owain Davies and Tyla Paton

If you want to get in shape in time for summer, check out Decathlon’s newest range of sports clothes and equipment

You can have a fun and effective workout without spending all your summer holiday money

Shop Decathlon’s workout gear here

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