toughened up versions of simple moves. If you are doing your first home-exercise routine, then the basic moves are more than adequate.1. The Anti-crunchLie on your back, with a rolled-up towel under your lower back. Bend your knees and squeeze two books

20 minutes, do 20- or 30-second bursts of high-intensity effort (alternating with 30 seconds of recovery); then cool down for five minutes. Follow that with two sets (10-15 repetitions each) of these three plyometric (explosive jumping) moves, which

(a very gentle inward curve in the lower back). Relax your lower abdominals, then gently flatten (without bracing) below the belly button towards your back. Try to keep the ‘six-pack’ muscles, your breathing and your diaphragm relaxed. This should

at each level for one minute). Total time on the treadmill: 15 minutes. Straight after, get down on the floor for 20 crunches, 20 back extensions and 20 press-ups. Or find three or four strength machines that work the upper body (chest press, biceps curl

, stomach pulled in, and extend your arm and leg. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, then change sides. Do two sets with a 10- to 20-second rest between.Run the first running segment, then finish with five minutes of easy running.LOWER-BODY BLAST (45 mins)Find a

to 5-10 minutes of work at or above your threshold. You can then top up the amount in subsequent weeks, being careful to work at a much lower intensity on the days which follow, to help you recover. Use submaximal assessment to monitor your

to carrying a backpack with water, gear etc. Recently I developed some lower back pain due to posture; as an asthmatic, I tend to hunch slightly. I've actually found that the pack helps relieve the pain, partly because it makes me brace my shoulders and partly

directions.Plan B Spend 40 minutes on the bike, stairclimber or elliptical trainer (five-minute warm-up, 30 minutes at a steady 70- to 80-percent effort, and five-minute cool-down). Then, for the next 20 minutes, perform one or two sets (12-15 repetitions

Photo by: Bakke-Svensson/Ironman An Ironman triathlon is an emotional experience. The physical and mental challenge presented by the event (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run) slowly removes the layers

to bulk up and add weight from ‘too much’ muscle that way. If you’re interested in running fast times, you don’t want to be carrying muscle that isn’t going to help you run faster.There’s also the danger that developing the ‘wrong’ lower-body muscles might