30 Minute workout

Abdominals
When it comes to having great abs, keeping in shape and maintaining a tight, toned midsection these are for you!!
The secret to flattering abs is good posture. Focus on these muscles while you perform the exercises. By contracting the abdominal muscles, pointing your tailbone towards the floor and keeping your shoulders back and your head and neck relaxed, you can look and feel taller and slimmer before you’ve even performed one sit-up. Ab exercises should target the rectus abdominus (the muscle extending the length of the front of the abdomen) and the internal and external obliques (the muscles extending along the sides of the abdomen at an angle).

1. Ab Crunches (for upper abdominals).
Lie on your back with hands crossed over your chest. Place your feet and hips on the floor, bend your knees towards your chest. To begin the exercise, lift torso slowly, lifting your shoulder blades and moving the ribs towards the your hips, crunching rib cage toward pelvis. Hold this position for two seconds, then lower to the starting position. Repeat.
2. Reverse Curl (for lower abdominals).
Begin in the same starting position used for the Ab crunches. Contract your abdominal muscles to lift your hips off the floor; bringing your knees towards your chest. Concentrate on using your abdominal muscles to lift your pelvis towards your lower rib cage. Again, hold this position for two seconds, before lowering your hips back to the floor. Repeat.
3. Diagonal Crunches (for oblique muscles).
The same starting position is used as as for the Ab crunches. Raise your shoulders off the floor, moving one shoulder (one side of chest) towards the opposite knee( left shoulder towards right knee). Hold this position for two seconds. Return your shoulder to the floor and repeat . Switch sides and repeat twelve to fifteen times. (Do not allow your elbow to touch your knee.)
For each exercise, aim for one to three sets of 12 - 15 repetitions, and rest for 30 seconds between sets.

Legs
To achieve well-shaped and toned legs, combine a regular cardiovascular workout with resistance exercises targeting specifically the upper and lower leg muscles, such as the thighs and calves. Lunges and squats are the ultimate lower body exercises, training every major muscle in the upper leg (which include the hamstrings and quadriceps) and calfs as well as the muscles in your behind(glutes) all at once.
1. Lunges (for quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors and calf muscles).
Stand with your feet together. Slowly lower your body into a lunge position by stepping forward with your right leg and lowering your left leg. Keep your front knee and back knee at a 90-degree angle, maintaining your weight in your heels, slowly push back up to your starting position. Never lock your knees at the top and never let your knee bend past your toes. Keep your upper body tight and upright.
2. Squats (for thighs, hips, glutes, calves, shins and lower back).
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart; slowly lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keep your weight in your heels, do not allow your knees to go over your toes but make sure your knees point in the direction of your toes. Push yourself up slowly until you reach your starting position. Keep your torso tight and upright throughout the exercise.
For each exercise, aim for one to three sets of 12 - 15 repetitions, and rest for one minute between sets.

Glutes
ButtBuns, backside, bum, derrierre... whatever you want to call it, everybody wants a firm and shapely one. This exercise targets the muscles that extend your hips - the hip flexors.

Straight Leg Reverse Lift
On your hands and knees, straighten your left leg, keeping right leg bent to support your weight along with your arms. Begin to lift your leg towards the ceiling, contracting your glutes/buttock muscles at the same time. Hold at the top for two seconds. Lower your leg and repeat. Switch sides.
For this exercise, aim for one to three sets of 12 - 15 repetitions, and rest for 30 seconds between sets.

Are you a Exercise Junkie?

Some people might find it hard to believe but pounding away on a gym treadmill and exercising can become addictive.

For some people, exercising can become very compulsive. Which can be as physically, psychologically and emotionally destructive as taking drugs. It hasn't yet become a common addiction but it is becoming steadily recognised as one. There is some cause for concern if people find that their exercise regime is disrupting their normal life. Perhaps they find themselves spending more time at the gym than with their own family. Often people who have an addiction will make excuses to their friends and family for their excessive exercising. Justify it by saying that they need to get fitter.

Exercise is a good thing. But that doesn't mean that lots of exercise is a very good thing. Suddenly increasing your physical activity or overdoing it, when you're already fit, can put your body under a huge stress and increase the risk of serious injury. A balanced exercise programme with time for rest and recuperation is vital.

WHAT CAUSES EXERCISE ADDICTION?

When we exercise, our brains release 'feel-good' hormones called endorphins, along with other chemicals - serotonin and adrenaline. These are responsible for stabilising mood and dealing with depression and anxiety. The levels of endorphins, serotonin and adrenaline, will stay elevated long after exercise as finished, giving you that "feel-good" feeling . The amount of these naturally occurring substances released by the body relates to the intensity of the exercise. The more intense the workout, the more that are released, giving you the greater feeling of euphoria. It is possible to become addicted to the effects of exercise, by constantly trying to get your body to release even more of these hormones.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE ADDICTED TO EXERCISE?

If you feel the need to exercise seven days a week and for longer than 90 minutes, you might consider yourself addicted. More noticeable are the effects. Feelings of guilt or laziness if the unthinkable happens and you can't get to the gym. You might find yourself scheduling your life around classes at the gym, ignoring aches and pains, or booking yourself into a hotel with a gym, so that you can keep on exercising whilst on holiday.

HOW CAN YOU KEEP A HEALTHY EXERCISE REGIME?

Exercise is a good thing. It's important not to lose sight of this. A healthy exercise regime should incorporate rest and recovery. You don't have to spend more than 90 minutes three or four times a week working out. A Personal Trainer can devise a safe and appropriate exercise programme for your fitness level and goals. Try and make better use of your time outside the gym - recovering between sessions is as important as the sessions themselves. Ensure you drink enough water, get plenty of sleep and eat the right kind of foods.

For more information on starting a personalised training programme, e-mail Bryanevansfitness@hotmail.co.uk

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO DEAL WITH AN EXERCISE ADDICTION?

If you are exercising frantically, it is likely that you are overtraining. Overtraining means that you are not allowing your body sufficient time to recuperate in between sessions.This can raise your blood pressure and heart rate, reduces your immune system, causing fatigue and lethargy. Overtraining essentially does more harm than good.

The best solution - reduce the amount of exercise you are doing. Try and abstain from exercising for a couple of weeks. This will help you to recover and re-focus. Then limit yourself to three 45 minute sessions a week for the next two/three weeks. After this period, you can return to your exercise regime as normal, monitoring the amount you are doing.

Remember it's not the end of the world if you happen to miss a session or class.

If you feel you cannot deal with your problem alone you may need help from a trained psychotherapist or counsellor. Chronic exercise addiction can be a severely debilitating condition meriting clinical intervention, and in sever cases hospitalisation.