Alba is Ali's personal trainer! Quite possibly the friendliest girl on the planet. She is an expert in the small exercises that make a big difference. Alba doesn’t believe in ‘sweating it out’ in the gym, but everybody knows that moderate exercise is good for you, will help you lose weight more quickly and tone you up. Alba has some clever techniques and moves which, if you want to, you can do at home using ordinary everyday items and that fit around a busy lifestyle.
There is something that all of us do everyday which turned into a bit of an exercise session can help you get fit and lose weight. It is walking… when I was training to be a Personal Trainer, a walking module was actually part of my course and I’ll be honest - I used to think that unless you ran for at least an hour you would not really be getting a good workout but boy was I wrong!! I actually wore a heart rate monitor when we did a walking masterclass and I burnt double the amount of calories on that than in the workout I had done that morning. So it just goes to show walking is a fantastic way to burn calories and it’s cheap too!!
WALKING MASTERCLASS
There are 3 different levels of walking:
Level 1
This is like you would walk normally only a little faster and it’s always best to start here if you’re a beginner.
Keeps your abs pulled in
Walk with a heel toe action
Move your arms forwards and backwards not across your body
Level 2
This is a little faster than level 1
Increase the length of your stride in this style. Exaggerate your heel-toe action and drive your toes up when you put your foot forward. Drive your arms keeping them in front of you and parallel to the ground - don’t swing them up towards the sky.
Level 3
This is the power walk and requires a little more technique and practise.
It’s a bit like the speed walkers in the Olympics.
Your stride needs to be shorter – imagine you are walking along a tightrope, one foot in front of the other. Really drive your arms, which will help to drive your legs and walk faster.
In a walking workout you can work your way through the levels. Starting at level 1 and up to 3 and then doing a little bit of interval between 2 and 3 before cooling back down to 1. You could also do some lunges, squats and press ups at the end.
Remember to keep safe when you’re out and about walking!!