by Arthur Jones
Men’s Health’s contributing ed and creator of The Mantra, Arthur Jones, chatted to world-renowned personal trainer and fitness star, Kayla Itsines, about her approach to fitness. Here’s what she had to say…
Q: You’re well-known for your workout plans but we’re curious, which training plan helps keep you in shape?
A: “I follow my own Bikini Body Training Guide. My weekly training includes three resistance training sessions, as well as one HIIT (high intensity interval training) session and two LISS (low intensity steady state) sessions.”
Q: What training equipment would you recommend?
A: I’ve developed my training method around the fact that you don’t need access to a gym or a huge supply of expensive equipment in order to achieve results! It’s a combination of dedication, consistency and pushing yourself. A skipping rope, a bench/step and some dumbbells can be all you need.
Q: Is there a short bodyweight workout routine you’d recommend for WH readers?
A: “It’s so important to find a training regime that works for you personally. The same rule applies for men and women. It depends on what type of look you want to achieve. Choose a training method which aims for the results you want. My training method has a large focus on only needing to use your own body but still be able to do a high intensity workout. It’s designed to help women achieve a particular look – to be strong and lean.”
Q: What would you say is your favourite exercise?
A: “Box jumps are my personal favourite. They definitely are challenging but rewarding at the same time. It’s an exercise where you can really gage you’re own personal progress as you gradually build confidence and strength – and are able to jump higher.”
Q: As a trainer, what are the things that frustrate you most?
A: “Girls so often fluctuate between taking their health seriously, overdoing it and then not caring at all. This ‘yo-yo’ type of attitude is one of the common causes for fatigue, loss of strength and weight gain. Girls need to remember the most important word when it comes to living a healthy, fit and strong lifestyle is consistency. Be consistent and dedicate yourself to a healthy exercise regime and diet 100 percent if you want to see results. It unfortunately won’t happen overnight, but trust me when I say that by keeping up a consistent routine, your body will reward you accordingly.”
Q: Any training or diet secrets you’d be willing to share?
A: My secret… there is no secret. Training hard in conjunction with a wholesome and balanced diet will get you those results! There is no quick fix.
Q: What are the biggest obstacles stopping people from getting into shape and how do they overcome them?
A: “One of the biggest obstacles is time. So many of us are time-poor these days – no matter what our occupation is. Finding the time to work out is definitely the hardest thing for most people. After conducting extensive research whilst developing my Bikini Body Training Guide, I found that you don’t need to slave away at the gym for hours and hours to achieve results, which is why I based my training method on achieving maximum results, in as a little time as possible.”
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