If you want to improve your strength, agility and cardio and have limited time, try this 9-minute workout at home. It even includes breaks! But it’s tough. Expect to be sweaty, breathless and burn max calories in a short amount of time. Scroll all the way down for the video.
Challenge yourself – and your friends – to do it and tag us on social media!
The 9-Minute Workout
The workout consists of 9 moves which you need to complete in 9 minutes.
Each move only takes 45 seconds of your time. This means you have a 15-second break between each move to catch your breath and get ready (set up) for the next one.
The trick is, you must do as many reps as you can (with good form) in the 45 seconds. Think 120 mountain climbers in 45 seconds. Or more!
This 9-minute workout is a combination of strength, agility and cardio. It seems a lot to pack in, in such a short amount of time. But it’s possible…
Each move was designed by an international athlete across multiple disciplines. The moves formed part of the Nike #PlayInside #LivingRoomCup Challenge. Below you will find links to each of the athletes demonstrating the moves, as well as a video which we put together to create this 9-minute workout challenge. You can do the moves in any order, but you must complete them all in 9 minutes and track your reps.
The Moves
1. Core Crusher
This is a signature core-workout move from soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo. Lying down on a mat or carpeted surface, raise your legs up towards the ceiling so that they are perpendicular to the mat. Now reach your hands up towards your toes as you do a sit-up. Keep the legs up the whole time. How many can you do in 45 seconds? Cristiano did 142.
2. Full-Body Finisher
This is technically three moves pulled into one. It starts with a bent-leg raise, moves into a straight-leg shoulder stand and ends with a pancake. We recommend practising this one first so that you get a feel for the rhythm. Fore this one, really focus on your form. It’s important to protect the neck and shoulders in the shoulder stand. Keep the core engaged to help you. This move was designed by Beatrice – Bebe – Vio. She’s an Italian wheelchair fencer. When she was 11 years old, severe meningitis resulted in both legs being amputated from the knee, and both arms being amputated from the forearms. She is also a world champion twice over. You can watch her do the workout here. She did 20 reps in 45 seconds.
3. Side Steps
This move will help with agility! Leroy Sané is a footballer and set us the task of these Side Steps. What you need: another pair of shoes and some coordination skills! Set the shoes about 40cm to 50cm apart. Place one foot on the outside and one in the middle. Bring the outside foot in so it’s in the middle and then move the other foot to the opposite side. Repeat. He did 100 in 45 seconds. How many can you do?
4. Block Buster Mountain Climbers
To set up correctly for mountain climbers, make sure you’re in a high-plank position, with your hands directly beneath your shoulders. Now the aim for this move is to go as fast as you can, to do as many reps as possible. This move is from UK sprinter Dina Asher-Smith. She did 175 in 45 seconds. It sounds like a lot. It is. And it burns…
5. Plank Get-Ups
You may know this move as a climbing plank. You begin in a forearm plank and then lift up on one side, placing the hand directly beneath the shoulder, followed by the other hand directly beneath the shoulder, so that you’re in a high plank. Then, one arm at a time, come back down into your forearm plank. That’s one rep. Keep the core engaged and try not to sway the body around too much from left to right. Golfer Rory McIlroy did 22 reps in 45 seconds.
6. Cobra Push-Ups
Caster Semenya – our highly admired SA athlete – made these look easy. I can promise you they are not. I don’t actually know how she kept going! Why these are so hard: it’s like doing mini push-ups, only half way up from the ground each time (you never straighten the arms). And back down again. You keep your legs and hips off the mat. She did 126 in 45 seconds. Watch her do it here.
7. Boss Ab Blasters
For this move, Liverpool soccer player Virgin van Dijk used a soccer ball as a prop. Any ball will do, but if you don’t have one it’s fine – just do the reach without the ball. How to do the move: lay down on your back. Extend legs out in front of you. Holding the ball with both hands, reach your arms behind your head and touch the ball to the ground. Then sit up into a boat pose with bent knees and place the ball on your feet (or reach to touch your feet). Then extend your legs out in front (keep your feet lifted) and arms out behind you. Sit up again into the boat pose. Grab the ball. Return to start. Watch him do it here.
8. Lateral Burnouts
Grab a broom or a long stick. This move is designed by hockey player Alexander Ovechkin. This is great for leg strength and cardio. Watch him do it here (he did 91 in 45 seconds). Take a lateral step out and take the opposite hand to your toe. Then move to the other side. Each side counts as a rep. Note: try to keep your chest upright.
9. Baseline Blitz
Tennis player Simona Halep designed this move – and it’s a goodie! It helps with agility and strength. What you need: a pair of shoes (or two markers). Place one shoe down. Jump forward at least one metre. Place the other shoe down. These are your two markers. For the exercise, you will jump from the back shoe to the front shoe, then shuffle diagonally back to the other side of the back shoe. Jump forward again and repeat. Each time you jump forward that counts as a rep. She did 32. Watch her do it here!
Try this 9-minute workout and let us know how you did! For more information on the Living Room Cup, click here.
Watch this video below to see all the the moves put together for the 9-minute workout challenge.
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Shoes: The updated version of Amy’s shoes is the Nike React Infinity Run Flyknit. the shoes are designed for long-distance running with special features to help prevent injury.
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If you need some more inspiration to do this challenge, watch this video from Nadal:
