Home-Friendly Four-Exercise Routine Endorsed by Olympics Athletes to Enhance Strength Without Leaving Your Residence
Veteran Olympic gold medalist Sally Gunnell offers a four-move workout tailored for beginners and those returning from extended exercise breaks. Gunnell, who triumphed in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics' 400m hurdles, is the only woman in history to simultaneously hold Olympic, World, European, and Commonwealth titles.
This workout emphasizes compound moves, targeting multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Novice exercisers can use light dumbbells or lean on their bodyweight, as instructed by Gunnell. The workout is divided into two blocks, with three sets of shoulder press and squats before transitioning to dead bugs and bridges.
Running Through the Routine
Sally Gunnell's workout consists of four exercises, each with specific form tips:
- Standing Shoulder Press: Upon pressing the weights overhead, maintain a slight bend in the elbows to keep tension in the shoulders. Maintain a slight bend in the knees for stability.
- Goblet Squat: Hold the weight close to your chest throughout the exercise. Keep your chest up and back straight as you squat, ensuring a controlled movement as you rise back up.
- Dead Bug: Keep your lower back pressed into the mat to prevent any arching. Concentrate on controlled, deliberate movements while lowering and raising arms and legs. If your lower back starts arching, maintain your arms by your sides.
- Glute Bridge: Squeeze your buttocks and engage your core as you lift your hips, imagining someone is about to punch your tummy for proper core bracing. Avoid arching your back while lifting the hips.
Choosing the Right Weight
Gunnell recommends using light dumbbells, particularly in the 2-4 kg (4.4-8.8 lbs) range, for beginners. As you progress, gradually increase the weight before raising repetitions. Prioritize mastering technique over lifting heavy weights. If you lack access to dumbbells or are just starting, the workout can even be carried out using your bodyweight alone [1].
For beginners, remember to focus on technique and go for weights that are challenging by the last few repetitions of each set but don't compromise your form with too much weight [1]. As the workout becomes easier, consider increasing the weight before increasing the repetitions and then returning to fewer reps with heavier weights [1].
Source: [1] Enrichment data
In Sally Gunnell's fitness-and-exercise routine, beginner-friendly cardio moves are supplemented with science-backed health-and-wellness workouts, such as shoulder press and squats that focus on targeting multiple muscle groups at once [1]. As one progresses, the science of increasing weight and repetitions will aid in further improving overall fitness and wellness [1].
