Heading for the snow this winter? This cardio challenge will have you fit and ready in no time.
If you're hitting the slopes or going on an adventure holiday this winter you'll need to ramp up your fitness regimen. The best approach is to launch into a high-intensity routine of whole-body exercises. That way you'll hit the powder, climb that mountain or hike through the countryside with ease. Try these eight individual challenges and race against the clock to maximum intensity. Submit your times on bodyandsoul.com.au and then see how you stack up against other readers. Try just one or all of these challenges.
Most people will need to visit a gym for this. Make sure you warm up first. The machine will have a timer and a metre counter so you'll easily be able to assess your time. Men should aim to stay under 2 minutes per 500m. Women should try to stay close to 2 minutes 10 seconds per 500m. A total score of under 4 minutes is excellent.
Rowing tips: Peter Dreissigacker, founder of the Concept2 rower, divides rowing into three phases. "In the first, 'the catch', compress your legs so your shins are vertical and extend your arms. Lean your upper body slightly forward from the hips. 'The drive' starts with the quads, then the back, then the arms: all connect into one drive. In 'the recovery', push your hands away from your body, swing your back forward past your hips. Bend your knees to bring you back to the catch."
See how many reps you can do in 2 minutes. It's an endurance test for the shoulders, calves and heart. Repeat until you reach your best possible score. Scores over 300 reps are excellent.
When skipping, the rope generally passes once under your feet every skip. In a double under, the rope must pass under your feet twice. It takes practise, but with perseverance it can be mastered. The trick is to accelerate the rope so you don't need to jump too high. A slightly heavier rope will also make these easier. Unfortunately, they do sting a little more on the misses! Aim for 50 successful double unders. Doing them in under 30 seconds is almost perfect.
Yes, it's winter, and it's a particularly cold one, but most suburbs have an indoor heated pool. Dive in and do your best. Aim for relaxed, long strokes. A 400m swim in under 3 minutes 40 seconds will win you the world record and under 5 minutes 36 seconds would have made you the winner of the 1908 Olympics. But I'd imagine staying afloat and not stopping may be the chief objective for most. No floaties allowed!
Mark out a relatively flat 1km course near your home. Use a stopwatch or your phone to time yourself. You might need a few attempts until you learn to pace yourself. Stay light on your feet and keep relaxed in your hands and shoulders. If you manage to break four minutes in this you could be a running champion.
If, like me, speed is more your thing, a 500m course may be more to your liking. You can do half of the 1km course or mark out a different route. You'll be able to stride out a little more in this one, but have a thorough warm-up first to avoid injury. Score under one minute 45 seconds for this and you'll be really flying.
Yes, this is a little left of field, but exercise should be about new and interesting challenges. This challenge will test your agility. You need a hip-height hurdle or bar set. Begin standing upright, start your watch and get under the hurdle as quickly as you can. Once under, stand upright again, spin around and go straight back under. Once you've completed 30 full reps, stop the clock. You can make your own hurdle at home by putting a broom between two chairs.
Amy McKendrick, 34, is a mum, nutritionist and personal trainer from Sydney.