Buns of steel aren’t the only benefits of this workout - FitnessTV.club

FitnessTV.club

by Fitness Coach on Sep 2016

Buns of steel aren’t the only benefits of this workout from Insta-star Zanna van Dijk ( read more : Who is Zanna van Dijk ? ) . Expect to radiate confidence, too.

Looking at Zanna van Dijk’s Instagram feed, you’d think that she’s lived and breathed fitness her whole life. But what makes the health and fitness blogger, Instagrammer and all-round ‘influencer’ so relatable is that she really is just like the rest of us. ‘I actually hated exercise at school and would find any excuse to avoid PE,’ she reveals to WF in an exclusive interview. ‘I only started getting into it at university. I heard about the benefits of eating well and training and decided to give it a shot.’ And if you thought she took to it like a duck to water, think again. Like the rest of us, Zanna made mistakes along the way. Now? She’s a full-time fitness professional working as a personal trainer – not to mention one of the most popular health and fitness bloggers and Instagrammers out there, with 115,000 followers and counting. She puts her success down to passion, consistency and realness: ‘I have a no-nonsense approach to social media, fitness and life,’ she says. ‘There’s no smoke and mirrors and I’m very honest about my lifestyle.’

Zanna van Dijk

For anyone who’s kept their ear to the ground with fitness trends for a while now, it’s impossible not to have noticed the fast pace at which the industry has changed since the rise of social media. Trends come and go but it seems that bloggers and influencers are definitely having their time. Zanna is riding the wave better than any of them, proven by the launch of GirlGains – an online community she cofounded with fellow social media influencers Tally Rye and Victoria Spence. ‘It’s for women who are interested in bettering themselves in all areas of their lives, not just fitness,’ explains Zanna.

‘We educate, empower and inspire women to be healthy, happy and confident, to look after themselves and to love themselves.’ And judging by the turnout at their events, the number of followers they have on Instagram and the use of their hashtag #GirlGains, they’re doing just that. For someone as driven as Zanna, though, that’s still not enough. ‘We’d like to see #GirlGains spread across the world, to reach as many women as possible and to be able to have a positive impact on their self-worth, ambition and happiness.’

Having just launched an activewear collection in collaboration with Sports Philosophy as well as preparing to launch her book Strong (set to hit the shelves in December), it looks as if Zanna is right on track.

Inspired? Try Zanna’s workout, which focuses on combining weights to strengthen and tone your legs and butt with HIIT to make you sweat. Just what the doctor ordered.

SUPERSET 1: GOBLET SQUAT WITH PULSE Areas trained: GLUTES, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, CORE Technique ➤ Holding a weight at your chest, step your feet a little wider than hip-width apart and point your toes ever so slightly outwards. ➤ Sit back and down into a squat and do a small pulse at the bottom of the movement. ➤ Push up through your heels and squeeze your glutes. Repeat.

GOBLET SQUAT WITH PULSE

HOW TO DO IT Perform the allotted reps for both moves in Superset 1, back to back. Rest for 60 seconds then repeat for the next set. Do three sets in total. Once all sets are complete, do the same for Superset 2, then 3, and finally 4. Increase weights in accordance with experience level.

JUMP SQUAT Areas trained: GLUTES, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, CORE Technique ➤ Step your feet a little wider than hip-width apart and point your toes ever so slightly outwards. ➤ Squat down and, as you come back up, explode into the air and jump off the floor. ➤ Land gently back into a squat position and repeat.

JUMP SQUAT

This focuses on combining weights to strengthen and tone your legs and butt, with HIIT exercises to make you sweat

SUPERSET 2: KETTLEBELL SUMO DEADLIFT Areas trained: GLUTES, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, CORE, BACK Technique ➤ Holding a weight with arms extended towards the ground, step your feet much wider than hip-width apart with your toes pointing outwards. ➤ Bend at your hips and knees to lower the weight down towards the floor. ➤ Push up through your heels to stand up slowly and with control, and squeeze your glutes together at the top.

KETTLEBELL SUMO DEADLIFT

PLANK JACK DONKEY KICK Areas trained: GLUTES, HAMSTRINGS, CORE, SHOULDERS Technique ➤ Start in a plank position on your forearms, feet together. ➤ Jump both your legs out to the side, then back in. ➤ Jump to kick your feet back towards your glutes. ➤ Return to a plank position and repeat.

PLANK JACK DONKEY KICK

SUPERSET 3: BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT

Areas trained: GLUTES, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, CORE Technique ➤ Holding a dumbbell in each hand stand in front of a step or bench and place one foot on it. ➤ Bend your knees to lower yourself with your back leg elevated, sitting back and down as you do so. ➤ Engage your core and push up through your front heel with control to return to the starting position, then repeat.

BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT

I have a nononsense approach to social media, fitness and life, Zanna says. There’s no smoke and mirrors

JUMPING LUNGE Areas trained: GLUTES, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, CORE Technique ➤ From standing, jump up into the air and land in the bottom of a lunge position, with both knees at right angles and your back knee hovering just above the floor. ➤ Jump up to explode out of this and switch your legs in mid-air, landing in a lunge with the opposite leg in front. ➤ Repeat.

JUMPING LUNGE

SUPERSET 4: CRAB KICK Areas trained: CORE, ARMS, GLUTES Technique ➤ Sit on the floor with your hands behind you and legs bent in front of you, feet flat on the floor. ➤ Lift your bum off the floor, engage your core and then kick one leg into the air, as shown. ➤ Explode out of this kick and switch legs in mid-air. Alternate these jumping kicks.

We educate, empower and inspire women to be healthy, happy and confident, to look after themselves and to love themselves

CRAB KICK

WEIGHTED GLUTE BRIDGE Areas trained: GLUTES, HAMSTRINGS, CORE Technique ➤ Lie flat on the floor with feet close to your glutes, holding a weight on your hips. ➤ Lift your hips off the floor, pushing up through your heels. ➤ Slowly lower yourself back towards the floor. Repeat.

WEIGHTED GLUTE BRIDGE

We love Zanna’s activewear collaboration with Sports Philosophy. Not only does the gear look the part thanks to stylish prints and sleek panelling, but it’s perfect for girls who want to hit the gym hard. Comfort, support and durability? Check, check, check.

Bipliography 1. Website fitnesstv.club/ 2. Women’s Fitness UK - October 2016, Page 31