EXPERT TUMMY TRIMMERS … FITNESS TRAINING TESTED
Tough workout for toning that tummy
The strategy: Back to Basics week in the Brecon Beacons from £950. Signature week at Kingston Manor House, near Dartmoor, from £1,225. Fitness Days in Richmond Park from £75.
Where to find it: The New You Boot Camp (0871 223 0066; http://newyoubootcamp.com
The low-down: the military-style discipline of boot camps isn’t for sissies – but it’s not just for 20-somethings either. Most of our clients are in their 50s and we’ve even had an 83-year-old,’ says Sunny. Women don’t focus on their abdominals as much as men do. They can have amazing legs but podge around the waist,’ she adds. So it’s up at 6am daily for 10 hours of PT sessions, circuit training and intensive workouts to build core strength. No core, no stamina,’ pronounces Sunny. Long walks and extreme sports such as abseiling build fitness, while nutritional advice – three time-planned meals a day, no wheat, no dairy – forms the foundation for maintaining a trimmer profile.
[quote]Is it worth it? By the end of the week clients have an amazing zest for life. They lose an average of 8-10lb and 2-4in off their middle – that’s two dress sizes,’ Sunny claims. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.’
Try this… The plank. Says Sunny:
Our trainers rank this exercise as one of their top moves because it strengthens all the core muscles – stomach, back and hips.’
Here’s how to do it:
1 Lie face down, with your weight resting on your forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2 Push up off the floor, raising on to your toes and resting on your forearms.
3 Keep your back flat and legs straight, in a line from head to heels.
4 Tilt your pelvis and contract abdominals to stop your bum from sticking up.
5 Keep your back flat and your hips from sagging towards the ground.
6 Hold this posture for 20-60 seconds, lower and repeat three to five times.*
