Away from the gym and looking for a kit-free way to train the abs? Try leg raises

Leg raises are a great way to target the stomach, strengthening lower abdominals and hip reflexors, plus it doesn't require any gym kit. Add these moves to one of your home workouts for a simple, effective way to tone your tummy. Try 10 reps to start with, and progress to more once you've perfected your form.

Try out these different variations of leg raises to challenge yourself, make sure you're also hitting your fat-burning workouts hard, as you need to torch that fat to reveal your new toned tum!

Lying down leg raises:

-Lie on your back with your hands on the floor or under your bottom.

-Keeping a slight bend in the knees and feet together, start with both feet up towards the ceiling.

-Without allowing your lower back to overarch, slowly lower your legs towards the floor without bending the knees any more than they already are.

-When legs are almost on the floor, squeeze the abs and lift them back up to the start and repeat.

Hot tip: if these aren't challenging enough for you, why not add some ankle weights?

Leg raises with a ball 

Add a bit of weight to make your leg raises more challenging

-Start similar to the lying down leg raises 

-With your feet on the floor, place an exercise or medicine ball between your feet, griping it firmly 

-Begin to raise your legs up, then slowly lowering your legs down, the weight will cause you to use more control 

-The weight will cause this exercise to me more challenging than the regular leg raises but effective works the abdominals.

Hanging leg raises 

You can perform this exercise at the gym, in the park or at home if you have a door pull up bar

-Hanging from a bar with your arms- grip firmly wide or medium 

-Begin to raise your knees/legs so that your body makes a 90 degrees angle 

- Lower your legs down and repeat the exercise

This exercise can be difficult, some gyms provide a padded bench that can support your back and padded arm rests for your elbows.

Side leg raises 

This exercise can be performed lying or standing

For standing

- Standing on one leg, raise the opposite leg to the side as far as you can

- Bring it back to the standing position and repeat this exercise for both legs 

For lying 

-Lie down on one side- with legs extended and stacked on top of one another

-Raise the top leg up as high as you can, lowering it back down to the first poistion. 

Want to bolster your muscles and get better at everything you do in the gym? Perfect one of the three big lifts: the deadlift

Never tried a deadlift before? You're missing out. 'You need to be doing this move,' says Richard Tidmarsh, lead trainer at London's Reach Fitness. Here at WF, we've long been huge advocates of lifting weights, but it's nice to see such a huge phenomenon take off thanks to its benefits for strength, fat loss and wellbeing.

But let's get one thing straight: you can only reap these amazing benefits if you're doing it properly. 'Awful form, wasting time on isolate movements and using weights that are too light or too heavy are all common mistakes,' says Richard.

So let's take a step back and look at the humble deadlift. 'It works pretty much every major muscle group in your body hitting your back, glutes, legs and core. So, if you get it right, it'll improve your posture and strength – and, with time and the right training plan, will be a huge weapon in your armoury to add lean tissue to your body.'

Deadlift

Technique

-Set up behind the bar with it touching your shins. Hinge at the hips and knees taking a grip a little wider than shoulder-width apart. With your weight in your heels and spine long and straight, prepare to lift with your chin in a neutral position.

-Now with a deep breath in that you will hold tight during this phase, simultaneously push down through the floor with your heels and drive up with your hips and legs to lift the bar. Maintain a straight spine with your shoulder blades pulled together throughout with your core and back engaged.

-Finish the lift by locking out to full hip extension and standing up straight with the bar tight against you, your back and glutes engaged. You then return the bar in reverse order to the floor, maintaining the positive spine position to execute the lift.

Safety tip

Start with a weight you are comfortable with to get your form perfect. If you have poor spine and hip mobility, you will not be able to get into a good lifting position. So work on these areas of movement before even considering doing this lift.

Meet our expert

Richard Tidmarsh is the owner and lead trainer of Reach Fitness London and trains international athletes such as UFC fighter Jimi Manuwa, as well as celebs such as Jessie Ware and Millie Mackintosh.

Check out Reach at r4reach.com or follow Richard's Twitter and Instagram for news on his forthcoming training events and seminars.

Want to work out like your favourite athlete? Strength training is your answer!

Your goal doesn’t have to be to make it to the Olympics in order to get the most from your workouts.

Whether you’re training for a race or simply looking to stay active, why shouldn’t you at least be able to train like your favourite athletes? Fitness expert and coach Nick Grantham – who has worked with many top athletes and Olympians – thinks we should all be able to train to our full potential regardless of our individual goals. 

His new book The Strength & Conditioning Bible: How to Train Like an Athlete is designed to give you everything you need to make it happen. ‘Anyone who wants to improve their fitness levels and is willing to invest some time and effort can optimise their training and performance,’ he says. ‘And that’s pretty much anyone!’

Gone are the days when you needed the most expensive training tools and elite trainers by your side to train smart. From guide books to online personal trainers, there are increasingly easy and effective ways to get training – but with Nick’s experience working in high-performance fitness and sport science, you can really count on The Strength & Conditioning Bible to not only explain what to do and how to do it, but also why you’re doing it.
‘As a coach I know the power of understanding,’ Nick says. ‘If you understand why you’re performing an activity, you’re far more likely to stick to the training programme.’

As well as giving you the chance to take exercises up or down a notch, it also preps you to continue your training confidently on your own. ‘It offers sample sessions, and appropriate progressions and regressions,’ he adds. ‘It also provides the reader with an understanding that will allow them to develop their own effective programmes.’

The workout over these pages, devised by Nick, will allow you to train your body from head to toe in a fuss-free, effective way. In Nick’s own words, no matter what your level or experience, ‘anyone can train like an athlete’.

Squat

Areas trained: glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves

Technique

Holding the barbell resting on your shoulder muscles, 

stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 

Bend at your knees and hips to lower your body until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the floor.

Reverse the position, extending your hips and knees to return to the start position.

Perform 8-10 reps of each move one after the other in a circuit, resting between sets if you need to. Once a circuit is complete, return to the start and repeat. Keep going until you’ve reached the time recommended for your level

Press-up

Areas trained: chest, triceps, core

Technique

Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Tighten up through your core, ensuring your back is flat.

Bend your arms to lower your body until your chest is about 1cm from the floor.

Drive back up to the starting position where your arms are extended.

Romanian deadlift

Areas trained: hamstrings, lower back, glutes

Technique

Hold the bar with an overhand grip approximately shoulder-width (your thumbs should brush the outside of your thighs).

Place your feet approximately hip-width apart, with knees soft and your feet straight ahead.

Maintaining a flat back position, bend forward at the hips, lowering the bar towards the floor.

Reverse the position, extend your hips and return to the start position.

Alekna

Areas trained: core, stomach

Technique

Lie on your back with your hips and knees bent at a 90-degree angle with arms fully extended towards the ceiling.

Simultaneously lower your arms behind your head and your legs out fully until they are both close to the ground, without touching it.

Return to the start position and repeat.

Get-up

Areas trained: shoulders, core, glutes, sides

Technique

Lie on your back and hold a kettlebell in your right hand, straight above your shoulder, arm vertical. Position your left arm out to the side and bend your right leg so that your right foot is alongside your left knee.

Pushing off your right foot, roll onto your left hip and up onto your left elbow.

Push up onto your left hand and holding yourself up on your left hand and right foot, lift yourself up off the ground, then thread your left leg back to a kneeling position.

You will be in a kneeling position with your left knee on the floor, right foot on the floor and the kettlebell locked out overhead in your right hand.

From the kneeling position, move into a standing position.

Reverse the movements to come back down to the starting position on the floor.

Perform on the opposite side for the next rep.

Hip thrust

Areas trained: glutes, hamstrings, core

Technique

Set up in the position shown – your shoulder blades in line with the bench and holding a barbell to your hips. 

Place your feet close to your bottom, so that at the top of the hip thrust, your calves are at 90 degrees to the floor.

Drive through your heels and focus on using your glutes to push your hips straight up. Finish with your hips as high as possible while maintaining a neutral spine.

Lower; repeat.

2-point dumbbell bent-over row

Areas trained: upper back, biceps

Technique

Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, start with your feet hip-width apart in an offset stance with your right foot slightly staggered behind the left.

Take up the same position as you would for a bent-over row (your knees slightly bent and your torso bent forwards at your hips at a 45-degree angle).

Row the dumbbell up to your ribcage and then return to the starting position.

Repeat all reps in the set and then switch sides.

Kettlebell swing

Areas trained: glutes, hamstrings, back, core

Technique

Hold a kettlebell with both hands and bend your knees so you are in an athletic position.

Bring the kettlebell through your legs, so your forearms are in contact with your inner thighs.

Swing the weight upward and out to eye level, using the extension of your hips to move
the load.

Return to the start position and go straight into another rep.

Buy the book

Packed with plenty more workouts just like this one, The Strength & Conditioning Bible: How to Train Like an Athlete by Nick Grantham is published by Bloomsbury (£18, bloomsbury.com). Get your copy now!

Want to fine-tune your control and balance? Get down to it with this single-leg move

The original squat should always be a move that features in your workouts, but sometimes shaking things up a little can help you achieve new goals, break through plateaus and add extra challenges.

For those who find regular squat technique tough, this is the ultimate squat challenge and handy way to work those same muscle groups. ‘Single-leg movements are
known to help you make big strength gains and will also improve your balance and posture as you target the quads and glutes,’ explains lead trainer at Reach Fitness, Richard Tidmarsh.

Finding your balance and controlling the movement might take a little practice, but like they say, practice makes perfect. ‘Control tends to improve quickly, and you can then progress from using just your bodyweight to holding dumbbells, all the way through to using a barbell inside a rack to keep things moving forward,’ adds Richard. When it comes to lifting weights and working your lower body, inching your way to constant improvements is key to gaining strength and mastering the move.

Split squat

Areas trained: bottom, quads 

Technique

Stand facing away from a box that’s 15-30cm from the floor. Too high, and your back will arch. Place the ball of your right foot onto the box behind you and your left foot into a lunge position, a good distance away from the box.

Keeping your body in a strong upright position, bend your left knee, keeping your heel flat on
the floor, until your back knee gently touches the floor.

Push back up to the start and repeat.

Beginners should start with eight reps on each side for three to four sets, to get used to the movement pattern. Once you’ve mastered this, hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides, increasing the weights as you get stronger. Advanced lifters can work inside a rack and backload a barbell.

From blitzing fat to boosting defences, it ticks all the boxes

As much as we love hardcore gym sessions, the change of seasons provides the chance to challenge ourselves with a whole array of performance goals. There’s nothing like a workout revamp to help rev up fitness levels, and this spring we’re all about stepping up the intensity of our regular workout with an outdoor running routine. 

Getting out on the road to brush up on your running technique offers a completely different experience to pounding the treadmill at the gym – and we guarantee you’ll soon be bitten by the running bug. Read our guide to find out what could be in it for you. 

1 Feel refreshed

A change of scenery and a varied workout – what’s not to get excited about? There are plenty of things to look forward to when you take your runs from the treadmill to the great outdoors, whether you’re running down winding country lanes or sprinting around the city streets.’ Due to the rhythmic nature of the activity, it’s easy to zone out, switch off from the outside world and let your mind wander. It could even turn out to be your most creative time of the day,’ says Energie Fitness Clubs and Ragdale Hall fitness consultant Dean Hodgkin. Now the mornings are becoming lighter, heading out for a run first thing offers the perfect start to your day. 

2 Better your body

There’s no denying that taking your workout to the pavements is more taxing on your body, but thankfully the payoffs are plentiful. Without the natural momentum of the treadmill your muscles have to work harder, and so you naturally will reap some awesome rewards, like a more toned lower body and a slimmer middle. ‘Running is a great way to achieve below-the-belt toning – creating thighs and buttocks you can bounce coins off,’ adds Dean. 

3 Boost levels of vitamin d

What’s running got to do with immunity? Well, quite a lot actually. Because the body can’t manufacture vitamin D (a nutrient that’s essential for fending off illness) on its own, we require exposure to sunshine to keep levels continuously topped up. If you feel like you’re constantly battling the sniffles you may be low in vitamin D, and thankfully, picking up the pace outside can help to restore levels and reduce your risk of getting sick. If you’re worried you may have a deficiency, consult your GP and ask to have your levels checked. 

4 Burn more calories

Running is an effective and efficient way of burning calories, and as you’re working your body harder when pounding the pavements you’ll experience a higher calorie burn. ‘Even just a comfortable pace of around 6mph will burn around 300 calories in just 30 minutes, so it’s incredibly effective in all kinds of weight-loss programmes,’ says Dean. Not bad!

5 Challenge yourself 

Whether you’re new to the running scene or already a running pro, setting yourself a challenge is a fantastic way to make sure you’re constantly making progress. ‘Most weight-loss and fitness programmes fall on stony ground because clearly defined goals were not put in place. Setting yourself a long-term target of running a half or even full marathon can be the ideal stimulus to keep you on track – and don’t forget how awesome you’ll feel when you cross the finish line,’ says Dean. 

6 Improve joint health 

The transition from the treadmill to the outdoors can be harsh on your joints, but if you take your running workout to softer surfaces like grass or a running track, you can help to safeguard your body while making your legs stronger and keeping your bones healthy. 

‘Osteoporosis is a very real health risk for women and a key preventative measure is to increase bone density by doing more bone-loading exercises – running being one of the most beneficial,’ explains Dean. Just don’t forget to warm up your muscles and cool down following your sessions.

7 De-stress the natural way

Need to take a break from everyday life? When you’re feeling wound up and in desperate need of a breather, simply pick a picturesque trail, grab your heart rate monitor and let your mind shift focus
as you get into your stride. ‘There are great mood-lifting, stress-busting gains to be made from exercising outdoors, as your senses will be far more stimulated compared with a gym environment,’ says Dean. 

8 Slash your risk of disease

Running not only helps to improve your physical appearance and make you feel more energised, it could also lower your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes type 2 by reducing levels of blood glucose after eating. Win, win! 

Sushi implies vinegared rice - it is not a reference to the crude fish. Whoever considered joining it with crude fish, cured ginger and wasabi in the majority of its great differed structures is a virtuoso.

Hardware: You will require a sushi-production moving mat.

Prep. time 30Serves 8

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Fixings

255g sushi rice

55ml oz mirin

340g sashimi quality fish

5 sheets nori sushi sheets

5 spring onions

3 tsp wasabi glue

Readiness technique

Flush the rice extremely well under frosty water. Deplete altogether and put into an expansive pan that has a top. Pour more than 1 half quart of water. Convey to the bubble and permit to stew for around 25 minutes or until almost all the water has been retained. Expel from the warmth, cover with a top and permit to remain for 10 minutes.

At that point tip the rice onto an expansive level clean plate. A metallic is most likely best as it will help the rice chill off speedier. Dress the rice with the mirin, turning as often as possible as this helps the rice to cool. At that point fan with a fan or a magazine until the rice is room temperature (not fundamental but rather very credible).

To make the sushi take a Japanese bamboo sushi tangle and place a sheet of ocean growth on top. Have a little bowl of water to hand. Dunk your fingers in the water before you touch the rice. Spread the rice more than 75% of the ocean growth, take a little rice at once and push it to the edges leaving a layer about ½ cm thick. Leave the quarter the uttermost far from you plain.

Next spread a little wasabi in a line somewhat unbalanced closest to your body. Take after with a layer of fish, a spring onion and a bit of cucumber. Move up the bamboo tangle gradually, tucking in the nearer end of the sushi move to begin a roll and press gently with both hands. Expel the move from the tangle and leave to sit with the joining edges downwards. You can wrap in stick film and keep in a cool place until you are prepared to serve. Try not to put in the refrigerator as this dries out the rice.

To serve, utilizing a delicately dampened sharp blade to tri