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Long before Katherine Heigl, Allison Williams and millions of others were following her Bikini Body Guide program, Kayla Itsines was just a trainer with a bad reputation. Or, rather, a reputation for being a bad ass.
When women would come into the fitness center seeking personal sessions, the native of Adelaide, Australia would ask if they were interested in a 30-, 45- or 60-minute routine only to inevitably be interrupted from someone in the gym’s far back corner: “Do not do the hour!” came the warning.
Known for her intense sessions packed with burpees, mountain climbers and other moves sure to leave her trainee dripping sweat, she tells E! News, “I really got a good workout in. I used to add up the amount of stuff that people were doing, so at the end of the session, I could tell them, ‘Okay, in 28 minutes, you have done 100 push-ups, 140 jump squats, you’ve jumped onto the box…” and they’re like, ‘Oh my god, that’s so much. I never would have done that in the hour and a half I spend in the gym!'”
So when she began developing her wildly popular program some seven years ago, she knew she already had a winning formula. Each week devotees to her Bikini Body Guides (BBGs to those in the know) and her SWEAT app commit to just three 28-minute high intensity interval training sessions that are short, but not sweet with compound moves such as jump lunges and commandos that will help you sculpt and get your heart pumping.
“The fact that it’s only 28 minutes, that’s something that’s doable, that’s achievable,” explains the pro, one of TIME’s 30 Most Influential People on the Internet. And the results of her clients, scattered all over her Instagram page for her 12.4 million followers to see, speak for themselves.
Tailor-made for this age of social distancing, her moves rarely require equipment beyond dumbbells or a bench, though you can make do with full water bottles and that canned soup you managed to snag from the grocery store.
To set yourself up for success in your at-home workout adventures, she recommends, clear a small section of your pad and stock it with a yoga mat and towel, then “sit down and make a plan for a daily schedule. This will help to hold you accountable and get that workout in even when motivation is low.”
And she’s laid out the first week for you, coming up with three sessions for E! News readers. Each workout (first full-body, then legs and finally arms and abs) is comprised of two circuits, four moves each. Do the advised reps of each move in circuit one, repeating as many times as you can in seven minutes. Then, rest and do the same with circuit two. Finally, repeat each circuit again for seven minutes a piece and, et voilá, you’re done in less time than it takes to watch an episode of Tiger King.
“Add in a couple of recovery sessions,” the mom to 12-month-old daughter Arna advises (try her guided stretch, below) and, if possible, get outside for some easy cardio. “Even just once or twice a week,” she says, “going out for a walk or going out for a run, that’s perfect, that’s more than enough.”
Up first: A full-body challenge that kicks off with some lunging.
Full Body Workout
Circuit 1
Reverse Lunge & Knee-Up: 10 reps per side
Plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. Take a big step backwards with your right foot. As you plant your foot on the floor, bend both knees to approximately 90 degrees, ensuring your weight is evenly distributed. Extend both knees and transfer your weight onto your left foot. At the same time, elevate your right foot to bring your knee into your chest. Lower your right leg to return to the starting position, but without resting your foot on the ground. Do 10 reps, then switch sides.
Plank Jacks: 20 reps
Plant both hands on the mat slightly further than shoulder-width apart, feet together on the ground behind you while resting on the balls of your feet (i.e. push-up position). Jump both of your feet outwards so that they are slightly wider than your hips, ensuring that your hips remain level. Jump both of your feet inwards to return to start.
Lay-Down Push-Up: 12 reps
From a push-up position, bend your elbows and lower your torso to the ground, maintaining a neutral spine. Extend both arms out in front of you then bring your arms in towards your body and place your hands on the ground on either side of your chest. Push through your chest and extend your elbows to lift your body back to the start.
Burpees: 10 reps
From standing, bend at both the hips and knees into a squat and place your hands on the ground on either side of your feet. Jump both of your feet backwards, extending legs behind you. Jump both of your feet forwards in between your hands. Jump up into the air. Repeat.
Circuit 2
Inchworm: 10 reps
From standing, bend at the hips and, while keeping your legs as straight as possible, place your hands on the floor directly in front of your feet. Without moving your feet, walk your hands forward until your body is in one straight line from your head to your heels, resting on the balls of your feet. Without moving your feet, walk your hands backwards to return to the starting position. Repeat.
Lay-Down Double-Pulse Sprawl: 10 reps
Stand with feet further than shoulder-width apart pointed slightly outward. Bend at both the hips and knees into a squat, keeping torso as upright as possible. Place your hands on the ground and jump both of your feet backwards into a push-up position. Bend your elbows and lower torso to the ground. Extend arms out in front of you then pull them back in, placing hands on either side of your chest. Extend elbows to lift back into a push-up position. Jump both of your feet forwards in between your hands. Release hands and return to squat. Extend legs slightly, then return to squat. Repeat.
Single-Leg X Mountain Climber: 10 reps per side
From a push-up position, raise left leg. Bend your knee and bring it in toward your right elbow. Extend back to start. Do 10 reps then repeat with right leg.
Skater Lunges: 10 reps per side
From standing, take a big step back and to the right with your left foot, placing it past your right leg. Bend both knees to approximately 90-degrees, ensuring weight is evenly distributed. Your front knee should be aligned with your ankle and your back knee hovering just off the floor. Extend both knees, transferring your weight completely onto your right foot and step left foot forward to start. Repeat, alternating legs.
Full-body: done. Next up, a leg routine.
Leg Workout
Circuit 1
Double-Pulse Squat: 12 reps
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and lower into a squat position, keeping torso as upright as possible. Extend legs slightly and return to squat. straighten legs to return to start and repeat.
Lateral Lunge: 10 reps per side
From standing, take a big step to the left with your left foot, bending your knee while keeping the right leg straight. Extend left knee, shifting weight to the right foot and step left foot into starting position. Repeat, alternating legs.
Single-Leg Glute Bridge: 10 reps per side
Lie on your back, left knee bent with foot on the ground, right leg extended upward. Engaging your core, lift pelvis off the ground until your body forms one straight line from chin to knee, resting on your shoulders. Lower to return to start. Do all 10 reps, then switch sides.
Half Burpee & Plank Jack: 8 reps
From a push-up position, jump both feet outward, slightly wider than hips and jump back to start. Then, jump both feet forward in between your hands and return to start. Repeat.
Circuit 2
Jump lunge: 10 reps
From standing, jump right foot forward and left foot back bending both knees to approximately 90 degrees, ensuring your weight is evenly distributed. Jump straight up and land with left foot forward and right foot back, both knees bent. Repeat.
High Knees: 15 reps per side
From standing, keep weight on your left foot and bend your right leg to bring your knee into your chest. Lower right leg and bend your left leg to bring your knee into your chest. Repeat, alternating sides.
Sumo Squat: 12 reps
Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Lower into a squat position then return to standing. Repeat.
Side Plank & Oblique: 10 reps per side
Lie on your left side. Place left forearm on the ground, elbow below your shoulder. Bending your left knee, extend and elevate your right leg to hip height, ensuring torso is in a straight line. Raise your hips off the mat and extend your right arm above your head. Simultaneously bend your right knee, hip and elbow to draw your elbow and knee together. Extend right arm and leg to return to the starting position. Do all 10 reps, then switch sides.
Now you’ve crushed legs—just upper body left!
Arm and Abs Workout
Circuit 1
Push-up and Shoulder Tap: 6 reps per side
From a push-up position, bend elbows to lower torso toward ground. Straighten arms and reach right hand across your body to touch your left shoulder, ensuring you brace your abdominals to keep your hips parallel to ground. Repeat push-up, then reach left hand across your body to touch your right shoulder. Do 12 reps, alternating sides.
Plank Press: 15 reps
Place forearms on ground, elbows directly below shoulders. Extend both legs behind you and elevate hips off the mat, resting on the balls of your feet. Keeping core engaged, rock entire body forward coming more onto your toes. Bending at the elbows, lower your upper body towards the ground. Return back to the starting position. Repeat.
Ab Bike & Alternating Jackknife: 8 reps per side
Lie on your back, legs extended in front of you. Bend elbows and place hands behind your earlobes. Raise both legs and head and shoulders off the mat. While keeping your right leg extended, bend your left knee and draw it towards chest. At the same time, rotate your torso to the left to bring your right elbow to your knee. Untwist your torso and extend your left knee to return to start. Bend your knees and using your abdominals, draw them in towards your chest. At the same time, bring your arms forward towards your feet, slowly lifting your head, shoulder blades and torso off the mat. Lower arms and extend legs to return to start. Continue alternating between ab bike and jackknife.
Caterpillar Walk: 10 reps
From standing, lower into a squat and place your hands on the floor directly in front of your feet. Without moving your feet, walk your hands forward until you are in a push-up position. Then walk hands backward to return to start.
Circuit 2
3-Phase Crunch: 15 reps
Lie on your back with feet planted hip-width apart. Place the palms of your hands together above your head with arms extended. Exhale as you tuck your chin and engage your core to slowly lift your head, shoulder blades and upper back off the mat. Use your hands to guide your body straight up, aiming between your knees before lowering to start. Perform the same crunch, rotating torso to the left. Continue alternating between positions (middle, left, middle, right, middle etc.) on each crunch.
Commando: 10 reps
Place forearms on ground extending both of your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet. Release your right forearm to place your hand firmly on the mat directly below your right shoulder and push up onto your right hand. Release your left forearm to place your hand firmly on the mat directly below your left shoulder and push up onto your left hand. Release your right hand and lower your forearm to the mat, then release your left hand and lower your forearm to the mat to return to the starting position. Repeat, starting with left arm.
Bent-Leg Jackknife: 15 reps
Lie on back, arms extended above your head, legs slightly off the ground. Bend your knees and using your abdominals, draw them in towards your chest. At the same time, bring your arms forward towards your feet, slowly lifting your head, shoulder blades and torso off the mat. Lower your arms and extend your legs to return to start. Repeat.
Mountain Climber: 15 reps per side
Start in push-up position. Keeping your left foot on the floor, bend your right knee and bring it in towards your chest. Extend to start, then bring your left knee into your chest. Repeat, alternating legs for 30 reps.
Ready for some recovery? Follow Itsines’ guided stretch above, then congratulate yourself on a job well done.
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