LOVE Island is back – and once again we will be spending eight weeks staring at the perfectly toned torsos of the passion posse. Whatever your thoughts on the reality TV series, there is no denying the bunch are 100 per cent loyal when it comes to their fitness goals. Instead of spending every night […]
LOVE Island is back – and once again we will be spending eight weeks staring at the perfectly toned torsos of the passion posse.
Whatever your thoughts on the reality TV series, there is no denying the bunch are 100 per cent loyal when it comes to their fitness goals.
Instead of spending every night sitting on the sofa wondering why you are more love handles than Love Island, why not get grafting yourself with our exclusive summer workout?
We have teamed up with ex-islanders Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen — who are now married — to give you the ultimate training plan.
It promises to get you from flabby to a “right sort” in only eight weeks. Do these circuits five times a week, for just 25 minutes, and you will be our type on paper in no time.
So what are you waiting for? Fitness Editor JENNY FRANCIS takes you through your paces.
PERFORM 40 seconds of each move, with 20 seconds rest, and four laps of each one.
Always warm up before you work out for at least five minutes.
OLIVIA, 25, from Essex, who came second on the show with Alex in 2016, says: “I think I’ve had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the gym for a while but I’ve finally learnt that it helps so much with my mindset.
“When I work out I feel a lot better about myself and the release of endorphins gives me a happy energy that’s incomparable. I work out when I can but mainly three times a week. That gives me an extra boost of confidence, not only in my body but also my head space.
“It’s so important to keep fit. If you can just do my simple circuit three to five times a week you will soon see the difference.”
Holding a beach ball out in front of you, jump with feet out wide and bend the knees to fall into a wide squat.
Jump up and land with your feet together, bend knees into a closed squat. Repeat.
Start this exercise off in a high plank position.
Look down towards your hands and keep your back flat. Then drive your knees towards your chest as fast as possible.
Sit with back straight, chest up and feet off the ground. Keeping elbows tight to body, reach to the side of your hip (with, or without a phone) as far as you can, keeping feet still.
Switch to other side.
Start standing, then with one leg, step forward and bend at the knee. Bend the knee of the back leg so the knee hovers above the floor.
Push off the front foot to bring yourself back to standing, then repeat on the other leg.
From standing, bring your left heel up to meet your right hand, then very quickly swap over so your right heel meets your left hand.
Keep doing this as fast as you can.
FORMER model and scaffolder Alex, 27, from Wolverhampton, says: “Love Island is a great show to motivate you, not just to find love but to get fit. Everyone wants to stay in shape on the show, despite feeling like they are on an eight-week holiday.
“If you feel healthy and fit, you are much more likely to feel confident if you are looking for love. I work out five times a week and I feel amazing afterwards. Get moving with my favourite exercises and you’ll be feeling Love Island fit in no time.”
Put hands shoulder-width apart on a chair or lounger. Extend legs so bum is hovering. Straighten arms, keeping a small bend in elbows.
Lower body towards floor until elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Press down to straighten elbows, returning to start position.
Lie back on a bench or lounger, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Press the weights above your chest with straight arms, then bring them slowly back down.
Hold body in a straight line with hands on the floor, or holding weight, and core tight.
Keeping everything else in position, bend elbows until chest is nearly touching the floor. Push back up to the start position.
Starting from a standing position, make an explosive movement to jump both your knees up in front of you as high as you can.
Then land back with soft knees and repeat.
From a standing position, jump to your left side and land on your left leg only. As you land, kick right leg behind you and bend left knee.
Next, push off the standing leg to jump to the other side, this time landing on the right leg and kicking left to the side behind you.
