Goal: Bust stress

Get this: a report commissioned by Medibank Private claims workplace stress costs the Aussie economy almost $15 billion each year. Do your bit for your country and add this tension-busting trick to your workouts: taking your sweet time. Low-intensity lifting elevates mood better than medium- to high-intensity lifting, according to research from the University of Wisconsin, US. But that’s not all – training outdoors and doing just 6 reps per set are also part of your chill-out armoury. A 5 minute canter in the open air drastically improves mood and self-esteem, say researchers at the University of Essex, UK. And 6 reps per set boosts metabolism more than 12 reps, found a Norwegian study. Try this workout to kiss stress goodbye.

Then jog for 1 minute followed by a bodyweight exercise. This strategy will relax you and instantly eliminate post-workout soreness, say researchers at the University of California, US. It’ll also cut the time you have to exercise in half, so you get maximum rewards for a smidgen of effort. Repeat this circuit at least twice a week and we guarantee you’ll have Jedi-like inner calm that’ll put Yoda to shame.

Stand with your hands behind your head, chest out and elbows back. Sit back at your hips and bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can without losing the natural arch of your spine. Squeeze your glutes and push yourself back to the starting position. Do 6 reps. Tip Don’t raise heels as you drop into squat

From a standing position, take a large step forward with one leg. When your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee is off the floor, hold for 1 second. Then return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Do 6 reps on each leg. Tip Make sure your knee bends in line with your foot

Drop into a push-up position but rest your knees on the ground. Instead of letting your arms flare out, keep your elbows tucked in against your sides as you lower yourself until your chest is about 2.5cm off the floor and then push yourself up. Do 6 reps. Tip Place hands closer than shoulder-width, about 1.5cm apart

Lie face-down with your legs straight and together. Set your hands beneath your chest so your bodyweight rests on your forearms. Raise your body onto your elbows and knees so your body forms a straight line from ankles to shoulders. Hold this position for 20 seconds. Tip Suck in stomach towards spine to hit your abs harder

Find a railing or horizontal tree branch then lie underneath it with your heels on the floor and grab the bar/tree with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Keeping your body in a straight line, pull your chest up to the bar using your back muscles. Slowly lower yourself until your arms are straight. Do 6 reps. Tip Keep arms close to body and don’t let hips sag.