Beginner Kayla Itsines workout you can do at home

Sweat trainer Kayla Itsines recently visited the Yahoo Lifestyle offices to help get us all away from our desks and moving a little more.

And now as more and more of us face the chance of being stuck at home for a while due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, we thought this workout could also be perfect to do from your home office - to make sure you stay active if in self-isolation or working from home.

When you need to take a break and energise yourself during your work day, these 5 BBG Beginner moves can help to get the blood pumping without breaking too much of a sweat.

And all you’ll need is a resistance band. Try each exercise for 40 seconds, with a 20 second break between exercises - that’s a super quick five minutes in total.

Band Pull-Aparts

Step 1: Plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Hold one hand on each end of the recovery band with a neutral grip (palms facing inwards) and extend your arms directly in front of your chest, ensuring that your elbows are completely locked. This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Exhale. Using the muscles in your shoulders and back, pull the recovery band ends outwards and backwards until your arms are in line with your shoulders. You should feel a small squeeze between your shoulder blades.

Step 3: Inhale. Hold this position briefly before gently drawing the ends of the recovery band together to return to the starting position.

Bicep Curl

Step 1: Standing on the middle of a recovery band, plant both feet on the floor and sit back onto the chair. Hold the ends of the recovery band on either side of your body with an neutral grip (palms facing away inwards) and sit up tall. This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Exhale. While keeping your upper arms as still as possible, bend your elbows to bring the ends of the band in towards your chest, ensuring that they remain in close contact with the sides of your body.

Step 3: Inhale. Extend your elbows to return to the starting position.

Upright Row

Step 1: Standing on the middle of a recovery band, plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. Hold the ends of the recovery band in front of your legs, with an overhand grip (palms facing towards you). This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Exhale and use the muscles in both your shoulders and arms to bend your elbows outwards and upwards and bring your hands up to your chest. Avoid “shrugging” your shoulders by drawing your shoulder blades down and back. Inhale and extend your elbows to return to the starting position.

Bent-Over Row

Step 1: Standing on the middle of a recovery band, plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. While maintaining a slight bend in your knees, hinge forward from your hips so that your torso is parallel to the floor. Extend your arms directly below your chest, holding the ends of the recovery band with a neutral grip (palms facing inwards). This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Exhale. Bend your elbows to bring the ends of the recovery band in towards your lower ribs, ensuring that your elbows remain in close contact with the sides of your body. You should feel a small squeeze between your shoulder blades.

Step 3: Inhale. Extend your elbows to return to the starting position.

Sit Squat

Step 1: Standing on the middle of a recovery band in front of a chair, plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Hold the ends of the band in front of your shoulders with an overhand grip (palms facing away from your body). This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until you are able to sit on the chair behind you, ensuring that your back remains within a 45- to 90-degree angle to your hips. Lean back slightly to sit up tall.

Step 3: Exhale. Push through your heels and extend your legs to return to the starting position.

All of Kayla’s programs are available on the Sweat app.

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