Cover model workout: Kris Smith

October 2011 cover

Age: 33

From: Manchester, UK
Profession: model/TV presenter
Height:193cm
Weight: 94kg

Pump up the volume

I’m not naturally skinny and gain weight easily, so I tend to go for lighter weights and a higher volume of reps. With the bench press I’ll mostly use 60 kilograms and do three sets of 20 reps, then a final set to failure. I’ll superset each of those sets with push-ups. Then once a week, to maintain size, I’ll go for a heavier weight with low reps, benching 160-170kg.

Variety show

Playing professional rugby league back in the UK, I’d train with 30 other blokes. When my career ended due to injury, I found solo training really boring at first, so I mix it up as much as possible. It keep things fresh and allows you to challenge your body with new forms of stimulus. Aside from lifting weights, I do some mixed martial arts training that might consist of grappling or body-weight exercises like handstand push-ups. I also do regular boxing training and have even tried a bit of pilates, which I loved.

Hardcore

For my abs, I do a lot of hanging leg raises. Hang from a chin-up bar and concentrate on bringing your knees right up to your chest, then pause and slowly lower your hips and legs back to the starting position. Do three or four sets of 8-12 reps. You can also vary the movement to pinpoint different areas, like your obliques.

Rocky road

I love the cardio burnout you get from boxing training. Stand in front of a heavy bag and go all out, punching non-stop for three rounds of three minutes with a minute’s rest between each. You’ll start to get a feel for what a real boxer goes through.

Up the intensity

Keep your workouts short and sweet – train for a maximum of 45 minutes. Give yourself a goal in terms of the sets and reps you want to blast through and just go for it. Limiting your time will mean shorter rests, so you might have to drop weight at first, but you’ll be training with fiercer intensity. Shorter workouts help your motivation, too. Just tell yourself that it’s only 45 minutes of your day.

Peak condition

If I’ve got a swimwear shoot coming up where I need to be really trim, I’ll train almost
every day in the three weeks leading up to it. Each day I’ll do 40 minutes of cardio (boxing, cycling or mixed martial arts) and 30 minutes of weight training that targets a different body part (chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, legs, back and abs).