Fitness star and personal trainer Kayla Itsines has shared the simple home workout she uses to maintain her incredible physique – and all it requires is a chair.
The 29-year-old co-founder of the SWEAT app shared a video of the routine on Instagram to promote her new ‘zero equipment’ fitness challenge.
It involves five exercises that strengthen the abs, arms and glutes, but the South Australian mother-of-one – who shares one-year-old daughter Arna Leia with her ex fiancé, Tobi Pearce – promises it will ‘target your full body in minutes’.
The clip follows Kayla as she performs sit-ups, jump squats, hip thrusts and planked shoulder taps using the chair for balance, before stepping up on the seat for the final cardio move.
Scroll down for video
So THAT’S your secret! South Australian fitness star Kayla Itsines (pictured) performs a simple home workout with no equipment – just a chair – to maintain her shredded physique
1. Step-Ups
A step-up is a simple bodyweight exercise that builds muscles in the legs and buttocks, and performing one is easy as it sounds.
Standing tall with feet shoulder width apart, facing the seat of the chair, put your right foot flat on the seat and drive your leg up to stand on the seat with both feet.
Lead with your left leg to stand down to your starting position, then repeat 20 times, 10 on each foot, for three rounds.
2. Sit to Jump Squats
A more challenging version of the classic squat, sit to jump squats require a chair with a seat high enough that your hips are higher than your knees when you sit down.
Start sitting with your torso leaning slightly forward and your feet hip width apart.
From this position, jump upwards as fast and as high as possible, slightly forward so you don’t collide with the chair on your back down.
Land as smoothly you can and lower into a full squat as soon as the balls of your feet hit the ground, before resetting by taking a seat again.
Repeat 15 times for three rounds.
Kayla performs step-ups (left) and jump squats (right) to strengthen her legs and buttocks
It’s certainly working: Kayla, who shares daughter Arna Leia with ex-fiance and business partner Tobi Pearce, shed her baby weight soon after welcoming her little girl in April 2019
3. Raised Leg Sit-Ups
Great for toning the abs and strengthening the core, raised leg sit-ups require you to lie flat on your back with feet perched on the seat of the chair.
Lace your fingers behind your earlobes and engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine. This is your starting position.
Slowly allow your head, shoulder blades and torso to lift off of the floor, ensuring you’re arms are not swinging forward as you do so.
As you sit up, reach forwards with your hands and touch your toes or as far as you can reach.
Slowly release your arms and torso to return to starting position.
Repeat 15 times for three rounds.
4. Hip Thrusts
Hip thrusts are designed to build muscle in the glutes which tones the upper thighs and buttocks, making them pert and more pronounced.
Start lying with your shoulders on the seat of the chair, pressing your heels into the mat and lifting your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from chin to knee.
Keep your shoulders resting on the seat, ensuring your head is an extension of your spine rather than straining it forward.
Lower your hips to the floor, stopping before your behind reaches the mat.
Repeat 15 times for three rounds.
Kayla performs raised leg sit-ups (left) and hip thrusts (right) to tone her abs and buttocks
5. Decline Shoulder Taps
Shoulder taps are one of the quickest ways to build core strength, which tones problematic areas like hips and lower stomach.
Start by placing both hands on the floor slightly further than shoulder width apart, feet together on the seat of the chair resting on the ball of each foot.
Gently draw your ribs to your hips to engage your core. This is your starting position.
While maintaining a neutral spine, release your right hand and reach across your body to touch your left shoulder, ensuring that you tense your abdominals to keep your hips in line with the floor.
Lower your right hand to return to the starting position, then repeat on the left.
Repeat 20 times, 10 on each hand, for three rounds.
