Has your progress in the gym come to a standstill?

Push on through with this high-intensity workout upgrade, says Amanda Khouv.

When you hit the gym as a newbie, or even when you simply embark on a new gym routine, you usually start to feel the benefits right away.

You wear your post-workout aches and pains like a badge of honour, new muscle tone starts to make its way to the surface and you feel stronger every time someone asks you to open a jam jar.

These results may start to build for a while, but eventually you’ll hit a plateau and progress will begin to dwindle in spite of your best efforts.

So if you’ve started to see results slow since the new year, don’t worry – it’s normal.

The trick is to switch it up a bit, without losing the bags of motivation you had in abundance at the start of the year.

This workout uses a bunch of basic moves made fancy. So, if you were using more standard gym exercises before, it’s sure to get your body guessing and working that bit harder.

The fast pace will keep your heart rate up – great for fat burn – and give you a good old cardio workout, too. Enjoy those amazing results!

HOW TO DO IT

Perform one set of each move in a circuit-style format. Then rest for 45-60 seconds.

Repeat the circuit until you have completed the allocated number of sets for your level.

Beginner: 3 x 10 reps

Intermediate: 4 x 10 reps

Advanced: 5 x 10 reps

HIGH PULL

Areas trained: BOTTOM, THIGHS, CORE, BACK

Technique

■ Push your hips back and bend your legs to take hold of a barbell on the floor.

■ In one swift movement, extend your body to come up onto your toes, creating momentum from your hips to row your barbell up to chin height.

■ Lower and repeat.

SQUAT BOX JUMP

Areas trained: BOTTOM, LEGS

Technique

■ Stand with a box or step in front of you.

■ Bend at your knees and hips to lower your bottom out behind you as low as possible.

■ From here, jump up onto the box and land softly.

■ Jump or step back to the start and repeat.

BURPEE STAR JUMP

Areas trained: LEGS, BOTTOM, CORE

Technique

■ Crouch down to place your hands on the floor by your feet.

■ Jump your feet back to bring your body into a plank position, then immediately jump them back to the start.

■ Jump up as high as you can, extending your arms up and legs out to the sides in a star shape. Then land softly and go straight into another rep.

INCH WORM PRESS-UP

Areas trained: CORE, SHOULDERS, CHEST, REAR UPPER ARMS

Technique

■ Start standing up straight, then place your hands flat on the floor (as close to your feet as possible), bending your knees if necessary.

■ Walk your hands forward until you’ve reached a straight-arm plank position.

■ Bend your arms to lower your chest to the floor, keeping your body in a straight line throughout.

■ Push back up to the start.

■ Walk your hands back to the start, then stand up straight and repeat.

SPLIT SQUAT TO PRESS

Areas trained: THIGHS, BOTTOM, CORE, SHOULDERS, REAR UPPER ARMS

Technique

■ Start at the bottom of a lunge position with one leg in front of the other, both legs bent to 90 degrees. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your shoulders.

■ Extend both legs as you push both dumbbells up to the ceiling.

■ Lower the dumbbells and lower yourself back to the starting position, then repeat the movement.

■ Perform the allotted reps on both sides to complete a full set of the exercise.