Live long and prosper with just 21 minutes of exercise a day

Just 21 minutes of daily exercise will add years to your life but you’ll need to push it to the limit.

YOU don’t need a miracle elixir or be privy to an ancient secret for your own slice of longevity. All it takes is a little daily activity and you’ll be right on track.

While working out every day might seem a little daunting, new research shows that just 21 minutes of the sweaty stuff a day extends your life expectancy by a whopping three years.

The research conducted by health insurer Vitality analysed 6,600 members over one year and measured their physical body age compared to their biological age at the start and end of the study.

Going from sedentary to active for just 21 minutes per day was enough to make a huge difference.

To get great results, try the lower-body and core workout below for 20 minutes and enjoy a healthier, longer life.

After a warm-up, perform 20 seconds of each move at a medium to high intensity (depending on your level ) with 10 seconds’ rest in between.

Repeat until the 20 minutes are up.

ALTERNATING LUNGE

Areas trained: GLUTES, QUADS, CORE, SIDES

Technique

• Holding a weight in front of your chest, take a large step forwards and bend both knees to about 90 degrees with the back knee just above the floor.
• As you do this, twist your upper body to the side of the front leg, bringing the weight towards your hip.
• Push back up to the start and repeat on the opposite side. Alternate sides for each rep.

SAFETY TIP: Keep your shoulders back and spine long as you rotate

SWING

Areas trained: GLUTES, HAMSTRINGS, BACK, CORE

Technique

• Hinge at the hips, drive your bottom out behind you and bend the knees to take hold of a kettlebell in front of you by the handles.
• Drive the bell backwards through the legs, then extend the hips and knees to drive the weight up to eye level.
• As the kettlebell drops back down, hinge at the hips and knees again to repeat the move in a fluid motion.

SAFETY TIP: Use the momentum created by your lower body to swing the kettlebell – avoid using your upper body to muscle it up

GOBLET SQUAT

Areas trained: GLUTES , QUADS

Technique

• Holding a kettlebell by the horns close to your chest, bend at the knees and hips to lower your bottom out behind you as low as possible, keeping your elbows near the insides of your knees.
• Push up through the heels back to the start and repeat.

SAFETY TIP: Don’t round your upper back or collapse your shoulders forward as you lower

SKATER

Areas trained: GLUTES, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, CORE, SIDES

Technique

• Start with your right leg behind your left, front leg bent, then leap across to the right as far as you can, landing on the right leg and the left leg behind.
• As soon as you land, leap across to the left, performing the same action on the other side.

SAFETY TIP: Keep your spine long and chest lifted – try not to hunch over

BUNNY HOP

Areas trained: QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, CORE

Technique

• Stand on one side of a bench and take hold of either side of it with your hands.
• Jump both legs over the bench, keeping hold of the bench, so that you end up in the same position on the other side.
• Continuously keep jumping over each side of the bench, trying to keep a fast pace.

SAFETY TIP: Allow your head and neck to move naturally with the movement

BALL PIKE

AREAS TRAINED: CORE, STOMACH

Technique

• Start in plank position, with your feet on a stability ball.
• Roll the stability ball towards your hands, keeping the legs straight so that your body moves into an upside-down ‘V’ shape.
• Extend your legs back to the start and repeat.

SAFETY TIP: Keep your shoulders back and spine long as you rotate