Watch and move along: It couldn't be easier to get fit with Ray Lally

For your fittest summer ever, follow personal trainer Ray Lally’s four-week exercise programme. And there's no need to sweat, it's all about building on what you already enjoy doing

Ray Lally, The Happy Fitness Guy. Pics: Larry Cummins

With clear skies and warmer weather, summer is the perfect time to start a new fitness regimen. Whether jogging, hiking or neighbourhood strolls is your preferred type of activity, taking positive steps to become healthier and fitter couldn’t be easier with this weekly fitness programme.

Maintaining motivation is often the biggest challenge when taking up a new workout plan. Following the little-and-often approach is the best way to overcome this. Even 15 or 20 minutes of activity a day, a few days in a row, will create the kind of incremental progress to keep your fitness goals on track.

Full, dynamic body movements are an excellent first step for beginners to engage lots of muscle groups at once. Choose exercises that combine the upper and lower body, twisting, and moving dynamically.

Next, you can start introducing extra resistance training to build strength. (bodyweight training is also resistance training) Your habits and lifestyle will be essential to tailoring the various activities and workouts I’ll be sharing over the next four weeks. Don't hesitate to scale as needed to your current level of fitness.

For beginners, starting slowly and building up a consistent practice gradually is a crucial first step. Short but frequent activities such as a 20-minute cycle or an online beginner aerobics class are perfect opportunities to incorporate a new fitness program into your schedule. Listen to your body as you exercise and take breaks as you monitor your progress.

Those who already have a high level of fitness can try modifications to their regular exercises. Change your barbell deadlift by using kettlebells or resistance bands instead. Try uphill running or add new equipment to your at-home workout, such as a wobble board. Also changing the tempo of the movement is a simple way to challenge the body. 

Fitness fanatics who have a consistent routine might want to challenge themselves by trying a new skill or joining a friend for a leisurely jog to balance their more intense workouts.

When considering how to commit to a well-balanced fitness programme, set yourself up for success by planning achievable but consistent targets. Challenge yourself with exercises you know you enjoy, from soaking up the sun on your bike to taking a relaxing online yoga class after a long day at your desk. The key here is consistently challenging yourself to build strength, so don’t be afraid to try something new. Taking a new walking route or adding a difficult skill or position to your at-home workout repertoire might be just what you need to build variety into your fitness routine.

This week’s new skill is the walkout and can be achieved from the comfort of your home. It engages your core muscles and builds strength in the back and shoulders. This exercise requires mobility of the whole body, and proper alignment is important.

The walkout 

2. Reaching for the ground, walk out to a plank position. Making sure your hands are below the shoulders, your hips to shoulders are parallel to the ground, so you feel the core muscle engage.

3. Walk the hands back into the feet, and then stand up tall again.

Start with a target of 5 reps, rest and gauge how you feel. Beginners can start off from a chair to help with tight muscles and gradually build strength. To challenge yourself to a more advanced workout, you can add variations such as a push up, cobra pose or an explosive jump.

Next week: Working smart, not hard

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