Workout with Derval O'Rourke: Week one of my 10-minute fitness challenge

As part of our September Reset drive, Feelgood kicks off its four-week workout programme created by Olympian Derval O’Rourke. All it takes is 10 minutes 

Candid, behind the scene shots of Derval O’Rourke as she shoots a four part September reset exercise programme in Take Nine studio, exclusively for the Irish Examiner. Picture Chani Anderson

Our September Reset workout programme is all about helping you establish a routine for caring for your health and wellbeing, regardless of your fitness level. 

Whether you’re brushing off the cobwebs after a break from exercising, kickstarting your fitness journey, or you’re a seasoned gym-goer, you'll likely find this programme helpful. 

All you need is a little bit of space, comfortable clothes, and whatever equipment you have available to you, says Derval O’Rourke.

A yoga mat for comfort and some dumbbells are recommended. If dumbbells are unavailable, consider grabbing a bottle of water, canned food, or even a sealed bag of rice from the kitchen cupboard to add resistance to the movements. 

Alternatively, you can choose to do these workouts without any equipment.

“Don’t overthink it. Just get going. Carve out 10 minutes to do it,” says O'Rourke.

For best results, it’s best to complete the workout three days a week. “Maybe on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday - that’s three really good efforts in the week,” she says.

“Every time you do these 10-minute workouts, write it down somewhere, whether that’s typed into your phone or written into your diary and just give yourself a tick.

You deserve to feel good about yourself and you deserve 10 minutes. Think of it as a gift to your health and fitness.

“These 10 minutes are for you, it is going to get you energised and moving and feeling brilliant throughout the day.”

O’Rourke says the exercises in each 10-minute workout have been chosen to not only challenge you but also to find the happy spot between improving your fitness levels and enjoying the workout.

“Whether it’s full body, arms and abs, legs and abs, or full body again - there is something for you in these.” 

Derval O’Rourke demonstrates a leg and ab exercise from her September reset exercise programme, exclusively created for the Irish Examiner. Picture Chani Anderson

The four-week programme is designed to help you ‘reset’, support you on your fitness journey, and leave you feeling energised and confident, says O’Rourke.

For those who may be struggling to get started, O’Rourke says the results make it all worthwhile, regardless of your initial fitness level.

“Sometimes, we really overthink how to exercise and get back into it, so if you’re a beginner or getting back into things, I hope you’ll feel better about it and by the end of the four weeks, you’ll feel so competent in the exercises that you’ll just want to do them again and again. If you're a little bit more advanced, I hope you’ll feel, ‘Oh, that was a bit challenging and I feel very energised’.” 

Step-by-step breakdown of week one full-body workout:

Warm-up

• Feet shoulder-width apart 
• Begin by rolling your neck clockwise and then anti-clockwise to get a good stretch in the neck 
• Next, roll your shoulders backwards and then forwards 
• Move into some arm rotations, rotating your arms backwards and then forwards 
• Circle your hips, clockwise and anti-clockwise 
• With a slight bend in the knees, place your hands on your knees and then circle your knees, clockwise and anti-clockwise 
• Finally, rotate your ankles, clockwise and anti-clockwise 

Derval O’Rourke demonstrates a full body exercise from her September reset exercise programme, exclusively created for the Irish Examiner. Picture Chani Anderson

Full-body workout

Choose a weight that is appropriate for you, such as 2kg, 4kg, or 5kg dumbbells.

Exercise one - Squat to overhead press

• Start with feet shoulder-width apart, and then bend your knees and move into a squat.
• Push from your feet into an overhead press, standing nice and tall with the weights above your head.
• Repeat the squat to overhead press movement for 45 seconds.

Exercise two - Lunge to curl

• With your feet apart to start, step out on one leg, bringing your arms down by your side as you step forward.
• Bring that same leg back to centre and curl your arms up to your shoulders as you do so.
• Switch feet and repeat the movement for 45 seconds. 
• Tip: This exercise should be felt in the glutes, quads and arms.

Exercise three - Glute bridge with a press

• Moving onto the ground, lie down, bending the knees and spreading your feet apart. 
• Bring your hips up into a glute bridge movement and press your arms over your chest.
• Tap your elbows to the ground and then press up above the chest, keeping your core nice and tight. Repeat this movement for 45 seconds.
• March or jog on the spot for one minute before repeating the exercises above (45 seconds each).

Cool down

• Kneel on the ground and step out on one foot, pushing the knee over your foot and stretching out the hips.
• Alternate feet and repeat.
• Finally, stand back up, legs wide and arms wide and move into some windmills to loosen out the hips and shoulders.

My experience 

Breda Graham, Irish Examiner Lifestyle reporter pictured in the Marina Park as she prepares to launch into her September Reset by giving Derval O’Rourke’s exercise routines a try. Picture Chani Anderson

Lifestyle writer Breda Graham is following Derval’s workout routine each week and giving her account on how it makes her feel and the physical and mental differences she notices week by week.

I decided to try out the four-week September reset workouts to create a more structured morning routine that incorporated exercise.

I found the 10-minute workout routine was the perfect way to get moving in the morning and set myself up for the day. The workout can be done anywhere - be it at the gym, at home or even in the back garden. And on days that I don’t have time to fit in an early morning gym session, I know I’m still fitting in a great workout by doing just 10 minutes at home.

Incorporating regular exercise into your routine not only has physical benefits, such as supporting heart and brain health, according to a 2024 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, but it is also known to trigger the release of endorphins, promoting feelings of happiness and reducing stress.

Since starting week one of Derval’s workouts, I have noticed a boost in my self-esteem, I feel less stressed, more productive, more focused, and more energised.

Breda Graham, Irish Examiner Lifestyle reporter pictured in the Marina Park as she practices the exercise routine in week 1 of Derval O’Rourke’s September reset. Picture Chani Anderson

These 10 minutes have become the highlight of my morning routine. It’s a commitment to myself. I’m waking up early, hydrating, and making time for a workout, as well as taking time to journal and reflect on what I’m grateful for.

When it comes to a new workout plan or programme, I sometimes struggle to get started, making excuses such as ‘I don’t have the right equipment’ or ‘I don’t have the time’. This mindset has held me back many times, but having Derval as my personal coach and knowing that it’s only a 10-minute workout with little to no equipment needed makes it so much easier and really enjoyable. 

You will feel the burn, but that’s the whole point - to get the blood pumping and those muscles moving.

I will be recording my progress each week, so follow along to see what changes I notice by sticking to Derval’s workout routines from week one through to week four.