Workout with Derval O'Rourke: Hacks to help you overcome resistance to working out 

Week two: Finding it difficult to get off the couch? Thinking about the results can help motivate you, says Derval O’Rourke

Candid, behind-the-scenes 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.

Feelgood continues its September Reset special with week two of Olympian Derval O’Rourke’s four-week workout programme.

Following on from last week's full body workout,  we move on to exercises for arms and abs, which will have your muscles burning.

Aimed at all fitness levels, the exercises are designed to leave you feeling energised and confident, and take just 10 minutes out of your busy day.

“I know you have a tiny bit of time, even if you feel like you don't," says O'Rourke. "I don't care what your level is, you can 100% come and move with me.” 

For those wondering if 10 minutes is really enough time to get in a good workout, O’Roruke says: “Ten minutes is a brilliant starting point because it gets you past that question of, ‘Should I do anything at all?’ Ten minutes is so much better than nothing.

“You’re telling your body, OK, let's move, let's wake up, let's get going here, and often, when you do 10 minutes, you might end up doing a little bit more."

O’Rourke takes into consideration those of us who are guilty of too much screentime and who lose track of time while doomscrolling on social media when we could be doing something much more productive.

“I see you scrolling on social media because I do it too, but think about the way it sucks your time. So, stop, get off social media and just do 10 minutes of movement. Think about how much those 10 minutes benefit your body and your brain versus 10 minutes of scrolling.” 

Speaking about how to motivate yourself to exercise, O’Rourke says, “Don’t even question it and just make yourself do it. As soon as you find yourself getting into that slump on the couch, say: ‘OK, I'm going to do 10 minutes and after 10 minutes I can go back to the couch if I want to’.” 

So, put the phone to one side, make some space on the floor, grab your yoga mat and a pair of dumbbells or canned foods from the cupboard, and get those endorphins going.

Derval O’Rourke demonstrates some movements from week two of her September reset exercise programme, exclusively created for the Irish Examiner. Picture Chani Anderson.

Step-by-step breakdown of week two workout:

Warm-up:

• Begin by rolling your neck clockwise and then anti-clockwise to stretch your neck gently

• 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

• Slightly bend your knees. Place your hands on your knees and circle them clockwise and anti-clockwise 

• Gently rotate your ankles, clockwise and anti-clockwise 

• Stretch your left arm in front of you, hand pointing up to the ceiling and use your right hand to pull back on the left hand fingers, giving you a nice stretch. Point the same hand to the floor and repeat. Next, alternate sides by stretching your right arm out in front of you and repeat.

Full body workout

1. Get down on all fours. Place your hands flat on the mat. Elevate your knees and come onto your toes. Take small steps in and out, stepping in to bring your left and right foot in line before stepping out to bring them back in line. Continue for 45 seconds to 60 seconds.

2. Bird dog: On all fours, lift one arm out in front of you and stretch the opposite leg out behind you (left arm and right leg) and alternate sides. Add small weights, such as 2kg or 4kg dumbbells or tins of canned food for resistance. 

Repeat for 45 seconds to 60 seconds.

3. Curl to press and tricep: Stand tall with a dumbbell or canned food in each hand. Curl the weights up to your shoulders, press them overhead, bend your elbows to lower the weights behind your head for a tricep extension, push them back overhead, and then lower them back down to your sides. Repeat this sequence continuously for 45 to 60 seconds.

•Choose to march or jog on the spot for 60 seconds before repeating the exercises above.

Cool down

• Jog on the spot. Rotate your arms backwards and then forward, while jogging on the spot.

• Stand straight - feet slightly apart -  and roll your shoulders,  bringing your arms forward and touching your feet. Walk your hands out onto the mat, hold, and walk all the way back up to your feet, coming slowly up to a standing position and rolling your shoulders again. Repeat.

Breda’s experience:

Breda Graham, Irish Examiner Lifestyle reporter, pictured in the Marina Park ahead of launching into her September Reset by giving Derval O’Rourke’s exercise routines a try. Picture Chani Anderson

While taking on week two of Derval’s four-week programme, I was on a week-long hiking trip in the Dolomites with my dad and my sister.

Long hikes meant early starts and getting to the trailhead before it became busy, so my morning routine was no more, and instead, I had to make time for my 10-minute workout in the evenings.

After some long days of hiking at high altitude, I was so exhausted that the last thing on my mind was facing more exercise. All I really wanted to do was melt into the couch and catch up on some lost screentime, but the aching back and shoulder muscles from carrying a heavy rucksack and the tight calf muscles from hiking uphill needed some attention.

Derval's 10-minute workout was the perfect antidote on those days, easing out my tense muscles at the day's end.

Breda Graham demonstrates the bird dog movement in week two of Derval O'Rourke's four-week exercise programme. Picture: Chani Anderson.

The routine is a burner, especially when the muscles are already tight and sore, but it made such a difference to not only my muscles the following morning, but also to my mood. 

Although I didn't complete the workout as many days as I would have liked, I still managed to squeeze in this arms and abs burner a few times during what was already a week of high-intensity exercising. And what better way to do it than on a balcony overlooking the town of Ortisei and the iconic peak of the Sassolungo mountain?

I am looking forward to getting back to the gym and back to my routine for next week’s legs and abs workout. With a proper sleep schedule and routine, I plan to give the next workout my all. 

• Missed week one of Derval O'Rourke's workout programme? Click here to catch up.