Training for victory
- Every workout began with a comprehensive warm-up, ensuring the muscles were ready for the workout ahead. A good stretch would follow the warm-up and then all eyes would switch to the task in hand. Mental preparation for the exercises was vital.
- As each session came to an end via a cool-down, a deeper focus was targeted on developing flexibility through partnered stretching.
- Variation was key for Reem; therefore, consideration of training locations and new exercises was essential to ensure diversity and innovative training.
Training snippet under the spotlight
Karen Porter crafts a training schedule for her royal client
Day one
Day one’s training consisted of long moderate sessions, which would usually be completed outdoors and comprised walking and jogging for one to two hours.
Day two
Day two involved putting strength training to the test:
- Step-ups – 2mins
- Squats – 1min
- Deadlifts – 1min
- Skaters – 1min
- Rebounders – 1min
Repeat.
- Chest presses – 1min
- Press-ups using a stability ball – 1min
- Rebounders using arms – 1min
- Punching using a band – 1min
- Deadrow – 1min
- Rowing using a band – 1min
Repeat.
Core conditioning
- Lower back raises using a stability ball
- Single leg raises
- Reverse curls
- Abdominal curls
- The saw
Day three
Day three welcomed HIIT training – 30-45mins of intense, short bursts of training including:
- Sprints – 1min
- Rest – 30secs
- Skipping – 1min
- Rest – 30secs
Repeat twice and rest for 3mins.
- Jump squats – 1min
- Rest – 30secs
- Lateral shuttle runs – 1min
- Rest – 30secs
Repeat twice and rest for 3mins.
- Rebounders – 1min
- Rest – 30secs
- Boxing – 1min
- Rest – 30secs
Repeat twice and rest for 3mins.
Day four
Day four drew prominent focus on cardio and muscular endurance, with a 30-minute swim in the sea followed by:
- Beach runs – 1min
- Walking lunges – 1min
- Lateral raises – 1min
- Knee raises – 1min
- Rear deltoid raises – 1min
Beach runs – 1min
- Wide squats – 1min
- Shoulder presses – 1min
- Deadlifts – 1min
- Medicine ball throws – 1min
Day five
Changing the format again, day five saw training centred on the Tabata principle.
- Work – 20secs
- Rest – 10secs
Repeat eight times. Total of 4mins = one cycle.
Porter and Reem would generally complete four or five cycles using two exercises per cycle, including the following:
- Running
- Skipping
- Squat presses
- Band punching
- Jumping jacks
- Kettlebell swings
- Bench step-ups
- Shuttle runs
