Mens Health

 

This regime from muay thai master Karim Safari will help you lose fat fast by building strength, coordination and stamina

MINI CIRCUIT

Repeat this circuit three times, resting one minute between each.

Skipping 3 minutes

Stand on a wooden or sprung fl oor. Rest a skipping rope at the back of your knees. Face forwards and gently bounce for one minute toget into rhythm. Then bring the rope over your head and under your feet with each jump.

Press-ups 1 minute

Lie face down, supporting your body with the balls of your feet and position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your arms straight, then with a straight back, bend your elbows. Just before your chest touches the floor, straighten your elbows to push back up to the start position. Drop your knees to the ground when you run out of steam on the normal version.

Frog jumps 1 minute

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Slowly squat until your thighs are just below parallel to the fl oor. Keep your spine straight. Quickly straighten your knees and press yourself upwards so your feet leave the ground. Land with your knees slightly bent to absorb the impact.

Sprints 1 minute

Place two markers 10m apart and sprint between them. Or set a treadmill at a one-percent incline and run on it at the highest speed setting you can manage for one minute.

SHADOW BOX

3 minutes

Stand with your left foot in front and your right foot behind at a 45-degree angle. This is the muay thai stance. Hold a two kilogram dumbbell in each hand. Raise your arms – left one slightly forwards and higher than the right at about head height, knuckles facing you. Stand in front of a mirror and imagine your reflection is an opponent. Use punches, kicks, knees and elbows. Move around, don’t be static, and use plenty of footwork. Give it your all for three minutes. Rest for one minute. Do not let go of the dumbbells.

SQUAT KICKS

3 minutes on each leg

Stand with dumbbells as before in front of a punch bag. Bend your knees with thighs parallel to the ground. Rise up, then punch once with your left and once with your right hand. Push the bag away from you with your right leg, then kick the side of it with your left. Keep your hands up and return to the squat position. After three minutes swop legs and repeat.

SPEED STRAIGHT PUNCH

3 minutes

Stand with dumbbells as before. Bring both your hands to your chest, knuckles pointing towards your chin. Punch straight ahead turning your knuckles up as you straighten each arm. Keep your chin down and punch as fast as you can using your hips as “pivots” – with each punch swivel your hips allowing your legs to follow the movement.

INCLINE PUNCHES

3 minutes

Do exactly the same as you would with straight punches, but raise your arms up by 45 degrees

ALL FOUR KICKS

2 minutes on each leg.

Get on all fours with your hands placed at shoulder width and your knees slightly apart. Raise your right knee off the floor, bring it towards your chest then kick out to the side. Bring it back to your chest before repeating. Make sure your leg does not touch the floor for the duration of the exercise. Repeat with your left leg.

Skipping Side Kick

2 minutes on each leg

Stand in the muay thai stance as before. Raise your right knee to the side. Your upper thigh should be level with your hip. Kick out to the side straightening your leg fully, foot parallel to the floor. Bend your knee back to the start position then kick out again. With each kick, hop off the floor with your left leg. Kick continuously as fast as you can. Reverse for your left leg.