Yahoo Sport 
Katarina Johnson-Thompson and BRITA develop new 7-discipline workout
Team GB heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson has devised a workout along with BRITA fill&go.
New research by water filtration experts BRITA has revealed that over two thirds (68%) of fitness fanatics feel that their current exercise routine doesn’t challenge their body, with a lack of ideas or access to experts being cited as some of the causes for people only changing their routine every three months on average.
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Furthermore, 44% of respondents admitted they don’t understand when they should be hydrating with 34% admitting they only hydrate once a workout is complete.
Respondents stated the exercise routines they’d most like to learn is a yoga teachers (29%), an athlete (23%) and a dancer (24%). In response, BRITA has partnered with Olympic heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson to create a workout that will inspire people to switch up their exercise regime to challenge and optimize their workouts in seven ways – from gaining explosive power to effective hydration.
Johnson-Thompson says “Training as a heptathlete challenges your body as you train for seven different disciplines, and it’s so important to ensure you are properly hydrated throughout the day and especially before, during and after your workout.
“I always have my BRITA fill&go Active on hand, its squeezable design means it’s really handy for the gym and ensures I can stay properly hydrated. Poor hydration means results can be compromised so it was great to develop a workout in partnership with BRITA to ensure people have the right information to stay properly hydrated and get more from their workouts”.
Johnson-Thompson, 24, is an Olympic heptathlete who represented Great Britain in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games. She is the 2012 World Junior champion, 2014 World Indoor silver medallist and 2015 European Indoor champion as well as the British High Jump record holder.
On Saturday 29th April, Katarina will lead her exclusive Switch7 workout class in Finsbury Park, London from 11am – 12pm. Attendees will have the chance to meet and train with one of the most exciting sports stars to emerge from the legacy of the 2012 Olympic games. To register for the event, please visit:
The BRITA fill&go Active bottle ensures you’re properly hydrated, enabling your body to perform at it’s maximum. A sustainable alternative to single-use plastic water bottles, it’s an eco and purse-friendly hydration option.
*Research by Atomik, March 2017, 2,000 UK respondents
Research conducted by BRITA reveals 68% of gym-goers feel their current routine doesn’t challenge them and 67% feel they would benefit from a new regime
People waste an average of 21 minutes in the gym doing exercises they aren’t properly executing
44% of people admitted they never change their exercise routine, with 17% only doing so every 3 months, stating lack of ideas or access to an expert as the main causes
44% don’t know when they should be hydrating
Olympic heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson has developed the “Switch7” workout with BRITA to tackle these issues and promote the importance of hydration during exercise.
ADDITIONAL STATISTICS
48% only exercise 1-2 times a week
45% feel their current routine doesn’t challenge them
68% think their body has got used to their current routine
44% never change their routine
17% don’t know where to find ideas / 15% don’t have an expert they can ask / 17% worry they’ll get injured
23% want to follow an exercise regime like an athlete
People waste an average of 21 minutes in the gym doing exercises they aren’t properly executing
38% hydrated during exercise / 16% before / 34% after / 12% don’t at all
44% don’t understand when to hydrate
SWITCH7 WORKOUT
HYDRATION
It’s important to drink before and during a workout – especially when 38% of gym-goers admit to only reaching for a drink when they start to feel thirsty during their routine.
Results can be compromised if we’re not hydrating properly during exercise. During a workout, your body can overheat if you aren’t sufficiently hydrated which can lead to fatigue. Additionally, muscle is hydrophilic and dehydration means that it can’t grow properly, so you may not see the best results.
Make sure you have a reusable water bottle on hand, like the squeezable BRITA fill&go Active, so that you can quickly hydrate every 10 minutes.
POWER
To ensure your power is explosive do these moves in short bursts of 20 seconds work followed by 40 seconds rest and repeat 5 times. If you feel like you can handle a more advanced workload, then do the exercises in bursts of 40 seconds work followed by 20 seconds rest.
Box jumps
Stand opposite a box with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down and drive up through your heels to jump onto the box, landing with your feet flat.
Beginner option – use a step rather than a box
Power push ups
Starting from a low plank position, lower yourself down and push up driving all your power through your chest and arms to lift off the ground. Land back in a low push up position.
STRENGTH
The goal is to overload the muscle and complete each move for a full body workout. Start with a round of each exercise for one minute, then 45 seconds and a final round of 30 seconds per move. These can be done using a wall or with a partner.
Squat jump ball throw
In a squat position and using a football sized or weighted ball, hold the ball above your head. As you drive up from the squat into a jump, throw the ball at a wall (or to a partner) as hard and high as you can, catching it as you sink back into the squat.
Chest ball throw
Face a wall, holding the ball at your chest. Thrust the ball against a wall (or at a partner) as hard as possible and catch it, throwing it straight back at a wall or partner.
Side rotation ball throw
Stand with your back to a wall, holding the ball at your chest. Keep your feet still and rotate your body to the right, swinging the ball against a wall (or pass to your partner). Rotate 180 to the left to do the same and repeat.
Sit up ball throw
In a sit up position in front of a wall, hold the ball to your chest and launch into a sit up. Thrust the ball at a wall (or your partner) as you come up, hold and catch the ball then recline onto the floor and repeat.
SPEED
Combine explosive power with strength to work on your speed over a short distance. Complete a pyramid of sprints followed by 40 seconds rest after each set: 10 meters, followed by 20, 30, 40 and 50 meters.
Resistance band sprints
Place a resistance band around your waist and ask a partner to stand behind you and hold it. Sprint forward 10 (followed by 20/30/40) meters, driving forward with your arms and leaning forward slightly. As you run ask your partner to pull on the resistance band to challenge yourself.
AGILTY
In theory this move looks simple but can be tricky done at speed, which is the point when your agility is tested. Repeat the move for three minutes with each leading foot.
Ladders
Start with both feet outside the first square, to the left. With your left foot leading, follow the pattern of left-right-left-right inside and outside of the squares. Gradually increase your speed and complete it as many times as you can within three minutes, moving up the ladder as you do so.
STAMINA
As you’ve already covered speed and strength, this exercise is designed to repeatedly challenge your pace. Aim for 10 repetitions, otherwise continue for as long as you can.
Hill runs
Find a hill with a good incline and run up it as fast as you can. Drop a marker and jog back to the bottom (recovery). Turn around and sprint back up, aiming for the marker. Repeat until you can’t reach the marker or until you have finished your 10 repetitions.
RECOVERY
It’s important to gradually bring the heart rate down whilst stretching the muscles. Primary yoga stretches are a great way to increase flexibility of the whole body and aid recovery. Start in the downward dog position and move fluidly through these stretches.
Lower back and abdominal muscles
Lower your body to the ground lay facedown on the floor with hands directly under the shoulder, keeping your toes on the floor. Push hips towards the ground raise your chest off the ground facing ahead creating a cobra position. Hold for 10-20 seconds.
Glutes
Move into a full push-up position with hands under shoulders and straight arms.
Bring the left knee underneath you up to the left shoulder with the heel on the floor by right hip or if possible up towards the right shoulder.
Lower upper body over the left leg with the chest facing forward. If you want to deepen the stretch bring the chest down to floor and reach arms out in front of you. Hold for 10-20 seconds, then switch sides.
Upper back and shoulders
On all fours, turn your left palm upwards and straighten your left hand underneath your chest towards your right arm. Slowly lower the left shoulder toward the floor, turning your head so it’s left side is near the floor. Hold for 20 seconds then repeat on the opposite side.
Calf muscles and quads
Move up to standing position with feet shoulder width apart.
Step right foot ahead but keep weight equal between both feet. Slowly bend both knees, allowing your back heel to come off the floor and you should feel the stretch along the left quad. Hold for 10 seconds then straighten left leg pushing it further behind you and try to bring the heel of the back foot down to the ground where you should feel the stretch in your left calf. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat on each leg.
On Saturday 29th April, Katarina will lead her exclusive Switch7 workout class in Finsbury Park, London from 11am – 12pm. Attendees will have the chance to meet and train with one of the most exciting sports stars to emerge from the legacy of the 2012 Olympic games.
