These days, most gyms come with rows of hi-tech equipment and rows of people waiting to use them. If you don’t have time to waste, grab a medicine ball – you can be pretty sure that these will be lying untouched in a corner somewhere – and try this circuit, which will get you using your muscles in a whole new way. Medicine balls have an advantage over dumb-bells in that you can hurl them around without smashing lumps out of the walls. So you can use twisting and throwing moves to fire up your fast-twitch muscles and burn calories galore.

The Workout

Do the following exercises in order, taking as little rest in between them as possible. Where you do more than one set for each exercise, pause only long enough to catch your breath and ensure good form between sets. Complete the circuit two or three times, and repeat the whole workout three times a week for four weeks, leaving at least one day in between workouts.

Before you start, warm up with a gentle ten to 15 minutes on the treadmill, bike or whatever cardio machine isn't being hogged by women reading magazines.

Afterwards do another ten minutes of gentle jogging followed by stretching out all your muscles. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds.