Trying to get into shape? Try Perry's 'Divergent' workout

Los Angeles, March 23 (IANS) Want to get your fitness on track, fast? Try J.J. Perry's mega-workout he created for the "Divergent" stars to tone their upper and lower bodies and boost core strength.

Or you can just steal a few moves if - unlike Woodley - you don't have to be filmed in spandex anytime soon, reports people.com.

Here is Perry's exercise regimen:

* Warm-Up

Jog. Start with 25 minutes on the treadmill at a slow, relaxed pace, just enough to get your heart rate up.

* Cardio

Jump rope: Start with 90 seconds of jumping, then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat the cycle four times. Work your way up to 4 minutes of jumping followed by 1-minute rest.

Box jumps: This CrossFit move means hopping up on a plyo box - its height is up to you - for 4 sets of 10 jumps.

* Calisthenics and Plyometric Drills

Single-leg balances: Stand on your right foot with your left knee bent at 90 degrees. Have a partner stand across from you with their hand extended at waist level. Quickly jump so your right knee touches their hand - while trying to keeping your left leg hovering - then land on your right foot again. Repeat 30 times on each leg.

Knee drives: Do this Muay Thai drill as quickly as possible; it should be an explosive movement. Crouch into a fighting stance (bouncy-knees, on your toes, with your right leg slightly behind you) and drive your right knee up to chest level; tap the toes back to the ground and do it again, 30 times on each side.

Burpees: A burpee is a compound bodyweight move where you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, squat down to put your hands on the ground, kick your legs back into a plank, do a push-up, jump your legs forward, then jump upward with your arms reaching up. Start with however many burpees you can do before you collapse, and work your way up to three sets of 15.

Push-ups. Do 10 each of these three variations: standard push-ups, diamond push-ups (with your hands touching to form a diamond), and wide-arm push-ups. The close and wide stances help target different areas of the arms and chest.

Lunge kicks. Get into traditional lunge position (your left knee bent at a 90-degree angle, your right knee bent behind you). Then quickly stand up and kick your right leg out straight in front of you. Do 2 sets of 20 lunge kicks on each side to build leg strength.

* Abdominal Work

Planks: Hold yourself at the top of a push-up position for 1 minute, working up to 90 seconds. Repeat, this time supporting yourself with only your left arm, then again with only your right.

Cross-crunches: Lie on your back with your legs in tabletop (knees bent at 90 degrees), then twist up so your left elbow touches your right knee, then repeat on the other side. Do a total of 30.

Old-school sit-ups: Do 10 regular ones, 10 where you go halfway up, and 10 where you lower yourself halfway down. Finally, hold yourself halfway up for 10 seconds. "It should smell like barbecued abs because you've torched them so much," Perry says. Click the Movie button below for more info:
Divergent