06-07-2025
The four PT-approved workouts you can do at home to cut risk of early death from cancer, strokes & obesity
WE all know exercise is good for us - but new research suggests working out can slash our risk of dying by almost 40 percent - more than some medical treatment.
With the expense of gyms and personal trainers at an all time high, we've devised a free cancer -beating weekly workout plan with fitness experts that you can do at home.
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From preventing heart disease and obesity, strokes , diabetes and cancer, a bit of movement can prove to be just what the doctor ordered, reducing your risk of early death.
And now a new study has found that exercise can significantly reduce the chances of cancer returning for survivors of the disease.
So much so, that it could even exceed the benefits of medical treatments, scientists say.
The NHS recommends that all adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week, spread out over several days. Or, 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.
Moderate intensity exercise includes brisk walking, bike riding, dancing or even tennis while vigorous activity includes running, swimming, lifting heavy weights, stair walking and sports such as football and netball.
Adults should also aim to do strength exercises twice a week, at least.
But it can be tricky knowing where to start when it comes to your workout routine and a personal trainer can be costly.
To save you the expense of a trainer and to help you plan your weekly workouts, Will Duru, PT and founder of training app 12Reps has put together a simple routine for Sun Health, to help to build your fitness and strength.
'It's best to start with an achievable amount of exercise, which you can build on over time,' he says.
'The below guide includes two strength sessions, a shorter interval session and a longer endurance session. If you can fit in more exercise then great, but start with the below and then adapt it to suit you and your lifestyle.
'You might want to add in an extra strength session which focuses on your full body or perhaps you want to do two interval sessions each week.'
EXERCISE BEATS CANCER
THE major new findings by Cancer Research UK showed that following an exercise programme post-treatment actually reduced bowel cancer patients' risk of dying within eight years by 37 per cent.
It also reduced the chance of a patient's cancer growing back within five years by 28 per cent.
Exercise was also shown to reduce the risk for breast and prostate cancers too.
According to Cancer Research UK, more than 150 people are diagnosed with breast cancer every day, there are 55,100 new prostate cancer cases in the UK every year and bowel cancer affects 44,100 people every year in the UK.
In the world-first trial, half of the 889 participants were given basic exercise advice and the other half were assigned personal trainers and given tailored exercise programmes for three years.
After 15 years, those in the personal trainer group were significantly less likely to have relapsed or died.
WORKOUT TO BEAT CANCER
MONDAY
Lower body strength session. 45 minutes (including a warm up and cool down)
WORKING the muscles in your legs, including your hamstrings, quads, calves and the biggest muscles in your body - the glutes - helps you to move comfortably and supports your balance too.
'Compound exercises, which use lots of muscles and joints at once such as squats, are efficient and allow you to train more muscles in less time,' says Will.
He suggests doing each of the below moves for the recommended number of reps and sets. Rest for a minute between sets.
SQUATS: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
STAND upright, feet hip width-apart, toes pointing out slightly.
Hold a dumbbell on each shoulder, then push your hips back, bend your knees and lower down into a squat.
Your thighs should be parallel to the floor.
Push up through your heels to stand.
Add a pulse at the bottom of the squat to make this harder.
STAND with a dumbbell in each hand, arms down by your side.
Step back with your left leg and bend both knees until your left knee touches the floor.
Your right knee should be above your right toes.
Push up through your right foot to return to standing.
DUMBELL HIP THRUSTS: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
SIT on the ground with your back against a bench, about a third of the way down your back.
Your knees should be bent, feet flat on the floor.
Hold a dumbbell over your hips, then thrust your hips up until your torso is in a straight line.
Then, slowly lower down.
Make this more challenging by adding a three second hold at the top of each rep.
WALL SIT: 3 x 45 seconds
SIT against a wall with knees bent, thighs parallel to the floor. Hold this position.
As an isometric (still) move, wall sits will keep your lower body under tension for longer, helping to strengthen muscles.
Pop a dumbbell or weighted plate on your thighs for extra resistance.
WEDNESDAY
HIGH intensity interval training (HIIT) can help support heart health, boost brain health and even help overcome stress, according to research published in the journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Will suggests a basic bodyweight session that you can do at home, an interval session on a treadmill or running outside with a timer.
1. BODYWEIGHT HIIT: DO each move for 30 seconds before resting for 30 seconds. Complete five rounds. To make it harder work for longer and shorten the rest period.
JUMP SQUATS: Squat down, then jump up as high as you can before landing back down in a squat.
HIGH KNEES: On the spot, lift one knee at a time to hip height or higher, as quick as you can.
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PLANK JACKS: In a high plank position, jump feet in and out, keeping shoulders over wrists.
SHOULDER TAPS: Staying in a high plank, tap your left shoulder with your right hand.
Then tap your right shoulder with your left hand. Hips should stay as still as possible.
FAST FEET: Quickly move your feet up and down, as if you were running on the spot.
2. RUNNING HIIT: WHETHER you're a runner or a walker, the aim is to go as quick as you can in the 'hard' parts and then run or walk at a slower pace in the rest.
Start by running or walking for five minutes.
Then, every two minutes, go as quick as you can for 45 seconds. Repeat this six times or more.
FRIDAY
Upper body and core. 45 minutes (including a warm up and cool down)
STRONG arms, back and core helps to protect your spine and improves your posture.
Rest for a minute between sets.
PUSH UPS: 3 sets of 8-12
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IN a high plank position with your hands directly under shoulders and toes resting on the floor, bend both elbows and lower your chest to the floor.
Push up through your palms to return.
If you find bodyweight push-ups too easy, ask someone to pop a weighted plate on your back for extra resistance.
If you find push-ups challenging, drop down to your knees and do the move from there.
SINGLE ARM ROWS: 3 sets of 8-12 reps on each arm
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PLACE your left knee and left hand on a bench for support.
Your right foot stays on the floor and your right hand holds the dumbbell.
Keep your back flat and parallel to the floor then pull the dumbbell up toward your ribcage, keeping your elbow close to your body.
Squeeze your shoulder blade back before lowering the dumbbell with control.
SHOULDER PRESS: 3 sets of 8 -12 reps
YOU'LL need a barbell or set of dumbbells for this move.
Stand tall and press the barbell or dumbbells up overhead from shoulder height. Then, slowly lower back down.
SUPERSET: 3 rounds
DO the two moves below back to back with no rest. Take a rest after the second exercise
1. BICEP CURLS: 8-12 reps
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HOLD a dumbbell in each hand, arms down in front of you, palms facing forward.
Keep your upper arms glued to your side, then bend at the elbows and lift the dumbbells up to shoulder height. Slowly lower down back to the start.
2. TRICEP EXTENSION: 8-12 reps
STAND tall and hold one end of a dumbbell with both hands.
Lift the dumbbell overhead, arms straight, with both hands holding the top end of the weight.
Keep elbows pointing forward as you slowly bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head.
Your upper arms should be almost glued to the side of your head.
Then, straighten your arms and lift the dumbbell back up.
HIGH PLANK: 3 x 30 seconds
HOLD a high plank position for 30 seconds (or more if you can). Squeeze your glutes and core as you hold.
WEEKEND
Endurance session, 1 hour
WILL recommends scheduling a 60 minute gentle cardio session at least once a week.
'This could be cycling, swimming, jogging or even using one of the cardio machines at the gym. Working on your endurance helps to increase your overall fitness.'
5 PT-approved fitness tips
1. Don't forget progressive overload
'YOU need to be building on the weights you use, over time. It might take several weeks until you're comfortable, and strong enough to lift a heavier weight, but as long as you're slowly building up, then you'll continue challenging your muscles,' says Will.
2. Check your weight
NOT sure what weight you should be lifting?
'The last couple of reps in any set should be very challenging. If it's too easy, increase your weight, even if it means lowering your reps as you get used to the weight,' explains Will.
3. Don't skip warm ups and cool downs
AVOID injuries by preparing your body before exercise and letting it cool down after.
'Try dynamic (moving) stretches before exercise such as leg swings and lunges to help mobilise your joints. After, do static (still) stretches to avoid muscles tightening up,' says Will.
4. Avoid long periods of sitting down
IT'S not always easy, especially if you have a desk job but the NHS says we should reduce sitting time as it's thought to slow metabolism.
Studies have also linked being inactive with being overweight and obese, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer and early death.
'Get up every hour and walk around - even if it's to go and make a coffee,' says Will.
5. Walk when you can
WILL says walking is the most underrated form of exercise.
'It's low impact, free and everyone can do it. If you have time to walk somewhere rather than use transport, then always choose the walking option. This helps your general fitness, it keeps your heart and lungs in good shape and it boosts that all-important step count.'
