Get a Gold Medal Body

Seven of Britain's 2012 gold medal hopes, from Jessica Ennis to Tom Daley, demonstrate a ten-step Swiss ball and medicine ball workout that will supercharge your core.

By Stuart Hood · Sep 2010 · 6 min read

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Forget the leaking Commonwealth stadiums. At least you can be in shape. All you need is a pair of balls…

William Sharman. Pete Reed. Louis Smith. David Davies. Simon Mantell. Jessica Ennis. Tom Daley. Remember these seven names. And remember them for two reasons. Number one: They are some of Britain’s best gold medal hopes for London 2012. And number two: They are the crack team that are going to turn your sweaty, podgy torso into a hard, honed, toned medal worthy frame. Yes, that’s right, FHM has teamed up with seven of Britain’s top athletes to give you the ultimate pre-season training programme. It’s a 12-exercise circuit that will supercharge your core and leave you both fit enough and strong enough to excel at your chosen sport this season. But the best bit? If you nip out to the shops and purchase a Swiss ball and a medicine ball, you won’t even need to go to the gym.

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The workout: ten steps to an Olympian physique

Demonstrated by Jessica Ennis

Muscles worked: quads, glutes, core

“This exercise really helps with balance and strength,” reveals the 24-year-old World Champion heptathlete, who trains six days a week during the winter (Oct-Jan) to make sure she’s in peak shape for competing. “Assume a press-up position with your feet on the Swiss ball and your back in a neutral position, then, in a slow, controlled manner, bring your knees up to your chest. Do four sets of ten reps to really get your core working.”

Demonstrated by Jessica Ennis

Muscles worked: hamstrings, glutes, core

“Excellent for the hamstrings, core and bum muscles,” says Ennis, who competes in the European Championships this month. “It’s all about control, so it’s important you do it slowly. Lie with your back straight, backside off the floor and your heels on the ball, then roll the Swiss ball towards you with your heels and then back away from you again. I do four sets of ten reps either as part of a circuit or as preparation for lifting weights.”

Demonstrated by Pete Reed

Muscles worked: core, triceps, pecs, biceps

“Do this before a weights session to activate your core prior to hitting the weights bench,” says Pete Reed, part of Britain’s gold-medal-winning coxless four in Beijing, and a man who, in the build-up to his season, does three weights sessions a week and three sessions of 15 miles a day on the water. “This one’s great for your upper body and core as the element of instability makes it more core-orientated than a regular press-up. I would spend a minute on this and do around 15 press-ups in a controlled way.”

Demonstrated by David Davies

Muscles worked: core, shoulders

“Most of my training involves swimming,” shrugs 10km and 1,500m freestyle medal hope David Davies. “But before I get in the pool, I’ll do a core stability circuit – eight different exercises performed twice. This one here is great, because it aids my core, which ensures my hips don’t drop when they are in the water, and it activates the big back muscles I need to power my arms through the water. Lie on the ball, make sure your posture is correct, then simulate a front crawl action for 45 seconds.”

Demonstrated by William Sharman

Muscles worked: adductors, core

“This is a real pre-season exercise for me,” admits the 25-year-old who used to be coached by Gladiators ref John Anderson. “In summer I keep my exercising really focused and weight-work to a minimum, because I need to be really fresh for races. But before the season starts this is a great drill as it helps strengthen my core and groin, which are hugely important muscles for my event. Place a medicine ball between your legs, keep your back flat and slowly rotate your legs as far as they can go. Do six reps on each side.”

Demonstrated by William Sharman

Muscles worked: core, obliques, abs, shoulders

“This is a brute of an exercise that can also be done with a dumbbell,” smiles Britain’s 110m hurdle ace, who does separate weights and hurdles sessions three times a week during his pre-season. “I like it, though, because it strengthens my abs, gets my lower back loose and activates my external obliques, which are crucial for a hurdler as they aid rotation. Sit facing forward with your feet off the floor and your knees raised, then do six reps on each side, making sure to keep your feet raised at all times.”

Demonstrated by Tom Daley

Muscles worked: core, glutes, abs

“I train six days a week, every week,” reveals ripped 16-year-old, Plymouth-born diving phenomenon Tom Daley. “I do two hours in the morning and four in the evening, which includes all my pool work, stretching, weight training, trampolining and my core stability circuit. Your core is particularly crucial in diving, because if your body snaps as you enter the water you lose marks. Luckily, this exercise really aids it. It makes you tense the lower part of your abs that you normally find more difficult to work and is remarkably simple to perform. Just place your feet on the Swiss ball, raise your hips and hold the position for as long as you want. I hold it three times for a minute.”

Demonstrated by Simon Mantell

Muscles worked: core, shoulders, lats

“This superset of three exercises is about rotation and explosive power,” reveals 26-year-old Team GB hockey forward Simon Mantell, who hits the gym three times a week and trains on the pitch for the rest of the time. “Both elements are important in hockey as it’s how we generate strength and pace. We get a medicine ball and do three or four sets of 10-12 reps of each of these, beginning with side-to-side, moving onto the top to bottom and finishing with the overhead throw.”

Demonstrated by Louis Smith

Muscles worked: core, shoulders, biceps, glutes, thighs

As Pulp once sang: this is hardcore. “I don’t lift weights, because gymnastics is all about muscle-to-weight ratio,” states 21-year-old pommel horse don Louis (pronounced Lewis) Smith, who trains 32 hours a week. “Because of this I need to know I can handle lifting my own body weight, so I tend to undertake some pretty intense exercises in order to up my core strength. This one is called the Swiss Ball Grasshopper and it sees me get into a press-up position with my feet on a Swiss ball, then swing my left leg across my body and as far out to the right as I can. I tend to do this until it hurts, but if you are just beginning I’d recommend starting off with three sets of eight on each leg, then working your way up.”

10. Swiss ball hell – demonstrated by Louis Smith

Muscles worked: core, legs, arms, shoulders

Okay, so this isn’t this exercise’s real name, but Louis “just does it” and the internet hasn’t embraced this harsh a gym punishment yet. “This is another exercise that is great for improving core strength,” he says. “Start by lying flat on your back, with a Swiss ball in your hands, then bring your arms and your legs up and throw the Swiss ball from one to the other. Catch it between your legs, and then drop your heels towards the floor, before raising them again and repeating the exercise in reverse. Start with three sets of eight reps… if you can!”