During the summer many of us may find ourselves ramping up our training schedule. The brighter mornings and evenings encourage us to squeeze in that morning or pre-dinner run and we make the most of the sunshine by taking our yoga practice outdoors.

Yet as we take some time off to make the best of our remaining summer holiday time, there is no reason to stop the exercise fun! Our holidays have had a bit of a makeover this year; long-haul, far flung destinations might be off the list but even if you are aiming for a local staycation, or something further afield, you can still enjoy the fun and benefits of exercise.

We believe in making the world our gym - that is why we made a mat that is fully machine washable, so you can take them anywhere and everywhere you go. Keeping a mat rolled up in our luggage means we always have a platform to support a great workout, whether we are at home in the back garden or on a sunny, sandy beach.

Below are 5 quick mat-based exercises you can do to ensure you keep your muscles strong and conditioned for when you get back to your normal routine. We recommend 3 sets of 10-16 reps of each exercise, or make it a circuit to keep things interesting!

1. Burpees - Full body

• From plank position jump both feet towards your chest

• Shift your weight onto your feet into a crouching position

• Push off the floor into a star jump, or for a more intense exercise, jump bringing your knees to your chest

• Plant your hands and jump back to plank

• Repeat

2. Marching hip raise - Legs and bum

• Lie on your back

• Squeeze your bum to lift your hips up into bridge position

• Tighten your glutes and lift one foot off the floor, straightening the leg to a 45° angle to the floor

• Place your foot back down and repeat on the other side

• Keep your hips high, your knees parallel and lift and lower with control

• Repeat

3. V-ups - Legs and core

• Start lying on your back with straight legs and hands above your head 

• Engage your core while lifting your arms and feet upwards. Your legs and arms should remain straight creating a V-shape with your body

• Lower and repeat

• For an additional challenge, don't allow your feet and arms to touch the floor until the end of the set

4. Commandos - Arms and core

• Start in high plank position with straight arms and a straight body

• Place one elbow on the floor and then the other, lowering yourself to normal plank poses

• Push up onto one hand, then the other hand, returning to the the start position

• Repeat, switching which arm you lead with for each rep

5. Torpedo - Upper & lower back

• Lie on your stomach

• Looking at the mat, raise your head, chest and arms

• Push your hips to the floor and squeeze your naval in

• Hold for 25 seconds, then lower for 5 and repeat

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