Work out like an Olympian

There are 38 Olympic sports in total — but which can help improve your mood, mental concentration and maybe get you a physique like 2012 sprint hopeful Joey Duck? Here are the top five Olympic disciplines to get you in shape in time for the Games.

BEST FOR WEIGHT LOSS: SPRINTING

“Sprinting is an anaerobic exercise, which means you produce energy without burning oxygen,” explains Mark Jarvis, strength and conditioning coach for the English Institute of Sport, which oversees the training of Olympians. “The recovery time happens after your workout, so you can exercise for a short amount of time yet still be burning calories for the rest of the day.” Perfect for busy professionals who are time short but want to burn fat — Jarvis recommends running at your maximum speed for 10 seconds followed by a further 20 seconds and repeating the exercise for eight sets. A grand total of just four minutes. As sprinting builds strong quadriceps and glute muscles, you’ll also tone your legs and lift your bottom at the same time.

BEST FOR WASHBOARD ABS: BOXING

“Boxing is unique in terms of the breadth of its physical qualities,” says Jarvis. “The power you generate with your legs transfers through the torso, chest and shoulders, and is finished off with the arm. You also build tone on the abdominal wall to protect you against your opponent’s punches.” Hone lightning-quick reflexes and the muscular and cardiovascular endurance needed to stay the course of the men’s three, three-minute bouts (it’s four two-minute slogs for women) and you should expect toned thighs and defined shoulders — as well as rock solid abs.

BEST FOR A MENTAL WORKOUT: FENCING

Often referred to as “physical chess”, fencers require instant responses as well as leg strength, flexibility to lunge forward — and a solid core to maintain upright posture plus a strong arm to parry (clash swords) for a bout (three rounds of three minutes). “Around 70 per cent of fencing is footwork,” says Karim Bashir, of British Fencing. “The constant advancing and retiring pushes your heart rate up to 80 per cent of its maximum, providing a good cardiovascular workout. You have to anticipate your opponent’s attack and make split-second decisions.”

BEST FOR MOOD BOOSTING MOUNTAIN: BIKING

If you suffer from the January to March blues, go against your desire to hibernate until the summer by getting on your bike — and outside. An outdoor cycle workout will leave you feeling better — and looking leaner. “When your muscles are required to move you and your bike up a hill against the pull of gravity, it’s important to gain strength but not mass,” explains Jarvis. Get buns of steel, test your core as you maintain balance on the bike and even tone your arms as they stabilise you on the handlebars.

“Incorporate courses ranging from woodlands to hills and your body faces a changing challenge — plus you get a blast of fresh air and natural light to raise your mood,” adds Jarvis.

BEST FOR ALL-ROUND FITNESS: TRIATHLON

Whether you run, cycle or swim, training for a triathlon (which combines all three activities in powerful succession) will take your fitness to another level. “As an endurance sport, it burns huge amounts of energy, so triathletes have lean physiques,” says GB men’s triathlon coach Ben Bright.

“The variety means you’re less likely to incur repetitive strain injuries — plus you develop a more balanced distribution of muscle tone throughout the body,

“Three disciplines are achievable for most people — and the sense of achievement you get from completing an event is incredible.”