Kayla Itsines’ workouts encompass full-body training, circuits, and cardio.
Kayla Itsines, a renowned personal trainer and entrepreneur, skyrocketed to fame in 2014 when her Bikini Body Guide eBook went viral. By sharing her own body transformation alongside those of her clients on Instagram, she showcased the effectiveness of her training methods and inspired millions worldwide.
Her workouts are tailored for individuals looking to lose weight and tone their bodies, but Itsines philosophy goes beyond exercise. She promotes a holistic approach to fitness, emphasizing the importance of a balanced diet, adequate rest, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Learn more about the diverse workout strategies that have made Itsines a leader in the fitness industry in the article below.
| Full Name: Kayla Itsines | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| (52.2-56.7 kg) 115-125 lbs | (165 cm) 5’5″ | 05/21/1991 |
| Professional | Era | Nationality |
| Fitness Model/Fitness Trainer/Influencer | 2010-Till Date | Australian |
Who Is Kayla Itsines?
Kayla Itsines is from Adelaide, South Australia, and has created several successful fitness programs for women. She loved sports as a kid and played competitive netball and soccer. All of this led to her decision to study fitness and nutrition after leaving high school. Itsines then decided to become a personal trainer and graduated from the Australian Institute of Fitness at the age of 18.
Early Career
Kayla Itsines has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. As a personal trainer, she frequently helped clients plan their meals and created effective at-home workouts. Eventually, after being inspired by her young cousin, she began posting before-and-after transformations on Instagram, which went viral, significantly boosting her brand.
Fitness Empire
Itsines’ virality inspired her to create her first bikini workout program in 2014. The program included cardio, HIIT workouts, and resistance training, all of which were done with minimal to no equipment. It also went viral, leading to her rebranding and the launch of the Sweat with Kayla app. In its first year, the app generated more revenue than any other fitness app.
Kayla Itsines attributes her effectiveness to keeping the focus on her clients and their transformations. Her ability to adapt also plays a role as she got certification in pregnancy and postnatal exercise after having her first child. She’s written several successful guides and books on nutrition, fitness, and health.
Kayla Itsines has been featured in top publications, including Bloomberg and Forbes. TIME also named her one of the most influential people on the internet in 2016. Today, Itsines is a well-known fitness influencer, brand ambassador, and author. Her sources of income include ownership of several gyms, brand sponsorships, mentorship programs, her eBooks, and her YouTube channel.
Kayla Itsines’ Training Routine
Kayla Itsines primarily uses high-intensity interval training (HIIT), incorporating plyometrics, low-intensity steady-state cardio, and strength training. Her workouts are adaptable and often require minimal or no equipment. She also implements circuit training during her routines. Below are her full-body high-intensity strength workout, full-body at-home workout, and split training workout.
High-Intensity Strength Workout
Kayla Itsines’ high-intensity strength workout involves supersets and two time-based trisets programmed using circuits. Circuits 3 and 4 are the trisets with a 5-second transition time between exercises. There is a one-minute rest between supersets and trisets. You are to start with warm-ups and then end with cool-down stretches. The equipment includes the cable machine, a pair of dumbbells, a barbell, and a kettlebell.
Circuit 1
Circuit 2
| Exercise | Reps |
| Straight Leg Barbell Deadlift | 12 |
| Dumbbell Front Raise | 12 |
Circuit 3
| Exercise | Reps |
| Kettlebell Goblet Squat | 40 secs |
| Side Plank and Rotation | 20 secs per side |
| Burpee | 40 secs |
Circuit 4
| Exercise | Reps |
| Dumbbell Curl & Press | 40 secs |
| Straight-Leg Sit-Up | 40 secs |
| Wide Mountain Climber | 40 secs |
Full-Body At-Home Workout
This training targets all the body muscles and is also structured as circuit training. It involves two circuits, each with four exercises, to be completed three times with a 30-second rest between each circuit. Take a one-minute rest at the end of circuit two. This bodyweight training requires no equipment.
Circuit 1
Circuit 2
| Exercise | Reps |
| Lay Down Pushup | 12 |
| Double Pulse Hop | 12 |
| X Mountains Climber | 10 per side |
| Plank Jack | 20 |
Split Training
Kayla Itsines’ split training is also set in a circuit of four exercises each. The total workout lasts seven minutes and consists of two or three circuits, each repeated twice, with one-minute breaks in between. All exercises in the split training are bodyweight exercises, and she encourages specific warm-ups before training.
Monday — Ab & Arms
| Exercise | Reps |
| Lying Down Press Up | 10 |
| X Mountain Climber | 10 per side |
| Bent Leg Raise | 15 |
| X Plank | 10 per side |
| Caterpillar Walk | 10 |
| Side Plank | 30 per side |
| Commando | 10 |
| Ab Bike | 30 |
Tuesday — 30 minutes of brisk walking or any other form of cardio
Wednesday — Lower Body
| Exercise | Reps |
| Pop Squat | 12 |
| Reverse Lunge | 10 each leg |
| Double Pulse Squat | 12 |
| Burpee | 10 |
| Lateral Lunge | 10 each leg |
| Glute Bridge | 12 |
| Plank Jack | 20 |
| Jump Lunge | 8 |
Thursday — 30 minutes of brisk walking or any other form of cardio
Friday — Full-Body
| Exercise | Reps |
| Reverse Lunge & Knee Up | 10 |
| Mountain Climber | 10 per side |
| Bent Leg Jackknife | 20 |
| Press Up | 10 |
| Jump Squat | 10 |
| Hover Leg Extension | 10 per side |
| Drop Press Up | 10 |
| Straight Leg Raise | 15 |
Workout Notes
Let’s look at some of the principles Kayla Itsines applies to her workouts.
Circuit Training
Kayla Itsines incorporates circuit training into her workouts, rotating through different exercises with minimal rest in between. Research indicates that circuit training is an effective method for enhancing body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness, while also strengthening the upper and lower limbs (1). The high intensity of these workouts builds strength and improves cardio in a time-effective manner.
Supersets and Trisets
Supersets and trisets are also time-saving principles that Itsines applies in her training. This study on supersets and trisets showed that they can enhance training efficiency and reduce training time (2).
HIIT & LISS
Kayla Itsines also targets burning calories while boosting endurance and recovery with her workouts. They involve HIIT and low-intensity steady-state routines. Both of these training methods help burn calories, improve respiratory fitness, and boost mental health.
Warm-Ups
Itsines utilizes warm-ups, especially specific warm-ups, before training. Warm-ups help get the blood flowing and loosen the muscles to prevent injuries caused by the sudden demand of multiple reps. However, specific warm-ups are especially effective for routines like burpees that require explosiveness (3).
Nutrition
Kayla Itsines follows a whole-food-based diet and emphasizes the importance of a balanced diet to promote holistic health. She believes in calorie tracking and advocates for eating whole, balanced diets that contain all the essential nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, and fats. However, she occasionally takes a protein shake to boost her protein intake when she feels she’s lagging.
Wrap Up
Kayla Itsines is a personal trainer, fitness influencer, and businesswoman who has remained relevant since her rise to fame in 2014. She has built a fitness empire through a track record of effective programs, boasting numerous success stories. Itsines herself has maintained a fit body throughout the years, despite the birth of two children.
This workout article showcases the multiple approaches Kayla Itsines takes to training. It includes her strength training, full-body workout, and split training routines. Itsines uses a mix of HIIT and LISS to burn fat and tone her body. Be ready to push yourself to the limit when you try any of these programs.
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References
- Ramos-Campo, D. J., Andreu Caravaca, L., Martínez-Rodríguez, A., & Rubio-Arias, J. Á. (2021). Effects of Resistance Circuit-Based Training on Body Composition, Strength and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Biology, 10(5), 377. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10050377
- Weakley, J. J. S., Till, K., Read, D. B., Roe, G. A. B., Darrall-Jones, J., Phibbs, P. J., & Jones, B. (2017). The effects of traditional, superset, and tri-set resistance training structures on perceived intensity and physiological responses. European journal of applied physiology, 117(9), 1877–1889. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3680-3
- Andrade, D. C., Henriquez-Olguín, C., Beltrán, A. R., Ramírez, M. A., Labarca, C., Cornejo, M., Álvarez, C., & Ramírez-Campillo, R. (2015). Effects of general, specific and combined warm-up on explosive muscular performance. Biology of sport, 32(2), 123–128. https://doi.org/10.5604/20831862.1140426
