“I tried Jesinta Franklin’s 20-minute workout and it nearly killed me”

While there’s always a discussion about skinny models, Jesinta Franklin has been a catwalk queen I’ve always respected because she seems to have a really honest and healthy outlook on diet and fitness.

She’s lean, fit as hell and she obviously works really, really hard for it. So whenever I see her post about a workout on her Instagram, I pay close, if not a borderline creepy levels of attention.

When I saw the David Jones ambassador and all-round goddess share her 20-minute workout high-intensity interval workout, I thought to myself “20 minutes? How hard can it be?”.

First of all, let me preface this by saying I’d like to think I’m reasonably fit. I can mostly get through a spin class without completely keeling over completely, and I try to go to the gym two to three times a week. But this was something else.

Here’s the workout (and what felt like the last 20 minutes of my life)

20min EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute)

15 Battle Rope Squats

20 Rev Lunges (12kg ball)

16 Banded Lateral Moving Squat Jumps

10 Burpees

10 Cals Assault Bike

Then a F-Load of reps through the abs!*

*I mixed this up with mountain climbers, planks and attempted an ab roller but ended up falling flat on my face, good one.

The first five minutes were ok. Battle rope squats require you to hold onto the ends of a thick and heavy rope, and sort of flail it up and down in front of you while performing squats at the same time. These actually weren’t too bad, and if nothing else, it looks totally badass.

What can I tell you about the reverse lunges? The one thing I learned from trying to balance a 12kg ball on your right shoulder is that 12kg is really fricking heavy. I have a particularly bony collarbone, so it was really uncomfortable.

Next, you hold your left arm out straight and to the side, then step back with your left leg into a reverse lung. Then do the same on the other side. This was difficult, mainly because I’m really uncoordinated, so I was constantly trying to keep my balance, all the while preventing this sphere of what felt like solid concrete from slipping off my shoulder.

Then the burpees. Starting in the standing position, you squat down, kick both your legs out to form a straight arm plank, then kick them in again to a squat, stand and repeat. I usually avoid any kind of routine that involves an exercise which I’m sure was invented by the devil, so I resented them with every fibre in my being. Next.

Onto the banded lateral moving squats. My gym didn’t have a band small enough, so I just doubled a longer one over. You place both legs into a rubber loop with it sitting either on your lower thighs or just below your knees. Perform a squat jump, keep the band taut, then take a step to the side and squat jump again. These were actually quite enjoyable.

It was at about eight minutes that I started to feel a strong burn in my quads and glutes. I started seriously questioning what the hell I’ve been doing in the gym for the last decade of my life, and decided, then and there, that I would have to get a trainer. I’m obviously not pushing myself at all.

Once I’d hit the 13-minute mark, my life basically started to flash before my eyes.

HOW HAS IT ONLY BEEN 13 MINUTES? HUMAN BODIES WERE NOT MEANT TO MOVE LIKE THIS.

At 18 minutes, the end is in sight. My legs weren’t even jelly anymore, was like they we’re completely detached from my body. Peace out, legs, it’s been real. The fact they had to deal with two flights of stairs to exit the gym was just cruel.

I loved… When it was over. However, I felt this tremendous sense of accomplishment (and inability to move). I’m totally a supermodel now. I also think I can literally feel my body burning fat, which is a weird and awesome thing.

I hated… Not being able to walk down the stairs for a solid three days afterwards.

Who should try this: Definitely not for the faint of heart. This will take some working up to, so probably not recommended for first-time gym goers.

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fitness | body+soul