If you’ve been doing any of the SWTC video workouts or training plans, you’ll know that we love a finisher. Our finishers are tough and sweaty – guaranteed to have you emptying the tank before you leave the mat. But why do we do finishers, and just how important is it to always include one at the end of a workout?

A training club finisher typically includes two moves, either in EMOM (every minute, on the minute) or ladder (gradually increasing the number of reps) form. That could mean doing six press-ups and six jump squats every minute for six minutes, with any extra time in that minute being a chance to rest. Or it could mean working solidly for six minutes, starting with one press-up and one jump squat and working your way up to ten of each. While lots of plans and videos include these sorts of endings, it’s a lot harder to force yourself to go harder when you’re already tired.

Hannah Ashby is a PT who says that she includes finishers in most of the workouts she programmes for her clients. “I structure most of my programming in a ‘strength and conditioning’ format, meaning I’ll focus on lifting for the first half of the session and then move into conditioning, which essentially means you’ll get a bit sweatier and your heart rate will increase. Getting your heart rate up at the end of a workout is beneficial for cardiac health but it also increases energy expenditure helping you burn more calories (if that’s your goal).”