FIT AND FIRING - FOUR INDIE FITNESS GURUS GIVE US NEW YEARS TIPS
We have picked four independent fitness groups with which to start out in 2022
Yeah, we know. It’s that moment when you think about how much you ate across the past few weeks.
But before you go out and go crazy with a credit card buying all the gear and a year-long pass to a fancy gym complex, why not consider something a little more realistic? We have picked four independent fitness groups with which to start out in 2022.
WEST BEACH CHALLENGERS
I’m Katie and I run West Beach Challengers, an online fitness and nutrition programme that helps you fall in love with the process of looking after you.
My goal is to help you find your happy and get you looking, feeling and performing better than you ever thought possible. On this programme you learn how to nourish your body better, get your brain on board with mindset exercises and have access to a range of home workouts that combine strength, cardio and mobility.
5 Top Tips:
1. Embrace imperfect ACTION! Your body composition represents how you treat it over months and years – not days and weeks. Perfectionist mindset and an ‘all or nothing’ mentality is likely keeping you stuck. Find a pattern of movement, exercising and eating that you enjoy repeating again and again most of the time. This is the biggest secret to long-term health and happiness.
2. Embed a morning and evening routine. Just a few minutes at the start and end of your day is enough. Set an intention in the morning by finishing the sentence “I am working towards being a person who… “. At the end of the day reflect on what went well and write down an area to improve upon tomorrow. Writing things down is such a powerful and underutilised tool.
3. Realise you are not broken. You do not need fixing. You can’t hate yourself into change.
4. Find a coach who understands you and where your barriers are. Being accountable is key in embedding behaviour change.
5. Surround yourself with people who have already embedded the behaviours that you desire. This makes behaviour-change so much easier as these desired behaviours become ‘the norm’.
TEAM BEAVER STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
Hi, I’m Dean. I left higher education three and half years ago to start Team Beaver Strength and Conditioning. I have an MSc in strength and conditioning and am well equipped to work with clients of any age and with any health, fitness or sport-specific target in mind.
My primary goal is to improve my clients’ quality of life through physical activity and exercise, helping them build a lifelong engagement with a healthy and active lifestyle to enhance not only the physical aspect of their lives but also improve their psychological well-being.
5 key exercises that I recommend should be a part of your training programme:
Squat
Deadlift
Pull-ups
Push-ups
Face pulls
My top tip to everyone to help restart their fitness in the new year would be to begin with a brisk walk EVERY day and gradually build up the duration over the course of January. Everyone can take time out of their day (like we all did early in lockdown) to go for a walk and you will be amazed at the difference it makes to your health and well-being.
ONE LIFE HEALTH AND FITNESS
Hi, I’m Holly and I’m the founder of One Life Health and Fitness and am a qualified Level 3 personal trainer, online coach and Les Mills Body Attack and LM Body Pump instructor. I also teach cycle, HIIT and barre.
My interest in fitness began about eight years ago, wholly for aesthetic reasons. I’d put on two stone at university drinking VKs and eating 20 nuggets at 3am three times a week – before I knew it, I didn’t feel healthy or myself. In the summer before my final year, a close friend of mine and I started spinning and classes in the gym, and we became hooked!
I soon found myself surrounded by people who had a lot of influence in my life who trained every day, who didn’t cheat-eat and who had six-packs and I entered that world for a number of years. I had defined abs, defined face and arms and strong legs, yet deep down… I was miserable.
Years later, my circle changed and my happiness became a priority. I went back to classes in the gym because I loved the feeling of group exercise. It had such a positive effect on me and I was exercising for health and happiness.
Then it just clicked – I needed to share this passion and energy. I became a Les Mills Body Attack and Body Pump instructor and bagged myself classes in some of the best gyms in London, teaching classes AND I LOVED IT.
When the pandemic hit, I decided to move out of London to my hometown of Canterbury. I decided to take the plunge and leave my corporate job in London to help women full-time.
My top 5 exercises:
Dumbbell thrusters – a compound exercise (using more than one joint) combining front squat with an overhead press. It’s a simple and really effective exercise you can do in the gym with a barbell or at home with dumbbells. A heart-rate spiker!
Wall sit – fires up the legs instantly and great for measuring progress over time by timing how long you can stay in the hold. Feeling adventurous? Add a weight to your lap!
Negative push-up – great for those who find full press too much but who want to improve their strength in a push-up on their toes. In a negative push-up, you start in a plank position and lower yourself to the ground as slowly as possible. Once as low as you can go, release and reset your position. This will improve your strength to add the push back up in time and take your push-up from on the knees to a full push-up position.
Plank – never underestimate the plank! Another compound exercise that not only strengthens the core but improves balance, coordination and posture.
Wild card: Devil press – One of my all-time favourites and such a powerful move. A devil press is essentially a burpee with dumbbells, adding resistance to strengthen the move. It adds an extra cardio kick and strength gains to a normal burpee.
HOTPOD YOGA FOLKESTONE
Hi, I’m Ruth. I opened Hotpod Yoga Folkestone in May 2018, bringing dynamic yoga classes in a beautiful, warm, soothing, dreamy inflatable pod that we heat to 37 degrees, with a carefully curated playlist and delicious smells creating a full immersive sensory experience.
I’m originally from Folkestone and, having spent seven years living and working in India, I came back to the UK and found Hotpod Yoga and immediately fell in love with the pod and the experience. I decided I had to bring this unique concept to Folkestone.
5 great yoga poses:
Vinyasa 1: Downward-facing dog
Come on to the floor on your hands and knees with your hands slightly forward of your shoulders and knees below your hips. Spread your hands wide and press your index finger and thumb into your mat. Lift your knees away from the floor and lift your bottom toward the ceiling. Straighten your legs as much as feels comfortable and press your heels gently toward the floor. You should be in an upside V shape with your head between your arms, facing your knees, and your back should be flat.
Vinyasa 2: High plank
From downward facing dog, shift your weight forward so your shoulders are over your wrists and your body is in a straight line. Drop the knees lightly to the floor if you need to.
Vinyasa 3: Upward-facing dog
From high plank, lower to the floor on to your tummy. Stretch your legs back, with the tops of your feet on the mat. Bend your elbows and spread your palms on the mat beside your waist.
Inhale and press your inner hands firmly into the mat, straighten your arms and lift your chest up and your legs a few inches off the mat. Pull your shoulders back, squeeze your shoulder blades and think about opening up your chest.
4. Tree balance
This is a great beginner standing balance pose to work on focus and breathing. Start with your feet together and place your right foot on your inner left upper thigh. Press your hands together in front of your chest and find a spot in front of you that you can hold in a steady gaze.
5. Seated forward fold
Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Breathe in and raise your hands over your head and stretch. Extend the arms forward, reaching for your feet. Lift your chest, engage your lower abdominals and imagine your belly button moving towards the top of your thighs. Hold the pose for up to 10 breaths before slowly releasing with an inhalation.
Intro Offer – 2 weeks unlimited – £20
