Women's Fitness August 2016

Here at H&F, we’re big fans of Bear Grylls. It’s hard to watch the TV adventurer’s crazy exploits without feeling a tad envious. How good would it be to have all the skills, strength and stamina to survive and thrive in any extreme environment? Well this month, you can meet the gutsy women already living the dream. In ‘Adventurous spirits’ (page 62), five of the UK’s top female adventurers talk about their travels and share their insight. Prepare to be inspired. Whether you want to explore a rainforest or prepare for a race, turn to ‘Get ready for action!’ (page 66) where the woman who keeps Grylls in peak condition, PT Natt Summers, shares the outdoor workout secrets that will help you rise to any physical challenge. It’s all part…

STAR LETTER FIT RETIREMENT When I retired after 38 years of teaching and school management in July 2015, a parting gift was a subscription to H&F. My friend said I was to mend my tired, stressed out body! With trepidation, my new life began. I’ve stretched and sweated my way through your many workouts and joined my local gym. Not only am I getting fitter, I’m making new friends. You’ve supported my healthy eating regime too, thanks to your inspiring recipes. I’ll be 60 soon and I’ve never felt better. I’m happier and, crucially, I appreciate how important good health and fitness is. Thank you. Jean Harris, Okehampton DIVING IN! I loved reading the swim tips in ‘How I got my best body ever’ in July issue. At 30, I…

1 BOOST YOUR PERFORMANCE Fancy getting access to coaches normally reserved for elite athletes? Try Penguin Living Immersion Days. Health & Fitness 360, on September 3, combines expert advice on nutrition, sleep and exercise from the likes of Dalton Wong (fitness trainer to Jennifer Lawrence) and Go Faster Food (Vermilion, £12.99) author Kate Percy, plus motivational stories from top athletes such as Jo Pavey. You’ll also get to try out the latest fitness technology, sportswear and more… From £20; eventbrite.co.uk. 2 ENJOY BESPOKE TRAINING If you’re after a truly transformational holiday, look no further. Retreat expert 38 Degrees North has taken the guesswork out of wellbeing programmes with its latest Ibiza fitness break, the DNAFit retreat. Analysis and health profiling taken from your DNA sample help the team create the…

‘I had a huge life-changing experience after a meditation’ ‘I’m definitely at my happiest when I’m teaching – I get pleasure helping others’ ‘I wake at 7am and meditate in bed for 10-20 minutes by following my breath while letting go of any thoughts that come up. Then, if I don’t have to dash out to a class, I’ll do 20-60 minutes of yoga practice. I sip hot water and lemon while I shower and dress, and eat a light breakfast of organic yoghurt, seeds and berries to line my stomach before heading out on my bike to teach around three London-based classes or private one-on-one sessions. I teach vinyasa flow, yin and restorative yoga, depending on my clients’ needs, and get immense pleasure helping others forget their stresses by…

Hurrah! The ‘no pain, no gain’ mantra is officially a thing of the past. Researchers at Loughborough University recently conducted the first ever study to compare short muscle contractions with longer, sustained ones, and found brief explosive contractions (lasting less than one second) help the nervous system activate muscles, thereby improving their strength and functionality. Moves that last for three seconds, on the other hand, are more tiring and more likely to increase muscle mass – which is not everyone’s workout aim……

BRAINTRAINING Forgotten where you left your keys? Do a workout! New research from the Radboud University Medical Centre in the Netherlands has found adults who exercised four hours after completing a learning task had better memory recall two days later. The research, published in the journal Current Biology, found participants had more activity in the hippocampus, the area of the brain associated with learning and memory. Why? It’s not clear, but previous studies on animals found exercise upped levels of catecholamines, chemical compounds that improve memory consolidation. 3YRS   THE NUMBER OF EXTRA YEARS YOU’LL LIVE IF YOU EXERCISE FOR 20 MINUTES A DAY ** TRAIN LIKE AN OLYMPIAN Top athletes swear by high-altitude training and use it for increasing lung capacity, resilience and tolerance to tiredness. Now Spain’s award-winning…