Women's Fitness May 2018

Want to build a better body? It’s time to redefine your goals! Take Hollywood star Alicia Vikander. When images of the actress looking incredible in a bikini emerged recently, it turned out her amazing, ripped body was the result of shaping up to play Lara Croft in the new Tomb Raider movie. But rather than training towards an aesthetic goal, Alicia and her PT, Magnus Lygdbäck, focused on honing the physicality she’d need to perform Lara Croft-style stunts, from free climbing to diving. In the process, not only did Alicia learn new kick-ass skills, she gained 12lb of lean muscle and an impressive eight-pack. Back in the real world, you might not need action-heroine abilities, but choosing a goal, such as learning to surf or climb, is not only a…

HSTAR LETTER QUIET INSPIRATION I’m always in awe of people in your magazine who inspire others to take up exercise. I never felt I inspired anyone, but recently this all changed. On a gloomy Sunday morning run, a fellow runner caught up with me and told me how she used to watch me run past her house every week and wished she could run like me. Then one day she went for a short run and felt great afterwards. She’s since been building up her mileage and now hopes to take part in a local 10K. She thanked me and told me that I’d inspired her, saying if it wasn’t for seeing me, she would never have started running. On that otherwise unremarkable Sunday, I realised that, without knowing it,…

1 CYCLE FOR A GOOD CAUSE Don some padded cycling shorts and head to Windsor Racecourse, just outside London, for the start of the Women V Cancer – Ride The Night cycle ride. You’ll take in Richmond, Chelsea, the Houses of Parliament, Hampton Court Palace and loads more as you pedal the 100km course. The event is open to women aged 16 and over and is running on Saturday 5 May and 26 May 2018. It’s £45 to enter, plus minimum sponsorship of £199; visit dream-challenges.com. 2 CHILL OUT IN AFRICA A morning game drive with sunrise meditation – hmm, we’re struggling to think of a better antidote to the daily drudge in Blighty. That’s why Makanyi Safari Lodge in South Africa’s new Energise health and wellbeing weeks, designed to…

‘I met the Buffalo Bills’ co-owner and she offered me an internship’ ‘I’ll probably retire the year after next to focus on coaching – it’s so fulfilling’ ‘I try to get at least eight hours’ sleep a night so I can wake up refreshed at 6.30am before throwing on my gym gear and eating breakfast. I always have a coffee, Bio-Synergy Lean & Green Vegan Protein shake and Skyr yoghurt with cinnamon, banana and mixed seeds. It fuels my morning – training PT clients in their homes. I qualified as a PT in 2014 to boost my income from my equestrian work with the Dutch three-day eventing team. I adored it, but it wasn’t very lucrative. ‘Next, I head to the gym for a two-hour session where I focus on…

Yes! We knew working out was the best way to look good. Now it’s official. Perceptions of female attractiveness have changed over recent years from valuing simply ‘slim’, to preferring ‘slim and toned’, according to new research by the University of Missouri, Kansas City, published in the journal Sex Roles. In the study, 64 undergraduate students were shown two photographs of slim women. In one image, the woman’s muscular definition was digitally removed; the other image was untouched. When the images were presented side by side in pairs, participants rated the slim and muscular figures more attractive. Looks like it’s time to lift some weights!…

Do you put your knee pain down to more than miles of running? You could be right. Data shows that women are up to six times more likely to suffer a knee injury than men.* Why are girls at risk? Loughborough University scientists may have found the answer. According to new research from the university, women have a disproportionately smaller hamstring muscle group (back of thigh) compared to quadriceps (front of thigh muscle) than men. So it’s the imbalance between leg muscle groups that could be partly to blame for the pain. How unfair! 55% OF BRITS struggle to meet work and workout goals ** *According to data in the North American Journal of Sports PhysicalTherapy Dec 2010 **According to research fromTargus.com…