Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2021 i Women's Fitness

What does being strong mean to you? It’s something I’ve continuously pondered while the bare bones of this issue have come to fruition, and I believe that our relationship with weight lifting evolves. As a teenager in the early noughties, I lifted weights to gain muscle definition. But in my 20s, as a club runner, I weight trained to support injury prevention. Now, in my mid 30s, strength training is integral to my health. I enjoy carrying my young daughters because it doesn’t feel like an effort. I can quash stress and boost my energy levels after just 15 minutes of lifting, and I know that I’m laying down the foundations for a stronger body in the decades to come. There’s no doubt that the simple act of resistance training…

Strong body, strong mind Why do you lift weights? To feel good? To look great? Sculpting muscle is a great motivator to keep you on track with your resistance training, but there’s more to lifting weights than shaping a sleek physique. Indeed, a growing bank of research is showing that weight lifting could not only boost your brain power but also your mood, with 2020 data published in the Journal of Neuroscience reporting that strength training affects a person’s brain weeks before noticeable muscular changes show up. Among its many benefits, regular weight training is said to substantially reduce anxiety as well as ease depressive symptoms. It’s not simply down to the release of feel-good chemicals such as dopamine, serotonin and endorphins – experts also note that weight training helps…

1. BEAT STRESS Lifting weights helps to manage symptoms of anxiety and stress, say scientists from the University of Georgia. Not only does it increase physical and mental strength, but it also promotes the release of the feel-good hormones including dopamine and serotonin. 2.DOWNSIZE DEPRESSION A study from Harvard found that strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than counselling. The heavier the weight a person used, the more depressive symptoms eased. 3. SLEEP EASY A study in Preventive Medicine Reports found that strength training can improve quality of sleep by boosting levels of a chemical called adenosine, which can cause drowsiness. 4. KICKSTART CONFIDENCE According to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, one hour of strength training weekly is enough to raise your confidence levels and…

1. ’Deadlifts work practically every area of your body, including your legs, core and bum. The most I’ve lifted is 110kg, but my goal is to lift 120kg – double my bodyweight.’ 2.‘Burpees challenge every muscle while raising your heart rate. My clients hate them to start with but, when the burpees get easier, they end up feeling proud of themselves.’ 3.‘I’ve been practising handstand walking for a year, and I was so proud of myself when I managed to do it for the first time. I love being upside down, learning a new skill and challenging my balance.’…

Food Fever If you feel a bit below par after eating foods rich in fats and sugar, there’s a reason for that. According to a short-term, laboratory experiment published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, eating a western diet – described as a diet that is high in fats or sugar – could impair the immune system in the gut in ways that may increase the risk of infection. It’s all down to ‘paneth cells’, immune cells that reside in the gut and keep inflammation in check. Long-term consumption of a western-style diet is thought to impair the function of the fighter cells and promote an inflammatory response, a key feature of inflammatory bowel disease. Can’t cut the sweet stuff? Read our plan on page 54 to help lower…

Our nourishing meal plan will keep your energy levels high by balancing your blood sugar levels, thanks to plenty of protein-rich foods, healthy fats and loads of veggies, beans and pulses. We’ve cut out the added sugars and refined starchy foods, which can contribute to fluctuating blood sugar levels, energy dips and sugar cravings. Plan a snack around your workouts to refuel and keep your energy levels high throughout the day. Make sure you drink at least eight glasses of water daily.…

SEATED CORE BREATHING • Inhale and expand your diaphragm. Think about expanding your ribs and rounding your belly. • Upon exhalation, draw your pelvic floor up (front to back and side-to-side) and activate the transverse abdominal muscle (TVA) by picturing bringing the midline of your belly together. Hold for three seconds and repeat three times. MARCH Reps: 20 (each side) • Stand with your core engaged, your feet hip-distance apart. • Soften your knees. Drive your left knee to 90° as you exhale and lift your opposite hand. • Alternating legs and hands, repeat the move to warm up your whole body and connect to your breath. SUMO SQUAT TO STAND CORE BREATHING Reps: 16 • Step your feet outside of your hips. Turn your toes out, making sure you…

Most of us fall in and out of love with exercise, but when life gets tough, could a workout be the balm we need? For on-off runner Ellie Grogan, it was an unprecedented tsunami of work stress that encouraged her to pull her trainers back on. A consultant and lecturer in palliative medicine, Ellie (known to colleagues as Dr Eleanor Grogan) had struggled with injury and motivation before the pandemic changed everything. ‘In 2019, I ran The Great North Run for charity,’ she starts. ‘I had plantar fasciitis, so it was horrible. I hobbled around saying, “never again”. But when the pandemic started, I found I got back into running. My job involves palliative care on a ward and in the community – and when Covid struck, work intensified. It…

Courtney Black is a force to be reckoned with, a woman with an army of warriors doing her workouts every day. Her app, The Courtney Black Fitness App, offers real-time workouts with hybrid versions of HIIT, strength training, boxing and even a little bit of boogying. If her huge social following, podcast, book and personal workout wear line weren’t enough to denote that Black really is the new black when it comes to trendy exercise routines, she’s now our latest cover star as well. The joy of her upbeat workouts shines a light on the darkest of days, with a chatty, relaxed demeanour that’s managed to put many at ease during such a tumultuous time. So, exclusive to Women’s Fitness readers, Black has given us a few workout moves to…

Mainly hard-packed trails? Go for a more flexible, lighter-weight shoe with shorter, more closely spaced lugs (2-4mm). Lots of rocky surfaces? A stiffer outsole with more stability, plus rock plates underfoot, toe guards and rugged uppers are a must. Look for ‘sticky’ rubber outsoles to aid grip. Puddles and streams?›Choose lighter-weight, well-ventilated shoes over waterproofing to allow the water to drain out and help keep your feet cool. Very uneven terrain? A well-supported instep and upper will help keep you stable and balanced. Mainly muddy trails?›You’ll need deep (5-7mm), widely spaced lugs to stop mud getting trapped in the treads. Running long distances? Look for good stability and plenty of cushioning. A mix of tarmac and off-road? Hybrid shoes are softer and more flexible than a trail shoe but have…

LOVE ALL This summer, around one million new female tennis players are expected to step out onto British courts for the first time following the effects of lockdown. If you’re one of them – and you’re searching for something suitably stylish to wear – look no further than new luxury tennis apparel brand EXEAT (exeatweekend.com). Inspired by the chic idyll of England’s quintessential grass courts, you’ll find heavenly high-performance skirts, t-shirts, shorts and dresses, including this sailor uniform-inspired Nelson Dress (£280, XS-XXL), all integrating sustainable fabrics and a level of tailoring fit for a Saville Row suit. Advantage, you. DO THIS… DESIGNED FOR LIFE New Pilates and workout platform, A Body Forever (abodyforever.com), is on a mission to keep you moving no matter where you are. Founded by renowned Pilates…

JOEY BULL Joey is a four times UK Fitness Champion and PT of 30 years. She’s also an author, dance teacher, former GB adventure racer and flag flyer for the fit 50+. youtube.com/joeybull KENDALL SCALES Kendall Scales is a lead physiotherapist and women’s health lead at Ten Health and Fitness, with a background in sports therapy. ten.co.uk KAT FARRANT Kat Farrant is founder of Movement for Modern Life,›dubbed ‘the Netflix of Yoga’.›Her mission is to help you live a happier, healthier sustainable life. movementformodernlife. com SARAH CAMPUS Sarah Campus is a personal trainer, nutrition coach and founder of LDN MUMS FITNESS, a holistic wellness solution encouraging all women to make health their priority. ldnmumsfitness.com…

Strength in numbers If you get an injection of movement motivation when you’re meeting a friend for a Spin class, you’re not alone. According to a new study, carried out by Penn State University in the US, fit folk who take part in group exercise experience a greater sense of exertion and satisfaction, plus have a stronger intention to return. Experts chalk this up to the supportive network a group class has to offer, which places a higher level of accountability on the individual and pushes them to work harder alongside others. ‘Human connection offers a greater sense of purpose, belonging, reduces stress and increases overall happiness,’ explains Alana Murin, head of ride at Psycle (psyclelondon.com). ‘To connect through a shared experience with other people while working out not only…

Liv Cycling Race Day Bib Shorts ‘Bib shorts are kind around the tummy area. Whether you are recovering from a C-section or still a little sore around the stomach, it just feels nice to be tucked in. These felt good on, too, as well as comfy. Their ProComfor women-specific chamois make them especially comfortable when getting back into the saddle, when the pelvis is still recovering from birth and is sensitive.’ says PT and tri coach, Alice Thomas. £84.99, liv-cycling.com Natal Active Artemis Nursing Sports Bra A comfortable and supportive nursing bra that will support your return to fitness. Every detail has been considered in the design of this bra – from the clips that you can open and close with one hand, to the wide elasticated straps that you…

Q. Tell us about the TRX Let’s Move campaign… A.‘TRX’s campaign represents everything I am about – inclusive fitness. It’s a message that inspires and includes everyone. Fitness means something different to everyone and we all choose to express that differently with how we choose to move. That’s why I love the fact that TRX says “there are no rules to how you move, so long as it moves you”, regardless of your age, gender, size or any other factors. It’s a powerful message because health and fitness is for everybody.’ For more information, visit trxtraining.co.uk…

‘Certain foods and supplements have pollution-protective properties’ Every breath of fresh air you take provides a revitalising boost for your brain and body. So, regularly running or walking outdoors should be a prescription for good health. But what if the air you breathe is not so clean? You can’t see air pollution, but the tiny pollution particles and invisible gasses you’re breathing in everyday could be harming your health. In fact, Public Health England has called air pollution ‘the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK’, with up to 36,000 deaths a year caused by long-term exposure to dirty air. ‘Pollution is like an assault on the body, especially if you have a chronic breathing condition, such as asthma,’ says Professor Maggie Rae, president of the Faculty of Public…

MOJU Ginger Shots (£27.80 for 4 x 500ml; mojudrinks.com ) Kickstart your workout with a shot of spicy ginger. This 500ml bottle contains eight great-tasting shots of 17.2g fresh-pressed ginger, to provide a caffeine-free boost to your performance. Fighter Shots Ginger (£15 for 6; fightershots.co.uk ) Give your body a boost with this fatigue-fighting shot, containing 27g raw ginger, plus honey and lemon – a powerful, inflammation-reducing combination of vitamin C, antioxidants and potassium. The Turmeric Co. Raw Turmeric Original (From £31.50 for 14; theturmeric.co ) A potent plant, turmeric contains curcumin which eases sore muscles and reduces inflammation. This shot has 35g of fresh raw turmeric root, combined with piperine extract to increase absorption. Beet It Sport Nitrate 400 (£20…

DO…. ...speak to a medical specialist such as your GP or midwife before starting an exercise programme. ...listen to your body. If you are strength training, consider de-loading, focusing on core connection in every repetition and slowing down your efforts. ...aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, split between three to five days. This can include cardio, strength training, yoga or Pilates. DON’T… ...lie on your stomach or do twisting exercises such as bicycle crunches. Try diaphragmatic, core and some pelvic floor breathwork instead. ...do full planks and crunches. These add intra-abdominal pressure and may lead to diastasis recti (ab separation). ...jump towards the end of your pregnancy, as it can add unnecessary impact to your pelvic floor.…

Courtney Black is more than just a one-HIIT wonder, with thousands of subscribers to her real-time workouts on the Courtney Black App and more than 800K fitness fans following to boot. Her high-intensity workouts are aimed at building strength, fitness and endurance through commitment and perseverance – in the resonant words of Black herself, ‘what doesn’t challenge you doesn’t change you!’. As we settle in for a good natter, Black is all beaming smiles and giggles. It seems that the effervescent, infectious energy that she brings to her workouts is reflective of her vibrant personality – and her honest and candid answers to each question are testament to that authenticity… HOW DID YOU GO FROM REGULAR PT TO TRAINING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS? ‘I’ve been a personal trainer since I was…

CARDIO ‘I’ve been training six days a week to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics, doing four hours of intense physical work a day, broken down into a two-hour gym or pitch session in the morning and a two-hour pitch session in the afternoon. I don’t do lots of running around as a goalie, but a good cardio base is crucial to my performance. During long, mentally-draining tournaments, I need the physical and mental endurance to help me to make better decisions under fatigue, especially during those “medal moments” in a shootout. I regularly train and am tested on a Wattbike (wattbike.com) to see how much power I can put out across an eight-second period, followed by 20 seconds of recovery, repeating this eight times. It might sound short and sweet…

As if training for one of the most prestigious events in the sporting world wasn’t enough pressure, imagine having it postponed for a year with limited access to training facilities and support staff, not to mention fears over catching Covid. Then add the uncertainty of whether it would go ahead at all right up to the last minute. That’s got to affect your motivation to train and heap on even more stress. As we go to press, the Olympics are due to run from July 23 to August 8 and Paralympics from August 24 to September 5. The largely unvaccinated Japanese people are overwhelmingly against it, but the IOC (International Olympic Committee) is convinced it’ll take place, albeit with no foreign spectators (perhaps no spectators at all) and lots of…

ooking to boost your L mood with exercise? Chances are, you know that any form of cardiovascular movement, albeit a simple dance class, bike ride or run, pumps your body with feel-good chemicals. Indeed, just the simple act of moving is enough to flood your system with endorphins, dopamine and adrenaline – all chemicals that make you feel happy and confident. But is this only the case for cardio, or can strength training also improve your mood? We weigh in on how resistance exercise can make you feel happy… MIND MATTERS If you leave the weights room feeling confident, there’s a reason – and it all starts in your brain. Research from the Georgia Institute of Technology, in the US, shows workouts that involve lifting weights not only restore connections…

‘Taking a good-quality collagen supplement has been essential for me as I’ve gotten older, as it’s amazing for tendons and ligaments. I take Momentous Collagen Peptides.’ ($44 for 507g; livemomentous.com) ‘Want to get stronger at home? Invest in a set of dumbbells – you can do so many different exercises with them and get a full-body workout. Mine are from Rogue Fitness.’ (rogueeurrope.eu) ‘With a good pair of running shoes, you can do a workout wherever you are in the world, no matter whether gyms are open or not. Try the new Asics Metaspeed Edge shoes.’ (£225; asics.com)…

Everyone knows that resistance training is a crucial component of a rounded fitness plan. It increases metabolic rate, lowers body fat and helps combat age-related muscle loss. But hauling weights around an air-conditioned gym when the sun is shining might not hold that much appeal. The good news is, you can get strong and seriously fit in the great outdoors. FUNCTIONAL FIT Don’t believe us? Head to Farm Fitness in Essex (farmfitness.co.uk), an outdoor gym that is fast becoming one of the UK’s best-loved workout concepts. The brainchild of Essex farmer’s son, Tom Kemp, Farm Fitness is based on functional training, exercises that mimic everyday movements such as squats, hinges, lunges, pushes, pulls or rotations. ‘Functional fitness is all about creating a body that’s built for the real world, not…

Memory tracks Got a song stuck on repeat in your head? We all know what it’s like for a catchy track to bury itself in our brain and go around in our mind all day long. But before you press pause on the irritating earworm, take note that it could be boosting your memory. That’s according to new research from the University of California in the US, which found the songs that get stuck in our heads help to strengthen memories as they form. And what’s more, the more frequently a tune is mentally played, the more accurate the memory associated to that track. The authors surmise that this could lead to music-based interventions to help those suffering with memory-related disorders such as dementia. Play on……

Heard that exercising during pregnancy is good for you? You’re not wrong, as a growing bank of data extolls the benefits of keeping fit before and after labour. ‘Exercise during pregnancy has been linked to decreased interventions during labour and delivery, quicker recoveries, decreased risk of gestational diabetes as well as decreased pregnancy-related discomforts like lower back and joint pain,’ explains pre- and post-natal trainer, Taylor Walker Sinning. But did you know that moving during maternity will bring about benefits for baby, too? ‘There have been links to decreased risk of high birth weight babies, increased oxygen exchange between mum and baby, as well as links to increased intelligence and gross motor development,’ adds Walker Sinning. The problem is that hearing about the prenatal benefits of exercise and harnessing the…