Women's Fitness April 2022

I didn’t get into adventure sports until I was well into my 20s, in part because I’d previously subscribed to the myth that climbing, mountain biking, peak bagging and suchlike was for hardy folk who could blaze down a bike trail or scramble along a ridge with vim and vigour. And while I’ve certainly had nervous moments on peak tops and freewheeling down high passes, I am proof that adventure sports are for everyone – and this is the perfect time of year to give a new outdoor sport a go. Functional fabric brand Polartec highlights this perfectly through its latest campaign, Outdoors Are For Everyone – I challenge you to watch the video at everyone.polartec.com and not be inspired! And it serves as a great reminder that adventure sports…

Nicki Petitt Nicki is an online fitness coach and workout writer. She brings energy via Zoom Room, which will challenge your body and create a stronger mindset. Find out more @nickipetitt Eve Boggenpoel Eve is a holistic healer, yoga teacher and author. Her work is grounded in a deep appreciation of inner stillness as a pathway to transformation. @eveboggenpoel Joanna Ebsworth A qualified Level 3 PT and fitness instructor, Jo has been combining her love of exercise and writing for 15 years, and is keen to inspire others to be active. @joglows Louise Pyne Louise is a qualified nutritionist and freelance health writer. She specialises in women’s health and wellness, as well as children’s health.louisepynenutrition.com Christine Bailey Christine is a performance nutritionist, chef, author and keen runner. She runs online…

GAME CHANGERS Thank you for The fit list (March issue). Learning more about 10 athletes such as Bethany Hamilton, Tia-Clair Toomey, Rachael Blackmore, Courtney Dauwalter and many more amazingly fit and healthy women enjoying what they are doing was fascinating. My senior school produced quite a few professional athletes, who are still going strong in tennis, swimming, table tennis, archery, football and rugby. I have always enjoyed sport and did sports science at university, teaching football in America for two years. Schools are important for encouraging children and young people to participate in a range of physical activities and to understand how such activity is beneficial to health and mental wellbeing. Fortunately, I had excellent sports teachers at my school who pushed to gain the right equipment for lessons! Nia…

STRONG GOALS I loved reading your feature How I build my body: Karenjeet Kaur Bains (March issue). Karenjeet is the first female Sikh powerlifter to represent Great Britain and it was most interesting to learn more about her fitness and performance. She is truly inspiring, and I found this article very helpful. I lived in New Zealand for two years and took up CrossFit, which involves a lot of weight lifting. Over the past few years in the UK, CrossFit has become more and more popular, and a lot of its members are women. It’s a vital part of my wellbeing regime now, and I’ve found that the weights room is not full of shouty men throwing huge weights around! I love my hour-long sessions, doing mobility warm-ups, strength or…

Made to move The catsuit has made a comeback, so jump on the trend wearing The Body, £120, from sustainable activewear brand Contur (conturuk.com). This flattering and functional all-in-one fits like a glove and provides breathability and stretch where you need it, while the ecofriendly double-knitted scuba fabric, with a soft brushed inside for extra comfort, gives squat-proof coverage. Wear it in or out of the gym. VISIT THIS… Take a hike Help to stop dementia in its tracks when you take part in the Alzheimer’s Society’s Trek26: a series of 13- and 26-mile treks in seven breath-taking beauty spots across the UK. The first trek kicks off in London on May 28th and the final trek takes place on the South Devon Coast on September 10th, with other treks…

Ever since Hauer joined the Strictly Come Dancing cast in 2012 she has kept us all on our toes. From her breath-taking floor work, stunning outfits and celebrity dance partners, she has given viewers a lot to twist and shout about. As the show’s longest-running professional dancer, the 39-year-old – who turns 40 this April – is used to the highs and lows of the competition and being in the public eye. Yet, for someone who spends most of her time flying through the air, she is very much grounded. The Venezuelan Latin ballroom dancer, who is currently performing in the Firedance show (firedancelive.co.uk) with Gorka Marquez, is passionate about encouraging women to embrace fitness and live their best lives. So, who better to ask for some advice and tips…