Women's Fitness September 2023

It's been a bit of a drizzly summer hasn't it? I'm hoping by the time this issue hits the shops, just in time for the August Bank Holiday, things might have improved and we'll be set for an Indian summer (fingers crossed). But the weather hasn't stopped me hitting the beach to test change robes for this issue (page 64). In fact, they've been handy as, although more designed for cold weather, I've needed them with the chilly air and sea we've experienced this year in the UK! I'm rather partial to a dip in the sea, but if running's more your thing, we're covering strength training tips to help condition your body to run stronger for longer (page 44), and our celebrity cover star Davinia Taylor also shares her…

STAR LETTER WF HAS GIVEN ME A BOOST! ‘Firstly, I'd like to mention how amazing your magazine is and how much inspiration I get from it. I am a gym regular, and the exercises you show are amazing. I certainly will be adding these into my routine. There are clear diagrams showing you how to do the movements, and I liked the yoga repertoire, which I now will be using on rest days. My favourite part is reading about others who also share an interest in regular exercise. Your magazine has made me feel more confident about trying different ways to exercise and in being powerful as a female – it's truly given me a boost!’ Congratulations Lillie, you’ve won our star letter prize! Cologne-based label ARMEDANGELS (armedangels.com) proves…

Fancy footwork Seen on the feet of no less than 10 players in the Women’s World Cup, the new UA Magnetico Elite 3 FG Soccer Cleats (£225, underarmour.co.uk) are Under Armour’s very first female specific football boots. Based on a popular unisex design – and now incorporating biomechanical data and feedback from female athletes – the Magnetico Elite 3 secures and conforms to the female heel and forefoot for greater support, while the upper adapts and flexes to the foot’s shape and movements for a flawless fit. Add to that the unique 3D texture that grips the ball every time for better ball handling, and you’ve got a winning combination. DO THIS… Short circuit Circuit Society (circuitsociety.fit) is the new one-stop shop for sculpting, energising and maintaining your optimum fitness.…

I run not to lose weight but to align my feel-good hormones. When your muscles are activated, you release antidepressant hormones. For me, running is a no-brainer because it requires little effort, little concentration, and the plodding rhythm plus the music I listen to lifts me and takes me back to good times – it’s so beneficial for my cognition. Also, I’m worried that I might lose my mind as I get older, so my mantra now is to use it or lose it! That applies to physical and mental health. So running is my mental health strategy. I never regret a run, except perhaps when I’ve rolled my ankle going off-road, so I’m sticking to the roads now! I’ve done the London Marathon twice and I did one during…

NOLAN SUNNASSEE Nolan is a professional strength and conditioning coach, specialist personal trainer, fitness writer and health consultant. He has trained Olympic-level athletes and also help people overcome injury. Find him at evo-fit.co.uk and his FiTPLAN training programme at onlinepersonaltraining.tv. ‘This question is quite common for people not exercising over the summer, especially if they are busy with children or away on holidays. When you don’t exercise regularly, you do lose strength, power, strength endurance and muscle mass. The good news is that you can get them back much faster than someone starting from scratch; that’s because all the exercise you have done in the past will be stored in your brain and nervous system, meaning your body isn’t learning a new skill but rather waking up a dormant one.…

Sometimes the best approach is the simplest. Especially if you haven’t exercised for a while and the gym is feeling a bit daunting. We’ve all been there. Here’s a home-based, strength-training routine based around a solid foundation of exercises that work each part of your body. If you can focus mostly on this handful of staple moves, you’ll notice that they’ll start to feel easier with time, which leads to feeling stronger, fitter and confident enough to start progressing and experimenting by adding dumbbells, new variations, or trying completely new exercises altogether. Getting fitter and stronger only takes some fundamental moves, consistency and patience. Here’s how to get started. TO DO THIS WORKOUT… Work through the moves and perform each for the required reps and sets before moving onto the…