Women's Fitness March 2024

Hello again! As I return to the editor’s seat of this wonderful magazine, the juggle is real. But somewhere between school runs, sports clubs (the kids’, not mine), homework (again, the kids’, not mine), training sessions (the husband’s, not mine), expressing milk, making meals, bath times, bedtimes and – phew – late-night working, I still like to find time to exercise. Why? Because it makes me a better mum, a better wife and an all-round happier person. Yet, there were definitely times in the past six months when I thought my workouts had fallen so far down the list that they were barely on it anymore; I thought maybe my days of regular activity were gone. And then on one sunny day in August, while trying to fit in a,…

STAR LETTER ‘DAVINA MOTIVATED ME TO WORK HARDER’ ‘I enjoyed your January front page cover star Davina McCall's feature, “I don't train for my body, I train for my brain”.’ Aged 55, and a mum-of-three, she looks in the shape of her life, after devoting herself to ritualistic daily workouts (and note, these are not your average hour in a local gym). She’s been gracing our screens since the early ’90s, not just for her presenting skills, but her workouts are also hot topics. How she fits exercise into a busy, unpredictable schedule, I just don’t know, but she looks fit and fabulous! I wish to thank her for sharing her fitness and diet secrets with readers. I find her so relatable, and feel she has motivated me to work…

Made for life Looking for luxurious gym wear that seamlessly blends substance, sustainability and serious style credentials? Look no further than KOMI: the modern activewear brand specialising in slow fashion for the active woman. Designed and made in London with love, every piece – from the asymmetric crop tops and squat-proof leggings, to the streamlined all-in-ones – is designed to lift, shape and emphasise your best features, while being comfortable and stylish enough to wear all day – even when you ‘accidentally’ miss that workout session. Created for those of us who put gym kit at the heart of our wardrobes. Prices start from £54; komistudios.com TRY THIS… Pliability runners app Mobility and recovery app Pliability (pliability.com) has expanded its ever-growing offering by launching its highly requested Running Hub. Designed…

EVA NORLYK SMITH Eva is an expert yoga teacher and co-founder of YogaUOnline. The wellness experts at YogaUOnline are passionate about making the healing benefits of yoga available to everybody. Find out more at yogauonline.com ‘Try a few variations until you find a version of the pose that is comfortable for you’ Q: I really struggle with downward dog in yoga. Are there any ways to make it easier? A: There are various reasons as to why people struggle with this pose. Downward dog calls for substantial hamstring flexibility to extend the legs and move the heels towards the ground. Also, if you have tight shoulders, achieving the right alignment and depth in downward dog can be tricky. In addition, the pose requires a fair bit of upper body strength,…

COVER INTERVIEW ATHENA aka Karenjeet Kaur Bains ‘I’m fast and agile, thanks to my athletics background’ ‘As Athena, the Greek goddess of war and wisdom, I have all the characteristics of being strong and powerful. I can deadlift 175kg, bench press 100kg, squat 150kg and I’m a Commonwealth champion powerlifter as well as the Guinness World Record holder for doing the most bodyweight squats in a minute. But I’m also fast and agile, thanks to my athletics background. I did athletics for a period of 10 years until I transitioned into power lifting at the age of 17, and I’m a former three-time sprinting champion for Warwickshire. ‘Having speed and strength is a lethal combination, but I’ve also got brains as an ACA chartered accountant. I’m always trying to outsmart…

Want to put a bit more power into your push-ups? There’s no doubt about it, there’s something very satisfying about building upper-body strength; something that goes beyond seeing sleek shoulders and toned triceps in the mirror. It’s the ease at which you can carry your children when there’s no-one around to help, or lug multiple shopping bags across the large car park, or perhaps do both things at the same time! Even if you just want to (finally!) get the lid off that pesky jam jar, you’re unlikely to regret training your upper-body muscles. And then there are the physiological pay-offs, too – stronger bones, a swifter metabolism, a healthier heart… this is certainly a workout you don’t want to miss off your training list. But what muscles should you…