Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 i Women's Fitness

Let me ask you a question: is today the day? The day you finally start that training programme. The day you sign up for the event that frightens and inspires you in equal measure. The day you try the activity you’ve always wanted to have a go at, or sign up to the club you’ve been considering joining… I ask because I was recently told not to look back at what I used to be capable of, or worry about what I might be able to do in the future, but to focus on what I hope to achieve right now. After years of saying, ‘I’ll be fitter next year’, ‘I’m not as fast as I used to be, so I'll do it when I'm quicker’ or ‘I’ll have more…

Dress for success For the ultimate in wear-anywhere fashion, look no further than the new Berghaus Explorer Dress (£95, berghaus.com). Made from a lightweight, breathable fabric to keep you cool and dry, this multitasking summer essential is as practical as it is chic, with a breezy camp collar, hidden pleat pockets and an unrestrictive, adjustable fit. Wear it cinched in at the waist for a sleek silhouette, loose for a laid-back feel, or unbutton it completely to wear over swimwear and activewear. Available in black, green and grey in sizes 8-20, it’s ideal for exploring a new city or escaping to the countryside in style. DO THIS... Runner’s high Forget Glastonbury, Eventbrite’s 2024 Wellness Study shows that 55 per cent of festival goers now prioritise health-focused events to leave feeling…

Proven to help build strong and lean shoulders, the shoulder press is a great move for working all three heads of your shoulder muscle, collectively called the deltoid and made up of the anterior, lateral and posterior heads. The move also works the trapezius, triceps and rotator cuff muscles. Not only will this exercise help sculpt strong and defined shoulders, but it will also help to build functional strength, improve bone health and density, and increase stability while strengthening the muscles you use in everyday life. HOW TO DO A SHOULDER PRESS Stand with a medium-weight dumbbell in each hand. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, dumbbells at ear level and palms facing forward. Straighten your arms to press the dumbbells overhead, then return to the start with control. Repeat.…

Nutritionist and No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author Emily English – more commonly known online as Em the Nutritionist (instagram.com/emthenutritionist) – loves to marry the science of nutrition with the joy of eating. Spending her childhood summers in her granny’s restaurant kitchen, and her school terms in the chemistry lab, English’s curiosity grew for what was on her plate and what was happening inside our bodies. It wasn’t until her own relationship with food suffered after a period in the modelling industry that she decided to continue her academic journey at uni to study nutrition. Using her knowledge of nutrition and her love of food, English has taken social media by storm, creating recipes that are delicious and balanced. Sharing her knowledge with millions of followers, she makes healthy eating a…

Content warning: this article contains references to baby loss which some individuals may find distressing. When I started CrossFit, I didn’t have a sudden desire to flip tractor tyres, climb ropes or get buff. I signed up because I found myself at the end of my tether. I’d been carrying grief over the death of my infant son for 10 years, and I was losing the battle to keep pretending everything was fine. In 2003, my three-month-old son Jackson fell asleep at our babysitter’s house and never woke up. The cause of his death was sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and while internally I was all the things you’d expect – devastated, crushed, broken, hopeless – externally, I carried on the only way I knew how. I put one foot…

If you’re swapping some of your gym time for alfresco exercise, you might be looking for ways to get summer-sports strong. Our advice? Look to your legs for some support. From running to cycling, to team sports such as football, or watersports – think stand-up paddleboarding – the lower-body muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes, etc.) are placed under great demand for a huge variety of outdoor activities. ‘Strong legs provide you with the strength and endurance needed for summer activities like hiking, biking, and swimming,’ says PT Sarah Campus. ‘But they also support joint health, performance in everyday activities and contribute towards a more balanced and confident body’ That’s where Campus’s leg-strengthening workout comes in! Great for use with home workouts using dumbbells, as well as those done in the…

The short of it I’m delighted by Under Armour’s summer running launches, including these lightweight, cool, on-trend Launch Pro 2” Shorts (£45, underarmour.co.uk) Endurance energy I’m hooked on Precision's PF 30 Chews (£8.99 for two 15g carb chews, precisionhydration.com). They’re great when you don’t fancy another gloopy gel. Pick up the pace An investment buy for serious road-racers, the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 shoes (£279, saucony.com) are furiously fast, with a full-length carbon plate.…

DR PRIYA GOPALDAS Dr Gopaldas is an NHS doctor, ultramarathon runner and health advocate. She is also a GP and one of the medical minds behind O.R.S Hydration (orshydration.com). Q Is it safe to exercise outside when it’s hot and sunny? How should I adapt my workouts when exercising in warmer weather? A Exercising outside when it’s hot and sunny can be safe if you take the right precautions. However, it also increases the risk of heat-related illnesses including heat exhaustion or heat stroke, so it’s important to adapt your workouts. You can do this by firstly changing the time of your workouts – exercising early in the morning or later in the evening so you can avoid peak heat. Also consider exercising indoors or, if you’re outside, try to…

Hello! When you’re putting many hours in at the gym, the studio or on the roads, what you put on your plate (or in your sports bottle, for that matter) can be the choice that makes the difference. Good sports fuel really is that transformative, but the sports nutrition market is overcrowded and hard to navigate. That’s why we’ve been running our Nutrition Awards since 2021, to help you buy the fitness fuel and healthy food products that offer the biggest bang for their nutritional buck. Every year, we call upon some of the UK’s leading sports nutritionists and dietitians, to conduct a testing process that results in a select few rated products being hailed as heroes of the General Health, Endurance and Strength categories. This year is no different;…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Stuff Fiit Free or £9.99/month after 14-day free trial, fiit.tv (available for iOS and Android devices) A PT in your pocket, Fiit puts an arsenal of on-demand fitness classes right on your smartphone – each led by a real trainer. Choose between high-intensity workouts for burning fat, bodyweight exercises for gaining strength or stretching for enhanced flexibility, before aiming to beat your PB or top the live global leaderboards. Each class lasts for 25 or 40 minutes and, paired with a compatible fitness tracker or the official Fiit Exercise Tracker (£45), you’ll see heart rate, calorie burn and rep data on screen throughout. The option to connect to your TV means you can get the full home-gym experience, too. There’s even a free version of the app,…

In Western culture, we often separate the mind from the body, but the reality is quite different. Your brain and body are in constant conversation. And it’s not just about your brain instructing your muscles to contract or release. How you move can deeply shape how you think, feel and even, according to some, who you believe you are. This is the concept of embodiment – an idea based on neuroscience that believes your body doesn’t just carry your brain around, it also shapes how the brain works. It’s a two-way street – movement influences thought and thought guides movement. In fitness, that connection is especially powerful. So how does it work? Every squat, sprint and stretch you do is more than just muscle work – it’s brain work, too.…

It’s nearly time to hit the beach, but you’ve got 20 minutes to spare. How should you spend your time? Try this resistance band fitness routine! These seven moves require nothing more than a short looped resistance band (which is easy to fit into a suitcase or travel bag) and your bodyweight, and they are super-effective. HOW TO DO IT Aim to spend 45 seconds working on each exercise, taking a short rest between moves and do the circuit 2-3 times. ‘This resistance band workout is a great low-impact but full-body workout,’ says Campus. ‘It activates the glutes, upper body and core, improving joint stability and muscle endurance, plus supporting better mobility and injury prevention.’ Work your body from top-to-toe without having to leave your hotel room, so that you…

STAR LETTER ‘DIVING HAS BECOME PART OF MY LIFE’ I’ve just been to Egypt and enjoyed a trip on a boat and a diving experience. All the divers I spoke with told me that when they dive, they find a quietness that exists nowhere else: a peacefulness that cannot be found in daily life. And while this ‘extreme’ sport can be dangerous, it is also liberating, peaceful, relaxing and fun. I definitely want it to be part of my life now and I was grateful for your Fit Buzz feature (June issue) in which you recommended some great wetsuits for triathlons and diving. Thank you! Lucy, Liverpool Congratulations Lucy, you’ve won a Sekonda Flex Plus Smart Watch, worth £75! Available in four colourways, the Flex Plus features a round, rose…

When Denise Lewis attends the one-day London Athletics Meet this July to watch the likes of Keely Hodgkinson and Dina Asher-Smith compete, she will be observing the action from a very different seat. After 15 memorable years in the BBC Sport commentary box, the Olympic gold medallist left viewers stunned during last year’s live coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympics when she announced she would be hanging up her microphone so she could take on her new role as the president of UK Athletics to ‘develop and help the sport that’s been so amazing to me’. However, while the heptathlon legend tells us she is enjoying the change and challenge – and is already making great strides by helping to prepare London’s bid to stage the 2029 World Athletics Championships…

Efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to high-intensity interval training (also known as HIIT). This exercise method alternates between all-out effort and brief recovery periods, and has been shown to boost metabolism, improve cardiovascular endurance and get you fitter in less time. Sound good? It gets better, as HIIT also challenges both the anaerobic and aerobic systems. Even after you’ve stopped working out, you’ll continue to burn calories thanks to the EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) effect, which is the increased rate of oxygen intake your body uses to recover from strenuous exercise. You’ll also be thrilled at how quick and convenient these type of workouts are. No more excuses, it’s time to HIIT it... HOW TO DO IT HIIT workouts are designed to be quick…

Get chewing Lots of professional athletes are turning to caffeine gum to boost their energy and enhance their performance. Developed in collaboration with elite athletes and sports nutritionists, BLOCKHEAD Energy Gum Extra Strength (£24.99 for 12 packs, blockhead.store) contains 100mg of fast-acting caffeine – the same as a double espresso – to give you a convenient and reliable boost. Hydration boost Nip fatigue in the bud with Phizz Daily Energy effervescent tablets (£7.99 for 20 tablets, phizz. co). The hydration-enhancing formula includes seven key electrolytes to hydrate you three times faster than water alone. There’s also guarana berry extract, which contains three times more caffeine than coffee – but unlike the latter, the caffeine is released slowly for fewer jitters and longer-lasting energy. Plus, it doubles as a comprehensive daily…

I recently needed an operation to remove a benign tumour from under my ear. I think any health issue does slightly stop you in your tracks and make you reflect on why you’ve ended up in that place, and I think it gets you to appreciate your body and your health a lot more thoroughly – it certainly has for me. It was fascinating to watch my body heal afterwards and I was amazed at the speed of it all. You sort of forget that your body’s doing all this stuff without you thinking about it. Now, I feel really well and vibrant, and I think, again, it was a good reminder to look after myself more thoroughly. I think certainly, as women, we put everybody else first. We’re constantly…

Out of the blue Not just good for removing dust particles, mould and bacteria, an air purifier is good for your skin, too. Clean air reduces the number of irritants that come into contact with your skin, leading to fewer flare-ups of eczema and dermatitis. What’s more, free radicals from polluted air are a major contributor to premature ageing. By eliminating them, an air purifier helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles, while helping maintain your skin’s natural hydration, keeping it soft and supple. Try HEPA Blueair Blue Pure Mini Max (£79, amazon.co.uk), which delivers maximum filtration with minimum noise by removing at least 99.97 per cent of airborne particles. Nourish and protect Take care of your skin and guard against dehydration and environmental stressors with Weleda’s new Wild Rose &…

SHAKE THINGS UP ‘Summer is the perfect time to mix up your usual fitness routine and try something new. Look out for local fitness events in the warmer months, such as classes in the park, summer socials (think Pilates and Pimm’s!) or even yoga on a paddleboard, which is a great way to challenge your balance. Try to have fun with your fitness, and it can be a great way to meet like-minded people too!’ Lotty Campbell Bird, Pilates, barre and yoga instructor and founder of Collective Fitness (instagram.com/collectivefitnessbylotty) HIT THE GARDEN! ‘Summer is the perfect time to take your workouts outside, but heat and humidity require smarter planning. The best times to train outdoors are early morning or later in the evening when temperatures are lower. Bodyweight strength training…

If you’re poolside, in a hotel or working out on a beach, this quick and effective ab circuit targets your entire core using only your body weight! For days when you want to do a little something strengthening, this core-focused circuit is ideal, as it requires zero equipment – just a mat and some floor space. It’s not only about carving a defined mid-riff, as core moves will also improve your physical health by improving your balance and stability, plus supporting daily activities. ‘These moves are designed to target your entire core and leave you feeling strong over the summer,’ raves personal trainer Chloe Thomas. Complete 3-4 rounds, depending on your fitness level, and rest for 45-60 seconds between rounds. Remember to warm-up before you work out and stretch afterwards.…

Unroll the mat! It’s time to focus on rest, relaxation and recuperation. If you want to concentrate on taking it easy while you’re away, a dynamic stretching session can be a great way to help you mentally unwind, not to mention ease the aches caused by plane and car trips. Or perhaps you’re on an active holiday, exploring a new city on foot, or even travelling abroad to take part in a sports event – all of which would truly benefit from a stretch-based workout to keep you limber. ‘This short mobility flow is designed to strengthen the body but also release tension at the same time,’ explains PT Chloe Thomas. ‘Best of all, no equipment is needed and so you can do it anywhere – perfect for home or…

I first got into sailing while on a family holiday in Cornwall when I was about eight years old. It was something I’d never done before as neither of my parents were sailors. I loved the freedom of being out on the water and so, when we got back home to Cardiff, I begged my parents to let me continue. I began sailing at a local club in Cardiff and progressed through the ranks to represent Wales at junior level and then went into Olympic campaigning with Team GB. My journey has been all about perseverance. My first Olympics was London 2012 and my sailing partner Saskia Clark and I came away with silver. We knew we wanted more, so we carried on training hard to go again in Rio…