Last year, just a few months after launching the Fit Brit Collective blog, I posted five New Year’s Resolutions to help maintain my focus in 2015. A whole year later, I feel pretty happy looking back at my goals and the progress I’ve made.

Through regular yoga practice I’ve pinned down my favourite practice styles to Ashtanga, Rocket and Power Yoga. And since teaching at Heartcore, I now incorporate at least one Reformer Pilates session into my weekly workouts. Within the year I also decided to qualify as a PT and leave my office job as a copywriter to give Fit Brit Collective my full-time attention – I definitely feel more self-certain in my career. Between teaching classes, working with clients and managing a full-on workload, inventive packed lunches have become a must. And none of this would have been possible without a lot of positive thinking and checking in with my family and friends.

With 2015 proving such a strong and exciting year, I’m raising the bar in 2016 with five new resolutions to keep me learning, growing and giving.

Qualify as a post-natal fitness specialist

Starting this month, I’m advancing my fitness qualifications with a YMCA course in ante and post-natal training. I believe we’re all in transition, and that one of life’s greatest transitions for women is becoming a mother. Through smart and effective training, I’m looking forward to helping more new mums tackle their new responsibilities, new priorities and new challenges with unbridled energy and confidence.

Go on a fitness retreat

No more lusting after Instagram photos and videos of sunny getaways dedicated to twice daily workouts and whole, healthy nutrition. This year I’m putting a fitness retreat on my travel calendar – and looking out for opportunities to join or run one for myself!

The year of the headstand

My commitment to yoga is going nowhere, and in 2016 I’m turning my focus upside down with an emphasis on inversions. This January, I’m entrusting in The Power Yoga Company to help me connect with my intentions and lock into headstand with more strength and confidence. See you on the mat!

Give back to my #sweatsquad  

I get so much happiness and motivation from working with my incredible #sweatsquad – the fellow trainers, inspiring clients and unstoppable training partners who continue to settle for nothing but the best. This year, I’m doing more to give back to my #sweatsquad (if you’re reading this, that includes you) with more online workouts, training tips and special fitness events to show my thanks! Pop back to the blog next weekend for a special 2016 workout designed to give you a firm full-body fitness foundation with exactly 2016 reps.

Launch Fit Brit Collective bootcamps

I find nothing more rewarding than helping a client connect with their goals. Through Fit Brit Collective outdoor bootcamps, coming soon to Wimbledon Common, I’ll be further delivering on my mission statement to make meaningful connections through exercise. Think partner exercises, invigorating group training drills and the satisfaction of completing every workout as a team. You may even meet your next training partner in the process. Contact me at brit@fitbritcollective.com to find out more.

I’m ready to take on the new year. Are you? I’d love to hear about your goals and resolutions. If you’re considering personal training to set you on the right track, contact me to arrange a free consultation. Wishing you health, happiness and success in 2016!

If ever there’s a time when community feels important, it’s Christmas time. When a year comes to a close, I can’t help but reflect on the highs and lows of the past 12 months, and the highs almost always involve my friends, clients and all those moments that contributed to a sense of community. In 2015, the fitness community particularly impressed me. So much so that, as of yesterday, I left the security of a rewarding full-time job to give more of my time and attention to the inspiring trainers, journalists, clients and friends who I am proud to count among my fitness family.

I’ve been part of a lot of communities during my life so far. There have been office communities, residential neighbourhoods, branches of extended family and my husband’s family, school and university networks, interest-related clubs and societies, online communities… so why did the fitness community make such a big impression on me?

I recently came across an Instagram quote that read: “I’m not interested in competing with anyone. I hope we all make it.” I saved this quote because I think it’s a perfect summary of the fitness industry. Like sport, fitness can certainly give rise to competition, but beneath that sense of friendly rivalry rests an inherent respect for others within our fitness family and a wealth of goodwill to see others do well. Because in fitness, it’s precisely the success of others that inspires us to break down boundaries and be the best we can be.

When I was first thinking about training for my PT qualifications, I was astounded by how much encouragement I received from others in the fitness industry. There was no sense of unwanted competition, or fear of others’ success. There was only a desire to join together and spread the benefits of wellbeing, safe in the knowledge that each of us brings something unique to the table. Eager for the opportunity to reach more people and help them find that unsurpassable sense of empowerment that comes from surmounting the physical and mental challenges of exercise.

Fitness professionals and enthusiasts make up one of the biggest communities in social media for this very reason. We love to see others succeed, whether it’s through new PBs, trying new workouts, creating something delicious in the kitchen or making a complete physical and lifestyle transformation. On more practical terms, social media also plays a huge role in introducing us to new exercises or classes, meeting people who share similar goals or workout preferences, and keeping engaged through the advice and motivation always just one scroll away.

While I love social media, one of my favourite benefits of the fitness community is the way it fosters offline connections. Last week, after teaching TRX in Heartcore Fulham, I sat down on the tube beside a girl with an adorable dog nestled in her handbag. Her canine companion rightly sensed the dog-lover in me (and the golden retriever hairs on my coat after cuddling one of Heartcore’s many studio dogs) and jumped onto my lap. After mentioning I teach at Heartcore, the girl told me she is a regular at the nearby Power Yoga Company and we immediately bonded over our favourite yoga instructors and classes. Making conversation on the London Tube is a rarity, so I put this new addition to my growing fit fam down to the welcoming, supportive and inspiring community of people who strive for the best in wellbeing.

As we say goodbye to 2015 and usher in 2016 with more love, energy and determination than ever, I just want to say thank you to everyone who continues to teach, inspire and motivate me. And that includes YOU. Even more than fellow trainers, I am constantly learning from my clients. YOU are the reason I happily set my alarm for 5am and feel continually inspired to be the best version of myself. Your success is my success, and there’s no motivation bigger than that. Happy Christmas team! Let’s make 2016 epic!

Love Brit x

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my new fitness services, available from January!

Chiara Pellegrino is one to watch on the London fitness scene. With a professional dance background and a teaching presence in two of the city’s top studios, barrecore and Psycle London, she instils every class with high energy and precise effective movements. She also helps to spread her wisdom at the online home of her personal blog, 4fitnessake.co.uk. And lucky for Fit Brit Collective readers, she’s agreed to share five of her favourite barre-inspired exercises that you don’t need a barre for. Which means you can start incorporating them into your regime today – right now, wherever you are… 

When I say that I teach at barrecore I’m often asked, “Oh so you teach ballet?”…Well, not exactly.

Yes, the barre workout includes some typical positions derived from ballet, but they are revised and refined to provide a holistic fitness workout. No “port the bras” or “grand jeté’ (split jump), but lots of painful isometric contractions.

Painful yes, but definitely results-oriented.

And this is why I would wholeheartedly recommend giving these five barre-based moves a go – whether you are a barrecore addict or have yet to experience it.

Lunge

The lunge is a very popular movement in any kind of workout as the exercise has many toning, strengthening and flexibility benefits.

You can hold a bench or a surface in your kitchen for more stability, otherwise simply prepare for your lunge with your hands on the hips. Step your left leg back and make sure the right knee is in line with the right ankle. The back knee should hover just above the floor.

To give the position a “barre twist” add little isometric pulses, dropping the back knee a little lower. At all time keep the spine strong and vertical. Rolling the shoulders down the back, you want to engage also your lats and abdominal muscles.

Lunge is a great position to work on the quads, glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors.

The isometric contractions will further help in burning the fat around your muscles, and breaking down muscle fibre only to rebuild it so it’s leaner and stronger.

After a few reps, flush out the lactic acid with the full-range movement, then come back to the starting position and pulse in the low stance. For an extra tough challenge, lift the front heel off the floor as you pulse – bringing the calf and ankle stabiliser muscles into play.

Wide Second

The classic ballet “grand pliè” is very common in a barre workout.

The benefits of the position include: working your adductor (inner thighs) muscles, as well as your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves.

To set up the position, step your feet wider than your shoulders with a natural turn out of the hips. Then lower the tailbone in line with the knees, making sure the knees are tracking over the middle toes.

Get your hands in prayer or in a high V – this will increase your heart rate by pumping blood against gravity, therefore burning even more calories.

You can use isometric pulses in this position or wrap the knees out towards the pinky toes – adding to the tension on your abductors (outer thighs).

To challenge your core stability, peel your heels off the floor and continue with the same exercise.

After lots of isometric holds, it is best to release the lactic acid with a full range of motion. For a cardio burst that will leave you a little sweaty, accelerate the movement – make sure there’s a solid surface nearby for extra stability at speed.

Plank

Plank is one of my favorite positions in barre workouts as it’s a full body exercise, engaging core, back, legs and shoulders for the isometric hold.

To start, get into a kneeling position and place your elbows in line with your shoulders. Tuck your toes under and fully extend your legs, keeping lots of tension through your hamstrings so there’s a nice straight line down your back.

There are lots of choreographic options that you can perform while in a plank: twists, legs lifts, shifts of the weight forward and back, circles …

The side plank is a great option to work particularly on the obliques.

Keeping your body in a straight line, and shoulders and hips stacked on top of each other, try to lift the top leg a couple of inches or as high as you can. Squeeze it up and down for an extra glute contraction, or simply hold it and breathe through the shaking.

Bridge

<img class=" size-full wp-image-1078 aligncenter" src="https://fitbritcollective.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/BridgeStraightLeg.jpeg" alt="Barre Bridge Exercise" width="674" height="674" srcset="https://fitbritcollective.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/BridgeStraightLeg.jpeg 674w, http://fitbritcollective blog link.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/BridgeStraightLeg-150×150.jpeg 150w, https://fitbritcollective.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/BridgeStraightLeg-300×300.jpeg 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 674px) 100vw, 674px” />

One of the very best booty builders, the bridge is a great way to focus on your glutes.

Lie on your back with the arms along the side of your body and the knees bent. Draw the heels as close as possible to the pubic bone and hover the tailbone off the floor. Make sure the spine is nice and neutral and engage the abdominals to avoid any arch or strain in the lumbar spine.

Press your hips towards the ceiling, tucking the tailbone and squeezing the glutes. Lift one leg up to tabletop or straight to the sky for a more advanced option. Lower the leg (straight or bent) to hover over the floor, then lift it back up for a full range of motion.

Abdominal Curl

This is the best position for building a rock hard abdominal wall.

Sit down with your knees bent and place your hands on the back of the thighs. Squeeze the belly button into the spine, tuck your tailbone towards your chest and hinge back, coming into a C shape with the spine.

Holding this position should feel challenging, even before you progress the movement. Once you’re comfortable in the C shape, start drawing the abdominals in to your knees without adjusting your spinal alignment. See if you can release your hands from your thighs to keep the work in your core.

Finally, to increase the work even more, lift your legs off the floor in table top or straight out to 45 degrees.

For more workout inspiration from Chiara, visit 4fitnessake.co.uk or join one of her popular classes at barrecore and Psycle London. 

This weekend, London health and fitness festival Be:FIT is back for the second year, and this time in the big beautiful venue of the Business Design Centre in Islington. From Friday to Sunday, there’s a jam-packed schedule of classes by top studios, plus nutrition and lifestyle talks by fitness industry icons. And once you’re feeling fit and inspired, you can pick up some healthy treats from over 125 stalls manned by some of my favourite UK brands – not least Pip & Nut, Purition and Teapigs!

Not sure where to start? Here’s my edit of the best classes and talks to attend on each day of the event…

Friday

House of Voga Workshop – 11am

Juliet Murrell’s unique fusion of rhythmic yoga breathing and retro aerobics dance packs in plenty of weekend-friendly flamboyance. As well as working up a virtuous sweat, you’ll pick up a few moves to put into practice the next time you wind up beneath a disco ball.

Madeleine Shaw – 1230pm

The name on everyone’s lips this week is Madeleine Shaw. She’s just released her recipe book Get the Glow and recently held a press launch that attracted a healthy turnout from the cast of Made in Chelsea. Behind the media craze, Madeleine’s experience stems from years of eating to correct IBS and enhance energy levels and makes her a well-informed advisor for your top nutrition queries.

Saturday

Victoria Pendleton & Farrah Storr – 130pm

I may be biased as I do the odd bit of work for Women’s Health, but the magazine’s editor Farrah Storr is full of fascinating insights into the fitness industry. And Victoria Pendleton’s gold medal background and natural charm makes this one of the most exciting talks of the entire festival. Join the conversation as the two old friends talk serious training.

Equinox Elimin8tor – 2pm

In case you haven’t guessed, I’m a big champion of the benefits of HIIT. And this short but sweet 30 minute session is the perfect introduction for newcomers to the concept of interval training. Like all HIIT workouts, it is equally challenging for the most experienced exercisers – maximise your effort and you’re guaranteed to sweat.

Sunday

Leah Kim Workshop – 11am

You’ll find me here on Sunday. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to start the day with 90 minutes of dynamic yoga taught by one of the coolest yogis around. You’ll recognise Leah from the Nike Training Club app, where she brings a laidback Santa Monica vibe to your home workouts.

Denise Lewis – 130pm

Olympic gold-medal winning heptathlete turned sports presenter Denise Lewis is a role model for every career-driven woman who schedules workouts like she does business meetings. As well as health and training tips, Denise will be discussing the non-negotiable rules that help her maintain a happy work/life balance.

There are of course plenty of other classes on offer – and if you’re yet to experience Barry’s Bootcamp, FRAME or Boom Cycle, this is place to try them for free.

If you’re planning to attend Be:FIT this weekend, use my exclusive code BRIT at checkout to get your tickets for just £15 each (normally £18). Or follow me on Instagram to find out how you can win one of five pairs of tickets going completely FREE!

Having just returned from 10 blissful days’ holiday in Sri Lanka, I’m feeling pretty good about my work life balance. But rewind three weeks and I was experiencing heart palpitations at my desk, a result of anxiety over meeting deadlines and personal pressure to be ‘successful’ in my career. Although I manage to fit at least four workouts and one yoga class into every week and allocate time every day for meditation and reflection, I have a bad habit of letting stress get the best of me. However, I’m increasingly learning that channeling all that ambition and passion takes focus and is unsustainable without designated time to ‘switch off’ and enjoy other outlets for energy, creativity and expression.

Rosie Paterson, founder of livingrosy.com, has started her wellness coaching business for precisely this reason. She is dedicating her career to helping other people find the success they want in their careers while achieving the balance they need to embrace friends, family and other personal interests. Read on for Rosie’s simple everyday tips to get a healthier work life balance, and take one step closer to a life as enjoyable as it is successful.

Having chosen a fast-paced banking role, you must be drawn to a challenge. When did the balance shift to make you realise that long working hours simply aren’t healthy? 

That was pretty evident to me very early on! I need quite a bit of sleep (my ideal is  about 8.5 hours per night) and I was getting about 6 at best. I was exhausted, felt nauseous in the morning and had a constant brain fog that impeded my ability to work properly.

Since I didn’t refresh during my sleep time, I ate for energy – chocolate, pasta, anything I could grab quickly. I put on 10kg in less than 2 years (about 20% of my body weight now).

What kind of impact did your frenetic lifestyle have on your activity levels and nutrition?

My body would just run on adrenaline and caffeine. It works day to day, but the long term effects are horrendous – you’re basically keeping your body under permanent stress 24/7.

I ended up burning out and developing coeliac disease from the stress. Coeliac is an auto-immune disorder where your body attacks the small intestine whenever traces of the protein gluten are ingested. Something messes up in your body to make it think that gluten is dangerous but it ends up attacking itself. It prevents you from digesting any nourishment from food, leading to serious long-term diseases like osteoporosis, low birth weight in babies and even cancer. It also makes you more likely to develop other auto-immune diseases like MS and rheumatoid arthritis.

Through Living Rosy, you talk about helping clients achieve balance. What does a balanced life look like to you? 

A balanced life is different to everyone. Some people enjoy working a little more, some would feel it detracted from their personal life if they continuously clocked up overtime. I help my clients find their own balance and break down any mental barriers they’ve created that stops them from achieving this.

For me, I love to cook and detest eating take out even for lunch. My dream when I was working was to cook lunch every day (forget the fact I could barely find the time to cook dinner). Working from home became a non-negotiable for me. I wanted total freedom in my schedule so I could get outside in the middle of the day every day, and work from anywhere. I also refuse to work ‘overtime’, i.e. evenings and weekends, as I have other interests and family/friends that I prioritise at those times.

I created all that by working for myself, but that’s because I had pretty strong demands! If you love your job, there are plenty of ways to create balance without giving it up. I developed my 15 minute morning routine while working my second stint in banking, after my burnout. It’s a super easy 5 step routine that sets you up for the day. I share that now with everyone – it really helps!

Is there one piece of advice that generally applies to someone who’s overworked? 

Remember you always have choice. Rather than falling into victim mode with a “why” question, alway rephrase that into a constructive “how” question: “Why do I have so much to do?” becomes “How can I do what I need to do?”.

This way, your brain starts solving the ‘problem’. You’ll be amazed at what creative answers pop up and how ‘doable’ your challenge becomes.

When tasks and distractions accumulate, what do you do to ‘silence the noise’ and reestablish your focus? 

Prioritise! Try the following task:

Take 4 columns on a spreadsheet, (1) “Important & Urgent” (2) “Urgent & Not Important” (3) “Important Not Urgent”  (4)”Not Important Not Urgent”.

Write each task on your To Do list under the most relevant heading.

Always focus on Important over Urgent, i.e. do the tasks in the order of (1), (3), then (2) and – if you ever have time – (4).

How does mental wellbeing fit into the big picture of a healthy lifestyle? 

Mental wellbeing is a huge part of being healthy, as both the mind and body work together to find balance. There’s a huge amount of research going into the ability of our minds to affect the health of our bodies – stress is case in point. When we’re stressed, our cortisol rises, eventually leading to issues with everything from the strength of our heart to digestive issues such as insulin regulation.

Are there any apps, classes or activities you can recommend to help achieve mental wellbeing? 

Meditation is great, and so simple. I think it still seems like something a bit unreachable, like the most advanced form of yoga. But it really doesn’t need to be!

All you need to do is set a timer on your phone, even for 2 minutes at the beginning, and sit comfortably. Breathe in for as long as you can – somewhere between 3-7 seconds, hold for that time, then breathe out slowly for that time again. Just repeat that, focusing on your breath. If your mind wanders, just gently bring your focus back to your breath without any judgement or criticism. Increase the time you devote to meditation as you progress, and practice every day. (Apps like Headspace can also give you a bit of digital direction!)

What kind of ‘self checks’ do you make every day to reinforce your new healthy lifestyle? 

I’m quite in tune with my body now so I can feel if something is off – if I haven’t slept enough or even if I ate something a bit different. I don’t eat much meat so if I have a very heavy meal out then I’ll notice the next day.

Try keeping a diary for a week – note down what and how much you eat, drink, sleep, work out, etc and how you feel throughout the day. If you can do it for a month, even better. You’ll start to see some patterns and you can try experimenting to see how it changes how you feel.

Everyone is different so what works for me may not work for you at all, and vice versa.

Personally, my biggest challenge is drawing a line under a task or the day and giving myself permission to switch off. How did you learn to simply pack up and call it a day? 

Every quarter I take anything from 2 hours to half a day ‘off’ to strategise. I look at what I want to achieve on a quarterly basis, which informs my broad monthly plan, which then informs each week.

From there, each Friday I take stock of what I’ve achieved that week and set my goals for the next week and create a reasonable to do list each day. I literally schedule each task in my calendar. I used to schedule too much and feel guilty when I didn’t achieve it all, but this was a reflection of my scheduling rather than my own ability. If it takes me 1.5 hours to write my newsletter, I won’t write two newsletters in 2 hours!

This also forces you to focus on what’s important (going back to that spreadsheet above). What is getting you or your company toward your goals fastest? If you are employed, these plans are a great thing to discuss with your boss for 15 mins a week. Base them on your own promotion objectives or the company quarterly goals.

When you’re done with your tasks, you’re done! Go out and have a treat!

Let’s play a game of ‘Gut Reaction’. Without overthinking it, pick the preference that comes to you first… 

Fruit or Veg: Veg – too much fructose in fruit to live on that alone

Fast or Slow: Walk fast, savour slow time too – like a lazy Sunday

Walk or Run: Walk fast! (I’m a Londoner and a definitely Tube escalator-walking person)

Sea or Sand: Warm gentle sea (Fierce waves scare me, even though I am a fledgling surfer)

Rain or Shine: Shine, every time

Blue or Red: Blue, goes with my eyes

Morning or Night: Morning – so full of promise

Yoga or Pilates: Yoga is more spiritual

Dining in or Dining out: Both! (Foodie right here…) Dining out with coeliac is a massive hassle as I’m always terrified of gluten contamination and have to interrogate the poor waiter, demand to see the chef and it takes 3 hours to order, but sometimes it’s nice not to do the dishes.

Squat or Burpee: Squat! Burpees are too much effort…

Laptop or Paper: Laptop! My entire office is encased in one 13″ bit of metal

Home or Away: If Away is a warm beach somewhere, I won’t say no…

How do you feel about your work life balance? If you’d like to share any tricks of your own, or have questions about how to make a change, please leave a comment below and Rosie or I will be happy to help! 

I first came across Tara Stiles when I stumbled on her yoga studio Strala during a visit to New York City. After that, I’d see her pop up on Instagram teaching hundreds of students, twisting into some part-human-part-pretzel poses and, ultimately, always sporting a giant smile. This is a girl who radiates serenity and happiness, and I wanted to know how she does it.

@tarastiles shares her excitement over the new book on Instagram

So when her book Make Your Own Rules Diet (available from Amazon or iBooks) came to my attention via Starbucks’ Book of the Week recommendations (side note: isn’t it nice to see some of the world’s biggest businesses backing the movement for healthier living?), I was excited to see whether this New York girl’s kitchen habits could influence a happier and more energetic lifestyle of my own.

The title, as it transpires, is only a partial reflection of the book’s merits. In fact, this is a full-blown guide to getting more from every waking minute. Sure there is a section on the importance of breaking the sugar crash cycle and eating ingredients from the earth (plus plenty of recipes to show you how easy and enticing it is to do so), but for me the underlying message of the book is its emphasis on feeling versus analysing.

Speaking from experience 

To show she’s truly invested in her processes, Tara starts by opening up about the impact of a traumatic post-party incident she experienced as a teenager, and how it consumed her with negative energy and began a vicious cycle of starvation. It was only by a slow period of sensitisation that she was able to appreciate and nourish her body – to understand its needs and nurture them for holistic wellbeing. This is the crux of her Make Your Own Rules Diet – and it’s a principle that extends well beyond the kitchen.

Still somewhat of a taboo subject (although Robin Williams’ death last year helped to spark important conversations), mental health is a topic Tara tackles head on with her easy and accessible introduction to meditation. She talks a lot about taking time, and making space, to review the self from within. Her breathing exercises are short and perfect for integrating in the day to day. Over time they teach us to silence the static of daily demands and find a moment of peace. By taking this time in the day, our awareness of our nutritional and physical needs also increases.

Head over heels for Tara Stiles’ new book

Take it to the mat 

By far my most bookmarked section of Tara’s book is the chapter on ‘Working Your Mat’. Her energising morning flow is seriously life-changing for anyone who sits at a desk for the bulk of their day – I felt the difference to my posture with every practice. Also fantastic is her evening unwind sequence, which is just physical enough for a post-work energy boost but not so sweaty and adrenaline-stimulating it keeps you up at night. I haven’t yet tried her ‘heart-pumping sweaty flow’ as I prefer to do my tougher vinyasas in a class setting, but her demonstrations certainly set the bar high and make you want to spend more time on the mat.

Kitchen inspiration 

Tara also turns the kitchen into a creative space – describing her recipes as no more than suggestions on how to mix up healthy ingredients and encouraging you to throw in more of this, less of that or completely new additions to put your own spin on them. Your pots and pans become another canvas for self-expression, completing the journey from your yoga mat and back again. The two go hand in hand, and all the other parts of the puzzle like your job, your hobbies and your relationships also become clearer as the body is prioritised through both exercise and nutrition.

Spoonful of happiness

The winning recipes for me are the Chocolate Almond Protein Butter Smoothie and the Rise & Shine Granola. The latter finally gave me the kick I needed to give up sugar-laden store-bought brands for good and mix up my own fresh batch for an effortless breakfast or healthy dessert alternative when mixed with natural Greek yoghurt and berries. I’ve since gone on to personalise this several times over and every batch has been equally delicious. (Stop by next week for a few of my favourite concoctions, including a special request for a nut-free version for a friend with allergies!)

Get your copy of Tara Stiles’ <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Your-Own-Rules-Diet/dp/1401944353" onclick="__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'http://www.amazon.co buy viagra in usa.uk/Make-Your-Own-Rules-Diet/dp/1401944353′, ‘Make Your Own Rules Diet’);” target=”_blank”>Make Your Own Rules Diet today to bring the feeling back into your yoga practice, meditative moments and eating habits. And feel free to share your own sources of fitspiration in a comment below or on social media. Happy rule making! 

A couple years back, I did my first-ever BOOM Cycle class in Shoreditch – an underground studio with state-of-the-art bikes, innovative instructors and plenty of East London character. So when I heard that BOOM Cycle has recently opened a new studio in Holborn, I was keen to catch up with founder Hilary Gilbert and gain a little insight into the spinning sensation that’s taking over London.

Anyone else want a BOOM body like this?

How did boom come to be? 

I wanted great indoor cycling classes at convenient times for myself and I couldn’t find that combo. I started working on the BOOM business plan with my partner and we made it happen.Movie All Is Lost (2013)

Why do you think spinning has suddenly gained so much popularity?

I think indoor cycling is gaining popularity in the UK because it’s being offered in more interesting and fun ways than your run-of-the-mill gym spin class and it is therefore appealing to a wider group of people.

Do you recommend spin as part of a wider fitness plan? If so, how should customers supplement their  BOOM sessions? 

I think its best to do an array of different things. The body can get used to one type of exercise. I personally find that when I have the time to do Reformer Pilates in addition to my BOOM Cycling, I have the best abs. And strength training is really important because you need to make sure your muscles are strong enough to support you during all your favourite activities.

What’s the BOOM difference? What can BOOM do that generic gyms can’t? 

The combination of the atmosphere, the facilities, the instructors, the BOOM way of indoor cycling….it’s an immersive experience that allows you to escape to anywhere your mind and body want to take you for those 45mins. It’s a serious endorphin high!

What’s the recent BOOM development you’re most proud of? 

Our newest studio – BOOM Cycle Holborn!

What’s your favourite BOOM class to teach?

Right now I am loving my 30mins express lunchtime sessions. They are such an endorphin-blast of happiness and sweat and they are over before you know it!

What BOOM class would you recommend to beginners?

All our classes are suitable for any fitness level. Riders control their own resistance and we use a very low light in the studios, so there is no need to feel self conscious if you need to sit and have a little chillout during the class.

Name the number one thing you hope to achieve through BOOM? 

Helping others enjoy exercise as much as I do, and understand all the benefits as they continue to progress in their training.

What excites you most about the UK’s current fitness culture?  

The fact that there it’s not too saturated yet. The possibilities are endless!

What one BOOM success do you most hope to celebrate in a years’ time? 

BOOM Cycle location number 3,  and maybe number 4…..

Read my full BOOM class review here.