1. London at 5am is otherworldly

The beauty of watching the sunrise, waking with the birds, riding an empty train carriage, bopping to my favourite beats while driving empty roads, and the bliss of that first sip of coffee! Just some of the things I enjoy between those ridiculously early alarms and the first client of the day.

2. Once you go stretchy, you’ll never go back

The last time I bought new clothes that weren’t lycra (denim dungaree shorts from Zara, this summer), they were abandoned to the back of my wardrobe within weeks. Stretchy leggings are great for exercise, yes, but also for dog walks, pub lunches and even dressing up with heels (by which I mean wedge trainers).

3. The sniff test is totally legitimate

Speaking of stretchy clothes, when you live in leggings and you work out most days, you can guess why my husband calls our washing basket ‘Oscar’ every other day. Cue the return of the sniff test.

4. The most demanding boss you’ll ever work for is yourself

Long hours, with no extra recognition. Criticism in rich supply. Tea runs when you’re stressed? Forget it. Working for yourself is no picnic, but it’s a hell of a lot harder to complain about your boss!

5. Originality is miles more interesting than imitation

In an industry where there are plenty of personalities, and a busy broadcasting platform called Instagram, it’s easy to add to the noise with yet more half naked mirror selfies and workout videos comprising more butt close-ups than Kim Kardashian’s favourite underwear. Yawn. Body-oggling does not equal genuine connection. I’d much rather inspire one person to try one of my (fully-clothed) workouts than have a million eyes oggling my peach emoticon.

6. Don’t trust a man who brings his own boxing gloves to a PT session

… Never again will I be punched in the face while doing my job! That’s a story for another time 😉

7. Music will never be just music

That new tune you hear on the radio? Not just a song to sing along to, but the perfect beat for your next spin playlist or for synchronised kettlebell swings.

8. Buzzwords rarely outlive a bee’s lifetime

There are so many trends out there, from flash diets to workout concepts to the particular body part most revered on social media, but most of it is nonsense. Healthy lifestyles and sound workouts are grounded in science – and science doesn’t change every four months (which just so happens to be the average lifetime of a bee).

9. Sacrifices are unavoidable

When your 9-5 becomes a 5-9, sleep, social life and free time sometimes take the hit. My own training often plays second fiddle to that of my clients. Friends may or may not understand the crazy schedule, but the ones who support you and your visions will be there regardless.

10. People make it matter

Your clients become your community; and competitive types better relax the hell out, because you’re going to need other trainers and peers from the fitness industry to keep you sane. Plus they’ll be your greatest teachers along the way. Open your mind, expand your education and put your clients first. Since they’re now also loyal friends, that shouldn’t feel like a chore!

Thank you for being part of the Fit Brit Collective journey! It has been an unforgettable year, and with a new beginning before us, I’m confident 2017 will bring even more endorphins, achievements and connections. First up, new Wimbledon and Raynes Park classes starting week one of January – find out more. The video below is just a little glimpse into the future. Happy Holidays everyone!

Brit xx 

Let’s get, let’s get, let’s get ready to rumble… said 90s duo PJ and Duncan. But I suspect the modern day Ant and Dec never predicted their catchy pop song would share a name with a fitness revolution by one of London’s most luxurious and forward-thinking gyms. The new 1Rebel in Broadgate Circle does away with the dingy concrete and transforms the underground boxing gym into a premium space for jabbing, hooking and uppercutting your way to a stronger, fitter version of yourself.

Think theatre grade lighting, copper plated lockers, heated benches, Hollywood inspired mirrors and a complete skincare and haircare regiment so you needn’t think about packing anything more than your trainers and fiercest gym kit.

Multi-faceted motivation

I can assure you the class playlists are just as modern too. Sadly, there was not a single track from Ant and Dec’s illustrious music career, but there was plenty of suitably base-heavy inspiration courtesy Wiz Khalifa, Kanye West and R3hab. Instructor Esme also injected plenty of energy and motivation into the class, spurring us on through speed rounds and power rounds to keep heart rates high. Those endurance-centric slow twitch muscle fibres were in constant interchange alongside fast twitch muscle fibres through some bold heavy hitting tracks.

But there’s more to Rumble than old school bag work. Just as the arms begin to ache from the high-rep punching sequences, we’re on the floor for a set of mountain climbers. Quick spells of conditioning also make clever use of the 1Rebel-branded boxing bags, such as the sit-up cross-body punch combo that lights up the obliques with every powerful blow. My personal penchant for a balanced workout meant the addition of squats ticked all the boxes.

1Rebel is on good form 

A steadfast focus on form further gave me the satisfaction of both working out and learning a skill in the process. Esme twice corrected my footwork during a series of roundhouse kicks – and the extra power I could generate with a marginal change in my footwork proved there’s an art to boxing inspired fitness. And it’s not all physical. Every time I made contact with the bag, I felt more tension chip off my shoulders. The class culminated in a particularly cathartic freestyle finale that bordered on spiritual – as far as I was concerned, there was nothing but me and the bag and the rhythm of my own heart to push the tempo.

Beyond the bag 

Aside from a lasting rumble in my hands (they didn’t stop shaking for a solid day), that post-workout zen was a pleasing contrast to the high-energy vibes of the class. At 1Rebel, the calm comes after the Rumble, and that’s what makes this new East London class a smash hit. Check it out at 1rebel.co.uk.

Wearing Jive Dance Capris and Upbeat Padded Bra by Sweaty Betty 

Need to know: To combat stinky glove syndrome, 1Rebel requires you to purchase a pair of personal hand wraps before your first class. Bring an extra £5 to cover the price of the hand wraps plus the fee to hire protective gloves (also available for purchase).

Emily and I talk for 60 minutes straight, bar the odd lactate inflicted silence when my brain can focus on nothing but the final few reps of barrecore’s trademark high-rep conditioning sequences. Work, travel, fitness, boyfriends/husbands – we cover off most topics of conversation, and still she keeps a perfect rep count. That client repertoire is what elevates the experience from a busier in-gym personal training session. It’s therapy and exercise in one. And it’s just one of the tricks that barrecore PTs employ to distract you from the Garuda’s unique form of torture.

An offshoot of the Reformer Pilates Bed, with a wider frame and greater variety of attachments, the Garuda is a comprehensive strength training machine that would surely have a place in the Red Room of Christian Grey. But its primary and most beneficial purpose is functional multidirectional conditioning, which is at the heart of barrecore’s PT offering.

I tell Emily that I’m building up my core strength to master my yoga inversions, so she starts me off with a lengthy series of teaser variations generic viagra for sale in usa. I complain how I rarely feel any form of DOMS in my abs. Accepting the challenge, she increases the effort until there’s so much heat through my rectus abdominis and deep-set transverse abdominis that I have to watch TV in a permanent upward dog position. I’ve been a long admirer of the ‘barre burn’, but this is a more personalised kind of pain altogether.

Recognising one of the most common curses of a deskbound professional, Emily also identifies a subtle muscular imbalance and targets my ‘lazy glutes’. She orders a set of double and single leg bridges, with the added task of chest pressing a pair of dumbbells and keeping the Garuda platform perfectly stable. My hamstrings briefly cramp up, which leaves me with the satisfying certainty that my muscles are working to exhaustion.

Every barrecore PT session is carefully choreographed to create balance through the body, so to complement my bridges I complete a set of step-ups with a killer stiletto toe calf burn to finish. And to round out my teasers, Emily hones in on my upper back muscles with a full-body row that requires me to pull the carriage towards the frame to activate my lats, scapulae and rhomboids. The motion is delightfully fun – think pull-ups but lying down – and I stand up from the Garuda feeling my posture noticeably improved.

Finally, it wouldn’t be barrecore without without an abs blast to finish. These carriage knee crunches are a breeze to begin with, but the single leg variations take me by surprise with their full-body activation. Soon barrecore’s signature muscle shakes course through my abs and legs simultaneously. The final rep comes as welcome relief.

Whether you’re a regular at the barre, a Pilates enthusiast or a master yogi, personalised sessions with barrecore are a natural way to progress your training and learn dynamic and isometric sequences tailored to your goals. Every programme and every session is unique to you – so HIIT fanatics like me would get a kick out of extra cardio bursts at the barre or using the in-studio trampoline or sliders. While those who like a slower more controlled pace can meet all their workout needs with a combination of barre, weights and Garuda exercises.

“Sometimes clients come in and just want a solid hour of stretching,” says Emily. “That can be really beneficial too, especially when you just need dedicated time to release tension from the body after a particularly stressful day.” Whatever the goal, I get the impression every session with Emily would be a pleasure. With a gentle cool down and big hug to celebrate a tough workout in the bag, she feels more like a skilled and knowledgeable friend than a professional there to provide a service. Which, I think, is a service worth every penny.

barrecore PT sessions start from £70, with the option to add nutritional counselling to identify your intolerances and complement your workouts with bespoke nourishment.

Blur’s famous summertime anthem talks about those joggers who go “round and round and round”, but exercising outdoors doesn’t have to centre around the same old running trail. (Don’t know what I’m talking about? Hit the sound on my videos below!) When the weather is glorious, there’s nothing I hate more than staying indoors – whether I’m stuck at my desk or constrained to the gym. But my boredom threshold is also quite low and you won’t find me pounding pavement for mile after mile.

Time for the good news. There’s no reason to look longingly out the window when you can get a well-rounded workout that’s every bit as interesting and effective as a gym session. How? With two pieces of portable equipment that weigh less than your water bottle and fit into a small rucksack. No, I’m talking about a TRX, which can put you out by £150 or more… The following workout uses nothing more than a skipping rope and resistance band – I picked my rope up from Sweaty Betty for £12 and got my resistance band free at a ZICO coconut water event (but these £10 Sweaty Betty ones also deliver excellent bang for your buck).

Your instructions are simple.

1. Find a park bench.
2. Unpack your resistance band and skipping rope.
3. Perform the following circuits.
4. Be prepared to sweat. 

Warm up

Jog to your nearest park. If you’re lucky enough to live with green space on your doorstep, run a couple laps until you’re just slightly breathless. You may even want to take your skipping rope for a spin around the park with you – just watch out for passersby and pooches.

Circuit 1

Bench single leg step up with reverse lunge

12 reps each leg

Plant your right foot firmly on the seat of a park bench and explosively channel your weight through that foot to bring your opposite knee in towards your chest. Keep your chest pointing forwards and your core strong to help stabilise through the spine. Now step down and take the right foot behind you into a deep lunge.

Single leg bench squat

12 reps each leg

If you found that easy, just wait until the burn kicks in on this one. Take a seat (for now) and keep your right foot on the ground while you hover the left foot out in front. Squeeze your hamstrings and glutes to come to a single-leg stand while your left leg hovers in the air – the higher you lift it, the greater the challenge for your hip flexors. Come back down, slow and steady!

Fast skipping

60secs

Pretty self-explanatory, this one! If you don’t want to keep checking your watch, you can expect to get about 120 fast skips in 60 seconds. If that’s not true, it’s time to turn up the tempo! Too easy? Try getting 2 full rotations of the rope with every jump or hopping from side to side to work a little bit harder.

Rest up to 60 seconds then repeat the circuit two times.

Circuit 2

Static squat with resistance band bicep curl

60sec

While trees are a great source of shade on a hot sunny day, they can also help to turn up the heat on your squats. Find a good sturdy trunk and rest your back flat against it, your knees bent to 90 degrees so your thighs run parallel with the ground. Now place your feet hip-width over a resistance band and keep your elbows glued to your sides as you curl your hands towards your shoulders. You’ll feel mercury rising in both your legs and your biceps!

Resistance band pulls

12 reps

Hold the resistance band straight out in front of you with your hands in line with your shoulders. Now pull the band down and out until it brushes your hips and you feel a deep squeeze in your upper back muscles. This one is amazing for correcting kyphotic posture – those rounded shoulders often associated with desk jobs!

Single arm overhead tricep extension

12 reps

Step on one end of the resistance band and take the other end in your right hand so your elbow points to the sky and there’s at least some tension in the band when your arm is bent. Now extend that band straight overhead, keeping the elbow as stable as possible. Perform all your reps on one side before switching to the left.

Plank with resistance band row

10 reps

This one hurts – in a full-body, core-sculpting kind of way (that’s a good thing). Tie the resistance band in a big loop around the base of the bench. Now get into a plank position on the ground and move far enough away from the band that you have to extend one arm to reach it. Keeping your hips stable and level with the ground, slowly row the band into your body until your elbow grazes the midsection. Do this 10 times, then grab the band in your opposite hand and perform another 10 reps. If you feel your lower back start to dip, come onto your knees and tuck your hips to maintain a straight line from your pelvis to your head.

Resistance band Russian twists

12-15 reps

Turn over onto your backside and sit far enough back that you have to create tension in the resistance band in order to hold it. Now find a 45 degree seated position and slowly twist your right elbow to the ground as you exhale all the air out of your right side. You should feel the contraction in your obliques. Alternate sides and try to resist relaxing your core between reps.

Rest up to 60 seconds then repeat the circuit two times.

Cardio Blast

These moves need no introduction but they’re here because they work and they are the perfect way to finish with a strong cardio burst after some full-body conditioning. You’ll get your heart rate soaring one last time and fire up your metabolism for a good 24 hours after you pack up and jog home in the direction of a hot shower. You’ve earned it…

Skip

60 sec

Squat jump (check your form here)  

30 sec

High knees

30 sec

Rest up to 60 seconds then repeat the circuit two times.

How do you like to exercise outdoors? Let me know how I can help to inspire your summer workouts, and check in with me on Instagram for regular insights into how I get my RDA of vitamin D and exercise all in one!

I first encountered Pilates during a babysitting shift as a young teenager. The family’s two kids had gone to bed and I was rifling through their DVDs to fill the last couple hours of the night. Right between Ghost and Clueless was a somewhat retro-looking Mari Windsor workout DVD that promised lean legs and a sculpted tum. I popped in Clueless but made a mental note to check out Pilates videos during my next trip to the video store.

In those days, Pilates was thought by many to be the preserve of middle-aged housewives. But in the noughties, the rest of the world woke up to the benefits of strengthening and lengthening muscles via small, controlled bodyweight movements. For my 13th birthday I received an MTV Pilates mash-up, featuring 20-somethings with taut bodies and cheesy all-American grins. I could choose to isolate my arms, abs, bum or legs – or to build my own workout using any of the above sequences. And I could select a soundtrack of pop, rock or R&B songs. Had Pilates got cool? It was well on its way…

Fast forward 15 years and classic floor Pilates has evolved to include many more branches of Pilates-inspired workouts using a greater variety of apparatus than a medieval torture chamber. But victims of the specialist Pilates studios in London enter by their own volition, and walk away with the glowing faces of someone who’s just completed one of the world’s most effective workouts.

Here are the must-try disciplines to tick off in your search for the school of Pilates best suited to you…

Classic Mat Pilates

This is Pilates as it was conceived by Joseph Pilates. Using nothing more than your bodyweight for resistance and your core for support, you take on a sequence of moves designed to target both major and minor muscles in your body. The foundation for all other Pilates disciplines, this is the best place to master your ‘neutral spine’ and ‘corset abs’.

Where to try it? @TriYogaUK – Not just a yoga destination, TriYoga’s team are experts in functional movement and its four citywide locations are a great place to learn Pilates, whether you’re just starting out or progressing your Teaser.

Reformer Pilates

Invented to advance the art and skill of Pilates, the reformer bed adds another dimension to your workout. Complete with a sliding platform, cables to pull or push your bodyweight in a variety of different ways, and weight selections to increase or decrease the resistance, Reformer Pilates is a full-scale gym in a single unit.

Where to try it? @Heartcorelife – With seven locations in London, Heartcore reigns strong in its dominance over the Reformer Pilates market. Expect best-in-class beds and beautiful venues.

Chair Pilates

The Pilates chair is another development since the reformer bed. You complete the workouts whilst upright and engage every muscle using bars and steps designed to increase or decrease the weight of your body for resistance. My favourite move on the chair is the pike, using mostly your core and a bit of your arms for stability to shoot your bum up to the ceiling. In my head I’m a gymnast. Even if the mirror doesn’t necessarily agree…

Where to try it? @TransitionZone – Run by the always glamorous Claire Finlay, this trendy Fulham studio combines the best fitness innovations with tried and tested exercise principles. You can even pair Chair Pilates with cardio on the Powerplate for a super-efficient session you can squeeze into the work day. And the on-site Recovery Cafe provides a comfortable place to hang out post-workout and treat yourself to homemade healthy treats.

Tower Pilates

If a Transformer and reformer bed had a baby, the result would be the Pilates Tower. As well as the varied weight selections and pulleys to engage even the muscles you didn’t know you had, the tower has extra structural components you can unlock to add new angles to your workout. Some experience in Pilates is recommended, as there’s less support for advanced moves compared with the reformer bed.

Where to try it? @BePilates – Easily London’s most pristine Pilates location, this Marylebone studio is so well-equipped it’s evolved into a training centre for Pilates teachers-to-be.

METcore Pilates

Little more than a foam roller with cables at one end, the minimalist METcore reformer is far more challenging than it appears. Your balance will be tested as you perform the exercises barefoot and move through multiple planes while staying in complete control of your body plus lightly weighted cables. Core stabilisation is key. And a welcome side effect is the myofascial massage you get from the foam roller as your rest your feet or back against the METcore base.

Where to try it? @FormStudiosLdn – Launched this year by an original Heartcore instructor, form combines the minimalist METcore machine with HIIT intervals on the TRX and Ski Erg. The result is a full-body, all-purpose workout that ticks all your boxes for strength, toning and cardio conditioning.

Cardio Pilates

If, like me, you don’t feel that you’ve worked out unless you’ve worked up a sweat, Cardio Pilates is the thing for you. As well as all the best tum toning moves from mat or Reformer Pilates, these sessions introduce heart-pumping cardio intervals on the floor or using other equipment like weights, kettlebells and TRX to maximise fat burn and multiply the benefits of your workout.

Where to try it? @PilatesPT – Founder of the well-known conditioning-meets-HIIT Model Method training technique, Hollie Grant’s private Pilates studio in Fulham is without doubt the most premier place to experience Cardio Pilates with a pro.

Bootcamp Pilates

When I think about bootcamp I think about camouflage and mud. Or of the peanut butter milkshakes at Barry’s Bootcamp in Euston. But Bootcamp Pilates is somewhat different. There are no cruel drill sergeants – only well-trained Reformer Pilates instructors who fit a ‘jumping board’ onto your bed so you can push off it during explosive exercises like horizontal jumping squats. It’s similar to Cardio Pilates, but you don’t even have to get off the bed. Mind you, getting out of bed is a prerequisite.

Where to try it: @MoveYourFrame – The ‘it’ studio of the East End, FRAME Shoreditch and FRAME Queenspark have dedicated space for Reformer Pilates and Reformer Bootcamp classes. I love that they keep numbers to a handful so the teaching remains highly personalised.

Piloxing

Another fusion Pilates workout you may have heard of in recent months is ‘Piloxing’. As you’ve probably guessed, it combines the principles of Pilates with those of boxing. Which makes perfect sense, because when have you ever seen a boxer with anything less than a six-pack? Piloxing is still limited to a few of gyms in London and I have yet to try it for myself, but it’s top of my to-do list!

Where to try it? @PushStudios – A Southeast London multi-discipline gym that has received plenty of press since introducing Piloxing to its timetable. (Here one Daily Mail journalist gives her first-hand report.)

Ready to take your Pilates to the next level? Have I missed your favourite studio off the list? Leave a comment below to share your own experience! 

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!