Having taken part in my first bikini bodybuilding competition in 2019, here are the eight things I didn't expect to learn.
Eight things I’ve learnt about bodybuilding
Gym anxiety: Dealing with nerves on the weights floor
Gym anxiety can affect everyone, newbies, gym-bros and old-hands alike. Everyone has moments of self-consciousness, but if it's putting you off your sessions, here are a few actions to take.
Patience: The hardest thing to exercise in resistance training
Building an impressive physique naturally takes a long time, and one of your hardest workouts will be exercising patience with the process.
Weight loss and workouts: Are carbs really the enemy?
Do carbs really deserve their much maligned reputation? Or is it time that we changed our thinking and embraced carbohydrates in our daily diets?
‘Strong is strong: it’s neither masculine nor feminine, it’s both’
I wonder how many women have been told not to get 'any bigger' when they get into resistance training? I know how many times it's happened to me - and it's four times too many.
Never skip leg day: Five great exercises
There's a reason #neverskiplegday is a thing on social media; lots of people do. It's one of those gym sessions most people would happily swap for back day, chest day, arms, or in fact any other upper body day you can think of. Why? Because leg day is tough.
Shoulder workout: The five best exercises
You may consider them a small part of your body, but the benefits of having well-defined and strong shoulders shouldn't be underestimated.
Back workout: Five of the best exercises
It can feel like hard graft for little personal reward training a body part that you rarely see unless you're straining in the mirror. But giving your back a good workout is not only sensible from a health perspective (think good posture and core strength) but also from an aesthetic perspective, for anyone lucky enough to behold your impressive lats.
Five of the best arm exercises
The sun may be in hiding, but that doesn't mean your guns have to be as well. There are many different exercises out there that promise to isolate different areas of the arms, but the simplest exercises are often the most effective. Here are five of my favourites.
Four of the best ab exercises
Fed up with sit-ups and crunches? There are many other ab exercises that are equally - if not more - effective in building core strength and muscle definition. Here are my four favourites.
Demotivated? How to deal with your fitness demons
It's 6pm: you've finished work for the day and are looking forward to hitting the gym. You've been working hard and the results are paying off. Yet, despite all this, the second you set foot outside, your motivation starts to wane. Sat at your desk- eyes glued to an Excel spreadsheet - the gym had seemed like a welcome break, but now, when the alternative is a warm house, the sofa and a slice of carrot cake, getting sweaty suddenly doesn't seem the best option. So, is there anything you can do to tackle your demotivating inner voice?
Five of the best glute exercises
Where once it was legs (and then abs), having a well toned posterior is the new 'thing' in women's fitness. Everywhere you look, Kim Kardashian-esque asses are proudly displayed, often accompanied by a set of exercises you, YES YOU! should use to achieve the desired level of pertness, roundness and size. While it goes without … Continue reading Five of the best glute exercises
Weight lifting: The big questions answered
'What weights should I be lifting?', 'what is a drop set?', and 'should I be worried about DOMS?' Starting out on a programme of resistance training can be intimidating for both men and women, especially when faced with a barrage of jargon. What's more, the weights section of a gym can often feel unwelcoming, meaning many people avoid this important aspect of training. In an attempt to make all newcomers feel more confident, here are some answers to some frequently asked questions.
Why should I lift weights?
'Lifting weights makes you bulky'. 'I'll look masculine if I do too much resistance training', 'cardio is the best way to slim down'. You've probably heard these excuses before, or may even have uttered them yourself - I certainly used to. It's a fairly common belief, but in the majority of cases, simply isn't true. In fact, it is one of the most pervasive myths surrounding resistance training.
