Fitness Articles

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So, you’ve decided to take the plunge and tick ‘do a triathlon’ off your bucket list. But where exactly should you start when it comes to prepping for the big day?

Whether you frequently exercise or have had a period of inactivity, there are numerous things you’ll need to do before you can truly call yourself a fully-fledged triathlete. Training is obviously essential, but your diet and dress will also be crucial.

There’s no need to fear, though. Simply take note of our following tips for your first triathlon and you’ll be running, swimming and cycling your way to victory in no time!

They may seem worlds apart but running and yoga are a fitness match made in heaven. While running is undoubtedly fantastic for cardiovascular fitness and stamina, it can be hard on our bodies. The impact of running puts pretty intense strain on our muscles and joints, often leading to every runner’s worst nightmare: injury.

The good news is that yoga can play a brilliant supporting role in your training, helping you develop the strength, flexibility and mindset you need to achieve your running goals – whether that’s a marathon or your local Parkrun.

Complementing your running with a regular yoga class will help you:

If you’re lucky enough to be near to a beach, you’ve got unlimited access to nature’s gym. The beach offers myriad ways to help you work out. Our guide to the top ways to exercise at the beach can help you break out of a workout rut and make the most of your beautiful environment.

For some, a holiday is a great chance to relax, unwind, and take a break from the stresses of every day – including exercising. But for others, the idea of not working out while on holiday just doesn’t sit well. If you do choose to workout while on your holidays, there are many different options for you to ensure your fitness doesn’t suffer at the hands of a trip away.

Working out while on holiday can be tricky – you’re out of your usual routine, and will most likely be without your usual equipment or workout gear. Our guide to different holiday workout options is here to help, with tips and tricks to keep you on the straight and narrow with the best holiday workouts.

Yoga focuses on peace of mind, flexibility and broad muscle groups, whereas Pilates focuses on strength, muscle toning and control. But there’s a lot more to it than that.

Here, we pit yoga and Pilates against one another in various categories. But which will come out on top?

The days of partner yoga are here, and while it may sound like a bit of a gimmick, there are serious benefits to it. Better posture, improved levels of communication, trust and increased strength – what’s not to like?

After all, yoga roughly translates to union. Granted, it’s the practice of uniting mind, body and spirit, but that doesn’t mean the two of you (couples, friends and total strangers) can’t pair up, leave your worries at the door and channel some collective mindfulness.

We’ve spoken to our instructors, and here are their 10 favourite yoga poses for two.

Swimming has to be one of the best ways to unwind and work out. And while heading to the pool and swimming lengths has plenty of health benefits, it never hurts to throw in a few extra exercises to make sure you’re working every muscle group and really getting the most of your pool time.

Pool exercises are not only a fantastic addition to your regular swimming routine, but they’re also a great alternative to swimming when recovering from an injury. If you are on your very own road to recovery, ease back into exercise by building up your strength in the pool – the water will support your joints and soothe your body while providing all-round resistance to help you strengthen your muscles faster than you would on dry land. So, what are good pool exercises to try? Here are some of our favourites to get you started.

Oh, and in case you fancy ditching the local pool for somewhere a little warmer, we have some incredible swimming pools at our beachclubs. Did we mention the views?

With so many different types of yoga classes out there, all with their own benefits, challenges, and enthusiastic devotees, how do you know where to start?

The good news is there’s a yoga class for everyone, whether you’re looking for an energetic workout, a spiritual experience or some help recovering from an injury. What they all have in common is a focus on bringing mind and body into harmony, improving your flexibility, strength and wellbeing – all in a relaxed, non-competitive environment.

Sound good? We’re here to help you sort out your hatha from your vinyasa and find the yoga class that’s right for you.

If you’ve discovered the addictive world of high-intensity interval training (or HIIT for short), then you’ve might have heard of Tabata training. Sounds a bit mysterious, doesn’t it?

We’re here to reveal the nitty-gritty of this hardcore and highly effective fitness class that packs intense cardio and strength training into one short, explosive workout.

Fancy giving it a try? Check out our Tabata beginners’ guide for all you need to know – including where you can give it a go (when travel is allowed again)in our Neilson Beachclubs.

Whether you love or hate swimming, there’s more than one way to exercise in the water, and one of our favourites has to the phenomenon that is… aqua fit.

Never tried it? Don’t think it’s for you? Think again.

Take a look at our back-to-basics guide to all things aqua fit, and find out why this fun fitness class attracts fans of all ages and fitness levels.

Kids, work, your partner (or lack of), sports, ailments, politics; just some of the many causes of stress. And the best ways of relieving that stress? Punching a wall, having a few glasses of wine, eating enough chocolate to make a small child blush? Turns out, there are a few healthier alternatives for alleviating stress, in the form of yoga and yoga breathing techniques.

Here we list some of the best yoga moves for relieving back pain to help you breathe deep and tackle your day with gusto.

We want to point out that we’re not physios or medical experts, our tips are tips only, based on personal experience, and is in no way medical advice. It is always best to consult your doctor to make them aware of your back pain symptoms and to make them aware that you plan to embark on yoga as a method to help back pain.

If you’re looking to make your first endeavour on a yoga mat, head to our fitness decks in any of our beachclubs and give our yoga sessions a go.