Fitness

What is Pilates?
Pilates can be done on a mat, similar to yoga, or involve specialized equipment like the Reformer (which isn’t as scary as it sounds!) Either way, let your instructor know if you’re a beginner - they’…
Fitness

What is continous training?
It’s basically the opposite of interval training.
This might sound daunting if you’re a beginner, but the workout itself is actually quite adaptable. You can vary your intensity depending on your le…
Fitness

What is circuit training?
As the name suggests, circuit training involves doing several different exercises at different ‘stations’, one after the other, with little to no period of rest in between. A single circuit is complet…
Fitness

What is flexibility training?
But flexibility is about more than just being able to touch your toes. If you want to really see how flexible someone is, you’ll be looking at their range of motion – basically, how much a joint can m…
Fitness

What is plyometric training?
The key to plyometric training is stretch and contraction. Your ability to move your muscles quickly from one state to the other is known as ‘explosive power’ – and it’s what makes an Olympic sprinte…
Fitness

What is interval training?
The length and content of these intervals can be varied, meaning you can achieve a variety of goals within your session.
Interval training is all to do with the body's two energy-producing systems: a…
Fitness

What is Fartlek training?
‘Fartlek’ is a Swedish term meaning ‘speed play’. The technique involves alternating segments of fast and slow jogging – though it can be applied to other fitness routines too.
Unlike other workouts,…
Fitness

What is Tabata training?
Named for its creator, Japanese doctor Izumi Tabata, Tabata training involves between 6 and 8 high-intensity intervals. Each of these involves 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. The wo…
Fitness

What is Crossfit Training?
CrossFit is a type of strength and conditioning workout, based around movements like squats, push-ups, and weightlifting. Unlike other workout types, it’s not based on doing a certain number of repeti…
Fitness

What is HIIT?
Well, HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. This involves short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by another period or interval, that's less intense. Because its definition is so…
Fitness

How does exercise help relieve stress?
Exercise improves the quality of your sleep whatever time of day you do it, though you should try to finish at least one to two hours before you head to bed. A good night's kip is necessary to wake up…
Fitness

How to cycle faster
To combat wind resistance, try to lower your body on the bike and tuck your elbows in. This immediately reduces the amount of your body being exposed to wind and will make you more streamlined
Find…