I was recently invited by my friends at Asics to their flagship Oxford Street store to undergo a full body analysis in their running lab. Presiding over the shop floor in a glass fronted mezzanine gallery, they clearly take this seriously given that the investment in the mechanised kit alone is a 6-figure sum, not to mention the expertise needed to operate it and interpret the output. That task fell to Andrew Tew, a professional Sports Scientist who operates this facility full time to help people get the best out of their bodies during physical activity. At £200, it’s a costly up-front investment, but in light of what it involves and what you get out of it, I think that price tag is not expensive. Click MORE below to see my full write-up of what you learn about your body…
Shoulders that are sculpted and beautifully proportioned can look phenomenal on both women and men – they help to make the stature look more imposing by giving the illusion of a narrower waist and broader top. For women especially, great shoulders can create a fantastic balance between the hips (lower body) and the rest of the upper torso, accentuating curves to promote the ‘hourglass’ shape. This post contains my favourite 4 exercises for targeting the shoulders – a helpful little reminder as approach holiday season 🙂 ! Click MORE for the how-to & to get the details on my outfit 🙂
To my mind, hiking is a vastly under-appreciated form of exercise. It has so much to offer and can be properly addictive! I’m focussing on this topic as a fun, alternative way to access cardio, courtesy of a recent hike along the Tizi ‘n M’zik Pass in the breathtaking and rugged Atlas Mountains on my recent blog trip to Morocco. Here are my 10 reasons why hiking is such a supreme form of physical and mental exercise! I’m also very excited to feature Striders Edge on the blog for the first time – an apparel brand whose ethos complements what I typically look for in fitness fashion – sport-specific functionality, chic-appeal and technical innovation. Click MORE to see the whole post…
Just a quick Fitness Fashion post in response to the emails I’ve had asking for details on the Grazia outfit. I was asked to put something together comprising SS14 collection pieces, so I reached out to some of my favourite sports apparel brands for their new collection pieces to feature. Here’s an inventory:
JACKET: Nike ‘All Over Flash’ Women’s Running Jacket, available now HERE
SPORTS BRA: Sweaty Betty ‘Stamina’ Sports Bra in Lime Green, will be available from www.sweatybetty.com
TOP: Monreal wide-mesh cotton sports top with Lime Green trim, will be available from www.matchesfashion.com
LEGGINGS: Vevie ‘Brunswick’ satin ruche, as I’d featured in this previous post and available HERE
BAG: Sports bag, £850, Monreal London, will be available from www.matchesfashion.com SHOES: Gel-Super J33, £100, Asics, will be available from www.asics.co.uk
And for anyone wondering about the other shoes I was wearing which they’d featured, the fabulous rainbow-multicoloured ones, they’re Asics Gel-Noosa Tri 8’s, available right now, HERE! See more detail shots from the photoshoot here… (more…)
So the 25th has come and gone, but the Christmas break isn’t quite over yet! I’m still enjoying the festive holidays, lounging around with friends and family, so I like to wear something comfortable for the occasion. The way I feel right now has inspired (more…)
Dear Santa, I’ve been really healthy (almost) all year and I intend to be next year as well; after a festive wander through Harrods, here are my 18 top fitness gift ideas that’ll certainly help keep me on track through 2014; including some clothes, trainers, workout equipment, healthy food & drink and other gym knick-knacks. The sort of thing any fitness freak like me would love to open in just a fortnight’s time! 😉 Faya x (more…)
It’s October in New York and this day was a scorcher – 27 degrees! Since there are a few fantastic jogging routes around the gorgeous Central Park, I thought I’d go for a little explore; my ‘fitness curiosity’ got the better of me, and that turned into a 40 minute jog, after which I decided I wanted to finish off with some legs!! This post documents that leg routine, and be warned, it’s pretty gruelling, targeting all major muscles – hamstrings, quads and glutes – to tone, firm and strengthen thighs and bum! Unlike some of my previous leg posts, having just been jogging for the last 40 minutes this workout included no weights, just a park bench and some steps! That extra bit of added cardio should get you sweating and avoid shivering in the chilly ‘autumn’ weather! Really challenge yourself by keeping the rest period to a minimum – Weights not required, the combination of leg exercises is utterly exhausting!
Whilst we’re on the topic, if you’re thinking about taking up running I think it’s worth keeping a log book. By recording your performance you will be able to see how you’re improving and to potentially help avoid injuries, typically sustained when you try to go all-out for no reason. Analysing patterns can help you learn how your body responds to different intensities. Are you pushing your body too hard too soon, or may the opposite be the case? Are you letting your body recover properly? There are lots of apps to help you with logging your runs – so many that I plan to write a post about them! If you’re thinking you don’t take your running that seriously – try to at least record the distance, time and pace. Getting into the habit might just inspire and motivate you to run that extra mile, when the incremental exertion is the greatest 🙂 My favourite thing about it? You get to set yourself / your friends challenges and to enjoy the fresh air whilst getting to know the city & countryside – sounds perfect! 🙂
Click below to see the full routine, shot in Central Park, New York.
