And honestly, I'm here for it. Pilates has been one of the biggest fitness success stories of recent years, and our collective obsession shows no sign of disappearing anytime soon. But with so many moves being hailed online as the one you need to be doing, I started wondering what someone who's actually qualified to teach Pilates makes of the exercises we see on repeat.

So I asked Georgia Weibel, founder of Pilates with Georgia, to rate six of the most popular basic Pilates moves – including which muscles they actually work, and whether they're genuinely worth adding to your routine. Consider this your expert-approved guide to the Pilates essentials.

Cut Through the Noise With the 5 Best Basic Pilates Moves to Try

What are the benefits of basic Pilates moves?

Before we get into the six basic Pilates moves and what Weibel actually thinks of them, it's good to know why we should bother practising them in the first place.

Slow, controlled Pilates exercises can challenge everything from your core and legs to your balance, mobility and coordination. Better still, mastering the fundamentals gives you a solid base from which to progress onto harder variations – rather than rushing straight towards whatever impressive-looking move happens to be trending.

There's research to back up Pilates in its most basic format, too. One study following middle-aged women through a 12-week mat Pilates programme found improvements in core and lower-body strength, flexibility, agility and balance. That's quite the return from a workout method which, lest we forget, often involves little more than your bodyweight and a mat.

Pilates is also seriously good for our balance, which we all know is important to keep in check as we age. A systematic review of Pilates programmes in older adults found positive effects on both static and dynamic balance, adding to the evidence that those small, controlled movements can have practical benefits beyond simply feeling stronger during class.

1. The Hundred (2/5)

What? One of the most recognisable Pilates exercises, the Hundred involves lying on your back with the head and shoulders lifted. The legs are extended or held in tabletop while the arms pulse alongside the body.

Why? "This might be controversial, but I personally think The Hundred is overrated!," Weibel says. "It challenges the abdominals and requires you to maintain trunk stability while coordinating the arms and breath, but if my goal was to really strengthen the core, there are other Pilates exercises I would choose first. I also find that people can become so focused on completing the 100 arm pulses that the quality and control of the movement can get lost."

How long? Traditionally, it's performed for 100 arm pulses, using 10 breathing cycles of five counts in and five counts out.

2. Single Leg Stretch (4/5)

What? From a curled-up position, one knee draws towards the chest while the opposite leg extends away. Alternate the legs with control.

Why? "I much prefer this for challenging the core because the abdominals have to stabilise the trunk and pelvis while the legs are continually moving," Weibel explains. "It also brings in coordination and really encourages that mind-to-muscle connection Pilates is known for."

How long? Six to ten reps per leg.

3. Side Bend (5/5)

What? A side-supporting exercise where you lift the hips away from the mat, creating a long line through the body before lowering with control.

Why? Weibel loves this one because so much of the body has to work together. "It challenges the obliques and lateral core, but you’re also asking a lot from the shoulders, glutes and hips to stabilise the body. It’s a great example of how Pilates can create full-body strength without needing lots of equipment."

How long? Three to five reps per leg.

4. Roll Up (4/5)

What? Starting lying down, use the abdominals to slowly roll the body up to sitting before reversing the movement and lowering back down with control.

Why? "Doing a Roll Up without using momentum requires a lot of abdominal control," Weibel explains. "I also love the spinal articulation involved. Rather than thinking about simply getting yourself from lying to sitting, you’re concentrating on moving through the spine with control, which makes the movement much more intentional."

How long? Three to five reps.

5. Teaser 5/5

What? One of the most iconic Pilates exercises where you balance on your sit bones with the torso and legs lifted into a V shape, maintaining control through the centre of the body.

Why? "For me, this is Pilates in one exercise. You need core strength, hip flexor strength, balance, coordination and a huge amount of control. There’s also nowhere to hide in a Teaser. If you rush it or rely on momentum, you immediately lose the quality of the movement."

How long? Three to five reps.

6. Scissors (4/5)

What? Lying on your back with the upper body curled up, the legs alternate in a scissoring action, with one reaching towards you as the other extends away.

Why? "Scissors combines core strength and stability with mobility through the hips and hamstrings," Weibel says. "The challenge is not just moving the legs, but keeping the trunk and pelvis controlled while they move independently. That focus on stability alongside movement is one of the reasons I think simple Pilates exercises can be so effective."

How long? Six to ten reps per leg.

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Since then, I’ve had bouts of full-blown insomnia, usually triggered by stress. Whether it’s tension with friends, a mounting to-do list or money worries, there can be months where I lie awake night after night, plagued by a racing mind.

I know I’m far from the only one. According to the NHS, one in three people experience symptoms of insomnia, which range from struggling to fall or stay asleep to waking up early and feeling tired and irritable during the day.

I also know how frustrating it is when people try to offer you advice.

Have you tried journaling?

What about herbal teas, or leaving your phone outside your bedroom?

Tick, tick, tick. If you’ve ever struggled with sleeplessness, the chances are you’ve left none of these stones unturned.

Sometimes, at least in my case, they do work. But in other, particularly stressful, periods, they don’t even touch the sides. I’ll feel my heart racing, my legs restless and my mind alive and kicking with thoughts, pressures and anxieties, no matter how diligently I’ve tried to wind down.

It’s why my latest tactic - an evening swim and sauna ritual - has excited me so much. After a particularly bad period of poor sleep, it’s done consistent wonders for my nighttime relaxation over the past two months. To discover why, and how you can create your own swim and sauna ritual, read on.

We’ve also got guides to the benefits of saunas, the most common ice bath FAQ’s and the six Scandinavian wellness principles we can learn from. It’s also worth reading how Health Editor Ally Head fared when she went to the sauna weekly for six months.

An Evening Swim and Sauna Has Revolutionised My Sleep - Here's How

How does combining a swim with a sauna benefit your nervous system?

The swim

I stumbled across swimming almost by accident. After joining my local leisure centre, which has a pool, I pulled out my old swimsuit just to mix up my usual exercise routine. It was only then that I was reminded just how calming having my head in the water for thirty minutes could be. Without music blaring in my ears or sweat dripping down my face, it felt meditative, but I couldn’t explain why.

For that, I turned to psychotherapist and nervous system specialist, David Cornwell. “Swimming improves our breathing rhythm, which is foundational to nervous system regulation,” he explains. “The gentle holding of the breath as we move through the water begins to improve both the biochemistry and the biomechanics of our breathing. This directly stimulates and tones the vagus nerve, and supports autonomic nervous system regulation.”

Then, he says, there’s the stimulation of the diving reflex, which is an automatic body response that helps us to survive underwater by slowing our heart rate and redirecting blood flow to our major organs. Research has suggested that this reflex, which activates our parasympathetic nervous system (aka rest and digest), can be used to treat symptoms of panic and anxiety.

Finally, Cornwell says there’s the sensation of water to consider. “As we swim, there is a gentle stimulation of the skin all over our body, which has a similar effect to a gentle massage,” he explains.

The sauna

And that’s all before we’ve even discussed the sauna. “Passive heat raises our core temperature, and when we come out and cool down, that drop stimulates our body's natural temperature decline, which can help release melatonin,” explains Cornwell.

Waldo Ramsay, co-founder of REBASE recovery studio, echoes this. “The heat of the sauna mimics the effect of mild exercise, causing your body to enter a sympathetic state. When you exit, you quickly return to rest and digest. This is where the benefits for sleep can be harnessed.”

Cornwell adds that the environment around the sauna has further relaxation benefits. “The sauna provides a quiet, screen-free environment to settle us towards sleep,” he says. “But there’s also an important component around co-regulation. Humans don’t do well on our own - we’re better in community. Sharing a communal sauna cultivates a sense of belonging and connection, which moves us into a tend-and-befriend, parasympathetic state. It helps us feel safe and connected, which is exactly what we need to fall asleep.”

How much time should you spend in the pool and sauna to see results?

Across every expert I spoke to, the key message was to find a routine that balances discipline with enjoyment. Of course, accountability and consistency are important, but if a healthy nervous system is what we’re after, it’s also crucial not to constantly be pushing ourselves.

“We often have a tendency, especially when the nervous system is dysregulated, to impose more and more on the body,” says Cornwell. “But what really matters is listening and feeling what we need, rather than forcing more onto ourselves.”

Chess Ridgard, open water swimmer and coach at Sea Lanes Canary Wharf, agrees. “Even if you get in the water for 20 minutes, you’ve given yourself that moment away from technology and from anything that’s going on in your life. That 20 minutes of breathwork and relaxation can be as powerful as any 90-minute session working on technique.”

At REBASE, Ramsay recommends three 15-minute sauna sessions a week. “Finnish studies have suggested that 60 minutes a week, spread across two to three sessions, is the sweet spot for harnessing the cardiovascular benefits,” he explains. But he emphasises that everyone is different, and like Ridgard and Cornwell, he recommends tuning into your own body for guidance. “If you’re new to sauna, or are feeling under the weather, it’s particularly important to adjust slowly and not overdo it,” he says.

How can I support my nervous system in the pool and sauna?

Swimming is one of the most mindful and relaxing forms of exercise, but only if you feel strong and comfortable in the pool. When you don’t, it can be stressful, which is the exact opposite of the feeling we’re trying to create.

According to Ridgard, most of that stress comes from not knowing how to control your breathing. “Your breath will unlock everything you do in the water,” she explains. “It’s the thing that will switch you from sympathetic to parasympathetic nervous system.”

Thankfully, she has some tips to help us relax in the pool. “When your body is in water, you have a need to take air in,” Ridgard explains. “But the more you take in, the less you’re breathing your waste gas - the CO2 - out.”

Instead of taking a big gasp, she encourages us to focus on allowing the air in naturally. “When you push off the wall, take a big sigh out,” she says. “That will set you off for a nice relaxed swim from the very start.”

When it comes to the sauna, Cornwell also has some advice to maximise relaxation. "Wear a sauna hat or put a towel over your head," he says. "“This helps you stay in the sauna longer without feeling like you're overheating."

He also reminds us to drink plenty of water with electrolytes. “In cold countries, we don't drink enough water, simply because it is so cold that I don't feel like it. The sauna encourages us to drink, and that’s great for replenishing our bodies.”

An evening swim and sauna has become my new wind down routine - now I sleep better than ever

Month one

The first time I combined my swim and sauna routine was back in July when I went to try out the new Sea Lanes Canary Wharf - an open-water swimming venue in central London. I’d just started swimming at my local leisure centre (which unfortunately doesn’t have a sauna), and was already feeling the benefits.

But after combining the two practices for the first time, I noticed that the calmness I’d experienced after my swim was multiplied by rounding out the evening with a sauna. After replenishing with plenty of water and a fairly light dinner, I had the best night’s sleep I’d had in months.

From then on, my curiosity was piqued, and I set out to make the combination of swimming and sauna a habit. I visited various lidos and leisure centres, as well as a lucky trip to the luxury health club Third Space Islington, where I went as a guest with a friend.

And time and again, the same thing happened. I’d arrive at the pool a little frazzled, my mind flitting between 100 different places, only for things to go almost immediately quiet from the first push off the wall. In the water, everything seemed to move slower; my thoughts clearer and the to-do list less urgent.

The 15-minutes I spent in the sauna afterwards became even more sacred. Rather than rushing back to the changing rooms, scrubbing my hair as fast as I could and checking my phone whilst still in my towel, taking that time - either in silence or chatting to a friend - made me feel rooted in the present. It was an opportunity to mull over my worries in a place where I was relatively unreachable, free from notifications and requests.

Month two

By month two, I was utterly convinced of my new routine. I didn’t go every day, but on the days I didn’t, I really missed it. Usually, I go two or three times a week, swimming for around 30 minutes and spending a further 15 minutes in the sauna. I make sure not to rush the process of showering and getting dressed afterwards either, keen to extend this slower pace right into the evening.

Whilst for me, the movement element of swimming is a core part of the relaxation process, one night I do try contrast therapy at REBASE - a wellness and recovery studio in central London. Instead of swimming, I combine a few minutes in a cold plunge with time in their infrared sauna. There are undeniably similar effects, and if swimming isn’t your thing, it’s a great option. My preference, though, is to go for a swim first and then head to a studio like REBASE for recovery.

A key part of improving my sleep has been putting distance between my phone and I. Before I arrive at the pool, I set it to ‘do not disturb’, and it stays that way until the next morning. I cherish the time to fully switch off and unwind, and I know that logging back onto my emails and social media would undo all that good work.

I’ve fallen head over heels for my new evening routine. Of course, everyone is different and what helps me sleep might not be the same for you, but if you’re feeling a little stuck on high alert, I’d highly recommend giving it a go.

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The kit was the main barrier to entry. Did I need padded shorts? Special UV-protection glasses? A specific shoe?

Lucky for me, one of my best friends who's an avid cyclist persuaded me to give some longer rides a go with her this summer. From our Richmond Park Friday loops to an 85km cycle to Brighton, it's fair to say I'm a convert - largely thanks to the brilliant brands below that have kept me comfortable, cool, and supported for every cycle.

I've learnt a lot about cycling over the past few months, but my main takeaway is that it can be a really freeing, fun, and inclusive workout if you're willing to give it a go. And you don't need tonnes of new kit to feel your best, just a few well-designed basics that'll keep you comfortable. My top tip? Find a friend to ride with, don't overthink things, and take your time. Workouts are always more enjoyable when you do them with friends.

For my tried and tested favourite cycling brands, keep scrolling. And don't miss our edits of the best workout clothes for women, running trainers, gym leggings, sports bras, and Pilates clothes, while you're at it.

Best cycling brands for women: Quick links

• Best cycling vest: £58 at Pas Studios
• Best jersey: £179 at Jelenew
• Best padded shorts: Was £250, now £150 at Rapha
• Best sunglasses: £72 at Mileoff
• Best gilet: Was £100, now £85 at Universal Colours

I'm a Health Editor: 6 Cycling Brands I Genuinely Rate

1. Rapha

Even if you're not a cyclist, you'll likely have heard of Rapha, one of the most well-known and loved cycling brands in the world. Founded in London in 2004, the brand has played a large part in transforming the function-only, technicality-first cycling kit of old into the fashion-forward, design-led kit of today.

I tested the Women's Pro Team Training Jersey, a high-performance top that sweatwicks and supports you through any effort level. It’s easy to wear, washes well, and has spacious pockets for all your essentials, too (although I did find it ran on the small side, but most cycling kit generally does). The Women's Pro Team Bib Shorts were the best I tested by a mile - unbelievably comfortable and designed for serious mileage thanks to their women's-specific chamois. An investment, but one that is definitely worth it.

2. Pas Normal Studios

One of the coolest cycling brands, Copenhagen-based Pas Normal Studios launched in 2014, introducing their own Scandi, fashion-conscious aesthetic to the cycling world. Head to Richmond Park and you’re hard-pressed not to spot at least a handful of other cyclists in head-to-toe Pas.

They’re best known for their Mechanism collection, a sleek, race-focused range, and so I gave the Women's Mechanism Jersey and Women’s Mechanism Bibs a go. The jersey is streamlined, stylish, and practical, with secure grippers, rear pockets, and a minimalist aesthetic that feels sleek rather than sporty. The bibs also get my seal of approval: designed for long, hard stints in the saddle, with built-in compression, breathable straps and a women’s-specific chamois, they’re a dream to cycle in. Everything stays where it should; their kit is the epitome of effortless.

3. Universal Colours

I’d seen Universal Colours kit popping up on my Instagram feed long before I tried their designs personally. Another London-based cycling brand prioritising aesthetics alongside aerodynamic function, they launched their first collection in 2020 after two years of design development. Their aim was simple: to shake up the industry and focus on fresh, fashion-forward designs that prioritised considered material choices.

I love Universal Colours’ dedicated women's fits, and their Chroma collection in particular. I tested the Women's Chroma Light Short Sleeve Jersey, which was exceptionally lightweight, breathable, airy and comfortable, and the Women's Chroma Bib Shorts, which are impressive. They combine compressive woven fabric with a women's-specific Elastic Interface chamois and soft straps for an undeniably supportive and comfortable fit.

4. Jelenew

A brand with one sole focus - designing cycling kit specifically for women - I have to admit, I’m a huge fan of Jelenew. Co-founded by former world champion Marion Clignet, the brand goes above and beyond with their fits, chamois design and colourways (so much so, it's actually hard to choose which to go for on the site).

I tested the Ventrix LT Short Sleeves Jersey, a top designed for the summer months that's lightweight, breathable, and comfortable. This is the jersey I opted for on our 85km cycle to Brighton, and it didn’t disappoint - the moisture-wicking and UPF 50+ protection came in particularly handy. The Magclasp QuickRelease Bib Shorts are also great, with a neatly designed magnetic quick-release system which enables you to undo the bib straps without removing your jersey. I found this a bit fiddly to begin with, but a godsend once I got the hang of it. Buy for bibs that solve a real problem rather than simply adding another piece of tech.

5. Mileoff

Technically not a cycling-specific brand, but a running brand that designs jerseys and sunglasses that can be worn for both running and cycling, Mileoff is a brand to have on your radar. Launched by Alice Bugeja in 2025, she’s passionate that women’s workout gear shouldn’t just be scaled-down men’s clothing. They may be a running label, but at its core, they design practical, fashion-conscious items that are useful beyond the track.

I tested the Long Sleeve Running Zip Layer and have worn it for several chillier cycles - it’s lightweight but close-fitting enough to keep you cosy, and has handy thumb holes to keep your hands warm. There is a rear pocket, but be warned, it’s on the small side, so you may need to take a backpack. I’m also a massive fan of their Photochromic Running Sunglasses and have worn them for races and long bike rides; in a clever feature, the photochromic lenses automatically adjust to changing light levels and offer UV400 protection alongside a secure, adjustable fit.

6. PARIA

Last but by no means least, Yorkshire-based PARIA launched in 2015 and offers a more alternative edge to the cycling clothing scene. Blending crucial technical performance with influences from art, streetwear and the outdoors, they’re a great go-to if you’re a rider who wants something less conventional.

I tested the Short Sleeve Aero Jersey from the brand and had no complaints: it’s comfortable, easy to wear, and designed with an all-important aerodynamic silhouette. Opt for PARIA if you want cycling gear that performs well but doesn’t compromise on personality.

Which is probably where the idea of incorporating resistance band workouts into my routine appealed to me. I've used them on and off over the years, but never fully committed to them. But when I was looking for a new way to fit strength training into my week, I realised resistance bands tick a lot of boxes - you can do them almost anywhere, you don't need lots of equipment, and they're convenient enough to fit into a busy lifestyle.

And if the evidence is anything to go by, they're effective, too. A systematic review and meta-analysis found that elastic resistance training can produce similar strength gains as using weights or machines. Translation: you don't necessarily need a gym full of equipment to get stronger.

Rebecca Bossick, physiotherapist and founder of One Body LDN, explained why they could be the ideal solution to fit into my lifestyle. "Their adaptability, portability, and lower cost are a big reason why they’ve become a mainstay of workout regimens, especially among busy mums," she said.

With this in mind, I decided to get serious about adding resistance bands to my workout routine. For two weeks, I committed to fitting 10-minute resistance band sessions into my routine several times a week to see if they could be the low-effort strength training session I'd been looking for. Keep scrolling to see how I got on, and while you're here, we've got plenty more resistance band content, including our guides to the benefits of resistance bands, how to make resistance bands effective, best resistance band leg workouts, best resistance band core workouts and best resistance band arm workouts.

Resistance Bands Promise to Build Strength in No Time: I Tried for 2 Weeks

Can a 10–15 minute resistance-band session genuinely improve strength?

If, like me, you're often strapped for time, the good news is even a short resistance band session can make a noticeable difference. In one seven-week study, published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, participants who added heavy elastic bands to their strength training saw improvements in upper-body strength similar to those using more traditional resistance-training methods.

"Even if you can only do a 10-15 minute workout routine each day, adding resistance bands into the mix will improve your overall strength," says Samantha Cubbins, strength and conditioning coach and Lifting Club Ambassador at Gymshark.

Bossick agrees that short sessions can be worthwhile, and says that regardless of your fitness level, resistance bands are a great way to build muscle. "Even though working with them does look rather simple, bands actually have quite the advantage over free weights: the more you stretch, the higher the resistance, meaning that you get genuine tension right through the whole movement rather than just at the hardest point."

One of the main appeals to me was that resistance bands don't take up much room - they're small enough to live in a kitchen drawer or tote bag. "Using resistance bands means you don't need a gym membership or even much floor space, and even ten to fifteen minutes is more than enough to recruit and build various muscle groups properly," adds Bossick.

What are the best resistance band exercises if you only have 10 minutes?

“The great thing about resistance bands is the versatility," says Cubbins. "They can be added into so many different movements, meaning for many, you won’t even need to create a whole new workout routine."

If you're really short on time, Bossick recommends choosing movements that hit multiple muscle groups in one exercise.

1. Banded squats

What? Stand with the band looped just above your knees or under both feet and held at shoulder height, then sit back into a squat as if lowering onto a chair before pushing back up through your heels.

Why? "This works the major muscle groups within your lower extremities like glutes, quads, and hamstrings with an extra focus on your hip abductors and stabilisers, covering all your lower body’s biggest muscle groups in one time-efficient movement," says Bossick.

How many? Aim for 12 to 15 reps.

2. Banded rows

What? Loop the band around something secure at chest height, or anchor it under your feet if seated, and pull both handles towards your ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together before releasing slowly.

Why? "This engages the whole of the upper back and rear shoulders, so it's brilliant for posture alongside strength," says Bossick.

How many? Aim for 12 to 15 reps.

3. Glute bridges

What? Using a shorter band, looped just above your knees, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Push your knees outwards against the band as you lift your hips towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top, then lower slowly.

Why? It works your glutes and also challenges the muscles around your hips, helping to build lower-body strength.

How many? Aim for 15 reps.

4. Bicep curls or overhead press

What? Stand on a longer band, holding a handle in each hand. Bend your elbows to bring your hands towards your shoulders, and again, start with your hands next to your shoulders and push straight overhead for a rep.

Why? "These moves combined can help you build upper and lower body strength with minimal transitions between moves, so perfect for those in a time crunch," says Bossick.

Cubbins adds that you can try this during a wall sit for added heat.

How many? 10 to 15 bicep curls.

My experiment: Trying resistance band workouts for 2 weeks

Week 1

The focus during the first week of my experiment was simply to get into a flow with resistance band training and make it part of my routine.

One piece of Bossick's advice resonated with me before I'd even practised any of the exercises: "With these moves there's zero setup, meaning no weights to load or equipment to move around or clean up, which is essential when you have limited space or children to look after."

On days when I'm stuck in with the kids and struggling to get out, I'll often rely on my walking pad for getting some movement in, but I'll be honest, sometimes having to set it up can feel like it's eating into my (often limited) workout time.

So whether I had a spare 10 minutes first thing in the morning, or later in the day when it was the kids' mealtimes, with no preparation involved, there wasn't really any room to talk myself out of it.

I kept the actual exercises themselves fairly straightforward to begin with. Using a set of three loop bands - light, medium and heavy - I started with the lightest and alternated between glute bridges and squats for the first few sessions. The light band felt manageable on the bridges, but I noticed the tension on squats by around rep 10, and my thighs were starting to feel noticeably shaky by the last few reps.

By day four, I started to feel the physical effects - DOMS in my glutes that I wasn't expecting from such a short, equipment-light session. While it wasn't anything dramatic, I could definitely feel the burn walking down the stairs the next day.

Bossick had said the more you stretch, the higher the resistance, meaning that you get genuine tension throughout the whole movement rather than just at the hardest point. I could feel what she meant, particularly on the banded rows, where my upper back was working the entire way through rather than just at the squeeze.

Week 2

By week two, I started mixing things up and experimented with the medium-strength resistance and then the heavy band. I wasn't suddenly spending an hour lifting weights; I was still doing short sessions, but I liked the fact that I could make them more challenging if I wanted to, without making the workout itself any more complicated.

One of the things Cubbins told me stuck with me, too. "You need to be progressively overloading your muscles, meaning you continually challenge your strength, increasing weight, reps and time under tension." For me, that didn't suddenly mean spending longer exercising. It was as simple as swapping the light band for the heavier one when I wanted a more intense workout.

I was predominantly using a set of shorter loop resistance bands, but for arm workouts I did keep an elasticated tube band to hand, as the loop bands don't have enough give for a proper curl. Lifting my toddler the following day was the proof that I was starting to see results - the aching in my arms was real.

I wasn't expecting two weeks to produce a dramatic physical transformation - and if I'm honest, I can't say I felt noticeably stronger. But what I did notice consistently was how much better mentally I felt for having done it. Just carving out 10 minutes felt like a small sense of achievement on days when it would be easy to do nothing at all. Plus the mild, lingering aches I started to feel were actually a reassuring payoff.

It was my mindset that shifted more than anything. Rather than feeling like I'd failed to fit in a 'proper' workout, I started to see how valuable these small pockets of exercise were for me mentally and physically.

My verdict? Resistance band workouts haven't magically created more time in my day, but I realised they're a great way to make the time I have feel more useful.

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There are very few (if any) Pilates moves I haven't tried - but this isn't to say that I'm an expert at any of them. I'm humbled pretty much every time I take to the mat or reformer - and I wouldn't have it any other way.

This being said, there's one move I've been actively avoiding: boat pose. Aside from being a fairly advanced move, it also taps into all my weak spots: tight hip flexors, lower back and core. But having researched the position, it's clear that I need to buckle up: there are some serious benefits to be gained.

Rumoured to be as effective at strengthening the core as 100 sit-ups (the jury is out on this one, but hear us out!), the pose is in fact a Pilates/yoga hybrid - and it's dividing the experts. Traditionalists insist that a boat pose is, in fact, simply a Pilates teaser, while others maintain there are subtle differences between the moves.

More on the controversy below, but my interest was piqued enough to spur me to try boat pose every day for two weeks, regardless. Keep scrolling to find out what happened to my core strength, stability and hip flexors - but in the meantime, you might want to check out our guides to the benefits of Pilates leg circles, the best Pilates exercises of all time, and the only Pilates clothes worth your money, here. Plus, find out how one Health Writer got on when she quit expensive studio classes for Pilates with Izzy for a year.

I Caved and Tried the Pilates Boat Pose—and, Wow

What is Pilates boat pose?

Let's get into it: boat pose is both a yoga and a Pilates move - but its Pilates form is very similar to a teaser.

"Boat pose isn’t actually what we call this exercise in Pilates," notes Pilates instructor Aleksandra Warburton. "The V-shaped position you’ll often see referred to as boat pose in yoga is very similar to the Pilates teaser, which is one of the more challenging exercises in the classical Pilates repertoire.

"The teaser involves balancing on the sit bones with the legs lifted, and the torso angled back, creating that recognisable V shape. It looks deceptively simple, but it requires a huge amount of core strength, balance, control and body awareness to perform well."

This being said, there's a school of thought that boat pose involves a slightly different spine position: in teaser, you may have a slight 'C' curve to the back, whereas boat pose requires a straight (or neutral) spine. Either way, the move is an advanced one, requiring deep core strength and stability alongside hip flexor strength and balance.

"It’s also worth making the distinction between boat pose in yoga and teaser in Pilates," Warburton continues. "They can look remarkably similar, but they come from different movement traditions. In yoga, boat pose, or Navasana, is generally performed with a more upright, neutral spine, whereas the classical Pilates teaser incorporates a more rounded, articulated spine as you roll up and down. Most importantly, Teaser is not simply about holding a V shape; the rolling movement into and out of the position is an important part of the exercise."

What are the benefits of Pilates boat pose?

Whether you're a yoga or a Pilates advocate, there's no denying that boat pose brings substantial benefits once you're ready for the move.

1. Core strength

First up, the biggest benefit of boat pose (and its biggest challenge) has to be core strength.

"This move is a fantastic full-body strength and control exercise, but the core is definitely the star of the show with this one," notes Warburton. "It challenges the deep abdominals, including the TVA, as well as the obliques and rectus abdominis, while also requiring significant hip flexor and leg strength."

2. Balance and co-ordination

Boat pose calls for both balance and co-ordination, forcing those deep core stabilising muscles to switch on.

"It's also brilliant for balance, coordination and proprioception," Warburton continues. "This is your understanding of your body in space: because you're essentially asking your body to maintain a very challenging position while moving both the upper and lower body simultaneously, your proprioception will increase as you practice the move."

3. Body awareness

As well as proprioception, boat pose enhances overall body awareness too.

"For me, one of the biggest benefits is the body awareness the move develops," shares Warburton. "You have to understand where your pelvis, spine, legs and arms are positioned and coordinate them all together, which is what makes Teaser such a wonderful progression exercise."

4. Overall stability and control

Since boat pose involves a lift and lower with control, you're going to need to harness all the stability you can to avoid losing your form.

"This move requires balance, stability, control and full-body integration," notes Pilates instructor and founder of Sol Studio, Meg Bew. " Coordination, balance and control are essential - we want the movement to feel fluid and controlled, rather than something you have to throw yourself into."

How to do Pilates boat pose with good form

As a more advance move, a focus on form is even more important than usual. Warburton recommends the following:

• Start lying on your back with your legs extended and arms reaching up.
• Engage your powerhouse, lift the head to look towards your toes and slowly begin to roll up through the spine, lifting the torso and legs together until you arrive in your V-shaped position.
• The aim is to balance on the sit bones whilst continuously reaching the chest up, rather than collapsing into the lower back.
• Keep the chest open, shoulders back and down away from your ears and arms reaching forwards on the outside of your thighs, with the legs long and together (ideally in a small turn out, which we call your Pilates V, meaning heels together, toes slightly apart to keep the inner thighs switched on and active).
• Most importantly, move slowly. I like to pause at the top and really own the V shape before lowering back down with control, keeping the toes in line with your eye line.
• The descent is just as important as the lift. If you can control the way back down rather than simply dropping to the mat, you're getting a huge amount of strength work through the core.

Who is boat pose best for?

Despite being an advanced move, boat pose is suitable for most people.

"The move can be modified to accommodate different abilities, mobility restrictions and training goals," shares Bew. "However, the full movement is best suited to more advanced Pilates practitioners, once the necessary strength, mobility and control have been developed."

That being said, Bew warns that some people should avoid the move.

"Teaser places significant load through the lumbar spine and deep abdominal wall, so it isn’t appropriate for everyone. Caution (and in some cases avoidance) is advised for:

• Anyone with acute low back pain or an unresolved disc injury;
• Diastasis recti or postnatal clients who haven’t yet rebuilt deep core control, particularly in the early postnatal period;
• Those with reduced hamstring or hip flexor mobility that prevents the pelvis from stabilising correctly;
• Clients with cervical spine issues, given the loaded neck flexion involved
• Anyone with osteoporosis or reduced bone density, due to the spinal flexion under load;
• Pelvic floor dysfunction, where increased intra-abdominal pressure may be contraindicated."

I tried a Pilates boat pose every day for two weeks - here are my honest thoughts

Week one

No stranger to a Pilates challenge, I'm excited for the fortnight ahead as I roll out my mat in week one. And - I won't lie - I'm fairly confident that I'll be able to nail the move by the time my two weeks are up.

It seems my years of Pilates have taught me very little, though - because there's nothing simple about this move. I have to spend the first few days really focusing on engaging my core rather than my hip flexors, which seem to love really taking over - a sure-fire sign I'm not activating properly through my abs and obliques.

"The biggest thing to watch is trying to force the shape rather than earning it through strength and control," notes Warburton. "If you're gripping through the hip flexors, rounding excessively through the spine or throwing yourself into the V position using momentum, you're probably not quite ready for the full exercise."

Eek: consider myself humbled. My excuse? There are so many things to focus on at the same time with boat pose - and just when you think you've cracked one aspect, it turns out you've let all the others slide.

Another pitfall? Trying to go too high with the legs. Form trumps aesthetics, always.

"I'd also avoid sacrificing your form just to get your legs higher," advises Warburton. "A slightly lower V with a beautifully controlled spine is far more valuable than forcing yourself into a perfect-looking shape."

However, I'm no quitter, and I'm adamant that I am strong enough to master the move, with a bit of mind-muscle connection.

Week two

Undeterred, my mood is high at the start of week two - and, thankfully, the temperature has also dropped, so I'm not quite so hot and bothered: a win.

This being said, the move doesn't feel altogether easier this week. I'm still quite shaky, and those hip flexors are bothering me again. However, Warburton is reassuring, telling me that if it feels easy, I'm probably not doing it properly.

Additionally, my body might need a break from the movement pattern, too.

"You don't need to practice the move every day to benefit from it," says Warburton. "For most people, incorporating it into a Pilates session two to three times a week is more than enough, particularly because it's a relatively demanding exercise."

Can I feel the difference? Without a doubt: my core is sore, and I'm still shaking my way through the reps (which, I'll confess, I keep low!), but I've definitely noticed that I can hold the V shape a little longer without compromising my form - a small win, but one I'm taking, nonetheless.

The biggest flex, though, has to be how it makes me feel mentally to have stuck at it and not given up - full disclosure, I hate not feeling good at things - and it's absolutely this that is the best takeaway.

Honestly? I'm not desperate to continue doing boat pose every day as the fortnight draws to a close. It's a move I'll definitely return to when I need a challenge, but it's not going to be part of my daily routine any time soon.

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I always wish I'd discovered movement sooner. The mental clarity, self-belief, and general understanding of my body’s importance would have been really helpful in navigating my teenage years.

That's why I created Project Power, a school initiative aiming to counter how many teenage girls drop out of sport. Going into schools, providing supportive workout clothing and teaching the fundamentals of strength training, the goal was simple: to boost these girls' confidence and show them just how mood-boosting movement can feel.

The idea came about after I'd read some research on women's confidence. I noticed that so many of the challenges women experience around body image and self-belief actually begin in girlhood.

At the same time, I came across statistics showing that so many teenage girls are disengaging from physical activity because of something as simple as feeling uncomfortable in their PE kit. There were so many barriers to taking part.

That really stayed with me. I wanted to create something that could help change those early experiences and give girls the confidence to move their bodies without fear or self-consciousness. Fitness had such a positive impact on my own life, and I wanted to help more young girls discover that same feeling much earlier than I did.

Krissy Cela on Inspiring the Next Generation of Girls to Get Active

I think a lot of women can relate to the body image struggles you have during your teenage years. Our bodies are constantly changing, and beyond that, we’re also more generally trying to build our confidence and learn who we are.

Providing the girls with a kit isn’t just to remove a practical barrier to participating, but also a way they can feel genuinely confident.

Strength training as a superpower

Strength training is important for women at every age, but starting in our teenage years really sets us up for success. I chose to teach the girls the basic strength training fundamentals because building those foundations during our teenage years will help increase muscle mass, improve bone density, boost confidence and create a lifetime of healthy habits, which will support us for years to come.

Common misconceptions

The most common misconception I've encountered is the idea that young girls believe they need to look like other women they see online. Having that perception negatively impacts their body image and overall confidence, which in turn deters them from staying active as they feel like they constantly need to chase unrealistic aesthetic goals.

Doing the work that matters

One of the most rewarding things to witness is the transformation that happens during a session. Students often walk into the sports hall feeling shy, uncertain, or unsure of their abilities. But once the music starts and they begin moving, you can see something change.

They start to challenge themselves, realise they are capable of more than they thought, and experience the enjoyment and confidence that movement can bring. That shift is exactly why Project Power matters. Teenage girls are at a stage where confidence can be fragile, so seeing how the tools we’re giving them are supporting them in feeling stronger, more capable, and more confident in themselves really drives home why this work is so important.

Coming into their lives at this point and hopefully inspiring them to choose themselves will instil confidence that they can take through life.

Challenging the system

Beyond the workshops themselves, I think more wellness education outside of the regular PE curriculum is needed. This could include supporting girls with their body image, deepening their understanding of all the ways their bodies can change and how key fitness is a pillar in life.

Fitness isn’t just for our physical wellbeing and aesthetics, but choosing to continuously take care of yourself is incredibly mentally empowering.

Trying something new

If a girl reading this has already written herself off as "not sporty," I'd recommend she try different types of movement. I push the importance of strength training, but any movement is better than nothing.

Pilates and run clubs are really popular right now, but if those more trendy forms of movement aren’t for you, it doesn’t mean you should give up. For example, as much as I love training in the gym and doing hot mat classes, I also absolutely love to walk and hike. It’s great for my health and good cardio, but it also really clears my busy mind. I recommend finding the movement you love, as it’s always easier to stay consistent that way.

Tailoring the message

I've made a conscious effort to use my platform to remind people that following someone's "what I eat in a day" videos or ab workouts won't make you look like that person. We all have different bodies, genetics, and lifestyles, and it's so important to keep that perspective.

I wouldn't say the message itself is different for teenage girls, but it does feel even more important. Through Project Power and conversations with my community, I've seen firsthand how much pressure young girls are under and comparing themselves to what they see online. That's why I want to encourage them to focus on how movement makes them feel, rather than how it makes them look. Building confidence, strength, and a positive relationship with exercise from a young age is so much more valuable than chasing an unrealistic ideal.

Continuing the growth

In the next five years, I'd love to see Project Power expand its reach and deepen its impact. While we're incredibly proud that we've already visited over 50 schools, delivered workshops to nearly 5000 students, and gifted over 18,000 Oner kits to teenage girls across the UK, our ambition is to inspire even more young women in the years ahead and take Project Power around the world.

I'd also love to find meaningful ways to stay connected with the girls beyond the workshop itself, supporting them at different stages of their journey. Community has always been at the heart of Oner, and I want Project Power to embody that same sense of belonging and ongoing support.

It would be great to bring back girls who have been through the programme to help lead future sessions. Hearing directly from someone whose confidence, relationship with movement, or outlook has been shaped by Project Power would be incredibly powerful. It creates a full-circle moment, showing the next generation what's possible and, hopefully, also helps inspire them to continue their own journey long after the session ends.

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I'm usually fairly consistent when it comes to running, except for the odd lull from time to time, but I've noticed a pattern after races - once it's over, my motivation can take a serious hit. Don't get me wrong, after following a training plan in the three months leading up to it, I fully intended to take a short break from running when I crossed the finish line. But what I didn't anticipate was how much of a struggle I'd find getting back into my usual routine.

I finished the race itself with that exhilarating runner's high and was even Googling my next event on the way home. So, after the tension in my legs eased a few days later, instead of lacing up my running shoes, I talked myself out of going. And I did the same the next day, and the day after that.

I knew the 'post-race blues' weren't just something I was experiencing. Even elite athletes can experience a psychological comedown after a major competition. Take, for example, this research published in Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, which found that the period after the Olympics could be a difficult time for UK Olympians. And while I'm not suggesting my half marathon training is comparable to training for an Olympic event, the feeling was surprisingly familiar.

Determined to get out of this running rut, I turned to experts for some advice. Here's what I discovered - and what happened when I tried their advice for myself. And, while you're here, if you're looking for some running inspo, our features on the benefits of running, why more women are taking up running, and the best races to book might help.

I Fell Into An Exercise Slump After Completing a Race: Here's How I Got Over It

Why do we get the post-race blues?

According to clinical psychologist Dr Tracy King, after completing a big event, it's common for runners to feel a little lost because the structure, stimulation and sense of purpose that have carried them through months of training suddenly disappear.

"A training plan decides what happens on Tuesday evening, what the weekend is for and what the runner is working towards," she told me. "It reduces daily decision-making and provides frequent evidence of progress. Once the race is over, that external structure disappears overnight."

The research backs up the idea that what happens around a race can influence how we feel afterwards, too. This 2022 study of 152 amateur runners found that how successfully they achieved their goals, alongside levels of perfectionism, was associated with their mood in the week following a 10k race.

That made sense to me, as for the past few months I knew what days I was running, what route I was taking and the distance I was covering. Anyone training for a big event will relate when I say it sort of becomes your identity - you spend months planning your weekends around runs and clocking up the miles before it all comes to a head.

Why is recovery so important?

Rest and recovery are hugely underestimated, says personal trainer Carly Corrigall. 'The event itself is the tip of the iceberg. Beneath it lie months of training and preparation, and your body (and brain) needs to recover from all of it - not just one day.'

As personal trainer and running coach Sarah Campus puts it: After training for a specific event like a half marathon, marathon or HYROX, your body needs time to recover. It’s very easy to think that because you can physically get through the event that you should be ready to jump straight back into training, but your body has just been under a huge amount of stress.

So, how much time should you take off from running, and exercise in general, after an event?

Corrigall says there's no blanket rule, as it will vary between individuals. "As a baseline, even if you think you're feeling fine straight after an event, I'd always advise taking a complete week off from proper training as your body really needs that time to recover as a minimum."

After that, for most people, the aim is to scale back up to normal activity levels over the next 2-4 weeks, but there really is no rush, says Corrigall. "Think of this as a 'reverse taper' (most runners will be familiar with the concept of a taper leading up to a race) - here we're building back up to usual distance and pace or weight if you're lifting, rather than scaling down."

How to get of an exercise slump

Weeks on from my race, I still hadn't found my running mojo again, so I asked the experts to share their top tips for how I could realistically ease back into my routine again. And while my slump came after a race, their advice can be applied to getting out of an exercise slump more generally, too.

1. Start small

If you're in an exercise slump, the hardest part is often getting started again, which can feel easier said than done when your motivation levels are at zero. Corrigall recommends starting small.

"One tip which works brilliantly is to agree with yourself that you're just going to do your chosen run or workout for 10 minutes," advises Corrigall. "By giving yourself permission to stop after 10 mins, most people find that they can manage that, no problem, and often find themselves thinking, "Well, I've started, and it feels ok, so I'll keep going."

2. Take the pressure off

Not putting any pressure on your performance will help towards finding enjoyment in running again. Campus says you should forget pace, forget distance and forget what your splits looked like before your race.

"Your first run may only be 20 - 30 minutes, and it should feel really easy and conversational. You’re not trying to prove anything; you are simply moving your body and reminding your body that running can feel enjoyable," she says.

3. Try something new

Sometimes the slump is your body telling you it needs a break from running specifically, says Corrigall.

'If you've been training for months with one focus, doing something completely different for a little while, whether that's strength work, swimming, cycling or doing classes, can freshen things up - and you might find that you start to miss those runs and look forward to getting back to them."

Campus adds that giving yourself permission to do something different can also help with motivation. "Give yourself something to look forward to rather than immediately setting another huge goal," she says. "It could be a relaxed social run with friends, trying a new route, joining a run club, running somewhere beautiful or even signing up for a shorter, fun event."

4. Don't wait for motivation

For me, I'd been blaming my lack of motivation for stopping me from getting back into my usual running routine, but as Corrigall told me, you don't necessarily need to feel motivated before you start moving again.

"If the slump is just a slump, then this is completely normal, so don't beat yourself up," she says. "However, the idea that 'motivation follows action' is definitely true, and my biggest tip here is just to get started - however imperfect that might look or however unfit you might feel. And it's completely normal to find those first sessions hard."

My experiment: How I got out of an exercise slump

I'd love to say I followed the experts' advice and immediately fell back in love with running, but in reality it took a couple of months to properly find my way out of the running slump.

The first few runs after my half marathon were inconsistent, to say the least, and if I'm being honest, I didn't enjoy them. I was still putting pressure on myself to get back to where I'd been before the race, whether that meant running the same distances, maintaining the same pace, or generally feeling as enthusiastic as I usually did.

I came close to booking another race a couple of times, but I realised another goal wasn't what I needed. I wanted to learn to fall back in love with running without putting added pressure on myself to jump straight back into training.

The turning point came when I stopped trying so hard to get my running 'back on track'. I eased off the pressure, stopped worrying about what my next race would be, and just headed out with no distance or goal in mind.

One of the things Campus had suggested was changing my environment: "It could be a relaxed social run with friends, trying a new route, joining a run club, running somewhere beautiful or even signing up for a shorter, fun event." So, one Saturday morning when I usually head out for a run, I took part in my local Parkrun. I've always loved the community aspect of it, as well as not having the pressure to complete a long distance. I loved being able to just turn up, run and go home.

Slowly but surely, I found myself wanting to get outside first thing for a run, rather than make excuses not to do it. There was no instant, overnight fix. The biggest lesson I've learnt? I didn't need another goal to enjoy running again; I needed to take the goal away.

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It was to my surprise, then, that 25 days later, I’d fallen hard and fast for Pilates by Izzy. My body feeling sore but strong, I was blown away by how much muscle tone I’d built in just three and a half weeks. Aside from a short burst of social connection, I’d missed very little about going to the studio, and had saved myself more than £100 on membership fees and post-class coffees.

It’s why, nearly a year later, I’m still committed to my thrice-weekly YouTube classes with Izzy. From 15-minute express workouts to 55-minute studio-style sessions, there’s a huge catalogue of classes which have fitted seamlessly into my frequently chaotic schedule.

Ahead, everything I’ve discovered in my year of Pilates by Izzy and my all-time favourite classes for you to bookmark. Plus, a renowned Pilates instructor weighs in on what makes Samuel’s workouts so effective, and how to know if home Pilates is right for you.

If you’re looking to expand your Pilates practice, we’ve got guides to the best advanced Pilates moves, the best exercises for your core, and how to master the notoriously challenging Pilates Teaser. Plus, find out how Pilates compares to the trending Lagree method; a strength and postural workout which provides a serious burn.

Pilates by Izzy Blends Pilates with Strength—And I’m Completely Converted

What are Pilates by Izzy workouts?

We all know Pilates is good for us - studies frequently find evidence of its power to strengthen your core, balance, posture and functional mobility. But Izzy’s classes are a departure from the classical sequence, incorporating more contemporary and strength-based flows which you wouldn’t find in a traditional mat class.

“Izzy infuses Pilates with barre, strength, and functional fitness, which adds creativity and variety to her classes,” confirmed Pilates Instructor and Founder of Aether Spaces, Jo-Leigh Morris, when I spoke to her last year.

It’s this which makes her classes so popular, says Pilates Instructor, Eloise Skinner. “As Pilates has risen in popularity, many people have started to look for variations on the classical sequence. Izzy’s blend of strength, form, control and precision meets that need, with formats like her challenges, which inspire people to get involved.”

Samuel has an app, Strong by Izzy, with a library of over 300 workouts which you can access for £29.69 per month. So far though, I’ve managed a full year using her free YouTube classes alone, so I’d recommend starting there before investing.

Who are Pilates by Izzy workouts best for?

There’s no denying that Samuel’s classes are on the advanced side of home Pilates, which means you’ll want to build up some experience before trying them, especially because many of her classes incorporate weights.

“Safe use of weights depends on correct form, which is best to check in a studio environment first before progressing your practice at home,” confirms Skinner. “For those with a bit of experience and who want to get started with more challenging home workouts, I'd still recommend building up the intensity over time, and don't forget that cool-down and recovery routines still matter, even when you're not in the studio.”

As I’ve quickly discovered, Pilates by Izzy is great for anyone short on time or with an inconsistent schedule. “Home classes are more convenient, cheaper, easier to schedule around other commitments, better for those with additional responsibilities like childcare and enable you to work out in whatever you feel comfortable wearing without worrying about what others might think,” says Skinner. “They also allow you to repeat certain sections, personalise your practice and amend things like duration, equipment and intensity level to fit your current situation.”

Five Pilates by Izzy Workouts To Try This Month:

1. 15 minute deep core workout

What? An express class targeting the deep core muscles using the Pilates ball.

How long? 15 minutes.

2. 25 minute upper body Pilates workout

What? A deceptively challenging upper-body-focused workout using light hand weights.

How long? 25 minutes.

3. 30 minute glute workout

What? A glute-focused lower-body burn with plenty of bridging and side-lying.

How long? 30 minutes.

4. 40 minute full body Pilates workout

What? A signature Pilates by Izzy workout - plenty of core, lower and upper body moves to torch your whole body.

How long? 40 minutes.

5. 50 minute full body strength workout

What? A full-body strength workout using light handweights, targeting the glutes, core and upper body.

How long? 50 minutes.

I Gave Up My Studio Pilates Classes for Pilates by Izzy—Now I’m Stronger Than Ever

Months one to six

Having completed the 25-day challenge last September, I toyed with the idea of returning to the studio. But looking at the positive change to my bank balance and my ever-shifting calendar, I came to the conclusion that my new home set-up suited me too well to give up. Plus, I had a whole library of Samuel’s classes to explore (at the time of writing, she has 118 videos on her channel).

At first, I really was obsessed, and would do Izzy’s classes five to six times a week. Some days, it was just a 15-minute express session tagged onto the end of a morning walk or jog, and other days it was a longer 40-minute class that formed the entirety of my exercise for that day.

My favourites, though, were the 25-30 minute classes. Short enough to be manageable whatever your mood or level of motivation, but providing a burn over and above what you’d expect for their length, I found that they’d often provide a gateway into movement. It plays into that whole ‘just do it for five minutes’ theory. I’d start the class feeling sluggish and by the end would be clicking ‘watch next’ raring for more.

In those first few months, the classes would frequently push me to my limit, even as someone who’d been going to studio classes for years. This was particularly the case in the upper body sessions, where the pulses and progressions seemed to verge on endless. Often I’d modify or pause the video to give my muscles a break - something I’d encourage as you build up to Samuel’s intensity.

Months six to twelve

By six months of consistent Pilates by Izzy, I’d noticed huge changes to my strength. I could handle pretty much any progression she threw at me (not without complaint, mind you), and hardly ever needed to pause the video or drop the weights.

I was aware, however, that I’d become a bit reliant on home Pilates classes and had begun to neglect lifting at the gym and, to an extent, cardio. Conscious of the need to lift heavy to protect my bone health and muscle mass, and to keep up the cardio for long-term heart health, I did reduce my Pilates by Izzy sessions to three days a week, with the now spare days dedicated to the gym and a weekly swim.

Since then, I’ve found the combination to be my sweet spot: weekly Pilates, running, swimming and weights serve me really well. I feel strong, fit, energised and, importantly, I’m rarely bored of movement. Involving a social element through the gym and running has also given me back the crucial connective element of exercise which I’d started to miss since leaving the studio, without the same price tag as Reformer classes. Occasionally, I still book a one-off class - if you enjoy it, there’s absolutely no harm - but from a body composition and strength perspective, I’m wholeheartedly convinced that Pilates by Izzy is as good as anything I’ve done in the studio.

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The radio host grew up in the spotlight, with a media-facing mother and a childhood that unfolded against the backdrop of London's creative scene.

But her life looks a little different these days. After 25 years on TV and the radio, she now lives in Hackney, walking distance from her cousin Sulaiman (who's also the co-founder of Ropes, her latest venture). Her morning routine is simple, but effective—she chants for ten minutes, listens to Louise Hay's Trust the Universe, and then skips for 20 to 30 minutes outside before her dog walker arrives. While she isn't training with him at the moment, she smiles when she mentions her tennis coach, Faris, who kept her sane during the overwhelming, exciting period that followed the launch of Miss Me? (the show became one of the BBC's most listened-to podcasts within months of launching).

A practising Buddhist, she admits that she now prioritises calm and wellbeing in all areas of her life—when I ask her what she had for lunch, she raves about her current hyperfixation, a huge tuna salad with chickpeas, haricot beans, radish, spring onion, lemon, oil, salt, and leaves from a specific deli near her house that grows its own bags of greens.

The catalyst which inspired this lifestyle shift is surprisingly heartwarming—she loves skipping, and has done since lockdown, when she discovered her love of the sport. A passion that's inspired her to spend the last five years quietly building a new, world-first venture, referring to it as her "calling in life."

Her company, Ropes, has designed the world's first retractable skipping rope—a venture born out of the frustration she felt after years of personal practice. She wanted to make the sport easier, more accessible, more appealing; because skipping, for Oliver, offers a rare pocket of daily stillness in an otherwise unpredictable, always-moving life, and she wants to offer others the same joy.

Ropes is much more than just a business venture, though—Oliver quite literally lights up when we discuss it (at length—she really loves skipping). She's keen to encourage as many people into movement as possible—kids, adults, and anyone who's never found a sport they truly loved. That's why she's also made Ropes part business, part community project, personally taking the sport into schools and communities who might never otherwise have access to the equipment.

Below, she talks us through Her Life In Movement and the version of her day nobody sees on screen—the routines, the joys, the hard-won lessons, and the rope that changed everything.

This article is part of our 2026 Women in Sport special. For the full cover interview with Lioness Chloe Kelly, click here.

Starting out

I started ropes because skipping changed my life. I've always skipped, but I started skipping in lockdown, and it was just this road opener. I was suddenly like, hmm, my body's changing. I feel fantastic. And this is fun.

There's something about jumping up and down. It's something about the reward of jumping over a rope again and again, and then finding your rhythm. That's why our slogan is 'find your rhythm.'

Inspiring others

My stepdad Garfield is a 65-year-old Rasta. He was adamant he couldn't skip—he kept saying he couldn't get it over his dreads. But I kept encouraging him, and he became one of my first skipping converts during lockdown. He was quite overweight at the time, and was really nervous to start.

That was six years ago, and my Dad is now extremely slim and has been since he started skipping. He skips four times a week and swims as well and still loves it. It wasn't just skipping—it was the gateway for him into changing the way he looked after himself.

Having the idea for Ropes

I had the idea while I was walking my dog. I suddenly worked out a way to engineer the skipping rope—a way to build something better. And when those two things came together, I suddenly realised I was really onto something.

Sully and I say a lot—it's not a toy, it's not a sweet. It's a thing that we know is brilliant for people, because it's changed my life, and it's changed my Dad's, too.

Inspiring communities

When we were at a school in Stratford last year, there were about 30 kids who were asylum seekers being housed in a hotel near their school. There are like 20 of them in one room.

When they came to school, and we were doing a Ropes day, there was this one boy who was like: 'I've been cooped up in this space, so it feels really unnatural for me to just jump.'

We were like, 'You've got to do it, you can do it, just jump.' And after about ten minutes he did it, and then after about half an hour, you couldn't stop him. So often it reminds me that this is about more than skipping. It's about who we are, and connecting to the parts of ourselves that are connected to courage and bravery and freedom and joy. That's why when we go to schools, we always say to the kids: dream bigger, jump higher.

My mum showed me that community saved my life and raised me. I don't know what we would have done as a single-parent household without community. So Ropes is very much built from that.

On learning to fail

You trip a lot when you skip, but after a while, the trips don't feel like trips anymore. They feel part of the process, rather than a mistake you have to come back from. And that is a life metaphor. I find a lot of life metaphors within sport—that's why I play so much of it.

Let go and surrender, because that's half of it. The other half is crossing that line with yourself.

On building a body for life

I like being lean, but more importantly, I like to feel strong. I think that's kind of what we all want. I know that these six years of skipping and training will directly affect my health—my body, and my mind—for the next 10 to 20 years.

On skipping as "active meditation"

The idea of jumping up and down has a tendency to scare people. It requires courage and a sense of freedom, but as we all know, all the best things are on the other side of those feelings.

Once you have found your rhythm, which is the thing we encourage most at Ropes, there is a sense of calm that meets a sense of play, and it is truly joyous. That is what active meditation can feel like.

On giving kids access to sport

One of the most important things for Ropes is to debunk the myths around who should play what sport. I wanted to play tennis, badminton, and squash, but I didn’t have access to those things, whether it was the equipment or a court. I now play all of those sports, and skipping was my gateway into an active life as an adult.

I want to show young people, as early as possible in their lives, that taking just a moment for themselves to jump up and down over a piece of rope can exponentially change their lives because it changed mine. We also use skipping to encourage kids to ‘dream bigger, jump higher’ because of who they are and where they come from rather than in spite of it.

On movement helping you feel like you can do anything

Just as it does with kids, the movement of skipping every day reminds me to dream bigger, jump higher, and live with courage. It reminds me how important play is, and when all of these things are remembered, I live differently.

On trying skipping for the first time

To bounce—it's the first thing we teach in Ropes classes. You don’t need the rope; you begin by simply finding that restful place between the bounce and the jump. Once that rhythm is found, pick up your rope and play.

The great thing about skipping is that if you trip, you have to pick yourself up and start again. It makes you resilient to “mistakes”. There is no right or wrong way to skip—you must simply find your rhythm.

This is the first of many products to come. Ropes is just the beginning of our Ropes world, a vision we’re continuing to build and bring to life, where the brand represents more than “just skipping” and serves as a platform for culture, connection, music, movement, and everything that brings people together.

On her favourite bit of life advice

Keep your eye on the prize. I've never felt more like it's a calling or a purpose. I thought broadcasting was maybe my calling, and I do love it, and I'm very good at it. But if life is two chapters, this just feels like the next one.

But not this Sunday. This Sunday, the first weekend of December 2025, I’m at the start line of the Valencia Marathon, bib pinned to my top, headphones in, and carbon plate trainers on. Nerves are bubbling in my stomach. My 4 am coffee has done its best. It’s race time.

Glancing around at the other runners in my pen, I come to the slow realisation that I’m surrounded by men. My little brother, who is running the marathon with me, is one of thousands. I, on the other hand, am one of a handful. In our entire start wave, I spot one other woman—who I instinctively smile at, nodding in solidarity.

Post-race stats confirmed what I’d noticed—of 40,000 runners, only 8,700 were women. At 23% of the total number of participants, that’s less than a quarter.

There’s something inherently lonely about standing on the start line of such a monumental event and questioning whether you should even be there because you’re in the minority. Thankfully, this is becoming something of a rarity in the current running climate—a shift that’s been noticeable, anecdotally and statistically, in the past few years. That start line in Valencia was a reminder, in both good and bad ways, of how much things have changed.

At the Boston Marathon this year, for example, my start pen was packed with female runners, and we spent hours before the race discussing our training, favourite kit picks, and the charities we’d fundraised for. Just a week later, the London Marathon broke the world record with the largest number of finishers at a marathon event ever. But the standout stat for me came in how many women finished—a record 24,000, making up 40% of the field. And that momentum is growing, according to an insider I spoke to shortly after the race, with the 2027 TCS London Marathon ballot attracting a world-record 1,338,544 applications. Women aged 20 to 29? They made up the single largest UK applicant group, with over 179,000 applications.

I’m noticing it in real time, too. London is awash with inclusive, all-paces-welcome, female-only run clubs. Tracks are hosting female-specific track nights. And at every other race I’ve laced up for this year, there are more female runners, too. Hackney Half was a sea of star clips and pink carbon-plate trainers; London Landmarks had entire run clubs of women screaming each other’s names; and I saw so many matching outfits at last month’s Saucony 10km that I actually lost count.

Why now? What’s shifted? And how do we maintain this momentum, ensuring that start lines stay a safe space for women for years to come? Below, I ask industry experts for their take.

This article is part of our 2026 Women in Sport special. For the full cover interview with Lioness Chloe Kelly, click here.

Run Clubs are Full, Marathons are Selling Out—and Women are Driving the Boom

To give you a little background on why I feel it’s so important that we make running and races a safe space for all genders, let me tell you a story. I struggled with my confidence for the majority of my childhood. I vividly remember lying in bed, aged 10, worrying about my weight and praying that the mandatory PE lessons at my new secondary school would help my self-confidence. Looking back, I wasn’t overweight, but I wasn’t sporty, either, and felt constantly insecure about my frame—that was, until I reached my early 20s and found running.

It was a hard slog, at first. I could barely run for ten minutes without feeling like I was going to pass out. But later that year, after months of training and hard work, I completed my first marathon. I’ll never forget how I felt crossing that finish line. Week by week, mile by mile, I stuck at it and cemented a lifelong habit, proving to myself not only that I’m capable of hard things, but that so many of the fears I’d carried about how I looked or how others might perceive me were unfounded.

Running has changed my life, figuratively and literally—and I’m determined to even the playing field and educate as many women as possible on how empowering, life-changing and transformative sport and finding your power through it can be.

What’s Driving the Surge?

So, what has started shifting the dial in recent years? Is it lobbying? Social media? The rise of inclusive, all-paces-welcome run clubs and fairer representation—has there been a fundamental societal shift in what people view running as? A bit of all of the above, according to Heather McCormick, group communications and public affairs director at London Marathon Events.

“Women now make up 46% of all UK runners, and this growth is being driven by a powerful combination of visibility, community and changing attitudes towards what running represents,” she says. “More women are seeing people like themselves running—friends, colleagues, school mums, women of all ages and abilities—and that makes taking on challenges feel far more achievable than it once did.”

Seeing a more diverse representation of women taking on every distance is a powerful reminder that running isn’t reserved for one body type, background or fitness level. Whatever your height, race, hair colour or pace, there’s a place for you on the start line. As McCormick notes: “Representation matters because it changes what’s possible in people’s minds.”

Or as Grace Cook, writer and founder of the culture-led health and wellness media platform Salty, puts it: “We can’t be what we can’t see, and the uptick in women participating in marathons is directly linked to our peers running marathons. Suddenly, this space that was once so male-heavy feels like it’s within reach.”

If You See It, You Can Be It

Social media has undoubtedly played a part in this—content creators with millions of followers now share daily training updates, race vlogs and tips for getting into running as a beginner. They make training look effortlessly cool and fun, even to the most cardio-averse person. While it’s a nuanced subject—ample research indicates that social media usage treads a fine line between positive inspiration and obsessive social comparison, idealised self-presentation, and feedback loops that quietly reshape personal identity and self-esteem—when it comes to moving more, better representation has positively influenced the number of women willing to give sport a go.

While I didn’t have a TikTok feed full of running creators when I started out, I am grateful for them now—they’re encouraging millions of women worldwide to discover the joys of movement. For Cook, it’s more than mere encouragement, too: it’s a reaffirmation of who the sport belongs to. As she puts it: “The boom in content creators and everyday women documenting their runs or simply posting about going for a run gradually changes a woman’s optics around who the sport is for.”

Seeing more and more women take up running, in their own unique ways, has made the sport feel less intimidating and more fun—it has a less elitist feel to it now. “There’s growing recognition of the fact that there’s no set definition of what a runner looks like,” says Emma Bord, a personal trainer and World Marathon Major runner whose content has a special focus on balancing movement and motherhood (she herself is a mother of three). Whatever your pace, goals, dreams, or ambitions, there’s space for everybody—it’s always the taking part that counts, she insists: “If you run, you are a runner, and that mindset makes the sport feel accessible to so many more women who may once have assumed it was not for them.”

Outdated Norms Are Being Challenged

On a wider cultural scale, shifting economic climates and the cost-of-living crisis may go some way to explaining why we’re seeing such an uptick in twentysomething female marathoners. Our parents could afford houses; we’re being priced out. For those keen and fortunate enough to have children, pregnancies are happening later. We’re reshaping what it means to be a woman in your 20s and 30s—what Cook calls “a reframing of social milestones”, which is an apt nod to how different our lives look from the lives our mothers lived 20 or 30 years ago.

“The parameters for heteronormative success have changed,” she explains. “The old benchmarks—a boyfriend or a husband, marriage, a baby, a house—are not necessarily what women are focusing on, and for many, aren’t within reach. A marathon is a huge feat, and it gives women a chance to feel like they are working towards something that’s within their control, especially in a world of gender pay gaps, economic instability, and heterofatalism [the belief that heterosexual relationships are inherently flawed and destined to fail].”

At the same time, we’re reshaping what it means to be a woman who works out—rewriting the rules of activewear, athleisure and the way we dress for movement. Jenna Litner is a digital personality and cultural commentator who’s amassed a cult-like following on social media for her online style series, Your Workout Outfit Looks Like Sh*t. Her take? We’re reclaiming a space that was male-dominated for years and quietly shifting into more expressive workout looks to rebel against the notion that women work out just to look good.

Wellbeing as Status Symbol

That, and that fact that women today seem to be prioritising being truly well over materialistic items, like cars and houses. “Wellness has become something our generation views as a luxury worth investing in,” she shares. “We subscribe to a health-is-wealth mindset, and it’s encouraging to watch that get prioritised for reasons beyond solely appearance. What you gain from participating in sport—like mental fortitude and discipline —matter so much more than how you look. Women are finally being met with spaces that reflect that.”

You may recall the step aerobics and Buns of Steel craze of the 1990s; the boxercise, spin and fitness DVD era of the noughties; and the max-effort, high-heart-rate HIIT classes and bootcamps that defined the 2010s. For decades, women’s fitness trends were often sold with one goal in mind: to get smaller. But today, more women are rejecting the idea that there’s a one-size-fits-all approach to health, instead making time for the types of movement that genuinely bring them joy while benefiting both body and mind.

As our understanding of wellbeing has evolved, so too has our relationship with exercise. Rather than chasing calorie burn or shrinking their bodies, many women are prioritising movement that helps them feel stronger, more energised and more resilient. Bord agrees: “Now, women are turning to exercise to feel stronger, more confident, and generally happier.”

No Need for Speed—or Dated Barriers to Entry

Breaking down the notion that you have to be “fast” to be a runner has also played a large part in encouraging more into the sport—speaking to friends anecdotally, so many confess that they were afraid to lace up for fear of holding people back or embarrassing themselves because of their pace. Jennifer Mannion has played a big part in debunking this preconception with her women-only running community, Runners and Stunners. She believes the biggest hurdle for many women isn’t fitness—it’s feeling confident enough to show up in the first place. “Sometimes women just need the invitation to come along. The intimidation often comes from wondering, ‘Am I fast enough to be here?’ A lot of women feel they need to reach a certain pace or look a certain way to be considered a runner, which isn’t the case.”

Mannion’s goal with Runners and Stunners is simple—to encourage as many women into movement as possible, and to reframe exercise as something that’s joyful, social, and mood-boosting, not a chore. “I hope the idea that slower runners are somehow less worthy is fading, but there’s still a long way to go. You see some women complete their first marathon in over six hours, and the comments are often not a nice place. The win should always be getting up and doing the thing, not how long it took you, especially for everyday runners. Movement is joy.”

Running as a Social Moment

If you live in London, you’ll know that you can’t leave your house on a Saturday or Sunday morning without bumping into a run crew or two. East London has Your Friendly Runners; South, Grove Lane (New Balance wins hearts every London Marathon by spotlighting the everyday runners from these crews in their marathon campaigns alongside seasoned athletes). Stats predict that there are now 100-plus crews in London alone, with over 2,000 run clubs in the UK. Strava saw a 250% increase in running clubs on its platform in 2025 compared to 2024, alongside an 89% year-on-year increase in women joining running clubs.

Community-focused running, where your workout is less about the sport, more about the time with familiar faces, has transformed the sport’s appeal. For many, running has become about far more than the workout itself—it’s about companionship, togetherness, and spending time with friends while also moving your body and taking some time for yourself. “For many, running is as much about friendship, confidence and community as it is about fitness. Running clubs have become places to socialise, and that sense of belonging has made running feel welcoming in a way it perhaps never has before,” says McCormick.

Covid undoubtedly played a part; a global pandemic is one way to remind yourself that time is precious and your health, your ultimate currency. Pair that with a societal shift in how we spend our free time—more saunas, alcohol-free alternatives and activities that leave us feeling rested, not burnt out—and run clubs and races have cemented themselves as the perfect weekend activity.

As Cook points out, it can be hard to make friends as adults, and working alongside someone doesn’t necessarily mean you are a personality match. “Lots of the friendships we have in life are based on geography—school, university and work. Making new friends at a run club gives us the chance to show up as the most present version of ourselves, and to make friends based on lifestyle, personal interests, and a growth mindset. In cities especially, it can be really hard to pin down plans with friends. When I joined my run club, I loved that I could see 40 people without having to make a plan beyond showing up at 9 am on a Saturday.”

Litner also reflects on how running was marketed in the 1990’s and early noughties: for many, it was the default punishment in team sports growing up. “I rarely saw the version where you run with friends to enjoy each other’s company, to encourage one another, to build mental toughness together, to have a genuine human connection and a newfound relationship. Run clubs flipped that. They’re reminding my generation why in-person community is so rich and fulfilling in a way a screen isn’t. It’s a community disguised as exercise (or vice versa). You show up for the people and the miles tick away.”

Kit Is Playing Its Part, Too

Whether you’re a runner or not, you’re likely to have noticed the cultural shift happening around the sport. From the explosion of independent running brands to the rise of elevated performancewear that blurs the line between activewear and everyday fashion, there’s been an undeniable shift towards sport style and self-expression. But is it encouraging more women into the sport, or is it more a reflection of women who were already running feeling freer to show up as themselves?

Cook credits brands like MileOff with bringing more women into the space. “Typical running gear is very masculine-coded, whereas Alice [Bugeja], the designer of MileOff, launched into the market with pastel-coloured running skirts and frilly socks that were like a breath of fresh air,” she says. “Women love to cosplay for sports as much as we do social occasions, and I think feeling good in any outfit is key to reducing the friction or self-consciousness that might prevent us from starting. Many lifelong runners probably will never be interested in wearing a fashion-forward outfit to run in, but the rise of the run girlie might mean they now feel comfortable wearing a tinted moisturiser or a lipstick or cute hair accessories. The more self-expression there is in sport, the freer women feel, period. There’s no one fixed way to show up any more.”

Litner reckons that for many of us, seeing that you’re free to do incredibly hard things while dressing however you want will feel like an invitation into the sport itself. “Women are increasingly prioritising spaces that feel fun and familiar, while also building real physical and mental strength, and running culture feels like the rare opportunity to do both,” she explains.

She encourages her followers to create their own narratives with both sport and style—but for her, it all comes back to confidence and ensuring she feels her best, and Litner encourages the same for her followers: “Confidence is a very nuanced, complicated word, especially for women. Being a bit audacious, whether that’s with your training, your fashion, your styling, or just leaning into your truest form of self-expression, can be liberating.”

Continuing the Change

While there’s always more to be done—after undertaking exclusive research with Sport England last month, we revealed that 46% of women fear for their safety before working out, often causing them to skip workouts altogether—but McCormick believes we’re on the right track. “One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed recently is how normal and more visible running has become for women. You see women running before work, after work and at weekends, with conversations about training becoming a part of everyday life.”

Both McCormick and Bord mention the TCS Mini Marathon, too. “Observing the next generation’s attitude to running at the mini-marathon at my children’s school this year was inspiring,” Bord says. “It was amazing to hear so many of the little girls say, ‘I want to run a marathon one day.’ Watching them find joy in running instead of seeing it as a chore and their belief that they can do something that felt less accessible when I was younger demonstrated how things have changed.”

Litner’s bottom line? The movement isn’t just creating runners—it’s creating women who believe they belong in these spaces who will then help others do the same.

What Next?

So where do our experts see this movement heading—is this a genuine, lasting shift or does it need continued work to stick?

Cook reckons it’s not just a trend, and the movement will continue to grow, but that there’s work to do to meet the demand and ensure women have a good experience once they’re in the community, in the system, and competing in races. “Communities need to have safeguards in place to protect women from unwanted attention, harassment and anti-social behaviour,” she explains. “This is critical to ensure safety, and run clubs and brand-led clubs should have strict protocols in place so women feel safe and comfortable reporting anything untoward. From an infrastructure point of view, we need things like a bathroom in the starting pens. That so many women are taking up running should be celebrated, but the infrastructure needs to enable us to continue doing so.”

McCormick agrees, adding that the demand is undeniably there. “The near-equal gender split in the 2027 London Marathon ballot, alongside the surge in younger women applying, shows that women want to take part in record numbers. The next challenge is retention,” she says. Her aim is to make sure women continue to feel supported after they’ve signed up, whether that’s through welcoming clubs, safe places to run, or better support during life stages such as pregnancy and menopause.

Bottom line? Creating lasting gender equity and encouraging more women into the sport is a complex puzzle, and one that won’t be solved overnight. It requires continued commitment, investment and a collective shift in how we think about who running is for.

The sport needs to be accessible, welcoming and representative; it needs to celebrate women’s achievements, invest in grassroots communities and ensure women feel safe. Because true progress isn’t just about seeing more women taking part—it’s about making sure they feel they belong there, too. As McCormick puts it, “The goal isn’t simply equal numbers on a start line; it’s creating a sport where every woman feels she belongs, feels represented and feels confident enough to keep coming back.”

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And that talent and tenacity is more necessary than ever. Because despite enormous strides towards gender parity, economic and social gaps still persist across sport. For instance, while the largest media rights deal in the history of women’s sport was signed by the WNBA this year, the average player still earns 80 times less than those in the men’s game. Turn to the Forbes 2026 list of highest-paid athletes, and you’ll find no female names, but look at the World Athletics report on online abuse at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and you’ll find that 87% of it was directed at female athletes, with Black women disproportionately affected.

What we know, however, is that with the right visibility and support, female athletes can impact society in positive and unprecedented ways. The evidence proves it—80% of female Fortune 500 CEOs played sport in their formative years, while 55% of girls say that watching female athletes makes them feel they can do anything.

Ahead, we spotlight 50 of the women who are shaping the future of women’s sport the world over. From world record holders and Olympic champions to rapidly rising stars, these are the women to know, support and take inspiration from in 2026 and beyond.

This article is part of our 2026 Women in Sport special. For the full cover interview with Lioness Chloe Kelly, click here.

50 Influential Female Athletes To Know, Watch and Follow—in 2026 and Beyond

1. Chloe Kelly

Chloe Kelly’s shirt-waving celebration at the Euros 2022 will forever be etched in our minds, but the Arsenal and England attacking midfielder is far more than that moment.

Now regarded as a clutch player—aka one who stays calm under even the highest pressure—for the way she consistently delivers in such moments, she was responsible for the winning penalty at the 2025 Women’s Euros and played a crucial role in Arsenal’s 2025 Champions League victory over Barcelona.

Off the pitch, she uses her voice, not just to inspire young girls to play football, but to highlight the vulnerabilities that can sit just beneath the surface of success. Speaking on Fearn Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, Kelly opened up about the anxiety, panic attacks and hair loss she struggled with during the transfer process from Manchester City to Arsenal last year.

“You look after your legs when you recover from training, but it was my head that was struggling,” she told Cotton. “Taking a step away and into a new environment was what I needed. I’m in a good place now, but I’ll never forget the times I’ve struggled.”

Her unwavering honesty and tireless commitment to advancing the women’s game are what we’ve come to know of Kelly who, as well as being recently signed by adidas, surely has many more trophies left to lift.

2. Eileen Gu

“I’m the most decorated female freeskier in history,” 22-year-old Eileen Gu responded when a journalist at the Milano Cortina Olympics asked whether she saw her two silver medals as a sign of victory or defeat. Her words, as important today as they were back in February, are characteristic of the two-time Olympian’s self-assured honesty, whose influence on the world is difficult to quantify.

Because aside from her spellbinding performances on the slopes, the Chinese American—who switched to representing her mother’s home country in international competitions in 2019—demonstrates that female athletes are multifaceted and nuanced. A 2026 Stanford Graduate who majored in international relations, Gu has balanced elite sport with studying and an international modelling career while, crucially, advocating for the growth of winter sports for women and girls in China.

3. Serena Williams

Does she need an introduction? Twenty-three Grand Slam singles’ titles (of a total 39, including women’s and mixed doubles) and a professional career spanning over 30 years, Williams epitomises the word icon—not in tennis or even women’s sport, but in sport, period.

And though she’s in the midst of a gradual transition out of international tennis, her global presence shows no signs of fading. Entrepreneurial through and through, Williams currently manages two thriving businesses—a venture capitalist firm called Serena Ventures and Nine Two Six, a multimedia production company that focuses on female and diverse stories.

As if that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, she’s also the host of the Stockton Street podcast, a series of intimate conversations about careers, family, entrepreneurship and pop culture, which she hosts with her sister and fellow tennis star, Venus.

4. Venus Williams

Who else could we turn to next? One of the most decorated athletes on the planet and a former Marie Claire UK cover star, Venus Williams could serve at 100 mph by the age of 10. Turning pro at just 14, she’d won her first Wimbledon by the time she was 20. It was the first of 23 Grand Slam titles she’d go on to win.

All this was achieved while silently battling undiagnosed uterine fibroids—a topic Williams has become a vocal spokesperson for in recent years. Foregoing her usually private persona, she’s been forthright and honest in her discussions about the years of playing through acute pain and heavy bleeding, as well as her struggles with medical dismissal and misdiagnosis—becoming a vital advocate for medical research into women’s health conditions.

There’s more, of course. Because through her love of fashion and design—she’s a fashion and business graduate and the founder of interior design firm V Starr, Williams has been dismantling stereotypes surrounding presumed oppositions between sport and the arts. “I don’t believe in putting art, or people, in a category,” she told us last year. “Design and wellness—this is kind of where I belong.”

5. Simone Biles

She’s the most decorated gymnast in history, and that’s just the one of the things to know about Simone Biles.

A prominent advocate for athlete mental health, racial equality and protection from abuse, and a champion for the rights and protection of children in foster care, the now 29-year-old appeared on the senior international stage at just 13, before winning her first global all-around title at the age of 16. Since then, she’s added seven Olympic gold, two silver and two bronze medals to her roster.

But it was her decision to withdraw from events at the Tokyo 2020 Games that sparked a crucial conversation about athlete wellbeing. After struggling with the ‘twisties’—a kind of mental block that throws off gymnasts off-balance in mid-air, and can lead to serious injury—Biles’ decision to take time off from competition became the catalyst for a movement to reframe mental health as an essential training component rather than a sideline issue.

Her bravery doesn’t end there. In 2021, she testified against former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar for sexually abusing her under the guise of medical treatment, helping to bring about structural change within the national gymnastics system.

Whether she’ll return to gymnastics for her home Olympics in 2028 is still unknown. What is certain is that Biles is one of the most influential voices in sport, and an inspiration for women globally.

6. Ellie Kildunne

If you’re looking for inspiration, you’ll find it in spades in Ellie Kildunne. Softly spoken and as down-to-earth as a person could be, she’s an Olympian, a Rugby World Cup champion, Six Nations champion and 2024’s World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year.

She’s also known for her mantra, “lukewarm is no good”, a saying taken from Roald Dahl’s book My Uncle Oswald. When we speak, though, I discover she has another phrase in her armoury. “If you want to play in the jungle, you cannot live in the zoo,” she says with a smile. “For me, I see that as: it’s OK to make mistakes, to challenge yourself and be uncomfortable because there’s a whole jungle out there.”

The newly signed Bristol Bears player certainly doesn’t shy away from discomfort and challenge, on and off the pitch. She’s spoken openly about navigating a late diagnosis for ADHD and her struggles with body dysmorphia—topics she delves into in her recently released autobiography, Game Changer. “I don’t want any young girl thinking that they have to restrict themselves, or be controlling or obsessive, to think of themselves as beautiful,” she told the BBC earlier this year.

Her motivation for the future, then, makes complete sense. “I want to drive the women’s game to places it’s never been before, but also I want to seek happiness in everything that I’m doing.” Words to live by.

7. Keely Hodgkinson

Olympic champion, world indoor champion and British record-holder Keely Hodgkinson is raw, honest and open. The 24-year-old, whose Instagram bio reads “always earned, never given”, is that rare mix of ambition and humility: unafraid to set out her stall of mighty goals, while equally ready to acknowledge the challenges and vulnerabilities that go hand-in-hand with elite sport.

At the UK championships this year, for instance, she made the brave decision to withdraw from the start line of the 400m due to tightness in her hamstring. “I think when you’re an athlete and you suffer bad injuries, you can underestimate a little bit of the trauma it leaves in your head,” she told Olympic Channel TV.

It’s this level of honesty and maturity, coupled with her wealth of achievements and playful online presence, that make her a key figure in the popularisation of women’s sports—and an idol for many young girls in athletics.

This year, she’ll race for gold at the European Athletic Championships. Beyond that, anything is possible, but there’s no doubt that many eyes will be set on her performance at the LA 2028 Summer Olympics.

8. Summer McIntosh

In the pool, Summer McIntosh is a machine. Online, she oozes fun. The 19-year-old, who stormed onto the world stage at just 14 when she placed fourth in the 400m freestyle at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is part of a new generation of digital-native athletes who straddle the world of elite sport and content creation.

For her fans, Summer’s vlogs provide an insight into the world of one of the greatest swimmers of her generation. From day-in-the-lives to learning to front flip with cliff diver Molly Carlson, her personality is as captivating as her performances in the pool. “What excites me most is paving the way for the next generation of young female swimmers,” she tells Marie Claire UK when we put the question to her. “Inspiring girls to be brave and dream bigger than ever.”

That she does. McIntosh’s career so far is the stuff of dreams. Comprising three Olympic and two Commonwealth golds, alongside eight World Aquatics champion titles, she’s also the first swimmer since Michael Phelps to break three world records in a single meet. And really, this is just the start. Now training under Phelps’ former coach, Bob Bowman, McIntosh has her sights set on Olympic gold at LA 2028. “I’m focused on all the small and big steps it will take to get there,” she says. “I’ve been training with Bob for almost a year now, and I’m excited to continue working with him every day as we prepare for these next Olympic Games. I know he’ll prepare me to perform at my very best.”

9. Faith Kipyegon

Faith Kipyegon is so good that there are scientific studies dedicated to her potential. A paper published in the Royal Society Open Science concluded that she could break the four-minute mile—a feat previously considered impossible for women. She’s yet to do it (last year she came close in a Nike-sponsored race in Paris), but it seems only a matter of time.

It would be the icing on the cake of an already illustrious career. The greatest female middle-distance runner in history, she is a world-record holder in the 1500m and the mile, and the first woman in history to win three consecutive Olympic golds over the 1500m. Add to that an Olympic silver in the 5000m, and you’re starting to paint the picture of this remarkable athlete.

And yet, off track, there’s a bigger story. Because after giving birth to her daughter in 2018, Kipyegon made it her mission to transform maternity care in her rural town of Keringet, Kenya, where expectant mothers walk up to 35km to receive treatment. “I see women go into labour full of hope, carrying life, carrying dreams, and too many times, they come back empty-handed,” she explains over email. “Not because they did anything wrong. But because the care they needed was too far away, too limited, or simply not good enough.”

Kipyegon’s mission is to open a mother-and-baby facility in the town, transforming birth safety for mothers and babies. Named the Dare to Dream Maternity Ward, the project is being funded by Nike and is set to open later this year.

10. Sky Brown

The world first met Sky Brown in 2012 when, at just four years old, a video of her ripping at the skatepark went viral on YouTube. Now 17, she’s gone on to become the darling of British skateboarding—our first world champion in the sport, a two-time Olympic medallist, a two-time X Games gold medallist, and the first female skater to land a frontside 540 (a one-and-a-half aerial rotation): a feat Brown achieved at the age of just 11.

Central to her career is inspiring other girls to take up skateboarding. “I wanted to be in the Olympics to inspire girls to get out there,” she told TNT Sports in a documentary released in 2022. In 2024, she continued that mission with the release of her first children’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Skateboarding.

What’s next for her? After narrowly missing out on Team GB’s Olympic surfing team for Paris 2024, she’s hinted at plans to successfully bag the skate-surf double at LA 2028. Watch this space.

11. Allyson Felix

So you thought that the most decorated track and field athlete in history had retired? Think again. In April this year, 400m legend Allyson Felix announced her plans to target the LA 2028 Olympics during the debut episode of her new podcast, Built To Last.

And who would doubt her? The 11-times Olympic medallist has been challenging the status quo since 2009, when she made the watershed decision to be managed by her brother, Wes—a choice that was met with resistance by the establishment at the time.

Felix has since gone on to become not only one of the greatest athletes of all time, but a thriving entrepreneur and maternal health activist, after her long-time sponsor, Nike, proposed to cut her pay by 70% when she fell pregnant. Following unsuccessful negotiations with the brand, Felix wrote a powerful op-ed for The New York Times that opened a conversation that transcended sport and set a new precedent for maternal rights of athletes.

Things didn’t stop there. After her split from Nike, Felix founded her own footwear brand, Saysh, becoming the first track athlete to compete in her own shoe. “It’s so much deeper than selling shoes,” she told Bloomberg. “It’s about impact. If people feel seen and represented, and we start to shift the culture, that would be success.” Felix remains at the helm of the brand, which has a policy of allowing women to exchange their shoes for a new size if their feet swell in pregnancy. She juggles it with motherhood, campaigning for improvements to maternal healthcare for Black women, podcasting and a return to elite sport.

12. Ilona Maher

Former Marie Claire UK cover star Ilona Maher is the most well-known rugby player on the planet. With over 10 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, she’s nothing short of a sensation—known as much for her work dismantling body image standards as she is for her performances on the pitch. Not that she believes it.

“Ask people who the best rugby player in the world is, and they probably won’t be able to name the woman,” Maher told us last year. “But they can name that funny girl online. It’s a focus on connecting with people.”

Whatever her take on it, her approach works. Her short-term signing for the Bristol Bears from January to March last year catapulted interest in the women’s game, instantly giving the club the biggest reach in the league and forcing entire stadium switches to accommodate the increased demand in match attendees.

If her work championing women’s body acceptance and diversity is perhaps what she’s most known for—her hashtag #beastbeautybrains has become a mantra for women the world over—she’s also a vocal critic of the pay gap between men's and women’s sport. “I would love to get on the field and just play rugby and make a million dollars,” Maher told us. “But that’s not possible right now. I don’t think there’s a single women’s rugby player in the world making over £100,000. How do you expect me to focus on the field when I can’t support myself or live a comfortable life?”

Maher’s pragmatic and tenacious work ethic is just another reason to admire her. She’s business savvy, ambitious both on and off the field, and has done the work to get to a point of confidence—in her body, her talent and her skillset. As well as being an Olympic bronze medallist and one of the best rugby players in the world, she’s a podcaster, a Sports Illustrated cover star and swimwear runway model, and, according to industry bible SportsPro, the third most marketable athlete—behind only Lewis Hamilton and Simone Biles—in the world.

13. Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka is a great tennis player and, we would argue, an even better person.

One of the most prominent social activists in the world of sport, her rise to fame skyrocketed in 2018 when she beat her childhood idol, Serena Williams, in the final of the US Open. From there, Osaka had a gold rush, becoming the first Asian woman to be ranked number one in the world in 2019, when she was just 20 years old, and winning three further Grand Slam titles by 2021.

At the same time, she was emerging as one of sport’s most prominent political figures, through her on- and off-court protests against police brutality as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. Her work, which was received well by tennis organisations, the media and the public, set a new example and precedent for athletes’ role in politics.

It was in 2021, after withdrawing from the French Open, that her activism expanded to the realm of mental health. Using her voice to address issues of social anxiety, depression and the lack of athlete welfare protections in sport, she raised global awareness and sparked structural reform, which led to a three-part Netflix documentary and a celebrated essay—It’s OK not to be OK—for TIME magazine.

Then there’s her enviable sense of style, using her profile as an opportunity to spotlight independent designers and showcase her heritage. In a press conference at this year’s Wimbledon, she said, “I would actually prefer to talk about my clothes. In some ways I feel like I’m a lot more equipped to talk about my clothes than to talk about my tennis.”

Whether you follow her for her tennis, style or activism, Naomi Osaka isn’t just one to watch—she’s one you can’t take your eyes off.

14. Alysa Liu

Want to know a thing or two about staying true to yourself? Ask Alysa Liu. The Olympic gold medallist, who temporarily stepped away from figure skating due to burnout after becoming the youngest US national champion of all time, was told repeatedly that she’d have to change her now-trademark striped hair when she returned to the sport.

To which, she said, no. End of. “These days, I say no to more things than I say yes to,” she confirmed in an interview with her sponsor, Nike, earlier this year. “If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no.”

That fierce individuality is part of what makes her such a joy to watch. Her performances, which are a heady mix of elegance, fun and flair, led her to become the face of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics back in February, where she won gold in stunning fashion. It’s also what makes her such an inspiration, both within and beyond sport.

“It’s cliche—but you really only live once,” she told Nike. “If something is feeling too hard mentally or physically, take a break and try other things. Step away, reassess and see if it pulls you back in. If it does, great. And if it doesn’t, then maybe you’re being pulled toward something completely new.”

15. Demi Vollering

“It all starts with dreaming,” goes the motto of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes champion, Demi Vollering (who, at the time of writing is going into this year’s race as the favourite, too). She has also won the world’s two other major multistage cycling races: La Vuelta Femenina (twice, in 2024 and 2025) and the Giro d’Italia Women, in June this year. Vollering is only the second woman to have won this trio of races.

The Dutch cyclist, who comes from a family of greenhouse growers, left her job as a florist to go fulltime on the bike in 2019 and has been outspoken about removing taboos around athlete menstrual health, as well as the importance of exercise for mental health in the years since.

She’s also been a pioneer in the growth of women’s cycling, speaking out about the need for new age group categories and better broadcast coverage of events. “I want to do what Serena Williams did for tennis,” Vollering said in an interview with The Guardian. “She’s much more than a tennis player. She transcended the sport and showed young girls that they could dream bigger.”

16. Leah Williamson

Watch any interview with the captain of the Lionesses, Leah Williamson, and you’ll feel the gravity with which she holds her position. She knows the weight of responsibility that comes with the shirt she wears; the number of young girls she inspires every time she steps onto the pitch; and the doors she and her teammates are opening for future generations.

It’s not just the back-to-back Women’s Euro victories she led the team to in 2022 and 2025; it’s the openness with which she talks about her battles with injury, endometriosis, performance anxiety and her devotion to creating more opportunities for the next generation of female and LGBTQ+ footballers.

In 2023, Williamson was awarded an OBE for her services to football; in 2026, this was upgraded to a CBE in acknowledgement of her achievements on behalf of her team at Euro 2025. As for what’s next? All eyes are on the squad qualifying for the Women’s World Cup (which she missed in 2023 due to injury) ahead of the tournament, which takes place in Brazil next June.

17. Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark burst onto the global stage during her collegiate career, where she became the greatest scorer in NCAA Division I history across both men and women—surpassing the record held by Pete Maravich in 1970.

Since then, she’s been shattering WNBA records for her team, Indiana Fever, helping to drive visibility and viewership for the women’s game. In fact, it’s been suggested that in 2024, she was responsible for 26.5% of all WNBA economic activity after factoring in revenue from merchandise, ticket sales, and television.

Off court, she’s the founder of the Caitlin Clark Foundation, a non-profit that expands access to education, nutrition and sports for children across the USA.

18. Shamera Sterling-Humphrey

Shamera Sterling-Humphrey is one of the best defensive netball players in the world. The Adelaide Thunderbirds player is a three-time winner of the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) league, one of the most competitive series in the world.

This year, Sterling-Humphrey has become known as much for her off-court candour as her remarkable interceptions. In 2025, after giving birth to her son, she suffered from postpartum depression. Speaking openly on Sky Sports’ Off the Court podcast in May this year, she shared her journey through depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, which shaped her first few months of motherhood.

She’s since returned to competitive netball, winning her third SSN, but is unafraid to say she’s not yet out the other side. “I’m grateful to say that I’m a bit better now but I’m not where I want to be,” she said on Off the Court. “I’m still trying to find myself. I have my good days and my bad days, but I’m still not the Shamera I used to be.”

19. Jamie Chadwick

Women haven’t always been welcome in motorsports. Challenges from intermittent gendered bans as far back as the early 20th century to a longstanding lack of investment in young female go-kart drivers have ensured female drivers have been kept fighting on the sport’s fringes for years. That was until 2022, when former racing driver Susie Wolff set up the F1 Academy to increase female participation in driving.

A driver like Jamie Chadwick, therefore, has defied all the odds to be in her current position. Introduced to the sport via karting at age 12, Chadwick quickly climbed the ranks to become the youngest driver—and first female—to win a British GT title at just 16. Her career of firsts has continued since: she’s the first woman to win a Formula 3 race and the only woman to have won a race in the European Le Mans series.

Inspiring other women to enter the sport is central to everything Chadwick does, whether that’s speaking on podcasts, serving as a pundit for Sky Sports, or in her role as an F1 Academy advisor for Williams Racing. “People are finally recognising the level of talent that’s always been there,” she tells me. “In motorsport, we’re seeing more pathways, more visibility and more young girls believing they can have a place in the sport. That’s incredibly exciting.”

20. Gabby Thomas

When Gabby Thomas shattered her 200m personal best at the 2021 US Olympic trials, the world sat up and noticed. She crossed the line over half a second faster than she’d ever run before, placing her third on the all-time list behind sprint legends Florence Griffith Joyner and Elaine Thompson-Herah. “Overnight, I went from almost unknown to a favourite,” she revealed to Marie Claire UK earlier this year. “The attention and expectations were a lot to manage, but I couldn’t have been more excited to be on that Olympic team.”

She went on to take home two medals—a silver and a bronze—at the 2022 Olympics, and four years later went one step further when she became the first American woman since Allyson Felix to win three gold medals on the track in a single Olympics at Paris 2026. “She [Felix] was my original inspiration in sport,” Thomas tells me now. “I saw a lot of myself in her, so it felt very full-circle. The other day at a cafe someone actually mistook me for her, which I took as a huge compliment.”

Her performances on the track are just one side of Thomas. The Harvard graduate who majored in neurobiology and global health is focused on closing the racial health disparity gap and, in the run-up to Paris, spent five years working at the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic in Austin, Texas. As she told us back in May: “Giving back to my community helps fill my cup.”

21. Carissa Moore

In Hawaii, 4 January is Carissa Moore Day. The state officially recognised the surfer in 2016 for the leadership, grace and aloha she brings as a competitor and role model for young women. At the time, Moore was a three-time World Surf League (WSL) champion—the youngest ever to take the title at just 19 years old. Since then, she’s gone on to win the first Olympic gold in surfing history at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and has added two more WSL championships to her medal roster.

She returned to the Olympic stage at Paris 2024, while pregnant, riding one of the heaviest reefs in the world with her baby on board. And though she’d talked about retirement afterwards, she’s now back to number two in the world, with no sign of slowing down.

Moore is also the founder of Moore Aloha, a charity organisation dedicated to supporting women’s and girls’ mental health. They focus on events which promote mindfulness, physical and emotional wellness and environmental responsibility.

22. Hannah Cockroft

Dubbed Hurricane Hannah by the media following her storming success at the London 2012 Paralympics, Hannah Cockroft is a nine-time Paralympic champion, 19-time World Para Athletics champion and a fervent activist for disability rights and inclusion.

“Growing up, I went to mainstream schools where I was always the only disabled child,” Cockroft told the Sports Gazette in 2021. “PE for me was reading a book in the library or sitting and watching or keeping score of my friends’ games. It was never getting involved.”

At the age of 12, however, after watching a wheelchair basketball demonstration at her school, the world of para-sport opened up. Today, she’s one of the most decorated British athletes in World Para Athletics Championship history, with five Paralympic gold medals and multiple world records to her name. And after becoming a mother for the first time earlier this year, her sights are firmly set on backing a return for the 2028 Olympics in LA.

23. A’ja Wilson

A Met Gala debut, TIME Athlete of the Year, a New York Times bestselling author who just happens to have a signature footwear line with Nike—oh, and the fastest ever player in WNBA history to reach 6,000 points scored: all in a career that is very much far from over for basketball player A’ja Wilson.

Becky Hammon, her coach at Las Vegas Aces, calls it the it factor. This “thing” that the South Carolinian—who is a four-time league MVP and the first player in WNBA history to score over 1,000 points in a single season—has. “I run out of adjectives for her,” Hammon told Vogue back in March.

No wonder she was offered richest contract in WNBA history to ensure Wilson remained with the team back in April, making her the first player in the league to earn seven figures—and, in the process, forever moving the needle on salary expectations for female athletes. It’s something she’s deeply passionate about. “This isn’t just like, ‘Oh, I want the million-dollar contract.’ This is for the generations after me, Wilson told Vogue in the same interview. I don’t have a problem sitting at the table until we get what we want and get what we deserve.”

Wilson also speaks openly and vulnerably about her mental health, as an athlete and as a Black woman. In an essay penned for The Players Tribune in 2021, she described her struggles with anxiety, depression and grief, and her decision to go to therapy. If you read one thing today, let it be that.

24. Fran Hennessy

Whenever I’m doubting myself, I think back to the video of nine-year-old Fran Hennessy, a smile plastered on her face, going for her eighth lap of the athletics track with her Dad, Mick, shouting words of encouragement from behind the camera.

From that little girl to an undefeated 9-0-0 professional boxing record (with two knockouts) 11 years later, Hennessy is now aiming to become the youngest ever undisputed four-belt bantamweight world champion across both men and women. At the time of writing, she has just under a year to make it happen.

Hennessy has spoken openly in the past about her childhood struggles with body image and dyslexia, and using humour as a protective mechanism for these insecurities. In boxing, though, she found home—a place where she could grow in confidence and enter pure flow.

Hennessy’s fight against the current reigning bantamweight world champion, Cherneka Johnson, isn’t yet fixed, but watch this space because it won’t be far away.

25. Zoe Bäckstedt

“Don’t limit your challenges, challenge your limits,” says Zoe Bäckstedt when I ask her for the mantra she lives by. It checks out. The 21-year-old seems to be almost limitless on a bike.

Back in June, just a week after winning a stage of the Tour de Suisse Femmes, she became double national champion in the elite women’s time trial and the road race; victories which see her make her mark on the senior stage after a stunning junior career, which included multiple World Championship titles.

While Bäckstedt is still at the very start of her career, many have tipped her to be the future of British cycling across road and cyclo-cross. As for what motivates her? “Right now, it’s the will to push myself to the limit in all my races and fight for that victory.”

26. Nelly Korda

It’s a big year for Nelly Korda. The 27-year-old world number one is US Open champion and just two points away from being inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame—an honorary club of just 35 women who, between them, make up the greatest golfers of all time. And she’s just one world major away from completing the career Grand Slam. If she does it, she’ll be only the eighth woman in history to have won four major golf tournaments.

Her career, of course, is already peppered with greatness. A gold medal in her Olympic debut in 2020 paved the way for 2024, her most successful season to date, where she clocked five consecutive tournament wins. A number that equalled the record for the longest winning streak in women’s golfing history.

Off the course, she’s thriving, too. Deals with Nike, Goldman Sachs and Delta contributed to her becoming the seventh highest-paid female athlete in the world in 2025, while her appearance in Sports Illustrated’s iconic 2025 swimwear issue, alongside Ilona Maher, Anna Hall, Gabby Thomas and Eileen Gu, has contributed to the celebration of strong, athletic bodies within media.

27. Laviai Nielsen

If Laviai Nielsen could relive any sporting moment from her career thus far, it would be winning an Olympic medal alongside her twin sister, Lina, at Paris 2024. “After everything we’d been through—all the setbacks and disappointments in trying to reach our dreams—winning that medal with my best friend is something I’ll never be able to put into words,” she writes over email.

It seems a long way from the 16-year-old Nielsen who carried Jessica Ennis-Hill’s kit at the London 2012 Olympics. Back then, competing on the senior world stage was just a dream. Twelve years later, it was her reality. That reality, however, didn’t come without setback. In 2021, just two weeks before Nielsen was set to make her Olympic debut, she received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, a lifelong condition that affects the nervous system. Her sister, Lina, also has the condition and the pair have since been dedicated to raising awareness, particularly on social media, where they both share the highs and lows of elite athlete life.

“My sister and I kind of understood that we had a bit of a social responsibility with telling our story,” Nielsen told Olympics Channel TV in 2024. “We want to show people that even though there might be a roadblock, you can still continue. It might be on a different path, but you might still get to the same place.” At time of writing, that place is Glasgow, where the 2026 Commonwealth Games is underway and, where she has her sights set on a medal. With her kind of resilience, who’d doubt her?

28. Funmi Fadoju

Growing up, Funmi Fadoju’s idol was Serena Williams. “It’s not just because she’s the GOAT,” she says, “it’s because she was unapologetically herself. She never asked for permission to take up space, and she showed me that greatness isn’t about fitting into people’s expectations. It’s about having the courage to define your own, which is something I try to do every day.”

That she does. Fadoju is one of netball’s brightest rising stars, playing in defence for London Pulse and England’s Vitality Roses. Named Netball Super League Young Player of the Season in both 2021 and 2022, she’s since become a prominent figure in senior squads, earning over 40 caps for the Roses.

This summer, she’ll be on court at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, an event she hopes will continue to build momentum for netball, and women’s sport more widely. “It’s really amazing to be part of this moment in history,” she says. “In netball, we’re seeing more investment, more visibility and more opportunities than ever. I hope the Games will continue to catapult women’s sport to another level.”

With consistently impressive performances on court already attracting deals with the likes of Nike, there’s little doubt that the future looks rosy for this defensive superstar.

29. Doriane Pin

It’s been 34 years since a female driver entered an F1 race. The question of why is a complicated puzzle, involving investment, visibility, prejudice and stigma. But now, with a fresh wave of female drivers rising through the ranks of the F1 Academy, the idea of female representation in an F1 race feels closer than ever. At the helm of this movement is French 22-year-old Doriane Pin, the Mercedes driver who won 2025’s F1 Academy series.

Having begun her go-karting career when she was nine, Pin’s been making strides towards her dream of driving in an F1 race ever since. 2026 has already been a momentous year in that journey, with Pin becoming the first woman to drive a Mercedes F1 car back in April. Her maiden test, which took place at Silverstone, involved 76 laps of the track in the 2021 title-winning W12.

Watch this space.

30. Ros Canter

Ros Canter’s daughter, Sener, was just 16 weeks old when her mum won her third Badminton—the world’s largest equestrian eventing competition outside of the World Championships—in May 2026. The baby was no stranger to horseback, having literally been there with her when a five-months-pregnant Canter won Burghley at the end of 2025.

These are remarkable achievements, ones which sit alongside gold medals at the Olympics and World Equestrian Games, and which go a long way to dismantling the stigma around maternity in sport.

At Belsay Horse Trials this year, when asked about what had changed since giving birth with regard to keeping up with her own training, Canter joked: “Sener has lost a bit of her routine since Badminton, so I have some time in the middle of the night.” Clearly, nothing will stop her.

31. Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky is the ultimate professional. The nine-time Olympic gold medallist, 23-time World Champion and New York Times bestselling author has been winning global medals since she was 15. Fourteen years later, she’s as focused and humble as she was then, despite holding the record for the most Olympic gold medals in women’s swimming, and the equal highest number across any sport.

“When I was six years old, I never even dreamed of making it to one Olympics,” she told the Hurdle podcast last year. “When I won a gold medal, my family and I had a conversation, and we realised that anything more than that is icing on the cake. None of us ever imagined I would make it that far in the sport.”

That doesn’t mean she’s not ambitious. Despite breaking 17 world records so far, the swimmer is far from finished. “I’m always eager to chase something new. I’m not perfect, and I haven’t achieved every single one of my goals,” she told Hurdle. “I love the chase, I love the journey, I love the process.”

Passing on the learnings from her remarkable sporting career is a huge part of her athletic identity. She’s an advisor to Athleta’s Power of She collective and has worked closely with Billie Jean King’s Women’s Sport Foundation, which funds research and provides financial support to aspiring athletes, while also advocating for female athletes around the world.

32. Menna Fitzpatrick

Have you ever skied in low cloud with a blizzard swirling around you? That’s how Menna Fitzpatrick describes her experience as a visually-impaired skier. Britain’s most decorated winter Paralympian was born with congenital retinal folds, meaning that she has no vision in her left eye and very limited sight in her right eye.

Not that it’s never stopped her. At the age of five, she was skiing on family holidays; her dad guiding her down the mountain. Today, she has six Paralympic medals, having burst onto the international scene in 2016 when she won the World Cup title for visually impaired skiing.

At the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Paralympics, she secured four medals, making her the most successful British athlete at a single Winter Games. Two further medals came at Beijing 2022, and at this year’s Milano Cortina Games, Fitzpatrick returned to elite-level competition despite suffering an ACL injury just a few weeks prior. Focused is an understatement.

33. Dina Asher-Smith

Dina Asher-Smith is the fastest British woman in history. The record-breaking athlete first dipped below the magical 11-second barrier over the 100m in 2015. She’s since lowered that mark even further, running 10.83 seconds to win silver at the World Championships in Doha 2019. At that same competition, she became the first British woman to win a global sprint title when she took gold in the 200m, firmly cementing her place in the history books.

Despite her commitment to track, Asher-Smith has always maintained an identity beyond sport. Graduating from King’s College London with a history degree in 2017, she’s since turned her eye to fashion and has been the face of numerous global campaigns, including the 2026 launch of the La Ferrari Dino handbag.

Now training in the USA, Asher-Smith is set to compete at this year’s European Championships, having pulled out of the Commonwealth Games due to injury. We do not underestimate her chances.

34. Aitana Bonmati

For three consecutive years, Aitana Bonmati has been FIFA Women’s Player of the Year. The midfielder, who plays for Spain and FC Barcelona Femení, is also a three-time Ballon d’Or winner; an individual award considered the most prestigious in the game.

And now her tactical analysis is becoming as respected as her game, after she stepped into broadcasting for the men’s 2026 World Cup. Working with Mexican network TUDN, she’s been praised for her breakdowns of what’s happening on the pitch and why.

In an interview with The Guardian in 2024, Bonmatí credited her mental state as the defining characteristic behind her success. “Talent is one thing, and you can work hard as well, but without this mentality of sacrifice, resilience, fight and to want to be better every day… I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” she said.

35. Katarina Johnson-Thompson

To know the footprint of Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s career is to know that she is a master of resilience. After stepping out onto the world stage as a 19-year-old at the London 2012 Olympics, where she could soak up the experience in the shadow of Jessica Ennis-Hill’s Golden Girl pressure, she was thrust into the limelight as Britain’s next heptathlon superstar.

And that she is. Look at her medal cabinet, which includes an Olympic silver, two World Championship golds (plus a further bronze), multiple Commonwealth Games titles and a cluster of international indoor medals.

Such achievements, however impressive, have been far from easy to accrue. KJT, as she’s affectionately known, has battled through her fair share of challenges, including a ruptured Achilles just months before the Tokyo Olympics. If anything, such hurdles have only made her stronger, with a reputation for wearing her heart on her sleeve that is equally admirable in the world of professional competition.

In 2024, after her Olympic silver, she released her book Unbroken in which she addressed her struggles and triumphs in equal measure, including a candid reflection on her teenage body image battles. It’s an essential read, not only for young athletes, but for women navigating ambition, confidence and relationship to their body.

36. Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff’s entry onto the world stage was something of a fairytale. In 2019, she became—at the age of just 15—the youngest player in history to qualify for the main draw at Wimbledon, going on to beat her childhood idol Venus Williams in round one. She made it to round four in the tournament, by which time she’d cemented herself as one of the most exciting prospects in the game to date. By 2023, her transformation to champion was complete when she achieved her first Grand Slam title on home soil at the US Open.

Since then, she’s become an icon on and off the court, adding the French Open 2025 to her Slam singles’ titles and becoming—like fellow pros Naomi Osaka and Venus Williams—one of the players cementing the intersection of high fashion and sport, having built globally successful collaborations with sportswear brand New Balance and fashion house Miu Miu.

37. Daryll Neita

You might think fourth place is the most agonising position to finish in athletics. Not Daryll Neita. When the second fastest British woman of all time missed out on a medal in her Paris 2024 Olympic final, she focused on the positives: “Stepped up when it mattered and did myself proud,” she shared on Instagram after the race. “Last place in the final in Tokyo, fourth place today. One thing about me, I’m gonna keep pushing.”

That unbreakable self-belief is what makes Neita so exciting. “I’ve always believed that I’m born to do track and field,” she told Marie Claire UK. “I believe that I can be the best. I just believe it.”

We believe it too. But Neita’s career isn’t just about her own performances. The sprinter is as committed to getting the next generation onto the track as she is to winning medals (and she has won plenty of medals, including Olympic, as well as at European and world championships). In 2024, she founded the Daryll Neita Athletics Community to inspire children to participate in sports, launching it with a sports day for over 100 students, and has plans to build out a programme of mentorship, workshops and events. The message she’s sending? The same one she’d tell her younger self: Never stop believing.

38. Emma Finucane

Look at 23-year-old Emma Finucane’s June photo dump, and you’ll find a mix of family photos, holiday shots, mirror selfies, pizza and coffee. You’ll also find videos of her front squatting 80kg, being interviewed alongside cycling legend Victoria Pendleton and riding in velodromes all around the world. All just part and parcel of life as the world’s fastest female cyclist who, back in February, broke the world record for the flying 200m event.

Finucane’s talent has been evident for a while. In Paris, at just 21, she won a hat-trick of Olympic medals—one gold, two bronze—to add to her first World Championship title in 2023. Since then, she’s become a two-time world champion, has signed with Adidas and become a host of the Watts Occurring Femmes podcast, a show dedicated to year-round cycling content.

“I’m not afraid to admit that I have big and bold dreams for myself,” she says when we catch up with her. “I’m motivated to be the most successful women’s sprinter there is, and I’ll chase that unless my body says otherwise.” And she wants to lead by example: “I hope to show young girls that being ambitious, and having dreams and goals, isn’t unrealistic. You can make them your reality.”

39. Zoe Atkin

I can lose hours watching the days-in-the-life vlogs of Stanford student and pro skier Zoe Atkin, who is “just a girl”—albeit one who majors in symbolic systems (a programme that combines computer science, psychology, maths and AI) and happens to also be a world champion. Oh, and an Olympic bronze medallist.

Atkin’s vlogs provide a look behind the curtain at the juggle that is student-athlete life, including training, nutrition, study, recovery and her passions outside of sport. What she shows, whether she means to or not, is the person behind the elite athlete. Her feed is, quite simply, a hugely positive place to be.

Speaking with Marie Claire UK ahead of this year’s Winter Games, she said: “It’s been a huge journey since my first Olympics in 2022. My mindset is something I work on every day. I’m very conscious of my thought patterns and emotions; I practice meditation and mindfulness every day, which really helps me to stay present.”

Sharing messages around women’s strength and body positivity, being open about the psychological side of sport, and just—quite simply—getting on with things. Inspiring and practical: that’s Atkins all the way.

40. Sydney Levrone

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has been making history since she was 16. The then high-schooler finished third at the Olympic trials in a new world junior record and became the youngest US track and field athlete ever to make an Olympic Games, going on to compete at Rio 2016.

As we now know, that was just the start for the 400m hurdler, who has gone on to become the only track athlete ever to break four world records over a single event. Those records—which included becoming the first female 400m hurdler to run under the magical 52 and subsequently, 51-second barrier—feature alongside four Olympic and four world championship gold medals.

That medal tally is currently on pause, as McLaughlin-Levrone has recently given birth to her first baby. With plans to make her return to training in time to target the LA 2028 Olympics, naturally.

41. Emma Raducanu

On a warm New York day in September 2021, a British A-Level student—one Emma Raducanu—became the first qualifier in history to win a Grand Slam title. And she did it without dropping a set. That single game catapulted her onto the world stage and, as the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since 1977, firmly into the hearts of the British public.

In the five years since, Raducanu’s battled injury, illness and coaching changes—all under the scrutiny of the world’s media. “Long term, I want to win Wimbledon. That’s my number one goal,” she told Marie Claire UK back in 2024 (this year’s tournament was not to be the one, after being forced to withdraw due to a stress fracture). “I think it’s very easy in tennis to panic, and I’m guilty of it. You feel like you only have 10 years of your career ahead of you, and that it’s going to be over before you know it.”

Despite the pressure, she remains level-headed—and committed to a life both on and off the court. Whatever her Grand Slam status, a headline deal with Uniqlo, announced earlier this year, is just the latest of a long list of notable ambassadorships, including Dior, Tiffany, Evian, Porsche and British Airways, demonstrating her continued pulling power. Power that Raducanu makes good work of in other areas, too, regularly offering her time to inspire younger generations in tennis, visiting children at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital and supporting community initiatives such as Surplus to Supper, which works to combat food poverty.

42. Yaroslava Mahuchikh

Very few athletes have won a World Championship gold. Let alone after a gruelling three-day escape from their war-torn home. In 2022, Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh—who was 20 at the time—won the World Indoor Championships in Serbia after a gruelling 2,000km journey by car through the Russian invasion.

Mahuchikh subsequently lived and trained as a refugee in Germany, Belgium, Estonia and Portugal, staying in touch with family and friends back at home via texts and calls. Still living away from home in 2024, Mahuchikh broke a world record that had stood since 1987, clearing a historic 2.10m at the Paris Diamond League, going on to win Olympic Gold just a few weeks later. At the end of the season, she was named Women’s Field Athlete of the Year at the World Athletics Awards for her undefeated year and world-record-breaking jump.

“Sport unites, sport helps, and athletes help each other,” Mahuchikh told Olympic Channel TV the year she left home, speaking of both her personal circumstances and wider beliefs in what sport can achieve.

And really, she’s just getting started. High jumpers regularly compete until their early 30s, meaning that (all going to plan), we’ll have at least a decade of Mahuchikh’s brilliance to come.

43. Millie Bright

Footballer Millie Bright’s career extends far beyond the pitch. The former Chelsea captain, who announced her retirement in April, had such an impact on the club and its fans that she’ll stay on as a foundation trustee and club ambassador, working closely with them to inspire the next generation. Which shouldn’t be a surprise: “It’s what I play for—to inspire young girls and boys,” she told Marie Claire UK back in 2023.

Bright’s influence on the world of women’s sports shows no signs of slowing down. An ambassador for mental health charity YoungMinds, successful podcaster and regular pundit and presenter—not to mention a new YouTube channel—Bright also recently launched The Growth Locker, an online platform is aimed at helping female entrepreneurs establish small businesses.

Stay tuned, because we’ve got a feeling there’s a lot more to come.

44. Aryna Sabalenka

Four-time Grand Slam champion Aryna Sabalenka is known as The Tiger for her fierce energy on and off the court.

A formidable star, who this year took the so-called Sunshine Double after back-to-back wins at the Indian Wells Masters and Miami Open tournaments, she’s also a vocal proponent of player rights and fair pay. At the French Open this year, she spoke openly about the need for players to receive a greater share of tournament revenue, and for tournaments to make contributions to pensions, healthcare and maternity pots.

Her influence extends beyond the court. In January 2026, she was unveiled as Gucci’s latest global brand ambassador; a move that demonstrated both her individual influence and marked another step towards closing the sponsorship gap between the men’s and women’s game.

45. Rebeca Andrade

Rebeca Andrade is back. Brazil’s most decorated Olympian, who has a total of six medals to her name (alongside the nine won at World Championship level), made her return to competition in June with a win on the vault at the Pan American Gymnastics Championships.

Andrade’s road to the top has been far from smooth. Three ACL tears in 2015, 2017 and 2019, respectively, have made her one of the most resilient and self-aware athletes in the game. It’s how she knew that she needed to prioritise rest and recovery when she made the brave (and almost unheard of) decision to take an extended break from the sport in 2025. “I’m resting. It’s very important to me,” she told Globo at the time.

Her decisiveness is something we can all learn from. Since returning to the sport, she’s made a decision to step back from the floor to focus on the vault, beam and uneven bars instead, to respect, what she has called the “limits of my body”. Either way, with LA 2028 on the horizon, it’s an exciting time—with that focus and direction the sky, surely, is the limit.

46. Amy Hunt

“You can be an academic badass and a track goddess.” So said Amy Hunt in the line that sent her viral last year. Speaking to the BBC after winning silver at the world championships in Tokyo, the Cambridge University English Graduate’s words resonated with young female athletes all over the country.

The messages flooded in, all asking for advice on how to get into Oxbridge. “I’ll always say, just give me a call, because the interview is so unlike anything else you’ll ever do,” Hunt told The Guardian earlier this year. Her eventual goal is to set up a scholarship to support track and field athletes to get into Cambridge.

For now, however, she has pressing matters on the track. And things are going well. Hunt has already set a new personal best of 10.97 seconds over the 100m this year, becoming the third fastest British woman of all time. At the UK Athletics Championships, she defeated fellow sprint icon Dina Asher-Smith to take the crown, going on to score two silver medals—in 100m and 200m—at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.

47. Mary Earps

Think of Mary Earps and you can’t help but think of the summer of 2023. Just a year after played a pivotal role in the team’s victory at Euro 2022, that was the year she vice-captained the Lionesses to the final of the Women’s World Cup—uniting a nation behind women’s football and earning her the crown of Sports Personality of the Year.

Over those two summers, women’s football in the UK was transformed—all thanks to Earps and her team. As spectator numbers soared, the team became idols for young girls all over the country. It hadn’t always been that way, she told Marie Claire UK that summer: “I’ve spent quite a lot of my career being heavily criticised. But winning at the Euros, and the way I played, people look at me differently now.”

They certainly do. Now retired from the international game, she’s just signed for Women’s Super League team London City Lionesses—a move that brings her back to British soil after two years at Paris Saint-Germain. When asked what drew her back, Earps cited the energy of the club and its female owner, Michele Kang. “I think there’s a lot of broken promises made in women’s sports. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows,” she told The Guardian in January. But their vision and the way they’re actively working towards it—it’s not just words, it feels very much like action.”

Welcome home, Mary. It’s great to have you back.

48. Lottie Fry

At 26, Lottie Fry became the youngest dressage rider in history to win the individual freestyle title at the World Dressage Championships—taking home a second gold in the individual special class and a silver in the team dressage.

Her partner in crime, a black stallion called Glamourdale, has been described by Lottie as her “one in a million”. The pair were also part of a record-breaking Olympics for the British equestrian squad at Paris 2024, where they took individual and team dressage bronze.

And though her accolades are many, Lottie’s ride to victory has not been without it’s challenges. Her mother—Laura Fry, also a British Olympic dressage rider—died in 2012, when Lottie was just 16. Not long after, in 2014, the young rider moved to the Netherlands to continue her training. It’s where she met Glamourdale, and where she continues to train today.

There is undoubtedly a long and illustrious career ahead for them both—and we can’t wait to see it play out.

49. Nat Sciver-Brunt

Nat Sciver-Brunt is only the second Englishwoman to juggle motherhood and professional cricket. The first was Arran Brindle, who returned to international cricket in 2011 after giving birth to her son in 2008. Now Sciver-Brunt and her wife, Katherine (a former England fast-bowler), are carving their own path through family life and elite sport. “We are the guinea-pigs,” Sciver-Brunt joked in an interview with The Telegraph last year.

But Sciver-Brunt isn’t just part of the England squad who finished as runners-up to Australia in this year’s T20 World Cup. She’s captain—a role that has been 13 years in the making. Having made her international debut for England in 2013 when she was just 20, the 33-year-old is proof that you don’t need to be the loudest on the pitch to be an effective leader.

“We all know she’s not the most vocal person, and you don’t need to be,” head coach Charlotte Edwards told the England & Wales Cricket Board last month. “Your actions lead on the pitch, and that’s what she [Nat] does. She leads from the front. Juggling it with everything else—looking after young Theo—she’s kind of a superwoman in many ways.” Hear, hear.

50. Desirèe Henry

Sprinter Desirèe Henry is on her road to her third Olympics. The 200m former World Youth Champion and multiple Olympic relay medallist is documenting the journey via her YouTube and Instagram channels (both with regular cameos from her dachshund, Henry).

As well as winning medals, Henry (the person, not the puppy) has another mission—as she revealed to Marie Claire UK back in June. “I’m passionate about empowering women to build strength, confidence and a positive relationship with their bodies,” she said. “Strength is sexy, sophisticated, and most of all, feminine.”

It hasn’t always felt that way, she added: “But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised my body tells a story. It reflects discipline, resilience, consistency, and years of hard work. That’s something I’m proud of, rather than something I feel I need to downplay.”

The messages she shares, in interviews and on social media, all reflect this celebration of female strength, making her a much-needed voice for all of us.

That said, the weights room can feel like a minefield - which is why we've asked renowned expert Stef Williams for her top tips. While she began posting fitness content online back in 2016, she's since launched WeGlow; a women’s health app encompassing both training and nutrition. She's always been candid about her lifelong love of sport, plus the bullying she suffered due to being muscular, and the impact this had on her body image and mental health.

Today her community, which sits at over 2.2 million on Instagram, is centred on the belief that strength is about feeling our best, physically and emotionally, at every stage of life. From hormonal health and mental wellbeing, to training through pregnancy and navigating conditions such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids, Stef’s version of strength extends far beyond aesthetics and the physical development of muscle.

Below, she shares the biggest strength training mistakes she sees women making - whether they’re in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, or beyond. From getting caught up in shrinking ourselves to neglecting recovery and forgetting to train our core, she teaches us, through her six golden rules of starting to strength train, that the muscle we’re building now isn’t just supporting us in the moment, but is a powerful form of insurance to protect our future selves.

Why We Should Expand Our Definition of Strength, According to Stef Williams

Classically, people hear strength training and immediately think of body building or having to lift massive, heavy weights. But that’s not all that it is.

Essentially, it encompasses any form of movement against resistance. That could be machines, dumbbells, resistance bands or even your bodyweight. People often forget that your body is weight (it’s why doing a press-up is so hard), and working with it should definitely form part of your training, whether you’re in your 30’s, 40’s, 50’s or beyond.

The goal, really, is to feel stronger and happier in your everyday movements; when you’re carrying groceries, holding children or walking up stairs. It’s about much more than being able to lift a heavy weight in the gym.

Investing in Your Strength is An Investment in Future You

For me, the whole idea of longevity is about feeling good as you age, not just living the longest possible time. We know that as women transition into their thirties and beyond, our muscle and bone mass naturally declines, as oestrogen drops. Strength training helps to minimise and slow this decline by building new muscle fibres and bone tissue.

It’s why I love the phrase, 'don’t just train for the body you want today, train for the body you want to carry you for the next forty years'. It means thinking about your future self - what would make you tomorrow grateful for the choices you’re making today?

There’s as much of a mental health component to this as there is a physical one. Strength training gives you energy, lifts your mood and builds confidence.

6 Strength Training Mistakes I See Women Make in Their 30s, 40s and 50s, and Beyond

1. You avoid it all together

"I often see women focusing exclusively on cardio because their goal is to lose fat and become smaller. They feel put off lifting weights because of a fear it will make them bulky, when in fact, this doesn’t need to be the case if it’s not what you’re looking for," shares Williams.

"In reality, even when fat loss is the goal, strength training remains important. Building muscle increases your metabolism, which makes it easier to burn calories at rest."

2. You move without intention

"Many women don’t realise that the way we move is just as important as the weight we lift. Once we understand the importance of the mind-muscle connection and the role that form, pace, holds and pulses can have on our ability to build strength, we start to be able to use resistance in the best - and widest variety - of ways," she goes on.

"It’s why practices like Pilates, which teach us how to connect our body to our mind and our breath, can lead to huge improvements when lifting weights."

3. You forget to progress

"As we get stronger, it’s important to keep challenging ourselves. We can do this by progressing the weight, reps, sets, or playing with longer time under tension. The danger is that we become used to one weight or routine, remaining there even as our body becomes stronger," the personal trainer expands.

"Whether it’s adding a little extra weight or a resistance band, it’s important to have that progression because you will be getting stronger."

4. You neglect your recovery

"So many women tell me they’re training every day but are exhausted or struggling to see results. Their bodies are holding onto so much stress and inflammation because they aren’t giving themselves a chance to rest," adds Williams.

"Sleep, time for recovery, drinking enough water: these are all as important as training itself. If you’re doing five to six sessions a week in the gym, consider swapping one of these out for a walk if you’re noticing you’re tired or not seeing results. You want to feel energised enough to complete your workouts at your best ability, rather than just making it through them."

5. You chase calorie burn

"With the popularity of fitness trackers now, it’s so easy to constantly track calories. Whilst it’s good to be mindful of what you’re burning, building strength and health for longevity isn’t as straightforward as calorie burn."

Williams continues: "A Pilates workout, for instance, might not burn as many calories as a cardio workout, but that doesn’t mean it’s not incredible for you. If you’re not working with resistance alongside your cardio, you’re doing your body a massive disservice."

6. You forget to train your core

Last but not least: "There’s an old school mentality that the compound movements we do in the gym naturally switch our core on, meaning we don’t need to do specific core exercises to strengthen it."

"But this isn’t the case," Williams explains. "Training your deep core intentionally is at the heart of everything you do, especially for women. If you have a strong core, you’re likely to have less back pain. If you have less back pain, your shoulders will feel more mobile, your chest will feel more open, and your hips will feel less tight. It’s vital for your pelvic floor. All this is why dedicating time to your core training shouldn’t be overlooked."

Stef's 6 Golden Rules For Starting To Strength Train

1. Start with 2-3 full-body sessions per week

"Starting to strength train doesn’t need to become an all-or-nothing approach. You don’t need to be in the gym every day or do sessions dedicated to specific body parts. If you’re training to feel better day to day and long term, two to three full body sessions per week is perfect."

2. Prioritise compound movements within your sessions

"Compound movements, which include exercises such as squats, deadlifts, rows, presses and lunges, are efficient and transferable to everyday life, since they work multiple muscle groups and joints at the same time. Just like when you’re walking, climbing stairs, lifting heavy shopping, bending or turning, these exercises ask your whole body to work together, making them a great way to build meaningful strength."

3. Increase resistance gradually

"You don’t need to lift the heaviest thing in the gym straight away. Start with what’s comfortable for you and just keep progressing so that you continue to feel it on the last few reps," Williams continues.

4. Focus on mind-muscle connection

"Play with pauses, pulses, slowing down the movement and focusing on the mind-muscle connection throughout your workout. You’ll feel results much quicker than if you just try to lift the heaviest thing you can."

5. Find workouts you can continue to show up for

"Ultimately, you want to enjoy your sessions so that you continue to feel motivated. Consistency is key, so finding something you can continue to show up for is essential."

6. Train for future you

"Remember the phrase, ‘Don’t just train for the body you want today, train for the body you want to carry you for the next forty years.’ It means thinking about your future self and what would make yourself tomorrow grateful for the choices you’re making today. Longevity is about feeling good as you age, not just living the longest possible time."

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Growing up in the early 2000s, the women I saw celebrated in magazines, on TV and even in my own circles weren't chasing muscle - they were chasing “toned”. The goal was lean, chiselled but, above all, not too visibly powerful. Having defined arms was one thing; actually wanting to build muscle felt like you were breaking some unspoken rule.

There was always this slightly irrational fear that one dumbbell curl too many and you’d wake up looking like a competitive bodybuilder overnight (if only building muscle worked that quickly). Strength was something to admire in athletes, but not necessarily something women were encouraged to pursue for themselves. Looking back, it’s strange that we spend so long treating strength as something to fear, rather than something to aspire to.

Thankfully, that narrative is changing. More women are embracing lifting heavier, understanding the value of muscle and realising that strength isn’t just about how your body looks - it’s about how your body functions. In fact, the benefits of upper-body training go far beyond aesthetics: a 2024 study involving more than 400,000 adults found that women who regularly strength trained had a 30% lower risk of cardiovascular death compared with those who didn't.

That’s exactly why fitness expert Stef Williams, founder of Weglow, believes upper-body training deserves far more attention than it gets. Building stronger arms, shoulders and back isn’t simply about aesthetics. According to Stef, it’s one of the best investments you can make in your long-term health; supporting everything from your posture and bone health to the strength you’ll rely on for decades to come.

So, I decided to take Williams's advice and make upper-body strength a priority for four weeks. What surprised me most wasn’t just the physical changes - it was the benefits I never expected to notice.

5 Benefits I Noticed After 6 Weeks of Arm Workouts

Why upper-body strength matters more than you think

As someone who’s spent years firmly in my Pilates era, I’ll admit it: I thought upper-body strength was basically a one-way ticket to toned arms. How wrong (or, at least, how incomplete) I was.

When I started looking into the research, I realised I’d massively underestimated the upper-body in my fitness regime. Mark my words, mastering the upper-body isn’t just another fitness goal; it’s a marker of health, future independence and how well our bodies age.

“One of the clearest indicators we have of long-term health, beyond the aesthetics, upper-body strength reflects how well your muscles, bones and nervous system are functioning,” says sports scientist Charlotte Gowers.

The numbers are hard to ignore. A 2018 review involving almost two million adults found that people with higher muscular strength had around one-third lower risk of dying from any cause - with the link appearing slightly stronger in women than in men.

One benefit I hadn’t considered? Upper-body strength protects the ageing skeleton, which Gowers says matters more for women. “Two words. Bone health. Women tend to think about osteoporosis when they’re much older, but the foundations are laid decades earlier,” she says. “Bone responds to load, so exercises where you press, pull and carry weights stimulate the bones of the spine and upper body in a way that walking simply doesn’t.”

And this matters as oestrogen declines during menopause, when bones become more vulnerable to loss. “Resistance training can help protect bone density, while low grip strength is linked to a higher risk of osteoporosis and fractures.”

Suddenly, rows, shoulder presses, and heavy dumbbells don’t just look like a route to toned arms; instead, an investment in the body we’re going to want for decades to come.

The Workouts I Followed

Better known to her community of more than two million followers as Stef Fit, Williams's approach to training couldn’t be more different to what I expected. Instead of encouraging me to lift as heavy as possible, she wanted me to slow everything down, focus on my form and make every single rep count.

I’ll admit it, this took some convincing. My usual mindset was simple: heavier weights must surely equal better results. But the two workouts I followed challenged that way of thinking entirely. Rather than racing through reps, I focused on strength, control and time under tension - and surprisingly, my muscles worked far harder than they ever had when I’d simply reached for the next heaviest dumbbell.

As Williams reminded me throughout, strength isn’t just about how much you lift - it’s about how you lift it.

If you'd like to try either of these workouts for yourself, you can access them for free by downloading the Weglow app.

Workout one:

What? A targeted upper-body strength session designed to build stronger, more defined shoulders and back muscles - areas that are often overlooked in women’s training.

Why? For building strength and muscle, Stef generally recommends working within the 12-15 rep range, though this can vary between 8-12 reps depending on the weight you’re using and your experience level.

How long? 20 minutes - a quick but efficient session focused on strengthening the muscles we so often neglect. "Focus on time under tension, aka how long your muscles are actually working under load," explains Williams. "Aim for 3 sets of each workout."

Equipment needed: Dumbbells and a bench.

Workout 2. Fiery Pilates Upper & Core

What? A Pilates-inspired strength flow combining resistance, mobility and core work to help build stability and control. All you'll need is some ankle weights, a pair of dumbbells, and a mat.

Why? “Strength isn’t just about lifting heavier; it’s about building a body that feels capable of holding it," shares Williams. "Don’t shy away from pauses. I personally like to hold for five seconds and release.”

How long? 12 minutes.

How often should you train your upper body?

If you’re wondering how often you actually need to pick up the dumbbells, Williams's advice has a welcome reality check for me: don’t overcomplicate it.

For beginners, she recommends starting with three full-body workouts a week that include upper-body movements.“Three times a week is a nice place to start,” she explains. Rather than splitting your week into strict “upper” and “lower” days, Stef believes there’s often more benefit in weaving upper-body work into sessions you’re already doing.

She’s also a fan of “stacking”, adding a little extra movement onto your existing routine, like finishing a strength workout with a 10-minute Pilates upper-body flow.

​Her biggest advice? Keep it simple. “A lot of people think they need to do these really strict splits,” Stef says, but for beginners, that can quickly become “a lot of nothing”.

5 Benefits I Noticed After Prioritising Upper-Body Strength

After four weeks of prioritising upper-body training two to three times a week, I started noticing changes that went far beyond muscle definition…

​Of course, there were obvious ones - feeling stronger, lifting heavier and finally understanding why Williams kept telling me that strength isn’t just about what you see in the mirror. But the biggest surprises were the things I hadn’t expected to notice in my day-to-day life.

1. My posture improved (more than I expected)

Posture was probably the first thing I noticed. Like many, I spend far too much time hunched over a laptop, and I’d never really thought about my upper back as something I needed to train.

​But Williams says training the back is “massively overlooked” - despite being the key to supporting better posture and helping us stand taller. Strengthening those definitely neglected muscles helped me feel more supported, rather than constantly trying to “fix” my posture.

2. I felt less tension in my body

One unexpected benefit? Feeling less tightness through my shoulders and upper body.

Williams explained that improving posture can help reduce the strain we often carry around the neck and shoulders, while building a stronger core - what she describes as “the heart of your entire body” - can also support the lower back.

3. Tension headaches reduced

This was the one I really didn’t see coming. I often suffer from tension-related headaches that last for hours. Turns out, strengthening those muscles isn’t just about creating more shape - it’s about helping your body work more efficiently.

4. Everyday tasks felt easier

Carrying heavy shopping bags, carrying the dog across the pebbled beach (dog moms will understand this), and moving things around the house suddenly felt less like a challenge.

Williams says this is one of the biggest benefits of strength training: building the kind of strength that transfers into real life - the everyday moments where you need your body to show up.

5. My workout felt stronger overall

But perhaps the biggest benefit wasn’t physical at all - it was the mindset shift. For years, I’d shy away from upper-body because, like so many women, I’d bought into the fear that lifting heavier would somehow make me “bulky”. Williams tells me this remains one of the biggest misconceptions she hears when it comes to strength training - and one that still holds many women back from picking up the weights.

Six weeks later, I no longer see upper-body training as a vanity project. I see it as a building block for a stronger, more capable body - one that can support me not just now, but for years to come.

Because the real benefit I’ve discovered of getting stronger isn’t simply how your body changes in the mirror. It’s how it allows you to move through life.

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The reasons for our Pilates obsession are manifold: we know that the practice enhances posture, core strength, flexibility and balance (check out this study, from the Muscles, Ligaments & Tendons Journal) while also improving mental health outcomes, too - see this research, published in the journal Healthcare (Basel).

And we're not alone: nothing gets the A-listers out in force quite like Pilates, with celeb fans ranging from Harry Styles (we're yet to bump into him at a London class, but trust us when we say, we're trying) and Lewis Hamilton (ditto) to Jen An and Lady Gaga among others.

So, you can imagine our excitement when a shiny new style of the practice started popping up on our feeds: red light Pilates. Naturally, I was first in line when it came to giving it a whirl - keep scrolling to find out how I got on, but while you're here, don't miss our guides to the different types of Pilates, the best Pilates workouts of all time and the best Pilates moves for building muscle - plus, find out how one Health Writer got on when she tried Pilates toe taps every day for a week, here.

Red Light Pilates Is the Internet’s Newest Wellbeing Obsession–so I Tried It

What is red light Pilates?

If you're new to the trend, this bit's for you. It's worth noting that there are a few different iterations of red light Pilates, and it's commonly mistaken for hot Pilates.

"Although they’re often combined, red light and hot Pilates are not the same thing," explains personal trainer and Pilates instructor at Yoga-Go, Deborah Luciano. "Hot Pilates focuses on using external heat to warm up a room, with the objective of elevating the heart rate faster, deepening flexibility, and facilitating a detoxifying sweat.

“Red light Pilates, on the other hand, involves sessions that take place under specialised red or infrared LED ceiling panels and lights. This is thought to help reduce cortisol and post-workout soreness, as well as support collagen production. Though some studios combine red light therapy with a gently warmed room, or vice versa, their goals and benefits are not necessarily the same.”

What are the purported benefits of red light Pilates?

It's important to note here that the majority of the benefits associated with red light Pilates still come down to the Pilates itself, rather than any light or heating aspects - but that's not to say that you won't reap the rewards of the session. Let's take a look.

1. It challenges the body

Pilates might be low-impact, but anyone who has tried it can attest that this absolutely does not mean it's low intensity or low reward. Add in some red light, and you're challenging the body in a whole new and deeper way.

"Red light Pilates gently warms the muscles, preparing the body for movement and encouraging deeper, more effective muscle activation," shares Sol Bouille, founder of The Island. "It allows you to move with greater ease, helping you explore a fuller range of motion while maintaining control and precision.

"Additionally, it supports a stronger, more dynamic practice, making it easier to sustain challenging sequences."

Sounds good, right?

2. It might boost recovery

Now for the science bit: studies show that red light therapy might enhance recovery, with benefits for athletes including improved muscle strength, endurance and reduced risk of injury, alongside accelerated muscle regeneration.

"Red light therapy may provide an additional benefit for some people by supporting recovery, reducing muscle soreness and promoting skin health, but the evidence for combining it specifically with exercise is still emerging," notes Pilates trainer and founder of Rare Street Pilates, Nikki Behrens. "The biggest benefits still come from Pilates itself. Regular practice improves core strength, posture, mobility, balance, coordination and body awareness while helping to reduce aches and pains associated with modern lifestyles."

3. It can improve flexibility

"The warmth of a red light Pilates studio enhances circulation, delivering warmth throughout the body and helping muscles feel energised and ready to perform," agrees Bouille. "It deepens the mind-body connection, creating a calm, focused space where breath and movement work in harmony.

"Many people find the even, soothing warmth more comfortable than conventional heated rooms, making it easier to settle into the flow of the class."

4. It's relaxing

Ok, hear us out: while the workout itself isn't going to feel particularly relaxing, afterwards it's common to feel a sense of calm and ease of movement, which can last up to a day.

"The combination of movement, warmth and focused breathing often leaves participants feeling deeply relaxed, with many saying they enjoy a better night’s sleep after class," notes Bouille. "The infrared environment adds a soothing, sensory element that encourages people to slow down, focus on their breath and become fully present in the moment. For many, it feels like a complete wellness ritual rather than simply an exercise class, an opportunity to build strength, release tension and leave feeling energised yet calm."

Who is red light Pilates best for?

While we're the first to advocate a consistent Pilates practice for practically anyone and everyone, there are some people who might want to swerve the heated trend.

"Infrared-heated Pilates may not be suitable for everyone," cautions Bouille. "People who are pregnant, have certain cardiovascular conditions, heat intolerance, or other medical concerns should seek advice from their healthcare professional before participating in heated exercise classes.

"This being said, those who enjoy exercising in warmth and find it helps them move more comfortably will enjoy it; likewise, people experiencing muscle stiffness, as the gentle heat can help the body feel more supple before and during movement.

"It's also great for anyone looking to improve strength, mobility and flexibility in a supportive environment, to enjoy a mindful, restorative experience, and those who wish to deepen their mind-body connection, using breath, precision and movement to improve focus and body awareness."

I tried red light Pilates - my honest feedback

You should know, I love Pilates. If it were up to me, I'd be doing it all day, every day. But real life has a tendency to get in the way (three kids, a job and a dog - not to mention, it's the middle of the summer holidays), so when I say I was thrilled to be heading to a Saturday lunchtime class, I'm not exaggerating. As I make my way to South Kensington's Burn Lab, I'm once again counting myself lucky that I get to call this work - but I won't lie - I'm apprehensive about how tough the class will be, and the fact that it's already a balmy 27 degrees in London isn't helping matters, either.

And rocking up to the studio, just off a super cute, quintessential London mews, my fears aren't even a tiny bit allayed: there's matching Alo sets and 20-somethings everywhere. Which is fine, I tell myself - Pilates is for everybody, after all, right?

Soon enough, I come face to face with my first hurdle: attempting to pull sticky lycra on over my already sweaty body. PSA: there's no changing room here, as such - just a very hot cloakroom that does little to calm my nerves - so arrive dressed for class!

But this being said, the studio is great: there's plenty of space, gorgeous equipment and even electrolytes and chilled bottled water on tap. I can't wait to get started.

And it doesn't take long for my worries to evaporate, once we start a gentle cat-cow flow and some intentional breathwork. The instructor, Madeleine, is super clued into us, and checks we're all happy for hands-on adjustments to form straight away (always the sign of a great teacher).

So far, so good - but the gentle pace (unfortunately) doesn't last, and we're only a few minutes in when that infamous Pilates burn starts to build. And when I say I've never sweated so much in my entire life - believe me.

It's safe to say this isn't a class for the faint-hearted. Even as a seasoned Pilates-goer, I check my phone for the time more than once, and yes, I take some of the modifications, too.

Do I enjoy it, nevertheless? In a word: absolutely. I love it. It could easily become a (slightly too expensive) habit, and I literally bounce out of class, drenched in sweat, feeling like I can take on the world. And that feeling lasts a good few hours, even battling through weekend West End crowds - no mean feat. And that dodgy back that's been bugging me all week? Gone. It could be coincidence, or it could be the red light - either way, I'm taking it as a win.

As for whether the session will boost my longevity, I imagine it will take more than one class - and we'll have to wait and see - but overall, it's a hard recommend from me. Run, don't walk, to your nearest red light studio to try it for yourself. Just don't forget to take a towel...

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You don't need any great technical skill, but it is wise to be armed with some basic information before heading out for your first trail adventure. Which is why we've spoken to Flora Beverley, an ultramarathoner and trail runner, for her top tips. Beverley’s 123,000 followers know her as a trail running fanatic, sustainability activist and advocate for those living with chronic illness, after her own Epstein-Barr diagnosis in 2023 led her to post openly about her battle with chronic fatigue.

Now, she's targeting a 200km, 5-day race across the Dolomites at the end of September. Having only started running in 2019, she’s proof that whoever you are and whatever your circumstances, it’s never too late to fall in love with running and the great outdoors.

Below, she shares her top tips for anyone wanting to try trail running. While you’re here, we’ve also got guides to the benefits of tech-free exercise, how trail running compares to road running, and how the trails helped me rediscover a love for movement. Plus, if you’re in the market for them, these are the trail running shoes athletes actually wear.

I’m A Former Road Marathoner Who Fell in Love With The Trails—My Top Tips

How did you first discover trail running?

“I first started running in 2019 and went straight into training for the Tokyo Marathon. Although it was an incredible experience, unsurprisingly it led me to get injured because of the massive increase in running. After the race I could barely run 2km on the road without pain.”

“That’s how I took up trail running - I found that I could run on the trails without any pain. I quickly realised that, for me, it was much more enjoyable and interesting, so I stuck with it. The rest is history.”

What do you love most about trail running?

“Everything. The views, the smells, the nature, the peace and quiet, the people. Trail running is like meditation for me; a full sensory experience. I don’t even run with headphones because I enjoy the sounds so much.”

“But if I had to choose one thing, it would be the scenery. There’s so much research behind why getting out in nature is good for you. When you add in the scientific benefits of running itself, it really is a double-whammy of feel-good hormones. I almost always come back feeling more relaxed.”

Do you have a favourite trail route?

“For me, the wilder the better. My favourite race ever was the Beyond The Ultimate Highland Ultra - a three-day ultramarathon in the highlands of Scotland. It was so remote that we had to get a boat to it as there were no roads. It’s also a rewilding site and, as a former biologist, I was nerding out the whole way.”

Do you have goals for the future?

“Absolutely. After nearly four years of returning to training from chronic fatigue, I’ve got some big goals. My next race is a 50km trail race in the Brecon Beacons, and that's part of my training for a 200km, 5-day ultramarathon across the Dolomites at the end of September. I’m terrified for them both, but after years of struggling to run 5km, it’s the biggest privilege to be able to do these races again.”

“Whatever happens though, my ultimate goal is to enjoy running without fear of relapse. Moving from ‘having to’ to ‘getting to’ has been my biggest mindset shift over the last four years. What a privilege it is to choose my own suffering.”

10 Trail Running Tips From An Ultra Marathon Runner:

1. It doesn’t matter where you start, just start

“Trail running doesn't have to be in the mountains or super technical. It could be your local park or woodland, or a river path.”

2. Forget about your watch

“The different terrain might make your run feel harder because your body is doing lots of extra work to stabilise itself. Work off your effort level, not a specific pace.”

3. Don’t be afraid, or ashamed, to walk

“I never run up a steep hill in ultramarathons, and it can actually be a lot more efficient to power hike up. You're not going much slower, but you're using significantly less energy. Run what you can, walk what you need.”

4. Invest in trail running shoes

“Your road shoes will be fine for flatter, dry trails, but as soon as there's a bit of a hill, a few rocks, or a bit of mud, you'll benefit hugely from trail shoes. They aid grip on the trails, allow you to trust your feet, and may help with stabilisation too.”

5. Join a club or run with friends

“It can be intimidating moving to trails, especially if you're worried about getting lost. Trail runners are the friendliest people, and running with others allows you to focus on the new terrain rather than trying not to get lost.”

6. Look up and around

“It can be tempting to look at your feet when the surface is a bit uneven, but try to enjoy the scenery. It'll reduce your perceived effort and make the run go a lot faster.”

7. Lift weights

“Everyone should be doing this anyway, but if you trail run, you're definitely in need of some strength training. From the tiny tendons and ligaments that help to stabilise you, to your quads and glutes that get a bashing each time you run down and uphill, everything will benefit from being stronger.”

8. Follow a training plan

“It's impossible to get better without keeping consistent, and I find a training plan helps massively with that. Keep a few of your runs on the road and build up to adding more runs on the trails each week to help your body adapt.”

9. Take snacks

“When you run for any longer than an hour, you'll need to eat on the move. I love flapjacks and trail mix, but experiment and find what works for you. You may have to build up, but you can train your gut in the same way you train your fitness.”

10. Have fun

“Enjoy it. Trail running is supposed to be fun. Stop to take pictures, listen to the birds, chat to friends, smell the flowers. When I stopped worrying about how fast I was going, I actually became so much faster, because I was getting out so much more often.”

Shop MC-UK Trail Running Essentials Now:

We're stretched thinner than ever, and the first thing that usually has to give, for me, is any kind of lengthy workout. Those hour-long runs and full-body sessions are put firmly on the back burner until September - but this doesn't mean that I'm relinquishing my fitness goals entirely.

This year, I've come across a new solution that's hitting the holiday workout sweet spot: quick strength tri sets. Not as scary as they sound, they're keeping my strength, mood and metabolism on the straight and narrow when chaos reigns around me - and the best bit? They can be done in just 15 minutes.

While that may not sound like a lot (especially if you're used to longer workouts) rest assured that what strength tri sets lack in minutes they make up for in efficiency: studies show that shorter workouts still offer substantial health benefits, significantly lowering our risk of all-cause mortality, heart disease and cancer (check out this study, from the European Heart Journal).

Convinced? Me too - so I tried them for two weeks. Keep scrolling to read all about it and find out my favourite tri sets for summer strength and more, but while you're here, don't miss our guides to the best strength training moves for healthy ageing, the different types of strength training and the best at-home strength training workouts, here.

Quick strength tri sets have revolutionised my summer workouts - my review

What are quick strength tri sets?

If you're new to the concept of tri sets, rest assured: unlike much else in the health and fitness sphere, they're really straightforward. We're talking three exercises, performed consecutively.

"A tri-set is simply three exercises performed back-to-back with little to no rest between them, before taking a short recovery," explains Peloton instructor Ben Alldis. "You then repeat that sequence for multiple rounds. The exercises can target the same muscle group (intra-muscular), opposing muscle groups (e.g. push/pull) or the entire body for a greater cardiovascular challenge.

"Tri-sets are one of my favourite ways to train and a favourite strength technique and programming structure for me to coach."

What are the benefits of strength tri sets?

Here at MC UK, we won't recommend workouts that don't have a slew of scientific benefits, and tri sets fit the bill perfectly. Let's dig in.

1. They're efficient

Firstly - and perhaps most importantly, when it comes to choosing a summer holiday workout - tri sets are one of the most efficient ways to work out.

"The biggest benefit of tri sets has to be their efficiency," agrees personal trainer Aimee Victoria Long. "Many of my clients are CEOs, entrepreneurs and parents who genuinely don’t have an hour to spend in the gym. Tri-sets allow them to build strength while also increasing training density, meaning more work is completed in less time."

2. They encourage consistency

Consistency over perfection is something you'll hear trainers wax lyrical about, and they're not wrong: the best workout is the one you'll keep coming back to. Quick tri sets are (relatively!) easy to fit into the most packed of days, meaning you're more likely to get them done.

"Perhaps most importantly, they’re realistic," agrees Long. "Consistency always beats perfection, and a well-designed fifteen to 20 minute strength session completed regularly will deliver far better long-term results than an hour-long workout that’s constantly skipped."

3. They boost cardiovascular fitness

While most training has some cardiovascular benefit, the intensity of a tri set session means your heart and lungs will work extra hard.

"Tri sets keep the heart rate elevated, so you build strength while also improving your cardiovascular strength and conditioning," notes Alldis.

4. They're great for building muscular strength and endurance

"Tri-set exercises can target the same muscle group to increase training volume and provide a strong stimulus for muscle growth, or different muscle groups to create a more time-efficient full-body workout," explains Dr Tom Brownlee, associate professor, high-performance training expert and performance advisory board member at My Protein. "They can also be an effective way to develop muscular endurance and, when programmed appropriately alongside progressive overload, provide an effective stimulus for muscle growth."

5. They're engaging and accessible

You don't need us to tell you: nobody likes a dull workout. Tri sets are highly adaptable, fast and engaging - there's no time to be bored. Additionally, you can structure them any way you like, making them super accessible, no matter how experienced a lifter you are.

"Tri sets are great for everyone from beginners to advanced lifters, provided the exercises and weights are appropriate for their experience level," advises personal trainer at Nuffield Health, Keiran Douglas. "These exercises are ideal for anyone looking to make the most of their workout time, working particularly well for people who are aiming to build muscle and endurance."

How to perform strength tri sets

So, how do tri sets work?

"Set yourself up with the dumbbells or equipment needed to perform each exercise," advises Alldis. "The key is to maintain consistent movement through the three exercises with minimal rest. I always encourage people to focus on quality movement rather than rushing. Just because you're moving quickly between exercises doesn't mean you should sacrifice technique."

Alldis recommends the following structure:

• Exercise 1 → 10 reps
• Straight into Exercise 2 → 10 reps
• Straight into Exercise 3 → 10 reps
• Rest for 30 to 90 seconds
• Repeat for three to four rounds.

Who are strength tri sets best for?

As touched on above, tri sets are great for almost everyone, from beginners to seasoned athletes alike.

"Tri-sets are suitable for almost every level of athlete," shares Alldis. "They're especially great for busy professionals with limited training time, parents fitting fitness around family life, as well as anyone looking to build strength while improving their fitness. They're also good for intermediate and advanced lifters wanting to increase training density and get more from every session.

"A word of caution, though: for complete beginners, I'd usually spend a few weeks building confidence with the fundamental movement patterns before introducing tri-sets. Once your technique is solid, they're a fantastic way to make workouts more efficient, engaging and effective."

I tried quick strength tri sets for two weeks - here are my unfiltered thoughts

Week one

As week one of the summer holidays rolls around, I'm excited to get started with tri sets, but not before I find out exactly how to structure my sessions. Alldis recommends

"I tend to programme tri-sets around movement patterns rather than chasing muscle soreness," he tells MC UK. "The goal is to create balanced, efficient workouts that build strength while keeping you moving. One of my favourites is a classic push-pull-legs tri-set, comprising a chest press, a bent-over row and a goblet squat."

Exercises pinned down, it's time to get started. And it's safe to say: 15 minutes feels both endless and super quick - once it's over. Alternating between upper and lower body helps, as it allows for recovery during sets, while the rests in between sets are - and I can't emphasise this enough - crucial.

I'm surprised by how fast I reach fatigue, too: even when the weights feel totally manageable to start with. By the end of the third set, I'm so ready to drop them - but that's exactly where you want to be, according to coaches.

As for whether 15 minutes feels like enough, trust me when I say it absolutely gets that heart rate up! If you have more time and need more, you can always tack another one on for a back-to-back session - I settle for a post-workout walk to finish off, and it feels like the perfect blend of intensities.

Week two

We're deep into the holidays now, and my time is becoming more precious by the day - but that said, it's really nice to have an excuse to carve some time out for myself, even if it's only 15 minutes.

This week, I tackle one of Dr Brownlee's favourite sessions, targeting the lower body and comprising 12 x Romanian deadlifts, 10x Bulgarian split squat on each leg (alternating) and 12x glute bridge.

And let me say this: it was tough. "This combination targets the glutes, hamstrings and quads from different angles, making it a great option for building lower-body strength and muscle while also improving stability," shares Dr Brownlee. "Adding a resistance band placed above the knees during squats or glute bridges increases tension through the movement for an added challenge, too."

There's only one way to sum up the next few days: DOMS. But I wouldn't have it any other way, and it's great to know I'm really working those muscles to fatigue.

Will I continue with 15-minute strength tri sets? For the rest of the summer, absolutely. Longer term, while I'll definitely still include them in my workout routine, I'll be focusing on a well-balanced blend of strength, cardio and mobility work alongside good sleep and nutrition, for the biggest wins.

Shop MC UK's go-to strength kit now:

Instead, as a patient photographer tried to capture a shot of little me poised to hit a perfect forehand, I yelled, “BUT I CAN’T PLAY TENNIS”, between fat sobs.

Gentle clarification that I didn’t actually have to play tennis to feature in what was probably a promotional magazine for the hotel apparently failed—as too did offering me an ice cream for my efforts. I didn’t know how to write my name or tie my shoelaces yet, but I had already acquired an aversion to sports that I’d inadvertently nurture for decades to come.

At school, I feigned illness and injury to evade PE lessons—classes I couldn’t wrangle my way out of triggered all-consuming anxiety. And, regrettably, I stopped watching and enjoying football with my Dad. The overarching feeling was that my sports skills and knowledge were both so lacking that it simply wasn’t for me—and I know that many other millennial women had a similar experience.

This article is part of our 2026 Women in Sport special. For the full cover interview with Lioness Chloe Kelly, click here.

Fanbases Are Flourishing

Thankfully, the landscape of women’s sport looks a lot different today. Games are more frequently broadcast on television. Female athletes are more visible and influential than ever before. And viewership is soaring. The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final drew a record-breaking 82,000 spectators, making it the most attended women’s rugby game in history. In football, several WSL teams now play all of their home games at their respective club stadiums, including Arsenal, who have an average attendance of 35,000 at Emirates Stadium.

Research commissioned by the BBC earlier this year confirmed that the fanbase is flourishing. 24 million people in the UK now identify as women’s sports fans, up from 18 million in 2021—an increase of 33% in five years. Just last month, a report by Nielsen Sports revealed that women’s football is on track to become one of the world’s top five sports by 2030.

Women’s sport has never been more accessible, for athletes and fans alike. And yet, we’re haemorrhaging young talent because fewer girls are dreaming of becoming professional athletes than ever before.

Falling "Dream Rates" Juxtapose Rising Viewing Figures

That’s according to research by the charity Women in Sport, which revealed that the number of girls aspiring to reach the top in sport has nosedived from 38% to 23% since the 2024 Olympics. Meanwhile, boys’ dream rates are stable at 53%. This means that there is a 30% gap in the number of boys and girls with athletic aspirations – the highest it has ever been—which Women in Sport have called the "Gender Dream Deficit."

The research shines a light on how much girls feel that they belong in sport in 2026. It also reveals the underlying reasons that girls are dreaming less. “In this year’s research, the girls we spoke to expressed a stronger demand than ever for more local opportunities, more single-sex spaces, greater diversity and choice of sport, and better representation—not just in the media, but on the pitch and the sidelines,” says Women in Sport policy manager Rachel Williams.

While rising visibility has undoubtedly inspired some, it has also highlighted the adversity that still comes with being a female athlete. “It casts light on just how hard it is for girls to reach the top of sport and the obstacles female athletes must navigate once they are there, from underfunding and lower pay to the lack of professional pathways and support,” says Williams.

Girls’ falling dream rates demonstrate that, while advancements in women’s sport are worth celebrating, there’s still work to be done. “Visibility on its own is not, and will never be, enough to get more girls into sport,” Williams says.

So how do we address the Gender Dream Deficit? Frustratingly, many of the changes needed fall outside of the scope of what’s possible for the individual, according to Williams. “There are systemic changes that need to happen to create more opportunities for girls, fund them properly and, ultimately, tackle the societal stereotypes that tell women and girls that sport is not for them.”

Perhaps, were these barriers dismantled 30-odd years ago, I might’ve been confident – or at least curious – enough to participate in sports much sooner. Instead, in a turn of events that feels very full circle, I completed my first tennis lesson just last week—sans sobbing.

If it all feels a bit hopeless, Williams stresses that we mustn’t underestimate the impact that parents can have on their children's aspirations. “Our research has consistently shown that girls from sporty families are more likely to love sport themselves, and parental support and encouragement are some of the key things that support girls to be active,” Williams says. “Many girls (48%) say their mum is one of the key role models that encourages them to be active.”

It might seem like a big responsibility to shoulder, but child psychologists assure that the simplest strategies are often the best. Below, they share their best advice for encouraging your children to build a healthy relationship with sport.

1. Make Women’s Sport More Visible in Your Home

“One of the most powerful things parents can do is make women's sport visible,” says registered psychologist Dr Carolyne Keenan. This could involve watching games together on the television, attending local matches where possible and actively celebrating female athletes.

“Social learning theory suggests that seeing women compete and succeed at the highest level helps girls believe that sport is something they can do too,” explains sports psychologist Lucy Ballinger. “Additionally, when parents take the time to sit and watch women’s sport with their child, it sends a message that they value women’s sport.”

2. Encourage Your Child to Try Lots of Different Sports

Sometimes, the issue isn't a lack of ability or interest, according to Keenan; it's simply that a child hasn't yet found the environment within sport where they feel they belong. “The more opportunities girls have to explore movement, competition and teamwork in different ways, the more likely they are to find something that feels like a good fit,” she says.

Unsure how to initiate the conversation without applying too much pressure? Ballinger advises encouraging exploration over commitment by saying something like: ‘Let’s give it a go and see what you think’. “This lets your child know that their enjoyment is important and that they don’t have to continue if they don’t enjoy it or if it is not the right fit.”

3. Focus on Enjoyment and Effort, Rather Than Performance or Results

“Enjoyment is one of the biggest factors in whether girls continue participating in sport,” says Ballinger.

When performance outcomes are prioritised over enjoyment or effort, children can begin to feel under pressure, Ballinger warns. “They may experience anxiety and low confidence, increasing the risk of them dropping out of sport,” she says. “But when the emphasis is on having fun, developing friendships and learning, children can develop a genuine love of sport that encourages lifelong participation.”

A post-sport debrief usually presents a good opportunity to shift the focus away from performance outcomes. Instead of asking ‘did you win?’ or giving unsolicited technical feedback as a conversation opener, Ballinger suggests asking questions such as: ‘did you have fun?’, ‘what did you enjoy?’, ‘What did you learn?’

4. Let Your Children See You Being Active

“Children learn through observations, so when they see their parents are active themselves, this sends the message that being active is a normal, enjoyable part of life,” says Ballinger.

She recommends:

• Letting your child see you enjoying exercise, rather than treating it as punishment.
• Scheduling activities to do as a family, such as going for a walk or swimming.
• Talking about what you get out of engaging in physical activity and how it makes you feel – stronger, more energetic, less stressed, and so on – rather than focusing on appearance.
• Showing them that there are different ways to be active.

5. Challenge Gender Stereotypes

Don’t let gender stereotypes go unchecked when they arise.

“If a child says, 'boys are better at football' or 'girls aren't as sporty,' parents can respond with curiosity and conversation rather than criticism,” says Keenan. “Asking questions such as 'what makes you think that?' or sharing examples that challenge those assumptions can help children think more critically about the messages they are absorbing.”

Bottom line? This isn’t just about sports, Keenan says. “It's about helping girls develop the belief that they are allowed to take up space, pursue ambitious goals and participate fully in areas that have not always felt designed with them in mind. That's a lesson that extends far beyond the playing field.”

It’s why I wasn’t that shocked to read that the number of press-ups we can do in a minute might give some indication of how long, and how healthily, we’ll live. But here’s the catch. The landmark Harvard study published in 2019 was - *shock* - conducted entirely on men. Healthy male firefighters, to be precise. The researchers, who studied the men over a ten-year period, found that those who could do over 40 press-ups had a 96% lower risk of heart disease than those who could do fewer than 10.

It got me thinking: what is it about this simple, free test of full-body strength that so closely connects it to our cardiovascular health? And, given our vast (and underresearched) physiological differences, can the same guidance really be applied to women?

In search of answers, I spoke to two leading female personal trainers about the power of the press-up, and how they use it in their own coaching. Ahead, their reflections.

And if you’re interested in other longevity tips and tricks, check out our guides to the grip test, the best longevity exercises and the routine habits doctors actually use to promote a longer lifespan.

Can Your Press-Up PB Predict Longevity? It’s Not That Simple, But It is Important

What is the press-up test?

Put simply, the press-up test is a measure of how many full press-ups you can do in one go (with good technique) before you reach the point of fatigue.

“It’s popular because it doesn’t require any equipment, takes just a few minutes and gives a really good snapshot of upper-body strength and overall fitness,” explains Meg Landi, Trainer at Barry’s UK.

Personal trainer, Aimee Victoria Long, agrees. “Although people tend to think it’s just an arm exercise, a good push-up actually requires your whole body to work together. Your chest, shoulders and triceps are doing the pushing, but your core, glutes and hips are all working hard to keep your body stable and aligned.”

That, she says, is why it’s such an interesting marker of fitness. “It gives you an impression of overall functional strength rather than isolating one muscle group.”

Is the press-up test a reliable predictor of longevity?

Here’s the thing: any kind of resistance training is good for longevity. It helps to preserve our muscle mass, supports our metabolic health, is linked to slower cellular ageing and has even been found to reduce the chance of premature death from certain cardiovascular and neurological conditions, such as heart disease and dementia.

But is there anything really that special about press-ups? According to Long, it’s less about the exercise itself and more about what it indicates about our overall lifestyle. “Someone who can perform 40 push-ups is probably also exercising regularly, carrying a healthy amount of muscle, looking after their cardiovascular health and generally living a healthier lifestyle,” she says, in reference to the Harvard firefighters study.

The bigger, more important message here, she explains, is that strength training really matters. “We’re seeing more and more research evidence that maintaining muscle as we age is one of the best things we can do for our long-term health. So rather than chasing a magic push-up number, I’d encourage people to focus on building strength consistently.”

Landi agrees. “It [your press-up PB] is definitely not a crystal ball for how long you’re going to live, but it can tell us a lot about your overall health.”

Does the research on press-ups apply to women as well as men?

Given that the largest study on the press-up test centres exclusively on male participants, I was curious to know how the results translate to women.

“Personally, when I’m working with female clients, I’m looking at strength as a whole rather than one exercise,” says Long, who emphasises that, whilst the general conclusions are useful, we can’t automatically apply the exact numbers from the Harvard study to female bodies.

“Women naturally have less upper body muscle mass than men because of our physiology, so comparing the same push-up numbers doesn’t really give us a fair picture,” she explains.

And while both she and Landi would like to see further research done specifically on women, to give a clearer picture of the way that strength training impacts our longevity, both say we can still apply the current findings to the way we train.

“The questions I’m asking are: are they getting stronger year after year? Can they lift heavier? Can they get up and down off the floor easier? Are they maintaining muscle through perimenopause and menopause?” says Long. “Those things tell me more about long-term health than any specific number.”

How to improve your press-ups, according to a personal trainer:

So, what does all this mean in practice? Well, what it demonstrates is that full-body strength exercises like press-ups are an effective and efficient way to protect and build muscle mass and improve overall fitness; all of which are consistently connected to healthier ageing.

And whilst there isn’t one magical number that you need to hit to guarantee a long and healthy life (wouldn’t it be nice if there was?), gradually chipping away at your own personal best is not only a powerful motivator; it’s also a great way to ensure you’re building strength over time.

It’s why we asked the trainers for their top tips to improve your press-ups at every age - whether you’re in your twenties, your fifties, sixties or beyond.

1. Focus on quality over quantity

When it comes to strength training, technique is everything, says Long, who shares her favourite coaching cues.

• Brace your core before every rep.
• Think about keeping your body in one long straight line.
• Lower slowly with control.
• Aim to bring your chest close to the floor rather than craning your neck.
• Imagine pushing the floor away from you as you press back up.

2. Modify if needed

If a full press-up isn’t manageable yet, Landi says we shouldn’t be afraid to modify. “Start with incline push-ups on a bench or a wall,” she recommends. “It’s a brilliant way to practice the movement pattern and build strength.

Long agrees. “I’d rather someone perform beautiful incline push-ups than struggle through poor-quality reps on the floor.”

3. Practice regularly

“Like any movement, push-ups are a skill as much as they are a strength exercise - the more consistently you practise them, the better they’ll become,” says Long, who reminds us that press-ups should always come as part of a well-rounded strength programme, rather than something we practice in isolation. She recommends “chest presses, rows, shoulder presses and core work,” as good examples of press-up supportive strength training.

Shop MC-UK approved strength-training essentials now:

How did I come to these less than radical conclusions, you ask? Well, it's safe to say that unsuccessfully attempting to stick to my usual twice-weekly running regime mid-heatwave was the catalyst for much-needed change.

Since running a marathon a few years ago, I'd somewhat fallen out of love with the sport. Too much of a good thing, maybe, but lacing up my trainers and heading out just wasn't hitting that exercise sweet spot as it used to - and it showed in my performance.

I was returning home feeling flat and lacklustre - gone was the wonderful endorphin rush of pre-marathon times, but forcing myself out while sweltering in that early summer heatwave was not the one.

Interestingly, it turns out I'm not alone in my summer workout struggles. According to research commissioned by Vital Proteins, 40% of us feel more pressure to be physically active in summer than at any other time of year - but at the same time, 63% say hot weather itself is draining.

The upshot? I had to find a new way of working out that was less about performance and more about the joy of simple movement - something we're huge advocates for, at MC UK.

So, it was with excitement (and some trepidation) that I agreed to give trail running a go. We know that exercising in nature super-boosts its benefits: check out this study, from the journal Extreme Physiology & Medicine, which shows how so-called 'green exercise' can benefit both physical and mental health.

And it's something that's proved popular with Team MC UK: take a look at how one Health Writer got on when she tried trail running to rediscover the joy of movement, plus check out our guide to trail running vs road running, as well as all our top science-backed running tips for beginners, here.

As for how I got on? You'll have to keep scrolling to find out - and don't miss our guide to the best trail running shoes, too.

I Thought I'd Fallen Out of Love With Running—Then Nature Changed Everything

What is trail running?

First up, don't let the moniker put you off: you don't need to be an experienced runner to enjoy going off-road.

"Trail running is simply running that varies in terrain," explains personal trainer and founder of Anywhere Fitness, Ben Walker. "This includes unpaved surfaces, such as natural or unnatural roads, forest paths, mountain trails, coastal tracks, gravel routes, grass, mud or rocky terrain. The key difference between trail running and normal running is that a normal run is planned on a consistent surface, whereas trail running is less predictable."

What are the benefits of trail running?

Now we get to the really interesting part: while any kind of running is great for our physical health, take your jog/run-walk/race outside, and those benefits increase exponentially. Let's dig into the details.

1. It gets us out of our heads

Running is a form of therapy for many people, and with good reason, shares consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, Dr Elena Touroni.

"A lot of people are living almost entirely in their heads, cycling through the same thoughts without ever really getting out of them," she tells MC UK. "What being outside offers, in a way that a treadmill or an indoor gym simply cannot, is a constantly shifting environment, new sightlines, changing light, sounds that aren't manufactured and haven't been curated by a screen or digital device."

"That breadth of sensory input gives the brain something genuinely different to process and is one of the most effective natural interruptions to rumination."

2. It helps regulate our nervous system

It's well established that spending time in nature works wonders for our emotional wellbeing,

"There's something about the unpredictability of natural environments, the light changing, the ground shifting underfoot, the sounds that aren't generated by a screen, that regulates the nervous system in a way a controlled indoor space simply cannot replicate," continues Dr Touroni. "The body is designed to read environmental cues, and when those cues signal safety and aliveness rather than fluorescent lights and deadlines, the physiological shift is significant."

3. It helps put things into perspective

There's nothing quite like the feeling of leaving your worries behind and getting out and about - and add running into the equation, and it can be the perfect opportunity to sort through those inevitable life issues we all face.

"I think what often surprises people is that it isn't a mood lift exactly, but more like a sense of proportion returning," Dr Touroni shares. "Clients have described being in nature as feeling like they had put something down that they hadn't realised they were carrying, or even that they feel like they are almost 'less significant' in the scale of the natural world and because of this, their worries can also feel less significant and more manageable as a result."

4. It's a full body workout

We can't overlook the physical health benefits here - and trail running delivers.

"Running challenging trails targets all different components of cardiovascular health and can significantly improve physical fitness," notes Walker. "The diversity of the routine puts demand on all different components of your fitness. Due to the constant change in gradient (incline and decline), both the aerobic and anaerobic systems are put into action. The anaerobic system activates when you push the intensity while running up and down hills. This means you burn fats from your aerobic system, and carbs and sugars from your anaerobic system."

Put simply: it's an excellent workout, no matter which way you approach it.

Who is trail running best for?

While we'd argue that everyone can reap the rewards of trail running eventually, it's worth pointing out that beginners might want to go steady.

"It is suitable for everyone who has practised running consistently on even terrain, and has also conditioned the body with the correct resistance training program," shares Walker. "It is extremely important to have balanced muscles throughout the entire lower body. Training opposing muscle groups is key. A strong core requires a strong lower back. Strong hamstrings require strong quads.

"For this reason, when running on unpredictable terrain, you don't want to rely on or compensate with a specific muscle group. This can lead to injury in the knees, hips or lower back. The gluteus maximus and medius must be trained frequently if hill running. These muscles help to stabilise your pelvic area when running, and avoid putting a foot wrong on the trail."

You've been warned..

I tried trail running to see if I could fall back in love with running - here's what happened

Week one

I'll admit: I was concerned I wasn't enough of a 'proper' runner to attempt a trail run, but chatting with the experts put my mind at ease. I'm by no means a beginner, having been running consistently for around (gulp) twenty years, give or take a off few months off with each of my three children (I ran fairly comfortably well into each of my pregnancies, but this is only advised when you're used to it).

This being said, family life means my opportunities for hitting the roads have been tricky, so my progress has stalled - particularly recently, as a combination of heat, hormones (hello, perimenopause) and an increasingly hectic home life has played havoc with my motivation.

But it's safe to say I was excited to give trail running a go, waking up that first day looking forward to hitting the hills.

And I wasn't disappointed: reader, I loved it. Blessed with another sunny, cloudless blue sky, I decided to walk up to my local woods (too hot to run in direct sun), which proved wonderfully shady and the perfect place to start my trail running challenge. I'm fortunate enough to live in a beautiful part of the country where I don't have to venture far to be immersed in nature, and there's nothing quite like an English summer to leave me feeling incredibly grateful that I get to call this home.

In fact, it was so beautiful I felt compelled to stop and admire the display; something I'd consider a failure if I were road running. And it was this that I noticed above all else: I was able to enjoy running for running's sake again, rather than fixating on time, pace, cadence and more.

Just a note of caution, here: trail running can be more solitary than road running, so do be sure to have some basic safety boxes ticked. I ran in daylight, made sure my family knew where I was going, and always took a phone with me. Additionally - and this is where my second lesson regarding water kicked in - you might want to think about taking water with you, even on shorter runs, just in case you get lost and end up wandering for longer than anticipated.

Luckily for me, I stumbled across a local golf course on one of the hotter days - and was relieved beyond measure when I came across a water fountain mid-green - who knew?!

Week two

As week two rolls around, I've started planning new routes in my head before setting off - a sure sign that I'm rediscovering the joy in lacing up my trainers and heading out.

But on the topic of trainers, consider this a PSA: if you buy nothing else, it's well worth investing in some proper trail running shoes before hitting the hills. I didn't, and I quickly found I'd jarred my lower back - a common issue, cautions Walker.

"I would avoid running trails if one of your discs feels vulnerable in your lower back," he advises. "When running on inclined and declined surfaces, the core and lower back endure a lot of force. "To set yourself up for success, start by investing in the right trail running gear. A good pair of trail running shoes can make a significant difference to your comfort, stability and confidence on uneven terrain."

Point taken: I start searching for trail running shoes the second I get home from another glorious run, but the very next day I twinge my back while weight training - something I'm convinced I set in motion on my previous run, stepping heavily on the uneven ground.

So, for the remainder of the challenge I have to dial it down to a brisk walk - which in fact, seems to help my niggling back, and the experts assure me will do me just as much good.

"Even just a walk in nature can give your mind the same opportunity to break the rumination cycle as trail running," shares Dr Touroni. "Natural environments have a measurable regulatory effect on the nervous system, which is something quite distinct from the mood benefits of exercise alone."

In other words: there's no room here for beating yourself up about performance. And it feels particularly freeing not to be obsessively tracking my stats either - the signal on my trail runs was such that I soon ditched the idea of taking my wearable tech, meaning it was just me and the rolling countryside: bliss.

Will I continue with my new trail running habit? In a word: absolutely. While I may not win any speed prizes any time soon, I can safely say I've fallen back in love with running all over again - and that, for me, is priceless.

Shop MC UK's go-to trail running kit now:

There was good reason to investigate. A 2018 study found that regular swim training may meaningfully improve cardiorespiratory fitness, exercise capacity and body composition in non-elite swimmers. Further research found that aquatic exercise was also associated with significant reductions in mood and anxiety symptoms.

I have always considered myself a comfortable swimmer rather than a strong one. I can confidently get from one end of a pool to the other, but I have never trained, tracked my lengths or given much thought to my technique. Recently, however, my social feeds have been filled with women learning front crawl, taking up open-water swimming and entering triathlons.

The trend extends beyond my algorithm. Almost 49,500 women registered for an IRONMAN or IRONMAN 70.3 event in 2025, a seven per cent increase year on year, while registrations among women under 30 rose by 36 per cent.

Competitive ambitions aside, I have long been fascinated by the sea swimmers I grew up watching in Brighton. Throughout the year, women of all ages walk towards the water in swimsuits and woolly hats, sometimes hand-in-hand, before disappearing into the English Channel. I have always wondered what physical or psychological reward could make somebody willingly enter the sea in February. Whatever they were getting from those cold-water dips, it appeared to be compelling.

My own experiment began while I was visiting family near Brighton during the heatwave. One morning swim became another and, once I returned to London, I continued the habit at Sea Lanes Canary Wharf, a new 50-metre floating lido at Eden Dock.

I did not record my pace, obsess over my stroke count or approach the week like a serious training block. I quite literally dipped my toe in. But over seven consecutive mornings, I began to understand why swimming has such a devoted following. I noticed changes in my sleep, muscles and concentration, alongside a post-exercise mood boost I had not experienced so distinctly since I started running three years ago.

Whilst you're here, you may want to check out our guide to the best bikinis and swimwear worth investing in. Don't miss our guides to whether cold water is bad for you, the benefits of ice baths, and the Wim Hof Method, while you're at it.

What I Learned After Swimming Every Day For A Week

What are the benefits of swimming on the body?

Swimming manages to be both gentle and demanding. Water supports the body, reducing some of the load placed on the lower-limb joints, while drag creates resistance every time you pull, kick or change direction.

It's why swimming is often prescribed for athletes with injuries, as water offers a significantly reduced joint loading compared with performing similar movements on land, although faster movement increases muscular effort. Simming is one of the few forms of exercise that provides both cardiovascular and strength benefits while placing very little stress on the joints,” says Dr Nadia Ahmad, founder and medical director of The Weight Care Clinic. “It works multiple muscle groups at the same time, improving cardiovascular fitness, muscle endurance, flexibility and coordination.”

Dr Waqqas Jalil adds: "The shoulders, arms, chest and back pull the body through the water, while the core stabilises it and the lower body powers the kick. One week of leisurely lengths will not visibly build muscle, but it can make underused muscles announce themselves quickly."

Experts do recommend that swimming should not be your only movement, however. Because water supports your weight, it does not provide the same bone-loading stimulus as walking, running or resistance training. A balanced routine should still include weight-bearing and strengthening exercises.

What are the benefits of swimming on the mind?

One of the biggest mental benefits I noticed was how difficult it is to be distracted while swimming. Even when I go for a run, I have been known to read a text at a traffic light or fire off a quick email before setting off. In the pool, that option disappears completely.

“When you swim, your attention naturally moves towards your breathing, your arms and the next length of the pool,” says therapist and social worker Rebecca McBride. “This leaves less space for the argument from yesterday, tomorrow’s deadline or the embarrassing thing you said five years ago.”

That forced break from everyday distractions may be part of the reason swimming can feel so mentally refreshing. A study found that aquatic exercise was associated with improvements in mood, anxiety, depression and psychological wellbeing, although researchers noted that more high-quality evidence is still needed.

McBride adds that swimming can feel therapeutic because it combines steady breathing, repeated movement and the sensation of being supported by water. For me, the biggest difference was much simpler: for the duration of each swim, I could not check my phone, reply to anyone or think about the next task on my list. I just had to keep moving.

How often do you have to swim to see results?

There is no magic number of swimming sessions you need to complete each week. Current UK guidance recommends that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, alongside muscle-strengthening exercise on at least two days. Smaller amounts still count, particularly when you are just starting out.

“You don’t need to swim long distances to see health benefits,” says Dr Ahmad. “Starting with short sessions and gradually increasing the time and intensity is often the most sustainable approach.”

Dr Jalil agrees that daily swimming is not essential. “Swimming three times a week can still bring strong health benefits,” he says. “Three sessions of around 40 to 50 minutes can provide almost the same total weekly exercise as shorter daily swims. The extra rest days also give the shoulders and muscles more time to recover.”

In other words, consistency matters more than collecting seven consecutive ticks on a calendar. A ten- or 15-minute swim can still be worthwhile, especially when the alternative is doing nothing at all.

What does the science say about swimming every day?

Swimming every day can be healthy, but it is not automatically better than swimming three times a week. Overall volume, intensity, technique and recovery matter more than frequency alone.

“Seven hard sessions can lead to tiredness and shoulder strain,” says Dr Jalil. “Changing strokes, improving technique and keeping some sessions gentle can reduce the chance of injury.”

Swimming can feel low-impact while still placing repetitive demand on the shoulders and upper back, so a daily habit is more sustainable when some swims are short and easy. Pain that changes your stroke, persists or worsens is a sign to stop and seek professional advice rather than protect a streak.

I swam every day for a week – these were my results

Days one to three

I began the challenge while visiting family near Brighton during the heatwave, so I was spoilt by direct access to the sea. The water was unusually warm and, for the first time, I attempted to swim in open water rather than simply bob around within chatting distance of the shore.

There were no neat lengths to count, so I swam for roughly five minutes, rested, then repeated it. Ten minutes sounded almost laughably modest beforehand, but in the water, fighting the movement of the sea and trying to maintain a rhythm, it felt much longer.

I emerged ravenous after each swim. This was hardly a controlled experiment – the heat, my routine and what I ate all played a part – but even those short sessions seemed to work up more of an appetite than my usual dip.

I also slept deeply for all three nights. What I did not experience was any delayed-onset muscle soreness. That is not simply because the water makes you feel “weightless”: buoyancy reduces pressure on the joints, but your muscles are still working against resistance. More likely, my first swims were simply too short and gentle to cause much DOMS.

By day three, swimming no longer felt like a challenge. It had become the best part of my morning.

Days four to seven

Back in London, I split the final four swims between my indoor gym pool and Sea Lanes in Canary Wharf. Both felt much colder than the sea, which meant getting in required almost as much effort as the swim itself.

Once I stopped hovering at the edge and actually committed, I found I could swim for longer without needing a break. I set myself a target of ten lengths before work, which sounded very manageable until I was halfway through and wondering how swimmers make it look so relaxed. By the end, I was exhausted!

This was also when the DOMS arrived. My shoulders, upper back and arms all started to ache in that very specific way that confirms you have used muscles you usually ignore. I cannot claim that seven days gave me visibly stronger arms, but they did feel more capable. My stroke became slightly less chaotic, and each length felt a little easier than the one before.

The biggest change, though, was in my concentration. The heat had left me feeling sluggish, and my attention span had been all over the place. After swimming, I returned to my desk feeling noticeably more alert and far less inclined to open 12 tabs and achieve nothing in any of them.

McBride sums it up perfectly: “You come to the pool with the whole day in your head, and you leave it feeling that someone has turned the volume down.”

My verdict after swimming every day

Of course, one week was never going to transform my fitness, change my body composition or turn me into a competitive swimmer. But I did sleep better, my arms and shoulders worked far harder than I expected, and I felt noticeably more focused when I sat down at my desk.

The biggest surprise was simply how much I wanted to keep going. Swimming gave me a proper workout, but also 20 minutes in which nobody could text, email or ask me for anything. It felt challenging without making me feel like I had something to prove.

Granted, I will not be entering an IRONMAN any time soon, but I have started looking into joining wild swimming communities. And my long-held dream of living by the sea now comes with a very specific future version of me: still swimming in my eighties, wearing a woolly hat and an enormous Dryrobe, and finally understanding exactly what those Brighton sea swimmers knew all along.

Shop MC-approved swimming kit below:

That said, without an instructor to guide you, it can sometimes feel risky to take on home workouts without any pointers. That's why I've spoken to a range of master trainers, PTs, and fitness experts to find out exactly which piece of home workout kit they recommend for great results, and why.

Just last month, Marie Claire UK Master Krissy Cela was raving about the benefits of strength training at every age. The tools below promise to help build your strength from home, simply, affordably, and in no time.

Truly beneficial workouts are those you will stick to, so simplicity is key - particularly if you're near the beginning of your fitness journey. The experts agree, and you might be surprised by how affordable and easy to use their go-to home workout investments are. From Bala Bangles to resistance bands, there are options to suit every budget and space.

Need more convincing? One 2025 study found that even five minutes of home exercise a day can improve physical fitness and mental health in sedentary individuals, and one or two pieces of kit can help to make your workouts slightly more challenging, enjoyable, and less repetitive day-to-day. Whether you opt for added ankle weights, simple kettlebell swings, or finally invest in an exercise mat to make things more comfortable, these are the items you'll use on repeat.

Expert-recommended home workout kit: Quick links

• Bala Bangles: £46.99 at Healf
• Dumbbells: £17.84 at Amazon
• Resistance bands: £9.99 at Amazon
• Ankle weights: £30.55 at Amazon
• Exercise mat: £39.99 at Decathlon
• Kettlebell: £13.99 at Amazon
• Tennis balls: £4.85 at Amazon

Bala Bangles

"Bala Wrist Weights are one of my favourite pieces of home workout equipment because they make strength training incredibly accessible. Many of my clients enjoy doing mat-based workouts such as Pilates at home, and wrist weights are an easy way to add resistance to exercises that would otherwise rely solely on body weight, helping to build strength and muscular endurance while maintaining the control and precision that Pilates is known for.

"As your strength improves, you can simply increase the weight, making them a versatile training tool that grows with you. They’re lightweight, easy to store, ideal for travelling and, unlike many fitness accessories, stylish enough that people actually want to wear them. Whether you’re incorporating them into a Pilates workout, taking them on a walk or wearing them while tackling household jobs, they’re a simple way to build more strength into everyday life." - Sarah Emblow, Co-Founder of The Pilates Programme

Ankle weights

"Ankle weights are great for adding a little more intensity to a workout at home - Pilates or barre, for example. You can also bring them to class and add them to a regular-level class to make it more challenging (although remember to ensure your form is correct before adding weights, and always check with your teacher to see if it's appropriate). Ankle weights can give a greater glute burn, for example, while wrist weights add an endurance element to overhead arm exercises, as well as working the muscles of the arms, shoulders and back." - Eloise Skinner, author and fitness instructor

Tennis ball

"The other thing I always recommend is having a tennis ball as part of your home kit. It's a bit more recovery-focused (you can use it to roll out your back and shoulders, or roll it in small circles on your glutes or quads, for example), but can provide a great way to mobilise and strengthen your feet. Rolling a tennis ball gently across the arches of your feet can help to reduce tightness and improve circulation - our feet are an often-underappreciated element of fitness, but strong/mobile feet protect us as we move through any kind of workout." - Eloise Skinner, author and fitness instructor

Regular dumbbells

"My favourite piece of home workout equipment is a simple set of dumbbells. If I could only own one thing, that would be it. They're versatile, relatively inexpensive and, unlike many pieces of fitness equipment, they'll never go out of date or need replacing.

"Whether you have ten minutes or 30, adding resistance makes your workout far more effective than relying on bodyweight alone. You can increase the weight, slow the tempo, add pauses or simply do more repetitions to make the same pair of dumbbells challenging as you get stronger. You have a far wider variety of workout moves you can do with a set of dumbbells than with just bodyweight. There are literally hundreds of moves you can put together into a compilation, or you can go through classic moves such as squats and lunges.

"I'd recommend dumbbells to almost everyone, from complete beginners through to experienced exercisers. They help build muscle, strengthen bones, improve balance and make everyday tasks feel easier. I also love the immediate feedback they give you. A good set of dumbbells can last for decades, making them one of the best long-term investments you can make in your health and fitness." - Edwina Jenner, PT specialising in strength training women over 40

Adjustable dumbbells

Adjustable dumbbells were one of the most recommended pieces of kit from the experts - and for good reason.

"If I could only have one piece of home gym equipment, it would be a pair of adjustable dumbbells. They offer incredible versatility, allowing you to perform everything from squats, lunges and deadlifts to presses, rows and carries without filling a room with multiple weights.

"I recommend adjustable dumbbells to almost everyone, from beginners looking to build confidence with resistance training through to experienced exercisers who want to continue progressing their strength at home. The ability to gradually increase the load makes them particularly effective for long-term muscle and strength development. Used consistently, adjustable dumbbells can help improve strength, muscle mass, bone health, metabolic health and overall physical resilience, all while taking up very little space." - Tom Williams, Head of Performance and Strength & Conditioning Coach at Pure Sports Medicine

"The first piece of equipment I’d say is essential is adjustable dumbbells. You don’t need a full rack so it’s great to keep space free around the house, and with dumbbells you can do 100s of different exercises for the full body. Because they’re adjustable, you can increase the weight incrementally to provide more strength and endurance based on your skill." - Keiran Douglas, Senior Personal Trainer at Nuffield Health

Resistance bands

"Resistance bands are one piece of equipment I always keep in my home workout kit because they’re so versatile. You can use them for warm-up, in your main session, and even during your cool-down (think hamstring stretches). They’re also ideal for beginners and those working out from home as they come in different resistance levels, from light to strong, as well as different styles, including mini bands (booty bands) and longer loop bands.

"I personally like to use resistance bands to hone in on specific muscle groups and to take certain exercises up a notch. For example, placing a mini band around my thighs during squats helps activate my glutes and hip abductors, encouraging better form and muscle engagement. They can also make exercises more accessible, such as using a longer band to assist with pull-ups while you build the strength and skill to perform them unassisted.

"Resistance bands are also a really useful tool if you're recovering from an injury or returning to exercise. The different resistance levels make it easy to gradually rebuild strength, improve mobility and increase your range of motion at a pace that suits you. They're lightweight, affordable and easy to pack, making them just as useful for the gym or travelling as they are for home workouts." - Lannay Dale-Tooze, Content Writer and Personal Trainer at Gymshark

Exercise mat

"Another very basic but overlooked piece of equipment is a mat. Whether it’s for training abs or doing your yoga session, a mat can make all the difference for having a comfortable session on the floor in your house." - Keiran Douglas, Senior Personal Trainer at Nuffield Health

TRX

"If you haven’t yet tried out the TRX Home 2, it’s an absolute game changer for both at-home workouts and travel. The suspension training straps give you access to a gym, wherever you are in the world. You can literally anchor the straps anywhere: a door in your home, a tree in the garden or if you are feeling fancy, a palm tree overlooking the beach. I take mine everywhere I go- they are even light enough to fit in hand luggage for shorter trips. All of my PT clients have the TRX Home 2, and every one of them has become TRX addicted.

"Not only do the straps last (I’ve had mine 10 years), they give incredible results. A strong core, a sculpted upper body and a powerful lower body, the straps hit every muscle, all whilst prying into your imbalances (in the nicest way possible). The straps have five different lengths, so you get access to ground-based exercises, standing exercises and even exercises where your legs are suspended. The straps both assist and challenge you in the varying exercises, so you get to work on balance, stability and so much core." - Charlotte Tooth, PT and Master Trainer

Kettlebell

"I’d advise getting a set of kettlebells. These are extremely versatile pieces of kit that allow you to do exercises like kettlebell swings and Turkish get-ups to build functional fitness and train cardio fitness and explosive power at the same time." - Keiran Douglas, Senior Personal Trainer at Nuffield Health

Adjustable weight bench

"An adjustable bench is one of the most underrated pieces of home workout kit. By allowing different angles, it instantly expands the number of exercises you can perform and helps target muscles from different positions.

"I particularly recommend it for people who want to get more from their strength training without investing in a large amount of equipment. Pairing a bench with dumbbells gives you access to dozens of effective upper and lower body exercises that would otherwise be difficult to perform at home.

"The result is a more complete training programme that can improve strength, muscle development, posture and overall training variety, helping people stay motivated for longer." - Tom Williams, Head of Performance and Strength & Conditioning Coach at Pure Sports Medicine.

It might be one we’ve lived ourselves, one shared, or one we’ve never quite found the words to explain. A story about changing a route, changing a workout, or changing how we show up in a space because something—or someone—made us feel uncomfortable.

Today, this story starts with a number. In an exclusive first look, Marie Claire UK reveals new Sport England research showing that 86% of women aged 16 to 34 have experienced harassment or intimidation while exercising in the past three years.

Read that again.

We’re not talking about one woman having one uncomfortable interaction in a changing room. Nor an awkward moment that someone has brushed off as “probably nothing”. It’s a pattern of experiences that are shaping how women move, in spaces that are supposed to make them feel stronger.

The report also reveals that 43% of women aged 16 to 34 who don't currently use gyms or leisure centres say concerns about sexual harassment have directly influenced their decision not to attend. Among women who do use these spaces, 62% say they have changed their behaviour after experiencing or witnessing harassment or intimidation. At the same time, one in ten have stopped using a workout space permanently following an incident.

The findings arrive at a time when women’s participation in fitness is quite literally booming: 7.6 million women now routinely take part in fitness activities—1.4 million more than 2021—with Gen Z leading the charge through strength training and gym-based exercise.

The message is crystal clear: women want to be in these spaces. The question is whether those spaces are making women feel safe enough to stay.

This article is part of our 2026 Women in Sport special. For the full cover interview with Lioness Chloe Kelly, click here.

New Sport England Research Confirms a Worrying Barrier to Entry for Women: Not Feeling Safe

Sadly, these numbers aren't just statistics: they're the lived reality of millions of women worldwide.

​The new Sport England research asks a simple question: how safe do women actually feel in gyms, leisure centres and other places where we’re supposed to be getting active and feeling safe doing so?

​The answer is uncomfortable. Only 45% of women aged 16 to 34 believe these spaces are as safe and welcoming for women as they are for men. Let that sink in for a second. Fewer than half of us walk into a gym believing we’re on equal footing before we’ve even picked up a dumbbell.

​Only 45% think enough is being done to tackle harassment and intimidation.

​If you’re 16 to 24, the concern is even greater. The generation driving the current gym boom is also the generation most worried about what might happen when they get there.

And the numbers go on.

If you’ve ever hovered at the edge of the weights area pretending to stretch while you work up the courage to walk in, the figures probably won't surprise you.

But that's what's most worrying. According to the research, 78% of women aged 16 to 34 have experienced non-verbal harassment: the staring that lasts a little too long, the lingering nearby, the man who seems to follow from machine to machine without ever technically saying anything. It’s awkward to explain, even harder to report, and very easy for someone else to brush off, which is exactly why so many women end up second-guessing themselves instead of the behaviour.

So when women say they’ve changed how they use the gym, they’re really not being “dramatic”. 62% have changed their behaviour after experiencing or witnessing harassment or intimidation. And the changes are painfully familiar: 29% avoid dressing in a certain way, 29% avoid going at certain times, and 29% avoid areas of the gym that usually have more men.

Perhaps the statistic that says the quiet part out loud: 43% of women aged 16 to 34 who haven’t used a gym in the last year say concerns about sexual harassment influenced that decision.

The details are in the data. They reveal not just how many women feel unsafe, but the small, everyday decisions they are making because of it. But numbers can only take us so far. To understand what this really looks like, we spoke to the women who've experienced it firsthand.

"I Changed My Workout Before I Changed Gyms"

What’s particularly striking is that while the data shows just how widespread these experiences are, many women were still reluctant to come forward and share their stories. But perhaps that isn’t so surprising. These moments can be difficult to explain, easy to dismiss, and often leave so many questioning whether what happened was “bad enough” to talk about in the first place.

But whether it’s a comment shouted across the street, unwanted eyes in the gym, or simply the feeling of being watched, the impact is real. The real issue is that these experiences are so often reduced down to “just” something: just a comment, just banter, just an awkward interaction, despite the research showing that they can shape whether women feel able to exercise freely at all.

Ally Head, Senior Health Editor at Marie Claire UK, knows that feeling all too well. During lockdown, while training for a 37-mile ultra marathon, she experienced something that would go on to change the way she approached running forever.

"It was peak lockdown, and I was banking a training run when it happened. Alone, on a deserted street in central London, a man backed me down an alleyway, shouting abuse and squaring up to me."

"I’ve never felt fear like it. For what felt like an eternity but was probably a minute, I genuinely didn’t know what he was going to do next. Eventually, he backed off, and I made it home—physically unscathed, but mentally shaken up."

"Sadly, it wasn’t an isolated incident. Catcalling, heckling, and unsolicited comments all seem to be part and parcel if you’re a woman who moves her body in public. I've experienced it on the street, in the gym, and in parks."

"It took years to rebuild my confidence—I still haven’t run with both headphones in, and I still rarely wear my hair in a ponytail or plait, in case someone were to grab it."

"In the aftermath, I found myself doing what so many women do: interrogating my own behaviour instead of his. Were my shorts too short? My top too revealing? Had I taken an unsafe route? It took time to understand that I wasn't the problem—and I should never have been made to feel like I was."

What this research exposes is a sad fact: that too many of us are treating safety planning as part of our workout routine—and we’ve become so used to it that we barely bat an eyelid.

We Need Safer Spaces to Move—So What Happens Now?

The fitness industry’s latest answer to women’s safety concerns is often female-only spaces. And while many women genuinely value them, there’s an uncomfortable question attached to their popularity: isn’t it worrying that we’ve had to create a separate space all in the name of avoiding harassment while exercising?

Women shouldn't need their own corners of the gym. They should feel comfortable—and safe—enough to workout in exactly the same spaces men do.

Yet sadly, the Sport England research shows women don't have the luxury of simply deciding whether they want to exercise. Instead, we're having to decide how to make exercise feel manageable. From the time we consider working out, we're having to avoid certain spaces, carefully choose what to wear, and pick which moments we choose to ignore, rather than challenge, because we don’t want the situation to escalate.

We’ve become so accustomed to these adjustments that they've started to look like normal gym behaviour rather than a response to feeling unsafe.

That is exactly what This Girl Can and Sport England want to change. Claire Edwards, Head of Campaign Activation at Sport England, says the biggest takeaway isn't just the scale of the issue, but what responses revealed. “The fact that 62% of women changed their behaviour after experiencing or witnessing harassment or intimidation underlines how much women want to be in these spaces. They're adapting themselves to be able to stay within them.”

But there is a limit to how much adapting women can be expected to do. As Edwards explains: “Constantly having to make these adjustments will become exhausting and ultimately push women away from being active in these spaces altogether.”

The answer, she says, is not asking women to shrink themselves—it’s creating environments where they no longer feel they have to.

That is where Safer Spaces to Move comes in. Developed by This Girl Can and ukactive, the resource hub provides gyms and leisure operators with practical tools, training, policies, and guidance to help prevent harassment, respond appropriately when incidents happen and build trust with their members.

Creating Environments Where Women and Girls Feel Safe

It's not all bad news, and there are also signs of progress. Since the launch of Safer Spaces to Move, more women are reporting clearer codes of conduct, processes and information about where to go for support at their fitness centres.

For Edwards, the ambition is simple: “To create environments where women and girls feel safe, welcome and confident to be active.”

For all the uncomfortable truths in this research, there is hope. What should give us genuine optimism is that women aren't retreating from fitness—far from it. We're showing up in record numbers, community in tow. We're taking up space in weight rooms, signing up for running events, learning to lift heavy, and proving that the desire to move, train and feel strong is not the issue.

It's clear that the fitness and health sector is stepping up and leading the way on women’s safety—but there is so much more to do to ensure all spaces are safe and welcoming.

If this research achieves anything, it's this: we need to stop treating women's safety calculations as an inevitable part of exercise, and start treating them as a problem that can—and should—be designed out of the experience altogether.

That said, I've also tested other fitness trackers in the past that left a bad taste. I'm a staunch advocate for listening to our bodies—it's one of our greatest tools—and have personally found some trackers override my own intuition, making me trust a readiness score on a screen (even with 8+ hours of sleep, good nutrition, and ample workout time, mine never seem to leave the red) over my own body.

When I saw the Oura 5 launch last month, though, I have to say I was intrigued. 40% thinner and lighter than previous designs, those who've tested have raved about how comfortable it is, how long the battery life lasts, plus how accurate the sensors are, too. I'd also heard my freelancer Anna rave about the earlier iteration, the Oura Ring 4.

What better time to test it, then, than during a high-pressure, edge-of-your-seat semi-final against Argentina? I've been wearing the ring for a week now, but found the data most interesting last night during the match. Keep scrolling for my review.

I Tested The Oura Ring 5 During Last Night's England Match: My Review

First up, the ring is incredibly easy to use. A noticeably slimmed-down design means it looks more like a wedding band than a fitness tracker, blending pretty seamlessly with my other gold bands and rings.

The app couldn’t be easier to navigate, either—while it does take anything from five days of tracking for some of the stats, like stress, symptom radar, and body clock, to calibrate, you can track other metrics, such as your daily activity, cycle insights, and heart rate, almost instantly.

The prompts are encouraging, rather than worrying—I feel like I learn more about my sleep quality in the first few days of using than I did in months with competitor trackers. Plus, the nearly packaged-up “Readiness” score is a handy reminder of how good your sleep quality was and how well your body is recovering.

I’m lucky enough to catch the semis at 180 The Strand with The Queens Court, an entertainment brand "bringing festival energy to the women’s game." Founded by Laura Garriga, who described her events as “like Coachella, but for sport,” their aim is simple: to create cultural experiences around the women’s game, blending sport with fashion, food, and music.

It was gorgeous, inclusive, and a perfect example of how both female athletes and the female fandom can—and should—be a central part of sport.

That said, tensions were still running high before the game. I’ve watched every England match this season and caught nearly every other fixture—while my husband initially joked that he had the World Cup, and I had Harry Styles’ 12-night Wembley residency, I’m from a football family and live for summers and sporting events like these. My great-grandad was manager of Crystal Palace, and my grandad played for Arsenal, and they taught us years ago that football can be about so much more than football—it can be about community, collaboration, and togetherness, especially during a tournament like the World Cup, which brings together countries from all over the world to share in their love of the game.

The first half is agonisingly slow—I’m happy that we haven’t conceded any goals, but I'm still on the edge of my seat, knowing how much is hanging in the balance.

Come the 55th minute of the match, when Anthony Gordon scores for England, I spend at least three minutes jumping, cheering, and celebrating before remembering to check my stress stats on the Oura app. It’s fascinating to see the spike in my heart rate and subsequent stress levels in real time. My average resting heart rate is 58bpm—it spiked to 107bpm just after the goal.

Sadly, the rest of the match didn’t go to plan, with Argentina scoring two goals in the last ten minutes of the game, subsequently securing their spot in the semi-final. My heart rate tells a similar stress story, spiking for both goals and the final whistle (101, 102 and 98 bpm).

What surprised me most wasn't the fact that my heart rate was spiking during the match—it was a nail-biter, and I can hedge a bet that if the entire nation had been wearing Oura's, their heart rate data would have been the same—rather, that my body stayed in a state of stress for hours afterwards.

Whether this was because of the tension late at night, leading to poorer quality sleep, or just the fact that the men's team threw away their shot at the final again, we'll never know—but having insight into such a breadth of data was an invaluable reminder to look after my body. It is, after all, just football, and a cup of camomile tea and ten minutes on my acupressure mat before bed did my body the world of good. In the app, there's also a handy link to a ten-minute relaxation meditation on the Headspace app.

Will I continue wearing my Oura ring? Almost certainly. I'm quite anti-tracker, as I've mentioned, and prefer listening to my body to gauge how I feel. But it's given me an invaluable insight in an undeniably accessible way.

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Admitting that makes me feel like a bit of a fraud. Let’s face it: my job is to write about health and fitness. I remind you all, almost weekly, about the benefits of movement, with all its longevity and mood-boosting qualities. Outside of work, I lead a run club, where my job is to inspire others to show up on days when they don’t feel like it. And when someone tells me they’re feeling low, my immediate advice is for them to don their trainers and get outside.

And yet… Since the start of the year, I’ve been in what can only be described as an exercise rut. I wake up promising myself I’ll move my body, only to lie in bed dreading every second of it. Every run, every home Pilates class, every gym session requires a silent negotiation.

Partly, I think it’s down to boredom. Research shows that perceived variety can contribute to overall exercise wellbeing, which makes my rotation of the same three running routes, strength sessions and Pilates routine hardly a recipe for success.

Also, I’d started to fall into the trap of over-optimisation. I’m innately competitive, and like many of us, I had started to measure the quality of my movement by distance covered, pace achieved, or weight lifted. There’s nothing wrong with this, but when it becomes obsessive, it can (in my experience) get quite exhausting, pressurised and unenjoyable.

I knew I needed to shake things up, so in early April I decided to switch the gym for outdoor movement - and that’s when I discovered the wonder of trail running. Combining fresh air, nature, and a welcome lack of emphasis on pace, it became the antidote to my slump.

For my journey into the sport, read on. And for more outdoor movement inspiration, check out our guides to road running vs trail running, the benefits of going headphone-free and why running slower might actually make you faster. Oh, and if motivation is a struggle right now, we’ve got tips to train your brain to enjoy exercise.

After Months of Exercise Burnout, Trail Running Helped Me Reconnect with the Joy of Movement

What is trail running, and why is it so popular right now?

I’m hardly alone in my shift to the trails - statistics from RunRepeat show that participation in the sport has risen by over 200% in the last decade. The growth is particularly prominent amongst women, who now make up 30.5% of competitors in ITRA races, up from just 16% in 2007.

And though it’s become synonymous with Dolomite-esque mountains and UTMB races, trail running is actually far simpler, more varied and accessible than you think. “Trail running is just a run that is off-road,” explains Nike run coach and founder of Ultra Black Running, Dora Atim. “It could be a rocky path along the coast, a forest route through woodlands or a trail path through the mountains.”

As for why it’s so popular right now? According to feminist sociologist of sport, Dr Bethan Taylor-Swaine, it’s linked to the way trail running can separate exercise from performance. “In road running, the first question we often ask is, ‘How fast did you run?’” she says. “It’s become the way we categorise people, which presents a lot of pressure, especially for women who already face a demand to conform in order to be accepted in sport.”

Trail running, in contrast, grants women freedom. “It’s not about how fast you run, it’s not about competition, it’s about women as individuals, moving through nature, taking that time for themselves,” says Dr Taylor-Swaine. “That can be a really empowering and slightly counter-cultural experience.”

What are the benefits of trail running?

That sense of freedom is one of the key benefits of trail running. “People often say it clears the mind,” says Atim, who says it helps her to compartmentalise her thoughts. “I find the constant mental to-do list starts to quieten as the beauty of nature takes over, and this can make you feel more relaxed during and after a trail run,” she explains.

Research backs her up here. Time in nature has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and has been linked to reduced rumination (that horrible cycle of overthinking and worry that so often occupies us when we’re stressed).

Dr Taylor-Swaine agrees, adding that there’s a rebellious element to trail running. “Trail gets you out of the regulatory framework of running as we know it. You don’t have to run as fast as you can; you don’t have to look a particular way. You’re in places where you’re less likely to be observed, and there’s a sense of adventure to it. In a hyper-regulated society, that’s a very attractive prospect.”

That’s not to say that trail running is without markers of performance. “Tenacity, grit, perseverance are still highly valued,” says Dr Taylor-Swaine, “but this idea of pace, which a lot of women get in their head about when running, is taken out.”

Of course, there are also numerous benefits for our muscles, bones and tendons, too. “Trail running terrain is often softer than the pavement, which makes it lower impact,” says Atim, who adds that the uneven ground improves balance, coordination and proprioception. “These three qualities will improve any kind of running you do, so it’s a win-win,” she says.

Are there any risks to trail running?

Of course, we have to acknowledge that trail running doesn’t come without risk, nor does it come without its own accessibility barriers, particularly for women and people of colour. Historically, the sport has been white and male-dominated, with a lack of safety, research on diverse physiologies, time, financial freedom, and confidence often keeping other communities out of the sport.

“We can’t ignore that in trail, you’re often on your own in remote places for long periods of time,” says Dr Taylor-Swaine. “The sport also challenges your body differently, requires elements of mountaineering and better preparation when it comes to fuelling.”

Thankfully, efforts are being made to make trail running more inclusive, thanks largely to groups like Atim’s Ultra Black Running, which create spaces for black women and non-binary people in trail running. But that doesn’t mean you should go out unprepared. “Things like knowing how to use a map or what to do in an emergency are important,” says Dr Taylor-Swaine. “Doing mountain skills courses is something I encourage - if you did outward bounds at school, it will come back quickly.”

Trail Running Helped Me Rediscover My Love For Movement—Here’s How

My introduction to trail

Before I started trail running, I really thought I’d need to get a train to the mountains or coast for my run to count. As it turns out, I was completely wrong.

Trails are anything that takes you off-road or pavement for the majority of the run. Which means that most of us can probably reach one within 15-20 minutes.

I’m fortunate to be able to access a route within a five-minute run, so, with the help of the AllTrails app for navigation, I headed out onto the farmer’s field behind my house.

At first, I found it tough to let go of the pressure for pace. I felt like I was moving so much slower than I would on the road, and a sense of dread loomed over me as I approached a hill. On the road, I’d avoid them at all costs, knowing they’d slow me down.

But with the reminder that trail running isn’t about pace ringing in my ears, I took it slow, focusing more on the way my body felt than the speed at which it was moving.

When I got to the top, I paused and took in the view. It was a beautiful day, and I realised that it was one of the first times I’ve ever allowed myself to stop on a solo run. Despite being only 20 minutes from my front door, I’d never taken in this view. It was gorgeous.

After catching my breath, I continued on my way, getting back home around 45 minutes after I’d left. At first, it was strange not to be looking immediately for the metrics, but quickly that discomfort turned to freedom.

For the next few weeks, I kept my trail running super low pressure. I went out just once or twice a week, tried to mix up my routes and didn’t think about speed or distance.

Quickly, I realised how much I was looking forward to my runs - not dreading them as I had been on the road. Interestingly, my motivation for other forms of movement was coming back, too. With an injection of something new in the mix, the idea of a Pilates class or a gym session on my non-run days didn’t seem so boring anymore. Balance was slowly being restored.

Finding my feet

After spending my first few weeks tentatively broaching the off-road lifestyle, I decided it was time to step things up a notch. So far, my trails had been limited to farm tracks and woodlands, but with a trip to Northumberland on the cards, I decided that now was my moment to get really off-grid.

And this is where I really fell in love with trail running. Yes, the farmlands and woods around my house are lovely, but the freedom of being out in mountainous terrain, of hopping rocks and climbing steep hills to reach jawdropping views was what really sold me on this sport.

It was at the top of one particularly stunning hill that I realised my love of movement had returned. With the wind in my face, dirt on my shins and not one thought about pace, time or distance, I felt fully present in my body.

Of course, this wasn’t going to be my daily trail run. But peppering in these trips to new landscapes feels like a very good use of my weekend and a way to spice up my exercise routine.

Three months on

Three months on from my foray into trail running and I’m down in Bradford-on-Avon on a group trail running trip with Nike. We’re testing some of their new ACG collection, which involves an 18km trail run around the hilly Wiltshire countryside.

It will be the furthest distance I’ve covered and I’m undeniably nervous. The old familiar worries from road running kick in - will I be able to keep up? Will I manage the whole distance? What if I can’t handle the hills?

About 2km in, though, I realise I needn’t have worried. In trail running, walking up steep inclines is embraced, not shamed. Stopping to cool down in streams is encouraged and sprinting down wooded hillsides feels like fun rather than a race.

I didn’t stop smiling the entire run and, by the end, I’m exhausted, sweaty but completely buzzed. I feel free, relaxed, capable and very, very proud.

In the last few months, trail running has given me a completely fresh perspective on movement. It’s taught me that pausing to enjoy a view isn’t failure, that you can still work hard without chasing a time, and that things don’t always need to be so serious. It’s fun and refreshing, and I’m definitely no less fit for it.

If you’re feeling a little burnt out or are just looking to inject something different into your routine, I highly recommend.

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