Beginners Guide to Suspension Training

Posted on January 7, 2022 at 4:11 pm.

If you’re looking for a change up to your training schedule this New Year, suspension training might be for you.

For those who don’t know what it is, it’s basically resistance-based strength training centred around bodyweight exercises using ropes.

So remember those straps hanging from the ceilings or squats rack in the gym?

That’s them.

But another reason that makes suspension training so popular is how practical it is. Kits like TRXTraining allow you to workout wherever you at, be it at home, at work, or on the road.

Check out the video below more information on the most popular suspension training kit, TRXTraining.

Interest? Keep reading then.

What is Suspension Training

Suspension training, often referred to as TRXTraining, is resistance exercise that uses a system of ropes and cables to allow you to leverage your body weight against gravity.

Rings and TRX accessories are examples of common suspension equipment seen in gyms.

It may make any exercise more challenging by providing an unstable platform that requires more core activation. It also attempts to improve your strength, aerobic endurance, balance, coordination, and power all in one session.

Benefits of Suspension Training

TRXTraining, sometimes known as suspension training, is an exercise regimen that has been demonstrated to increase total body strength, stability, and cardiovascular health. This is accomplished without the use of typical weight lifting, kettlebell swinging, or lifting semi-truck tires.

Suspension training advocates claim that it improves core body strength as well as joint and muscular stability, lowering the risk of injury.

Here are 8 benefits in short.

Strengthens the core
Strengthens the body’s functional strength, agility, and power.
Over 50 exercises can be done
Portable/Easy set up can adapt to various fitness levels
It’s an excellent workout for seniors
It lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke.
It may help with weight loss and body composition.

How to get Started in Suspension Training

The great thing about suspension training is how simple it is to get started.
All you need is a small area of space, something to hang your kit on and a suspension training or TRXtraining kit, which is available right HERE.

Set up is simple.

Plus, there’s an array of workouts to get you started straight away.

Suspension Training Workouts for Beginners

If you’re just starting off, we recommend you keep it simple to get a feel for suspension training.

Try these basic suspension training exercises and see how you get on.

Remember, start slow and find your pace.

Plank

A great exercise to hit your core – essential for your full body.

Begin by lying on your stomach, facing away from the anchor point, and placing your toes into the foot cradles with the straps at midcalf. Back into the grips with your heels, squeeze your calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core, and press into a flawlessly flat plank.

Hold for up to 30 seconds or as long as you can. Repeat for a total of three sets.

Low Row

Good for posture, hitting those strong back muscles and your arms.

You can change the intensity and difficulty of this move simply by your feet position and strap length.

With the suspension trainer shortened, stand facing the anchor point. Begin with your elbows bent at 90 degrees, the handles at your rib cage, body straight and planked. Slowly straighten your arms to lower your body, keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe and return to the start by bending the elbows.

Perform three sets of 8–10 reps.

Squat

No matter your fitness levels, the squat has massive potential for benefits.

You can improve your mobility and your ankles and hips, which will improve your everyday wellbeing, as well as building huge strength.

Stand facing the anchor point with the TRX straps adjusted to mid-length. Hold the handles in front of you with your elbows soft and take a step back until the straps are slightly tight. Lower your hips and back as low as you’re comfortable without leaning backward. Return to a standing position by squeezing your glutes.

Three sets of 8–10 reps are recommended.

Chest Press

Brilliant for hitting your chest muscles with a powerful pushing movement along with stabilising your core and spine.

One of the staples of suspension training.

Stand facing away from the anchor point, with the TRX straps fully stretched. Begin by standing on the balls of your feet and pressing against the strap handles with your arms extended exactly below your shoulders. Lower yourself till your elbows are roughly 90 degrees while keeping your body in a straight plank. As you push back up to the starting position, straighten your arms and support your core.

Reps should be 8–10 reps in three sets.

Lunges

Great for building leg strength and increasing your range of motion in a controlled state.

Begin by standing facing the anchor point with the straps at mid-length. Step your right leg back and bend both knees to 90 degrees while keeping a light grasp on the handles. Return to a standing position by squeezing your glutes. Repeat on the opposite side. That counts as one rep.

Three sets of 8–10 reps.

Bicep Curl

The great thing about these bicep curls is that they engage the whole body, not just the bicep.

Again, adjusting your feet will alter the difficulty.

Begin with your pinkies at your temples and elbows raised high, with the straps at mid-length. Straighten your arms while keeping your elbows raised and your body straight. Without lowering your elbows or rising your shoulders, return to the beginning position.

Three sets of 8–10 reps.

Hamstring Curls

Hamstring strength is key for powerful legs and also essential for healthy joints to influence mobility.

So ensuring they are strong and rigorous is essential.

With the straps at midcalf length, lie on your back facing the anchor point and place your heels in the foot cradles. Keep even pressure in your heels, engage your glutes and core, keep your hips lifted and drag your heels as if they were on train tracks until your knees are stacked over your hips. Return your legs to straight while maintaining a tight core.

Perform three sets of 8–10 reps.

Conclusion

Keep an eye on our blog for even more content on suspension training workouts and advice.

We’ve also got some other great homework content, like Bundee Aki’s favourite Resistance Bands excercises. Or, our Yoga Expert Roberta Harrington has some Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners.

We’ve got some of the leading Home Gym products to help you get started right HERE.

The Health Benefits of Swimming: Why Everyone Should Learn

Posted on January 4, 2022 at 10:38 am.

Written by Ger Flanagan

Lose weight, get fit and improve your mood – these are just some of the health benefits for swimming.

The health benefits of swimming are huge; offering a low impact, full-body workout that tones muscles and helps you relax.

Before you read on, why not check out our Guide to the Benefits of Sea Swimming right HERE.

7 Health Benefits of Swimming

From weight loss to better sleep: seven reasons why swimming is great all-round exercise.

The benefits of swimming are almost endless. It’s a great way to tone up, a proven method of relaxing your mind and can even help turn back the aging clock. Here’s why everyone should make time to swim.

Almost everyone can swim
30 minutes of swimming can burn up to 350 calories
Swimming helps build lean muscle
Many swimmers say it eases aches and pains
Swimming can help you get to sleep
Regular exercise helps improve your mood
Swimming has a low risk of injury

If you’re kids are interested in swimming, this blog on Finding the Right Swimming Gear might help you?

Can anyone swim?

Swimming is great for everyone from pregnant women and the elderly to injured athletes and those looking to get back in shape, or get fit quick.

If you’re at all unsure, or you’re coming back after a long break, consult your doctor before you start to help avoid overdoing it.

Why is swimming such good exercise?

Swimming is one of the best forms of cardiovascular, or aerobic exercise, because it uses almost every muscle in your body and raises your heart rate*.

According to one study, 12 weeks of swimming can improve the efficiency of blood being pumped through your body by 18% and because water is around 800 times denser than air, it’s great for toning up without putting stress on your joints.

It can even slow down the ageing process – scientists have shown that swimming three to five times a week dramatically reduces the risk of an early death.

What muscles do you use when you swim?

Every time you swim is like doing a mini-resistance workout.

Each kick, pull and push works your muscles more than you might imagine, especially your arms, shoulders and glutes – the muscles that lie dormant all day when you’re at your desk.

Swimming also works your abs – or core – and will reduce your waistline and hips. So, along with building fitness, it’s a fabulous full-body exercise.

Can swimming improve your mood?

According to researchers, regular swimming can reduce stress, lower anxiety and combat depression, whatever your fitness level or ability.

Being surrounded by water helps diffuse your senses and lets your body relax far more than being in a gym full of mirrors and loud music.

And if you prefer to do it outdoors, recent studies have shown that open-water or wild swimming is a brilliant (if chilly) way to lift your mood, improve cognition and find a natural high.

By being outside you’ll also get a vital shot of Vitamin D, even in those dark winter months.

Does swimming help you lose weight?

Yes. Swimming torches calories and is great for weight loss and reducing body fat. By swimming steadily for just 30 minutes, you can expect to burn up to 350 calories and an all-out hour in the pool can crunch more than double that.

What’s more, because swimming builds lean muscle, which in turn fires up your metabolism, you’ll keep burning calories as you shower, dry off and head for home.

Can swimming prevent injury?

Swimming has a lower risk of injury than many other forms of exercise because the buoyancy of the water takes stress off your joints.

It’s a natural painkiller too – in one study of people with chronic lower back pain, 90% said that their pain had improved after six months of regular swimming.

What’s more, swimming has been shown to help reduce inflammation and help people suffering from osteoarthritis.*

How can swimming improve your sleep?

According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation** people who take regular exercise, such as swimming, are twice as likely to have a good night’s sleep.

They are also less likely to suffer from insomnia or report early waking.

*Source: Amateur Swimming Association (ASA)

** Source: Research conducted 4-10th June 2013 by Vision Critical who questioned 4,120 randomly selected adults from the UK, USA, France and China.

*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26773104

Disclaimer – Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. The exercise suggestions are not intended to substitute for proper medical advice.

*Blog produced by Speedo®

At Home Resistance Band Workout with Bundee Aki

Posted on December 20, 2021 at 1:33 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

Bundee Aki is a big fan of resistance bands and he’s going to show us his favourite at home resistance band workout exercises.

Resistance bands are incredibly practical and allow you to do a workout pretty much anywhere.

So why not try out these simple exercises next time you’re at home or in the gym – get them HERE:

At Home Resistance Band Workout: Bicep Curl

“Benefits of a bicep curl I find is that it helps me develop my lower and upper arm strength and also helps me with my rugby when I go into contact and I am holding the rugby ball as hard as I can or as tight as I can so people don’t strip it off me.

“Résistance bands work for warm up and and a workout as well when you’re doing a bicep curl.”

Instructions

Place yourself in the middle of a resistance band. Place the central piece of your resistance band on the floor while holding the ends. Step one foot onto the band, so the band is in the centre of your foot. Then, with your feet shoulder-width apart, place your other foot on the resistance band. Ensure that the band does not shift and that your feet are at ease.
Hold the resistance band’s ends in your hands. While performing your workout, stand with your back straight and your eyes forward. Maintain a straight line with your arms at your sides, palms facing inward. Maintain a modest amount of tension between your hands and feet by holding the band. Some resistance bands incorporate handles to make them easier to grip. Otherwise, grab them and squeeze them as tightly as possible.
Hold your curl for 2-3 counts by bending your elbows. Raise your hands to stretch and tighten the ends of the resistance band. To avoid the bands snapping or slipping, use a slow, controlled motion. To work your muscles, bring your hands in front of your shoulders and flex your biceps for 1-2 seconds.
Hold dumbbells in addition to the resistance band to make your curl more difficult. You can raise both arms at the same time or alternate arms with each curl.
To finish your rep, slowly lower your arms. Straighten your arms out again at the same regulated speed after you’ve finished counting. If you let go of the bands as you lower your arms, you risk injuring yourself. Rest for 1 count after your hands are at your sides and the resistance band feels loose again before continuing your reps.
During your workout sessions, do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps. During your curl, don’t lift your feet since the resistance band may shatter and injure you.

At Home Resistance Band Workout: Tricep Extension

“The difference between doing a bicep curl is obviously working the front muscle of your arm. When you’re doing a tricep extension, it’s working that muscle on the back of your arm.

“You can also do an overheard extension, which also hits the back of the arm but isolates the muscle a bit more because you’re trying to stay still.”

Instructions

Attach a substantial item above your head, such as a door jamb, to which you can safely attach an exercise band. With your elbows bent and by your side, grab the band’s ends. Straighten your elbows while tucking them into your sides. Return to the starting position slowly. Repeat.
Only move your elbow. Make no movements with your waist, shoulders, or back. Maintain good balance and form by contracting your abdominals.

At Home Resistance Band Workout: Band Pull

“There is a lot of benefits you can get out of a pull apart band resistance.

“It helps with your strength, as well as your back and your shoulders. It’s a good exercise to warm up and also a good workout to get the upper body ready for a big session.”

Instructions

Hold an exercise band out in front of you at roughly chest height while standing up straight. Hands should be at least shoulder width apart. Then, pressing your shoulder blades together, pull the band apart. Then go back to where you started. Try to complete 30 per day. If your band’s resistance is too easy or too difficult, you can adjust it. Only move your elbow. Make no movements with your waist, shoulders, or back. Maintain good balance and form by contracting your abdominals.

If you liked Bundee Aki’s workout, why not check out 5 of the Best Weight Training Exercises for Women, with out other brand ambassador, Rianna Jarrett.

We’ve also got a top range of Home Gym equipment available HERE.

The Ultimate Guide to Yoga At Home

Posted on December 11, 2021 at 5:10 am.

Written by Ger Flanagan

Doing yoga at home has a multitude of mental and physical benefits for your body and mind.

That’s not to mention just how practical and easy-to-do the workouts are from the safe and comfortable confines of your house.

Intersport Elverys is going to make that even easier for you.

Our expert staff member and qualified yoga instructor, Roberta Harrington of @bobbybyrobertaharr, is going to take you through everything you need to know about starting your yoga at home journey.

Check out her free YouTube class focusing on Sports Yoga for Performance and Recover HERE.

This blog will cover all the basics you need to know about doing yoga at home: What you need; types of yoga; correct breathing; and where you can find some great routines- G to get you started.

Roberta will also have some more detailed yoga content and workouts here, like some of the Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners.

Take it away, Roberta!

What is yoga?

“So, yoga is a spiritual based practice which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body.

“It’s a combination of asanas (or postures) and breathwork, and it allows an individual to relax their mind, become fitter and more flexible, increase strength, to tone, improve breathing and much more.”

Doing yoga at home

“I would recommend just keeping it simple, especially if you’re a beginner and just testing the waters!

“All you need is a yoga mat – no need for an expensive one until you know you’re enjoying what you’re doing – and then some comfortable and breathable clothing and a quiet space to practice.

“Make sure you declutter the space and feel free to light some candles, dim the lights and put on some relaxing music to make the space your own. There are some great yoga playlists on Spotify too.

“If you are just starting out with yoga and have had a recent injury, mat thickness can make a real difference. For example, I had an ALC injury in the past and after the surgery I found that my right knee was very sensitive, due to the use of a thin mat. It made it almost impossible to hold or to enjoy postures like low lunge for example.

“Thicker mats provide more cushioning for sensitive areas of the body, so keep that in mind when you are choosing your mat. Some props can also be very beneficial for those recovering from injury like yoga blocks for hamstring injuries or yoga straps for shoulder injuries. Props are equally as useful for beginners too.”

Benefits of doing yoga at home

“Sometimes heading to a yoga studio can feel like a daunting prospect for beginners, whereas home is generally a space safe for every individual, meaning it is a great place to start your yoga journey until you build confidence and focus on getting the basics rights.

“There is an amazing selection of yoga classes and courses available on YouTube and Instagram now which means that you can save money and take classes on your own schedule, instead of running and racing to make a live class. Having the option to choose from a wide range of instructors is always a huge benefit too, meaning that you can change styles and intensities as you please.

“Personally, however, as a teacher I would say that I crave that studio space because you can really feed off the energy of the people around you. And for beginners, you can see all the different progressions within the class.

“So there’s benefits to both.”

How to breath correctly in yoga

“We look for deep belly breathing in yoga, also known as diaphragmatic breathing and abdominal breathing, which is bringing the breath deep down into the belly, moving beyond shallow chest breathing.

“This is a very calming style of breathing and is especially beneficial for stress reduction.

“It helps to increase oxygen intake and lung capacity, which is crucial for fitness and athletes.

“This can be practiced on its own, or as a warm up or as a cool down breathing exercise in yoga.

“Follow these steps:”

Sit or lie in a comfortable seated position and relax your shoulders
Place one hand one your belly and another on your chest. Close your eyes if you wish
Take a deep breath through your nose, moving the breath into your abdomen and feeling your belly expand. The chest should see little to no movement
Purse your lips (as if drinking through a straw), press gently on your stomach and exhale slowly
Repeat these steps several times

Ujjayi Breath

“This is a really popular breathing technique in yoga. It helps improve concentration, quietens the mind and releases tension in the body. Inhalation and exhalation are done through the nose.”

Keep your mouth closed
Constrict your throat to the point that your breathing makes a tidal wave sound, or like waves meeting the shore
Control your breath with your diaphragm
Keep your inhalations and exhalations equal in duration

Different types of yoga

“There are lots of different types of yoga, so enjoy the process of finding your style!

“I’ll take you through some of the main styles now.”

Hatha yoga

“A style of yoga where we hold postures for 3-5 breaths. The class may be full body focused or it may be centred about a particular charka or body area for example. Some instructors will take you through breathing techniques in a class too.

“Hatha is typically practiced more slowly, with more static posture holds than a Vinyasa flow or Ashtanga class for example. The teacher may include mantras, visualisations, hand gestures and cleansing techniques as part of the class. Sports yoga is hatha based.”

Vinyasa yoga

“Vinyasa is often seen as the most athletic or dynamic style of yoga. Movement is performed with the breath. We often say, ‘one breath, one movement’. It is a creative style of yoga where generally no two classes are the same. It is a great style to improve fitness levels, build strength and to tone.”

Power yoga

“A fast-paced style of yoga that’s focused on building strength and endurance… although it requires mindfulness and focus on your breathing, power yoga is more dynamic than meditative forms of yoga and provides a good cardio and strength-training workout.

“You will sure to sweat lots!”

Yoga Nidra

“Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation also known as ‘yogic sleep’ or ‘effortless relaxation’.

“It’s usually practiced lying down with a teacher guiding the session. The practice draws our attention inwards, and we learn to surf between the states of wakefulness and sleep, where our body finds its natural state of equilibrium (homeostasis) – the breath balances and becomes quiet, unconscious and conscious aspects of the mind reveal themselves, and we fall into an innate state of deep, blissful awareness.” This is a great style of yoga to practice if you struggle to fall asleep or if you have poor overall sleep quality.”

Ashtanga

“Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a physically demanding style of yoga.

“Students follow a set sequence of postures each time, gradually progressing through the series. Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga emphasises the linking of movement and breath (vinyasa), Ujjayi breathing and bandhas (energy blocks).”

Bikram/Hot

“This is named after Bikram Choudhury and features a sequence of set poses in a sauna-like room. The sequence involves 26 basic postures, with each one performed twice. There is a strong focus on alignment in this style.

“Be prepared to sweat – LOTS!”

Hot yoga

“This is a vigorous form of yoga performed in a very warm and humid studio. There are many different types of hot yoga classes.”

Yin Yoga

“This targets your deep connective tissues.

“It’s slower and more meditative, giving you space to turn inward and tune into both your mind and the physical sensations of your body.

“Because you’re holding poses for a longer period of time than you would in other traditional types of yoga, yin yoga helps you stretch and lengthen those rarely-used tissues while also teaching you how to breathe through discomfort and sit with your thoughts.

“Through deep poses, we can open up any blockages and allow energy to flow freely through the body.”

Restorative

“This encourages physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Appropriate for all levels, restorative yoga is practiced at a slow pace, focusing on long holds, stillness and deep breathing.

“Unlike more active yoga styles such as vinyasa or Bikram, you can expect to hold a pose for 5 minutes or more, only performing a handful of poses in one restorative yoga session.”

Where to find lessons?

“You will find lots of free yoga classes over on my Instagram @bobbybyrobertaharr.

“Feel free to get in touch with any content ideas you have or what you would like to see.

“But there’s so much out there at the minute. Even if you just look up the various types of yoga on YouTube or Instagram or search on IG via hashtags – you can find a wide variety of content.”

Conclusion

So there you have it.

If Roberta has inspired you to start your yoga journey, then check out our training range here or below to help you get started.
If not, well there’s plenty more content coming to change your mind

Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Postures Everyone Needs to Know

Posted on December 8, 2021 at 5:10 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

If you’re here, we take it you’re interested in learning a bit more about the basic yoga poses?

Right?

Our expert staff member, qualified yoga instructor Roberta Harrington, is going to take you into more detail on her five favourite basic yoga postures – see more here in this video.

She will also give her advice on some yoga myths and also what yoga is best for weight loss.

It’s worth reading!

Before you begin, you might want to check out Roberta’s Ultimate Guide to Yoga at Home.

Before you get stuck into these poses, why not give our Ultimate Guide to Yoga at Home blog a read?

If you’re not a beginner, why not check out our Sports Yoga for Performance and Recovery class?

Basic Yoga Poses

“Today I will take you through basic yoga postures that will get you started on your yoga journey. These postures will help improve your flexibility, mobility and will of course works towards advance your overall physical and mental health.”

Easy Pose

“This is a great posture to learn just to meditate in or to slow down your breathing. Take a criss-cross position with the legs, allow the knees to fall out naturally left and right, and the most important thing here is that we lift up through the crown of the head, draw the shoulders back and down and really try to elongate that back and spine.

“Take the hands to the outside to the knees or to prayer at heart centre, when you’re feeling ready go ahead and close down the eyes. We’re simply going to work towards slowing down our breath here, keeping that breath slow, breathing in through the nose and exhaling through the nose.”

Cat & Cow

“Take yourself to a table top position, or all fours, stacking the hands beneath the shoulders and knees hip distance apart, toes untucked at the back. As you inhale drop the belly down, turn your tailbone up and lift your gaze straight ahead for cow pose.

“And as you exhale press down through the palm of your hands and begin to wind up with your spine, tuck your pelvis under, your chin to your chest for cat pose. Exhaling finding cat, inhaling finding cow.”

Wide Childs Pose

“Take your big toes to touch at the back, take your knees a little wider than hip width and begin to walk your hands forward reaching through the finger tips and reach your forehead down towards the mat. Find a slow and steady breath and close down the eyes.”

Low Lunge pose

“Step your right foot ahead, stack the knee over the ankle. Lift up through the torso reaching up through the crown of the head and draw the shoulders back. Option to take hands to prayer at heart centre or to reach u either side of the head, I want you to push nice and deep into that right knee at the front.”

Tree pose

“This is a really good grounding and balancing posture. So to get here I want you to shift your weight into your left foot and place the sole of your right foot into the inside of your left calf and create that triangular looking shape with the right knee.

“Go ahead and draw in the belly button so activating the core, take hands to prayer at heart centre or go ahead and reach up all the way overhead. Focus on a point in front of you or what we like to call a Drishti, and this will help you to stay balanced.”

Yoga Myths

“People thing they’re too inflexible for yoga and I always laugh at this because is that not the reason you’re doing it – to improve? It’s like practicing a skill in any other sport, you will not get better unless you do it. You will probably hate it to begin with, which I did and now I am a yoga teacher! But once you get through that barrier, it could take 6-8 weeks, you will find that your body will actually crave the movement and the space and the time, so give it a chance.”

What is the best yoga for weight loss?

“This differs from person to person, but I would say depending on your fitness and your body type, I would say for a complete beginner that might have a bit more weight to loss, a hatha style yoga would be a great introduction.

“As you progress, you may choose a more vigorous style like Vinyasa or Power. They are much more of a dynamic style where you will work on strength-based postures and it will challenge you mentally and physically.

“But make sure to attend a beginner’s class first as it will give you a sense of achievement and not a sense of failure you might get at a really difficult class.”

5 of the Best Weight Training Exercises for Women

Posted on November 22, 2021 at 5:14 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

Is this the year you want to really get in shape? Well, we’re here with the best weight training exercises for women to help you do just that.

Don’t worry if you’re slightly intimidated by starting weight training for the first time either, it’s easier than it looks.

Also, forget about that myth that weight training makes women ‘big and bulky’ – that’s completely outdated.

It’s proven to benefit heart health, bone health, body composition, sporting performance, metabolism, injury prevention and mental health.

So if you’re heading for the gym, or working out from home, and are wondering what basic weight training exercise you can do, look no further.

We’ve got you covered below.

Our brand ambassador and Republic of Ireland soccer star, Rianna Jarret explains what her best weight training exercises for women are.

Oh, and by the way, you also might be interested in our Ultimate Guide to Doing Yoga at Home Blog?

Best Weight Training Exercises for Women

Dumbbell Chest Press

“Playing any kind of field sport, the dumbbell chest press is really important. Especially for me as a strike, it’s important to be strong in my upper body – my arms and my chest – in order to keep the defenders away from the ball.
“When you’re doing the exercise, it’s important to make sure you’re in control of the movement throughout the exercise and not letting the dumbbell swing or sway while pressing.

“Keep your feet plant on the ground, engage the core and try and aim for 90-degree angles in your arms when you are at the bottom of the lift.

“I like to do three sets of eight repetitions.”

One arm row

“You will need a bench or sturdy platform to do this exercise. You need to keep two feet on the ground and one arm on the bench.

“It’s important to bring the dumbbell to your chest while concentrating the feeling with your back and shoulder muscles. So squeeze these at the top of the move.

“This is good for building a strong core a well and as a field sport athlete, helps me in keeping the defender at arms width.”

Seated Shoulder Press

“You will need a bench or something similar for this exercise.

“Start off with a light weight to get the feel for the movement, making sure you get a full range of motion while staying controlled throughout.

“This exercise is very important for a footballer because I need to be strong in my shoulders to compete in the aerial battles.”

Tricep Extension

“The start position for this exercise is very similar to the one arm row and all the same principles apply only you keep one knee on the bench too.

“The only difference is you’re starting at close to a 90-degree angle before sweeping the dumbbell back towards your feet and aiming to keep get your arm at 180 degrees.

“This is key for me as a footballer because upper body strength is such an important part of the game.”

Kettlebell/Dumbbell Squat

“Squats with a kettlebell train the legs dynamically while also engaging the upper back and shoulders. As you hold the kettlebell in front of you, they also put a strain on your core.

“Stand with your feet hip width apart to perform a kettlebell squat. Pick up your kettlebell with both hands and hold it close to your chest with the handle facing downwards and your hands around the primary section of the kettlebell.

“Squat with your chest high and back straight while holding the kettlebell close to your chest.

“Squats are really good because how they challenge your whole body throughout the exercise and are definitely one of the best weight training exercises for women.”

Check out the video of Rianna Jarrett below.

We hope this guide has given you some inspiration and guidance in kickstarting your weight training schedule.

If you’re not yet feeling comfortable to hit the weight rack, cardio and running exercise has a lot of health benefits too.

You can check out our home-gym and weight training accessories HERE or below.