THE JOURNAL
Illustration by Mr Simon Landrein
In theory, it should be the easiest time of the year to stay fit. No excuses for putting off that early-morning run or cycling commute with such clear skies, long days and warm weather. And there’s nothing like shorts-and-tank-top season to lure you back into the spin saddle or the chest press.
Things often turn out a little different, though, don’t they? Come July, all of a sudden the prospect of hitting the gym, rather than, say, the beer garden, seems far less enticing. The array of social gatherings – weddings, barbecues, festivals – tend to eat in the best-laid workout schedules (and put us out the morning after).
And though you may have packed your workout gear for your vacation, the odds of them actually leaving your suitcase are – let’s admit it – pretty thin. After all, who wants to spend their precious paid leave slogging it out at the weights rack, much less in the time-machine hotel gym?
But before you abandon all hopes of a Fit Boy Summer and promise to give it a better go next year, we’re here to remind you that it’s never too late to get back on track. And not just for those totally realistic “body goals” (jacked abs for your Ibiza trip next week may be a stretch), but for your general health and mental wellbeing, too.
If you’re in desperate need of a kick up the bum, then, as it happens, we have just the thing to get you motivated. Here, five fitness pros share how they’re working out this summer – and what you can do, too.
01.
Mr Sandy Macaskill, co-owner of Barry’s Bootcamp UK
What is your typical summer workout split?
If I’m in London – or a city with Barry’s in it – I do Barry’s classes Monday through Friday, and then take the weekend off. Typically, I do double floor on Wednesday and Thursday, so that’s just the weights part of a Barry’s class on those days.
How do you incorporate activity into your daily routine outside of working out?
I’m a bit of a fair-weather tennis player these days, which has affected my game, sadly. I just had a game in Miami on a rooftop court and shanked a backhand into the car park nine floors down, which wasn’t a good look. I also play football on Monday nights and had a crack at 11-a-side for the first time in a decade the other weekend, but that was a mistake.
How do you incorporate rest and recovery into your routine?
Fortunately, I have huge amounts of personal willpower when it comes to rest and recovery. I tend not to go into Barry’s over the weekend, so it’s really quite simple. I don’t work out on those days. You might catch me doing some form of exercise like tennis, but that doesn’t count.
What would be your advice for making workout feel more fun during the summer months?
Commit to something you enjoy doing, know you’ll stick to and can involve friends or family to keep yourself accountable. Barry’s is fun all year round for those very reasons and we have air con to keep you cool.
How do you keep fit while on holiday?
If I’m 100 per cent honest, it depends on how long the holiday lasts, and where the holiday is. If there’s a Barry’s, of course I’ll be there. I just got back from Miami, where I went to class most days. If there isn’t, I have a little routine I do, which involves swimming a lap of the pool, climbing out and doing 10 push ups, then jumping back in, swimming to the other side, climbing out, doing nine push ups and so on. It’s super simple and does the trick for a week, and you can vary the exercises at each end.
What’s your advice for someone who wants to get back into working out after a long break?
Barry’s! We have this reputation as a place where you need to get fit first before you come, which drives me up the wall. Anyone who does that deprives me of the most rewarding part of my job, which is taking someone who may have lost their way, or maybe never even started, and getting them to where they want to be.
02.
Mr James Yates, model
How does your workout routine change in the summer?
The general routine doesn’t change a huge amount, but I definitely try to get outside more. Any runs or cardio, cycling, that sort of thing, I’m 100 per cent doing outside. I do more track work in the summer in the sun, and I’m more likely to do outdoor workouts – such as calisthenics at bars in a park – just to mix things up a little bit. I also find it’s easier to work out in the morning with it being light, so I typically will work out a little bit earlier in the day.
What is your typical summer workout split?
Monday, I’ll do a full-body workout. Tuesday, I’ll do a low-intensity Zone 2 run, like a steady-paced 10k, or a longer cycle. Wednesday, I’ll do a push workout. Thursday will be either a track workout or a quicker-paced run. Friday, I’ll do my pool session. Saturday, I’ve just started doing a track morning with a friend before we go for breakfast. And Sunday is my rest day. I’ll typically do something like a long dog walk in the sun or I play a lot of golf, so I’ll use that as my recovery.
How do you incorporate activity into your daily routine outside of working out?
I have a dog, so I walk her twice a day. I cycle virtually everywhere in London – I don’t really like the Tube and driving here is a nightmare. I walk a lot as well and I’m generally a very active person. I also play a lot of paddle and I’ve had some lessons, so that’s a new thing I’ve enjoyed getting better at.
How do you keep fit while on holiday?
If I’m away for a week, I’ll probably do two or three workouts. I always take my running shoes and a skipping rope, and I sometimes take bands. If there’s no gym, I’ll try to find some outdoor bars. And I’ll definitely go for a run, because running on holiday’s just enjoyable, especially if you’re by the coast. Also, everything I do on holiday will be early. If I can get it in before my breakfast, then great. But if I can’t fit in, I don’t let it dictate my day. On holiday, I’d say enjoy the reason you’re there. If trying to find space to work out causes you more stress than you’re getting out of it, I’d say switch off and come back a week later invigorated and recovered.
What are some good workout goals to aim for that aren’t purely about physique?
Joint health – that’s a big goal for me at the moment. So, incorporating more joint strength work just so as we age, those keep working and the function is there. Also, the range of movement at those joints. For me at the moment, I’m working on a bit of stretching around hips and shoulders. Keeping those joints moving well will be a big benefit to you as you get older.
03.
Mr Max Vallot, founder of DISTRICT VISION
What is your typical summer workout split?
I typically wake up around 6.00am to 6.30am. I start with 10 to 15 minutes of breathwork, followed by 30 minutes of meditation. Before I go into active movement, I spend five to 10 minutes walking barefoot outside to ground my body and get some morning sunlight into my eyes to set my circadian rhythm for the day. From there I’ll do 30 to 45 minutes of either Level-2 running or Gaga-style free-flowing dance, followed by 15 to 30 minutes of Iyengar-style yoga. On days with epic swell, I’ll go surf for two hours after meditation instead.
How do you incorporate rest and recovery into your routine?
I spend about an hour in meditation every day. When I’m not feeling well, I add a period of NDSR (non-sleep deep rest) in the afternoon. I also use a classic, dry, Finnish sauna at 220°F three to four evenings a week, followed by ice-cold showers right before I go to bed. And I sleep religiously for at least eight hours every night.
What would be your advice for making working out feel more fun during the summer months?
Make every workout feel more like a dance. Move freely and chaotically to fun music. Add little periods of random shaking, be silly and keep smiling.
How do you keep fit while on holiday?
I don’t really love gyms and I either work out in my hotel room or run through the city, so nothing really changes – except that I sometimes don’t have as much time for the whole ritual.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to get back into working out after a long break?
Whatever you do has to feel truly fun or aligned with your bigger spiritual purpose in life. Otherwise, I don’t think you’ll stick to it. I love every form of mental and physical training I pursue, so it never feels like a sacrifice.
04.
Mr Ed Stanbury, cofounder of BLOK Fitness Studios
What is your typical summer workout split?
I live in BLOK Clapton, so I do a class most mornings in the week. At BLOK, we believe in “cross-discipline training” – or training across a number of different methods to build a varied and sustainable programme. I mix it up from time to time, but at the moment I’m doing calisthenics on Monday, power yoga on Tuesdays, BLOKstrength [strength training] on Wednesdays, reformer pilates on Thursdays and boxing on Fridays. I have three young kids, so any exercise at the weekend is just soft play or chasing them around the park.
How does your workout routine change in the summer?
The only real difference in the summer is that I might throw in a run once a week. I don’t do long distances, but I like to run down to Hackney Marshes and back. It’s nothing like doing a class, but if I’m short of time and the weather’s good, it’s a great way to start the day.
How do you incorporate activity into your daily routine outside of working out?
I jog with my daughters to school every morning. The four-year-old rides her bike, and I run with the seven-year-old. They are surprisingly quick and getting that sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning is so good for you. I spend a lot of my day at my desk in back-to-back meetings, but I do try to make sure I stop for an hour, have some lunch and a quick walk round the block, especially in the summer.
How do you keep fit while on holiday?
If I’m feeling motivated, or my wife or friends are keen to train, then we’ll do a BLOK livestream class. (The instructors all know me, though, so they’ll call me out if I’m not working hard enough.) Holidays with three kids are pretty hectic, though, so, some days, I’ll take it easy and just do 10 to 15 minutes of movement or dynamic stretching, usually using one of the BLOK on-demand videos. I often just do the warmup section, and then when it starts to get tough, I switch it off and head to breakfast.
What would you advise someone who wants to get back into working out after a long break?
Returning to exercise after a long break requires being a bit patient. Give your body time to readjust and rebuild its strength. The trick is just to go at your own pace and build up over the first few weeks. If you go straight into a high-intensity class and go all guns blazing, then you’ll probably injure yourself and end up making slower progress than if you’d been patient.
05.
Mr Warren Whitely, personal trainer
How does your workout routine change in the summer?
My workouts do a complete 180 in the summer. The focus switches from intense conditioning and lengthy strength training to shorter and sharper sessions. I add more intervals and circuits, I try new classes. I get in more outdoor group workouts and even train my one-to-one clients outside. I particularly love doing weekly trail running in the forest. I’ve even mapped out an eight to 10km route around Hampstead Heath, which is full of hills, steps and beautiful scenery.
How do you incorporate activity into your daily routine outside of working out?
I’m a get-up-and-go person. If I’m not working out, I’m buzzing around doing something, whether that’s sweeping the garden, getting my backpack on and commuting to my workspace, or jumping on electric bikes around London. If you’re not as naturally active, start “pacing” – every hour get out your chair and do be a quick walk up and down your stairs at home or a lap around the office. This will increase your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) – or how much movement you’re doing outside of actually exercising. You can also get off the bus or train a stop earlier. And don’t drive for simple errands – walk.
How do you incorporate rest and recovery into your routine?
I always stress to my clients that rest and recovery is as important as the actual workouts. My number one is sleep – I’m getting my seven to nine hours regardless. Anything less than that I find myself a little less sharp, and my performance dips both physically and mentally. Good nutrition and hydration are also pretty much non-negotiable – in order to recover effectively your body needs macronutrients and micronutrients to aid replenishment.
Additionally, I do weekly visits to Repose Space. I do 45 minutes of infrared sauna, which reduces inflammation, aids muscle recovery and is great for removing toxins in skin. Then I do 20 minutes of PBM (red light therapy) – again, great for reducing inflammation, but also boosting your energy. Finally, I finish with four minutes in an ice-cold chamber set at -100ºC, which leaves me feeling brand new.
How do you keep fit while on holiday?
On the occasions I’m away, I always like to take a run around the city I’m visiting – providing it’s safe to do so. There’s a nice feeling that comes from just getting your feet on the ground of a new place, and seeing new things and people. Otherwise, I personally don’t go all out planning structured training sessions. If I wake up feeling like I want to go hard, I do that. If I wake up feeling like I can’t be bothered to train or move much, I’ll also do that. Let your battery recharge anyway you see fit.
What are some good workout goals to aim for that aren’t purely about physique?
Aim for mental fitness as much as you aim for physical fitness. There are many workout benefits that have nothing to do with physical appearance: reducing anxiety and depression; releasing feel-good hormones like endorphins, dopamine and serotonin; improving immune and cognitive function. It’s always good to remember our mental and internal health should take priority. Any improvement in physique is a bonus.