Exercise tips from five of Britain’s fittest athletes

We all could use a role model or two. A poll asking UK men to identify their role models revealed that 1 in 4 look up to their dads. Others listed athletes, actors, and other well-known personalities.

For the purpose of this article, we will focus on athletes. They are some of the fittest people on Earth, making them great role models for anyone aspiring to improve their own health. With that being said, let’s take a look at some exercise tips from 5 of Britain’s fittest athletes.

Marcus Rashford

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford wasn’t muscular when he first joined up with the first team at Old Trafford. He was very skinny and made the effort to bulk up. He began strength training prior to the 2017/18 season, and the results were apparent as the season started. Rashford’s exercises are a mixture of mobility and strength movements, which helps him build muscle without sacrificing his agility and speed. Despite playing for one of the richest clubs in the world, with extensive training facilities, Rashford also keeps his routine simple and uses his bodyweight to develop strength through explosive movements and chin-ups. This go to show that it doesn’t matter if you’re playing for Manchester United or training at your local gym, getting fit is all about having the correct mindset. If you’re skinny and want to bulk up take inspiration from Rashford’s transformation.

Laura Kenny

Kenny is a four-time Olympic gold medallist in cycling.  Her mantra, as she told the Metro’s Natalie Morris, is to never stop training. “There was never any point where I thought; I’m going to end my career,” Kenny said. “But I’m not going to say it was easy.” And it hasn’t been easy for the cycling champ, as she has more responsibilities now with her child. But they have not stopped her from training. That should be your mindset, too. Don’t make excuses; instead, find ways to keep training and be the very best version of yourself.

Jack Nowell

When it comes to training for power, rugby is the sport to look to and Jack Nowell is one of the strongest in the sport. Speaking to Men’s Health the talented Exeter Chiefs and England winger explained how he trains for power. “Typical exercises include Bulgarian squats, deadlifts and jumps to get my legs going,” Nowell explains. His rep schemes and routines vary, but he makes it a point to go heavy at least twice a week. If you want to get strong you need to train your body to lift heavy weights.

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton is one of the fittest athletes in the country and was number 32 on the aforementioned role model list. The endurance levels that F1 drivers need to race means that his body needs to be as finely tuned as his car. Sky Sports’ article on Hamilton’s fitness discusses how the F1 star has an exercise programme that allows him to focus on different areas of fitness. He also explained how it is vital to “dig deep into other elements of training.” Richard Marsh’s article ‘Welcome to the World of Lewis Hamilton’ published on Ladbrokes reports that his exercise routine makes use of medicine and reaction balls to ensure his response time is sharp. He also includes long-distance running and shorter sprints, as well as intense weight and cardio sessions into his training routine. By following the Hamilton method of mixing up your routine, you will be able to keep your exercises exciting and work on multiple areas of fitness.

Nicola Adams

Adams is an accomplished boxer. She is an Olympic medallist twice over (winning in both the London and Rio Games). She is also the current WBO women’s flyweight world champion. Naturally, Adams wants more women to try out boxing. Even so, men are encouraged to give it a try, too. The reason? “It’s just a great way to stay healthy, and stay fit,” explained Adams. “It works the whole body,” she added. “You get cardio, you get strength.” So, do give boxing a go. It’ll help you get fit in no time and is good alternative to the gym.