Big booty is the New booty

With the world going bonkers over quite literally ASS, women everywhere are adding “grow booty” to their to-do-lists – cue the formidable squat!

What is a squat?

You are probably thinking who doesn’t know what a squat is? You couldn’t be more wrong, there is no doubt that whilst millions of women are squatting, a majority of them do not know what a squat is or how beneficial it really is to one’s overall body, not just the peach.

Squats are a compound body movement that every person should be doing, males included women like ass too.  Learning and mastering the proper form of a squat is beneficial to building a stronger, leaner lower body.  Squats do not just build targeted muscles, they assist in building overall muscle and core strength.  Throw in some deadlifts and your peach is on its way to perfection.

Although we are spoon fed that the squat is solely responsible for the growth of glutes, it isn’t – a combination of training techniques along with the squat build glute muscles, quads, hamstrings and your core.

Bad form

Squats are a natural movement and if you break down the movement you will find that you are probably squatting in your everyday functional movements like sitting down.

The following should be taken into consideration when squatting:

• Keep your back straight, spine neutral and your chest and shoulders should be upright, core tight.
• Feet should be firm
• Break at your hip like you are about to sit down – never break at your knees
• As you are lowering, keep your feet firm, do not lift feet off the ground

Proper form is imperative in not only gaining the benefits of a proper squat but in also preventing injury.

I’m here for the benefits

Squats have proven to have full-body benefits, they aren’t just leg exercises but can aid in giving you an overall impressive physique.  It helps in keeping your metabolism high and burns fat.

If your posture is similar to that of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, then get squatting.  They assist in building a strong core and spine, with the added benefit of flexibility.

Now for the piece de resistance – prevention of cellulite! No more orange peel *insert roar of women rejoicing* Squats assist in the circulation of blood, a healthy flow of blood coupled with the consistent stretching of the relevant muscles prevent cellulite.

Variety is the spice of life

Needless to say, there isn’t just one type of squat, as a matter of fact, there are hundreds of squat variations which make it fun and challenging whilst getting stronger.

Add these different variations to your everyday workout routine or if you are group-specific then slot them under quads and core more famously known as leg day.

Whether you have a perky rear or a pancake breakfast, the benefit of squats isn’t just aesthetic! Check out my Instagram account this Friday for a full quad and core workout. As we part ways my last words to you are “Get low, drop it to the floor”

Train Everywhere!

If you, like myself, cringe at the thought of training at a gym – this post is right up your alley.  It seems these days gyms are popping up everywhere, I mean what’s not to love, the convenience of equipment, monthly debit order, in-house coffee shops with the added benefit of personal trainers.

I, however, have become the biggest advocate for training outdoors, indoors and basically anywhere that is not a gym environment, personally I do not want to get a whiff of a strangers BO, look in disgust at sweat pooling at the bottom of a stepper, let’s not forget the gawkers and my personal favourite, the know-it-all who finds the need to critique my deadlift technique whilst I am about to deadlift the equivalent of my body weight.

1. If you are a beginner (as we all are at some stage in our lives), staying clear of a gym would benefit you, you are able to focus solely on yourself and your training – there is no distraction from what others around you are doing and this for me is the main reason I steer clear of training facilities. It is only human nature to compare our progress to that of others.  I think that we can all agree that training in a busy gym can be intimidating, especially so if your body isn’t where you want it to be, at home or outdoors you are able to train in comfort and you are in control of the environment.
2. Make the most of your time – there is no packing a bag of clothing, no travelling and no views of bobs and vegena.  When time is tight, training at home is a joy because all you literally need is 20 – 30 minutes to crush a workout – a workout that would have probably taken you an hour or more only because you would have to wait for equipment.
3. I was able to try so much more, and NO I did not wake up one day with the ability to superman push-up. It took months of practice, a face plant and swollen wrists but this was all done in the privacy of my home, my point is when you are in your own environment you are able to practice and perfect your form and technique.
4. I love the calming nature of being outdoors, I am able to take in my surroundings and appreciate so much that we take for granted when we are stuck in our offices.  Don’t take my word for it, next time you want to train, take your training to a park or the beach and feel the endorphins kick you into the middle of a happy hour without the alcohol.
5. Lastly and I should have probably started with this – you can wear whatever the hell you want; can I get a HELLS YEAH! On most mornings I am in my yard busting moves in my pyjamas – why? Because I only have the prying eyes of Roscoe and Kelsey. People train and getting sweaty is a given, but being in a public facility everyone wants to look presentable, in your home you do not have to worry if your skin is acting up or if your hair hasn’t been washed in a week.

I can say with confidence that I have not been to a franchise or private gym in almost a year and my body has never looked or felt better, I love throwing around my own body weight, challenging myself every day to try something new or even perfect the exercises I find difficult. So with some of the reasons I have listed, I hope to see you outdoors.  You can follow my Instagram account for weekly home workout videos and please feel free to tag me in your posts if you do attempt to use my workouts.

New Year, New Me… I call BS!

The moment my phone pings , I know the contents of text before I have attempted to read it , variations of “… Help, I’m so unfit”, “… I have no discipline”, “I don’t know where to start… is it hard? Does it get easier?”.  Firstly let me express how saddened I am that everyday women like myself, doubt themselves before they have even begun their fitness journey and secondly no successful fitness lifestyle has ever begun with the confidence of a peacock coupled with the discipline of a ninja.  Here are my pointers to getting started on a more active and healthy lifestyle:

1. You have to make a conscious decision to not only want change but to also embrace it.  New Year resolutions grate my tits!  If you want to get stronger mentally and physically, the novelty of a resolution does not last very long.  If you are going to start  – START!
2. Much like a good bra – support is everything.  Once you have decided to embark on this crazy, mind-fuck of a journey ( which I guarantee will leave you more than satisfied), speak to those close to you and by “close” I mean the ones that you live with.  Make them aware of your decision and why you would appreciate their support.  It would serve you well to know that no-one has to agree with what you are doing they just have to understand the importance it has to you.
3. Baby steps boo.  You are not expected to dead-lift a car within your first week of training. Start by setting realistic goals, this could either be waking up a hour earlier than you usually do, increasing your water intake for the day, adding more fresh fresh fruit and vegetable to your diet or even walking twenty minutes everyday.  My fitness journey started with me trying to conquer a 5kay run – I ran consistently everyday for weeks until I was finally able to run a full 5kay without stopping, once that was achieved I increased the distance (needless to say running and I aren’t the best of friends).  Stay consistent even in your baby steps, change only occurs when there is dedication to hard work.
4. Do not and I mean DO NOT compare your journey with anyone else’s.  Gawking at images of perfectly toned bodies with apparel that seems to have been painted on them, will do absolutely nothing for your confidence and motivation.  Instead it will have you doubting your progress.  Whilst it is great to be inspired make sure you stay clear from comparison.  Instead seek out women who are local to you, I remember almost a year ago when I decided to compete with the IFBB, my biggest inspiration was Samantha Naidoo , she was everything to me not because she rocked a competition bikini like a Victoria Secret supermodel but because I admired how brave she was to put herself on such a public platform whose sole purpose is to judge bodies.  After much deliberation I finally plucked up the courage and decided to slide into her DM’s, you can only imagine my utter joy when she texted me back  – Sam has gone on to introduced me to other phenomenal women in the fitness industry and we keep each other motivated , always cheering each other on in our various ventures.
5. Most importantly, be kind to yourself.  Change is never easy for anyone, making a healthy more active lifestyle change is probably the hardest  – your mind is going to fight you, your body is going to protest and your sofa is going to whine about the decrease of time you spend on it.  The key is to remember why you started your journey and to understand that balance is everything, eating one slice of cake isn’t going to make you gain 5kg’s just as eating one salad isn’t going to make you lose 5kg’s in an instant.

“…create a balance and enjoy your fitness journey…walk or run- it is yours” Samantha Naidoo (Personal Trainer, IFBB Athlete)

So please let us throw up the middle finger to New Year resolutions and just START!

Beyond The Bikini – Why?

I have no doubt that you are wondering why on God’s green earth is a woman who basically wears a bikini all year around has decided to name her blog “Beyond The Bikini”.  Well here’s why  – on most days I am uniform clad, desk bound, no make-up, hair so oily you could probably squeeze enough oil out of it to fry a portion of slap chips, dark circles inundate my eyes from either studying til early hours of the morning or wiping up Roscoe’s vomit at 2am.  You know what ? I am perfectly happy with this everyday version of myself *insert creepy self-approving smile*

I am more than my sparkly competition bikini, my bronzed stage body and 11 inch heels.  I am every woman! I am the woman who works, cleans, dreams, struggles, cries, has zero time, is overcoming life’s unfairness whilst raising kids (fur kids count yo!) and the woman who is still learning to live; not merely exist.

Everyday we are bombarded with images and words of lifestyles, bodies, romances and divinity that are seemingly perfect and suddenly we start doubting our own authenticity, intelligence and downright awesomeness.  Though we should remember that it doesn’t take much to hide behind pixels laid on beautiful, flowery words to back “realness” yet the reality is that authenticity is hidden.

We are more than the clothes we wear , the make-up we smear on our faces, the amount of squats we can rack out, the men we try to impress (hell – keep!) and the lives we wish to imitate – we are sufficient in our imperfections and its those very imperfections that show character.  I hope that my blog not only inspires you but also helps you understand that YOU ARE MORE!

So if you’re in need of inspiration stick around for frenzied fitness, nutritious recipes, wellness advice and the occasional F-bomb.  Let me assist you in mastering your mind and body.  Cheers to Higher Health!