Fluidform Founder Kirsten King Shares Her Fitness Rules
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Pilates Is A Time-Tested Method
“Pilates is so effective at building strength as it works the tiny muscular connections you may not think about when you’re running or spinning, for example. It works the body from the tip of your toes to the top of your head – you activate every muscle, ligament and tendon in your body with each exercise. Fluidform strengthens your muscles by fatiguing them. The layered sequences work to continuously challenge your muscles, which is what builds strength and lean muscle. The movements target your small, stabilising muscles to balance the body, creating a strong, well-functioning body. Plus, each workout works the core at a deeper level – targeting the group of powerhouse muscles responsible for controlling and driving the entire body.”
It’s About Training Smarter, Not Harder
“High-intensity training is a form of cardio that causes the heart rate to spike through short bursts of exercise – think running and sprinting. The good news is you can achieve the positive effects of cardio on your cardiovascular health, mood and muscle endurance without going for a run. The difference lies in the impact. Fluidform integrates low-impact, high-repetition exercises with layering techniques to drive your heart rate without stressing your joints. Low-impact movements typically require your bodyweight strength, working through a more controlled sequence which maximises muscle time under tension. This specific combination of low-impact, high-intensity training fatigues your muscles while burning energy to strengthen, lengthen and tone your body. I can’t get enough of our barre workouts – the perfect fast-faced, high-repetition workout – and boxing with 1kg hand weights.”
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20 Minutes A Day Is All You Need
“One of the most common mistakes I see with new clients is over-exercising. So many women push their bodies too far, and for too long, which creates imbalances in the body and puts you at a higher risk of injury. There’s still a common misconception that results are achieved through over-exhausting ourselves in the gym, but this is far from the truth. Results come through consistency and efficiency – when we move with purpose, every day. Fluidform teaches controlled and effective sequences, and just 20 minutes a day is enough to see change in your body and feel a difference in your mind.”
The Body Needs Adequate Fuel
“When we move consistently, our bodies require energy and food is our primary source. Without a balanced diet of protein, healthy fats, wholegrain carbohydrates, vitamins and antioxidants, we are unable to maintain a consistent movement routine, build strength, tone and achieve results. If you’re exercising regularly, don’t be afraid to fuel your body. For example, oats are a simple but powerful everyday superfood. A bowl of overnight oats is a great way to refuel after a workout – I always try to use whole oats instead of quick oats, as this helps our bodies with the nutrient uptake. I also add nut butters and seeds for healthy fats, berries for fibre and antioxidants, and a banana for potassium. A loaded sweet potato with chickpeas and avocado is a simple, nutrient-rich dinner option – they’re a staple in my household.”
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Stretching Is Underrated
“Stretching – i.e. consistently including a dynamic warm-up and active cool-down – is essential to seeing results. Regular movement causes our muscles to fatigue and tighten; when we forget to stretch, our muscles can’t achieve their full potential and the body starts to tighten and tense up. In the long run, this can lead to injury and limits our ability to achieve even tone across the body. Glute work is a Fluidform staple, with the ‘figure four’ stretch essential to relieve tension in the lower body. I love to intensify this stretch by rolling back and forth, positioning your hands behind your thigh. Child’s pose is also great – not only does it lengthen the spine, open the hips and relieve tension in the pelvis, it’s also a sure-fire way to relax the mind.”
You Don’t Always Need A Reformer
“The reformer is an incredible tool that integrates resistance with weights to challenge and support the body in all planes of movement. It’s an entire gym in one piece of equipment. However, you don’t necessarily need a reformer to see results. If you’re at home, a small Pilates ball provides the perfect amount of resistance to move through greater ranges of movement, strengthen all the tiny muscles in your body and provide instability to strengthen your stabilising muscles. Mixing things up with your equipment – and using your bodyweight – will keep the body challenged. While I love the atmosphere and burn of a group Reformer class, I also swear by a 20-minute workout at home with light hand weights and bands, and keep moving with walking, boxing and skipping. Ultimately, I want a workout to leave me feeling both energised and balanced. Some days, this is an intense, full-body workout, while on others it’s gentle movement. Movement should bring a sense of balance to your day.”
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Stress Plays A Part
“Fluidform is unique in that we focus on connection across all dimensions. We focus on the mind-body connection, which on a physical level means connecting the breath to our movements and focusing on form and alignment to achieve deep muscle connection. From a holistic perspective, this combination helps to calm the nervous system, prevent rising cortisol levels and improve sleep quality. The powerful combination of movement and breathwork requires deep focus, improves our concentration and attention, and increases our heart rate, flexibility and mobility which all help to increase endorphins – our feel-good, mood-boosting chemicals.”
Patience Is Key
“While a quick transformation is never easy, the process is quite simple. It’s important to work the body in all forms of movement, combining strength, speed and form, and think about your diet. A clean plant and protein-rich diet will tone the body, nourish your gut and skin health to supercharge metabolism and leave you glowing with confidence. Don’t forget the importance of a good night’s sleep, either. When we sleep, our entire system recalibrates – our digestive system resets, and a solid sleep controls blood sugar spikes the following day.”
The Fluidform x SheerLuxe September Reset starts on Monday 4th September. The ten-day programme will include daily workouts and cleansing recipes to reset your body from the inside out.
For more from Fluidform, visit FluidformPilates.com & follow them on Instagram @FluidformPilates.
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