Active Matters

Celebrate the sunshine with some summer preparatory core-busting exercises from our National Fitness Manager.

They always say you should jump straight into the deep end, but when it comes to actual swimming, there's a bit more to consider than that. Here's our top tips on how to improve your stroke, beat your personal best and get the most from your next swim.

With 35% of adults claiming to only have time to exercise for an hour a week, HIIT (High Intensity, Interval Training), is a great way of ensuring time spent working out is beneficial. In addition to Fast Classes (20 minute instructor-led intensive sessions on the gym floor), last year Virgin Active launched 30 minute studio classes at its clubs.

But what exactly does HIIT involve?

‘What great abs exercises do you know of?’ is the question often asked, and while there is not one answer we can give to that question, we can offer up 5 top core exercises that will challenge your abs in a variety of ways.

TRX stands for Total Body Resistance Exercise, it was invented by Navy Seal Randy Hetric. The strap means the body uses gravity and suspension to make huge improvements to strength and flexibilty together. Here are six simple moves that will give you a complete body workout.