Sweaty Betty blog: How we live

AquaCycling is the latest fitness trend to take the New York workout scene by storm. Attended by athletes and celebrities alike, the premise of the workout is a spin class that takes place in a pool, with the water adding extra resistance to enhance the body-sculpting benefits.

Brought to the US by French entrepreneur and fitness-lover Esther Gauthier, it was a chance encounter with the class during a trip to Paris that first introduced her to this innovative workout, and inspired her to bring it to Manhattan. Sweaty Betty sat down with Esther to find out all on her background, the class itself, her favourite post-workout foods and her weekly fitness regime.

Last year, Sweaty Betty was named Britain's Most Active Company. In 2014, the team has upped the fitness ante even further, so it was with great excitement that we collected the prize for Britain's Healthiest Employees (an award presented in association with PruHealth, Mercer and The Sunday Telegraph). 

Practising what we preach is at the core of all we do at Sweaty Betty. Walking the walk (or running to be more specific) is key for the team; finding inspiration and motivation in each other, from new 10K PBs and conquering a headstand in yoga, to crossing the finish line of your first triathlon. 


Image courtesy of The Sunday Telegraph
 

They've been featured in Vogue, have been the focus of countless articles at home and abroad, and have been cooking up a healthy storm on Saturday Kitchen; it's safe to say that Melissa and Jasmine Hemsley have well and truly taken the world by storm. And that's before the mention of their new must-have cookbook, The Art of Living Well.

Renowned for their organic and nutrient-rich recipes that promote overall wellbeing, Sweaty Betty sat down with the healthiest of trendsetting duos to find out all on their favourite snacks, workout routines and number one tip for healthy living.

They came, they ran, they did yoga in the park - and that's before the prosecco and sushi brunch...

If you weren't in Battersea Park last Saturday, you may not have heard that the world's first 5K yoga run, Glöanna, had landed in London. 500 women descended on the start line for their shot of prosecco, before heading off to run the scenic 5K route. The course was littered with quirky motivational signs saying everything from 'Breathe, Laugh, Repeat' to 'You're Alive - Woo!', with a live DJ soundtrack to keep the spirits high. Post-run, the Glöanna (and Sweaty Betty) ladies hit the mat for an al fresco yoga class, stretching out their muscles and relaxing into savasana. 


 

Meet Lex. Not only is she a fantastic yoga teacher who has spent time practicing on 3 different continents around the globe, but she is also 6 months pregnant and the instructor behind the SB Support Office's favourite Vinyasa Flow yoga class.

With so many disciplines of yoga to choose from, Sweaty Betty sat down with Lex to find out how and why Vinyasa yoga became her practice of choice; finding out her thoughts on pre-natal yoga, nutrition and where she teaches in London.

The season of intense sporting competitions has well and truly begun. With Ironman soon to be landing in the USA's Colorado and Bolton, UK, and the London Triathlon just a few weeks away, Sweaty Betty sought the help of two-time Olympian and inspirational triathlete Michelle Dillon to find out her recommendations on kit, taper training and re-fuelling during the race.

After a week in Yorkshire, the Tour de France arrived in London yesterday; putting on a show for the 20-deep crowds that turned up to support the world's largest annual sporting event. Now in its 4th stage (with 17 still to go), the peloton is geared up and ready for the 163.5km ride from the French coast at Le Tourquet-Paris-Plage to Lille Metropole.

As with any much-hyped event, the hordes of people resolving to take up this dynamic sport will have multiplied overnight. For Sweaty Betty designer Laura, however, cycling is nothing new, and neither is the self-set challenge of riding intense distances across the country.

Currently in training to cycle from Land's End to John O'Groats, Laura shares her cycle schedule and the past week's rides, exclusively on the blog.


 

Sweaty Betty's founder and creative director Tamara is forever in-the-know on what's happening in the worlds of fitness and fashion. Whether it’s trialling the latest classes, road-testing new activewear, attending industry events or styling up the latest collections in her own, sports-versus-fashion way, each week we will be sharing the latest from Tamara's scrapbook.

Last week, Sweaty Betty's fashionable founder spent the evening at Goodwood as part of their Friday Nights series held throughout June. With style-conscious attendees everywhere you looked, the evening of horseracing included a DJ set by Zane Lowe and an outdoor party, with the beautiful South Downs as a backdrop.
 

Image Credit: Goodwood Racecourse
 

While the rest of sporting world is split between the football in Brazil and the tennis at Wimbledon, the Sweaty Betty ladies headed to Edinburgh Sports Club to try out Scotland's first Padel tennis courts - opened last week by the world's best Padel player, Juani Mieres.

A little-known sport in the UK (there are just 7 clubs in England with specifically-designed courts), Padel is garnering more and more popularity in the US, particularly in the fitness-loving states of New York and Los Angeles. Here, Sweaty Betty gets the lowdown on what Padel tennis is, why it's becoming big, and what the Edinburgh team thought of the game... 

A cool, Shoreditch-based studio that focuses on dance, cardio workouts and yoga, FRAME is a London fitness favourite. With classes ranging from the 80s-style 'Jane Fonda Tribute' and flexibility-enhancing 'Bend It Like Barbie', to the more hardcore workouts such as 'Cardio Conditioning' and the 'Sweat Factory', FRAME has something to suit every workout, style and fitness level.

An inspirational woman with a love of combining fun with fitness, FRAME's co-founder Pip Black is renowned for her dynamic, high-energy classes. Sweaty Betty caught up with the illustrious co-founder to find out all on her weekly workouts, favourite post-exercise snacks and her top tips for healthy living.