But mastering the art of the sexy gym selfie requires focus. “Be aware of your surroundings,” says Palmer. “I’ve seen countless selfies of Greek-god abs, only to be shown up by a line of dirty urinals in the background. Avoid strangers, too; they might not appreciate being an extra in your photo. And do wear nice underwear, especially if you’re going for platinum tier thirst.
Meet you at the barre
While Pilates has got Harry Kane and Harry Styles advocating for it, in 2023 your local barre class is still strangely dude-free. Which makes little sense, given the ballet-inspired workout is equally renowned for its low-impact power to tone and lengthen muscles, while improving stamina, agility, strength and coordination.
“I think the misconception is that you have to have had dance training,” says Rod Buchanan, an instructor at Psycle whose workout videos have gone viral in recent years. Be warned though: it’s much harder than he makes it look. “It’s very deceiving to the eye. If you just stand back and look at it, you think, ‘Oh that looks pretty easy, a bunch of women flailing their arms around.’ Then once men try it, they respect it.”
SUP, bro?
Standup paddleboarding (SUP) is that rarest of workouts where you barely break a sweat, but all the time you’re chiselling away at a six-pack. And unlike surfing, which can take years for a beginner to progress beyond the near-drowning stage, even a rookie can get a decent core and quad burn going with a paddleboard and an oar.
Connor Baxter, a medal-winning standup paddleboarder from Hawaii, says it’s all about balance: “Keep your back straight and try to use your legs and core to paddle instead of your arms and back.” Plus, it’s a fun way to explore your local lake, river or seaside. Just remember to borrow a wetsuit if you’re trying it in the Thames.
Nail the post-workout fit
These days Austin Butler, Harry Styles and Shawn Mendes are as likely to go viral for what they wear post-HIIT circuit as they are anything on the red carpet. For Mendes, this means black Nike vests, thigh-high shorts, Reebok Club Cs and big ol’ Lululemon carryalls, the go-to brand for gym bros and girls who spend pretty on Equinox memberships. For Butler, it’s teeny black T-shirts and slubby Adidas joggers.
Stylist Ben Browne has some tips. “Aside from showing off the efforts of your workouts via skin-revealing clothes, a black-and-white colour palette intensifies the entire look,” he says, recommending sleeveless T-shirts (not vests or singlets) from the likes of UVU or 247 Represent. “It’s serious in a sexy, don’t-piss-me-off way. And it requires little to no thought in putting it together.”
Workout somewhere you feel totally insignificant
At the steep edge of the Columbia River canyon in Oregon, Clay Cooper has just deadlifted over 280kg with his 100k followers as sworn witnesses. When his gym shut during the pandemic, Cooper – aka @discoverydeadlift – grabbed his shit and headed outside.
“Working out in nature offers a different context to the gym,” he explains. “The scale helps my problems seem smaller in comparison,” As well as deadlifts, Cooper’s followers have watched him drag a sledge across frozen tundra and run through a recovery protocol on a frozen lake.
Thankfully he has an easier suggestion: keep a kettlebell in your car. “Find a destination where you’ll be comfortable and start simply,” he says. Just watch out for dog walkers.
Use Ancient Greek philosophy to nail your next PB
For those not schooled in the Ancient Greek myths, Sisyphus outsmarted the Gods, and was punished by being forced to push a huge boulder up a hill for eternity. For record-breaking ultra-athlete Ross Edgley, it’s an unlikely source of inspiration in difficult moments. “You can imagine Sisyphus outsmarting the gods one more time, if you imagine him smiling while doing this futile task,” he says. “The struggle alone is enough.”
Contributors: Tom Ward, Rebecca Dolan, Olivia Pym, Murray Clark, Zak Maoui, Oli Franklin-Wallis, Mike Christensen, David Taylor, Sam Parker, Brit Dawson.
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