Annie Williams | OriGym https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/author/annie-williams/ Educational Excellence Wed, 19 Feb 2025 12:31:46 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://www.origym.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/cropped-O-Icon-17-black-32x32.png Annie Williams | OriGym https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/author/annie-williams/ 32 32 13 Best Leg Press Machines Of 2025 (UK) https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/leg-press-machine/ Thu, 07 Apr 2022 13:45:38 +0000 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/leg-press-machine/ Finding the best leg press machine isn't easy with so many options. Thankfully, we’ve conducted research and found the finest products in the UK to date.

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If you’re looking to add the finishing touches to your home workout station with the best leg press machine, then you have come to the right place.

Over the duration of 2022, working out at home has became a popular phenomenon, with more people upgrading their home gym apparatus from a couple of free weights, to popular cardio machines and advanced weight stations. Google searches relating to the leg press gym machine and alternatives rocketed over lockdown, with more people purchasing their own home leg press machine.

The leg press gym machine allows a global strength workout that involves almost all the muscles of the legs: hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes (aka gluteus maximus). In addition, the hip muscles and the core are also activated to stabilize the pelvis during movement.

We have compiled a shortlist of the best home leg press machines in the UK available to purchase so you’ll never have to encounter that inconvenient wait for your turn at the gym.

Before we jump in and begin exploring the best leg press machines in the UK, have you ever thought about pursuing a career in fitness?

Enquire about OriGym’s Personal Training Diploma or download our full course prospectus for more information.

What is a Leg Press Machine?

The leg press gym machine is among the most popular pieces of gym equipment, commonly used to build the key muscles in your legs.

You may have heard the leg press gym machine be referred to under the following terms: Machine leg press, squat leg press, seated leg press machine, single leg press machine – they all refer to the same piece of apparatus.

There are two types of leg press machines most commonly found in gyms: the 45-degree leg press (this seated style features a chair that reclines at an angle whilst your legs press upward in a diagonal direction) and the standard horizontal leg press.

For more information, make sure to read our FAQs about the leg press machine at the end of this article, or check out the leg press article just mentioned, where you will find the answers to questions surrouding how to use the home gym leg press machine, and the leg press machine benefits.

#1 Powerline Vertical Leg Press

powerline vertical leg press Hack squatleg press machine

Price: £525.00 (Currently reduced to £359.00)

If you’re looking to complete your home gym with a leg press machine for cheap, then you may as well conclude your search with item number one on olur list.

This Powerline Machine is probably the most well known on the list, and if you’re a fitness fanatic, likelihood is, you will be more than familiar with it. There are quite a few reasons why this is one of our favourite leg press machines in the UK market. It combines functionality with safety, space efficiency and even a hint of style, which makes it perfect for any home. It’s one of the lower cost options on the list too, so anyone looking for a cheap leg press machine will be extremely satisfied.

Some leg presses can be uncomfortable, and you risk real damage if they don’t provide adequate, full body support. The vertical leg press machine really excels in this area, and we loved the soft padding and the unrivalled lumbar and neck support. It’s absolutely perfect for working on quads, hamstrings, calves and glutes without putting excess strain on your lower back.

This leg press and hack squat machine will take standard plates straight out of the box, and you can easily upgrade to Olympic disks with the addition of adapter sleeves. The three posts are perfectly spaced for even weight distribution, and nylon brushings make every movement smooth and consistent. Everything is electrostatically coated too, for maximum life and durability.

The Powerline Machine is just an all round strong performer. The frame even comes with an impressive 10 year warranty, which is indicative of how confident Powerline is in the quality of this press. We think it would be great for beginners and experts alike, and since the price tag is reasonable enough not to break the bank, there’s no reason to look anywhere else.

#2 XS Sports Seated Leg Curl & Extension Machine Press

force USA monster Which leg press machine is better

Price: Currently Out of Stock

Rated the best leg press machine for taller users, and those who like to go hard or go home; the Force USA Monster Ultimate Leg Press Machine is rated for up to a massive 1000lbs of weight.

This leg press and hack squat machine is an excellent addition to your home gym. Converting easily to perform hack squats, leg presses, calf raises and more – it provides you all the tools and features to safely build your glutes, hamstrings, calves and quads in the comfort of your own home. The leg press even comes equipped with a calf block for calf-focused workouts.

We specifically mention taller users as the Force USA boasts five racking positions, which allow safe use for persons up to an impressive 7ft; nobody is excluded from the use of this Monster.

This leg press combined hack squat machine uses Olympic weights plates for resistance and glides smoothly on ball-bearing tracks. It comes kitted out with four plate storage horns, as well as additional plate holders beneath the sled for extreme weight.

In addition, the Force USA Monster has comfortable commercial grade padding and an extra-large footplate that sets this machine apart from the others. With the addition of an adjustable safety catch that allows for five safety lockout positions for maximum security, it gives peace of mind when lifting heavy, knowing you’re at the hands of an elite piece of apparatus.

#3 BH Fitness G152X Global Multi Gym with Leg Press

Price: £1,208.99

If you’re trying to create a home gym on a budget, you may want to consider investing in a multi-gym, such as this one from BH Fitness.

This may not be a cheap leg press machine, but as a multi-tasking piece of kit, it can provide you with a full body workout. So overall, the G152X Global Multi-Gym is great value for money!

As well as being a seated leg press machine, this piece of equipment also has:

  • Dip/leg raise stations
  • High and low pulleys
  • Chest press and pec deck
  • Leg developer

It also comes with lat and straight bar attachments, as well as ergonomic upholstery and a fold-up seat for ultimate comfort and convenience.

With 5 length options and 11 weight increments that generate a huge 100kg resistance, this machine for leg press is fully adjustable.

This means that it is suitable for a wide range of fitness fanatics, no matter your size or shape.

Finally, if you are unsure on how to put a seated leg press machine together, there is an option to pay for expert assembly, so there’s no need to panic!

#4 Body-Solid Leg Press/Hack Squat Machine

Price: £1,389.00

If you’re looking for an apparatus that combines as a leg press and hack squat machine, then this offering from Body-Solid is for you.

It might be one of the more expensive leg press exercise machines on the list, but with Body-Solid you get what you pay for. The build quality is, as you might expect, top of the range, and everything on this machine has been specifically engineered for power, safety and comfort.

The quad track roller system is incredibly smooth on this standing leg press machine, so you can exercise without risking your bones and joints.  It also distributes weight evenly, and we think this is probably the silkiest machine that we’ve tested.

The only standing leg press machine for home use on our list, a special mention has to go to the safety features.

There are three lockout positions which remain under the user’s control throughout, so you can exercise with peace of mind.

The back and shoulder pads are exceptionally comfortable too, and contoured perfectly to fit your body. It even comes with Olympic plates, so you can start working out right out of the box.

This 90-degree leg press machine certainly isn’t for the faint hearted, as it’s designed solely with Olympic plates in mind.

That said, if you’re a workout veteran keen to take their exercise to the next level, and willing to spend a bit of money to do so, then you’ll benefit massively from this hack squat leg press machine in your home gym.

It’s heavy duty, has great build quality, and will help you push yourself to the extreme.

#5 PowerGym Commercial Leg Press Machine

Yukon What is a leg press machine

Price: £1399.99

Those looking for a premium, gym-quality leg press machine to include in their home gym have an ideal option with PowerGym’s flagship design. It’s one of very few options on our list that promises a commercial option for heavy duty equipment, perfect if you’re looking to take your home workouts to a whole new level.

This prestigious pricetag comes with the construction quality to support it, too. It’s made with an exceptionally strong industrial-strength steel frame, normally only reserved for huge-scale projects such as bridges and buidlings, and comes with a ultra-durable, slip resistant footplate for increased security.

You won’t have any problems with instability or sway, and PowerGym has clearly understands their client base, prioritising strength, safetly, and incredibly effective workouts. As a result, their signature leg press has a staggering 1,000lb (or 450kg) capacity, one of the largest leg press machines we’ve featured on our list.

This intensive machine doesn’t compromise on comfort features, though. The handles and backrest are covered in a soft, heavily padded foam (also available in a range of colours) for smooth entrances and exits, as well as a workout in the ultimate luxury. You’ll really feel the support at work – using a leg press machine for bodybuilding and other fitness needs has never been easier and more accessible.

Not to mention the ultra-smooth movements of this leg machine ensures that you’ll be working the right muscles, and target the areas you want to target, whether that’s glutes, quads or hamstrings. This premium quality commercial leg press machine offers the ultimate option for those at the very peak of their physical fitness.

#6 Powertec Fitness Leg Press

Price: £1,249.00

A somewhat more expensive angled leg press machine, the Powertec Fitness is nonetheless an absolute beast of a machine, and if you’re willing to spend a little extra to elevate your workout to the next level, then it’s definitely worth considering.

It’s the most technologically advanced leg press weight machine on the list, and it comes with loads of innovative features:

  • The brand new high tensile strength footplate delivers unrivalled support.
  • The updated roller system incorporates nylon reinforced wheels for smooth, resistance free movements.
  • Bending tubes in the weight horns make for a much more efficient design, and an adjusted wheel position promises greater stability.

This seated leg press machine for home use is safer than ever before too, with safety lock levers located on either side of the machine so that you can exercise with peace of mind.

The weight capacity gets a boost, up to a very impressive 1000 lb, plus the machine can take Olympic plates.

Powertec has worked hard to update this machine and keep pushing the boundaries of what exercise equipment can deliver.

Beginners will love the many features and the accompanying app, while veterans will benefit from the higher-than-average weight capacity and the option to add Olympic plates.

It’s certainly the best home leg press machine for those whose budgets can stretch that bit further, and it would make the perfect centrepiece for any home gym.

Since it comes with all the latest technology, it represents a long-term investment that won’t become outdated any time soon.


If you’re enjoying this article, why don’t you give this one a read?

#7 Nautilus Plate Loaded Angled Leg Press

Price: £3,695

Another excellent plate loaded leg press machine, the Nautilus series comes fully loaded, so it’s ready to use right out of the box. Throw in some of the best in class build quality, fantastic safety features and incredibly smooth carriage shafts, and you’ve got a machine that’s a genuine pleasure to use.

Nautilus’ angled leg press machine benefits from a 45 degree angled seat, which can be adjusted into three different positions for optimum support and comfort. Four footplate carriage weight horns make it easy to load and unload plates, so you can cut straight to your workout without any undue hassle.

The lift quality is very, very smooth. The Nautilus Series decline leg press machine comes with commercial linear bearings and dual rotating carriage stops. This makes every action seamless and comfortable, so you can maximise gains without risking damage. We loved the unmatched, adjustable back support in particular, which offers unprecedented support and makes this inverted leg press machine suitable for users of any size

The rubber feet are non-stick too, and due to its size you’re guaranteed full foot contact. Along similar lines, Nautilus should be commended for just how safe this machine actually is. The safety stops are visible and reachable from the exercise position, so you’ll always know that you’re exercising safely. A four position fail-safe stop adds another layer of security, and since the build quality is so high there are never any issues with sway or instability.

All in all, the Nautilus Series does a lot of things right, and nothing wrong. If you’re looking for a smooth lift, then this might just be the machine for you.

#8 Body-Solid LVLP Commercial Leg Press

Body-Solid LVP Commercial Leg Press leg machine press

Price: £2921.00

Despite being one of the largest and most expensive pieces of equipment on the list, the LVP nonetheless deserves its place as the highest quality commercial leg press machine available anywhere in the world. Everything about it is premium, from the built quality to the safety features and the unparalleled support.

Not everybody is willing or even capable of making an investment like this, but if you want to take the plunge, the LVP decline leg press machine comes with a plethora of attractive features. The frame is constructed from robust 2”x3” 11 gauge steel, which is incredibly strong and will last for many, many years. It’s electrostatically coated for added durability. Even the upholstery is double stitched.

Elsewhere, the direct drive press system is one of the best on the market and delivers unparalleled accuracy and weight resistance. The footplate is huge and it pivots, helping you maintain optimum foot position during exercises. It’s easy to adjust too, and can accommodate a wide range of positions.

More often than not, an at home leg press machine can have the reputation of being hard on the back, but that certainly isn’t the case here. The back support is fully adjustable, and we think it’s some of the most comfortable you’ll find. It ensures perfect alignment, so you’ll be protecting yourself from damage.

The LVP almost certainly isn’t for anyone prioritising a budget-friendly machine, but if you’re after a top of the range piece of equipment that can be used in a commercial setting, then there’s no need to look any further.

#9 Husky Hip and Leg Sled by Yukon Fitness

Husky Hip and Leg Home gym with leg press machine

Price: £1315.00 (+ import fees)

Another expensive addition, the Husky Hip nonetheless distinguishes itself due to the sheer number of exercises you can perform, making it a truly universal leg press machine. Leg presses are simply executed, but you can use the Husk Hip to workout your entire body, and Yukon claims it’s the most stable leg press in the industry.

With build quality this high it’s difficult to argue. The four heavy duty rollers make every left exceptionally smooth, and it’s quiet too, without any of the creaks and groans common to other machines. There’s a new safety spotter arm, and padding is to a commercial standard. We think the Husky Hip offers the perfect blend of versatility, comfort and safety.

Sadly, weights aren’t included, and having to buy them separately pushes the cost yet higher, but the machine is space efficient. Plates are loaded from underneath, which saves an extra few inches. It probably won’t fit in your living room, but it would be right at home in a garage, spare room, or as part of a wider home gym setup.

When exercising out at home, it is still vital you finish each workout with a thorough cool down and stretch to return your heart rate close to resting.

The price tag of the Yukon Fitness machine might put many off, but if you want to vary your workouts and don’t mind making a long term investment, the Husky Hip is definitely worth a look. It leads the way in a lot of areas including stability and smoothness, and the extra padding adds some much needed comfort for longer workouts.

If you’re enthusiastic about exploring opportunities in the fitness industry, you can look into highly-paid fitness careers within this field.

#10 BodyMax CF800 Leg Press and Hack Squat Machine

Price: £1,199.00 (Currently reduced to £999.00)

Looking for a leg press and hack squat machine in one? The BodyMax CF800 would be our recommendation!

This is the best home leg press machine for those looking to perform 2 exercises without the hassle of switching between 2 different machines.

As well as helping you to save money, the BodyMax CF800 Leg Press and Hack Squat Machine has a quick system for switching between the 2 movements, so saves you time too!

Investing in a high-angled leg press machine such as this one allows users to make the best of a small workout space, meaning that it is good for any commercial gym, small training studio, or even a home gym.

One of the best features of this piece of equipment is its impressive 454kg weight capacity, with two loading pins which can accommodate Olympic size weights.

With conveniently placed weight pins on either side of the rack for storage, this machine also allows you to keep your training area tidy and clutter free at all times.

So, if you’re looking for an angled leg press machine with multiple adjustment options for leg length, this BodyMax CF800 could be the perfect one for you.

#11 Panatta Horizontal Leg Press

Panatta Horizontal Leg Press best leg press machine reviews

Price: Available Upon Request

If a 90 degree leg press machine is more specific to what you’re looking for, don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about you.

There are a lot of advantages to choosing a horizontal leg press machine. Since you’ll be lying more or less flat, your back remains relaxed throughout, and is therefore unlikely to suffer any undue strain. They’re also slightly easier to use, especially if you have mobility issues and struggle with the more cumbersome vertical presses. This style of machine is also a safe option to utilise as a single leg press machine.

Fortunately, Panatta has built a lying leg press machine that’s absolutely perfect for individuals of any level. It’s proof, too, that simplicity is sometimes best, and the machine excels by keeping things basic. A magnetic pin is used to select the load, and the carriage is adjustable to suit individual sizes and needs.

Beginners will love the illustrative chart that comes with the machine, and it’s a brilliant way to get started if you haven’t used a horizontal leg press machine before. The foot rest is particularly wide, and you can adjust the start position too.

We loved the style of this 90 degree leg press machine. The weight stack comes in a transparent polycarbonate case with a somewhat futuristic look, and the seat and handles are embellished in striking silver. It’s all about clean lines and ergonomic design. While it might not be suitable for those looking for a small leg press machine, it’s certainly one of the best looking, and we think it could fit quite easily into most household gyms or commercial settings.

All in all, if you’re searching for a solid machine that does the basics well and is suitable for beginners, then we think the Panatta is perfect for you!

#12 BodyCraft F660 3-in-1 Adjustable Leg Press, Hack Squat & Hip Sled

Price: £1,999.00

This Bodycraft F660 is the best machine for leg press, hack squat, and even hip sled!

If you’re looking for a leg press machine that’s a little unique, this model has an exclusive donkey squat and calf raise pad. This makes it extremely multifunctional, allowing users to perform a variety of exercises such as squats and calf raises.

Although this certainly isn’t a cheap leg press machine, its high-quality, heavy-duty design makes it extremely cost efficient.

From the industrial grade linear bearings, to the heavy gauge steel, the machine has been built with durability in mind.

It has also been built to the same specifications as a full-blown club use leg press exercise machine, yet has features which make it an efficient and compact size.

For instance, the squat shoulder pads are adjustable, which means that the machine accommodates a wide range of users. These pads also use double stitched heavy-duty upholstery and high-density foam, for ultimate comfort.

As well as the hack squat plate, the upper- and lower-foot plates can be adjusted to several different angles to accommodate different size users.

With use up to 1000 pounds, this is another great leg press and hack squat machine option on the market.

#13 Phoenix Fitness Seated Leg Press Machine

Price: £2,699.99

Another great seated leg press machine is this one from Phoenix Fitness.

Firstly, this is because it has been built with quality construction:

  • The pulley system is designed with a high-quality PA one-time injection moulding
  • There are high quality bearings inside
  • It has a smooth rotation
  • Makes no noise during use

The surface of the cushion on this horizontal leg press machine is made of a microfibre leather fabric, which is waterproof and wear-resistant, as well as durable and long lasting.

With an impressive maximum weight stack of 115kg, this machine also comes with a peg weight selection rack next to the fixed seat, and a non-slip platform for safety and peace of mind whilst you train.

A bonus feature of this leg press machine is that it comes with free delivery within 100 miles of Leicestershire, as well as free in-home equipment built by a member of the Phoenix Fitness team.

Whether you’re looking for the best home leg press machine, or something for a more commercial environment, we would highly recommend considering this model from Phoenix Fitness.

FAQs

What Muscles Does the Leg Press Machine Work?

If you’re still wondering ‘what does the leg press machine do?’, as we briefly mentioned, the leg press weight machine primarily works your quads, alongside your hamstrings (the muscles opposite your quadriceps – at the back of your thighs) and your glutes (the muscles in your buttocks).

How Much Does a Leg Press Machine Weigh?

Though this can vary brand to brand, a standard leg press gym machine generally has a starting sled weight of around 75lbs/34KG.

If you’re looking for the weight of the apparatus as a whole, again, this is something that will depend on the brand, the style and size of the leg press weight machine. For instance, the TDS Mini Leg Press weighs in at 102.06KG, whereas the XMark XM-7616 Commercial Machine weighs approximately 454KG.

Which Leg Press Machine is Better?

When it comes to comparing the horizontal/vertical leg press to the 45 degree seated leg press machine, there is no right or wrong answer as they all achieve the same end goal and work the same muscle groups; it simply comes down to which apparatus you prefer to carry out your training on. The only factor to set these machines apart is the risks that come along with them, which we will touch on below.

What are the Risks of the Leg Press Machine?

One of the most commonly encountered risks that comes attached to the use of a horizontal/90 degree leg press machine is the user rounding their lower back when pushing ejecting their legs. This is often done when a person is attempting to press either too much or too little weight and can lead to pulling the muscles in the lower back. It is important to note, as you straighten your legs, you should maintain a neutral spine by avoiding flattening your back against the support pad and keep your neck relaxed.

When using a leg press, with particular focus on the horizontal leg press machine, it is recommended for users to adjust the back and seat of the machine to allow yourself a full range of motion so your waist doesn’t bend.

If you feel more comfortable using the 45-degree leg press machine and the vertical leg press, both of these machines reduce the risk of injury compared to other leg machines significantly. This is due to the burden of the weight being completely assumed by the legs – the back is in a stabilizing position and at minimal risk of encountering any damage.

Finally, you risk injuring your knees if attempting to press too much weight or lock your knees when extending your legs. It can feel impulsive to want to ‘finish’ the movement by locking out your knees when pushing the weight away from you, however, this would be incorrect and in fact exposing yourself to potential damage, including damage to your ACL. This risk is easy to avoid by controlling the movement and not extending your legs completely out straight, but enough to work the intended muscles.

Before You Go!

And that concludes our best leg press machine reviews guide. We hope this has been an insightful article that has provided you with all the information you need to make your decision of which leg press machine to buy.

We understand how working out at home and having advanced apparatus on your doorstep, particularly in the current climate, can be much more beneficial, however, we do feel we need to emphasise how important it is to take all the correct measures to ensure your safety.

When working out at home, you’re not benefiting from the support and guidance that comes with the trained experts in gym environments, so prior to purchasing any machines or upgrading your home gym, we would encourage you to read up on safety precautions and the potential risks.

Before you exit the page – if you want to start a career in health and fitness, why not take a look at our L3 PT Diploma and download our prospectus for more information!

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13 Best Gyms in Bristol https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/bristol-gyms/ Fri, 01 Apr 2022 23:00:00 +0000 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/bristol-gyms/ Searching for the best gyms in Bristol to kick-start your new fitness routine? OriGym have done the research and shortlisted the best facilities that will help you achieve your fitness goals.

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If you’re looking for the best gyms in Bristol (UK) but you’re overwhelmed by the many available options, then you have come to the right place.

Bristol is flooded with fitness facilities; from boxing and MMA gyms, spa and wellbeing centres to women’s only gyms and all the notable names in the fitness industry you’ll already be familiar with – and what’s more, monthly memberships in this city start from as little as £9.99.

Through thorough research, extensive analysis and considering a broad range of variables, OriGym has managed to shortlist the 13 best gyms in Bristol, with facilities to meet the needs and demands of all.

But before we get stuck in, have you ever considered pursuing a fitness career?

Enquire about OriGym’s best personal training courses in Bristol or download our full course prospectus for more information.

Contents:

#1 – Sweat Strong

Sweat Strong Bristol

Location: Unit 3 Russell Town Avenue, Lawrence Hill Industrial Estate, Redfield, Bristol, BS5 9LT.

Opening Hours: These hours vary depending on what classes are running. View their class timetables here.

Membership Prices: Sweat Strong offers a range of memberships, starting from £39.00. Take a look at their memberships here.

Starting our list is Sweat Strong, a gym that asks attendees to go outside their comfort zones without pushing them out of their capabilities. With a focus on providing a welcoming yet private studio atmosphere, this is ideal for those who are looking for a gym centred around group workouts with an emphasis on class-based exercise.

This gym provides three different types of workout classes members can choose to attend, which include:

  • Sprint – Designed to work your full body and boost your fitness levels.
  • Sweat – Designed to push you to exertion you didn’t think was possible, as well as inspire and challenge.
  • Strong – Designed for those looking to transform their physique and build long-lasting strength.

Sweat Strong also offers free taster sessions for all their classes, allowing visitors to attend without any commitment. Alongside their range of classes, Sweat Strong also has open gym hours and 1-on-1 personal training is available.

This gym has an extensive list of memberships, allowing customers to choose the right one for them. These range from packages which provide unlimited benefits to ones such as the ‘5 class pass’ or ‘6-Week Challenge’ depending on your goals.

Pros:

  • Focus on pushing limits without overwhelming members.
  • Offers a welcoming, private studio atmosphere.
  • Multiple class options (Sprint, Sweat, Strong) targeting different fitness goals.
  • Free taster sessions for all classes.
  • Flexible membership options with tailored packages (5 class passes, 6-week challenge, etc.).
  • Open gym hours and 1-on-1 personal training.

Cons:

  • No fixed opening hours, reliant on class schedules.
  • May not be suitable for those preferring independent workouts over group classes.
  • Higher membership prices compared to budget gyms.

#2 – CrossFit BS7

Crossfit BS7 Best Gyms Bristol

Location: 21B Merton Road, Bishopston, Bristol, BS7 8TL.

Opening Hours: General opening hours are Monday – Friday: 06:00 – 19:00, Saturday – Sunday: 09:00 – 11:00 (Hours vary depending on which classes are running).

Membership Prices: Starting from £37.50 a fortnight.

If you’re struggling to find a gym in Bristol with a focus on CrossFit, look no further than CrossFit BS7. Run by Craig and Jade, this gym places a focus on building a strong community of like-minded fitness enthusiasts!

Opening at the end of 2023, CrossFit BS7 has already gained plenty of 5-star reviews, with visitors celebrating its range of equipment, welcoming environment, and expert coaching.

Offering smaller classes limited to 8 participants, allows attendees to build meaningful connections, receive more tailored advice and workouts, and also gain support from class members.

Of course, CrossFit BS7 predominantly offer CrossFit classes, their timetable also includes open gym hours and classes such as Olympic lifting. You can check out their full class schedule here.

CrossFit BS7 offers both ‘Lite’ and ‘Full’ memberships, allowing members to attend either a select number of classes a week or an unlimited amount. Memberships also include free bring-a-friend passes. Students can also gain a 10% discount on memberships.

For those who don’t want to commit to a membership, CrossFit BS7 allows certain visitors to pay £15 for drop-in sessions. However, 6 months of CrossFit experience is required for those who want to do this.

Pros:

  • Small class sizes (8 participants) for more personalized attention.
  • A community-driven environment with a strong support system.
  • Focus on CrossFit and Olympic lifting, catering to strength and performance.
  • Flexible memberships with options for both limited and unlimited classes.
  • Drop-in options are available for experienced CrossFitters.
  • Student discounts and free bring-a-friend passes.

Cons:

  • Limited to CrossFit-style workouts, which may not suit everyone.
  • Higher price points compared to general gyms.
  • Requires prior CrossFit experience for drop-ins.
  • Short weekend hours, limit flexibility.

#3 – JD Gyms

best gyms in Bristol

Location: JD Gyms Bristol, 2 Channons Hill Retail Park, BS16 2EA

Opening Hours: 24/7

Membership Prices: From £24.99 per month

Next on our list is Bristol gym giant, JD gyms!

You likely recognise the name, as JD is on the rise, taking over Xercise4Less. This kind of progress shows with the facilities they are boasting throughout all of their gyms, including Bristol of course!

You can take advantage of hundreds of pieces of the best cardio and strength equipment, plus:

  • 250+ Machines
  • 300+ Classes
  • Large free weights zone
  • Bootcamps – JD Burn & Boxing
  • Sprint/Sled Track
  • Spacious changing rooms
  • PT’s
  • Good location

One of the best things about JD is that you can take advantage of all of these benefits with no contract. So, you’re not locked in no matter what your situation is.

Plus, with JD gyms being dotted around the country, if you move or travel for work you’re bound to find one nearby so your change of scenery won’t be so drastic.

If you need an extra push, don’t worry as you can pick from multiple personal trainers that have met JD gyms standard to help you along your fitness journey.

From classes to intense personal training, your fitness goals will be much more reachable by joining JD gyms in Bristol.

Pros:

  • 24/7 access, perfect for those with varying schedules.
  • Affordable membership with no contract required.
  • Extensive facilities (250+ machines, 300+ classes, large free weights zone).
  • Multiple personal trainers are available for added support.
  • Sprint/sled track and spacious changing rooms.
  • National gym network allows access to other JD gyms when travelling.

Cons:

  • Can be crowded due to popularity.
  • Less personal attention compared to boutique or independent gyms.
  • May lack the community feel that smaller gyms provide.

#4 – Workout Bristol

Gyms with sauna in bristol

If your priorities for your search lie with finding a Bristol fitness gym that has a strong sense of community and a true family feel to its establishment, then Workout Bristol is the place for you.

Workout is a chain of independent gyms in Bristol that has two venues attached to its name; one within the city centre and one that sits just outside of it in Ashton.

Both gyms have all of the expected equipment that you would look for in a state-of-the-art facility, such as cardio and strength facilities and exercise studios fit for group classes.

However, spread across their two venues are a range of more unique facilities but you will need the specialist multigym membership to access both.

Workout’s original venue in Harbourside has been titled one of the best gyms in Bristol city centre. Opening back in 1982, it has built a credible reputation for itself and an environment people do not want to leave.

One member said: “I had been going to Workout Bristol since 2015 and as I just moved away from the area I will greatly miss it! Local family business, friendly staff, great quality and a good variety of equipment.”

And another wrote: “One of the best gyms I’ve been to. Excellent value for money and you are always seeing little gradual improvements.”

In conjunction with its cardio room, specialised weights machine room and a free weights functional training gym, the Harbourside venue is also home to four squash courts, available for members to book, alongside a viewing area and a social café and bar which shows live sports. This is by far one of the largest and most impressive leisure centres in Bristol.

As for their Ashton venue, this is the ideal location for those who enjoy a light pamper and detox either after an intense gym session or simply to relax after a long day.

The Bristol fitness centre is home to a sauna and steam room facilities, fully included in the membership. In addition to this, Ashton’s site features an on-site healthcare clinic, as well as a dedicated women-only weights room – a great inclusion for those looking for a ladies-only gym in Bristol.

Despite its top-of-the-range facilities, this Bristol independent gym still wants to create an environment that is accessible to all, therefore their memberships start from just £19.99 a month – the perfect gym membership for those looking for a cheap gym in Bristol with advanced offerings and dual site membership.

Harbourside Location: Floating Harbour, Welsh Back, Bristol, BS1 4SB

Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday: 06:30 – 22:30; Friday: 06:30 – 22:00, Saturday: 08:00 – 20:00, Sunday: 08:00 – 18:00

Ashton Location: The Old Brewery, Brewery Court, North Street, South Ashton, Bristol, BS3 1JS

Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday: 05:30 – 22:30; Friday: 05:30 – 21:30, Saturday – Sunday: 07:30 – 20:30

Membership Prices: From £15.99 per month

Pros:

  • Two locations offering diverse facilities.
  • Family-owned, independent gym with a strong community vibe.
  • Unique facilities like squash courts, sauna, steam room, and a healthcare clinic.
  • Dedicated women-only weights room in Ashton.
  • Affordable memberships start from £15.99.
  • Social café and bar at the Harbourside location.

Cons:

  • To access both locations, you need a specialist multi-gym membership.
  • Ashton’s location may appeal more to those seeking relaxation rather than intense workouts.
  • Limited opening hours compared to 24/7 gyms.

#5 – Ministry of Fitness

Bristol city council gyms

Location: Unit 1, 15 Douglas Road, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 8NH

Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday: 06:00 – 22:00; Friday: 06:00 – 21:00; Saturday – Sunday: 08:00 – 18:00

Membership Prices: From £47 per month

Tired of commercial gyms offering little in the way of customer service or a genuine personal experience? Then you already have a lot in common with this Bristol independent gym.

Ministry of Fitness are just one of many independent gyms in Bristol for your consideration should you fancy a gym with a little bit more touch and personality than a major franchise gym.

Opening its doors back in 2010, this Bristol fitness gym now has ten years of experience providing quality services for members looking to lose body fat and build lean muscle mass.

Though they have earned a reputation for being one of the best facilities for a bodybuilding gym in Bristol, the Ministry of Fitness is adamant that they caters to everybody, no matter the knowledge, goals or level of fitness an individual has. One look at their social media pages, you will be met with countless reviews from members from all backgrounds who share feelings of inclusivity and complement the warm welcome they receive on arrival to every training session.

For the more seasoned fitness enthusiasts, the Ministry of Fitness has a strong presence in the bodybuilding and powerlifting scene, catering for all the muscle groups and variations of training necessary.

In addition to their impeccable customer service, the equipment at this Bristol fitness centre is second to none. With a particular focus on strength and conditioning and focuses on proven equipment that works. This means plenty of free weights, alongside a selection of strength and cardio machines, and kettlebells.

On top of the equipment on offer, Ministry of Fitness also hold group classes consisting of:

  • Boxing conditioning,
  • Kickboxing,
  • Krav Maga,
  • MONSTER (HIIT),
  • Spin.

These classes are proven to be efficient uses of your time if you want to burn calories and hit as many muscle groups as you can; they are also free for all members.

Or, if you want something more focussed, you can book private sessions with their handful of expert personal trainers and get even more out of your workouts.

If you are looking for gyms in Kingswood, Bristol, and want a member-focused experience that will get you hooked on their friendly and motivational atmosphere, then why not give Ministry of Fitness a try? They even offer a free seven-day trial, alongside their no-contract memberships and individual session passes, if you need any more incentive to give them a go.

Pros:

  • Independent gym with a strong customer service focus.
  • Excellent equipment for bodybuilding and strength training.
  • A welcoming atmosphere for all fitness levels, from beginners to experienced bodybuilders.
  • Offers a wide variety of group classes, including boxing, kickboxing, and Krav Maga.
  • Free 7-day trial and no contract memberships.
  • Strong presence in the local bodybuilding and powerlifting scene.

Cons:

  • Higher membership cost compared to other gyms (£47 per month).
  • Focus on bodybuilding and strength training may not appeal to all.
  • No 24/7 access, which may be inconvenient for some schedules.

#6 – Sweat Box Gym

Crossfit gyms bristol

Location: LPW Independent School, Units 2-3 Princess Street, Bristol, BS3 4AG.

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 05:30 – 22:00; Saturday – Sunday: 09:00 – 17:00.

Membership Prices: From £30 per month.

Bristol boasts an attractive number of independent gyms, all of which bring something unique to the city’s fitness industry and Sweat Box Gym in Bristol is no exception.

The SweatBox Gym in Bristol is, in our opinion, one of the most attractive facilities in the city. It brags: top-of-the-range machinery, a large, old-school free weights area, a spacious functional area kitted out with every piece of martial arts and fitness style equipment you can imagine, a bodyweight segment comprising a variation of bars, plus so many more advanced features.

As one of the best independent gyms in Bristol, you know that you will be in safe hands if you join Sweat Box. The staff and coaches will care about how you are getting on and what they can do to make your time at Sweat Box better.

If you decide to become a member at this Bristol boxing gym, you can benefit from their excellent gym facilities encompassing all areas of fitness training, such as cardio, strength, and functional (with a large, unique bodyweight section that you must see for yourself if this interests you); or, if you want to take full advantage and make the most of your membership, you can take the time to participate in any of their many professional martial arts classes.

Their classes are split into three categories: Martial Arts, Fitness and Kids,

Within the martial arts timetable, you can expect to find:

  • Boxing
  • Jiu Jitsu
  • MMA
  • Muay Thai
  • Wrestling
  • Striking/Sparring

Their fitness classes include:

  • Female Fight Club
  • Olympic Lifting
  • Run Club
  • Yoga
  • Calisthenics
  • Rise
  • Strong

A unique timetable of classes you will be lucky to find anywhere else in the city.

These classes are taught by skilled professionals and not only provide a great workout but are also incredibly educational and worthwhile if you want to spend time developing your knowledge.

Like with any sport, your performance in boxing can be heavily impacted by your attire. To ensure you’re reaching your maximum potential, read our buyer’s guide for the best boxing shoes of 2024.

Memberships at this Bristol independent gym start from as little as £30 per month, making this one of the cheapest gyms in Bristol. If you want unlimited access to all their facilities, this price can rise steeply, but you can guarantee you will be getting incredible value for your money.

Pros:

  • Wide range of facilities for cardio, strength, and functional training.
  • Large free weights area and unique bodyweight training section.
  • Comprehensive martial arts classes (Boxing, Jiu Jitsu, MMA, Muay Thai, etc.).
  • Affordable memberships starting at £30 per month.
  • Skilled instructors offer educational and beneficial classes.
  • Female Fight Club and unique fitness class options.

Cons:

  • Martial arts focus may not appeal to those interested in traditional fitness workouts.
  • Limited weekend hours.
  • Prices can rise steeply for full access to all classes and facilities.

#7 – Personal Combat Training 

Womens gyms bristol

Location: 30 Pennywell Road, St Jude’s, Bristol, BS5 0TG

Opening Hours: Monday – Tuesday: 11:00 – 14:00, 17:00 – 21:00, Wednesday – Thursday: 11:00 – 14:00, 16:00 – 21:00, Friday: 17:00 – 20:00; Saturday: 09:00 – 12:00; Sunday: Closed.

Membership prices: From £40 per month.

Struggling in your search to find a Bristol boxing gym? Well, look no further as we present to you the best facility in the city.

Our next entry will surely appeal to a wide selection of people for several variables, making it an easy addition to our shortlist for the best gym in Bristol. Whether you’re looking for a membership that can cater for your guided fitness needs, an MMA facility or a pay-as-you-go gym in Bristol – Personal Combat Training has all fields covered.

Personal Combat Training gym in St Jude’s, Bristol can be a superb choice for your gym membership if you are one of two types of people:

If you are looking for MMA gyms in Bristol and want to participate in as many different martial arts classes as you can, PCT offers an extensive range of combat classes from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Muay Thai and everything in between. The classes hosted by trainers at this MMA gym in Bristol are suitable for both fans of the sports who enjoy taking part in friendly classes, and people who are seeking to expand their skills to potentially competitive levels.

To excel in a martial art, it all boils down to practice and commitment. One piece of equipment that everyone would benefit from, regardless of your chosen art is a punch bag.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a top-class gym with a great range of equipment to train every aspect of your body exactly how you want to, then this fitness gym in Bristol still provides a top contender for your membership as they contain all of the above as well as running strictly fitness classes alongside their combat classes.

Their specialities do not end there, however. PCT offers one of the only facilities for a boxing gym in Bristol, with a particular focus on kickboxing and muay thai. This is not restricted to those with existing knowledge either; whether you are a complete beginner, looking for a relaxed, encouraging atmosphere to start you off on your martial arts journey, or a skilled fighter looking to take your game to the next level, this Bristol boxing gym caters for all.

A gym membership at this Bristol gym comes in multiple forms, starting at just gym access or complete all-inclusive access to gym and classes. What’s more, if you are the type of person who finds that typical gym environments can grow stale after a short while, then you can join classes on a pay-as-you-go basis, varying your workouts as often as you like.

There is something for everyone at this Bristol gym! However, if you’re someone who would prefer to try before you buy, then they even cater for that, too! PCT offers their first session entirely free, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with them if you feel like PCT could be the gym for you.

Pros:

  • Extensive range of combat classes (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, etc.)
  • Suitable for beginners and advanced martial artists
  • Offers both fitness and combat classes
  • Pay-as-you-go options for flexibility
  • First session free
  • Multiple membership options starting from £40/month

Cons:

  • Limited opening hours on Friday and Saturday
  • Location may not appeal to those seeking general fitness over combat training

#8 – Snap Fitness

Cheapest gyms bristol

Location: Whiteladies Road, Clifton Down Shopping Centre, Bristol, BS8 2PH

Opening Hours: 24/7 with staffed hours, which you can find here.

Membership Prices: From £39.99 per month.

If you’re looking for a 24-hour gym in Bristol, then Snap Fitness is a great choice for you. They are a global fitness franchise with over 15 years in the business and branches in 19 different countries, so they know what they’re doing when it comes to providing an exceptional gym experience.

Offering one of the best gyms in Clifton, Bristol, Snap Fitness operates on four key principles that dictate how they do things as a gym:

  • Get fitter faster
  • Get fit your way
  • Get fit when it fits
  • Get it together

Getting fitter faster involves their wearable Myzone heart rate monitors. These exercise peripherals allow you to identify how much of your exercise is taking place in higher heart rate zones, equalling higher outputs in fitness results. You can see these statistics in real-time and therefore can know when to push harder or hold back and recover during your workouts – no more guesswork!

Getting fitter your way means taking advantage of all the equipment and services that Snap Fitness offers, including cardio, strength, and functional training. If you are looking for cardio equipment, their Technogym cardio kit will suit you nicely.

Likewise, feel free to utilise their Olympic lifting rack or free weight selection if you are more focused on your strength training. For functional-based workouts, their TRX functional training apparatus is some of the best around and can help you improve your performance for everyday movements that can become troublesome for the best of us.

Getting fitter when it fits is aptly named due their 24-hour access schedule, meaning that whatever lifestyle you live, Snap Fitness will be there for you when you need them.

Finally, getting fitter together. This aspect of Snap Fitness’ key principles considers the range of group exercise classes that they offer as well as the sense of inclusion and community that they want to drive forwards. These bookable classes run every day at varying times and are free to all members.

With student memberships starting from just £20.75 a month, Snap provides a great option for those looking for a cheap gym in Bristol.

Pros:

  • 24/7 access to the gym
  • Equipped with Technogym cardio kit, Olympic lifting racks, and free weights
  • Offers Myzone heart rate monitors to track fitness progress
  • Group exercise classes included in membership
  • Affordable student memberships starting at £20.75/month

Cons:

  • Limited staffing hours
  • Focus on functional training and high-tech equipment may not appeal to all

#9 – Clifton College Sports and Leisure Centre

Bristol gyms city centre

Location: Guthrie Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3EZ

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 06:30 – 22:00; Saturday: 06:30 – 18:00; Sunday: 08:00 – 20:00. However, you can find the full timetable here.

Membership Prices: From £49.50 per month + £40 admin fee.

Presenting another option for those looking for gyms in Clifton, Bristol is the Clifton College Sports and Leisure Centre.

As a member of the general public, a membership at Clifton College Sports and Leisure Centre could potentially limit your access to certain facilities during school and term times, but the facilities that they offer are great and they are still worth considering if you are looking for a gym in Clifton, Bristol.

Included in your membership at Clifton College is access to their gym area, as well as their swimming pool, and courts for tennis, squash, and badminton.

Their gym operates as a multi-focussed, 40-station fitness room, containing enough equipment for a thorough workout session. They are equipped with high-tech Technogym machines on top of a selection of free weights and extra room for low-impact workouts.

To name a few of the facilities their fitness room is home to:

  • Technogym cardio equipment
  • Strength and resistance equipment
  • Large selection of free-weights
  • Medicine balls
  • Swiss balls
  • Matted abdominal area
  • Wattbike Icons

If you’re new to fitness, or simply looking for more inspiration, here at OriGym we have a variety of training programmes and workout guides that you may find useful.

Clifton College varies the access to their 25m heated indoor swimming pool from adult-only, children’s fun, and open swim sessions – so that all members can happily access the pool when appropriate to satisfy their swimming needs. On top of this, they offer free SWIMTAG technology to members, which enables you to monitor your performance whilst in the pool.

By using this technology, you can monitor your best times, as well as compete in competitions or challenges with other members at the Bristol gym or other SWIMTAG users across the country. No matter who you are or where your ability levels sit, if you want access to a gym in Bristol with a swimming pool then Clifton College has got you covered.

A major benefit of having a membership at this Bristol fitness centre is their range of racquet-sport courts available for members to book at no additional cost. Most other fitness centres in Bristol that offer these facilities require a surplus charge, so to be able to book these courts as a perk included in your membership is a huge bonus.

On offer are:

  • Five indoor badminton courts
  • Five outdoor tennis courts (with a choice between hard surfaces and Astroturf)
  • Three indoor tennis courts
  • Six squash courts.

Some of these facilities are located off-site. For example, their squash courts are located at Bristol Lawn Tennis and Squash Club. Yet this can also have its benefits, as their sauna and bar facilities are available to all Clifton College members.

Family, Joint, Individual, Child and Senior Citizen packages are offered, as well as a discounted membership for students, helping meet the individual needs of all members.

With all that in mind, Clifton College is without a doubt one of the best gyms in Bristol for those looking to improve their lifestyle and overall health.

Pros:

  • Multi-focus gym with Technogym machines and free weights
  • Includes access to tennis, squash, and badminton courts
  • Heated 25m indoor swimming pool with SWIMTAG technology
  • Courts can be booked at no extra cost for members
  • Family, joint, and student membership options available

Cons:

  • Access to facilities may be restricted during school term times
  • Higher membership fee (£49.50/month + £40 admin fee)

#10 – Nuffield Health Fitness and Wellbeing Gym

Bristol gyms city centre

Location: 83 Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1QS

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 06:15 – 22:00; Saturday – Sunday: 08:00 – 20:00

Membership Prices: From £95 per month or £81 a month for off-peak times.

If you have seen any others of our Best Gym shortlists, Nuffield Health is a name you will likely be familiar with, as they are a regular feature when it comes to impressive fitness facilities.

Their Bristol facility, like many of its other venues across the country, is brimming with unique facilities, so many that you’ll be spoilt for choice. Compared to other Bristol gyms, Nuffield Health does offer something for everyone: from training sessions to relaxing pampers, nutritional advice to physiotherapy, and a complete health overview.

For example, the most unique service that all members unlock when committing to a membership is their health MOT. This involves a session with a qualified Nuffield Health Mentor or Wellbeing Personal Trainer who will identify safe ways for you to improve your fitness while considering any health issues that may be highlighted during your MOT.

Blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels, and aerobic fitness are all checked during your MOT. The results of these tests, combined with a questionnaire, provide the basis for your initial set of health goals for your time at Nuffield Health. Included in your membership, your first two health MOT’s per year are free. This is a service that no other gyms in Clifton, Bristol offer.

Of course, there is more to a membership at Nuffield Health than just their health examinations. They offer a large variety of equipment designed to efficiently help you improve your health and fitness in any way that you desire.

Their gym facilities are provided by Technogym, a company that believes in the science behind health improvements. Whether getting fitter for you means increasing cardio levels, strength performance, or functional skills, Technogym’s equipment at Nuffield Health will help you make the most of your hard work.

Nuffield is also a great option for those looking for Bristol gyms with a swimming pool, as it comes kitted out with a heated swimming pool complete with sauna and steam room facilities.

For those who possess a passion for swimming, keeping track of your progress is a great way to ensure you’re heading in the right direction to achieve your goals. Not sure about the best devices for this? Make sure to check out our article on the best swimming trackers to help track your data when you’re finished here.

We haven’t even touched on their range of group classes, or extra services for home workouts that come included in their membership!

There is just so much more we could say about Nuffield Health in Bristol, with all of it positive. If you want to find out for yourself, then seriously consider becoming a member of the best fitness centre in Bristol.

Pros:

  • Includes health MOT sessions with a mentor or personal trainer
  • Offers technology equipment for cardio, strength, and functional training
  • Access to a heated swimming pool, sauna, and steam room
  • A large variety of group classes and extra home workout services
  • Comprehensive health services like physiotherapy and nutrition advice

Cons:

  • Higher membership fees (£95/month or £81 for off-peak times)
  • Premium services may be overkill for those just seeking basic gym access

#11 – Village Gym Bristol

Gym in bristol city centre

Location: Bullfinch Close, Bristol, BS34 6FG

Opening Hours: Peak access is Monday – Friday: 06:00 – 22:00, Weekends: 08:00 – 20:00.

Membership Prices: From £55 per month.

Finding the time to work out around a busy schedule can be challenging and often a good excuse for skipping a session, so finding a gym that has no time restrictionsten a leading factor in fulfilling your goals. 24-hour gyms in Bristol are hard to come by, but we have a great addition right here for you.

After opening its Bristol facility back in 2018, Village Gym Bristol became known for their brand-new and up-to-date equipment, as well as their first-class facilities on offer to members. More than just a gym, they market themselves as a fitness club in Bristol that provides everything you need to jump-start your healthy lifestyle.

For new members, their Smart Start programme will be great for helping you feel comfortable using all their equipment and, with their wellness reviews, ensuring you know as much information about your body as you can and how you can use this information to progress your fitness goals.

When you join the Bristol fitness gym, you will have a complete induction and a confidential half-hour session using Tanita and BodyMATRIX equipment to measure details about your body such as muscle mass, metabolic age, and body fat percentage.

Using this information, alongside your personal fitness goals, you will plan your fitness journey and every six weeks be offered the chance to catch up with your trainer to see how you are progressing.

You will have no problem with attaining your fitness goals while being a member of this Bristol fitness centre. They are one of the only options for 24-hour gyms in Bristol and are available for you whenever you need them.

Besides their gym facilities, they are also one of the few gyms in Bristol with a swimming pool – a heated one at that! What’s more, get a well-rounded pamper following a session – or simply a long day, as your membership comes equipped with full access to a sauna, steam room, and whirlpool.

A unique selling point for the Village 24-hour gym in Bristol is its social facilities. Mirroring the brand’s other venues, on-site you will find a Starbucks, as well as their own Village Pub restaurant which are great options for catching up with friends after your workouts and getting a healthy meal.

What’s more, this Bristol fitness gym comes with an array of membership options and offers, including discounted memberships for the likes of students, corporate memberships and low-cost gym passes.

Village Gym is probably going to be the best gym in Bristol for you if what you are looking for is a premium service with a multitude of facilities that are not on offer at other gyms, or a lifestyle hub where you can not only exercise but also meet friends and socialise.

Pros:

  • Open 24/7 with a variety of modern equipment and facilities
  • Access to a heated swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and whirlpool
  • Includes social facilities like Starbucks and Village Pub restaurant
  • Membership offers include student and corporate discounts
  • Includes a wellness programme and body measurements for progress tracking

Cons:

  • £55/month membership may be steep for some
  • Location and social facilities might not appeal to people looking for purely fitness-focused gyms

#12 – ITS Leisure Ltd

Cheap gym membership bristol

Locations: 23 Wood Road, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 8DT

Opening Hours: Monday & Thursday: 07:00 – 21:00; Tuesday & Wednesday: 08:00 – 21:00; Friday: 08:00 – 19:00; Saturday: 08:00 – 14:00; Sunday: Closed.

Membership Prices: From £30 per month

For many women, mixed-gender gyms can often be an intimidating place – particularly in the weights room. So, if you’re looking for women’s gyms in Bristol, then ITS Leisure is a great choice. At the same time as improving your health and lifestyle, you will also be supporting one of the small independent gyms in Bristol.

More often than not, female-only gyms are usually restricted to a small section within a larger, mixed commercial gym; either that or a really small facility that is often unequipped or comes only with a selection of machines and can limit your workout options.

However, you occasionally come upon a gem of a gym, as is the case with ITS Leisure, a fully equipped ladies-only gym in Bristol with enough room to exercise and still have all the community benefits of joining a female-only gym.

With 25 years of background in the fitness industry, this Bristol gym knows what is important in achieving your fitness goals and has built up an empire based just on that.

This Bristol fitness centre is not only fitted with a great range of cardio and strength machines but also comes with free weight training facilities that make this gym a great choice for a female-only free weight gym in Bristol. This includes:

  • Olympic platforms
  • Multiple benches/stations for squats, lifts, or presses
  • Deadlift Stations
  • Static Weight Machines
  • Dumbbells
  • Kettlebells
  • Weight Plates

Other services ITS Leisure provides are body transformation courses (from £150), a selection of aerobic classes that run every day of the week, as well as the only crèche facility in a ladies-only gym in the South West, staffed by qualified childcare professionals to keep your kids entertained while you work out.

All these features make ITS Leisure a great choice for a ladies-only gym in Bristol. However, on top of all this, they also have their Finnish sauna facilities!

We don’t think you can go wrong with a membership at this Bristol fitness gym, so get in touch with them and start your fitness journey today.

Pros:

  • Women-only gym, creating a comfortable environment for female members
  • Equipped with free weights and strength machines (Olympic platforms, deadlift stations)
  • Offers body transformation courses and aerobic classes
  • Childcare provided with a staffed crèche
  • Includes Finnish sauna facilities

Cons:

  • Limited opening hours, especially on weekends
  • Small, independent gyms, which may lack the variety of larger commercial gyms

#13 – CrossFit Fort Ashton

ay as you go gyms bristol

Location: Baynton Road, Ashton, Bristol, BS3 2EB

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 06:00 – 21:00, Saturday: 08:00 – 14:00, Sunday: 08:30 – 01:30.

Membership Prices: From £50 per month, starting with a basic membership.

Rounding off our list is an entry for those hunting down the best CrossFit gym in Bristol.

It’s 2024. Chances are you probably know all about CrossFit by now. Maybe from someone you know who is a CrossFit member and can’t say enough good things about it?

There’s a reason this cliché is so apt, and it’s because CrossFit fosters such a great community workout environment that is hard not to fall in love with it.

CrossFit Fort Ashton is no different. Their members have only great things to say about one of the best CrossFit gyms in Bristol.

One member wrote: “Be careful!! Fort Ashton is incredibly addictive so come along at your own risk.

“As a newbie, it was nice to walk into my first class with the instructor already knowing my name and welcoming me in.

I was a little worried by all the complex techniques but found that the instructors always  take you through a whole-part-whole breakthrough of what you need to do ensuring that you’ve got the technique spot on.”

Classes are all an hour long, and within them, members will complete a mixture of stretching, skill practice, strength work, and a metabolic conditioning circuit (met-con). Routines and class proceedings will vary from day to day, this is a common practice in the CrossFit world and is what is known as the “WOD” (workout of the day). Every workout can be scaled to each individual, taking into account the current fitness level and capacity of each member.

Though trainers will encourage members to go outside of their comfort zones regularly, they promise to never push people to do something outside of their capabilities.

If you are looking to get more functionally fit and dramatically improve your lifestyle, this may be the best gym in Bristol for you.

At this CrossFit gym in Bristol, you will get to know your fellow members and hopefully develop relationships with them and the trainers that make you want to push yourself harder and, likewise, motivate your peers.

Fort Ashton offers new starters a free taster session so you can get to grips with what exactly CrossFit offers and where it is the right fit for you. Expect intense, functional movements, as well as a great community atmosphere that will be hard to beat.

For those who do worry about how physically challenging CrossFit can be, you can take solace in knowing that this fitness centre in Bristol homes its resident physiotherapist, who is available to treat any niggles or injuries – just in case.

There are a total of three CrossFit gyms in Bristol, however we strongly believe there is nowhere that offers the community, encouragement and knowledge that Fort Ashton does.

Pros:

  • Strong community atmosphere
  • Welcoming instructors providing personalized support
  • Varied classes for all fitness levels
  • Free taster session for newcomers
  • Structured workouts focusing on technique
  • Resident physiotherapist for injury care
  • Encouragement to push limits while respecting abilities

Cons:

  • Membership starts at £50/month, which may be high for some
  • CrossFit can be intimidating for beginners
  • Limited weekend hours (closes at 14:00 on Saturday, 01:30 on Sunday)
  • May not suit those preferring traditional gym experiences

Before You Go!

And there we have it, the 13 best gyms in Bristol. We hope by using our guide you can find a gym membership in Bristol that caters specifically to your fitness requirements and can provide you with the resources to fulfil your exercise goals.

We worked hard to find a variety of facilities that will capture the needs of; whether that be a 24-hour gym in Bristol, CrossFit and MMA centres, climbing hubs or simply a cheap gym in Bristol – we’ve included it all.

Now you’ve found your new Bristol gym membership, have you ever considered reversing the roles and taking up a career that will see you working within a gym environment? Now is your time. Enquire today about our personal training courses in Bristol and land your dream job as a qualified personal trainer.

Alternatively, if you want to hear more about other courses offered here at OriGym, you can download our free course prospectus here.

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13 Best Gyms in Brighton (UK) https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/brighton-gyms/ Wed, 30 Mar 2022 14:30:00 +0000 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/brighton-gyms/ Discover the best gyms in Brighton with OriGym's shortlist of the 13 best gyms in the city. From luxurious leisure centres to more rustic boxing and MMA gyms, Brighton has an option to suit all!

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Looking for new motivation to get back into a routine and need help finding the best gyms in Brighton? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered here at OriGym.

We’ve saved you hours of research time by shortlisting the 13 best gyms that this vibrant city has to offer.

With a new wave of specialist gyms and a health-conscious mindset to boot, whether you’re a swimmer, an indoor cycling fanatic or a yogi, exercise has never been more appealing, and it’s all thanks to these gyms and fitness studios in Brighton.

But before we jump in, have you ever considered turning your passion for fitness into a career where you can inspire others every day to achieve their own goals? Why not take a look at the personal training courses in Brighton that we offer, or download our FREE prospectus here for more information?

#1 – The Gym Brighton (Madeira Drive)

The Gym Group Brighton Exterior

If you’re a night owl or an early bird looking for a cheap gym in Brighton that offers the same quality of a premium fitness club, look no further, The Gym Brighton on Madeira Drive has you covered.

Founded in 2007, The Gym Group is the original provider of high-quality, low-cost gym facilities in the UK. Offering no contract gym memberships, this cheap gym in Brighton is the ideal option for those not want to be tied down to a lengthy contract.

With over 180 pieces of equipment and 40+ free classes every week, this local Brighton gym has everything for you to achieve your fitness goals for an impressively low price.

This central-based facility is another option for those looking for a 24-hour gym in Brighton city centre, a rare find in the city.

Boasting a huge free weights section, thoroughly furnished with olympic lifting platforms, squat racks, plate-loaded equipment and an array of benches and dumbbells, The Gym Brighton provides the perfect setup and equipment for every muscle group.

The Gym Group Interior

Want to take your weight training session to a whole new level and make exercises more challenging for your body? Why not take a look at our post on the Best Weighted Vests To Strengthen Your Upper Body where we provide you with a multitude of options to help you gain more muscle mass through your workouts.

Located right next to SEA LIFE Brighton, The Gym Brighton (Madeira Drive) is just a short power walk from the city centre, making it accessible to all.

Memberships start from £17.99 per month, making this one of the cheapest gyms in Brighton.

For another option from The Gym Group, you can also find The Gym London Road in Brighton for an alternative facility.

Location: Unit 9, The Terraces, Madeira Dr, Brighton BN2 1AY

Opening times: Open 24/7, Hours may vary – Contact gym for more details 

Membership prices: £17.99

#2 – Totalfit Brighton

Total Fit

Totalfit stands out as one of the best gyms in Brighton, offering its members a chance to improve their fitness beyond physical training. Located on New England Street near Brighton Station, Totalfit specialises in small group training and one-on-one personal training. They offer high-intensity workouts of the day and expertly coached Olympic lifting sessions to holistic nutrition coaching.

Totalfit uses a highly effective method in its training programming, helping its members continually progress in their fitness journey by offering goal-setting sessions and celebrating milestones, offering a supportive environment for continuous improvement. This is what makes the Totalfit community atmosphere so unique.

When you train with a personal trainer at Totalfit, you can be sure that their focus is entirely on you. Their trainers offer custom plans and ongoing guidance. This can help you train around any situation be it an injury and work schedule, allowing you to achieve

Group training at Totalfit are challenging and engaging, they offer the most effective fitness methods to prepare you for any physical challenges that you might face. Their expert coaches will make sure you stay safe, have fun, and achieve the results you want.

They also offer nutrition coaching with customised plans and feedback to keep you accountable, helping you to pursue a healthier lifestyle both inside and outside the gym.

Totalfit is not just a gym, they are a community of fitness professionals and enthusiasts that want to help you achieve your goals through an exciting and professional fitness experience.

Address:

The Clarendon Centre, 47 New England St, Brighton BN1 4GQ

Membership Prices:

From £27 per week

Opening Hours:

Monday-Friday: 6:30 am–8 pm

Saturday: 7 am–3 pm

Sunday: Closed

#3 – Belift Gym

BeLift Gyms

Located on Western Road in Brighton and Hove, Belift Gym helps to boost their members’ confidence and fitness abilities through offering personalised strength training programmes.

No matter how much previous experience you may have, the Belift team is happy to help you achieve your fitness goals. Their group sessions are limited to 4 members, allowing you to work with like-minded people whilst also receiving support that feels personalised to your abilities and performance.

As a Belift member, you can make use of their state-of-the-art facilities to take your strength training to the next level! This includes the use of barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells and various workout classes, such as:

  • Squat & Press
  • Deadlift & Push
  • Thrust & Pull
  • Row & Core
  • Conditioning
  • Mobility & Stretch

One great thing about these sessions is that they cater to a variety of goals. Whether you want to focus on full-body strength training or are looking to improve your cardiovascular fitness, there is something for everyone!

New members can benefit from their 28-day trial period which includes a free one-to-one assessment and the chance to attend 12 small personal training group sessions for £169!

Address:

60B Western Rd, Brighton and Hove, Hove BN3 1JD

Membership Prices:

To be disclosed upon enquiry

Opening Hours:

Monday-Thursday: 6 am–7:30 pm

Friday: 6 am–6:30 pm

Saturday: 8 am–12 pm

Sunday: Closed

#4 – Fitness Bar Brighton

Fitness Bar Brighton

Fitness Bar is one the best destinations in Brighton for people who are after personalised training in a supportive gym environment. Their gym is located on Dyke Road and offers a variety of training options to your fitness needs which include 1-2-1 personal training, small group sessions, as well as bespoke programs to help you achieve your goals.

Their experienced team has fitness instructors from the British Army and can help you excel in different areas of fitness including strength training, body shaping, and endurance training. They have small group sessions which allows benefit from the motivational boast you’ll get from working out in a group.

Their member prices include unlimited access to gym facilities and a range of classes such as boxing, yoga, and circuits.

Membership Prices:

Individual Class Pass: £15
One Month Gym-Only Membership: £50
One Month Membership (Includes PT session and gym access): £99
Six Month Membership: £525
Twelve Month Membership: £995

Address: 218 Dyke Road, Brighton BN1 5AA

Opening Times: Contact the gym for more details.

#5 – TheBox Brighton

The Box Brighton

If your fitness goals and interests are more specific and you’re looking for a boxing gym in Brighton, TheBox is the city’s first and only boutique boxing-inspired gym and fitness studio.

With a strict emphasis on their back-to-basics ethos, the Brighton gym insists gimmicks and egos are left at the door so that members can focus on getting a good, old-fashioned sweat on under the guidance of experienced instructors.

Brighton’s boxing gym offers fitness classes with boxing at their heart. You can practice your technique on the bags and pads, or train using your body as a tool to build speed, stamina and strength.

The Box also offer a dedicated 6 week Strength and Conditioning training block, for gym goers of any experience level. Here you can work with trainers to build your strength and improve your confidence!

Their class workout timetables consists of:

  • Box ‘N’ Burn
  • Boxing Rounds
  • Yoga Flow Practice
  • Box ‘N’ Lift
  • Power and Olympic Weightlifting
  • Strength and Conditioning Training
  • Workout of The Week (WOTW) – Expect the Unexpected

A gym of the community, TheBox regularly holds fitness retreats and classes in support of a range of charitable causes, such as the Anthony Nolan charity.

TheBox takes inspiration from boxing to deliver knockout fitness classes. Whether you want to pack a punch or just work up a sweat, they’re sure to have a class for you. If you’re looking to get kitted up before you join, check out our list of the best boxing gloves!

Location: 20 Castle St, Brighton, BN1 2HD

Opening times: Monday-Friday 06:00 – 19:30 / Saturday 08:00 – 11:00 / Sunday  09:00 – 11:00

Membership prices: Unlimited Monthly £85 month

#6 – Platinum Health and Fitness

Platinum Health Fitness Brighton

If you’re looking for a local, independent gym in Brighton, then Platinum Health and Fitness is a great choice.

Situated in Newhaven, just outside of Brighton, Platinum is a premium gym with all of the state-of-the-art equipment that any gym enthusiast could ever want

Their spacious free weights area makes this Brighton gym a weightlifter’s dream, with a full rack of dumbbells up to 80kg, fixed barbells up to 60kg, and 8 Olympic lifting barbells.

They also have 6 adjustable weight benches, 3 flat benches, 3 incline benches, and 1 decline bench for all your pressing needs.

If this wasn’t enough, Platinum Health and Fitness also features over 25 strength machines, alongside plenty of machines for cardio bunnies, including:

  • Exercise bikes
  • Running machines
  • Cross trainers
  • Steppers
  • Spin bikes

Want to relax and unwind after your workout? Platinum has got you covered, with its sauna and selection of sunbeds, which range from just £2.50 to £30 for 60 minutes.

As well as an expert group of personal trainers, their classes are open to members and non-members, including a Platinum boot camp led by qualified PT Max Freeman twice a week.

If you think you may be interested, but don’t want to commit yet to just one gym in Brighton, then the good news is that Platinum offers a free 3-day pass when you sign up on their website.

Location: 8 Trafalgar House, Quarry Road, BN9 9DD

Opening Times: Monday-Friday 05:00-22:00/ Saturday 06:00-20:00/ Sunday and Holidays 07:00-18:00

Membership Prices: Starting at £38 per month

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#7 – PHX Gym (Brighton)

PHX Gyms in Brighton

PHX Gym is one of Brighton’s best gyms. It operates over 12,000 sq ft at Sussex House which is only a ten-minute walk from Brighton Retail Park.

The gym is kitted out with all you need to achieve your fitness goals including cardio and functional areas, as well as a full range of cable attachments.

Along with these fantastic features PHX Gym also contains over 80 pieces of equipment, including:

  • Treadmills
  • Stair master
  • Cross trainer
  • Kettlebells
  • Rowing machine
  • Medicine Balls
  • SkiErg
  • Sledge

After your workout, you can visit their juice bar to build up their electrolytes or visit their nutrition and supplements shop to top on your essentials.

In between gym sessions, you can take advantage of their luxury facilities including a unisex hair salon, treatment room, and tanning station

If you want to make PHX Gym your next fitness home, you can do so by signing up for one of the many membership options they have available.

When you become a member you’ll be joining a gym that creates a positive training experience with staff who are ready to support you.

Location: Sussex House, Crowhurst Rd, Hollingbury, Brighton BN1 8AF

Opening Times: Monday-Friday 05:00-22:00/ Saturday 06:00-20:00/ Sunday and Holidays 07:00-20:00

Membership Prices: Starting at £30 per month

#8 – DW Fitness First Brighton

DW Fitness First Brighton

The city’s DW Fitness First is worthy of being considered one of the best gyms in Brighton.

With over 44 fitness clubs and one of the most respected names around, it’s safe to say that they know what the people want, and this gym in Brighton is no exception.

Situated less than 300ft from the main station, this city centre gym in Brighton is in the ideal location for commuters, university students and locals and is easily accessible for those further into the city.

Like the brands other facilities, DW Fitness First Brighton boasts an impressive low-light spin studio, where class participants will receive the benefit of a world-class sound system kicking out high-energy music. If you’ve been a long-standing member of your weekly spin class and have toyed with the idea of becoming an instructor yourself, go and check out our How To Become a Spin Instructor Guide where we dive into the exact process you need to follow to become an instructor under the Spin trademark.

Exclusive to DW Fitness First, members can take advantage of the intelligent iPoint technology which can be found dotted around the gym facilities. The interactive touch screens allow members to access expert advice, information and knowledge to ensure they make the most out of their workouts. Members can also access studio timetables, class rotas, personal trainer information and workout inspiration and muscle group particulars from The iPoint zone.

In addition to those great features, Fitness First Brighton also brags the contents of:

  • Resistance equipment
  • Free weights
  • Sauna
  • Lounge room
  • Beauty room

For those who feel motivated when training alongside a friend, the FitX membership caters exclusively to your needs. With a FIT X membership, you can bring a friend to train with you at any DW Fitness First First club for free every Friday!

Location: 78-81 Queens Rd, Brighton, BN1 3XE

Opening times: Monday-Friday 06:30 – 20:00 / Saturday-Sunday 08:00 – 16:00

Membership prices: Starting from £42 per month

#9 – The Circle Studio

The Circle Studio

The Circle is a unique multi-discipline health & wellbeing centre in Brighton that aims to deliver everything members need for total fitness of not only the mind but the body also. A unique concept that is like no other in the area.

The Circle is made up of multiple fitness studios, a gym, complementary therapies, osteopathy and a variety of holistic treatments including massage, acupuncture, ayurvedic consultation diets and mindfulness.

The centre also offers a range of food and nutrition workshops, talks and classes to educate members on how eating healthily and properly can change the overall health of your mind and body.

With numerous of the venue’s studios facing out to a beautiful sea view, The Circle provides the perfect scenery to connect with your mind and put your well-being first.

The Circle sets out to provide effective and fun fitness classes and courses that everyone and anyone can get involved in. You can read all about the major benefits of group training here. 

To ensure it stays ahead of the game, this Brighton mindfulness and wellbeing studio is hot on keeping up to date with any new fitness and wellbeing trends and regularly updates its programmes. They’re always looking for new opportunities to provide their members with motivating ways to become and stay active, healthy and fit.

Their spacious six studios and portfolio of over 30 expert instructors allow the Brighton gym to hold an impressive 100+ classes a week, including Spin, Step, BodyPump, Body Combat, Zumba, Boxercise and a range of Yoga class offerings including an interesting aerial yoga option.

Location: The Circle Arts Centre, 55 North Street, Portslade, BN41 1DH

Opening times: Times depend on class timetable, contact the studio for more details

Membership prices: To be disclosed upon enquiry

Discounted memberships available for students/juniors

#10 – Fitnesshub Brighton 

fitness hub Brighton

If you’re looking for a premium gym in Brighton, Fitness Hub Brighton offers a bespoke training facility fully equipped with a wide range of free weights, fixed strength and exceptional functional equipment, making it a brainless pick for one of the best gyms in Brighton.

Specifically catered towards one-to-one personal training sessions and fitness classes, their bespoke membership led to the Brighton gym bringing home the winner of The Argus’ Best Gym In Sussex 2019,

Located in the heart of Brighton, sitting just next to the main train station, the stylish, fully equipped gym studio offers members the best quality personal training, fitness classes and full gym membership with the addition of onsite sports massage therapy.

The classes this Brighton gym has to offer are designed to give all fitness levels a full body workout with each trainer using their knowledge to ensure everyone is pushed to their limits properly, there is even a women-only class designed to condition and train the full body,

For those not necessarily looking to take part in the Fitnesshub’s classes or personal training sessions but still wanting to utilise this amazing space, you’re not out of luck, as you can still take advantage of the Brighton city centre gym’s facilities with a standard gym membership that will cost you just £37.50 a month.

With this membership, you’ll have access to:

  • Running machine
  • Rowing machines
  • Spin Bike
  • Ski Erg
  • Free weights
  • Fixed machines
  • Boxing
  • Kettlebells
  • Functional Area

Location: Units 5-6, Circus Parade, New England Road, Brighton, BN1 4GW

Membership prices: From £50 / month

#11 – Fitlab Hove

best gym in brighton

Looking for a big gym with small prices in Brighton? Why not try a gym that bases its entire philosophy around just that?

Fitlab Hove is deemed one of the best gyms in Brighton and Hove, offering a premier fitness facility that proudly provides its members with friendly and knowledgeable advice, impressive fitness facilities, unrivalled strength training and functional training.

Divided over four floors, this independent Brighton gym challenges the monotony of other gyms by providing separate training areas for each muscle group, as well as being the homeland of one of the only private female-only gyms in Brighton. It has long been a popular pick for bodybuilding gyms in Brighton.

The Brighton gym has also introduced the addition of a brand new climbing wall that offers auto belay systems for those less confident but up for the challenge of a climb!

Fitlab Gym believes that health and fitness should be available to everyone and with that belief comes non-contractual affordable memberships starting at £31.50. However, it is important to note that allowing your body to recover after strenuous sessions is vital to your health and achieving the best results.

Make sure to check out our advice on the importance of rest days and how many you should take specific to your form of training. Fitlab Gym also offers a PAYG option for when you just want a dose of no frills fitness, starting at £5 for a singular visit and £18 for a week.

Location: King Alfred Leisure Centre, Kingsway, Hove BN3 2WW

Opening times: Monday-Friday 06:00 – 22:00 / Saturday 08:00 – 16:00 / Sunday 10:00 – 14:00

Membership prices: From £31.50 / month

#12 – The Green Gym Group

Green Gym Group

If you’re looking for a cheap gym in Brighton that not only helps save you money but also helps save the planet, then The Green Gym is a no-brainer.

At the Green Gym Group, known locally as Eco Gym Brighton, they believe that taking care of your health should not come at the expense of the planet. Through the use of their top of the range SportsArt and ECO-POWR Cardio equipment, including the world’s first energy-producing treadmill, they harness the power of your workout and convert it into clean reusable electricity, with 74% of energy used at the Brighton gym being fed back into the grid.

A single workout on any of their ECO-POWR machines can produce up to 200 watts per hour of electricity and a full “green circuit” of equipment could generate 2000 watts per hour – the equivalent of running a washing machine for six hours.

The entire SportsArt range can be found at Eco Gym Brighton, comprising of:

  • “Verde” treadmill
  • Elliptical
  • Upright cycle
  • Recumbent cycle
  • Indoor cycle
  • “Verso” cross trainer.

All apparatus from the range can be connected to create a “green circuit” within any existing facility with wi-fi that allows the user to track their workout and the energy they’ve generated through the free SportsArt WELL+ app.

Additionally to the gym facilities, members can also try out a range of classes and activities such as: yoga, gym, climbing, dance and much more – all included with a membership that doesn’t cost you the Earth.

Not to mention, the group actively promotes and participates in beach cleans with members and corporate sponsors. Why not better the planet’s health whilst bettering your own?

Don’t let your energy go to waste, sign up with Eco Gym Brighton!

Location: 39 – 40 St James’s St, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1RG

Opening times: Monday-Sunday 06:00 – 22:00

Membership prices: From £24.95 month

#13 – Withdean Sports Complex

Withdean Sports Complex

If you prefer the environment of a traditional, old-school leisure centre, then we’ve got just the facility for you.

One of the largest fitness facilities in Brighton, Withdean Sports Complex is one of the best in Sussex and is packed full of the very latest equipment powered by Lifefitness and TechnoGym, including Skillmills by Technogym – the only centre in Brighton to have them!

With 100+ individual stations, Olympic lifting platforms and very large free weights and functional training areas this Brighton leisure centre doesn’t disappoint.

On hand are a team of highly trained exercise consultants with PT available for those looking to get the most out of their workout or step it up a gear.

In addition, this centre has:

  • 200+ classes per week
  • Indoor cycling studio with MyRide function
  • Exercise ref scheme
  • Kids  Creche
  • Squash courts
  • Outdoor tennis courts
  • Large outdoor track
  • Indoor climbing wall
  • Free parking

Further facilities available for gym users include a fitness studio for group exercise classes. A range of energetic and relaxing sessions are available from Body Pump and Synergy Circuits to Yoga and Zumba.

The Brighton Leisure Centre boasts an admirable number of reviews from customers across all social media channels. Many point to the spaciousness and cleanliness of the gym, with plenty of equipment available even at busy times and there are also countless mentions of the hospitality and friendly atmosphere staff create for its members.

Location: Tongdean Lane, Brighton BN1 5JD

Opening times: Monday–Friday 06:00 – 22:00 / Saturday–Sunday 07:00 – 16:00

Membership prices: Available upon request

Discounted memberships available for students, juniors and seniors

Before You Go!

As this concludes our list of the best gyms in Brighton (UK), we hope we’ve made your decision easier and you can now select the right gym for you with confidence.

Interested in making a start on your own fitness career? If so, check out OriGym’s personal training courses in Brighton or download our course prospectus for more information

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17 Best Women’s Triathlon Suits Of 2025 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/womens-triathlon-suits/ Wed, 02 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/womens-triathlon-suits/ Are you looking for the best women's triathlon suits in the UK? OriGym have listed the best products out there, from top names like Orca, Decathlon and TYR (2024).

The post 17 Best Women’s Triathlon Suits Of 2025 appeared first on OriGym Centre of Excellence.

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When you’re doing a triathlon; a race which involves a swim, a cycle and a run – you don’t want to be wasting time changing outfits between each stage, and that’s where the women’s tri suit comes into play.

As the only piece of apparel that sticks with you for every step of the way, the tri suit is a fundamental piece of triathlon gear, so it’s important that you choose one that’s right for you.

Through our extensive research, we have analysed all the women’s tri suit reviews floating around the internet, weighed up the pros and cons of all that’s on offer out there, and come to a shortlist of 17 products in the hopes that you can find the best women’s triathlon suit to compliment your needs.

Whether you want a sleeved or sleeveless option, bright colours or minimal designs, we’ve got every option imaginable on our list! Make sure to read our FAQs at the end of the article for more information about tri suits for women.

Before we jump right in, if you’re interested in a career in fitness, why not take a look at our L3 Personal Trainer Diploma, or download our FREE prospectus here before you carry on reading?

#1 – RunBreeze Women’s Triathlon Suit

Price: £39.99

RunBreeze ladies tri suit uk

The Runbreeze holds an impressive 4.5/5 star rating on Amazon from a staggering 354 satisfied customers. Better still, it’s the cheapest women’s triathlon suit on the list, and it’s rare to find quality like this for such a low price. If those reviews aren’t enough to convince you, let’s take a closer look at why it’s so popular.

Quite simply, this budget women tri suit comes loaded with impressive features. It offers some of the highest UPF protection you’ll find, at 50+, so it’s perfect for long distance runners who are exposed to the sun for large periods of time.

Crafted with quick-drying fabric, you won’t be slowed down by excess water after the swimming segment and what’s more, this women’s triathlon suit is even chlorine proofed for training in the pool. To help further your training for the swimming element, why not check out our guide on the best swimming trackers to track your data.

The RunBreeze is, of course, designed with slick aerodynamics in mind. This tri suit for women moulds to your body as you move, providing excellent muscle support while keeping your body streamlined through every part of the race. Even the pockets have been positioned on the back of the suit so that they won’t disrupt your streamlined profile.

The attention to detail here is frankly incredible. The padding of the crotch area is designed to add comfort during the cycle section, but it’s hypoallergenic too, a feature rarely seen in other suits. It’s no wonder that this triathlon suit for women offers such quality, because RunBreeze put it through extensive testing with professional athletes in real life situations.

If you’ve read a range of other women’s tri suit reviews, you’ll know that a rating this high, and from so many customers, is extremely uncommon. In the case of the RunBreeze though, it’s fully deserved, and we can’t recommend this triathlon women’s suit enough.

#2 – Orca Core Race Suit

Price: £99

orca core tri suit for women

The Core Race Suit isn’t the only Orca ladies tri suit (UK) to make the list, and it’s slightly more affordable than the 226 we mention further down the list.

Anybody with an eye on the environment and sustainability will love this triathlon women’s suit. The fabric is made from 80% recycled nylon, and in addition to that, it is also long lasting. Increased durability means that you can use the suit for much longer, and won’t need to generate waste by buying a new one.

As a result, the Core is by far the most eco-friendly ladies triathlon suit on the list, but its appeal stretches way beyond just that. The emphasis here is on comfort and aerodynamics, and this shows through with every design choice.

Its patented aquastretch fabric is light and provides top of the range moisture management. As well as that, this triathlon suit for ladies is coated in water repellent for the swim section, and the fabric is designed to wick sweat fast.

A mesh back panel increases breathability even more, and gives the suit a stylish, futuristic look which we really liked. Throw in spacious back pockets and sun protection, and you’ve got a suit capable of seeing you through even the most gruelling race.

The chamois (the small padded area in a triathlon suit’s short area) deserves a special mention; 6mm thick with an impressive density of 120kg, this impressive feature ensures maximum comfort during the cycle and you will barely notice it in the remainder of the race.

If you’re searching for a good all round women tri suit which is as kind to the environment as it is to you, then you can’t go wrong here.

#3 – Aptonia SD Sleeveless Tri Suit

Price: £29.99 (Currently reduced to £14.99)

decathlon best triathlon suit for women

Not every beginner wants to plunge in at the deep end and spend over £100 on a triathlon suit designed for gruelling, long distance races that they might never even attempt.

A more casual athlete will almost certainly benefit from a lower cost suit capable of seeing them through a standard race, whilst still offering all the protection they need without breaking the bank.

This black and pink triathlon suit in the women’s range from Decathlon comes with all the features you might expect from a higher end suit. The fabric is quick drying to speed you up during the transition from swim to cycle, and there’s moisture management in the form of mesh; this helps sweat evaporate much faster, and helps you shed any excess water from the swim.

There is, of course, a foam pad for added comfort during the cycle, but it’s nice and thin so guarantees to not impede your progress during the rest of the rest.

We know that there can be problems with sizing when buying from stores based outside the UK. Anyone searching for tri suit women’s UK sizing will be pleased to find that the Aptonia is stocked widely in the UK, and based on women’s tri suit reviews online, the suit comes true to size.

We love this triathlon suit for women because it proves that triathlons can be accessible to all, regardless of their budget. We can’t commend Aptonia enough for their work.

These suits are a common sight in a women’s triathlon suit sale, so you might be able to secure an even lower price if you get your timing right!

#4 – Orca 226 Race Suit

Price: £129.00

orca perform race tri suit womens uk

As previously mentioned, Orca is a popular name amongst triathletes and athletes alike, so our list wouldn’t be complete with just one triathlon suit for ladies from the brand.

The Orca 226 women’s tri suit prides itself on its unique Stretchskin fabric, which brings a number of benefits. The core principle is that the suit moulds perfectly to your body, almost like a second skin, and adjusts with your every movement. It balances comfort with support, and this feature alone assures the Orca 226’s position on the list.

Stretchskin helps to create a slim and streamlined profile, perfect for aerodynamics, as well as providing muscle compression. Any triathlete will know about the importance of good compression, which promotes oxygen transfer to the muscles, and in turn helps to reduce the build up of painful lactic acid.

The features don’t end there though. This Orca 226 women’s tri suit is made of quick drying fabric, and the Italian weave in the chamois is exceptionally comfortable during the cycle, but never gets in the way during the run or swim. Crafted with laser cutting and thermo sealing helping with temperature moderation, and we were big fans of the nanocrystal technology that wicks away sweat.

Pockets on the back of the suit and a reflective design for added nighttime visibly sweeten the deal still further. This is a women’s tri suit that really has got every base covered. We think it’s perfectly suited for triathlons of any distance, as well as for training. Whatever you choose, you’re bound to get a lot of performance from the Orca 226, and all for a price that doesn’t break the bank.

#5 – Pearl iZumi Women’s Select Pursuit

Price: £34.38

pearl izumi tyr womens tri suit

No list exploring the best women’s triathlon suit would be complete without giving Pearl iZumi a mention. Pearl is one of the biggest and most respected triathlon brands in the world, and this is a tri suit women will love for its many benefits, comfortable fit and focus on high performance.

The two biggest areas of interest for triathletes are breathability and moisture management, and we think this triathlon women’s suit is industry leading in both categories. The Select Transfer Dry fabric decreases the transition time between swim and cycle by wicking moisture fast. You won’t find yourself bogged down with excess water, and the fabric is great at helping sweat evaporate too.

The Select Pursuit also features a separate bra top, making it much easier to take the suit on and off as well as adding extra support. We love how lightweight the fabric is, and the chamois is especially comfortable. It’s flexible and soft, but also offers brilliant support for the cycle and, like the rest of the suit, it’s quick dry.

The stretch fabric offers some brilliant compression, and a variety of features have been added to prevent chafing, including silicone leg grips and extra wide arm holes. You won’t be uncomfortable at any point in this women’s tri suit, and nor will you lack storage space; the pocket on the rear of the suit is vast and easy access, perfect for storing gels and energy bars.

This is a triathlon suit women will love for it’s attention to detail. From breathability to the moisture management and anti-chafing features, it feels like everything has been engineered to provide you with maximum comfort and performance.

With a brand like Pearl iZumi, none of this comes as much of a surprise. All of their suits are worth a look, but we think this is their best offering to date.

#6 – Zoot Sports Women’s Ultra Aero

Price: £275.00

zoot aero best womens triathlon suit

Another famous and well respected brand amongst sportspeople, Zoot has designed the perfect tri suit for women with aerodynamics at the forefront of their production.

This triathlon women’s suit comes with unique Aero fabric that has undergone extensive wind tunnel testing to ensure that it delivers top performance. The result is a fabric which reduces wind resistance and drag, and, quite simply, helps you go faster.

The new fabric is fascinating, and Zoot was inspired by the dimple design of golf balls, which fly through the air unimpeded. They placed these dimples at critical points on the triathlon women’s suit to reduce the vortex of air which is generated behind an athlete. The result is less drag, saved watts, greater efficiency and faster times.

If this all sounds like science fiction, that’s because Zoot has been pushing the boundaries of athletic equipment for years, and this women’s triathlon suit represents the latest innovation.

Of course, you’ll also find a variety of other features including stretch mesh for moisture management and durability, grippers for better compression and next-to-skin-stitching for comfort and streamlining.

A triathlon takes on average three hours, therefore, you need to ensure you’re providing your  body with the correct amount of nutrients and boosters to keep your body energised for the entire duration. Make sure to check out our guide on the best hydration tablets to fuel your body.

If you’re looking for a tri suit for women which allows you to keep your possessions with you during the race, then this Zoot suit provides specifically for that.

We loved the huge centre back pocket, which Zoot describes as “kangaroo style,” and there’s certainly enough room for all your gels and bars. A full length front zipper makes mid race bathroom stops that bit easier, and the traditional chamois has undergone a bit of a redesign too.

The Carbon Free-Edge is much more comfortable, and Zoot promises comfort up to six hours in the aero position.

Anyone searching for a triathlon suit for women’s will be blown away by the technological advances on offer here, but Zoot also does the basics incredibly well.

#7 – 2XU Women’s Active Tri Suit

Price: £85.00

2xu Active women's triathlon suit

2XU specialises in high quality triathlon suits which draw on the apparel of elite and world beating athletes. Their equipment is top class, and their tri suit for women’s version is no different.

We chose the Active ladies tri suit for our shortlist because we think it’s the best compromise between quality and price. It comes with all the features of some of the more expensive 2XU suits, but at a much more affordable price.

As you might expect from 2XU, this women’s triathlon suit comes with a lot of features, nearly too many to list. Of special interest is the fabric itself, which combines elastane with high-lament nylon. The result is what 2XU calls Skin Lite. It’s lightweight and moulds to the body, and excels in hot conditions where it will manage your temperature brilliantly.

The lower section of the suit is all about compression, and boosting circulation to the muscles. This helps decrease lactic acid, increases endurance and shortens recovery time. We loved how the lower portion of the suit moves with the body in perfect sync, providing support but never feeling uncomfortable.

Moisture management is the name of the game with the chamois on this women’s tri suit. It provides excellent support during the cycle but you’ll hardly notice it during the run.

Overall, this suit represents an excellent balance of comfort and support, quality and price. We would certainly recommend it for beginners, but more advanced triathletes will benefit too.

#8 – Wyn Republic Tri Classics Sleeveless Suit

Price: £219.00

wyn republic triathlon suit for women

It’s possible that you haven’t heard of Wyn Republic, but they’re increasing their presence in the world of triathlon and their gear has a reputation for being subtly stylish as well as high quality.

We love the smart styling of the Classics, and Wyn Republic’s bear logo really sets the design off. It’s great to see a triathlon suit for ladies that ups the ante in the fashion stakes, and this triathlon women’s suit represents a nice departure from many of the other, purely functional offerings.

Of course, it has a lot of substance to go with the style. The emphasis is on breathability and comfort, and the Italian fabric feels exceptionally soft against the skin, with no sign of any chafing. It’s the perfect tri suit for women who want high performance but don’t want to sacrifice comfort during longer races.

The fabric is quick dry, and vents facilitate better airflow and breathability, as well as helping moisture to evaporate much more quickly. The special 3mm chamois even comes with draining holes to smooth out the transition from the swim, and the suit offers UPF protection of 35+.

On such a strenuous race, it is crucial to your physical health that you keep on top of your hydration at all times. Go and take a look at our favourite water bottles catered specifically to match the needs of runners and athletes alike.

Wyn Republic is making the transition to an eco-friendly company, and is part of the worldwide 1% for the planet, whereby companies donate at least 1% of their profits to environmentally friendly causes. They’re an American company, but if you’re looking for ladies tri suit UK delivery, you’ll be pleased to find that shipping rates are reasonable and delivery is prompt.


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#9 – ROKA Generation II Women’s Elite Aero 

Price: £255

ROKA womens tri suit

It’s certainly not the cheapest women’s tri suit on the market, but you get what you pay for. In this case, that’s potentially the most advanced tri suit for ladies that you’ll find anywhere, from a company with a fearsome reputation for innovation and success. The suit itself looks like something from the future, and it performs like that too – trust us, it appears in virtually all tri suit women’s reviews.

ROKA has drawn on a huge number of influences for this women’s tri suit, including time spent in wind tunnels working on aerodynamics, feedback from professional athletes, and the performance of their Pro Cycling Collection. The result is a suit which ticks every single box. If you’ve got the money to spend and feel like making an investment in your athletic pursuits, then you won’t be disappointed.

Sleeves are laser cut and strategically taped to max out your aerodynamic advantage without sacrificing comfort. There’s huge amounts of core support from the special Schoeller Eschler carbon knit on the front panels, which also provides efficient temperature control.

The chamois contours to your body, and even the pockets have undergone extensive testing. They’re designed to be easy to reach and safe, and positioned so as not to upset the aerodynamics of the suit.

While some suits are designed with specific distances in mind, ROKA’s women triathlon suit is perfect for anything from a short distance race to a full length Ironwoman challenge. We could go on, but if you want a high quality suit that feels like the future, look no further.

#10 – TYR Women’s Competitor Tri Suit

Price: £109.99

TYR Competitor ladies triathlon suit

TYR routinely produces some of the best triathlon gear in the world, so it’s no wonder that so many athletes search specifically for a new TYR women’s tri suit.

Competition is stiff amongst the various suits on offer, but we think the Competitor wins due to its emphasis on compression and blood flow, which can really make the difference in a longer race.

The TYR women’s tri suit is made using the brand’s personal patented Competitor fabric, which comes with special compression webbing. The webbing boosts blood flow to your muscles, thereby increasing oxygen levels and helping prevent the buildup of lactic acid. This in turn means that you’ll be able to perform at a higher level, increase your endurance and shorten your recovery time.

These are bold claims, but TYR describes this triathlon women’s suit as going beyond “the bounds of apparel.” It’s capable of lifting your performance above that of standard gear. We particularly liked the built in amp pad, which is designed to absorb your weight in the aero position. Better still, it’s so discrete that you’ll barely feel it, and it keeps your movements nice and unrestricted.

Throw in quick drying moisture management, spacious back pockets and an impressive 11” front zipper, and you’ve got a suit which will benefit athletes of all levels. Anyone who has already read up on tri suit women’s reviews will already be familiar with TYR, and while they do offer a lot of suits, we think this is their finest work.

#11 – Sugoi RPM Tri Suit

Price: £140.00

sugoi RPM triathlon suit women

Another regular face on tri suit women’s reviews is this favourite from Sugoi.

The RPM enjoys the prestigious honour of coming with the most up to date chamois in the world. It’s called the TriLite 3, and it emphasises comfort and support, so your movements will be unrestricted but your muscles will still be getting the lift that they need. The TriLite 3 is super lightweight too, so you’ll hardly notice its presence.

This women’s tri suit is about much more than just the chamois though, and you’ll find plenty to love elsewhere too. The combination of Triflex and Speed Mesh moulds nicely to the body and doesn’t sag in water. It’s extremely lightweight and there’s a good amount of ventilation through the back.

The RPM really excels in the moisture transfer department, so you’ll be able to speed up your transitions after the swim. There are no worries about the buildup of sweat either, which wicks quickly due to the mesh and the breathability of the fabric.

With 30+ UPF sun protection, it’s safe to say that this triathlon suit for women will see you through all kinds of races in all kinds of different weather conditions.

The two spacious rear pockets are a great addition, and you’ll have no problem fitting your essentials in. Sugoi might not be as well known as some of the other brands on this list, but their triathlon suit women’s edition is a high performer. We recommend it especially to beginners who might not be sure which suit to buy, and are looking for something that covers all bases well.

#12 – Betty Designs World Champion 3.0

Price: £249.99

BETTY DESIGNS tri suit women

If you want to stand out from the crowd, look no further than Betty Designs.

The company specialises in bright and vibrant designs full of colour and bold patterns. They’re already starting to make a big splash on social media with their eye catching apparel, so this is certainly a company to keep an eye on for the future.

We’ve chosen the World Champion 3.0 Women’s Triathlon Suit in part because we love the design. The black background with skull and flower prints is striking on its own, and Betty Designs has added a series of multicoloured stripes across the chest, back and sleeves, ensuring that you’ll stand out from the crowd.

There’s plenty going on beneath the surface too, not least the special Raceflow fabric. It’s highly breathable while providing fantastic levels of compression to keep your circulation up. Acqua Zero Lite fabric gives this women tri suit its moisture management credentials, and it’s one of the fastest drying suits on the market.

The chamois is lightweight and antimicrobial to offset the risk of saddle sores during longer rides, and two back pockets provide all the storage that you’ll need. The stylish design may be a touch on the expensive side for some, but you can always wait for a ladies tri suit sale and try to grab a bargain.

When making the decision to sign up for your first triathlon, or any race at that, it is crucial you do as much research and preparation as possible – as going into one of these events untrained can cause deterimental effects to your health. Make sure you give our ultimate guide on outdoor training a read before jumping straight in.

Anybody searching for a ladies tri suit in the UK with real flair will absolutely love the World Champion 3.0, but don’t mistake it for a case of style over substance. There are enough features here to keep even triathlon veterans happy.

#13 – dhb Hydron Women’s Sleeveless

Price: £55.00

dnb ladies tri suit

dhb is another leading brand in the sportswear department, so if you’re looking for the best women’s triathlon suit, they’ve got it covered.

Their apparel is popular with athletes of all levels, and we’ve chosen the Hyrdon for the list because of it’s all round appeal. It does everything well, and anyone searching for a dhb women’s tri suit but feeling overwhelmed by the amount of choice, will find that the Hydron represents the best of dhb.

It does so at an affordable price too, which is somewhat surprising considering how advanced this women’s triathlon suit is. There’s 50+ UV protection, flat locked stitching and brilliant elastic leg grippers that strike a balance between comfort and support.

The special VITA fabric in this black and pink triathlon suit is probably the biggest draw. It comes with a number of benefits, not least the fact that it’s 25% thinner than other fabrics and also much softer, so you’ll always be comfortable even during gruelling races. Better still, it’s quick drying and resistant to chlorine, and VITA holds its shape better than other fabrics, so the suit is much more durable.

We loved the fit of this dhb women’s tri suit; it moulds to the body and offers fantastic compression without feeling tight or uncomfortable. This is mostly down to the VITA fabric, but dhb has done a great job with the fit. It really is one of the most comfortable suits on the list.

dhb suggests that the Hyrdon women triathlon suit is suitable for athletes of all levels, from enthusiasts right up to seasoned veterans. With its many features and all round strong performance, we can’t help but agree. This is a triathlon suit for ladies that really does tick all of the boxes.

#14 – Xenon Full Suit

Price: £70.00

speedo xenon speedo tri suit women's

The Xenon is another great all round ladies triathlon suit, perfect for any distance and comes equipped with enough features to cover all your needs.

This suit, from the Speedo tri suit women’s range, has the appealing addition of a silver treated TRI pad. The silver treatment works an antimicrobial effect which reduces odours over the long term.

There’s also integrated bra support, and we especially liked the silicone leg grippers. They offer a secure grip without being too tight, and the bonded leg hem helps with chafing. That said, the biggest draw is certainly the Endurance 10 fabric. It stretches with your muscles, so you’ll never feel restricted as you race.

This black and pink triathlon suit in the women’s range comes with a few other benefits too; the fabric is more resistant to chlorine than standard elastane, and it’s great at wicking sweat. You’ll also benefit from the mesh on the chest and back, boosting ventilation even more. As the fabric moves with the body, it provides excellent compression, and all the added bonuses of increased circulation, better oxygenation and boosted endurance.

The Xenon is much more affordable than some of the other entries on the list, and given its strong all round credentials we think it’s an absolutely perfect first suit. Anybody looking in the Speedo tri suit for the women’s department will be pleased to find the Xenon there, so you’ll get all the added benefits of secure shopping, fast delivery and trusted service.

#15 – Huub Women’s Long Course Aura Top and Shorts

Prices: Top: £79.99 , Shorts: £79.99

HUUB 2 piece tri suit womens

For longer distance runners, we would highly recommend investing in a two piece tri suit; deemed to be a much more practical option that makes breaks during the race faster and easier.

Although designed with longer races in mind, we’re sure that anyone looking for a Huub tri suit (women’s version) will be more than happy with the top and shorts combo on offer here. One piece suits might be in vogue at the moment, but the classic two piece is far from dead, especially with this 2 piece tri suit in the women’s range.

A shorts and top combination still holds quite a few advantages over its more modern cousin, not least in terms of comfort. They’re far less restrictive, and tend to hold less heat than a one piece. Air flows much more easily, ventilation is better, and there’s usually more storage space – it is surprising that more people aren’t sold by a two piece tri suit for ladies.

It’s great news, then, that Huub has put so much work into developing a 2 piece tri suit women’s UK version. The Aura comes with all the benefits of a one piece, including the much sought after Coldback temperature management system. The fabric is heat reflective and offers UPF 30 protection. Since two pieces are usually cooler anyway, this is a big deal.

There’s a female specific chamois, mesh panels for added ventilation, and the sleeveless design helps you glide through the water during the swim section. The shorts in this Huub tri suit (women’s version) offer all the same benefits, as well as a low slung waistband for additional comfort.

Anyone who thinks the two piece tri suit is in danger of becoming obsolete, or can’t offer the same benefits as the more modern one piece, should take a look at the Aura. It’s comfortable, breathable, and durable enough to see you through races of any distance. If you’re searching for a two piece tri suit ladies design, then you won’t be disappointed.

#16 – Zone 3 Activate Plus

Price: £84.00

zone 3 triathlon womens suit

Zone 3 has enjoyed tremendous success in the triathlon suit for ladies market, scooping prestigious awards in 2016 and 2017.

They’ve continued to build on that success since, and the Active Plus is the culmination of years of evolution. This is a mid range suit, so it won’t break the bank, but it comes with enough features to elevate it high above the field of other similarly priced pieces of apparel.

It’s the perfect suit for anyone who puts breathability and sweat control at the top of their priorities. The fabric is lightweight and wicks moisture brilliantly, mostly due to the waffle back panel. We loved the super stretchy Lycra Sport fabric, which provides support without ever feeling too constrictive. It moves with you and genuinely does feel like a second skin.

The Activate Plus is a ladies triathlon suit full of useful features which don’t appear elsewhere. The inner chest lining is particularly handy, as it allows you to open the front zipper for added ventilation without exposing too much of your chest. A big elastic back pocket is a great addition too, and there’s ample room for storage.

We were big fans of the design as well, and this is a ladies tri suit that keeps at least half an eye on fashion. The momentum version is decorated with some spacey and colourful geometric side panels, but we think we prefer the stealth camo edition. It’s a twist on the traditional camouflage aesthetic, with hints of sparkle and fluorescence.

Whichever you choose, you’ll certainly stand out from the crowd, and you can race safely in the knowledge that every element of the Activate Plus is working hard on your behalf.

#17 – Castrelli Free

Price: £130.00

castelli free tri suit womens

A brand that appears across the board in tri suit women’s reviews and another huge name in the world of athletics,  it is no surprise that the Castrelli Free Women Triathlon Suit made our shortlist.

Castrelli manufactured this triathlon suit for women with shorter race distances in mind, but we think the combination of aerodynamics, storage and durability make it absolutely perfect for any length. It might be the lightest ladies triathlon suit on the list, and of course that becomes incredibly useful the longer the race goes on.

The upper segment of the suit is made of SpeedFreak fabric, which helps with moisture management and dries quickly after the swim. If you’re looking for a suit which will help with the cycling part of the race, then you’ll be pleased with the Castrelli free. The back is made from Velocity Mesh, which underwent win tunnel testing to maximise its efficiency when you’re on the bike.

The KISS Tri seat is an area of particular interest, and what sets this women’s triathlon suit apart from the competition. It offers brilliant support during the cycle, but it seems to disappear for the rest of the race. Castrelli prides themselves on this addition, and it’s unlikely that you’ll find a better seat anywhere else.

Smaller details, like the soft finish armholes help with chafing, and the Istadry Speed fabric is fantastic at preventing excess moisture. Throw in two hip pockets for nutritional supplies and quality leg grippers, and you’ve got a suit capable of seeing you through anything.

If you need a new women’s tri suit for any distance that performs well in all areas, Castrelli is a beloved brand that you should definitely take a look at.

FAQs

What is a Women’s Tri Suit?

A tri suit is for women is traditionally a one-piece that is a hybrid of a swimming suit and pair of running/cycling shorts – the three disciplines of a triathlon.

It can be worn under a wetsuit while you swim, thanks to its quick-drying fabric, so after the water stage you just peel off your wetsuit and wear your tri suit for the remaining bike and run legs. If you’re particularly looking for a tri suit for women, all that you need to know is that this is a suit that is manufactured with women’s body types in mind, as opposed to those that are made for men.

Now that we’ve got the quick question of what is a women’s tri suit? out of the way, it’s time to check out what you should be looking for in your pick.

How to Choose a Women’s Tri Suit?

Choosing the right women’s tri suit for your next race is a crucial part of the race’s process, as there are a number of factors that could either enhance or diminish your performance.

We’ve compiled a list of these factors that you should consider at all times when searching the market for your new women’s triathlon suit:

  • Quick Drying –  Potentially the most important factor of a tri suit, it is vital to ensure your suit is quick drying. Water holds onto weight, which will inevitably have a negative impact on your performance. As well as that, if a suit retains water following the swim, it increases the level of friction between fabric and skin, therefore, causing chafing; to elimate this, it is crucial to look for quick-drying tri suits for women.
  • UV Protection – Depending on the distance of your triathlon, you may be exposed to the sun for a long period of time so it is important that your suit offers a good level of UV protection.
  • Padding – For the maxium comfort, this is a prime factor of finding the best suit. This element may not be so important in the swim and run segment of the triathlon, however during the cycle, you will thank your lucky stars that you put a high level of consideration into finding a suit that can provide padding in all the correct places.
  • Pockets/Pouch – Like we previously mentioned, a triathlon can last on average three hours, so it is crucial you keep your body hydrated and fuelled. When searching for a women’s tri suit, make sure to look for suits with storage where you can store any gels, supplements or any other essentials to keep your body going.

Before you go!

We hope you found our guide of the top 17 women’s triathlon suits (UK) helpful. We believe that 17 products is a good enough variety for you to choose from without feeling overwhelmed, and we hope we gave you an insight on finding the best women’s triathlon suit for you!

If you’re interested in a career in fitness, why not take a look at our L3 PT Diploma, or check out our prospectus before you go to find out more.

The post 17 Best Women’s Triathlon Suits Of 2025 appeared first on OriGym Centre of Excellence.

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17 Best Natural Energy Drinks (UK) https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/natural-energy-drinks/ Fri, 25 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/natural-energy-drinks/ OriGym have shortlisted the 17 best natural energy drinks to give you that much-needed boost to power through the day minus the negative side effects of standard energy drinks. Read for more!

The post 17 Best Natural Energy Drinks (UK) appeared first on OriGym Centre of Excellence.

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Are you on the lookout for the best natural energy drinks in the UK, that can provide you with that much-needed boost, but minus the spoonfuls of sugar, artificial colours and sweeteners? OriGym have you covered.

Energy drinks have long been a popular quick-fix for those low energy days where we need an aid to power through. However, most traditional drinks of this kind are often loaded with ingredients and elements that we could well do without in our bodies – many of which can even cause you to feel jittery, anxious, or agitated.

But before we get started, if you have a passion for the food and nutrition side of the fitness industry, why not take a look at the advanced Nutritionist courses we offer in the UK? Alternatively, download our free course prospectus to find the right qualification for you and get the ball rolling to become a nutritionist.

What Are Natural Energy Drinks?

Like we mentioned before, typical energy drinks on the market, despite their effective benefits, are more often than not packed with heaps of sugar, artificial sweeteners, colorings and a considerably high amount of caffeine.

A natural energy drink has the exact same purpose as a standard energy drink – to give your energy levels a boost. However, certain ingredients have been significantly reduced or eliminated for your body’s benefit. With that, it means that your body will not be exposed to the same negative side effects as it would if you were to drink the likes of a Red Bull or drinks alike.

Below, we have listed the best natural energy drinks in the UK that will provide you with the boost you require without the side effects and are great to include alongside your meal plans.

#1 – Tenzing Natural Energy

Tenzing organic energy drinks uk image

Price: £11.97 (12 x 250ml)

If you’re looking for popular and great-tasting natural drinks to boost energy, then you can’t go far wrong with Tenzing. It’s become somewhat of a household name in the world of natural energy drinks, and it’s not surprising. Not only is this drink all natural, but it comes with an impressive triple hit of caffeine, so you certainly won’t be left feeling short of energy.

The drinks are inspired by famous mountaineer Sherpa Tenzing and the energy drinks consumed in the Himalayas. Only natural ingredients are used and everything is plant based, which means that, while you will be getting a pretty big hit of caffeine, it’s all natural. As you might expect, the drinks are responsibly produced and everything is Rainforest Alliance Certified.

Tenzing doesn’t use any additives in their natural energy boost drinks, and the products only contain 7 ingredients, so you always know exactly what you’re drinking. The natural sweetness comes from beet sugar, and a hint of lemon gives a refreshing twist. Every can is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, again all from natural sources.

Himalayan rock salt is rich in electrolytes, Guarana improves concentration and attention, and the green tea leaves are full of amino acids, which help reduce stress. You’ll also get a big dose of vitamin C from the Indian Gooseberries, and the caffeine comes from raw green coffee beans.

The inclusion of so much caffeine makes Tenzing one of the best natural drinks for energy available anywhere in the world. We love the backstory too, and the mix of plant based energy, antioxidants and vitamins really does taste like a traditional blend designed to harness the power of nature.

#2 – Matcha Energy Drinks

2 matcha natural drinks to boost energy

Price: £30 (12 x 340ml)

Matcha produces some of the best tasting natural energy drinks UK shoppers will find. They use green tea as their caffeine source, which has a range of advantages. Green tea contains 10x the amount of nutrients and antioxidants of standard tea or coffee, and because Matcha uses the whole leaf, the effect of the caffeine lasts much longer.

This, of course, means that there’s no sudden peak or trough, which is common with other caffeinated energy drinks, and you won’t suffer from jitters either! Better still, the leaves are so nutrient rich that they’ll give your immune system a boost. Matcha produces some of the best natural herbal energy drinks for those with an eye on long term health, and the antioxidant properties can even lower your risk of chronic illness.

If all that sounds good, then you’ll be pleased to know that these natural energy drinks in the UK has not compromised on taste. There’s a range of flavours on offer including sparkling lime, sparkling lemon, sparkling berry and sparkling peach, but our favourite was the mint variety. It has a wonderfully refreshing, lifting kick even before you feel the effects of the caffeine.

Nutrition-wise you’ll be loading up on antioxidants and vitamins, especially vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium. The drinks are also fibre rich, and help boost your metabolism. There really are too many health benefits to list, but these drinks can help lower blood sugar, cholesterol and even increase concentration.

As these are some of the best tasting drinks on the list, they make the perfect natural energy drinks for kids who might be a little more fussy!

#3 – Proper Wild Energy

3 proper wild all natural energy drinks image

Price: £18.50 (6 x 71ml)

Proper Wild leads the way in terms of organic energy drinks in the UK. Despite their diminutive size, these energy shots pack a big punch. A single shot contains x2 more caffeine than a cup of coffee, and x23 more L-Theanine. This is a big deal, as L-Theanine is proven to boost focus and productivity without any of the associated negative effects of excessive caffeine.

In fact, these natural energy boost drinks provide a much smoother energy release than your standard energy drink. The caffeine is derived from green tea, so it’s longer lasting. They’ll be no sudden peak or jitters, and no crash either. Instead, you’ll get a long lasting lift of slow release energy, perfect for a busy day on the go or extended workout.

All ingredients are natural and organic, so you won’t find artificial flavourings or preservatives. These are some of the best organic energy drinks available, and the all natural ingredients come with a number of benefits. They’ll increase your concentration, alertness and mental energy. This is due mostly to the high L-Theanine content, which makes these drinks perfect for those in search of a little more mental energy to start the day.

At only 25 calories each, these natural fruit energy drinks are also low in sugar, and free from pretty much anything you can name. A Proper Wild Energy drink is vegan, gluten free, GMO free, dairy free, stevia free and soy free! We really couldn’t ask for much more than that, and they taste great too!

Anyone who follows organic energy drinks reviews will already be aware of these fantastic little shots, and they’re proof that a little really can go a long way.

#4 – Tea Riot

4 teariot healthy natural energy drinks

Price: £28 (12 x 240ml)

Overflowing with fruits and flavours, these are some of the best natural fruit energy drinks on the market. They also contain zero added sugar and zero synthetic stimulants. Everything is natural, and the energy boost comes from tea.

For those searching for natural pre workout energy drinks; there’s quite a bit of caffeine per drink, an impressive 160mg, so you’ll certainly feel the effects. As this is derived from tea, it comes with the added benefit of L-Theanine. There’s 100mg of that, which helps with cognitive focus and alertness. The drinks are also rich in vitamin B12, which is great for the brain as well, so they’re particularly effective if you need something to boost your concentration.

The nutrition profile is equally impressive in these natural fruit energy drinks. Each product contains a mere 30 calories and just 4g of natural sugars. Sodium content is negligible, but you’ll be getting your full 100% daily requirement of vitamin B12 from just a single serving. The ingredient list is refreshingly short, consisting mostly of fruit and natural flavours like chilli. Since these drinks are high in adaptogens they’ll help combat stress.

As natural energy boost drinks go, we think these contain the most actual fruit, and that really comes across with the taste. Every drink is brimming with flavour, and the fruit isn’t lost behind a wall of other ingredients.

They come in a number of flavours too, although our favourite was Cherry Watermelon, which is the most refreshing of the bunch. The taste is great across the board though, so we recommend starting with the variety 12 pack. You’ll be able to sample the different flavours and choose your own favourite!

#5 – Clean Cause

5 clean cause natural energy boost drinks

Price: £29 (12 x 473ml)

Another fantastic choice for anyone in search of natural pre workout energy drinks, Clean Cause makes the list in part due to the companies philanthropic activities. 50% of their profits go to help those recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. It’s a noble cause, and it’s already made a huge difference. The money goes to “CLEAN kickstarts,” which help individuals establish a recovery schedule and find employment.

Fortunately, these natural energy boost drinks are high quality and some of the healthiest on the list, so you’ll have no trouble getting behind the cause. They’re vegan, gluten free, organic certified and provide a huge range of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Caffeine is derived from purely natural sources, so it’s crash free and long lasting.

Each can contains no more than 60 calories, and around 160mg of caffeine. Clean Cause also offers one of the largest ranges on the list, so you’ll have a number of different flavours to choose from. Our beverage of choice was the Watermelon Mint, which offers unparalleled refreshment and has a fantastically fresh, invigorating taste.

You can order a 12 pack of any flavour, and if you want to go big there’s a discount available for 25 packs. These are some of the best organic energy drinks uk shoppers can get hold of via international shipping. The fruity taste really comes across, and we loved the long lasting effect of the caffeine.

Obviously, the company’s philanthropy represents a huge draw too, so if you’re looking for all natural energy drinks that benefit entire communities, we certainly recommend giving Clean Cause a try.

#6 – Bai 

6 natural herbal energy drinks

Price: Currently Unavailable

Bai has been able to produce some of the best natural energy drinks in terms of taste, and we think they might even be the best tasting offering on the list! The flavours are big, and the drinks are very bubbly. They actually taste quite luxurious, which is especially impressive considering that they contain just 5 calories each and 1 gram of sugar.

Interestingly, while coffee is made from the coffee bean, Bai has utilised the coffee fruit itself. The bean is just the centre of the fruit, but the flesh itself is packed with antioxidants.

Better still, using the coffee fruit provides sustainable farming and economic opportunities in poorer parts of the world, and Bai has worked hard to establish mutually beneficial relationships with its farmers. However, for more information on how black coffee can benefit your health, take a read of our article here – ‘15 Health Benefits of Black Coffee‘.

Moreover, the drinks are rich in vitamin C and polyphenols. The secret behind the tiny caloric content lies in the type of sweetener used. A combination of Stevia and Erythritol gives the drinks their sweet taste, without any of the associated calories. Stevia is actually 200 times sweeter than sugar, so Bai didn’t need to use a lot to pack a punch!

These are some of the purest natural drinks for energy currently available anywhere, and they come in a wide range of flavours (including a variety pack for those who aren’t sure where to start). We particularly enjoyed the refreshing Waikiki Coconut Lime, which delivers quite an intense citrus kick.

Whatever flavour you choose, you’ll be absolutely blown away by the taste. It’s difficult to believe that these drinks contain just 5 calories per can, but that’s all down to Bai’s cunning recipes.

#7 – Pin Natural Energy Tea Drink 

natural energy drinks best

Price: £19.99 (12 x 330ml)

If you’re after more natural drinks for energy, we have another great option for you here.

Pin’s Energy Tea is naturally caffeinated and contains L-theanine which offers a wealth of vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants.

As mentioned earlier, L-theanine can enhance focus and alertness when combined with caffeine, thus providing consumers with a great energy boost.

As for the actual contents of the drink, Pin’s range is made from only natural ingredients. It is a non-carbonated drink that has 0g of fat and carbohydrates.

Each drink is also made without preservatives or artificial flavours and sweeteners, promising an all-around organic, healthy energy drink.

As well as peach flavour, Pin also offers ‘Green Tea’ and ‘Black Tea’ options to keep your drinks varied and interesting.

With that, these are the best natural energy drinks for vegans and gluten-free individuals.

Pin’s drinks currently have a 100% 5-star track record on Amazon, proving that the product description truly lives up to customer satisfaction.

So, if you’re wanting to get your hands on the best organic energy drinks on the market, Pin’s range is top tier.

Why not follow the link above to see what all the fuss is about?

#8 – James White Zinger

8 natural energy boosters drinks image

Price: £19 (15 x 70ml)

Next on the list is an entry for those shopping for natural energy drinks with no caffeine.

Zingers are natural herbal energy drinks in shot form. They come in tiny, easily portable bottles packed with a range of healthy herbal pick me ups. They’re an excellent alternative to caffeine-rich drinks like tea or coffee, are low in calories, contain only negligible amounts of naturally occurring sugars and come in a range of flavours.

Those flavours are nicely varied, too. The Extra Hot Ginger Zinger packs a real punch, as does the Lime and Chilli. The turmeric based shot might not be to everyone’s taste but it does bring all the well publicised health benefits of turmeric.

The ginger shot is a particular favourite. While many energy drinks are overcomplicated with a mass of ingredients offering varying properties, this shot is nice and simple. It’s made from pure, pressed ginger with apple juice. It goes down a treat and the ingredients are, of course, certified organic, making it a great product for natural energy drinks for pregnant women.

As natural energy boosters, drinks like this are incredibly convenient. The small shot style bottles are perfect if you’re on the move, so they’re great for a mid afternoon pick-me-up. We love the simple, back to basics approach here, and the Zingers are proof that a drink doesn’t have to be crammed with ingredients to pack an energy punch.

Hydrating your body is often overlooked in relation to keeping your energy levels high; for products to further your hydration levels, make sure you check out our article on the best hydration tablets to fuel your body.

You can choose to order an individual flavour, but we can recommend the variety box to get a taste for the brand, and find out which you prefer. Whichever you choose, you can be assured that you’re getting some of the finest natural drinks to boost energy in shot form.

#9 – NOCCO Functional Energy Drink

healthy natural energy drinks

Price: £43.49 (24 x 330ml)

Next on our list of the best natural energy drinks is a range by NOCCO.

This option will benefit those searching for natural energy drinks without caffeine that still provides an invigorating boost.

This is the perfect drink for athletes and fitness fanatics who want to feel refreshed and replenished after a vigorous training session.

NOCCO’s range promises to enhance performance and speed up the rate of recovery which is something all active adults could benefit from.

Each drink contains zero sugar with at least 5000mg of BCAA. These are in a 4:1:1 ratio of leucine, valine, and isoleucine.

These are essential amino acids that are required for a healthy, balanced diet.

Cans also contains the following vitamins:

  • Biotin
  • Niacin
  • Folic Acid
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin B12
  • Vitamin D3

When combined, these vitamins help to support your bodily functions while boosting energy and alertness.

NOCCO’s healthy and natural energy drinks come in a range of fruity flavours. These include:

  • Apple
  • Elderflower
  • Ice soda
  • Miami strawberry
  • Passionfruit
  • Red berries
  • Tropical

Once you realise the vast energy-boosting benefits that the drinks provide, getting your hands on different flavours ensures versatility each day.

This is why we think NOCCO’s range is amongst the best natural energy drinks with no caffeine and one we’d suggest checking out in time for your next workout.

#10 – Nau Snse

10 organic energy drinks reviews

Price: $39.99 (approx. £30)

Nau Snse is an interesting one. Designed with gamers in mind, it’s an all natural powder based energy drink formulated to give you a mental rather than physical edge. That said, we think anybody will benefit from these healthy natural energy drinks, which promise a caffeine free boost without any of the associated jitters or crashes.

The powders consist of herbs, vitamins and minerals, which are then dissolved in water. The flavour isn’t as potent or tasty as some of the other offerings on the list, but these natural energy drinks with no caffeine are focussed on pure performance.

They combine a unique set of ingredients not found in other drinks. Spanish sage and garden sage are combined to make a compound called Cognivia, which has been shown to increase cognitive functions including memory, alertness and learning processes. These are bold claims indeed, but everything is backed up by science and these drinks really do give you a mental lift.

There’s an antioxidant rich cranberry infusion and added vitamins including B3, B5, B6 and Magnesium to help fight fatigue. The many cognitive benefits of L-Theanine are well known, and here it’s combined with lemon balm to boost its efficacy still further. The combination increases alertness, focus, and reduces stress.

If you haven’t got the right container to carry your Nau Snse organic energy drink, we’ve got you covered.

Nau Snse drinks are certainly some of the most advanced natural energy drinks without caffeine, and we have to applaud the depth of research that’s gone into producing them. They might not be the best tasting drink on the list, but they do give you a real edge. We think they’d make a perfect mid afternoon pick-me-up, or help you get out of bed for an early start!

#11 – Celsius

11 natural drinks for energy

Price: £26.85 (12 x 354ml)

These natural energy drinks stand apart from the crowd due to their special fat burning capabilities. Celsius drinks are made with movement in mind. When you combine a drink with exercise, it’s scientifically proven to boost your metabolism and increase your body’s fat burn. These credentials make them the ideal drink to combine with fat burning foods if you’re on a weight loss journey.

This alone is enough to justify their position on the list, but they’re also completely natural, contain no artificial preservatives or flavours, no aspartame and no corn syrup. Best of all, they’re very low in sodium, and they come with enough flavour variations to keep you interested.

Each set of drinks is designed to help with a different area of fitness. Celsius Heat is made with performance energy in mind. It contains an impressive 2000mg of L-citrulline and 300mg of caffeine, which will give you a big, long lasting energy boost. BCAA is vitamin and electrolyte rich, and is recovery focussed. High quantities of vitamins and electrolytes help the body replenish itself after a workout, and reduce inflammation.

Celsius Stevia is probably the tastiest line. It’s sweetened with low calorie stevia for a fantastically refreshing taste, and it comes in an array of flavours including orange and pomegranate, and grapefruit. This would probably be our drink of choice to relax, and it still carries many of the benefits of the other varieties.

Celsius On The Move comes in a specially designed bottle with portability in mind. Whatever drink you choose you’ll love the healthy energy boost and the potential to raise your metabolism.

Find out more about boosting your metabolism by reading our article ‘23 Best Metabolism Boosting Foods‘.

#12 – Guru Organic Energy

12 guru natural pre workout energy drinks

Price: $48.99 (approx. £37)

Another set of organic energy drinks which are free from virtually everything, Guru drinks contain no artificial flavourings, are suitable for vegans, free from GMOS, are all organic and derive their caffeine from purely natural sources. They’re great if you’re worried about what goes into your food, or feel put off by the long list of ingredients common to so many other energy drinks.

That said, there’s no compromise on taste, and the Matcha Green tea natural herbal energy drink is our particular favourite. Matcha caffeine releases much more slowly than coffee or tea, so you get a far smoother release of energy without a subsequent crash or jitters. It’s also rich in L-Theanine which helps with concentration.

Other ingredients like ginseng and monk fruit bring an array of health benefits too, and the sweetener of choice is low calorie stevia. Guru Energy Lite comes in at a minuscule 20 calories – so you can certainly enjoy a can or two guilt free!

Natural energy drinks are a great source for sportsmen and athletes to power their performances.

They’re already making quite a splash on social media, and Guru is slowly morphing into a lifestyle brand for those who like an adventure in the outdoors. Whatever your needs, these are some of the best organic energy drinks on the market, and they’re certainly one of the purest.

On an interesting side note, if you enjoy the Guru energy drinks it’s worth checking out their flavoured energy waters too. They don’t pack as big a caffeine hit, but they’re incredibly refreshing and perfect if you’re after a cold, thirst quenching drink post workout.

#13 – MyProtein Sparkling Vitamin Water

natural energy drinks for health

Price: £2.99 per 330ml can

MyProtein is a brand that recognises busy lifestyles can often result in feeling fatigued which is why they’ve created a natural alternative to caffeinated drinks.

Their range of sparkling vitamin water is a zero-calorie and zero-sugar drink that is rich in vitamins B and C to support energy levels and promote alertness.

These vitamins are fused with pantothenic acid to maintain regular mental performance, meaning just 1 drink can help you to stay awake and work towards your goals.

These healthy and natural energy drinks also contain high levels of magnesium which helps to replenish electrolytes lost through sweat when working out.

This sweet tropical drink is a fusion of passionfruit, mango, and lime, a delectable combination of flavours that will be sure to keep you revitalised.

Not quite convinced?

Well, when shopping around for the best organic energy drinks, reviews offer insight into whether they’d be a good fit.

MyProtein’s drinks have 5-star ratings across the board with many enjoying the fruity flavours and feeling of replenishment.

You might not have thought about MyProtein to begin with when searching for the best organic energy drinks, yet their range is one that shouldn’t be overlooked.

At the end of the day, the reviews speak for themselves!

#14 – Glaceau Vitamin Water Zero Defence

healthy organic energy drinks

Price: £1.45 per 500ml bottle

Did you know that drinks with a high vitamin content can provide fantastic energy boosts that rival caffeinated drinks?

Glaceau’s vitamin water is packed full of vitamins and minerals that promote immunity, support bodily functions, and offer a must-needed energy boost.

But what vitamins does Glaceau’s drink contain and what are their individual benefits?

  • Vitamin C helps to support the immune system while being necessary for the growth and repair of body tissues.
  • Vitamin B3 can boost alertness and brain function, thus keeping you energised each and every day.
  • Vitamin B5 is a super important vitamin that supports the body’s blood cell production which converts food into energy.
  • Vitamin B6 helps to maintain a normal amount of amino acids in the blood while also supporting the immune system.

Each bottle contains a mere 5 calories and so can support your workout without diminishing your daily calorie allowance by much.

With these benefits in mind, you might also be curious as to which are the best natural energy drinks for pregnant women.

As mentioned previously, caffeine and pregnancy should never mix, which is why Glaceau’s vitamin-rich drink is a viable alternative that we’d definitely recommend.

Priced at just £1.45 per bottle, this is a great way to provide your body with a great energy boost without relying on caffeine.

#15 – Hi Ball Organic Energy Drink

15 natural energy drinks no caffeine

Price: Currently Unavailable

Hi Ball has done the seemingly impossible and created some great tasting all natural energy drinks that also happen to contain zero calories and absolutely no sugar. It’s an impressive feat, and this alone makes them worthy of the list. These are absolutely the best natural energy drinks for anyone on a tightly calorie-controlled diet, and they have a lot of other things going for them too.

Every can is crammed full of natural ingredients and vitamins. Sparkling water is infused with ginseng, guarana and organic caffeine for a great taste and smooth energy release, with no subsequent crash. The taste is especially lively, and the ginseng gives every can a real kick.

Aside from the obvious benefits of zero sugar and calories, we were particularly impressed with the nutrition profile. These drinks contain some of the highest concentration of vitamins on the list, and every can provides you with a heady mix of vitamins B3, B5, B6 and B12.

B vitamins are especially important for maintaining energy levels, so the energy boost you get from these drinks isn’t solely down to the caffeine content. They also help with brain function and cell health. Flavour-wise you can choose between Wild berry, Grapefruit and Lemon Lime, or you can opt for the variety pack in the first instance.

These are the perfect natural energy drinks for kids, especially young children who you might want to keep off sugary drinks. The B vitamin dense nutrition profile is brilliant for people of all ages though, and these drinks can have a positive impact on your all round wellbeing.

#16 – Grenade Energy Cherry Bomb

natural energy drinks for pregnant women

Price: £1.99 per 330ml can

This next cherry bomb option is one of the best natural drinks to boost energy.

Whether you’re looking to battle through your workout or power through the daily grind, arming yourself with the necessary tools will be sure to enhance your performance.

Grenade’s drink has a high vitamin B count which helps to speed up the rate of recovery even after the toughest of training sessions.

The drinks are packed with electrolytes to replace those that are lost through sweat while also being free from artificial colours and preservatives.

Grenade suggests consuming their cherry bomb drink 30-minutes before your chosen activity to give the caffeine time to get to work.

Now, as ever, when shopping around for natural energy drinks, reviews will help you to decide which is best for you.

On Grenade’s website, the cherry bomb has an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars which have been awarded by over 1,300 satisfied customers.

Many reviewers comment that the drink rivals most fruity cocktails while being a fantastic source of energy that gets them through the day.

So, when searching for the best organic energy drinks on the market, why not consider Grenade’s range?

#17 – Dark Dog

17 natural fruit energy drinks image

Price: £24 (12 x 355ml)

Dark Dog’s mission statement is quite simple. They want to produce an energy drink which tastes great, but also meets the high demands of health conscious athletes and adventurers across the world. In fulfilling that aim, they’ve made some of the best organic energy drinks on the market, and we think you’ll love the pure energy on offer here.

Not only does a single can provide a staggering 50% of your daily vitamin C allowance (more than any other drink on the list), but the natural energy boosters drinks are also high in antioxidants and low in sugar and sodium. For extra peace of mind, the packaging is free from BPA.

On top of that, they’re suitable for vegans, gluten free, certified organic and contain absolutely no artificial sweeteners. If you’re searching for natural drinks for energy, but also want to ensure that you’re drinking something totally pure, then Dark Dog is probably for you.

The caffeine comes from guarana, green tea and green coffee, all of which is organic and completely natural. Dark Dog prides itself on providing a crash free, jitter free caffeine boost, so you can consume these drinks without any of the associated downsides.

The same applies to the sugar and sodium content. These drinks contain only organic cane sugar and a minuscule 10mg of sodium. The calorie count is on the slightly higher side at around 110, but we think that the antioxidant properties make up for this. All in all, these are exceptionally tasty energy drinks, and they elevate themselves above the competition with their unusually high vitamin C content.

FAQs

Are Natural Energy Drinks Safe?

Though we see no issue with enjoying natural energy drinks on occasion, and they are a much healthier alternative to your standard sugar-loaded energy drinks, we must advise that if you find yourself relying on energy drinks to get you through your day frequently, it would be in your best interest to find the potential causes of what is destroying your energy.

Like with any caffeinated drinks, they risk causing the following side effects: anxiety, headaches, insomnia, diuresis, gastronomical upset and hyperactivity.

What is the Recommended Daily Caffeine Intake?

NHS guidelines state the recommended caffeine intake is as follows:

  • Healthy adults: 400mg a day
  • Healthy pregnant women: 200mg a day
  • Healthy adolescents and children: 2.5mg/kg a day

How Many Natural Energy Drinks Should You Have?

This will vary from brand to brand, depending on how much caffeine that product consists of, however it is important to keep in mind that the daily recommended amount should not exceed 400mg a day. To put that into perspective for you, the Proper Wild Energy Shots contain 180mg of caffeine in their 71ml shot, so we would recommend having no more than 2 of these.

Many of the drinks on our list consist of an average of between 120-180ml of caffeine, though there are products like Bai that have a low caffeine content of 70mg, and there are also multiple caffeine-free options on our list.

Before You Go!

And that rounds up our list of the best natural energy drinks in the UK! We hope our article has been of good use to you and we have provided you with enough options to find a product that caters specifically for your tastebuds!

Before you head off, check out our CIMSPA-endorsed Level 4 Sports Nutrition Course to develop your own nutrition knowledge and the benefits of natural foods.

Download our latest course prospectus to discover the full range of courses we offer.

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Ice Baths: Benefits, Risks and How-To https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/ice-baths/ Tue, 13 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/ice-baths/ The benefits of ice baths have been hailed by athletes and sportspeople alike for hundreds of years now, but should more of us be taking the plunge? Click here to read more about ice bath benefits.

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The benefits of ice baths have long been hailed by those primarily involved in the sports and athletic industry; with many people claiming they present one of the most efficient and effective ways to ease post-workout aches and pains.

Often prescribed by trainers and sports therapists in occasions of strained physical injuries, ice bath benefits are said to: assist in post-workout recovery, reduce muscular stress and decrease inflammation. But aside from the advantages it offers to athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike, could we all benefit from the occasional plunge?

In this guide, we’ll explore how to make the perfect ice bath that benefits our health, as well as the most commonly talked about points around ice bath benefits, including:  

Contents:

However, if you’re amongst those all too familiar with an ice bath and fitness has been a passion for the best part of your life, you could be sitting on knowledge and experience that makes for the perfect recipe for a rewarding career. 

If you’re looking to help people improve their lives through health, nutrition, and fitness, you can do this with our Level 4 Sports Nutrition Course. By developing your expertise in the relationship between nutrition and the body, you’ll be on your way to become a nutritionist and help clients live better quality lives!

Need more information? Download our FREE prospectus to learn more about who OriGym is and what we offer.

What Is An Ice Bath?

Like we said, sports professionals and avid trainers are amongst the minority group that are all too familiar with the benefits of an ice bath. Also known as cold water immersion (CWI), medical professionals have prescribed and advised the use of ice baths for hundreds of years now, but not just for sports-related purposes. 

Other areas in which ice baths offer benefits to are said to be holistic wellness, injury recovery and mental wellbeing.

CWI is a form of cryotherapy (cold therapy), which can be simplified as the general use of low temperatures in medically prescribed therapy. In these scenarios, the body is typically exposed to extremely cold temperatures for several minutes and is most commonly used to treat a variety of tissue lesions. Lesions are abnormal changes in an organ or in tissue that happen as a result of injury or disease.

While the name may be self-explanatory, for reference, an ice bath is a tub filled with water that is between 50-59 degrees fahrenheit (10 – 15 degrees celsius). It requires a person to sit in the bath with the water at chest level and stay there for a time period of between 10 and 15 minutes for optimal results.

It is not necessary for the water to be below the 10 degrees celsius mark, as this suggested temperature allows for all the benefits of an ice bath to be effective without freezing yourself – though please note, this itself may not be particularly pleasant!

How Do Ice Baths Work?

Ice baths work to change the way the blood and other fluids move through the body and with this comes a direct reduction in inflammation and offers assistance in recovery processes.

The temperature of the ice bath water encourages the body’s blood vessels to constrict, and then on removal from the bath, the blood vessel will then dilate (open back up). This process is effective in flushing away the metabolic waste created post-workout, this waste is what causes our bodies to ache following a tough workout, as when we exercise the body produces substances such as lactic acid. 

The body makes lactic acid when it is low in the oxygen it requires to convert glucose into energy. Lactic acid buildup results in muscle pain, cramps, and muscular fatigue, all of which can be combated through the process of flushing away metabolic waste.

The process of causing the blood vessels to constrict (become smaller) which ice baths promote work to reduce swelling, and in turn reduce pain.  Cold also slows down the speed at which nerves send messages, which is another way in which pain is reduced.

Immersing the body in cold water is a more efficient way of cooling down multiple groups of muscles at the same time.  Just like an ice pack, it reduces swelling and muscle damage from exercise by constricting blood vessels and decreasing metabolic activity.  

It also reduces strain on the cardiovascular system and brings down hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), which can reduce fatigue.  For both local icing and ice bath immersion, another beneficial part of the process comes after the cold stimulus has been removed.  During this warming period, there is a return of fresh blood to the body, which floods the cells with nutrients and oxygen, and helps to flush out the waste products of tissue breakdown.

It is important that the body carries out the process of removing metabolic waste and encourages a faster and more efficient flow of this as this promotes healthier muscles and reduces the chances of fatigue during exercise. Increased removal also reduces general pain and effects of surgery also – a benefit many would benefit from at some point. 

While your heart constantly moves blood around your body, your lymph nodes don’t have a pump. Ice baths constrict and open vessels manually, which helps stagnant fluids in your lymph nodes move throughout your body. Increased blood flow also floods your cells with nutrients and oxygen to theoretically help your body recover, adds Clayton.

Additionally, ice baths challenge your body by being exposed to different stresses and stimuli, which is suggested to make you more resilient and prepares you for a number of different challenges and occurrences that may arise in the future. 

What Are the Benefits of Ice Baths?

Professional athletes and fitness fanatics swear by them (quite literally, by all accounts!). Others run a mile after they’ve dared to dip a toe into the water. There is a clear divide over who does and doesn’t use an ice bath, but are those who refuse missing out? 

Below, we explain the brrr-illiant benefits of an ice bath in detail, to shed a little more light on the subject.

#1 Boosts Metabolism and Weight Loss

In order to lose weight, many of us put our body through unappealing experiences, such as reducing our favourite foods, over exercising, fad diets, the list goes on. But what if we told you there is positive science that suggests taking ice baths weekly csn independently work to increase fat loss as well as boost our metabolism. 

How do ice baths benefit weight loss? The science lies in how cold temperatures can change the type of fat that our bodies produce, replacing white fat with brown. This is significant as brown fat is in fact what prompts the body to burn extra calories and is much easier to burn off. 

Brown fat is only activated when you get cold and is responsible for increasing the metabolic process. In order to combat the cold, it works to produce heat to help maintain your body temperature. It contains may more mitochondria (the powerhouses of cells) than other forms of body fat. The mitochondria in brown fat are the “engines” that burn calories to produce heat. 

In short, the more calories we burn, the more effective this is for both our metabolic system and, of course, weight loss. In order to achieve a healthy weight loss, a calorie deficit is often recommended, tis can be achieved by reducing the calories we consume via food, as well as performing more exercise that in turn burns more calories. 

There are a great number of available studies that present supporting evidence for this also, with a study on the metabolic system of humans found that cold exposure helps white fat act more like brown fat. Additionally, brown fat gain is associated with better insulin sensitivity.

So where do ice baths come into this? Well, they can help encourage this process by supplying the cold aid needed to convert the white fat into brown fat – in turn eating up the body and burning more calories effectively and safely. 

– – – –

To find out more about boosting your metabolism and fat burning foods, take a look at these articles below:

#2 Eases Symptoms of Depression

If you ever jumped into an ice cold pool early in the morning on holiday just before the sun’s heat has had time to warm it up, or not realised the shower setting was set to freezing then you will be familiar with the shock of the temperature that can cause a sudden energised feeling.

This energising shock is caused by a release of catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline) and endorphins which comes as a direct response to the cold; it is essentially an adrenaline rush. It’s basically an adrenaline rush.

But the benefits of an ice bath on our mental health extends far beyond a temporary adrenaline boost, with some science even suggesting that cold showers/other forms of cold therapy could act as potential treatment in those who suffer from depression.

The most significant findings for this emerge from a 2008 study in the Medical Hypotheses Journal, where researchers observed that through the act of cold hydrotherapy, such as ice baths, it presented an effective option as a natural mood booster, as well as pain reliever and anxiety reducer. 

This is owing to the role cold temperatures have in increasing the blood levels of beta-endorphin, a peptide neurotransmitter and hormone produced by the pituitary gland that plays a role in the positive effects exercise can have on mood. Beta-endorphins have also been linked with food intake, sexual behavior and promoting pleasure and happiness.

Additionally, in the same study researchers highlighted that CWI and ice baths benefit the brain’s release of noradrenaline, which is the brain chemical that is typically notably low in those diagnosed with depression.

While we can not suggest that ice baths can single-handedly cure depression and mood disorders, there is significant evidence to suggest it can assist in easing the symptoms associated with it and present a mood booster.

#3 Eases Muscle Soreness and Faster Recovery

The benefits of ice baths in relation to post-workout recovery, muscle soreness and fatigue are perhaps the most commonly recognised uses for CWI and what most people will generally associate it with.

The reason this method has been used by athletes and sportsmen for hundreds of years is owing to the role cold temperatures are said to play in reducing swelling and the buildup of lactic acid. Though lactic acid is not always a bad thing, and can actually be quite useful to the body, a buildup of it can present its own list of disadvantages. 

For reference, when you engage in intense exercise, your body undergoes many biochemical processes in order to keep you energised. In everyday circumstances, the body produces energy through a process which relies on oxygen to convert food into fuel, however, when we exercise, the muscles require more oxygen than we can typically breathe in. With this the muscles will begin to rely on anaerobic respiration (an energy producing process that doesn’t require oxygen). Lactic acid is a byproduct of this process.

When lactate builds up in the bloodstream faster than we can burn it off, this is when you become at risk of developing muscle pain, cramps, and muscular fatigue. 

In addition to its role in lactate build up, ice bath benefits also include helping to raise tissue oxygenation which is an important process for muscle repair.  

More simply, when we engage in exercise our muscles become hot and inflamed and therefore following a workout we need to rest and recover in order to cool down. Ice baths present one of the most effective ways to quickly cool down the body. Of course this doesn’t remove the importance of rest days in order to continue to progress and sustain optimal health.

Earlier we explained the science behind how ice baths cause the blood vessels to constrict and then dilate once the body is removed from the cold water; and with this metabolic waste is flushed away. The removal of metabolic waste  increases the blood flow to your cells with oxygen and nutrients which in turn allows for quicker and more effective recovery as it allows the blood flow to reach and feed the muscles that require it quicker. 

If you’ve ever used an ice pack on a minor injury like a sprain, you already know that ice can quickly cause the affected area to become less painful. This is because cold temperatures have the ability to numb nerve endings, meaning that fewer pain signals get sent to your brain.

For this reason, ice baths can be useful in treating the painful symptoms of arthritis, tendonitis, sciatica, pinched nerves and fibromyalgia.

#4 Decreases Risks of Overheating

One of the more obvious yet underappreciated benefits of an ice bath is the role they play in cooling your body down quicker than most other cool-down methods. 

Exertional heat stroke/hyperthermia is a condition caused by an increase in core body temperature brought on by intense physical activity in hot weather. This can occur in anyone who participated in exercise during particularly hot temperatures, or even in those who work in hot weather conditions. 

Exertional hyperthermia has even been linked as the cause of death in a number of athletes. In a study published in the Journal of Athletic Training, researchers stated that taking a cold shower (with the same temperatures recommended for ice baths) can in fact help relieve exertional hyperthermia. 

CWI is highly recommended for those in need of quickly bringing their body temperature down as it is said to be much more effective and work at a much faster rate than if you were to simply rest in a cool environment. 

A 2015 meta-analysis supported this in their study of 19 studies, which concluded that contact with cold water of approximately 10 degrees celsius cooled off overheated people twice as fast as recovery without hydrotherapy.

The key is to immerse as much of your skin as possible. This means dunking your whole body in cold water, not just running your wrists under a cold tap.

Holistically, water acts as a cooling system to prevent overheating; a benefit regularly lauded by those with a keen interest in running in the rain.

#5 Promotes Better Sleeping Pattern

We know this may sound slightly contradictory, as earlier we were explaining how an ice bath can trigger an adrenaline rush, however ice baths can in fact offer benefits to those who struggle with a consistent sleeping pattern. 

Due to the effects cold immersion therapy can have in regulating cortisol levels, this in turn can directly reduce the effects and occurrence of sleep-related disorders, as well as symptoms of depression. 

Cortisol, the hormone we commonly associate with stress, is produced by the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), which is also responsible for helping coordinate our sleep cycles. So, when the HPA axis is disrupted, that could be through illness, chronic stress or even poor nutrition, this can lead to cases of insomnia and other sleep disturbances. 

This implies that if you can regulate the body’s cortisol levels through taking an ice bath, which has been proven to lower cortisol levels, this ultimately maintains the proper function of the HPA axis, in turn allowing for better sleeping routines as well as reduced stress levels.

Additionally, a clinical study showed that cold immersion can lower the stress hormone cortisol by 25-34% helping you to relax and decrease your stress levels; and with that comes a better night’s sleep.

Calming the nervous system plays a vital role in having the ability to relax and enabling your mind and body to unwind ahead of a good night’s sleep. 

This is particularly important for sportsmen, athletes or anyone who is regularly active as they require a good night’s sleep in order to maintain and achieve their peak performance levels. By helping the central nervous system calm down and achieve better sleep, the benefits of ice baths extend to better moods, improved reaction times and enhanced power in some workouts; all of which equates to better results – but more about that next.

But if you’re suffering from tiredness or fatigue, check out this natural way you can combat it by reading our article ‘13 Best Vitamins To Combat Tiredness & Fatigue‘.

#6 Enhances Sports Performance

The benefits of ice baths follow a similar theme and that is one that acts as a huge beneficiary to those within the sports industry or simply anyone who is a fitness enthusiast; it comes as no surprise that this method has been used in sport for hundreds of years.

To achieve the benefits ice baths have on sports performance, contrast to popular belief you do not need to wait until after the workout. Rather, many athletes use the pre-cooling method where they immerse themselves into an ice bath prior to working out, particularly on a hot and humid day that would otherwise take a toll on your performance. 

Similarly to how we mentioned post-workout ice baths cool down the body’s core temperature, the same principle applies pre-workout, too. 

During exercise, heat is created when your muscles make energy. Your body works hard to regulate this temperature change and keep you within a safe range, however that can sometimes become unmanageable when combined with hot weather. This may see you abort your workout earlier than planned to prevent heat exhaustion and also fatigue can arise at a much earlier stage.

Fortunately, jumping in an ice bath for 10-15 minutes before an intense workout on particularly hot and humid days have been shown to reduce the negative impacts of the weather by lowering core body temperature a few degrees, meaning it will take longer for the body’s temperature to become unmanageable and allow for more workout time. 

An ice bath will not make you magically faster or stronger – sadly that comes through the process of hardwork and the benefits of strength training, however it will help you feel better prepared for exercise in hot weather – especially when done regularly.

The benefits of ice baths of sports performance also come as a direct result of other benefits we have previously explored, including: reduced muscle soreness, better sleep and faster recovery – all of which play vital roles in enhanced athletic performance. 

With this being said, we would say for the best results to only do this on a hot day, as otherwise it could present effects of the opposite nature and in turn actually damage your sports performance. 

#7 Boosts Immune System  

Because winter is often the time we get sick, it’s hard to believe that cold can improve the immune system, but the science is all there! 

Interestingly, the results from a trial conducted in the Netherlands found that people who took a cold shower for a minimum of 30 seconds for 30 consecutive days called into work sick 29% less than those who did not during the cold months. The findings also found that this figure increased to 54% less if the subjects engaged in regular exercise.  

The theory for exactly why this was the case is unclear, however the general understanding points towards this: ice baths cause us to shiver, which is an autonomous response in order to keep the body temperature up and warm. It involves a neuroendocrine effect and triggers the body’s ‘fight-or-flight response’, which causes hormones such as the aforementioned cortisol to increase, shortly before we shift to a ‘relaxation response’. 

Additionally, ice baths activate brown fat in the body, which as we mentioned is the ‘good’ fat.

While this doesn’t act as solid evidence for boosting the immune system, the benefits of an ice bath in converting white fat to brown fat can have positive effects on the body’s metabolism, as we know, and in turn reduce the risk of a number of health risks, such as diabetes and obesity. 

Presenting yet another way ice baths benefit the immune system is their role in increasing leukocytes in the body. Leukocytes, more commonly known as white blood cells, help protect the human body against foreign substances, microbes and infectious diseases. 

As humans, it is important that we are always conscious of how we treat our body, and look for ways in which we can better our health if possible. Investing in the market’s best vitamins for the immune system is a simple yet effective way in which we can do just that; bettering our health with minimal adjustments made.

Ice baths may even have an effect on cancer cells. Daily brief cold stress (like from a cold bath or shower) has been shown to increase the numbers and activity of cytotoxic T-cells and NK cells. These cells are the major players in preventing and attacking tumor cells.

#8 Improves Brain Function 

Easing muscle pain is one thing, but enhancing the function of our brains? That almost sounds surreal, however this is in fact another ice bath benefit. 

CWI and regular ice baths encourage us to focus better. This comes as a result of the catecholamine that is released in the body during the bath. You may not know what catecholamines are by name, however you will certainly be familiar with some of them; they are hormones made by your adrenaline lands, with the most notable being: adrenaline (epinephrine), dopamine and norepinephrine.

When we are exposed to cold, particularly in the form of an ice bath, it activates our sympathetic nervous system – this is the system that speeds up the heart rate, reduces the secretion of digestive juices, dilates the pupils, speeds up metabolic processes, tightens and strengthen muscles and dilates the airways. 

As well as this, ice baths increase the release of noradrenaline, which prepares the body for action and sharpens focus, as well as boosting adrenaline endorphins, which reduce pain in strained muscles and enables the body to adapt to intense exercise faster. Further, ice baths increase the release of norepinephrine in the brain, which also works to prepare the body for action and blood focus.

On top of this, there is evidence that the cold water in ice baths sends electrical impulses to the brain which presents an antidepressant effect – like a much milder and non-harmful form of electroshock therapy. Similarly, as a result of those impulses it has led many to believe that cold therapy could in fact have antipsychotic effects also by displacing psychotic neurotransmissions – though more research is needed to confirm this.

 

#9 Helps With Stress Management 

We have touched on the benefits ice baths have on stress levels throughout this article, but we feel it deserved further explanation as, let’s face it, stress is something we all come into contact with at some point.

The ice bath advantages for stress management are owing to how it conditions our body to withstand different levels of stress. CWI therapy and ice baths trigger a number of mood-enhancing chemicals in the brain which, as we’ve mentioned, awaken our natural ‘fight-or-flight’ response. Regularly engaging in ice baths and exposing your body to a different type of stress and stimuli works to make the body more resilient and therefore prepares your ‘fight-or-flight’ for challenges that may arise in the future. 

It also decreases the production of inflammatory cytokines, which are often linked to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. After the initial shock of the temperature, our bodies begin to settle and calm down, training us to be more resilient to changes in our environment and help us face stressful situations more adequately

While there is little scientific background linking the benefits of ice baths to reduced anxiety disorders, the logistics are very much present; from splashing freezing cold water on our faces in a bid to wake ourselves up and revitalise ourselves, to the uplifting response we feel when we apply cold treatments to our body.

Ice baths present an immediate pain relief, leading many to report feelings of happiness post-treatment; they also force us to modify our breathing, encouraging deeper and more controlled breaths which contributes to a sensation of destressing.

Ice Bath Precautions and Risks

It may not come as a surprise that ice baths come with their disadvantages, you’re submerging your body into freezing cold temperatures after all. 

So, while we’re here to encourage ice baths and all their advantages, we want to ensure that you know exactly what you’re getting into, and that means covering any side effects that may come as a result. 

 

#1 Reduce Strength Training Effectiveness

Though we highly encourage using an ice bath to assist in healing sore muscles after a strenuous, high intensity workout, there is evidence to suggest that ice baths are in fact harmful when used following a strength training session. 

A 2015 study in the Journal of Physiology highlighted that long-term gains in muscle mass and strength decreased in those who took ice baths, which mirrors the 2014 study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research which showed decreases in strength in subjects using CWI therapy. 

It has been insinuated that ice baths can not only result in smaller long-term muscle gains, but they can actually stunt muscle growth all together. 

In short, endurance athletes can achieve performance-enhancing effects from regular ice baths, while strength athletes’ performances are more likely to be negatively impacted.

#2 Can Cause Hypothermia

As with any type of prolonged exposure to extreme cold temperatures comes a risk of hypothermia, and sadly ice baths are no exception. 

Hypothermia, in contrast to hyperthermia which we previously spoke about, is a medical emergency that occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. 

General guidelines state that when a person is submerged into temperatures of 41 degrees fahrenheit (5 degrees celsius), it would take between 10 and 20 minutes before they begin to experience any loss of coordination and strength – of which are the first signs of hypothermia.

With that being said, if you abide to the guidelines of a 10-15 minute time period and a temperature of 10-15 degrees celsius, your risk of hypothermia is very minimal. 

 

#3 Pose a Risk to People With Cardiac Conditions

As we explained earlier, many of the ice bath advantages come as a result of the shock it causes to the body, activating responses such as ‘fight-or-flight’ and the energising boost that decreases feelings of depression. 

However this shock can present a marked effect on blood flow which in some populations is not beneficial and in some cases could lead to a sudden death in those with existing heart conditions.

As cold temperatures decrease core temperature, constricts blood vessels and slows the body’s blood flow to the arms and legs, this can make it becomes harder for the heart to pump blood through those constricted vessels. This is particularly dangerous in those who already have an existing decreased blood flow as it can place people in those populations at a greater risk for strokes or cardiac arrest.

For this reason, if you have history of heart disease, have had a heart attack before or have any other type of heart condition, we advise you against taking an ice bath. Investing in a heart rate monitor is also a great way to attain useful insights on your general performance as well as help you analyse peak activity. 

#4 Make Tight or Stiff Muscles Worse

Though ice baths are certainly advantageous in aiding some pain and reducing muscle inflammation, they could in fact worsen pain in tight or stiff muscles. 

While there are properties of ice baths which encourage our bodies to enter relaxed states, the same theory doesn;t apply to our muscles; ice baths cause muscles to contract and when this occurs in tight or stiff muscles, it can make your pain much worse – especially at points of the lower back or neck.

This is typically why heat packs are advised in scenarios of stiff or seized up muscles, along with hamstring stretches for back pain and tight muscles.

Ice Bath Myths

While we’re here, we also wanted to debunk some myths that have been sold as definitive benefits of ice baths. 

Ice Baths Increase Muscle Mass

Yes, ice baths offer a great number of advantages in sport and athletic performance, however enhancing your muscle mass as a direct result is not one of them. 

Though, if we’re talking indirectly, through decreased recovery times and reducing muscle soreness, this allows people to get back to working out sooner and means you can take fewer rest days. This allows for greater and faster progress as it means you can engage in more exercise at a higher capacity than if you were sore. 

But the primary way in which you can increase muscle mass is through consistent resistance training; read our report comparing resistance bands and weights to know which will offer more benefit to you.

Ice Baths Make You a Better Athlete

Similarly to the above point, taking an ice bath prior to a run is not going to magically make you run faster than your opponents. Just as we mentioned, the benefits of ice baths paly a role in maintaining and boosting the health of our internal workings, allowing for better sleep, reduced soreness and better moods.

These factors themselves can play a role in our sports performance over time, as each offer their own benefits to how we perform, however if you’re banking on an ice bath to see you outrun Usain Bolt simply because you read somewhere it makes you faster – then we hate to break it to you that that simply is not the case. 

By improving all of the other benefits of ice baths, over time, this could indirectly enhance your athletic performance and see you build muscle and speed and therefore become a better athlete, but it is through regular use and consistent work.

How To Make an Ice Bath Safely

Still eager to put your body through new challenges and take the icy plunge? Here’s OriGym’s instructions making an ice bath safely:

  • First, begin by filling your tub with one bucket of water for every three buckets of ice (1:3 ratio of water-to-ice).
  • Once the bath is ready and at a level that will sit at chest-level, start easing yourself in; gradually dipping your lower body in which will allow you to adjust properly to the cold.
  • On your first attempt, we suggest staying in for a much shorter length of time than the recommended 10-15 minutes. Like we said, anything more than 30 seconds offers some benefits. Over time you will acclimate, though, even in this case always cap your ice baths at 15 minutes max.

Tips For Getting An Ice Bath

#1 Ease Yourself In Slowly

Submerging in ice cold water is a definite shock to the system. Start by taking just a cold bath. Practice breathing normally and relaxing. You can increase the amount of ice you add to the bath as you get used to the water. You can also add more ice each time you try an ice bath. Even a bath at about 60 degrees has some benefits.

#2 Don’t Want Ice?

If you want the cold water and its benefits without the addition of ice, no problem – go for a cold shower instead. You can begin with your shower on a warm temperature setting, turning the setting to the coldest setting for 10 second intervals. You can do this more regularly than an ice bath too. After just a few days, you can begin to increase teh period of time you stand beneath the cold water for, up to 20 or 30 seconds and so on until you may want to take an entire shower under the cold!

#3 Upgrade to a Cold Plunge Tub

For optimal results and the full effect, ice baths work best in tubs that allow you to submerge your entire body underneath – which isn’t always the case with our standard bathtubs. Investing in a cold plunge tub is a great option for those who like a regular dip in the cold and they are also more practical as it eliminates the hassle of sourcing bucket-fulls of ice every time you want to resp the ice bath advantages. 

#4 Follow Safety Guidelines

Perhaps the most crucial rule to ice baths, it is important to take on board the safety guidelines provided and advice offered. This is particularly prevalent in regards to the temperature of the water and the time period you stay in the ice bath, as these are the primary factors which can lead to injury or act as cause for concern. In general, breathe normally and listen to your body.

FAQs

When Should You Take an Ice Bath?

So far, there’s no time period that’s shown to be most effective and within this article we have presented positives for taking ice baths both before or after a strenuous workout. To reap the majority of the aforementioned ice bath benefits, we suggest the sooner you can hop in the ice bath after an intense workout or activity, the better. 

How Long Should I Sit in an Ice Bath?

Now it is important that you follow this advice as it can be critical to your health. There is an abundance of science and guidelines that all state that the best results of an ice bath are achieved after soaking in water temperatures between 10 and 15 °C (50 to 59 °F) for 10 to 15 minutes.

Staying in an ice bath of these temperatures beyond this time frame exposes you to the potential downsides that we have previously laid out for you, such as hypothermia. If you notice that your skin is changing colours (i.e. blue, purple), then it is important that you evacuate the bath as soon as that occurs.

Before You Go!

It is worth noting that to reap the benefits of an ice bath, while we recommend submerging yourself in the tub for 10 minutes, switching the shower to its coldest setting at the end of your standard daily shower in itself offers some smaller benefits. 

However, to achieve the full ice baths benefits, what’s 10 minutes twice a week, really?

It may take some bracing and stoicism each time, but the benefits of ice baths, as you can see, are most definitely worth it. Imrpoved metabolism, better mental health and improved immune system to note but a few of the most enticing benefits ice baths promote and the reason athletes and sportspeople alike continue to take the plunge.

While research about ice baths is still limited, the science behind our points is abundant and provide you with enough information to make a smart decision about whether ice baths are right for you.

Now… are you wanting to become a nutritionist and begin a new career? Check out our Level 4 Sports Nutrition Course and download our latest prospectus here.

References

  1. Yoneshiro T, Wang Q, Tajima K, Matsushita M, Maki H, Igarashi K, Dai Z, White PJ, McGarrah RW, Ilkayeva OR, Deleye Y, Oguri Y, Kuroda M, Ikeda K, Li H, Ueno A, Ohishi M, Ishikawa T, Kim K, Chen Y, Sponton CH, Pradhan RN, Majd H, Greiner VJ, Yoneshiro M, Brown Z, Chondronikola M, Takahashi H, Goto T, Kawada T, Sidossis L, Szoka FC, McManus MT, Saito M, Soga T, Kajimura S. Nature. 2019 Aug 21. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1503-x. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 31435015.
  2. Cory L. Butts, MS; Brendon P. McDermott, PhD, ATC; Brian J. Buening, MS, ATC; Jeffrey A. Bonacci, DA, ATC; Matthew S. Ganio, PhD; J. D. Adams, MS; Matthew A. Tucker, MA; Stavros A. Kavouras, PhDJ Athl Train (2016) 51 (3): 252–257.
  3. Zhang Y, Davis JK, Casa DJ, Bishop PA. Optimizing Cold Water Immersion for Exercise-Induced Hyperthermia: A Meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015 Nov;47(11):2464-72. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000693. PMID: 25910052.
  4. Roberts LA, Raastad T, Markworth JF, et al. Post-exercise cold water immersion attenuates acute anabolic signalling and long-term adaptations in muscle to strength training. J Physiol. 2015;593(18):4285-4301. doi:10.1113/JP270570

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Best Chest Stretches For Tight Chest Muscles https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/best-chest-stretches-for-tight-chest-muscles/ Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:00:00 +0000 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/best-chest-stretches-for-tight-chest-muscles/ Chest stretches are important to perform before & after an intense upper body day. Read more to find out about the best chest stretches for tight muscles!

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Whether you’re an avid gym-goer or simply someone who works in front of a computer screen for 8+ hours a day, knowing the best chest stretches for tight chest muscles can benefit us all greatly.

Swimming, driving, office jobs and lifting all share one thing in common: the requirement of our arms and chest. The vast majority of activities and tasks we perform in life take place in front of us, and with that, it is common for the muscles located at the front, namely our chest region, to become shortened, tight and therefore limited.

So, if you’ve ever wondered how to stretch your chest muscles, join us as we discuss the best chest stretches for chest tightness, and help you identify what could be causing your discomfort to begin with.

Contents:

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What Are Chest Stretches?

Stretch chest exercises

While this may seem like a question that offers a very self-explanatory answer, it is important that we define what we mean by a chest stretch and where exactly these types of movements target.

The reason these types of stretches are not only popular, but also important is because pectoral stretches work to lengthen the chest muscles, enabling for naturally better posture and movement.

Contrary to popular belief, pectoral stretches are beneficial to all. Some women may associate exercises and movements that target the pec (short for pectoriali) region to be catered towards men due to its connotation links with large muscular men who make their chest dance. However, this is not the case.

The pec muscles are the two muscles positioned on the right and left sides of the body near the chest. The pec major attaches at the middle of the collarbone and follows down towards the midline of your body, into the breastbone/lower sternum area. The pec minor is even smaller, located underneath the pec major, attaching at the middle of the third, fourth and fifth ribs.

The pec is an entire region of your body that is consistently working, as the majority of our movements use it. For instance, when doing things in front of our body, such as reaching, pushing or pulling, this draws on the pec major to do so; simple everyday tasks that we all engage in frequently.

With all this said and their importance stressed, it is also a muscle group that is prone to tightness, which is why chest stretches should not be overlooked.

Chest stretches work to open and loosen our pectoral region, reducing tightness and as a result, promoting better body movements, better posture and even relieving upper back pain – but we’ll get on to the benefits of chest stretches later on.

So, what are the best chest stretches for tight chest muscles? Let’s take a look at 17 of our favourite, most effective options that can be performed pretty much anywhere; meaning there is no excuse for you not to try at least a few of them out!

The 17 Best Chest Stretches For Tight Chest Muscles

Whether you’re looking for the best stretches for chest day, or simply some movements that you can perform on your lunch break in the office to loosen up your body, all the following stretches can be performed by anyone and offer beneficial effects no matter your level of activity.

While most of these chest opener stretches can be done in any location, a couple of them will require a piece of equipment – though if you do not have the official item, you will likely have a household object that offers the same benefits.

So, let’s delve into the 17 best chest warm up stretches.

#1 Above the Head Chest Stretch

The Above the Head Chest Stretch, while simply, is one of the most effective pulled chest muscle stretches that physios and medical experts recommend. Utilising three large muscle groups in the upper body, this is a highly effective movement and a must for those looking for stretches to open your chest.

Starting Position:

  • Begin by standing up straight with your feet hip-width apart.
  • Place your hands behind your head, bending your elbows and interlocking your fingers.

Execution:

  • Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together and push your elbows and hands backwards slightly.
  • Hold this stretch.

Duration: 30 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Pectorals, Posterior Deltoids, Serratus Anterior

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pushing the arms too far back – Pushing the elbows and hands beyond your ability can lead to injuries including muscle tears. You can gradually build up your range of motion by performing this stretch regularly, but you should not rush the process and force yourself beyond what you’re comfortably capable of doing.
  • Bouncing the arms backwards – Bouncing during or at the end of this stretch can also cause the muscle and tendon to tear. By doing this, it can trigger a reaction within the muscle which prevents it from relaxing and instead having a counter-effect than desired. Thi should be performed as a hold onc you have pushed the elbows back to a position you’re comfortably stretched in.

#2 Bent Arm Wall Stretch

For many people, they refrain from stretching as they’re under the impression you require stretching aids, such as resistance bands, for them to be effective. However, that is not the case, and most stretch chest exercises, the most you require is a wall or floor.

Starting Position:

  • Stand sideways by a wall, with your feet in a split stance position; the leg closest to the wall in front.
  • Bring your arm positioned next to the wall up to a 9 degree angle with your elbow at shoulder height. Position your palm and forearm against the wall.
  • Turn your face away from the wall looking over your other shoulder.

Execution:

  • Gently press into the arm placed on the wall.
  • Lift your chest outwards slightly to feel a deeper stretch in your pectoral.
  • Hold.
  • Repeat on the other side.

Duration: 30 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Pectorals

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Incorrect Stance – To ensure you’re getting the most out of this stretch, ensure you stand with a split stance as opposed to with your feet together. This allows for a deeper stretch and your chest to open further.
  • Overstretching your neck – You do not need to push your neck and head for this stretch. Simply turn your attention over the shoulder furthest from the wall. Overstretching can lead to injuring your neck.

#3 Camel Pose

The Camel Pose is a great movement for those wondering how to stretch after workout. This popular yoga pose is now utilised across all forms of fitness, and it comes as no surprise due to the number of muscle groups this works simultaneously.

Yoga’s popularity has grown significantly over recent years, and with that has come a number of different styles for all ability levels. Want to read more about this? Check out our report on the types of different yoga styles which explores them in great detail.

Set Up: This chest muscle stretch is best performed on an exercise/yoga mat,

Starting Position:

  • Kneel on the exercise mat, with your feet flat, body upright and your hips stacked over your knees – you can place a folded blanket or fold your mat over to protect sensitive knees).
  • One hand at a time, slowly reach back and grasp the heel of your feet – if you need a little bit more height, you can tuck your toes under to lift).

Execution:

  • Once both hands are firmly grasping your heels, bring your hips forward so they are positioned over your knees.
  • Bring your head backwards slowly, opening your throat. If this is too uncomfortable, you can keep your chin tucked instead.
  • Ensure you are lifting your chest towards the ceiling and using your fully-extended arms to softly push the chest upwards and open the stretch further.
  • Hold this position.
  • Gradually return to the starting position by bringing your chin back into your chest, draw your hands into your hips to support your lower back as you slowly bring your body to the upright position.

Duration: 30 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Pectorals, Abdominals, Quadriceps

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Failing to keep your thighs upright – The primary mistake that can arise with the Camel Pose is not keeping your thighs upright throughout the stretch and instead allowing them to follow your chest backwards – resulting in a more slanted form. By allowing your thighs to fall backwards, it reduces and can even eliminate any benefit of the Camel Pose for your chest.

#4 Floor Angels

Ranked as one of the best chest stretch exercises for improving posture, Floor Angels work to loosen off the pectoral muscle fibres and reduce rounding of the shoulders – allowing for better every day posture.

Set Up: For this chest muscle stretch you will require an exercise/yoga blanket.

Starting Position:

  • Lie flat on your back with your feet hip-width apart. All body parts should be resting firmly on the floor.
  • Position both arms flat on the floor to the side of you at a 90 degree angle with your palms facing upwards.

Execution:

  • Keeping your body firmly on the ground throughout, slowly raise your arms up over your head until they are fully extended.
  • No hold is necessary for this stretch, slowly bring both arms back down to the 90 degree position.
  • Repeat this movement for 30 seconds or 10 times for as many sets necessary until you feel it has been effective.

Duration: 30 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Deltoids

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Moving too quickly – A common error with dynamic chest stretches occurs with bouncing/moving too vigorously. Performing a stretch too quickly can lead to a pulled muscle as it can trigger the muscle to tighten to protect itself. To prevent this, gradually elongate into the stretch and bring the arms back down slowly and controlled.

#5 Pec Release

The Pec Release is a deep impact chest stretch exercise that is strongly recommended for those that really want to work on massaging the tightness in their chest. Providing a more intimate stretching method, this is a great option for those who require pulled chest muscle stretches.

Set Up: You will need a small tennis ball-like for this chest stretch exercise.

Starting Position:

  • Position yourself standing just a few centimeters away from a wall, with your body facing towards the wall.
  • Place a small ball, a tennis ball is ideal, on your right pectoral muscle close to your armpit.
  • Bring your right arm up to the side of you at a 90 degree angle. Your hand should be roughly level with your head.

Execution:

  • Lean your right pectoral (chest muscle) into the ball.
  • Proceed to move your right arm in an upwards direction until it is straight in the air.
  • Move your arm back down to the right angle position.
  • Repeat this movement for 30 seconds, moving your arm back up reaching the ceiling and back down.
  • This should be a fairly quick flow with no pauses or holds.
  • Repeat the same sequence on the other pectoral muscle.

Duration: 30 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Pectorals

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pushing against the ball too hard – Similarly to other stretches, the pressure that you feel from the ball as it presses and massages your pectoral should feel slightly uncomfortable if you are particularly tight, however it should not be painful. If you feel any sharp pain or discomfort, try reducing the pressure you are applying when pressing against the ball/massage agent.

#6 Corner Chest Stretch

The Corner Chest Stretch has long been lauded by medical experts and physios as one of the best pulled chest muscles stretches. It allows for an adaptable and controlled stretch to help repair sore muscles without presenting risk of injury.

Starting Position:

  • Stand in the corner of a room and face the wall.
  • Place your forearms and palms on either side of the wall, approximately at shoulder level.
  • Your feet should be positioned roughly 1ft away from the corner.

Execution:

  • Keeping your forearms and palms firmly against the wall and your body straight, lean your body in towards the corner.
  • You should only lean until you can feel a stretch across your chest, but not so much that it is causing any pain or discomfort.
  • Hold for 5-10 seconds.
  • Move your arms further up the wall, keeping the same position of forearms and palms against the wall and repeat the lean and hold.
  • Bring your arms back down to the initial position at shoulder level and repeat.
  • Continue this sequence.

Duration: 30 – 40 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Pectorals, Deltoids

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Bending at the back – It is important to keep your body in a straight line and engaged, preventing any bend along the chain. This can apply pressure to the wrong place, most notably, your lower back and could result in tweaking or injury.

#7 Doorway Pectoral Stretch

Similarly to the last stretch, the Doorway Pectoral chest stretch exercise is achievable for anyone as no equipment is needed and you determine the pressure applied. Whether you’re someone with minimal range of motion or someone simply needing to loosen the muscles – this is perhaps the best chest stretch to perform anywhere.

Starting Position:

  • Stand in the middle of an open doorway, feet side by side.
  • Raise each arm up to the sides, both bent at a 90-degree angle with your palms facing forward resting on the door frame.

Execution:

  • Slowly, step forward with one foot, placing it in front of the other, shifting your weight onto the front leg.
  • Lean forward slightly into the movement until you can feel a stretch in your chest and shoulders.
  • Be sure to stand upright, rather than diagonally leaning forward. The way placed on your front leg should provide a slight lean sufficient for the stretch.
  • Hold for 20-30 seconds.
  • Return to the starting position by stepping back and relaxing.
  • Repeat 3 times.

Duration: 20 – 30 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Pectorals, Deltoids

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Leaning – While there should be a slight lean when you place your weight on the front leg, you should still sustain an upright position. Leaning your body forward can place stress and strain on your shoulder joints and result in soreness, injury or/and ineffective stretch.
  • Overstretching If you exert a lot of energy into this exercise, you can tear a muscle. Do not push yourself too hard and stay within your limits. It should not hurt while doing this exercise.

#8 Chest Opener

The Chest Opener stretch provides one of the most effective stretches to do before a chest workout. Solely targeting your pectorals, this movement is guaranteed to limber you up for Monday’s International Chest Day, so if you were wondering how to stretch your chest muscles for a big workout, we recommend starting her.e.

Starting Position:

  • Begin by standing up straight on a flat surface.
  • Straighten your arms and bring them up in front of you, forming a line from your shoulders and keeping your palms facing towards each other.

Execution:

  • Inhale and draw both of your arms out besides you and then backwards behind your body.
  • Lean into the stretch, squeezing your shoulder blades together and drawing your chest outwards.
  • Feel your chest open and hold this position.
  • Take several deep breaths and then slowly return, bring your arms back in front of you with your palms facing each other.
  • Repeat this 5 times, or as many times needed until effective.

Duration: 3 – 5 Seconds per hold

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Pectorals

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Overstretching – Over stretching a movement beyond your range of motion can lead to injury and even straining. If you begin to feel a pain, rather than a deep stretch, you should stop performing the Chest Opener stretch.

#9 Bosu Ball Chest Stretch

Looking for more advanced stretches for your chest muscles that will work your upper body simultaneously? Interested in adding equipment to your stretching sessions for variety? The Bosu Ball chest stretch exercise provides a challenging movement that is sure to open your chest and limber you up both pre and post workout.

Set Up: You will require a Bosu Ball for this chest stretch exercise.

Starting Position:

  • Begin by assuming a plank position on the floor, however place your right palm on the Bosu Ball, with the other firmly placed on the mat.
  • Your feet should be touching and your arms/hands at shoulder-width apart.
  • The Bosu Ball should be placed to the side of you, sitting just under your right shoulder blade.

Execution:

  • Lower down from the upright plank position into a low push-up hold.
  • Hold the body just a few inches off the ground, keeping the elbows tucked in by the sides.
  • Maintain a tight body and keep the core engaged for the entire hold.
  • Hold this position.

Duration: 30 Seconds Each Arm

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Pectorals, Triceps and Deltoids

Mistakes To Avoid

Form – Avoid allowing your back and glutes to sink inwards towards the floor, creating an arch in your back. For a secure plank position, your glutes should be tucked and tight and your back should be straight.

  • Ball size – If your stability ball is too big or too small, you may feel unbalanced, and not benefit fully from this chest opener stretch

#10 Bow Pose

Another popular yoga pose turned stretch chest exercises, the Bow Pose works to improve posture as well as strengthening the upper back, both of which have direct effects on how tight our chest muscles are. By improving both of these factors, you are directly improving the flexibility of your chest muscles and your overall health.

Set Up: It is best advised to perform this chest muscle stretch on a yoga/exercise mat.

Starting Position:

  • Lie flat on your stomach on your exercise mat, keeping your chin on the mat and your hands palm up at your sides.
  • Bend your knees and bring your heels as close to your bottom as you comfortably can. Knees should be hip-width apart.

Execution:

  • Lift your hands and take hold of each ankle. Ensure to wrap fingers around the ankle rather than the top of your feet. Keep toes pointed
  • Inhale, pressing your pubic bone down and drawing your lower belly in and up. Lift the heels away from the bottom while keeping ahold of your ankles.
  • Simultaneously, lift your chest, thighs and head away from the mat. Only your core should be touching the floor at this point.
  • While in the bow position, slide your shoulder blades down towards each other in order to open up your chest.
  • Looking straight ahead, hold the pose for approximately 20-30 seconds, putting focus on your breath, balance and stretch.
  • Exhale and release the psoe with control. Lowering your head, thighs, chest back towards the mat. Letting go of your ankles, allow your feet to return to the mat while you bring your hands back to your side.
  • Rest for a few seconds and repeat the pose until you deem the stretch has been effective.

Duration: 20 – 30 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

The entire front of the body, ankles, thighs and groins, abdomen and chest, and throat, and deep hip flexors (psoas).

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Incorrect grip – Where you position your hands for the bow pose is very important. You should be sure to grab your ankle and not the top of your feet; this is to prevent slipping that would likely occur when holding your feet.
  • Incorrect form – It is an important part of the Bow Pose to ensure that your knees remain hip-width apart. When the knees are positioned too close, this can lead to discomfort in the back while also opening up the hips incorrectly which can lead to straining.

#11 Walk Up the Wall

One for the slightly more advanced; the Walk Up the Wall is a challenging chest stretch exercise that not only opens up your chest improving your flexibility, but works on improving your strength also. We recommend going slow with this one, gradually perfecting it rather than jumping in at the deep end!

Though advanced, we would encourage everyone to work towards performing this movement; not only is it a great chest opener strecth, but it works a number of other muscle groups, including the triceps.

Set Up: For this stretch we recommend using an exercise mat as well as requiring a space with a wall.

Starting Position:

  • Position your exercise mat in front of a wall, facing vertical away from the wall, rather than horizontally against it.
  • Start by assembling a push-up position on your mat, with your hands at the top end of the mat that is furthest away from the wall.
  • Hands should be flat on the floor beside your shoulders, head down and your spine neutral.

Execution:

  • Extend your arms and press up into a plank position.
  • Walk your feet onto and then upwards on the wall, while simultaneously walking your hands back towards the wall.
  • Continue to walk up, one hand back at a time until you are in a complete handstand position – as flat to the wall as you can get.
  • Keep your core engaged and tight and your back straight.
  • Return by walking your hands away from the wall and bring your feet down gradually as you walk back out.
  • Once returning to the press-up position, with your feet still against the wall, perform a press up and repeat the movement.
  • Reps are at your discretion.

Duration: Subjective to ability level

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Deltoids, Abdominals, Triceps, Pectorals

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Lack of control – It is important to maintain control throughout the entirety of this stretch. Keep your arms straight and avoid allowing the back to curve – failing to do so and moving too quickly could result in injury.
  • Attempting too many reps – It is preferred with this stretch to do fewer repetitions when you are new to it to ensure the reps you do complete are done so with proper form and full control. With practice, you can build up the reps you are able to complete with full control.

#12 Lying Pectoral Stretch

If you have ever been to an exercise class that has included a warm up and cool down, the chances are you’ve seen this chest muscle stretch before. Hailed as one of the best stretches to do before a chest workout, the Lying Pectoral chest stretch exercise works hard to limber up both your pecs and delts, allowing for an effective chest day!

Set Up: This stretch is best performed on an exercise/yoga mat.

Starting Position:

  • Lie flat on your stomach on your exercise mat,
  • Reach both of your arms out to the sides of you, creating a T shape with your body.
  • Bring your right hand into just beside your shoulder with your palm facing the floor – keep your left arm fully extended outwards.
  • Turn to face your right hand and bend your right leg slightly
  • Bend the opposing knee

Execution:

  • Roll onto the left side of your body, using your right hand to push up and create the stretch.
  • Pause when you can feel the stretch in the right
  • Hold the stretch for 30-45 seconds.
  • Repeat the stretch on the opposite side.

Duation: 30 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Pectorals, Deltoids

Mistakes To Avoid:

  • Pushing your body too much – Pushing the stretch up with your arm beyond your ability can cause a muscle to tear. You should feel slight discomfort during a stretch, but it should never be painful. If you still feel tight following the stretch, repeat the sequence multiple times remaining in your range of motion.

Explore career opportunities in the industry by understanding top-earning fitness positions.

#13 Wall Angels

You may recall earlier when we looked at the floor angels, well it should come as no surprise that a Wall Angel is basically the same, but instead performed against a wall. This is perfect for those wanting to stretch their chest while in work and don’t quite fancy sprawling out on the floor – instead take a toilet break and voila!

Starting Position:

  • Position your body with your back and head firmly against a wall.
  • Stand with your feet roughly 30cm from the wall and your knees slightly bent.
  • Pull your shoulders down away from your ears and bring your arms up at a 90 degree angle at the side of your body – forming a W like position.
  • Keep your head upright with your gaze ahead of you.

Execution:

  • With your elbows and wrists placed against the wall, slowly slide your arms over your head to form a Y position.
  • With control, slowly return to the starting position, bringing your arms back down, resuming the 90 degree angle with your elbows.
  • You should maintain contact with the wall with your back, head, elbows and hands throughout the entirety of the movement, whilst keeping the shoulder blades down.
  • Repeat.

Duration: 10 Reps

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Deltoids, Trapezius, Rhombus

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Arching Your Back – By arching your back, you are challenging spinal mobility which is the main purpose of the wall angel. If you can’t keep your lower back in contact with the wall, it means your body is compensating for limited T-spine mobility. Your lumbar spine extends and your core protrudes in an attempt to get your shoulders extended overhead. This compromises the integrity of your spine and, if you make this mistake often, you might inadvertently teach your body to reinforce this harmful movement pattern.
  • Protruding Your Neck – Without realising, many people protrude their necks when performing this stretch. This could simply be the result of straining to reach the overhead position – however it should be avoided. While it won’t necessarily injure you, it is best to keep your neck tucked in to maximise the benefits of the movement and promote good posture.
  • Rush the Movement – As the wall angel is among the few dynamic chest stretches exercises, it is most effective when it is performed slowly. This slow movement allows you to locate stiffer areas in your spine and therefore work on mobilising them.

#14 Double Arm Stretch For Chest

It’s upper body day at the gym and you need the best stretches for chest muscles before a workout. The Double Arm stretch for chest has you covered. Not only does this target your pectorals, but it also works to loosen your biceps and deltoids – working three of the primary muscle groups you require in one movement.

Starting Position:

  • Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart
  • Move both arms up in front of you, keeping arms straight and fully extended with your palms facing towards each other
  • Once your arms are extended fully in front of you at chest level, open both arms outwards until they are directly open at shoulder level with palms facing forwards.

Execution:

  • From the starting position, push both arms backwards, opening your chest until you feel a stretch in your chest and hold for a brief moment.
  • Release the stretch and move the fully extended arms back together until your palms are near-touching in front of you.
  • Once the hands come within an inch of each other, repeat the movement by moving the arms backwards again and opening the chest by extending your arms slightly behind you.
  • Repeat the cycle.

Duration: 30 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Pectorals, Biceps and Deltoids

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Don’t overextend – When performing the open arm chest stretch, release all the tension from your body. Let your chest muscles relax before

#15 Kneeling Chest Stretch

A great adaptable chest stretch exercise that can be performed by anybody looking to reap the benefits of chest stretches. The Kneeling Chest Stretch is a highly effective stretch that works not just one, but five different muscle groups! A great addition to your pre and post workout chest stretches.

Set Up: You will need a mat or ideally a comfortable surface for this stretch.

Starting Position:

  • Position yourself by kneeling on the mat, sitting on your heels.
  • Lean back, placing your palms flat on the floor should width apart.

Execution:

  • Begin by pressing your hands firmly into the ground to lift your chest higher, arching your back.
  • To further the stretch, allow your head to follow the movement, lowering it behind you and stretching through our throat and the front of your chest.
  • Hold the stretch.

Duration: 30 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Deltoids, Pectorals, Rectus Abdominis

Mistakes To Avoid

  • Not aligning your neck correctly – By incorrectly placing your neck, this could be by either under or over extending; this can cause unwanted strain and in turn result in injury.

#16 Reverse Chest Stretch

Rounding up this list of the best stretches for chest muscles is the Reverse Chest Stretch, a simple yet effective stretch which can be incorporated into anyone’s routine no matter their location and schedule. Whatsmore, this chest stretch exercise also offers benefits to the triceps, latissimus and delts.

Set Up: You will require a chair or bench to perform this exercise

Starting Position:

  • Begin by facing away from the front of the chair and lowering into a dip position, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
  • Position hands at the sides of the chair, palms should be faced down besides your hips, with fingers gripping the front of the seat.
  • Lower your body off the chair until your back is positioned in front of the seat or you feel a good stretch in your chest and biceps, your legs are bent and your elbows form a 90 degree angle.

Execution:

  • Once lowered into the dip, extend your posture by reaching your chest forward comfortably.
  • Ensure your head is kept upright, facing forward throughout the entire stretch.
  • Hold this position for the duration of the stretch.
  • Remember to focus on your breathing throughout

Duration: 30 – 40 Seconds

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Triceps Brachii, Latissimus Dorsi, Anterior Delts and Pectoralis Major

Mistakes To Avoid:

  • Flaring the elbows – It is important you ensure elbows remain fixed in the 9 degree angle throughout the entirety of the exercise, with triceps fully engaged at all times. Failing to do this could shift the pressure onto your joints and other muscles and therefore remove any benefits this stretch has for your chest.
  • Applying pressure to the wrong place – A common error where people go wrong with this stretch is by pushing themselves up using their legs rather than the triceps. The Reverse Chest Stretch is specifically designed to open your chest and target your upper arms, if you use your legs to push yourself upwards, the stretch will be ineffective for the purpose you’re using it.

#17 Chest Stretch With Resistance Band

Though this is the first chest stretch featured on this list that requied the addition of a resistance band, you can in fact implement this versatile piece of equipment into a number of the listed strecthes in order to deepen them – this may appear particuarly to those who have engaged in flexibility training for some time now.

Not sure whether you would benefit from investing in resistance bands? Check out our complete guide to resistance training to find out why this is an essential item for everyone’s gym kit.

Set Up: You will require a long resistance band for this chest stretch exercise.

Starting Position:

  • Stand upright with your feet positioned slightly apart.
  • Grab hold of each end of the band whilst holding your arms apart just above your groin.

Execution:

  • Create resistance by pulling each end of the band away from eachother, creating a downwards ‘V’ with your arms and ensuring they are kept locked straight at all times.
  • Move your arms upwards, maintaining the ‘V’ position with straight arms and keeping resistance by extending the band.
  • Once your arms are reaching towards the ceiling, bring your arms and the band backwards behind your body and continue the movement of stretchig the band out and towards your glutes.
  • Once your arms have reassumed the ‘V’ position at the bottom of the back, bring the band back up towards the ceiling and back down in front of the body.
  • Continue this sequence,

Duration: 5 Reps

What Muscles Does This Stretch Benefit?

Deltoids, Pectorals and Rhomboids

Mistakes To Avoid:

  • Using a resistance band too heavy for you – It is important with this chest stretch that you are using a band that you can stretch comfortably within your range of motion. If you use a band too heavy, it will be difficult to control the movement and could lead to an injury when your arms are trying to move behind the back. The band acts as a form of resistance similarly to how weights do.
  • Bending the arms – Your arms should stay straight and locked throughout the entirety of this chest stertch exercise, failing to do so will likely remove all of the benefits that this stretch provides.

What Are The Benefits of Chest Stretches?

There are many benefits to performing chest stretches exercises consistently, many of which not only improve your athletic performance, but your quality of everyday life also:

#1 Improves Flexibility and Posture

How to stretch after workout

Deemed one of the best benefits of chest stretches is the ability to improve our flexibility and in turn, the posture we carry every day. Stretching offers one of the easiest ways in which we can improve our flexibility; through expanding and opening up the muscles, this encourages the chest, back and spine to elongate.

While the process should be gradual, through training the muscles to fully elongate, this has a direct impact on amending posture, as it allows for more open stances, encouraging the chest to open and our shoulders to sit comfortably without rolling forwards.

Chest stretches exercises are amongst the exercises that are recommended for those with back and spinal injuries and issues to help in the rehabilitation process. These stretches are designed to improve the flexibility for those injured which will in effect aid in the improvement of the posture.

#2 Improves Range of Motion

Chest muscle stretch

As a consequence of the prior point, by improving our flexibility, this has a direct effect on the body’s range of motion, naturally increasing it. Without stretching, the muscles in our chest (and other body parts if you fail to stretch them also) shorten and become tight, then when the time arises where you require the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend to the capacity you would like.

Improving flexibility loosens the muscles, meaning that when we want to perform a movement, such as the Lying Pectoral Stretch, our bodys are able to rotate more and our arm is able to fully extend without causing pain – this showcases a good range of motion.

The tighter our chest muscles, the more restricted our range of motion is. A great way to improve your range of motion is through the practice of regular yoga.

#3 Promotes Better Circulation

Best chest stretch

While this may seem slightly more scientific, the logic is fairly simple; chest stretches help increase our blood flow around the body, which boosts oxygen levels and helps deliver nutrients around this body – therefore, promoting a better circulation.

Stretching works to improve circulation by gently pulling and tugging on the muscle and connective tissue, infusing them with a conscious breath. The combination of breathing with the gentle pulling helps to create fluid homeostasis in the body – this is the term given to keeping the concentration of the fluids in the body from changing, also known as fluid balance. This supports the health of both the heart and kidneys.

With a better circulation comes a better recovery following workouts and shorter recovery periods between workouts.  This benefit also offers a positive effect on our mood, as with boosted blood flow and circulation, it means more oxygen is being transmitted to our brains which allows for a clearer mind and positive mood.

#4 Builds Strength

Stretch chest muscles

The benefits chest stretches have for building strength come as a result of the aforementioned benefits in this list. Stretching, as we know, lengthens muscle tissue and increases flexibility, these two elements combined enable you to gain a better range of motion. With a better range of motion, it means that when you are performing strength building exercises, they are much more effective on the body, targeting every area to its fullest potential.

Of course, the more we perform strength building exercises and workouts, the stronger we become. Additionally, when we engage in strength training, we create tiny tears in the muscles and lactic acid builds up. When we stretch post-workout (which is equally as important as pre-workout), it assists the body in circulating fresh blood and carrying nutrients to those muscles which require it.

This promotes a shorter recovery time, reducing post-workout soreness and allowing you to get back to the gym sooner – therefore building more muscle.

#5 Reduces the Risk of Injury

How to stretch your chest

As with any form of stretching, chest stretches exercises reduce the risk of muscle strain or injury during a workout as it encourages the muscle group to be more flexible and supple and more prepared to take on the taxing effects of a workout of any capacity.

By increasing the flexibility of the body, it allows you to withstand more physical stress and demands, such as working out for longer periods of time and pushing yourself that little bit further. Chest stretches (and other types of resistance training) benefits the muscles by helping them become more balanced, which in itself can prevent serious injuries by equally sharing pressure put on the body, rather than one specific area taking on the majority of the weight.

You should never jump straight into  a workout without stretching and warming up as it doesn’t give the muscles and joints time to wake up and prepare, which significantly increases the risk of pulling a muscle or twisting a joint. dynamic chest stretches work to boost our circulation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do Chest Muscles Get Tight?

Stretches to do before chest workout

It is important to note that chest tightness is a common occurrence that can be a symptom of a number of conditions or reasonings.

As we addressed earlier in the article, the pectoralis is the entire chest region of our body, a region in which we draw on for many of our daily functions; from pushing and polling to driving and typing on a computer.

Tight chest muscles are common in those who sit for long periods of time, or in jobs that cause rounded shoulders (such as office work or painting). Rounded shoulders become a natural instinct as it is the most comfortable position when our front chest muscles are tight, however the more we succumb to this poor posture, the more damaging this is to our pectorals as the chest muscles have to help support an overloaded rib cage from the front.

Tight pectoral muscles can also occur in those who engage in a large amount of upper body exercises, such as chest and bench press, which are not equally counterbalanced with other forms of exercise.

While tight chest muscles are very common, you should be aware that in some occasions chest tightness cold be an indication of the following:

  • Diseases that affect internal organs within the chest cavity (heart, lungs, stomach, gallbladder, esophagus, liver and pancreas).
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Abnormalities of muscle, bone, cartilage and skin

In scenarios where your chest tightness progresses onto more feelings of pain (both sharp or prolonged), or if you’re having issues with breathing, we advise you seek medical attention as this could be something more severe. Otherwise, these issues can be mitigated through the consistent practice of chest stretches exercises.

What to Do if You Pull a Muscle in Your Chest

Stretches for your chest

Though we hope that this article significantly reduces the chance of you ever having to face the situation where you pull a muscle in your chest, it is always best to be prepared if the situation were to arise.

Most cases of a mild strained or pulled chest can be treated at home with a lot of rest and using the RICE method. Let us break it down for you:

  • Rest – First and foremost, you must subject yourself to rest as soon as you notice pain. The duration of this will vary from case to case, but typically, you can look to resume light activity (walking) two days after injury – though this should be stopped immediately if the pain returns.
  • Ice – Apply ice to the injured area for 20 minute periods up to three times a day.
  • Compression – It is advised to wrap any inflamed areas up with an elastic bandage, however avoid doing so too tightly as this could affect your circulation.
  • Elevation – You should keep your chest elevated at all times, particularly at night. You may want to consider sleeping in a recliner chair if possible.

The symptoms caused from mild pulls should subside in a matter of weeks. You’re encouraged to take painkillers to reduce your discomfort during this time; you can even combine painkillers with a muscle relaxant gel.

In more chronic conditions where your pain feels more intense than mild, you may benefit from seeking physical therapy and/or exercises that can help correct muscle imbalances that contribute to strain.

And in more severe cases, surgery may be needed in order to repair torn muscles.

Before You Go!

Our chest muscles are put through a great deal of pressure every single day, so it’s inevitable that at one point or another, we’ll all experience chest tightness. For this reason, it is important that we know what to do in times where we’re particularly sensitive, and even to help prevent this occurring at all.

Identifying the perfect sequence of the best chest stretches for tight chest muscles that work for you can make a huge difference, not only to your workouts, but your overall quality of life.

Once perfecting your sequence, you may even feel confident enough to share your knowledge and expertise with others in similar positions. If that is the case, then a career in fitness – massage therapy particularly – could be your calling.

Here at OriGym, we offer an internationally leading Level 3 PT Diploma, whether you’re looking for a new career or to expand your existing opportunities within the fitness industry. Why not enquire today and start the rest of your life?

Alternatively, you can download our full comprehensive prospectus today, and learn more about the packages and courses we have on offer.

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The Rise of the Female PT: Surge of UK Women Becoming Fitness Professionals https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/increase-in-female-pts/ Mon, 14 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/increase-in-female-pts/ Recent statistics have found there has been a 17% increase in female personal trainers, a surge that the industry has longed for. Click here to read more.

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An increasing number of women in the UK are seeking out fitness, not only as a means to improve their health and challenge stereotypes regarding women’s physical strength, but also as a full-time career.

While recent statistics highlight that the number of women entering a fitness-based profession has increased in the last five years, women have in fact been at the forefront of the health, fitness and wellness community for quite some time now.

Women are more often than not targeted with exercise-related products and services; and yet, there has long been a disproportionate lack of representation when it comes to occupying formal roles within the industry, though new findings suggest that this is changing.

You can learn more about working in the fitness industry by completing a L3 Personal Trainer Diploma! Alternatively, download our course prospectus to learn about our full range of courses.

A 2021 study conducted by the UK’s leading personal training course provider, OriGym Centre of Excellence, revealed that in the last five years, the UK has seen a 17% increase in women becoming qualified as personal trainers.

For comparison, in 2016, OriGym enrolled a total of 987 students onto Level 3 Personal Training courses, of which just 26% were female. The most recent report highlighting 2020 figures saw 7,018 students sign up to the same course, this time 43% of those were female.

Statistics recorded between this time have shown a year on year increase in the number of female students enrolling into personal training courses, with the ratio gap of men to women consistently minimising.

This new information stands as evidence to suggest that the fitness industry is becoming much more gender inclusive from a professional standard, and by the current trend is forecasted to see an equal split between genders within the next few years.

The distinction between male or female trainers may seem arbitrary given knowledge, experience and skill are not based on gender, and it’s for that reason why having a comparatively fewer number of female personal trainers is concerning and a change has been longed for.

female personal trainers

Helena Phil, a personal trainer who has been in the fitness industry for over 25 years, told OriGym:

“Female PTs have definitely risen over the years. I think social media platforms have helped with the rising of female trainers, particularly encouraging other females to up their game and lead a healthy lifestyle.

“[The rise] definitely has had a huge impact with empowering women to be more body confident and to lead as role models to their children.”

Adding to why this increase offers great benefits to the industry, Phil said: “Some women get intimidated by a male trainer, not feeling their needs being met. A female trainer is also ideal for Muslim ladies and those of other religions too who would opt for a women over a male trainer.”

Alongside personal training, there have been a number of initiatives developed in the last few years to encourage more women to take up exercising and become more involved in the health and wellness industry.

In 2015, Sport England found that there were a total of two million fewer women participating in sport than men, with the main protagonist being “fear of being judged” as opposed to desire to participate. In a bid to combat this gender gap and inspire more women to become physically active, the initiative “This Girl Can” was launched by Sport England, which gained massive traction and publicity.

It was the first of its kind to feature women of all shapes, sizes and sporting abilities in their television advertisements and visual campaigns.

To date the campaign has helped an estimated 2.8m women get more involved in exercise, 1.6m of which began exercising for the first time, and the remaining 1.2m increased their existing exercise involvement.

The effects of initiatives and campaigns such as these could be one of the major catalysts as to why more women are not just increasing sporting and physical activity, but taking it up as their career.

If you’re a woman who is looking to work in the fitness industry, you’ll want to learn about the high-paying fitness jobs in the fitness industry.


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Tara Dillion, CEO of CIMSPA (the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector), supported the 2015 movement and believes it is necessary to have more initiatives that engage more women in the fitness sector, from both a professional and leisure perspective.

She said: “It’s fantastic to see more women choosing personal training as a career. It’s also not surprising, because thanks to the professionalism of all of our members, fitness and physical activity is increasingly becoming recognised as a profession that offers brilliant career development and longevity.

“With successful campaigns like Sport England’s #ThisGirlCan getting more and more women interested in fitness, there is a growing need for qualified female instructors who understand the specifics of women’s training needs and I can only see that continuing as we emerge from the shadow of Covid-19.”

While the available statistics demonstrate that the female personal training market has unquestionably increased, some women in the industry have found the increase to be surprising, mostly due to the fact that they don’t believe there was ever a gender gap to begin with.

Alison Stockton, founder of Vibrant Balanced Health, has been active in the health, fitness and wellness industry for over two decades and since establishing herself all over the globe claims to have never encountered a male dominated fitness environment.

She told OrGym: “I began my career as a group fitness coach 20 years ago and I never experienced a higher percentage of male trainers over females. During my time as a personal trainer, I created a business in the channel islands, UK, Isle of Man, Dubai and Switzerland and the percentage was always balanced.

“I think perhaps the reason for the increase over the last 18 months will have a lot to do with the pandemic; women choosing a different career path, something that they have seen a gap in their area, and also it often spans from their own love of feeling healthier and working out and wanting to inspire other women to accomplish the same.

“For me, during my 25 years as a Personal Trainer, there was never a feeling that I  had fewer clients than my male counterparts, and the fact that I always had a 50/50 split male/female was proof that during my time the industry wasn’t dominated by male PTS.”

However, these findings are not unusual to available statistics.

rise of female personal trainers

Between 2017 and 2019, figures recorded from OriGym found the percentage of females to men to enrol onto personal training courses remained at the lower end of the 30s, only just reaching 35% in 2019 before surging into the 40% margin last year.

In 2020 the American internet service for tracking human exercise, Strava, noted that the growth in women’s activity last year led to a global fitness boom that far surpassed the company’s projections based on historical trends.

The app, which has over nine million UK users (approximately 13% of the nation’s population), reported that the increase was particularly notable in Britain. Brits showed a 108% rise in the median number of activities by women in the 18-29 age group, and rises of between 52% and 65% in other age categories.

Of course, the pandemic played a predominant role in these statistics, with more people having an unforeseen amount of free time as a result of furlough or eliminated commuting periods, however the explanation for the gender boom has no concrete reasoning, rather more women simply felt more confident and safe to engage in exercise.

One of the major reasons levelled at why previously more women were not participating in sport was due to the low number of female sporting role models and lack of media exposure by both print and broadcast of female sporting events, with an average of just 4% coverage across major broadcasters by contrast to male sports.

This percentage has been persistent year on year, with the average rarely touching over 10% despite fluctuations seen during notable moments such as the Olympics and the World Cup. However, with the rising popularity of globally famous female athletes, such as Sereena Williams, Ronda Rousey and Maria Sharapova who dedicate their platforms to share messages of body positive and owning their strong physiques, there has been an influx of women across the world making the decision to improve their strength, fitness and flexibility in gym environments, alongside embracing strong builds and turning their passion into careers.

As the percentage of female personal trainers in the UK continues to increase and the dated stigma that lifting weights is restricted to male abilities diminishes, gender inclusivity in the fitness industry has never looked more promising.

Don’t forget to inquire about OriGym’s L3 PT Diploma to begin your career journey. Download our course prospectus for additional details!

The post The Rise of the Female PT: Surge of UK Women Becoming Fitness Professionals appeared first on OriGym Centre of Excellence.

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Best Calisthenics & Bodyweight Training Books https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/calisthenics-books/ Wed, 05 May 2021 08:55:30 +0000 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/calisthenics-books/ Whether you're starting out in calisthenics or trying to progress, find out which are the best beginners and advanced books on calisthenics & bodyweight training to learn from in OriGym's article.

The post Best Calisthenics & Bodyweight Training Books appeared first on OriGym Centre of Excellence.

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With us all slowly coming out of lockdown again, quite a few of us have decided to get into working out. Be it to improve on a self-imposed workout regime, or work to get rid of some of that lockdown weight!

If you want to learn how to do just that without the cost of expensive equipment, check out our list of the very best calisthenics and bodyweight training books.

Before you dive in, take a look at OriGym’s personal training courses to push your fitness to the next level, and impart some essential knowledge to others.

Download our FREE course prospectus for the full details on our courses.

We’ll cover the following topics:

Let’s get into our top 21 books on calisthenics and bodyweight training.

What Is The Difference Between Calisthenics And Bodyweight Training?

best book on calisthenics

Calisthenics is a form of physical training that focuses on educating you to master your body weight whilst using minimal equipment such as weights. In addition to this, a lot of focus is placed on doing some skill-demanding movements.

Bodyweight training, however, is the art of physical training where the sole equipment used is your own body weight’s natural resistance.

Best 5 Calisthenics For Beginners

These books on calisthenics are our top choices for beginners. So if you’re just getting into it, or are coming back to calisthenic workouts after lockdown, we’ve got the right calisthenics workout book for you.

Download OriGym’s FREE 16-week home strength training program to kickstart your fitness journey!

#1 – Calisthenics Workout Bible: The #1 Guide for Beginners

by Bruce Harlow

best calisthenics book

Amazon: £15.75

Blackwells: £14.95

Waterstones: £19.95

If you’re an absolute beginner at calisthenics, then we recommend you check out this one first to comprehend the basics. It isn’t the most in-depth book, but it will certainly help you understand and take the first steps in your calisthenics training.

This book includes over 75 different bodyweight exercises, and has a Kindle edition as well as an audible version so you could listen to this book as you try out some of the exercises!

If you already know calisthenics, this might not be the book for you, but if you’re a total newbie, then we recommend you check this one out.

Many calisthenics book reviews recommend this particular guide if you’re just getting into a self-imposed calisthenics workout routine because of its simplicity and minimal types of exercises.

So, if you’re experienced in calisthenics training then try one of our best books on calisthenics in the advanced section.

#2 – Convict Conditioning

By Paul “Coach” Wade

best books on body weight training

Amazon Cost: £24.66

Kindle Cost: £6.32

Blackwell’s Cost: £30.95

Now, this pick has an intriguing title. It is so named because this piece of work is a culmination of the workout knowledge of former convict Paul Wade.

Wade had spent over two decades in California’s prison system and served alongside some of the US’s most hardened criminals. What he came out of prison with was the knowledge of prison-life workouts.

Of all the best calisthenics books we’ve looked at, this is probably the one most referenced in all of our research. Many reviews use this book to supplement many of their other workouts.

Wade’s idea of the balanced workout is to do six moves, as follows:

  • Push-ups
  • Pull-ups
  • Squats
  • Handstands
  • a forward abdominal bend
  • a backward spinal bridge.

That’s it. And if you do them with “the right knowledge and a big bucketful of determination,” that’s enough.

Don’t expect to master everything in this calisthenics beginner book though! Despite being classed as one of the best calisthenics books for beginners that doesn’t mean that it won’t advance with you as you progress. This brilliant book has a few more advanced techniques that it slowly advances you towards.

This calisthenics workout book is the perfect guide to building your workout regime. If you’re looking for a more advanced version check pick number 6!

#3 – Calisthenics for Beginners: Step-By-Step Workouts to Build Strength at Any Fitness Level

By Matt Schifferle

calisthenics beginner book

Amazon Cost: £13.42

Kindle Cost: £7.38

Blackwell’s Cost: £12.53

A self-proclaimed all-inclusive training plan, this calisthenics beginner book is a simple straightforward book that explains valuable fitness principles and provides easy-to-follow diagrams for its exercises!

This book about calisthenics won’t require massive sacrifices to your time, energy, or wallet, and carefully guides the reader through each of the processes.

This book was written by Matt Schifferle, author of Smart Bodyweight Training (which we talk about later on!) who is a Certified Calisthenics Coach in Denver, Colorado, and a team leader for the Dragon Door Progressive Calisthenics Certification.

Schifferle has already released nine fitness-based books. He is also the founder of the Red Delta Project and has produced a collection of YouTube videos and podcasts.

One downside to this book is that to do all the exercises explained, you’ll need a chin-up bar! Of course, you can purchase one online or you can make use of your local park equipment (some swing sets make an ideal substitute).

#4 – Get Strong: The Ultimate 16-Week Transformation Program For Gaining Muscle and Strength

by Al Kavadlo and Danny Kavadlo

calisthenics books reviews

Amazon Cost: £17.85

Kindle Cost: £7.72

Awesome Books: £19.79

Written by brothers Al and Danny Kavadlo, this book is probably the most time-scaled of our beginners’ picks. Get Strong is a detailed workout program disguised as a book!

The book’s main focus is to hammer the idea that progression is everything. Starting with some basic exercises the book develops onto intermediate and later advanced techniques. This progression is what the Kavadlo brothers credit for achieving the body of their dreams.

This might just be the best calisthenics book for beginners if you’re looking for a book that can give you a fully guided experience.

This book provides, much as the title suggests, a 16-week program, an explanation of the various areas of fitness and nutrition, general tips for success with the program, exercises you can do with a fitness partner or significant other, and mental tricks to keep your brain on task!

Little extras the book also includes six-pack advice, walking exercises, and explanations from the authors as to why they believe certain fitness exercises are essential.

The book is broken down into phases Phase 1 (The foundation), Phase 2 (Brick and Mortar), Phase 3 (Concrete and Iron), and finally Phase 4 (Forged from Steel). Each phase is concluded with a “test” and regardless of if you pass or fail, there is advice on what to do following the test.

Whilst the 16-week is a guide, place realistic expectations on yourself, if you’re an absolute beginner to the fitness world it might take you a little longer!

Overall this book is one of our favourite starters because the reader can work at their own pace, whilst still following some form of planned time scale.

#5 –  You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises for Men and Women

by Mark Lauren

bodyweight books

Amazon Cost: £13.25

Kindle Cost: £1.99

WHSmith’s Cost: £15.63

Although the name might suggest this is an equipment-less guide, some exercises do require some minimal equipment, which is why we’ve placed this guide in our calisthenics category!

In this workout book, the author breaks down each exercise throughout 80 pages, explaining each detail instruction. The program is easily adjustable to meet the needs of any reader or their goals.

Another bonus is that the paperback copy of this book is spiral-bound. This makes it easier for you to use and follow the book whilst training. Despite the plans for varying abilities (from basic to “chief class”), we’ve placed this at the end of our “beginners” category because of how simple and easy it to follow these routines are!

Mark Lauren, the author, has worked with some of the toughest athletes to date and has even worked with Special Operations Soldiers in developing this workout plan that can be done at home with minimal fitness equipment.

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If you’re interested in working in the fitness industry, why don’t you give these articles a read:

Top 5 Calisthenics For Advanced Users

The following calisthenics workout books are our top choices for those of you who are more advanced at calisthenic training. So if you’re just looking to expand your knowledge in this field, these might be of use to you!

#6 – Convict Conditioning 2

By Paul Wade

best bodyweight training books

Amazon Cost: £31.59

Kindle Cost: £6.59

WHSmith’s Cost:  £29.91

Of these two calisthenics books by Wade, this is the sort of sequel to pick as Convict Conditioning 2 picks up where its predecessor left off.

This calisthenics book reviews rave about how it builds on the foundations that Convict Conditioning has already established and allows the follower to move on to more advanced techniques. If you’re looking to get the first one, it might be in your best interest to pick up this one too, with a further 543 pages of information to add to your knowledge.

This sequel is longer than its first edition and takes the reader much further into the world of Calisthenics so it gives you a lot more to get your teeth into.

There are a bunch of new exercises and some older classics with new twists too! But just so you know, you wouldn’t want to pick up this amazing book without also picking up its precursor. We recommend getting both on the Kindle edition so you can always have this handy little book wherever you go.

Don’t forget to download your FREE home strength training program!

#7 – Calisthenics: The SUPERHUMAN Stack: 150 Bodyweight Exercises | The #1 Complete Bodyweight Training Guide

by Pure Calisthenics

best calisthenics book for beginners

Amazon Cost: £22.26

Kindle Cost: £10.95

Whilst, with its inclusion of a free beginner’s bodyweight training program, the book might appeal to beginners, it has a more advanced and wider range of bodyweight exercises which places this one on our more advanced scale.

If you’re looking for a book that’s going to push you, then this is the one for you. In its sizable range of exercises, there is a selection of intermediate to difficult techniques that you can aim to build yourself towards.

This book is written by Pure Calisthenics, a team of professional personal trainers, bodyweight training enthusiasts, and working nutritionists who are dedicated to teaching the art of calisthenics. The team was formed in 2015 and has since been producing an impressive range of quality books tailored around (as their name would suggest) calisthenics.

If nutrition is more your cup of tea then why not become a nutritionist with our nutrition courses?

If you’re looking for a slightly easier, beginner version of this book check out one of their other books: “Calisthenics for Beginners: 50 Bodyweight Exercises for Beginners”

#8 – Bodyweight Strength Training: 12 Weeks to Build Muscle and Burn Fat

By Jay Cardiello

best book on body weight training

Amazon Cost: £11.48

Kindle Cost: £5.88

WorldOfBooks Cost: £7.40

One of our more advanced calisthenics books, this book on bodyweight training is a simple, basic essential that is easily digestible for an absolute beginner. This book doesn’t overload you with unnecessary information.

With detailed descriptions of techniques such as Sumo Squats, Scapular Holds, Torso Twists, Push-Ups, Triceps Press-Ups, and much more, this book has all the essentials you need to learn about how to create your bodyweight regime.

This bodyweight workout book outlines 40 different exercises which are each fully illustrated and accompanied by step-by-step instructions.

Its three-month plan can be flexibly altered to meet your personal needs and increased or decreased in intensity to meet the level you are at.

This book is accessible for the beginner bodyweight trainer, but it can also be appreciated by the more experienced workout enthusiast!

This 224-page training guide is possibly the best bodyweight training book out there! We’ve placed it in our advanced user’s section because it’s also great to support new instructors and personal trainers who are looking for a simple yet clear manner on how to explain exercises and their purpose to students and trainees.

#9 – Urban Calisthenics: Get Ripped and Get Strong with Progressive Street Workouts You Can Do Anywhere

by Tee Major

body weight training book

Kindle Cost: £9.99

Amazon Cost: £19.23

This is one of our lesser-known picks, but we think it’s one of the perfect transitional calisthenics workout books! If you’ve gained a stronger upper body strength from the earlier books this one will help you continue on your progress!

One of this book’s first techniques is a one-armed pull-up – so if you can’t bear your weight, this probably isn’t the right book for you yet.

With 70 bodyweight exercises and 10 precision routines, this is certainly the book that will help expand your knowledge and range if you’re passionate about calisthenics.

Most exercises in this one are accompanied by detailed illustrations, to help show the reader exactly how a move is done. It reintroduces some classic Calisthenics exercises as well as introduces some newer variations.

We think this book’s key feature is its introduction to the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen and how it applies to fitness!

#10 – Street Workout A Worldwide Anthology of Urban Calisthenics

by Al Kavadlo and Danny Kavadlo

best calisthenics books

Kindle Cost: £7.01

Dragon Door: £46.05

You’ll probably recognize the names of the authors of this one from our number 4 beginners pick!

This is one of the most universally referenced calisthenic books in most fitness blogs, simply because of how it optimises a person’s surroundings.

In this book, the authors explore the art of working out in the city. We think this book is perfect for how to use your environment to work on your calisthenics training – no need to go and buy equipment!

Chapters 4 to 8 of this masterpiece help guide you the reader to master the five foundational keys of full-body fitness: Push, Pull, Squat, Flex, and Bridge, with each chapter expanding on a different “key”.

Street Workout uses a mix of inspirational photography (which shows in detail what to do and when) and step-by-step blueprints to help you achieve body excellence!

Chapter 9 alone shows you 34 different progressive drills from the Frog Stand to the Ultimate Headstand, to the Scorpion Planche! These advanced fitness exercises are what’s made us place this magnificent read in our advanced user’s section because they certainly aren’t for the faint-hearted fitness lover.

This book uses a more informal tone, compared to some of our other picks, and it’s because of this that the bodyweight training book keeps the reader engaged and motivated!

Our 10 Best Bodyweight Training Books

Looking for the best book on bodyweight training? Sometimes the best bodyweight books are those that simplify the science and explain the basics. Here are our five best beginner books and our top five advanced books!

Best 5 Bodyweight Training  Books For Beginners

#11 – How to Build Strong & Lean Bodyweight Muscle

by Anthony Arvanitakis

body weight workout books

Amazon Cost: £11.63

Kindle Cost: £9.99

Sometimes the best books about calisthenics are those that explain the scientific reasoning behind the techniques. This 139-page book explains the science behind bodyweight training clearly and concisely and shows you what steps you need to take to achieve your goals.

With 4.7 out of 5, this is one of the more popular books about calisthenics.

If you’re looking for fewer gymnastics-orientated bodyweight books, then this is the one for you! The author focuses exclusively on what works best for building muscle and fitness using bodyweight training with an emphasis on health, well-being, and injury prevention.

The author also goes on to explain when it is appropriate to take breaks and even goes into details such as what to do on vacations and over the Christmas period.

If you enjoyed this, we recommend you also check out Arvantiakis’ additional Kindle booklet “How to Sculpt a Greek God Marble Chest with Push-ups” which explains the proper form for a push-up and manages to contain all the information essential for improved technique. It gives precise explanations of how the quality of the repetitions is more important than the number of repetitions.

#12 – Smart Bodyweight Training

by Matthew Schifferle

best bodyweight book

Amazon Cost: £44.56

Kindle Cost: £7.21

Abebooks Cost:  £33.05

Matthew teaches you to boost your mind’s focus to transform your body. The author made his recommendations customizable so you can tailor these workouts to your lifestyle.

Schifferle discovered this type of training several years ago when he decided to change his workout from the usual cardio and weight routine and try bodyweight training. After only a few months Schifferle changed his workout strategy and focused on bodyweight training. Once he started his routines became less expensive and less time-consuming than the ones that required him to join a gym.

This book differs from other bodyweight guides because the author makes his recommendations customizable and interchangeable.

This calisthenics workout book helps you gain a more self-controlled and self-disciplined routine and allows you to work out and engage all the muscles of your body with smart and effective workouts.

One of this book’s best features is that it explains how to establish a neural connection with our body before moving through the natural muscle connections through the body.

Another popular feature of this bodyweight training book is the fact that it provides you with the tools you can use to adjust your training to suit your circumstances.

#13 – Bodyweight Bible: 44 Best Exercises

by Felix Harder

books about calisthenics

Amazon Cost: £9.99

Kindle Cost: £3.22

One of the best bodyweight workout books, Bodyweight Bible is a fantastic book that includes a variety of bodybuilding exercises and calisthenics.

Aimed at those who are new to calisthenics and looking to reach their fitness goals straightforwardly and effectively, this book was written by Felix Harder, a state-certified nutritionist and fitness coach turned Amazon bestselling author. Harder’s motto is getting ripped in a simplified way.

Bodyweight Bible was written to help you build lean muscle mass and gain strength and explores a variety of bodyweight workouts, bodybuilding exercises, and calisthenics. These exercises focus on different muscle groups including the chest, back, legs, arms, shoulders/neck, and abs.

Structured into six different chapters, this is one of the best books on calisthenics, as it explores each area in detail and covers all the important groups of muscles.

Each muscle group has a selection of 4-8 different exercises. Most importantly this book highlights its safety tips and provides illustrations and possible alternative variations of these exercises.

#14 – 30 Day Beginner Workout Program: Total Beginner Bodyweight Program

By Sean Vigue

books on body weight training

Kindle Cost: £1.89

So if you were looking for bodyweight workout books with a difference then this one should grab your interest. This is a Kindle “interactive book” that provides you links for videos so that you can follow along with the author, Sean Vigue.

The reason we’ve included this in our beginners for bodyweight training is because of how easy it is to follow.  This book provides you with a link to a video “master list” and provides you with a password to access them.

Each page has a screenshot of the video featured for that day as well as accompanied by a little commentary. Following these videos to the author’s YouTube page, you can find a variety of other videos that you can follow, to advance your routine.

Overall this “book” gives you a solid monthly routine for you to follow, and we think is an ideal way to get into bodyweight training.

This is one of the best books on bodyweight training if you’re a home-based worker, or a stay-at-home parent trying to get back into fitness; it’s the easiest to follow because you can do it alongside your instructor!

#15 – Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance

By Dr Kelly Starrett and Glen Cordoza

bodyweight exercise book

Amazon Cost: £44.82

WHSmith’s Cost: £62.69

This pick isn’t solely focused on bodyweight training and can just as easily fall into our Calisthenics category, however, we have placed this one here because Becoming a Supple Leopard shows you the right stretches you should do to build up the flexibility necessary for bodyweight training.

As well as including crucial stretches, most of the techniques shown are bodyweight focused, and only a handful of the exercises use equipment, meaning if you were looking for a variety of calisthenic exercises then this book would probably fall short in expectations.

This book uses a combination of illustrations and photos to carefully show and explain why certain posture inhibits muscle gain as well as can cause injury. Becoming a Supple Leopard has seen great success and was even a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling sportsbook.

Both authors are experienced in the field of fitness training and sports Dr Kelly Starrett received a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Samuel Merritt University in 2007 and is a CrossFit trainer, physical therapist, author, and speaker.

Glen Cordoza is a former professional mixed martial artist and Muay Thai boxer. He is one of the most published authors on the topics of MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and general fitness. He currently has 24 other books published in his name.

Top 5 Bodyweight Training Books For Advanced Users

These bodyweight workout books are our top picks for those who have some experience with bodyweight training.

#16 – Your Body is Your Barbell

by BJ Gaddour, CSCS

calisthenics workout book

Amazon Cost: £19.51

Kindle Cost: £8.49

WHSmith’s Cost: £19.32

In 2013, when Men’s Health decided that they wanted a bodyweight workout guide, they asked BJ Gaddour, Fitness Director for Men’s Health, to put together a new bodyweight workout plan. What he came up with was Your Body is Your Barbell: a bodyweight regime requiring no equipment and uses a combination of proven nutritional advice and an inclusive workout plan.

This nutritional plan is why we’ve placed it in the more advanced books, as it requires a stricter routine.

Each exercise described is paired with a clear description, to avoid confusion. The workout plan is designed with eight different exercises and has five levels of progression.

This book might be the best book on bodyweight training in combination with its nutritional plan as it provides the blueprint for anyone who is hoping to start their at-home workout.

Download your 16-week strength training program today!

#17 – 100 No-Equipment Workouts

By Neila Rey

best bodyweight workout book

Amazon Cost: £18.93

Kindle Cost: £7.19

This bodyweight exercise book is part of a series. It provides over 100 bodyweight workouts that you can choose from and alternate with, incorporating them into your at-home workout!

Readers can follow and mimic these workouts and slowly push themselves with their routines.

Did you know that calisthenics is a type of resistance training?

All workouts include a large variety of exercises that allow the reader to pick those that they feel comfortable with as they are depicted visually, guiding you from the first exercise of each workout to the last.

The book contains three levels of progression with each workout, to accommodate the beginner and the more experienced fitness-goer, but because of its large variety, we’ve placed them in our more experienced category because there’s just so much to pick from.

This first volume was released in September 2016 and since then two further volumes have been released, meaning that with Rey’s books, you’ll keep up with the latest no-equipment workouts that you’ll find in most calisthenics books!

#18 – 100 No-Equipment Workouts Vol. 2

By Neila Rey

best books on calisthenics

Amazon Cost:  £13.30

Kindle Cost: £8.69

This is, as its title suggests, the second volume of the aforementioned 100 No-Equipment Workouts. This volume was released in July 2017 and the third instalment of these easy-to-follow calisthenics books was released in August 2019.

We included and ranked both of the first two volumes because they both provide a very large and useful range of exercises to use and whilst volume I introduces you to the fundamentals of the techniques, Vol II has a lot more advanced techniques (and if you enjoyed the two of them there’s even a Volume III!).

The author Rey seems to have a passion for this genre of calisthenics books because as well as Vol I through III there are several other volumes to pick from and in addition to this, there are also 100 Office Workouts and Pocket Workouts.

These calisthenics books fit into our more advanced selection because whilst they provide an amazing range of techniques, it does not necessarily explain their necessity due to their compact and content-full nature. Because of this, we feel that a more experienced and knowledgeable calisthenics enthusiast is going to benefit more from them.

If you enjoyed Rey’s books it might be worth checking out the Author’s website: darebee.com which provides workouts, programs, recipes, and meal plans!

#19 – Complete Calisthenics: The Ultimate Guide to Bodyweight Exercise

By Ashley Kalym

calisthenics workout books

Amazon Cost: £25.95

Complete Calisthenics is an ideal contribution to your collection if you’ve got some experience in Calisthenics and Bodyweight training, and especially if you’re looking for a no-nonsense approach.

This book explains some of the essentials that you need to know about bodyweight training and the information presented is approachable and easy to understand.

The reason we have placed this in our more advanced list is that although the book goes into great detail for some of the manoeuvres (and most exercises have some great accompanying images/illustrations), some exercises would need further clarification for an absolute beginner.

The author, Ashley Kalym, is a very passionate writer who has a long experience with calisthenics, gymnastics, and bodyweight conditioning. You can find out more about becoming a fitness writer in our article!

His passion for fitness started during training during his time with the Royal Marines. He also has a lot of experience with many different sports and disciplines.

This book explains many basic movements such as pull-ups, push-ups, and squats, and slowly goes into the more advanced exercises such as planche, human flag, levers, and so on. Therefore this is the ideal accompanying book for a beginner looking to advance, professionals or people who are somewhere in between.

#20 – The Naked Warrior: Master the Secrets of the Super-Strong – Using Bodyweight Exercises Only

by Pavel Tsatsouline

best bodyweight books

Amazon Cost: £57.62

Kindle Cost: £6.38

This book is written by a former trainer of Russian special forces Spetsnaz and an expert on strength training. In this book, he shares his 3 main principles for strength training in a very simple and easy-to-understand way. The author avoids using overly complicated language and keeps it simple.

The reason we’ve placed this in our advanced category isn’t that he includes a large variety of complex techniques, in fact, he only talks about two exercises in the entirety of the book!

That’s right!

This 210-page book consists of only two exercises: the one-arm push-up and the one-leg squat (or pistol). The reason this book only contains these two exercises is because the author demonstrates how to do these exercises, and their numerous variants, with many photos and simple instructions and how they can be used to acquire your desired muscle definition.

#21 – Overcoming Gravity: A Systematic Approach to Gymnastics and Bodyweight Strength (2ndEdition)

by Steven Low

calisthenics books

Amazon Cost: £44.14

After looking over and analyzing countless calisthenics books and bodyweight training books we settled on this being our top dog of them all.

This is by far the most comprehensive and in-depth of all our picks and might just be the best book on calisthenics on our list. A 600-page detailed guide on how to perform different techniques that go on to explain how you can construct your routine. The author goes on to explain the benefits of programming and developing a plan to reach your goals.

Written by Steven Low, a former convict who has many years of training behind his back; Steven holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland. He also has a PhD in Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, which lends to how this book explains certain techniques and how they work, as well as demonstrates the correct, safe, positions for each.

Although most exercises require rings, some are possible to be performed on the ground and if you feel you want to move on to rings, it is possible to buy a set of gymnast rings for less than £25!

These rings are possible to be held from pull-up bars, a neglected soccer goal, a sturdy tree branch (though that is to your discretion), a basement joist, a pull-up, or even playground equipment!

This book is so intense that even its chapter contents have sub-contents!

Conclusion

Hopefully, you’ve found what you were looking for in our list of the best books on calisthenics training and bodyweight training in 2021!

These calisthenics books and bodyweight training books should help even the most inexperienced exercisers get on the path to affordable, equipment-free, and equipment-light workouts.

Here at OriGym, we love reading about all the new ways you can keep yourself in peak-performing condition, including new ideas about eating habits or training. Not everything can be found online, especially with in-depth detail, so it’s always a great idea to expand your range (which is why we’ve compiled a list of our best calisthenics and bodyweight training books)!

If exercise and fitness is your passion then join OriGym and take your fitness to the next level today. Become a Level 3 Personal Trainer! Download our course prospectus for all the information on our REPS and CIMSPA-accredited courses and packages.

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13 Best Vitamins To Combat Tiredness & Fatigue https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/fatigue-vitamins/ Wed, 10 Mar 2021 09:00:00 +0000 https://www.origym.co.uk/blog/fatigue-vitamins/ OriGym has shortlisted the 13 best vitamins for tiredness and fatigue to help you combat these feelings and instead stay awake and active!

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Whether it’s to help with the effects of a restless night sleep or for a mid-day boost, OriGym have shortlisted the best vitamins for tiredness and fatigue so you don’t have to let a lack of energy affect the day ahead of you.

We all encounter low-energy periods, spells where no matter what we do and how much coffee we drink, we simply cannot seem to shake the feelings of fatigue.

However, this doesn’t have to set the tone for the remainder of your day; the supplement market is plentiful with offerings to give you that necessary boost in the times that you need it.

In this guide, we will cover all of the questions you have surrounding vitamins for tiredness and fatigue, including the following contents:

  1. How Do Vitamins for Tiredness and Fatigue Work?
  2. What are the Best Vitamins for Tiredness and Fatigue?
  3. Are Vitamins for Tiredness and Fatigue Safe?
  4. How Many Vitamins for Tiredness and Fatigue Should You Take a Day?
  5. Where to Buy Vitamins for Tiredness and Fatigue?
  6. Conclusion

If your vitamin & nutrition knowledge is up to scratch or you’re looking to develop it, our Level 4 Sports Nutrition Course is the ideal one for you! You can expand your knowledge and become a nutritionist, providing guidance and helping clients improve their quality of life.

Download our FREE prospectus here where you can ensure the course, or one of the many others we offer here, is the best fit for your career goals.

How Do Vitamins for Tiredness and Fatigue Work?

Vitamins for energy and fatigue

While it’s difficult to give a definitive answer to this question as it will depend on the specific supplement you opt for and its role within the body, speaking generally, the elements in vitamins for fatigue work together to help the body maintain energy and brain functionality.

When referring to the primary role of vitamins within the B complex, they assist the body in metabolizing nutrients and turning them into energy and thus reducing tiredness and fatigue.

Additionally, the likes of vitamin C supplements and biotin contribute towards the body’s normal energy yielding metabolism, which directly helps reduce feelings of tiredness and fatigue.

The amount of iron the body receives also plays a crucial role in energy levels and feelings of fatigue. Iron is needed to produce the protein molecule hemoglobin, which is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen around the body. When iron levels are low, it prevents the cells from receiving the oxygen they need, which results in the body feeling fatigued.

In short, vitamins for fatigue and tiredness work by providing your body with enough of the essential vitamins required to both produce and maintain energy levels.

What are the Best Vitamins for Tiredness and Fatigue?

#1 Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

vitamins for fatigue and energy

One of the most hailed and perhaps amongst the best vitamins for tiredness and lack of energy around is Cobalamin, otherwise known as Vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 plays an essential role in the production of DNA and red blood cells, as well as ensuring that the body’s nervous system functions efficiently. It is commonly linked with preventing anemia – a condition where the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells and is characterised by severe weakness and fatigue.

It is required for B12 to be obtained from external sources as the human body cannot produce it naturally, though this means deficiencies are very common, particularly in the elderely population.

A Vitamin B12 deficiency means that the body struggles to make enough red blood cells to transport oxygen around the body, and when that process slows down, it results in symptoms such as: fatigue, weakness, mood swings, paleness and being particularly prone to sickness.

Additionally, Vitamin B12 is required to convert food into energy in the body, so when there is not enough available to allow this process, it sees the converting process slow down dramatically, thus slowing down metabolism and significantly reducing the energy levels.

Luckily, Vitamin B12 can be obtained from a range of foods, including:

  • Beef Liver
  • Clams
  • Salmon
  • Trout
  • Ham
  • Chicken Breast
  • Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Yoghurt

You can source B12 from a number of energy drinks that are on the market too, not sure which ones? We have a thorough guide on the 17 best natural energy drinks to help you out.

While having a diet rich in Vitamin B12 is undoubtedly a great way to increase your intake, some reports have suggested that the best way to treat a B12 deficiency is in fact to infuse the vitamin via injection.

In this form, B12 is said to not only boost energy levels, but effectively stimulate metabolism, also.

There are a huge number of Vitamin B12 supplements on the market, however, we recommend checking out this offering from MyProtein, where you can get 60 tablets for just £4.99.

MyProtein ensures that these vitamins to help tiredness will not only boost your energy levels and reduce fatigue, but they’ll also help support your immune system too. And what’s more, is they’re also suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

As far as vitamins that fight fatigue go, B12 offers one of the most effective supplements available on the market.

#2 Vitamin C

vitamins for fatigue and tiredness

Vitamin C is another excellent example of vitamins that help with tiredness and increasing energy levels.

Similarly to vitamin B12, Vitamin C is an essential vitamin, meaning that the human body is not capable of producing it naturally, however it can be sourced from a number of accessible foods and supplements.

Vitamin C plays vital roles within the human body and ensures it functions properly; it is responsible for repairing damaged tissue, protecting the cells, maintaining healthy skin and blood  vessels and maintaining bones and cartilage, therefore it is crucial that we provide our bodys with adequate levels of it. Additionally, this essential nutrient is notable for providing the body with energy, as well as positively influencing heart rate and assisting with weight loss.

The essential nutrient plays an important role in converting the food and drinks we consume into usable energy, along with absorbing other vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients, to further keep us feeling nicely energised.

Interestingly, vitamin C was the first vitamin to ever be manufactured within a lab!

The effectiveness of vitamin C in reducing fatigue has significant backing by science, with a study conducted in 2012 concluding that vitamin C supplementation reduced fatigue in its subject group of 141 participants within an average of two hours – and the effect persisted for one day.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily intake of 45mg of vitamin C, and a weekly intake of 300mg. In conjunction with the mass supplements available to increase levels of vitamin C, it can also be found in a number of foods, including:

  • Strawberries (60mg/100g)
  • Oranges / Lemons (53mg/100g)
  • Blackcurrants (200mg/100g)
  • Kale (cooked) (71mg/100g)
  • Broccoli (79mg/100g)
  • Red Peppers (126mg/100g) or Green Peppers (120mg/100g)
  • Pineapple (50mg/100g)
  • Kiwi (59mg/100g)

If it wasn’t already apparent, vitamin C can be found in a vast majority of your five a day category, many of which are rich in natural nutrients.

Though, it is worth noting that when cooking and storing natural sources of vitamin C, it can quickly decrease the quantity of available levels of the nutrient.

Furthermore, vitamin C is readily available as a supplement, and is relatively easy to find in supermarkets and drugstores. One of the best vitamin C supplements that boasts raving reviews is the Holland & Barrett Timed Release Vitamin C with Rose Hips, costing £16.99 for 120, 1000mg capsules.

Vitamin C is one of the best vitamins for fatigue and give you the energy boost you need to get on with your day!

#3 Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

vitamins for chronic fatigue

The next anti-tiredness vitamins on our list is this highly recommended nutrient, vitamin B1, commonly known as Thiamine.

As you may have already guessed, Thiamine, is one of the many B vitamins – eight to be precise. Thiamine, or B1, os utilised by nearly all the cells within the human body and is yet another nutrient that enables the body to turn the food you eat into energy – which then continues on to help keep the nervous system healthy.

Considering the primary role in which thiamine plays in converting food into fuel, it is no surprise that fatigue and lack of energy is a common symptom of a deficiency in this nutrient. More energy reduces the risk of you feeling fatigued, so ideally you need to be consuming vitamin B1 on the regular. Fortunately, vitamin B1 can be found in an abundance of foods, making it fairly easy to incorporate into your lifestyle.

These foods include:

  • Oats
  • Lentils
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Black beans
  • Liver
  • Nuts
  • Some fresh fruits, such as oranges and bananas
  • Peas
  • Whole grain breads

A study conducted in 2013 looked at the impact of theacrine supplementation of those diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a condition characterised by chronic pain, fatigue and sleep disorders. The results highlight that high doses of vitamin B1 significantly improve these symptoms  and therefore confirms that it can be used as a safe option for improving feelings of fatigue.

Additionally, vitamin B1 is available as a supplement which can be bought in supermarkets and online for relatively cheap prices. We’d reccommend checking out this option from Holland & Barrett, which is not only vegan and vegetarian friendly,and costs just £6.99 for 100 tablets.

Vitamin B1 is yet another example of some of the best vitamins for tiredness and fatigue around, and another easily accessible option for all who feel affected by reduced energy levels.

#4 Biotin

vitamins for adrenal fatigue

Perhaps a more underrated vitamin for chronic fatigue syndrome, biotin is most commonly known for its benefits for hair health, however, it offers several benefits for treating fatigue and tiredness.

Another of the vitamins that falls into the B complex group, biotin is required by the body to metabolise fats, amino acids, and carbohydrates, which are the building blocks of protein, and transform them into energy. This energy is then the fuel for many of the body’s essential functions.

Without biotin, also commonly referred to under the names of: B-7, vitamin H or coenzyme R, the body is unable to correctly use the energy derived from consumed foods and drinks and therefore hinders the ability to manage the metabolic process. This can result in depleted energy levels at a rapid pace and more often than not, lead to severe fatigue which can continue until levels of biotin are replenished.

Additionally, biotin has been linked to increasing fasting blood sugar, as well as regulating LDL (bad) cholesterol.

While a biotin deficiency is not as common as those of other vitamins, such as iron or vitamin B-12, if the body does not get a sufficient amount of biotin, it can result in the metabolism slowing down significantly, leaving people much more susceptible to weight gain, digestive problems, and chronic fatigue. Furthermore, biotin deficiencies can be characterised by: dry eyes and skin, nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness and pain and depression.

In a 2004 study, scientists evaluated a number of variables in mice with biotin deficiencies and drawed out the primary conclusion that fatigue is induced as a result of a B-7 deficiency. Therefore, by supplementing with this vitamin, it ensures the body is always receiving an adequate level of it and thus reducing the risk of chronic or heightened fatigue.

Never fear, however, as biotin levels can be easily increased due to the high volume of foods it can be found in, to name but a few:

  • Seeds
  • Nuts
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Meat
  • Organ meats, such as liver
  • Certain vegetables, such as sweet potatoes

The biotin supplement we’d recommend investing in comes from MyVitamins, which has an attractive price point of £6.99 for 30 tablets. Not only does the brand state that this supplement will help support your energy levels and fight off fatigue,but they claim it offers benefits for skin, hair, and nails, too!

Biotin, or vitamin B7, is yet another great vitamin for chronic fatigue!

#5 Vitamin D

Best vitamins to take for tiredness

When sourcing vitamins for tiredness, lack of energy and depression, Vitamin D provides one of the best options to combat and improve both of these issues simultaneously.

Differently to other vitamins, vitamin D acts like a hormone within the body, with every cell having a receptor for it.

It is made from cholesterol when your skin is exposed to sunlight and is required to keep your body functioning to its full and healthy capacity.

Your body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium properly and promote both bone growth and overall strength. Weak bones can lead to osteoporosis, a condition that significantly weakens bones to the point where they break and fracture easily; therefore ensuring you’re receiving enough vitamin D is vital to preventing this.

As well as ensuring the health of the bones, vitamin D works to keep the immune system strong and working effectively, and is also known to regulate insulin levels. It also keeps your energy levels up and enhances your mood too.

Deficiencies in vitamin D are highly common, with statistics showing that approximately 1 billion across the world have low levels of it in their blood. A deficiency can be identified through symptoms such as:  fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness/aches/cramps and mood changes, most notably – depression. Therefore increasing vitamin D intake, you’re effectively reducing the risk of fatigue and depression.

The effectiveness of vitamin D for fatigue, depression and tiredness offers significant backing in science, for instance, the results of a 2016 double blind study into the effects of Vitamin D on fatigue concluded that supplementing with the vitamin significantly improved fatigue in healthy individuals. Therefore confirming that vitamin D is an effective vitamin for tiredness and fatigue.

In addition to its presence in sunlight, vitamin D can be found in an array of foods, including:

  • Oily fish, such as mackerel, salmon, herring
  • Red meats
  • Liver
  • Egg yolks
  • Spinach
  • Soybeans
  • Mushrooms
  • Some fortified foods

As well as being readily available in foods, vitamin D is also available as a supplement. If you’re new to supplements, or vitamin D itself, then we reccommend Holland & Barrett’s offering. Suitable for vegetarians, this product costs just £3.59 for 100 tablets.

Not only is vitamin D one of the best vitamins for tiredness and lack of energy, it’s also one of the best for reducing feelings of depression too!

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#6 CoQ10

vitamins to help reduce tiredness

Coenzyme Q10, also sold under the name of CoQ10, is a vitamin-like substance that is found throughout the body, but is particularly present in the kidneys, liver, pancreas, and heart.

CoQ10’s is usually used for conditions that affect the heart, such as fluid build-up, heart failure, and high blood pressure. It can also be used for preventing migraines, headaches, and Parkinson’s disease too.

Recognised as one of the best vitamins for fatigue and energy on the market, the vitamin-like substance stimulates the cell’s powerhouse to produce more energy in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate, which is involved in energy transfer in the cells.

CoQ10 has gained popularity as a vitamin for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in particular. In science there is a substantial amount of evidence to show that a supplementation of this vitamin can directly help improve the symptoms of the condition. In a 2009 experiment into CFS, scientists found that patients with the disorder typically have abnormally low levels of CoQ10 in their body, therefore leading them to conclude that a deficiency in the vitamin is significantly associated with higher levels of fatigue.

Additionally, in a 2016 study, researched supplemented chronic fatigue patients with a 200mg dosage of CoQ10 for an eight week period. The results showcased that reports of fatigue amongst the patients significantly reduced – again acting as evidence that a supplementation of CoQ10 vitamins for fatigue and tiredness is effective.

Many foods contain CoQ10, including:

  • Organ meats, such as kidney, liver, and heart
  • Some muscle meets, such as chicken, beef, and pork
  • Fatty fish, such as mackerel, sardines, and herring
  • Oranges
  • Strawberries
  • Sesame seeds
  • Spinach
  • Cauliflower
  • Broccoli
  • Peanuts
  • Pistachios

It’s also, as with all the vitamins on this list, available in a supplementary form, too. Holland & Barrett CoEnzyme Q10 Capsules are a highly reviewed product on the market, though are slightly more expensive than other products on the list at £22.49 for 30 120mg capsules.

As far as vitamins to help tiredness go, they don’t get much better, or more effective than Coenzyme Q10 – particularly in those with more serious conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome.

#7 Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

vitamins to help fatigue

Vitamin B3, otherwise known as Niacin, is a regular entry when referring to vitamins for fatigue and tiredness.

Niacin, yet another of the eight essential B vitamins, is a cofactor in over 200 enzyme reactions in your body, as well as being essential for turning fats, protein, and carbohydrates into energy – like all the B vitamins. If this process is hindered in any way and food can not be successfully converted into sources of energy, it leads the body to feel tiresome and lethargic.

Niacin also plays a role in the creation of serotonin, a chemical in the brain which if there isn’t enough of, can lead to depression or depressive symptoms. For this reason, it has been suggested that niacin could be an effective vitamin for fatigue and tiredness.

Vitamin B3 is hailed across all diet plans and suitable for people with a range of different goals.

While a deficiency of niacin is rare in the UK, if present, it can lead to a condition known as pellagra – characterized by dry and itchy skin – similar to sunburn, and diarrhoea. Additionally, a deficiency in vitamin B3 is one of the most notable for inducing feelings of fatigue, therefore it makes sense that supplementing with this vitamin can combat those feelings and in turn lead to promoting energy.

The findings from a 2010 research paper into the health claims associating niacin to reduction of fatigue concluded that reduction of tiredness and fatigue is a psychological effect of niacin supplementation.

Potentially most recognised in the form of niacinamide or nicotinic acid supplements, vitamin B3 unlike others on the list can be made within the body in small amounts, however we receive most of our intake via food sources.

Vitamin B3 is found in many foods, including:

  • Liver – one of the best natural sources of niacin
  • Chicken breast
  • Turkey
  • Salmon
  • Anchovies
  • Pork
  • Tuna

One of the most highly rated Vitamin B3 supplements on the market is this entry from Nature’s Best, priced at £5.50 and consists of 100 tablets.

As well as being one of the most effective vitamins for tiredness and lack of energy, vitamin B3, or niacin, is also a great vitamin for combating depression and anxiety too!

#8 Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

Vitamins for energy tiredness

B5, otherwise known as pantothenic acid, has been lauded by experts, fitness enthusiasts and everyday users as a vitamin for tiredness and fatigue.

As we have established, the B complex vitamins all play a crucial part in the energy production of the cells; all possessing a mandatory role in breaking down protein, fats and carbs in the body and turning them into usable energy. Additionally, B5 is also involved in the production of fat structures, such as steroid hormones and processing vitamin D.

Its role in the production of hormones has a direct effect on the human body’s energy levels. Steroid hormones, such as testosterone, are needed to produce red blood cells which carry blood around the body which is important for energy; when our body’s are not producing enough of these hormones, this in turn depletes our energy levels.

Furthermore, a recent study into the use of vitamins and minerals for both energy and fatigue highlighted B5 as one of the primary supplements that can be used to assist and improve both of these factors.

Justifying its label as one of the most effective vitamins to relieve tiredness and stress around, B5, or pantothenic acid, can be found in an abundance of foods, such as:

  • Avocado
  • Sweet potato
  • Shiitake mushrooms
  • Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Broccoli
  • Natural yoghurt
  • Lentils

One of the best supplements for vitamin B5 is Cytoplan’s Pantothenic Acid tub of 60 vegan tablets, which costs £15.10 and will ensure that you get enough vitamin B5 to combat any feelings of stress and fatigue!

#9 Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Best vitamins for energy and tiredness

Yet another B vitamin on this list, vitamin B2, or Riboflavin as it’s also known, is an excellent option for those wanting to implement vitamins for fatigue into their lifestyle.

We suppose by now you’re familiar with the role of B complex vitamins in converting nutrients into sources of energy, so we don’t need to elaborate further on that. However, what we will emphasise on is how riboflavin plays a particularly important role in the production of energy for the heart and muscle – meaning a deficiency in this vitamin could be detrimental to the body’s energy levels and movements.

B2 holds a level of responsibility for how much iron the body absorbs – we require iron to produce the red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body and into our organs and tissues, ensuring we always have a steady supply of energy flowing throughout the body.

Low iron levels mean that those organs and tissues are not receiving a sufficient amount of oxygen, which in turn triggers symptoms such as fatigue and weakness. In more severe cases, low iron levels can result in anemia – which again, causes fatigue.

Riboflavin is found in a variety of different foods, including:

  • Dairy milk
  • Salmon
  • Organ meats, such as beef liver
  • Eggs
  • Chicken breast
  • Salmon
  • Lean pork and beef
  • Cheese

The riboflavin supplement we recommend you checking out is this offering from Swanson, which contains 100 capsules for just £6.99. Not only will these vitamins for tiredness help reduce your feelings of fatigue, but they claim to keep your skin and eyes healthy too!

Vitamin B2 is a worthy addition to this list of the best vitamins for fatigue and tiredness for sure!

#10 Folic Acid

Vitamins to take for tiredness

Folic Acid is yet another great example of vitamins that help with tiredness and fatigue.

Another B complex vitamin, folate (another name for folic acid) also plays a role in the creation of healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. As previously mentioned, without a sufficient oxygen supply, the human body is unable to regulate energy expenditure properly – or at all, which results in feelings of fatigue, exhaustion and weakness. For this reason, folic acid supplements are often recommended for preventing anemia – a deficiency in the quality or number of red blood cells in the body.

Some symptoms of anaemia include extreme fatigue, a lack of energy, feeling faint, headaches, and breathlessness.

To prevent this from happening to you, you need to incorporate folic acid into your everyday diet. Fortunately, many foods contain folate within them, making it easy for you to get the dosage you need naturally. Some of these foods include:

  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Peas
  • Kidney beans
  • Liver (but it is recommended that you avoid this during pregnancy)
  • Asparagus
  • Eggs
  • Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and limes

Folate is also available in a supplementary form, and if you’re looking to boost your intake, we recommend purchasing this option from Holland & Barrett. The tub contains 250 tablets which costs £8.89, and will not only ensure that you get the energy boost you need, but also claims to support the normal functioning immune system, preventing you from problems such as anaemia.

As anti-tiredness vitamins go, folic acid, or vitamin B9, is definitely up there with the best!

#11 Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

Vitamins for tiredness and energy

Vitamin B6 makes a great option for those sourcing vitamins for adrenal fatigue.

As with other B complex vitamins, it plays a primary role in cell production, maintaining a normal immune system, releasing energy from food consumption and carrying red blood cells around the body. All of these factors play a crucial part in the production of energy and if hindered, can result in fatigue.

Athletes and those who exercise regularly are specifically advised to monitor their intake of vitamin B6 in order to later access the stored energy it promotes during exercise.

Additionally, vitamin B6 plays a role in the development of the building blocks of protein and DNA. It is also a vitally important vitamin needed for normal energy-yielding metabolism because it is heavily involved in the breakdown of glycogen stores, which are found in the liver and muscles and used for energy.

One of the most typical features of a pyridoxine deficiency is microcytic anemia, which as we know, results in more serious cases of fatigue.

Vitamin B6 is found in a multitude of different foods, some of which include:

  • Poultry, such as turkey and chicken
  • Bananas
  • Oats
  • Pork
  • Peanuts
  • Some fish, such as salmon and tuna
  • Milk
  • Avocado
  • Potatoes
  • Beef

Like all of the vitamins for fatigue on this list, B6 is available as a supplement which can be bought in-stores and online. A product we recommend for increasing your B6 levels comes from Solgar. It consists of 100, 100mg capsules of vitamin B6, for just £7.49.

One capsule a day will ensure that not only do you get the energy boost you need but that you’ll see a reduction in feelings of fatigue too. It’ll also make sure that the normal formation of red blood cells is supported.

Vitamin B6 vitamins are some of the most effective vitamins for fatigue around.

#12 Vitamin K

Vitamins for energy and fatigue

Vitamin K is a group of important vitamins that the body needs to help wounds to heal and assist in the event of blood clotting.

There is plentiful evidence to suggest that vitamin K may even possess the ability to help keep your bones healthy, playing a similar role to vitamin D.

However, its presence on this list comes from the vast suggestions that these fat-soluble vitamins help facilitate energy production in the mitochondria of cells and therefore making it vital for sustaining energy levels and avoiding fatigue.

A study published in Science found that the addition of vitamin K2 could improve the body’s mitochondrial function (the cells that generate most of the chemical energy needed) and therefore restores/maintains proper energy consumption. In short, good mitochondrial function ensures good energy production in the cells – K2 is part of the electron transport chain needed for mitochondrial function, therefore ensuring you are providing your body with adequate levels of vitamin K is vital for proper energy production.

In addition to the vast supplements on the market which we will mention below, vitamin K is found in a range of foods that can be easily incorporated to your diet and meals, to name but a few:

  • Broccoli
  • Spinach
  • Prunes
  • Kiwi
  • Blueberries
  • Avocados
  • Pomegranate
  • Tomatoes
  • Blackberries

Our top recommendation for vitamin K supplements come from Nature’s Best, which at £8.95 for 60 capsules is one of the cheapest options on the market. Not only will these high potency capsules supply you with an energy increase, but they’ll also make sure that your bones stay healthy and strong too.

#13 Vitamin A (Retinol)

Vitamins for low energy fatigue

Vitamin A was discovered much later in terms of its effectiveness as a vitamin for fatigue and tiredness. Its benefits for energy were established back in 2010 when scientists found it may play a critical role in the production of energy in the body’s cells.

According to findings from the FASEB Journal, vitamin A may play a role in the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in mitochondria (ATP is a molecule that carries energy within cells The research identified that when the human body is deficient in vitamin A, the production of energy is reduced by 30%.

Furthermore, vitamin A plays multiple roles in the body, from promoting proper growth and development to maintaining healthy skin, teeth, soft and skeletal tissue and mucus membranes. It also produces pigments in the retina of the eye, which encourages good eyesight, particularly in low light.

Boosting our hydration can also play a role in increasing energy levels. Check out our guide on the best hydration tablets to fuel your body for alternative supplements that offer this benefit.

Vitamin A is found in many foods, including:

  • Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Oily fish
  • Milk
  • Yoghurt
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Squash
  • Liver

The vitamin A supplement we recommend you checking out is this one from Holland & Barrett, which costs just £6.99 for 100 soft gel capsules.

However, if you’re looking for a combination of some, or even all, of the vitamins on this list and you would prefer a one-stop-shop that can target them all simultaneously, then we highly recommend this A-Z Multivitamin Blend from MyVegan, which is packed with 22 vitamins to help tiredness, fatigue and energy.

As well as all the vitamins on this list, this multivitamin for tiredness blend also contains minerals such as iron and magnesium, which also play a role in reducing tiredness and stress.

Vitamin A is a worthy final entry onto this list of the best vitamins for tiredness and fatigue!

Are Vitamins for Tiredness and Fatigue Safe?

Vitamins for low energy fatigue

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients the body needs to work to its full capacity. Some work better for increasing energy during exercise, while others may be best when you need a quick pick-me-up.

As long as you are opting for high-quality supplements from well-established names, as well as carefully reading the nutritional values and adapting it to your own needs and requirements, vitamins for fatigue and tiredness are not only highly effective, but safe also.

The research into a number of the supplements mentioned within this list supports their usage, stating that when consumed in appropriate dosages, there are little to no side effects or safety concerns for the aforementioned vitamins.

While we support the use of supplements and vitamins for tiredness, we would still encourage you to consult with a healthcare professional or your GP prior to taking any form of supplements to ensure they are safe for you.

How Many Vitamins for Tiredness and Fatigue Should You Take a Day?

Vitamins to take for tiredness

The number of vitamins for tiredness and fatigue you should take a day is sadly not a one answer question. This will vary from one vitamin to another and also factors in that the body’s need for each of the individual vitamins and minerals is massively various. While women require 18mg of iron a day and men require 8mg, the adult body only needs about 1.5 micrograms of vitamin B12 a day.

For reference, if we look closer at a few of the vitamins on this list and their recommended dosages from their available Holland & Barrett offerings, you can see how they differ.

Their Vitamin B12 tablets are advised to be taken at a dose of one to two tablets a day, preferably with meals and emphasises that the dose should not be exceeded.

The Vitamin C Timed Release caplets suggests taking a dosage of between one and four capsules a day with the same guidance in conjunction with meals. This mirrors the instructions provided for Holland & Barrett Biotin tablets, also.

The brand’s Active Iron capsules should only be taken at a dosage of one a day – with no specific timing of consumption recommended.

Additionally, always be careful to read the ingredients list to ensure that you’re familiar with what you’re increasing your intake of.

Where to Buy Vitamins for Tiredness and Fatigue?

Vitamins for tiredness and energy

Vitamins for tiredness and fatigue are vastly available in a variety of healthcare and supplement brands in the UK. We always advise opting for brands that have a reputable name in the health and supplement industry to ensure you are putting the highest quality products into your body.

Health stores such as Holland and Barrett are a great place to look as they possess a leading name for supplements in the UK health market and offer a whole host of options when it comes to vitamins for fatigue.

Nature’s Best have built a respectable reputation within the vitamin industry. They are very selective about what they will and won’t stock; for instance, they emphasise their exclusion of any products featuring endangered herbs, goldenseal, libido boosters, emu oil and many more potentially unethical products.

Alternatively, online retailer Amazon is also a reputable name for vitamins for fatigue; it offers a huge variety of brands of products at competitive prices. However, it is worth noting that Amazon themselves stress the importance of only buying from verified manufacturers on the site who possess a detailed manufacturer profile.

Conclusion

That concludes our guide on the best vitamins for tiredness and fatigue.

Hopefully this guide ensures you never let another low-energy mood see you write off a busy schedule. With 13 options that are available in several different forms; from tablets and capsules to powder and liquids – this versatile supplement can be consumed in a way that suits you best.

Perhaps this article was the catalyst in deciding nutrition and fitness is your ultimate passion. If this is the case, check out our CIMSPA-endorsed Level 4 Sports Nutrition Course and take your passion to new levels!

Alternatively, you can download our FREE prospectus and discover all of the other accredited courses we offer here at OriGym.

References

  1. Vos M, Esposito G, Edirisinghe JN, Vilain S, Haddad DM, Slabbaert JR, Van Meensel S, Schaap O, De Strooper B, Meganathan R, Morais VA, Verstreken P. Vitamin K2 is a mitochondrial electron carrier that rescues pink1 deficiency. Science. 2012 Jun 8;336(6086):1306-10. doi: 10.1126/science.1218632. Epub 2012 May 10. PMID: 22582012.
  2. Suh SY, Bae WK, Ahn HY, Choi SE, Jung GC, Yeom CH. Intravenous vitamin C administration reduces fatigue in office workers: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Nutr J. 2012;11:7. Published 2012 Jan 20. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-11-7.
  3. Costantini A, Pala MI, Tundo S, Matteucci P. High-dose thiamine improves the symptoms of fibromyalgia. BMJ Case Rep. 2013;2013:bcr2013009019. Published 2013 May 20. doi:10.1136/bcr-2013-009019.
  4. Hemmati M, Babaei H, Abdolsalehei M. Survey of the effect of biotin on glycemic control and plasma lipid concentrations in type 1 diabetic patients in kermanshah in iran (2008-2009). Oman Med J. 2013;28(3):195-198. doi:10.5001/omj.2013.53.
  5. Osada K, Komai M, Sugiyama K, Urayama N, Furukawa Y. Experimental study of fatigue provoked by biotin deficiency in mice. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2004 Sep;74(5):334-40. doi: 10.1024/0300-9831.74.5.334. PMID: 15628671.
  6. Nowak, Albina MD; Boesch, Lukas MD; Andres, Erik MD; Battegay, Edouard PhD; Hornemann, Thorsten PhD; Schmid, Christoph PhD; Bischoff-Ferrari, Heike A. PhD; Suter, Paolo M. PhD; Krayenbuehl, Pierre-Alexandre MD Effect of vitamin D3 on self-perceived fatigue, Medicine: December 2016 – Volume 95 – Issue 52 – p e5353 doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000005353.

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