How 4 Fitness Entrepreneurs Train, Fuel & Recover
Kimberly Thorne
Co-founder of CAMP
The Workout Routine:
“I teach between 20 to 25 classes a week, spread over seven days, and my hours are mainly in the early block of the day, starting with my first session at 6am. My classes are equally divided between bootcamp and cycle. When I coach, I am fully dedicated to my athletes. I participate in most of the workouts, but my energy is mainly focused on guiding and supporting them. Therefore, I also require my own training sessions to stay in peak condition. I train with my coach, Akin Akman, who is based in the US, through live Zoom sessions and his on-demand platform.”
The Nutrition:
“When it comes to supplements, I’m a minimalist. I primarily take electrolytes to keep my hydration levels up, especially since I prefer working out on an empty stomach in the mornings. Beyond that, I take a few essential vitamins like magnesium for muscle recovery, zinc and vitamin C to support my immune system. One unique supplement I swear by is sea moss, which is fantastic for its wide range of minerals and nutrients that help with overall health and recovery.”
The Recovery:
“Recovery is essential in maintaining peak performance, especially with the number of workouts I teach. I try to watch what I eat because my recovery depends on it. For example, I avoid dairy due to my lactose intolerance, and I avoid gluten. Staying away from these two things made me realise my recovery is better. Hydration is also important, so I make sure to drink plenty of water and electrolytes. Additionally, I have frequent sports massages, and recently I started seeing my sports therapist, Paul Morana, from Joint Space DXB more often. All these combined efforts help me bounce back quickly after intense training sessions.”
Visit TrainWithCamp.com & follow @CycleWithKim
Joujou Al Fardan
Founder of Niya Yoga & Honour Wholeness
The Workout Routine:
“I like to train fasted in the morning, after drinking about a litre of warm water with slices of lemon and ginger. I sit in silence and meditate for about 30 minutes to an hour, then I really enjoy a morning adaptogenic coffee by London Nootropics before starting my workout. My training style is based on what feels good for me, and that usually includes a shorter warm-up run about three times a week, followed by a fun HIIT session that may involve Muay Thai rounds, strength training and other functional workouts. It's always playful and starts with dancing or trampoline exercises. I also do about two longer runs throughout the week and follow those up with nurturing, strengthening, and lengthening Pilates sessions three times a week. I drop into a yoga class or practice on my own about once a week and would like to increase that frequency. I flow in phases, and this is what I’m currently feeling. I also dance about four times a week in various styles, from Latin dance-sport (rumba) to contemporary and bachata. When I was teaching spin, it was part of my workout, so I ran less. However, since that's been on hold for a year, I took up outdoor running, which I absolutely love.”
The Nutrition:
“I don’t take regular supplements pre- or post-workout, but rather "supplement" with them when needed, which I believe is their intended purpose. If we regularly have to take anything, it suggests either a deficiency or that we are creating one, and I like to encourage the body to function as naturally as possible. Unless there's a specific diagnosis, we shouldn't be regularly taking anything just to maintain. Food is our medicine, so ensuring I eat the right things post-workout and in general is key. The body usually directs us to what it needs if we learn to listen. For example, there are certain times of the month when I crave beetroot, and once, during an emotionally challenging time, I craved turkey breast and later discovered that it helps with stress. The greatest thing we can do is listen to our body.”
The Recovery:
“Directly after, and even during, certain workouts like Pilates, I personally like to allow the parts I'm working to open and lengthen through stretches and myofascial release methods. This technique requires a lot of awareness as you don't want to overstretch, especially if you’re lifting heavy weights afterwards. I also love to do ice baths once a week for about five minutes at around 8°C, and occasionally get a sauna session in (living in Qatar and going for outdoor runs also does the trick). I find that a massage twice a month, if possible, is extremely helpful. However, my number one recovery method is sleep. If I don't sleep well, I'd rather skip the workout altogether, as being unrested means I'm not in a parasympathetic nervous system state but instead in a sympathetic nervous system state, which can completely offset the efficiency of a workout. It can be counterproductive to train in a physically stressed mode (note that I mentioned physically and not mentally; a good workout can definitely help relieve mental stress). The nervous system plays a massive role not just in recovery but in overall well-being. Therefore, I like to approach my fitness and wellness goals from a holistic perspective, considering the whole picture.”
Visit NiyaYoga.qa & follow @JouJouSoul
Jade Ashley Palmer
Co-founder of The Uncommon Club
The Workout Routine:
“A typical week of movement for me includes three 60-minute strength and mobility sessions, with two to three runs per week ranging from 30-45 minutes currently. As a runner it’s so important to get your strength sessions in year-round for muscle support and injury prevention.”
The Nutrition:
“Typically, I work out in the morning, so I prefer to supplement my workouts with real food. Pre-workout I’m currently obsessed with two boiled eggs, salt and pepper on top, with a dash of mustard. If I’m short on time, I usually have a teaspoon of Manuka honey. Post workout after my shake, I always go for a slice of sourdough with half an avocado smashed, then an omelette (one whole egg, two egg whites) with cottage cheese. Crack salt and pepper on top - stunning. Tip: put clothes on your carbs. Avocado or nut butters are great because they are the perfect way to slow down the glucose release into the body which means we avoid that harsh energy dip.”
The Recovery:
“When it comes to recovery, I think it’s important to think about what you can stay consistent with. A few things that are non-negotiables for me include my post workout shake (consumed after every session), re-hydration with Activ8 by Everybodies or LMNT. Then weekly, I try to do one to two sessions in the compression boots, as well as a cold plunge. I’m currently in a phase where I’m trying to build muscle again after running 350km in seven days. What I’ve found is it’s crucial for me to have that post workout fuel within that 20-minute window of finishing a strength or running session so I can support the muscle growth and start the recovery process.”
Follow @TheUncommonClub & @JadeAshleyPalmer
Samia Kallidis
Co-founder at Bia Warrior
The Workout Routine:
“I train three times per week. My workouts are always full body with a focus on functional training – a mix of strength training, conditioning and skills training, as well as mobility and recovery. I’m all about being efficient and believe that sometimes less is more. When I train my clients, I’m strictly focused on coaching them – teaching them techniques, making sure their form is good and that they’re getting what they need. My coaching requires me to be super active and move around a lot, but my training sessions are separate. I’m a mum of one, (soon to be, two) run a business, coach, and also do freelance work as well. I get that life is busy, mum guilt kicks in, and find it tough to prioritise myself. I also prefer training in a group setting, or with friends, but that’s hard with my schedule. So, discipline is everything to me. At one point I was only training once a week but I made a decision to practice what I preach.”
The Nutrition:
“Before I got pregnant, I would supplement with BCAA pre-workout. It’s especially important for women to fuel with at least 30g grams of protein 90 minutes before a workout. This will help improve exercise performance and muscle fibre firing rates and recovery. I would also supplement with 5g per day of creatine monohydrate – it’s a naturally occurring substance found in our muscles that helps them produce energy during high-intensity exercise and lifting. Research has also shown that it can promote brain health. During pregnancy, I still supplement with protein. In general, women do not consume enough protein – this affects not just our muscle but also recovery, metabolism, fat burning and so much more. I try to hit at least 100g of protein per day, (I recommend 1.8-2g per your bodyweight in kilos) and that’s hard without supplementing. After the age of 30, the body naturally starts to lose 3-5% of muscle mass per decade. This affects our bone density and is especially concerning for women who have higher chances of osteoporosis.”
The Recovery:
“After a sweat session (which is looking a bit different during pregnancy) I still make sure to spend time stretching, hydrating, and consuming at least 30g of protein as well as carbs to refuel. Protein and carbs work together to increase our glycogen storage rates post workout. The hormone progesterone exacerbates muscle breakdown in women, so w recovers faster and ensure muscle support with 25 to 30 grams of protein (with five to seven grams of BCAAs) within 30 minutes of a hard workout.”
Visit BiaWarriorDXB.com & follow @SKallidis
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