Fitness
The best backpacks in the UK for work, travel and wild adventure – tested
Whether you want a smart-but-stylish commuter rucksack or a hike-friendly pack, our writer lugged 16 over hundreds of miles to find the best bags for your buck• The best travel mu…
Ultramarathon runners train for months, sometimes years. But what happens when they don’t finish a race?
DNF stands for ‘did not finish’ – the acronym no ultrarunner wants assigned to their race result. For amateurs, DNFing is loaded with emotion – but attrition rates are extremely c…
‘Tiny bit of rain and the sewage comes’: Brighton swimmers vent fury at sea pollution
Checking for sewage spills has become as normal as checking the weather forecast, say swimmers on East Sussex beachesSouth West Water has worst environmental record in England, an…
‘There is no break-in period’: running experts offer five tips to finding the perfect shoe
If you want to minimize foot pain and keep all your toenails, let this guidance carry you to the finish lineI tested 15 pairs of women’s running shoes. These are the best in the U…
From skipping ropes to Swiss balls: personal trainers on the best home gym kit
Exercise mats that don’t slip, easy-grip kettlebells and floor sliders … fitness experts share their best buys for staying active at home• The best massage guns – testedYou don’t …
How to Start a Workout When You Really Don’t Feel Like It (The Bridge Task Method)
If you can’t get yourself to start a workout after a long day, the problem might not be the workout itself. It’s the gear shift from “couch” to “go.” A bridge task is a small, neu…
Creatine: is there truth behind the hype? – video
Creatine has become the go-to supplement for anyone wanting to give their fitness a boost and build muscle. It’s even made it out of the gym, with influencers touting its cognitiv…
Creatine: is there truth behind the hype? – podcast
Creatine has become the go-to supplement for anyone wanting to give their fitness a boost and build muscle. It’s even made it out of the gym, with influencers touting its cognitiv…
Is it too late to start strength training at 70? (No. Here’s what happens when you do.)
No, it isn’t too late. People in their 70s, 80s, and 90s get meaningfully stronger when they start strength training, and beginners tend to see the biggest response to training. Y…
Hogging weights, loud grunting and sweaty benches: 11 gym dos and don’ts from fitness experts
Here’s what professionals have to say about good workout etiquette, from using equipment to being on your phoneI like to think of myself as a fairly laid-back person. Other people…
‘Audiences ask to feel my calves!’ The endurance extremists pounding treadmills and pumping pedals at the fringe
How do you keep audiences gripped while cycling 27km per show? From the Australian recreating a Tour de France win to a ‘toxically positive’ spin queen, we meet the acts bringing …
I'm prone to spills. The Owala SmoothSip Slider is the only travel coffee mug I trust
Owala’s SmoothSip coffee mug keeps drinks as hot (or as cold) as I like, without making a messYeti Rambler v Owala FreeSip: which trendy water bottle actually deserves the hype?Si…
I thought testing ice-cream makers would be fun – then came the milk-fuelled madness
After three dozen eggs, 30 lemons and a concerning amount of unplanned butter, our tester learned the hard way how to make the perfect ice-cream. Plus, how to buy a bike• Don’t ge…
Is it true that … it’s harder for women to do pull-ups?
The differences in body types does mean that, on average, women find the exercise more difficult – but that’s not the whole storyPull-ups are a bodyweight exercise where you hang …
Do you need a gym to get strong? Bodyweight vs weights, explained by a Coach
No, you don’t need a gym to get strong. Bodyweight training and weight training are both strength training, and both run on the same principle: progressive overload. In a gym you …
Nipple tape, pickle juice and dinosaurs: how I learned to love running, the unorthodox way
The usual advice was getting me nowhere. If I really wanted to embrace running, I’d need to go off-piste. It was a journey that took me to some very strange places …I’ve always ha…
How to buy a bike: expert tips for finding the right budget, frame and fit
Whether you’re commuting, training or riding for fun, we asked specialists to break down what to know before you buy – from specs and safety to price• The best bike locks for ever…
A new start after 60: I took up slalom skateboarding – and I’m off to the world championships!
Darren Miles had skateboarded all his life. But in his 50s, he realised he was losing his skills and flexibility. So he took it in a new directionDarren Miles never thought he wou…
‘I lose all sense of time in the hypnotic flow’: five writers on their favourite British rivers
From the source to the sea, our writers share their favourite ways to immerse themselves in nature by paddleboarding, canoeing, camping, walking and fishingIt’s early afternoon on…
Stuck between knee push-ups and full push-ups? Here’s how to level up
If you can do knee push-ups but the floor still feels impossible…that’s totally normal! You’re at the hardest jump in the progression ladder. Here’s how to break through: work in …
“I feel like a T-rex when I try push-ups”
Push-ups are rad. Like, legitimately. I get excited just talking about it. 😅 But if you’ve struggled to conquer the push-up, you may see them in your workout and think, “Ugh.” It …
‘I spent a week crying. I’ve never had an injury in my life!’ Why do so many fitness fans end up needing surgery?
From the 47-year-old runner who needs a double hip replacement to the 27-year-old CrossFitter with a ruptured ACL, those who push their bodies too hard often regret it. What are t…
How Busy Parents Can Stay Consistent With Fitness (Start With this 5-Minute Step)
If you’re a busy parent and fitness feels like the one thing you can’t figure out, you’re not alone, and you don’t need an ideal routine to start. You need a plan for the chaotic …
Raise your hand if…
Earlier this week, I sent out a quick call-out to the busy parents in our community as we head into back-to-school season. I expected a handful of replies. I got hundreds. P…