Fitting your training around your studies is a huge challenge, especially when in your final year!
This week we caught up with Valentina, 20 from the small town of Sanremo in Italy on glute activation, nutrition and how to stay motivated - staying healthy year round.
How do you stay fit and healthy with such a busy schedule?
Allocating an hour each day means that I stay focused and determined in the time period I have set aside. You have to prioritise this time for just training purposes, as this sole hour makes us feel good and better our health. One hour is not much time in an entire day.
How did you get into health and fitness?
I have a strong background in sports which I played competitively as a child. This solidified my belief that fitness should be taken seriously and not taken for granted.
Can you tell us a about your own training?
I work out 5 times per week for short periods, with a different focus area each workout. I vary my routine to make sure I train all my muscles which is so important for a balanced physique. This is often overlooked by women, who often just train their legs and glutes.
How else do you stay active?
I like to take long walks with my dog and I also use the Let's Train glute bands to stop and do glute strengthening exercises along the way.
Valentina studies & works hard but also sets aside a short period of quality time each day to focus on her fitness.
This is the dedication we truly admire at Let's train, the ability to manage the short time we may have and using our own inner strength, ensure that it is productive.
Valentina's Legs Workout:
1. Glute Band warmup. Here I use clamshells, seated abductions and kickbacks to pre-activate the glutes which is really important.
2. Barbell Hip Thrust with glute band. Try to push knees against the band to increase glute activation, it will really burn!
3. Squats. Control your body as you lower it to place your muscles under tension for longer and squeeze your glutes on the way up.
4. Lunges. Use either a barbell or dumbbells and stretch each rep to hit more muscle fibres.
Valentina uses The Athlete Pack to allow for the full range of glutes exercises.