Chontel Duncan Swears By This One Exercise to Build "Strength and Power"

The Aussie fitness pro and model, Chontel Duncan, rose to stardom when she showed that you can be extremely fit and healthy during your pregnancy. In a video of her lifting, she said “recently, I’ve had to block a few accounts that go out of their way to comment on my strength training posts, saying I look like a dude. I block them not for me, but for every woman out there who chooses strength and power. I never want anyone to feel less feminine because they embrace their strength. So to anyone who’s ever heard this—remember: If strength makes me look like a dude, then I’m proudly redefining femininity.” In addition to staying mentally positive and in a good headspace, she really prioritizes her physical fitness.

1. She uses the cable machine

She said on Instagram, “I know you’re all bad bitches who live for a spicy superset ladder 🌶️🪜 So, ladies, load up that cable machine and make it heavy AF! ❤️‍🔥🏁 Start with 10 reps each and keep going, dropping one rep each round: Banded Cable Squats [and] Banded Hip Thrusts.” According to the Cleveland Clinic, “as we age, strength training improves balance and coordination. It can decrease the risk of injury when you’re active, and even help with daily activities such as doing the laundry or yard work.”

2. She embraces the struggle

Even when she struggles at the gym, she knows the importance of really pushing herself mentally and physically. She said on Instagram, “the gym really knows how to humble you, huh? Ended up embracing the struggle real quick. #humbledandhungry” on a video of her giving it her all while working out.

3. She likes to cook

In an Instagram video, she showed off her delicious dish, captioned “garlic chilli cashew nut stir-fry.” She made coconut rice with jasmine rice, coconut cream, and water and a delicious stir fry with snow peas, onion, capsicum, broccoli, spring onion, garlic, chili flakes, sesame oil, and more. She makes healthy food yummy.

4. She hits the slopes

In a video on Instagram, it shows Duncan hitting the slopes, and even doing tricks, captioned “NEU Peaks 🏔.” She loves spending time outdoors, staying active even during the cooler months. In a different Instagram video, she said “I’ll admit I was too chicken to try [snowboarding] this trip. But with 30mins left on our final day, I built up the courage to borrow a board off the boys and @sam_hiitstation gave me an express lesson. #massappreciation #nojoke #shredder also I LOVE time with Sam like this. CUP FILLING SHIT!!!”

5. She enjoys cycling

As seen in this Instagram video of her cycling with her daughter on her bike, captioned “blessed to call her my daughter 💞👑🌎 #bestfriend #minime,” she’s seen enjoying the outdoors and activity with a huge smile on her face. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “cycling helps with loosening your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and hips. This way, your lower body is becoming more flexible over time. Plus, your core and arm muscles get a good workout.”

Australian fitness trainer and influencer Chontel Duncan is sharing her go-to back and bicep exercise routine with fans and followers. Duncan has five children and prioritizes fast, effective workouts, as shown in a recent Instagram video where she goes through the movements while wearing blue and gray two-piece workout gear. “Here’s a sneak peek of my back & bi’s session that Sam and I squeezed in with all five kids in tow! 💪🏽 Luckily, we’ve got a crèche at @hiit_capalaba to keep them safe and close while we get to work,” she captioned the post. Here’s how the busy working mom gets it all done.

1. Travel Workout Tips

Duncan doesn’t skip workouts when she’s traveling. “When I last traveled, I researched each location I stayed at,” she told Health and Fitness Travel. “I knew I wouldn’t always want to train at the hotel, so I found local gyms that provided day passes for circuit and HIIT style workout classes. Starting my day off with a workout and a good breakfast provided me with an incredible boost of energy to enjoy the adventures of the day. If you are sight-seeing, consider a walking or cycling tour, and look for local walking trails. Activities like swimming are great low intensity cardio exercise that gets your whole body moving. If you’re by the beach try water sports like snorkeling or surfing.”

2. Self-Care

Duncan makes a point of some alone time at the end of the day. “Each week I always make sure to allocate 30 minutes a day for ‘me time’ once my sons have gone to bed,” she told RUN Singapore. “I put my phone down and sit on the couch for some much needed zen time. The weekends are my time for family playing outside or swimming in the pool. Scheduling in personal time or self-improvement time ensures I take time out for myself and can recharge my batteries.”

3. She Has a Sensible Diet

Duncan is sensible about her diet, especially when she’s on vacation. “I never sacrifice an opportunity to enjoy local foods because of how ‘unhealthy’ it might be,” she told Health and Fitness Travel. “However, I do take some steps to ensure I am able to enjoy without overindulging and abandoning my healthy habits. Before you order your main, try ordering an entree of vegetables or salad. Once you have some food in your tummy, then make a decision on your main course. With every main meal that you order, try and add an additional serving of vegetables or salad for added fiber which will assist with digestion and help to prevent you from overindulging.”

4. Weight Loss Advice

Duncan has good advice for anyone trying to lose weight. "The foremost key to achieving successful weight loss lies in the harmonious integration of nutrition and training,” she told Nine Coach. “It's imperative to invest equal amounts of energy, time, and dedication into both facets. My second tip, if I were to offer another, underscores the importance of considering the sustainability of your approach. Ask yourself whether the path you're on is one you can envision yourself following consistently, even two years down the line. Sustainability ensures adherence, and this, in turn, leads to a more enjoyable and fulfilling journey toward your fitness goals."

5. The Back Routine

Here is the exact back and bicep routine Duncan shares:

“First 2 sets: Choose a weight I can just hit 12 reps with, followed by a 60-second rest between every set.

Set 3: Increase weight to hit 8 reps.

Set 4: Push for 6-8 reps with an even heavier load.

This approach is perfect when I’m feeling strong and have a trusty spotter for those last few reps! I powered through three back exercises and two bicep moves before the kiddos decided the workout was over! 🤣👶🏽”

Cass Martin, a successful bodybuilder known for her stunning physique and inspiring content, regularly shares her fitness journey on Instagram. Recently, she posted a series of photos posing in purple workout clothes, captioning the post, “Last slide, what’s the first word you see?” Her followers flooded the comments with admiration, with one noting that she is “insanely gorgeous and so sculpted.” Martin’s dedication to her craft is evident in every post, and her commitment to maintaining peak physical condition is truly inspiring. Here’s a closer look at some of her favorite workouts and healthy habits that help her stay in top shape.

1. She Works Her Core

Martin has an amazing core, and she makes sure to do a lot of exercises to maintain it. She shared these videos on Instagram of herself doing some of her favorites. In them, Martin is seen doing things like, tucks with a weight, superman holds, and seated pike leg lifts. The Mayo Clinic states that core workouts are extremely important. “Your core is the central part of your body. It includes your pelvis, lower back, hips and stomach. The stomach muscles sometimes are called abs. Core exercises train the muscles in your core to work in harmony. This leads to better balance and steadiness, also called stability. Stability is important whether you're on the playing field or doing regular activities. In fact, most sports and other physical activities depend on stable core muscles.”

2. She Makes Green Juice

Martin likes to drink green juice. She shared one of her favorite recipes in this Instagram post. “This is one of my most favorite green drinks to make in my @huromamerica juicer! ♥︎ I drink a huge glass of this almost every single morning! It’s called The Lemon Ginger Blast! It’s a very powerful drink filled with so many enzymes & minerals! Not only does it detox your body from the inside out, it also is great for: • Enhancing circulation. • Stimulating your digestive system. • Strengthens your immune system. • Clears out mucous & is anti-parasitic. • Antifungal, antibacterial, & super Antioxidant. • So many more benefits!”

3. She Does Pull Ups

In this Instagram video, Martin is seen doing pull ups. Gymless states that the exercise has a lot of benefits. “Pull-ups are one of the most fundamental calisthenics exercises that build up your strength and endurance in the upper body. It is commonly used as a form of physical test from schools all the way up to the military. Many athletes from all sports backgrounds use pull-ups in their training, which makes this one of the best exercises for building the upper body and developing a bigger and stronger back.”

4. She Does Lunges

Martin doesn’t skip leg day. She shared some of her favorite workouts in this Instagram video. In it, Martin is seen doing lunges with a weight. ACE Fitness reports that lunges have a lot of benefits. “Lunges work the biggest muscles in your lower body — mainly the quadriceps, gluteus maximus, and the adductor magnus (the muscle in your inner thigh). Other muscles that come into play are the hamstrings, gluteus medius, calves, and core stabilizers, says Susane Pata, content strategist for the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and NASM-certified personal trainer based in Miami.”

5. She Strength Trains

Martin likes to strength train to stay in shape. In this Instagram video, she is seen doing things like incline dumbbell presses, cable tricep pushdowns, and using the chest press machine. The Mayo Clinic reports that strength training can be very effective. “Strength training can help you manage or lose weight, and it can increase your metabolism to help you burn more calories.”

Tanya Poppett is a very successful fitness trainer. She has a large following on social media. Poppet recently shared some of her favorite upper body workouts on Instagram. She captioned a video, “What my UPPER sessions in the gym look like 👇I’ve been doing an Upper/ Lower split for the past few months now. This is a typical upper body session for me - mixing in some ‘power’ based moves with my strength sets and finishing with accessories.”

1. She Does Chin Ups

In her Instagram post, Poppett is seen doing chin-ups. These are very effective. ACE Fitness reports, “Chin-ups can help improve grip strength, posture and appearance, while also helping to strengthen muscles that stabilize the spine. This, in turn, can help reduce one’s risk of back pain and injury. Even if a client is only able to do one or two chin-ups at a time, this exercise offers tremendous benefits, especially for the back, shoulders, forearms and biceps.”

2. She Strength Trains

Tanya Poppett/Instagram

Poppett likes to do strength training workouts to stay fit. She is seen using landmines and weighted balls in her Instagram video. The Mayo Clinic says that strength training exercises are very beneficial. “By stressing your bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Strength training can help you manage or lose weight, and it can increase your metabolism to help you burn more calories.”

3. She Does Pulldowns

Tanya Poppett/Instagram

Poppett is seen doing pulldowns in her Instagram video. Piedmont reports that these exercises can be very beneficial. “The lat pulldown is a fantastic exercise for strengthening the latissimus dorsi muscle, the broadest muscle in your back. This muscle promotes good posture and spinal stability. Form is crucial when performing a lat pulldown to prevent injury and reap the best results.”

4. She Does Bodyweight Workouts

Poppett likes to do bodyweight workouts when she can’t get to the gym. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them, captioning it, “BODYWEIGHT AND HARD 🥵I’m back in a home workout phase at the moment. I can usually only get to the gym on the days Maple is at preschool… so twice a week. Otherwise it’s home workouts while she naps 💪I’m using it as an opportunity to work on things like my bodyweight strength, plyometrics and running. Then when I get to the gym I go HARD and HEAVY!”

5. She Does Core Workouts

Poppett has an amazing core. She revealed some of her favorite ab workouts in this Instagram video, captioning it, “COMPLETE CORE SET 💪With just an exercise ball 👌 Thank you to child birth for reminding me how handy these things can be 😄Added in this core set after my steady state cardio on the weekend. It focuses on rotation, anti extension, anti-flexion, lateral stability and anti-rotation for an all round core challenge.”

Madeline Custer, a dedicated fitness expert and influencer, is all about quality workouts and balanced nutrition. Recently, she shared a video on Instagram of her favorite core exercises, encouraging her followers to try moves like Superman, butterfly sit-ups, and dead bugs. “If #weeklymovesworkouts is your program of choice, you’ll be seeing this one in tomorrow’s workout,” she captioned, sparking excitement for the next session. Custer’s approach isn’t just about working hard—it’s about working smart, whether she’s focusing on deep core exercises or fueling up with protein-packed meals. Here’s a closer look at the habits that keep her in peak form.

1. She Does Core Workouts

In her Instagram post, Custer is seen doing core exercises. The Mayo Clinic says that it is extremely important to do workouts like these. “Your core is the central part of your body. It includes your pelvis, lower back, hips and stomach. The stomach muscles sometimes are called abs. Core exercises train the muscles in your core to work in harmony. This leads to better balance and steadiness, also called stability. Stability is important whether you're on the playing field or doing regular activities.”

2. She Focuses On Quality Workouts

Madeline Custer/Instagram

For Custer, working out means quality over quantity. Especially when it comes to core workouts. Custer talked about this in her post’s caption. “Once upon a time, I would train core up to 3 times a week. I’d do so many different exercises and often with very little intention or rationale behind my sessions. I now solely focus on deep core exercises and do less than half the amount I used to and place the majority of my focus on properly engaging my core during OTHER LIFTS 💪🏽”

3. She Does Workouts Until She Can’t

Custer shared her secrets to building muscle in the caption of this Instagram video. She says that she does some workouts until she can’t anymore. “Take your sets close to muscular failure! If it’s a well selected exercise that you have a good mind to muscle connection with, the rep range can vary a bit and still be effective! Combine the weights YOU have + number of reps it takes you to get to failure and the stimulus has been achieved ✅”

4. She Strength Trains

Madeline Custer/Instagram

In the previous Instagram video, Custer is seen using dumbbells. Strength training has a lot of benefits. ACE Fitness says, “Strength training with heavy weights improves muscle definition. Muscle definition occurs as the result of muscles remaining in a state of semi-contraction and heavy strength training recruits the larger type II muscle fibers responsible for a muscle’s appearance.”

5. She Eats Enough Protein

Custer makes sure to incorporate protein into her diet. She shared this video on Instagram of herself making chicken salad. Custer captioned it, “BUSY GIRLS NEED PROTEIN. LIKE THE POST ❤️and comment ‘LUNCH’ 🍗for the recipe that has been making my weekends so easy and delicious with a fall twist!….But mostly, 130-140 grams of protein clicks away so fast when you have a plate template in mind. Mine is usually 25-30% lean protein, 25-30% complex carbs, then almost the rest of the plate with fruits and veggies with some awesome supplementary fats taking up about 15%. Back to chicken salad — thanks @erinliveswhole for the classic version that I’ve tweaked a bit! — I’ve been eating with pop corners chips, on Hawaiian rolls, rice cakes, by the spoonful.”