Bodybuilder Gillian Ward in Two-Piece Workout Gear Shares "30 Chin Ups"

Gillian Ward is doing chin ups in her workout gear. In a new social media post the bodybuilder shows off her strength and strong body wearing a two-piece exercise set during her gym session. “From this morning,” she wrote in the caption, doing 30 chin ups, “at the end of a hard workout,” she wrote across the Instagram clip. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.

1. Unconventional Training

Gillian uses “unconventional” training methods. “I know that I’m training for a bodybuilding competition and there are many people shaking their heads at this and saying, that’s not how you train for bodybuilding. What really is bodybuilding? To me bodybuilding is the development of every nook, cranny, and corner of the physique and the mind, especially when it comes to discipline,” she writes in a post. “Sure, this is not conventional ‘hypertrophy’ training, but no one can argue that movement of the body in unconventional ways has no value to physical development. What I’m really saying is that there is no one way. There is no singular best approach.”

2. Exercise Keeps Her Young

Gillian doesn’t plan on retiring from exercise. “Today. Every day. (Except for rest days of course),” she captioned a post. “Yesterday someone asked me when I’m going to stop doing all of this. They suggested that I was getting ‘too old’ to continue to push myself- that it was time to relax and ‘ease off’. This is what keeps me young. I do what I love and I love what I do. My passion burns like a brightly lit torch illuminating the path ahead. It cannot be extinguished by hate, adversity, doubt, or distraction.”

3. Consistency

Gillian maintains that “with consistency there is progress,” in a post. “Hard to see it in the moments, the hours and the days, but then the weeks start to add up and it becomes clear. It’s not about any one moment, any one meal, any one workout. It’s about the sum of all the littles. Every moment is a unique opportunity to make a choice- to stay the course even when it’s hard, to stay the course even when it feels like you are stuck or going backwards. Choose consistency. Trust the process!”

4. Strength Training

Gillian relies mostly on strength training to build muscle. “The primary reason that I strength train is not to have muscles or to hit certain numbers. I lift so that I can do all of the other things in life that bring me joy for as long as possible. I strength train to improve my quality of life for decades to come. I strength train to avoid being ‘trapped’ in my body. I strength train so that my body can express the creativity of my mind,” she writes.

5. Not Letting Minor Setbacks Keep Her From Success

Gillian has bad days, but doesn’t let them impact her long-term success. “It’s been a rough week. Real life stressors have made it difficult to focus & keep my head in the game. The scale went up instead of down. I felt like I was going backwards. Not every week is a perfect week. Things don’t always move in a linear fashion in the right direction,” she writes in a post. “This week I relied on habit & planning, not willpower. I stuck to my plan with my diet & training because those are the habits that I have created. These habits brought comfort during a very stressful time. It’s hard to put in the work when you don’t see the immediate results of your efforts but that is the most important time to do so. Trust the process. Trust yourself. I can’t control all outcomes, but I do have control over my effort and my attitude 💜

Pauline Nordin is getting sweaty in her workout clothes. In a new social media post the bodybuilder shows off her incredibly fit figure during an exercise session at the gym. “The lack of heavy looking equipment doesn’t mean the workout feels LIGHT. If it feels TOO LIGHT it does not matter how heavy it is, it’s all relative. But the mind usually stops all development in body, due to fear of reps past 21! The burn starts there, past the “honeymoon” phase of a workout, will you last and keep your passion and love for the game? I will because I keep it INTERESTING and I live to prove myself wrong about myself and to be my BEST PAULINE so I have THE BEST FRIEND IN ME FOR ME in this body life with a 100% guarantee of no fail no flake no let go. That’s the kind of partner I want in my life, someone I know without doubts will BE ALL I NEED AND ALL I WANT. So I’m that! ALL MY LOVE TO YOU ALL! I’ll share the podcast on my story then I will spend my weekend in solitude to meditate and just be happy, but first LEG DAY!!!” she captioned the post. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.

1. How She Discovered Bodybuilding

Pauline discussed her road to bodybuilding to Simply Shredded. She explains that at 17 she was in the “not eating and doing 500 sit-ups a day” routine. “I accidentally bumped into a Muscle & Fitness magazine and saw the fitness model on the cover. I was terrified, she looked CRAZY, but in some way it caught my attention,” she said. “I realized it took dedication, discipline, a lot of exercise and a strict diet. I liked that and felt this was meant for me. I decided to become a pro bodybuilder, went to my first gym and told the trainer I was going to be onstage in 2002 (3 years later) and I needed to get muscular. Said and done, I trained nonstop for 3 years, went on stage and became the ‘Teen National Champ’ three years in a row and runner up in the Senior Division Under 52 kilograms 2 years in a row.”

2. Free Weights

Pauline relies on free weights, “1-8 reps, and old-school compound lifts,” she says. “I don’t have a set routine, but I am always including the compound basic movements like squats, presses, free weight rows, pull-ups. I don’t keep track anymore about sets and reps, I used to do it for a decade and then called it a day. As soon as I write up a routine I get the urge not to follow it so that’s why I improvise and go with what I have mentally prepared for myself the hour before.”

3. Cardio

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Pauline also does cardio. “I also do cardio 6 days a week. I alternate between short intense sessions (20 min) @ 85-90% MHR and slower ones at 70% MHR,” she says.

4. Her 3 Favorite Exercise

Here are Pauline’s 3 favorite exercises:

1. Deadlifts: “Because they shape the whole body,” she says.
2. Shoulder Presses: “Because they give the illusion of broader shoulders and a smaller waist,” she explains.
3. Bent Over Barbell Rows: “The king of upper body muscularity,” she says.

5. Here Is What She Eats in a Day

“I super emphasize on veggies, I don’t eat grains except for wheat bran on ‘plan A’ days which is a ‘Veggie/Protein/EFA’ diet. On plan B days I refeed which means about 100-300% more calories and almost all carbs from oats, rice, pumpkin, jello pudding etc. I use lots of BCAAs and fish oil supplements in my diet as well. I am an AST sports science athlete and use their products and I follow my own diet concept: FIGHTER DIET!” Pauline says.

• "Meal 1: Wheat bran, Whole flax cooked to Porridge, added vanilla Vp2, Cinnamon, Truvia
• Meal 2: Egg whites, CLA & Fish oil
• Meal 3: Egg whites
• Meal 4: Pre workout shake with BCAA’s, Glutamine & Beta-alanine
• Meal 5: Vp2 shake with BCAA’s, Glutamine, NAC
• Meal 6: Veggies, Chicken or Egg whites or Pink salmon, some Shirataki noodles & mustard
• Meal 7: Chocolate protein powder with cocoa powder and coconut shreds plus stevia to sweeten it"

Natalia Batholdi, a renowned fitness influencer, captures the essence of dynamic strength training through her captivating Instagram videos. Recently, she shared a calisthenics workout flow that showcases her prowess on the gymnastics bar, blending bodyweight exercises to create a seamless routine. Batholdi emphasizes the importance of bodyweight workouts for enhancing strength, endurance, coordination, and balance, demonstrating her routine with grace and power. Her post resonates with her commitment to pushing physical limits and embracing challenges head-on, reflecting her belief in the transformative power of perseverance and a focused mindset. Batholdi also integrates weight training into her regimen, enhancing her physical conditioning while inspiring her followers with her dedication and innovative approaches to fitness.

1. She Does Bodyweight Workouts

Batholdi loves to do bodyweight workouts to keep herself in shape. She talked about this in the caption of her Instagram video. “Combining various bodyweight exercises into a continuous sequence can be a fun and effective way to challenge yourself physically and mentally! It’s a great way to improve strength, endurance, coordination, and balance🤸🏼‍♂️”

2. She Works Hard

Batholdi makes sure to work hard when she hits the gym. She also talked about this in her Instagram video caption. “There’s something truly empowering about conquering a workout flow like this, especially when it’s something that might have seemed out of reach at first. It’s a reminder that with dedication, perseverance, and the right mindset, anything is possible💪🏻🔥”

3. She Does Chin Ups

Bartholdi shares a lot of aerial exercises on Instagram. One thing she likes to do is chin-ups. She shared this video of herself doing them with a barbell attached to her body. Bartholdi captioned it, “Raise the Bar Chin Ups🔥When you don't have a weight belt but need to do weighted chin ups; no problem, just do this instead💁🏼‍♀️This challenge was one of my first viral challenges, tag me in your stories if you give it a try🤩💪🏻”

4. She Uses Weights

Natalia Bartholdi/Instagram

As you can see from the previous Instagram video, Bartholdi likes to use weights when she works out. ACE Fitness states that using weights is good for both your body and your mind. “Training with heavy weights helps you to improve your self-confidence. Knowing that you can lift heavy stuff gives you the confidence that you can handle common challenges, such as putting a bag in the overhead bin on an airplane or carrying a heavy piece of furniture while reorganizing a room or helping a friend move.”

5. She Loves Veggie Bowls

Bartholdi loves veggie bowls, and shared this recipe on Instagram. “Healthy Fall Veggie Bowl 🍁 (Vegan & Gluten-Free) + Home Workout 💪Combine cooking and working out during the busy weekdays! A hearty bowl filled with wholesome goodness! Enjoy a burst of fiber, protein, vitamins, and antioxidants to fuel your body🌱Recipe: 4 carrots. 2 beets. 2 sweet potatoes. 200g Chickpeas. 250g tofu. Salt, pepper and mix of dried herbs. 300g Brussels Sprouts. Vegetable oil for cooking. Maple syrup. Salt. Wash and peel the root vegetables. Chop them into bite-sized pieces and arrange them on a baking sheet. Add chickpeas and tofu. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add your favorite dried herbs. Drizzle with rapeseed oil and toss to coat evenly. Bake in the preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit) for approximately 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Check for doneness with a fork.”

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.”

Meg Gallagher, a fitness coach and influencer, is all about empowering others to build strength and confidence through proper training. She frequently shares her workouts and expert tips on Instagram, inspiring her followers to push their limits. In a recent post, Gallagher documented her progress with lifting weights, captioning it, “130lbs vs 145lbs 👏 keep 👏 on 👏 going.”

Gallagher’s training includes a mix of foundational lifts like deadlifts and overhead presses, alongside targeted exercises for shoulders and core engagement. Her detailed tips and insights emphasize the importance of proper form, muscle activation, and consistency. By sharing her journey and expertise, Gallagher motivates her audience to embrace challenges and celebrate every step of their fitness progress.

1. She Lifts Weights

As you can see from her Instagram post, Gallagher likes to use weights when she works out. ACE Fitness states that using weights to exercise can have a lot of benefits. “Using heavy weights increases intramuscular coordination, the number of type II motor units and the amount of muscle fibers engaged within a specific muscle. Have you ever felt your muscles shaking while lifting heavy weights? This is because you are recruiting and activating the larger type II muscle fibers, which are only stimulated to work when a muscle is challenged with heavy resistance or working to fatigue.”

2. She Does Overhead Presses

Gallagher likes to do overhead presses to keep herself in shape. She shared this video on her Instagram of herself doing them, and sharing her tips for improving them. Gallagher captioned the post, “❌ BAD FORM BRENDA TAKES ON 👉 The Overhead Press. ✅ Feel like this move won’t budge? Fix those sticking points and boost your strength with my 3-day/week workout plan. Drop a ‘STRONGFINISH’ below and I’ll send it to you now. ✅ Fix your form 💪🏻 Get Stronger ⏱️ Save time in the gym.”

3. She Does Deadlifts

Another workout that Gallagher likes to do with weights is deadlifts. She included a video of herself doing them in this Instagram post. Gallagher captioned the post, “Today’s deadlift sesh (switching to ✨sumo✨)‼️ Want the full training plan for this workout? Comment ‘train’ below and I’ll send it over! MAIN LIFT: Deadlift - trying out some sumo positions. Feeling so good after running conventional for so long. FAVORITE ONE FROM THIS SESSION: The good mornings even with a programmed 3 sec pause were spicy (and bold before deads). My back has not felt this strong in forever.”

4. She Does Shoulder Exercises

Gallagher does a lot of shoulder workouts to keep herself in shape. She shared some of her favorites and her tips for working shoulders in this Instagram post. “Shoulder Health Movement of the week: I-T-Y-W 📌 pin this bc I know you’re not doing them yet! TIPS: 1️⃣ relax the neck, avoid crunching the traps 2️⃣ set the scaps, then perform the ROM (it’s only a few inches, no need to reach too far back 3️⃣ squeeze a pencil w/ shoulderblades 4️⃣ don’t let those shoulders dump forward work these into a break from your desk/computer throughout the day, and see if your neck/shoulders feel any better!”

5. She Engages Her Core

Gallagher makes sure to engage her core when she exercises. She talked about this in the caption of this Instagram post. “Properly engaging the core changes everything 👇 SAVE THIS VIDEO 📌I can’t tell you how many videos I’ve seen of myself and clients where the belly pooch is hanging out during a plank. This isn’t abdominal fat hanging - this is the 6 pack muscles taking over instead of what they should be doing — flattening. The corset muscles should wrap around and all core muscles engage together. See it in my fix during planks, hanging from the bar, and even during lunges. Why use one muscle group in the core when you can use ALL of them? More muscle recruitment means: ✅ stronger lifts ✅ more ab definition and strength ✅ bigger muscles elsewhere. Let me know if you want to see an example and I’ll share how to contract the TVA on my next video.”