Influencer Shona Vertue in Two-Piece Workout Gear Shares "Flexibility Routine"

Shona Vertue, a renowned fitness influencer, is celebrated for her workout routines and fitness tips, particularly her focus on flexibility and stretching. Recently, she took to Instagram to share a video with her followers, offering some valuable tips for improving flexibility in the splits. Alongside the video, Vertue emphasized the importance of being present in the stretch, captioning, “Quick sequences like this can be really effective if you commit to the time within the stretch AND the quality of your focus and breathing while you’re in the stretches.” From using resistance bands to making healthy snacks, Vertue's approach to fitness and wellness is all about balance and commitment. Here's a closer look at her key fitness habits.

1. She Pushes Herself

Vertue makes sure to push herself when she is doing stretches. She talked about this in the caption of her Instagram video. “For flexibility gains you do have to push to a slightly uncomfortable territory (and no, that’s not a hall pass for dangerous territory or going beyond your capacity). A good litmus test for this is that you should still be able to take a deep breath, even if you’re feeling out of your comfort zone.”

2. She Uses Resistance Bands

Shona Vertue/Instagram

Vertue likes to use resistance bands to stay in shape. In her Instagram video, she is seen using them for her stretches. Vertue wrote in the caption, “The bands are SO helpful as stretching aids AND as reminders to maintain the habit. I keep them in my gym bag and next to my laptop - reminding me to stretch in between meetings and lectures.”

3. She Makes Healthy Snacks

Vertue makes sure to eat healthy. She shared this video on Instagram of herself making a healthy snack with protein powder. Vertue captioned the post, “These viral TikTok fitness schnacks are actually pretty tasty. 1 cup @ones.hq protein. 1.5 cups Greek yoghurt. Weetbix (you can use oats too but you need to leave it overnight). 1 - 1/2 cup Coffee (I use whatever I didn’t get through in my filter coffee or make a fresh batch of instant coffee. Play around with amounts to determine the strength of coffee flavour you like).”

4. She Does Hip Thrusts

Vertue shared some of her favorite lower body exercises in this video on her Instagram. One of the exercises she is seen doing is SL hip thrusts. According to Gymless, hip thrusts are a very effective workout. “Hip thrusts are a controlled and powerful movement, mainly focusing on the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and core. This exercise is vital for developing a stronger posterior chain, contributing to improved athletic performance, alleviating lower back pain, and enhancing overall physique. Considering that about 65 million Americans experience some form of back pain, hip thrusts are a great exercise to include in your routine.”

5. She Does Squats

Shona Vertue/Instagram

Vertue likes to do a lot of different squats to stay in shape. In her lower body workout Instagram video, she is seen doing a lot of squat workouts. According to The ACE Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Institute, squats are a great workout to do. “The squat is a vital part of an overall fitness program. It strengthens the core, your lower body, and can even help strengthen muscles throughout the body. Unfortunately, some people blame this exercise on causing injuries. If the squat is performed correctly, there is very little chance of getting hurt. By learning the proper method, you can utilize one of the most useful and beneficial exercises for your workout routine.”

Niamh Cullen is a successful fitness influencer and trainer, known for motivating her followers with her dedication to wellness. Recently, she shared some behind-the-scenes shots of herself before and after teaching a double spin class, wearing black workout clothes. “Before double,” she captioned one photo, followed by “After double” on another. Cullen’s commitment to fitness and inspiring others is evident in both her personal routine and the encouragement she gives to her community.

1. She Works Out In The Morning

Shutterstock

Cullen shared some of her fitness secrets with VIP Magazine. She says that one way she works out consistently is by doing so in the morning. “I do my usual things, prep my gym gear for the morning, I get moving first thing when I wake up whether it be a walk, a run, a zoom class, yoga or just simple stretching. I find when you start your day off with some sort of movement this will help you keep you motivated.”

2. She Schedules Workouts

Cullen tells VIP Magazine that she likes to schedule workouts. “I also plan out my days, so for example it could be Monday run day, Tuesday mobility, Wednesday HIIT- get a little plan going. Set goals and little targets. I also keep in touch with my friends and we do things together. My friends now join my lives that I’m giving every Tuesday and Thursday so it’s helping them keep motivated because there is always one 100% committed and another not feeling motivated so the encouragement of others will always keep you going.”

3. She Does Mobility Workouts

Niamh Cullen/Instagram

Cullen shared some of her favorite workouts with VIP Magazine. “One thing I would recommend is mobility sessions/workouts as these are great for opening up your body, to get those important stretches in,” she said. “We aren’t moving a lot now with these restrictions so bodies can be tight. Hips and legs can feel so free with just some simple moves.”

4. She Does Bodyweight Workouts

Niamh Cullen/Instagram

Cullen is a big fan of bodyweight workouts. She tells Evoke, “The best kind of training is actually bodyweight training so for anyone who was used to going to the gym, doing their weights and strengths, there’s so much that you can do with bodyweight at home. There are exercises with a chair, you can do exercises with 2 liter bottles of water, you don’t actually need equipment, all you need is a nice space, some water, and a good playlist and you can really get going.”

5. She Uses A Stationary Bike

Niamh Cullen/Instagram

As you can see from her Instagram stories, Cullen uses a stationary bike to stay in shape. Penn State PRO Wellness states that using a stationary bike has a lot of health benefits. “Depending on the intensity of your workout and your body weight, you can burn more than 600 calories an hour with a stationary bike workout. This makes indoor cycling an excellent workout option for burning calories quickly.”