Summer bodies are on everyone’s mind as the May 2-4 weekend is quickly approaching. Some of us may have lost sight of our fitness goals during the winter (cough me, cough) but it’s time to get back on track. If you’re looking to get back into it, perhaps start from scratch, or add something new to your fitness routine you might be interested in learning about The Viking Method from celebrity trainer Svava Sigbersdottir.
The Workout
“I founded my method a few years ago because I’ve been in sports all my life and I’ve tried so many things, studied so many methods, and I never found one thing that gave me everything that I thought a method should give you,” Svava explains. “Certain things weren’t working for me so I took everything that I knew was working and created The Viking Method.”
The Viking Method is a functional training method that has no gimmicks. Svava explains, “We use our body. I take two exercises that usually don’t go together so you go from a functional high intensity one down into a very staggered one so that forced your body to utilize more muscle fibers, burn more energy, use more oxygen–all that great stuff.”
Here are two pro babe workout tips from Svava that’ll help you to focus on your core and legs (whether you’re at home or at the gym).
Core: Try crawling or plank variations where you are moving your limbs. High jumps and balancing exercises are also effective in working your core in a different way.
Legs: Incorporate high kicks, explosive punches and sprints into your workout routine.
Eat the Right Foods and the Right Time
What you put into your body also effects your workout. Believe it or not, those poutines you’ve been scarfing down all winter is NOT helping your fitness situation right now. Another thing that doesn’t really help is eating a banana before a workout (which I thought is exactly what you were supposed to do). “You shouldn’t have carbs up to 90 minutes before you train or before you sleep,” Svana clarifies. “We want certain hormones to work when you train and right after you fall asleep, and they can’t be activated if you have had carbs right before. If you can time it, have a meal 90 minutes before working out. If you need to have something after that time, then eat protein or fat.” And after the workout? “The only time of day that you can have whatever you want (within reason of course) is after you train, as the muscles are screaming for energy. Slow releasing carbs, fat and protein are all good and best together,” Svava shares. “I often have chicken with couscous, avocado, feta cheese and vegetables, but any healthy protein, fat and complex carbs are fine.” Svana busts a few other myths for us.
Myth 1: Eat every two hours to lose weight Do not eat every two hours as it brings about too much oxidation of your cells and then your digestive system is constantly working. Let it rest!
Myth 2: Counting calories will help to lose weight
‘Kcal in vs Kcal out’ should not be your rule of thumb, so stop thinking about kcal and think more about how the food and drinks you consume can affect your body.
Feel Comfortable While Looking Good
The most important thing about athletic wear is that it fits properly because we’re stretching, jumping, running and moving in angles that we don’t hit on an everyday basis. “You need an outfit that stays on you,” Svava says. “I like high waisted bands because they don’t roll down when you’re moving. I also stand in front of people so I like to have shorts underneath so that whatever I do, nobody can ever see my knickers.”
Looking good might not be your number one priority while sweating but it never hurts to look great. Having a bunch of workout clothes that allows you to mix and match could actually motivate you to get dressed and hit the gym. “This is what I love about a shop like Marshalls because they have something for every shape, for every size. No matter what you look like, what you’re after, what your fitness level is, you can find clothes that you like and feel comfortable in. If you have a store that has really good prices, it just means that you can buy a whole lot more and coordinate more.”
Here are some great #LoveMarshalls finds that you can mix and match.
My favourite thing about The Viking Method is that it’s all about what you can do. It’s about building your strength and proving to yourself that you are powerful, strong and agile. It shouldn’t all be about having #BodyGoals, but instead having a healthy lifestyle with a consistent routine. “Good health is routine, not something that you can just do every now and then. It is for life and you need to incorporate it into your everyday routine, so do things that you like and do them for yourself. Set goals,” Svava encourages. “Enjoy fitness and don’t go long without it. It brings unbelievable benefits both physically and psychologically.”
So, are you a Viking in training?
