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.
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.”
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.“
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).”
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.”
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.”