Danish supermodel Helena Christensen has done it again. Despite possessing one of the most stared-at bodies of the 1990s, she’s somehow managed to seem super relatable. ‘It’s not a question of needing a great body,’ she recently told Get The Gloss. ‘I don’t go to the gym thinking, “Oh, I need to lose some weight or have a bikini body.” It’s about having a strong, healthy, tight body but also great posture and form.’
Yes, Helena, we’re with you. In fact, GH’s Fit (Enough) Club is based on exactly these principles. So… what would you suggest?
Vacuuming for mental health
‘I love vacuuming!’ she said. ‘The simplicity of walking around, seeing dirt get sucked up – there’s something very comforting and satisfying about that. It distracts your mind from heavy, looping thoughts.’
Michelle Griffith Robinson, former Team GB triple jumper and Olympian, who’s now a life coach, agrees. ‘Going to the gym three times a week, getting 10,000 steps in… it’s not achievable for everyone,’ she told GH. ‘So let’s stop beating ourselves up. Find the movement that brings you joy.’ Walking the dog, gardening or, Michelle’s favourite, the kitchen disco. It all counts.
Laundry lifting
‘There are so many ways you can work with whatever is around you,’ said Helena. ‘I’ll be on the beach and use nature: I’ll swim, do jumps, runs in the sand, grab big rocks and do squats and stretching with them.’ When Helena’s doing a load of laundry, she squats to transfer clean clothes down to the basket on the floor.
Does this really make a difference? Well yes. If you stick with it: ‘We need to be kind to ourselves but we also, crucially, need to be consistent,’ says Michelle. ‘Because when you make small, incremental, consistent changes, you get bigger results.’
But also…. boxing
If it’s all sounding a little zen in the Christensen crib, then pause for a moment. Because here’s the other element in Helena’s fitness arsenal: boxing.
‘I wanted something hardcore that made a difference to both my mind and body, so I chose one of the hardest ways of exercise: I like a challenge! You’re super sweaty and exhausted after, but also re-energised,’ Helena said to Get The Gloss.
Why boxing though? ‘One of the biggest benefits of boxing is that it trains multiple physical qualities at once – cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, co-ordination, balance and power,’ says James Collins, strength and conditioning trainer at BXR London. ‘The rotational nature of punching develops core strength, and the footwork challenges agility and reaction time. It’s also metabolically demanding, which can support body composition goals.’
While boxing is a brilliant cardiovascular workout, there are elements of resistance training worked into it, too. ‘When moving continuously on pads or a bag, heart rate elevates into aerobic and anaerobic zones, therefore, it delivers a strong cardio stimulus,’ says James. ‘At the same time, every punch requires force production from the ground up, through the feet, legs, hips, core, and upper body, so force is being repeatedly produced and absorbed. That makes it a form of dynamic resistance training using bodyweight and rotational power.’
It’s not going to significantly increase your absolute strength or replace weight training (which Helena also fits in, calling it ‘the single most important exercise you can do’), but overall, it’s a great option for time-poor women, especially as we age. ‘Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can impact muscle mass, bone density and cardiovascular health,’ says James. ‘Boxing provides weight-bearing, high-intent movement that supports muscle retention and bone loading, both of which are crucial at this stage.’
It also improves muscular power – one of the first physical qualities to decline with age, he explains: ‘Training explosively helps maintain functional capacity for everyday life. Finally, there’s a psychological benefit. After boxing, women may feel less stressed, stronger and fitter, which can be hugely important during a time of transition.’
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