Vicky Pattison recently reminded fans about the importance of training for strength and function, rather than striving for a certain – usually smaller – body.
‘For far too long we’ve been told that taking up less space is something to aspire to. Eat less. Weigh less. Be smaller. Quieter. Softer,’ she said.
‘But what if we…started chasing strong? Strong enough to lift the weights. Strong enough to run after our kids. Strong enough to tackle whatever life throws at us. Strong in body, strong in mind, and strong enough to know our worth has never been measured by the number on a set of scales,’ she argued alongside clips of a routine programmed by her PT Rob Horslen, owner of Life Change Fitness.
Working out, she insisted, should be about future-proofing your body and building physical independence.
‘Fitness isn’t about shrinking yourself to fit someone else’s idea of beauty. It’s about building a body that feels healthy, capable, energised and resilient. A body that carries you through life, not one you’re constantly berating and trying to change,’ she said.
The message was especially meaningful given her hopes of starting a family.
‘At the start of this year [my husband Ercan and I] made the decision to try for a baby,’ she continued. ‘I wanted to make sure I was the strongest, fittest and most capable I had ever been in my life as I went on this journey to motherhood.’
The 10 exercises Vicky Pattison relies on for full-body strength1. Biceps curls
Start with a dumbbell in each hand, arms down and palms facing your body.Rotate each hand so your palms face forwards. Keeping a slight bend in the knees, activate your glutes.Engage your core to avoid any sway in the hips, bend one arm, lifting one weight to chest height in a slow, controlled movement.Keep your shoulders relaxed and down and keep your head, neck and spine neutral. Don’t arch your back.Lower it down slowly, then repeat on the other side.2. Double dumbbell snatch
Place the dumbbells on the floor and stand over them with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Pick them up with an overhand grip. Push your hips back and lower into a squat, keeping your chest lifted and back neutral. Drive through your heels to stand, so your hips and shoulders rise together. As the dumbbells reach knee height, explosively extend your hips and punch the dumbbells overhead. Keep the weights close to you, as if you are zipping up a jacket.Catch the dumbbells with your arms fully extended, either with straight legs or by dipping into a partial squat. Stand tall, keeping your arms locked out. Lower the dumbbells back to the start under control before repeating. 3. Front raise
Stand with feet under your hips, knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms by your sides, palms facing your body, and weights touching your quads.Without bending your elbows, raise your arms straight up in front of your body until they’re at shoulder level.Lower the dumbbells back down to start. 4. Weighted lunge
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand by your sides. Keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles.Take a big step forward with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, and lightly tap your left knee to the floor if possible. Keep your torso tall and your core braced. Step back to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg.5. Alternating dumbbell punches
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at around chest height.
Brace your core, soften your knees and keep your chest lifted.
Extend one arm straight out in front of you as if punching, rotating your shoulder slightly while keeping your wrist straight.Retract the arm back to the starting position as you punch forward with the opposite arm. Continue alternating punches in a smooth, controlled rhythm while keeping your torso stable and avoiding excessive twisting.
6. Bent-over row
Place your left hand and knee on a bench, keeping your back flat and spine neutral.Step the right foot out to the side and hold a dumbbell in your right hand. Brace your core and keep your back straight.Draw the dumbbell towards your waist, keeping the elbow tucked into your side.Pause for 1-2 seconds, then extend your arm back to the starting position.7. Deadlift
Stand with your feet shoulder-distance apart, with a barbell positioned in front of you.Hinge at your hips and lower down, with a slight bend in your knees, until you’re far enough down to grab the bar (you can choose an overhand grip, underhand grip, or mixed grip like Vicky, where one palm faces you and the other faces away). Keep your spine neutral by looking forward, not up.While grasping the bar, keep your shoulders back, then squeeze your glutes and your core as you stand up straight, tuck your pelvis, and lift the barbell.Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower back down to the ground. 8. Inverted row
Lie beneath a pair of parallettes and grasp the handles with an underhand grip.Bend your knees to 90° and place your feet flat on the floor. Brace your core so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.Pull your chest towards the handles, driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.Pause briefly at the top, then lower yourself under control until your arms are fully extended. 9. Lateral raises
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand.Keep your shoulders relaxed and a slight bend in your knees.Lift the dumbbells out to your sides to shoulder height with a gentle bend in each elbow.Ensure your back is neutral, tailbone is tucked and your shoulders are away from your ears.Gradually lower the dumbbells to the starting position.10. Walkout to high plank
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees as you place your hands on the ground, slightly in front of your feet.Walk your hands into a high plank, with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your body forming a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core and glutes and don’t let your hips sag or rise up. Pause, then walk your hands back toward your feet. 
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