{"id":406617,"date":"2026-01-14T12:37:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T12:37:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/406617\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T12:37:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T12:37:18","slug":"maya-jama-reveals-the-3-exercises-that-genuinely-transformed-her-body","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/406617\/","title":{"rendered":"Maya Jama reveals the 3 exercises that genuinely transformed her body"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I ask Maya Jama which three exercises have made the biggest difference to her strength and fitness, she doesn\u2019t hesitate. Squats<\/a>, push-ups<\/a> and kickbacks<\/a> with ankle weights, she answers \u2013 and each has their own reasoning. \u2018Squats really work the glutes, which is a must,\u2019 she explains. \u2018Push-ups do wonders for my core. I love kickbacks because they\u2019re great for firming and toning.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Though they may seem deceptively simple, they form a powerful trio that delivers full-body benefits with lasting results that extend way beyond aesthetics. \u2018Squats are a fundamental movement pattern that you do multiple times a day,\u2019 strength and conditioning coach Andy Vincent<\/a> explains. \u2018By practicing them in a workout setting, you\u2019re training for life. Squats are something you do every single day. When you sit down onto the toilet, or on to a chair and back up again, or when you walk up a flight of stairs and come back down.\u2019 <\/p>\n

\"maya<\/p>\n

@mayajama\/\/Instagram<\/p>\n

Push-ups are a compound exercise<\/a>, meaning they workout multiple major muscle groups at once, including your shoulders, back, triceps, core and glutes, says Vincent. By learning to support your own body weight through a full range of motion, you\u2019ll also improve spinal alignment and posture, while training your coordination, balance and core engagement. <\/p>\n

Kickbacks (also known as donkey kicks) with ankle weights, \u2018Are excellent for isolating the biggest and bulkiest glutes muscle \u2013 the gluteus maximus\u2019, says PT and co-founder of MovementX<\/a>, Keaton Ray. They also work your core and shoulder muscles, since your entire body has to remain stable while your leg lifts. This is especially beneficial for anyone who has a desk job. ‘The exercise helps stretch the hip in the opposite direction that we hold it when we sit,’ Ray says, plus the movement counteracts those sedentary hours in a chair. ‘Both of these things will help to improve posture and prevent hip and spine injuries.’ <\/p>\n

They\u2019re foundational movements that prioritise functional strength \u2013 training the body to move better, not just look stronger \u2013 so it\u2019s no wonder Maya is such a fan. <\/p>\n

Maya strength trains with her PT Warren Whitely<\/a>, while regular reformer Pilates at Nobu London<\/a> is also a part of her routine. Right now, though, she\u2019s embracing a more fluid approach to staying active. \u2018I\u2019m on a bit of a home workout vibe at the moment,\u2019 she tells Women\u2019s Health. \u2018Taking the stairs instead of taking the lift, dancing around my house, just being active anywhere I can.\u2019 <\/p>\n

\"maya<\/p>\n

@wozldn\/\/Instagram<\/p>\n

When she does train with her PT, the sessions and purposeful and punchy. \u2018It\u2019ll be once during the week for around an hour,\u2019 she shares. \u2018If I\u2019m really up for a challenge, we\u2019ll push for an extra 30 minutes. We start off with some cardio, usually in the form of short sprints, and then focus on resistance training.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Form is her priority. \u2018I go for few reps with light weights to build technique and create subtle definition,\u2019 she explains. \u2018I like to focus more on toning to complement the results of my Pilates workouts.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Nutrition is also a focus for her. As a co-owner of plant-based milk brand Sproud<\/a>, she\u2019s a big fan. \u2018I use Sproud milk throughout my day. Starting with overnight oats and a matcha, followed by a berry smoothie with peanut butter and Sproud, for a quick pick me up.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Supplement-wise, she keeps things minimal and food-first. \u2018I try to get most of my vitamins from whole foods, but I am partial to B12 and magnesium to ease fatigue and to aid in restful sleep.\u2019 <\/p>\n

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\u00a0As Women\u2019s Health UK\u2019s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism. She secured her first role at Look Magazine, where her obsession with fitness began and she launched the magazine\u2019s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!. Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner\u2019s World and Red.Now, she oversees all fitness content across womenshealthmag.com.uk<\/a> and the print magazine, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as \u2018Fit At Any Age\u2019, where we showcase the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise. She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks \u2013 all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how.Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram. \u00a0<\/p>\n