January Activewear Favourites

I've had a bit of splurge on the active wear front. I can't seem to help it, recently the brights and lycra have stolen my heart and I'm instantly drawn to the sports section of any clothes shop.

This little haul includes some all time classic gym staples as well as some key pieces I'll be sweating in this spring.

Top left is a classic neon coral long sleeve top from Adidas- this is perfect for the outdoor bootcamp circuits I do, where multiple layers are abso-bloody-lutely essential in the (hideous) Manchester elements.

The top to the right of this is Adidas again, this time though it's a really cute mesh racer back top - and how nice is the pattern on the front? I love the design and can't wait till it's warm enough to wear this running on it's own.

Speaking of racerbacks, I spotted the bright lime green top in TK Maxx, and was all over it. I loove the scooped mesh back detail, and the rest of the material has a cool ribbed effect texture. It's made by Roxy, a brand I wouldn't usually associate with gym wear, but this top is a nice surprise!

The pink t-shirt next to the white Adidas top (and photographed more clearly below) is, again, another TK bargain; just a simple, comfy tee for yoga, and the orange long sleeved top next to it is essentially identical to the long-sleeved Adidas one but this one's from H&M.

H&M are one of my all time favourite activewear highstreet brands, I think their stuff is fantastically priced and the designs are gorgeous. My favourite thing about the orange long sleeved top is the material, it's soo soft and smooth against my skin. 

By far my number 1 piece from this haul is the WKND jumper above... It's from Sweaty Betty, and is an ideal top to lounge in on Saturday and Sunday. It's boxy, oversized and slightly cropped, so it goes perfectly with the mint green leggings (also SB). These leggings are amazingly soft and extremely comfortable. I've been wearing these to yoga and they're great because they don't cut in on your hips - they're also reversible too (black on the other side), but I like the mint green pattern too much to swap it about.

I'm in the market for a new gym bag and I reeeally want some This Girl Can 'merch'; could you recommend any good kit bags that can be lugged around to work etc all day?

Spinning with Sweaty Betty @ The Spin Factory

Last Tuesday I was invited by the lovely team at Sweaty Betty Manchester for a spin class at the recently opened Spin Factory on New Bailey Street. I'd been to the launch and heard great things about the classes from a good friend who's already got through a fair few rounds of credits, so I couldn't wait to give it a go! 

We did a 45 minute spin class which focused on sprints, hill climbs, core stability and improving your spinning technique. The class was challenging and the instructor (I feel bad as I've totally forgotten his name!) was really encouraging and got us all pumped up, not to mention glamorously sweaty.

The atmosphere is great and really gets you in the mood to work hard; bright neon lights and loud music are a winning combination although I wouldn't go if I had a headache haha. 

They also offer Wattbike classes which are tailored for keen cyclists or those who really want to hone in on their spin skills and offers a more intensive, personal session without music. I'd be up for trying this too (but perhaps after a few more regular spin sessions!)..

There's a launch offer on at the moment where you can buy 60 credits for £30, usual cost is £60. You can find all the details on their website.

It was a great evening and especially nice to finally meet Sarah from That Squat Bot, as well as being introduced to Emily from The Health Cave (both a pair of babes) - bring on the next meet up! 

Thank you Sweaty Betty; I'll definitely be back to the spin factory.