Like most people, the captain of England Lionesses and Manchester City Steph Houghton has had her summer plans completely uprooted by the coronavirus pandemic.
There would have been the FA Cup Final this month, which her team Man City won last year, and then the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, when England would have had the chance to beat its rivals USA, who they narrowly lost to in the semi-finals of last summer’s World Cup in France.
‘It’s changed everything, everyone’s plans,’ she tells ELLE UK from her Manchester home where she’s been living in lockdown for over seven weeks with her husband, former professional footballer, Stephen Darby.
Above all, the restrictions have impacted the athlete's training, the structure of which is something she values. ‘I like a routine and schedule,' she explains. Fortunately, Houghton has found innovative ways of making sure she can stay fit and healthy despite the nationwide lockdown.
‘We’ve tuned our conservatory, which was a chill room, into a gym,’ she says, adding with a smile, ‘I don’t think Stephen is very happy [about it].’
Some furniture has had to come out to accommodate the new home gym, too. ‘We already had a bike in there I ordered flooring for the weights, we have a barbell, box jump, dumbbells, kettle bells...,' she notes. 'I thought just get them all so it’s easier to work out from home. I quite enjoyed building it.'
Key to her focus now is staying fit, both physically and mentally, so that when the government announces the end of lockdown, she’s ready to run around a pitch for a 90-minute game and captain her team to victory.
Here are Houghton's top tips for staying strong during lockdown:
1) Ride the ups and downs
'It’s important to be active and fit but to also take care of your mental health. I always like to give everything 100 per cent but, because we don’t know when we’re going to go back [to our "normal" lives], it’s quite hard to keep going and keep pushing.
'In the first few weeks [of the pandemic], I think I hit a wall. I was just thinking "I don’t think I can keep doing this for the next four to five weeks". I thought it was going to be too much physically and mentally.
'I realised it was important to have a bit of a rest and break routine by not training some days, and doing different activities, like going out for longer walks to get my legs going.
'It’s been mentally tough for everyone, and people have probably reacted differently at different stages. If you need help, speak to people. [As a footballer] I'm so lucky to have good people around me like my family, Man City and [the England team] have been amazing. What’s kept me motivated is focussing on what could be an exciting two years after this.'
2) Make a plan
'One of the best ways to stay motivated is to plan. I try and stick to a certain routine, so I wake up at the same time at 8.30am everyday, and take myself to the home gym. There, I’ll warm up using the foam roller, do some glute-work and ankle mobility.
'Some days, I run to a local pitch which is probably about 1.5km away. Then, when I come home, I’ll do an hour-long weight session, and maybe focus on a core workout.
'I work out for three hours in the morning which works for me. The older you get the stiffer you get, so I like to do everything in one go when I’m warm and ready.
'Motivation is just knowing that once you’re [finished exercising] it’s the best feeling, and you can go and enjoy the rest of your day.'
3) Work with what you've got
'We’re fortunate enough as athletes to have equipment [at our disposal]. If you don’t at home, try going online to find motivation. That little bit of interaction might help. There are so many live classes you can be a part of to help you stay focussed.
'I’m loving Pilates which I do with my club Man City – it’s nice to see all the girls together on Zoom. I also love following personal trainer Bradley Simmons' workouts on Instagram. His classes are entertaining and they keep you focused.'
4) Try something new
'My friend’s a gym instructor and she sends me HIIT workouts that focus on the core, which I’m loving at the moment.
'It’s not something I’d normally be able to do because usually after a weights session we’re straight back out onto the pitch.
'Right now I’m doing planks, reverse crunches, and Turkish get ups which involves using one hand to get up while holding a kettlebell above your head with the other hand. They're hard! You feel the burn. I’m not one of those people who take a break on the mat – I have to do it all.'
5) Check in on others
'We’re using a lot of WhatsApp groups at the moment – it’s where a lot of communication is being done among the team. At the moment our nutritionist is sending us different tasks to complete. For example, someone has to cook and then share the recipe, so that the team has new ideas, can mix things up and change what they’re eating at home. We’ve got some good chefs on the team.
'It was my turn the other night and I felt a little bit of pressure, but I managed to nail it with a Kung po prawn recipe. All the classics had been done already so I had to think outside the box and I like spicy food.
'Me, Karen "KB" Bardsley and Jill Scott are the more experienced players in the squad so we’ve assigned ourselves players to check-in with on a more individual basis. '
6) Keep an eye on your nutrition
'When we’re training we get breakfast and lunch provided along with supplements. Now we’re spending a lot more money on food, but everything we eat is healthy because we feel better that way.
'We will give ourselves a treat on a Saturday with a takeaway, as long as we eat healthy the majority of the week. I recently celebrated my birthday so the amount of sweets we have in the house is unreal! But it’s all about balance, you can’t always be so strict. You’ve got to enjoy what you eat.
'It’s important to pack in as many nutrients as you can when you're training. I think I’ve had the same breakfast for the past seven weeks: scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and perhaps a slice of toast, depending on how the session went.
'I'll also have a recovery drink or a protein shake to get ready for the next day.
'The other day I made an anti-inflammatory smoothie. It had berries, cocoa powder, ginger and coconut water in it. The recipe came from our England chef who sent tips to make sure we protect our bodies, so I'm working my way through their smoothie recipes.'
7) Don't sacrifice your warm-up
'Warming up is incredibly important in order to avoid injuries and mentally prepare yourself for your exercises.
'Even if I go for a run, it’s about getting myself ready to run as hard as I can right from the beginning, instead of using the first kilometre as a warm-up.
'Try stretching, whether it's with a resistance band or a towel, to activate your hamstrings. You can do small movements dynamically like squats, lunges, calf raises just to get the main muscle groups ready to go.
'As part of my warm-up I’ll skip or sprint across the cars parked in the cul-de-sac where we live. My neighbours probably look at me and think "there she goes again!"'
Steph Houghton is a NIKE athlete. This month she will be taking part in the '100K for May' in aid of the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation.
14 Of The Best Fitness Trackers For Staying Active This Summer
By this point, the Fitbit team is well-versed when it comes to creating quality fitness trackers, and the Charge 4 is our pick of the bunch. Accurate and easy to use, it automatically logs exercises such as walking, running and swimming, and the in-built GPS will map your route. The screen is black and white, but you can connect it to your phone to see your stats in colour via the app. It also comes with 12 months of Fitbit Premium and a personalised wellness resource that can create guided programmes to help you hit your fitness goals.
Key specifications
Screen size: 1.57 inch
Works with: Apple and Android
Strap material: Elastomer
GPS: Yes
Weight: 28g
Number of exercises tracked: 20
Despite its impressive credentials (such as tracking an unparalleled 130 different activities) the sleek Ignite 2 is delightfully simple to use. The face is lightweight and sits comfortably on the wrist, while the rubber strap didn’t rub at all during workouts or as we slept. It tracked our sleep phases, giving an eye-opening insight into our nightly slumber, and provided an interesting breakdown of our heart rate zones during workouts, showing which exercises really set our pulses racing. It can also control your music and display phone notifications. The screen can be a bit tricky to see while running, but it’s still a top tracker.
Key specifications
Screen size: 1.7 inch
Works with: Apple and Android
Strap material: Silicone with stainless steel buckle
GPS: Yes
Weight: 35g
Number of exercises tracked: 130
With a name like Watch Fit Elegant, this Huawei had no other option but to look good. Fortunately, it delivered. The vibrant 1.64 inch screen is fully customisable, so you can display the metrics that mean the most to you - whether that’s steps, heart rate, the weather or otherwise. Thanks to quick charging tech, it can last for an entire day after being plugged in for just five minutes, while a full tank will keep it running for more than a week. There are also workout demonstrations, guided breathing practices and stress level monitoring to help you keep your cool at all times.
Key specifications
Screen size: 1.64 inch
Works with: Apple and Android
Strap material: Silicone
GPS: Yes
Weight: 21g
Number of exercises tracked: 96
This Fitbit packs the brand’s customary accurate tracking capabilities into a smaller package which is far less conspicuous than other models on this list. As with the Charge 4, it also comes complete with Fitbit’s useful 'active zone minutes' tool, which recognises when slightly more strenuous everyday activities like washing the car cause your heart rate to spike. Other useful features include breathing exercises and menstrual health tracking. One drawback we did find, however, is that, if you want your run or bike ride to be mapped, you’ll have to take your smartphone with you to use its GPS.
Key specifications
Screen size: 1.4 inch
Works with: Apple and Android
Strap material: Elastomer
GPS: Yes, via phone
Weight: 17g
Number of exercises tracked: 20
At first glance, this is just a stylish timepiece. Delve deeper, however, and you’ll find a precise fitness tracker that can automatically record 10 activities including walking, running, swimming and dancing. (Our daily activity levels are set to skyrocket when clubs reopen.) The battery lasts for 25 days - the longest of any tracker we tested - it’s water resistant to a depth of five metres, your heart rate is shown on a discreet screen within the watch face and it can display notifications from your smartphone. We found the app was a little cluttered, and there are no additional features like move reminders, but that doesn’t stop this being a solid, stylish option.
Key specifications
Screen size: 1.42 inch
Works with: Apple and Android
Strap material: Elastomer
GPS: No
Weight: 41g
Number of exercises tracked: 30
If you prefer squats and hip thrusts to a session spent on the treadmill, then may we introduce your new gym buddy: the Vivosmart 4. It can count your reps while strength training, as well as keep an eye on your rest times so you don’t get sucked into a TikTok hole between sets. But it’s not just in the gym that this Garmin is a hard taskmaster. It will vibrate to remind you to move if it notices you’ve been sitting or sedentary for too long - something we welcomed while WFH. The charger’s a bit fiddly, and there’s no GPS so you’ll need to have your phone on you to map your running route, but those were our only complaints.
Key specifications
Screen size: 0.39 inch
Works with: Apple and Android
Strap material: Elastomer
GPS: Yes, via phone
Weight: 17g
Number of exercises tracked: 9
Editor's picks
Garmin Vivoactive 3 GPS Smartwatch
Features: Contactless payment, heart rate monitor, 15 preloaded sports apps, fitness tracker, long battery life, swim and shower resistant.
Garmin - £169.99
Fitbit Versa 2 Smart Fitness Watch
Features: Heart rate monitor, Amazon Alexa voice assistant, on-screen coaching, connected GPS, water resistant to 50m, six day battery and ability to store up to 300 songs.
Fitbit - £159.00
Huawei Band 4 Pro
Features: Colour touchscreen, waterproof to 50m, built-in GPS, heart rate monitor, sleep guidance
Huawei - £49.99
Fitbit Versa 2 Health and Fitness Smartwatch
Features: Built-in Amazon Alexa, ability to play up to 300+ songs, five+ days of battery and sleep monitor.
Fitbit - £199.00
Apple Watch Series 3
Features: GPS, 38mm silver aluminium case with sport band and water resistant to 50m.
Apple - £199.00
Garmin Forerunner 735XT GPS Multisport and Running Watch
(Comes with heart rate monitor)
Features: Water resistant to 50m, smart notifications and heart rate tracker
Garmin - £349.99
Huawei Watch GT2
Features: Menstrual management, power saving technology, 3D glass screen, sleep tracking, bluetooth calling, up to two weeks battery life, heart rate monitor and indoor and outdoor workout trackers.
Huawei - £99.99
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