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Lift any fitness routine with our tips from Roar fitness founder Sarah Lindsay
By Judy Cogan | 30 June 2023 | Lifestyle
Roar Fitness founder and former Olympic athlete Sarah Lindsay shares her tips for making the most of your workout whatever your fitness goals
Sarah Lindsay, Roar Fitness
Sarah Lindsay was sitting in the back of a friend’s Bentley in central London when the idea struck. The British car designer’s signature champagne upholstery in butter-soft leather caught her eye. “I thought this would be amazing in my gym,” she recalls. “This specific shade of leather is incredible. We have to have it.”
She immediately put the wheels in motion to make it happen. “We managed to get in contact with an exec at Bentley and they gave us the colour code. Then we had our Bentley-inspired gym equipment made. It has this gorgeous, crossed diamond stitch and looks more like luxury furniture than workout equipment.”
The three-time Olympian and former speed skater qualified as a personal trainer in 2002 and soon became one of the UK’s most in-demand celebrity trainers with clientele including Ellie Goulding, Graham Norton and Dame Kelly Holmes. Officially retiring from professional athletics in 2010, she joined forces with leading body transformation specialist Rich Phillipps to launch Roar Fitness with three London-based sites and, most recently, a fourth in Dubai, offering metabolism-boosting weight training plans.
Getting the luxury aesthetics right was important and Sarah tapped into her experience training over the years to create her “perfect, dream-scenario” gym.
“I really learned the trade,” she says. “I worked out what was done well and what was missing in the industry. Now I walk into my gyms and I’m like, ‘Oh wow. We did this, that’s amazing’.”
The 42-year-old has since built a solid reputation by delivering consistent, jaw-dropping results that help transform her client’s lives. “Until they get there, people don’t realise how good it feels to be physically strong and how that’s going to cross over into all areas of their life,” she says, adding: “But I know it’s really hard to be motivated on a daily basis.”
Taking inspiration from her background as a professional athlete, she has recruited a line-up of top industry experts – nutritionists, therapists, strength coaches and personal trainers included – to keep people coming back and those positive results rolling in.
“I think having that competitive background ends up being part of who you are. I’m always working towards a goal and it’s the reason we designed the gym with a team approach. That’s what I had as an athlete, all these different specialists looking after me.”
Expect to be allocated a qualified nutrition coach, personal trainer and admin manager on signing up, who will keep your bespoke eight- to 12-week plan on track. “Ultimately people come in for results and you can’t leave anything to chance,” Sarah explains.
“Every rep, set, weight a person does is recorded so it can be progressed every session. You can’t just exercise and hope for the best, it’s very specific and highly organised.”
Here Sarah shares her tips on how to embrace the gym (and weights) and reap the benefits this year.
Live longer and stronger
“Weight training isn’t specific to one type of person. Whatever your goal is, being stronger will benefit that. If you are working towards being a better runner, for example, you’ll be less likely to get injured, you’ll be faster and more powerful if you are strong. We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all trainer so our team members all come from different backgrounds from Olympic and professional athletes to dancers and bodybuilding competitors.”
An act of self-love
“Training is the ultimate act of self love. We want you to see you’re taking time out of your day, spending money and investing emotions because you care about yourself and love your body – not because you hate it. It doesn’t take long to make progress and reap the benefits. As soon as the gym becomes part of your everyday routine it makes you feel so good. The hardest part is taking the first step.”
Sarah Lindsay, Roar Fitness
Don’t be scared
“Weight training can seem scary because people think it’s dangerous. They think of big heavy equipment being thrown around the gym. We recognise weight training can be intimidating to newcomers, but that’s why we make people feel welcome and safe. It’s actually done in a very slow and controlled manner. When your trainer is making sure you’re doing everything correctly, you’re not going to get injured. You’re more likely to pull a muscle tripping over a curb jogging than doing weights. It’s not as scary as people think and everybody has to start somewhere.”
You won’t bulk up
“If you worry weightlifting will make you bulky – good luck! Some people gain muscle easier than others and it can come down to genetic disposition, but it is usually a very deliberate process that certainly doesn’t happen overnight. You have to train really hard for a certain amount of reps and sets and strictly eat for that purpose as well. I train all the time and I fight hard to hang on to every pound of muscle I gain.”
Sarah Lindsay, Roar Fitness
Mind over matter
“If you’re struggling mentally, it’s hard to feel motivated. A lot of people suffer ups and downs and so when you’re feeling good that’s the time to start exercising and get into a healthy routine. This means when you’re not feeling great the discipline ingrained in you will keep you going to the gym and you’ll feel better. You need those endorphins and the dopamine that are missing when you’re feeling depressed and anxious. People who exercise regularly can see those benefits and so keep it up.”
Put yourself first
“When you’re working really hard and putting lots of effort into your workout you’re not thinking about what just happened in the office that day or what’s coming up next at home. It’s time for yourself and ultimately a privilege to be able to go to the gym. No one enjoys the pain of training or getting sweaty and out of breath or having their thighs burn. But they do really enjoy the benefits and how it makes you feel. You just have to get past that barrier.”
Roar Fitness, London
Exercise anywhere
“Many people, including myself, don’t like going to new gyms when travelling. Hotel gyms are usually under equipped and cramped. We offer Roar at Home, an on-demand platform with live classes led by a team of expert instructors. So you can join in no matter where you are in the world. The workouts are filmed at our studio in Kensington with people in person and there’s a wide variety of classes to fit different needs and tastes. Also if you have a busy day ahead, my tip is to get your workout done and out the way first thing.”