Sam Hopes
Sam Hopes is a level III qualified fitness trainer, level II reiki practitioner, and senior fitness writer at Future PLC, the publisher of Tom's Guide. She is also about to undertake her Yoga For Athletes training course. Having trained to work with mind and body, Sam is a big advocate of using mindfulness techniques in sport and fitness, and their impact on performance. She’s also passionate about the fundamentals of training and building sustainable training methods. When she's not writing up her experiences with the latest fitness tech and workouts, you’ll find her writing about nutrition, sleep, recovery, and wellness.
Latest articles by Sam Hopes
Forget Russian twists — I did 50 Russian push-ups every day for one week, here’s what happened
By Sam Hopes last updated
What are Russian push-ups, how do you do them and what happens if you do 50 reps each day for seven days?
What are the 'big 5' compound lifts in weight training?
By Sam Hopes published
The 'big five' compound exercises in weightlifting are the bench press, deadlift, shoulder press, pull-up and squat. Here's how to do them, the benefits, and how to program them.
Forget sit-ups — you only need 1 kettlebell and 3 seated ab exercises to sculpt your core
By Sam Hopes last updated
These three seated ab exercises strengthen your core muscles and hips using one kettlebell and a 15-minute workout. Here's how to do them, according to a trainer.
The best ab workouts — free ab workouts you can do from anywhere
By Jane McGuire last updated
The best ab workouts — from free ab workouts to 10-minute ab workouts, here's the best ab workouts to try.
Hack squats vs trap bar deadlifts: which is better at building quad strength?
By Sam Hopes last updated
What are hack squats and trap bar deadlifts, how do you do them, and what are the benefits? A personal trainer explains which is better for building quad strength and muscle.
Reverse curls: how to do them, and the benefits for bulking your biceps
By Sam Hopes last updated
Learn how to do reverse curls, along with the benefits, common mistakes, and four variations we recommend for building your biceps muscles.
Deadbugs: How to do them, and the benefits for building your core muscles
By Jane McGuire last updated
Learn how to do a dead bug, the benefits of dead bugs, and how to progress or regress the exercise for your ability.
Push-ups: How to do them, the benefits, and modifications to try
By Jane McGuire last updated
How to do a push-up, the benefits of doing push-ups and the modifications to make push-ups easier or harder.
Oura just released new feature to help you manage stress — what you need to know
By Sam Hopes last updated
Oura has just released its latest Resilience stress feature to join Daytime Stress and Reflections. Here's what we know so far.
Plank exercise: This is how long you should hold a plank for
By Jane McGuire last updated
How long do you need to hold a plank exercise to see results? It's not as long as you think.
4 strength exercises that sculpt your glutes and build a strong core without ab exercises
By Sam Hopes last updated
Four glute exercises that build strength in your buttocks and add definition without hip thrusts or glute bridges, according to a personal trainer.
Forget burpees — build muscle all over with one kettlebell and these four moves
By Sam Hopes last updated
Strengthen your core, build full-body muscle, and raise your heart rate in less than 30 minutes.
I just did this 200-rep push-up challenge — here’s what happened to my body
By Sam Hopes last updated
Our in-house personal trainer tried this 200-rep push-up challenge. Here's what happened and how to do it yourself.
Forget planks — I did 100 walking push-ups every day for one week, and here are my results
By Sam Hopes last updated
What are walking push-ups, how do you do them and what happens if you do 100 reps every day for one week?
I tried ‘The World’s Easiest Workout’ and it only took 30 minutes — here's what happened
By Sam Hopes last updated
The 30-minute 'World's Easiest Workout' uses breathing exercises and a sauna blanket to give you a post-workout mood boost, but does it work? We put it to the test.
Forget Pilates — I tried the 3-minute puppy pose exercise every day, and here's what happened
By Sam Hopes last updated
Our writer and in-house personal trainer tried the extended puppy pose every day for one week. Here's what happened, and how to do puppy pose for beginners.
3 strength exercises you can do with a yoga block that aren't ab exercises
By Sam Hopes last updated
These three yoga block exercises target and strengthen your upper body without weights, including your shoulders, chest, and triceps.
Deadlifts are the best compound exercise for strengthening your entire body — 3 variations to try
By Sam Hopes last updated
Our Tom's Guide personal trainer explains the benefits of deadlifts for strengthening your body and three deadlift variations you can add to your strength program.
Peloton vs. NordicTrack: which exercise bike should you buy in 2024?
By Sarah Jacobsson Purewal last updated
When it comes to Peloton vs. NordicTrack exercise bikes, there is a lot to consider. We break it down.
9 best Pilates exercises for strengthening your core
By Jane McGuire last updated
The best Pilates ab exercises to really work your core muscles. Add these to your next ab workout to feel the burn.
I’ve been teaching weightlifting for years — 3 ways to build strength and muscle using light weights
By Sam Hopes last updated
Our Tom's Guide personal trainer explains three ways to build strength and muscle using light weights at home or in the gym.
5 cardio exercises that burn more calories than running
By Jane McGuire last updated
If you're not a runner, these cardio exercises burn even more calories than heading out for a jog.
Try these 8 best 30-minute workouts to build muscle and strength and burn calories
By Sarah Jacobsson Purewal last updated
These are the best 30-minute workouts on YouTube, from beginner yoga and cardio dance to HIIT and weight training.