James Frew
James is Tom’s Guide’s Fitness Editor, covering strength training workouts, cardio exercise, and accessible ways to improve your health and wellbeing. His interest in fitness started over 10 years ago after being diagnosed with a chronic illness.To help manage the symptoms, he began focusing on strengthening his core, taking regular walks around the city, and practicing meditation. He also invested in fitness trackers, home workout equipment, and yoga mats to find accessible ways to train without the gym.Before joining the team at Tom’s Guide, James was the Fitness Editor at Fit&Well, where he covered beginner-friendly exercise routines, affordable ways to boost your wellbeing, and reviewed weights, rowing machines, and workout headphones.He believes that exercise should be something you enjoy doing, so appreciates the challenge of finding ways to incorporate it into everyday life through short muscle-building sessions, regular meditation, and early morning walks.James’ work has appeared in Live Science, Happiness, and consumer technology sites like MakeUseOf, Lifewire, and Blocks Decoded. He has reviewed headphones, fitness trackers, and smartwatches, covered events like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), IFA, and Black Hat Europe, and was named Muck Rack’s Featured Journalist in February 2021.He was a regular contributor to the Really Useful Podcast and a co-host for the Blocks Decoded podcast, and spent five years as a Listening Volunteer for the UK-based mental health charity Samaritans. Outside of work, you’ll find him out on long dog walks, listening to podcasts, and excitedly checking out each week's New Music Friday releases.
Latest articles by James Frew
I tried a 20-minute full-body workout with Quell's new fitness game — here's what happened
By James Frew last updated
The Quell Impact and its first game, Shardfall, use cardio exercise and resistance band training to help you build strength, raise your heart rate, and burn fat while having fun.
Get Outside with Tom's Guide this summer
By James Frew last updated
We're dedicating an entire month to the great outdoors, helping you find workouts, fitness trackers and smartwatches, and the right gear for your next adventure.
Personal trainer recommends these 6 moves to build a stronger core and improve your posture without weights
By James Frew published
This short bodyweight routine works your core and strengthens your abs, boosts your balance, and improves your posture without a weight in sight.
I switched my Converse for the Helly Hansen Coastal Hiker boots — here’s why I’m not going back
By James Frew published
The Helly Hansen Coastal Hiker boots are more comfortable, durable, and water resistant than my trusty Converse. But that doesn't mean they're perfect for every walk.
You only need 1 kettlebell and 5 moves to build muscle all over, strengthen your core and boost your metabolism
By James Frew published
This short routine, designed by a HYROX Master Trainer, works your whole body, builds core strength, and raises your heart rate — and all you need is a single kettlebell.
I tried this 10-minute walking exercise every day for a week to build mental strength — here's what happened
By James Frew last updated
I've used sitting meditations for years to practice mindfulness, so when the seasons changed, I decided the time was right to switch to a short outdoor walking meditation instead.
You only need these 5 moves and set of dumbbells to build full-body muscle and strengthen your core
By James Frew last updated
This routine, designed for Tom's Guide by Peloton instructor Andy Speer, works muscles all over your body, strengthens your core, and boosts your metabolism in just 25 minutes.
You only need 1 kettlebell and 6 moves to build full-body muscle with this strength-training workout
By James Frew published
This short kettlebell workout is designed to build muscle all over, engage your core, and develop your mind-muscle connection with a single weight in just 28 minutes.
Forget sit-ups — build a stronger core and boost your balance with this 25-minute standing abs workout
By James Frew published
This bodyweight standing abs workout is designed to strengthen your core, boost your balance, and improve your posture with several no-equipment moves in just 25 minutes.
Build muscle all over and boost your metabolism in just 40 minutes with this full-body dumbbell workout
By James Frew published
This short dumbbell workout is designed to strengthen muscles all over your body, develop your core, and boost your metabolism in just 40 minutes with a single pair of weights.
Build stronger arms and work your core with this 30-minute upper-body dumbbell workout
By James Frew published
This short, high-intensity session is designed to strengthen your upper body, engage your core muscles, raise your heart rate and boost your metabolism — all you need is a set of dumbbells.
Forget weights — this 7-move Chris Hemsworth resistance band workout builds full-body muscle
By James Frew published
This short seven-move session is designed to work muscles all over your body, strengthen your core, and boost your heart rate in just 15 minutes without a dumbbell in sight.
I tried a calming mindful yoga practice, and the results were surprising
By James Frew last updated
After turning to home workouts for the past few years, returning to the studio reminded me of how much I missed a regular yoga practice and how good it made me feel.
I ditched Spotify for Apple Music for working out — here’s what happened
By James Frew published
Music can be a great motivator, but which streaming service is best for fitness playlists? I gave them both a try to see whether Apple Music or Spotify's workout tracks came out on top.
Forget sit-ups — build core strength and improve your posture with this 10-minute abs workout
By James Frew published
This short bodyweight session strengthens your core, boosts your balance, and raises your heart rate for a metabolism-boosting, muscle-building workout you can do from anywhere.
Forget fitness trackers — Sennheiser's new sport earbuds track your heart rate through your ears
By James Frew published
The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport earbuds combine the company's famous audio quality with fitness tracking smarts to help you stay motivated and boost your workout performance.
Forget weights — work your core and build stronger arms and shoulders with this 8-move TRX workout
By James Frew published
This short workout is designed to strengthen your core and build upper body muscle without weights using just your body weight and a pair of TRX straps.
Build full-body muscle and core strength in just 8 moves with this dumbbell and kettlebell workout
By James Frew published
Two dumbbells, two kettlebells, and 8 moves to build muscle all over
16 moves, 8 minutes, and no equipment: strengthen your whole body and boost metabolism with this workout
By James Frew published
Work muscles all over, no weights required
I tried Peloton's first 30-minute Defected Records dance workout — here's what happened
By James Frew last updated
I'd never used a Peloton Bike before, but ventured over to Peloton's London Studio to try the first class with music label Defected. Here's how it went.
You only need 6 moves and a set of dumbbells to build full-body muscle — here’s how
By James Frew published
This personal trainer's short routine is designed to target muscles across your body, strengthen your core, and boost your metabolism in less than 30 minutes with just two weights.
I'm a fitness editor — these are the 15 fitness deals I'd actually buy in the Amazon Big Spring Sale
By James Frew last updated
These are the Amazon fitness deals I actually think are worth your money, so you can build muscle, track your progress, and boost your wellbeing without breaking the bank.
I test headphones and these are the 7 headphone deals I'd buy in Amazon's Big Spring Sale
By James Frew published
The Amazon Big Spring Sale is now live, with huge savings on some of my favorite headphones from Bose, Sony, and Jabra.
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