Sam Hopes
Sam Hopes is a level III 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 sit-ups — this kettlebell abs workout torches your whole core and arms with 5 moves
By Sam Hopes last updated
Bulldog Gear presents five kettlebell abs exercises that work your whole core and upper body in just 10 minutes. Here's how.
You don't need barbells to sculpt strong legs, just 4 moves and a set of kettlebells
By Sam Hopes last updated
You can build stronger quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles using four kettlebell leg exercises, and it only takes 30 minutes.
I just added ‘Mike Tyson push-ups’ to my upper body routine — here's what happened
By Sam Hopes published
The 'Mike Tyson push-up' combines a horizontal squat and push-up. Here's how to do the full-body exercise, the benefits for your body, and what happened when we tried it.
Forget planks — 5 compound core exercises that sculpt strong obliques
By Sam Hopes last updated
Five compound core exercises that strengthen your oblique muscles without planks or lifting heavy weights, according to a personal trainer.
Kettlebell seesaw press: How to do it, and the benefits for sculpting stronger shoulders
By Sam Hopes published
Learn how to do the kettlebell seesaw press, the benefits, common mistakes, and variations to try.
Forget dumbbell presses — I did 50 cross-body push-ups each day for a week, here’s what happened
By Sam Hopes last updated
What are crossbody push-ups, how do you do the upper body exercise, and what happens if you try 50 reps a day for one week?
Dick's Sporting Goods sale live — save up to $100 on these 5 Hoka running shoe deals
By Sam Hopes last updated
Save on our favorite Hoka running shoes during the Dick's Sporting Goods sale while stocks last.
Forget weights — build your core and strengthen your hips with this 3-move bodyweight workout
By Sam Hopes last updated
Strengthen your hips and build your core using three bodyweight exercises and five rounds of exercise.
Forget weights — I'm a personal trainer, and the ab wheel is my go-to for sculpting your core and shoulders
By Sam Hopes last updated
The ab rollout is an upper-body exercise that builds core and shoulder strength. Here's how to do it and the benefits of adding an ab roller to your exercise routine.
Forget sit-ups — 3 seated ab exercises that build your core muscles using one dumbbell
By Sam Hopes last updated
You can build your core using one dumbbell and three seated ab exercises. Our personal trainer explains how to do them and a 10-minute ab workout to try.
Forget ab exercises — this full-body kettlebell workout strengthens your core in 4 moves and 8 minutes
By Sam Hopes last updated
The Kettlebell Kings four-move complex strengthens your entire body and only takes eight minutes. Here's how to do it, according to a trainer.
I'm a personal trainer — 3 ways to boost your ab workouts and build your core without weights
By Sam Hopes last updated
Three beginner-friendly tips for boosting your ab workouts without weights, according to a personal trainer.
I test cross training shoes for a living — and this is the one pair I’d buy
By Sam Hopes last updated
As a personal trainer, I would buy the Nike Metcon 9 cross training shoe any day of the week, here's why.
I did 50 kettlebell crush curls every day for one week — here's what happened to my upper body
By Sam Hopes last updated
The kettlebell crush curl strengthens your biceps, shoulders, and chest muscles. Here's what happens when one writer does 50 reps a day for one week.
Forget the Arnold press — build your upper body with 2 kettlebells and 1 resistance band
By Sam Hopes last updated
The Kettlebell Kings kettlebell press drill develops upper body strength and pressing power using two weights and a resistance band. We explain how to do it and the benefits.
Forget dumbbells — you just need a set of kettlebells and 5 moves to build full-body strength and muscle
By Sam Hopes last updated
The kettlebell beginner workout builds full-body strength and muscle using five exercises and one set of kettlebells. Our personal trainer explains how to do it.
Forget Patagonia — my favorite high-tech Columbia insulated jacket is now just $55 at REI
By Sam Hopes last updated
The Columbia Pike Lake cropped insulated jacket is 60% off at REI for a limited time, and it's one of the brand's most snug iterations.
I tried the 3-minute CrossFit kipping exercise every day for a week — here are my results
By Sam Hopes last updated
Kipping is a popular bodyweight skill learned in CrossFit. Here's how to do it, and what happened when one fitness writer tried it every day for one week.
Forget crunches — 3 reasons I ditched ab workouts for compound exercises
By Sam Hopes last updated
Your core plays a vital role in your training and everyday activity, but multi-muscle exercises are a more efficient way to strengthen this essential group of muscles.
Relative strength vs absolute strength: Which is better?
By Sam Hopes published
Relative strength is a person's strength compared to their body size. Absolute strength is the maximum amount of force exerted regardless of size. Here are the benefits of both.
Forget push-ups — 5 dumbbell exercises to sculpt arm muscles like Miley Cyrus
By Sam Hopes last updated
5 exercises to sculpt and shape arm muscles like Miley Cyrus using a set of dumbbells, according to a personal trainer.
My all-time favorite insulated The North Face jacket is 30% off right now
By Sam Hopes last updated
The North Face Antora Triclimate jacket is supremely waterproof and wind-resistant. Save big on one of the most popular winter jackets during the sales.
I teach stretching routines for a living — 3 exercises that strengthen your hips and open your hamstrings
By Sam Hopes last updated
Three bodyweight exercises that stretch and strengthen your hip flexors and hamstrings, according to a personal trainer.