Five fitness professionals reveal their New Year’s resolutions

We’ve already shared our New Year’s fitness resolutions, but we also put out the call to the fitness professionals we know to find out what their aspirations are for 2026. Here’s a selection of the responses we received.

Resolution: Return to running

My 2026 New Year fitness resolution is to get back to running after injury. The slow and steady rehab process can be so frustrating but so rewarding. If you’re returning from injury or just getting back to regular exercise, don’t rush the process. Build back up gradually, aiming not to get back to where you were, but to find a more resilient body.—Jess Pritchard, certified trainer and group exercise instructor

Resolution: Slow down

After years of teaching high-energy Spin classes, my body is used to moving fast and running on high stress. I love the intensity, but as I get older, my body and mind are asking for more balance. In 2026, my resolution is to slow down. That means adding more rest, recovery and calm into my life. Slowing down helps me stay strong, healthy, and present so I can keep doing what I love for years to come.—Suki Bains, mindset coach, Spin instructor, yoga teacher, qualified personal trainer and contrast therapy guide

Resolution: Prioritize mobility

Over the past few months, I’ve been doing a lot of strength training and running, but my mobility and flexibility have slipped. I’ve been waking up feeling tight and slow to move, especially during the first hour of the day.

My focus going into the New Year is shifting towards a more rounded approach to my overall wellbeing. Alongside strength and cardiovascular training, I’m going to prioritize mobility, movement and recovery. This, with good nutrition, quality sleep and mindfulness, is key to feeling good and staying in shape long term.—Daniel Wells, personal trainer, and health and wellness coach at BrightFit

Resolution: Be present for exercise

My 2026 aim is to hone the art of presence—more specifically, less screen time and more mindfulness while I exercise.

While I already enjoy exercise classes such as HIIT and cycling, these are 45-minute chunks of time that I always bookend with staring at my phone, sending messages and emails until the last minute.

What I’d love to do is move away from this urgent and rushed mindset, allocate more time for slower practices and step into them properly. So an example of this might be going to a totally new yoga class, or for a long nature walk, without habitually checking my phone.—Scarlett Woodford, yoga instructor at MoreYoga and Wellness PR

Resolution: get fighting fit

My background is in hypertrophy, conditioning and sports rehabilitation. I want to focus on athletic preparation and combat training to coach people on these journeys better. That means lifting weights just twice a week, prioritizing speed, acceleration, deceleration, resilience. I’ll spar regularly, drill boxing, Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu, with explosive and coordination training to sharpen reactions.—Rocky Gelblum, personal trainer based in Fitness First London Bridge