Sun, sand, scissor kicks

Sun, sand, scissor kicks

by marlies|dekkers

I’m going on a trip and I’m bringing…

Well, unfortunately not my gorgeous personal trainer. But his sexy summer work out is a nice alternative. If you like torture, that is.

I see working out as a treat, not as a punishment. Now, anyone who knows what my personal trainer looks like might wink and say: “Sure you do!” And true enough, Patrick van Luijk, -a 6 ft 3 half-Jamaican Olympic athlete- is a total hunk. But he is not the main reason I love working out so much. Training gives me energy, it keeps me sharp and strong. And that hot bikini body? Another very nice bonus.

Patrick likes to push me. He isn’t happy till I can barely walk and I’m about to throw up. That, to him, is a sign that it was a good work out. So when I casually asked him to give me a few exercises to do during my beach holiday, Patrick –never one to do things half-assed– created a crazy hardcore schedule that would have taken up my entire holiday and made me crawl home afterward. I had to ask him: “Did you accidentally mix up the words ‘vacation’ and ‘Olympic training camp’? » Oh well, that’s what you get for having a top athlete as a personal trainer…

Patrick was happy to share some less hardcore holiday work out tips with you:

1. First of all, don’t just work out in your room or at your hotel’s gym. Use the pool well, and of course the beach. “The sand provides less stability, turning the simplest movements into excellent exercises.”
2. Keep it fun; work out for about 30 minutes a day, and take a break after 2 days.
3. When using the pool, be creative. Alternate swimming laps with doing exercises in the more shallow part of the pool, such as jumping or pulling your knees up. And of course, that edge of the pool is perfect for pulling yourself up. (3 sets of 10 should do the trick)
4. Start your beach workout -Patrick suggests doing planks, side jump lunges and push-ups, 4 sets each- with a classic sun salutation. It’s a nice warm-up and stretch, but also a wonderful way to greet the sun, the sand and the sea. After all, you’re on a holiday… Enjoy!

Most loved
fall|winter 20 preview

Marlies Says

fall|winter 20 preview

by marlies|dekkers

In January, I presented my newest FW20 collection during a show full of dance and entertainment in Rotterdam. All my work as a feminist designer is inspired by muses, powerful female icons from past and present. And for FW20, my muse will be crime writer Agatha Christie. A few months from now, you will get to discover the collections, and see how they tell stories like Agatha’s thrilling books do..

Running for your life

MD Friends

Running for your life

by marlies|dekkers

Dr. Bram Bakker is a psychiatrist, a writer, a runner and a provocateur. With his many bestselling books and columns – and yes, even his own theatre show – he urges us to think outside the box when it comes to our mental health. Not crazy about popping pills? Bram shared some interesting alternatives with me, from throwing out our phones to running ‘till we puke’.

Peas & peppers instead of pills

MD Friends

Peas & peppers instead of pills

by marlies|dekkers

General practitioner Tamara de Weijer believes that we would feel a lot better if we hit the produce stand before we visited the pharmacy. “On a massive scale, we have been putting the wrong kind of fuel in our bodies.”

Singles Day – You’ve Got this!

Marlies Says

Singles Day – You’ve Got this!

by marlies|dekkers

All the single ladies, listen up! With single women rapidly becoming the majority, it is high time to stop feeling singled out. This Singles Day, let’s celebrate our freedom and independence by sharing all those solo milestones that make us go: ‘You’ve got this!’.