STELLAR Talks Fitness With Founder Of The Skinny Bitch Collective, Russell Bateman

He’s the one man band behind London-based fitness phenomenon, the Skinny Bitch Collective – an invite only, battle rope jumping, curtsy lunging, super workout. Suki, Ellie and Millie are fans, as are Irish babes, Laura Whitmore and Angela Scanlon.

Now, before you give Russell a belt for the name, hear him out. “I was walking down the corridor with a female client of mine about two years ago and she said, ‘got the skinny bitches in today?’ I thought, ‘that’s got some resonance to it!’

SBC’s got the soundbite but it’s also got substance. “The collective is a 360 degree focus on female wellbeing, encompassing everything from exercise and nutrition to sleep and sex”, says Russell. We nabbed Mr. SBC when he flew into Dublin to launch Tropicana Essentials’ new juice range, and following a sweaty pop-up class got the skinny…

How does one become a skinny bitch?

Sleep better, have more sex and eat more green vegetables. At SBC we’re not talking about losing weight, we’re talking about burning fat. Don’t look at the scales, use your clothes as an indication.

Explain the SBC class experience.

Explosive, empowering, evolving, euphoric and emotional! It’s a 50 minute class that will put a smile on your face and improve your life.

How do you measure improvement?

Body composition and mood. The class isn’t just about burning fat, it’s about going away and feeling great – that’s SBC – we want you to feel amazing inside and out.

Focus on the quality of your workout with emphasis on technique and variables like tempo and time.

Do we need to spend two hours a day exercising to become a super strong skinny bitch?

Definitely not, less is more sometimes. Focus on the quality of your workout with emphasis on technique and variables like tempo and time. Work hard and rest harder – don’t stress your body out too much or you’ll release cortisol and that’s not good if you’re looking to burn body fat! You need a yin and a yang. Enjoy life – if SBC is the yin, then the yang has to be the chill, relax.

Do you train models differently to ‘average’ girls?

Every woman gets the same treatment regardless of body type. The best tool is your body and it can be used in so many ways to illicit changes in shape and strength. Get back to human! Crawl, climb, sprint – it’s the SBC prescription for EVERYONE.

If you are looking to get lean quick then you should definitely look at portion control and remember it’s better to graze than gorge.

What about guzzling protein shakes and counting macros?

It depends on your goals, if you are looking to get lean quick then you should definitely look at portion control and remember it’s better to graze than gorge.

Where does alcohol fit into the SBC mould?

Your priorities should always dictate your choices so live by that motto. The odd glass of wine won’t hurt you but for optimum body composition and mood function, alcohol should be extremely minimal.

How important is love and sex to our wellbeing?

It’s linked to our emotions, there’s nothing a hug and a quickie can’t fix. It will increase oxytocin which will make you feel like a goddess. All of this has a knock on effect in other areas of your life and increases body confidence, self esteem and productivity.

Top five foods to eat?

• Sauerkraut
• Grass fed beef
• Coconut oil
• Quinoa
• Broccoli

Five foods to avoid?

• Cereal
• Shiny fruit (the gloss means it’s been chemically treated)
• Fast food
• Refined sugar
• Pasta

You spend a lot of time with women. How well do you know the fairer sex?

I like to think that I understand women a little, I’m around so many different types of females. Someone told me I’m like Mel Gibson’s character in that movie where he can basically read their minds, What Women Want. I wish that was the case as that would make my love life a lot easier!

Want to give it a go? Sign up for virtual training at SBC online.

• exercise
• healthy
• Russell Bateman
• SBC
• Skinny Bitch Collective
• Wellbeing
• workout