For Shirley Ballas, staying Strictly-ready means following a simple but effective morning routine. At 66, the head judge revealed the three exercise and recovery protocols she follows to keep her body feeling fit and strong during one of the ‘busiest’ periods of the year.
In an Instagram video shared on her birthday, she walked her 451,000 followers through the regime, which starts with a substantial workout. ‘What a way to start my birthday. I’ve done my hour and a half exercises and weights,’ she said.
Her next stop? The sauna, where she spent 20 minutes before heading into an ice bath. ‘I’ve been in the sauna, fantastic 20 minutes; now I’m going in the ice bath, and that just rejuvenates my muscles at this busiest time of the year.’
Granted, the idea of following a 90-minute workout with heat and cold exposure might sound extreme, but Ballas says the combination leaves her feeling ready to take on the day without the fatigue or soreness you might expect from training for so long. ‘I always feel like I’ve never really done a workout after I’ve been in my ice bath to be perfectly honest,’ she explained.
Shirley Ballas’ morning routine:
- 90-minute weighted workout
- 20-minute sauna
- Ice bath
Feeling fit is particularly important as Ballas juggles the physical demands of Strictly Come Dancing, where long filming days, rehearsals and hours spent on her feet are part and parcel of her days, but regular weight training as Ballas does is also an important way to counteract both age-related bone and muscle loss. Various studies show it can help you stay independent and mobile, while reducing the risk of falls.
This isn’t to say you need to copy Ballas’s 90-minute session – or immediately invest in an ice bath. Her routine is highly individual, but her approach highlights how effective prioritising your training and recovery can be as you age. Especially when life, or Strictly season, gets busy.
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As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.
After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!
Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.
She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.
