A.A Ambassador | Three Days Of Workouts + Outfits With Rozalia Russian
Rozalia Russian has a serious exercise routine.
And these days, the Melbourne-based tastemaker and creative consultant says that it’s as much for her mind as it is for her physical health.
“It has only been in the last five years that I have appreciated the importance of working out not just for the physical benefits, but also for the mental,” she says.
“Starting my day with a workout gets my endorphins going and sets me up for the day. It doesn’t matter if I wake up in a grumpy mood, I always feel better after a workout — it's almost like therapy.”
To learn more about how she stays fit — and see what she wears — we caught up with Rozalia and her trainer Tom Hose, the owner of FoxFit, over three days of her go-to workouts.
DAY 1 — GLUTES + ABS.
When it comes to exercise, sometimes it’s the micro-movements that make the most impact.
Enter: Rozalia Russian’s glutes and abs workout.
Speaking about her session, the A.A Ambassador revealed her favourite moves — and exactly how they make her feel the next morning.
“I love using the TRX, so I work on abs and a resistance band for glutes. I find with these areas, it's the smallest movement that has the most powerful impact,” Rozalia says.
“At the time, you don’t think you are doing much, but the next day I wake up and can't move!”
ROZALIA’S WORKOUT.
To challenge her core and glutes, day one’s workout features a combination of bodyweight and equipment-based moves at alternating tempos.
“These exercises focus on floor-based slow tempo and high-volume movements targeting midsection and glutes,” says Tom.
Uni-lateral jackknife - 2 sets - 45 seconds
Pike abduction - 2 sets - 45 seconds
Glute bridges with resistance band - 2 sets - 45 seconds
Medicine ball slams - 2 sets 45 seconds
Recovery - 30 seconds
DAY 2 — CARDIO + TREADMILL.
Rozalia’s cardio workout of choice? Running — but that hasn’t always been the case.
“Growing up, I was a ballet dancer, so I built up the endurance for long performances, however, I was never a runner. For the past five years, I have been training and working towards being able to run a longer distance with any trainer,” she says.
“I have found that running for a longer distance isn’t just about fitness, but also about having the mental strength to keep going and not giving up.”
ROZALIA’S WORKOUT.
Hitting the treadmill, day two at FoxFit means switching up the paces to focus on endurance in a fartlek running session — with a little core work at the end.
“Rozalia’s training consists of moderate-paced treadmill sprints with recovery built into the midsection,” Tom says.
“Essentially, we work 250 metres at a moderate pace (65 to 70% of maximum heart rate) and 250 metres (80 to 85% maximum heart rate), upwards to one kilometre. We build in walking recovery for one minute and thirty seconds, and repeat this four times.”
250 m Moderate
250 m Hard
250 m Moderate
250 m Hard
1:30 Recovery
Repeat x 4
DAY 3 — HIIT.
For the mum-of-two, day three is all about High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Tired just reading this? Rozalia knows the feeling — and has a mantra to make sure she keeps it moving.
“The hardest part about working out for me is just showing up,” she says.
"There are so many mornings, especially when it's winter, and it is dark and cold, and it is a lot easier to press the snooze button. I always say, ‘You never regret a workout’, so that is something I keep on repeating to myself when I am lying in bed.”
ROZALIA’S WORKOUT.
After two days of strength and cardio, day three mixes it up with a heart-pumping circuit that targets the entire body.
“Wednesday consists of a HIIT circuit,” Tom says.
“Rozalia’s training plan features a full-body, integrative HIIT circuit with built-in treadmill interval bursts to follow. This is a representation of one circuit or set from our HIIT program.”
1A | Battle ropes - jab cross (7 seconds) x fixed squat slams (7 seconds) | DURATION: 30 seconds
1B | Battle ropes - jab cross (7 seconds) x fixed squat slams (7 seconds) | DURATION: 30 seconds
1C | Battle ropes - lateral step slam | Duration: 30 seconds
1A | Battle ropes - jab cross (7 seconds) x fixed squat slams (7 seconds) | DURATION: 30 seconds
1B | Battle ropes - jab cross (7 seconds) x fixed squat slams (7 seconds) | DURATION: 30 seconds
1C | Battle ropes - lateral step slam | Duration: 30 seconds
TOTAL CIRCUIT DURATION: 3:00
TREADMILL (40:10 work: rest)
40 seconds work (80-85% maximum heart rate)
10 seconds recovery (feet to side)
40 seconds work (80-85% max heart rate)
10 seconds recovery (feet to side)
40 seconds work (80-85% max heart rate)
ROZALIA’S POST-WORKOUT STYLE.
Take a page out of Rozalia’s book and turn to sleek outerwear for an instant lift on your post-workout style. Whether it’s a convertible trench for luxe touch or a longline jacket over a casual tee — the right layer goes a long way.
And the final key to switching from sweat to street? Rozalia says it’s all in the details.
“When it comes to taking a look from sweat season to off-duty, it’s little things like accessorising with cool glasses and quickly changing your running shoes to a more fashion ‘street style’ look. It's the smallest details that can instantly elevate the outfit,” she explains.