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Claire Fountain On Yoga, Lockdown And Getting Back To Basics

29th September 2020

Community Fitness

29th September 2020

By Caitlin Bell

Claire Fountain is a yoga teacher, fitness instructor, therapist and writer. With over 170,000 followers on Instagram, Claire’s unique approach to wellness that emphasises the connection between mind and body has gained her fans from all over the world. We recently caught up with her to find out about how she slows down and resets, how she spent lockdown, and how yoga can help us all.

Hi Claire! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you do?

Sure! I'm a yoga teacher, fitness instructor and therapist, and I'm all about focusing on mind-body integration. I've taught yoga for over a decade, and I've also done personal training. All that very physical stuff. But it's always been connected to the mental side of things. 



This month we’ve been thinking about taking a step back, slowing down, and readjusting to the new normal. Why do you think it’s important to take a moment to pause every so often? 

Especially now, there’s so much uncertainty and chaos. There’s so many triggers for previous traumatic experiences. So I think resetting and giving ourselves a moment is the highest form of self-care. Not only does being present and resting and resetting feel good in the moment, but it also helps us long-term, allowing us to stop firing all those stress hormones constantly.

How do you personally unwind and reset after a busy day or week? Do you have any tips for us?

Solitude and silence! I’m more on the introverted side. Anyone who has Zoom fatigue these days knows - it’s important to step away from technology and get back into nature if you can. If you can do any sort of grounding that’s great. Anything I can do to come back to my body and be present. 


So how did you get started with yoga?

I started in high school - I knew it was something that could help me. I had a lot of stress as a teenager and I was quite depressed. I got into it as this thing that could possibly help me feel better. You don’t always want to be there but you show up anyway. It’s truly a discipline. After having quite an intense practice in college, I started teaching in 2009 and worked with a bunch of athletes and musicians. I wanted to break down stigmas and show that yoga doesn’t have to look one way or be targeted to one audience. It’s open to everybody. Wear what you want to wear, listen to the music you want to listen to, and just come as you are.

What is it about yoga that inspires you?

It teaches us lessons that go beyond just a physical practice. The physical practice is just one limb of yoga. It teaches you that you exist beyond your body and that your body is just this vessel that helps you move through the world. It brings an incredible sense of being present and being back in our bodies. 

How have you found the past few months? Did yoga help you at all, and how did you try and stay healthy, mentally and physically?

It’s been such an interesting ride. At first it was overwhelming. My body definitely responded and was like: you have to chill a bit. The body will tell you when it’s not happy, right? Breathing exercises have also helped and it’s something I’ve really had to return to. It also just reignited the need for constant movement. 


Yoga really gained popularity over lockdown. Why do you think it resonated with people so much at this time?

You can do it anytime, anywhere. You don’t need fancy equipment. Lockdown showed that yoga is actually so accessible, even if it hasn’t always looked that way. Also, we need a sense of consistency and predictability in our lives. So if you give yourself 20 minutes every Tuesday at 5pm to practise, you give yourself that predictability and security. Most importantly, it's created a sense of community. I started doing a live virtual class, and you end up with a great group of people who come every week and talk to each other and connect.

The yoga world has also expanded a lot recently on social media. What’s your relationship like with social media, and what do you think of the yoga space within it?

I was kind of on the first wave of Instagram yoga in 2013/2014. It was such a different place back then. But I flowed in and out (no pun intended) of being in the Instagram yoga world because it became so performative. It was all about beautiful, expensive clothing and really intense contortion levels. But for me, yoga isn’t about perfect poses, it’s an entire practice. On one hand, it was problematic for a while because I thought people would think it wasn’t accessible. But now there's so much more representation on social media, and so many individuals and communities doing yoga in their own way. I just want everyone to know that everybody is welcome to practise. We just need more visual representation online.

There’s definitely some misconceptions out there about yoga still. What do you wish people knew?

Just because we don’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Everyone should know they’re welcome as they are. Make it your own. You have the right to take up space and enjoy the practice. You can reap all the benefits that yoga can give you and your body as you are.

What's your proudest achievement with your yoga? Where has it taken you?

It's enabled me to connect with people around the world. As a professional helper, I’m touched that people trust me with their stories and their practice. It’s an honour.


Do you have any current goals, fitness or otherwise?

I had to completely rewrite my business plan the other day! I’ll be doing more stuff online that people can consume at their own pace, but also doing more of the mindfulness and mental health component of it. And using yoga as a tool for that. Things might get worse before they get better, but I have faith that people have the ability to care for themselves and each other. 

Have you read, watched or listened to anything lately that’s inspired you?

I love anything Bell Hooks writes. Her books, All About Love: New Visions and The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity and Love. Those have been great to revisit. Also Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation through Anger by Lama Rod Owens.

Best advice you’ve received? 

I went back to my own therapy recently. My therapist said: "You have a choice. You have the ability make decisions that work the best for you." I think sometimes we forget that when we’re in positions of serving others or helping others. We have the choice to decide what works for us. And that sounds so simplistic, but we do forget. 

Advice you’d give? 

Get back to being good to yourself.

Claire Fountain posing for Innermost

Who or what motivates you and why?

Honestly, the people who follow me. But also hope and optimism. As someone who didn’t feel good for a lot of my life, it’s important to know there is hope and healing.

To see more from Claire, don't forget to follow her @cbquality, or find her at iamtrillyoga.com.

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In summary, machines can be a useful tool, but learning to control your body and external load in space is a skill that pays dividends long-term. For most beginners, free weight training provides greater carryover beyond the gym. The five foundational gym exercises The exercises below form a simple but powerful framework for training at any level. You don’t need to start with heavy weights or advanced variations; the priority is learning the movement well. Each exercise has accessible variations and clear progression paths, making them suitable for beginners and effective for years to come. The squat The squat is the foundation of overall lower body strength[5] and teaches one of the most fundamental human movements: sitting down and standing up under control. It develops strength in the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core, while also improving balance and joint coordination. Learning to squat well builds confidence and lays the groundwork for nearly all lower-body training. As a newcomer to the gym, start simple and squat with your bodyweight. Focus on good form and depth, keeping your knees tracking in line with your toes and sitting backwards with your weight distributed evenly[6] over the middle of your feet. Think of it like you’re forming a tripod between the ball of your foot, the area by your pinky toe and your heel. Start with a shoulder width foot placement and together, these two points will give you the most stability. If you’re looking for more advice, we’ve written a full guide on how to squat correctly. Once you’ve mastered the bodyweight squat you can start to try new variations. Natural progressions from here are the goblet squat, where you squat holding a dumbbell, or varying your foot placement to emphasise different muscles (for example, a closer stance places more tension on the quads). When you’re comfortable with this, you can progress to a bar and slowly begin adding more load. The goal early on is control and consistency, not how much weight you can lift. Never sacrifice proper depth or form for more load as this can lead to injury and will actually result in less muscle stimulation and, therefore, less results. The deadlift Often referred to as the king of all movements and for good reason, the deadlift focuses on the hip hinge, a crucial movement pattern for lifting objects from the floor safely. It primarily trains the glutes, hamstrings, and back, while reinforcing good posture and spinal stability, but did you know the deadlift works almost every muscle in the body[7]? Done correctly, it teaches beginners how to generate strength without unnecessary strain. It also has some of the greatest functional benefits and carryover to everyday life of any gym exercise. Think about how often you need to pick things up every day; the deadlift teaches you how to do this safely and efficiently. To deadlift, place your feet around hip-width apart. Keep your chest pushed out to help your back stay straight. Hinge forward at the hips and bend your knees only as far as you need to meet the bar, then grip just outside of your legs. The deadlift is a pulling movement, but it can be helpful to think about pushing the ground away from you by driving through your feet to get the bar moving off the ground. Once you’re past your knees, think about pushing your hips forward into the bar to finish the movement. To lower the weight, simply reverse the movement. The deadlift is an exercise with (quite literally) a lot of moving parts, and it can be hard to execute for those with mobility issues. Fortunately, there are plenty of beginner friendly alternatives if you can’t do the full deadlift right away. You could try a rack pull or raised bar deadlift, where you begin with the weight slightly higher and operate within a reduced range of motion. You can then increase this over time until you can pull from the floor. You could also try deadlifting with a kettlebell, or even attempt the sumo variation, where your feet are placed wider and your hands grip inside of your legs. The row For strength in your upper back and improving posture issues so often caused by working an office job and being sat at a desk all day, the row is the perfect exercise. Rows train the muscles of the upper back and arms, supporting good posture and shoulder health. They also synergise perfectly with the deadlift, and you’ll find that improving in one almost always benefits the other. There are many variations of the row; you could go for the bent over barbell row or use a dumbbell to isolate each side of your body (known as unilateral training[8]). There’s also kettlebells, machines and more – the possibilities truly are endless! One thing these movements all have in common is that they involve pulling something towards you. Whichever variation of the row you choose, focus on retracting your shoulder first as this helps to target the back over the arms. Many gymgoers find their arms tiring first and that’s usually because they haven’t learnt to target their back with the proper movement! Something else that’s important to consider is that rows balance pressing movements and play an important role in long-term joint resilience. For beginners, they help develop control through the shoulder blades and reinforce upper body pulling strength. The overhead press The overhead press, often known as the military press, develops shoulder strength while engaging the core and upper back for stability. It teaches coordination between the upper body and trunk, making it a valuable full-body exercise rather than just a shoulder movement. Pressing from a standing position, especially with a bar, requires good posture and overall body strength to be able to get the weight to the starting position. If you’re struggling with this then there are plenty of variations you can try instead. Beginners may start with seated dumbbell presses, landmine presses, or lighter barbell variations, progressing as technique improves. Whichever variant of the shoulder press you choose, one universally useful tip is to focus on pressing through the shoulders. This helps with maximum muscle activation and therefore gives the most benefit from the exercise. The bench press Ah, the bench press. It’s one of the most well-known gym exercises, most likely because it’s gained a bit of a reputation as being exclusively for men overly concerned about their appearance. In truth, when approached correctly, it’s a highly effective movement that anyone can benefit from. It develops strength in the chest, shoulders, and triceps while teaching control through the upper body. Pressing movements are one of the most common that we do in daily life and the bench press assists with these, but it also improves shoulder mobility and helps us bring our arms across our bodies, meaning being good at the bench press helps with our overall mobility. The premise of the movement itself is fairly simple, though mastering it requires plenty of practice and dedication. To perform the bench press, lay flat on the bench facing upwards and take a comfortable grip, usually somewhere around shoulder width apart. Take the weight, then lower it under control to your chest and press upwards, engaging your chest, shoulders and triceps. Try to get all the way down if your mobility allows. If not, focus on improving this until you’re able to perform the full range of motion. If the bar proves too tough, then try either a dumbbell or machine variant first as these will allow a bit more freedom of movement. Dumbbells can actually be more effective for building strength in the stabilising muscles around your chest. Regardless of the variation you choose, experiment with different levels of incline and decline to shift the focus to different areas of your chest when you feel ready to do so. As with all pressing movements, balanced pulling work (such as rows) is key to keeping shoulders healthy. Honourable mention: the pull-up While not included as one of the above core exercises, the pull up is widely regarded as one of the best indicators of overall upper body strength and is a valuable long-term goal for many beginners. It develops vertical pulling strength and upper-body control. Variations such as lat pulldowns, assisted pull-ups, band-assisted reps, and controlled negatives allow beginners to work towards full pull-ups progressively. Rather than a requirement, the pull-up works best as a milestone and something to build towards over time. When you do your first one unassisted, it feels fantastic and is a great achievement! How to build a beginner programme around these exercises These movements work best when repeated regularly rather than rotated constantly. For most beginners, training three to four times per week[9] is sufficient. Sessions can be structured as full-body workouts or simple upper/lower splits. A typical session might include: One lower-body movement (squat or deadlift) One pushing exercise One pulling exercise This structure keeps training focused, balanced, and sustainable, while making progress easy to track. Common beginner mistakes to avoid Some of the most common barriers to progress include: Changing exercises too frequently – Remember, consistency always wins over constant variation. You’ll sometimes hear the term ‘muscle confusion’ banded around but don’t listen; this isn’t a ‘real’ concept at all. Yes, you need to keep challenging yourself to progress but that’s the point – muscles don’t need confusion[10], they need progression! Doing too much, too soon – The gym can become addictive really fast! And sure, it’s great for you both physically and mentally, but you need to make sure you’re pacing yourself. Overtraining is a very real issue and you need to listen to your body. Take it steady, enjoy the journey and watch as you transform over time! Chasing soreness rather than consistency – This is a big one. A common misconception is that sore muscles means a good workout, it doesn’t! Instead, focus on your progression both inside the gym and in the mirror. If your appearance is changing for the better or your lifts, endurance or technique are improving then this is a much better indicator of good training! Neglecting rest and recovery – Perhaps the most important of all. Growth and progress doesn’t happen in the gym, it happens outside of it. Your training is just the stimulus. It’s what you do to support it that affects the results you get. Ensuring you get enough rest between your sessions and put effort into proper recovery and nutrition is crucial. Strength develops through repetition, patience, and gradual progression. The basics work best when given time to do so. Supporting your training outside the gym Training is only one part of the equation. How you recover, fuel, and support your body outside the gym plays a major role in how well you progress. Adequate protein intake supports muscle repair and adaptation, particularly when learning new movements and building strength for the first time. Sleep, stress management, and overall nutrition all influence energy levels, recovery, and consistency. As with training, the goal isn’t complexity, it’s reliability. Supporting your body consistently allows the work you do in the gym to have its intended effect. Fortunately, at Innermost, we have an entire range of science backed products built solely with your performance and wellbeing in mind. For the ultimate protein for strength, try The Strong Protein and see how its innovative blend of top quality ingredients helps you to make the most of your training and maximise your results. In the market for something else? Check out our other products to find one which is right for you and your goals. Build your foundation Beginner training doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective. By focusing on a small number of proven exercises, filtering out unnecessary noise, and committing to consistency, you give yourself the best possible platform for long-term progress. Master the basics, build patiently, and you’ll carry the benefits of these movements through every stage of your training journey. [1] https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/healthy-weightlifting [2] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/progressive-overload [3] https://thejoyoflifting.com/the-kiss-method-of-maintaining-strength/ [4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10426227/ [5] https://www.stonarke.com/blogs/articles/squat-foundation-performance-injury-prevention [6] https://www.garagestrength.com/blogs/news/how-to-squat-technique-improvements-common-mistakes [7] https://www.menshealth.com/uk/building-muscle/a64160698/what-muscles-do-deadlifts-work/ [8] https://hevycoach.com/glossary/unilateral-training/ [9] https://www.riotstrong.com/blog/how-often-should-beginners-work-out [10] https://trainingbyrobyn.com/blog/the-truth-about-muscle-confusion-should-we-constantly-change-our-workoutsbr
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