Namita Nayyar:
You must have a Coach who has been a catalyst who helped you pave the way to rise in your career with discipline and a never stopping attitude. Elaborate about his/her influence on your professional life?
Celia Quansah:
Yes, James Bailey. He was my first head coach in the England 7s program. He was the one who took a chance on me when I was just a heptathlete that wanted to give rugby a go. He is someone who has patience, empathy and incredible knowledge on the game, and as my coach, he really knew how to get the best out of me.
There is one moment that will never leave me – I’d been in the program for about a year at this point, but we were chatting and he said to me, the reason we chose you wasn’t because of your physical ability, it was because of your mental resilience to keep going (in a fitness test where I was running and throwing up at the same time because I told myself I couldn’t stop). He said, ‘we can teach fitness, but we can’t teach someone to have that strong mindset’. And that has stuck with me every day since. I’ve had the privilege to work with Bails throughout my career as we’ve both transitioned into different roles within rugby.
Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you may wish to share?
Celia Quansah:
As rugby players we do a lot of strength work in the gym, usually split into, one lower body (squats, hip thrusts, RDL’s etc.) one upper body (Chin ups, shoulder press, bench press etc.) and one full body/power (Power clean, plyometric, jammer press etc.). We also incorporate core and neck strength too which is important for contact sports.
Fitness wise, we get a lot of our conditioning from our on-field rugby sessions which involve a lot of running (around 6K a session) and we top up our aerobic and anaerobic conditioning through off feet sessions on the Watt bike.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you train your abs? One secret to your toned body.
Celia Quansah:
Sadly there are no secrets to a toned body (I wish there were!) but realistically it’s about consistency and a balanced diet. One thing I would say though, is find exercise you enjoy and make you feel good. If you dread what you do, eventually you just won’t do it.
Namita Nayyar:
Do you take a special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Celia Quansah:
No, I don’t have any special diets. Over the years I’ve learnt to understand what works for me and I know what I need to eat to fuel myself for my sport. People always think I must be on a strict diet or that I get told what I can and can’t eat, but the reality is, I eat what I want in moderation and with my sporting goals in mind. Simply put, on a heavy training day, I’ll eat more, more carbs, more protein and on a recovery day, I’ll typically eat less, because I’m not exerting as much energy.
Namita Nayyar:
Five foods you absolutely love and five you keep to a minimum.
Celia Quansah:
Pasta, Sushi, Coffee, Chicken, Chocolate. I still eat these things but I try to keep anything super sugary and fast food to a minimum.
Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Share with us your haircare and skincare routine.
Celia Quansah:
I mix it up with the brands I use, but I typically cleanse morning and night or after a workout, use a toner, SPF moisturizer, eye cream and serum. My most used brands at the moment are Fenty beauty, Clinique, and Inky list.
My hair routine is a lot haha, I usually wash my hair once a week, I cleanse my roots, condition thoroughly and comb it through my hair while its wet and then put a hair mask in. While it’s wet, I use a leave in conditioner, curl cream, gel and oil and rake it through my hair with my hands. I always use my microfiber towel and then diffuse and try to remember to sleep with a bonnet or satin pillow case, which I fail at quite often (oops). My favourite brands at the moment are, Kurl Kitchen, Boucleme and Shea Moisture.
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
