I'm embracing my soft girl era - these are the workouts I return to for boosting calm and body confidence

I have a confession to make. Rewind a couple of months ago and the term "soft girl era" wouldn’t have been in my vocab. I don’t like putting labels on things, you see. But after spotting the phrase "soft girl era workouts" and getting to the bottom of exactly what it entails, it’s an era I’m embracing in autumn.

“The whole soft girl era trend started on TikTok (where else?) and is a move away from hustle culture, where everything from our careers to our workouts run at a hundred miles an hour," Emma Simarro, award-winning personal trainer and founder of Building Body Confidence explains. "Instead, it encourages a more gentle, slow way of life and tuning into our softer side."

Soft girl era workouts will look different to everyone. That’s the beauty of it. But the one thing they’ll all have in common? A much "softer", low-impact or slower type of movement style, which Simarro says can help us escape from the pressures of the everyday.

“It’s no wonder women are tuning into the benefits of slowing down and embracing slower movement styles that they enjoy, rather than dread,” the PT adds. “This could be compounded by the change of season. At this time of year, we are starting to crave a slower pace of life. As the days draw in, we want to get cosy and eat warm, comforting food. It certainly makes sense that our bodies would start to crave slower forms of movement, too.”

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right? I decided to embrace my soft girl workout era and it’s helped me reclaim some calm while giving my mind and body a boost. So, stick right here to find out who soft girl workout eras are best for and what my go-to's include.

While you’re here, you might like a recap of other TikTok trends, like the 75 Hard Challenge, the viral 12-3-30 workout and the Three Drink Theory. Or, for more cosy autumnal workouts, check out cosy cardio, soft hiking and the 75 Soft Challenge.

Soft girl workouts era: your guide

What are soft girl era workouts?

Let’s start at the beginning: “Soft girl era workouts are slower, more mindful forms of movement where you listen and connect to your body, whilst being in the present moment,” explains Charlotte Townend, private yoga teacher and founder of Wylder.

As we touched on, workouts might include low-impact exercises like yoga, pilates and walking. But as Townend explains, when it comes to soft girl workouts, surroundings also have a crucial role to play. “Whether that be in an indoor tranquil space, or the great outdoors at one with nature,” the expert adds. “The soft girl era is about simplifying your workout schedule,” Townend adds. Sounds good, right? So it’s no wonder why searches for the term "soft girl era" are at a breakout on Google.

But don’t be fooled into thinking soft girl workouts are easy. Charlie Faulkner, meditation and breathwork class facilitator at Seven Lion Yard says: “Soft girl era workouts can most certainly be difficult. It is perhaps a wording that comes with immediate connotations that take away from its value. But in a society that encourages us to be hard, allowing softness feels like a revolution. This approach to movement is often slower — but slow does not mean easy — often it means the opposite.”

Who are soft girl era workouts best for?

In a nutshell: soft girl-era workouts are best for anyone who’s looking to nurture their overall wellbeing, strip away the pressure that can come from ‘working out’ or being ‘always on’ and focus on getting a better balance into their lives.

Describing soft girl eras as a "revolution in the movement industry for women", Faulkner explains: “The "soft girl era" movement encourages enjoyment, creativity, and a nurturing attitude towards not only your body but also your wellbeing as a much broader whole. Looking at all the ways we can really support our bodies, and minds to be the happiest and healthiest we can possibly be.”

So if you’re keen to cash in on all the above, soft girl era workouts could be just the thing.

How to be in my soft girl era?

For starters, there is absolutely no pressure to be in your soft girl workout era. What’s right for one person and their body may not necessarily be the case for another.

So that said, your soft girl era may look completely different to others. However, to be "in" this era, you could try:

• Visualising what you want your "soft girl era" to look like.
• Discover what little things fill you with joy — be it a slow morning routine, reading your book in bed or practising Pilates at home.
• Carve out moments in your day to make it happen.

“We live in a society that often prioritises and believes progress can only come from active push or force,” Simarro says. “However we have come to learn that to function at our best we must observe what energy we need to nurture. If we push too much we burn out, if we don't spark our internal fire enough, then we can become stagnant.”

So Simarro’s advice for nailing this era? “It’s an intricate balance, to which we must learn the cues for and provide the energy we need. The "yang" - more intense, must be balanced with the "yin" softer energy. One cannot exist without the other.”

What are the benefits of soft girl-era workouts?

Aside from being inclusive, (sidenote: you don’t have to be a "girl" to embrace this way of living), soft girl-era workouts can be more sustainable in the long run and therefore reduce the risk of injury.

Faulkner says hot girl-era workouts can also enhance mental well-being and feelings of contentment in life while reducing stress and anxiety and improving overall wellbeing. The expert notes that soft girl-era workouts can also help create a "healthier relationship" with exercise, body image and self-confidence.

And, depending on the types of fitness you decide to include in your soft girl-era arsenal, exercises like Pilates, yoga and walking can help promote flexibility, mobility and joint health.

Simarro notes that low-intensity types of fitness can be meditative. “When combined with the natural release of endorphins from movement, our sense of well-being is heightened and brings some much-needed calm to our otherwise busy lives.”

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My go-to soft girl era workouts

1. Low impact workouts from home

Now we’re in autumn, the darker mornings and earlier evenings can throw my circadian rhythm and sleep schedule out of sync.

In the summer, I find waking up in the mornings and heading off to the gym far easier. Whereas come autumn, when it’s still dark outside at 7am, it can take me a while to wake up. If I miss my gym window, instead of feeling rubbish for not moving my body, I bring my workouts to me.

From stretching in my pyjamas and practising morning yoga to completing low-impact Pilates in a big fluffy jumper. Soft girl-era workouts have never been so wholesome!

Of course, low impact doesn’t always mean it’s low intensity. Under the NHS physical activity guidelines, adults aged 19–64 should be training major muscle groups twice a week and aiming to tick off 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity.

And according to Pilates instructor and meditation and breathwork class facilitator Faulker, these low-impact practices can still help you progress your fitness. “Practices such as Pilates and Yoga may not include heavy weights and jumping around but they can most certainly raise your heart rate, build strength and develop skills and longevity in body health.”

2. Walking

Now that leaves have fallen and the temperatures have dropped, I’m a walking, talking autumnal cliche. Chai lattes are being drunk, cinnamon rolls are being consumed and crunchy leaves are being stepped on. Wild, I know! But nine times out of 10, I’m doing all the above while heading outside for a walk.

Easy on the lungs, heart and joints, the benefits of walking just keep on coming. Helping to maintain metabolism and heart health, walking is also a great stress buster.

Living in the UK, the threat of rain is imminent. So, when it’s raining and motivation to move is lacking, that’s where an indoor walking workout steps up to the challenge.

3. Meditation

It’s no secret how beneficial meditation can be. Some channel their inner zen in the mornings. Others during the day. But for me, I use guided meditation as a relaxation technique five minutes before bed and it hits the spot every time.

Along with stopping my thoughts from spiralling out of control, or thinking about all the things on my to-do list (a constant worry!), it gives me a moment of calm and relaxation.

“This is extremely powerful when we can spend much of our lives in our heads,” Simarro says. “It helps disconnect us from our minds and tune out stressful thoughts, reducing stress hormones and promoting feelings of calmness.”

Most meditations also encourage breathwork training, like box breathing which is a personal fave. “Breathing techniques are a proven method to reduce stress,” Simarro adds. “Slow breathing activates our parasympathetic nervous system (our ‘rest and digest’ system), helping the body relax by slowing down our heart rate, improving circulation and reducing blood pressure.”

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