Christina Cheng

Toronto-based member Christina Cheng, a self-described ‘creative multi-hyphenate’, is the founder of the clothing line and creative agency YUTE INC, which she launched with her teenage son in 2018. An avid runner, she also heads up our Soho House Toronto HIIT and Run Club – a weekly workout for members that begins with a short run and ends with high-intensity drills.

As an Every House member, she has spent time at most of our Houses around North America. Her favourite gym, she says, is at Soho House Chicago – ‘once the elevator doors open, the boxing ring is smack in the middle’ – while her favorite view can be found on the deck at Soho House West Hollywood. If she’s spending her whole day at the House, though, her top pick is Soho Warehouse in Downtown LA. ‘I can stay there, use the gym, use the rooftop pool, eat, and book meetings at various levels,’ she says. ‘Plus, DTLA is evolving, so I can take a Lime and scoot around.’

Here, Cheng takes us through her top four exercises for a full-body workout that you can do anywhere. 

Squats/ jump squats
‘Squats work on the lower body: the gluteus maximus, minimus and medius (buttocks), quadriceps (front of the thigh), hamstrings (back of the thigh), adductor (groin), hip flexors, and calves. For an extra boost, try jump squats, which increase your explosive power, improve upper and lower body strength, and burn calories faster than regular squats.’

Variation push-ups
‘I like doing variation push-ups to target and challenge different arm muscle groups. Wide push-ups recruit more of your pectoral muscles, while the close-grip push-up is all about the triceps. As an added bonus, they also work on abs and glutes because you’re keeping your entire body tight and solid with each movement.’

Mountain climbers
‘I have a love/ hate relationship with mountain climbers (maybe because I add ankle weights and a resistance band). But they’re definitely a go-to, because they build cardio endurance, core strength, and agility.’

Plank hold
‘Another love/ hate exercise, but it’s rewarding because you’re able to notice an improvement with how long you’re able to hold a plank each time (with great form) as you get stronger and stronger. Planks are beneficial in more ways than one: they strengthen the core, increase muscle definition, help with posture, and improve balance.’