Why Ellie Goulding & Suki Waterhouse Are Part of the Skinny B**** Collective

The Skinny Bitch Club workout in action. Photo: James Ryang for Jock.

You may have noticed a super-exclusive workout recently invading your Instagram feed. Skinny Bitch Collective, a.k.a. SBC, is a highly curated group of fiercely dedicated women—many of whom are, yes, models—hand-picked by Russell Bateman, the collective’s British founder and trainer. (Celebrities like Suki Waterhouse and Ellie Goulding are also regulars.) But these ladies are not standing around looking pretty—they come to get sweaty, to be whipped into shape, boot camp style. After all, as polarizing and cheeky as the name of the club and its moves can be (Bitch Slapping, Social Climbing, Catfighting, etc.), the workout speaks for itself, as does its legion of Instagram followers (84K at last count).

As a fitness enthusiast and co-founder of the fitness website Jock, I became one of those thousands of followers after a friend tagged me on numerous SBC posts as if to say, “WTF is up with Skinny Bitch Collective?” And, of course, “How do we sign up?” SBC’s photos and videos are all done by Bateman, packed with high-endorphin energy as well as sensuality, something we never equated with working out until now. After showing my husband a few of the videos, including one of two women facing each other while squatting and holding hands, and moving their arms like a rolling wave (a.k.a. Catfighting), he had only one question: “When do they make out?”

Like my husband, the more I watched, the more I wanted in. I was lucky enough to take a class during Bateman’s recent New York tour. Working out alongside women a decade younger and a foot taller was slightly mortifying, but Bateman kept it challenging and fun. He documents each class so that clients can focus on the movements. Even though I loved/hated it the entire time, I was desperate to get back. Bateman puts his disciples through their paces with an intense, full-body workout and since the blueprint for each class exists only in Bateman’s head, it’s impossible to duplicate.

Until now, SBC has only been available to beautiful people who are in-the-know, but now Bateman’s offering online memberships with video tutorials, nutritional guidance, and playlists to motivate. After a grueling class, I sat down with Bateman to talk about Skinny Bitch Collective and his nutritional tips on how to survive the holiday season without completely going off the wellness rails.

Skinny Bitch Collective founder, Russel Bateman with his clients after a workout. Photo: James Ryang for Jock

Yahoo Style: What is the ethos of Skinny Bitch Collective and how long has it been around? What makes it so different from all the other workouts out there?

Russell Bateman: SBC is about two years old. It’s not about losing weight. It’s a workout that pushes the boundaries. It’s exciting, it’s evolving, and it’s raw. You come to the class like you would go out and party; you’re going to get sweaty. You just have to commit to getting as far away from your comfort zone as possible. If someone is scared before class? Embrace that! Fear is a great motivator. You’ll leave feeling orgasmic and empowered.

Orgasmic. That’s a word we long to hear when talking about working out because it can often be brutal. How often do you recommend doing it to maintain optimal results?

To get the most out of it, I recommend doing SBC three times a week along with yoga and some great rest.

Can you speak to your demographic? It seems as though, looking at the photos and videos you post on Instagram (and having taken a class), your clientele are women. And a majority of those women are models.

I want my videos to look as aspirational as possible. They may be great looking girls, but they are working their asses off. And who doesn’t want to see that?

There’s a lot of partnering up with strangers. What do you think the women often get out of it?

It’s tribal and that’s how you bond. The class has spawned some amazing relationships between participants and myself. That’s the great thing. SBC is the new, “Let’s do coffee.”

Along with training, you offer nutritional advice, which is equally helpful considering many of your clients are models. But we’ve seen the donuts on your Instagram feed! Do you believe it’s okay to indulge in the occasional vice, especially if working out really hard?

We offer meal plans that cut out the crap. It’s really quite simple but, when I’m saying it, people tend to listen a bit more. Think no gluten, no wheat, no processed sugar, and you’re on the right track. Your priorities dictate your choices, so if you’re looking to lean up and feel incredible, listen to what this London boy tells ya. It’s OK to eat a doughnut or a pizza once in a while. Don’t let someone make you feel bad for that. In the same respect, don’t let someone make you feel bad for spending $15 on a superfood shake. It’s your body, not theirs!

Boutique fitness is a huge business. What do you think about all of the other group fitness classes out there?

Be your own guinea pig. Try everything and see what works for you and your body type. For Skinny Bitch Collective, the only competition is me. I can’t really put a tag on what I do or why it’s so popular.

Photo: James Ryang for Jock.

Here's a typical food plan from the SBC experience that Batemen gives his model clients before fashion week; it can be applied year-round for anyone.

BREAKFAST: This is the only meal you can really control during the busy holiday season. Make sure you are nourished before you leave the house, or take something with you for the journey. At home, prepare a mug of lemon and ginger in hot water, followed by a smoothie made with nut milk, berries, protein powder and spinach, as well as chia seeds and superfood powders. If you have time, make some scrambled eggs and enjoy them with a slice of Biona buckwheat bread or smoked salmon - this will keep you going for hours, without bloating you like a bowl of porridge might.

LUNCH: Ideally, take a packed lunch of chicken or vegetable salad, or some savory snacks to keep you going if you are unable to stop for a proper meal. Avoid bread and pasta. Meat or salad is ideal to give you reliable nutrients and energy.

SNACK: Raw nuts, green tea, herbal tea, blueberries or fruit, coconut yogurt, or homemade snacks such as bliss balls (dates, ground nuts, and superfood powders).

DINNER: If you are home for dinner, make a plain meal of meat or fish, green vegetables and either quinoa, brown rice, or sweet potato. If you are out for dinner, choose something with a mixture of protein and complex carbohydrates, and avoid anything with wheat or simple carbohydrates, which will make you feel bloated and sluggish. You want loads of energy to do it all again tomorrow!

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