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Strictly's Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez never do this exercise - and you'll be surprised

The pair met on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017

gemma atkinson gorka marquez workout
Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
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From squat jumps to weight training and cycling, you'll struggle to find an exercise that Gemma Atkinson hasn't mastered. While the former Hollyoaks actress regularly shares glimpses into her workouts with her partner Gorka Marquez on social media, her followers may have noticed there is one exercise that they rarely ever do. Despite meeting on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2017 - when Gemma was partnered with Aljaz Skorjanec and Gorka with Alexandra Burke - Gemma told HELLO! they avoid dancing together for a very logical reason. 

WATCH: Gemma Atkinson has fun on her new purchase for her outdoor gym

"We never dance together! We did for the Strictly Christmas special but even then we were like 'Oh gosh, we're going to have to dance together,'" she joked. The mum-of-one explained, "Because it's Gorka's job, so from our point of view as Strictly viewers it's amazing and it is, they're so talented. But when he's not on tour and not dancing, the last thing he wants to do is dance. I guess if you're a makeup artist and you have a month off you don't want to go around doing everyone's makeup."

MORE: Gemma Atkinson's diet revealed - and why she'd choose her family's cooking over restaurants

Luckily, Gemma's house in Manchester features an impressive home gym, so the star has plenty of other ways to keep fit - and dumbbells are her go-to piece of equipment. However, the mother-of-one noted she did not rush straight back into her pre-baby workout routine following the birth of her daughter Mia in July 2019. "One thing that used to annoy me when I was pregnant was when people would say, 'Oh it'll be fine for you, you've trained anyway. You'll be back in shape,'" Gemma told us.

gemma gorka strictly

Gemma and Gorka met on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, but they rarely relive their dancing days!

She explained that her motivation for keeping fit is to help her mental health, and her toned figure happens to be an added benefit. "After having Mia, I just wanted to be with her, the last thing I had on my mind was my appearance. It was about 15 weeks until I started walking, I was just so happy in my bubble with her." 

READ: Inside Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez's Manchester home

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