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a blog to inform, motivate, inspire and make you giggleFrom instant tips and recipes through to great stories from some of our members.
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Power Punch
Get your power punch on with this high intensity boxing workout... (can be done as air boxing or with a partner holding pads!) JAB HOOK UPPER CUT 30 SECONDS OF EACH, REST 30 SECONDS THEN REPEAT X 4 ROUNDS The boxing stance... Place one foot in front of the other...
Motivation VS Determination
Determination (quality): the strength within yourself to carry on (even when things get tough) Motivation (a reason/desire/willingness to do something): the reason you have for being a certain way or carrying out certain tasks “You are the architect of your own life”...
Single Leg Deadlift
The single leg deadlift is a uni-lateral movement which basically means working each leg individually. It is a progression from the traditional Romanian deadlift and focuses on working your posterior chain, so think the muscles down the back of your body, but...
Roasted Tomato Soup with Cheesy Garlic Bread
Try this soup for a warming lunch, add the cheesy garlic bread for a treat! Ingredients (serves 4 - adjust accordingly) For the soup 2 red peppers, core removed and cut into 81 shallot, peeled and diced600g ripe tomatoes, halved4 cloves garlic, peeled1 red chilli,...
Hardcore HIIT
JUMPING JACKS MOUNTAIN CLIMBER SKATERS BURPEE X 3 ROUNDS (40SECS ON / 20SECS REST, 45SECS ON / 15SECS REST, 50SECS ON / 10SECS REST) Jumping jacks Start with both feet together and arms by your side Jump both feet out as wide as you can taking the arms above your...
Sports Massage
What does Sports Massage therapy do? A massage therapist is trained to be able to identify tight areas in the body and locate trigger point areas, also known as knots. Using compression through a variety of techniques they will then work on these areas to release the...
Jumping lunges
Jumping lunges are an explosive movement that uses power and works all of your leg muscles. It increases the intensity of the normal lunge by adding more of a cardiovascular aspect to it with the jump. You will feel your quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and hip...
Core Circuit
Get ready to feel that core burn with this little circuit! BICYCLE CRUNCH LEG LIFTS BUTTERFLY SIT UP PLANK HOLD COMMANDO PLANK PLANK TOE TAPS 1 MINUTE EACH X 2 ROUNDS Bicycle crunch Lay back flat on floor, bringing your legs up to 90 degrees and fingers to...
Sauna & Steam
Have you tried our newly refurbished Sauna and Steam facilities yet? Find out their differences and benefits below... Sauna In the sauna, it is a dry heat which warms and relaxes muscles relieving tension in your body and helps to minimise joint...
Bench Press
The bench press is a compound movement, one of the big 5 lifts and is one of the main chest building exercises! The bench press is primarily for building strength and mass in the chest, but also has large activation of the anterior part of your shoulder, and...
Easy Cheesy Garlic Pasta Bake
Try this quick and easy Cheesy Garlic Pasta Bake in 20 minutes! Ingredients (serves 3 – adjust amounts accordingly): 250g pasta 100g butter 100g mozzarella (pre grated) 100g cheddar 3 garlic cloves parsley (optional) chilli flakes (optional) Method: Cook...
Savage Shoulders
"Savage Shoulder" workout...grab your dumbbells and let's go! SHOULDER PRESS UPRIGHT ROW LATERAL RAISE FRONT RAISE 3 X 12 Shoulder press: Start with your elbows at 90 degrees and a dumbbell in each hand Engage your core to keep your body strong Drive...
Sleep
Many of us have a notion that nutrition and exercise have important links, but how much thought do we give to how our sleep affects us both physically and emotionally? The aim of this blog is to encourage you take just a moment to consider your sleep routine in...
Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
The RDL (Romanian Deadlift) is a lift designed to strengthen the posterior chain muscles. As discussed in our previous blog on the Kettlebell Swing, the posterior chain includes muscles down the back of your body, such as glutes, hamstrings, and erector spinae. The...
FAKE AWAY – Honey Soy Chicken with Salt and Pepper Chips
Try this healthier fake away option - still just as tasty but much better for you! Ingredients (serves 4 - adjust amounts accordingly): Honey soy chicken: 1kg chicken thigh fillets 65g plain flour 65g cornflour 1tbsp salt 2tbsp garlic granules 125ml...
Plyo Box – Upper
GRAB YOUR PLYO BOX AND LET'S GO!! INCLINE PRESS UP PIKE PRESS TRICEP DIP DECLINE MOUNTAIN CLIMBER 40 SECONDS WORK/20 SECONDS REST X 3 ROUNDS Incline press up Start with your hands just wider than shoulder width on the box and walk your feet back until...
Rest Days
The Importance of Rest Days... Hitting your rest goal is just as important as hitting your workout goals! When you work out you create tiny tears in your muscles which need rest and recovery time to let them start to heal, allowing them to grow back stronger. This...
Lunges – technique and variations
Lunges are one of the best ways to challenge your leg muscles. Endless variations of this exercise means there are always new options to try, including progressions and regressions – how good! One of the main benefits of a lunge is the fact it is a unilateral movement...
Lemon chicken & mixed veg bulgur
Try out this easy and filling recipe that is full of flavour! Ideal for lunch or dinner... Ingredients (serves 4 – adjust amounts accordingly): 2 lemons 2 red onions 2 large chicken breasts 10g fresh parsley 260g bulgur wheat 160g natural yoghurt...
Plyo Box Lower
Grab yourself a plyo box and try this lower body workout! BOX JUMPS ALTERNATING STEP UPS SPLIT SQUAT SPLIT SQUAT - OTHER SIDE 45 SECONDS WORK/15 SECONDS REST x 3 ROUNDS Box jumps Start facing the box about arms length away from it Bend from the hips and take...
Breathe and Relax Workshops
Whether it's meditation, a yoga practice or following our parent's advice to "take ten deep breaths" most of us know, or at least suspect, that there is some link or something to do with (deep) breathing and being calm. The link between the breath, the mind and the...
Kettlebell Swing
The kettlebell swing is a fantastic movement to train your posterior chain and build your power. So what exactly is your posterior chain I hear you ask? This simply means the muscles down the back of your body – so think hamstrings, glutes, calves, lats,...
Beef Ragu with Spinach & Mushrooms
Ideal for a hot lunch or small dinner! Ingredients (serves 1 - adjust amounts accordingly): British Mince Beef 100g Mushrooms 25g Spinach 0.3 cups Garlic 1 tsp Paprika 1 tsp Chopped tomatoes with herbs 16.6g Mediterranean veg Method: Spray fry light into wok...
Performance Spin… What’s It All About?
What is Performance Spin? In simple terms, it is an interval-based spin class using power zones for training. The concept of training with power for indoor cycling may seem intimidating or confusing. However, power-based training provides an objective measure of...
Positive Self-Talk
“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” Henry Ford The terms “self-care” and “me-time” seem to be all the more common these days. They can imply that we should be selfish and set aside chunks of our time just to focus on ourselves. Is that...
Learning the lateral raise…
The bent-arm lateral raise is a brilliant exercise to work the shoulder muscles, This exercise in particular focuses on the lateral deltoid (middle part of the shoulder) but it also involves the other parts of the shoulder - anterior (front) and posterior (back)...
Chilli Chicken Ramen
Chilli Chicken Ramen is simple to make and very healthy so give it a try for yourself! Ingredients for 4 (adjust amounts accordingly): 3 chicken breasts 2 Red onion Soy sauce (30ml) 2 Red chilli 4 nests of dried noodles 2 chicken stocks Fresh coriander 2 spring...
Cardio Tabata
ALL YOU NEED IS 4 MINUTES AND 1 PIECE OF CARDIO EQUIPMENT... 4 MINUTE TABATA 20 SECONDS SPRINT 10 SECONDS REST X 8 ROUNDS Choose your piece of cardio – will it be the treadmill, cross trainer, assault bike, rower or ski erg? 20 seconds sprint – as...
Living with Sugar
It makes little sense how we let this white grainy sweet stuff take charge of our lives so much. It fools us by looking good, tasting very good & being socially unacceptable to decline. We love it, crave it, eat it secretly, celebrate with it, yet we hate what it...
Pull-ups and progressions…
The pull-up is just about one of the toughest bodyweight exercises there is... If you’ve ever attempted to knock out a set, you’ll know the demands it places on your back, shoulder and arm muscles. The main muscles in action whilst performing a pull-up are the lats,...
BBQ Chicken Fajitas
Get the BBQ out for a slight twist on this delicious dinner... Ingredients (serves 4 - adjust amounts accordingly): 1 x whole chicken Seasoning – salt, pepper, garlic 1 x chopped onion 1 x chopped red pepper 150g chopped mushrooms 8 x small tortilla wraps...
Bodyweight Burner
No equipment needed for this workout but that doesn't make it an easy one! SQUAT SQUAT JUMP ALTERNATE REVERSE LUNGE JUMPING LUNGE REST 30 SECONDS OF EACH X 3 ROUNDS Squat Start with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart and little toes very slightly...
Non-scale victories
There is so much more to progress than the number you see on the scales. So many people determine their success on losing weight and lbs going down on the scales, but actually there are so many more things we can take as positives as a result of exercise and eating...
Squats
Squats are known as a compound exercise meaning multiple joints move and muscles work to execute it. It is also included in the “big 5 lifts” so if that doesn’t emphasise how beneficial they can be then I don’t know what does! A squat is a basic everyday movement that...
Pesto, Spinach and Tomato Pasta
A tasty and balanced meal prep option ideal for setting yourself up right for the week ahead! Ingredients (serves 1 - adjust amounts accordingly): 100g whole wheat pasta 20g Reduced fat basil pesto 30g Philadelphia light 150g Chicken breast fillet -...
Dynamic Dumbbells
Why not mix up your exercises and try this dynamic dumbbell workout? PUSH PRESS SINGLE HANG SNATCH LEFT SINGLE HANG SNATCH RIGHT RENEGADE ROW 40 SECONDS WORK / 20 SECONDS REST X 4 ROUNDS PUSH PRESS Start holding your dumbbells, each one resting on your...
Hydration
'What you have to and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter.' - Peter F. Drucker Why do you need water? Your body is nearly two-thirds water and so it is really important that you consume...
Do you want to get better at your press ups?
Do you want to get better at your press ups? A press up (or push up) is one of the most popular bodyweight movements and has lots of benefits including being able to perform them absolutely anywhere without much space or any equipment. Many gym-goers struggle with...
Gluten Free, Low Histamine Pesto Pasta
If you have a gluten allergy or intolerance and are suffering from the symptoms of histamine overload, you may be struggling for ideas of what to eat. This recipe uses gluten free and low histamine ingredients. It is quick, easy and extremely tasty. It can also be...
Booty Band Blast
Grab your band for this burning booty blast workout - perfect for getting those glutes activated! SQUAT JUMPS SQUAT WITH ALTERNATE KICKBACK SQUAT PULSE SQUAT HOLD 45 seconds work/15 seconds rest x 3 rounds SQUAT JUMPS Place your booty band on just above your...
Goal Setting
"It's a dream until you write it down, and then it’s a goal." - Anonymous Goal setting is a very important part of not just fitness, but life in general. Think of something you would like to do, something you want to be or something you want to achieve. Now...
