What I did for Lunch Today

Well obviously I went to the gym. This blog is about the gym so I was hardly likely to be writing about anything else!

I like using my lunch times for a workout. I’m lucky to have a basic gym onsite at work so I can do some form of training instead of just sitting on my bum and eating cake. Sometimes I’ll go for a run instead, and today I was tempted because we are having the first nice weather in months but in the end I decided to train inside.

This was largely as I’ve had a tough week mentally. Work has been stressful, learning new Les Mills stuff has drained me and time wise I’ve been limited and so I have got to Thursday without having done a single workout (I’ve taught 8 classes but no actual ‘me’ training to speak of) so I felt I needed to do a decent weights based session to avoid falling into a slump and went in with just the intention of getting myself moving again.

I had 45 minutes – this is what I did:

Alt Lunges 10/8/6/4/2/15/15- two 12kg dumbbells.

I hate lunges – I suspect I have at some point in the past broken my left toe and so the range of movement in it is poor and I struggle with range on that side.

Then

12 Cleans

9 Rows

6 Cleans

3 Push Press

X 10 sets with 60 seconds rest between sets – 25kg bar

This was a forearm killer. Although it wasn’t a heavy bar the sheer number of reps (180 cleans, 90 rows and 30 push press) took me to the point of fatigue and by the end of the session I was sweating without doing a single second of cardio.

Now I’ve got a proper workout in this week I feel so much better. It’s made me want to eat better today compared to the last couple of days and coupled with the weather I feel so much more brighter an positive.

Life lesson- if you are feeling a bit rubbish getting moving (and by moving I mean whatever type of activity you enjoy and will make you feel good) and eating some decent food is a great way to start making yourself feel better.

*Workout designed by Ricky Long @rickylong42

HIIT: What, Why, How

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been big in gym land for a while now. Most people who train will have probably tried to incorporate some form of HIIT training into their programm

The main selling point to HIIT is it can provide maximum benefits in a relatively short time period. It consists of short maximum effort bursts of work repeated with even shorter periods of rest in between. Generally, a HIIT session would take no longer than 20 – 40 minutes and you can do almost any type of exercise depending on what your focus is that session.

Pros to HIIT training include:

Increased fitness – stamina, strength, endurance, agility etc.
Promotion of muscle growth due to the increased production of testosterone
Increased fat burn
Calorie burn not only during the workout but also for several hours after

With the rise of HIIT training within the gym it is natural that HIIT based classes have also become popular and are a great place to try this type of training out, so if you are thinking of trying a class here’s some pointers on what’s out there and what to expect:

The number of different options is huge! You could try Les Mills Grit Series, Beachbody’s Insanity, Mettafit, Virgin’s Twentyfour to name a few. Most gyms will also have freestyle HIIT classes on their timetable (under the name of HIIT or Extreme Intervals or similar)
Many HIIT classes will be based around body weight exercises but not all will (Les Mills do a GRIT Plyo and GRIT Strength which used benches and barbells), I do HIIT Group Cycle classes.
They are designed to be hard and push you to your limit. People worry about going to classes that look ‘hard’ because they fear they will look unfit. The truth is as you get fitter you should be pusher harder so the class should always feel ‘hard’.
Another truth is that nobody will be looking at you. It’s human nature to be a bit nervous about the potential embarrassment of doing something we might not be very good at but to be honest most people are too wrapped up in what they are doing to notice the person next to them! I’ve seen someone slip (not badly, it’s ok!) as they were going for it during a class and not one person surrounding them so much as stopped what they were doing or looked over to them – they were concentrating on their workout- so you’d be surprised how unintimidating the classes are once you’ve got passed the initial walking into the room stage!
A final truth is that to get better at things you aren’t great at you have to actually do them. So no, you might not be able to nail every move the first time you try a class (and we are talking any class here) but you have to start somewhere to improve.
The classes are designed to push you to your edge – but they will be inclusive. When you start out a squat burpee tuck jump may not be attainable and body weight squats might be enough to push you to your limit. With time and persistence, you will progress and whilst that progression happens the instructor will be able to provide you with options to push you. Working to your limits is the aim – don’t compare yourself to anyone else.
Technique is key. Listen to the instructor and focus on execution of moves over speed – speed will come with time. Results will come from doing moves well.

A final word of warning – Don’t over do it. Studies have shown that HIIT has great benefits – however it also puts a reasonable amount of stress on your body so you ideally want to be aiming for no more than three HIIT sessions a week for maximum results.

If you take part in HIIT sessions four or more times a week your body will not have sufficient recovery time and you will start to negate the benefits
Excessive HIIT training can actually result in muscle loss and create hormonal imbalance – when the Central Nervous System gets stressed the production of testosterone can decrease and your body can start to store fat rather than loose it.
HIIT is hard so naturally there is a small increase in the risk of Injury the more you take part
Quick bursts of work can help improve stamina but if it is all you ever do it won’t help improve endurance much. A well balanced training plan with a variety of training methods will yield greater results.
Online coach Ricky Long (check him out on Instagram @rickylong42) suggests using HIIT a couple of times a week as part of your programme for 6-10 weeks followed by a couple of weeks away from HIIT, sticking to more steady state training to allow the body to replenish.

So ultimately- try HIIT but like everything in life don’t over do it and be sensible!

Your What and Your Why

Hands up if you’ve ever heard people talk about their ‘Why’ and done a little eye roll?

I’d put a little hands up emoji here except I haven’t worked out how to do that on here yet.

I always found memes and Facebook posts or inspirational lines about motivation a bit cheesy. Generally speaking the only cheese I have time for is the type I put in my mouth or the type produced musically by the likes of Busted or McFly.

That is until recently.

I’ve come to realise that the reason I felt like understanding what your Why is was pointless was because I didn’t really have a ‘What’.

I’d done the same job for over twelve years and did what I really enjoy (teaching) on the side and kind of thought that I had left it too late to look into making any big changes and to be honest didn’t really know what changes I’d make anyway. When people talked about being passionate about what they do I always felt a bit bemused.

I realise this makes me sound quite shallow.

I probably am.

Over the last few months however, with a bit (ok maybe a lot) of prodding, I’ve started to get an idea of what I’d like to do going forward.

I’ve worked out where my passion lies, what I believe is worthwhile doing.

I know the changes I can make now to work towards those goals and I have an idea of how I can get to where I’d ultimately like to be. How I can wok my own passions into my work life.

Once I worked this out I returned to the idea of my ‘Why’. The truth is once you know what you are working towards finding the Why is actually pretty easy. The Why is also the thing that motivates you to get stuff done now – even when you’re tired and it’s hard – because you know you need to do it to get to where you want to be.

So I’m still a ‘just get shit done type of person’. I can’t really stand fanfare. Those who need to know what I’m doing and why I’m doing it do, and for everyone else the chances are you won’t know I’ve been working towards something until I decide to write something sarcastic on Facebook!

That being said I’ve come to appreciate the power of knowing your own aims / goals / passions in your head because it’s only when you understand them that you will start to work towards them with any kind of focus.

My brain may well be about to explode

Learning Releases

I’m going to be honest with you, if you don’t teach Les Mills programmes this will mean nothing to you.

In a nutshell, Les Mills programmes are pre choreographed. Once a quarter we get a kit- a set of music, notes detailing the choreography and a DVD of that class being taught. We get, give or take, two weeks to learn it. I teach five programmes so have around 5 hours of choreography to learn.

The recommended launch date for teaching this new stuff is this Saturday so currently my brain can currently think of nothing else to write about here. So this is what I’m going to write about today.

If you don’t teach and want to get a rough idea of the process read on. If you do teach this might be familiar.

1 week before releases come out:

Heather’s brain “This quarter I’m going to be super organised, download my music straight away and learn one track a day”

The Day new releases come out:

Heather’s brain “I’ve got ages yet I’ll download it tomorrow”

Tomorrow:

Heather’s brain “Nope still ages yet. Perhaps I’ll watch this documentary about paint drying and reorganise my kitchen cupboards instead”

One Week Later:

Heather’s brain “Hmmm everyone seems to know the new stuff perhaps I should start trying to commit this stuff to memory”

One hour after this:

Heather’s brain “Or I could have a nap instead”

The weekend before launches:

Heather’s brain “OK now I really need to start to learn this stuff” *degree of panic sets in- this is good – I learn better under pressure*

Starts trying to remember chorey:

Heather’s brain “I will NEVER EVER IN A MILLION YEARS BE ABLE TO DO THAT LUNGE TRACK”

Heather’s brain “I will NEVER EVER IN A MILLION YEARS BE ABLE TO REMEMBER ALL THIS”

Heather’s brain “Why can’t I hear any of the changes in biceps”

Heather’s brain “I hate this, why do I even put myself through this”

Heather’s brain “Perhaps I should have a nap”

Heather’s brain “What will really help me learn all this is eating my body weight in chocolate”

Heather’s brain “Why didn’t I start learning this sooner?”

Heather’s brain “Is that a 2/2 there or a 3/1?”

Heather’s brain “I AM SO STRESSED I THINK I’M HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN”

A couple of days before launch date:

Heather’s brain “OK I think it’s in there- I can do this”

Heather’s brain “Aaaaand now I can’t remember my current mix to teach tonight. FML”

Upon waking on Launch Day:

Heather’s brain “What’s a squat again?”

One hour before class:

Heather’s brain “I have no idea what any of the choreography is for this class”

Ten minutes before:

Heather’s brain “I have no idea what any of the choreography is for this class”

Music Starts:

Heather’s brain “Oh there you go I do remember”

After class:

Heather’s brain “Phew”

Heather’s brain “Next quarter I would be less stressed if I started learning stuff earlier”

1 week before releases come out:

Heather’s brain “This quarter I’m going to be super organised, download my music straight away and learn one track a day”

P.s. I will totally know all my stuff for this Saturday!

Body Combat for Beginners

One of the classes I teach is Les Mills Body Combat. This was the class that made me want to become an instructor so I really enjoy teaching it and always encourage gym members to give it a go.

I do get that it can be a bit intimidating for new people the first time they come to class. The moves are fast and the terminology can be confusing! But it’s also great fun and punching a kicking the days frustrations away can be incredibly satisfying!

If you are thinking about trying a class for the first time but are nervous and unsure of what to expect here’s a few things that I hope will help ease those uncertainties and allow you to have a great first experience:

It might sound obvious but tell the instructor you are new at the start- it will help you feel relaxed and they will be able to make sure you’re ok throughout the class and will make sure you have a good first experience.
There are three formats of the class- an hour class (10 tracks so sometimes it will be shorter as the length of a track can vary depending on intensity), a 45 minute class and a 30 minute class. The tracks in the shorter (express) versions are selected to still ensure you get maximum benefits from the class despite the shorter time frame.
Body Combat is mixed martial arts inspired. You will experience tracks based on a variety of martial arts throughout the class as well as incorporating some MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) training.
Don’t worry it’s non – contact. You will be punching and kicking an imaginary opponent or bag (so the air really!)
You don’t need any equipment – just you, your gym kit and trainers (and some water!)
The moves are choreographed to the music but don’t worry if you aren’t great at following a beat at first- you will still be getting your heart rate up even if you don’t get every combination of moves straight away. Following the music and combinations will get easier and when you do nail that combo to the beat you feel amazing!
You are mirroring the instructor’s movements. If they say right foot forward, they will put their left foot forward so if you imagine they are your reflection in a mirror and mirror their moves you will find you are soon putting your right foot forward without even having to think about it! Don’t worry if you new to group exercise we know this takes time to get used to!
Once they press play the instructor will generally not pause the music unless you need time to grab a mat. This is to keep the heart rate and intensity of the workout high. That doesn’t mean you can’t take a break if you need one- listen to your own body – the instructor won’t mind, just come back in when you are ready.
It is a tough cardio workout. You are going to burn calories. You will get out of breath- that’s ok it’s why you are there. If you need to take a break take one, grab some water and come back in when you are ready.
There are always opportunities to work within your own personal limits. The instructor will give different options throughout the workout to either dial the intensity up or down. So if you don’t want to jump there will always be a move you can do instead that doesn’t involve jumping but still provides lots of benefit. Equally the instructor will be able to guide you in how to improve a move to increase the intensity if you are ready to challenge yourself a bit more.
If you are new there is something called Smart Start. Effectively it means you are allowed to stay for a few tracks. When you feel like you have done enough you can leave (make sure you stretch before you leave the gym!) then each time you try the class, see if you can stay for one extra track until you can do the whole class. New exercise classes can be tough, we know that, but you don’t need to be put off from trying them because you aren’t sure you are ready for a full class yet.
There is a lot of terminology that may be unfamiliar – jab cross, uppercut, hook, roundhouse kick etc. It might take a while to remember what each move is but don’t worry you can watch the instructor throughout and over time you will start to take on board what each strike is so you can react quickly to cues.
When you strike imagine your opponent is your height! The instructor will tell you which body part to aim for with each strike – if you imagine the opponent is your height you will get the most effective workout. Possible.
It doesn’t matter if you can’t get your leg to head height when you kick (I certainly can’t!)! You will probably find as you attend more often your kicks will get higher, but the range of your kick will have a lot to do with your flexibility so don’t worry if you can’t kick as high as the person next to you – work within your own range of movement and just challenge yourself to kick a bit higher as time goes on.
If you have done martial arts training some of the moves may feel ‘wrong’. Some of the moves in Body Combat are modified to ensure they are safe and effective for a group exercise environment. It’s a martial arts inspired class – not a martial arts class.
Combat is an amazing core class. All the moves involve massive work through your core and your instructor will coach you how to effectively work the core throughout the class. So as well as burning lots of calories and increasing your CV fitness you will also find the workout does great things for your waist.
If you have a question about a move, go and chat to the instructor at the end of the class. We generally love talking to people and want you to get the most out of the class. If you aren’t sure if you are feeling a move ‘in the right place’ ask and we can spend a few minutes on your technique to ensure the following week you are confident you are getting the most out of that move / track / strike / kick.
Instructors get a new track list every three months- at which point they will teach this in it’s entirety for around 6 weeks. After that they will ‘mix’ older tracks into a playlist to keep it interesting for you and keep challenging your fitness levels until they get their next playlist. In other words – you won’t ever get bored.
Finally- it’s an exercise class and it’s meant to be fun. Don’t worry if you struggle with a move or aren’t great at certain kick- ultimately it’s all about moving and having fun whilst doing it so try not to take yourself too seriously.

Stretching – The Truth

Stretching helps with mobility – you should stretch daily.

I’ll be honest.

I don’t.

I’m bad at stretching.

I don’t do it daily.

I mean to.

But I don’t.

I’m bad at stretching daily because it’s hard because I’m really inflexible.

I’m really inflexible because I’m bad at stretching daily.

It’s a catch 22.

Stretching helps keeps your muscles long, lean, and flexible. We need flexibility to maintain a range of motion in our joints. You want to squat well – you need a good range of motion. When the muscles shorten and become tight you’ll find your range of movement becomes limited. Tight muscles can also increase risk of injury – regular stretching helps you avoid this.

What should you stretch? Your calves, hamstrings, hip flexors and quads will probably be most beneficial for those who train often, along with the shoulders and lower back. If there is a particular muscle you know is tight and restricts your ROM- stretch that.

It doesn’t need to take long – ten to fifteen minutes a day. Nothing complicated or fancy needed. Ideally, you want the body to already be warm before you stretch. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds. You want to feel tension during a stretch but not pain.

The key as with anything here is consistency. Stretching sporadically will not do anything. You will need to do it regularly over a period of time to start to see benefits.

I doubt I’ve said anything here you didn’t already know.

I know what I need to do and how to do it.

I still don’t.

I’m going to make a commitment to my health now though- From now on I’m going to spend at least 5-10 minutes a day stretching!

My Guide to Body Pump

If you have ever looked into taking a class at your local gym chances are you will have seen Les Mills Body Pump on the timetable.

It is probably the most successful group exercise programme in existence. I love teaching it and still take it as a participant once a week.

Done regularly with challenging weights it will give you results.

Most people who want to lose weight / tone up do lots and lots of cardio. Cardio is good for you BUT you also need to do some resistance work to shape your body. Body Pump is great because it works the whole body in 30-60 minutes using a low to medium weight and a LOT OF REPS – all whilst moving in time with some good music. If you have never used a barbell before it is also a safe introduction into some basic lifts / moves.

However if you have never used weights before it can also feel a bit intimidating. I remember my first class and the confusion at everyone collecting lots of different sized plates and changing them quickly in between tracks and my bemusement at how everyone seemed to know what move was coming next!

So this is my ‘what you need to know’ guide to taking your first Body Pump class:

Arrive at least 10 minutes early and introduce yourself to the instructor so they can help you set up and so they know that you are new. This can help them tailor their teaching, ensuring you have a good first class.
Stick with light weights for your first couple of classes and concentrate on getting the hang of the tempos and the moves. Body Pump works because you are doing large numbers of reps, so whilst you want to use a challenging weight eventually, it’s ok to start off light – 3.75kg each side might be a good starting point for most.
The instructor will give you a guide of what to put on the bar at the start of each track (e.g. double the weight, take 1/3 off etc.). Listen carefully to this – they will normally give two options – one for regulars, one for new people but do not be afraid to stick with the same weight all the way through on your first class.
The structure of every class will always be the same:

60 minutes

Warm up
Squats
Chest
Back
Triceps
Biceps
Lunges
Shoulders
Core
Cool down

45 minutes

Warm up
Squats
Chest
Back
Lunges
Shoulders
Core
Cool down

30 minutes

Warm up
Squats
Chest
Back
Core

So when the whole class looks like they know what is coming they do for a reason- and after a couple of classes you will too!

Talking of continuity – we get a ‘new release’ every 3 months. So at that point, every instructor will teach this new set of tracks for 4-6 weeks. That is why when you do your first class some people will look like they know what is coming – they have probably done the track lots of times before! After about 6 weeks, the instructor will probably start to ‘mix’. This means they will bring back some older tracks to keep things interesting and keep your body reacting well to the class.
As a new member, you can take advantage of something called Smart Start. This means that if you want to try a few tracks (we suggest up to the back track) and then leave you can do. Leave your stuff out and the instructor will put it away at the end of class. Then next week you can stay for a couple of extra tracks, and a few more the week after until you can do a whole class. This is optional and you can stay for the whole class if you want, but it does provide an option to try the class out and build up week by week if you are new to exercise.
With Body Pump technique is more important than weight so don’t worry too much at first about what you are lifting – instead work on getting the moves. Doing them well will bring better results than just picking up a heavier bar!
The tempo is also really important in Body Pump. You will hear the instructor ask you to move at different tempos (3/1, 2/2, bottom half pulses). These aren’t just to make it more interesting. The different tempos help to work different muscle fibres and maximise your results so try to work with the instructors pace.
You aren’t moving or jumping (well occasionally you might be jumping but rarely!) but you will sweat and you will get out of breathe. Body Pump will burn calories as well as shaping your body.
Don’t be worried if you wake up the next day and climbing the stairs or tying your hair back hurts! This is your body reacting to new training and will pass in a few days. After a few classes your body will take less time to recover!
If you have done weights in the gym before you may be confused by a couple of the moves we do in Body Pump! Be aware that some moves (Deadlifts for instance) are modified for the studio environment. This is for safety reasons as a) we move at a fast tempo and b) the instructor needs to make sure a large group of people are all moving safely.

I hope that the above tips have made the idea of trying a class less daunting! If you do decide to give the class a go, I would love to hear your thoughts!

Easter eggs and the art of patience

Happy Easter.

Probably my favourite holiday.

Because I like Easter Egg chocolate more than any other chocolate

And I get four whole days off of work.

Thats four lie ins, four days with no classes to teach (well that’s a lie I’m teaching a Body Pump tomorrow night but almost four days), four days to slow down, do the bare minimum, do it at a leisurely pace, drink too much champagne in my pajamas on a whim because I can.

I have trained each day too – just 30 to 60 minutes – because I wanted to.

Friday I did weights and went for a short run

Yesterday I did Murph (I don’t like Murph, I’ll write about that one day)

Today I did 30 minutes of HIIT in my living room.

So far I have eaten 3 easter eggs. Plus a fair few mini easter eggs. I still have one left.

My calorie intake this week will probably be double my energy expenditure.

I don’t feel guilty about this. It’s just one week.

After I trained this morning I looked at myself in the mirror and saw some definition in my stomach.

Only a little (and excuse the mismatched outfit i threw on – i wasn’t planning on taking a selfie!) but it’s progress. And this was after I’d eaten a whole easter egg for breakfast.

This was my breakfast today by the way.

You can not have the perfect diet, not be the best athlete in the world, not be 100% ‘on it’ all the time and still get results.

The fact is lasting results take time. Lifestyles have to be compatible with your actual life and sometimes you will have days where you aren’t as ‘on it’ as others.

Consistency is a word banded about in gym land a lot. It’s important. So is patience. Most of us have no patience. I know i’m often guilty of this. But I also know I’m starting to see real results – from a years worth of hard work. Not 6 weeks or a few months but from not giving in after a few weeks because I didn’t already have a six pac. Patience.

When i started writing this post I wasn’t really sure what it’s point would be.

I’m still not. I was just feeling reflective. Sometimes you need to reflect a bit to gain some perspective.

Now excuse me whilst I go and find that last easter egg…

Meal Prep Time

If you are into fitness the chances are at some point you will have given meal prep a go.

During the week I leave the house around 6am most days and return around around 9/10pm so having food with me is vital if i don’t want to live off a diet of McDonalds and junk. So i tend to meal prep twice a week -Sunday and Wednesday.

Now I a) hate cooking and b) am not very good at it so meal prep companies that deliver food to your door to pop in the microwave always sounded appealing. It also has the added bonus of variety (when you cook yourself its cheaper and more efficient to make many portions of the same meal). It is however expensive which has always put me off. Last week, however, I got an offer for 10 meals for £2.90 per meal from Nutribox Meals so I gave it a go and placed an order to see if it is in fact worth the money.

I placed my order via email and the customer service was brilliant. My first 6 meals arrived on Monday and the last 4 arrived Thursday so they were all fresh. The food was well packaged, so far so good.

Nutribox offer a variety of options from 1 meal a day upwards. I selected 2 meals a day. You have the option of picking from set meals (of which I picked five) or building your own meal from a list of proteins, carbs, veg and sauces (I selected the option to substitute my carb for a second veg on the five meals I ordered from this option). Normal prices are around £4 per meal depending on volume ordered.

Every day I made my own breakfast and snacks and then had a Nutribox meal for lunch and dinner. The food was tasty, portions for me felt small (but i eat a lot so this doesn’t actually mean they are small) but flavours were nice. On a couple of meals one of the veg portions ordered were missing but overall I enjoyed all the meals.

My take on the good and bad moments from my week on meal prep delivery:

Pros

Reduces cooking time
Plenty of variety
Flexibility on what meals contain
Decent amounts of protein in each meal
Variety of vegetables available
Plenty of flavour
Great taste
Portions are controlled
Can get delivered anywhere – i got mine delivered to the office for ease!
UK wide delivery

Cons

Unless you can afford to order ALL your food online you will still have to do some meal prep
Expensive
Need fridge space!
If you eat a lot like me the meals may feel small!
Human error means you may get the odd ‘wrong’ meal
The sauces are a bit on the small side

My takeout after a week- if i had more disposable income I would order meals every week to take away having to meal prep and to know I was eating sensible portions and good quality meals. Plus I would order from this company – their service was great. However given that i eat around 3,000- 3,500 calories daily the amount of additional food I would still need to buy mean it isn’t financially viable for me right now.

So for now I will stick to making my own meals but I won’t say that I won’t revisit the idea of meal prep delivery again in the future. If you are interested in the idea of using a meal prep company I would suggest you check out this site! http://www.nutriboxmeals.com

I should note that this review is independant of Nutribox Meals. I purchased the meals as a customer using a general offer and not in return for a review.

Quick One

I haven’t posted for a while.

I’ve been busy. Spent a lot of time at a desk.

Quick tip for others desk bound like me.

Invest in one of these.

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Half gallon water bottle. That’s two litres. Keep it on your desk. Fill it. Drink it. Repeat daily. Use the toilet as necessary.

Hydration is important. When we are busy it’s easy to forget this. This little trick helps me.

In other news I have decided to take the plunge and have signed up to do my Level 2 Fitness Instructor and Level 3 PT course. Expect lots of posts about my progress on this over the coming weeks!