THE VILLAGE GYM EXPERIENCE · simply lose weight, our dedicated team are on hand to provide the...

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THE VILLAGE GYM EXPERIENCE Our personalised approach to help you achieve your fitness goals

Transcript of THE VILLAGE GYM EXPERIENCE · simply lose weight, our dedicated team are on hand to provide the...

Page 1: THE VILLAGE GYM EXPERIENCE · simply lose weight, our dedicated team are on hand to provide the motivation ... fitness goals, in the quickest time possible. Find out more about the

THE VILLAGE GYM EXPERIENCEOur personalised approach to help you achieve your fitness goals

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Health & Wellbeing CheckOur friendly gym instructors will help you take control of your inner and outer health. Whether you’re looking to run a 5k, improve sporting performance or simply lose weight, our dedicated team are on hand to provide the motivation you need to stay on track. The first step in your Village Gym Experience will be a Health & Wellbeing Check.

What’s involved?

You’ll have a relaxed 30 minute session with one of our expert trainers where they use the latest Tanita technology to measure your unique body stats.

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What will be measured?

Your trainer will take various measurements including your Body Fat Percentage, Body Fat Mass, Visceral Fat, Muscle Mass, Bone Density, Metabolic Age and your Blood Pressure.

What happens next?

During the session this could be a great time to ask questions about your fitness goals and establish a wellness journey based on them. We have a wealth of fitness and lifestyle advice to help you achieve your fitness goal. Your trainer can also book you in for your free Fitness Orientation to help you find out more about using the equipment in the gym, exercise techniques and provide nutritional advice.

Login to the Member’s Area and arrange your health and wellbeing check now at: villagegym.co.uk

WELCOME TO

Our friendly and knowledgeable gym instructors will give you the tools you need to achieve your fitness goals, in the quickest time possible. Find out more about the help and support available to you as you progress through your totally bespoke fitness journey at Village Gym.

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MyWellness Review

Fitness orientationDuring your 30 minute Fitness Orientation, your trainer will use the measurements taken at your Health & Wellbeing check to help you set up a fitness programme and plan your first 6 weeks as a Village Gym member.

MyWellness Setup

Your trainer will help you set up your MyWellness account, where you can log, view and track your fitness journey to encourage you to keep going. As well as your workouts in the gym, you can track your overall fitness levels by syncing with other apps such as Fitbit and MapMyFitness.

MYZONE Tracking

We love MYZONE belts because they take away the guesswork and allow you to work at exactly the right level. You’ll be offered the option of wearing a belt during your orientation which will allow you to monitor your heart rate on our MYZONE screens.Wellness Journey

Don’t forget to schedule a MyWellness Review every 6 weeks to help you stay on track and achieve your fitness goals in the quickest time possible!

This is a free 30 minute session with a personal trainer that will be used to measure your unique body stats using our state-of-the-art Tanita technology.

You’ll access your progress with your trainer and they can provide further training plans and support to help you achieve your goals. | 54 |

Your trainer will take you through a workout covering cardio, strength and functional movements. This will form the basis of your first 6 weeks’ training programme and we’ll make sure it’s set up on your MyWellness account to act as a helpful reminder with tips, pictures and videos.

Group Fitness

Your Fitness Orientation is the perfect time to have a chat with your trainer and find out more about the group fitness classes on offer. With over 100 classes per week, including the latest from Les Mills and exclusive Village Gym workouts like BURN, you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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Get set up on MyWellness

How to access it

Download the mywellness app – it’s available on Apple and Android.Create a log in (which takes minutes) and select your club from the drop down menu.

What is it?

MYWELLNESS is an online platform from Technogym that allows you to access your exercise and lifestyle data, anytime, anywhere.It can be accessed directly through the gym equipment while you workout, the App, or directly through the mywellness.com website. You can log in simply by using a QR code on your phone, a TG wellness band or key, or even by just entering your log in details manually on the kit.

You can also connect your other third party fitness apps such as STRAVA, MAPMYRUN, MYFITNESSPAL and of course MYZONE® so that all additional workout or nutritional data can be logged too. This means you can do a run outside and then recall it and replicate it on our TG treadmills in the | 76 |6 | | 7

gym! You can also keep track of your group fitness workouts by checking into a class.

Your trainer in club can communicate directly with you via MYWELLNESS and you will also be able to access & log your results of any bespoke workouts that your trainer sets you as well as review your TANITA body stats if you choose to have these taken on your Health and Wellbeing review. This means you can be even more specific about achieving your goals.

For those that like to mix things up and learn new skills, you can also access thousands of new exercise’s and techniques via the ‘Do It Yourself’ or ‘Tailored’ programmed functions that you can use to spice your workouts up.

Don’t worry, as all come with a short demo video and some hints and tips to make sure you are confident!

You can also choose to take part in any challenges that the club may set and also see where you are positioned in the activity leader board which may just be

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Let’s talk about: Resistance trainingIncluding strength training into your workout routine will improve your bone health & posture, help boost your metabolism, improve your mood and of course make you look good. No matter what overall goal you may have, including some resistance training into your routine can be of massive benefit.

Here’s a quick guide to the different types of “lifting” that you may see at the club:

Why used fixed weights?

Weight machines provide the advantage of keeping the load in a safe and confined area, thereby decreasing the risk of injury. Weight machines make it easy for the user to keep under control. This is especially importantfor rehab and post-rehab exercisers who may need to do simpler movements as part of their workout - great for taking the guess work out of which body parts you are working!

Why use free weights?

Allows a totally free range of motion which allows better functionality if used efficiently. There are so many options and alternatives available so workouts can be adapted to suit any ability and any injury restrictions.

Why use olympic lifts?

They have a distinct advantage of allowing you to use several muscle groups at the same time, so a total body workout. It’s a killer for the core, and the nature of the lifts improves your speed and coordination, so it will supercharge your other workouts too!

Fixed weights can be great to get you started, but can be restrictive long term, and less core activation is required when you are supported.

When you are confident with the machines, book an appointment with a trainer to get them to show some alternative exercises!

Exercise examples: chest press, leg press, cable cross over.

Using an Olympic bar efficiently takes great preparation (usually without a bar initially) and some drill work so this makes it harder to learn yourself but with the help of a good coach in a 1-2-1 session or through attending one of our ‘ladies that lift’ sessions, we can get you on the right path to success.

Exercise examples: cleans, snatches, jerks, deadlifts, squats and lunges can also be included as part of this type of workout.

Free weights can be difficult to know if your form is on point and can be easy to lose form if you increase weights too much.

Why not try a BURN or GRIT class to try working with free weights with a super charged coach.

Exercise examples: bench press, dumbbell curl, shoulder press.

Perform resistance exercises two or three times per week, but ensure you try and leave 24/48 hours between working specific body parts so that you reduce the risk of overtraining and injury.

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Get in the know: Resistance TrainingReps

Reps is short for repetitions. Repetitions defines the number of times to perform an exercise. For example, you do 12 squats, then stop. The 12 squats you perform are considered 12 repetitions.

Sets

Sets refers to how many times you will repeat that exercise for the set number of repetitions. For example, you do 12 squats and rest. Then you do another 12 squats, rest, and then another 12. You have now completed three sets of 12 reps.

Supersets

A superset is performed when two exercises are performed in a row without stopping. You can either superset within the same body part or you can train two different body parts. Super setting two opposite different body parts such as chest and back, or biceps and triceps is a common workout technique.

Ladies – lifting will NOT make you massive! Don’t think that just because you lift heavy that you’ll end up looking like a bodybuilder. Proper programming recovery techniques will help you achieve a lean, firm, tight, athletic body & improve your bone density. Chances are this will also leave you with more confidence, better moods & MURVES (that perfect balance of lean muscle and curves), now who wouldn’t want that!

Mythbusting! Whichever workout style you choose, the most important thing is that you are working to the correct FORM and INTENSITY for your goal type. Always use a heavy enough weight that your last rep is a struggle, but not so it affects good form. When it becomes second nature you can then look at progressing your lifts. This doesn’t always mean adding weight, it can mean adapting your position, the speed at which you work or even the rest periods between sets.

Drop sets

Drop sets are where you perform an exercise and then drop (reduce) the weight and continue for more reps until you reach failure. The reason why drop sets work is that in any given set you are only recruiting a certain amount of muscle fibres. By then stripping the weight down and going lighter you recruit different muscle fibres, which should help the muscles achieve growth that couldn’t be achieved by sticking with the same weight.

Structure

Usually, sets are prescribed in 3’s and repetitions range from 8 to 12. To focus on muscle building, use heavier weights and keep the repetitions lower, such as 3 sets of 8. To focus more on muscular endurance, use lighter weights and still perform 3 sets, but increase the repetitions to 12. In either case, generally rest for at least 30-60 seconds in between sets.

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GYM GLOSSARY

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So you’ve taken the first step, which is the most important, you’ve joined the gym and now you are ready to jump straight on our state-of-the-art cardio kit and get fit! But do you go fast and furious or is it slow and steady wins the race?

With so many options available it can be hard to know what’s best, and what will help you achieve your goals.

For many, cardio is torture so getting it out of the way quickly and with little fuss is the way ahead. For others, with a little exertainment to keep them busy (TV, APPs, MYZONE), they are happy to plod along for longer periods & enjoy the workout.

Check out our guide to cardio to help you work out what’s best for you:

So the simple answer is, both types of CARDIO training have multiple benefits and both will get you fit, it’s really down to your own specific goals & abilities.

Ideally your training program will consist of a little of both types of training across the week which will ensure you maximise the benefits of both & also ensure that your training is varied making you less likely to get bored and lose focus.

Low Intensity Steady State Cardio (LISS)

Exercise that you perform at 60%-70% of your maximal capacity for 20 minutes or more. They are generally low Impact and although you will feel an increase in effort/heart rate you could maintain this for a reasonably long period.

Examples: jogging, walking, cross trainer, swimming, low impact studio classes

PROS

• Improves your cardio fitness and endurance

• You generally recover faster & injury risk is far less than high impact workouts

• Great for beginners as you can ease yourself in & adapt training times as you see your fitness levels increase

CONS

• It can be boring and repetitive as you have to work for longer

• Your calorie burn stops almost as soon as you stop exercising and you don’t burn at as high a rate as you do during a HITT session

LISS would suit:

• Those just starting out in the gym, it’s simple and requires minimal adaptions on the kit. Quick start and you are good to go!

• Those with injuries or ailments. Less impact and more control means you can keep things in check and still reap the benefits.

• Those who like to take their fitness outside.

• Those with an endurance goal. Aiming to work up to a 5k run or take on the London marathon? LISS is great for working on stamina and can be programmed to help you achieve that goal.

• Those who do not like to rush their workouts.

High Intensity Interval Training(HITT)

Exercises that you perform at your maximal capacity (80-100% of maximum capacity) for short intervals, these exercises are generally explosive and pack a punch.

Examples: treadmill sprints, rowing intervals, Burpees, Box jumps, GRIT or BURN classes

PROS

• Burns calories at a quicker rate and creates EPOC which means you burn fat even after you finish the workout

• Can help increase your lean muscle mass

• You work for shorter periods due to intensity

CONS

• Its intense! People often initially find the feeling of working in the 80-100% well out of their comfort zone

• Due to the nature of the workout it’s not advisable to do HIIT training every day as it places a big strain on the body

HIIT would suit:

• Those who don’t have long periods of time to work out – getting a quick HIIT session in before or after work is more realistic for most than an hour or more in the gym or studio

• Those who enjoy the BUZZ of working out at high intensities

• Those with goals which may involve improving POWER, STRENGTH or SPEED

• Those who like to utilise heart rate training to support their workouts

• Those looking to really boost their metabolism and increase their FAT BURNING potential

Let’s get started: Cardio

So which is best?Classes to consider that are LISS focused:

• Spin (some variations)• Aerobics• Les Mills SH’bam• Les Mills TONE• Body Pump

Classes to consider that are HITT focused:

• BURN• GRIT• SPRINT• METAFIT• SPIN (some variations)• TABATA classes

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Endurance workout: Stationary bike

Warm up pace(adjust resistance level as required to achieve Heart Rate)

Slower pace

Steady pace

Steady pace

Steady pace

Effort:50/60% of max heart rate or 6/10 effort

Effort:Aim to reduce to 60% or lower of max heart rate

Effort:65-70%of max heart rate or 6/10 effort

Effort:70-75%Of max heart rate or 7/10 effort

Effort:75-80%Of max heart rate or 8/10 effort

What happens: Feeling relaxed but warmer and heart rate slowly increasing

What happens: Gradually slowing – bring the heart rate down allow breathing to steady.

What happens: Steady pace in the “aerobic zone” – can maintain relatively easily

What happens: Slightly faster pace in the “aerobic zone” but can maintain relatively easily

What happens: Lifting intensity up slightly but still staying just below the anaerobic zone (without oxygen) – keeping a pace is important here

Goal:Mobilise & warm up

Goal:Cool down & bring heart rate down

Goal:Maintain pace and heart rate

Goal:Maintain pace and heart rate

Goal:Maintain pace and heart rate

5 minutes

5 minutes

10 minutes

10 minutes

10 minutes

Sections can be anything from 5-10 minutes so if you feel you want to increase times as you become more confident then feel free!

Ensure you try and stick to desired effort levels. This will ensure you can maintain the pace without tiring too early or hitting a heart rate spike.

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Repeat this cycle between 5-10 times to maximise the benefits. As you become fitter you can increase a little more on each session.

You will notice that your recovery time is much quicker so you can fit more cycles in a 20-30 minute period. Your rest is as important (if not more so) than the work sections. Using your output (heart rate) as a guide for repetitions, is far more efficient than using time alone (ie. 1 minute in and 1 one minute off), as you ensure you are working within the correct zones & therefore maximise your efforts and also minimise chances of injury or over training.

Always use 5 minutes at the end to bring your heart rate back down to an “active zone” before you ensure you stretch and/or release with a foam roller

HIIT workout: Skill mill/treadmill

JOG

SPRINT

WALK/JOG

Effort:70% of max Heart rate or 7/10 effort

Effort:80-90%of max Heart rate or 9/10 effort

Effort:Bring HR back down to 7/10 (70%)

What happens: Feeling relaxed but warmer and heart rate slowly increasing

What happens: Feeling challenged and like you need to stop after the effort. Open-mouthed breathing, hitting the HIIT zone. 10 seconds is fine, as you get fitter your interval may increase slightly but any more than around 30 seconds is not true max effort! Think of Olympic sprinters effort – 10 seconds explosiveness!

What happens: Allow your body to recover & don’t attempt your next interval until your HR is back in the aerobic zone.You may want to walk a little before bringing it back up to a jog and then sprinting again.The bigger the recovery the bigger your peak, the bigger the peak the bigger the reward.

Goal:Mobilise & warm up

Goal:MAXIMUM speed & effort

Goal:Recover

5 minutes

10 - 30 seconds

1-2 minutes

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Why get GROUPFIT?At Village Gym, we know our GROUP FITNESS! That’s exactly why as many as 50% of our members regularly attend our classes on a weekly basis.

We pride ourselves on offering the very best timetable and instructors available at each of our sites. We are the only chain in the UK to boast a full array of the word famous LES MILLS® programs as well as a selection of specialist classes and a whole host of amazing freestyle classes, so there really is something for all ages and abilities.

So why workout in a group?

Motivation – the amazing music, the focused instructor, the carefully thought out class format, all reasons to push yourself in the class. All the guess work is gone; the instructor leads the way so all you have to give is all you have! Knowing that you have a clear outcome to achieve by the end of the session will keep you on track!

Camaraderie – you are all in it together! You, your friends, the instructor, you feel like one finely tuned machine all working together to create fitness magic! And when one is feeling the pinch you can be sure that someone will be there to cheer you on!

Accountability – not only do you feel you always want to get to class because of the above…you wont want to let the team down or miss a new session so it will keep you attending and on track to achieve your goals.

Results – follow the motivational and educational instruction and you can’t fail! You will see changes in yourself that you will love whether it be physical or mental and you will smash those goals one by one!

Technology – use your fitness tracker to log and record your class data. If you are using MYZONE you can track and zone match your workout during the class, ensuring you get the very best results every time!

So how do I know what class is right for me?

See your Group Fitness Manager in Club if you have any more questions, particularly about more specialist classes or if you have any injuries or ailments you want to chat about, we are only too pleased to advise! Or check out our class guide on the next page.

For added motivation, did you know that you are more likely to stick to your health and fitness routine if you attend group fitness sessions?

Those who work out alone attend the gym around 1-2 x per week and research has shown that those who attend classes and small group training sessions attend at least twice as much, so it really is a great way to stay on track!

Why not try our SMART START approach?

Your instructor will always show you how to get set up before the class and advise on what to expect.

You can kick start your routine by just doing 4-5 tracks in a class and leaving after this. Just let the instructor know that this is what you would like to do and they will support you!

You can start to build up your time and intensity as the week’s progress until you are attending the full class, this is a great way to build up your confidence and your fitness!

Remember this can be done in the studio with classes or in the gym (or maybe even mix it up! Why not book a complimentary appointment with one of our expert coaches to set your perfect routine up!

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Choose your intensity level from this scale and give a new class a go! Book now with your local Village Gym.

Pick your class:

A weights class for everyone. Using light to moderate weights with lots of repetition (reps), BODYPUMP gives you a total body workout that burns lots of calories.

• Increases strength & endurance

• Tones & shapes• Helps maintain bone health

MODERATE - HIGH INTENSITY

STRENGTH

55’

MINUTES

A martial arts-inspired full-body wokout that fuels cardio fitness and leaves you feeling empowered. It’s totally non-contact and there are no complex moves to master.

• Tones & shapes• Increases strength &

endurance• Builds self-confidence

HIGH INTENSITY

CARDIO

55’

MINUTES

A high-energy fitness class with moves that combine athletic movements like running, lunging and jumping with strength exercises such as push-ups and squats.

• Improves agillity, coordination, strength & endurance

• Improves heart & lung fitness

HIGH INTENSITY

55’

MINUTES CARDIO

The ultimate combination of music, culture and dance. If you want to dance, there’s nothing like it.

• Burn calories• Tones & shapes• Develops self expression• Improves coordination

MODERATE - HIGH INTENSITY

55’

MINUTES CARDIO

A full body cardio workout that gets everyone from new comers to fitness veterans energised. This class will really tone your butt and thighs.

• Increases strength & endurance

• Improves heart & lung fitness, agility & coordination

MODERATE- HIGH INTENSITY

55’

MINUTES CARDIO

An indoor cycling class, set to the rhythm of motivating music. It burns a lot of calories and gets you fit.

• Improves heart & lung fitness

• Increase leg strength and endurance

MODERATE - HIGH INTENSITY

MINUTES

45’

CARDIO

This is a new yoga class for anyone. It uses a range of movements and motion set to music that will improve your mind, your body and your life.

• Tones & shapes• Improves joint flexibility &

range of motion• Enhances mental wellbeing

LOW INTENSITY

FLEX

55’

MINUTES

This class features the optimal mix of strength, cardio and core training. This is a great cross-training option for busy people on the go.

• Improves heart & lung fitness

• Tones & shapes • Strengthens the core• Reduces stress

LOW - MODERATE INTENSITY

MINUTES

45’

CARDIO/STRENGTH/CORE

A fun-loving, insanely addictive dance workout. Your instructor will guide you through simple (yet sassy) dance moves, all set to a party playlist.

• Burn calories• Tones & shapes• Develops self expression• Improves coordination

MODERATE INTENSITY

CARDIOMINUTES

45’

Provides the vital ingredient for a stronger body while chiselling your waist line. A stronger core make you better at all things you do - it’s the glue that holds everything together.

• Tightens & tones• Core muscles improve

functional strength for balance, mobility & injury prevention

MODERATE - HIGH INTENSITY

CORE

30’

MINUTES

Fancy something shorter?

Try out Les Mills GRIT & Sprint classes for a 30 minute high-intensity challenge on the next page.

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LES MILLS 30 MINS:

This is a 30-min high-intensity interval training workout, designed to improve strength and build lean muscle. This workout uses barbell, weight plate and body weight exercises to blast all major muscle groups.

• Rapidly improve strength• Increase lean muscle• Get fit fast

HIGH INTENSITY

CARDIO

30’

MINUTES

This is a 30-min high-intensity interval training workout that improves cardiovascular fitness, increase speeds and maximises calorie burn.

• Rapidly improve cardiovascular fitness

• Increase speed• Get fit fast

HIGH INTENSITY

CARDIO

30’

MINUTES

This is a 30-min high-intensity interval training plyometric-based workout, designed to make you perform like an athlete.

• Rapidly improve athletic performance

• Increase explosiveness• Build a lean, athletic body

HIGH INTENSITY

CARDIO

30’

MINUTES

Try these super fast, high-intensity workouts to really hit your goals and get fitter faster.

This is built on the science of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), designed using an indoor bike to acheive fast results. It’s a quick and hard style of training that returns rapid results with minimum joint impact.• Build lean muscle and train

your body to burn fat• Faster cardio results than

with steady state training

HIGH INTENSITY

CARDIO

30’

MINUTES

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All set up? Hit your goals and add a personal touch to your training plan

The personal approach to fitnessIsn’t having a Personal Trainer only for the desperate or the rich and famous?Isn’t it just paying someone to shout at you like a sergeant major and exercise till you pass out?

Some trainers may take that stance and boot camps have many merits but a good trainer should have the ability to treat each client as an individual and adapt their approach to suit their needs.

Personal training is just that, Personal! Sessions should be tailored around you achieving your personal goals and you getting what you need from your trainer.

Many choose to work with a PT as they lack self motivation and it keeps them on track. Others choose PT because they already have the fundamentals but feel that the trainer gives them an edge and they love to learn and evolve with each session.

Whatever your reasons, finding the correct trainer can be tricky so here’s some tips to help you make the right choice:

Check their credentials and qualifications – a good PT will be able to share this with you without question. There is a plethora of fitness qualifications on the market, so just check that they have the relevant level of expertise to suit your needs. Good PT’s will have a level 3 diploma in personal training which they will have completed after spending some time as a level 2 coach. This means not only do they invest in their own development (and this benefits you as the client) but also that they have the experience of walking the gym floor and dealing with clients from all walks of life!24 |

Benefits of a PT

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Motivation

Education

Success

Achievement

Ask about their experience - certification is great but knowing that they have experience of working an area specific to what you require is also a bonus. Perhaps you are a budding sportsman/woman and this trainer has previously worked with athletes? Perhaps they have worked with injuries similar to yours?

Reputation – have they been recommended to you? Coming from people you trust and respect this can also be a good indicator that this trainer could be the one for you.

See them in action – watch them working with another client. Do you like their approach? They may have a calm approach to training and be seen quietly working with clients with traditional techniques. On the opposite end of the scale they may be very upbeat, motivational coaches who move clients around different areas of the gym using a multitude of new kit and techniques. Although PTs can adjust approaches to suit the client when required, noticing their normal way of working is a great way to see if they may be right for you.

Are they available at times that seem suitable to you? Many of the best trainers are booked months ahead at peak times, so it’s best to check what times can work for you both before making that commitment. Remember, you may think that you can adjust to work around the trainer initially but you have to maintain a routine long term and you don’t need the extra pressure. Start with a great routine you can make work around your busy life and you will be more likely to keep it up!

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Benefits of a PT

Having a PT can help motivate, educate and elevate your training results ensuring that you are constantly achieving benchmarks, smashing goals and setting new ones.

Ideally after deciding to work with the trainer it’s a good idea to commit to a decent number of initial sessions (2/3 per week) over a short period so that you can grow in confidence. You can then drop back to a few sessions a month so that you are pretty much just checking in with your trainer.

You could even PT in a small group to reduce your costs if you have a group of like-minded friends. This can be fun and also adds camaraderie into the equation.

He/she can then get you back on the correct path if you fall off or adjust your training to challenge you more should it seem to get stale!

All trainers at Village Gym are highly qualified, super friendly and always being upskilled . Why not call in a free consultation and see what they could do to help you?

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Why I got into fitness - my journey into the fitness industry all started through a work experience placement at a gym. I was tasked with the gym cleaning and working on reception, but got to join in classes whilst I was there. I really enjoyed interacting with the wide variety of people that would come in each day, from all walks of life. This meant that no two days were the same.

Also, when I was growing up my dad suffered with several slipped discs meaning he needed to have his spine fused in places limiting his movement and reducing what activities he could do. This prompted me to look into sports and fitness therapies, so I completed a course allowing me to learn both massage techniques and rehabilitation methods that would help give some aid to his condition.

I then started work at the village with a view to help people prevent injuries, and help increase their quality of life. The fact you can influence someone’s life so drastically that they are able to play with their children, chase a bus or even run their first 5km is the real reason I love being a PT.

Introducing: Ben FanshawePT, BURY GYM

GUEST PT

My method - I set a pathway for my clients. It starts with ensuring core stability, mobility are solid and I correct any muscular imbalance. I also develop a base level of endurance before working on muscular hypertrophy, strength, power and speed. Finally I help pepople to achieve their goals whether that be with race preperations or another fitness goal. Ultimately every client is different, with different goals and requirements. My specialist areas are - cycling power and efficiency, olympic weightlifting, mobility, rehab, and core stability. My hobbies are - cycling, Olympic weightlifting, play poker (good mental workout) and also love listening to music (helps for finding songs to train to). In my opinion personal training is key for anyone in achieving long lasting sustainable results. A good trainer should be able to give support encouragement and also constructive feedback about where they need to improve to attain their chosen goal and also help overcome barriers to training that may otherwise derail their progress.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

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MYZONE® can help you during PT

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The MYZONE® system holds clients accountable to their homework as trainers

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The bottom line

Ditch the dietDiets are based on restriction and denying yourself your favourite foods. If you give up dieting, and focus on building a healthy lifestyle instead, you’ll start to achieve your goals and feel healthier within your own body and mind.

Here’s some simple tips to get you started:

Eat natural – stock your kitchen with plenty of fruits, vegetables and try to cook from scratch when you can. This will ensure your diet will be enriched with vitamins and minerals but also contain less nasties or added sugars. The best foods often have no labels.

Eat breakfast every day - many people think skipping breakfast is a great way to cut calories. However, this can mean eating more throughout the day as their bodies play catch up. Get in the habit of getting up even just 10 minutes earlier and take some time to end the overnight fast and re start that body for the day!

Ditch the diet products - some actually contain more calories than the full fat version. Food manufacturers tend to pour other ingredients - especially sugar, flour, thickeners, and salt - into the products. Don’t cut out full fat versions - just eat a smaller portion.

Stay hydrated and choose your drinks wisely - satisfy your thirst with water, sparkling water with citrus, or water with weak cordials. Aim to drink 2 litres of water a day as a minimum but remember, you will need more if you are exercising!

When it comes to losing weight there is no short term fix, however here are some simple lifestyle adjustments that you can incorporate into your day to day without the need to deny yourself your favourite foods.

If you take these small steps you will start to see BIG Changes. You can do this.

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Be smart with carbs - By substituting hi GI food such as white bread, cakes, potatoes for low GI food such as soy products, beans, fruit, milk, wholemeal pasta, grainy bread, porridge and lentils you will add fibre to your diet which will keep you feeling full for longer. Cutting carbs completely is not the answer, we need some in our lives to keep our energy levels up and control blood sugar.

Prep like a boss - Try prepping lunches and breakfasts on a Sunday. Bulk cook your chosen meat with some roast veg-etables or salad and a choice of grains such as brown rice or quinoa. Season with a selection of herbs, olive oil or low salt stock or soy sauce to ensure your meals are interesting. For breakfasts, overnight oats are a favourite, but why not try breakfast burritos. Cooking in mass and freezing is also a great way to ensure your dinners stay on track. Bulk buying meat and fish, separating into individual portions, is also a smart move that will not only save you money but always gives you staple ingredients to cook with.

Try this quick and easy recipe to add lots of fresh vegetables to your diet. It is easily customisable so you can choose different veg or meat to put in it, for example thin strips of steak would work well too.

Alternatively keep it vegetarian by adding extra veg like mushrooms or kidney beans.

Chicken Fajitas

1. Slice the chicken into thin strips and mix with coriander, cumin, salt & pepper, smoked paprika and lime juice. Set aside whilst preparing veg - or if you can leave overnight to marinate.

2. Slice the onion, peppers and chilli.

3. Put oil in a frying pan or skillet and cook the peppers, onions, chilli and chicken for about 6-8 minutes until the sides are slightly charred and the chicken is cooked through. Use tongs to keep turning the veg and the chicken so nothing burns.

4. Heat tortillas according to packet instructions.

5. Serve with natural yoghurt, cheese and a side salad, quacamole and/or tomato salsa for a quick, healthy weekday meal with plenty of veg and healthy natural ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 red pepper sliced• 1 green pepper sliced• 1 yellow pepper sliced• 1 red onion sliced• 1 tsp olive oil• 2 skinless chicken breasts• juice of 1 lime• pinch salt and pepper• pinch cumin• 1 tbsp ground coriander• 1 heaped tbsp smoked

paprika• 4 small flour tortillas• 50g cheddar cheese

(grated)• 150ml natural yoghurt

(optional)• 1 small chilli (optional)

METHOD:

Cooking time: 25 Mins | Serves 2

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Add this to your gym routine:

Get Flexi!

Stand tall, set your posture from the feet up. Keep your feet hip distance, and knees aligned, draw the belly in, shoulder blades dropped into your back pockets and extend the arms fully, try and keep your forearms in line with your ears.

Drop the arms by your side, maintain your posture and place all the weight into one heel. Slowly lift the knee on the opposite leg whilst maintaining good balance. Aim to get your knee in line with your hip, but just getting your foot off the floor is great! Practice makes perfect! Return the foot to floor, reset and repeat on the other side.

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Here our trainer and yogi, Holly, from Bournmouth gives you some tips to ensure a more FLEXI body. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds (depending on your flexibility), don’t force the stretch and repeat as a flowing routine if you wish or just use the stretches you feel benefit you the most!

As you age, your muscles naturally lose strength and size and can become less supple and more stiff. This can affect the range of movement, which may lead to stiffness in the muscles and joints. It is this loss of tissue elasticity that can cause muscles and joints to tighten up. Add into the equation, sitting at a desk or in the car for prolonged periods and this can be a recipe for disaster, running the risk of injuries or even joining the 1 in 3 people in the UK that suffer with lower back pain and reduced range of motion.

It’s no secret that most of us would admit to wanting to lose a few pounds or “tone up” a little, but did you know that most of us could achieve our aims far quicker and with better form if we just spent 10 minutes a day working on getting flexi!

Take a slow forward bend and place your hands on your thighs, keep your back as flat as possible and head facing naturally down so that your body remains aligned. Try to lengthen so that the distance between your head and your hips are as long as possible. Feel the stretch in the back of your legs and if you want a little more, feel free to drop the hands a little lower, just maintain that alignment.

To take that stretch to another level allow the arms to relax, and take a full forward fold. Allow the chest to move closer to the legs and if you feel like you can take a bigger stretch, allow the hands to release to the floor. A soft bend in the knees may also be required to allow you to relax into the pose.

Take your time and walk your legs back into a plank position. Ensure that your hands are directly under your shoulders and heels set in line with your shoulders. Draw your belly in and push into your hands and heels are set in line with your shoulders. Try not to let your hips lift or tummy fall to the floor.

Lock your hands together behind your back and open your chest to feel a great opening in the upper body. To increase the benefits, push the knees together and take a small squat, add some extra pressure on the heels and really push in to the floor.

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Keep the arm that is opposite the forward knee on the floor and allow the opposite arm to lift slowly until its fully extended. This will create a closed twist and increase the stretch. Return to plank and then repeat on the other side.

Step your feet in, stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips and then lower your butt down into a squat position (aiming to position butt in line with the back of your knees). Maintain an upright frame and if you feel comfortable, lower a little more to drop below parallel and increase the stretch. Place the elbows on the inside of the knees and push the palms together.

Take your time and return to the seated position. Sit tall and extend your legs out to the side so that you can feel a stretch on the inner thigh. If you feel as if you can increase the range then allow your upper body to hinge at the hips and bring your chest towards the floor. Just be careful not to round that upper back.

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Step through with one knee and set it in line with your shoulders, dropping the back knee to the floor and allowing the hip to open. Keep your shoulders relaxed and head facing forward and sink in to the stretch.

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Sit tall and bring one knee over the other. When you have found a strong seated position, twist the opposite shoulder toward the knee and release the opposite hand to the floor for support. Draw the knee further to the body if you want to increase that stretch. Repeat each side.

Bring yourself onto your front on the floor and ensure that shoulders, hips and ankles are lined up and that your head is facing naturally forwards. Allow your elbows to naturally sit on the floor and then clench your glutes. Push into your elbows & upper body to lift slightly and feel the stretch in your lower back and glutes

If this feels good, you can extend this position by releasing the arms to the side and then lifting your chest a little higher. Return to the starting position and repeat.

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Thanks for reading. If you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to ask at either reception or take a look at the website:villagegym.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help.