ISSUE 001 SUMMER 2014
INTRODUCTION
12 FAVOURITE RECIPES 18 WORKOUT IN THE PARK 22 DAY IN THE LIFE
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring Full body exercises in the great outdoors motive8 MD Nick Sadler in the spotlight
FITNESS REGIME
Healthy living: get active, eat well and live your life to the max
TRAINING TIPS AB EXERCISES FOR HIM AND HER
PRODUCT REVIEWS PROJECT SHOWCASE TRIED AND TESTED BY US FOR YOU
CORPORATE, HOTEL AND RESIDENTIAL
SUMMER 2014 M8: LIFE 1
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CONTENTS
Contents 06
19
06 News
An overview of our latest news and events from our Northern and Southern branches.
08 Her training tips How to get a flatter stomach.
09 His training tips
Six steps towards abs to die for.
10 Recipes
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring with this selection of delicious recipes to help boost your training.
13 Success stories
A look at some of the fantastic results achieved by motive8 trainers and their hard-working clients.
14 Gym & Spa montage
A look inside the Dormy House Hotel, a privately-owned 17th century farmhouse hotel in the heart of the Cotswolds.
16 Tried and tested
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24
13
26
The latest and greatest products put through their paces.
19 Workout in the park
Outdoor exercise has become more and more popular over the past few years for many reasons.
20 Residential gym montage
Here is a snapshot of recent projects we have completed for Barratt Homes.
22 A day in the life
We talk to motive8’s Managing Director, Nick Sadler, and discover what his day can look like.
23 Head to head
DAP vs Kenesis: great pieces of equipment that enable functional strength training for sport & performance.
24 Corporate gym montage
Corporate facilities have been a huge area of growth for us this year, reinforcing that businesses are encouraging a healthy work environment.
26 First look
What’s new on the motive8 shop.
SUMMER 2014 M8: LIFE 3
ISSUE 001 SUMMER 2014 PUBLISHER
motive8 Limited EDITOR
Kimberley Mead ART DIRECTOR
Paul Godfrey GUEST CONTRIBUTORS
motive8 is committed to delivering the highest quality bespoke health and fitness solutions to our customers. We hope that through this new magazine our team of experts can share their knowledge and passion to help inspire you to embrace a healthy and happy lifestyle.
Howard Quigley, Layla Smith, James Sadler & James Shipton PRODUCTION
Layla Smith, Kimberley Mead & Lisa Trodd PRINTING
Totum Print Solutions COVER IMAGE
Grant Charles
T
here are no words to describe how proud we are of the first motive8 magazine but we’ll give it a go… Welcome to m8:Life! After more than 14 years in the industry we have built up quite a repertoire of fitness related know-how and expertise. Whilst we regularly share this with our training clients, we felt it would also be of great benefit to a wider client base and many other colleagues, friends and associates, so we made the decision to publish our first in-house magazine as a platform to showcase our content alongside our three websites and digital newsletters. Our inaugural issue is jam-packed with tips, tricks and ideas on how to get a stomach to die for this summer, nutrition and active holiday suggestions for the kids, fitness equipment reviews, details of our online motive8 shop and much, much more. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we have putting it all together. If you have any feedback or ideas about future content you’d like to see then please email us at info@m8group.co.uk. Enjoy! Nick Sadler, motive8 Managing Director
Staff Contributors
Aylia Chris Hamilton-Bannis Baird
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Kimberley Mead
Jenny Cromack
Lisa Trodd
Shawn Mullix
Tom Charman
MOTIVE8 SHOP INTRODUCTION CONTENTS
Our Promise
New Trends, Quick Delivery, Fashionable, Functional, High Quality
Our Products
Gym Equipment, Clothing, Footwear, Nutrition, Spa Products, Home Gym, Yoga, Pilates, Injury Rehab, Packages
SUMMER 2014 M8: LIFE 5
News
An overview of our latest news and events from our Northern and Southern branches.
New Gym and Spa Partner - Aqua Platinum
A Luxury Networking Event Courtesy of Bespoke Culture
James Shipton of Bespoke Culture recently invited motive8’s MD Nick Sadler to the launch of the Aston Martin Vanquish, an event that is part of the Luxury Network. motive8 is becoming more and more involved in luxury brands, as we find their attention to detail and marketing strategies to maintain their brand value fascinating. We also love events that give you the opportunity to meet inspiring personalities. James brought together a group of Directors from a variety of companies, including printers and air conditioning experts to
hedge funders and lawyers. The range of different businesses made it a very interesting and diverse event. James’ company Bespoke Culture is a boutique luxury tailoring brand, which has recently been responsible for smartening up Nick’s image nicely. They create hand-made and made to measure garments and do it very well. They are a strong supporter of British trade and only use the finest British fabrics in all their garments, which is very important to us across all industries and something we are striving for with motive8’s own gym equipment product range in the future. Thanks to James and Bespoke Culture for a fun ‘luxury’ evening.
Chris Baird Up for an Award To help complete our turnkey gym & spa offering, motive8 works with a select handful of companies with specialisms in certain fields. Aqua Platinum is our preferred pool supplier. The highly focused team of Aqua Platinum Projects is the company’s strongest asset. Its designers, consultants and contractors have unrivalled
experience in all aspects of planning, design, specification and detailing in this immerging market where the value of garden space is transformed into luxurious habitable leisure space whether it be your own swimming pool, home cinema, wine store or gym. They are the pioneers of realizing the value of the ground beneath your feet.
Our Master Trainer Chris has made it through to the Semi Final of Fitness Professional of the Year at the Fitness Professional Awards 2014. We are all behind him and wish him the best of luck. For more info and to vote, visit fitpro.com/LIVE14/
Events calendar JULY
JULY
JULY
AUGUST
OCTOBER
OCTOBER
5
13
19/20
9/10
5
25/26
Tour de France
Surrey Badger Half Marathon
Tour of Yorkshire
Prudential Ride London
River Thames Half Marathon
Tough Mudder London South
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NEWS
California Dreaming In March, motive8 Managing Director, Nick Sadler, Facility Maintenance Manager, Richard Moon, and CEO of Food Nation (and brother), James Sadler, headed to the renowned leisure industry hub, IHRSA International Convention and Trade Show in California. On the agenda was exploring Octane Fitness’s new touch screen console, a presentation of Life Fitness’ new product range and a demonstration of Technogym’s new Unity Platform, as well as a meeting with Merrithew – a Pilates specialist. They also explored the show for new trends, unique companies/equipment, all with a view to returning home with a little more insight. This was supported by a small tour of some gyms in San Diego and LA which further endorsed our opinion that functional and outdoor training is still growing and also how nutrition plays a much bigger part in the complete health and fitness picture.
Richmond Dance motive8 Street Dancers, formed from children across motive8 schools and clubs, performed at this year’s Rich Dance Festival. The group consisted of dancers aged 7 to 11, each with their own style and flare. Dance styles included popping, locking, waving, breaking etc, dancing to an eclectic range of music. Dancers showed massive enthusiasm which demonstrated their dedication during weekly rehearsals, and in their performances.
motive8 Staff practicing what they preach
Photos courtesy of Matt Marsh - www.mattmarshphotography.co.uk
In November 2013 Shawn stepped on stage to compete in his first men’s fitness model competition Miami Pro Universe Championships, placing 5th in his first competition. He had the urge to compete again and did so in the Miami Pro World Championships in April; initially this was just to get on stage again and practice and gain more stage presence experience. “I worked really hard to get in better condition than the first competition and women my class, earning the title of Miami Pro World Champion Under 75kg Men’s Fitness Model”, said Shawn.
The competition is a great day of entertainment, with a swimwear round and theme wear round, with people competing in many categories, from Junior Fitness Models 17 to 23years old to Yummy Mummies class and over 50’s! It’s never too late to step on stage and compete!
SUMMER 2014 M8: LIFE 7
HER TRAINING TIPS
How to get a flatter stomach A flatter stomach is something our female clients want to achieve from their personal training sessions, so can you guess what a big part of their training sessions consist of? Endless crunches, planks, Russian twists…..WRONG! Whilst we’re not saying that these exercises are not included in their training regime, they make up such a small element of achieving the goal of a flatter stomach. Read on for our top tips to achieve this goal. Firstly, focus on fat loss….if you have a layer of fat covering those abdominals you will never see your defined, toned midriff. So from a cardio perspective make sure you include lots of high intensity sprint protocols into your training regime.
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Compliment your training with a healthy diet full of fresh veggies, good fats and high protein. Aim to cook the majority of your meals from scratch, drink plenty of water and eat lots of vegetables and you will soon feel the difference this brings.
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Cut out processed carbohydrates, especially bread and pasta, as these cause bloating of the stomach. If you’re really looking to strip back fat then only have carbohydrates with one meal per day, and try to have these around lunch time. This will help your body become much better at using fat as a fuel and lower your body fat so you can see your toned tummy.
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If you find it hard to shift fat from around your middle and think you have your food and exercise cracked then maybe you need to look other lifestyle factors such as sleep and stress. Too little or broken sleep cause an increase in the hormone cortisol which causes you to store fat around your abdominals.
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Aim to have between 6-8 hours of undisturbed sleep per night. 6 Look at ways of reducing stress in your life by using relaxation techniques to switch off or trying an activity such as Pilates or Yoga which are also great for your core too!
KIDS KEEPING ACTIVE Not sure how to keep children active and healthy this summer? Prepare now to ensure fewer problems later!
MOTIVE8 COACHING ‘PASSIONATE ABOUT SPORT’ As a parent, you want your child to be as healthy, happy and motivated as possible – and there’s plenty you can do to help them during the long summer holiday. Keeping your child healthy can have a lasting
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Photographer: Vince Starr www.vincestarr.com Model: Kelly Chembri www.wathletic.com
Compliment cardio with lots of big compound moves – front squats, overhead lunges, deadlifts, pull ups and overhead presses are all great for challenging the core. Take Jessica Ennis for example…..specific strength training for her abdominals will make up a minute part of her training, but she spends hours focusing on sprints and compound moves and has a stomach to die for!
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If you are using exercises to strengthen and tone the abdominals then use a variety of exercises in your workout so you hit the muscle fibres from all angles. One of our favourite abdominal circuits is Stability Ball Jack Knifes x 12, Medicine Ball Crunches x 12, Russian Twists x 16, Plank x 30-60 seconds. Repeat x 2-3.
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impact and reduce the risk of complications later in life such as heart disease and diabetes. There are plenty of ways that our children can keep fit and active this summer, all whilst having fun. TOP 5 TIPS ON KEEPING CHILDREN FIT • Make sure they have their recommended daily intake of fruit and veg. check out http://www.bhf.org.uk/ cbhf/ for useful tips on healthy eating for children.
time being active. They do not have to do all their activities in one go, try spreading it out throughout the day. Or send them along to a sports activity camp. This will ensure children can take part in the sports they love in a safe, fun, social environment. • Ask children what activities they enjoy. Encourage them to follow their interests, and make activity fun. Spend some time doing these activities as a family. No one can put value on family time.
• Drink plenty of water and fluids to keep hydrated. • Spend less time on computer games and more
• Be a good role model, if you are healthy it will be easier for them to be.
TRAINING
HIS TRAINING TIPS
Six steps towards abs to die for Below are 6 tips to create impressive aesthetic abs, ready for your holiday this Summer. Train your abs using a variety of exercises; you need to work the upper abdominals, lower abdominals and the obliques to develop the full set. Incorporate exercise movements that include twisting and crunching movements and involve some resisted exercises and bodyweight moves.
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Eat clean; your nutrition will play a huge role in how good your abs look. You need to eat right to provide the energy to train and so that the abs will be revealed. Maintaining a low fat diet will contribute to how defined your abs look, so consuming the right amount of wholesome foods including fresh vegetables, complex carbohydrates and lean sources of protein will make a huge impact on your results.
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Performing cardio based exercise as part of your training regime will help torch unwanted body fat. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a great choice to fire up the metabolism and get that fat burning effect to kick in. HIIT will not only burn calories during the short and intense session, but it will elevate your metabolism for hours afterward so you continually burn fat post workout. Alternatives to HIIT training include low intensity workouts for the longer duration, where you focus on burning a target number of calories during the workout!
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Water is key to flushing out the body and getting rid of toxins produced during training – staying hydrated will elevate your level of performance. The muscles are highly concentrated with water so it is essential that you consume water as a primary source of fluids. You also cut out the additional sugars found in sports drinks and supplements that are not always needed!
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Frequency is imperative; your abs should be worked out as importantly as other body parts, Abs sessions should not just be thrown in at the end of a session, they should be planned as sets and reps like any other exercise. Train your abs at least 3 times per week and work with intensity if you want to see results.
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Train your abs on an empty stomach; this will help you 6 perform full and deeper contractions during each repetition. Sometimes it is not possible or easy to train on a completely empty
THINGS TO DO THIS SUMMER
motive8 runs holiday sports camp s in West London. Visit www.m8coaching.co.uk for more information. MORNING • They complete a fitness circuit. • Playing on the adventure playground. • Have a chance to play different sports like cricket, inside hockey, Football, Handball. • We prepare a healthy meal for breakfast like porridge and sliced fruit. • We provide kids with healthy drinks.
stomach, like first thing in the morning, so the best thing is to try and eat smaller meals throughout the day and eat around 1 hour before training; this should give you enough time to digest and be ready to hit those abs hard! AFTERNOON • In the afternoon we increase the physical aspect to include tournaments and competitions. • Sports include handball, hockey, cricket, football and handball. • We prepare a healthy meal for the kids so they can maintain a balanced diet. • Our healthy meals at holiday camp can include, baked chicken, rice or pasta and vegetables. • We ensure the children drink plenty of water so they can keep hydrated.
SUMMER 2014 M8: LIFE 9
Food Nation’s Ideal Meal Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring with this selection of delicious recipes to help boost your training.
Starter or a side dish
Method:
FOOD NATION SUPER SALAD
Feeds: 4 adults Cooking time: 15 minutes This vibrant, crunchy green salad is great paired with meat/fish dishes. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of couscous Half of a head of broccoli, broken into florets Half of a cucumber, seeds scooped out 120g peas, defrosted 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds 1 punnet of cress 100g feta cheese A handful of mint, basil or parsley 1 avocado Juice of half of a lemon 1 tablespoon of olive oil A pinch of salt and pepper Sumac is a red, lemon flavoured spice which Sumac (optional) is often used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. Its tangy flavour also works well with grilled meat and fish.
DID YOU KNOW?
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1 Pour boiling water onto the couscous in a mixing bowl, cover with cling film and set aside. 2 Put your broccoli florets into a saucepan with 4cm of boiling water and pop the lid on. Allow to steam for 3 minutes (until just tender) then drain and transfer to a bowl of ice cold water. This will stop the cooking process and keep your broccoli nice and green. 3 Chop your cucumber into chunks and mix together with the peas, seeds and cress. Crumble in your feta cheese, finely chop your choice of herb and add to the bowl. 4 Cut around the stone in the avocado, twist open and discard the stone. Score into strips the green flesh inside the skin and scoop out using a dessertspoon and add to your bowl. 5 Drain the broccoli and mix with your salad then add in the cooked couscous. 6 Finally, squeeze over the lemon juice, add the olive oil and season with black pepper, sprinkle with sumac (if using) and serve.
Tips: 1 Save time by making this salad in advance, leave the addition of the avocado until just before serving to prevent it from browning 2 Experiment with different flavours, such as broad beans, pumpkin seeds or asparagus 3 Try adding a little leftover cooked chicken, ham or even bacon
NUTRITION WHO ARE FOOD NATION?
Food Nation is a Community-Interest-Company based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne with a vision to inspire people about good food! Food Nation is passionate about food and nutrition and provides innovative services to tackle food related issues in communities across the North-East of England. A big focus for Food Nation is around building a new generation of food lovers and therefore works with lots of schools and community groups to help get kids excited and inspired about food and where it comes from.
Main course PRAWN COCONUT AND TOMATO CURRY Feeds: 2 adults Cooking time: 30 minutes Ready to eat in 30 minutes, this tasty Thai-style curry is a definite treat for the taste buds! Ingredients: 1 red onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced 2 green chillies 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil 1 tablespoon of Red Thai curry paste 2 tablespoons of passata 100ml vegetable stock 100ml coconut milk 150g raw tiger prawns A bunch of coriander, roughly chopped 2 spring onions, bias-sliced A few toasted cashew nuts A squeeze of lime juice Method: Deseed the green chilli and very finely slice, then mix together with the sliced onion and garlic. 2 Heat a large frying pan (or wok) on a low-medium heat, add the groundnut oil and fry off the onion, garlic and green chilli for 5 minutes 1
Food Nation works with hundreds of children every year and has them picking up new skills and experiences with food through cookery courses, food growing workshops, visits to real-working farms and food enterprise projects, whilst linking everything up with a healthy lifestyle which includes plenty of movement and exercise! Food Nation’s Food Growing Academy, named ‘Wor Lotty’ by local school children, is a great place for children and adults alike to get outdoors and experience all the great local food that can be grown in the North East. Different groups of children
3 Add your curry paste to the pan and fry off for 3 or 4 minutes. It’s important to cook the paste in order to cook off any spices and other raw ingredients. 4 Add the passata, stock and coconut milk. Bring to the boil and turn down to a simmer for 10-12 minutes until you get your preferred curry consistency. 5 Turn off the heat and add in the prawns and make sure they are covered up in your curry, then pop a lid onto the pan and let the prawns cook in the heat of the curry for 3-4 minutes until pink all the way through. 6 Finally scatter any remaining slices of green chilli, some roughly chopped coriander and spring onions, the toasted cashew nuts and a good wedge of lime. 7 Serve with cooked brown rice for a delicious well-balanced meal!
Tips! 1 You can make this dish veggie with so many seasonal vegetables such as peppers, aubergine, mange tout and baby corn. 2 Or build in more protein and swap your prawns for chicken or white fish (although make sure these are cooked before adding to your curry!)
have taken part in growing, harvesting, cooking and eating foods from beans, peas, potatoes, cauliflowers, chard, rhubarb, strawberries, a whole array of tasty herbs and so much more! Food Nation believe that through inspiring people to understand more about food, and what to do with it, this naturally has so many positive effects on their lifestyles for the long term through giving people the skills, understanding and confidence to make healthier food choices for themselves and their families. www.foodnation.org
Pudding/Dessert
GRILLED TROPICAL FRUIT AND YOGHURT DRESSING Feeds: 8 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes This is a fantastic, easy and fast dessert recipe. These grilled tropical fruits, make an elegant, nutritious, surprising dessert. Ingredients: 1 small pineapple 1 mango 1 lime 2 passion fruits 1 teaspoon runny honey a few sprigs of fresh mint for serving 8 tablespoons fat-free natural yoghurt
DID YOU KNOW?
Mango, Pineapple, Passion fruit & Lime- Contain natural antioxidants contributing to the body’s defence against disease. Low fat/fat free, low sodium, high in Vitamin C and A Mangos and pineapples are also good sources of dietary fibre and have a medium/high glycaemic Method: index so are great post workout snacks to help replenish To prepare the pineapple and mango: used energy. 1 Place a griddle pan on a high heat whilst you prepare your fruit. 2 Top and tail the pineapple and cut off the skin from top to bottom making sure you get rid of any unwanted ‘woody eyes’. Cut in half and then lengthways into 1cm thick wedges. 3 Cut into the top of mango until you hit the stone then follow the line of the stone with your knife to cut off chunks of mango from each side. 4 Chop the mango pieces into little cubes but discard the skin 5 Grill the pineapple and mango pieces in the griddle pan for a few minutes until charred then turn over and caramelise the other side. 6 Put the warmed mango into a bowl and mix with the zest of the lime and the seeds from inside the passion fruit. 7 Squeeze in the juice of half the lime, add the yoghurt (optional) and mix together, taste and sweeten with a little honey. 8 Serve your pineapple on a platter with a sprinkle of lime zest, torn up mint leaves and a drizzle of your yoghurt dressing.
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motive8 Top Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Lunch
ROASTED RATATOUILLE CHICKEN Lunch Tip: Keep the carbohydrates to a minimum during this meal if you feel drowsy in the mid afternoon - try a high fat/ protein meal and watch your productivity at work soar. Carbohydrates normally cause drowsiness after lunch due to an insulin spike; if you need carbohydrates in the form of grains in your diet opt for super complex sources.
Breakfast
SPICY TOMATOES BAKED EGGS Breakfast Tip: Skipping breakfast has been shown to increase the likelihood of fat gain, don’t be worried about consuming whole eggs for fat loss because they contain fat. Eggs are a great source of good fats that will aid weight loss; make sure you don’t scramble them though as this will oxidise the cholesterol in them and cause inflammation in the body, opt for soft boiled or poached.
Workout Smoothies
Dinner
SPICY CHICKEN SALAD WITH BROCCOLI Dinner Tip: Be wary of drinking too much water before, during or immediately after your lunch - this can dilute the digestive enzymes in your body and lower the rate of absorption of key micronutrients into your body. Wait about 45mins after eating to drink or consume water and 45mins before eating.
TYPE: PRE-WORKOUT Name: Berry Fruity Smoothie:
TYPE: POST-WORKOUT Name: Beet and Carrot Smoothie
TYPE: POST-WORKOUT Name: Nutty Banana Smoothie:
1 banana 4-5 strawberries 1/2 cup blueberries ½ cup almond milk Handful of spinach leaves (Calcium, Magnesium) 1 tablespoon rolled oats 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt 2 tsp honey 3 ice cubes
This smoothie is great to replace electrolytes, rehydrate you, replenish protein for muscle repair and replenish the glycogen stores by providing reenergising carbohydrates. 1 red apple 2 small beetroots 3 carrots 1 inch chunk of ginger 1/2 lemon (peeled) and juiced
DIRECTIONS: Mix all together in a blender and serve! A delicious, nutrient dense smoothie that contains a mix of low and medium glycaemic index fruits. This smoothie is a great pre-workout drink which provides plenty of energy for exercise, Vitamin C and healthy fibre whilst being very easily digestible .
DIRECTIONS: Mix all together in a blender and serve!
The bananas in this smoothie are going to give you plenty of nutrition to get you recovered from your workout through the glucose, potassium, manganese, fibre and vitamin B6, whilst the yoghurt has plenty of calcium and protein for great muscle repair and probiotics to encourage healthy digestion. 4 tablespoons plain or vanilla yogurt 2 tablespoons peanut butter 1 banana 25mls of skimmed milk 4 ice cubes
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DIRECTIONS: Blend milk, yogurt, and banana together. Add the peanut butter and blend. Finally, blend in the ice cubes; for a thicker consistency, add more ice!
NUTRITION SUCCESS STORIES
PT SUCCESS STORIES
Personal Training Success Stories A look at some of the fantastic results achieved by motive8 trainers and their hard-working clients.
REBECCA SUMMERTON I first used one of the motive8 trainers (Jenny) when training for a triathlon back in 2010. A happy side effect of my training was losing weight and toning up. I achieved my target for the triathlon and started training by myself again. When one of my best friends recently got engaged she really wanted to feel comfortable for her big day. She had tried every fad diet under the sun and knew that the only thing that had worked for me was having a personal trainer. I got in touch with
BOB SMALLEY I have been training now with motive8 for around fourteen months and have been really pleased with the results. I never expected to achieve the outcomes to date and have seen a huge improvement all round in my physique, fitness and general well being. The programme I follow has been very specific to me and is sufficiently varied, week by week, that I don’t the have the chance to think the exercises as repetitive. I believe motive8 is a great place to train and have recommended them to friends on a number of occasions.
the personal training team at motive8 and Lucy became our trainer….and it is by far the best thing that we ever did! Our sessions with Lucy have been really fun. We both had different goals, but Lucy was great at running sessions which suited both of us. Lucy was quick to re-educate us on what to eat, and how to use our time most efficiently in the gym. Neither of us have lots of time to exercise so we were really relieved to know we didn’t have to slog it out on the
CLARE BOARDMAN
treadmill for hours. Lucy is very encouraging, and I never felt intimidated in the sessions. I have been so pleased with the results. I have more energy, I am stronger, fitter and healthier and I even think I eat MORE, it is just more of the right stuff! I would fully recommend Lucy and the motive8 team to anyone. Whatever your goal, it really helps to have someone who knows what they are doing standing alongside you and encouraging you.
Main: Clare with her partner earlier this year. Inset: Clare when she first joined motive8.
My motive8 experience has had a hugely positive impact on my life. Before I googled’ Personal Trainers Leeds’ I was on the slippery slope of putting weight on through lack of exercise, working long hours and bad eating habits (including plenty of corporate lunches) when I decided something needed to change! Despite still working long hours I now train at least 4 times a week, have lost over two stone and am not afraid of the weights area in the gym! I still have to attend many corporate events, but I am educated about the food choices I should make so I can now maintain my weight.
KATH VOWDEN ME, FIT? – NEVER!! I have struggled with my weight since being a child, so I have done lots of diets and attended many hours in a gym at various venues. 18 months ago a friend and I decided to plan an activity holiday, which demanded a level of fitness for us to enjoy. In an attempt to improve fitness I had a personal trainer at my local gym but found the sessions
repetitive, not very motivating and I didn’t really understand what I was doing so progress was slow. I started training at motive8 through a friend’s recommendation and haven’t looked back! I train with Chris once per week and in 15 weeks I achieved my fitness goals, have exceeded my initial weight loss target and become a
size and shape that I would never have believed possible. I even have strength and toned muscles, something I have never really had in my life!! A personal training session with Chris is no ‘walk in the park’ but he is professional, totally motivating and encouraging. His workouts are always fun and he has a completely
different regimen for every session that works every part of the body! Chris has taught me so much about exercise; he sets a weekly programme with smaller additional goals for me to achieve and the hard work certainly pays off with increased fitness levels, lost weight and feeling really good! Thanks Chris!
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DORMY HOUSE HOTEL
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In the heart of the Cotswolds lies Dormy House, a privately-owned 17th century farmhouse hotel which has recently emerged from a complete transformation. motive8 was responsible for supporting Howard Spa Design, introducing the concept of 2 gyms to the hotel as well as designing and supplying both gyms and specifying all other elements.
GYM & SPA MONTAGE
Images: House Spa & Gym at Dormy House Hotel, Broadway
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Tried and tested The latest and greatest products put through their paces The Power Bag by Tom Charman motive8 Personal Trainer The Power Bag has become one of the most useful pieces of equipment I carry in the car with me to training sessions! Since getting it I have used it in about 80% of my personal training sessions and my clients love it. Here is my take on the Power bag: • It is easy to carry in the car or by hand because it is reasonably small and not a hard edged object such as a cast iron weight. • Multiple handles make exercise variation easy to manipulate so you can do almost anything with it to suit all workouts. • Once it has been “worn in” the power bag is a more comfortable alternative to a barbell because the casing is supple and flexible yet tough and durable. Clients often feel discomfort on the body if using a solid heavy weight. The soft shell of the power bag reduces this. • Incremental weight options allow you to select the right amount of resistance for your session. Weights from as little as 5kg up to as much as 50kg and the sizes don’t change. • The shape and design of the bag makes it ideal to introduce power exercises such as Olympic lifts like “power cleans” and “deadlifts”. • It won’t damage surfaces if dropped, unlike a dumbbell which can mark or even break a floor. This gives you confidence to really get stuck in with exercises. • One draw-back is that the bag cannot be slammed into the ground during power workouts. A minor point but I was scraping the barrel to come up with anything bad to say about it.
• SINGLE ARM ROW- targeting the upper back and arm this exercise also involves the core muscles too: Stagger your feet one back one forward and bend at the waist keeping your back straight. Take the Powerbag in your left hand if your right leg is forward and pull it up and into your body making sure that your back is straight and shoulders are back and down. Lower to the start and repeat. Do the same on the other side.
• PUSH PRESS- another total body power exercise that will really hit the arms hard: Hold the Power bag on your chest as with the front squat with feet shoulder width and sit back into a half squat. Keep the upper body straight and tall as always. Explosively stand thrusting the hips forward and push the bag up above your head extending the arms. Imagine you are trying to throw the Powerbag through the roof. Lower the arms slowly and repeat.
For the mobile personal trainer or bootcamp instructor it is a must have piece of equipment thanks to its simplicity and versatility. I would not want to train without one in the home, park or gym. These are my favourite exercises with the Power bag: • POWER CLEAN- great power exercise for the lower body and upper body: Stand with feet shoulder width and the bag at your feet. Take hold of the Powerbag- bend the knees and hips with the back straight and core engaged. Powerfully straighten the legs, thrusting the hips forward so that the bag is lifted quickly from the floor to chest height. Catch the bag on your chest by squatting down and getting your body underneath it in a squat. Stand to finish and repeat.
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• LUNGE- also targeting the legs and core muscles this exercise can improve balance and coordination: Hold the Powerbag behind your neck and shoulders or on your chest as in the front squat. Take a stride forward and load the front leg bending the knee to 90 degrees and the back knee to 90 degrees- you should also bend at the hip of the front leg allowing you to effectively work the leg. Remember to keep your chest high and shoulders back. Step back and repeat on the other leg.
VERDICT
• FRONT SQUAT- one of the best exercises for targeting the legs and core muscles: Stand with the Powerbag on your chest, elbows high and back straight. Sit back into a squat keeping the upper body as tall as possible and weight through the heel and outside of your foot. When you have sat back to 90 degrees (or as low as possible) stand making sure you push your hips forward and squeeze your glutes.
Whether you are a trainer or someone looking to try a new piece of equipment then I would encourage you to have a go with a Powerbag. They are simple, versatile, durable and functional so should be the staple of any home gym/mobile training kit selection.
RATING
PRODUCT REVIEWS
Y Roller by Howard Quigley Ex-Professional Rugby Player & 2014 Marathon Finisher I’ve always been a fan of post-sports massage, especially during my years playing rugby. Once I started training for the marathon I realised I needed to start up my post training massage again and the Pro-Tec Y-roller was a new product on the market that I hadn’t tried before. I found that the unique ridges allow for more targeted massage than a standard roller does and also provide for stronger manipulation of muscles. It was also better for heavier sports people, such as myself, as it allowed me to place my full weight onto it compared to other rollers where I have had to
support my weight off the roller to avoid them collapsing under the pressure. I found that it was wide enough to do both legs simultaneously and the symmetrical grooves made it easy to massage both legs in the same place at the same time. It was also good for massaging your back, and the fact that it held its shape meant that it provided vital support for this delicate area of the body at the same time
Balega Sports Socks – Because Your Feet Are Worth It
negative things that you equate to socks – slipping off your feet, causing blisters, getting smelly! Pair by pair I have replaced my sports sock selection with Balega’s in various colour combinations and I can’t remember the last time I had a blister form running. They also wash and wear really well, so even though like most sports socks, they are not a cheap purchase, they work out pretty good value over the longer term.
by Layla Smith Aspire PR & Marketing Managing Director & keen cyclist & runner I’ve been wearing Balega sports socks for about 2 years now and they are one of those few products that I’ve found that once you try, you don’t want to wear any other brand. I was introduced to them as the number one selling sock brand in the USA and it soon became apparent why. They are soft, nothing rubs or irritates you, however long you wear them and you basically forget you have them on. The best things about them are exactly that, you don’t think about them once you’ve put them on. It tends to be
Soleus GO! The ultimate fitness band by Lisa Trodd motive8 Marketing What are the best features of this Fitness Band? The Soleus Go has a simple yet trendy design. It is light and sleek, which makes it great to wear when running. This device automatically counts your steps as well as the calories burnt while also comparing your current stats to your pre-set goals. It also lets you scroll through all your real-time daily activity information. All-in-all the device shows the date and time, current battery power, calorie, distance, step, weather information and incoming calls on the phone as well as messages. This device stores up to 30 days of your daily activity, 30 files of exercise data and 10 files of sleep data that will be reviewed on the Soleus Go app. If and when the memory is full, the oldest file will be automatically deleted and replaced by
ABOUT THE PRODUCT: BALEGA, a Zulu word meaning “to move with speed”, is a proud American/South African initiative with a focus on the running specialty market. They pride themselves on the fact that all of their products are developed and tested at their South African production facility. Their product development team is made up of all types of athletes who regularly compete in events ranging from Comrades and Two Ocean’s ultra-marathons to many shorter the newest file for each activity. The device is water resistant which protects the device when sweating during the workout or run – but not the type that will be alright when completely submerged into the water. PROS • Small, light, and trendy design that can be worn 24/7 • Date and time OLED display • Handy 3D accelerometer and measures distance; avg pace/speed; step counter • Displays the weather or temperature through Bluetooth connectivity to smartphone • Shows number of calories burned; sleep pattern tracking; fitness goal tracking; vibration alerts • Convenient popper plate clasp closure • Informs you when you need to get up and get moving (vibrates) • Easy to set up and use • Has large enough digits which makes it easy to read • Silicone band is durable
as offering the manipulation required. The Pro-tec Y-roller is also very lightweight considering its strength. My only criticism would be that the thinner ridge could be a bit longer – I found when I was rolling over it, it opened out too early into the dual section of ridges. Maybe a longer, continuous, thinner line somewhere on the roller would be better. Buy now on the motive8 shop http://m8shop.co.uk/shop/y-roller/
RATING
distance events both on and off road in South Africa and abroad. BALEGA are passionate about their products and believe that their performance and fit characteristics make them unique to the UK market. They offer real benefits to athletes of all ages and abilities. All of their socks incorporate a hand linked seamless toe which eliminates abrasion across the top of the foot. They also knit an extra deep heel pocket, or “Fit Well”, ensuring that their socks fit the foot perfectly and don’t slide during activity. For more information visit www.balegasports.com Buy now on the motive8 Shop: http://m8shop. co.uk/product-category/clothing/socks/
RATING
• Fully charged batteries will last up to 7 days under normal use conditions CONS • Not good for submerging into the water (should also not press any buttons when submerged in water too) • Does not have a community to join where you can compare stats with friends (no web portal for users) • Unable to count stair-climbing The Soleus Go is a product I would recommend and is suitable for newbie runners as well as seasoned marathoners as it aims to enhance the experience of both types of runners by giving the users what they need and not what they don’t.
RATING
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TRAINING TIPS
Workout in the Park Outdoor exercise has become more and more popular over the past few years for many reasons. The outdoors and local parks provide many natural obstacles, challenges and tools to make exercise challenging and functional. Every environment is different and your local park may have a hill, benches, long grass, uneven terrain and vast open space that means your training is only limited by your imagination. The added bonus of being outside is the fresh air which will help you shrug off the bind of city commuting and sweaty, peak time gym sessions that can become monotonous. Get back to nature and exercise in the wild outdoors! It’s simple, it’s on your doorstep and it’s free! All you need are these minimal, but key bits of equipment:
Mat
Available from the motive8 shop priced £23
PLANK: A total body strength and stabilisation exercise that will target your core muscles and stabilise your spine. Lie on your stomach prone to the floor and place your elbows under your shoulders. Engage the core muscles and extend your body so that you are on your toes and elbows only. Keep your back as straight as possible and hold for up to 30 seconds. Progress by lifting a leg and holding it. SQUAT: A complete lower body exercise to target the glutes and thighs, but also the core muscles. With shoulder width feet, keep your chest up and body tall. Sit back bending the hips and knees to lower your bum to the floor. Push up through the heel and outside of the foot to standing position and repeat. To add more resistance use the band by standing on it and holding each end up on your shoulders.
Resistance Band
Available from the motive8 shop priced from £6 LUNGE: Another lower body winner that focusses on the thigh and glute area while also helping balance and coordination. Step forward loading the front leg and bend both knees to 90degrees and push back up extending the front leg and repeat slowly. You should be feeling the resistance through the front thigh and buttock. Do the same number of repetitions on the other leg. Progress by alternating legs.
If you are lacking in inspiration try these simple top ten outdoor exercises to ramp up your workouts:
PUSH UP: A great upper body exercise that will also strengthen the core muscles. Start lying down on your chest with your hands in line with chest and shoulders. Keep your back
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straight and your core muscles engaged and push up to extend your arms. Hold and return to the start slowly and repeat. To make the exercise easier, put your knees on the floor.
HILL SPRINT: A simple way to add resistance to your running and develop speed and power out of the blocks. Working to your maximum will put your heart rate through the roof. Find a hill…. Run up it as fast as you can to the top. Make sure you are running on your toes and your arms are working in time with your legs. Jog back down to the start and repeat as many times as you can handle.
TRAINING
BURPEE: A brilliant exercise that will build all over strength, power and cardiovascular stamina if done effectively. Start standing, crouch down hands to the ground, kick legs back so that
you are prone to the floor, drive the knees back in to the chest and jump up reaching for the sky. Land and repeat. Be careful not to let your back sag or drop to the floor. Progress by including a push up in the prone phase.
PUSH PRESS WITH BAND: A total body exercise that will start with the lower body and finish with the upper body. Brilliant for power training. Get into the same position as you were from the squat and have the band positioned under your feet and up to your shoulders. Squat as you did before and then explode upwards extending the arms at the final point. Make sure you control this on the way down and repeat.
TRICEP DIP: Designed to target the upper body and in particular the arms and shoulders. If done correctly it can really enhance your upper body performance across the board. Find a park bench or step and place your hand palm away from you, on the edge of the bench under your shoulders. Edge your bum off the bench and lower your body to the floor with your arms bending at the elbow and shoulder. Extend and repeat. Keep your chest up and back straight but remember this is an upper body exercise so the legs are merely there to anchor you. Progress by extending your legs.
STEP UP TO BENCH: To add to the lower body repertoire, step ups will work the entire lower body and improve balance and coordination. Find a park bench or high step and simply step up onto it and back down. Keep your body tall with your shoulders back and down. Try to focus the step phase being forced through the heel of the leg and don’t push up with the foot that is on the floor. Only the lead leg. ROW WITH BAND: An exercise designed to strengthen the upper back and arms works well when mirrored with push ups. Either seated or standing, loop the band around a tree or post. With each end of the band in your hands keep your chest up and shoulders back and pull the band towards your body. Hold and return to the start before repeating. Be careful that the band is secure and the object it is not sharp or loose.
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RESIDENTIAL GYM MONTAGE
motive8 has installed more health and fitness facilities for divisions of Barratt Homes than any other provider. Here is a snapshot of recent projects we have completed nationwide.
BARRATT HOMES
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A Day
Life
IN THE
Working in such a fast-paced environment, with so many different schemes all at different stages, never a day goes by when something challenging doesn’t arise. This issue we talk to motive8’s Managing Director, Nick Sadler, and discover what his day can look like.
7:00AM Start with a breakfast meeting with the other motive8 Directors to catch up on what’s happening across the business as a whole and to help ensure maximum efficiency across all planned tasks for the rest of the day.
8:00AM On the train to central London to meet with a developer. Time to reply to a few emails and read over our corporate presentation.
9:30AM Delivering a pitch about the motive8 Gym & Spa management offering to a potential new client. Today I’m up against 2 other competitors but our recent track record of wins gives me huge confidence that motive8’s progressive approach to gym design is the right one.
12:00PM Today I’m meeting with one of our suppliers to ensure we are up-to-date with all the latest products coming to the market and that we can also continue to buy equipment in at competitive prices and to acceptable lead times. The relationships we have with our suppliers are
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NICK SADLER motive8’s head of Gym & Spa Design, Managing Director
The health and fitness industry is a truly global market and one that motive8 is keen to remain an active part of. You’ve got to be in it to win it! paramount to the success of the Gym & Spa department. The prices we buy in at directly affects the gym equipment quotes that we pitch to prospective clients. Our buying power is what makes us one of the most competitive suppliers in the marketplace but those relationships need nurturing.
2:00PM With several projects being installed this month, I meet our Facilities Manager, Richard Moon, on site at one of our current installs to ensure that the process in running smoothly and that there are no issues with the deliveries. Once the equipment has been delivered, Richard and I put it into its final position, as per the agreed CAD plan, and commission all kit to ensure it’s ready for use.
4:30PM A quick dash back to the office to deal with any urgent items, that I couldn’t address whilst on the move, and to catch up with my team before they finish for the day.
5:30PM I have become an active member of several networking groups, including BNI and Trafford, and have made some invaluable contacts through these. This evening I’m in Esher, spreading the motive8 word and seeing how our services can tie in with those of other members. To date we have taken up relationships with interior designers, lighting experts, audio & visual companies and golf simulation experts to name but a few, all of whom have added valuable additions to our overall Gym & Spa Design offering.
8:00PM After a bite to eat, its out with the suitcase and packing for an overseas trip. Tomorrow I’m flying to Abu Dhabi with our Operations Director to scope out works on several projects. This year I’ve also been to France and America is just a couple of weeks away. The health and fitness industry is a truly global market and one that motive8 is keen to remain an active part of. You’ve got to be in it to win it!
A DAY IN THE LIFE HEAD TO HEAD
DAP
vs
Kinesis
Great pieces of equipment that enable functional strength training for sport & performance.
SUITABLE FOR HOME USE? Yes
SUITABLE FOR HOME USE? Yes
HIDDEN WEIGHT STACKS Yes
HIDDEN WEIGHT STACKS Yes
DUAL WEIGHT STACKS Yes - The double weight stack means each cable controls a single, independent resistance level. This allows a greater freedom of choice when defining exercises and movements.
DUAL WEIGHT STACKS Yes - The double weight stack means each cable controls a single, independent resistance level. This allows a greater freedom of choice when defining exercises and movements.
MODELS AVAILABLE 2
MODELS AVAILABLE 4
POWER MODE SYSTEM (PATENT PENDING) The innovative POWER MODE SYSTEM (patent pending) ensures a totally smooth and fluid movement, enabling users to focus firstly on increasing and maximising strength and secondly on building power and speed. The special elastic cable used in the Power Mode System counteracts the effect of inertia caused by the weight stack rebound enabling users to perform explosive exercises safely and effectively.
FULLGRAVITY™ TECHNOLOGY (PATENT PENDING) Kinesis®™ “FullGravity™ Technology” is a patent pending innovation that allows users to move tri-dimensionally whilst providing resistance to every possible movement of the human body.
ONE HAND ADJUSTMENT (PATENT PENDING) DUAL ADJUSTABLE PULLEY features a patent pending CABLE EXIT SYSTEM that enables effortless single handed adjustment. Users can select from 36 possible cable positions according to their size and exercise. The YELLOW VISUAL SET UP guides the user with making any adjustments. ERGONOMIC MULTI-ANGLE HANDLES The MULTI-ANGLE HANDLES for chin-ups offer diverse grip options to perform specific movements and engage different muscles. The integrated step makes reaching up for the handles simple. FAST SET UP Yes – the DUAL ADJUSTABLE PULLEY boasts the same ease of use, clean lines and purposeful design of the Element+ range. With Technogym’s exclusive Line of Sight the non-intimidating and open design creates a perfect stimulating training experience.
CERTIFIED FOR MEDICAL USE AND REHABILITATION? Yes - The certification of the Kinesis® One for medical and rehabilitation use is a powerful endorsement for facilities which want or need to address the needs of users who are recovering from injuries or have limited mobility. 3D PULLEY SYSTEM (PATENT PENDING) Kinesis®™ incorporates a patent pending 360° rotating pulley system which enables movement on three planes. This system allows the user to move freely without cable interference. KINESIS®™ VISUAL LEARNING The software program for the Kinesis®™ aids learning and allows users to visualise basic and advanced movements, and the introduction program. It is the ideal training tool - the Kinesis®™ Visual Learning Software allows for easy consultation and visualisation of the basic and advanced movements and introduction program for a Kinesis®™ session. FAST SET UP Yes - The handle is always ready for use and does not require any prior setting or adjustment. This allows users to start their workout and enjoy the Kinesis®™ experience immediately.
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CORPORATE
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CORPORATE GYM MONTAGE
Corporate facilities have been a huge area of growth for us this year, reinforcing that businesses are encouraging a healthy work environment.
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First Look What’s new on the shop
Soleus GO! Activity Tracker Life is a workout. The Soleus GO! Keeps track of it all. It counts your steps, features a dedicated exercise mode, and keeps track of how well you sleep. It’ll even offer up Caller ID and text message notifications from your smartphone via Bluetooth. Measure it all with the GO!
Children’s Hoody Part of a club? Why not get an m8 hoody? Warm and comfortable the m8 hoody is designed for active children. With the club printed on the back you can feel part of a team. You can even have the option of having your name or nickname printed on the arm.
Kettlebells Made to Professional Kettlebell Lifting Standards of the A.K.C (American Kettlebell Club). They have been optimally designed for kettlebell lifting. These professional grade kettlebells are suitable for exceptional athletes with great strength and fitness. They are made from steel, not brittle iron, making them virtually indestructible with super smooth finished metal handles with no ridges to reduce hand soreness.
Water Rower The solid ash wood frame with honey oak stain is finished in Danish oil. Models include an aluminum monorail design, commercial warranty and an A1 motor which is designed to be user friendly while providing ample advanced functionality. The monitor displays Time, Distance, Speed/Intensity, Stroke Rate and Heart Rate.
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Temple Spa Bronzelicious A summer must have! This wonderful product gives a gorgeous healthy sun kissed colour whatever the weather. Its water resistant properties will be perfect for those hot summer days. It’s small and compact so no mess or fuss and fits into any bag or clutch for any occasion.
WORKOUT IN STYLE Buy Now!
m8shop.co.uk