archon’s [bracket]
experts
us ess rio n Se t Fit ou ab
Written by Personal Trainers, for you! – new & Improved
dec 2019
monthly mag £3.99
MATT FORD
WIN A mammouth nights sleep
exercise burnout & addiction
Pages 32 - 33
Pages 38 - 39 find us on social
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are you looking for research dosed supplements? Introducing
A simple & effective range of what works and nothing that doesn’t, all with an awesome taste promise
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experts
WELCOME Hi and welcome to the Christmas Issue of PT Today!
Since we created PT Magazine back in 2012, (Hard to believe its been that long really) its undergone some changes in the market space. Always staying true to its brand ethos and overall commitment to be the original and best magazine for Personal Trainers in the UK. Bringing the same great content that we have for the last 7 years, but with the addition of PT Today looking to adapt the brand and take up the established mantel, carrying on the move to bigger and better things we have seen nothing but splendid growth and development in the brand.
experts 7-15
There have been some upsets, and upstarts looking to cash in on the years of hard work that we have put into the title and its brand - but these things happen! Still it will not dampen our festive spirit. With only a few weeks left of 2019 we are determined to go out with a smile. This is the first year of the new magazine front cover, how are you finding it? We are ever striving to create bigger and better covers and always love feedback from our readers. We are very happy to welcome Niamh and Rebecca to the team to work on editorial and social media providing a better service for our readers and clients alike. I would like to thank them both for the last month and wish them well for the future here at PT.
focus on 16-23
Musings aside - Happy Christmas one and all! So here we have the Christmas Issue of PT Today with same great content, new contributors and a whole heap of new articles and cool gadgets tech, training and recipes for you to look through and pass on to clients, friends and family. We are very pleased to announce a working partnership with our longstanding friends over at Archon. From when I first met Matt at LIW 2013, I have had the pleasure of watching him develop the platform from early stages to the beautiful thing that it is today. We welcome Matt to the cover of the December issue of PT and onto the expert panel within the title. Hear more about what he has to say on Pages 7, & 24-27.
features 24-41
This month I was lucky enough to get a Thriva test kit through for trial, which you may have seen over the socials. It was great fun and very much enjoyed seeing just how healthy I was. Happy to report everything was ok and with the acceptation of a months time test on my liver function (Not ideal in the run up to Christmas) there was nothing to report. I was really surprised and impressed at how quickly the test was returned and the information retained on this. We have managed to get a ÂŁ30 off code for all PT readers, just use PTTODAY30 at the checkout. Check out page 5 for info on this offer. With the PT Christmas Gift Guide back for another year, we hope that there is something for all budgets and levels of fitness, check out page 20 for more of these festive fitness treats. So as this year draws to a close, remember to be thankful for the things you have & appreciate the people around you. Try not to over indulge on the mince pies and most of all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
fitness focus 42-43
We will see you in 2020! To your health and happiness,
Myles Davies editorial director
Show Partners
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Magazine Partners
nutrition 44-53
business 54-66
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THE
CONTENTS EXPERTS 07 Matt ford
Who is Matt Ford and what drives him to do what he does?
08 ben coomber
23 clip ‘n’ climb ipswich Reviewed by PT Today’s Rebecca Gilchrist and Niamh Dunn. Rockclimbing, fun and fitness.
34-35 feel fabulous over the festive season Expert Tracy Griffen discusses how to stay on track during the festive season.
Christmas weight gain and are clients worrying?
11 tracy griffen
I’ve been PTing for over 14 years and I love motivating people to catch the fitness bug.
12 chris rock Growing up I had two passions, one was sports and the other was connecting with and understanding people.
14 richard callender Surviving the festive period as a PT.
FOCUS ON 16 2020 vision - david minton It’s now 2020, and whilst the fitness industry continues to thrive, it must continue to innovate.
On the
COVER 24-27 archon [Bracket] The bracket gives a new focus to your training every month, keeping you engaged in the gym.
Explored by expert Matt Ford
36-37 train like a cyclist An independent British UCI track team, Huub Wattbike started as four ambitious riders from Derby with the desire to compete on the world stage.
38-39 exercise burnout & addiction Exercise Burnout and Addiction: What are the signs and how can you help?
FEATURES 30-31 pro fit 18 2020 events Body power experience, bringing together everything you need to take your business & brand to the next level.
20-22 christmas gift guide The perfect Christmas gift guide including Bam Bamboo clothing, Mio post gym skincare range, Zerowater filteration jug and much more...
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Pro Fit is improving! We’re bring you more reports than ever, based on the latest research.
32-33 Win a mammouth nights sleep Sleep, health and wellbeing experts, Mammoth, have teamed up with PT Today to offer one lucky winner the chance to win one of its indulgent Shine® collection mattresses.
43 powerplate vibration Providing the ideal tools for members and clients to prepare faster, perform better and recover quicker. Power Plate, the global leader in Whole Body Vibration Training equipment for 20 years.
44 fortitude Fortitude are an Army veteran owned, UK manufacturing company, specialising in metal work, RIGs and Premium Flooring.
NUTRITION
BUSINESS
54 black bean & sweet potato soup
63 drive your pt business forward in 2020
45 jordan fitness
Recipe provided by Nichola Ludlam-Raine from Nic’s Nutrition.
Richard Tidmarsh, owner of Reach Fitness, shares his expertise to Jordan Fitness on how to open a gym and explains the five key areas to watch out for when doing so.
56-57 not all protein bars are created equal
46-47 SOFITEL KRABI PHOKEETHRA GOLF AND SPA RESORT
This month at PT Today Magazine, we were lucky enough to receive a package FULL of Pulsin goodies!
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, in the North Malé Atoll, Maldives, is to set to celebrate the festive season in style.
It’s time to widen the perception of personal training, by Liz Shaw - Health & Fitness tutor at The Training Room.
From WW, Slimming World, The Ketogenic Diet, Vegansim to the Carnivore Diet each of these methods have one thing in common, they create a calorie deficit.
58 peanut butter vegan protein fudge cups 59 mushroom cashew & tofu festive roast 60 roast vegetable soup 61 ready to party into the new year... Yeti and the Fox allows you to party hard whilst giving you the energy to keep working out come morning.
49 ROYAL LANCASTER LONDON
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69 will it be lonely this christmas? London’s Leading Life Coach, Malminder Gill offers five tips on how to combat loneliness and help others over the festive season.
71 TOTAL FITNESS APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF COMPLIANCE As it’s people powered transformation continues...
72 building an online fitness business...
As Michael Bublé would sing, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas”. Make sure you plan a luxurious Christmas with loved ones with a stay at the magical Royal Lancaster London.
50-51 sustainable clothing
64-65 the training room
67 I predict a diet
With temperatures soaring up to 30’ in December, Cambodia is the ideal farflung destination for culture, history and guaranteed sun.
48 SHERATON MALDIVES FULL MOON RESORT SPA
As a personal trainer, there are ways you can utilise that knowledge to drive your business forward.
Just got a whole lot easier! The world of online coaching may still be a complete myth to some! That’s why we’re here to stomp out any worries with some help from Jamie Alderton.
Bam Bamboo clothing discuss the sustainability of their products.
62 pump pre workout powder and capsules
74 10 minutes with josh mullin
52-53 swap your car for a bike
Containing a high number of optimally dosed active ingredients.
UK PT’s Facebook group started with 20 members, it’s now 11,000! Josh Mullin tells us his journey to success.
What would happen to your body if you swapped you car for a bike?
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experts
Matt Ford
THE
EXPERTS
Matt Ford, creator and CEO of Archon, has been successful in the fitness industry for over 20 years. Archon, is a fitness testing software for FitPros; which is the height of modern personal training technology to keep track of client progress. Read more from Matt on page 7 & more on the Archon cover from pages 24-27
Ben Coomber Ben Coomber is a nutritionist, coach, educator, and author with a UK #1 rated podcast. He has more than 12 years of success in the fitness industry under his belt, and he has coached 1000’s of people. Ben aims to inspire, teach and empower others that want to tread the same path as him. Read more from Ben on Page 8
Richard Callender Richard is a dynamic, grounded and innovative fitness professional. With 20+ years proven record of successful leisure coordination/ instruction,fitness management and training experience with a personal sport & fitness background of 30+ years.
Read more from Richard on page 14
Christopher Rock Chris Rock is managing partner for Excelsior, where he leads and educates trainers using his knowledge of the health and fitness industry; as well as, business development.
“Within the fitness industry, if we are truly to raise someone’s confidence, we have to show empathy and understanding…”
Tracy griffen Tracy Griffen has been a personal trainer for over 14 years, and has a very strong passion for motivating people to love fitness just as much as she does. She launched her fitness business in 2005, and started out by cycling to client’s homes and workplaces around Edinburgh, teaching them how to get fit without a gym.
Read more from Tracey on page 11 Read more from Chris on Page 13
PUBLISHERS
PLEASE NOTE
PT Live Limited
Points of view expressed in articles by contributing writers and in advertisements included within Personal Trainer Today Magazine, do not represent those of he publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in Personal Trainer Today Magazine, no legs responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for incidents arising from use of information published. All rights including moral rights reserved.
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Competition T&C’s Competitions open to residents of the UK only except employees and relations of the publisher. All entries must be aged 18 year or over. One entry per person. Only complete entries will be counted. Prizes subject to suppliers terms and conditions, and cannot be exchanged. Winners agree to have their name and town (example: John Smith, Ipswich), printed in future issues to promote the prize winners. Editors decision is final.
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COPYRIGHT No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrievable system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior writers content of the publishers. PT Today Ltd.
Editor
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experts
WHO IS MATT FORD AND WHAT DRIVES HIM TO DO WHAT HE DOES I’ve never really considered myself an expert in fitness but I wanted to leave my mark on an industry that I love, and have been involved in in one way or another for just over 20 years. After seeing people unable to understand their own level of fitness due to comparing themselves against unrealistic benchmarks I had a kind of epiphany of sorts and knew that my mission in fitness was to create a way that someone could evaluate their fitness and personal performance. The journey started whilst I was with Hammer Strength, I had seen what a good trainer looked like, what skill set they had, how they programmed their clients and players in order to get the very best from them. However, the one thing they lacked was an accurate way in which to assess how fit they were. They used arbitrary benchmarks or normative data; nothing was personalised and so I set about creating a system that would allow them to accurately assess the current and future ability of both the professional and everyday athletes they look after. I was inspired by Jon Gordon and his books, they taught me that when you create something you need to do it to inspire others, by truly caring about the details of what you produce you can change lives. I had run a successful company for over 13 years with Don Goodman (ex Wolves and
West Brom player), educating people to become Personal Trainers but now, I needed to look at fitness from a different perspective. I needed to look at it from the angle of the girl in the gym that thinks she’s weaker than her boyfriend because she doesn’t lift as much on the bar, or the older guy running on a treadmill slower than the 23-year old college student beside him. Allowing them to realise that fitness isn’t about load lifted or speed, it’s a personal reflection of what they can do right now and what they are capable of in the future. Luckily, I had built up a lot of friends in fitness who were able to help me. I’d worked with some of the best educators, coaches and trainers who could offer advice on my mission and a route to creating what I believe to be the only true way to measure fitness.
myself. I created alliances with national governing bodies such as British Weightlifting and British Rowing so that when we gave advice on how to lift or row it was coming from a place of great expertise and experience. I have tried to adopt the same rule to everything in my life.
I see success not in money or possessions, but in leaving a legacy. I want my legacy to be the way others view their ability. I want one day for someone to say that Archon changed the way they trained; it changed the way they viewed their fitness. I want my stubbornness to finish to be the start of their journey to a fitter life. Email matt.ford@archon-app.com Website archon-app.com Instagram @archonapp
It took longer than I thought, I shut myself away months in order to create algorithms and assess data. Ross Edgley (legend) said “be stupid enough to start something, and stubborn enough to finish”. That’s how I felt about my fitness industry mission.
I know my own strengths and weaknesses really well, I understood that from the very start of the process I was always going to seek validation from people better positioned that
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Discounts for all PT Today readers Using the following code PTT20 This gives every PT that uses the code 20% discount on the cost of the Bracket
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experts
CHRISTMAS WEIGHT GAIN ARE CLIENTS WORRYING? – ben coomber This Christmas we will lose count of how many blog posts we’ll see on How To Not Get Fat This Holiday Season, yet clients will be panicking nonetheless. Say no to the chocolates & drink green tea, go for a walk, & swap a roast potato for a carrot. Why is Christmas such a big weight gain deal, seriously?
that I’ve eaten too much. The week after Christmas I’ll simply eat a little less and dial things back in. That doesn’t mean I go on a magic juice diet and starve myself for a week - it just means I’ll behave, see the environment coming, make a plan, embrace the occasion, and deal with it when it’s over.
I ask because my Christmas is fun, and enjoyable. There is plenty of food and drink involved, but it’s only around 4-5 days of indulgence. Your clients have got the Christmas staff party? That’s 1 occasion. Christmas drinks with different friend groups? That’s 3 more occasions. Then Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & Boxing Day? 3 more occasions. And finally New Year’s Eve? Another occasion to add. Some will have more, some will have less; let’s call it 8 occasions tops.
Now don’t get me wrong I will employ a few strategies to minimise the damage. Why? Because I love my body and I have no reason or desire to treat it like trash. I value my health too much to eat what I want when I want. So in the times when I’m going to eat a bit more I’ll do these key things:
Why is this important to note?
Ignore all the little things that can add up, like peanuts and chocolates being passed around the family.
The simple fact is that if you eat a lot of food and don’t do a lot of movements, you’re going to put on weight. The problem is, what people then use this for is an excuse to eat whatever they want when they want for the whole season. If your clients are one of the ‘Christmas bingers’, then what does that say about their love for their body? Guess what I’m not going to do after Christmas? I’m not going to cry into my avocado and toast with rife guilt
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Have a lighter breakfast to save some of the calories for later.
Get outside and go for long dog walks to keep my activity as high as possible, plus it’s a great way to catch up with family and talk, especially if it’s a nice cold crisp day.
Keep going to the gym / doing some training (unless I feel I want to rest and have a break), keep the energy
burning and to minimise the over indulgence.
Keep a lid on the alcohol, I only ever have 2-3 drinks otherwise I feel tired the next day, and I hate feeling tired.
So yes I’m the health guy that will employ a few tricks to minimise the weight gain over Christmas, but I’m also realistic about it. Embrace it, and enjoy it with zero guilt. Christmas is not a month of binge eating, it’s 5-8 days of greater indulgence than normal. Give your clients the confidence and strategies to embrace it and enjoy it. The biggest barrier clients have is how they react and behave in social and family situations, so while you can discuss what to do and not to do, ensure you discuss the realities of their environment and what it’s like to say NO to Grandma when she offers you the last slice of rich butter pudding!
Love learning about nutrition? Learn more with our free 5-day nutrition coaching course, simply visit www. btn.academy and sign up in the orange box.
Happy Xmas, Ben Coomber Follow me online at @bencoomber
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experts
TRACY GRIFFEN
Hi, I’m Tracy & I’m a Personal Trainer. I’ve been PT-ing for over 14 years, and I love motivating people to catch the fitness bug. Whether you are completely new to exercise, or if you’d like to optimise your current programme, I can help. My favourite workouts are highly effective exercises that can be done anywhere – you don’t need to set foot in a gym. It’s my job to make it easy for you to get fit! About Tracy Back in 2002 I qualified as a fitness instructor, and then further as a Personal Trainer with additional Exercise to Music (aerobics and aqua aerobics). I launched my fitness business in 2005, initially riding my bike to client’s homes and workplaces around Edinburgh, teaching them how to get fit without a gym. Things got so
busy that I opened my private studio just off Leith Walk in 2010, continuing to specialise in helping people exercise where they please, outdoors or indoors. Whether you’re looking to tone up, improve your running (from beginners to ultra-marathons), implement a strength programme, recover postinjury or illness, I have a wealth of experience and a natural empathy that means I can help you. In the 1990’s I cooked in commercial kitchens, both in Scotland and Australia, and I consider nutrition an important part of any fitness programme. In 2012 I completed REPS Level 4 Qualification of Advanced Nutrition and Sports Supplementation. In 2010 I wrote the Healthy Living Yearbook, 196 pages of healthy eating and seasonal exercise ideas. I’ve hosted numerous workshops, from the Fit Festival at the Assembly Rooms,
to sharing the bill with Chris Boardman at the Etape Caledonia Cycle race talks. Waterstone’s, Blackwell bookshops plus various boardrooms across the capital have provided venues for my talks. I’ve been writing for local magazines The Leither, Bite, Trinity Spotlight and Newtown View for over a decade, plus national magazines like Women’s Running, Ultra-Fit, Fitnorama and PT Magazine and blogs including MeMeMe – regular research keeps me at the forefront of the fitness industry. I can cut through the ‘white noise’ and tell you what you need to know. Contact W: griffenfitness.com E: tracy@griffenfitness.com T: 07743 741 088 @griffenfitness on Facebook @tracygriffen on Twitter
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experts
CHRIS ROCK Name Chris Rock Job Title Managing Partner Company Excelsior Website edt.education Years in industry I stopped counting after a decade and a half! Why did you decide to work in the fitness industry and what is your background? Growing up I had two passions, one was sports and the other was connecting with and understanding people. At University I studied Sport and Exercise Science, and this combined with my interest in Psychology, determined my future career! What are your key learnings from working in the industry globally in 2019? How can we learn from this? The global industry is rapidly maturing and there is definitely a growing customer desire for ‘life-experiences’. This combined with people’s expectations to pay less for the products they need (because there’s so many options) while paying more for ‘offerings’ they really want (niche products), means businesses are having to differentiate like never before.
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If you are offering anything more than a basic product or service, you have to know who your customer is (who you are appealing to) and what your performance is (how you add value and how you deliver through interactions and engagements) whilst understanding your materials (i.e. your tools / equipment you use to tell your story). How is the industry’s approach to education changing? The industry is starting to recognise that there are several aspects to learning and development, especially where a performance culture is the expectation. With education being the transfer of knowledge, training being the application of the required skills and coaching being about developing the person (making them competent), there is now more recognition that each of these elements need to be focused upon, resulting in greater adherence for the industry at large. What are your predictions for the future of fitness education? We are well aware of the time constraints and barriers to educating face to face, and with digital platforms available, on-demand learning can be extremely
beneficial when utilised at the right time. For example, if a person requires a transfer of knowledge or information then our belief is that digital education will be the go-to method for fitness professionals to remain current, effective, and consistent with their communication. Whereas, when skills and behaviour change are required, we will likely see more focus on development through face to face training, mentoring and coaching practices. In summary, a blended approach to education (mix of digital and face to face) is key to the development of individuals within our industry. How will this impact Personal Trainers & Health Clubs and what do they need to do to be future proof? We are beginning to follow other industries and sectors who encourage and facilitate digital micro-learning on a daily basis, combined with regular training sessions and continual coaching. I believe that in order to future proof, businesses need to start looking at how best to deliver the necessary knowledge, skills and development opportunities by blending regular, bite sized digital education with a face to face training and coaching strategy for the best possible results.
PR OT E S T.E U
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SURVIVING THE FESTIVE PERIOD – Richard Callender
With the excitement of the festive season, the annual Christmas TV adverts behind us and the imminent sales rush of the New Year appearing over the horizon. Thousands of fitness professionals have been taking some well deserved downtime before the ‘New Year, New You’ rush. At least, that should have been the plan. No matter what 2019 did for your business or how you would like 2020 to go, it is vital to take time out at the end of the year (or early at the start of the new) to rest, recover, summarise and plan ahead. The festive period is not just a season of goodwill to others, it should always be a period of goodwill to yourself and the development of your business. Also remember that the festive season has always been at the same time each year. It is no longer a surprise. You should have planned for it. Nonetheless, while the masses are on the slow slide to confectionary box hell, you should be keeping things ticking over with your business and enabling yourself the best chance of hitting the ground running in the New Year when people suddenly ‘click back into gear’. Read on for some simple 30 minutes ideas that you can add to your ‘PT toolbox’ and may help make a difference.
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Be clear with your Planning You should write down a 5 minute list of all your business ‘wins’ of the previous year, then take 5 more minutes to list all the challenges that affected your business in a negative way and finally use the remaining 20 minutes to create a blueprint list of how you will continue with the positive and create solutions to minimise the effect the challenges had on you. Spring clean your Image Look at yourself, your image, your branding, your marketing, your social media persona and the language you use. Does it match with the clients you train or wish to train? Are you following the crowd and forgetting that your strengths lay in your being an individual? Often masses of fitpros are influenced by the few and this can seriously harm your ability to run a successful business. The high quality, professional shots of the topless 25yr old PT working out on the Miami beach will get likes, but mimicking that shot in the hope of gaining new face-to-face business as a 45yr old in Colwyn Bay may not be the best business tactic and could distance you further from business. Take 30 minutes (a day until completed) to ‘spring clean’ your social
media of memes, pics, posts that could hamper your chance to be considered as a potential investment for someone. How much do you want to Earn? So many PTs work hard, day in and day out, without ever taking the time to plan on what they want to earn that year. If you can take 30 minutes to write down what you NEED to earn to survive (mortgage, rent, bills, travel, gym rent, fuel, etc), then you can calculate how best to reach that goal as a minimum and exceed that goal for the progression of your business. Example - £30k is £2500 per calendar month; £2500 is £625 per week; £625 at £30 per hour is 21 hours work per week; 21 hours per week could be a blend of 1:2:1 PT, small group training, group fitness or online coaching. Ask questions? Do not be afraid to ask questions to your friends, family or followers to gain a greater insight into how you could run your business differently or more effectively. Spend 30 mins (directly or create an email questionnaire) asking them about their needs, likes, dislikes, goals, spending practices and use this information to develop your business. Never assume.
the ultimate team challenge
THE SNOWDONIA CHALLENGE Saturday 27 June 2020 NEW FOR 2020:
Option to self-fund your costs and fundraise for the charity of your choice.
The race is on Cycle 40 miles Climb Snowdon Canoe Llyn Gwynant For more information and to register online:
www.dream-challenges.com t: 01590 646410 e: events@dream-challenges.com
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focus on
2020 VISION – David Minton It’s now 2020, and whilst the fitness industry continues to thrive, it must continue to innovate.
1. Design: Trendy and inclusive boutique studio design flowing into all fitness facilities.
accelerating support to help newbies and therefore expanding the reach of the industry.
I have set out what we might see in the fitness industry next year if we can accelerate our rate of innovation. I believe that 2020 might be all about how technology impacts the fitness consumer.
2. Environment: Environmental impact ensuring fitness brands promote their sustainable credentials along with their energy efficiency.
6. Wellness: Fitness companies incorporating wellness into all aspects of their brand such as deep breathing, active silence and meditation.
3. Boomerlennials: Experiences for both Baby Boomers and Millennials merging and stopping industry ageism.
7. Fitainment: Fitness, entertainment and experiences coming together as the consumer demands ever more fitainment in their lives.
Could a PT receive signals on our emotional wellbeing and behaviour traits in real-time and then tailor our daily workouts to optimise our fitness gains, no matter the state of mind? What do I think we could see in fitness in 2020?
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4. Gamification: Gamification growing as more people reward actions and ‘share’ their activity with others all over the world. 5.
Empowerment:
Fitness
brands
8. AI: Virtual Reality, AI and machine learning enhancing and improving workout experiences.
focus on
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2020 EVENTS Body Power “The Definitive Event for the Fitness & Training Industry and those that lead a Healthy & Active Lifestyle”. BodyPower Experience is a unique event. Bringing together everything you need to take your business or brand to the next level. At the heart of the industry, BodyPower has played a role in launching as well as being a major catalyst for world renowned brands in the clothing, nutrition, supplement and fitness markets. For more information visit www.bodypower.com
ELEVATE “The UK’s Leading Physical Activity Trade Show” This multi-billion pound industry continues to gather momentum as the public better understand the importance of being active. Now in its 5th year Elevate has quickly become the must attend event for thousands of public and private sector decision makers, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals and sport scientists. In 2020 they will meet with hundreds of leading suppliers across six new exhibition sectors.
FIBO “The World’s Biggest Trade Show for Fitness, Wellness and Health”
Coming to the Exhibition Centre in Cologne is the FIBO Global Fitness event. Running between the 2nd and 5th of April 2020. FIBO is an expo trade show, all about sports, nutrition & a healthier lifestyle. The event deals with thousands of dealers, manufacturers, distributors, and consumers from all over the world. For more information visit www.fibo.com/en
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focus on
CHRISTMAS 2019 GIFT GUIDE AMBIENCE APOTHECARY’S CBD SKINCARE RANGE Give the gift of CBD this winter for a calming sensation and a luxurious glow EOS Scientific present their new range for this season’s perfect stocking filler The products of the Ambience Apothecary range include; HARMONY & CALM BODY OIL (£55) Rich in Coconut Oil that increases the elasticity of skin, whilst keeping it soft, the Body Oil contains Lavender and Geranium to help soothe and calm the skin for luxurious nourishment. This is the ideal product to apply as part of the bed-time routine. SOOTHE & RELIEVE MUSCLE BALM (£45) This balm is infused with both Camphor and Rosemary for their respective anti-inflammatory and muscle warming properties. The Muscle Balm is best applied directly onto tired & aching muscles for instant relief. UPLIFT AND CLEANSE FOOT AND LEG CREAM (£45) An invigorating foot and leg cream, energising essential oils of peppermint and bergamot will relieve tired feet and legs, while the shea butter base will hydrate a dryer skin. Perfect for dry or cracked heels. INDULGE & NOURISH BODY BUTTER (£60) A richly nourishing and luxurious body butter. Shea butter is infused with essential oils of patchouli, palmarosa and sunflower seed to hydrate and calm the skin.
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INDULGE & NOURISH RADIANCE FACE CREAM (£50) This daily moisturiser will help hydrate and boost the skins natural glow. Ginger root promotes radiance, anti-oxidant rich blackcurrant seed and rosemary protect, while turmeric firms and evens the skin tone. Ambience Apothecary’s natural and organic formulas are free from animal testing, do not use petrochemicals, mineral oils or parabens. All of the collections are suitable for vegetarians.
BAM BAMBOO CLOTHING HOODED LONG SLEEVE BAMBOO TOP £59.00 The lightweight cosiness of a hoody combined with all the benefits of bamboo – plus a welter of performanceboosting details. ZIP DETAIL BAMBOO SWEAT £65.00 Using our ultrasoft 285gsm bamboo sweat, this versatile men’s sweat top is a performance piece you can also trek into town in. HIGH WAIST 7/8 ENDURO BAMBOO LEGGINGS £50 Supportive superhero leggings – now with a smoother, sleeker fit and ankle-flattering 7/8 length. In new season colours and prints to turn heads. SIDE POCKET ENDURO BAMBOO LEGGINGS £50 A legend for legs, these 7/8 Enduro bamboo leggings are now even more practical and stylish. If you want to wear them all day, every day, we understand.
BIO-SYNERGY PLATINUM CBD 1000MG, 10% RSP £69.00 Non GMO. Gluten Free. THC Free. Vegan. LGC Tested. Bio-Synergy Platinum CBD extract for mind & body. CO2 extraction method. Full Spectrum.10ml Oil contains 1000mg (10%) CBD extract.
ION8 LEAK-PROOF WATER BOTTLE THE ION8 LEAK-PROOF 1 LITRE BOTTLE IS AVAILABLE IN A RANGE OF COLOURS FROM £13.89 AT AMAZON. Leakproof and great to hydrate. The ION8 Leak-Proof is the perfect water bottle to keep up your water intake. With it’s 100% leak-proof lid you won’t spill a drop and ruin anything in your bag. With a textured grip you won’t drop it and with its innovative OneTouch lid you can unlock and drink one handed, so ideal for on the move, in the gym or cycling.
MIO SKINCARE FOR POST-GYM RECOVERY Mio’s products can help your body and mind after an intense (but great) session at the gym! Give yourself that reward; you deserve it. We will be trying out this range very soon, and the verdict will be featured in the December issue of the magazine! MIO SKINCARE LIQUID YOGA TRAVEL SIZE DUO, £16.00 In-between show bliss Liquid Yoga Space Spray 53ml:Packed with essential oils to calm, de-stress and rebalance, Liquid Yoga can be spritzed on pulse points, the room around you, or pillows for instant zen.
focus on LIQUID YOGA BATH SOAK 50ML
BCAA – GIN & TONIC £20.99
Relax and calm your busy mind; ease hard-working muscles and restore your body with our perfect milkymoisturising blend of essential oils, mineral salts and herbs.
Our powerful BCAA blend is perfect for any goal as it aids muscle repair and recovery, now offered in Gin & Tonic flavour meaning you can enjoy a post-gym tipple without the headache.
Helps ease tense, tired muscles, Calms, restores and re-centres MIO SKINCARE POST-GYM PARTNERS £38.00 Reward your body after a strenuous workout with Mio Skincare’s Post-Gym Partners. Combining a detoxifying body wash with a soothing gel that instantly alleviates sore, tired muscles, the duo offers the essentials for your post-exercise cleansing ritual. GLOW GOALS BODYCARE COLLECTION, £38.00 Create youthful and radiant skin from head to toe with the Mio Glow Goals Bodycare Collection. The gift combines facial grade bodycare with Ayuderva to restore hydration, health and radiance for younger-looking results. MIOSKINCARE.CO.UK.
MY PROTEIN Myprotein has added a brand new, innovative pre-workout product to its elite PRO range, with THE Pump. Available in either a capsule format or powder blend and, as well as having zero added caffeine, THE Pump contains the first EU use of patented VASO6 technology proven to give powerful muscle pumps while supporting cardiovascular health. THE Pump is available as a 60 pill pot for £19.99 or 20 serving powder tub in either Rainbow Candy or Orange Mango for £26.99.
6 LAYER BAR – WHITE GOLD £23.99 After the incredible success of Myprotein’s proprietary 6 Layer Bar, the next iteration has been released. White Gold, with two layers of protein, a layer of caramel, and soy nuggets, covered in indulgent white chocolate, topped with golden-white chocolate and caramel curls. This is a post-workout treat that won’t hurt your macros. PEANUT BUTTER CUPS VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER CUPS £24.49 Our alternative to this much-loved classic, high protein chocolate cups with a nutty peanut centre. Offered in both vegan and non-vegan forms, these snack swaps contain over 6g of protein per cup, all for less than 4g of sugar. PROTEIN TRUFFLES £7.99 12 individually wrapped, indulgent chocolate coated bitesize protein truffles with an irresistibly smooth filling. Each with 2.6g of protein and only 1g of sugar per truffle.
IMPACT WHEY PROTEIN – CHOCOLATE & CHILLI £21.99 Protein powder goes dark; this new limited-edition development perfectly matches decadently smooth chocolate with a kick of chilli. Building on the craze for this flavour combination throughout the confectionery industry. VEGAN CARAMEL FILLED COOKIE £24.99 The next step up from Myvegan’s bestselling baked protein cookies, these pocket sized treats are filled with indulgent caramel. Low in sugar and high in protein makes these cookies a gooey, guilt-free, treat.
SOLID COLOGNE UK Solid Cologne UK is a solid wax based cologne/aftershave for men. Made with natural wax and skin friendly cologne which is applied directly on to the skin. Using the highest quality of natural ingredients including; Beeswax, Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil, keeping your skin hydrated, moisturised, soft and protected has never been so easy thanks to Solid Cologne.
ALEXANDER £14.99 FROM SOLIDCOLOGNE.CO.UK Enjoy Solid Cologne’s best-selling Alexander fragrance, a stunningly sweet, rich and sophisticated scent. From application you can instantly recognise the scent of fresh grapefruit, leading to the heart of aromatic bay leaf and jasmine. Meanwhile it’s woody base includes notes of patchouli, oak moss and ambergris. A truly unforgettable cologne for a truly modern man!
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focus on XAVIER £14.99 FROM SOLIDCOLOGNE. CO.UK
falling down and provides compressionstyle support.
A refreshing, deep and strongcologne, perfect for those who are looking for a sweet yet seductive scent. Xavier consists of lemon with notes of lavender and patchouli which enhance the night floral backdrop of this fragrance. Base notes of vetiver and incense.
The luxury materials are lightweight and soft – you’ll barely feel the socks on your feet, super stretchy quality fabric provides the perfect fit with no bunching, a hand stitched toe area and flatlock seams won’t chafe or rub.
MAGNUS £14.99 FROM SOLIDCOLOGNE. CO.UK A strong, clean and woody cologne. This stunning and elegant cologne is an instant hit from the go. The fragrance starts with a fresh, citrusy notes of grapefruit and lime. SIKANDER COSTS £17.99 FROM SOLIDCOLOGNE.CO.UK The cologne has fresh and citrusy top notes, followed by warm and spicy middle notes including geranium, cinnamon and cloves. Base notes involves of sandalwood, vetiver, cedarwood and musk.
YETI & THE FOX A hangover prevention product. Its ingredients are glutathione which is a naturally stored antioxidant that plays a significant role in promoting health and increased energy, helping you to feel great the morning after your night out.
Each box contains 7 pairs of cycle socks, one for each day of the week. Each pair of socks has a different pattern, mesh ventilation panels provide breathability, intelligent moisture transport system ensures feet stay dry and comfortable and prevents blisters, doublelayer reinforced cuff stops the socks from
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ZeroWater’s first layer of filtration, activated carbon and oxidation reduction alloy removes the chlorine taste you are familiarised to with tap water. The Ion Exchange stage removes virtually all dissolved solids that may be left over from public water systems or even leached into your water from piping such as Aluminium, Lead, Zinc, Nitrate and more. Three additional stages are included to remove other contaminants and to ensure your water receives the appropriate amount of treatment time to deliver a “000” reading on your water quality meter. ZeroWater’s 12-cup water filtration jug is the first in its class to have a sealed lid and reservoir, making it possible to pour water that has already been filtered without spilling water that’s still filtering. This means the reservoir can now be kept full, adding two-extra cups capacity to the existing 10-cup design. This pitcher features an ergonomic, space-saving design perfect for mini-fridges or for users who prefer a lightweight pitcher.
1 night out - £6.00 2 nights out - £9.99 6 nights out - £25.99 12 nights out - £50.99
SUNDRIED WEEKLY CYCLE SOCKS SUNDRIED CYCLE SOCKS £50
removes more than other brands, leaving you with the best possible tap water, whilst saving you money on bottled water in the process.
ZEROWATER FILTRATION WATER JUG ZeroWater is the only water filter that removes 99.6% of dissolved solids in tap water; the equivalent of purified bottled water. By Contrast, Brita Maxtra Filters leave over half behind. ZeroWater has a unique 5 stage filter, which
12-CUP PITCHER £39.99 FROM ZEROWATER.CO.UK
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CLIP 'N’ CLIMB IPSWICH – rebecca gilchrist, editorial & social at pt today PT Today’s Rebecca Gilchrist and Niamh Dunn checked out the largest Clip ‘n Climb in the world!
Rock climbing is an activity that you may associate with fun more than fitness; though exercise should always be enjoyable! Before climbing, I had a preconception that it was not going to be too strenuous to make my way up the walls. This was soon proved wrong after the first climb. My whole body was engaged; upper body muscles including back and arms, as well as, lower body muscles of the core, quads and calves to stabilize the body. This made for a fantastic workout that will build those muscles used, as well as being a form of cardio by really getting the heart rate up! Don’t underestimate the power of rock climbing!
After our short safety briefing, we made our way into the arena. It only took a couple of goes to get the hang of the clipping, and the fact that it is pretty much impossible to climb without clipping in, or when there is someone else climbing, really sold us. When we spoke with director Mark Patterson, Clip ‘n Climb seem to have ticked all the boxes with safety. With the clipping system, down to the speed that the rope retracts on the speed climbs. This ensures that the rope does not slack if you are a fast climber.
Accessibility is really important to us, so we were thrilled when we found out that anyone can Clip ‘n Climb. It is suitable for all ages and sizes; the harness can hold up to 200kg, and there are special harnesses for toddlers! Clip ‘n Climb offer a range of sessions for different groups of people, such as toddlers, GCSE PE students, people with disabilities and their carers as well as university students. Adults and children alike, everyone loves it! Clip ‘n Climb Ipswich are already fully booked for corporate parties over Christmas & and event called ‘Climb & Dine’ is really popular with all visitors. The partnership Clip ‘n Climb have with Paddy & Scott’s cafe is perfect for this, with the carefully designed layout of the cafe so customers can enjoy looking over the main climbing floor. We both decided The
Leap of Faith was too scary, but Niamh and I did brave Europe’s highest-vertical drop slide. This was brilliant fun, being pulled up then letting go when we could no longer hold on, and sliding down the huge slide. However, we recommend doing this activity at the beginning of the session as you will have more strength at the beginning of your session rather than the end. To get the best experience, do the drop slide when you are feeling your strongest.
To Clip ‘n Climb it is just £12.50 for 1.5 hours - 25 minute brief, 1 hour climb. There are 42 different challenges to choose from! We had the best time climbing, there was always something different to try next. It was also great that we were left to our own devices without the pressure of an instructor, but they were never far away if we needed help. I left my ice-picks up the ‘ice mountain’ wall - oops!
Overall, we could not fault our experience at Clip ‘n Climb Ipswich. Doing our climb in Winter showed us that, as an indoor climbing center, Clip ‘n Climb is fantastic for when the afternoons get dark sooner, or if it’s a miserable day. There’s only so many times you can go swimming after school - get climbing instead!
When we walked in to Clip ‘n Climb Ipswich, we were blown away by how magnificent the center is. Everything was built to perfection; from the arcade, to the cafe, and to the arena itself. Despite having so many walls to choose from, the space was not crowded or squashed together. With a maximum capacity of 60 participants per session, the arena does not feel cramped and there is no queueing to climb.
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THE BRACKET A conversation about the Bracket – We caught up with Matt Ford, sat in a room, coffee in hand and discussed why anyone should enter the Bracket. What is it? The Bracket is a really simple concept, we announce every month a new focus for your training, one month might be rowing, then strength, followed by some aerobic conditioning work, you never know, and that’s kind of the beauty of it. Everyone gets bored going to gym, so this is a way to keep them engaged. It’s designed to sit alongside what you already do, not replace it.
It’s for a whole year, right? Between January and September a new event is released every month. The first will be released on 31st of December 2019 ready for you to start on the 1st January 2020. This carries on in the same format all the way up until September.
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The last week of every month is when you are required to post your best result into the Bracket. October brings with it the Lockdown which is where the 64 highest scoring people enter the final Bracket. They will then be seeded and compete head to head through 6 rounds until we end up the best everyday athlete to have performed throughout the entire Bracket.
events are there to give you something to work toward, so everyone will know by now that the January event is the 500m Row. We also give you a dedicated program each month based around the event, in this case by British Rowing to follow to achieve a PB. We want you to feel a part of something and most importantly to improve throughout your time within the Bracket.
So, is a great way to start my New Year fitness resolution?
What’s the point if I can’t lift as much, or row as fast as someone else?
It is, but you can join the Bracket at any time throughout the year, if you miss the first few months then you can always catch up, for those wanting to get into the Lockdown, they will need to have recorded an input for all 9 of the events, but they could do them all in September if they really wanted to.
The way that Archon works out your score to input is kind of like having a golf handicap. It looks at your performance and then gives you a score in relation to your age, weight, height, gender and in some cases even your wingspan. So, you don’t have to lift or run faster than someone else in order to get a better score. Doing it this way means that everyone can compete on the same (metaphoric) playing field. If you’re a beginner, or just rubbish at a particular month’s event then your score probably
What is the purpose of the Bracket? Try to think of the first 9 months or the mass participation stage (MPS) as a way to give meaning to your training. The
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won’t be very good, but that’s ok. That’s when you use the Bracket to identify your weaknesses and subsequently what you need to do more of in the gym in order to get better. No one should feel like because they are older that they can’t compete, or because they are female, they aren’t strong enough, or bigger so they aren’t fast. Everything about the Bracket means we don’t care about what you look like, we just care about what you can do. It’s pretty unlikely I’m going to get into the Lockdown, so why bother? Only the top 64 will get into the Lockdown and undoubtedly, they will be probably be very athletic and have been training for a while. But remember, they started somewhere and so you need to use the Bracket as your starting point. See it as a discovery of your own level of fitness, what’s good, what needs to be better. This will help you to create a program to follow in the gym that will give you real results. You can also use your results from the Bracket in 2020 to compare against future Brackets scores so you can see just how well you’re doing. And never say never about getting into the top 64, it might be that all 9 events are something you happen to be really good at. Ok so, what’s the Lockdown? How does it work? Just in case I do make it in. The Lockdown is the competitive part, it’s the aspirational element if you want
to see it like that. If you get in you get seeded 1 to 64 and entered into the final Bracket. You’ll get a new event every round to post and will go head to head this time against another person, so number 1 will go against the 64th ranked person, number 2 against 63 and so on. Remember though, this might not mean lifting more than the other person, it’s about increasing your score to beat theirs. That might mean you adjust your weight to increase your power to weight ratio which in turn increases your score without actually having to put more weight on the bar or go faster on the bike. It’s this that makes the Bracket so exciting, the difference between the number 1 and number 64 will be negligible and so there will be upsets. How do you control if someone is cheating in the Lockdown? They have to be verified in each round of the Lockdown. Participants will have to send in a video of their event attempt ensuring they meet the set criteria, our coaches will then validate it and if they pass, and results in a higher score than their opponent, they move to the next round. How many rounds are there? We start off with the Round of 64, then the Round of 32, the Super 16, the Big 8, the Elite 4 and then the Top 2. They then go head to head and one will emerge the winner. So, if I win what do I get?
You get to be the first ever winner of the Bracket so that’s kind of cool. As with all competitions you will also receive some cash, but you also get a 12-month contract to be a PAS Nutrition Ambassador. If you’re not already qualified you get to enrol on an online Level 2 and 3 Personal Trainer Qualification with Premier Global, as well as lots of other goodies supplied by the likes of British Rowing, British Weightlifting, Exigo and other top named fitness brands. If I don’t get in to the Lockdown but I’ve been in the Bracket since January what do I do from September to the next years Bracket? You will still be able to do the events, and see your scores but you just won’t be in the final Lockdown. It might be that some of your scores might actually beat those in the final as it’s something you’re super good at, which should spur you on to next year. If I were a PT, would I use this for me or for my clients? As a personal trainer or coach, you should always be looking for ways to engage with your clients and keep them motivated. Also, giving them a focal point to their training every month helps to retain them when it comes to renewing your services. At the end of the day, the job of a PT or Coach is to get results and the best way to show that is via progression across various aspects of their fitness. What better way to show your clients are progressing
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on the cover under your tutor ledge than by seeing them PB every event within the Bracket. Using those PB’s as content for your Instagram or Facebook, and showing their journey as a success story can help to attract potential new clients. Not everyone wants the ‘shred’, more and more people are valuing performance over aesthetics so let’s make everyone work better rather than just look better. It’s also a great idea to enter yourself for the exact same reasons as for your clients, only you’ll get the benefit personally, so win, win. Sweet, I love it, I’m in. register?
How do I
To take part you just need to go to archoncombine.com/bracket and you’ll be able to sign up there. From a PT’s perspective, if you want to look at buying in bulk for your clients or even becoming a Bracket Ambassador, where you have a discount code to use and receive a kickback then contact katie .ford @ a rc ho nc o mb i n e . co m. This allows trainers to take advantage of their following on all social media channels or those who only work online with big client bases.
Fab, so can a PT, Coach or Club actually make money using the Bracket? Yes they can, we’ve got trainers who have set up Bracket focused Small Group Training (SGT) Sessions at their club or over a dedicated weekend that they charge for. This is a great way to get say 10 people together to all do the event at the same time and receive live hints and tips from the coach about how to improve. Clubs can do this
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to increase the social aspect to their membership. Remember, the last week of every month will be when everyone included in the Bracket will be required to register their attempts and so this is an ideal time to set up SGT sessions, coaching clinic or a club wide testing week. I’m sure there are lots of other ways that PT’s and Clubs will come up with in order to create a revenue stream from the Bracket, and that’s cool, as long as the end user has a great experience and gets shows improvement then it’s all good by us.
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A R C H O N – T H E S TO R Y Our story starts with a question that was, and still is begging to be answered. How fit am I? It’s perhaps the most difficult question anyone will ever try to answer. There is often no frame of reference or they compare themselves to unrealistic goals, those of someone younger, older, bigger or smaller which leads to an unrealistic view of their own ability. This is dangerous and often demotivating if I believe that I am not as good as someone else, or that I don’t even belong in the gym in the first place. We wanted to let everyone have the ability to know how well they are doing, what their potential is or simply that they are just better than they were before, and to do that we had to break down a lot of stereotypes and misconceptions. Ignoring the noise The fitness industry is full of noise. Everyone has an opinion on everything and it causes a conflict of information being delivered to the general public. Everyone once believed that to determine your body composition you used Body Mass Index (BMI). Luckily, we
now know that this is perhaps the worst way to look at body composition and that it often has no reflection of what your physical weight is made up of and so gives an inaccurate result. We know that calorie deficit is the key to effective weight loss, so why is it then that we still haven’t been able to answer the original question of how fit you are? If no one else was going to answer it, then we thought we might as well have a crack at it. Let’s keep this super simple, to find out how fit you are you need to get in the gym and data yourself up. We live in a data driven world and your fitness is no different, only the number of steps on your Apple Watch or the number of calories on your Fitbit is only a part of the story. How do these devices let you know if you are strong? How do they let you know how much a 35-yearold female who weighs 60kg standing at 5ft 8inches should be deadlifting? They don’t. If you want to see consistent progress in the gym you need data. You need a way to tell you how good your deadlift is now and how much you need to lift in order to progress. Or how good your times are on a 5km run and how much faster you need to go in order to post a PB. Get data, use data, get results, get data again, it’s the new circle of gym life, just make sure you’re getting the right data in the first place. So, you actually have to do some stuff to find out your fitness When trying to work out how fit you are you need to put in the work, you can’t tell your fitness by standing on a machine, you need to run, lift, row and jump in order to see what you are capable of and then work out how good or bad that is in order to assess your own level of fitness.
onfeatures the cover You should be driven by data The gym should be all about ‘you’. How good ‘your’ deadlift is, what do ‘you’ need to do to get better, using data, how does ‘your’ program help ‘you ‘, get ‘your’ personal best? Overall fitness is about being good at a variety of things. Being strong is great, and will contribute to your overall fitness but you can’t call yourself fit if all you can do is pull 300kg off the floor but can’t run more than 30 seconds without getting out of breath. We have tried to make the process of finding out how fit you are as simple as possible. The years of development, testing and collating data has meant that we can make the extremely complex look simple for the user so that they can see exactly how fit they are. I personally think that Gymshark said it really well in a recent post when they said, “Ignore how much the person next to you is lifting. Don’t worry what time everyone else finished in. Your only competition is you”. And that’s true, but (and there’s always a but) to compete with yourself you first need to know how fit you are? Which brings us right back to the start again. Putting an end programming
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Because we are all individual, every program that is written for every client should be individual also. A lot of trainers say they personalise programs but you never seem to see those trainers having evidence of real fitness testing and assessment in order to create those programs off of. They are mostly basing a personalised program off a couple of questions or goals, any way you look at it, that’s still a cookie cutter program. So that’s why we created Archon, it was to support fitness professionals and give them the ability to give their clients the data they need in order to succeed. It was to prove to their clients that the programming they are giving them brings results that they can see. It’s to help them retain clients as well as generate new business and perhaps most importantly with the trend of online training, it’s never been more important to have a way to accurately assess the fitness of your client when you can’t see them face to face.
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EXCELSIOR LAUNCHES DIGITAL ON DEMAND LEARNING FOR FITNESS INDUSTRY Excelsior’s On Demand digital education platform offers the most comprehensive micro-learning solution for health club operators and trainers alike, reducing costs and saving time through the standardisation and automation of online education. Digitised education is an enjoyable and interactive way to learn in under 10 minutes per module - meaning the learner can be upskilled anywhere at anytime using the mobile app for convenience. Personal Trainers and Instructors will benefit with greater knowledge retention and skill acquisition for accelerated learning, as well as ensuring standardisation of expertise across the gym floor - boosting team members morale, confidence and self-esteem.
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By utilising interactive software, Excelsior provides a highly engaging, on-demand education platform that covers a variety of topics from personal development and soft-skills to anatomy, retention and programming.
YOUR LEARNING PATHWAYS
YourLearning™ pathways are continuously updated with the latest topics and trends. With over 200 individual modules available, health clubs and trainers can quickly, easily and cost effectively keep up to date with changes in consumer behaviour and new technologies, to empower staff and provide members with the best exercise experience.
YourBody™ Anatomy, physiology, pathology -
All relevant modules are aligned with the current Level 2 and 3 qualification standards.
YourSelf™ Personal development, communication ‘soft-skills’ YourBusiness™ Focused on operations, customer acquisition and retention
YourMovement™ Movement, activity and exercise analysis YourEquipment™ Essential product information, set up, safety, product specific exercises and variations YourProgramming™ Application of exercise selection and periodisation EDT.education
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Excel with on demand fitness education With over 200 courses available covering a variety of topics from Personal Development and Business Growth to Anatomy and Programming, health clubs and trainers can develop their skills to provide members and clients with the best possible exercise experience whilst also enjoying the following benefits; • • • • •
Upskill staff anytime, anywhere Accelerate learning with 10 minute interactive modules Standardise skills to enable competency across the business Develop soft skills to improve customer engagement Keep up-to-date with industry trends and insights
All relevant modules are aligned with current Level 2 and 3 qualification standards. For more information and a full list of pathways visit edt.education
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DNA-FIT
Pro Fit is improving! We’re bringing you more reports than ever, based on the latest research. As part of our commitment to maintain the highest scientific standards, we make sure to regularly review the research we base our reports upon to ensure we continue delivering you the most upto-date science. “What’s changing?” Our new reports will examine nearly 50% more traits than the current version, but we are keeping our prices the same – so you get better value for your money. Although we are adding more content to our reports, DNAfit is still very much quality over quantity, and we have not compromised on our stringent inclusion criteria. Recent research has linked genetic variants to more specific traits; for instance, we can now tell you how your genes influence your risk of specific sports-related injuries such as Achilles tendon or ACL, rather than your overall injury risk. The increased detail has allowed us to get more specific with your results - which means more traits can be looked at, and you can take more
personalised actions than ever before. Our Nutrition report will be split into Diet and ‘Nutrients’ meaning results will give a deeper insight into how you can apply your genetic results to tailor your nutritional intake. Diet Our diet report will include the new trait: ‘Bitter Taste Perception’, so your clients can find out how sensitive your taste buds are. There will also be 5 genetically matched diet types instead of 2; Low Carb, Reduced Carb, Balanced Carb & Fat, Reduced Fat and Low Fat. These new diet types will give your clients a detailed macronutrient split based on their genetic results.
Coeliac Predisposition Salt Sensitivity Nutrients We’ve been able to take a more comprehensive look at your need for B vitamins and split this into B2, B6, B12 and folate, as well as looking more in depth into certain antioxidants including Vitamins A, C and E. This will give you a deeper understanding of your clients’ genetic needs, ensuring they have the right nutrients to perform at their peak. Nutrients Report Vitamin A Vitamin D
Optimal Diet Type
Riboflavin (Vitamin B)
Alcohol Response
Vitamin E
Carbohydrate Sensitivity
Vitamin B6
Caffeine Sensitivity
Omega 3
Fat Sensitivity
Folate (Vitamin B9)
Bitter Taste Perception
Antioxidants
Detox: Toxin Generation Speed
Vitamin B12
Lactose Tolerance
Iron
Detox: Cruciferous Vegetables Need
Vitamin C Calcium Selenium
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Fitness Our Optimal Training Type algorithm is evolving to include a third factor, your Strength Response. We will be looking at the body’s responses to Power, Endurance and Strengthbased activities to recommend the most efficient way for your clients to reach their training goals. New research has also allowed us to take a deeper look into Injury Risk and Recovery – our new reports will give more detail into specific injuries and show you your recovery efficiency.
User experience We are updating our user portal and pdf reports to reflect these changes, and in the process we are making it easier for you to view and understand your results. You won’t have to do anything - as soon as our new reports are live, all new swabs sent in to our lab will be automatically updated to reflect these changes. Existing kits will only update to the new version of Pro Fit if they are activated after the 29th November. Pro Fit + DNAfit Academy £199
Fitness Report Optimal Training Type Recovery Efficiency Power Response Injury Predisposition
About this bundle The Pro Fit + Academy bundle is intended for health and fitness professionals. This bundle will give you the tools you need to get started as a DNAfit professional partner. Once purchased, you’ll receive:
Endurance Response Achilles Injury Risk Strength Response
The DNAfit Academy online course, with 23 modules of learning and the chance to get certified
professional prices, which you’ll be able to sell for profit Download the DNAfit for Personal Trainers Information Pack Find out more about becoming a DNAfit reseller and offering Pro Fit to your clients.
Inside the pack you’ll learn: Who we are and how we can help you The benefits of personalised health All about our resellers, Pro Fit
new
product
for
Our online training platform How the DNAfit journey works Our scientific research How to implement DNAfit into your business
ACL Injury Risk Aerobic Trainability Lower Back Injury Risk Muscle Mass
A Pro Fit kit for yourself, so you can experience the power of DNAfit Access to the DNAfit reseller portal, so you can purchase Pro Fit at exclusive
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WIN A MAMMOUTH NIGHTS SLEEP Mammoth Shine… guaranteed.
Great
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Being in the later stages of my 30’s, I am mildly aware of the need to think about the type of mattress I sleep on. Gone are the days of a make shift bed with any old mattress to provide some sort of support. That may have been fun in 2003, but I am afraid my back just won’t allow me to do that anymore. So, when I was contacted by the folks over at Mammoth Mattresses, who asked if I would like to get my hands on one of their new Mammoth Shine Mattresses, I literally jumped at the chance! I browsed the website, picked my mattress, and hit submit. Then sat back and waited, while dealing with my old mattress; that I was very happy to say goodbye to! The happy day finally arrived; it was all hands to the pump when the fantastic delivery
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service came to my door. I was given an hour slot to ensure that I was home, two chaps brought the mattress into my house, removed the wrapping for me, and then ensured that I had it where I wanted it. With no effort exerted myself, I was good to go! Instantly, the Mammoth Shine Mattress gave me support for the best nights sleep I have ever had. I actually saw the bags under my eyes disappear; (no exaggeration there, they literally faded away!) It was supportive in all the right places, and I really could not have wished for a better mattress for a well-needed nights sleep. I am a few months into my product test now, and I can only keep reporting positive things from Mammoth’s Sine Mattress. The memory foam topper does not miss shape with use; it still provides the same support that it did on the first day of purchase. Sleep is still an
absolute delight, and I could not be happier with having this in my life. My only regret is that I didn’t get one sooner, and put up with sub par sleeping conditions for so long! I’ve spoken with my friends over at Mammoth, and they have kindly donated another mattress for us to give away to one lucky reader! Please take a look at their page for more information on how to enter this, and you too can be as comfy as I am. All that is left for me to do is await some new pillows, and I am set. Thanks for the opportunity to review this Mammoth Shine Mattress, it has been a total pleasure.
Myles Davies editorial director at pt today
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A Mammoth Shine® mattress worth up to £1,299 could be yours.
It is available in three levels of comfort – firmer; medium pocket and softer – providing an indulgent sleep system from head to toe.
So, why try a Shine® mattress? Sleep, health and wellbeing experts, Mammoth, have teamed up with Personal Trainer Today to offer one lucky winner the chance to win one of its indulgent Shine® collection mattresses – worth up to £1,299. Mammoth’s Shine® collection is the ultimate mattress to meet sleep and comfort needs. Mammoth are experts in sleep, health and wellbeing; and every Shine® mattress comes complete with the finest sleep technologies, comfort fillings and fabrics. The Shine® mattress encompasses Mammoth’s key features including its naturally cooling Medical Grade™ foam, Posture Cell® technology and zonal support. With added benefits that help people go to sleep more comfortably than ever before; so they wake up feeling truly refreshed and full of energy. Built on the same foundations of scientific research, Medical Grade™ comfort technologies, and rigorous product development, the luxury Shine® collection provides specific options that ensure a special buying experience for customers.
The Shine® collection is ideal for those looking to invest in the very best for their wellbeing. If you’re waking with more aches and pains than you used to, or you’re looking to give your energy and health a boost, then a Shine® mattress is for you. Mammoth is partnered with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and its NHS health award-winning technologies are recommended by health professionals. The company is the ‘go-to’ brand for improving health and wellbeing through sleep, and enjoys exclusive partnerships with Tottenham Hotspur, the Rugby Players’ Association, British Athletes Commission and the Professional Cricketers’ Association. To find your nearest official Mammoth stockist visit www.mammothmattress.com/stores where you will be able to try out a Mammoth, and speak to an in store sleep expert; who will be able to guide you in finding your perfect Mammoth.
How to enter For your chance to win a Mammoth Shine® mattress, simply email rebecca@pttoday.co.uk with your answer to the following question: How many hours sleep should an adult have each night? Competition closes 31st December 2019 at 12:00am; any entrants after this date won’t be counted. The winner will be contacted up to 14 days after the competition closes. For terms and conditions visit www.pttoday.co.uk/ terms-and-conditions
Top sleep tips • Make sure you have a consistent bed time and wake time every day. • Stay physically active. • Try and eliminate worry and anxiety. • Make sure your bedroom environment is dark, cool, clean, quiet and clutter-free. • Stay away from technology before bedtime. • Keep your body fuelled with the right types of nutrition and hydration. • Say no to a nightcap – alcohol can significantly affect your quality of sleep.
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FEEL FABULOUS OVER THE FESTIVE SEASON
It’s nearly Christmas, and it seems the festive season gets longer and longer each year. The average Christmas-celebrating person gains up to 6kg over the festive season, so here’s how you can avoid weight gain and feel fab over the darkest months of the year. Remember that Christmas is just one day, there’s no need to buy ‘Christmas food’ just yet. Sure, order your turkey from your local butcher in advance (and I would encourage you to use your local independent butcher than buy supermarket meat), but hold off buying calorific celebration food until the last minute. This means it won’t be in your cupboards tempting you to eat it until required. Only buy what you need and don’t get tempted by BOGOF deals – after all, who’s going to eat that big box of leftover Quality Street? Plan a group walk for Boxing day or even after Christmas lunch. Rope in your family and friends and make it a social occasion. Give healthy presents. Not everyone appreciates boxes of chocolates or bottles of wine, so think about alternatives. For
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children, instead of junk food, buy them toys that will get them active (and wear them out). A favourite present to a nephew was an inflatable football goal... Invest in some Spacehoppers and have a race on Christmas day for a silly laugh (and excellent leg exercise). A winner with parents and kids alike.
Overindulged? Try a 10 minute workout – ten minutes of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) can help utilise excess stored sugars in the body. Running on the spot, press ups, squats, lunges and star jumps can all be done from a lounge room (or your bedroom if you’re staying with family) and will help boost your energy levels too!
Eat a low GI breakfast every day. Porridge is ideal, and eating well early in the day will help avoid snacking on junk food later. Hydrate well, experiment with different herbal teas.
The festive season is a wonderful time to kick back and relax, but you don’t need to get to 2020 feeling bloated and unfit. Be a healthy influence on your family and friends, and you’ll be surprised at how much they thank you.
Try and keep units of alcohol to a minimum. Sample the wide variety of alcohol-free beers and wines that are becoming more popular. Less alcohol also means you’ll be more likely to get out and get active – how many festive family feuds are fuelled by too much sherry? Better for the waistline too. Traditional celebrations often feature a ‘brown buffet’ - buffet tables laden with meat, processed foods, pastries and ‘heat and eat’ products. Add some colour to your spread with a salad, roasted sweet potato, sliced fruit or some carrot sticks and dips.
Personal Trainer Tracy Griffen runs a private fitness studio in Leith, Edinburgh and has been PTing since 2005. She is the author of the Healthy Living Yearbook (link www. healthylivingyearbook.com), and specialises in tailoring exercise and nutrition programmes for busy people. Twitter: twitter.com/tracygriffen Facebook: facebook.com/griffenfitness Website: www.griffenfitness.com
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Festive workout Christmas ‘Who Am I?’ A Christmas workout idea. Everyone gets a holiday name/noun taped to their backs (e.g. Santa, Rudolph, Christmas tree, wrapping paper, Frosty the Snowman, mistletoe, etc). They do not know what is written on their backs. The goal is to ask questions until you know who/what you are! Here are the instructions.
Run around When someone says match up, match up with one other person. You can ask 3 yes/ no questions to one another. YOU MUST BE DOING JUMPING JACKS WHILE YOU ARE ASKING QUESTIONS!! If not, you will be fined a Burpee. Participants keep matching up, asking someone new 3 yes/no questions while doing jumping jacks.
If they guess who/what they are and they are wrong they need to do 5 burpees. This keeps them from just guessing! Once they have guessed who/what they are correctly they put their name on the front of their shirts and become a “consultant” sharing little hints to those that can’t figure out who/what they are. Workout credit: Kyle Wood on bootcampideas.com
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TRAIN LIKE A CYCLIST An independent British UCI track team, Huub Wattbike started as four ambitious riders from Derby with the desire to compete on the world stage. After a breakthrough season where they won World Championships, a World Cup, Commonwealth Games medals and National Titles; they are back, bigger and more ambitious than ever. Renowned for their innovative techniques and pragmatic approach, Huub Wattbike aim to go fast and further establish themselves at the top of world cycling. The team addressed the need for speed by introducing American world record holder, Ashton Lambie, to the HUUB Wattbike test team last year in their quest for Track World Cup success. Lambie, 18, has made the move from the rolling plains of Kansas, to the East Midlands. And, as you’d expect from a member of the HUUB Wattbike test team, his path to stardom has been less than conventional. In just two years, he went from gravel rider to 4km individual pursuit world record holder. Here we talk to Ashton about his training and his goals for this year: What does an average training day / week look like for you? I do a variety of workouts! Usually a mix of longer road rides, some structured interval training indoors mixed in with some gym sessions. On average, I’m training for around 20 hours a week.
What’s the most important aspect of training for a cyclist? Consistency! Doing 5, quality 30 minutes riders per weeks is better than going out for 3 hours on a Saturday, slogging it out but doing nothing the other 6 days of the week. It’s also key to try and get some level of indoor workout at least 3-4 times a week, this is where the Wattbike becomes a great training tool for us. Wattbike sessions can be quick, but effective and performance driven meaning we don’t need to spend hours in the gym to get the most out of the training time. How does Wattbike training benefit your performance? Being able to complete quick, effective workouts indoors without the distractions of planning a route, cold weather kit, fuelling, traffic etc is a huge benefit. You can just get on and ride, knowing that the real-time data is still going to push you to deliver an efficient workout. The bike also has real ride technology so simulates the feel of riding out on the roads and the accuracy and pedalling dynamic metric on the Wattbike make for an incredibly high-quality training session in a short period of time. Does it get competitive in training amongst the Huub Wattbike team? Absolutely! We are all competitive by nature and having more metrics to analyse our performance with means more things to compare against each other and work on improving. Especially if that means the person with the lowest numbers has to do
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the washing up…. Is there any form of training that you would avoid as it would negatively impact your cycling? I try not to get too crazy about cross training. I don’t run or do any real structured cross training during the off season. I just tend to focus then on doing physical activities that I enjoy. Manual labour around the farm is always good through the winter, that wood isn’t going to chop itself! How does your training ensure you peak at the right time to compete? I follow my coaches training plans to the exact detail. Peaking in performance in time for competition is one of the most difficult aspects to get right but most of it is working with a coach that I trust. That way I can just focus on what I need to do within my training and he can be the one ensuring it works out in time for competition. He writes the workouts, I make them happen! What goals are you training towards this year? After winning in London with the team (which for them was their home crowd) being such a highlight for us all, I’ll now be setting my sights on racing the World Championships in March and then going for several World Records with the Huub Wattbike team in Bolivia in April! Find ‘Getting back to the Peloton’ workout (page 66) in the Wattbike Hub app.
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EXERCISE BURNOUT AND ADDICTION
Exercise Burnout and Addiction: What are the signs and how can you help? As of 2020, burnout will be recognised as a medical condition1. For regular gym-goers, exercise burnout and addiction can become a problem; and business owners should be doing all they can to spot red flags early, and help their clients. Below, business management software in the fitness and wellness industry, MINDBODY identifies the signs of exercise burnout and addiction, as well as advising business owners on how they can help any clients who may be suffering. Nearly a quarter (24%) of Britons exercise when they need ‘me’ time2 and over half
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(55%) of gym-goers exercise at least once per week2, But, are these people at risk of exercise addiction or burnout? According to a French study of gym-goers, nearly half (42%) could be at risk of exercise addiction, with men and women equally affected3.
exhaustion Having to exercise for a set amount of time per day Exercise burnout refers to the feeling of being continually fatigued and disinterested in exercise. Signs that a client could be suffering from exercise burnout include: Decrease in performance when working out, e.g not lifting as heavy as before
The key symptoms of exercise addiction among gym-goers are:
Disinterested in exercise and complaining that they don’t want to work out
Overtraining e.g.going to a lot of fitness classes, especially more than one per day
A halt in significant results
Losing weight at a fast rate
Mood changes, including stress, low energy, tiredness, anxiety, anger, moodiness and irritability
Over-pushing themselves in a class
Delayed recovery time and increased injury
Never having a break from the gym
Exercising even if injured or sick Injuring themselves in the gym due to
If you spot any of the above signs when you
features see your clients, then it could be a sign that they are suffering from exercise burnout, or an exercise addiction. They may need help. In this situation, there are steps that you can take as a business owner. A spokesperson at MINDBODY, says “Speaking to your clients and customers is the best way to help someone you believe is suffering from exercise burnout. Train your employees in how to identify common red flags, and encourage them to ask clients about how they are feeling, highlighting the importance of rest and days off from the gym. “If clients are suffering from burnout, then the best way to help them is to encourage them to try something different, like a new group class or gym routine, as this can prevent them from being bored of their routine and disinterested with working out. If you or your employees have a good relationship with your clients and worry they could have an exercise addiction, it could be worth asking them to seek professional help as this is the best way to help them recover.” Tom Jenane, Nutrition & Fitness Expert at Natures Health Box offers his advice: “While many people dread the gym, for others it can become a second home and a crucial part of their daily routine. Unfortunately, this can sometimes pass a healthy level and become an addiction.
While a regular gym-goer is in the interests of the business, they have a duty of care to ensure customers are taking sufficient breaks and allowing their bodies to recover. Television screens can also be used to offer tips in between songs, such as the importance of recovery, getting plenty of sleep at night, eating a healthy diet and taking rest days. With modern systems, you are alerted how often you are going to the gym, and this data can be used to personalise advice. So, if a client is coming to the gym every day, then they could be sent an email highlighting the regularity and the importance of rest and recuperation.” As a business owner, you also need to take staff burnout into account and make sure that your staff aren’t overworked or unhappy within their job. A spokesperson at MINDBODY also explains: “It’s important to make sure that your staff are happy and supported at work, without feeling drained or burned out. If you haven’t already, a way to do this is to implement marketing automation software that can help take some jobs off their hands, such as booking, scheduling and payments.
your staff’s personal commitments into account when organising the rota, ensuring they are happy with their hours and aren’t double-booked with classes or sessions this will help to promote a positive working environment and work-life balance. MINDBODY Business can help with this, by giving you and your staff the freedom to view and update schedules, complete day-to-day tasks and track payments on the go, directly from your phone or tablet.” For more information about MINDBODY, please visit: https://uk.mindbodyonline.com/ MINDBODY is the leading technology platform for the wellness services industry. Local wellness entrepreneurs worldwide use MINDBODY’s integrated software and payments platform to run, market and build their businesses. Consumers use MINDBODY to more easily find, engage and transact with wellness providers in their local communities. For more information on how MINDBODY is helping people lead healthier, happier lives by connecting the world to wellness, visit uk.mindbodyonline.com. Boxout - ‘Nearly a quarter (24%) of Britons exercise when they need ‘me’ time and over half (55%) of gym-goers exercise at least once per week - but are these people at risk of exercise addiction or burnout?’
“It may also seem like a small thing, but making sure that your staff rota is completed in advance is important. You should take
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fitness focus
NEW
Clay Away
TM
purifying body cleanser
This year, Mio Skincare will launch two new products, beginning in February with Clay Away™ Purifying Body Cleanser a two-in-one shower clay and body mask
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POWER PLATE VIBRATION Global Leaders in Vibration Training Announce Power Plate Pulse™, DualSphere™ and Roller™; Providing the ideal tools for members and clients to prepare faster, perform better and recover quicker. Power Plate, the global leader in Whole Body Vibration Training equipment for 20 years has launched an expansion to their robust line of vibrating plates with the addition of its premium Targeted Vibration Products, including Power Plate Pulse™, Power Plate DualSphere™, and Power Plate Roller™. Trusted by professional athletes, celebrities, health professionals and fitness enthusiasts around the world, these Targeted Vibration Products are portable, easy-to-use and effective tools to assist health clubs, wellness facilities and clinics to meet the needs of their members and clients, by offering targeted therapy in the areas that need it most. The Power Plate Targeted Vibration Products have been designed and manufactured to assist everyone, regardless of fitness level, and in both training and recovery. Perfect for pre-workout muscle release and post workout recovery. Targeted vibration therapy is known to improve circulation and address poor posture from extended sitting and computer use, making it the perfect accessory for Chiropractors, Massage Therapists, Physiotherapists, Strength and Conditioning coaches, and more.
Each product possesses its own unique range of features that presents the following business benefits: Provide the ultimate recovery experience by rejuvenating tight and sore muscles Accelerates warm up and recovery, saving time and significantly reducing the risk of injury Enables practitioners to treat those hard to reach areas with greater accuracy Portable and easy to use so treatments can be given any time, any place, anywhere Meet key therapeutic goals whilst driving new revenue streams Targeted treatment plans to meet individual needs
the market, users can choose between six different attachments suited for all types of preparation and recovery needs.
“For 20 years we’ve helped people drastically improve their mobility, strength and flexibility more efficiently and effectively through whole body vibration training on the Power Plate,” said Lee Hillman, CEO of Performance Health Systems, owners of Power Plate. “Now, we’re extending our long-standing expertise and wealth of knowledge in applying the benefits of vibration to game-changing portable Targeted Vibration Products, that will vastly improve the lives of people worldwide”
Taking classic foam rolling to a new level, the Power Plate Roller features an exclusive textured design, four vibration intensity levels– including an invigorating special Oscillation Mode, USB charging and a long-lasting battery. The new line of targeted vibration products from Power Plate will be available online for pre-sale in the U.S. and U.K. starting October 15, 2019 at powerplate.com
Power Plate Pulse Powerful, yet whisper quiet, the Power Plate Pulse is a best-in-class premium handheld massager featuring four vibration intensity levels and more than four hours of battery life from a single charge. Included with more attachments than any other massager on
Power Plate DualSphere The Power Plate DualSphere is a premium product ideal for an effective and concentrated massage. Encompassing a unique contoured shape and an exclusive textured design, the DualSphere can effectively target those hard to reach areas. It features a massaging texture, four vibration intensity levels – including an invigorating special Oscillation Mode, USB charging and a long battery life. Power Plate Roller
To discover why Power Plate is used by professional athletes, celebrities, health professionals and fitness enthusiasts around the world and to keep up to date on all Power Plate news, please visit PowerPlate.com. For the latest updates about Power Plate, follow @PowerPlate on Twitter, @PowerPlateUK on Instagram and PowerPlateUK on Facebook.
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FORTITUDE Production We can supply an unlimited amount of tiles to cope with any demand you may have and the capacity to supply thousands of tiles per month. We make all of our tiles to order in the UK with several high quality presses that are precisely matched to ensure a quality, tight fitting tile. Custom Branding We offer branding for your tiles and can add your logo stamp into the tile within the heat pressing process to show your brand in every tile if desired. Platforms
Fortitude are an Army veteran owned, UK manufacturing company, specialising in metal work, RIGs and Premium Flooring. We have been trading for 6 years now, and earned a name for ourselves in the commercial sector and the Prison sector as one of the main procurement providers for equipment and education. We provide the whole package in terms of providing quality product, designed with over 20 years experience in the fitness industry. We offer training with endorsed REPs qualifying courses and workshops on our products to ensure all users are fully trained on the equipment. We are confident that we can not only save a large amount of money on all of our equipment, but offer the very best quality UK made products, made by people who have been at every level of the industry. From being a PT, then PT Tutor, to gym owner, we know how the product needs to be designed to ensure quality that lasts and is fit for every purpose. Introducing our latest and most popular product, the ISOGYM Range The ISOGYM is an all weather, year round outdoor/ indoor training facility, offering from 10 - 125 people training at any one time. We have a range to suit all size, budget and training requirements, and every build is exclusively designed with the client to
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ensure you get exactly the right product to suit your needs. We can build literally any piece of equipment into each build, and offer 8,10,20, twin 20 with canopy, and 40ft - Twin 40 options, all built to order in the UK, and in a very quick turn around. We can handle any size project, and still within a short production turn around. We visit each location upon request to discuss each build, and offer 3D CAD designs so that customers can see exactly how your project will look. We offer custom colour and logos on all the equipment as standard, and we galvanise fully so that it lasts in the most adverse conditions. The inside stows away a full inventory of first class training equipment, so that it packs away neatly when not in use. We supply a wide range of thickness of tiles, and supply 20,25,30,40mm tiles in both flat top and also cruciform effect. UK Made Flooring Fortitude have made and supplied dozens of prisons, schools, colleges, crossfit gyms, and commercial facilities with our premium flooring Colours We offer solid colour, fleck effect and half colour tiles in black, terracotta, red, yellow, blue, grey and green.
We also offer high quality wooden lifting platforms to integrate into your flooring for olympic lifting or for use with static racks etc, and can integrate 40mm flooring around these areas for catching plates and absorbing the impact. If you’re thinking of purchasing any equipment, please get in touch, quote FORT10 and get 10% off all of our UK made products, including the ISOGYM range. Any questions you may have or to enquire about any products email the team at sales@fortitudeequipment.co.uk
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JORDAN FITNESS every Personal Trainer has their own style of teaching and training, so you should determine what type of gym you will run, how much space you will require, consider types of flooring suitable for your site and check to see if it needs to be sound-proofed (particularly if the gym is part of a multistory building, underground or close to neighbours). Ceiling height is another factor to weigh up, as you will require plenty of space if you’re looking at installing rigs and providing heavy weights in your site. TIP 5 Quality of Your Kit Although it may not be a major factor at the early stages, good quality kit is something that will reflect your gyms overall quality and feel. Richard Tidmarsh, owner of Reach Fitness, shares his expertise to Jordan Fitness on how to open a gym and explains the five key areas to watch out for when doing so. TIP 1 Prepare to work hard Sounds pretty obvious… right? Richard stresses the importance of understanding what you want out of owning a business, and make sure it’s for the right reasons. It’s not always simple being your own boss. There comes a realisation when opening a gym, and that is that you will have “less time doing the fun stuff” and you’ll spend a huge chunk of your time doing admin, managing finances, employees etc. TIP 2 Location Deciding on a location is never easy. Everyone opening a walk-in business, no matter what industry, wants a prime location that beats all of its competitors; usually at the heart of a busy street/town/city. This could be anything from walking, biking, grabbing the tube to driving; but it’s this that will be a deciding factor as to whether people will want to join your gym.
Opening a gym in the city comes at a cost, as prices can rocket to the thousands a month depending on where you’re looking at! There is the option of looking at more remote locations away from the hustle and bustle of city life, as there will be populations of people that want to join a gym but due to their awkward location, it’s not enough to commit. If you can be certain that there is a gap in the market for a site somewhere more rural in the UK, then it’s a risky but potentially very rewarding decision to make!
“Jordan Fitness would always be my No.1 choice in terms of the quality of the equipment that is going to last me a long time.” By Ellen Louise Mills from Jordan Fitness www.jordanfitness.com/
TIP 3 Cashflow Weighing up the cost of what goes in and out is crucial to get your business off the ground. After running Reach Fitness for 12 years and having sites for 8, Richard explains how he still receives unexpected costs in running his gyms. This can be a highly stressful price to pay if it isn’t considered at the start. Many gym equipment providers offer finance for start-ups and those opening new sites. Find out more on our business finance page. TIP 4 Fit for Purpose The next tip from Richard is to look at whether your gym is “fit for purpose”. Almost
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SOFITEL KRABI PHOKEETHRA GOLF AND SPA RESORT
With temperatures soaring up to 30’ in December, Cambodia is the ideal far-flung destination for culture, history and guaranteed sun. Start your adventure at Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Cambodia’s bustling capital, Phnom Penh. After exploring the Royal Palace, National Museum of Art and Culture or vibrant markets, sip on a Singapore Sling in the swish Elephant Bar, relax by the pool in the shade of the frangipani trees or enjoy a traditional Khmer treatment in the luxurious Raffles Spa. Take the short flight north to Siem Reap,
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the gateway to the ancient world. Recentlyrenovated to its former colonial glory, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor has been welcoming discerning travellers for over 86 years, and still retains many of its original features, from its French-style façade to its timber elevator. In celebration of its recent re-opening, the hotel has launched Journey to the Lost Civilisation; a private tour of the ancient archaeological site of Angkor on the back of a chauffeured iconic Vespa. Be amongst the first travellers of the day to step foot inside Angkor Wat, before feasting on a sunrise picnic in the shadow of
the ancient temples. Wayfairer Travel (www.wayfairertravel.com / 0117 313 8999) offers a 7-day itinerary to Cambodia, including 3 nights at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor and 3 nights at Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh, from£2,375 per person, based on two people sharing a state room on a bed and breakfast basis, including international flights with Thai Airways and private airport transfers.
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JOURNEY TO THE LOST CIVILISATION RAFFLES HOTEL LE ROYAL AND RAFFLES GRAND HOTEL D’ANGKOR
With temperatures soaring up to 30’ in December, Cambodia is the ideal far-flung destination for culture, history and guaranteed sun. Start your adventure at Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Cambodia’s bustling capital, Phnom Penh. After exploring the Royal Palace, National Museum of Art and Culture or vibrant markets, sip on a Singapore Sling in the swish Elephant Bar, relax by the pool in the shade of the frangipani trees or enjoy a traditional Khmer treatment in the luxurious Raffles Spa. Take the short flight north to Siem Reap,
the gateway to the ancient world. Recentlyrenovated to its former colonial glory, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor has been welcoming discerning travellers for over 86 years, and still retains many of its original features, from its French-style façade to its timber elevator. In celebration of its recent re-opening, the hotel has launched Journey to the Lost Civilisation; a private tour of the ancient archaeological site of Angkor on the back of a chauffeured iconic Vespa. Be amongst the first travellers of the day to step foot inside Angkor Wat, before feasting on a sunrise picnic in the shadow of
the ancient temples. Wayfairer Travel (www.wayfairertravel.com / 0117 313 8999) offers a 7-day itinerary to Cambodia, including 3 nights at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor and 3 nights at Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh, from£2,375 per person, based on two people sharing a state room on a bed and breakfast basis, including international flights with Thai Airways and private airport transfers.
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SHERATON MALDIVES FULL MOON RESORT SPA
4th November 2019…// Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, in the North Malé Atoll, Maldives, is to set to celebrate the festive season in style with an array of activities on offer, delectable food spreads and an enviable kids’ itinerary from 22nd to 31st December 2019.
day indeed, with a trip to Santa Claus’ BBQ Island. Families will be whisked away to an uninhabited island to meet Santa, who has been secretly preparing his special gift bag. Santa’s Magician friend Assad will fly-board into the party and dazzle the audience with his magic as they feast on a delicious BBQ.
Activities Children staying at the Sheraton Full Moon Resort & Spa this year will be offered a jampacked itinerary of activities to keep them entertained all week long. To get into the festive spirit, kids will embark on a Christmas scavenger hunt, before sitting down to make their own Christmas cards, lanterns, hats and masks and even their very own Mocktail. Activities will also include friendship bracelet making, shell painting, island gardening and photo frame making, while aspiring chefs will love learning to make pizza and decorate cupcakes. Each day will include a more active session to keep kids moving – whether it’s a pyramid workout, Zumba or water splash games.
Adults won’t have time to feel left out with an array of activities available for them too. Guests wanting to keep active can test their volleyball skills out against the staff’s in a friendly match or show off their moves in a dance-off. From gingerbread house decorating and Maldivian Origami classes through to wooden lacquer carving, crab racing, and cooking classes, there truly is something for everyone.
On Christmas day, kids are in for a special
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Delectable Dining Throughout the festive season, guests will delight in a wide array of cuisines at Feast Restaurant’ themed beach dinners, from the mouth-watering middle-eastern tastes of Arabian Night to Maldivian Fish Market, featuring live entertainment in a lush tropical décor. With different a different theme every
night – from the Indi Lanka and In Asia buffets to Around Mediterranean and the Italian Wine dinner at Sea Salt, diners will explore the flavours of the world from the comfort of the resort’s beachfront restaurants. On Christmas eve, guests and staff will be invited to celebrate together with a specially curated sunset cocktail at Kakuni Beach before enjoying a delicious buffet meal with highlights from both Western and Eastern cuisines. To see in the New Year, revellers will be treated to a sumptuous ‘Black & White’ themed gala dinner with the finest cocktails and champagne accompanied by live music and dancers. After the New Year’s Eve countdown and spectacular big bang fireworks display, the Midnight Avenue band will step in with high energy medleys and songs, keeping guests on the dancefloor into the early hours of 2020. Couples or groups preferring a more intimate celebration can enjoy a specially tailored and indulgent private dining experience.
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ROYAL LANCASTER LONDON
As Michael Bublé would sing, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas”. Make sure you plan a luxurious Christmas with loved ones with a stay at the magical Royal Lancaster London, perfectly located in the centre of London. Take a stroll through the beautiful Hyde Park to the Royal Albert Hall for a festive show, or experience the magic of Winter Wonderland, before returning to the warmth and sparkle of a hotel that makes Christmas its own. Step through the revolving doors into a stunning gold and white marble lobby featuring a spectacular 21ft Nordmann Fir Christmas tree, alongside elegant decorations throughout the hotel, which will be unveiled on the morning of 1 December 2019. With rooms starting at £259 per night, the Winter Wonderland package enables you to experience a luxurious stay with guaranteed early check-in at midday and late check-out at 3pm, a delicious buffet breakfast, a surprise festive gift on arrival, and fluffy Paddington Bear for the little ones. The package is available from 21 November 2019 to 5 January 2020. For the ultimate family getaway, the interconnecting rooms are perfect for a spacious stay. Enjoy 50% off the second
bedroom when booked at the same time. The hotel’s convenient location just above Lancaster Gate Tube Station will whisk you to the sparkling lights of Oxford and Bond Street. After a day of shopping for Christmas presents, head back to the hotel for some delicious food. Relax in the elegant Park Restaurant, which overlooks Hyde Park and the Italian Gardens and enjoy a Festive Afternoon Tea with delicious sandwiches, warm bakes scones, and deliciously sweet cakes and delights. Priced at £39 per person, or £45-£49 per person including a glass of Champagne or Rosé Champagne. Guests can also indulge in the Festive Set Menu at Island Grill, the hotel’s awardwinning sustainable restaurant, where they can enjoy carefully curated dishes such as Roasted Longhorn Sirloin and Mint Chocolate Baked Alaska. Priced at £25 per person for two-course, or £34 per person for two courses including a glass of Champagne. The restaurant is the perfect setting to come together with friends and family to celebrate this magical time of year.
stay in a beautifully designed guestroom and toast to new beginnings in style. From £559 per room guests will receive a bottle of chilled Champagne on arrival or delivered at 11.30pm to toast in the New Year, a buffet breakfast, a surprise amenity and Paddington Bear for the children, plus a 1pm late check-out. This package is available on 31 December 2019 only. Guests can upgrade to a luxury suite for far-reaching city views to witness the famous London fireworks and toast in the new decade in style. For an extra special New Year’s Eve, enjoy an evening of fine dining in Park Restaurant. Arrive to a glass of Champagne and amusebouche followed by an indulgent fourcourse menu with a live jazz trio from 8pm. Afterwards, continue the festivities at Park Lounge Bar where a DJ and carefully-crafted cocktail menu awaits. The hotel completed an £85 million refurbishment in 2017. The prestigious hotel has been completely transformed both internally and externally in this universal restructure, and is one of the most iconic hotels in the Capital.
Countdown to New Year 2020 with a fabulous
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features
SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING POSITIVE FOR YOU AND THE PLANET Merryn and Jinchen) Fibre Production Our biggest concern has always been the rumours about the management of the chemicals required to make bamboo pulp into bamboo viscose fibre. We knew we had to find out the truth for ourselves. As we’d hoped, we found that our producers were taking their environmental responsibility seriously and working within safe limits. Beyond our expectations, one had not only invested millions of dollars in waste-treatment but was committed to becoming a world-leader in sustainable viscose production.
www.bambooclothing.co.uk Instagram @bamboo_clothing http://facebook.com/bambooClothing twitter @bam_clothing
THE TEAM AT BAM BAMBOO CLOTHING HAVE TOLD US ABOUT HOW THEY ENSURE THEIR PRODUCTS ARE SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE PLANET, AND YOUR TRAINING. Tracking the Roots Merryn, BAM’s sustainability expert, has researched and visited each tier of the process, right back to the source of the bamboo. Most brands don’t go past the fabric production stage. We will go beyond. We want our impact positive journey to affect our entire supply chain. Bamboo Forest Merryn started with a visit to one of the sustainably managed bamboo forests in China’s Chongquing Province. The naturally occurring forests contain steep slopes which bamboo can comfortably grow on, maximising an otherwise unusable area. It grows naturally and super-fast, with yields of up to 10 x higher than cotton for the same area without the
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need for pesticides Pulp Production The next step is turning the harvested bamboo into dried pulp which will then be sold onto the fibre producers. Very little is understood in the wider clothing industry about the processes involved this deep into the supply chain. The factory Merryn visited shares our environmental values, having invested heavily in waste-treatment technology. We now have the knowledge and transparency we need to make our impact positive ambition both possible and really meaningful. This incredible crop absorbs five times more CO2 and releases 35% more oxygen than the equivalent amount of hardwood trees. (Caption for tree images) Here’s Merryn being shown around the Bamboo forest by Jinchen from the pulp production factory. (Caption for photo with
Clothing Factory Once the fibres have been knitted into fabric they are sold to one of our garment suppliers in China or Turkey. We’ve purposefully chosen to work with suppliers who share our values about treating people and the planet respectfully. We try to keep our supply base small and make the effort to build strong relationships and long-term partnerships with them. We speak to them daily and visit in person as regularly as possible. We believe the best way to know what’s going on in your supply chain is to see it for yourself. The Technical Functionality of Sustainable Activewear for Training
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This season’s Enduro bamboo leggings from BAM are the ultimate combination of performance, flattery and comfort. Created from the world’s most sustainable crop, they are the perfect natural alternative to synthetic designs. Enduro is a high quality, supersoft, breathable bamboo jersey that’s loaded with performance- boosting features. A four way stretch delivers both figure-sculpting support and an unsurpassed freedom of movement, whilst the guaranteed opaque finish provides confidence during even the deepest squat. Carefully considered design details make all the difference, including flatlock seaming for a sleeker, chafe-free fit and a wide waistband for tummy- taming. A discreet pocket provides a practical finishing touch. Note from the founder, David Gordon:
Welcome to BAM’s new season collection of superset bamboo clothing, inspired by the great outdoors. There are designs to support you whilst you build strength and stamina, become more agile, enhance your wellbeing – to help you to live your adventurous life. When I began BAM thirteen years ago my motivation was to prove that there’s a different way of doing business - to build a successful company whilst doing the right thing environmentally and ethically. As the most sustainable crop on the planet, bamboo was a great starting point and ticks all the boxes. Three times more absorbent than cotton and a natural alternative to synthetic performance clothing, it is ultimately just supremely comfortable to wear.
Looking to the future, our aim is to become impact positive: it isn’t enough to just reduce negative impact. We want to ensure we are making real changes. We are working hard with specialists in the field and we have begun by tracing each tier of our supply chain, right back to where the bamboo is grown. It’s a bold ambition so bear with us. Check out the Christmas Gift Guide on pages 28-29 to see more of BAM. Get 10% off with our exclusive code PTBAM - available until 1st Jan 2020, T&Cs apply
And our strong, ever-growing following of dynamic yet discerning individuals obviously agree.
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features
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO YOUR BODY IF YOU SWAPPED YOUR CAR FOR A BIKE
The UK is a nation of hardcore commuters. The average worker in the UK today will spend over a year of their life commuting to and from work — and it’s taking its toll on us mentally and physically. At Merlin Cycles, we want to challenge the commuting status quo and propose a better alternative. So we asked the question: what would happen to your body if you swapped your car for a bike for 12 months?
minutes a day — an awfully long time to be sitting still listening to that radio host you can’t really stand.
Public Health (RSPH), over half of respondents said that commuting increased their stress levels.
Cycling can help alleviate the three key side effects of commuting:
Lack of exercise
That means that the majority of UK workers are already stressed by the time they get to work. That’s bad news when stress has such a detrimental impact on productivity.
Expenses
On the bike
Here’s how.
As with any form of cardiovascular exercise, cycling directly counters the effects of stress.
Stress
The answers might surprise you.
Stress
The problem with today’s commute
Your commute now
Today’s average commute is 56
In a study by the Royal Society for
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That pedal power gets you pumping more oxygen into your bloodstream.
features When all that extra oxygen reaches your brain, it encourages the release of endorphins — the ‘happiness’ hormone. 20 minutes of cycling could make you happier for up to 12 hours! Lack of physical activity Your commute now In the RSPH study, more than 40% of respondents said that their commute to work decreases the time they spend being physically active. With the average commute to work in the UK taking 56 minutes, it’s no wonder that physical activity is taking a sideline. On the bike If the average commuter spent the same amount of time cycling as they currently do commuting, they would burn 560 calories a day. Cycling regularly improves your lung capacity, meaning you get more oxygen to your muscles to alleviate aches and pains you get from sitting at your desk all day. 3. Expenses Total Jobs found that the average person spends £146 a month commuting to and from work. That’s over £1,750 a year. On the bike One thing that puts people off cycling to work is the fact that they don’t want to make that first purchase: the bike itself. You should be able to find a decent bike for commuting for around £400. That might sound a lot, but if you spend the same as the average commuter, you’ll make that up in a couple of months. Better on two wheels Cycling means you get regular exercise without taking time away from your home life. It cuts down your stress and leaves you feeling happier. And finally, it means you can easily top up your rainy-day fund with all the savings you’re making on monthly travel expenses.
What’s stopping you?
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nutrition
HEALTHY BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO SOUP
This soup recipe makes 3-4 portions (served with some crusty bread!) and provides around 180 calories, 34g carbs, 9g protein and 1g fat per serving.
INGREDIENTS
Optional garnishing: Fresh coriander, avocado & tortilla crisps *You can stir the rest of the black beans in at the end or add them to salads or a vegetable stir-fry! **Enough to cover the vegetables in your soup maker/pan.
2 medium carrots, sliced 2 small sweet potatoes, chopped & skinned & chopped 1 red or yellow pepper, sliced
METHOD Step 1
1 tsp cayenne pepper
If you have a Soup Chef, simply add all of the ingredients, select the ‘chunky soup’ mode and wait 25 minutes until it is cooked and ready! An optional step is to sauté the onion, celery and spices before adding the rest of the ingredients and selecting the chunky soup setting.
1 tsp cumin powder
Step 2
Salt & pepper to taste
If you don’t have a soup maker yet, simply fry off the garlic, onions and
2-3 stalks celery, chopped 1.5 cans black beans* 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped
500-800ml vegetable stock**
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spices in a pan for 1-2 minutes before adding the peppers and celery until soft. Add this mix to a pan along with the remaining ingredients (sweet potatoes, beans and stock etc) and simmer for around 20-25 minutes until cooked. You can then blend the soup with a hand blender until your desired consistency is reached! Step 3 Eat immediately (with extra black pepper/avocado/fresh coriander/ tortilla crisps if desired) or allow to cool and store in the fridge for lunches for the next 2-3 days! Recipe credit: Nichola Ludlam-Raine (Nic’s Nutrition) UK Specialist Registered Dietitian nicsnutrition.com
nutrition
100% WHEY 92% PROTEIN ZERO FAT
Whey Better® whether your goal is packing on lean muscle, supporting your diet, improving recovery or taking your training to the next level then Whey Better® is the ideal protein. Each serving contains up to 92% protein (over 27g per 30g serving) per 100g and 6.7g BCAA’s (over 27g protein per 30g serving) and is manufactured right here in the UK from the highest quality whey protein.
bio-synergy.uk #MAKEITHAPPEN
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nutrition
NOT ALL PROTEIN BARS ARE CREATED EQUAL
This month at PT Today Magazine, we were lucky enough to receive a package FULL of Pulsin goodies! The range is so broad, there is something for everyone! The Salted Caramel & Peanut and Peanut Choc Chip Raw Choc Brownies, Peanut Choc and Orange Choc & Cashew Protein Boosters, Cacao & Maca and Red Berry Supershakes, Chocolate Pea Protein Powder, and Vanilla Whey Protein Powder! Phew - that was a mouthful! Pulsin tell us that the Protein Boosters and Raw Choc Brownies are lovingly crafted to provide the perfect balance of nutrition and taste. We can confirm, they are delicious! I especially love the Salted Caramel and Peanut Raw Brownie. It really gave me a mid-afternoon boost to motivate
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me to smash all my outstanding tasks that day.
Increase and sustain energy through out the day.
If you want a well-needed energy boost before working out, and to sustain energy to keep you going. The Vegan Supershakes are great for this; while also being creamy and tasty, so you actually enjoy drinking it! We especially loved the fact that there is no added chemicals or nasty, artificial ingredients. Even if you aren’t vegan yet (who else is doing Veganuary?), the plant-based protein is the perfect alternative for you to do that little bit for environment, and your health!
Help to increase metabolic rate (calorie burning) by preserving lean muscle.
So, what are the benefits of protein bars in general? After some research, we found out that adding protein bars to your fitness routine can:
Keep you satisfied between meals. We tried the Chocolate Pea Protein Powder first hand in the office - and we have to say it was a first-class start to the Friday morning! Having the drink as part of a balanced breakfast was perfect to set the day right before tackling the day ahead. With the shake being all natural plant-based protein with no added sugars, we did not expect it to be so delicious! Definitely a great supplement for you vegan trainers out there. Author: Rebecca Gilchrist Editorial Assistant
nutrition
RAW CHOC BROWNIES
PROTEIN BOOSTER BARS
PEANUT CHOC CHIP RAW CHOC BROWNIE (X18) £21.42
CARAMEL CHOC & PEANUT PROTEIN BOOSTER (X18) £32.22
SALTED CARAMEL & PEANUT RAW CHOC BROWNIE (X18) £21.42
PEANUT CHOC PROTEIN BOOSTER (X18) £32.22
VEGAN SUPERSHAKES
FLAVOURED PROTEIN
‘ENERGY’ CACAO MACA SUPERSHAKE (300g) £17.49
NATURAL CHOCOLATE FLAVOUR PEA PROTEIN (250g) £14.99
IMMUNITY’ RED BERRY SUPERSHAKE (280g) £17.49
NATURAL VANILLA FLAVOUR WHEY PROTEIN (250g) £14.99
ORANGE CHOC & CASHEW PROTEIN BOOSTER (X18) £32.22
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nutrition
PEANUT BUTTER VEGAN PROTEIN FUDGE CUPS Individual chocolate protein infused peanut butter vegan fudge cups. As a dessert or snack they are nutritious and so delicious!
30 mins , makes 6 cups. BASE •
40g smooth peanut butter
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30g coconut oil melted
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30g maple syrup
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25g Pulsin Natural Chocolate Pea Protein
•
15ml hot water
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15g raw cacao powder
FILLING •
60g smooth peanut butter
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30g maple syrup
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50g coconut oil, melted
•
Topping: 60g 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped, Coarse Flaked Sea Salt
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Whisk together all base ingredients. Divide between the sections of a 6 cup cake silicon tray. Place on firm tray and put into the freezer for 10 - 15 minutes to set. 2. Whisk together PB filling ingredients. Pour over set base and place into the freezer for 10 15 minutes to set. 3. Melt chocolate in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, mixing after each 30 seconds to prevent burning. It will take 2 -3 minutes. 4. Pour chocolate over the set PB filling layer and place into the fridge to set for 15 minutes. Serve as is or remove from the fridge 5 minutes before serving. A generous sprinkle of coarse sea salt comes highly recommended. PULSIN INGREDIENTS USED Natural Chocolate Flavour Pea Protein Recipe Credit: Michelle Hunt (peachypalate.com) via pulsin.co.uk
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nutrition
MUSHROOM CASHEW AND TOFU FESTIVE ROAST Serves 8
•
125ml hot water
Prep time 20 minutes. Cooking 1 hour.
•
250g mushrooms, chopped (field mushrooms for maximum taste)
If any of your family or friends are veggie, they’ll love you (even more) for going to the effort of making them something special for Christmas. It’s not much effort for this yummy loaf, and you can prepare it in advance and cook it on the day.
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2 tbsp olive oil
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1 onion, finely chopped
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2 cloves garlic, crushed
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125g wholemeal fresh
breadcrumbs,
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200-250g cashews
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300g plain tofu (firm, not silken)
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1 tsp rosemary, fresh is best
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1 tsp thyme, fresh is best
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1 vegetable stock cube
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Ground black pepper and sea salt
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Greased 2 lb loaf tin
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC 2. In a big pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until soft, not brown. Take off the heat. 3. If you’re making your own breadcrumbs, you can do this now, then grind the cashews and mix them together. 4. Add the cashew/breadcrumb mix to the pot of onion and garlic, and toss in the herbs. 5. Blend the stock cube, hot water and tofu in a blender until creamy. 6. Add the tofu mix to the pan and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. In a separate pan, heat remaining oil and sauté the mushrooms. 8. In the greased loaf tin, arrange some of the mushrooms, then press in half the tofu/cashew mix. 9. Arrange another layer of mushrooms, then the rest of the tofu/cashew mix, then a final layer of mushrooms. 10. Seal the top with a piece of tin foil and bake for one hour. 11. When cooked, remove from oven and stand for 10 minutes, before easing round edges with a knife and turning out. Very tasty with roast vegetables and onion gravy. Recipe credit: Tracy Griffen’s Healthy Living Yearbook More information at www.griffenfitness. com, email tracy@griffenfitness.com Twitter @tracygriffen
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nutrition
ROAST VEGETABLE SOUP Serves 4 (or 2, with leftovers to freeze) •
1/2 celeriac
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2 carrots
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1 large potato
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1 large sweet potato
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1 tbsp olive oil
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1 onion
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1-4 cloves of garlic
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Vegetable stock
•
Coriander or other fresh green herbs
1. Chop the vegetables roughly (you
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can choose other root vegetables, but try to include celeriac as it adds a lovely fresh flavour to the soup), toss with the olive oil in the biggest roasting pan you have. 2. Place on the middle shelf of your oven on 180ºC for 30 minutes. 3. Chop the onion and peel the garlic, and mix into the roasting vegetables, leaving the garlic whole. 4. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes or until done but not too crispy. 5. Have a nibble on the veg if you wish, then toss the rest into a big saucepan.
6. Cover with hot vegetable stock and simmer on a low heat to infuse the flavours. 7. Cool and blend. I add fresh coriander before blending, then more after it is fizzed. 8. Garnish with fresh herbs and natural yoghurt.
This recipe is comforting on a wintry weekend afternoon.
Recipe credit: Tracy Griffen’s Healthy Living Yearbook More information at www.griffenfitness. com, email tracy@griffenfitness.com
nutrition
READY TO PARTY INTO THE NEW YEAR...
DON’T WANT IT TO IMPACT ON YOUR BUSY GYM SCHEDULE? This Christmas, the solution is here. Yeti and the Fox allows you to party hard whilst giving you the energy to keep working out come morning. This Christmas Yeti and The Fox presents you with the gift of a hangover free festive season. Adding energy to the partied out, Yeti and The Fox provides much needed antioxidants to those who love to work out as much as they love to party.
To get the best out of Yeti and The Fox, we recommend that drinkers take two capsules with water before, or when they start drinking alcohol. Then, once back from the party and into the comfort of their own home, take one more with water before heading to bed. This will help drinkers top up
their Glutathione levels, preventing them from waking up weary headed. With that extra bit of help for the last day at the office before the holidays, another day of Christmas festivities, or to manage their goal of going to the gym for the first day of their New Year’s resolutions. The science is complicated, but the result is simple. Read below for the facts: Glutathione is one of nature’s most amazing natural compounds. It is stored primarily in the liver, but it is abundant in the human body; as all human cells contain glutathione. It also appears in other animals, in plants, and some of nature’s other amazing things. Glutathione plays a significant role in energy metabolism, promoting optimum health and increased energy.
MOTHER OF ALL ANTIOXIDANTS Glutathione is your body’s natural master antioxidant. It helps your body to stay healthy by participating directly in the neutralization of free radicals and reactive oxygen compounds, as well as maintaining exogenous antioxidants such as vitamins C and E in their active forms. This powerful antioxidant is the core ingredient of Yeti & The Fox. When drinking, Yeti & The Fox replenishes your glutathione levels. Increased energy levels Glutathione also plays a significant role in energy metabolism, promoting optimum health and increased energy levels by protecting cells from freeradicals that cause damage.
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nutrition
PUMP PRE-WORKOUT POWDER AND CAPSULES
Containing a high number of optimally dosed active ingredients to reduce fatigue, aid bloodflow, oxygen transportation and increase physical performance THE Pump is the perfect addition to anyone looking to get more from their workouts. When we kindly received our package from MyProtein, we were not disappointed. First thing’s first, the visual aesthetics of The Pump range are simple, sleek and classy; which we found very pleasing. Not that that is the first thing you look for in your protein products; but it definitely helps you decide what to go for!
The next thing we noticed was the fact that there is no added caffeine, so you don’t get the jitters from that extra caffeine you might get in other products. This makes it great for evening workouts, when you don’t want to be up all night with the jitters afterwards.
Then it was time to hit the gym! Despite having zero added caffeine, we noticed a definite increase in our
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energy and focus; and this made for a great workout. It did not disappoint! With the extra pump in our system from the beta-alanine, we really got in the zone and felt in the mood to move; which is sometimes tricky to achieve on those days you just don’t want to be at the gym. The Pump got us achieving our goals!
Let’s talk about the taste: Rainbow Sherbet. What a flavour! To be honest, as this is an honest review, it was a little sickly sweet at first. Nevertheless, once you add more water it’s perfect!
If you don’t have a sweet tooth, don’t panic, you can still enjoy the buzz from The Pump with the pre-workout capsules! We were very excited when we saw these, because I for one, had never seen pre-workout protein packed into a capsule before; how convenient!
You can take 2 half an hour before working out (like the Rainbow Sherbet pre-workout drink), or you can have them throughout the day for a quick boost. To me, that sounds amazing; especially if you are a PT who is on
the move all day. Again, The Pump Pre-Workout Capsules do not contain added caffeine, so no jitters here!
The Pump is ideal for those who train in the evenings. If you are looking for a pre-workout boost without the caffeine, use of The Pump contributes to improved cognitive & physiological function.
Here are some comments from Matt Gilchrist, gym-goer and performing arts student:
“I used The Pump Pre-workout before an intense conditioning class at performing arts college. I found that adding more water to the recommended 300ml reduced the sickly-sweetness by a lot, making it like a fruit squash - delicious! It gave me more energy than usual for Tom’s classes… and he made it more intense today as well!”
business
HOW TO DRIVE YOUR PT BUSINESS FORWARD IN 2020 It may not seem it yet, but the new year is just around the corner. In just a few short weeks, 2019 will be just a memory and you’ll be staring down a fresh 12-months full of exciting opportunities for you and your business. As a personal trainer, there are ways you can utilise that knowledge to drive your business forward and ensure you’re ahead of the trends and your competitors.
Broaden your skill-set As a personal trainer, your Level 3 qualification is not to be sniffed at. You are a fitness professional and have worked hard to build your career. However, the learning doesn’t stop. To ensure you’re delivering the best service, taking additional training to upskill is a must for both your clients and your business.
In a survey conducted by EMD UK, the national governing body for group exercise, Pilates came up as the second most popular group exercise class for people to attend, with over 887,000 people attending every week[1]. Known nowadays for its whole-strengthening focus, Pilates is now used as a complementary training method for athletes and bodybuilders. Holistic exercise classes, like Pilates, have been known to boost not only physical well-being but also mental wellbeing. With the trend showing no signs of slowing, upskilling to add Pilates to your services could be for you. The opportunities to work with small groups or even 1-2-1 greatly expands your earning and business potential.
Find your niche Understanding what goes on in your local area can give you a steer as to the types of clients you can attract and pick out areas that other PTs and fitness instructors in your area have not yet tapped into. If you work in an area with business estates, look at what the offerings are there; do they already have a gym? Would the businesses be open to classes? Could you work 1-2-1 with company directors? If you focussed on the latter, there are vast opportunities to charge more per hour and cast your net solely to them. Take the time to understand the mentality of local company directors; the types of events they go to, where they socialise, what social media pages do they talk on. This research is key, giving you a full understanding of who they are and making them easier to target with your marketing.
Some food for thought in the run up to new year. The more you plan now, the better, and having a plan really is one of the keys to success. So, how will your 2020 shape up? To find out more information on Level 3 Pilates included a £200 Sport England bursary, contact the EMD UK training team on 01403 266000, email them on training@emduk.org or visit emduk. org/courses. Courses taking place in January, March and September 2020. [1] EMD UK National Fitness Survey, 2018 [2] Why Mail Cuts Through, Royal Mail 2019 [3] JICMAIL Q2 & Q3, Kantar TNS, 2017.
Focussing on one group of people does not narrow your potential earnings – it opens it up. If you know your audience and you deliver on results and service, good news travels fast. Don’t solely rely on social Social media may be the go-to platform for getting any message out there, but is it best for your business? Consider a blended marketing approach, whereby you combine your online marketing campaign with traditional marketing methods, like flyers. Flyers and mail drops may seem out of touch, but this is far from the truth. In fact, research has shown that mail activates areas of the brain responsible for long term memory encoding 49% more than email and 35% more than social media advertising[2]. Not only that, the lifespan of a flyer can be up to 21 days from the day it drops on your doormat to the day it goes in the recycling[3].
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business
THE TRAINING ROOM It’s time to widen the perception of personal training. We all know that the role of a personal trainer (PT) encompasses many different aspects of health, fitness and wellbeing – stretching far beyond just exercise and nutrition. However, many people – through no fault of their own – continue to view our profession in a fairly simplistic way, not realising the full range of services and benefits that we offer. We need to change this narrative, especially now that so many people (particularly Millennials and Gen Z) are placing much emphasis on their all-round wellbeing. When I first started as a PT, I thought my clients would talk to me purely about exercise and nutrition; instead, I found they also wanted to discuss their stress levels and other matters related to their wider wellbeing. I soon realised my role extended much further than the general public’s traditional perception of a PT, and, in fact, I could perhaps be better described as a lifestyle coach. Since then, I’ve come to look holistically at exercise, nutrition, sleep and stress management, all of which can be drawn together to create a much broader picture of a person’s health and how best to assist them. I believe the title PT tends to make people think of either losing weight or building muscle in the gym; clients pumping iron or hitting the treadmill whilst a professional provides instruction, motivation, support and accountability. Even if a client’s focus is knocking pounds off the scales or making some serious gains, we can still address wellbeing too. By focusing our conversations with prospects around health and fitness in this more holistic sense, we’ll also be opening the door to a whole new realm of people – those who may otherwise have been put off
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by the ‘stereotypical’ idea of personal training, involving killer gym sessions and not much else! This approach not only helps us reduce ‘gymtimidation,’ but it also allows us to start chipping away at the misguided view of our profession – building something new and more representative in its place. If we break personal training down and consider what it really means, it’s about how the client personally needs to be trained in body AND mind. Just as our physical health can be good or bad, so too can our mental health. To provide some context, in the UK, approximately 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem each year, according to mental health charity, Mind, so it’s vital we consider both aspects of our clients’ health, trying to open relevant conversations wherever possible. Thanks to numerous healthy eating initiatives, from Jamie’s School Dinners and the government’s 5-a-day campaign to Change4Life and ITV’s Veg Power campaign, most people nowadays are conscious of what they’re eating and how this affects their physical health. Even if they still make unhealthier nutritional choices, at least they’re aware of it. However, many people don’t fully understand the connection between mental health and lifestyle habits. For example, in today’s society – with many of us fighting against the rat race – it’s easy to neglect sleep and exercise. The question is, do people really know the true impact this has on their body, both physically and mentally? To improve my understanding of mental health, I took the Mental Health First Aid Instructor Training through MHFA, and it’s a direction I hope our whole profession will start to move in. From individual PTs to education providers, we all need to get a better handle on mental health and integrate
it into our practice if we’re to make a real difference to people’s lives. Stress, in particular, is a massive epidemic in today’s society; something which, I believe, PTs can help to tackle. To highlight the scale of this issue, “In 2018/19 stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 44% of all work-related ill health cases and 54% of all working days lost due to ill health,” according to the Health and Safety Executive. This poses other questions around workplace wellbeing, which is another conversation entirely (and perhaps one for another time!) The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics may also startle you, showing that there has been no improvement in personal wellbeing among the UK population in the 12 months leading up to March 2019. While these statistics might sound all doom and gloom, they present a real opportunity for us to show the true extent of the value we can add to people’s lives in terms of supporting mental health and all-round wellbeing. With this in mind, the next time a client attends an initial consultation, try taking that extra step. Talk to them about exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress and even their poo… yes, that’s right! The colour, shape, size, consistency, and length of time (how long it takes) will provide clues to the state of their health. I’d suggest researching the Bristol Stool Scale which makes this easy to understand. Talking about poo may feel a little uncomfortable initially, but your clients will soon conquer the initial embarrassment when they realise it’s all part of the bigger picture regarding their health; ultimately meaning they’ll receive a far more personalised and effective service.
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Additionally, talking about poo is much more “real life” for your average client than discussing VO2 Max, and, therefore, may be much easier to comprehend as a health indicator/ metric. When it comes to consultations, I always try to remain fluid, allowing conversations to naturally progress in their own directions. This often leads to other topics being discussed, such as stress and sleep, and is the point at which a PT becomes more of a lifestyle coach. Of course, we always cover the staple ingredients of a consultation, including any underlying health issues/ injury history, but if we’re too rigid in our approach, we could be missing out on important information that might have a significant impact on their goals, experience and progress moving forward. Ultimately, the client decides how much they wish to divulge about their personal health and lifestyle; the PT creates a forum where people feel they’re able to share as much or as little about their current wellbeing as they like. It’s about opening conversations. From my experience, so many people appreciate the opportunity to discuss themselves in more depth. In our ‘oneclick society’ we all constantly have too many tabs open – both in our minds and on smart devices. It’s rare that we actually stop to ‘connect’ on
a more human level; simply talking to someone can be so valuable to our mental health. And while it’s often said that men are less likely to talk about their feelings and seek help, men I’ve worked with have, in general, been just as willing to engage in conversations about mental health as women. There is a real push going on within the health service towards prevention over cure, looking at how the physical activity sector can contribute towards this. This was a major topic of discussion at this year’s ukactive National Summit, suggesting another important and relevant point concerning how we position ourselves as PTs. Singling out autoimmune conditions (irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), coeliac disease and such like), which have seen a huge increase in recent years, in my own experience, these are frequently stress-related. Such diseases can often be prevented – or at least the symptoms relieved - through exercise, diet, lifestyle, sleep and other activities like meditation and mindfulness; again, underpinned by a holistic approach to personal training. I have huge respect for our health service, but, with increasing pressures and demands on today’s GPs, they often have limited time to spend with individual patients. Frequently you’re handed a “cure” (i.e. prescription) for
your ailment, rather than preventative measures to take away with you. This is where we, the PTs, can enter! If we promote ourselves in ways that position us more as lifestyle coaches, people will start to realise two things. Firstly, PTs have more time to listen, and, therefore, can offer a more personal relationship and true human connection that’s important for mental health. Secondly, PTs can produce lifestyle plans that provide long-term health solutions, rather than more immediate fixes which might not help prevent the beginnings of more serious problems. And, as PTs, we can hold our clients’ hands throughout the process (i.e. nag!) which – obviously – GPs aren’t in a position to do. By changing people’s perception of the PT, we’ll have the ability to assist GPs with prevention, making a real difference to the health and wellbeing of our society – becoming all the more valuable in the process. And if more people visit PTs before GPs, it could help lighten the load on the health service. To summarise, I truly believe it’s time to place greater emphasis on delivering a more holistic, lifestyle-based service to our clients, and, subsequently, widen the public’s perception of personal training. This will not only appeal to (and support) the new, wellbeing-focused generations coming through, but it will also have a very positive impact on our society as a whole. Meanwhile, it will provide more opportunities for PTs in terms of client attraction, retention, revenue (expanding their offering) and supporting the NHS’s preventative agenda. For more information about The Training Room, its tutors and personal training courses, visit: www.thetrainingroom.com
BY LIZ SHAW, HEALTH AND FITNESS TUTOR AT THE TRAINING ROOM
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I PREDICT A DIET... From WW, Slimming World, The Ketogenic Diet, Vegansim to the Carnivore Diet - each of these methods have one thing in common, they create a calorie deficit. A calorie deficit is what anyone must adhere to, in order to lose weight/ body fat.
of your diet, or reduce the amount, you’ll probably create a calorie deficit (I can see a pattern emerging here..)
and burn calories. N.E.A.T is any type of physical activity that you do, outside of exercise. This can include gardening & walking. #UpYourNEAT
“To elicit Fat Loss/ Weight Loss - you must create a calorie deficit”
Step 4.
PROBLEMS: AVOID Weight Watchers - Gives you what’s called a SmartPoint budget. “By staying within your budget, you’ll enjoy delicious, nutritious foods and create an energy deficit you need for healthy weight loss” Conclusion: Creates a calorie deficit with a points system.
Slimming World - ‘Free Foods, Syns,Healthy Extras’ is their current method. Conclusion: Creates a calorie deficit. If you leave the program, you’ll probably leave with zero knowledge about calories/portion Control, and you will more than likely revert back to type.
The Vegan Diet - The Vegan Diet has made a bit of a comeback in recent months.If you choose to follow this with the idea that quality Red Meat is ‘unhealthy’, you’re barking up the wrong broccoli. There is no evidence. It also isn’t linked to cancer and decreased mortality. If you choose to adhere to the ‘vegan’ way of life for ethical reasons - more power to you. Conclusion: You create a caloric deficit by not eating meat, fish, eggs or dairy.
The Paleo Diet - This. “Eat like our ancestors” *grabs spear, runs into woods.. The Paleo Diet encourages you to Eat like the Cavemen (and Cavewomen...) Meat, Eggs, Fish Veggies, Seeds, Nuts and fruits... AVOIDING at all costs, cereal grains, legumes and refined sugar. It’s kind of like a Low Carb Diet. Conclusion: Take a macronutrient out
There are companies out there who simply could not care about you, your goals or your health. I genuinely do not believe in companies who promote weight-loss or weight-gain for the wrong reasons.
Conclusion: You do NOT need to spend your money on Weight Loss Supplements, Tea, Detox drinks, or items with the title ‘Skinny’ or ‘One Size Fits All’ in the name.
SOLUTIONS: Portion Control for Fat Loss
Monitor your food intake and N.E.A.T as the weeks go on to identify if you are on the right track.
If you have reduced the amount of food that you eat over a few weeks and do not notice a difference in size, you’re either at maintenance or you’re in a calorie surplus. Increase your Steps and increase your N.E.A.T take a look at your current training plan
Portion Control is a fantastic tool that you can utilise to successfully lose body fat. This does take time but stick with it & be consistent. Body Fat
So there you have it. What to be aware of, what to avoid and what you can do to create a sustainable calorie deficit.
Portion Control
Prior to beginning any dieting, make sure you measure your waist, hips and thighs. Simply take these measurements once every few weeks.
Article by Gareth Hogg - BACPR Level 4 Personal Trainer, Healthwise Referral & Nutrition Consultant Gareth.h.nutrition@outlook.com
Step 1. Write a food diary weekly including both food & drink.
Step 2. Make some small, subtle changes. This doesn’t have to be drastic. There’s no clearing out the cupboards and filling it with Kale, Spirullina powder or detoxing on your own urine. Just make small changes.
Step 3. Exercise and No Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (N.E.A.T) - Exercise will help to create muscle, build strength
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Myprotein – THE Pump Capsule £19.99
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Myprotein launches new high impact pre-workout... THE Pump Myprotein has added a brand new, innovative pre-workout product to its elite PRO range, with THE Pump. Available in either a capsule format or powder blend and, as well as having zero added caffeine, THE Pump contains the first EU use of patented VASO6 technology proven to give powerful muscle pumps while supporting cardiovascular health. 300mg of VASO6 per serving makes this a market leading innovation setting it apart from other caffeine-based pre-workouts.
Containing a high number of optimally dosed active ingredients to reduce fatigue, aid blood-flow, oxygen transportation and increase physical performance THE Pump is the perfect addition to anyone looking to get more from their workouts. Ideal for those who train in the evenings, looking for a pre-workout boost without the caffeine, use of THE Pump contributes to improved cognitive & physiological function.
THE Pump is available as a 60 pill pot for £19.99 or 20 serving powder tub in either Rainbow Candy or Orange Mango for £26.99.
Available now at myprotein.com
For more information, images or samples, please contact jack.forsyth@thehutgroup.com
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WILL IT BE LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS... taking a friend along with you, they will thank you for it!
London’s Leading Life Coach, Malminder Gill offers five tips on how to combat loneliness and help others over the festive season.
With Christmas widely regarded as a time of year best spent with family and friends, it can be an especially lonely period for those who don’t have any close loved ones around. We are more likely to feel lonely during celebrations such as Christmas, as these times are highly pressurised when expectations are about connecting with other people. The reality is that the holidays can be lonely, anxiety inducing, isolating and stressful.
If you’ve never felt lonely at Christmas, consider yourself fortunate; maybe this year, we could all keep an eye out for those who are struggling. Here are some tips to help yourself, and each other, this Christmas season…
1.Think about what makes you feel lonely - Is it that you have no one to talk to, you’re not getting invited to social gatherings, you have no one to care for or you feel no one cares for you. Loneliness shows up in different ways for different people, so recognising clearly what makes you feel lonely is
the first step to addressing it.
2.Look for companionship and social events that make you feel good, even if it’s just a movie night on the sofa.
3.Be vocal about it. What can you can do to prevent/manage that feeling of loneliness - rather than depending or relying on others to ‘show up’ for you, what can you really do about it? For instance, perhaps letting others know that you feel lonely sometimes when xyz happens. We can’t just assume that others can read our minds.
Group classes, whether it is dance class, fitness or even Qi Gong are an excellent way to enable natural connections with others to develop. Picking a class where you are deliberately placed into small groups or pairs might seem daunting at first, but a great sense of positive encouragement can develop quite quickly as they group work together to overcome obstacles. Try something even more adventurous such as mountaineering or circus based fitness where tutor-led classes operate within small communities.
Malminder Gill. An award-winning Hypnotherapist and Life Coach, accomplished Author and Speaker, Malminder Gill helps clients re-invent themselves. From finding love and getting through a break-up to overcoming anxiety, losing weight and changing thought patterns, Gill has a 100% success rate in more than solving problems – she offers radical change from within. Boasting an impressive clientele that includes royalty, celebrities and CEO’S, Malminder has been changing lives for more than a decade.
4.What are you doing about helping other people who might be feeling lonely? Loneliness usually encourages a withdrawal into self. Get out there and start checking in on others. Consider volunteering or calling someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
5. Exercise. It can be tempting to slow down or entirely stop exercising over the festive season. Going for a run or a yoga class will remind you that you are doing something for YOU - your body and your own mental wellbeing. Try
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TOTAL FITNESS APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF COMPLIANCE AS ITS ‘PEOPLE-POWERED’ TRANSFORMATION CONTINUES TOTAL FITNESS continues to expand its senior management team with the appointment of a new Head of Compliance, to oversee the organisation’s processes including health and safety, financial, HR, I.T, and membership compliance. Clair Rounding has filled the position at Total Fitness and will be working closely with CEO Sophie Lawler to bring about cultural change across the brand’s 17 health clubs, located in the North of England and Wales.
Clair’s responsibilities will include overseeing and revising Total Fitness’ health and safety policies, incorporating elements of the personal leadership programmes which all staff are now undertaking, in line with the brand’s transformational leadership strategy. She will also be conducting risk assessments across the brand’s 17 sites as well as working to improve communications between staff and senior management to streamline problem reporting.
Clair holds a degree in Business Management, with NEBOSH and IOSH qualifications, and brings 28 years of experience to the role with 24 of those in management roles across a number of private, public and trust based leisure organisations. During her five years at Fitness First, Clair progressed from General
Manager to Senior General Manager, before being appointed as National Business Compliance Manager. This was then followed by two and a half years as Group Quality Manager at Everyone Active.
Having taken the role of Group Retail Manager at Total Fitness in 2005, Clair’s career came full circle this year, with her appointment to head up the compliance team.
year putting a real emphasis on listening to and developing its staff. I’m looking forward to taking that one step further by making Total Fitness one of the safest places to work in the North.
“It’s a privilege to be working with a team that is genuinely passionate about its brand and strives to make Total Fitness a better place for both customers and staff on a daily basis.”
Her ambitions for the next five years include overhauling all financial procedures, producing a new training manual for all levels of basic health and safety throughout the organisation and kickstarting a Total Fitness compliance academy to train up the next generation of department heads.
The appointment comes as the leading mid-market health club continues to implement a successful peoplepowered business turnaround strategy which has seen membership figures increase by 8,000 since the beginning of 2019.
Clair comments: “It’s great to be back. Having taken my career down South for a few years it’s wonderful to be back in the North and heading up compliance at Total Fitness, almost 15 years after I first joined the team. “Total Fitness has undergone some huge cultural changes over the last
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BUILDING AN ONLINE FITNESS BUSINESS JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT EASIER The world of online coaching may still be a complete myth to some! That’s why we’re here to stomp out any worries with some help from Jamie Alderton – Successful online coach, Author and founder of one of the largest transformation challenges in the U.K.
plans, sell packages to clients anywhere in the world, monitor client compliance, view carefully plotted graphs showing client progress for multiple areas such as bodyweight, weight lifted for a specific exercise and so much more!
Scaling the ‘Jay8 Challenge’ Before online training really became a thing, many trainers found themselves managing their clients via the old school method of pen & paper. The elite, or at least a small percentage, were using excel spreadsheets with carefully calculated formulas, but as Jay found, this can quickly become time consuming and messy! Boasting over 100 clients, managing client check-ins was a nightmare, for Jay this sometimes-meant spending 10+ hours alone on them.
This was the turning point, leading him to discover My PT Hub. An online fitness software aimed at helping fitness professionals manage and track their clients, all from one place.
An elevated service offered! Within the first week, the service offered to clients started to increase and trump that of prior times using multiple spreadsheets. As a fitness professional, the ability to scale your business whilst still delivering a premium product to clients is key. Thus, enabling you to increase your pricing and even be selective with the clients you decide to work with. Using My PT Hub, you have the ability to create bespoke workout/nutrition
If, like Jay, you often run challenges to entice new clients as a way of expanding your business, you’ll want fool proof measures in place to onboard those clients and automate as much of the process as possible. After all, time is money.
Features available in My PT Hub will do all the heavy work for you, as well as look super professional. You won’t need to add a new client, setup their payments, send a welcome message, send a welcome pack file or allocate workouts, programs and nutrition plans. It’s all done automatically and that’s not half of it! Here’s how…
Using the ‘Packages’ feature, create your challenge by giving it a name and description, write your welcome message, assign an image and if you want to, attach a promo video. Fancy! Then assign any content you’d like clients to automatically receive after purchase, including workouts, programs, nutrition plans and files. Here’s where you can also assign anyone who purchases this package into a Group. Once in a Group you can assign more and more content at any time to all users, as well as send a message to everyone, with just a couple clicks. Easy. Now set the price
and availability. You decide when the package is available to purchase, how long it’s available for and if there’s a limit to the number of sales. Set the price, whether that’s a one-off fee or recurring. There’s even the option to leave the package as free. Congratulations, you’re now running in auto mode! Share your custom link to all of your packages, share a unique link for a specific package or send an invite to existing clients. You’ll be notified every time someone purchases a package. All that’s left to do is view your clients progress using the Results Tracker and view your balance with the Financials feature.
Everything in one place! There’s nothing worse than sorting through paperwork to find a client’s previous measurements to then match these up with progress photos sent via text, email, WhatsApp, or wherever they were sent. With My PT Hub, everything from your workouts, programs, nutrition plans, clients, messages, check in/health questionnaires, finances and more are stored safely in one place. Accessible 24/7, from anywhere, via the mobile app or web browser. We worked closely with Jay to bring you The My PT Hub Masterclass comprising of 13, in-depth lessons, teaching you how to design, build and scale your personal training fitness business.
To purchase the Masterclass, simply sign up to My PT Hub through the following link and head to the ‘Marketplace’ from within your account! https://www.mypthub.net/sign-up/
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10 MINUTES WITH... JOSH MULLIN Thirdly, just remember that if you need any help just drop me an email to Josh@PTtoolbox.co.uk and I can point you in the right direction! What made you start up your Facebook Group UK PT’s? UK PT’s started in 2012 as a way for my course graduates to keep in touch, network and for me to post up job opportunities from my network then as the group grew and I qualified more personal trainers, the word gradually spread and more personal trainers joined. UK PT’s Facebook group started with 20 members, it’s now 11,000! Josh Mullin tells us his journey to success with PT Toolbox. PT Today caught up with Josh of PT Toolbox to get an insight on his experience within the world of personal training, and health and fitness. PT Toolbox was launched in May 2013 as a resource to help PT’s launch their business. Tell us a bit about yourself? This feels a bit like when you go on a course and everyone has to do the awkward introductions but this time it’s written and it’s just me! I’m a fitness professional and I have been since 2007, I specialise in creating and educating personal trainers through my two businesses, Southend Personal Trainer Academy and PT Toolbox; as well as my Facebook group, UK PTs. I also love spending time with my wife and daughter, especially on road trips! What is your favourite part of your job? I actually have two favourite parts… Firstly, when people qualify as a personal trainer with us and they’ve put in loads of hard work to pass, seeing their face when they realise they’ve achieved it is amazing to me, it never gets old!
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Secondly, I love solving problems. When a personal trainer comes to me and needs help growing their business or making their business more efficient, it’s like a puzzle. All I have to do is look at all the pieces and see what’s missing. I’m really good at seeing the overall picture and helping find solutions. How did you get into the industry? I’ve always loved fitness and training. I started training seriously when I was 14 to get stronger and bigger for martial arts. This eventually led me to studying a BTEC in Sport & Exercise Science at college and during that course I was offered a place on a Level 2 Gym Instructor course, that then led me to getting a job at an L.A Fitness; the rest is history! What are your top tips for those looking to become a PT? Firstly, I would recommend finding people that you want to emulate and asking them about their journey so far, most people are willing to answer your questions via email or social media but most people are afraid to ask! Secondly, make sure you research the course you want to complete and make sure that the company you are choosing is reputable as the quality of the qualification you achieve is going to have a huge impact on how successful you are going to be in the future.
The community has always been free, and it’s always been about helping the fitness industry improve, I think that’s why it’s continued to grow. We started with 20 members and we’re now at over 11,000 members! What advice would you give to our readers who wanted to pursue a career in your field? Get a reputable qualification Start learning immediately and not from social media! Start networking now, most of my opportunities have come from connections not qualifications If you need help, ASK