Author Archives: Derek C

Straight to the point on this one, if we want to change the way our body looks, we need to lose fat and retain as much muscle as possible. Everyone is slightly different, what works for one, will not work so well for another. Workouts need to match your goals, your ability and most importantlyContinue reading “Fat Loss”

Why gain muscle? – what’s in it for me? There are so many reasons to gain muscle, we could be here for days! So, let’s look at some of the tangible benefits: Increased strength, I’m not talking winning a powerlifting competition, more along the lines of active daily living. Need to move some furniture, gettingContinue reading “Muscle Gain”

Pressing, jumping, lunging, carrying it has got a bit of it all! During our bootcamps you will be working hard, pushing yourself to the limit – we do not quit! Bootcamps come in all shapes and sizes, this doesn’t mean you need to be super fit to take part, you can start at various levels.Continue reading “Class highlight – Bootcamp”

Last week we started to looked into the benefits of stretching, this is a continuation or part 2 of that, highlighting some of the other benefits we can gain by introducing a solid stretching routine into and around our training program. Increase your range of motion gaining greater freedom of movement, allowing your joints toContinue reading “Making time to stretch – Part 2”

Time to take a deep breath and relax into stretching! We all know that stretching is good for us and that we should do it, yet we often run out of time to do it! Perhaps it’s because being able to hold a certain stretch without getting a cramp isn’t quite as cool as aContinue reading “Making time to stretch – Part 1”

We have already covered why strength training is important for all, so with that baseline let us take a dive into training for longevity. We all age, no stopping that, but why do we except that we will get weaker, slower or that we are doomed? – sounds bleak, good keep that image in yourContinue reading “Training for Longevity”

Lots of conversations have been had over the last couple of weeks in regards to general fitness, fitness levels and what can be or could be considered fitness standards. Now, before we look into some of the nitty gritty, we need to remember (or remind ourselves) that everyone has their own strengths and will naturallyContinue reading “Can you measure fitness across the population?”

When it comes to hormones and weight loss, it’s a bit like the chicken and the egg dilemma. Did hormonal imbalance cause weight gain? Or did diet and lifestyle choices cause weight gain, which triggered the hormonal imbalance? Often, it’s the latter.  Either way, hormones are a crucial part of the equation when it comesContinue reading “Hormones and weight loss”

We should all aim to eat a healthy, varied diet based on the principles of the Eatwell Guide, and this is also the case when you are active. When physically active, your body will use up more energy (calories). This can help with weight control or if you are not looking to lose weight, youContinue reading “Nutrition for Sport and exercise”

Exercise and Depression Studies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression aseffectively as antidepressant medication—but without the side effects, of course. As one example, a recent study done by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that running for 15 minutes a day or walking for an hour reduces the riskContinue reading “What are the mental health benefits of exercise?”