We get it, life is busy and finding a slot for a workout can be difficult.

It’s easy to get wrapped in everything else that’s going on and be tempted to just get this or that finished a skip a workout to get ahead in another area.

So what can we do to help keep us on track?

Being flexible with the time we have can help, maybe we haven’t got time to get to the gym, so can we:

Use the stairs at work/home to get some reps in?
Go for a walk around the block to up our step count?
Do one of the short workouts from our Newsletter?

Along with this, having our gym kit ready to go is another good idea, if it’s out ready we won’t find ourselves hunting for our left trainer.

I’m reminded of a great idea from one of my clients, which is they got into their gym gear when they get up before work, then went for a run during their morning break, now that’s being prepared!

Making exercise a priority, whilst we may not feel like it when we start, feeling good after is always a bonus, book it into your calendar, set a reminder or arrange to go with a friend, whether that’s a walk, run or a gym session.

Having it written down will help to keep it in the forefront of our minds and feeling good once we have completed it and ticked it off the list.

Have some shorter workouts planned, maybe we have a smaller time window than normal, having a fall back quick workout will enable us to get something done, as mentioned above there are short workouts throughout the newsletters or you could have a mini gym gym workout planned.

Have a go to ‘nice’ workout planned ready to go, whether that’s a walk in nature, a cycle or even a 3-4 movement gym workout that you enjoy, can make for a nice and short workout to help get us over the exercise line.

There’s always other bits that are going to that pop up, the key is to fit in what we can.

It can be easy to think about a small workout ‘not being worth it’ – this is fair from the truth, small and frequent can add up quickly!

Without getting into the technical stuff, an average paced (classed as 3mph) walk of 10 minutes burns approximately 50 calories, 2-3 of these a day over Monday-Friday nets you 500-750 calories. It always amazes me how quickly short walks can add up and help get you away from the desk into the fresh air.

Bonus, if you make it a brisk walk the calories burnt jump to 60-70, adding even more to those totals!

Would you like some help with how to fit exercise into your busy schedule? Speak to a member of team SF on info@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.

Whether you are an endurance athlete or a power athlete, strength training can help you improve your performance in a number of ways.

Firstly, strength training helps to build and maintain muscle mass. When you perform resistance exercises, your muscles are put under stress, which stimulates the production of new muscle tissue. This increase in muscle mass can improve your power and speed, as well as help you to better maintain your form and technique during long periods of exertion.

Secondly, strength training can help to improve your overall power output. Power athletes, such as sprinters, jumpers, and throwers, rely on the ability to generate a high amount of force in a short period of time. By training with heavy weights and explosive movements, you can increase your ability to generate force quickly, which can translate into improved performance in your sport.

Thirdly, strength training can help to improve your endurance. Endurance athletes, such as distance runners, cyclists, and swimmers, also benefit from strength training. When you perform resistance exercises, you improve your muscle endurance by increasing the number of muscle fibers that can be recruited during activity. This means that you will be able to maintain your pace for longer periods of time, reducing fatigue and improving your overall performance.

Strength training can help to improve your agility and coordination. Many sports require quick movements, changes of direction, and precise coordination of your body. By training with exercises that target these skills.

Strength training for athletic performance can be enhanced by:

Increasing strength: Strength training can help athletes build muscle, which will make them stronger. This can be beneficial for sports that require a lot of strength, such as football, rugby, and weightlifting.

Increasing power: Power is the ability to generate force quickly. Strength training can help athletes develop more power, which can be beneficial for sports that require a lot of power, such as sprinting, jumping, and throwing.

Improving speed: Strength training can help athletes improve their speed. This is because strength training can help athletes improve their muscle fibers, which will make them faster.

Improving agility: Agility is the ability to change direction quickly. Strength training can help athletes improve their agility by improving their muscle fibers and their coordination.

Reducing the risk of injury: Strength training can help athletes reduce their risk of injury. This is because strength training can help athletes build muscle, which will make their bones and joints stronger.

Increasing endurance: Strength training can help athletes increase their endurance. This is because strength training can help athletes improve their cardiovascular system and their muscle fibers.

Overall, strength training can be a beneficial addition to any athlete’s training program. It can help improve their performance in a variety of ways, and it can also help reduce their risk of injury.

Here are some tips for incorporating strength training into your athletic training program:

Start with the basics: If you are new to strength training, start with the basics. This means using simple exercises that target all of the major muscle groups.

Be consistent: Strength training is a long-term process. To see results, you need to be consistent with your workouts.

In addition to the benefits listed above, strength training can also help athletes:

– Improve their mental focus and concentration

– Improve their balance and coordination

– Improve their bone density

– Improve their cardiovascular health

– Improve their overall health and well-being

Strength training is a safe and effective way to improve athletic performance and overall health. 

If you are an athlete, speak to Team SF about how strength training can help you reach your goals info@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.

Fitness training can improve your health and wellbeing in many ways. It can help you lose weight, build muscle, and improve your overall fitness. It can also help reduce stress, improve your mood, and boost your energy levels.

If you are new to fitness training, it is important to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. It is also important to listen to your body and take breaks when you need them.

Here are a few tips help:

Set realistic goals.

When you’re first starting out, it’s important to set realistic goals for yourself. Don’t try to do too much too soon, or you’ll end up getting discouraged. Start with small goals, like working out for 30 minutes three times a week, and gradually increase your intensity and duration as you get stronger.

Find an activity you enjoy.

If you don’t enjoy the activity you’re doing, you’re less likely to stick with it. So find something that you find fun and challenging, whether it’s running, swimming, biking, or dancing.

Make it a social activity.

Working out with friends or family can make it more fun and motivating. You can also join a fitness class or sports team.

Track your progress.

Keeping track of your progress can help you stay motivated and see how far you’ve come. You can track your workouts, your weight, or your fitness level.

Be patient.

It takes time to see results from fitness training. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Just keep at it, and you will eventually see the results you want.

Let’s take a look at some of benefits for your health and wellbeing:

Heart health by reducing the risk of heart disease, lowering blood pressure, and improving cholesterol levels. One study found that adults who engaged in resistance training at least twice per week had a 41% reduced risk of heart disease.

Diabetes management by improving glucose uptake in the muscles and reducing insulin resistance. In fact, a study found that resistance training was as effective as medication in improving glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes.

Shown to have positive effects on mental health by reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving mood, and enhancing self-esteem. One study found that resistance training was as effective as medication in reducing symptoms of depression in adults.

Benefit cognitive function by improving executive function, memory, and attention. One study found that older adults who engaged in resistance training twice per week had improved cognitive function compared to those who did not.

Can also be an effective way to manage chronic pain, including back pain and arthritis. By strengthening the muscles and improving joint stability, resistance training can help to reduce pain and improve mobility.

Help to maintain muscle mass and bone density, reduce the risk of falls and fractures, and improve overall functional ability and quality of life.

In addition to these health benefits, resistance training can also provide a sense of accomplishment and empowerment, as individuals see improvements in their strength and physical abilities. This can have positive effects on overall wellbeing and confidence.

Resistance training is a valuable activity for promoting health and wellbeing. By incorporating resistance training into a regular exercise routine, individuals can improve their physical health, mental health, and overall quality of life.

With lots of information already available regarding fat loss, let’s take a look at some strategies instead. After all, knowing what to do is one thing, implementing it is the key:

Create a calorie deficit: The most important factor in weight loss is creating a calorie deficit. This means burning more calories than you consume. 

You can do this by reducing your calorie intake or increasing your physical activity. Start by tracking your food intake and daily activity level to get a baseline and then gradually make adjustments to your diet and exercise routine to create a sustainable calorie deficit.

Focus on nutrient-dense foods: Eating a diet rich in nutrient-dense foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and whole grains can help you feel fuller for longer and provide the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs. 

• Leafy greens: Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and collard greens are low in calories but high in nutrients such as vitamins A, C, K, and folate. They are also a good source of fiber and antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation in the body and support overall health.

• Berries: Berries such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are high in antioxidants, which can help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. They are also a good source of fiber and vitamin C.

• Lean protein: Lean protein sources such as chicken, fish, and tofu are essential for building and repairing muscles, as well as supporting immune function. They are also a good source of nutrients such as iron, zinc, and B vitamins.

• Whole grains: Whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and whole-wheat bread are a good source of fiber, which can help regulate digestion and keep you feeling full. They are also a good source of B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and selenium.

• Legumes: Legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and black beans are a good source of protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. They are also a good source of nutrients such as iron, folate, and potassium.

Aim to make half of your plate vegetables at each meal, choose lean protein sources such as chicken or fish, and limit processed and high-calorie foods.

Incorporate strength training: Incorporating strength training into your exercise routine can help you build lean muscle mass, which can 

• Increase muscle mass

• Increased metabolic rate

• Improve insulin sensitivity

• Reduce fat storage

The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn even while you are sleeping. 

Additionally, strength training can help to improve your insulin sensitivity, which can help to reduce the amount of fat that your body stores.

You don’t need access to a gym to strength train; bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges, and push-ups can be done at home.

Stay consistent and patient: Weight loss is not an overnight process, and it’s important to stay consistent and patient with your efforts. We can do this by:

• Setting realistic expectations. It takes time to lose fat and keep it off. Don’t expect to see results overnight.

• Focusing on the long-term. Think about how you want to look and feel in a few months or years, not just tomorrow.

• Tracking your progress. This will help you stay motivated and see how far you’ve come.

• Rewarding yourself. When you reach a goal, give yourself a small reward, such as a new outfit or a massage.

• Being kind to yourself. Everyone has setbacks. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up. Just get back on track and keep going.

• Finding a support system. Talk to friends, family, or a therapist about your goals. They can help you stay motivated and accountable.

• Making healthy living a priority. This means eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.

• Enjoying the process. Losing fat can be a journey, but it’s also an opportunity to learn about yourself and make positive changes in your life.

If you’d like more information on how to start, contact team SF on info@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.

Hey SpikeFitness, give me 3 tips for gaining muscle:

Consistency is key: following a well-designed workout plan and nutrition program is crucial for long-term muscle gain. 

Make sure you’re lifting weights regularly and progressively overloading your muscles. Aim to train each muscle group at least twice a week with proper form and technique. 

Additionally, ensure you’re eating enough protein to support muscle growth and fuelling your body with enough calories to sustain the growth.

Progressive Overload: Progressive overload is the principle of gradually increasing the stress placed on your muscles over time. This can be done by increasing the weight lifted, reps, sets, or reducing rest periods. Incorporating different techniques like drop sets, pyramid sets, or supersets can also help break through plateaus and challenge your muscles in new ways. 

However, it is essential to progress gradually, so your body has enough time to adapt to the new stimuli.

Recovery and Rest: Muscle growth occurs during rest and recovery periods. Therefore, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and taking rest days are essential for long-term muscle gain. 

Ensure you’re sleeping at least 7-8 hours a day and taking rest days to allow your body to repair and recover. 

Recovery also involves proper nutrition, so make sure you’re eating a balanced diet that includes enough protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to support muscle growth and recovery.

And are they important to all age groups?

Long-term muscle gain is essential for all age groups, as muscle growth is a biological process that requires consistent effort, proper nutrition, and adequate recovery. 

However, it’s essential to keep in mind that the approach to muscle gain may differ depending on age, fitness level, and overall health.

Older individuals may need to pay more attention to joint health and mobility, while younger individuals may need to focus on developing proper form and technique. 

Additionally, individuals with underlying health conditions or injuries may need to modify their workout program to avoid aggravating their condition.

And lastly, why is it important to have more muscle mass?

Having more muscle mass can have several long-term health benefits, as it is associated with improved metabolic health, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and enhanced functional ability.

Here are some of the benefits of having more muscle mass:

Improved metabolic health: Muscle mass plays a vital role in regulating metabolism and blood sugar levels. Having more muscle mass can help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Several studies have shown that having more muscle mass is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and some forms of cancer.

Enhanced functional ability: Maintaining and building muscle mass can help improve functional ability, such as balance, mobility, and overall physical performance. This can be especially important for older adults, as it can help maintain independence and prevent falls.

A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that older adults with higher muscle mass had a lower risk of developing insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, which are risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Overall, having more muscle mass can provide several long-term health benefits. However, it’s important to maintain a balanced approach to strength training and exercise, including adequate recovery and proper nutrition, to optimise the benefits and avoid potential risks.

If you’d like more information on how to increase your muscle mass, contact team SF on info@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.

Compound lifts are important for several reasons, including:

Efficiency: Compound lifts involve multiple muscle groups and joints, which allows you to work more muscles in less time. This is especially important if you have a limited amount of time to work out.

Strength: Compound lifts are excellent for building overall strength because they target multiple muscle groups at once. By performing compound lifts regularly, you can increase your overall strength and improve your performance in other exercises and activities.

Muscle growth: Compound lifts stimulate the release of growth hormones, which are essential for building muscle mass. Because compound lifts work multiple muscle groups, they can help you to build muscle more effectively than isolation exercises that only target one muscle group.

Functional movement: Compound lifts mimic movements that we use in everyday life, such as squatting, lifting, and pushing. By performing these exercises, you can improve your overall mobility, stability, and balance, which can help you to perform everyday activities more easily and reduce your risk of injury.

Injury prevention: Compound lifts can help to improve your overall strength and stability, which can reduce your risk of injury during other activities. Additionally, by performing these exercises with proper form and technique, you can reduce your risk of injury during the lifts themselves.

Overall, compound lifts are an important part of any strength training program. They allow you to work more muscles in less time, build overall strength and muscle mass, improve functional movement, and reduce your risk of injury.

The main compound lifts are the squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press. These lifts involve multiple muscle groups and are considered the foundation of strength training.

The squat is a lower body exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. To perform a squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, brace your core, and lower your body by bending your knees and hips until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Return to the starting position by extending your knees and hips.

The bench press is an upper body exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. To perform a bench press, lie on a bench with your feet flat on the ground, grip the barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and lower the barbell to your chest. Push the barbell back up to the starting position by extending your arms.

The deadlift is a full-body exercise that targets the back, glutes, hamstrings, and grip strength. To perform a deadlift, stand with your feet roughly shoulder- width apart, grip the barbell with your hands shoulder- width apart, and lift the barbell off the ground by extending your knees and hips. Keep your back straight and your core braced throughout the lift.

The overhead press is an upper body exercise that targets the shoulders, triceps, and upper back. To perform an overhead press, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, grip the barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and lift the barbell from your shoulders to above your head by extending your arms.

These lifts are fundamental to building strength and muscle mass and are often used in powerlifting and bodybuilding competitions. It is important to use proper form and technique when performing these lifts to prevent injury and maximise results.

If you’d like more information on how compound movements to your workouts, contact team SF oninfo@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.

With the continued increase in popularity and reporting on strength training, we have more people than ever trying it out for the first time, which is awesome.

With an increase in popularity comes a lot of potentially conflicting information, I say potentially as with all information, the key is in the demographic, age, training type and so on, this can make something true in one area and not so in another.

Let’s have a look at some strength training myths shall we?

Myth: Strength training will make women bulky.

Reality: This is a common myth, but it is not true. Women do not have the same levels of testosterone as men, so it is much more difficult for them to build large muscles. 

Strength training can actually help women tone and define their muscles, giving them a more athletic and sculpted look.

Myth: You have to lift heavy weights to build strength.

Reality: While lifting heavy weights is one way to build strength, it is not the only way. Bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, and lighter weights with higher reps can also help build strength, especially for beginners.

Myth: Strength training is only for young people.

Reality: Strength training can benefit people of all ages, from teenagers to seniors. In fact, it is especially important for older adults to maintain their strength and mobility as they age.

Myth: Strength training is dangerous and can cause injury.

Reality: Any form of exercise carries some risk of injury, but strength training is not inherently dangerous. 

As long as you use proper form, start with lighter weights, and progress gradually, strength training can be safe and effective.

Myth: Strength training will make you inflexible.

Reality: This is another common myth, but it is not true. In fact, strength training can actually improve flexibility and range of motion, especially when combined with stretching and mobility exercises.

Let’s pop a couple more benefits in shall we:

1. Improve your bone density and help prevent osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease common in older women
2. Improve your body composition (increase lean mass and reduce fat mass)
3. Benefit your mental health
4. Make you feel strong, empowered and confident

Important to note here that we really do require a good mix of training, cardio and strength together play an important part in keeping us fit and healthy.

If you’d like more information on how best to structure your workouts, contact team SF on info@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.

It really is, once we understand that’s it not just about lifting the heaviest weight possible or sculpting perfect muscular symmetry.

It can be balancing on one leg, performing a squat without pain, or doing a pull-up.

In order to balance on one leg, we need the strength to hold our bodyweight on it.

Same goes with the squat, or a sitting to standing through that hinging movement.

The examples continue, the message remains the same, we need strength to undertake movements, whether that is daily active living or a specific activity (in or out of the gym).

When we look at the shapes we make during the day this can give us a great insight to area’s that we should investigate, sit at a desk for the majority of the day? Let’s look at your upper back and shoulders with a side order of core and hips.

Moving those area’s and creating additional strength, or stability through strength will help to stave off the tightness we experience and allow a faster transition into other activities away from the desk.

Carrying the shopping in – by keeping your pelvis level you’re activating your core – maybe that’s why there’s so many memes about doing it in one trip?

Just as an injury can radiate outwards, such as an elbow affecting a shoulder, we can use strength to improve area’s of our body and help to reverse those.

Improving our strength will help with mobility, the better our mobility the more we can move which increases the amount of strength work we can undertake.

The volume of workload really doesn’t need to be intense, we need to look at working the muscle(s) that are underused and work on integrating movements that help to work them, we should be concentrating on creating the correct movement (form) then slowly building up the load (either reps or weight).

It can be logical to look to work on muscles directly and we want to ensure we are, to start with it would be wise to choose movements that include those muscles rather than targeting them directly.

 An example would be a row movement with 2 hands before undertaking single arm variations.

Lot’s of food for thought here, main take aways are:

Increase Movement

Increase Strength

Increase Skill (proficiency) of each muscle

Information overload? – if you have any questions or would like some help speak to a member of Team SF on info@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.

Why is it that when we speak to people about strength training the vision is the ‘bigger peeps’ in the weight’s section?

Whilst the look may not be to our liking (or maybe it is!) as with all things human we can learn from methodologies and processes.

Strength training or resistance training from here on in, helps us in many more ways than looking good in front of the mirror (although we do want you to feel good when you do look!)

What should we take from the body building community then?

Working all muscle groups, tensioning of the muscles and small increments over time.

Nice short one, get into resistance training, it’s the old, new thing!

Evidence continues to mount for resistance training, Harvard studies show that 30-60 minutes of resistance training per week can be enough to reduce death from all premature causes by up to 20%, specifically cancer and heart disease – I had to read that twice and triple check the sources.

There are many others, such as balance in females (65-82) improving by over 70% following a 12 week resistance program, just going to slide in a say never too early to get ahead.

Resistance training can give up to a 58% increase in functional capacity in older adults, again should we be waiting to see this increase?

Let’s talk getting into resistance training then, shall we?

Lots of bars, machines, plates, dumbbells and kettlebells – what order, when and how many?

Start off small, pick 3-4 exercises that work multiple muscles at the same time (we’ll touch on compound movements in a few weeks).

Creating the right shapes and movement patterns are the first stop, ideally we want to be doing 12-15 reps of a light to moderate weight – this gives us more opportunities to learn the movement whilst the weight is more manageable.

Speaking of manageable, once we have the right form we can then look at increasing the weight to a point where the last 2-3 reps are a challenge to complete with good form.

It’s better to slow the movement down and control it with good form then to chase lifting a heavier weight.

Increase rest breaks if we need to, when we first start out, there is lots to think about, this combined with lifting will lead to being fatigued, we want to give our muscles enough time to recharge without getting cold, this can be up to 3-5 minutes if required, for most 1-2 minutes is the sweet spot.

Try to train in size order, our bodies are amazing and they will function as we ask – we can help the process along though. 

When we use our back our biceps have to assist the movement, with that they get fatigued. As a back movement typically requires more weight than a bicep movement it is better to work the back before the biceps.

Chest and triceps are the same and legs well, just do them first and get them over and done with!

What would a simple resistance workout look like?

Warm up – 5-10 minutes

Leg press/squats (bar/kettlebell/TRX/bodyweight)  3-4 sets 12-15 reps

Row movement (cables/machine/dumbbells) 3-4 sets 12-15 reps

Chest movement (cables/machine/dumbbells/bodyweight) 3-4 sets 12-15 reps

Bicep and triceps movement (cables/machine/dumbbells) 3-4 sets 12-15 reps

Optional core movement – bodyweight to start, something like a reverse crunch as it allows for progression and regression either for reps or time, 3-4 sets 12-15 reps or 3 45second rounds.

You’ll notice that every exercise is 12-15 reps, easy to remember and plenty of practice, should the reps change with the exercise and weight – absolutely in time, we should get a good baseline first before over complicating things.

Keeping to a simple full body plan will allow you to gain confidence, build good form and understand how your body responds. Undertaking this 2-3 times a week will also give a good balance of work to recovery.

Looking to add in some resistance training or want to change up what you are doing? Speak to a member of Team SF on info@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.

Picture this, Sunday evening we are all set for the week ahead, good intentions for food and exercise.

If it all goes well, result, every now and again it doesn’t seem to work out like that though. So, how can we plan-ahead to flow with changes we might need to work around.

Much like the flexibility, we can plan our calorie intake, we can plan our week in the same manner. Having better choices available will help to remove the need to choose something quickly, which can remove temptation!

So enough talking, let’s be having some examples shall we?

Have a number of meal options available without the need to get anything from the shops, if cooking is something you enjoy, having all of the ingredients available saves time and gets you into cooking without any other distractions Create a backup go to meal that’s quick and easy – Frozen meals (that we cook) are super good, other options would be having something healthy pre-cooked ready to go.

Say we have time to cook on a Monday evening, cook a chicken breast or alternative, pop it in the fridge, if it’s not needed the next evening shred it into a wrap for Wednesday lunch.

So many options here and you get the idea. Have some healthy snacks on hand – so many healthy snacks can be made, from flapjacks to homemade protein bars and pancakes these can be used during the week or for those on the rush days.

Keep water intake up – mentioned last week, are we hungry or thirsty? – let’s ask ourselves would we eat an apple (or another fruit)? Bring your food with you for the day – start our day by packing our food for the day, it helps create a connection with our goal, and by having it with us, we don’t need to choose between options at the local shop – or even visit it!

Couple of other things to consider, and I’m expecting some heat for this one, frozen veg or frozen items, they can last longer – helps us shop less, which saves temptation. Write a shopping list before you go shopping and stick to it.

Try out some recipes, see what works for you and doesn’t, the more options we can have available, the less likely we are to stray away from the Sunday evening plan of action.

Much like the last few weeks creating flexibility is the key here, we need to allow some trial and error, is it better to have an extra healthy snack that wasn’t on the plan or a chocolate bar?

Rome wasn’t built in a day, was last weeks sign off, let’s add the next bit before we move onto talking strength training.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour.

Information overload? – if you have any questions or would like some help, speak to a member of Team SF on info@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.