Fitness & Health Tips For 2016

Here's a recent article I wrote for The Evening Chronicle............

Stacey from Newcastle, retired from the track due to injury and is now a fully qualified sports therapist, personal trainer, nutritionist and health advisor.

In her new role she advises people on how to get fit and shift any unwanted weight.

She said: “Health and fitness advice in the past has always tended to be about going to extremes. Cutting out whole food groups, fasted cardio, not eating carbs after 6pm, and downing protein shakes after a session.

“Being fit and healthy is easy, can be fun and you don’t have to take it too seriously, you don’t have to stick to the rules which have been set before, find your own way of doing things”.

Here she gives you her top tips for a healthy 2016.

1. Don’t jump on the Fad diet bandwagon. Think that starving yourself will be a quick fire way of losing those Christmas pounds? Wrong! Fad diets such as 5:2, Atkins, low calorie, meal delivery services and points counting are only short term fixes and thats all they’ll ever be.

You need a normal human diet which your body and training can thrive on. Eat real natural foods and stay away from the packets... think vegetables, meat, grains, fish, seafood, eggs, fruit, nuts, seeds.

2. Enjoy your training! Think that being healthy and increasing your fitness levels should be a hard, miserable, painful slog? Thats the quickest way to put anyone off! Find the enjoyment level of exercise, remind yourself of how you will feel afterwards, endorphins released will give you a euphoric feeling and exercise is also recommend for people that might be suffering from the new year blues... exercise is a natural mood lifter and also gives you time out of the rat race.

3. Take it steady. Don’t be tempted into going to the gym everyday for three weeks, then find you’ve sickened yourself and can’t face going there anymore. Chose to exercise 3/4 times a week, then build it up after that.

4. Drink more water. Your body needs water to function and fills you up, so instead of reaching for snacks when you feel peckish, have a glass of water instead. Sometimes your body mistakes hunger for dehydration.

5. Drink less alcohol. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, a couple of glasses of wine can set you back 400kcal and will require a 40mins run to burn it off. Cutting your alcohol intake is one of the quickest ways to lose those pesky pounds.

6. Try something new. If your stuck in a rut and bored of training then mix it up. Try circuit training, interval/hill running, a new fitness class, a new running route or join a new club.

7. Nail your warm up and cool down. Another thing that will get in your way of your fitness journey in 2016 is injuries. Make sure you are thoroughly warmed up before exercise and don’t jump straight in the car after your session. A normal warm up I prescribe to people is 5-10mins of jogging followed by dynamic stretches, these are exercises that are performed with movement such as high knee drills, hip circles, lunges and leg swings.

For a cool down a few light static stretches are needed, but studies show that stretching is best performed a few hours later. So when you are sitting in front of the TV focus on large muscle group stretches such as hamstrings, quads, glutes and calves. A lack of... or a reduction in flexibility is one of the main causes of injuries, so its important!

8. Make a list of all your personal barriers. This is the best way to make sure you stay on track of your health and fitness goals. Write down everything that will possibly get in your way or things that you may be tempted to use as an excuse. Examples such as work, stress, tiredness, family, celebrations, lack of motivation and bad weather conditions are frequently used... especially in January.

You need to be aware of what may get in your way and you need to have a plan in place for when these situations may happen. Sounds a little bit drastic, but it works!

9. Set short term and long term goals. One of the most off putting things for my clients is that they soley focus on their long term plan, i.e. losing 40 pounds. Now if you have a big goal like that, it may seem impossible and out of reach in the short term. This is when achievable short term goals are better put in place. Focus on losing your first 5 pounds, then move your goals and after you’ve achieved that... and so on.

10. If you have a cheat meal, day or even a week then don’t fret. Forgive yourself and simply move on. Theres nothing you can do to take back the pizza, beer, brownie, ice cream binge so don’t beat yourself up about it. Move on, learn from it and get back in the gym asap... simple but true!

DietBet - The company that will pay you to lose weight. The Pros and Cons

DietBet is an online American Company designed to increase your willpower...with money. In order to lose weight these days people seem to not have enough willpower to stay slim and away from the Krispy Kreme's on their own...but give them money for it...Yes! With the UK set to start doing the same I thought I would share my thoughts on the scheme.

DietBet involves a group of people setting up either a 4 week or 6 month challenge to see who can lose a certain percentage of body weight. In the 4 week challenge there is a 4% loss target and in the 6 months challenge a 10% loss in body weight is the target.

New bets start everyday, the more people who enter a challenge there's a higher chance of making more money. Every participant puts in a set amount then anyone who completes the challenge gets a split of the pot and anyone who doesn't...time to cough up.

First of all... The problems with this system.

1. This could potentially lead to dangerous weight loss methods, starvation and eating disorders.
2. Every persons biological makeup is different, some may naturally lose body fat quicker then others. People who are quite large can lose 4% body weight a lot easier then if your only carrying a couple of extra pounds.
3. This challenge is very short and doesn't aim for long term health (probably would want you to put on weight and join another challenge again).
4. Only digital scales allowed and they can be very inconsistent. 
5. Success is only measured with weight loss. If you are doing a range of different training methods including weight training, you weight is more then likely going to go up. Health and fitness success is not only measured with what the scales say.
6. A quick weight loss could potentially mean you have lost muscle mass not body fat.
7. Water fasting could replicate these results, boxers do this for weigh ins. 
8. Cheating would be easy! Just stick a weight in your pants and hey presto you've made your 4% weight loss in 1 minute. 

The only positive I can think of is that it may give you the initial willpower and motivation to lose weight. If your health, your expanding waist line, the fact you nearly keel over after walking up the stairs or you cannot play with the kids anymore isn't enough for you to take responsibility of your health and lose weight then when in doubt the Americans are here to save you... by gambling with your health.

Stace x

What To Pack For A Fitness Holiday/Vacation

Now some may say I'm a little crazy exercising on holiday but to me it's important! It's what makes me happy and I love the free time to dedicate it to improving my fitness, so why should I stop on holiday? Gone are the days when the norm is sitting by a pool all day drinking cocktails...exercising and going on fitness retreats are the new luxury. On my recent holiday I ran a lot, did circuit training, sand dune reps and also did local fitness classes, for me it's not necessarily about keeping the holiday weight off but I genuinely enjoy it and see it a huge luxury. Having time on my hands to do nothing but sunbathe, eat, sleep and train in glorious weather is like heaven! When I don't exercise I feel lethargic, I get cranky and unhappy, so holidays for me always include exercise.

Now I do obviously relax on holiday, so yes I do have the odd mojito and red wine, but for every alcoholic drink I have, I then follow it with a glass of water. I do get a little tipsy every now and again but I find alcohol really affects me and I don't like it, so I only have the odd one or two. Over the years there's been a lot of trial and error to make my body the healthiest it can be and I'm learning everyday, the key is to listen to the body. Unfortunately mine doesn't like too much alcohol.

The beaches in Fueteventura are some of the best I've ever been on, bright white sand and crystal clear turquoise water, it's such a beautiful Island I'm in love with this place!

Having trained a lot abroad previously....whether that has been professionally in my athletics career or simply on a holiday...here's my top tips on what I've learned from the past.




GPS Watch - Essential! Not necessarily to track your minute per miles but mainly for safety reasons. You're in a foreign country, you maybe on your own and then a mixture of heat and dehydration can make your inner sat nav disappear. For safety reasons it would be wise to use this, if you don't have one use an APP on your smart phone and always tell someone where you are planning to go.

This Garmin one comes with me everywhere!

Sunglasses - Sun, Sand, Sweat and Suncream. All a perfect mix to mess with our eyesight. Protect the peepers and wear glasses.

Theraband - No gym needed. A great piece of equipment to keep on top of strength, core and stability. Use it to engage the glutes and work against the resistance to feel that inner burn.

• In a squat position walk side ways making sure the knees don't stray inwards. Do 10 reps one direction, 10 the other X 6 sets. 
• Lying on your side tie the theraband tight around your knees and assume the Jane Fonder position. Think clams, straight leg side raises and drawing small circles with the foot. Aim for 10 reps each, 3 sets on both legs.

Salt Deodorant- Salt Of The Earth. Great for the environment and a space saver! This completely natural product provides a layer of minerals on the skin which stops bacteria growing, they don't block pores but stop you stinking...all naturally too!

Suncream - When I'm on holiday I tend to run really early in the mornings, but a few times I've mistaken how hot the temperature can rise and how much the suns rays can increase within a 30minute window. Always put some on (factor 30) but be careful round the face area though, suncream in the eyes stings like a mother-pucker.

Kit - Important to have the right kit. Don't wear anything you haven't worn before. Ive had vest tops that chaffed on the arms, shorts that ride up (which is rather distracting) and sports bras that dug in too much. All because I bought them new for my holiday and didn't try them before leaving! In the heat you want to be as comfortable as possible...try before you fly!

Water Bottle - 1 Litre preferably. I know this seem's a little silly, but I always carry a huge empty measured sports bottle through security. You need to keep on top of your hydration and in warm climates we lose water a lot more. Having a water bottle with measurements on will help you keep track of how much you've consumed. You normally need 2L a day, but in 30degree heat you'll need to increase this by at least a 1L.

Breathable Socks - This is actually a really important part of the kit! In hot weather the feet expand a little more then they would normally and we sweat a lot more! If you have a bad pair of socks this can lead to chaffing and blisters and no body wants that when you're wearing sandals all day. Always aim for double lined socks.

Skipping Rope - Another great piece of equipment which doesn't take up too much room in your luggage. Use this for interval training, try 1mins of intense skipping, 15 secs rest X 20 rounds.

Ipod/Iphone - Use it for music, maps and for a stop watch in circuit training.

Supplements - I don't like to have too many supplements as I aim to get everything from my food. But there's a couple of things I always take just incase.

Vegan Protein Powder - You never know when breakfast is going to be a dive. Sun warrior Protein in Warrior Blend is great, it's raw vegan protein powder it contains NO gluten, GMO's, soy and no artificial nasties. It contains all the essential amino acids and easily digestible.

Electrolytes - I like Elete Electrolyte Drops, all natural and essential for hydration. You lose water when you sweat but you also lose electrolytes. Lose enough and you can experience muscle cramping, numbness, sickness, dizziness and fatigue. Things like Lucozade and Powerade isotonic drinks are not good enough in my eyes...you may as well go drink Coke. Full of sugar, artificial dyes, flavourings and E numbers. Stay away from these ill health products. Elite Electrolytes are natural, plus no flavour.

Probiotics - I have a sensitive tummy and foreign foods can wreck havoc on it. So Probiotic tablets are key for me. These from Holland and Barrett are fantastic.

All these things are tiny and won't take up essential packing space. I always manage to pack all these things mentioned in this post plus 4 other pairs of shoes (not including trainers), all my makeup, a different bikini for each day and new evening outfit for each night. There's no excuses now!

Stace x

The Latest In Fitness Fashion

Some girls obsess about their OOTD's, whether their nails match with their bag and shoes or whether they have the right ratio of designer to high street labels. Me on the other hand...Im obsessed with gym clothes.


There really is some fantastic gym & fitness clothes out there this season. Whilst my closet isn't quite as big as Khloe Kardashians, I'm sure I could give her a good run for her money.....if I had her wallet that is.


I love the fact that high street are now venturing into fitness clothes. Im all for high tech clothes when needed but its been like a breath of fresh air recently. High street stores are now offering fantastic sportswear, all amazing designs, patterns and pushing the boundaries of the norm we've previously seen, no need to now spend £50.00 on a pair of running leggings and £50.00 on a sports bra. The High street are now doing it cheaper!

First up Boohoo.com

 Top- £12.00

Leggings- £12.00


Fab designs and prints! For the girls who don't just want to blend into the background BOOHOO Sportswear is leading it for graphic prints this season. Ive tried a few pieces from Boohoo, although perhaps a little more research needs to go into getting their sizes right, I found I had to either go below or above my normal dress size.



Recently I purchased these.... there's only so much black lycra a girl can wear!

Top- £10.00 now down to £4.00
Leggings-£14.00 now down to £6.00

Leggings- £14.00 now down to £6.00



Bershka

In love with this place. I recently went on holiday to Fueteventura and spend quite a lot of time there, every time I go I have to do a spree as we don't have one in Newcastle anymore. They have just started doing a fitness line, and it is fabulous! Always the prettiest of colours, and flattering designs. Check out the coral/grey line they have out at the moment. Gorgeous and makes me feel slightly more girly when I'm Olympic weightlifting and sweating profusely.

Top £12.99
leggings £17.99
























H&M

Another big brand on the high street with affordable sportswear, also they do Plus Sizes (this is major news). I know some women really struggle with finding sportswear as a lot of the brands only stock smaller sizes. So for the plus size ladies out there your answers have been called.


Haven't got round to purchasing this yet, but its on my list! I love a Co-Ord set.

Sports Bra- £9.99
Leggings- £19.99


Missguided

Good quality and a great clothes line. Another brand with great graphic prints and doing things a bit different.

Top-£12.00
Leggings- £14.00












Sports Bra-£12.00
Shorts-£12.00

Sports Bra-£10.00
Leggings-£16.00
Zip Hoodie- £22.00




Victoria Secret

I may not look like Candice Swanepoel but I can pretend to! Their Yoga pants are amazing and make your bum look great! Victoria Secret and the PINK range are always so comfortable, they don't ride up in awkward places and they make you feel a bit more confident! Also the VSX Sports Bra is the best I've ever tried, brilliant fit but also gives a bit of lift (you ladies know what I'm talking about) I have this one in 4 colours!

£30.00-£45.00 depending on design.




Primark

A good old essential Primark binge every now and again is needed. Primark bring out new lines all the time and their fitness range is expanding. Obviously fantastic for price, can't go wrong!

 Hoodie- £8.00

Top- £4.00

Stace x

Urban Fit Gym - Strength & Conditioning Specialists

Once upon a time Deadlifts, Hand-clings, Snatches, Plyometrics and generally throwing an Olympic Weightlifting bar around was the norm for me. Movements of which rival a Russian Circus Team and environments most people are too scared to enter was my like my second home.

After getting out of the Athletics scene I've experimented in different forms of exercise to keep me entertained, all great for short periods of time but I end up bored and then see it as a waste of money. Then slowly and surely a montomous disheartening routine soon emerges and I find myself on the cross trainer once again staring at a screen, trying to push myself with all my might, wishing I wasn't there and wishing I was back in a professional gym.

Ive visited most of the gyms and fitness environments in Newcastle and the North East and so far I've not found anything that 'gets me'. If I've been excited about a gym and I see it has loads of potential for me then normally they tell me that the package I'm looking at will be £100 to £400 a month. So I begin my search again. Quality exercise should not be that expensive!

After searches and searches Ive stumbled across a training facility that is exactly what I've been looking for. In a way I actually don't want to tell you about it because selfishly I want it all to myself!

Urban Fit Gym is a specialised Strength and Conditioning Training Facility in Throckley, Newcastle. Owner James Murray has years of experience in the Industry. He has previously worked with NUFC as the Strength and Conditioning Coach and was a Lecturer of Sports Therapy at Newcastle College amongst doing many other things within the industry. A CV to impress the sporting elite!

This Gym focuses on Strength and Conditioning, with Personal Trainers on sight to coach you (for no extra cost). Their focus is high quality training with injury prevention and cure. Sports Therapists are also on site to make sure everything you do is biomechanically correct. This is the perfect place, as the staff are not just PT's.

Urban Fit Gym also focuses on education, they want to train you but also educate you at the same time, so you always leave your session knowing more then the previous day and they want you to know what Strength and Conditioning really means. They also regularly run courses on Active IQ Personal Training, Sports Massage, Kettlebell Qualifications and many more, so if you have caught the bug you can become a PT too.

They've been putting me through my paces, pushing me hard but also looking after my weaknesses (shin pain caused from chronic medial tibial stress syndrome, spontaneous knee pain and lordosis). Within the first session I was sold to it completely. I felt so looked after, James knows what he is talking about, and I think the main thing for me was because it wasn't just about fat loss which most gyms are. He explained what he had planned, and why. Not... 'just because I fancied it'. It isn't about extreme exercise which leaves you crippled for 5 days, as soon as your posture/form/technique weakens then you are told to stop. You are not performing quality movements, so this repeated over time only results in muscular imbalances and possibly injuries. As mentioned we also focused on my previous injuries and weaknesses, why had I got them in the first place and what we will do to rectify that. That was the winning ticket for me!

You are asked about your goals, so training is tailored to you, with a new Workout of the Day set out on the board (WOD) we regularly adapted them to suit me. Such as switching to the rowing machine instead of shuttle sprints (these can hurt my shins). WOD ranges from 15-30mins, they want you to put your absolute best into the session, not to worry about time but to focus on leaving everything in the gym. You are not limited to WOD though, you can also come in do your own session if you really want to, and it works on a drop in basis, so no booking in or timetables to stick to.

Apart from us ordinary folk the Sporting Elite also train here, with Professional Footballers, Boxers, Wrestlers, Motor Cross, Rugby Players, Runners, Entire Sports Teams and many more. They see this as an environment where they can work extremely hard, focus on themselves and their goals and looking to focus on Strength and Conditioning to improve their athletic performance.

The Urban Fit Gym want people who are serious about training, who have been perhaps disillusioned with training in the past and find it hard to maintain and sustain. They want to change your mindset and see training as a long term focus. Health is Wealth as I say! A lot of other gyms are focused on only exercising and eating correctly for a '6 week transformation' and then after that people return to their old habits, gain the weight back, become weak, and all the hard work has been undone... whilst costing you £400.00 for the experience.

Urban Fit Gym are open minded and do transformations if requested but they want to educate you on long term goals, long term training and healthy eating without the hefty price tag. They offer memberships from £50.00-£75.00 a month, with other packages available. Extremely good for money, and is a training facility which has longevity, not just to attend for a month and leave to go somewhere else.

Alongside the Gym is also Nutritional support, advice and personal plans made for you. Intolerances, allergies and preferences are all taken into account. Another huge bonus, as a lot of gyms only provide a basic nutritional plan given to everyone.

So time to get back into my Squats, Bulgarian Split Squats, Deadlifts, RDL's, Kettlebells, Cleans and many many many more. I wouldn't be able to list everything they do here, I would be on forever. The variety they have it excellent and you will not get bored! No 2 sessions are the same. I haven't been this excited and focused on training for a long time, there's only so much cross training one person can do on their own. In this Gym I'm in my element again.




Stace x

Three Green Smoothies For Everyone

I love a Green Smoothie! Experimenting with ingredients in the kitchen is a hobby of mine, and I love coming up with my own recipes. Green Smoothies don't need to be high in sugar (which most the shop bought ones are). We can fill them full of super wonder foods, boost our health and make us feel 100% better. Here's 3 Green Smoothie Recipes for Everyday Living!

For Energy

For this smoothie we have plenty of ingredients to keep us full and energised. Flaxseed is fantastic, full of Fibre for good digestion and Essential Fatty Acids for a healthy heart. The Matcha powder is high in Caffeine (the same as coffee) but it is also high in Antioxidants, Vitamins and Minerals. The humble Avocado provides the body with good fats and is great for energy and making us stay full. Spinach and Kale are fantastic too, high in Protein and Iron...Popeye's go to food! All of these ingredients are fantastic for health, this is one of my favourites!

• Large Slice Fresh Pineapple
• 1/2 Avocado
• 30g Oats
• 2 Handfuls Spinach
• 1 Handful Kale
• 1 Tablespoon Hemp Seeds.
• 1 Frozen Banana
• 1 Tablespoon Matcha Powder
• Dairy free milk (homemade if possible) add however much you prefer

                                    



For Recovery

After the gym we need to replace Glycogen but also Protein. Intense exercise causes micro tears in the muscles and the only way to build those tears back together for repair is through Amino Acids. Spirulina contains all 9 essentials Amino Acids (the ones your body can't produce itself), its also very high in B Vitamins and Iron. The Coconut Water contains natural Electrolytes so perfect for during and after training sessions. Hemp is also fantastic for Protein, so we've used the Protein Powder but also the seeds too! Chia Seeds are another superfood, high in Protein, Antioxidants, Fibre, Omega 3, Mangese and Calcium...so versatile and can be used in many ways.

Get your recovery smoothie in the 20minute window after exercise, this is when the body is able to absorb most of the nutrients! After this, the bodies ability declines.

• 2 Tablespoons Hemp Protein
• 1 or 2 Teaspoons Spirulina (depending on taste)
• 1 Tablespoon Wheatgrass
• 1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds
• 1 Large Slice of Fresh Pineapple
• 250ml Coconut Water
• 2 Large Handfuls Spinach
• 1 Handful Kale
• 1 Tablespoon Hemp Seeds
• Filtered Water to preference

For Anti-Inflammatory

Anti Inflammatory's come in many forms of food! If you're feeling under the weather or need a boost... try this. All the ingredients in this smoothie are proven to have an anti inflammatory response on the body. Not only that but the Mint, Lime and Ginger gives it a refreshingly tropical taste.

• 2 Handfuls of Spinach
• 2 Handfuls of Kale
• Handful Blueberries
• 1 Teaspoon Tumeric
• 1 inch Fresh Ginger
• 5 Walnuts
• 1 Tablespoon Chia seeds sprinkled on top
• Juice from 1 Lime
• 1 Tablespoon Flaxseed
• Some Fresh Mint
• Filtered Water to preference

Stace x

Jawbone Fitness Tracker Review

Today is a short and sweet one. Not loads of in-depth analysis to do on this product.

Fitness trackers are all the rage at the moment. From counting steps, sleep analysis and counting calorie expenditure. Its a statisticians dream! After a few PT Clients were raving about them I decided to test one out myself.

10,000 is the number of steps everyone should be doing every single day. Now Im always in the gym and doing various bits and bobs but walking 10,000 steps a day is probably a struggle for me on a non running day, so I thought this would be good motivation for me... Ive wanted to get out of my normal routine and walk more for ages! I always walk alot on holidays so why not at home?

The Jawbone fitness tracker is a slimline black band and doesn't look to bulky on the wrist...which some other brands do. Huge bonus for the fashionistas out there!

The tracker I found was very accurate, it was fantastic motivation and I had it set to a timer so if I had been sitting for 30mins it would vibrate to let me know. It prompts you to move more! I found this definitely helped me, and made me more active then normal.

Theres a little button on the band which you can switch into sleep mode or active mode. But the sleep analysis I found was really inaccurate though. It would say I was in a deep sleep when I definitely wasn't, It would say I was awake when I thought I had been asleep! Very inconsistent and I wouldn't read into the sleep analysis feature at all.

I never read too much into 'calorie counting'  anyway, there are so many factors that come into how many calories you burn when at rest/exercising/sleeping so telling me I've burned 1000kcal today will probably be inaccurate. I also found updating the data onto my phone a little bit of a hassle and it was very slow.

Spending £80.00 on a fitness tracker is a bit much...it's a glorified pedometer really and you can get them in Boots for a fiver.

Good for beginners but looking forward to trying a higher tech one.

The Group Gym Review

With National Gym Memberships down according to The Telegraph there seems to be an awful lot of new budget gyms popping up everywhere. Pure Gym, Exercise4Less, The Gym Group and soon to be added to that list is Mike Ashleys Sports Direct Gyms. With Memberships ranging from £5 to £20 who could turn down an opportunity to actually afford it for once, and this is probably why there is such a push for these budget gyms at the moment. I have a feeling that this declining figure will soon be on the rise again and the more expensive gyms will be in fear of the new 'budget' Brands taking over the market.

I recently went down to the newly opened The Gym Group in Gosforth Newcastle to have a sneak peak at the new facilities and to see what you can get for bargain £12.99 a month.

First impressions are everything and instead of a normal reception area, there are glass booths you can go into to enter the gym, disabled access is also available at all of their gyms. Each member gets his or hers pincode to enter the gym, which allows the booth to open and for you to be transported into the otherside...very Austin Powers like.

There was a steady stream of people going in and out of the gym but with anything brand new and technical there was a few glitches and some customers who's Pincode didn't work were left waiting until a member of staff allowed them in.  I am presuming it was a teething problem due to this being opening week. The Gym Group already have over 60 gyms Nationwide and more opening soon (including another one opening in Newcastle City Centre next to The Gate) so this concept must be working.

The gym is all on the ground level and it is humongous! It has a great energy when you walk in, and you feel like everyone is there to work hard, unlike some other gyms where people only go to socialise and walk on the treadmill at 2MPH.

To the far left is the Olympic Weight Lifting and Free Weights section, with large mirrors along with wall, it allows for you to look at your form and technique. Im big on this, no it's not because I like looking at myself in front of a mirror but when lifting 65kg's and up...technique is everything...something slightly out of line and injuries do happen. There are also lots of machine weights too if you're just a beginner.

The Cardiovascular section is also fantastic. Treadmills, Cross Trainers, Bikes, Spin Bikes, Steppers and Rowers, theres plenty to choose from. Plasma screen TV's surround the gym so you don't get bored and with so much equipment even in peak times there was plenty still available.

Also available is a section for TRX and Core Training, Plyometric boxes, Kettlebells, Slambags, Swiss Balls and plenty of Personal Trainers to help you out too.


There is a wide range of classes available throughout the day and week. Just like all of The Gym Groups classes these take part in the gym. The only slight downside I can see to this is that for the body conscious or for anyone who gets embarrassed easily they might not like the idea of doing a class in front of the whole gym. The classes available at the Gosforth Gym include Spinning, HIIT, Bootcamp, Circuits, Tabata, LBT (legs, bums, tums) Boxerfit, Stretch& Relax, Abs, Suspension Training, Insanity, Pump and Kettlebells. So with a variety to choose from theres something for everyone.

In conclusion I would say The Gym Group have a fantastic concept here.  No tie in contracts and you can have a duel membership, so you can visit more than just one location (good news there is another Gym Group already open in Heaton) also they offer Corporate Memberships, great for looking after your staffs health and wellbeing. A word of caution, parking can be difficult in this area. However the gym is more suited and positioned for locals and people working in the area rather than someone who will drive into the location.

With a great variety of classes and equipment, it makes it easier to mix up your workout so you don't get bored and stuck in the same routine. Most of their Gyms are 24hours, fab for shift workers who don't normally get an opportunity to be a member of the gym, the Gosforth Site isn't 24hours but open all week from 7am till 11pm.

The low cost budget gyms are definitely taking over and dominating the industry now, with £12.99 a month membership you really can't go wrong! Big thumbs up from me for value-for-money and product offering.

Stace 

Kern Fitness Review - A New Revolutionary Training Method

This week I've had the privilege of visiting the newly opened Kern Fitness, invited down by it's lovely owners to get a sneak preview and test out and review their new product. Before you switch off and think oh not another gym... It's a personal training company with a twist...or shall I say shock!

Kern Fitness combines personal training with Electro-Muscular-Stimulation (EMS). EMS stimulates the natural action of the nervous system and activates the muscle directly through electrodes. The principle of EMS is to send electrical stimuli into the deep muscle fibres through electrodes. Agonist and antagonist muscles are trained simultaneously and these electrical stimuli reach deep layers of all muscle groups at the same time so enables the user to train the whole body effectively. 

The owners are certainly experienced and suitably qualified. Cecelia is a Physiotherapist who's completing her PhD in Neuromuscular Diseases and her Husband German is an Industrial Engineer with a MBA. Both very qualified and very passionate about the business. 

Already Usain Bolt and Professional Premiership Football Clubs have been using this new training method. And recent evidence shows that it can increase your fast twitch muscle fibres by up to 30% so no wonder professional athletes are jumping on board this new training method.

It can also quickly increase strength by 12% and decrease body fat by 8% after only 12 sessions. 

So how does it work? If any of you have ever used a TENS machine, think of this, but a really big one! And instead of lying on the couch like your Physiotherapist tells you, you will be exercising at the same time. For those of you who haven't heard of this before it feels like little impulses are going through the muscles and your muscles are slightly contracting, its very gentle and don't think its like getting electrocuted, so no need to worry at all.

The goal for Kern Fitness is to achieve fast results with limited time. A session takes around 30mins to complete and thats it! 20mins workout and 10mins to get set up....In and out, so its perfect for busy lifestyles and people who don't normally have time to workout. They also recommend no more then 2 sessions a week, again really good for busy bodies but also fantastic for elite athletes so they can fit other types of training in too. 

They state that their method of training is the equivalent of 3-4 hours of conventional training. The reason for this is for every second of EMS Activation your muscles are stimulated 85 times, generating a resistance that you have to work against. 

My personal trainer on the day was Carra Jay, a lovely girl who certainly knew all her stuff about the company, the equipment and the science behind it all. I basically interrogated her, I'm very cautious of new fitness trends, but you can't argue with science, and I wanted to know the in's and outs of everything. 

Carra explained that I would have to change out of my gym kit and into the clothing they provided. The clothes have a special material that conducts the EMS for full efficiency (a heads up to the ladies, don't wear a sports bra with a wire because you're not allowed to wear it). Next came my body armour, full of wires and straps and looking like something out of the Transformers or in a Sci-Fi film I was connected to the Miha Bodytec Machine and ready to go. 

Carra explained that there are various programmes I could do, but for this time we would do a basic induction programme. The electrical stimuli sent to activate the muscles is personalised to each persons threshold of what they feel comfortable with, and gradually the intensity was built up. The stronger the impulse intensity, the more muscle fibres are recruited and the stronger the muscle contraction.

It was a strange sensation for me but having used TENS machines before in my Athletics career and on my own personal clients I was used to it, I just wasn't used to exercising at the same time though!
We gently went through various exercises like squats, lunges, chest press, bicep curl and then after a while light weights were added for even more resistance. EMS is fantastic for anyone who's injured too because its non impact, it doesn't require jumping up and down with dramatic large scale movements. This type of training is more about resistance, slower controlled movements with a focus on body posture, breathing and performing the correct techniques. A little like Pilates in a way, except everything is one to one, so you really get the best out of your session. 

So the good news, I was completely sold to it. One of my pet hates as a PT and Sports Therapist is seeing instructors allowing clients to perform exercises incorrectly and telling them to jump higher or go quicker. All when the basic postural positions and movement techniques are incorrect, it's a recipe for disaster and will end up in injuries. Carra corrected my movements at any time I was out of line, and I felt really looked after which was fab customer service! 

After my session I was advised to lie down for a moment for all metabolic boost. This is when all of your muscles are stimulated by the electric current at once, it felt a little like my muscles were vibrating on their own. A really odd experience but nice! 

After my session I changed out of the provided clothing and into my gym kit. They explained that I might be a little sore, and writing this the day after I am! I feel muscle soreness or DOMS as I like to call it, in my Glutes, Core, and Biceps. Nothing that I haven't experienced before, and I'm one of those people who likes to feel sore the day after because I feel I have worked really hard. And although I feel I didn't do much in the session, I did feel a little drained immediately after the session but it's not the type of exhaustion you experience after finishing an Insanity Class or something similar but generally fatigued overall. The day after though I feel like I've done a heavy weights session. 

I feel better posture wise and I'm very aware of my movement patterns. EMS is fantastic for engaging and activating the muscles, so for anyone who suffers with muscle weakness and unable to actively trigger a muscle themselves this is very very good. Whilst quite pricey at £25 a session, there are price reductions with various packages on offer and in London its double this price. Although you do get what your pay for and this is an exceptional new product and service with brand new innovative technology. Il also be advising this concept to Physiotherapists and Sports Therapists as I think it's a very good Rehabilitation tool. From busy people, elite athletes to anyone suffering with injuries this would be perfect for improving performance, gaining strength, improving posture and musculoskeletal movement patterns, losing weight and improving muscle stability. 

http://www.kernfitnessuk.com

Stace x