Tag: fitness
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Consistency in an inconsistent schedule – part 1
The easiest way to make any change you want to implement is to have a consistent schedule. After a few weeks of always working out at the same time, your mind and body both learn to expect it. You build a routine around it that makes it easier, so your kit is ready, you’ve eaten…
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The difference a year makes
I read a really interesting article on Runners Connect about fitness gains – they have some great resources on the science behind running. Lots of interesting takeaways from the article, including explaining why beginners tend to improve so quickly. But my favourite bit was this (VO2max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can…
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Back again…
That was a longer gap between posting than I had planned but I had to focus on getting my portfolio for my level 3 PT qualification finished. It took lots of work to get it over the line, but it was great to be putting all that knowledge to the test with a real life…
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Quiet burn
I’ve come to welcome the ache of muscles rebuilding after a workout. It’s obviously not enjoyable in itself but it reminds me that I’m getting stronger. That I’m doing the work I need to do to regain my fitness. And it reminds me that I need to care for myself and give my body the…
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Goldilocks zone
People are often advised “listen to your body” to guard against overtraining. But many people would retort “if I listened to my body I’d never get off the sofa!”. Training too hard can lead to injuries and burnout. But not training enough will stop you reaching your goals. So how do you tell the difference…
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Doing something is the biggest win
https://acsm.org/resistance-training-guidelines-update-2026/ New ACSM guidelines came out earlier this year – I love the emphasis on consistency over complexity. It underpins my sense that as a personal trainer, the coaching skills that you bring to motivating clients are more important than ability to come up with the latest flashy technique. I’ve been learning a lot about…
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Setbacks and identity
I confess my recent humbling attempts to start upper body exercise again have had me questioning some fundamentals of my identity. Joy and pride in getting stronger has been a really important part of my fitness journey, and something that has motivated me to start building up my skills to offer personal training. These last…
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Tail of the snake
When you’ve built up your strength and fitness, it’s tough when you realise you’ve lost fitness. You’ve slid down the snake and there aren’t any ladders in sight. And the square you used to be on seems unreachably far away. It can happen so easily – injuries, illness, life events or just getting older. It…
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Exercise snacking
I’m a big fan of exercise snacking. It’s easy to see exercise as a big thing – something we need to commit precious hours to. And of course for some goals you do need to put the hours in. But it’s also easy to fall into the trap of starting too big, and setting ourselves…
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Checking in
One tool I often offer to many of my coaching clients is a check in. It works like this. I ask them to choose a moment in their day for a quick check in. A point to take stock of how things are going. Crucially there’s no judgement, just noticing. The best time varies. If…
