Fitness Matrix

You can do this by incorporating another exercise into your training programme.  Adding another aspect to your training, shakes-up your body and forces it to exercise in a different way, which makes your aerobic system and muscles work in a different way.

Spinning classes and Kettlebell training are two excellent ways to do this, as they are non-impact and provide a whole body workout, that puts more demands on your body than other forms of exercise.

Varying your exercise regime will keep you stimulated and interested for your main sport, while enhancing and complimenting it.

Give it a try and see the results for yourself!

Continue Reading

Most people fall-short in this area when training themselves, yet it is one of the most, if not the most, important area to focus on.  If your balance is not being challenged, then your training is not being maximised.

The best way to improve your balance and your core strength, which provides your body with strength and stability, is to exercise on unstable surfaces, with equipment such as a Bosu, a stability ball or something as simple as an inflated disc.  These types of equipment are largely neglected and often ignored in gyms, because most people don’t know what to do with them.

Training with equipment that provides an unstable surface, creates the biggest challenge for your body, as it must maintain balance and stability, which forces your core to work harder, thereby giving you inner strength and improving your balance.

Continue Reading

Yes, it can!

If you regularly run on even, unchallenging surfaces, your body is being challenged considerably less, so it can become weaker in areas such as the ankle, knee, hip and lower spine, which will make you susceptible to injury.

The best way to increase your strength, flexibility and to give yourself a more challenging workout, is to run on uneven surfaces such as cross-country, as this forces your body to keep you balanced and makes it work harder to achieve this.

My preference for a more challenging workout, is to run barefoot on the beach.  This is getting back to nature as the feet are not supported by running shoes, so they must support themselves, which increases strength and flexibility.  It also creates less impact on your body, as every step is cushioned by the sand.

Continue Reading

Vary your workouts

If you continually do the same exercises and training programmes, your body moves onto ‘auto-pilot’ and reaches a plateau, where you cease to progress.  By varying the type, duration and intensity of exercise, it will demand more of your body, not allowing it to reach your ‘auto-pilot’ mode and producing better results.

Give yourself time to recover

Your body only repairs and builds, when you rest.  It is vital that you allow your body to recover after exercising, by ensuring that you get a good 8hrs sleep.  By giving yourself time to rest and repair, you will feel stronger, fitter and more motivated for your next training session.

Listen to your body

Your body will tell you if you are over-training.  If you feel irritable, lose your appetite, are not sleeping well or lack energy when you’re training; your body wants a day-off from exercise……so listen to it!  It will thank you for it!

Continue Reading

A workout with a Kettlebell, is one of the best whole body exercises you can give yourself!

It increases your strength, endurance and agility, in addition to improving your proprioception (your body’s innate balance).  While it challenges your muscular and cardiovascular systems with dynamic, compound movements, it mainly targets the posterior chain of your body, particularly the Glute muscles.  The Glutes are the laziest muscles in the body and once they are ‘fired-up’, the mechanics of your body work more efficiently and are more productive.

So, Kettlebell training….reaches the parts, other exercises can’t!

Continue Reading

The Myth

“If you only occasionally have 10 or 15 mins spare to exercise, what is the point?”

The Reality

Working at a higher intensity for short periods, will use more energy and burn more fuel; getting you fitter and slimmer in less time.

Continue Reading

Prior to taking part in exercise, your muscles are at a low temperature and relatively tight.  Static stretching before taking part in exercise increases the risk of injury, because when your muscles are cold, they react like Blu-Tack.  When Blu-Tack is cold it snaps and when it is warm it is flexible and pliable, which is the same for your muscles.  To avoid muscle injury, it is important to perform dynamic stretching.  Dynamic stretching involves gentle movement, which stimulates the muscles by increasing your blood circulation, making your muscles more flexible and pliable.  An excellent example of dynamic stretching as a ‘squat to overhead reach’, which uses every muscle in your body and comprises of squating, with your arms dangling by your side, followed by standing-up on to your tip-toes while reaching for the sky with your hands.  You should complete 20 repetitions to ensure a complete warm-up and stretch.

It is alright to perform static stretching after exercising, as your muscles will be warmed-up and ready to be stretched.  This will help your muscle fibres return to their pre-exercise length, promote recovery and avoid DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).

Continue Reading

Before I had my first personal training session at Fitness Matrix, I would go to the gym, not really understanding the programmes or settings on the machines, do my routine 10 mins on each piece of equipment, believing that I was working hard and doing the same as everyone else.  I would look at the free standing weights with horror, not knowing what to do.  For all my effort, I did not notice any real difference in my weight or muscle definition.

I then had my first PT session at Fitness Matrix.  When I walked into the brightly lit training room, I immediately felt motivated, but surprised that the usual gym equipment was not there.  Henry talked to me about my goals, what I wanted to achieve, then he took my blood pressure, pulse and weight.  He designed an individual training programme, built around my needs, strengths and weaknesses.

My first warm-up at Fitness Matrix had me sweating more that I did after one hour at the gym and there was not one piece of equipment used.  It really surprised me how doing dynamic stretching exercises raised my heart rate and got me sweating.

My sessions at Fitness Matrix have taught me how to use free weights, the bosu and the stability ball, in addition to varied exercises that require no equipment.  I much prefer one-to-one personal training, as it gives me the motivation I need, as well as the guidance on doing the exercises properly, avoiding injury.  I still attend my local gym, however, Henry has taught me how to use the machines correctly ie: interval training on the treadmill and a hill programme on the stationary bike.  The other advantages of using the services at Fitness Matrix is the massage and nutrition: if an injury occurs, Henry can attend to it immediately and I can continue training; the nutritional advice that Henry has given me, has had a positive impact on my overal health and sleep.  In total, I have lost just under 2 stone in weight in a few months.

If I was still a mouse on a wheel, doing the same routine at the gym, I would not be looking and feeling the way I do.

Christie, Gateshead.

Continue Reading

Here are some little snippets of advice to help you train better and feel better afterwards:-

1. Always complete a dynamic warm-up before exercising.
2. Ensure you have a pre-training snack about 1-2hrs before, to give your body some fuel to exercise.
3. Always conduct a warm-down stretch routine, to reduce the risk of DOMS.
4. Make your own sports drink and consume before, during and after training, to maximise performance.
5. Have  a post-training rest, to give your body the earliest opportunity to repair.  It will thank you for it!

Continue Reading