Woodlands Fitness Centre

The Woodlands newsletter: Wednesday 6th May 2020

Wednesday 6th May 2020

Hi,

Every day there are highly conflicting stories about how lockdown will last. There are always unnamed "sources" or "experts".

Who are these people and why are they always anonymous?

What you have to remember is that newspapers need you to click on their links because that increases website visits which in turn translates into advertising revenue.

As such, their headlines will say anything to get you click on / share the article.

Click bait, I think it's called.

These stories don't have to be true. Just a warped permeation of what could be little more than someone's uninformed reckon.

Unless it comes directly from the Government through an official channel then just ignore it.

Other countries are coming out of lockdown. We will too.

There are sources and experts who are claiming completely conflicting solutions.

According to some experts, the only immediate way to safely lift the UK's coronavirus lockdown is to sort people into three groups by risk:

1). The most vulnerable
2). Those caring for / living with them.
3). Everyone else.

If we can shield the vulnerable then there is no reason why we cannot lift many of the restrictions in place for others.

Although this is strategy is not perfect (no 'solution' will be), it could lift curbs for many yet still protect the NHS and save lives.

Those most susceptible to the disease - such as the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions - would still need to be shielded from anyone potentially infected with the virus.

People sharing a house with a susceptible person, as well as care workers and health professionals, would also need to protect themselves from infection. They would need to have frequent tests - perhaps even daily - to check they are not carrying the virus

Then, people outside of these groups would be able to come out of full lockdown, as long as they continued to follow social-distancing measures.

They would need to quarantine their whole household if they developed coronavirus symptoms.

It would still be vital to keep transmission rates as low as possible through testing and contact tracing for people who might be infectious.

For whatever reason, the UK was slow to go into lockdown so the Government are not going to ease measures too quickly if it means a second wave of infections.

The Irish Government have published a roadmap to ease COVID-19 restrictions and reopen Ireland's economy and society. From May 18, they will start easing restrictions.

If the UK follows a similar process, people can engage in outdoor sporting and fitness activities quite soon.

At this stage, this is entirely speculation - as there could be elaboration on what outdoor sporting and fitness activities entail and we have to do what's in line with limiting the spread of COVID-19 - but we could create an outdoor "gym". Think of it as Darley Dale's answer to Muscle Beach in Venice, LA.

We could continue 1-to-1 PT sessions.

Group PT sessions will take place outside.

Social distancing and hygiene will be maintained.

However, unless the information comes directly from the Government then just ignore it. This is just a possibility based on what Ireland is doing.

Yesterday it was announced that the UK had the highest deaths in Europe and second only to the USA.

There are so many variables that make comparisons between countries a bit tricky. Different countries have different ways of logging what constitutes a death from COVID-19.

The UK counts all deaths as COVID-19 where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. This is regardless of whether they were tested or if it was merely a suspected case of COVID-19.

Many deaths from COVID-19 are in people who have underlying health issues - so doctors have to make the call on the cause of death.

This makes the COVID-19 death total very misleading. If other countries are using different methods to determine what constitutes a death from COVID-19, then fair comparisons cannot be made. You would have to factor in population size, population density, socioeconomic data, deaths per capita, etc.

Let's continue to work together to limit the spread of this virus.

We are running our groups, classes and personal training sessions online.

We are offering online coaching, diet plans and workout plans free to all our members.

I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has continued with their membership payments to the club. Your amazing support is greatly appreciated.

The income we have received has allowed us to make significant changes while we have been closed, these changes have really improved the club - and you'll see these when we reopen.

We gave our members the following 4 options in regards to their direct debit:

1). Continue to pay your Direct Debit in the normal way, so that your club can retain key staff and continue to invest during this short time. If you are happy with this option, no further action is required by you.

2). Defer your DD for an initial 1 month period, if you choose this option we will respond with a separate email to confirm your next payment date. If the club continues to be closed after this 1 Month term we will contact you again before that payment is due to defer the payment for a further period of time.

3). Continue to pay your DD on the due date, but pay 50% of the monthly amount to support your club.

4). Continue to pay your DD on the due date and the money you pay can be exchanged for 1-2-1 personal training sessions. For example, if you pay £25 per month and we're closed for 2 months, you would get 2 x 45 minute PT sessions. Drop me a message and we can arrange this.

Everybody who sustains their direct debit or standing order (even at 50% of the monthly amount) during this temporary closure will be exempt from all future price increases and will retain any special offers (including our 2-4-1 offer) indefinitely.

Not everybody pays through the same direct debit company. Some people pay by standing order. Please contact me if you're not sure.

As soon as we have more information from the government regarding when we can reopen, we will pass this on to you. I am sure like us, you are desperate to get back to training in the club.

We know that training at home is not as good as training in the club but don't forget that any member whose payments are live or frozen can still have online personal training, either 1-to-1 or in groups.

As we said, we really appreciate all the members that have been able to continue their payments. They have allowed us to invest in the club and ensure we can reopen for you and our staff in the strongest possible position.

Stay in touch with us on socials and we will keep you updated.

For any further information please email: woodlandsfitness@yahoo.co.uk.

Yours in fitness,

Giles


Some downsides of the vegan training diet

This article somewhat clashes with the Paleo based 3 week diet at the start of this newsletter - but I put this newsletter together weeks ago, before someone had a bat casserole or a virus escaped from a Wuhan lab or 5G towers were erected or whatever it is we're supposed to believe.

So, as I've written in previous newsletters, the vegan training diet appears to have numerous potential benefits, it does come with some downsides.

Nutrient deficiencies:

The main downside of the vegan training diet is an increased risk of several nutrient deficiencies.

By excluding animal products from your diet, your intake of various essential nutrients is reduced — primarily calcium, omega-3s, iron, zinc, and vitamins B12 and D.

You may need to take a vegan multivitamin to ensure proper intake of the above nutrients. Vegan omega-3 supplements are also available, which are usually made from algae.

While these nutrients can be obtained from fortified vegan foods, nutrition education plays an important role when starting a vegan diet.

Higher fibre intake:

Another potential downside of the vegan training diet is its excessively high fibre intake.

While a high fibre intake is generally considered healthy, consuming too much fibre can cause digestive issues, such as bloating, excessive flatulence, and abdominal pain.

The recommended dietary fibre intake is 14 grams per 1,000 calories, which is around 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. This amount is easily exceeded on a vegan diet.

Excessive fibre intake can also lead to a feeling of fullness and reduced appetite. While this may be beneficial for some populations, it could limit training progress if sufficient calories are not consumed.

Can be tough to meet protein and calorie needs:

Given that a vegan training diet mainly consists of nutrient-dense, high fibre foods, it may be difficult to meet protein and calorie needs without proper planning.

Vegan diets tend to be lower in calories than traditional diets, due to the exclusion of many higher calorie, animal-based food items.

Thus, following a vegan training diet may make it challenging to eat more calories than your body burns to support your training goals.

This can be counteracted by increasing portion sizes, adding healthy fats to your meals, and eating cooked vegetables as opposed to raw ones to reduce their volume, which allows you to eat more of them.

May be overly restrictive for some people:

By eliminating all animal-derived products, the vegan training diet can be too limiting for some people.

Though the selection and availability of vegan food has grown rapidly in recent years, the diet can be seen as slightly monotonous, compared with the traditional Western diet.

Fortunately, the number of creative vegan recipes that can add life to the diet and keep it interesting is limitless.

The vegan training diet comes with some possible downsides, such as an increased risk of nutrient deficiencies, excessive fibre intake, and difficulty meeting protein and calorie needs. These should be considered before starting a vegan diet.

I hope all of the above makes sense but if you have any questions please come and ask me.


What are the benefits of foam rolling?

Regularly using a Foam Roller - especially a deep tissue massage roller - offers many of the same benefits as a sports massage.

This includes reduced inflammation, scar tissue and joint stress, as well as improved circulation and improved flexibility.

Regularly rolling pre and post workout will mean you will help prepare your muscles for the workout ahead and also help with post muscle recovery.

Once you start rolling I guarantee you will wonder how you ever performed your workouts without it and really understand foam rolling benefits.

Foam rolling prevents injury & helps you to recover faster. Learning the finer points of self-myofascial release could help you train harder and look better while also reducing injury.

If you are still of a mind that foam rollers are for everyone else, then you are missing out on one of the most effective tools at your disposal for physique-building, recovery and injury prevention.

Rollers are the most popular mechanism for self-myofascial release, or SMR, and are gaining popularity among elite athletes of all walks because of the drastic and usually immediate impact it has on their performance and overall health.

Foam rolling breaks up scar tissue. Breaking up scar tissue and adhesions between the skin, muscles and bones is crucial for a healthy body.

When you foam roll, you put targeted pressure on your fascia, releasing trigger points where you're feeling pain.

The process relieves pain caused by shin splints and IT band syndrome, both of which are very common in runners, and more generally, usually clears up problems caused by tight fascia and muscles.

I hope all of the above makes sense but if you have any questions please come and ask me.


Exercise of the week: The Hindu) Push-Up

The Hindu Push-Up (also called the Super Push-Up) works the shoulders, triceps, and core and improves flexibility.

Slowly swoop from downward dog to cobra pose: from the downward dog position, bend your elbows and lower your nose to the floor between your hands, like a pike push-up.

Then, without rising, continue moving your torso forward to slide your chin, chest, and then rib cage between your hands.

As your ribs meet your hands, begin to arc your head and torso upward.

Continue this upward arc until your arms are straight, hips are pressed toward the ground, and your back is hyperextended in the cobra pose.

Reverse the movement exactly until you're back in downward dog.

Do:
30 seconds work.
30 seconds rest.
4 sets.

To progress the workout, increase the work duration in 5 second increments up to 45 seconds.
Increase the rest period proportionately if required.

I hope the above makes sense but if you have any questions please come and ask me.




Italian Cheesy Chickpea Pasta

Adding chickpeas to this traditional cheesy-spicy Italian pasta dish bumps up the protein — and it lets you get away with using fewer noodles, thanks to the healthy starch in these beans.

Ingredients:

8 oz whole wheat spaghetti
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ c grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Salt

Method:

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Saute chickpeas in oil and butter in wide skillet over medium heat until warmed through 1 to 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add spaghetti to skillet, along with the cheese, pepper, and salt to taste.

Add ¾ cup of the cooking liquid and stir until cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms.

If mixture seems too dry, add the remaining ¼ c of cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time.

Serve hot, topped with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!


Useless Facts

NBA superstar Michael Jordan was originally cut from his high school basketball team.

You spend 7 years of your life in the bathroom.

A family of 26 could go to the movies in Mexico city for the price of one in Tokyo.

10,000 Dutch cows pass through the Amsterdam airport each year.

Approximately every seven minutes of every day, someone in an aerobics class pulls their hamstring.







The Woodlands Fitness Centre Ltd
A: Unit 27, Molyneux Business Park, Darley Dale, Derbyshire, DE4 2HJ
T: (01629) 733 123
E: woodlandsfitness@yahoo.co.uk
W: www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk