Woodlands Fitness Centre

The Woodlands newsletter: Monday 16th May 2022

Monday 16th May 2022

Hi,

Do you put too much power in the hands of somebody else?

We are group creatures. As a result, many people are heavily influenced by others. While positive influences can help a person realise their potential, negative influences will prevent many from pursuing their dreams.

Giving others the power to influence your decisions will probably make you think twice about an idea or a dream you have.

What you perceive as one's mission could be silly in the eyes of somebody else. Hence, other people's opinions could lead to the total invalidation of your goal.

A fear of being judged or seen as silly by the community is another reason why many people will give up on their goals very early on.

Revolutionary ideas are typically outliers. They're not readily accepted or adopted by society. People operate on the basis of habit and tradition. Hence, something brand new you intend to do with your life could be seen as ridiculous.

When pursuing a dream, you should confide in a few trusted, similar-minded individuals. Their feedback could be beneficial, helping you fine-tune the idea and bring it to fruition.

Everybody else's opinion doesn't really have to concern you.

For more guidance, tips and information, please read the rest of our newsletter.

But first, here are our opening times, links to our website, some prices and more...


Gym Only memberships:

Joint/Student (per month):

12 months: £20
3 months: £23
1 month: £27

Single (per month):

For single prices, please check our special offers:
www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/special-offers

Student prices are only for students in full time education.


Unlimited Personal Training:

How would you like to have personal training every single time you attend Woodlands?

Well now you can!

Our Unlimited PT membership offers an appointment controlled personal training system where a personal trainer will train up to 6 members at any one time.

We offer a variety of group exercise sessions throughout the day to help you achieve you build fitness, strength, co-ordination and flexibility whilst burning fat.

Group sessions are strictly limited to 6 people:

* There are 36 group training sessions per week, including: Condition, Total, Upper, Lower, Core, Circuit and HIIT.

* We also offer '30m' groups: these 30 minute Classes Group training sessions are condensed versions of our normal 45 minute groups, designed to pack in high intensity exercise to push you to the next level and really make the most of your time here!

We have a 5.15pm Group on Monday, Wednesday and Friday!

We have added a second Group class to Sunday morning to accommodate the increasing demand

These shared personal training sessions are strictly limited to 6 people! This is to ensure you get a higher quality of coaching and support.

We always prefer an informal approach - so we will be maintaining the booking forms in the gym.

All bookings can be made in the gym, by phone, e-mail or via social media.

How you book in isn't important; we just care that you attend regularly.

Here is a list of our group training sessions:
www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/group-exercise


Unlimited PT membership prices:

Joint/Student:

12 months: £30pm
3 months: £33pm
1 month: £37pm

Single:

For single prices, please check our special offers:
www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/special-offers


2 x 45membership:

This membership includes:

2 x 45 minute PT sessions per month (worth £23 each)

Unlimited SHARED PT sessions

Unlimited gym use

Calorie target setting advice

Nutritional support

Discounted additional personal training sessions

12 month: £43pm
3 month: £46
1 month: £49

The benefits of personal training outweigh your fears by a long shot and we can really help you achieve your goals. At Woodlands, we want to maximise your fitness experience.


Personal Training Packages:

The benefits of personal training outweigh your fears by a long shot and we can really help you achieve your goals. At Woodlands, we want to maximise your fitness experience.

30 mins:

3 weeks x 2 per week
6 x 30 mins: £72 (£89)

5 weeks x 2 per week
10 x 30 mins: £116 (£144)

45 mins:

3 weeks x 2 per week
6 x 45 mins: £95 (£120)

4 weeks x 2 per week
8 x 45 mins: £125 (£160)

60 mins:

4 weeks x 2 per week
8 x 60 mins: £156 (£178)

The price in brackets is for non-members.

All of our PT packages include:

Group PT membership.
Gym membership.
Calorie target setting advice.
Nutritional support.

All PT sessions must be used within time periods listed above.

We use time limits with our personal training packages to encourage frequent and consistent training. Packages can be designed to your individual needs.

At least 24 hours notice of cancellation is required for all appointments - just so we have sufficient time to rebook the slot. Notice of less than 24 hours will incur a full payment of the session fee. These are standard terms for all good PT's.

We can adjust the time limits in advance to take into account holidays, business trips, etc.

All of our PT packages include full gym, group personal training & classes membership.


Opening Hours:

Monday: 7.30am - 8.45pm
Tuesday: 8.30am - 8.45pm
Wednesday: 7.30am - 8.45pm
Thursday: 8.30am - 8.45pm
Friday: 7.30am - 8.00pm
Saturday: 8.00am - 2.00pm
Sunday 8.00am - 2.00pm

We always want to know what you think of the Woodlands Fitness Centre - the gym, prices, personal training, group personal training, and anything else.

Please speak to us at the gym, email any feedback and suggestions to the email address at the end of this newsletter.

Thanks,

GW


Balancing Opposing Movement Patterns To Prevent Injuries

The third reason you should care about movement patterns is for the purpose of preventing common weight training injuries and imbalances caused by typical crappy exercise selection. Let me explain.

If you "push" more than you "pull," something will almost always eventually go screwy with one (or both) of your shoulders. This is extremely common, as most people (hi guys!) are much more interested with getting a big chest and huge shoulders than they are with getting a big back.

This means there tends to be more of a focus on pushing exercises (chest/shoulders) than there is on pulling exercises (back). And this lack of balance around the shoulder girdle is an extremely common cause of shoulder related injuries.

I've personally been there and done that myself, so I know exactly how common (and not fun) it is.

I also now know that the way to prevent it is by balancing the opposing movement patterns. How so? Like this...

For every horizontal push, you should have a horizontal pull (and vice-versa).
(Example: For every bench press, you should have a row).

For every vertical push, you should have a vertical pull (and vice-versa).
(Example: For every shoulder press, you should have a pull-up or lat pull-down.)

For every elbow flexion, you should have an elbow extension (and vice-versa).
(Example: For every biceps curl, you should have a triceps extension.)

It gets a little trickier with the lower body as there is a lot of overlap between quad dominant and hamstring dominant movements. But, generally speaking, for each quad dominant movement there should usually be a hip/ham dominant movement too.

And not only should the amount of exercises for each opposing movement pattern be equal, but the amount of volume (sets/reps) done should be pretty close (if not exactly) the same as well.

This doesn't necessarily always have to balance out during each individual workout if that's not how your program is set up.

For example, if your workout routine is designed in a way where you ARE training opposing movement patterns in the same workout, then the amount of volume and exercises for each should indeed be pretty equal and balanced in that specific workout.

But if your workout routine is designed in a way where you are NOT training opposing movement patterns in the same workout, then the goal is to ensure that the amount of exercises/volume for each ends up being pretty equal and balanced over the course of the week.

Meaning, if you have X sets of bench presses at the end of the week, you should usually have X sets of rows too. Y sets of overhead presses? Then there should be Y sets of pull-ups/pull downs. You get the picture.

There are some rare exceptions to all of the above recommendations, but for most people, most of the time, here's the moral of this story:

Setting up your weight training routine in a way that ensures there is balance around the joints (shoulder, knee, elbow) and balance between the different movement patterns (horizontal push/pull, vertical push/pull, etc.) is KEY to injury prevention and building a balanced body.

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


Do Diets Work? (part 2)

As I've said numerous times before, when choosing a diet, always use the "Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?" Test.

The lesson is simple: any nutritional plan you pick to lose weight must be part of a lifestyle change you will be able to follow - in one form or another - forever. That is, if it's not a way of eating you can comply with indefinitely, even after you get to your target weight, then it's worthless.

Many fad diets you see out there will fail the "Can I eat that way for the rest of my life?" Test. The question is not whether the diet is effective in the short term - but if the diet can be followed indefinitely as a lifelong way of eating.

Going from "their" way of eating back to "your" way of eating after you reach your target weight is a recipe for disaster and the cause of the well established yo-yo dieting syndrome.

There are no short cuts. There is no free lunch. Only a commitment to a lifestyle change is going to keep the fat off long term. I realise that's not what most people want to hear, but it's the truth. Like it or not.

So what's the solution?

The first step towards permanent healthy weight loss is - ironically - to lose the diet and diet mindset.

Instead think about a healthy eating plan that you can live with and enjoy for a lifetime.

Sounds too simple?

Almost Alien?

But consider this... the nutritional needs of a 25 year old compared to 50 year old are not the same.

Different life stages require different levels of nutrients. Therefore an off the shelf generic diet plan is just not going to work.

For you.

A healthy approach to eating should take into account:

1). How active you are.
2). How much stress you are dealing with, and address and acknowledge the triggers that lead to you emotionally eating.
3). The beliefs that you have around food and nutrition may not be serving you.
4). Any underlying health conditions that exist that are holding you back
5). Any medications that are working against your weight loss goals

Working with a registered nutritionist can unlock some of these challenges for you by helping you understand what is right for YOU.

Furthermore, you can break free from the self-harming culture of slimming programmes and clubs and discover freedom and the meaning of true health.

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


Exercise of the week: kettlebell Thrusters

There are few exercises more humbling then thrusters. Not only will they increase your heart rate, but you'll build stronger glutes, quads and shoulders.

Plus, they can be done with barbells, kettlebells, or dumbbells. Or anything, in fact.

Hold two kettlebells or dumbbells by their handles but so the weight is resting on the back of your shoulder.

Slightly bend your knees and squat down, keeping your legs in line with your shoulders. Drive through your legs and straighten them, extending your arms as you do so to raise the kettlebells above your head.

Squat down and repeat.

Pause briefly and reset your position before beginning the next repetition.

Choose a weight that allows you to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.

Do 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

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


Recipe of the week: Tex-Mex beef tacos

Ingredients:

500g pack lean minced beef
1 tbsp sunflower oil
4 garlic cloves , crushed
1 ½ tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
pinch chilli flakes
24 taco shells

Method:

Heat a large frying pan until very hot, then brown the mince. Remove, then season with salt and pepper.

Add the oil to the pan and fry the garlic, oregano and spices for 1 min until fragrant.

Return the beef to the pan and toss well, then cook for 2-3 mins until hot through.

Warm the taco shells following the pack instructions and serve with the beef.

Enjoy!


Things to consider

Rest for Muscular endurance:

Muscular endurance training typically involves short rest periods between 20-60 seconds. In this type of training, a higher volume of reps is performed with a lower amount of weight.

We're all getting older:

All the diet and exercise in the world won't cancel out the fact that it's just plain harder to lose weight the older you are. In your 20s, you might be able to cut back on booze and cake for a few weeks when you want to lose five pounds, but in your 40s, it's going take more effort.

Focus on resistance training to build muscle mass, which can ultimately help you burn more at rest, and in turn, jumpstart your weight loss if you're stuck.

Take part in WFC Group Sessions:

Our group sessions are a great way to keep fit and meet new people.

If you're feeling a little nervous about going into the gym on your own, classes are a really good stepping stone and will help you build up your fitness levels and get used to being in the gym environment.

Go at your own pace:

You don't have to spend hours and hours in the gym lifting heavy weights.

In fact, you can get a good session in half an hour with some body weight exercises and a bit of cardio. Don't overdo as it will only slow you down in the long term.

Go slowly and be aware of your own fitness levels.

Set healthy and realistic goals:

Focusing on intrinsic motivators, setting healthy and realistic goals, working with qualified healthcare professionals, engaging in enjoyable physical activity, and being kind to yourself are ways to support overall health and sustainable weight loss.

Do Not Train to Failure:

I do not recommend training to failure.

Try to perform each set until you feel like you may fail on the next rep, then stop. It's ok if you occasionally fail on a set, but do not purposely try to train to failure on every set.

Progression:

You must have the goal of progressing on every set of every workout. Sets performed with a half-hearted effort are wasted. If you lack energy or are pressed for time, it's better to perform fewer quality sets then it is to waste sets.

Use proper form:

Learn to do each exercise correctly. When lifting weights, move through the full range of motion in your joints. The better your form, the better your results, and the less likely you are to hurt yourself.

If you're unable to maintain good form, decrease the weight or the number of repetitions. Remember that proper form matters even when you pick up and replace your weights on the weight racks.

If you're not sure whether you're doing a particular exercise correctly, ask a personal trainer or other fitness specialist for help.

Breathe:

You might be tempted to hold your breath while you're lifting weights.

Don't hold your breath. Instead, breathe out as you lift the weight and breathe in as you lower the weight.

Seek balance:

Work all of your major muscles — including the abdomen, hips, legs, chest, back, shoulders and arms. Strengthen the opposing muscles in a balanced way, such as the fronts and backs of the arms.


Useless Facts

Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a 'Friday the 13th'.

Daniela Lichters can kill two stones with one bird.

The fingerprints of koala bears are virtually indistinguishable from those of humans, so much so that they can be easily confused at a crime scene.

The only two days of the year in which there are no professional sports games-MLB, NBA, NHL, or NFL-are the day before and the day after the Major League All-Star Game.

Paul Cotterill has already been to Mars. That's why there is no sign of life there. He has no time for any of that alien malarkey.

The mask worn by Michael Myers in the original "Halloween" was actually a Captain Kirk mask painted white.







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