Woodlands Fitness Centre

The Woodlands newsletter: Monday 23rd May 2022

Monday 23rd May 2022

Hi,

Do you have daily distractions?

Other than this newsletter being a distraction right now, of course.

Dreams and specific goals require focus and strategic execution day after day.

At the same time, most people have other responsibilities, daily struggles and routines that have become ingrained in their very system.

These routines and traditional shortcuts are often distracting.

They keep one from seeing the end goal. The dream becomes way too abstract to pursue and most will give up within a short period of time.

We live in a very dynamic world.

Instant access to information.

Instant access to communication.

Instant access to entertainment

Instant access to apps that promote nonsense and stupidity.

We have gotten used to leading fast-paced lives and we've also gotten used to wanting immediate gratification.

A serious life dream will sometimes require years, even decades to be brought to reality. In the meantime, a person can easily get distracted by the mundane, everyday things.

Distractions will eventually take over and the end goal will be lost or forgotten.

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


Do you really need weighing scales? (Part 1)

What are your goals? Losing weight? Getting in shape? Whilst some people join a gym for general exercise or injury rehabilitation, the vast majority join for an aesthetic goal. So let's use that as the basis of this next point: do you want to look good? Or do you want to weigh good?

Some people are always checking our weight. So, how accurate do you think they are? Apart from being motivational killers and always being disappointed when stepping off them, the weighing scales are the worst measure of success.

Everyone's actual weight on a scale will tell you nothing about the amount of actual fat you have lost if you have been training correctly and have a healthy diet. As everyone knows (well I am assuming everyone knows!), muscle weighs heavier than fat. You could be training well have the perfect diet and according to the scales you could be putting on weight, but really this is all beneficial to your overall health. You will be simply losing the unwanted fat and replacing it with muscle.

Granted, a large weight reduction is a possible indication of success. But what about small changes? The average adult human body is 50% to 65% water, a 30% variable. So let's say a female weighs 10 stone (140 1bs / 64kg). Based on the lower %, her body would contain at least 70 Ibs (32kg) of water.

If this person were to increase their hydration by just 5%, their body weight would increase to 144 Ibs (65kg). So they've gained weight.

But is that bad?

Should they feel bad about this 4 Ib weight gain?

No.

Will they look any worse?

No.

So is weighting yourself a viable means of gauging success?

No.

What is better? Measure yourself. See if your measurements are changing. Look in the mirror. Are you looking better? Are your clothes feeling looser? These are true indicators of success.

It's not your overall body weight that matters. It's your body fat. There's surface fat, the fat you can see, and there's visceral fat, which is deep fat that's stored further underneath the skin than "subcutaneous" belly fat. It's a form of gel-like fat that's actually wrapped around major organs, including the liver, pancreas and kidneys.

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

More next week...


5 easy steps to make sure your training stays consistent (part 1)

Last week I talked about the importance of consistent training. Without a doubt consistent training is the most important aspect of success and forward progress. Even a poorly designed or random training program will produce results if followed consistently and training occurs regularly. In my experience, gym users that are still performing well into their 40s, 50s, and beyond all have one thing in common: they've trained consistently over the years and rarely gave up ground.

If you're serious about getting results, especially in a way that will benefit you as you grow old (age gracefully, as we'd call it!), performing your sessions regularly, two to three times per week - without fail - is what will ultimately provide long term gains in fitness, strength, and health. And yes, that means even on the days you don't feel like it. I have those days, too, but I always feel better about myself when I'm done!

This subject is explored later in our article: 5 easy steps to make sure you r training stays consistent

Here are 5 easy steps to make sure you r training stays consistent:

1). Know what the "minimum effective dose" is, and work from there

Understand that the minimum number of times per week you should expect to strength train in order to maintain progress is 2, and a maximum of 3 times per week. Days in between sessions should be used for activities you enjoy (playing a sport, taking a walk, interval sprints, attending a class at WFC), time permitting. If you aren't able to add extra days, you'll still have peace of mind knowing you got your 2 days in!

2). Prioritise your exercise schedule first

With that magic number 2 in mind, fit all other commitments, such as social gatherings, after you've found time for your 2 workouts. If you have more time available to you, take advantage of it and schedule an extra session, attend a class, or get outside and do an activity you enjoy!

3). Get creative with when, where and how you train

If you are travelling and can't make it to the gym, that's okay! You don't always need a lot of equipment to get a great workout. We are happy to send your training plan with you - and we encourage you to stick to your regular training time, if that is possible.

4). Something is always better than nothing.

Did you know that even if you're not performing your best, simply doing the work at the level you're capable of that day is like putting money in savings regularly? It all adds up over time, and compounds itself when you "invest" regularly!

If your schedule is nuts, and you simply don't have the ability to commit a full 50-60 minutes to exercise, call us, and we can drop your session time to 20-30 minutes and give you a chance to get something done! We want you to be and feel successful, no matter what. In previous newsletters I have discussed a number of time efficient workouts. These include AMRAP, EMOM, Escalating Density Training, etc.

One of the best ways to get more out of your workouts is to set a time limit for yourself. Racing the clock forces you to work harder, faster, and more efficiently. Every second counts.

Albert Einstein once said "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler".

If you have not got much time, then just keep things simple.

You can perform your routine in chunks, which can be just as effective. This is called "greasing the groove". If you have five minutes, you could do some squats and a set of pushups.

Later on, if you have another few minutes, do some leg raises and bridges on the floor. Then later if you have something to hang on, do a few rows, bar hangs, flexed arm hangs, or chin ups. Rinse and repeat this throughout the day and you'll be pleasantly surprised that when your schedule normalises, you'll have maintained size and strength!

5). When life gets in the way, plan for "maintenance" and be okay with it!

Constant forward progress is our philosophy and mindset, but you know what? Sometimes the best way to keep moving forward is to keep from moving backwards.

Family crises, work stress, illness, travel and poor sleep or lack of sleep due to these various times in our lives will creep up. Be prepared with this contingency plan we call "maintenance".

Most important? Be okay with it! Don't beat yourself up because you can't train as often, just keep plugging away a little bit at a time.

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

More next week...


Exercise of the week: Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift

This is another great deadlift variation for anyone just getting started—plus it's super convenient for those who don't have much equipment.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a kettlebell by the handle with both hands in front of your thighs.

Hinge at your hips, bending slightly at your knees. Push your butt way back and keep your back flat. Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor. Touch the bottom of the kettlebell to the floor.

Keeping your core tight, push through your heels to stand up straight. Keep the kettlebell close to your body as you pull.

Pause at the top and squeeze your butt.

This is 1 rep.

Maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.

Do 3-4 sets of 5-10 repetitions on each side.

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


Recipe of the week: Romanian chicken and gherkin stew

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sunflower oil
4 skinless, boneless free-range chicken thighs
3 red onions, finely sliced
100ml dry white wine
250ml chicken stock
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp caster sugar
700g gherkins (drained weight), sliced into rounds
20g fresh dill, chopped
Crusty bread to serve

Method:

Heat the oil in a casserole over a medium heat, then add the chicken and brown for 5 minutes on each side.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Add the onions to the same pan, stirring to coat in the oil and scraping up any sticky bits at the bottom of the pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the white wine, bubble for 1 minute, then add the stock and the browned chicken thighs.

Cover with the lid and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar and gherkins, stir gently, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

If it starts to dry out, add a splash of water - the stew should be juicy around the edges but not watery.

It's ready once the chicken has cooked through and the gherkins are soft in the middle but retain a slight crunch. Just before serving, stir in most of the dill, season to taste, then spoon into warmed bowls and sprinkle the remaining dill over the top.

Serve with bread to soak up all the delicious juices.

Enjoy


Things to consider

Rest for strength:

Strength can be maximised by rest intervals between 2-5 minutes in duration. This allows the muscles to recover enough to produce a comparable amount of force for the next set.

Why Am I Losing Inches But Not Weight?

If you are combining working out and eating right, then the most obvious answer to this is that you are gaining muscle in place of the lost fat. A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat; however, the former occupies less space compared to the latter. More muscle and less fat mean that your clothes will be looser on you even if the scale has not budged.

Are You stressed or depressed?

Major life changes, like divorce or a death in the family, are often a trigger for weight gain. Stress-eating is a real thing, and when you're depressed you're typically not focused on counting calories or exercising (because it takes so much effort just to make it through the day).

Find holistic ways to manage your stress, even if it's simply low-impact cardio. And of course, if you're feeling depressed, don't hesitate to get help from a mental health provider.

Change Your Rep Ranges for Size & Strength:

There are better set/rep schemes out there than 3x10, especially if gains have stalled. Check these out.

Sure, three sets of 8 to 10 reps "work." And if you have good genetics it can give you good enough results. But don't you want to be better than "good enough?" There are other rep ranges that will help you.

And more importantly, changing the rep ranges you use every 4-6 weeks will lead to greater progress in both size and strength than sticking to the same type of stimulation month after month.

Go for Goji Tea

You may already know the benefits of green and black teas, but they aren't the only brews that can help you get slim; research indicates goji tea is another winner.

Lycium barbarum, the plant from which goji berries are harvested, boasts a slimming effect. In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, participants were either given a single dose of L. barbarum or a placebo after a meal.

The researchers found that one hour after the dose, the goji group was burning calories at a rate 10 percent higher than the placebo group, and the effects lasted up to four hours. What's more? Most goji teas are mixed with green tea, making the beverage a weight loss double whammy.



Useless Facts

Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.

When Nikky Cooper turned 18, her parents moved out.

When the French Academy was preparing its first dictionary, it defined "crab" as, "A small red fish, which walks backwards." This definition was sent with a number of others to the naturalist Cuvier for his approval. The scientist wrote back, "Your definition, gentlemen, would be perfect, only for three exceptions. The crab is not a fish, it is not red and it does not walk backwards."

James "Chizzywig" Chisnall doesn't get drunk on alcohol. Alcohol gets drunk on him.

Dr. Jack Kevorkian first patient has Alzheimer's disease.

Fictional/horror writer Stephen King sleeps with a nearby light on to calm his fear of the dark.

Zoe "Hankers" Handley is a small red fish, which walks backwards.









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