Woodlands Fitness Centre

The Woodlands newsletter: Sunday 2nd July 2023

Sunday 2nd July 2023

Hello,

Choose one or two people you want to learn training from- If you look up too many different philosophies and become a "program hopper" (which I have done) you will stall in your progress, I learn from quite a few people, but I try to choose a select 4-5 people that I learn most of my information from.

There is no such thing as a perfect program.

Every program will have its flaws - but as a beginner lifter you should be on a very basic program consisting of bodyweight exercises (pull ups are great!), Squats, Deadlifts, Presses and Rows.

Do this 3-4 times a week and focus on perfecting your execution of these exercises. Take the time to find out how to do a proper squat or deadlift.

Don't just start off some cheesy bro split that includes a day for your arms.

Don't rely on fixed resistance machines.

And please, please, please don't rely on just doing cardio.

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: £23
3 months: £26
1 month: £28

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.


Small Group Personal Training:

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

Well now you can!

Our Small Group 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
HIIT
Kettlebells

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!

These shared personal training sessions are strictly limited to 6 (sometimes 8) 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-pt-timetable


Small Group PT membership prices:

Joint/Student:

12 months: £30pm
3 months: £33pm
1 month: £36pm

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 £21.25 each)
✔ Small Group PT membership
✔ Gym membership
✔ Calorie target setting advice
✔ Nutritional support
✔ Discounted additional personal training sessions

Prices (per month):

12 month: £49
3 month: £51
1 month: £53

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.

Non-members (price per session):

These prices are for those who do not have a Woodlands gym membership:

30 mins:

1 per week: £14.75
2 per week: £14.15
3 per week: £13.55

45 mins:

1 per week: £21.25
2 per week: £20.65
3 per week: £20.00

60 mins:

1 per week: £27.70
2 per week: £27.10
3 per week: £26.50

All of these PT packages include:

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

Members (price per session):

These prices are for those who have a Woodlands gym membership:

30 mins:

1 per week: £11.85
2 per week: £11.25
3 per week: £10.65

45 mins:

1 per week: £16.85
2 per week: £16.25
3 per week: £15.65

60 mins:

1 per week: £21.85
2 per week: £21.25
3 per week: £20.65

All PT packages are sold in 4 week blocks. All PT sessions must be used within a pre-agreed time period.

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.


Opening Hours:

Monday: 7.30am - 8.30pm
Tuesday: 8.30am - 8.30pm
Wednesday: 7.30am - 8.30pm
Thursday: 8.30am - 8.30pm
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


Is your Rep Speed KILLING your gains (part 3)?

This article carries on from last week.

You are actually 150% stronger on the eccentric phase of most lifts, than you are on the concentric. Eccentrics are also known to cause greater micro trauma to the muscle and the more muscle damage means your body must synthesize more protein to repair it!

If you're training for hypertrophy (building muscle) Time Under Tension (TUT) is something that you MUST be aware of and optimize.

The optimal amount of time under tension for building muscle is something that is very important to note and keep track of.

If your sets are too short, you're most likely building strength and doing little for building muscle. If they're too long, you'll be training a different set of muscle fibres and you wont be growing optimally.

From my experience, a forty second set is the optimal amount of TUT to build muscle. What does this mean? My favourite tempo is 4010, (five-second repetition) and eight reps per set (forty-second TUT). Try to stay around this TUT as often as possible.

Getting up to sixty seconds is also very acceptable and effective. Any less than thirty seconds and you're likely building more strength than muscle.

This is the amount of time a set lasts from the instant you begin moving a weight, to the time it stops. Optimal time under tension range for hypertrophy is thirty to sixty seconds a set.

It is also important to note that this TUT range is meant to refer to complete muscular failure or exhaustion within this time.

This does not mean you stop a set that you could have easily extended well beyond sixty seconds just because the time range was up. If this is the case, its time to up the weight. Try to keep the weight as heavy as possible within this range.

Extended sets are an excellent way to take a muscle from perceived point of failure with a given weight, decrease the weight and continue the set. In this case, the extended TUT is very advantageous because there are numerous points of perceived muscular failure!

I trust this helps to improve your understanding of what you should be doing in the gym. Too many people waste their time not knowing if they have done enough, if they should do more, are they doing the right things, etc.

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


Eat local

Food that has travelled only a few miles down the road will inevitably be cheaper than something that's been flown around the world (and if this isn't the case, ask yourself why).

Markets and greengrocers can be the best means by which to eat local produce, but supermarket packaging features place of origin, so take time to read labels.

Even if the cost-saving is small, it's an eco-friendlier way to shop. There's plenty of fantastic British produce to cook with, such as beetroot, carrots, cabbage and apples.

Eating locally means consuming food that is grown and produced within your community or region. This can include fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy, and other food products. Here are some of the benefits of eating locally:

1. Freshness: Local food is often picked or produced within hours or days of being sold, which means it is fresher and more flavorful.

2. Nutrient-dense: Local food is often more nutrient-dense than food that is shipped from other regions or countries. This is because it is allowed to ripen naturally and is not subjected to long periods of transportation or storage.

3. Supports local economy: When you buy local food, you are supporting local farmers and producers. This helps to strengthen the local economy and create jobs within your community.

4. Sustainable: Eating locally can help reduce the carbon footprint of your diet. When you buy food that is produced locally, it requires less transportation and refrigeration, which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

5. Promotes food security: By supporting local food systems, you are helping to promote food security in your community. This means that there is a reliable supply of fresh and nutritious food available to everyone, regardless of income or socioeconomic status.

To start eating locally, try visiting your local farmers market or joining a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. These options allow you to purchase fresh, locally-grown produce and other food products directly from farmers and producers in your area.

You can also look for local food options at grocery stores or restaurants in your community. By choosing to eat locally, you are supporting your health, the environment, and your local economy.

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


Recipe of the week: Kimchi beef burger

Ingredients:

½ portion delicious. ultimate beef burgers (https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/the-ultimate-beef-burgers/)
4 tbsp Korean barbecue sauce (bulgogi sauce) or other good quality bbq sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
4 medium free-range eggs
8 tbsp mayonnaise
4 tbsp gochujang chilli paste
Dash maple syrup or honey
4 burger buns, toasted
250g kimchi, drained
Sesame seeds and thinly sliced spring onions to serve

Method:

Heat a griddle pan over high heat or prepare a barbecue for high direct heat.

Cook the burger patties for 6-8 minutes, brushing with the Korean barbecue sauce and turning several times until cooked through, well browned with a little char.

While the burgers are cooking, heat ½ the vegetable oil in a frying pan until very hot. Crack in 2 eggs and fry till the whites are set and crispy around the edges and the yolks still runny (or cooked to your liking). Repeat with remaining oil and eggs.

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, gochujang chilli paste and maple syrup/honey.

Divide the chilli mayonnaise between the toasted burger buns.

Top with a burger on each, then pile on some kimchi and a fried egg.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onions and pop on the lids.

Serve immediately with fries on the side if you like.

Enjoy!


Exercise of the week: smith machine static lunge

The smith machine static lunge is a lower body exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.

Here are the muscles that are worked during the smith machine static lunge:

1. Quadriceps: The quadriceps muscles, located on the front of the thighs, are the primary muscles worked during the smith machine static lunge. This includes the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius.

2. Hamstrings: The hamstrings, located on the back of the thighs, also work during the smith machine static lunge. This includes the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus.

3. Glutes: The glutes, which include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus, are also targeted during the smith machine static lunge.

To perform the smith machine static lunge:

1. Set up the smith machine with the bar at across your shoulders.

2. Stand facing away from the machine and place one foot behind you on the floor, with your toes pointing downwards.

3. Take a step forward with your other foot and stand with your feet hip-width apart.

4. Unlock the bar. Then engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your body down towards the ground, bending both knees to a 90-degree angle.

5. Make sure your front knee does not extend beyond your toes.

6. Pause for a few seconds at the bottom of the lunge, then push back up to the starting position.

7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching legs.

Make sure you maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.

Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Rest for 60-90 seconds between sets.

It is important to maintain proper form during the smith machine static lunge to avoid injury.

Keep your chest up, your back straight, and your movements slow and controlled. You can also vary the smith machine static lunge by using different weights or changing the tempo of the movement.

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


Things to consider

Don't stuff yourself:

Stop eating when you feel satiated, not stuffed.

Lift Weights:

I constantly hear people saying things like, "I just want to tone, so all I need to do is cardio." This could not be farther from the truth. Cardio without weight training will leave you "skinny fat."

You might have a thinner frame than when you started, but your physique won't be any tighter.

Depending on your overall weight loss, you could end up with loose skin.

Time of Day:

We are all different. Some of us rise early and some of us go to bed late. Exercise at the time when you feel that you have most energy.

More muscle = less fat:

Resistance training increases your metabolism by building lean muscle. The more muscles you have, the more calories you burn.

More muscle and less fat means you'll strengthen, tighten, shape, and "tone" your entire physique. Think twice before skimping over the free weight section!

Make an irritation list:

Oftentimes, what's getting us down are a bunch of little irritants rather than a big looming problem.

Stay Consistent:

None of this information will be of much value if it's not done consistently.

No matter your goal, consistent efforts are rewarded with hard-earned results. It's that simple. There's no replacement for consistent time under the bar, so get after it!

Try a standing desk:

If you have a desk job, consider a standing workstation. Or at the very least, stand up or pace when you use the phone. People in constant motion burn more calories.

Drink tea:

Drink caffeinated tea as an afternoon pick-me-up or decaf tea as a way to wind down at night. There are so many health benefits to tea including: lowering blood pressure, reducing wrinkles, aiding in weight loss and more.


Useless Facts

Dr. Kellogg introduced Kellogg's Corn Flakes in hopes that it would reduce masturbation.

Michael Allen's calendar goes straight from March 31st to April 2. No one fools Michael Allen.

The sperm of a mouse is actually longer than the sperm of an elephant.

In medieval France, unfaithful wives were made to chase a chicken through town naked.

When Archie Stevens works out he doesn't get stronger, the machine does.

The Black Widow spider eats her mate during or after sex.


Previous newsletters:

The Woodlands newsletter Sunday 18th June 2023:

http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/blog?aid=32549

The Woodlands newsletter Sunday 11th June 2023:

http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/blog?aid=32397

The Woodlands newsletter Sunday 4th June 2023:

http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/blog?aid=32327

The Woodlands newsletter Sunday 28th May 2023:

http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/blog?aid=32204

The Woodlands newsletter Sunday 21st May 2023:

http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/blog?aid=32158

The Woodlands newsletter Sunday 14th May 2023:

http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/blog?aid=32089

The Woodlands newsletter Sunday 7th May 2023:

http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/blog?aid=32051









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