Woodlands Fitness Centre

The Woodlands March 2014 Newsletter

Saturday 1st March 2014

What's New?

Here we are, already in March. The weather is certainly more favourable this year compared to last year.

As many of you will know, Emily and I are expecting our son, Jacob, at some point this month. His due date is the 14th March. If he's anything like Emily, he'll be early. Or if he's like me, he'll be late. We've planned everything so there will be no disruption at the gym.

Many of our members have trainers just for use in the gym. However, some are not so good. Please do not wear outside shoes in the studio. Keeping this place clean and tidy is hard enough without people walking mud, animal faeces and stones into the building. A small stone trapped in the sole of a shoe will scratch and damage the studio floor.

As many will have seen, I've bought a set of cable crossovers for the gym - this is a large cable machine, comparable to the Life Fitness dual adjustable pulley machine I sold in January. This machine is effectively the same albeit much larger, sturdier and with a larger weight stack. I've also bought some more Jordan Freeweights dumbbells for the gym - 10kg to 20kg. We now have 2 pairs of most dumbbells up to 30kg.

The Life Fitness dual adjustable pulley machine has been sold. I will replace this with another machine for the gym - but as yet I'm unsure what to get. Over the next 12 to 24 months, I will buy a front lever squat, a single adjustable pulley (effectively half of the cable crossovers), a hack squat and a pec dec/rear fly machine (just to shut Sam Brooks up!). I'd also like to replace he plate loaded chest press with a similar machine. I don't like the movement very much.

I always want to know what you think of the Woodlands Fitness Centre - the gym, classes, prices, personal training, and anything else. So - there's the suggestion box or you can you can email any feedback and suggestions to the email address at the end of this newsletter.

Many thanks,
Giles

Studio Cycling.

I have decided to discontinue the Studio Cycling class. The last Studio Cycling class will be on Saturday 29th March 2014.

There are many reasons why we need to discontinue the class. The bikes are in constant need of maintenance, which is costly and very time consuming. A lot of the suggestions posted in our suggestion box are very anti-spinning! The bikes take up a lot of room and they have a very negative affect on all of our other classes. For example, my Group PT class on Thursday 6th March 2014 had 9 people in but the room felt small and cramped.

In a previous version of this newsletter I referred to spin classes in February. I actually meant to write March. The dates/class attendance for the last few classes are:

Thursday 20/3/2014 = 5
Saturday 15/3/2014 = 4
Thursday 13/3/2014 = 3
Wednesday 12/3/2014 = 5
Saturday 8/3/2014 = 7
Thursday 6/3/2014 = 3
Wednesday 5/3/2014 = 4
Average = 4.43

The studio cycling class was never really popular enough to justify its own full time room and that space is much better utilised for the treadmills and a large foam rolling, stretching and core area.

We currently run 3 studio cycling classes per week, each 45 minutes. The remaining 29 classes we run each week are somewhat blighted by the bikes being in there. This is exacerbated by the bikes not being put back very well. I've also noticed scratches and damage to the floor.

We've had a lot of members asking for another evening Pilates, Metafit and a kettlebell class in our suggestions box. So, taking into account the needs of all our "classes only" members, we will be replacing the studio classes with the following:

Wednesday:
Pilates | 7.30pm | 45m | Lee
Thursday:
Metafit | 7.00pm | 30m | Becky
Saturday:
Kettlebells | 9.30am | 45m | Becky

The bikes will be sold and all money raised from selling them will contribute towards new Pilates mats, kettlebells and other equipment for the classes.

Don't eat peanuts.

In response to last month's newsletter, a member asked me why she shouldn't eat peanuts. Because peanut has the word "nut" in it, even people who favour the Palaeolithic diet assume they're ok to eat. Peanuts are not nuts. Peanuts are legumes. And Legumes aren't on the Paleo diet.

While legumes, or beans (lentils, black beans, soy, peanuts, etc.), aren't as bad as grains, which contain gluten and other harmful substances, they should be avoided. They absolutely must be cooked for long periods of time, sprouted, and preferably fermented to remove, at best, most of the harmful lectins and phytic acid contained in them.

Legumes are a mediocre source of protein, a huge source of unnecessary carbohydrates, and therefore produce a big glycemic response. Moreover, legumes give most people gas.

The number of peanut allergies has doubled over the last decade so there's clearly something going on here. One theory has to do with the aflatoxin present in most of the peanuts (and wheat, rice and other major crops).

Aflatoxin is a toxin that is created by mold that forms when crops like peanuts are stored in large masses. It's one of the most carcinogenic substances known. Besides the fact that it could cause cancer if enough of it is ingested, there's also growing suspicion that aflatoxin could be causing an immune system reaction - an allergy.

Roasted peanuts are worse. Although the roasting process will rid the peanut of some of its phytic acid, it actually changes the structure of the proteins so as to make them more allergenic. By the way, when you hear the word allergy, you might be thinking to yourself, "Well I don't have anaphylactic shock when I eat peanuts, so I'm fine." But allergies can be way less severe than your throat closing up. It could be as subtle as a skin rash or just feeling mentally out of it. Or maybe it upsets your digestive system. Almonds are better for you if you like eating nuts.



Is cardio making you fat?

Yes, I know this is an article we've used before - but we signed up a lot of new members in January and February and they might not know this. So I've regurgitated this article for their benefit. If you've read it before, I suggest you skip this article and jump to the jokes section. Don't get your hopes up - they're not very funny.

Cardio burns fat and weights build muscle. That's the simplistic, misguided premise upon which countless people have built their exercise regimes. But it's nonsense.

I was speaking to a new member the other day and she said that before she joined Woodlands, she thought a 60 minute session on a cross trainer would make her lose fat. She also thought that resistance training would make her muscular and bulky. That's the crazy notion that many people have. But I can tell you all categorically it is not correct.

I've been a personal trainer for nearly 5 years. I've been using resistance training with all my male and female clients. One of my clients - Emily Allanson - did mostly resistance training over a 6 weeks period. Emily lost over 16 Ibs of fat and enhanced muscle tone and developed a firmer shapelier figure. Emily also increased core strength, balance, fitness and flexibility.

I'm pleased to say that Emily did not resemble a Russian weight lifter. She looked amazing. So amazing in fact, it explains why she's now carrying my baby. As soon as Jacob is born, Emily is going to be back in the gym and I'll have her back in shape in record time.

Too much cardio training will cause cortisol levels to increase. Cortisol is the primary stress hormone and has been linked to fatigue, hormonal imbalances, heart disease, excessive blood sugar levels and elevated cholesterol. This cortisol will eat away at your muscle fibres and reverse the effects of your training. You must understand the different between losing weight and losing fat. The truth is you won't look much better unless it's fat you're burning.

If cardio burns just fat, then you could just do cardio all day and get lean. But we all know it's not that easy. Cardio training can cause the body to use muscle for fuel and to try to hold on to body fat instead of burning it.

Getting a resistance training workout is easy - come up to me and ask for one! Do it today!

Very Punny

My daughter asked me for a pet spider for her birthday so I went to the local pet shop and they were £70!!! Blow this, I thought, I can get one cheaper off the web!!!



The Woodlands Fitness Centre Ltd
A: Unit 29, Peak Village Estate, Chatsworth Road, Rowsley, Derbyshire, DE4 2JE
T: (01629) 733 123
E: woodlandsfitness@yahoo.co.uk
W: www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk