Woodlands Fitness Centre

The Woodlands Fitness Centre August 2015 Newsletter

Wednesday 26th August 2015

What's New?

Hi guys & girls,

So what is new? Well it's August and I haven't written a newsletter since June. Why? Quite simply because I haven't had anything new to impart. Also, I haven't been able to find any jokes appalling enough for our "Very Punny" section. Having scoured the internet, I now have some absolute stinkers for you!

One major issue at the moment is the failure of the Peak Village Parking Eye system. The first fine was on the 29th June 2015 and the last fine (so far) was on the 22nd July 2015 so this problem was allowed to go on for 23 days. I have had to handle and forward on over 168 fines affecting over 100 members on Peak Village's behalf. So quite annoying, I think you would agree.

For those of us who grew up in the eighties having seen films like the Terminator, the issues Peak Village have faced with the Parking Eye are actually quite comforting - if a computer system did ever become sentient it would experience an illegal operation and shut down, time out or have an error 404 long before it had the chance to build an army of murderous cyborgs to kill and enslave all of mankind. So for the time being we're quite safe.

I completely agree with why Peak village have had the system installed - from what I understand, many people were exploiting the free unlimited parking at Peak Village. It's just a shame the Parking Eye system has been dogged with recurring problems that were allowed to carry on for so long.

Another issue many of you will want an update on is the ongoing saga regarding the sale of Woodlands. Over the last few months (which now seems like decades), I have been in discussions with a third party regarding the future ownership of the club.

These discussions have now ended and I will be retaining sole ownership of Woodlands. I won't bore you with the details - and let's face it, the rumours will be far more entertaining. They will probably involve samurais, time travel and a medium pepperoni pizza. There are always those people who talk with such conviction about things and people they actually know nothing about. Bless their little cotton socks and their uninformed reckon.

Owning a gym, much like with any other business, is very much a love / hate relationship. There are days when there's nowhere else I'd rather be. And then there are those days when I'm significantly less enthused. Over the last 18 months, since my son was born, I've found that my relationship with the gym has been ever so slightly more hate than love. I've spoken to a few members and my PT clients (who are all overjoyed I'm staying, of course) and they have suggested I need a new project at the gym. I've been coasting for too long. So, with that in mind I'm now suitably motivated and ready to power forwards with a few new ideas.

This sale process has dragged on for months now, during which time I haven't moved forwards with any of the plans I had before entering into these discussions. I pulled the studio down last year with a view to rebuilding it somewhere else in the building. This sale process started months ago so these plans to rebuild the studio were halted; with all this talk of mezzanines floors etc I didn't want to throw money at something that would soon be destroyed.

Over the last few months members have been quite forthcoming with their feedback and I've taken a lot of it on board. I have short listed a number of priorities, which include the redecoration and upgrading of the club.

Another priority is to improve the class/group personal training area, which will include a far superior floor. I will also be screening this area off from the remainder of the gym. Young Nicole Evans has also requested some strategically positioned fans. No problem, Nicole.

One of our ex members, Hayley Melluish, popped in last week for a chat. When we discontinued spin, she moved on to a different fitness facility but she suggested that she wasn't happy there and wanted to move back if we restarted the spin class. Over the last few weeks we have been getting enquiries about spin from people who had heard the new owners would be restarting the spin class. Having sold all but 1 of the spin bikes last year, I'm now looking to buy 10 new spin bikes with a view to restarting the class at Woodlands. We can get Jack Critchlow trained up to do a spin class. Just imagine his happy little face as he peddles away.

I'm also planning a very significant investment in new equipment. I've always had our equipment built to order from the best British manufacturers. This is something I will be looking to continue. A lot of our members are very excited by the prospect of new equipment.

I'm looking at new flooring options for the remainder of the gym and cardio room. I've always opted for the 6ft x 4ft stable mats because they're easy to lay, heavy duty and fit for purpose. So far they've stood up to any abuse you guys have thrown at them and so if it ain't broke why fix it?

We always want to know what you think of the Woodlands Fitness Centre - the gym, classes, prices, Personal training, and anything else. Please speak to us at the gym, use the suggestion box or email any feedback and suggestions to the email address at the end of this newsletter.

Thanks,
Giles


Full body workouts

I've been wondering whether or not typical bodybuilder splits - the type where the body is divided into separate parts to be trained on different days during the week - actually work for the average gym member. Another member, Matt Wilson, had the very same idea and I wondered if any of you guys had considered doing a full body workout. Here's some science for you:

The biology of muscle isn't, in fact, rocket science. At its most basic level is the SAID principle, an acronym for "specific adaptation to imposed demand". When a muscle contracts against a large amount of resistance, it adapts by getting bigger and stronger. Likewise, if a muscle is regularly forced to contract for long periods of time, it becomes more resistant to fatigue.

When you lift weights, you cause tiny tears in your muscle fibres. This accelerates a process called muscle-protein synthesis, which uses amino acids to repair and reinforce the fibres, making them resistant to future damage. And although this happens at a microscopic level, the effect becomes visible over time in the form of bigger arms, broader shoulders, and a thicker chest. This is also called the "Jack Critchlow Effect".

Understanding this process provides you with a logical rationale for how often you should train your muscles. Muscle-protein synthesis is elevated for up to 48 hours after a resistance-training session. So if you work out on Monday at 7 p.m., your body is in muscle-growth mode until Wednesday at 7 p.m. After 48 hours, though, the biological stimulus for your body to build new muscle returns to normal.

Performing workouts with compound movements three times a week is the most effective way to gain muscle. Unfortunately, that advice directly contradicts what most guys actually do. Most guys who train at Woodlands like to divide the body into specific muscle groups, or body parts, and dedicate an entire session to working each individually. Unless it's leg day, which is when most of you seem to train biceps or go to the pub.

You might train your chest on Monday (Monday is always chest day!), back on Tuesday, shoulders on Wednesday, legs on Thursday and arms on Friday. Even though you're training daily, each muscle group is targeted only once a week. So, in essence, those muscles grow for just 2 days out of every 7. With total-body workouts, though, you work each muscle more often. When you train a muscle 2 or 3 times a week, it spends more total time growing.

Anatomically speaking, you can't isolate muscle groups in the first place; muscles are interconnected, surrounding the body like a unified web. This is because all of your muscles are enclosed in a tough connective tissue called fascia. And since fascia attaches to bone and other muscles, it creates "functional" relationships between seemingly separate muscle groups.

Since body-part training is generally performed intensely on consecutive days, it impedes the recovery process. The nutrients your body needs to repair muscle damage from the previous day are allocated toward providing energy for your workout instead. Your muscles grow best when your body is resting, not working. This isn't an issue if you train 3 times per week on non-consecutive days, since there's a built-in recovery day after each session.

A typical chest day might consist of three sets of four exercises totalling of 12 sets every 7 days. You can do the same amount of work - 12 total sets - in the same time period by performing four sets 3 times a week or six sets 2 times a week. Weight training works like a prescription; you wouldn't take an entire bottle of Aspirin on Monday to relieve pain all week. Instead, you'd take smaller doses at regular intervals.

To save even more time, you can pair exercises that work opposite muscle groups and cut the rest period between sets in half. Instead of waiting 2 minutes between sets of bench presses, you can perform one set of the bench press, rest for just 1 minute, and then do a bent-over row. After you finish, you'll rest again, then repeat the entire process until you complete all sets of both exercises. In an average workout, this technique could save at least 8 to 10 minutes without sacrificing performance.

Muscle fibres can grow in two ways. The first is when the myofibrils - the parts of the fibre that contain the contracting proteins - increase in number and density. This type of growth leads to strength gains and can be accomplished by using heavy weights that allow only one to seven repetitions.

The second type of growth, however, occurs when your muscles are forced to contract for longer periods of time. Typically, this means using lighter loads that allow you to complete 12 to 15 repetitions. This increases the number of energy-producing structures within the fibre. So you don't get significantly stronger, but you do get bigger.

You can use a repetition range that falls between the two, which causes a combination of both types of growth, but each to a lesser degree. That's why I recommend you use three repetition ranges. You could do five repetitions of each exercise on Monday, 10 on Wednesday, and 15 on Friday.

Higher reps create more lactic acid to prepare the muscles and tendons for future heavy loads. This serves as "regular maintenance". Without it, you increase your risk of chronic injuries and pain. The metabolically-taxing reps enhance healing of strained tendons. It not only leads to better growth but also helps keep you from hitting plateaus.

You should hit each body part 2 to 3 times every 7 days. You should train three non-consecutive days each week, which will give you a full day of recovery between workouts. The popular split routines usually include more training than non-training days, which is counterproductive for most natural trainers.

This type of workout would be useful for members like Chris Beastall who has to fit his training around hockey in Belper, reviewing the latest 6 series BMW in Paris and interviewing Rafa Nadal in New York.

This type of workout would also be useful for members like Hanson Stevens, previously our work experience boy/victim, who finds leg training "boring". So why not try it? Next month I'll write about Time Under Tension (TUT), a John Stone favourite.


Don't ignore a shoulder injury

Two of our members, James Turner and Darren "Dazzler" Crowder, have had shoulder surgery in the last 12 months. I've recently had some shoulder pain and Kieran Griffiths and Harley Farquar have complained of having the same issue.

The shoulder joint is quite complicated. The shoulder joint is formed where the humerus (upper arm bone) fits into the scapula (shoulder blade), like a ball and socket. Other important bones in the shoulder include:

1). The acromion, or acromion process, is a bony projection off the scapula.
2). The clavicle (collarbone) meets the acromion in the acromioclavicular joint.
3). The coracoid process is a hook-like bony projection from the scapula.

The shoulder has several other important structures:

1). The rotator cuff is a collection of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder, giving it support and allowing a wide range of movements.
2). The bursa is a small sac of fluid that cushions and protects the tendons of the rotator cuff.
3). A cuff of cartilage called the labrum forms a cup for the ball-like head of the humerus to fit into.

The humerus fits relatively loosely into the shoulder joint. This gives the shoulder a wide range of movements, but also makes it vulnerable to injury.

Shoulder pain is quite common, affecting around three in 10 adults at some time during their lives.
What causes shoulder pain?

The shoulder is a ball and socket joint with a large range of movement. Such a mobile joint tends to be more susceptible to injury. Shoulder pain can stem from one or more of the following causes:

1). Strains from overexertion
2). Tendonitis from overuse
3). Shoulder joint instability
4). Dislocation
5). Collar or upper arm bone fractures
6). Frozen shoulder
7). Pinched nerves (also called radiculopathy)

The first thing you need to do is speak to a physiotherapist. We recommend Angela Hill, who works from the Woodlands Fitness Centre.

Angela will ask you questions about your shoulder pain. She will also carry out a physical examination looking for differences between the shoulders, redness, swelling bruising and signs of dislocation.

The shoulder joint may be moved to see if any particular movement causes pain.

People at risk of getting shoulder include those who play contact sport like rugby (both Turner and Dazzler have played rugby). Other causes include diabetes, an overactive thyroid and suffering a traumatic incident, such as a car accident.

The treatment of soft-tissue shoulder pain includes the use of anti-inflammatory medication and/or paracetamol. Pain may also be treated with a local application of heat or ice.

A local corticosteroid injection is often helpful for inflammation of the shoulder. For shoulder pain, movement exercises and physiotherapy may help. For cases in which tendons or ligaments are involved, surgical procedures may be necessary.

Don't just ignore shoulder pain - get it looked at now whilst it's hopefully still an easy fix. Call Angela Hill, our physiotherapist, today on 07786572715.


SPECIAL OFFERS

Offer 1:

8 x 45 minute personal training sessions

ONLY £120
Normal price 149
SAVE £29
All sessions must be used within 4 weeks.

Offer 2:

12 x 30 minute personal training sessions

ONLY £120
Normal price 149
SAVE £29
All sessions must be used within 4 weeks.

Offer 3:

4 x 60 minute personal training sessions

ONLY £88
Normal price 109
SAVE £21
All sessions must be used within 4 weeks.

Offer 4:

1 x NRG NO2 Nitric Oxide: 1.1KG (Orange, Fruit Punch, Lemonade)

1 x NRG CEE 515mg (Creatine Ethyl Ester): 180 Caps

ONLY £36
RRP £84
SAVE £48

Offer 5:

1 x NRG Protein 5-DE: 2.27KG (Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla, Banana)

1 x NRG Glutamine 500mg: 300 Caps

ONLY £38
RRP £94
SAVE £56

For more special offers please click on this link:

http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/special-offers

Very Punny

What happens to a frog's car when it breaks down?
It gets toad away.

I phoned the local gym and I asked if they could teach me how to do the splits. He said, "How flexible are you?" I said, "I can't make Tuesdays."

A fisherman was trying to learn the alphabet.
He was lost at C.

I want to tell you a bit about myself.. I'm a very quiet and secretive person, and that's it really.

So I met this bloke with a didgeridoo and he was playing Dancing Queen on it. I thought, that's aboriginal.

So I told my mum that I'd opened a theatre. She said, "Are you having me on?" I said, "Well I'll give you an audition, but I'm not promising you anything."





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