Zero to Hero

This is my first blog that I have posted since Andy and Deano have begun blogging about the fields and interests they have in their chosen sports, for example nutrition and weight lifting among many other topics.

Come September I will be entering a charity white collar boxing event called zero to hero. Being a sporting enthusiast I have always been keen to try my hand at boxing, although rugby is my bread and butter and the passion that drives me to train hard, I couldn’t let the chance be lost for a dabble at boxing.

 As this is a charity event I will be raising as much money as I can for the Harvey Hext appeal. Since the fitness hubs reopening, I have been involved in many different events to help raise much needed money for this extremely local and worthy cause! And what a better way to help raise money and enter a new field into the sporting world then the zero to hero event!!

Since breaking my elbow last November playing rugby no other, and having reconstructive surgery to enable to have use of my arm again. I was told that I would not be able to play any contact sport for the rest of my life. But through much research and personal rehabilitation just 3 months after the operation I was given the all clear and was able to return to rugby, which I did and finished the season.

This is in no contrast what the family of the Harvey Hext appeal have to go through every day of year, and even though at the time I was down and out, it has only made me ever more grateful to have the life I live, the friends and work colleges I have and the relationship I have with my girlfriend!  

The fight night will be held in November this year, after a 10 week training programme, as I am fighting for the Harvey Hext appeal no matter who I am put up against I WILL NOT LOSE that is a promise I am willing to throw down. I will be 110% committed to my training with extras from rugby conditioning and people I work with. So Zero to Hero compotators watch this space and pray we are not standing toe to toe, the fire in the belly is raging!!!!

Follow me on blogger and on the fitness hub face book page as I will be regularly posting blogs and photos, as I progress through my training.

Please sponsor me for the Harvey Hext appeal every little truly helps

WATCH THIS SPACE

Ps any names or ring entry music ideas would be grateful!

Thanks for reading, looking forward to any comments along my journey as I post away!

Please check out these links of the fitness hub and the Harvey hext appeal! 

http://www.facebook.com/zerotoheroboxingtraining

http://www.facebook.com/thefitness.hub.7?ref=tn_tnmn

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harvey-Hext-support-page/220761027955121

You’re truly

 Timbo 

Calendar week

A bit of a different blog theme today.

As you all may know all of us males at the fitness hub are going to be posing in front of the camera this week shooting for our charity calendar.

We have all been on 6 weeks diets and this last week is crucial.

This week is minimal carbs, only first thing in the morning, no protein shakes just natural proteins, lots of water then decreasing and starving ourselves of water and carbs for 2 whole days.

It has been an interesting few weeks and this week Deano,Sambo and Timbo will be posting there diets.

Today started with

1 final protein shake
1 cup of porridge
1 tea spoon of honey
1 tea spoon of peanut butter
1 green tea
1 cla tablet
1 fat burner

1 apple

250g of chicken breast
100g carrots
100g brocoli
1 cla tablet
1 fat burner

hand full of blueberries

250g chicken breast
250g carrots, broccoli and cauliflower.

1 tea spoon of honey
1 green tea

4 litres of water

Are you Getting enough sleep

Sleep is massively important, its important in all aspects of your life but especially when you are training, whilst you are sleeping your muscles are recovering, food is digesting and getting great mental rest.

I came across this link recently whilst reading how important sleep is and how beneficial it is to my training and daily lifestyle!

http://www.apa.org/topics/sleep/why.aspx

Eggs set the standard for which other proteins are measured

This Article is about why Eggs are so important to a Bodybuilders diet!

Without Protein your bodys will not grow! Fact!! when we excercise we cause Micro tears in the muscle which is felt as soreness for the days after known as DOMS. The protein from our diets then repair the small tears in the muscle causing the muscle to come back Bigger and Stronger!

For this to happen we need quality Protein in our diets!

Biological Value is a measure of the proportion of absorbed protein from our food which becomes incorporated in to the body! Eggs have the highest Biological value with a BV of 100 all other proteins have their BV based on the measure from eggs: Cows milk has a BV of 91 and beef has a BV of 80!

Each egg has around 6 grams of high quality protein they contain all 8 essential amino acids (building blocks for protein) which are the amino acids that need to be obtained through diet as the body cannot make these!

Fat content for eggs: egg whites contain no fat whatsoever!! The yolk contains around 5 grams of fat but only about 1.6 grams of this is saturated fat(bad fat)

Eggs in the diet:

6 Egg whites and 2 yolks: 26.5 grams of protein, zero carbs, 5.23 grams of fat 2.7 of that is unsaturated (good fats) 153 calories!

Add a bowl of oats, a bananna and 2 tablespoons of Flaxseed oil to get: 39 grams of protein, 78 grams of carbs, 48 grams of fat only 4 grams of this is saturated fat (bad fat), 900 calories!

From Sambo!!!

Psyllium

Psyllium is a soluble fibre used primarily as a gentle bulk forming laxative in products such as metaucil. It comes from a shrub like herb called Plantago ovata that geows worldwide but is most common in India. Each plant can produce up to 15,000 tiny gel coated seeds, from which psyllium husk is derived.
This stuff has a bunch of great health benefits along with aiding and supporting fat loss.

I found this article very interesting so please take a look at the link, it can help with gastrointestinal, colon cancer, constipation and much more!

Enjoy the read guys, i know i did.
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/psyllium-000321.htm

Tabata training

Still smashing through your diets and supplementing well?

If you have come to a bit of a head with training and need motivation and want to push harder why not try Tabata training.

I am going to start incorporating this into my training over the next 3 weeks to help get the final bits of fat off and also to get fitter for pre-season.

I read about Tabata a while ago and did a little training and found great results, like alot of things in life you let things slip to the back of your mind, i overheard someone who teaches at our gym the fitness hub the other day mention Tabata and thought ah ill get back into that.

Take a look at this article i read on Tabata it'll give you a basic understanding of it and some training routines, this link has everything to know about tabata, how to use it ,why you should use it and pros along with cons. it also has a few different videos to watch to understand it more.

You can add Tabata into any kind of training.


http://tabatatraining.org/

Drink Green tea!

As we have a calender coming up for charity all of us taking part have been trying new diets and trying to get all the food side of things perfect.

along with hard training, correct supplementation which we already know how to do, with any weight loss or increasing muscle and decreasing fat its all about diet, well 70-75% is diet!

A great great natural fat burning drink is green tea which is included in many fat burning supplements including our thermoHub burners by nutri hub!

i stumbled across this great article about green tea so guys and girls please check it out!

Its got heaps of benefical effects on your body from all health angles! its quite long winded but its got everything you will ever need to know about green tea and its vital you know what your putting into your sculpted bodies!

http://www.jacn.org/content/25/2/79.full

Preparation is KEY!!

Preparation is key for everything, especially when training!

Diet prep
Training prep
Supplement prep
Sleep prep

Absolutely everything you do you must prepare, fail to prepare and prepare to fail!

Before you start anything you must prepare, if your on a diet prepare your food, weigh and measure everything, find out the percentages you need of protein,carbs and fats.

Prepare and record all training routines, patterns and times.

Prepare the correct supplementation for your desired training goals and targets and take in conjunction with a healthy diet.

Prepare your sleep times, get the correct amount of hours you need, patterns and times.

BOOT CAMP - Starting Saturday 23rd June @ The Fitness Hub
This Saturday will see the start of the 2nd Saturday Sevens Boot Camp. We have over 30 people of all different levels of fitness embarking on a new challenege. Our job is to educate, inform, inspire and most importantly manipulate limiting attitudes and beliefs. We will help all of clients establish their goals and provide them with the knowledge, mindset and strtegy to make the outcome certian.

We will be posting video's and updates in our blog as we progress through the weeks. Witness and comment on the progress. The same approach gets you the same results. We will push, shove, test, change and take all the clients well beyond their comfort zone and proof will not be in the pudding but in the burpees! Here is a short link to some of the training routines from Saturday Sevens No1. Enjoy people...

Smash Training by using pre workouts!

Pre workouts!
where to start with pre workouts! Personally i think they are incredible, i honestly dont see how people train without them or even giving them a try, i wrote a blog yesterday on bananas, which taking those 30 minutes prior to your workout helps boost everything really which is the same as a pre workout.
Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise” which found that drinking a mixture of essential amino acids and carbohydrates induced a greater anabolic response (i.e., a net increase in muscle protein balance) when taken right before weight training vs. right after.
Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise” which found that drinking a mixture of essential amino acids and carbohydrates induced a greater anabolic response (i.e., a net increase in muscle protein balance) when taken right before weight training vs. right after.
Benefits of taking a pre workout are, increased concentration levels, a better pump ( heavier blood flow around the body to all muscles), increases focus and motivation, the main attraction to a pre workout is that it increases your energy levels along with increasing strength and intensity!It also includes low carbs, low calories and adds protein along with other ingredients, vitamins and minerals!
downside is that you can only take this supplement for about 12 weeks and it needs to be cycled, the reason being is because it gives you the pump and vascularity it means the heart is pumping at a faster rate, which isnt natural, almost like drinking 10 redbulls for instance. Also its best not to consume 6 hours before sleep because it keeps you awake along with some brands that sell pre workout give you a bit of a come down! Dont worry its all perfectly legal.
A lot of professional athletes take pre workouts from bodybuilders, nfl superstars to rugby players and also olympic athletes!
Always consult a doctor before use!
i would recommend pre workouts into your supplements as its given me big boosts and gains whilst training!
Enjoy

Super Bananas!

Benefits of eating a banana

Because of their impressive potassium content, bananas are highly recommended by doctors for patients whose potassium is low. One large banana, about 9 inches in length, packs 602 mg of potassium and only carries 140 calories. That same large banana even has 2 grams of protein and 4 grams of fibre. No wonder the banana was considered an important food to boost the health of malnourished children! Those reducing sodium in their diets can't go wrong with a banana with its mere 2 mgs of sodium. For the carbohydrate counters there are 36 grams of carbs in a large banana.

Vitamins and minerals are abundant in the banana, offering 123 I.U. of vitamin A for the large size. A full range of B vitamins are present with .07 mg of Thiamine, .15 mg of Riboflavin, .82 mg Niacin, .88 mg vitamin B6, and 29 mcg of Folic Acid. There are even 13.8 mg of vitamin C. On the mineral scale Calcium counts in at 9.2 mg, Magnesium 44.1 mg, with trace amounts of iron and zinc.

Putting all of the nutritional figures together clearly shows the banana is among the healthiest of fruits. The plantain, when cooked, rates slightly higher on the nutritional scale in vitamins and minerals but similar to the banana in protein and fibre content.

Bananas are a great food for all round health benefits, for the average person, dieter or even athletes bananas may provide greater benefits than most fruits. The combination of carbohydrates and B vitamins present in a banana helps provide an energy boost which makes them great to eat 30 minutes before a workout, or even at breakfast to help boost energy at the start of every day.

Bananas are not only a good source of B vitamins they also contain vitamin C, A and high levels of potassium. The natural fibre in bananas also contribute to the many health benefits listed below.

Health benefits of eating banana

* healthy bowels
* cardiovascular health
* protection from stokes
* protection from ulcers
* improve blood pressure
* may boost mood
* boost energy
* help reduce water retention

Bananas may be one of the best fruits to eat when attempting to lose weight. They are full of nutrients for increased energy and vitality. Bananas are also low in calories and fat, plus they have a high water content and potassium levels. A diet high in potassium* foods and lower in sodium-loaded processed foods can help reduce water weight.

Since adding a banana or 2 to my daily diet i feel this has definitely helped with everything, it gives me the added energy when consumed 30 minutes prior to my workout and also when i'm struggling in the morning i have a banana with my protein shake and it certainly gives me the kick start i need to my day! I normally take a pre workout before training which contains ingrediants that improve my vascularity along with pumps and mental focus, i always worried when i stopped that i would lose my pump and focus but even having a banana before i train because of the carbs and potassium levels i find this just as useful and of course natural!

Pre-workout isn't a bad thing though, check out our own pre workout HyperHub! It gives you the added focus, concentration, road map vascularity and muscle bursting pumps to give you that added smash whilst training!

check out my blog tomorrow on pre-workouts, benefits and elite athletes that recommend it!

carbohydrates and insulin!

Everyone should read this, it could help you lose weight, gain muscle and even reduce risk of diabetes!

click on these links here that will take you through to websites giving you information on carbohydrate and insulin factors.
It will give you info on how to improve it, how it can help lose weight, how to reduce diabetes risks and much more!
http://www.spinalhealth.net/insulin.html

http://www.fitwoman.com/support/fitbriefings/insulin-resistance/


http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/36212.php

http://www.fpnotebook.com/endo/pharm/CrbhydrtCntInInslnDsng.htm

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/pancreas/insulin_phys.html

Eating right after your workout

Do you ever really think about eating straight after a workout? Some people do not feel the need to eat after and other simply cant or cant be bothered to eat straight after.

With all training the diet side of things is crucial(the training is easy)!!

One of the most important things about training is refueling after your workout, whether your losing weight and think ill save those calories for later, bulking, bodybuilding, strength training ( getting the food in is crucial in this case ) or just training for general fitness or sports specific reasons, you need to re fuel after your workout.

After reading this article, you will come to understand why skipping post workout meals is antithetical to your fitness goals. You will also learn what types of foods and beverages you should consume to positively influence your body composition and athletic performance.

1. The body deals with nutrients differently at different times, depending on type and intensity of activity.
2. What you consume before, during, and especially after your workout is very important.
3. By consuming particular nutrients after your workouts, you improve your body composition, performance, and overall recovery
   
   As athletes/exercisers, we need to replenish energy stores, increase muscle quality or size, and repair the damage caused by the workout. The more intense the workout, the greater the tissue damage (at the micro level) and the more fuel that is burned, further necessitating proper post workout nutrition.
   
   These workouts make us stronger, leaner, and fitter in the long run. However, in the short term our system needs repair and fuel. This process of repair and rebuilding occurs by the breakdown of damaged and old proteins (termed protein breakdown) and the construction of new ones (termed protein synthesis). This process is collectively known as protein turnover
   
   
   
   Muscle protein synthesis is increased slightly or not at all after resistance workouts. However, protein breakdown increases dramatically after an intense workout. There is more destruction than construction taking place. By consuming appropriate nutrients within the "window of opportunity" (up to two hours following training), you stimulate muscle repair, muscle growth, and increase muscle strength. 
   
   
   If you delay, or skip the post workout meal, you further damage your body since your body will catabolize muscle tissue to "feed" itself. In addition to giving you a higher percentage of body fat, your metabolism will slow down due to the decreased muscle tissue
   
   Now that we know the "dangers" of skipping the post workout meal, we need to know what to have. The post workout meal should consist of proteins and carbohydrates. Proteins are used to aid in protein synthesis, and carbohydrates are used to replace muscle glycogen and enhance the role of insulin in bringing nutrients into cells.
   
   Liquids, such as smoothies or protein shakes, are often the post workout "meal" of choice since they result in faster digestion and absorption than solid foods. Liquids are also tolerated easier during and after workouts.
   
   Personally my post workout meal of choice is NutriHub Pro Hub elite which consists of high amounts of protein and low carbs and low calories, i make the calories and carbs up in foods with low gi carbs such as porridge with added fruit.
   
   Being in a diet i have found having that post workout meal doesnt only fill me up and feel better muscular gain it also speeds up my metabolic rate which keeps burning through foods and fats at a higher rate.
   
   There are a lot of meal replacements you can have post workout such as smoothies which are very popular, NutriHub UK supplement range or even chocolate milk!
   
   Enjoy
   
   

Fitness for Charity

Recently We did a 12 hour spin for The Harvey Hext appeal!

Andy came up with the idea of doing a 12 hour spin for the charity which meant peddling continuous on a spinning bike for 12 hours.

Not only was this extremely good for the fitness levels and to raise money for a great cause but that best thing was doing it as a team.

Without the rest of the staff doing it and fellow members there supporting and some even jumping on the bike for an hour each i personally couldnt have done it.

This is a great achievement for us individually and on a personal level has re focused me on a work level and on training.

This goes back to previous blogs about motivation, diet and nutrition, training with a partner or a team, After this charity event and 12 hour spin i have the added motivation and also has lead me to change my training completely and go for a more cardio based type of training, also i feel i want to train for things such as half marathons and marathons to raise money for charity.

Check out the facebook fitness hub page for added photos from the harvey hext 12 hour spinathon along with ways to donate!

Fitness Apps to help with training and diet

I have recently purchased an Ipad for business use, I have heard people saying about applications which help with training such as diet and nutrition plans, calorie counters and also training programs so i thought ill do my research and give them ago because my  training has seemed to  plateau a little.

Its not that i have lost motivation its just that I have looked back over the last month or so of training and found i have not  really achieved any changes, I have tried doing different types of training and they have almost contradicted each different goal I have been trying to achieve, fat loss, weight loss, muscle gain and increasing fitness.

So i decided to search through some apps and have come across some absolutely brilliants ones, ranging from recording all my training which helps me to see where i am improving or taking steps back, i have also found calorie counters and diet and nutrition apps just to keep me on track also.

I did not really ever entertain the idea of using apps because i got all of my knowledge from keeping my head in the books or through trial and error whilst training over the years but the apps really help and make a difference.


i would definitely recommend using apps and i have posted links to some on here!

http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/from-the-app-store/sports-and-fitness.html

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/nike-training-club/id301521403?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/calorie-counter-diet-tracker/id341232718?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D2

http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/category/92/?lang=EN

http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/7152/?lang=en

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aportela.diets.view&hl=en

http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2011/02/12/android-apps-best-5-for-weight-loss/

Circuit training

Circuit training is a workout routine that combines cardiovascular fitness and resistance training. It was first proposed in the late 1950s as a method to develop general fitness. The initial routines were arranged in a circle, alternating between different muscle groups (hence the name circuit training). By allowing only a short rest interval of 30-90 seconds between stations, cardiovascular fitness is gained along with the benefits of resistance training.

When developing a circuit training routine, a wide variety of exercises and equipment can be utilized. Much of the equipment is relatively inexpensive and includes surgical tubing, jump rope, your own body weight, dumbbells, medicine balls, physioballs and weight training machines. A circuit can consist of as few as six stations to as many as 15 stations based on the goals and pre-training levels of the participants.

Circuit training stations are generally sequenced in a way to alternate between muscle groups, which allows for adequate recovery. The rest interval between stations should be between 30-90 seconds and 1-3 minutes between circuits. A typical gym has several strength training machines and workstations, which enables the creation of several circuits. This benefit of variability challenges the skills of the participant and keeps them interested from session to session.
Circuit training plays an integral role in the offseason workouts of many professional athletes. It serves as a way to maintain general fitness while avoiding the high physical demands of in-season sport. Circuit training also serves as a segue to higher level strengthening programs in these athletes.
If you need any help designing a circuit program or want a circuits program  designed for you please let us know!

Circuit training at the hub will start soon.

Also check out our videos on our fitness hub facebook page and youtube!

Hydration

Hydration

Hydration is a very important area of the dietary needs of anyone undertaking any exercise activities. It is important to get enough fluids before competition and training, but also it is important to re-hydrate after exercise to replace the fluid losses from exercise and to aid recovery.

It is important for people exercising to replace fluids that are lost through sweating to avoid dehydration. There is a multitude of sports drink choices out there, so how do you know what is right for you.

Importance of Water

While exercising, particularly in the heat, heavy sweating may occur, therefore resulting in the loss of both body fluids and electrolytes. The amount of fluid lost depends not only on the environmental temperature but on the humidity as well. Although there are some electrolytes lost in sweat, particularly sodium and chloride, there is a much greater proportion of water lost. Therefore replacing the water is far more important than the replacement of electrolytes.

The losses in body fluid potentially lead to health problems if they are not replaced. Some sports drinks come in powdered form, enabling you to make them up to any concentration as you wish. For these, if the recommended mixtures are followed these usually result in drinks too concentrated. The ideal replacement fluid consists mostly of water.

Strategies to replace fluids over the day

• Make sure that you drink at each meal. Don't overlook water as a great choice.
• Take extra care in hot, humid weather, you will need to increase your drinking opportunities.
• Keep a supply of fluids on hand during the day. Carry your own water bottle so you can get a drink wherever you are.
• Rehydrate quickly after a session. Remember that you will continue to lose fluid during recovery through urine and continued sweating. You need to drink 1.5 times the amount lost over the next 1-2 hours to achieve good hydration (E.g. If you are 1 kg lighter after a session, you will need to drink 1500ml to rehydrate).
• Get a feel for sweat losses during your activity, and how well you replace these. If you weigh yourself before and after a session, you are measuring fluid losses only.

Every 1 kg of weight lost = 1 liter of fluid.

Try to keep fluid loss to a minimum over a session by drinking as often as practical.

Protein Shakes for women

Protein shakes for women

Most women would not even think or dream about taking protein shakes because the normal response is i dont want big muscles and i dont want to get bigger and bulky, i can tell you now that this is not the case, infact ladies you should up your protein intake as protein will infact burn fat and help you lose weight.

Benefits

• One of the most popular reasons women increase their protein intake is to lose weight. Normally, women's bodies must burn carbohydrates for energy. When a woman chooses to eat a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates, her metabolism begins to burn fat. This is called Ketosis. Once the body has reached ketosis, many women also report a decreased appetite.

Significance

• Protein is so important to the human body that it is scientifically classified as a "macronutrient." A macronutrient is something women's bodies need in large amounts to thrive. In contrast, micronutrients, like minerals and vitamins, are only required in minor amounts. Women's bodies have the ability to store macronutrients like carbohydrates and lipids; however, women cannot store protein. For this reason, women need to make sure they get enough protein in their diet every day.
• 
  

Function

• Another key function of protein in women's bodies is restoration. Women's muscles and tissue use protein to heal and replenish. It is a myth that protein builds muscle, only exercise can do that; however, protein is needed for muscle repair. When women exercise their muscles they develop microscopic tears in the tissue. Protein is needed to repair these tears, thus strengthening the muscle.

Health Effects

• Protein is important to women for other bodily functions as well. Women's bodies need protein to generate healthy skin and nails. Protein also helps women's bodies create hormones and vital enzymes that keep them running efficiently. Women's bones use protein to grow strong and healthy. Even women's hearts need biochemical material that is created with the aid of protein.

Why Shakes

• Protein shakes usually contain a high percentage of the nutrient in the form of soy, whey or casein. Many fitness experts recommend whey protein because it is known to contain the highest biological value (BV). BV is determined by the amount of human protein in grams that can be replaced by 100 grams of supplemented protein. Protein contained in shakes is believed to be more quickly digested than the protein contained in food, because it takes women's bodies longer to break down solids into their components. As a result, drinking a protein shake after a workout speeds the protein to its much needed destination within women's muscles.

Classes

If your finding your training boring try mixing it up with giving classes ago.

We have a great range of classes here at The Fitness Hub.

Ive attended Spinning and boxercise classes this week and although they were intense ive found it helped with my training and for sure it helps with mixing it up a little.

There are all types of classes for all different types of people.

Give it ago.

Change Your Workout

Finding it hard to get results?
Lacking motivation?
hard to keep focused?

If this is happening more than likely it is because youve kept the same programme, the same training programme, the same diet programme! My advice? Change it!

With all training your body becomes used to it, yes some could argue that is your body improving and finding it easier? but at the same time do you change your workouts? most people wont!
This is why you wont see the results you want!

I would recommend with your training its best to change your training routines up every 4-6 weeks and keep it interesting, pick up a book and read about different training methods and exercise, keep your brain fuelled, by doing this you will see results, you will see change, your attitude will change and your focus and motivation will come back!

Start recording results and pre planning workouts also, its easier to see the improvement or if youve kept the same programme no improvement, start recording diet logs, you can then look back and see the things that have worked or havent worked!

Keep changing it and keep interested and i promise you will get the results you need!

If this is the case with your training and you need guidance please ask us here at The Fitness Hub Portishead!

All the best guys

Deano

T’ai Ch’i and Qi Gong


T’ai Ch’i and Qi Gong have similar approaches to body fitness and alignment. They can be learned alongside any other form of exercise and will in many instances augment the process of regaining and/or maintaining fitness.

I will be teaching simple sequences of movements that you can practice and develop in your own time. Emphasis initially will be placed on body alignment within the movements.

In the eastern philosophical approach to health one of the important features is body alignment, structure and breath. If we begin to misalign our structure through our activities during busy everyday life, then the internal structures, including the internal organs can have impaired function and in turn may lead to ill health. If we have a raised shoulder through carrying bags then immediately, if this is not corrected, we can see that one lung has more skeletal space than the other and so an imbalance is created.

T’ai Ch’i and Qi Gong both ask us to become aware of our body as a whole and enables us to become conscious of our own alignment so we can correct ourselves. This style of exercise is very much about self awareness and generating positive change for ourselves whenever we have a space in the day. Often we are only aware of our bodies when they hurt, however we can be self aware of improved structural alignment to maintain a supple, fluid grace.

Spinning

Going back to previous blogs about weight loss and conditioning work i feel spin has been a key element in my weight loss, leg size gain and improvement of fitness!

Spinning has always been a class i have partaken in due to rugby pre season fitness conditioning and keeping my fitness up during the season but i have never really looking into the gains of all round fitness!

I have recently been monitoring my weight, measurements, cardio vascular training but along with heart rates and slightly more in-depth breathing measurements and have found that the spinning has helped with everything, just doing the 45 minutes- 1 hour class i have found that i have, decreased my resting heart rate and also lowered my working heart rate, doing this class twice per week has helped me lower my weight, blood pressure but at the same time i have gained quality lean muscle on my quadriceps and glutes( diet and correct supplementation has helped) which is perfect for what i'm looking to achieve.

I would 100000% recommend this class to anyone, from beginners to elite athletes!
Just added this into my training has boosted all my results!

Taking a spin class can burn up to 500 calories in one session, along with other benefits.

This is a class where you can work as little or as hard as you like, you get out of it what you put in!
luckily at the fitness hub we have a great crew of instructors that will push you and help you achieve your targets!

If anybody would like diet or nutritional advice i would be happy to help!
email us at the fitness hub, give us a call on 01275 390 502 or simply pop down!

SpinningDoctor

Losing weight and toning.

Recently i have been trying to lose weight for summer to look leaner, lighter and perform better for the sport i play!

I started this diet back in December and i have lost over 3 stone, i have tried a bunch of different things before regards different diets, different training methods and even personal training(which works).

The thing i found after reading through countless training, diet and nutrition books is that everyone is different, everyone has different metabolic rates, fast and slow twitch fibers , aerobic and anaerobic capacity, stress levels, working hours, how physical and demanding work is, family.

Everyone has different dedications and different reasons why they can and cannot train. i would say try something that works for you, try different diets and foods and mix things up, keep the body guessing!

We can help your training here at the fitness hub. our highly qualified and experienced staff can help you with your programmes and diet! I have tried and tested diets that work for me and tried and tested almost every training  method/ routines that have worked. We can help you achieve!

Going back to the diet i have also found that you do really need to mix it up, i plateau after about 6 weeks of the same diet and training so i mixed it up, started doing carbohydrate cycles, adding and taking more calories on different days, eating more meals but smaller, eating fresh foods instead of processed,  add super sets and mega sets into my training, less rest periods, and getting decent amounts of sleep.All these different things i have added and subtracted during my few months of dieting and found the best way to get results is to train hardcore but keep changing it up also you wont get bored and becomes easier and more sustainable!

Also supplements which i have been a bit negative on before, but such natural fat burners and thermogenics such as chilli burn and green tea have helped to aid my weight loss and toning!

I am hoping to lose a further half a stone to get the last bits of fat off, this has helped my sports specific training and general well being, in the coming months i will be looking to change my diet again and go into competitions with fellow fitness hub member Mike Kempton who will be entering bodybuilding competitions later this year and we wish him luck.

All this information is attainable at the Fitness hub Portishead where we can help you achieve your goals and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Deano

WORKOUTS ON THE MOVE

If anyone is away this weekend and stuck for workout idea's outside the gym here is a little Chest Workout. It requires no equipment and will not only improve strength in the chest and triceps but is equally as good for your core. Your bodyweight can provide platform for resistance which is just as good as using free weights and machines. You also have the added benefit of increased heart rate and engaging the trunk. You may also want to try adding this routine to your everyday gym routines to increase strength and shock the body.

The is the first of a whole series of training video's we will be posting to give our members and supporters increased knowledge and variation to add to their routines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrGp1oBVuP8&context=C4a06ac8ADvjVQa1PpcFPO1ENZgfsmEwjxM3eF-aCr8z6rPj-2TMc=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrGp1oBVuP8&context=C4a06ac8ADvjVQa1PpcFPO1ENZgfsmEwjxM3eF-aCr8z6rPj-2TMc=

Happy Easter

Easter!!!

Easter Weekend and the gym is busy busy busy, which is great to see!

Now obviously this weekend will contain heavy amounts of eating( chocolate eggs haha) and alcohol indulgence! everyone has the classic ah its easter so ill cheat and not care about what i eat then it gets back to normal and everyone feels guilty and down again! my advice is yea why not, have some chocolate and have a social drink( or a few) but dont forget how you know you will feel when it returns to normality, its okay to have a cheat day every now and then, infact its heavily recommended.

After this weekend everyone will be in summer mode and want those ripped and lean bodys so keep a look out for this blog as i will be posting regular tips of the day, diet plans, healthy supplements and also training programmes for those summer abs and shredded bodys!

Enjoy your Easter weekend guys and girls.

Do you need a kick start to summer body fitness and ready to get in shape?
Are you fed up with your old exercise routines and need to shake things up?
do you need extra inspiration to take your fitness to the next level?
If the answer is yes then its time for The Fitness Hub to kick you into shape with our new saturday sevens bootcamp instructed by task master Andy Cleeves and Colonel Dean Ashfield
This is a gruelling 7 week summer shape up bootcamp starting saturday 21st april.
sessions will be held every saturday at 07.00hrs.

Be ready Boot Campers

Big Big gains on leg size!
I have recently read an interesting article on bodybuilding.com about increasing size on legs.
I have always thought the best way to get big, vascular legs is to go super heavy and smash the low reps.
I was wrong.
A great way to build up the leg size including shape and making them more vascular is to put on a lighter weight and hit the very high reps at around the 30 mark. okay for strength do 5-10 on the squats and big big exercises but the real size and shape will come from the smaller exercises such as extensions and curls and doing 30 reps also add a plymetric exercise such as box jumps for real great gains.

Myself and Andy have added this to our training have had great improvements not only in size but in strength also.

Member Mike Kempton who will be competing at bodybuilding championships later this year has gained 2 inches in 2 weeks from this new training method!

Train hard!

Welcome

Hi Guys,

Welcome to our BLOG! This is where The Fitness Hub Team will keep you up to date with training and diet logs, challenges, tips and all the latest health and fitness information. We hope you enjoy.

Captain Cleeves