Local Celebration of the Summer ‘Olympics’ 2012

Join Us on Gerrards Cross & Gold Hill Common

2 weeks of Fun Fitness & Sporting Activities (Monday to Friday)

Every Morning 10.30am to 11.30am: Adult Activities

Every Afternoon 2.30pm to 3.15pm: Children’s Activities

Full Timetable soon to be released!

To help you re-balance, de-stress, relax and repair yourself or to get a proper pampering! why not visit one of our Recommended Specialists below.

Terry Warren – Sports Therapist & Physiotherapist

To See Website CLICK HERE

Dr Rachel Thorogood – Chiropractor

To See Website CLICK HERE

Charlie West – Beauty Therapist

To See Website CLICK HERE

Lorayne Crawford – Reflexologist & Hot Stone Massage Therapist – 07940 386574

Lorayne has been practicing Reflexololgy and Hot Stone Massage for over 7 years now and is a qualified ITEC Practitioner and member of the Complimentary Therapists Association. She studied at ‘Complimentary Therapies Holistic Centre’ in Gerrards Cross.  After completing her Reflexology diploma, she continued her studies in Advanced Reflexology for Infertility, Reiki and Hot Stone Massage, as she felt this would enhance her Reflexology treatments and give maximum benefit to Clients. Lorayne works from home in a calm and peaceful environment where treatments are personalised and dependent upon individual needs, using a combination of Reflexology, Reiki and also Hot stones if required or requested, to gain the best results. Clients with a variety of different conditions are treated; from Arthritis, Insomnia, Stress, Digestive Issues and Menstrual problems, to more complex conditions such as Guillain Barre Syndrome, Coeliac Disease and  Endometriosis.  Very positive results have been achieved in alleviating symptoms and enhancing the general well being of Lorayne’s clients, leaving them feeling deeply relaxed and more energised after a treatment.

Reflexology - With its origins dating back over 4000 years ago, Reflexology is a deeply relaxing and energising therapy, which treats the whole person by using reflex points in the feet. Similar in principle to acupuncture (but without needles), these reflex points correspond to specific areas in the body. Massaging these points in the feet clears blockages, and stimulates our natural healing ability bringing the body back into balance both physically and emotionally. Reflexology can help relieve back and neck pain, insomnia, digestive disorders, circulatory problems, headaches / migraines, skin complaints, stress, anxiety, infertility, PMT and many more conditions. Hot Stone Massage - A greatly energising massage using the thermal healing power of heated basalt stones. The high level of iron and magnesium in the stones allows them to release heat slowly to work where the body needs it. Increasing circulation so that nutrients reach the cells in the body more quickly. This treatment is also great for detoxifying organs such as the liver and kidneys so they can work more efficiently. One massage stroke of the stone is as beneficial as ten massage strokes by hand, giving you both the physical benefits of relaxation and pain relief, as well as the mental benefits of stress relief and relaxation.

Anna, 32, and Rowan, nine, from Chalfont St Peter, are in training for the 2012 Gerrards Cross Fun Run on Sunday, 20 May. They won the coaching by The Academy of Sport and Fitness in an Advertiser competition and have just completed their penultimate training session with trainer Jo Lothian. “This week we concentrated on hill training as there are some nasty hills in the fun run and doing well on hills improves performance on the flat,” says Jo. “We also used kettlebells to build core and strength.” Anna say: “ It was tough training, but I can feel myself getting stronger and fitter and I’m having to wait for Rowan now, whereas he was always ahead in the past.”

If like, Anna and Rowan, you want to improve your running fitness –   you could try doing the same drills:

·      Short, fast runs up steep hills (like Gold Hill Common) allowing some recovery time between the drills helps to improve explosive speed (This is good training for sprinters, says Jo

·      Downhill sprinting – these should be done down longer, less steep hills (like the High Street in Chalfont St Peter) as short, very fast runs, this helps to improve quick leg turnover.

·      Longer, paced runs over moderately steep hills (e.g. The Deanway in Chalfont St Giles) to help improve endurance and strength.

“It was very noticeable again that Rowan did not want to do anything on his right foot or ankle. So we practised some right leg movements including kicks and hops for leg strength,” says Jo.
As if these drills were not torturous enough, Anna next had to build on her core and leg strength using kettlebells – the training tool of choice for strongmen the world over for hundreds of years. It’s a big ball of black steel with a handle on it in different weights and can be used to do any exercise that you would normally do with a dumbbell or barbell.
“This is a great all round tool for strength and conditioning as well as fat blasting and improvement of body tone. Kettlebells are also great for those requiring a strength and cardio workout whilst going through rehabilitation as there is no impact to the joints,” says Jo. They worked on basic swings with squats, lunges and core rotational movements. Anna says they are ‘different and a very good all around workout.”

“I am really into running now and I will cancel my gym membership, because I don’t think I could run on a treadmill again after running outside – it would be too boring,” she says. Rowan, meanwhile, is looking forward to the Fun Run because many of his friends are also running. “He is a social and competitive runner,” says Anna. The next session will include a run around the 5km GX Fun Run route from the Memorial Centre to the East Common to prepare for the race.  “They are both in much better shape than 7 weeks ago and I’m sure they will do just fine,” says Jo.

Easter eggs and old injury hamper mum’s training

An old injury has come back to haunt Anna Mincham, who is in training with her son, Rowan, for the Gerrards Cross Fun Run in May 2012. Anna, 32, and Rowan,9, are being coached by the Academy of Sport and Fitness in after winning a competition in The Advertiser for an 8-week training programme for the three-mile race on Sunday, May 20. 
Anna, who hurt her arm and ribs falling off a horse in October last year, has been experiencing a bit of pain during her latest training session. “Because I’m doing so much more exercise now, that seems to have stirred up the old injuries,” says Anna.
Academy of Sports and Fitness coach Aicha Hallam has focused on developing Anna’s core strength to enable her to sustain the intensive level of training she is doing.  “A combination of Pilates and functional movements using body weight, ViPR  (flute like tubes in different weights and colours that can be used to build strength without putting pressure on injured areas) and a medicine ball will keep her niggles at bay,” says Aicha.
“Eating loads of Easter eggs and celebrating my birthday also got in the way of my training,” says Anna, who is determined to keep going. “I enjoy the training and can definitely feel my fitness level improving. I keep up better with Rowan in the skills and drills and my sprints are getting faster. The hardest bit, though, is stepping out of the warm house on a cold day. Once I’m out, I’m fine.”

While mum is focusing on her strength, Rowan, who now has more energy than ever, is repeating the running drills and loving every minute of it.
The latest training session included technique drills with lots of shuttles with high knees and heel flicks. The pair also had to do a combination of squat jumps, kicks and other simple, but effective movements like jumping jacks and hopping. 

Jo Lothian of Academy of Sport and Fitness says: “Both Anna and Rowan have made significant improvements over the last two weeks by following our plan and training together.
It was great to see Rowan waiting for his mum on the longer run when last time he just wanted to sprint off!
Their stamina has improved – and they don’t need as much rest in between the drills.”

Mum and son step up the pace for GX fun run

A Mum-of-three and her son who are being professionally coached to get in shape for the 2012 Gerrards Cross Fun Run are planning to step up the pace over Easter.
Anna Mincham, 32, and Rowan, nine, from Chalfont St Peter, won an eight-week coaching programme by local family fitness experts All Sports and Fitness Academy for the three-mile race on Sunday, May 20.The two had their first session on the Chalfont St Peter Football Club fields before the school holidays, where Jo Lothian, All Sports and Fitness Academy trainer, assessed their fitness levels.

Jo will work out a tailored coaching programme based on her observations.
Anna says: “What I liked about the first training session, is that I wouldn’t have pushed myself so much alone – I would normally go at a steady pace for quite a long time, but would not challenge myself or sprint – ever.”
“Rowan doesn’t seem to get the whole bonding and running together thing – he just ran off and was very chuffed at beating mum,” she adds.
Jo says: “Anna has a good base level of fitness and is fitter than she thinks. It was a very warm day and she did well to keep going through our first training session.
“Her running form is fine, although I can see on longer runs she may begin to hold more tension in her shoulders. We will concentrate on exercises to keep her shoulders relaxed.
She does also have a tendency to heel strike a bit more if going longer distances so we will work on her running form with sprint drills, including exercises to keep her feet up through leg extension and flexion.”

As for Rowan, says Jo, he is a typically competitive child who does not want to be beaten by his mum! “I have told him that whilst training with us he can be as competitive as he likes, but when running out on the roads with his mum he has to run with her.” In future training sessions Jo plans to channel Rowan’s competitiveness by giving him some harder drills and exercises.

Jo will be sending Anna texts on the days they are training to keep them motivated.

TRAINING TIPS FOR GX FUN RUN
1.   It is good to get into a habit of training on the warm days as the Gerrards Cross Fun Run is usually on a very hot day and hydration is key.
2.   Look on the internet for an inspiring quote and keep saying it to yourself as you jog.
3.   Keep practising different foot movements while you run, such as high knees and heel flicks, just for 10 metres ever so often, to train your muscles to run more effectively.

Mum coached for GX Fun Run to Counter Sleepless Nights

A mum-of-three who has been battling lack of sleep for months and her nine-year-old son will be professionally coached to run the 2012 GX Fun Run together.
Anna Mincham, 32, and Rowan, 9, of Chalfont St Peter, will be trained to do the three-mile run on Sunday, May 20, by family fitness experts: The All Sports & Fitness Academy, after winning a competition published in The Advertiser last week. Anna’s youngest child, Isla, nearly two, has not been well and has wreaked havoc with her mum’s sleeping patterns for some months. “I literally don’t sleep more than three hours a night most nights,” says Anna. The once sporty and active mum, who used to do horse-riding, gymnastics, tennis and running before having children, has no time or energy left for sport these days.
“With three kids it’s also hard to spend quality time with all of them. Rowan does cross country at school and is constantly asking me to go running with him. I thought this would be a great opportunity for us to bond, but realised I’m not fit enough,” says Anna, who works for Roberts Newby in Gerrards Cross on weekends. As for Rowan – he loves the idea of training with mum: “His response to winning the competition, was –‘Yes! Cool!’ He’s well up for it,” says Anna.

Jo Lothian of The All Sports & Fitness Academy says: “We were impressed by Anna’s determination to get back to a healthier, more energetic lifestyle. As mums we know how easy it is for sport to fall by the wayside. Exercising with your child is an excellent way of fitting in exercise and having fun together, Anna is able to run about 2km without having to stop so we are going to be building up to 5km over 8 weeks, and potentially making that a faster 5km than she would expect as she already has a general base level of fitness. Rowan has been running about that distance, so they can easily train together,” says Jo.

Jo’s training tips – Getting Started
· Assessment of Anna’s running style – she gets stitch which may be due to running style or breathing technique
· Identify muscle imbalances, which might be affecting her movement.
· Fitness testing: Mum and son to run around a set area of cones 20m apart in a square and see how many laps of the square can be done in 10 minutes to give an idea of their pace, and whether there is a need to stop over a 10 minute period  (10 minutes at this fitness level usually covers a third of 5k)
· Fun sprints racing against each other – this increases fitness whilst having fun, including high knee and heel flick running (which improves running technique)
· Leg muscle strengthening exercises like squats and lunges, Rowan can do different types of jumps, whilst mum does strength exercises (30 second sets)
After the first session, a tailored programme will be written based on what was seen, with goals to reach by the end of each week and exercises to do at home and together.

(see Buckinghamshire Advertiser page HERE)

We have teamed up with the GX Fun Run this year www.gxfunrun.co.uk to provide not only expert training, running coaching and postural advice, but the chance to win free coaching (including strength exercises and nutritional advice) over an 8 week period in the lead up to the event on Sunday 20th May,

Calling mums and daughters, dads and sons wanting to get fit for the 2012 GX Fun Run together.

Enter the 2012 GX Fun Run competition exclusive to The Buckinghamshire Advertiser. To stand a chance to win free professional running training over eight weeks tailored to get you and your youngster in tip top shape for the three-mile run, whilst having lots of fun!

The Academy of Sport & Fitness, are sponsoring the family training sessions and will also organise children’s races for our younger runners on the day of the fun run.

Advanced Functional Personal trainers Jo Lothian and Aicha Hallam, will train the lucky winners over an eight-week period prior to the run.

“The training programme will be tailored according to the needs of the parent and child, but will focus on improving overall fitness and boosting power and speed,” says Jo.

To enter:  Go to our CONTACT US page and put in subject line: GX FUN RUN COMPETITION, include your name and age and the name and age of your child, with a brief fitness history, why you should win and what you would like to achieve. (Don’t forget to include your contact details)

The competition is open to a local parent and child who feel they would struggle to complete a three-mile run currently, or more experienced runners who would like to improve their speed or past performance. Only children aged eight and above can enter the race.

The closing date is Tuesday, 20 March 2012.

Entrants must be willing to be interviewed and to sign a form to agree to be photographed (and videoed) for progress updates in the paper.

For the GX Fun Run

Running Coaching Winner is Mum of 3 Anna Mincham!

& her son Rowan who loves Cross Country

GX Fun Run takes place on Sunday 20th May

Supporting two great charities ‘Padstones’ & ‘Kids in Sport’

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW OUR TRAINING PLAN FOR ANNA

Buckinghamshire Advertiser - Thursday 17th May 2012 - Winner of the GX Fun Run Competition – ‘Ready to take on the Fun Run’

Buckinghamshire Advertiser - Thursday 26th April 2012 - Winner of the GX Fun Run Competition – ‘Mum & Son Shaping Up’

March 2012 – Gerrards Cross Local Magazine - ‘Gerrards Cross Fun Run & Running Coaching’

Buckinghamshire Advertiser – Thursday 12th April 2012 – Winner of the GX Fun Run Competition – Technique & Postural Help for Running Tips

Buckinghamshire Advertiser – Thursday 29th March 2012 – Winner of the GX Fun Run Competition – Running Coaching Tips (see Newspaper Website HERE)

Buckinghamshire Advertiser – Thursday 15th March 2012 – GX Fun Run ‘Win Running Coaching’ Competition 

Buckinghamshire Advertiser - Gerrards Cross Misbourne Rotary Fun Run 10th March 2012. Children from the Gerrards Cross School Cross Country Team (run by The Academy of Sport & Fitness) achieved the following results in the Top 10:

Y3 – Boys: 5th – Max Dooley /Girls: 2nd – Orla Williams

Y4 – Boys: 3rd – Max McGarvey & 5th - Angus Williams

Y5 – Boys: 1st – Ross McGarvey – A huge and wonderful effort!

Y6 – Boys: 6th – William Scott

March 2012 – Gerrards Cross Local Magazine - ‘Stop your Child from getting Injured’ Rugby Special

Click Here for OK! Magazine FAMOUSLY FIT Skiing Article

February 2012 – Gerrards Cross Local Magazine – ‘Avoid Jelly Legs & Misery on the Slopes’

January 2012 – Famously Fit OK! Magazine  - ‘Is Your Child Ready for This Winter Contact Sport’

Click Here for OK! Magazine FAMOUSLY FIT Rugby Article

January 2012 – Gerrards Cross Local Magazine – ‘Burn More Calories in Less Time!’

December 2011 – Famously Fit OK! Magazine – ‘New Tennis Star is Born – Watch out Wimbledon!’

Click Here for OK! Magazine FAMOUSLY FIT Tennis Article

December 2011 – Gerrards Cross Local Magazine - ‘Pilates – Still as Popular as Ever’

December 2011 – Health & Fitness Magazine – ‘Make your Treadmill Workout Interesting’

November 2011 – Gerrards Cross & Village Local Magazines – ‘RBT = Results Based Training – ViPR’s & TRX’s’

October 2011 - Gerrards Cross & Village Local Magazines - ‘Setting Fitness Goals‘

October 2011 – Famously Fit – OK! Magazine - ‘Netball Boosts Youngster’s Confidence’

Click Here for OK! Magazine FAMOUSLY FIT – Netball Article

October 1st 2011 – Health & Fitness Magazine - ‘Exercise Cheats!’ (Pages 22 & 23) Click Here

September 2011 – Gerrards Cross & Village Local Magazines – Netball Academy – ‘Tamsin Greenway – England & Surrey Storm Captain Supports Our Cause’

August 2011 - Gerrards Cross & Village Local Magazines - Fitness Retreats ‘Love Yourself Inside Out’

July 2011 - Health & Fitness Magazine - ‘Run Less, Burn More Fat’

July 2011 Editorial - Gerrards Cross & Village Local Magazines - Kid’s Fitness – ‘The Benefits of Functional Movement for Children of all ages’

15th June 2011 - Buckinghamshire Advertiser - ’Fitness duo to whip Saints into Shape’June 2011 Editorial - Gerrards Cross Local Magazine - The benefits of our Personal Training Programmes – ‘Fix Your Pain, Be on top of your Game’

May 2011 Editorial – Gerrards Cross Local Magazine – Our ideal training package – ‘Kettlebells & Pilates’

PRO RUGBY & ZUMBATOMIC & SPEED TRAINING

Specialist Sports Coaching and Fun Dance Classes

Plus Speed & Power Running Fitness & Pro-Netball Coaching

Increase Fitness, Skill & Performance for ALL Sports

Only THE BEST Coaches & Instructors

Safe, Fun & Thriving Environments

Regular aerobic exercise improves sleep quality, mood and vitality of older adults.

Nearly half of older people suffer from chronic issues with their sleep. Insomnia; fragmented sleep, in which people wake frequently during the night, and waking early in the morning are all sleep problems that can plague older people.

Not getting enough good quality sleep can make a real dint in your wellbeing. Not only can it affect your mood and boost anxiety but it also makes thinking clearly more difficult and can contribute to falls.

So developing ways to effective manage sleep problems in older adults is very important.

Unfortunately we tend to become more sedentary as we get older and this may contribute to a general decline in health with age, so one smart strategy is to maintain high levels of physical activity. It is recognised as one of the keys to successful ageing.

Most studies examining the effects of exercise on sleep have focused on young people who sleep well or fit athletes, and little is known about the relationship between activity levels and sleep quality in older adults.

It is known that fit, older men can fall asleep more quickly, tend to wake less once they asleep and have longer sleep durations than less fit older men. But, whether exercise could improve sleep quality in older adults with chronic insomnia was unknown.

Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, conducted a small study that examined whether an aerobic exercise programme could improve self-reported sleep quality, mood, daytime function and quality of life in older adults with chronic insomnia.

There were 23 sedentary adults in the study, 55 and older, who had difficulty falling sleep and/or staying asleep and problems functioning during the day. The study included 17 women, reflecting the fact that women are more likely to experience insomnia.

The aerobic activity group exercised for two 20-minute sessions four times per week or one 30-to-40-minute session four times per week, both for 16 weeks. The participants worked at 75 per cent of their maximum heart rate on at least two activities including walking, riding a stationary bike or treadmill running.

Those in the non activity (sedentary) group participated in recreational or educational activities, such as a cooking class or a museum lecture, which met for about 45 minutes three to five times per week for 16 weeks.

Both groups learned about good sleep hygiene, such as sleeping in a cool, dark and quiet room, going to bed the same time every night and not staying in bed too long, if you can’t fall asleep.

The most important finding was that aerobic exercise dramatically improved sleep quality including sleep duration, shifting participants from being “poor sleepers” to “good sleepers”, as measured by a respected sleep quality index.

The exercisers also reported fewer depressive symptoms, more vitality and less daytime sleepiness.

The researchers said that their promising results showed that aerobic exercise was a simple strategy to help people sleep better and feel more vigorous.

They noted that one of the benefits of exercise was that it was drug-free; eliminating the problem of sleep medication potentially interacting with any other medications a person may be taking.

Although acknowledging that the study was rather small, the researchers concluded that their encouraging findings showed that “exercise is good for metabolism, weight management and cardiovascular health and now it’s good for sleep.”

References:

Reid KJ, Baron KG, Lu B, Naylor E, Wolfe L, Zee PC (2010) Aerobic exercise improves self-reported sleep and quality of life in older adults with insomnia. Sleep Medicine 11: 934-940.

Friday 30th April – Fitness Myths – ‘Our desire for instant results can make us susceptible to incorrect advice and information’ (by Tim Pegler)

It’s human nature to look for the short-cuts, easy options and quick fixes for whatever task we’re tackling. When it comes to fitness, the countless miracle diets and muscle making products advertised are proof enough that we’re an impatient species when working on a personal body renovation project.

The quick way, however, is rarely the best way and can often be the worst way to tackle health and fitness goals. This is reflected in the results of a survey conducted by the American Council on Exercise.

The Council, a non-profit lobby group and educational body, surveyed more than 1,500 fitness industry workers about the exercise myths they hear most frequently from clients and, based on the responses, compiled a list of common fitness fallacies.

Council vice president of education services Dr Cedric Bryant said in a press release that “with the abundance of available information sources, it is easy to pick up erroneous fitness advice. The key is looking to qualified fitness professionals or reputable organisations for health and fitness advice to safely sort through the ever-increasing maze of misinformation”.

The main fitness myths reported to the council were:

1) Women who lift weights will get bulky muscles.

This is incorrect. Normal strength training will not cause women to bulk up, unless they are using artificial products such as steroids. Women lack sufficient quantities of the hormone testosterone to develop muscle bulk from strength training.

2) Spot reduction of fat is possible.

Again, incorrect. The fact is that if you are selectively exercising a particular body part to achieve spot reduction, chances are you’re wasting your time. A healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise will help you lose weight generally. Fat won’t fall off a particular part of the body.

3) You can eat whatever you want if you exercise.

Again, this is untrue. Weight loss involves burning off more energy in daily activity than we consume in our daily diet. If you eat unlimited high calorie foods, you’ll find it hard to burn this energy off. And foods high in salt, sugar and saturated fats will be cumulatively detrimental to your health.

4) No pain, no gain.

This is a common expression in fitness circles and one that doesn’t have to be true. Exercising until you’re in pain can be harmful – and result in setbacks to your training if you injure yourself. On the other hand, only exercising in the comfort zone means you are unlikely to adapt and improve your fitness.

5) I don’t have time to exercise.

The fact is you only need 90 minutes of moderate or greater intensity exercise a week to maintain your fitness but at least three hours a week if you want to lose weight and keep it lost. It’s also worth remembering that long sessions aren’t always necessary. Your body will benefit from three 10-minute sessions just as much as from one 30-minute workout.

Friday 22nd April – ‘Look Out There’s a Salad on the Menu’ (by Kellie Heywood)

When your quest is to eat a healthy, balanced diet, the pot-holes that upset your progress can be hidden in surprising places.

On the surface of it, losing weight, or maintaining a healthy weight, should be a relatively straightforward business. Educate yourself about what foods you should be eating, and how much and then stick to that.  It should be easy.

But of course, all the evidence suggests that for many people it’s anything but easy. We have high rates of overweight and obesity and studies show that while most people can lose weight, they often put it back on over time.

So why do so many of us have such a hard time sticking to our health-related goals. Intriguing research published in the Journal of Consumer Research suggests that one of the reasons that when it comes to self-control, humans have a few little glitches that can undermine our healthy eating efforts.

One of these is called ‘vicarious goal fulfilment’ and it works something like this. When you look at a menu, you have to weigh up the pros and cons of the various food options on it. If you’ve got goals like losing weight or keeping your fat intake low – as well as making decisions about what you’d enjoy the most – you’ll also be considering things like how many calories each option probably has, or how much fat or whether it helps you fit a few more healthy vegetables into your diet.

You would think that this kind of thinking would lead you to choose one of the healthier options, but the studies show that this is not necessarily the case. When researchers put a healthy option on the menu, they found that subjects were more likely to choose a more indulgent item than if the healthy option wasn’t available.

Even more intriguingly, they found that people with high levels of self-control tend to be particularly prone to this effect.

So what’s going on?

The researchers suggest that one factor is that by just making the effort to consider a healthy option, you can feel like you’ve actually fulfilled the health goal you’ve set yourself. So, for example, if you seriously mull over having the salad as a side with a burger at a fast food restaurant, you’re likely to feel like you’ve already done the right thing – and are more likely to reward yourself by ordering the extra large fries instead.

Another factor is that when confronted by food options that all seem unhealthy, the studies show that you’re more likely to compare them and choose the least unhealthy one. But if you are comparing unhealthy options with a much healthier option, then all the unhealthy options start looking pretty much the same – and you’re more likely to go for the most indulgent one.

And because people with high levels of self-control are doing more of this thinking and comparing, they seem to be more vulnerable to this effect than people with lower levels of control.

Of course, this research doesn’t mean that you should turf all your efforts at self-control and living a healthier lifestyle. It does suggest that being aware of your vulnerabilities can help you avoid unwanted blowouts in your diet.

It’s fine to have an indulgent meal every now and then, but if you find yourself regularly eating more than you intended, set some ground rules before you go into the restaurant and try to stick to them. It might be that you can have anything you want from the main meal, but you won’t have dessert. Or you’ll skip the bread and side orders. And remember you don’t have to eat everything on your plate, particularly if the meal is huge, or match other people course for course.

Reference:

Wilcox K, Vallen B, Block L, Fitzsimons G (2009) Vicarious goal fulfilment: when the mere presence of a healthy option leads to an ironically indulgent decision. Journal of Consumer Research 36 (3) 380-393

Tuesday 22nd March – Under the Influence – ‘Social Networks & Drinking’ (by Tim Pegler)

What is the greatest influence on your drinking habits? Is it your upbringing, your genes, those thirsty work colleagues of yours or something else?

Judging by the results of a 32-year study, the finger can be pointed firmly at friends and family.

In other words, when members of your close social network hit the bottle, you’re likely to be drinking alongside them. When they ease off for a while, chances are you’ll be doing the same.

The findings follow analysis of the drinking patterns and social networks of more than 12,000 American participants in the influential Framingham Heart Study. These people were interviewed at regular intervals between 1971 and 2003 about the average numbers of alcoholic drinks consumed per week over the course of a year, number of drinking days in the past week, and social ties.

The researchers found that drinkers were more likely to hang out with people who consumed similar amounts of liquor. Non-drinkers were more likely to have teetotaller friends and relatives, too.

While this is hardly surprising, the trends flowing through social groups were.

The researchers said: “Changes in the alcohol consumption of a person’s social network had a statistically significant effect on that person’s subsequent alcohol consumption behaviour”.

The drinking patterns of neighbours and co-workers proved to be irrelevant to how a person imbibed but the behaviour of friends and relatives was influential.

The researchers concluded that personal networks influence alcohol consumption and that this socially-transmitted behaviour could be important when spreading health messages about responsible drinking.

The study didn’t look at the health effects, good or bad, of social drinking patterns.

Wednesday 16th March – ‘The Magic Numbers’ – Reps, Sets & Recovery Times

To quote a Fitness Expert that I highly respect, last week he said:

I started on Friday 25^th February. So for the last 3 days my body has been craving the food I’m cutting out. To give you some examples – I usually have a (big) bowl of granola or porridge for breakfast – have replaced with eggs, lean bacon and big bowl of fruit (topped with low-fat Greek yogurt, something I’m not going to cut out) with a handful of mixed seeds & nuts. Now I’m only supposed to eat 6 eggs a week, so who knows what I’m going to do next Saturday. Lunch time, I usually have a jacket potato or a larger lunch with rice if I’m out training in the evening, so I have replaced with a double portion of veg and a bit more meat – a choice of beef, lamb, veal, chicken or turkey. I would have to say I’m not ready to give up the marinade sauces yet – and I know they have sugar with them, but I’m slowly taking away and adding my own style and herbs. Dinner time – not too bad, as I never really had a large portion of carbs at this meal time anyway, so again extra veg. I’m loving eating piles of kale and rocket – but worry how long it will be before I’m sick to the back teeth of the taste….. 9pm is the hardest when I need that little bowl of cereal to keep me going – instead a cup of green tea and lemon has been favourable. The easiest thing has been cutting out caffeine – Twinnings and PG Tips do a good decaffeinated tea, so I’m happy there too.

I will endeavour to get a current picture up in the next week, so hopefully we can have a ‘before’ and ‘after’shot!

To learn more about the Paleolithic Diet: http://www.healthhabits.ca/wp-content/ebooks/apaleodietforthe21stcentury/apaleodietforthe21stcentury.pdf

1st Blog - Sunday 13th February 2011 – ‘Observations’

I’ve spent a week desperately trying to think of a subject for our first blog post. Coming back from seeing a personal training client or from doing a class, I wondered about putting ‘fingers to keyboard’ (does the saying ‘pen to paper’ still exist!), only to think, “I’ll do it another time” for fear, fear of embarrassment really that the post would not be brimming with enough information about health or fitness, or even, “would I be right, would it make sense”. And then I just realised this morning from my daughter’s bedroom window (she has the best view out of all of us!), as I watched a man running across the common, clearly doing some ‘running’ training; I thought to myself “is he doing what he is meant to be doing for his end goal, he should maybe try doing that sprint for a little longer?”

And then I put my thoughts back into place……. Anyone who is out there exercising at 8.30am on a Sunday morning is doing well, they are achieving something, even if it’s just to feel better about themselves, to set themselves up for the day, to get out of the house away from a sadness or a situation that has become too much. We know very little about each person that comes to see us whether it be through personal training, rehabilitation or a class. Different environments cause people to behave in different ways, we generally only see one side of their personality. And so with that in mind, I decided to write my first blog and have concluded that my posts will become a whole myriad of information based on millions of different movements, people, personalities, observations, times, feelings, emotions, thoughts, things and silly colloquialisms. It won’t just be about the best food to eat after sweating your pants off at 6am in the morning, or the best way to mobilise a rotator cuff, or the best exercises to make your butt look super curvy! It will be about my own experiences, day to day, week to week, perhaps about business, and what has worked for us, particularly in these so called ‘hard times’ (I’ve got a whole lot of spiel on that subject), or what relevance our location has to the type of customers we have. It may be an observation on one person, but will not be a ‘one size fits all’ solution, there is no such thing anyway, because we are all such complex creatures with different asymmetries and desires.

And more than likely, knowing how my brain works, it will be about psychology and how I see different people responding to different methods and why. I’ll probably throw in some anecdotes, some phrases from my children as I walk out the door again to do another class, to be achieving something for me as well as for everyone else. But most of all I hope to teach others, many things about sport, human movement, food and fitness from angles maybe never touched on before, and I hope I’m a little controversial, after all, that’s what makes people think……………….

FOR MARCH 2012 – We love this lady! A real inspiration to us all, and a goal achieved for her 50th Birthday! – CHRISTINE O’BRIEN (Photo coming soon…)

Christine came to us last year wanting to improve all areas of her fitness and joined both the Kettlebell and Pilates class. It wasn’t long before she decided to take up 2 sessions a week, and because the benefits were so clear to see, she has now joined us for a third class! We are really impressed with Christine’s determination within the classes, improvements with her strength, and most of all her attitude. She keeps saying “You get out what you put in!” And even with an extensive home renovation causing her weekly chaos! She still managed to get to us and push herself hard. Well done Christine, we are REALLY proud of you!

“I am thrilled to have found ASF. I wanted to improve my core fitness and in the process loose weight.  I have gained weight very gradually over the years and although I have been a member of a local gym I wasn’t consistent, as soon as I was busy with work I would stop going and when eventually I did go back it was always an uphill struggle.  I decided it really was time to put me first, just for an hour a few times a week, I have run in the past but seem to have one injury after another that prevents me from getting going so discovering kettlebell has been fantastic. I love the combination of weight and aerobic exercise. The classes are fun and really well structured. I also do a Pilates class on Thursday with Aicha which works well with kettlebell and have seen a huge improvement in my fitness and body shape.  In fact so much so that I am just about to start  3 kettlebell classes a week. I have found that I can arrange a busy life around exercise and automatically don’t book appointments when I have classes.  Friends and family have noticed the difference and despite just turning 50 (which I wasn’t looking forward to) I feel better than I did at 40.”

FOR FEBRUARY 2012 - An amazing Cross Country runner and member of the Children’s Running Group – Ellie - Energetic Ellie sprints her way to another medal!

When 8-year-old Ellie hasn’t got her nose in a Horrid Henry book, she can usually be found sprinting around in the garden or playground. The sporty youngster has just finished the last race of the Cross Country season with her fourth individual medal – this time second in her age group out of 70 girls, her best performance this season. Ellie ended the tough, hilly route with a massive downhill sprint finish, and overtaking other runners right up to the end. “I felt like I was flying,” she told her proud mum.

The youngster, who clearly takes after her sporty parents, is also a keen swimmer, athlete and netball player. “I like doing hill training the best and also practising how to move quickly when the whistle blows to start off a race!” she says with a grin. “From when she first learned to walk, Ellie was always very energetic and jumped everywhere,” says her mum. “Ellie has to run everywhere she goes, she can’t walk! I’m not surprised she enjoys any form of running training whether it’s cross country or shorter sprints.” Her mum believes Ellie’s natural energy and swimming coaching has built up her stamina for long-distance running. “Most children love running around, so in a way running comes natural for most of them and she attends the ‘Speed & Power’ running sessions at The Academy of Sport & Fitness which has definitely helped to give her an edge”

 The ‘Speed & Power’ running sessions are firstly just about getting the children to run and be active and enjoy being active. “We do sometimes see children who obviously spend a lot of time in front of the television or computer and who simply have no idea how to run.” says Aicha Hallam, head coach. “Once they start moving, the next step is to focus on improving their technique – such as whether they are putting too much weight on the heel or not bringing the knees up high enough, which could be slowing them down.”

Boosting speed and power through interval training, follows on from there. The training also includes plyometric exercises- jumping exercises – getting the children’s bodies to move in different ways. In most cases the running training will also have a positive impact on the children’s performance in other sports, as their strength, agility and power improve. “The main focus”, says Aicha, “should always be on having fun, there is no point in trying to force a child to run. It is about encouraging them through games and competition to run and walk for shorter distances first and making them enjoy being active and wanting to come back for more.”

The Academy of Sport & Fitness method for functional fitness training and running is to ensure that children work many muscles through body weight training and functional movements associated with running; this can be walking lunges, static lunges, dynamic lunges, twist squats and rotational movements through the hips, as well as focusing on core and upper body strength.

FOR DECEMBER 2011 & JANUARY 2012 – The Christmas period of Indulgence – Mince Pies, Chocolate Galore and too many Roast Potatoes! We have a wonderful winner for these 2 festive months – NICKY SCOTT!

Nicky Scott has had an amazing and brilliantly successful journey of weight loss and improvements in overall body shape over the past few months. One thing we have noticed over everything has been her new attitude towards fitness and self confidence in her new body image, and also a bigger smile than ever before!  It just goes to show that making that decision to lead a much healthier and active lifestyle can improve many other aspects of your life and how you can view yourself. Well Done Nicky, we are so proud of you!

“I started running with Jo in May 2010 and carried on until the autumn. One dark and rainy night I fell over while running and although I didn’t hurt myself if put me off running in the dark, so I joined the very first Kettlebell class that Jo introduced. I loved it straight away, especially as it was warm inside and we always had a laugh as well as working hard! At that time, I was using exercise as a way of keeping fit but about a year later I realised how badly I needed and wanted to lose some weight. I joined a well known weight loss class, where they advocate a healthy lifestyle as part of your weight loss plan and put more effort into my kettlebells classes – the more exercise you do the more weight you lose! By Christmas 2011 I had reached my target weight and had lost nearly 2 stone.

Kettlebells had been an essential part of my weight loss journey. As well as helping me to achieve my goal it has meant I am more toned now that I would have been and I am no longer embarrassed by my flabby arms and fat thighs – because they aren’t there any more! And that isn’t down to losing weight, that’s the exercise. I feel younger and fitter that I have done in years and I won’t be giving up Kettlebells any time soon! So if you are struggling during a class (which I am frequently!) just think about what it is helping you to achieve. Thanks Jo for all your support!”

FOR NOVEMBER 2011 – Our Members of the Month are LARA HILL & her mum NATASHA HILL!

Lara Hill was lucky enough to be our second achiever who we wrote about for our second article on OK! Magazine’s Famously Fit, and what an amazing story she has to tell about her battle through illness from when she was a baby to a hopeful for the future and with her sights set on Wimbledon. Her mum Natasha is also part of the Academy as a keen lover of the Kettlebell classes. She came up with one of our slogans “Nothing Gets You Like a Kettlebell!”

At the Academy our biomechanical analysis and training ‘for function’ identifies which motions of the body require improvement and these procedures facilitate a player´s performance ensuring optimal power and speed in a perfectly timed sequence.

When Lara Hill was a baby her heart had to pump blood at the same rate as if she was running a marathon every day, just to keep her alive. The nine-year-old Chalfont St. Peter Academy pupil was born with a 8mm hole in her heart, which put undue pressure on her organs, causing doctors to fear that her heart could stop. They needn’t have worried as with the help of special drugs, not only did the hole get smaller, but Lara’s high energy start to life seems to have boosted her physical performance – especially on the tennis court. “She has always been an energetic little thing,” says mum Natasha. But it was on the tennis court that Lara’s energy and special talent really made her stand out. She was four (and lived in Southfields London) she got picked to be a “Rookie” player for the Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative (WJTI) after taking part in a basic tennis course. Her parents realised the coaches had their eye on Lara when she got picked for a display at Wimbledon on Men’s Final Day in June 2008. “We had to run around the court to pop music and do volleys and other moves – I could not stop smiling,” says Lara. When she was five, Lara was chosen to play for the WJTI Squad and this was soon followed by invitations to join the Lawn Tennis Association’s Talent ID group for the South East and later the LTAs National Talent ID group. These days the youngster practices twice a week at the high performance Halton Every Ball club near Wendover, as well as Saturday mornings every third week and takes part in regular tournaments. “I enjoy it,” says Lara. “I love running around the court, moving up in the ratings and seeing my points on the leader board.” Her aim is to win the Wimbledon Cup like Serena Williams and be a famous tennis player. 

FOR OCTOBER 2011 – Our Member of the Month is SOPHIE GREEN!

This month we awarded our Member of the Month to 10 year old Sophie Green due to her continuous efforts and achievements in the Netball sessions she attends with us. She also became our first shining star for our new articles on OK! Magazine Famously Fit website.

Ten-year-old Sophie Green may be too shy to put up her hand in class, but on the netball court she confidently steals the show every time. The Year 6 pupil from Chalfont St. Peter in Buckinghamshire immediately took a shine to netball after first playing it a year ago. “She did a trial for netball and was chosen for the school’s A-team straight away, even though she’d never played before,” says proud mum Lorraine.  The typical tween, who loves chocolate and listens to Katie Perry in her spare time, enjoyed the game so much that mum enrolled her for additional netball training sessions with us and our High 5 Programme. Sophie, who likes playing in defence, enjoys the training sessions and says it has helped her improve her game. “Sophie’s confidence has improved, even off the netball court, and she is fitter all round, which has boosted her game and her other sports such as athletics,” says mum, Lorraine. For Sophie the best bit about netball is “winning it.”“We normally win,” she says. But netball is also about making friends and having fun.“It’s fun to play with my friends and against my friends,” says Sophie.

Our Member for the Summer is – EMMA LAURIE! 

Due to the summer months and with a break in some of our schedules, we decided to have one award for July & August, and  as a “Well Done” for continuing with training over the holiday period. Now Emma is quite the star! As her story tells, she had to overcome some physical difficulties some time ago, and since joining our early morning fitness sessions to swinging the Kettlebells at the evening classes, we really have a lot of respect for this lady. Her determination, strong will, and passion for being fit and healthy is enough to put anyone to shame! And she looks fabulous for it too. 

“The Early morning fitness sessions have (quite literally) changed my life. I have gone from flab to fit in 5 short months.  2 years ago after my 3rd child and various complications I could not manage to walk to the end of my driveway. I was determined to get active again so bought a high energy puppy (as you do?!) that demanded long walks each and every day. 6 months ago after reaching my goal of walking 5 miles regularly I felt it was time to move on to the next level and stumbled across ASF’s Early Morning Group Personal Training. 3 early morning sessions a week have changed everything about me – the way I look, the way I feel about myself and given me the confidence to join other classes that previously I would have been too self conscious to try. I think I might be turning into a fitness junkie now – I have run several 10k races with ease, plan to do a half marathon before the end of the year and who knows what next. I am fitter now in my forties than I was in my twenties and it is GREAT!  I always hated the gym and was a firm believer that ‘couch potato’ was a perfectly good vocation for me so I am delighted to have found an exercise regime that I love and can fully commit to. Likewise I cannot praise Jo and Aicha (and now Billy too ) enough – they are supportive, push you just hard enough and unobtrusively help you get the best from yourself in a safe and very professional way. Thank you ASF – I have energy levels I could only have dreamed of a few short years ago.”

FOR JUNE 2011 – Our Member of the Month is – NEIL BUSH!

Neil is another one of our committed members who always brings a smile and a joke to the Kettlebell classes! He began with us as the only male amongst a group of giggling ladies! but has stuck with us and achieved great results.  Neil also plays Badminton which he says the Kettlebells has helped to improve his game, particularly in helping his legs feel stronger and giving him general overall improved fitness, stamina and power, (plus he has encouraged more men to join the sessions!) 

“After slowly gaining weight during the past few years I decided enough was enough.  I recently read about a fitness model doing Kettlebells so when the Academy started offering classes I figured it was a good idea.  I have now lost a stone in weight and am so pleased with how I look and feel; this has taken five years off of me.  I hear that more people are joining the beginner’s class and I urge them to stick with it and keep pushing into the intermediate classes.  It gets so hard and is so so worth it.  Thank you Jo.”

FOR MAY 2011 – Our Member of the Month is – IAIN RACKLEY!

Iain Rackley has been with us from the beginning and has achieved so much through sheer commitment and drive. Iain attends our early morning group personal training classes, and I don’t think he’s missed one! Having lost weight through these sessions, he always comments on how different they always are which helps to keep him motivated and able to maintain his body weight. After all the intensive workouts in the early mornings, he also attends a Pilates class once a week which helps stretch out the trained muscles and assists with a more balanced posture.

FOR APRIL 2011 – Our Member of the Month is – JANET BRIDDEN!

Janet is one of our Personal Training clients who has achieved great things after being diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis. Having been told by a Physiotherapist that it may take up to 12 months to completely rehabilitate before she could start to run regularly again, she increased her Personal Training sessions with us to twice a week. A full postural and bio-mechanical assessment was given which enabled us to write a tailored programme to correct any imbalances whether musculo-skeletal or inflexibilities. Janet was fully recovered from her injury within 3 months and was out running again at full speed and greater strength, and less likely to suffer from potential injuries. She has now signed up for the London Marathon in April 2012.

“The rehabilitation programme has been very successful and I have also noticed significant improvements in my all round fitness”

FOR FEBRUARY 2011 – Our Member of the Month is – KEITH YOUNG!

What can we say about Keith? Well, since writing this testimonial for us (beginning of March) he has now lost another half a stone – his story says it all….

“I am very fortunate, I am self-employed, or semi-retired depending if I’m busy or not and have a house in Florida where I spend 3 months a year. On Jan 1^st in Florida just before returning home I took a look in the mirror, weighed myself, was 215 lbs or almost 15 and a half stone and thought…..“ I need to do something about this!”. I’m 54 years old and do go to other workout classes but I knew I was drinking too much, eating either too much or the wrong type of foods and my New Year resolution was as follows (in no particular order)

1 Don’t drink any alcohol until my next trip to Florida (which was 6 weeks away)

2 Cut out all the cakes/biscuits and eat healthier

3 Get fitter

The drinking was actually easier than I thought, although the Saturday night in ‘Spice’ was weird having a Diet Coke. Cutting out the cakes and biscuits was OK too, but I did keep a food diary and wrote down EVERYTHING I consumed. I tried to eat 3 times a day and replace cakes and biscuits with fruit and for the sweet hit, switched to Muller Low Fat yoghurt where they do a great vanilla and chocolate flavour which is less than 100 cals and although probably full of sugar was my reward! I did not weigh myself but after 3 weeks noticed my clothes started to fit better and after 5 weeks people were noticing the difference.

I joined some of Jo’s sessions as my wife already did Pilates with Aicha. I’m lucky as can work my own diary so I was able to do the Tuesday and Thursday morning Fit Camps where the emphasis is put on short drills, with resistance exercises and a reasonable amount of running. Additionally on Tuesday night I attended the ‘Men’s Fit Camp’ evening session which I found fun and more physically demanding. At 54 if I can do it so can anyone! All sessions were expertly run and were changed to introduce a diet of challenges although never changed too much so that you didn’t know what you were doing!

So in 6 weeks I have lost nearly a stone and a half which is more than I expected and I now have half a stone to lose before April 10^th which is my 30^th wedding anniversary. If I succeed then I will be the same weight as when I got married! So balancing sensible eating and an exercise regime has certainly helped me. I still go to another fitness class to do BodyPump and everyone there has also noticed the change. My trousers have been thrown away as my waist size has dropped 2 inches. I feel better in myself and feel that I’ve invested into my own future.

If you have the determination and will, then Jo’s sessions will help you achieve your goals.”

FOR JANUARY 2011 One of our Members of the Month is – NATHAN M!

Nathan joined our Early Morning Fit Camps in 2010 and has gone from strength to strength and improved his fitness and weight loss.

His fitness regime consists of training with us 3 times a week at 6am and Tae-Kwon-Do training in the evening, and he recently dropped 2.5kgs in 2 weeks, and regularly burns around 1000 calories in a session with us.

“The Early Morning Personal Training Group hosted by ASF has transformed me over the past few months. It’s made me work muscles that I always avoid training when in the gym and in so I have a far better overall physique. It’s also given me the confidence to start up Taekwondo along with my two sons. Our instructor has commented what an improvement he has seen in just the first two months and this is all down to the Fit Camp training.

At first I didn’t really set myself any targets other than to get fitter and lose a bit of excess fat, but nothing measurable. I’ve achieved that and more. Now I’ve set a target to drive down my body fat, and of course my diet has to play a part too. I’m not going on a crash diet but just cutting out a few bits that I know I tend to eat in excess. Bread is off the menu but I have made sure that I’m still eating carbs in the form of rice and potato to ensure I have fuel for the exercises I now do. In the last 3 weeks alone I’ve trimmed almost 2% body fat off!

Being a family man with two sons, a young baby and my own business to run I find it almost impossible to keep up a regular evening exercise regime. This is why the early morning Fit Camp fits me like a glove. I’m up and out the door at 6am (it’s little hard at first but you soon get used to it) and then spend just one hour training. All this means I get home in time to feed the dog & cat, get the boys ready for school and make a cup of tea for the wife AND I’m still ready in time for work. If I can do it anyone can!”

Our other member of the month is SALLY ROSSER!

Sally started with us back in March last year with the Running Groups, but has continued to improve her fitness and strength by joining the Kettlebell and Zumba classes; giving herself a good all round approach to fitness whilst having fun! The sessions have given her the confidence to go running solo, and her approach to her lifestyle choices inspires us as trainers! She manages to fit all this in around 3 children and work and has also been a true advocate of the Academy by encouraging friends and family to join our sessions. Thanks Sally!

“Running was always something I liked the idea of, but thought other people did. After years of being scared and intimidated and doing nothing, and with Jo onside, I decided to give it a go. What I found was, with the right encouragement and expert training, running is exhilarating, satisfying and makes a huge difference to every part of your life. Not only can you suddenly chase after (and keep up with) your kids, but you start to feel different too. You start to think that you can give anything a go. My goal was to complete last year’s GX fun run, I’m now doing that distance without even thinking about it, twice a week. What’s more (and I can’t believe I am saying this) but I do it for fun!

I took up Kettlebells to help with strength and tone. Once I got over the first session, which was brilliant, I felt the results really quickly: stronger all round (it really helped with skiing) and my shape, even with only one full course completed and early into the second, is already changing.

Zumba is just a load of fun. You feel silly, you probably look silly, but it’s the most fun you can have exercising; and the twisting and latin element has really helped me reclaim a waist I thought was lost forever!”

As Experts in our Field, we only want to Recommend to the Best in other Areas

We have spent Hours working out Who and Why we like to work with them

Sports Therapist & Physiotherapist – Terry Warren

Chiropractor – Rachel Thorogood

Beauty Therapist – Charlie West

Reflexologist – Lorayne Crawford

]]> http://www.asfacademy.co.uk/?feed=rss2&p=1249 0 http://www.asfacademy.co.uk/?p=1042 http://www.asfacademy.co.uk/?p=1042#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 14:37:37 +0000 Jo http://www.asfacademy.co.uk/?p=1042 GROUP PERSONAL TRAINING SESSIONS

GUARANTEED RESULTS!

Lose Weight, Improve Fitness & Muscle Tone

6am to 7am – Tuesday & Thursday Mornings

Small Group Class for Individual Attention

Postural Analysis & Fitness Testing

ALL FITNESS LEVELS WELCOME FOR MEN & WOMEN