Kokoro Fitness

15 Hour Charity Workout
What a day. What an event. What a community.

Yesterday, we participated in 15 hours of workouts, all to show our love and appreciation to member Mark Butcher, who sadly has terminal bowel cancer.
In doing so, and testament to how loved Mark is by all of his friends and family, the just giving page has so far raised over £16k for St Peter’s Hospice and Bowel Cancer UK.
Every single workout had some meaning and relation to Mark and his journey, the motivation we all needed to keep going at times!
The main connection being the 15 hours in total, which relates to the massive 15 hour operation he had to have.
17 members/coaches participated in the full 15 hours, with over 50 people participating at some point, a high number of which did 10/11/12 hours 🙌
We wanted to make this a real challenge, so all of these workouts were 40-45 minutes (bar 2), meaning it really was a physically and mentally exhausting day. But in relation to what Mark has been through, it was absolutely nothing 💙

MindBodySoul
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As most of you are aware we are doing a charity event on Saturday 22nd June to raise money for St Peters Hospice and Bowel Cancer UK.
The reason for the event is one of our members Mark Butcher was diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal Bowel cancer. In support of Mark and his family we are doing a 15-hour workout starting at 4am (Set your alarm clocks) finishing at 7pm with Mark and his family joining us for the last few hours. I know 15 hours sounds like a bit of a random number; however, It holds tremendous significance to this. Mark went through what the doctors call the “Mother of All Operations”. It is the most invasive surgery a body can cope with and last for 15-hours. Each hour will be a different workout with some significance to Mark’s battle, Culminating with the “THE BUTCH” (his affectionate nickname). Each exercise will begin with a letter of the Nickname.
20 of us are doing the full 15 hours with 20 plus other joining in throughout the time.
We will be live streaming the whole event. However, we will not be able to answer comments as we are working out!
We would love for you to join us on the live even join in if you fancy it! From the comfort of your home.

If you would like to donate to the cause the just giving link is below
https://www.justgiving.com/team/motherofallworkouts?utm_medium=team&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2irlAXMSu1bhrZnYNYL1B9d980BswTJT5wv02HOOEsanqo2voSOFgxF7c_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw
Mark’s story has also been an article on the BBC which you can read below
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4nn49qwzv1o?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR33ntlUb-mT2pJ2mERXyK1xC1E3Tys9XuR9c0SGV_TYaoldQmQwdqR67jk_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw
We would like to thank everybody that have supported the cause already. The support has been unreal.



Big shout out to the Bristol Beer Factory ( Kari) for donating the well-deserved beer after the workout and their Brewed2%togive campaign
Dominos Pizza that are providing pizzas to regain the energy

Bowel cancer patient issues warning about silent killer Mark Butcher said there were "zero symptoms" before his terminal diagnosis.

Team pictures from our in-house competition a couple of weeks ago 😍
Another amazing day, and just as many members showed up to support as well as those competing 🙌
Team Can Skip Will Skip took the win for the second year running 💪

MindBodySoul
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Battle Of Kokoro 2024
Tomorrow is our annual in-house competition 🏋️‍♀️
We’ve got 9 teams of 4 competing in 5 events to test their fitness, strength and power 💪
With some teams going for glory and some purely for enjoyment, plus a load more members coming down to support and cheer, it’s set to be a lush (but very hot) day 🙌

MindBodySoul
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One of our members pulled this quote out the other day and it’s really stuck with us…
‘You never know who you’re inspiring’

Whilst you may hit times where you wish you were as good as someone else or wish there were other things you were able to do. There are almost always people thinking the same about you.

The chances are there are people who see you in the gym and get inspired. See your shape change and feel inspired. Family and friends will be seeing how hard you’re working and how committed you are. Guess what- they’ll be feeling inspired.
People will very rarely tell you if you’re impressing them or inspiring them, but I bet you are.

Keep working hard.
Keep setting an example.
Keep inspiring people.

MindBodySoul
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There really is no difference between starting in January or starting at any other time.
If you had New Year’s resolutions, or just some goals for 2024, don’t be disheartened if you’ve not got off to a good start.
Just go again!

MindBodySoul
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Merry Christmas from all of us at Kokoro Fitness 💙

Kokoro Fitness 2023 Awards

Last night we had our Christmas party/awards do- and once again it didn’t disappoint.
An unbelievable night shared with unbelievable people 💙
This years awards went to:
Best Male Transformation- Steve Horton
Best Male Transformation- George Gibson
Best Female Transformation- Jenna Richardson
Best Female Transformation- Lucy Booth
Long-Term Legend- Wayne Thomas
Kokoro Spirit- David Tyler
Most Committed- Lorna Thomas
Most Positive- Jon Nutt
Technique King- David Champion
Technique Queen- Charlene Johnson
Most Notable Newcomer- Dan Histed
Most Notable Newcomer- Rachael Fannon
Most Improved- Alistair Rea (not in attendance)
Most Improved- Vicky Thompson
Most Injury Prone- Emma Corbett (not in attendance)
Biggest Whinger- Jodie Head
Ghost- Elesh Patel
Best Team Spirit- Nat, Annette, Taryn, Sarah

MindBodySoul
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See for yourselves…

A handful of comments that have come up during our conversations with some of our latest members 💙

MindBodySoul 🔵⚫️

NEW LOGO

Phoenix
Represents rebirth, growth and renewed youth; all things that come from adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Shape
The Phoenix resembles a K and an F, to represent Kokoro Fitness.

3 Parts
The Phoenix is split into 3 parts, a key aspect of our brand; Mind, Body and Soul (the meaning of the word Kokoro).

Writing
The words Kokoro Fitness have had a reshape and resize.

Huge thank you to Charlotte Causer for her development, and apologies from us for the constant changes in direction 😂

MindBodySoul
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November is men’s mental health month, shining an important light on how many men go through struggles and aren’t able to seek help.
However, mental health issues affect everybody regardless of s*x, race or age.
So this post is for everyone.

I’m Paul and I run the gym with Jon. I’m writing this to help highlight the difficulty of high-functioning depression and anxiety, suffered by so many, myself included.
Being high-functioning means that most days these people tend to wear a mask, appearing smiley and happy but inside they may not be feeling that way.
They will often overthink everything and feel like they don’t want to burden other people with their problems.

If you know someone who is like this then give them a call and ask them out for a beer or a coffee or just for a chat.
This will mean the world to them even if they don’t say it.

If you are reading this and this resonates with you, please know you are not alone and we are rooting for you.

Why is this on our page, you ask?
Well, the gym helps with my mood.
It releases the endorphins that make me feel good, but more than that we have cultivated a culture here at Kokoro where there is no judgement.
We have a friendly environment, where everybody helps everybody and most members enjoy a chat with friends during their sessions.
If you are not feeling it, you can go steadier without fear of judgment. Just turning up and getting through the session will work wonders for you!

However, if you don’t feel like exercising, just do one small job: be it washing up, running the hoover around or even just brushing your teeth. Taking that first step forward.

At Kokoro, the kettle’s always on if you want to chat.

MindBodySoul
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What’s better than using small local businesses??

Here’s a list that are owned by our members…

And I’ve probably missed a few as well, that’s how amazing our members are 😍

We understand how hard and stressful it can be running a business, so always support local where you can 💙

MindBodySoul
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We’ve never offered anything like this before!
🌟ONLY 10 Spaces Available🌟
🗓️ November 6th - December 23rd

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…

💷 £123
Firstly you get a huge discount on a 7-week programme taking you right up to Christmas.

📏 1,2,3 Rules To Follow
Secondly, just follow our 3 simple processes throughout the seven weeks.
These will all be tracked and IF you complete all 3 every week then you will receive THE WHOLE OF JANUARY FOR FREE 😍

The best thing- they’re 3 really simple rules. Just our 3 core processes that we recommend for everybody in order to get the most out of their membership 🙌

We are well aware that everybody trains for different reasons and different goals. That’s why we don’t like to offer incentives based off results, but rather the processes that you need to follow in order to achieve those results.
Whether you want to train for mental health, physical health, fat loss, muscle gain, fitness etc, these processes will get you towards that 💪

Message us if you have any questions or would like to sign up 💬

MindBodySoul
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Calling All Local Sports Teams ⚽️🏀🏉🎾🏏🏑

Do your players need to improve their strength/fitness? 💪
Do you just want a change of scenery to your normal training?
Now the nights are getting cold, dark and wet, we’re aware that a lot of teams are looking for alternatives to their normal training routine.

How about hiring out our facility? 🤔
We have space for up to 25 to come and train as a squad!
Available late evening Tuesday/Thursday, or if you don’t have a game on a weekend then we may be able to arrange a Sunday session too.
(Also available weekdays 10:30-17:00)

We can provide a cost for just the facility if you’re happy to run the session yourselves, or we can provide a cost including a high level coach to run the session for you.
All at a reasonable cost 👌

We have a tonne of equipment available:
- 19 squat racks
- 40 BBs and over 2000kg of plates
- Full DB rack up to 50kgs
- Tonnes of KBs & slam balls
- Sandbags (20kg-70kg)
- 8 assault bikes
- 8 rowers
- 2 ski ergs
- 2 bike ergs
- 2 sleds
- 3 battle ropes
… The list goes on

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions.

MindBodySoul
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Its 8am on Monday and we’ve already had 40 people through the doors 🙌

Whatever you’re working towards, whatever you’re trying to achieve, set the tone on Monday 💪

Start the week strong 👊

MindBodySoul
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MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS

We had two pairs head over to compete in the Athx Games (South) last weekend.

David and Sally had an exceptional day, finishing 3rd in their age category across all of the competitions nationwide 🥉🏆
They’ll now go on to compete in the finals at the NEC in December 🙌

Tim and Louisa competed in a lower age category which was packed with a lot more teams and a really high level of competition.
It was a pretty tough day but a huge highlight for them came in the ‘Strength’ event, finishing 5th out of 26 pairs 💪💪💪

Another congratulations to all 4 on another great competition 👊

MindBodySoul
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Go lift some weights 💪
It’s about much more than building muscle ✌️

And if you don’t know where to start, or what to do, then find somebody who does 🙋‍♂️
We put a big emphasis on proper strength training in our group sessions, generally spending the first half of each class working on it 👌

MindBodySoul
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2 weeks ago we put on our summer games, and this time we were asked by one of our members if we could do this for a charity close to their hearts.
Matty and Steph had just had twins, and due to arriving early, the twins spent up to 76 days in the fabulous Southmead NICU.
We’ve actually had several other members of our community, friends and business partners that have also benefited from this unit in the past.
Therefore it was a no-brainer to link up with Matty and Steph for the event and raise money for the Southmead NICU charity.
We’ve been informed that the funds will go towards the building of new flats that will allow parents to stay close to the hospital whilst their children are in the care of the NICU unit.

Let’s just say the day didn’t disappoint…
The games were fantastic, with 9 teams competing in a range of events and in a manner that reflected what the event was all about 🙌

Not only was over £1700 raised on the day from team entries, raffles, cake sales and everybody’s generous donations, but Matty and Steph also set up a go fund me page which has now totalled £4000 💙

We want to thank all of the competitors and supporters, who laughed, cried and shouted around all of the events.

Thank you to the suppliers:
Gilbert's Gin and Prosecco bar
Murrey Hire
Euroloo
A taste of Montego Bay Misha Wiley
Weston Super Bounce
Shades Wraps
Robin Bath
Jake Hinder
Junior Sheikh

Thank you to all following people, for providing kit, judging, marshalling, helping to set up etc. Without you guys the event could not have gone ahead:
Matty Stevenson and Steph Hill
Dave Tyler
Jo Richings
Kev Jefferey
Liam Lane
Dave Stevenson
Sian Telford
Maria Vazquez Maristany
Amber Castle
Annette Lewis
Coach Reuben and his partner Jess

We would also like to thank all those who gave raffle prizes:
The Property Outlet (and their employees!)
Studiowise
Functional Sports Therapy
Mama bears cakes
Niccy Bishop
Charles Saunders
Barber Joe

Lastly a BIG THANK YOU to all of our members. You make the gym and the community what it is.
The day was fantastic and the social afterwards was brilliant 💙

MindBodySoul
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P.S The obstacle course planning is already underway for next year 💪

🎉 Happy 1 Year Anniversary Reuben 🎉

Can’t quite believe it’s been 1 year since Reuben’s first shift with us.
I’m sure everyone will agree he’s a huge asset to the team and has really come out of his shell the past 6 months 💙
Keep planning minging workouts for the members please mate 🤝

MindBodySoul
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Firstly, contrary to some old school thoughts, strength training will burn a good amount of calories at the time. As long as you ensure you’re using challenging weights for you, and keeping rest times reasonably short, your heart rate will be pretty high throughout!

However, your main long-term benefits come from the adaptations you’ll be getting.
***I could make a whole post on the benefits of increasing your strength/muscle, but today we’re just looking at calorie burn and fat loss***
The calories you actually burn during a workout are tiny compared to your overall energy expenditure throughout the day/week.
BUT when you strength train you gain muscle. And even a small increase in muscle will increase your BMR and mean that you burn more calories 24/7, not just for the hour that you’re in the gym.

On top of this, if you increase your muscles work capacity, it means you’ll be able to work harder in ALL of your workouts (including activities outside of the gym), which in turn leads to more calories burnt and more adaptations etc etc.

Even just 20-30 minutes of strength work 3-4 times per week will have massive benefits 💪

MindBodySoul
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There are a million reasons to exercise and live a healthy lifestyle 🏋️‍♀️🍎
But surely wanting your children to be active and healthy has to be up there with one of the best?!?

A lot of studies have found a direct relationship between the parents’ activity levels and their children’s activity levels. Whilst this does also depend on the strength of relationship, a big meta-analysis of all studies into the topic also backs up these findings.

Your kids learn from what they see.
Show them how fun and important exercise/the gym is, don’t just tell them 💪

MindBodySoul
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(Message us if you’d like links to the studies)

MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS

We had two teams enter into the Crossfest competition yesterday (scaled category).
Mitch’s Bi***es (Sally, Martin, Louisa, Tim, David and Emma)
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Blood, Sweat and Beers (Matt, Jenna, George, Vanessa, Jo and Dan)

Judging from the group photo I’m not sure whether they knew it was a fitness competition or if they thought they were there to take a picture for an album cover!
Either way they did phenomenally 😍

Mitch’s Bi***es finished second overall, with consistent high finishes throughout the day 🎉

Blood, Sweat and Beer finished 7th overall, but took 2 event wins out of the 7 and looked to be heading into the last event in 4th place, so were right in contention all day 👌

Unreal stuff from everyone involved… on to the next one 👊

MindBodySoul
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We have a HUGE range of goals at our gym.

A lot of our members are looking to gain strength/muscle, and it looks like they’re succeeding!

Remember, gaining muscle and strength is a long old process which requires dedication and patience.

Kirstie has been looking to build strength and muscle for a while now.
She trains with us at least 5x per week, including our extra strength programme and has really seen big improvements since starting to work with Chris on her nutrition last November 🙌

MindBodySoul
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Always nice to receive messages like this out of the blue 💙

MindBodySoul
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RETURNING MEMBER OFFER

Hello old friends 👋
Here’s one for you if you have been a member with us at ANY point before.
Because we miss you 😢

If you give us a message and start up again before the start of July you’ll receive your first two months for half price (July and August!).
As usual, we still don’t do contracts and you won’t be tied in for any amount of time.

Let’s get back to it 💪

MindBodySoul
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