Endeavour Personal Training Studio

Endeavour is very proud to be sponsoring this very talented young lady, Holly has been selected to compete for team GB this year in the World Martial Arts Championship 2024 in Rhodes. I didn’t realise that some of our team GB athletes had to fund themselves for flights, accommodation, insurance etc.
Here at Endeavour we will be following Holly and supporting her all the way, if you would like to help Holly achieve her dream of competing for team GB please follow the link to her fund me page.

Below are her socials and go fund me link.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091835527885

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/h.m.a_karate?igsh=Y2Zkazg5dmY1ZGg0&utm_source=qr

https://gofund.me/3529fc35

Many thanks.

Donate to Holly towards the World Martial Arts Championships 2024, organized by Holly Annetts Hello, my name is Holly Annetts. I have been selected to represe… Holly Annetts needs your support for Holly towards the World Martial Arts Championships 2024

HOW TO BREATHE PROPERLY DURING EXERCISE

This is one of those questions I get asked on a regular basis, by concentrating on the different stages of breathing, you can easily breathe better during your workout and improve your performance. The techniques to adopt depend, in particular, on the type of effort to be made.

Here are some tips to understand the main principles of breathing during exercise:

Practising abdominal breathing produces better results than chest breathing: breathe deeply, letting the belly inflate naturally when breathing in. Some athletes reverse this movement: yoga or breathing exercises are a great help to correct this if you are concerned!
Be careful not to cut off your breathing, a tendency often observed when lifting a weight or intense effort.
At a very high level, some athletes practise conscious stops of breathing at the moment of maximum tension in order to stabilise the muscles, especially in weightlifting, but this technique is reserved for very specific cases, with the supervision of a coach.
When doing muscle strengthening exercises, breathe out while the muscles are under tension and breathe in as you release them.
During an endurance sport, breathing should be slow, deep and regular, without necessarily being perfectly coordinated with your movements.
During a sprint or a sustained effort, it is natural for your breathing to accelerate. It will return to a normal rhythm sometimes only a few minutes after stopping the activity.

HOW TO OPTIMISE YOUR WORKOUT BASED ON YOUR AGE.
There’s no denying that exercise is a foundation of life and a basic need for health and wellness. As humans, we are designed to move and reach our peak physical performance. Much like eating and sleeping, physical activity is a must. When we lack physical activity or don’t exercise, our health deteriorates, and we become weak and fragile.

Why do you need to tailor your workout based on your age?
Tailoring your workout based on age is essential because each life stage presents unique physical, developmental, and lifestyle demands. For children, the focus is on developing motor skills and establishing healthy habits, while adults require exercise routines that manage stress, maintain health, and combat a sedentary lifestyle.
As we age, maintaining muscle mass, flexibility, and bone density becomes crucial, along with adapting to physical limitations and chronic health conditions. This age-specific approach ensures that exercises are safe, effective, and aligned with the individual’s needs, maximizing health benefits and enhancing overall well-being throughout the different phases of life.

Over the next few days will show you how you can optimize your workouts and tailor them based on your age

EXERCISE FOR ADULTS (65 and above)

FOCUS: Maintaining independence and mobility and managing the effects of chronic diseases.
Seniors often deal with age-related physiological changes and risks for chronic disease. Low-impact exercise of at least 150 minutes per week can help maintain health and independence.

BENEFITS
Aside from helping manage chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, exercise has a specific role in older adulthood.

Help maintain mobility and independence
Lack of activity leads to tight muscles, joint stiffness, and poor balance. Moderate exercise preserves the range of motion and helps prevent falls. Strengthening the core and legs is especially important.
Studies have shown that mobility is one of the greatest predictors of life and longevity. This means people who are able to maintain their ability to jump, run, and walk on their own despite old age are healthier and tend to live longer.

Help maintain mental sharpness
Exercising increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain. This boosts focus, memory, and cognitive abilities - helping delay the onset or progression of dementia. Learning new skills and continuously moving helps form and strengthen neural connections in the brain, allowing older adults to stay sharp.

HOW TO OPTIMISE YOUR WORKOUT BASED ON YOUR AGE.
There’s no denying that exercise is a foundation of life and a basic need for health and wellness. As humans, we are designed to move and reach our peak physical performance. Much like eating and sleeping, physical activity is a must. When we lack physical activity or don’t exercise, our health deteriorates, and we become weak and fragile.

Why do you need to tailor your workout based on your age?
Tailoring your workout based on age is essential because each life stage presents unique physical, developmental, and lifestyle demands. For children, the focus is on developing motor skills and establishing healthy habits, while adults require exercise routines that manage stress, maintain health, and combat a sedentary lifestyle.
As we age, maintaining muscle mass, flexibility, and bone density becomes crucial, along with adapting to physical limitations and chronic health conditions. This age-specific approach ensures that exercises are safe, effective, and aligned with the individual’s needs, maximizing health benefits and enhancing overall well-being throughout the different phases of life.

Over the next few days will show you how you can optimize your workouts and tailor them based on your age

EXERCISE FOR ADULTS (Ages 40-64)

FOCUS: maintenance of fitness, improving flexibility and strength, enhancing mental and cognitive health.
As adults enter their 40s, 50s, and early 60s, they encounter different physical and lifestyle changes that should keep an eye on.
This period often involves a shift in focus towards maintaining health, managing the signs of aging, and preventing chronic diseases so they can age gracefully. While aging is an inevitable part of life, exercise can effectively manage its effect.

BENEFITS
Prevents physical decline
Regular exercise slows down the rate of muscle and bone loss that occurs with aging. This also prevents the development of arthritis and reduces the risk of fall injuries, which are common among older adults.

Helps manage chronic diseases
Adults with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension can benefit from a regular exercise routine. Exercise helps preserve the integrity of blood vessels and lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Help maintain brain function
Exercise keeps the mind engaged and positively impacts brain health. With regular workouts, the brain gets more oxygen-rich blood, which is associated with increased memory and mood stability and prevents cognitive decline.

HOW TO OPTIMISE YOUR WORKOUT BASED ON YOUR AGE.
There’s no denying that exercise is a foundation of life and a basic need for health and wellness. As humans, we are designed to move and reach our peak physical performance. Much like eating and sleeping, physical activity is a must. When we lack physical activity or don’t exercise, our health deteriorates, and we become weak and fragile.

Why do you need to tailor your workout based on your age?
Tailoring your workout based on age is essential because each life stage presents unique physical, developmental, and lifestyle demands. For children, the focus is on developing motor skills and establishing healthy habits, while adults require exercise routines that manage stress, maintain health, and combat a sedentary lifestyle.
As we age, maintaining muscle mass, flexibility, and bone density becomes crucial, along with adapting to physical limitations and chronic health conditions. This age-specific approach ensures that exercises are safe, effective, and aligned with the individual’s needs, maximizing health benefits and enhancing overall well-being throughout the different phases of life.

Over the next few days will show you how you can optimize your workouts and tailor them based on your age

EXERCISE FOR YOUNG ADULTS (ages 20-39)

FOCUS: Balancing physical health and busy schedule, managing stress, improving strength and endurance.
Young adulthood is marked by numerous life transitions, including career establishment, family responsibilities, and social changes. Exercise during this stage is crucial for maintaining physical fitness, managing stress levels, and optimizing health.

BENEFITS
Helps maintain health
During these years, metabolism begins to slow down, making regular exercise essential for maintaining a healthy weight and preventing obesity. Consistent physical activity helps in reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

Helps manage stress
Adulthood can come with lots of social pressure and responsibility. A fitness routine can help combat physical and mental stress by assisting the body in releasing mood-lifting hormones called endorphins.

More importantly, working out also improves sleep quality, which is often disrupted by the busy lifestyles of young adults.

HOW TO OPTIMISE YOUR WORKOUT BASED ON YOUR AGE.
There’s no denying that exercise is a foundation of life and a basic need for health and wellness. As humans, we are designed to move and reach our peak physical performance. Much like eating and sleeping, physical activity is a must. When we lack physical activity or don’t exercise, our health deteriorates, and we become weak and fragile.

Why do you need to tailor your workout based on your age?
Tailoring your workout based on age is essential because each life stage presents unique physical, developmental, and lifestyle demands. For children, the focus is on developing motor skills and establishing healthy habits, while adults require exercise routines that manage stress, maintain health, and combat a sedentary lifestyle.
As we age, maintaining muscle mass, flexibility, and bone density becomes crucial, along with adapting to physical limitations and chronic health conditions. This age-specific approach ensures that exercises are safe, effective, and aligned with the individual’s needs, maximizing health benefits and enhancing overall well-being throughout the different phases of life.

Over the next few days will show you how you can optimize your workouts and tailor them based on your age.

EXERCISE FOR TEENAGERS (ages 13-19)
FOCUS: Growth and mental health
The teenage years are an ideal time to instill lifelong healthy habits. It is critical for physical and mental development. Exercise especially plays a pivotal role in shaping teenager's well-being.

BENEFITS
Musculoskeletal Development.
Teenagers experience rapid bone and muscle growth. Weight-bearing exercises and activities that promote strength, like swimming, running, or bodyweight exercises, are crucial.
These activities stimulate bone growth and density. More importantly, exercise at this stage makes their bones and muscles more resilient to injuries.

Mood regulation
Due to fluctuations in hormones, teenagers experience surges in impulses and instability in mood. Regular physical activity can help regulate mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety while enhancing self-esteem.
Teenagers who exercise or who are into sports tend to have higher confidence levels and can handle themselves better in social situations.

Cognitive Development:
This is also a critical time for brain development. Exercise boosts brain health by enhancing blood flow, which improves cognitive functions like memory, attention, and processing speed.
Aerobic exercises, in particular, have been shown to increase the size of the hippocampus, the brain region involved in verbal memory and learning.
Recommendations are:
Aerobic exercise: running, swimming, and team sports are excellent activities to improve heart health and lung capacity. Exercising at moderate to high intensity is an especially great way to leverage the vitality that youth at this stage have.
Strength training: Older teens can start weight training and calisthenics at least 3 times per week to support muscle building and leveraging their growth spurt.
Flexibility exercises: flexibility exercise routines such as yoga and pilates can enhance balance and core strength and maintain the elasticity of muscles that teens have.

MISCONCEPTION 6: NO PAIN, NO GAIN.
No pain, no gain has been a popular mantra for decades, suggesting that physical discomfort and reaching failure in each set are necessary for achieving results and progressing in the gym.
This mindset often leads to beginners overdoing it. They often do too much and too soon. This increases their injury risk and slows recovery.

Facts: Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and challenging your body is crucial for growth. But there must be a clear boundary between healthy training and ignoring your body's warnings. Ignoring them can lead to strains and sprains, which can derail your fitness progress.
Studies have shown that there’s no significant difference between performing an exercise to failure and stopping short of failure, with a couple of reps still “in the tank.”
This means that you can have the same results by maintaining good form and stopping your sets when you feel like you can only complete 1-2 more repetitions with proper technique rather than pushing to absolute failure.

MISCONCEPTION 5: YOU CAN EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT AND BURN IT ALL IN THE GYM.
One of the most harmful ideas in fitness is eating whatever you want because you can burn them all in the gym anyway. This notion is often used to justify overeating and unhealthy food habits.
This misconception is often called "dirty bulking." It's the idea that you can eat whatever junk food you want since you need the extra calories. Having this mentality can seriously undermine your fitness goals and overall health.

Facts:Even the toughest workouts cannot undo the effects of poor dietary choices.
The truth is, it is much easier to consume excess calories than it is to burn them off through exercise.
For example, a slice of pizza has about 300 calories. It would take about 30 minutes of intense running to burn them off. Imagine trying to out-exercise a whole pizza or a pint of ice cream!
It’s true that dirty bulking can help you gain more mass and build muscles. However, a high-calorie, high-fat diet can spike bad cholesterol levels. This can lead to plaque deposits that cause irreversible damage and block the arteries of the heart and brain.
Junk foods can provide quick and high-calorie sources of energy, but they cannot support optimal health. Healthy whole foods, on the other hand, provide both macronutrients and micronutrients that your body needs for overall health

MISCONCEPTION 4: YOU SHOULD TRAIN YOUR ABS EVERY DAY.
Many "ab challenges" online spread the idea that doing hundreds of ab workouts a week is the key to a sculpted midsection. This appeals to many fitness enthusiasts because it often promises quick results if we simply do ab routines every day.
However, no matter how many ab reps you do daily, your core won’t show up if they are covered in layers of fats. Studies have debunked spot fat reduction. This means there’s no way to specifically target what part of the body loses fats.

Facts: Like the rest of your muscles, your abdominal muscles need rest and recovery to grow and develop. If you don’t allow enough time for recovery, you can actually hinder your progress and increase the risk of back injuries.
If you want to unearth your abs, focus on trimming off belly fats and love handles. Do this by being in a calorie deficit and sustaining your fitness progress with proper nutrition.
Remember: Whether cutting or bulking, your fitness success depends on your diet. Achieving your fitness goals is more about getting enough nutrition and consistency with your routine

MISCONCEPTION 3: LIFTING WEIGHTS HARMS YOUR JOINTS
This notion comes from the belief that the added stress and strain of lifting heavy weights will cause joint damage over time. Many believe that lifting weights can greatly add to the wear and tear of the body.

Facts: Research has shown that lifting weights with proper form and technique can improve joint health. In fact, people with joint problems like osteoarthritis should do strength training. It reduces pain and improves function.
Strength training through weightlifting or calisthenics strengthens the muscles. It also improves bone density. This makes the body more resilient to stress.
There’s nothing more damaging than being sedentary and underestimating your body’s capability to adapt and develop.

MISCONCEPTION 2: MORNING WORKOUTS ARE BETTER
Many believe that morning workouts are more optimal because they involve exercising when one's stomach is empty or in a fasted state.
Fasted workouts can lead to fat loss over time. During a fasted state, the body relies on stored fat for energy. But, it isn't the best or most fitness-boosting way to work out.

Facts: One study has found that physical performance typically peaks during the afternoon when the body temperature is at its highest. Most people achieve their peak body temperature between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
In addition, research has shown that our grip strength is significantly higher in the late afternoon and evening, which translates to better exercise performance and the potential to lift more weights.
However, the best time to work out still depends on each person. Each of us has our own biological clocks and spikes in motivation.
So don’t worry if you have a busy morning schedule. You can work out at night all you want. It all comes down to your energy level and discipline. If you are exercising at night, you want to make sure that you are not fatiguing yourself throughout the day.

MISCONCEPTION 1: YOU CAN’T CONVERT FAT INTO MUSCLE.
Muscle tissue has muscle cells, and fat tissue has fat cells. Muscles and fats are different tissues, and one cannot transform into another.
Most beginners need this clarification. They think fat turns into muscle when they lose fat and gain muscle during strength training and body recomposition.

Facts: You lose body fat by burning more calories than you consume from food. Lifting weights is an excellent way to burn calories and use stored energy or fats.
By lifting weights, you are challenging your muscles and allowing them to grow. You cannot burn fat if you fail to burn more calories through dieting and exercising.
But, if you train consistently, you can still build muscle. This can happen even without losing fat, as in bulking seasons.

THE 6 MOST COMMON FITNESS MISCONCEPTIONS
Science always changes. What we thought was true may become wrong and outdated. The same is true with fitness,old wisdom can fail and can become myths and misconceptions.

Most gym myths are harmless, but they can still hurt your training progress. Whether the goal is to improve your health or get an aesthetic body, you want your training time to be effective. Otherwise, you'll waste time or won't put in enough work due to a false belief.

DANGERS OF BELIEVING IN FITNESS MISCONCEPTIONS
Following misguided advice can lead to countless hours in the gym without seeing the results you want. Believing misconceptions can make workouts and nutrition inefficient. This can lead to frustration, decreased motivation, and other fitness barriers. They can derail you from your fitness goals.
Some fitness misconceptions can lead to unhealthy habits and put you at risk of injury. In the end, fitness is crucial to our health. We should base our fitness choices on facts and current evidence.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET YOUR FITNESS BACK?

You’ve been there, done the work, seen the results, and now you want it back. Maybe you had an injury or an illness that meant you had to give up on maintaining your fitness for a while. Or perhaps life got a bit busy, and your priorities had to change for a time.

“Remember: you won’t be able to jump straight back in at the level you were at when you stopped”

Whatever the reason, it’s never too late to start working out again. Remember: you won’t be able to jump straight back in at the level you were at when you stopped. You’ve detrained, and that’s ok, but it does mean you will have to do more training to regain your fitness level.

But exactly how much training will it take? How long until you see results from working out again? As always, that depends on many factors, such as what type of workouts you did before and how sedentary you have been during your detraining. Think of it as the above timelines in reverse: if it’s been a couple of weeks, you’ll probably only have detrained a little, but if it’s been 6+ months, then you’re probably back to base level again.

Most people will need to build back slowly over the course of a few weeks. For example, if you want to jump into doing strength training again, start with weights that are half what you were lifting previously. After a few sessions (as long as you’re doing about two a week), you can then increase it to three-quarters of the weight for the subsequent few sessions and see how you feel from there.

It’s essential to pay attention to how the workout feels rather than keeping to a schedule for training again. So, don’t rush it. Your fitness will return and in time you’ll see results from working out

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET IN CARDIO SHAPE?

Like running, cardio workouts have various health benefits, such as improving stamina and burning calories. You’ll also boost your heart health by decreasing high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke risk. If you want to improve your aerobic fitness, you’ll need to keep up your training for at least six weeks before seeing noticeable changes.

Here’s a general timeline of what you can expect when working to get fit with cardio workouts:

Immediate Benefits (Weeks 1-2): When you begin incorporating cardio exercises into your routine, you may notice some immediate benefits. These can include increased energy levels, improved mood, and better sleep. Your cardiovascular system starts to adapt to the increased demands, leading to improved circulation and lung capacity.

Endurance and Stamina (Weeks 3-6): After a few weeks of consistent cardio training, you’ll likely experience enhanced endurance and stamina. You may find it easier to sustain longer workouts and notice that you can perform cardio exercises at higher intensity levels without becoming as tired.

Weight Loss (Months 2-3): If your goal is to lose weight, you can expect noticeable results after a couple of months of regular cardio workouts, especially when combined with a balanced diet. Sustainable weight loss typically occurs at a rate of one or two pounds per week, so you’ll notice gradual changes in your body composition.

Cardiovascular Fitness (Months 2-3): Your cardiovascular fitness continues to improve as you progress. After a couple of months, you’ll experience more efficient oxygen utilization, a lower resting heart rate, and better recovery times after intense cardio sessions.

Long-Term Progress (6+ Months): To achieve and maintain a high level of cardiovascular fitness, you should commit to regular cardio workouts for six months or longer. Over time, your heart and lungs adapt to the increased workload, and you’ll see significant improvements in overall fitness.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD MUSCLE?

If you want to build muscle fast, the reality is you won’t have anything noticeably worth flexing for a few months. But with consistency, progressive overload (increasing the weight or resistance over time), and patience teamed with quality sleep and proper nutrition, you’ll be rewarded with serious tone and strength.

Here’s a general overview of what you can expect when it comes to building muscle:

Initial Gains (Weeks 1-4): In the initial weeks of a well-structured training program, it’s common to experience some immediate gains in muscle strength and endurance. These are often due to neural adaptations, as your body becomes more efficient at recruiting muscle fibers. You may notice improved muscle definition, especially if you’re new to resistance training.

Noticeable Changes (Months 2-3): After two to three months of consistent training, you’ll likely start seeing more significant muscle size and strength changes. At this time, many people notice that their muscles appear fuller and more defined. It’s essential during this phase to progressively increase the resistance or weight you’re lifting to stimulate further muscle growth.

Building Solid Foundation (Months 4-6): Around the four to six-month mark, you’ll be building a solid foundation of muscle. Your strength and endurance will have increased noticeably, and your physique will continue to develop. Building muscle is an ongoing process; consistency is crucial during this phase.
Long-Term Progress (6+ Months): To achieve significant muscle growth and attain a well-developed physique, you’ll need to commit to training for an extended period, often beyond six months. It’s especially true for individuals with specific bodybuilding goals. Over time, your muscles will continue to adapt and grow, but progress may slow down compared to the initial months.

Maintenance and Refinement: Once you’ve achieved your desired level of muscle development, maintaining and refining your physique becomes the focus. This stage involves consistency with your workout routine, adjusting your training program to avoid plateaus, and fine-tuning your diet and nutrition to support muscle growth and recovery

EXERCISE AND PARKINSON’S

Exercise is an important part of healthy living for everyone. For those with Parkinson’s disease (PD), exercise is more than healthy — it is a vital component to maintaining balance, mobility and activities of daily living. Research shows that exercise and physical activity can not only maintain and improve mobility, flexibility and balance but also ease non-motor PD symptoms such as depression or constipation.

To help manage the symptoms of PD, your exercise program should include these key components:

Aerobic Activity
Strength Training
Balance, Agility & Multitasking
Flexibility.

https://www.parkinson.org/living-with-parkinsons/treatment/exercise

5 EXERCISES THAT ARE BETTER THAN PULL UPS.
Can't master the pull-up? Don't sweat it, there are other ways to build a stronger back

The pull-up is a true bodyweight strength exercise, it’s one of the best exercises to build strength and muscle in your upper back, biceps, and shoulders, not to mention you feel pretty good whilst doing them.

That’s if you can do them. Despite its many benefits, learning how to do a pull-up isn’t easy. In fact, it’s probably the hardest bodyweight exercise out there, even more so than push-ups. There’s a lot of other exercises out there that target the exact same muscles to deliver the same results,below is 5 of the best:

1.BARBELL ROW
This compound movement performed with a barbell is probably one of the most popular strength exercises for hitting your major back muscles, biceps, shoulders, spinal erectors and forearms.

2.DEADLIFTS
This exercise is a one-move wonder, as it hits all your posterior chain muscles, including your lats, delts, glutes, hamstrings, quads and core.

3.RENEGADE ROW
As well as mainly hitting your upper back and shoulders, the renegade row really challenges your entire body, especially your core strength as it combines a plank and dumbbell row into one.

4.LAT PULLDOWNS
The lat pull down is another popular pulling exercise for building back size and strength. It targets the same muscles as the pull up, including the largest muscle in the back (the latissimus dorsi), rear delts and biceps.

5.SINGLE ARM CABLE ROW.
The single arm cable row is a unilateral exercise, meaning it works one side of your body at a time, so it's great for isolating your lats and ironing out any strength or muscular imbalances.

THE BITTER TRUTH: HOW SUGAR IMPACTS YOUR FITNESS & HEALTH
Have you been craving something sweet? Sugar, in its many forms, is a staple in diets worldwide, providing a sweetness that many find irresistible. It's not just about the taste; sugar has a complex effect on our brain chemistry, creating a cycle of cravings and consumption that's hard to break.

If you are a fitness enthusiast and health-conscious, sugar can be a strong barrier to achieving your health goals. It can undermine workout efforts, lead to energy crashes, and even counteract the benefits of a rigorous exercise routine.
In this article, we're taking a critical look at sugar and its influence on our health and fitness. We’ll also dive deep into the science of overcoming sugar addiction and how you can optimize your sugar consumption to improve your health.

Why is sugar so addictive?
Sugar is naturally present in many foods. It provides energy but lacks nutrients like vitamins and minerals.
Sugar is more addictive than co***ne in lab studies - inducing powerful cravings and withdrawal when removed from processed foods and sweets. It's no wonder most struggle to minimize or moderate it!

https://www.gymaholic.co/articles/the-bitter-truth-how-sugar-impacts-your-fitness-and-health