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And so it begins. The clamour to start locking down gyms again.

The logic of all this escapes me. My Son lives in Kirklees and he can no longer visit his friends at their home. He can though meet them in the pub (and whatever is said there are no controls ensuring social@distancing there).

You go also go and cram onto Bournemouth beach and share all the facilities there no problem.

But the ‘go to’ reaction for lockdown is to s**t gyms. A blanket shutdown too. No nuance, allowing studios to open or even commercial gyms to have one to one training. Just shut them down.

Also, as most are self employed, give them the least support.

Also, tell the nation they are too fat so go for a run. Yes that’s sensible. Overweight people pushing massive forces through joints already screaming for help.

Boris - gyms and good personal trainers and coaches are the best way for you to achieve your goal of a fit nation.

Stop being a dick and start investing in the solutions necessary and not just the profit driven and therefore tax revenue generating solutions.

Rant over 😅

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WHY IS IT HARD TO RETURN TO THE GYM?

Excited to go back to gym training? Some are, some not. Some want to go back to the gym but feel a little anxious. Not knowing what to expect, whether it will be the same as before. We have been locked down for pretty much 20 weeks. That's a long time and our new habits are fully formed.

Our brains are like computers. They run routines easily but programming new activity is tough. Remember how you felt when you first had to stay at home. What do I do? How do I train? It wasn't easy or comfortable. Seems a long time ago now but some of us now bake, knit, garden etc. We filled a gap. Training is different but simpler than day 1. We are settled just in time to think about a return to gyms.

This is hard thing for most of us. Learning to drive is hard but once learnt, you do it without thought. It becomes comfortable. Same goes for brushing your teeth, tying shoe laces or doing your day job.

If you feel anxious about returning and wonder what the peri-COVID gym experience will be, start thinking of it as learning a new skill.

Firstly, start building a new routine. Be prepared. Pack your bag early adding your peri-COVID needs then. Maybe masks, wipes, gel, your towel etc., if your gym expects that of you.

If anxious then first go visit the gym, pass through reception and see the toilets, changing rooms and equipment layout maybe good enough the first trip. Go and do something simple at the gym even just for 15 minutes. Maybe do your usual warm up only. Say hi to everyone you see in the gym. Normalise things for you. You'll feel more comfortable then going back for a training session.

Do a simple full body routine the first few times. Make the first week a guaranteed success. Once it's a known experience, routine can be built and before you know it, you have a good habit in place.
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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message. We offer 1-2-1 PT and online training with access to a training app. Home workouts included.

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is opening this weekend and with your safety in mind, they have put a lot of work into getting the gym COVID compliant.

Taking temperatures, providing cleaning and sanitising items etc. to make our clients as safe as possible.

Masks in gyms are not compulsory but I will be wearing one when training clients. All kit will be sanitised before and after use as well.

We will need to consider our fellow gym goers and so I won’t be programming supersets etc.

Let’s look after the gym space so that we don’t have to lockdown again. Remember last to open is likely to be first to shut, so let’s all play our part.

Looking forward to seeing everyone again especially clients.

Great to be back.
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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us or comment below.

We offer 1-2-1 online training fully supported and with access to a training app. Home workouts included.

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It will soon be time
Time to return to our happy place.
The place where the iron tells the truth.

But when you meet your gym bros again some may not have maintained or gained like you. We tend to poke fun at our mates when our gains are better.

But Covid hasn’t treated us all the same. Some don’t have a garden or garage to work out in.
Some have lost work and has to make ends meet.

Some have lost family or friends to this awful disease.

Not all of us have coped well mentally.

Some may have gained weight or lost gains.

Some still have an uncertain future.

There will be some adjustment to come. Things are not back to normal.

So play your part. Be kind.

Support your mates.

Be patient with those working to get back to where they were.

Support your local gym and obey the rules or we will lockdown again and your gym may not get back next time.

Respect is much more rewarding so show it to you gym, their staff and your gym brothers so we can all live our best lives.

If you are looking for support in your fitness journey VVV Fitness and Nutrition can provide you with online coaching, nutritional advice, one to one personal training and Corporate Wellness services.

The COVID 15 is the 'name' for the average weight gain of 15 lbs over lockdown.

For some it's more, some less. Some individuals may have lost weight and got fitter than ever. This post isn't aimed at those disciplined individuals. This is aimed at those of us (yes, I have too) that have added a few pounds they want to get rid of.

Lockdown was for a good reason. Whether or not you agree, the move was to protect our loved ones. We did what was needed. You did a good thing. Don't beat yourself up for doing good. A little weight gain won't hurt if not on too long. We evolved to add weight during times of plenty. Just don't let it stay on forever.

My first recommendation isn't start a diet now but maybe ramp things up. Cleaning up first reduces shock to the system when adding a calorie deficit. If you clean up first, keep clean foods to 80 - 85% of your diet, I'm pretty sure most see a calorie reduction anyway, if not a deficit but don't rush that.

Eat more protein, up your vegetables a lot, swap dessert for fruit and change grain products to wholegrain.

Reduce alcohol intake to one or two drinks per week, reduce sugar and try to minimise processed foods. It's surprising how much food can be enjoyed eating good stuff.

Up your output a little. Go on a walk, actively move more (take the work phone call walking round the garden). Now we can go to shops, stop the home delivery and go get your groceries. It's easier to make good choices too that way.

If you've almost completed Netflix, look to switch your entertainment source. Podcasts are great while moving, and you can laugh, learn or rant to many.

Weight goes on over time due to food choice and reduced activity. To get rid of weight you don't want, do the reverse. Make better food choices and increase activity. If we want extra pace then adding a calorie deficit can speed that up but slower is better generally.
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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us. We offer 1-2-1 online training with access to a training app. Home workouts included.

If you think we might be able to help then drop a DM or see what we offer at our website, link in bio @ vvv_fitness_uk

Back to the gyms on the 25th. Can’t stop smiling.

Don’t assume guys that things are back to normal. Check with your gym.

It is likely numbers will be limited. Likely that all the kit won’t be available. Likely that you will have to arrive and leave in your kit (so remember a hoodie or swap-shirt). Some gyms are adopting booking apps or systems.

This means limited length sessions so consider your sets and rest periods to make best use of your slot (consider making your workout 90% compound lifts and do your curls at home).

Masks are not formally needed but maybe PTs will wear them to spot clients.

Maybe if you spot for your mates that might be an idea to bring one.

Start to think about your return. Work around the new situation. Stick to the rules. Be more aware of putting your own weights away. Clean them yourself.

Work within the system so we don’t have to go through this again.

Can’t wait to see everyone 👍👊

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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us or comment below.

We offer 1-2-1 online training fully supported and with access to a training app. Homestyle workouts included.

If you think we might be able to help you with your current goals then drop a DM or go see what we offer at our website, link in bio

Time to Grow?

Gyms are opening soon and we will be as anabolic and ready to grow as we have EVER been. So how best to handle a growth phase.
If you are looking to recoup and surpass your pre-lockdown condition, this is the time to get serious and set-up your return correctly.
Don't just wander back to the gym, meet your gym bros and pick up where you left off. This is the time to plan, program and get everything in place to set yourself up right for maximum muscle growth.
Don't spend worrying about the couple of kilos of fat you might have accumulated. Spending time cutting when you are as anabolic as ever is a waste of the gift given. You will just throttle back your gainz.
Spend at least 6 - 8 weeks pushing your volume up over time at a reasonable RPE and focusing on compound lifts. Whatever your preferred split, full body, upper/lower, push/pull/legs, compound lifts give biggest bang for your bucks.
• Eat in a calorie surplus. 250 - 500 calories per day
• Drop your steps a little. Save activity for when you need it later for leaning up
• Keep protein high. Target between 1.8 - 2.2g/kg BW
• Whatever your training program, spend time doing compound lifts to maximise stimulus
• For efficient hypertrophy target 6 - 12 rep range at RPE 7 - 8
• Recovery is essential. Sleep 7 – 9 hours. Keep stress low.
• Nutrition – high quality food. Lots of it, get 5 a day, with fibre.
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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us. We offer 1-2-1 online training fully supported with access to a training app. Home workouts included.

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After lockdown for nearly 4 months, many gym goers are itching to get back to their own personal thunderdome. Many feel their gainz have gone. Many because the gym is their centre of social interaction. Some just because they can lift better with a gym atmosphere than a squat rack in their garage at home.

We must be returning soon (c'mon Boris) and a return personal strategy is as important as nutrition, sleep or program split.

Consider your first couple of weeks as a new training block after a competition. Now we are all likely to be as anabolic as we ever have been. Rested, fed and recovered to the max. But going back in and trying to hit your old 1RM in the squat rack is going to risk the next 6 weeks of gainz.

Consider building your volume as a powerlifter would do after a post competition lay-off. Stay away from 1RM tests and build volume over the next 4 weeks. That is a rapid ramp back up after a 4 month layoff so don't sweat it.

Unless you're a bodybuilding competing this year, or a powerlifter peaking for an Autumn contest, training for longevity is the way to go. Yes I get that for a fifty-something talking to twenty-somethings about patience is stereotypical. But we are in it for the long-haul generally.

Athletes put their bodies on the line and take risk willingly. They will use passive ranges of motion, consider loosening form and operate on the edges of overtraining for a reason. Their time in the sport is limited and the need to win overrides all else.

The rest of us benefit from training for health, fitness, longevity and of course to look good naked. So we should train as such. It doesn't mean not having goals and that can be a great 1RM squat or bench. But do it controlled, in active range, at the right tempo and with minimal risk.

Go back and do the basics right. Build your volume, use good form, eat and sleep well and your gainz will reappear and be surpassed very quickly.
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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us. We offer 1-2-1 online training with access to a training app. Home workouts included.

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@ vvv_fitness_uk

Answer - it depends, but there's a principle to guide you in your goal setting.

Gaining muscle needs a calorie surplus to allow the mechanisms of hypertrophy to increase the building of muscle fibres. If you want to lose fat, you need a calorie deficit, either through diet or energy expenditure (output).

So it's clear. A principle to program to? This is where 'it depends' comes in.

Fat is needed for many things in our bodies. Storage of micronutrients (vitamins) , insulation (warmth), protection of organs (shock absorbing) and energy storage.

Evolution gave the ability for humans to store energy during plenty to get through later deprivation. Usually feeding up in Spring/Summer to get through Autumn/Winter when game and vegetation was less available.

Today we have plenty all the time, food is available from supermarkets and restaurants, unless we put ourselves into an artificial period of deprivation. The diet.

It's possible our fat storage can supply energy to our system giving an internal calorie surplus and providing fuel to build muscle. So for the period of time we have enough fat to keep us in an internal calorie surplus, we are still able to build muscle whilst in a dietary calorie deficit.

As you get leaner it gets harder, you get smaller, needing less energy to operate and there is protection in our systems, provided through evolution, down-regulating metabolism so we need less to do more.

So if you are fatter than you like but still want to build muscle as you diet, don't be afraid to try a calorie deficit. You can still get great results.

Or go for fat loss first, become lean, then put all your energy into muscular development. You will find your body becomes very anabolic when lean and muscle can be built more easily.

Get a good coach, get clear on your goals and do the work to assess and find the best strategy for you. If timing is important, remember if you're leaner, perception is you're more muscular anyway.
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Any questions don’t hesitate to message us. We offer 1-2-1 online training with access to a training app. Home workouts available. If we can help you then drop a DM or see what we offer at our website, link in bio

Application.

It is all well and good reading up on the best methods for training, nutrition, mental health and well being.

If you never actually apply the knowledge you have gained then it is a real waste of time and time is invaluable.

So first get the basics in place. Train two to three times per week and plan in as a priority.

Eat well. Get your protein in. Eat your vegetables, get some fruit. Vary the colours. Eat enough. Keep treats to a couple of dates per week, or they are not treats!

Move. Move outside the gym. Walk, run, take the stairs, mow the lawn.

Take time to do something you enjoy that isn’t stressful. Read, meditate, take in a view, sit in a hot tub, get a massage.

Then educate. Add what interests you into your day. Try stuff out. Incrementally improve and advance your training and experience.

Just don’t waste your time looking for the last 1% when you are not doing the first 75% right.

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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us or comment below.

We offer 1-2-1 online training fully supported and with access to a training app. Homestyle workouts included.

If you think we might be able to help you with your current goals then drop a DM or go see what we offer at our website, link in bio

I get it. Gyms, if not managed properly can be risky. But we have all been trained to focus on the client and the vast majority of clients are pretty fu***ng sensible.

Cleaning equipment between sets, wash hands on the way in and out.

Separate equipment where possible or block it if not. Pretty easy things to do.

Add a few other items and we are there.

Compare that to a pub. Serve some alcohol, a few snacks, stick the football on the TV and watch social distancing cave in completely. Cheering at screens, sharing snacks, getting pi**ed and getting off with your chosen s*x.

Boris seems to have forgotten his pledge to support fitness after is Corona Virus episode.

All I can say is he better hope that gyms are there by the time he decides the health of the nation doesn’t just rely on tax income and face masks.

All that said, keep up the workouts at home. Keep supporting your PTs as they support you and if you can afford, keep paying your gym membership. You may just save your gym from closing down.
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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us or comment below.

We offer 1-2-1 online training fully supported and with access to a training app. Homestyle workouts included.

If you think we might be able to help you with your current goals then drop a DM or go see what we offer at our website, link in bio

Most training is done using regular sets. Pick a weight, number of reps and lift until the number of reps is completed. Progress in the gym is down to progressive overload over time requiring intelligent programming to prevent stalling.

Now everyone is benefiting from an very long 'deload period' meaning on return to the gym, we'll be as anabolic as we ever will be. The desire to pick up where we left off is tempting but a recipe for disaster, so training smart is essential.

A great tool is cluster sets. Cluster sets allow lifters to accumulate volume intelligently without approaching failure by including planned rest pauses in the set, but more than a rest pause as we feel we are approaching failure, the cluster allows one or more programmed breaks in sets to prevent fatigue, get more reps and so volume.

Example - barbell back squat loaded at RPE 8 at 8 reps. Instead squat it for 5 reps, rerack the bar, rest 30 secs, pick back up, squat 2 reps, rerack for 30 secs, rep another 2 reps and rack. That is one extra repetition, likely feels easier than RPE 8 and is 12.5% more volume. You may even add a couple more reps to that cluster and still be at RPE 8. Over 4 sets you accumulate a lot of extra volume.

Clusters are used by powerlifters after competitions and hypertrophy phases, having the advantage of lifters being less likely to get injured.

They take longer than usual sets and accumulate fatigue if over used, so be smart when programming. Consider the exercises used for them, squats and hinges are great but be careful benching as multiple rackings can jack up shoulders so get a spot or use dumbbells.
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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us. We offer 1-2-1 online training fully supported with access to a training app. Home workouts included.

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@ vvv_fitness_uk

We are around 3 weeks now from a return to more normal training and gym access.

I am sure there is excitement and maybe a little trepidation about a return to equipment and load.

Like any other training block we should be looking to prepare ourselves for a return and that should not be the week or a day or two before we get to go back.

If you have changed your training to cope, for instance moving to whole body workouts rather than your normal split, then either start a transition back to a split or set up your return training in the gym to whole body.

If you have a training partner then align your run up to gym return with them so your return is more seamless.

Start thinking about your nutrition and if there has been a change, consider now how to match your intake with what your return training might require.

Also consider trying to get your training face back to something more socially acceptable for the gym. Don’t know about you but mine has gotten really out of control. No one wants to see that in a social situation 😂

Try on your return to match your volume closer. Plan your workouts. Don’t go crazy. Treat the first week like a deload. Drop a set or two. Drop your RPE a little.

A lot of people have trained to failure with lighter weights. That will be a problem with heavier loads for those not prepared. Back off a little. Allow yourself to bed in, get your form right and prepare for probably the most anabolic training block you have ever had. Gainz are coming!

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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us or comment below.

We offer 1-2-1 online training fully supported and with access to a training app. Homestyle workouts included.

If you think we might be able to help you with your current goals then drop a DM or go see what we offer at our website, link in bio

PTsupport clients reaching goals as simple as get healthier, drop some fat or move more but other goals are ambitious needing good plans and tight timelines. There's middle ground too for clients who want fitness to be part of their lifestyle.

There are many ways to get there and you should consider the way to travel dependent on goal. The way I think of this is the fly, drive and walk journey.

The fastest way is to fly. Think of this as a special journey for a big reason like a holiday and not the usual way you travel. It's expensive, complex, requires sticking to rules outside normal life. You may want a transformation for a wedding or a big birthday like a 30th. Find a specialist to program and support, accept you can't just live life normally on this journey. Like the airport with rules on luggage, security, timing, you need to eat and train a certain way meeting NEAT outside the norm to reach the destination.

You can walk taking much longer especially for an ambitious journey. The route isn't set up, not connected, takes much longer with little guidance. It can be valid, for some still takes effort, but you can be active without a gym and that's enough for some.

The standard way go is to drive. Driving is obtainable, done daily getting you there at a reasonable rate in a flexible network set to get to any destination with signposts and roads designed for journey length or speed like highways or A roads.

What can that mean for a client? For most goals train like you travel by car, sustainably, at the right speed and within a framework provided.

There are many 'cars' to jump into like weights, classes, swimming or running but make sure you know where you're going, how to get there and really enjoy the journey.

Of course I recommend a good PT and a good gym. Your journey can then be planned, supported, and adjusted as required as inevitable bumps in the road come your way.
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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us. We offer 1-2-1 online training fully supported with access to a training app. Home workouts included.
If you think we might be able to help then drop a DM or see what we offer at our website, link in bio @ vvv_fitness_uk

What is a rest day? Sounds simple but many clients struggle with the idea of not training and some conflate the words, rest day with absolutely no exercise or gainz will be lost and injuries will get you.

The purpose of rest days is to allow muscles and your nervous system to recover from the demands of training and activity outside the gym (NEAT). It's not an excuse for complete inactivity though this can certainly be enjoyed as part of a rest day.

Training progress is based on placing demands on the body that causes adaption. That adaption takes time to work and why we try not to completely exhaust muscle groups every day. It's the reason behind muscle splits, variations in intensity and separating cardio from resistance training.

There are many factors involved in understanding recovery such as outside stressors, age, nutrition quality, injury history, training age etc. etc.

Few can train every day for long periods without rest days. A rest day takes stress off our bodies and allows recovery. Certainly we can be active and most rest days should be active recovery days. Keep blood moving but keep intensity low, therefore physical stress minimised and relaxing the mind as well if possible.

Progress in training of any kind requires the right amount of stimulus, applied over an extended period, balanced with the need to repair and rebuild.

Even the current lockdown can be considered extended recovery for those unable to train at their usual intensities. Return to training with that mindset, applying sensible protocols to your return, you may be surprised by the reclaim and extension of your previous gainz.

Think of a rest day as a growth day. You get better by apply good recovery principles. You can enjoy this time so use it wisely. Use recovery techniques that work for you, foam roll, stretch, yoga or massage of that's your thing. Eat well, sleep well and relax.
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If you have questions don’t hesitate to message us. We offer 1-2-1 online training fully supported with access to a training app. Home workouts included.

If you think we might be able to help with your goals then drop a DM or see what we offer at our website, link in bio

We have a new detailed blog on periodisation and how it can help you to plan your training better to hit the goals you want in the time you have. Take a look.

Periodisation - what does this mean? Periodisation is a subject that is essential to understand if you are a professional coach or serious self trainer. The term covers managing adaptions to plans to suit a trainee, based upon their goal, their own abilitie...

Periodisation is a subject I couldn't cover fully today. The term covers managing adaptions to plans to suit a trainee, the goal, progression and what happens on the way.

Aspects to consider when programming include the client, experience, goal, time to goal, the time available to train and commitments constraining a fully free plan.

A properly constructed plan won't have adherence issues excepting unknown/unplanned events (injury, work or pandemics!). We must plan within the ability of a client to meet their training demands.

The biggest rock is volume, intensity and frequency. Properly prescribed exercise generates the needed stimulus to move toward a goal efficiently, noting recovery is an essential part.

The ability to handle volume, progressive overload, recovery and fatigue is the way to hit a goal. Too much volume at too high intensity or frequency is a recipe for stalled progress or catastrophic interruption through injury/illness.

Progression is intelligent management of training, achieving micro goals on the way to the end goal. Progressive increase of Vol/Int/Freq for hypertrophy or strength in a client's capability is key. Management between sessions, week to week or block to block without overtraining is essential.

Then the more nuanced territory of exercise selection, rest periods and tempo giving the last bit of progress. This area is more important as training age increases and the newbie gains are harder to achieve.

Intelligent programming includes sensible, systematic progression from start to finish, carefully managed by manipulating available layers for strategic progression and tactical adjustment delivering an enjoyable, sustainable plan for the client.

If you would like a reading recommendation in this area, The Muscle and Strength Pyramid - Training by Eric Helms et al, is a well written, researched book giving you all you need to know.
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Any questions don’t hesitate to message/comment. We offer 1-2-1 online training fully supported with access to a training app. Home workouts included.

If we might be able to help with your goals then drop a DM or go see our offers at our website, link in bio