Spark Move Grow

A great article from Bodybuilding.com comparing cardio vs weight training for fat loss. My additional/summary thoughts based on client experience are:
(1) Cardio-only workouts e.g. cycling, running, swimming etc can initially make a significant difference… but after a while, fat loss plateaus
(2) High intensity training (HIIT) helps burn fat if clients are scientific in their approach and monitor their heart rate to stay in the fat burning zone; (3) if you’re looking for a more athletic, toned physique, you need to build lean muscle e.g. do some form of weight training

Cardio vs Weights: Which Is Better For Fat Loss Cardio and weight training are both used to burn fat and lose weight, how do they stack up against each other for the best training if you want to lose fat.

Rather than enjoying a lazy Sunday morning indoors, myself and Catherine Beer decided to run 8 miles around an army tank training ground complete with chest high mud and icy water for the . Along with her other ridiculously impressive achievements, Catherine did it to help raise money for Thames Hospice, specifically to raise money to help all the amazing staff continue the compassionate and consistent care for patients and families.

Please visit her page to find out more - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Catherine-Beer5?utm_source=copyLink&utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=Catherine-Beer5&utm_campaign=pfp-share&utm_term=38e5e67226f9423f8d65d1561905e3cb.

Just back from a hard but superb hiking weekend with my mates. Some epic scenery, a few perilous moments & eerily quiet at points

My lovely friend & client is walking the Thames Path 100km Challenge this weekend for a great cause - Thames Hospice. Her JustGiving Page is below. Good luck this weekend!! 🥾🔥😇
JustGiving: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Catherine-Beer5?experiments=donate_now_track_click&successType=StaticDonateButtonClick

Received a lovely message from one of my best mates and longest clients Rob Garfoot and thought I’d share it with a suitably fun picture

I’ve done a short blog post on how to (scientifically) burn fat with cardio. Ultra short version:
1. High intensity cardio burns fat the quickest
2. Your heart rate needs to be roughly 80% of maximal heart rate
3. You need tech to see your live heart rate.

Link here: https://www.sparkmovegrow.co.uk/blog/how-to-burn-fat-with-cardio

A blog post on why I think boxing is fantastic - based on my experience of learning how to box then teaching my clients
https://www.sparkmovegrow.co.uk/blog/why-boxing-is-fantastic-1

One of the biggest training mistakes I made in my 20s was not really understanding how to get the most out of my training by giving the body ample rest between exercises/sets. I’ve done a quick post on why you need to rest & for how long depending on your goals

https://www.sparkmovegrow.co.uk/blog/rest-periods-make-all-the-difference

It’s easy to fall into the ‘Instagramable video’ trap with training videos - and I did it. A short blog post on why my own video has irritated me so much and what I’m going to do about it

Making mistakes with Instagram — spark move grow Personal Training I recently posted the below slightly daft, definitely show-offy video to my Instagram . I filmed and uploaded it first thing in the morning for a bit of fun but reflecting on it, aside from perhaps showing what I can do, the video doesn’t help anyone or give any explanation or background or tips. ...

My boxing client Charlie & I tried to take some new pictures for the ‘Intro to Boxing’ section of my site (https://www.sparkmovegrow.co.uk/introduction-to-boxing)... not sure this will be making the cut!

Interesting article from The Guardian about keeping fit in your 40s. Some good tips in the article but I think it’s too much along the ‘expectation management’ vibe. Age is nothing. In my experience, with age comes maturity, focus & commitment. The clients who have achieved the biggest transformations and smashed their goals are in their (late) 30s, 40s & 50s and in the case of one of my amazing clients, early 70s

Cold baths, cherry juice and sleep: the secret to staying fit in your 40s Despite aching backs and stiff joints, a growing number of elite athletes – from Zlatan Ibrahimović to Serena Williams – are pushing the clock back. So why can’t you? We ask the experts how to do it

If you’re serious about your training and want to improve, film yourself doing an exercise - you’ll learn a lot from it. I’ve done a short blog post about filming with an example of something I missed - and only spotted when reviewing the video:

https://www.sparkmovegrow.co.uk/blog/film-yourself-to-improve

From starting my PT business just over 2 years ago, I’ve been helped along the way by some amazing fitness professionals who have generously given their time, support and advice. One of these people is the highly experienced PT Rebecca Maggs. By sheer chance I started training her son Seb who introduced me to his mum - Rebecca. Rebecca is a true professional with huge experience and knowledge and has helped me massively. She has also written a very kind and insightful post about her son Seb’s training experience with me.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.maggs.1

I’m very proud of the testimonials from my clients, but my clients have also made a huge difference to me so I thought I’d write a testimonial about them. A short post about how my clients helped me create and grow a business from scratch - and to say thank you to you all x

How my clients have helped me — spark move grow Personal Training A big part of being a good personal trainer is being able to motivate and get the best out of your clients and good PTs have testimonials from happy and satisfied clients. However, I wanted to post about how my clients have made a difference to me - and to say thank you. After many years working in

Training is full of ups and downs - you can feel amazing and yet struggle with your workout, or feel knackered and then smash it. One of my lovely clients came into the studio this week and told me how she was feeling a bit knackered; she then proceeded to do x100 20kg bicep curls followed by x100 52kg barbell rows and absolutely nailed it.
Moral of the story: your best workout might come when you’re least expecting it

The reality behind “transforming physiques”:

I’ve wanted to write about “body transformations” for while but have held off because I wanted to show a real life example of a client not just transforming their physique through training, but changing their body type. Here’s a real-life example of what it takes to change someone’s physique - using one of my first clients and close mate as a case study:

https://www.sparkmovegrow.co.uk/blog/the-reality-behind-transforming-physiques-meet-rob

The reality behind "transforming" physiques (meet Rob) — spark move grow Personal Training I’ve wanted to write this post for a while but have held off because I wanted to show a real life example of a client not just transforming their physique through training, but changing their body type. First some science... There are three ‘traditional’ body type classifications: Ectomorphs -

A short post about my Dad who used to run marathons up and down England's tallest peaks and moorlands - sometimes with a tent on his back

My Dad — spark move grow Personal Training I’m not a great runner but have always done a bit of running. I grew up in Yorkshire where a ‘normal’ 5k run typically involved insane gradients, peat bogs and hard work. I’ve done two half marathons and absolutely hated the second one. I haven’t run for a month or so and found my latest r...

Fascinating article about what it takes to get a "Hollywood body" from Rob McElhenney (Mac from Always Sunny in Philadelphia). He’s the first TV/film star I’ve come across who is honest about what it takes to get into that kind of shape, how unsustainable it is for most people and the sacrifices required.

https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a21285961/its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia-rob-mcelhenney-jacked-fit/

The ‘Actually Quite Simple’ Way Mac From ‘Always Sunny’ Got Jacked "Anybody on the planet can do this," he says.

My amazing client Catherine and I have just signed up to do “The Grim Challenge" - an army tank training course full of mud and water in December. If anyone can smash this race it’s Catherine. Catherine had major back surgery three years ago but you’d never know it; she’s far too modest to talk about her achievements but she’s a brilliant example of what you can achieve. Bring on the mud!!

What "pushing yourself" means:

The clients that have achieved the most are in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. They all have very different lives and experiences but the one thing they have in common is that they genuinely "push themselves” with their training.

I’ve done a short blog post on what "pushing yourself” really involves:

https://www.sparkmovegrow.co.uk/blog/pushing-yourself

People don’t talk about “overtraining” much but it’s important to know the warning signs. I’ve done a short, personal blog post about my own experience (which resulted in me being hospitalised because of my training) and how to identify when you might need a break

My experience of 'overtraining' — spark move grow Personal Training I thought I’d write a short, personal piece about overtraining as it’s something that some regular gym-goers don't really believe is real, and if they do believe in it, they don’t think it will affect them. I’m going to cover the science behind overtraining and the things to look out for in ...

What I’ve learnt from teaching the L-Sit:

A few things I’ve learnt from teaching my amazing clients how to do the L-Sit:
https://www.sparkmovegrow.co.uk/blog/what-ive-learnt-from-teaching-the-l-sit

As anyone who trains regularly knows, you have your good days and you have your not-so-good days. And then you have your AMAZING days - like Dan Gradidge this week who increased his shoulder press weight by a huge 20% and still managed to achieve the full 100 reps doing brutal German Volume Training. An amazing achievement and there's plenty more to come...