5 Things To Think About Before Hiring a Personal Trainer

If you’re serious about getting in shape, and aren’t sure where to start, hiring a personal trainer is a wise move. Not only can a PT teach you how to use the gym, you’ll get help with nutrition and heaps of motivation to keep you going.

Here are five things to consider when hiring a personal trainer.

Competency

The first thing to look for is competence, and any trainer with a level 3 qualification in personal training should have the basic skill-set to work safely and effectively.  That is not to say that all PTs are created equal. Some will show a higher level of learning through sports or science based degrees, or further study. Also ask to see insurance documents for extra piece of mind.

Experience

There are many PTs new to the game that are awesome, and some with 20 years experience of doing things wrong. Check that the experience is relative to your goals and some of it is recent. Things move on quickly in fitness so it’s vital your coach is with the times.

Specificity

Some PTs will specialize in areas such as weight loss, bodybuilding or running, and others may provide further services such as sports massage or life coaching. Think about what you want to achieve and look for a trainer that has proven results in that area. Request a case study or testimonial showing past successes.

Confidence

It is important you have confidence in your PT from the start so arrange a consultation and create a list of questions highlighting any areas of concern or interest. Having a PT is a luxury, so it is important you feel you are getting value for money. Be sceptical of anyone offering you ‘too good to be true’ results or those that try and push commission based products on you.

Cost

Costs per hour will vary, and  basing your decision on price alone may not be a good idea – did you buy the cheapest car possible? That’s not to say you can’t get good value for money, especially if you buy a block of sessions. Try and put a price on the end result you are seeking rather than looking at each hour.  Knowing how to look after your body is something you can use for the rest of your life – a bit like driving lessons –  so is a worthwhile investment. £30-40 per sessions is about average outside of London.

Kiss Gyms have a large selection of personal trainers, all with different styles,  skills, and specialities. Go say ‘hi’ and see how they can help you take your fitness to the next level.

FREE Eggelicious Wraps!: We’ve teamed u

FREE Eggelicious Wraps!: We’ve teamed up with Eggelicious to offer our customers something a little… http://wp.me/p74LuF-fN

FREE Eggelicious Wraps!

 

We’ve teamed up  with Eggelicious to offer our customers something a little more satisfying than the usual post-workout protein shake.

Every month Eggelicious will be giving away £10 vouchers to Kiss Gym members, and all you have to do is pop in to one of their branches and ask to be entered into the draw.

They serve high-protein, chicken, lamb, fish, and vegan wraps made from fresh and tasty ingredients.

Owner Ash gave us an insight into the the ethos behind Eggelicious: ‘we  deliver slow food fast which  means delicious yet uncomplicated food that is freshly prepared each day and cooked before you’.

Eggelicious have two outlets: one within the tented market in the town centre, and ‘E2’ on Wood Street in Old Town.

If you’re trying to eat clean then you really need to see what all the fuss is about. And you may just be one of this month’s winners.

Pop in today and get your name in the hat!

Are You Using This Proven Supplement?

Creatine is one of the most researched and popular supplements on the market and is used by bodybuilders, strength athletes and those involved in sports that require short, explosive bursts of exercise.

Creatine is one of a few supplements that has proven benefits and is safe, simple to use and fairly cheap. Our bodies produce creatine in the kidneys, pancreas, and liver. Around 95% of creatine in the body is stored within muscle where it plays a vital role in the contraction of muscle fibres.

Adenosine triphoshate (ATP) is the main molecule for transferring and storing energy in the cell and is needed for muscle contraction. When depleted it needs to be replaced if the muscle to continue working.

Short, rapid and powerful movements deplete ATP stores within seconds, but the body can continue at this high intensity for up to 12 seconds by using the compound phosphocreatine stored in the muscle.  Because creatine plays an important role in this energy system, supplementation means more potential ATP which may improve performance during high intensity activities.

Longer duration events, such as marathon running, place a greater demand on the aerobic energy pathway so will not benefit from creatine supplementation.

Creatine monohydrate is the most researched form of creatine on the market and is available in most supplement and health stores. Dosages vary between 5-10 grams daily and you can experiment to see if you feel you benefit from different amounts.

It’s no magic bullet, but creatine may help you bang out a few more reps in the weights room or improve your performance during short bursts of high intensity activity.

For more information on creatine have a look here:

https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/

Can You Burn Muscle And Lose Fat At The Same Time?

I get asked this every week.  A man comes in to the gym wanting to be rid of his oversized belly and at the same time build the physique of Arnold Schwarzenegger. While it’s not impossible to add a little muscle while reducing fat, it can be difficult and for most people it is a far better option to pick one goal and work towards that as the processes for gaining muscle and losing fat are polar opposites.

When trying to reduce fat, the body must be in a caloric deficit and this means taking on fewer calories than needed to function.  Over time,  this deficit will result in a reduction of weight as the body seeks to make up for the lack of calories by using fat stores for energy.

For significant muscle gains a surplus of energy is required. This means taking on a greater number of calories than the body needs to function.  Combined with a training routine that stimulates muscle growth, and ensuring the right balance of nutrients, muscles will adapt, grow and become stronger when calories exceed what is needed by the body. This additional muscle will be accompanied by an increase in fat, and how much will depend on the size of the caloric surplus and the nutrients taken on board.

There are some exceptions to the rules. Those new to training often experience greater muscle gains, and those that have previously packed on the muscle can find it easier to regain what they once had.  Some experienced in training and nutrition try and manipulate the body through cycles of caloric deficit and surplus on a daily or weekly basis in an attempt to trick the body in to losing fat while increasing muscle mass.

But by-and-large, for most ‘natural’ lifters, it’s better to focus on one goal at a time and re-evaluate things every month or two.

 

Ronny, Kiss Gyms Swindon

Sprint

Marks…… set……. go!

For regular Jump Lift Sprint readers, you already know exactly how much I love sprinting (click the link for some compelling reasons why you should be doing them!).

For the last year, myself and a friend have been hitting the sprint track together regularly. It started as us wanting to improve our sprint times and shake up our training a little.

Later on, a friend joined our sessions and two became three.

Soon after, three turned to four.

Our sprint sessions take place every Saturday morning, usually quite early. Being honest, none of us really enjoy waking up at that time (apart from my friend Kash who is like the Duracell Bunny when it comes to energy).

What compels us to wake up at 6-7 am when we don’t really have to?

For me, it’s not just about wanting to train (though I certainly do enjoy that). It’s also about spending time with people who push me harder than I would go alone, who can teach me new things, and who are at or above my level in some ways.

I’m lucky to have a good group of guys I connect with in this way. If you don’t currently have that, it can be as simple as finding a motivating training partner or friends who accept that you don’t want to get hammered at the club every weekend. Maybe it’s just a friend that always sends you links to fitness articles or videos on Whatsapp. That’s still good.

I’m not suggesting you cut off anyone who invites you out to a dessert lounge or isn’t into fitness. Having fun is important for your soul – it can’t always be about ‘clean eating’ and ‘hardcore training’!

Rather, I just want to emphasise how crucial your environment is in guiding the direction of your life.

Find your tribe.

In this little documentary put together by my friend Hussein (www.h-edits.com), we delve deeper into why we sprint.

 

Written by: I’m Mustafa Tahir, a born and raised Londoner who’s been mad into fitness and sport for as long as I can remember. Growing up I was a football (or ‘soccer’) junkie – now I’m a training junkie too. http://www.jumpliftsprint.com

Help Kiss Gyms Help Prospect Hospice

 

We’re teaming up with Prospect Hospice for the remainder of 2016 – and we need your help!

Each year, Prospect Hospice provides care and support to thousands of local patients, carers, and family members. They rely on fundraising to meet the 7 million pounds it costs to provide this valuable service, and we want to help them meet this target.

We’re inviting Kiss Gyms members to get involved and take part in some local events, have fun, and feel good all at the same time.

Prospect Hospice has places for many local races including Oxford Half Marathon, Bear Grylls Survival Raise, Zombie Evacuation, and Bristol to Bath Marathon.

You don’t need to be super-fit or experienced – you just need to be enthusiastic about getting involved. If you want help training for an event and don’t know where to start, you can chat to us about our new-format running club, and brand spanking new obstacle race club.

The team from Prospect Hospice will be here on Tuesday 26th July from 5.30pm to chat with our members and hopefully sign a few of you up to an event.

For more information on Prospect Hospice and wonderful work they do visit http://www.prospect-hospice.net/About-Us

 

New Running Club Session Announced!

Kiss Gyms running club is expanding! We are starting a new session on Tuesday evenings at 6pm starting from 26th July. So you now have a choice of sessions Tuesday or Saturday or better still – come to both!

The new Tuesday session will provide 3 different routes of varying lengths so you can choose your distance. A monthly hills reps or interval session will also be included.

An 8 week beginner programme will be available later in the year, contact Sue O’Connell to register your interest sue.oconnell@solean.co.uk

Written By: My name is Sue O’Connell. In 2011, after many years working in the IT industry, I decided to study to become a personal trainer. In addition to power-walking marathons I have also run the London Marathon twice and I really enjoy off-road events where getting muddy is more important than finish times! To celebrate turning 50 in 2014 I decided to run an ultra-marathon, I picked a 50 mile event…a mile for every year.

Cheese, Wine and Running!

I usually enter several races over the course of a year, and select a charity to raise money for. This year I decided to support the Prospect Hospice. Instead of constantly begging people for sponsorship for my many races, I hold an annual fundraising event at my house. Family, friends, colleagues, clients and anyone they choose to bring with them come along for a Cheese & Wine evening.

I ask for a small donation in return for a glass of wine (or beer) and a large selection of cheeses. Everyone is very generous and bring along supplies of alcohol as well as some great unusual cheeses for people to try. We also ask local businesses for raffle prizes and have a quiz to add to the fun, and to the fundraising. This year’s event was last month and we raised a fantastic £380.

A brilliant result and a really great night and at least people are getting something in returns for their donation.

Written By: My name is Sue O’Connell. In 2011, after many years working in the IT industry, I decided to study to become a personal trainer. In addition to power-walking marathons I have also run the London Marathon twice and I really enjoy off-road events where getting muddy is more important than finish times! To celebrate turning 50 in 2014 I decided to run an ultra-marathon, I picked a 50 mile event…a mile for every year.

Rowing Machines

Acton recently received delivery of a custom hot pink water rower, specifically for their ladies only section.

In Kiss Gyms currently the vast majority of our machines are supplied by Matrix Fitness, the treadmills, the bikes and the cross-trainers. However with the rowing machines this is not the case, most of our gyms have Concept 2 rowing machines, and this seems to be the case in every gym in the land! So Concept 2 must be getting something right?

However in our Acton Gym they happen to be lucky enough to be neighbours with the guys from WaterRower who have something different to offer. Whereas the familiar Concept 2 rowing machines use air resistance, by pulling the chain you power a big inefficient fan and the resistance or drag of the air you move provides the resistance to the exercise. The water rower, as the name suggests, uses water resistance instead.

Intuitively it makes sense that a rowing machine, which is trying to simulate rowing through water, might be more realistic if the resistance was provided with water rather than air. Having used both I would agree. Another advantage of the water rower is they are much more quiet than their air counterparts, which means a better environment for the user and those around them at the gym.

I would be interested to hear other people’s views regarding the advantages of both types of rowing machine. Why does the Concept 2 seem to dominate the market? I’m no rowing expert, but I do enjoy using the machines regularly. If someone could enlighten me I would be interested to hear and I’ll update the blog accordingly.

Written by: Adam York is the general manager of Kiss Gym in Swindon. Adam has a BSc in Sports and Exercise Science and an MSc in Clinical Exercise Science. Adam also works with the NHS covering Cardiac Rehabilitation classes.

Contact me via email: adamy@kissgyms.com