Yoga has been around for thousands of years. However, a lot of people associate it purely with flexibility and meditation and while those are part of it, they are not all there is to it. Increasingly, trainers incorporate elements of yoga into their clients’ fitness routines and it could be that you don’t recognise a particular exercise as one that has come from yoga.

You don’t have to know the names of each asana, or posture, to benefit from it. You may not even want to know it is derived from yoga. But the benefits are many and varied, including:

• Increased flexibility. This doesn’t have to mean being able to touch your toes or do a headstand. Over time though and with continued practice, your flexibility will increase and while you may never be able to touch your toes, no yogi ever said that you have to.
• Increased strength. You use your own body weight for many yoga positions which will build muscle strength, tone muscles, and help protect your from arthritis and back pain, amongst other conditions.
• Increased balance. The combination of improved strength and flexibility will also lead to better balance. This is particularly important as we grow older, keeping us more stable and less prone to falls and accidents.
• Increases joint lubrication, helping to alleviate chronic conditions such as arthritis and reducing the joint pain associated with them.
• Stimulates organ health. Certain poses, such as twists, will help to massage your internal organs keeping them healthy and functioning well.
• Can help with weight loss. While not all yoga types will do this, if you are looking for a form of yoga that will help you burn calories look for those that increase your heart rate such as vinyasa (or flow) yoga or ashtanga.
• Improves breathing. Yoga is based on the flow of oxygen through the body and movements are in tune with the breath, making it an excellent way to slow down and breathe properly. As a result, you will notice that you feel calmer, your blood circulation will benefit, and you will be more focused.

You are never too old to incorporate yoga into your fitness regime and adding even a few keys elements and exercises into your regular routine can be immensely beneficial. Talk to us at Valkyrie Personal Training & Massage today about how we can help you do this or how yoga can complement your ongoing fitness and conditioning. All you need to do is give us a call on 07973 483314 and we’ll find the right exercise and fitness regime for you in no time.

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Listen to the experts’ advice

This could be your doctor or your physio if your injury was such that you needed to seek advice. Whatever your injury, your body needs the right amount of time to heal and this could range from a few days to a few months. Pushing your body beyond its limits will only lead to more or worse damage, so take the experts’ advice seriously no matter how much better you may feel.

Start slow

Once you are ready to get started again, don’t go all out like you would have done before. Start slow, take it easy, and slowly build your strength and stamina back up. It won’t happen overnight, so don’t force it.

Listen to your body

It will tell you how it’s feeling. It will give you an indication of whether or not you’ve tried too hard, or too quickly. It is normal to feel some muscle stiffness for a couple of days after getting back to exercising, but if you are in some serious discomfort or pain then your body is telling you that you’ve gone too far.

Lighten the load

If weight training is your thing, don’t go straight back to the weight you were working with before your injury. Nor should you do as many reps or sets as you did before. How light you do go will depend on the type of injury you had and it is always wise to get the all-clear from a doctor before going back to it. Now could be the time to seek advice from a personal trainer about the level you should be starting at or how to build back up to where you were before.

Work on your core

Your core is what will help you stay strong and well balanced. It will keep you from injuring yourself further and will improve your posture – all of which will help you get back up to your normal routine sooner rather than later.

Eat well and rest up

Good advice whether you are returning from injury or not, but particularly important if you are. Give your body a chance to recover from the return to exercise. Take three days off instead of one. Get plenty of sleep – nature’s way of healing the body – and eat well to give yourself the nourishment and fuel that will help you get back to up to your peak condition.

For advice on how to get back to training after an injury or for a tailored programme to get you back into shape, talk to us at Valkyrie Personal Training & Massage on 07973 483314. We’ll get you fit again in no time!

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Actually, it is easier than you think. Following on from our tips on exercising in winter, this month we focus on how to do so in the summer so you should have no excuses for not being ready to unveil that toned beach body on your holiday.

Get outside

Summer is one of the best times to stay fit – there is just so much that you can do. Warmer temperatures mean that outdoor swimming is possible and you can make the most of any lidos or lakes near you, or if you are really lucky you could be close to the sea. Also look out for any local tennis courts or hockey pitches if that’s what you enjoy, or make the most of local parks for some cricket or rounders with friends. If you enjoy running you should have plenty of parks to choose from as well, or you could even go outside for your regular workout or yoga practice.

Cool gym

Having said that, if the gym is your preferred place even better as it will be temperature controlled and much cooler than outdoors, allowing you to work out at any time of the day.

Things to look out for

High temperatures and humidity can affect our body at any time and even more so when we demand more from it by exercising. Here are our top tips for a successful summer workout:

• Stay hydrated. Probably the most important thing to keep in mind. As you sweat your body loses salt and electrolytes which are crucial for keeping it healthy and working properly. Drink plenty of water both during and particularly after your workout. Once you have finished you should also replace lost electrolytes. Don’t undo all the good work you have done by picking up an energy drink packed with sugar through – choose carefully.
• Time of day. You will be able to do more and your body will thank you if you exercise during cooler times of the day. The morning is usually best, but if that isn’t possible wait until later in the evening. Avoid the hottest part of the day between 10am and 3pm – you will suffer!
• Keep your clothing loose and light-coloured. Light materials will avoid sweat building up and sticking to your skin. Choose loose cotton clothes or go for hi-tech materials designed to wick sweat away from your body. Light-coloured clothing will also reflect the heat, helping with sweat evaporation.
• Sunscreen. A must whether the sun is blazing or there is some cloud cover – you can still burn without realising it. Choose a sunscreen that has a high protection factor and is designed for sports.
• Pick a shady spot. Whatever form of exercise you are doing, do it in a shadier spot and out of the hot sun. Run on shadier trails or paths and practise your yoga or HIIT session under a tree.

There is no reason for avoiding exercise in the heat – just be mindful of when you do it and what your body is telling you. If you feel dizzy, faint, or nauseous then stop immediately. For more summer exercise tips or for a tailored fitness programme give us a call at Valkyrie Personal Training and Massage on 07973 483314 and we’ll get you fit in no time.

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1. Prevent injury

You have both deep and superficial core muscles in your body. Those deeper muscles give you the stability to move freely and without injury while doing simple things such as walking or running, while the superficial ones will give you added strength. Working on the deeper core muscles closer to your spine to build up that stability is the first step, followed by targeting the shallower muscles (what you see as your six pack) to build strength is what will help you prevent injury now and long into the future.

2. Protect your organs and central nervous system

Your core muscles give your body an added layer of protection for your internal organs and central nervous system. Keeping a strong core will protect those organs as well as your spinal cord, veins, and arteries by building a solid wall in front of them. Strong core equals protected spine and more flexible movement letting you go about your day.

3. Strengthen your back

Your core is not just made up of abdominal muscles. It also includes your obliques (those diagonal side muscles) and your back ones too. Often when people experience back pain it is as a result of an imbalance in strength between those muscle groups. Working on them all equally will ensure that they are what is supporting you, not your spine or one side of your body compensating for another and causing pain and injury.

 4. Achieve better balance

A strong and balanced core can add inches to your height! It makes you stand tall and proud, giving you a new-found confidence that you are no doubt also feeling with all those exercise-induced endorphins racing through your body. For those who spend their day sitting in the car or at a desk hunched over a computer a strong core will provide that balance to your body and maintain a healthier posture.

 5. Better breathing

Last, but not least, a strong core will lead to better breathing. This is because your diaphragm, which sits at the top of your core muscles, is also strengthened as you work on those muscles. Breathing from your diaphragm is a deeper breath, promoting relaxation and relieving stress.

For more top tips on why your core is important, or better still, for some good workouts for your core muscles, give our team at Valkyrie Personal Training and Massage a call today on 07973 483314 and we’ll get you fit!

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Do some planning ahead

If you are going on a two-week holiday, you have a fair idea of what you want to do in that time. Visit museums, do some sightseeing, spend some quality me-time on a beach? No problem. That still leaves you with plenty of time to fit in some training. You will already know whether you prefer exercising in the morning or evening so you can fit in an hour before or after your day starts to get some exercise.

Plan some exercise time

You want to set aside some time and have that at the back of your mind as your ‘training time’. If you normally train for four or five days per week you want to be realistic and reduce that to two while on holiday. You can still fit in some shorter sessions, but your core sessions should be set aside as much as possible. Even the best laid plans can go awry though so don’t beat yourself up if your other half plans a full-day tour as a surprise! Work with it and move your training to another day. Alternatively, opt for a hike instead and do something completely different. Hiking is an excellent way of working with your body and ability as you can make it gentle or challenging.

Find a gym

Your hotel may already have some training facilities, but if not many towns and cities have gyms that offer a day pass. This gives you the opportunity to use all the facilities and get a full training workout in if that’s what your body wants. Alternatively, swimming either in a hotel or gym pool or in the sea is another excellent whole-body workout combining cardio and strength training. Yoga classes are everywhere too if that is more your thing.

Mini workouts

Your sessions need not be long or complicated. They don’t have to rely on finding suitable facilities. Ten minutes each day in your hotel room will be enough to keep your body and mind going. You could opt for a HIIT session if you know what you are doing, or just do some push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. If you are familiar with using resistance bands, take some with you and use them; they are possibly the easiest exercise prop to pack!

Want to know more about exercising on holiday or need some help devising a plan? That’s what we are here for at Valkyrie Personal Training and Massage – to get you and keep you fit. Call us on 07973 483314 for a chat or appointment and we’ll get you fit!

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This month we are taking a look at how you can maintain some form of exercise regime, and how you can build up to those 30 minutes. It is important to talk to your doctor if you have any health issues before doing any exercise so that is the first place to start.

If you have been sedentary for a long period of time – either through ill health, injury, or habit – then the trick to getting into some form of exercise is to do so slowly and incrementally. Perhaps stop thinking about it as something that you must do or as exercise and focus on sitting less and moving more.  A few ideas to get you started:

• Be self-aware. Do you just not enjoy exercising? That’s fine, but the first step is to acknowledge that. You may not enjoy running or going to the gym, but you can still be active. Try walking to the shops instead of taking the car if it is only a couple of blocks away. Perhaps meet up with friends for a walk around the local park while you catch up instead of sitting in the coffee shop all afternoon.
• Know what you like and dislike. If you are an early riser, then there is little point in telling yourself you will go for that walk in the evening; do it in the morning and it will not only feel less like a chore, but it will also mean it’s done and you don’t have to dread it all day. Similarly, if evenings are better for you, set yourself a time for that walk and use it to decompress from the day.
• Keep going. If you miss a day, don’t give up. Everyone has an off-day once in a while, just don’t let it become another habit or excuse for not getting out and about.
• Start small. If you sit for long periods of time – for example at an office desk – try getting up every hour and moving around a little. Pace around the office while you are on the phone, or walk up the stairs to make a cup of tea. If you spend large periods of time in front of the TV, use the breaks to get up and move around the house.
• Build up to a little more each week. Once something becomes a habit, add a small new element to it. Already pacing while you talk on the phone? Why not add a flight of stairs as soon as you get off the phone? If you take the bus or train to work, why not get off one stop early or later and walk?

Using small changes to break bad habits or to get back into an exercise regime after an injury or illness will help you to develop new habits without even realising that you are doing it.

For help with training ideas or for a motivational boost give us a call at Valkyrie Personal Training and Massage on 07973 483314 today. We will help you find the right balance of fun and challenge no matter how new or experienced you may be when it comes to exercising.

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Sports massage used to be thought of as something that only elite athletes needed to do. No longer. Sports massage can help repair the damage muscles endure during exercise, it can restore a restricted range of motion, and can help with chronic pain and injuries. In fact, the benefits of sports massage are numerous:

1. Relieves pain

Whether chronic or due to a more recent injury, sports massage can reduce pain. It does this by stretching and releasing tight muscles around an injured or tender area, improving blood flow, blood and lymph fluid circulation which in turn improve oxygenation of the muscles and improved energy. Pain is reduced through the release of the body’s natural painkiller, endorphins. Chronic muscular strain is improved by relieving trigger points within muscles and loosening fascia (this is the tissue that connects and joins the various muscles in your body) that can cause pain, returning your flexibility to what it used to be.

2. Improves range of motion

Sports masseurs are also trained in orthopaedic assessment. This gives them a holistic understanding of how and why motion may be restricted and will work with your body to release tight muscles and fascia in any particular area, bringing greater motion back to the affected area.

3. Prepares you for exercise

Sports massage does not only work post-exercise but can also better set you up for a training session. It does this by correcting muscle imbalances created when one muscle becomes shorter and/or tighter, forcing the surrounding muscles to compensate and putting greater strain on them, which could lead to pain and even injury. Releasing those tighter muscles will restore balance to your body evening out the stresses and strains that exercise can have and reducing the likelihood of strain or injury.

4. Aids recovery

Exercise releases lactic acid and results in small tears to your muscle fibres as well as a build-up of toxins – this is what causes that familiar ache for a couple of days after exercising. A sports massage will help to speed up that recovery by working deep into muscles and tissue leading to stretched, flexible, and healthy muscles.

A combination of regular exercise and sports massage will ensure your body is healthy and able to cope with the rigours of whatever exercise regime you choose. For more information or to book a sports massage, get in touch with us at Valkyrie Personal Training and Massage by calling 07973 483314 – we will have you back in your trainers in no time!

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We know the benefits of exercising. We know how to do it, and we have the tools to get motivated. We have a variety of exercises to get us out and moving. We have been exploring all these things here over the last few months. So there is no excuse not to get up and do it. Here is what you need to know about staying safe in the colder weather and using it to your advantage rather than as an excuse to turn up the heating and tuck into another slice of cake.

The benefits of cold weather exercise

You may not think so, but there are a few:

• It will warm you up. Exercise raises your heart rate, gets the blood pumping round faster and, quite simply, warms you up
• It will improve your mood. It is easy to feel a little low in the cold and dark winter months, so getting up, out and moving will combat that. If you are out during daylight hours and the sun is shining it will help you tackle seasonal affective disorder too
• You will get some vitamin D. Exposure to sunlight boosts our levels of vitamin D, the best way of getting our daily dose
• You will cut your chances of catching cold and flu viruses. Cold weather training can help boost your immune system, warding off some of the cold and flu viruses that are all around us in the winter
• Increase the intensity of your workout in a way that you can’t do when the sun is blazing or it is humid and sticky

What to be aware of

There are a few things to keep in mind when exercising in cold weather. To get the most out of your workout:

• Be aware of the temperature and wind chill. If the temperature drops to -15 degrees Celsius, or the wind chill causes it to feel that cold, then take your training session indoors. The chances of frostbite are higher and it can hit more quickly than at higher temperatures. If it is raining, wear a waterproof layer as you are more susceptible to the cold when you are wet.
• Dress warmly, in layers. That way you can take layers off as you warm up and put them back on again as soon as you finish. Make sure to wear a wicking, synthetic layer against your skin to avoid sweat cooling you down quickly. Keep your head, hands, feet, and ears covered at all times.
• Look out for the signs of frostbite or hypothermia. The signs of frostbite are numbness, tingling, and loss of sensation particularly of the extremities. If you think you may have frostbite, get indoors as soon as you can and slowly warm up the affected areas with lukewarm water. Hypothermia signs include intense shivering, loss of coordination and slurred speech, and fatigue. Seek medical help if you suspect hypothermia.

Now that you know how to stay safe in the cold, there is no reason not to get your exercise gear on and get outside. If you want a helping hand or a motivation boost talk to us at Valkyrie Personal Training and Massage. We are a phone call away on 07973 483314 and we will have you out of the door before you can say ‘I’m cold’.

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This month we want to make sure your good training regime doesn’t slide into a cocktail (or five) with little chance of finding it again, so we have put together five easy tips to help you keep on track AND go to all the parties. This way you can feel virtuous while you party and know that the chances of you putting on that extra holiday weight is significantly reduced this year.

Check your goals

Are they still achievable? They should be challenging, but not too much that they put you off your training schedule. Have you done that well that you need to update them and take them to the next level? Or are you trying to bite off more than you can chew, in which case you could go a little easier on yourself? The increased work and networking (aka parties) that come with the run-up to Christmas could mean that we revise our exercise goals down slightly, but not that much that it isn’t contributing to achieving your ultimate goals.

Enjoy it or mix it up

If your chosen diet isn’t exciting, or you can’t face another smoothie for lunch, then mix it up a little. Find an alternative that you will enjoy and stick to. If you’re finding that exercising isn’t as much fun, find a friend to join you or try a different form of it – perhaps a team sport or complementary activity such as yoga or pilates – will help.

Find an event to train for

This is an excellent way of sticking to a training plan. You don’t want to get to the time of the event and find you are underprepared (and risk injury) or that you let down those that you are fundraising for or who have contributed to your fundraising.

Reward yourself

Don’t wait for a big milestone before patting yourself on the back. Small rewards for incremental achievements are important and keep the motivation going. That doesn’t mean a big bar of chocolate after every training session though!

Get a personal trainer

Sometimes you need someone to push you that little bit harder or tweak your programme to get results. A personal trainer is an excellent motivator who can work with you to target exactly what you want and give you plenty of tips and tricks to keep you going on those training sessions you’re on your own for.

For motivation, advice, and inspiration, you can turn to Valkyrie Personal Training and Massage at any time. A quick call to us on 07973 483314 and we’ll have you in your trainers before you can change your mind.

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When you are back on your feet (if you were ill) or have found a new balance to your diet after a radical change, you will probably turn your attention to getting back into shape or dealing with the new thinner you that has suddenly appeared. Before doing any exercise, do check with your doctor first, particularly if you were unwell, so that you are not pushing your body too hard before it’s ready. If you get the go-ahead, then it’s time to feel even better by getting rid of the last bits of stubborn fat that may remain and toning up your body so that you look as good as you feel.

Is it loose skin or stubborn fat?

What you may think is loose skin still probably hides a bit of stubborn fat and until that’s properly gone you won’t be able to fully tone up. Target it by getting more cardio exercises into your life. This will get your heart rate up and help you burn any excess fat.

Build muscle

There is a popular belief that building muscle will inevitably lead to you looking a little like Arnold Schwarzenegger. You will only look like him if that’s what you’re working towards! Building lean muscle is all about incorporating resistance training into your exercise regime; by doing so you will burn fat (more so than with cardio alone) while toning your muscles. The result is a more toned body, with those lean muscles filling out the excess skin left behind when the fat was banished. Building lean muscle also helps with cell renewal giving you a healthier tone and glow – bonus!

Tighten up difficult spots

There are a few spots that we can target and tighten up, and they apply to both men and women. They include:

• Legs, bums, and tums: try lunges and squats to target the legs and bum or use the leg press if you’re in the gym. For your tummy, leg raises, sit ups, crunches, and planks are great. Remember to do some twists to keep your waist trim as well.
• Back, chest, and shoulders: push ups are the easiest way to target all three, while pull ups will work on your back and shoulders. You can also include some seated row exercises or bench presses.
• Upper arms: tricep dips or using weights for targeting your triceps will sort these out for you.

Massage will also help to stimulate the blood flow so make sure to include that within your fitness regime where you can.

For advice and help on toning after weight loss, or if you would like a programme tailored just for you, talk to us at Valkyrie Personal Training and Massage. A quick call to us on 07973 483314 and we can get you on the right fitness track for you.

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