Try these 5 Yoga poses before bed time

March 9, 2017November 1, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

The importance of sleep surpasses the obvious involving lifting your mood and physically looking less tired. When you have difficulty sleeping at night, it affects your day to day life, wellbeing and even your weight. TruBe trainer Dipa Trivedi, who specialises in yoga, explains the different effects of sleep and how yoga can be a simple and effective solution to aid a peaceful night’s sleep.

I get a lot of feedback from most students saying “some days I can sleep and others I just wake up and cannot go back to sleep”… When I ask them why, the answer is ‘I am stressed or I feel hot or I don’t know why’.

Usually, having a good night’s sleep is a combination of several factors:

Physical fatigue
Mental state
Emotional wellbeing
Routine
Nutrition
Overall hormonal health

All of these factors are interconnected and getting the right balance is vital to having a continuous good night sleep.

Now it is different for everyone, so we cannot apply the same principles for all, however there is a baseline. Having a good night’s sleep is key to living a life with minimal illnesses. You might be in your 20’s or 30’s and think that it is okay to have 4 hours sleep and then catch up on sleep on weekend. However, as you are building a gap, this can be difficult to fill over time which may result in various health issues. If you observe a child, for example, they would sleep at least 10 hours a night. A working adult (from 22) should sleep an average of 7 hours a night to live long and well. Sleeping helps with memory recovery, focus, immunity and mental stability. Plus, it allows for muscle recovery and growth after sport and exercise.

There are various yoga sequences you can try to improve your general sleep.

MY 5 FAVOURITE RESTORATIVE POSES YOU CAN TRY:

1. Supta Badcharakan Asana

This works to improve the digestive system and blood circulation to the brain.

2. Supported Child Pose

This helps you let go of your day – as you are energetically turning your back to the world; as well as releasing tension from your shoulders to the lower back.

3. Legs Up the Wall

helps the circulation of both blood and lymphatic fluid.

4. Siddhasana – Simple Crossed Leg Pose

Focus on your breathing as this helps to stop the mind from wondering

5. Savasana

Lie down, start to let go of each limb and drift into relaxation

Performing these quietly, restorative poses can help calm your body and mind whilst relieving stress and anxiety.

Have a good night,

Dipa

Want more advice and fitness tips? Download the TruBe App and check out our expert trainers where you can book a session today!

Don’t forget that our TruBe trainers can come to you right in the comfort of your own home!

Burn Fat at Home in 10 Minutes

February 27, 2017November 1, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

In one of our recent blog post 5 Ways to Burn More Calories During a Workout, the more muscles you use, the more fat/sugar you will burn. Total body workouts where you choose big groups of muscles (complex exercises) are the most effective. Try these exercises that will get the whole body working:

KICK THROUGH:

Start in the box position with knees into hips. Drive the right leg out to the left, sitting back on the heel of your left leg. Return to the start position and repeat to the right.

WALK OUT:

This is great for your arms and abs! Start standing, drop hands to the floor and walk out as far as you can reach. Walk the hands back and stand. To progress add a jump or a jump and turn 180 in the air and walkout in the opposite direction.

CURTSEY LUNGES:

Great for the glutes! Squat down and bring your right leg behind the body and out to the side (8pm on the clock). Return to standing and repeat with the left leg (4pm on the clock). Again to progress, add a jump and rotate round facing the other way.

See how many reps you can do of each in a 40 second time frame. Rest for 20 seconds then repeat 5 times! Try these exercises with one of our trainers!

Post Workout Nutrition:

Always eat protein and a small amount of sugar from a natural source to help with recovery. Fruit is great source of sugar from a natural source. Also, remember to hydrate! We can lose at least 2 litres of water a day and even more when exercising. We need to replace this to keep the body functioning efficiently.

Sleep at least 7 hours a night to aid recovery. This can have a negative effect on hormones and cortisol release, which then stimulates fat storage, which we don’t want.

Don’t forget that our TruBe trainers can come to you right in the comfort of your own home! Try this workout with one of our trainers, anywhere anytime.

For more expert advice and workouts download the TruBe App today!

9 PLANKS TO GET A DYNAMITE CORE

February 22, 2017November 1, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

Want to build a stronger core without ‘moving a muscle’? TruBe says think planks!

Planks are isometric exercises (where muscle length and joint angle remain unchanged) and are one of the most effective bodyweight core exercise.

Planks are an ideal ab exercise because they engage all major ‘core’ muscle groups including the the rectus abdominus, the transverse abdominus the external oblique muscle.

Main benefits of the Plank exercise:

In addition to building a stronger core, you’ll decrease the probability of lower back injury, improve your posture, improve your balance and stability and increase your flexibility with the different plank variations shown below.

Classic Plank – Form and Technique:

Form is everything with isometric exercises like Planks. So let’s focus on the finer points and work on your technique to get the most benefit.

Get down on the floor on your elbows so that your elbows are under your shoulders, and your wrists are in line with your elbows. Ensure that your you are gazing down at the floor and hold your chin close to your neck. Your lower body should have contact with the floor only via the toes in the classic Plank variation. Now contract your glutes (your buttocks) and brace your core as if you are expecting a punch to your gut.

For a better plank:

Do not allow your hips to drop or keep your hips too high!

Don’t forget to breathe normally – do not hold your breath!

9 different variations of the Plank exercise

Level – Beginner

Classic Planks. See above.
Knee Planks

If holding a classic plank is difficult, lower your knees to the ground. Engage your core and do not round your back. Tuck in your tailbone and imagine drawing your bellybutton to your spine.

High Plank

Spread all your fingers to make a wide, stable base. Line up your shoulders over your hands and heels over toes. Hold your body in a straight line from the top of your head down to your heels. Hold your core against gravity, being careful not to let your hips sag or your back round up.

Side Plank

This works your Oblique muscles. Resting on your forearms, lie on one side in a straight line from head to feet so that your elbows are directly under your shoulder. Contract your core, lift your hips and hold.

Level – Intermediate

One handed plank

Start in a classic plank position. Now without moving your hips and keeping your core contracted, test your balance as well by extending one hand out in front of you and bringing it back to centre. Repeat on the other side.

Thread the needle plank

Start in a side plank position with one hand resting on your hips. Now lift the free hand all the way up and follow with your gaze. Now continuing to follow with your gaze, bring that hand back down and take it into the gap created between your lifted hips and the ground.

Reverse plank

Sit on the ground with your legs extended in front of you. Place your palms, with fingers spread wide, on the floor slightly behind and outside your hips. Press into your palms, and lift your hips and torso toward the ceiling. Hold for 2 seconds and bring it back down.

Level – Advanced

Dynamic Plank

Start in a classic plank position. Transfer your body weight up from your forearms on one side to your palms of the same side. Now, transfer it back to centre. Alternate on the other side.

Side star Plank

Start in a side plank position. Now extend and lift the hand and leg furthest from the ground, away from your body and hold. Turn and repeat on the other side.

Our expert trainers at TruBe have more tips and workouts waiting for you!

Download the TruBe App today and start your fitness journey!

The Vegan Diet: Myths & Benefits

February 17, 2017November 1, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

Record numbers of people are turning to veganism in the UK. Vegans do not eat meat, dairy products, seafood and other foods and items that may include animal by-products. Vegans also do not wear leather, wool or anything tested on animals. This once much maligned lifestyle is now seen as trendy, with much of the food industry catching onto its increasing popularity. However, there are still some misconceptions. Our TruBe trainer Angela Rochester is here to clear things up!

Myths

You can’t get enough protein

Vegans are often asked ‘Where do you get your protein from?’

Protein is not just restricted to meat. Protein can also be obtained from foods such as tofu and tempeh. Other sources include grains, pulses, nuts and seeds. Eating a variety of these foods means a vegan can achieve the recommended daily amount of protein. Vegans can also build muscle on a plant-based diet; check out Torre Washington!

It’s Boring

The rise in vegan Instagram accounts shows the variety of meals that can be made. An internet search can provide a wide variety of alternatives. Do you miss pizza? Burgers? There are tasty vegan versions of these.

Vegans are Skinny and Automatically Healthy

Think carefully about the reasons for choosing to become vegan. Turning vegan will not help you with weight loss. Although it can certainly be very healthy, there are still highly processed vegan foods that contain a lot of sugar and salt which should be avoided to maintain a healthy weight.

Vegans lack energy

Vegans lack no more energy than those on other diets. However, they must check their intake of vitamin B12, which plays an important role in preventing anaemia and nervous system damage. It cannot be reliably sourced from a vegan diet but it can be obtained from fortified foods or taking B12 supplements. Gaining Iron from a vegan diet is also easy, if a wide range of fruit and vegetables are eaten. Include foods with vitamin C to further aid the absorption of iron. If you are unsure that you are gaining the right amount of nutrients from your diet, check with a doctor or dietician.

It takes a lot of planning

Just like any other diet or lifestyle, you need to plan what you eat in order to stay healthy. However, once you know what you need it becomes second nature!

Benefits

Health Benefits

Vegans can have lower levels of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower risk of diabetes and lower body mass indexes. However, those who have these benefits also tend to have balanced diets and stay active.

Helping the planet

The main reason for many being vegan is their concern for animals and the environment. It is less of a drain on global food supply and is a great choice for those concerned with animal welfare.

Physical looks

Those who adopt a vegan diet often report that they have less acne prone skin, stronger hair and nails and the reduction of bad breath and body odor!

It is easy to transition into/try out

If you are thinking about becoming a vegan you don’t have to leap into it. You can gradually see what suits you and there is no need to feel guilty if you make mistakes or if you think it is not right for you.

Self-Awareness

It can lead to greater self-control as you cannot simply grab anything when shopping for food. You will gradually pay more attention to what you put into your body which has great health benefits in itself!

For more information check out these useful links:

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Vegetarianhealth/Pages/Vegandiets.aspx

https://www.vegansociety.com/

https://www.happycow.net/

Want to try veganism whilst keeping fit? No problem! Our TruBe trainers are here to help! Book a session tailored to your needs!

By Angela Rochester

What does it take to compete as a white collar boxer?

December 16, 2016July 22, 2017 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

One of our amazing customers, Christopher Aquilina recently competed in two white collar boxing fights, and won them both. Christopher fully utilised his TruPlan, choosing to workout with 3 of our very best trainers Georges, Josh and Jermayn. To find out more about this amazing feat, we asked Christopher to tell us about his experience.

1. Why did you decide to enter a white collar boxing fight?
I remember being a young kid and my dad was reading the Sunday papers, when he came across an article talking about the new fad of white collar boxing amongst yuppies. I think the seed was sewn then – it was always in the back of my mind after that and I’m quite keen on unusual challenges. I’ve been boxing on and off for several years having started in my early 20s. Up until that point I hadn’t ever watched boxing but was hooked instantly. I had my first white collar fight after a few years of training so I can legitimately claim that this isn’t part of a mid-life crisis!

2. What was the toughest part of your training?
I started training with Josh, Jermayn and Georges, from Trube, at the start of the summer. I tend to train before work so we had some amazing warm, blue sky days training outside by the river. When summer turned to winter the motivation levels went down significantly. There’s something very depressing about heading outside to train in the dark when it’s drizzling with rain – hence my need for personal training! The other tough part of training is of course getting punched in the face during sparring.

3. How did your personal trainers prepare you to wins?
The best aspect of working with Trube was that I had access to a wide range of personal trainers with different specialities. The work I did with Josh was mostly focussed on fitness, strength and endurance whereas Georges was all about technique and strategy. Jermayn mostly did pad work with me so between the three trainers I felt like I had all bases covered.

4. How much training did you do to prepare for your fights?
I had previously fought in two white collar fights, losing both, in the years before my fights this November. I was so determined to win both of these fights that I dedicated a huge amount of time to the training. I had a session every week with each of my TruBe trainers plus I would do sparring once a week and then perhaps one further training session on my own so all in all perhaps five sessions a week, sometimes six. Ultimately it all paid off because I won both fights (much to my relief).

5. Would you recommend entering a white collar fight and would you enter another fight?
It appeals to a certain type of person and ultimately if that isn’t you then I would strongly recommend not doing it. That said, for the right person it is an unparalleled experience. All the sparring and training in the world doesn’t really prepare you for stepping into the ring with hundreds of people watching. Doing a ring walk to your chosen music is unforgettable when you spend most of your time working in an office! As much as I would love to I’m definitely not doing another fight and I retire very happily with a two win – two loss record. All the fights have been occasions I will look back on fondly and along the way the events that I have been involved in have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity.

A huge congratulations to Christopher for winning both of his fights and for helping raise money for Fighting for Charity.

If you think that white collar fighting might be for you, then why not download the app and book a boxing session with one of personal trainers and coaching coaches.