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Part 2: How To Build Muscle Using Your Bodyweight: Lower Body-Workout

June 1, 2015November 1, 2018 Alex Coombes1 Comment

The next workout in our building muscle through bodyweight series is focused on the lower body. As we covered in part one, building muscle in the upper body places an emphasis on your chest, back, arms, shoulders and abdominal muscles. In this post, we’ll share techniques to build lower body muscle, which will help you to burn more fat whilst not exercising.

The most impactful way to build lower body muscle involves many variations of single leg exercises and powerful movements for a short period of time.

1. Pistol Squats: Three sets of six repetitions on each leg.

Simply put, the pistol squat is a one-legged squat. The aim is to get as close to the floor as you can (see picture above), holding the other leg out in front of the body.

If you are new to this exercise you may need to hold on to something, such as a suspension trainer or a wall, in order to maintain balance and alleviate body weight from the pushing leg. It is important to control the downward motion as much as possible to keep tension in all leg muscles for the whole movement.

2. One-Legged Suspension Trainer Lunges: Three sets of eight repetitions on each leg.

The goal of this exercise is to do a split squat with a suspension trainer. Add a partner to hold down your shoulders and make this exercise more challenging, or you can do a normal squat which will make it a bit easier.

3. 40-meter Sprints: Eight sets with 1 min. rest.

Sprinting with good form and powerful strides will build great quality, well-balanced muscle. When running, pull your knees to waist height to build valuable core muscle in lower abs and obliques. To ensure a powerful stride, push the floor behind you as hard as you can.

Now that you have two quick sessions to work both your upper and lower body, take advantage of the London summer weather and impress onlookers at your local park.

To build muscle, maximum effort is needed throughout the whole session, from every set to every single rep. If you struggle to do this on your own, download the TruBe app to book a personal trainer on demand in London.

How TruBe’s Workouts Help Prevent Injury and Disease

May 28, 2015November 1, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

We thought we’d take a moment to delve further into our training philosophy, looking at how our workouts have been designed. Of course they are designed to keep you looking and feeling great but they also work in harmony with the body and to reduce the risk of injury.

Regular TruBe workouts and a well rounded approach to exercise and nutrition will help you to combat the signs of old age. Let’s take a look at the key factors of preventing injury and disease:

Improving Movement
All of TruBe’s workouts incorporate the latest functional research to condition your body in a range of movements. It is vitally important to train all 3 planes of movement in a very gradual progression, using body weight and resistant equipment. This resistant type of exercise will help maintain muscle strength and flexibility so that you don’t become injured during everyday activities. Being strong through all movements will also reduce the risk of a fall, which may result in bone fractures, muscle, tendon and ligament strains.

Burning fat to Protect Vital Organs
The exercises performed in our TruBe workouts will help to burn body fat. The more muscle you activate the more fat you burn. As we age the chances of cardiac disease, cancer and diabetes increases. If we have excessive body fat around our vital organs (viscous fat) then this increases the chances of getting these diseases.

The best TruBe workout to burn fat: HIIT

Reducing Stress
All our our TruBe personal training sessions finish with a dynamic cool down and breathing exercise. Your TruBe trainer will guide you through a simple pranyama breathing sequence which helps to bring the you back into balance and calm the mind. This aids in preparing yourself for the rest of the challenges of the day.

Fighting the Symptoms of Ageing
Osteoporosis
“Osteoporosis occurs when the struts which make up the mesh-like structure within bones become thin, causing bones to become fragile and break easily, often following a minor bump or fall.” – National Osteoporosis Society

Resistance exercise will increase bone density and help maintain muscle strength. With the integration of multi-plane movements, you will reduce the risk of falling which may lead to injury. The exercise prescribed during a TruBe personal training session will condition your movements and range of movement specific to your daily needs.
The best TruBe workout to prevent Osteoporosis: Strength and Power

Varicose Veins
“Weakness of the vein wall allows valves to stretch so that they do not close properly. Blood then flows back into the leg along these veins. The veins and their tributaries enlarge and can be seen on the surface as varicose veins.” – The British Varicose Veins Centre

Increasing blood circulation and reducing blood pressure will greatly decrease your chances of forming varicose veins. Any exercises involving the legs and more specifically the calves will pump blood back to the heart quicker not allowing blood pooling to occur.
The best TruBe workout to prevent Varicose Veins: Toning and Conditioning
Cardiovascular Disease
“Viscous Fat that engulfs major organs increases the risk of all major Cardiovascular Diseases.” – NHS

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term that describes a disease of the heart or blood vessels.There are four main types of CVD. They are: coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease and aortic disease. Increasing your cardiovascular strength and reducing fat stores will greatly reduce the risk of CVD.
The best TruBe workout to reduce the risk of CVD: HIIT

So what are you waiting for? Start looking after your body and combating the signs of ageing by downloading the TruBe iPhone app and book your first personal training session.

P.S. Subscribe to the blog below or follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @trubeapp for more inspirational ways to reach your health and wellness goals!

Behind The Scenes at TruBe’s Fitness Photoshoot

May 15, 2015July 22, 2017 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

At the end of April, our team spent the weekend in East London for a photoshoot, looking to capture our TruBe brand and philosophy in both photo and video form.

At a beautifully designed house, we had two days to capture what we needed from our personal trainers and models.

Our Head of Marketing & PR, Phoebe, wore multiple hats as the director, organiser, personal stylist and chief cheerleader throughout the weekend.

Gabby, Portia, Sig, Steffy and Jade were our superstar models, and even when the cameras weren’t on them they were happy and smiling!

A big shout out to the guys behind the camera which were Andrew James photography and his crew who did an amazing job! We also had Robyn work her magic with hair & makeup for our models.

TruBe’s founder Daria directed the weekend, and wanted to share these behind the scenes photos to showcase the vision.

You’ll be seeing the results of our photoshoot across the TruBe app, website and social media channels, so make sure you download the TruBe iPhone app now to experience TruBe for yourself!

P.S. Subscribe to the blog below or follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @trubeapp for more inspirational ways to reach your health and wellness goals!

Get a Spring in your Step: 5 Tips to Boost your Training this Spring

May 15, 2015November 1, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin, inventor and American founding father

Spring has officially sprung. Yoga in the park, lunch in the sun, cocktails on the terrace. It all starts getting a little brighter and fresher – and your TruBe training sessions might start to feel the same.

But if you’re struggling to shrug of the last of the winter cold and are still straining your eyes against the bright sunlight, we’re here to help prep you for success in a way that would make Mr Franklin proud.

We’ve created a list of training tips to get the most from your TruBe training sessions!

1. Get up and go!

Start your day with 10-15 minutes of light exercise, be it gentle yoga, a nice jog or even a slow walk around the block. Waking up like this increases your oxygen levels and blood circulation, energizing your whole body. Increased circulation to your digestive system will boost your metabolism which means you will use up more calories throughout the day, making you more likely to burn fat.

This time of the morning is also extremely valuable thinking time, allowing you to review your upcoming tasks and goals and get motivated for a more productive day.

2. Exercise outside

Now that the weather is improving, there are no excuses to be stuck indoors.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient to maintain healthy bones and teeth as well as fighting against cancer, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Vitamin D is produced by the body when the skin is exposed to mild sunlight and is difficult to obtain through a healthy diet alone.

50% of adults and children worldwide are Vitamin D deficient- don’t be one of them! Order a TruBe trainer and work out in the park!

3. Hydrate like a hero

Staying hydrated is the number one rule for all athletes. If you’re taking part in an event and you get dehydrated, you will run out of energy very quickly. We suggest getting a good BPA free bottle and drinking regularly throughout the day.

Remember if you feel thirsty, you are at the beginning stages of dehydration. Try to drink small amounts frequently. Generally we lose around two litres of fluid a day, so must ensure we replace this.

Your performance will also be affected. As your blood thickens due to lack of water, your heart has to work harder to pump blood to the body. This means that exercise that normally feels like a five out of 10 on a exertion scale, can feel like a seven or eight out of 10.

4. High intensity = better results

You’re a busy person, we get that. That’s why TruBe is all about efficient, high intensity exercise. To make sure you’re getting the most out of your sessions, make sure you integrate high intensity activities into all forms of training.

Whether you’re a runner, cyclist or swimmer, adding high intensity sessions will help make you a stronger, faster athlete. High intensity will help you improve both the endurance (aerobic) and your speed/power (anaerobic) capacity. This is a great way to compliment any training.

You can make HIIT training specific to your goals with movements that mimic your sport or daily function.

Remember that HIIT exercises can be regressed or progressed to suit all abilities.

5. Train with a friend(s)

Small group or partner workouts are a great way to make fitness fun. With TruBe we can take you and a friend through a fun and interactive workout that also gives you that “burn”. Making your workout fun takes your mind off the training whilst using each other for motivation.

If you have that competitive streak, TruBe can get you working against each other to help you push yourself to your limits! So what are you waiting for? Book a TruBe session today with one of our amazing trainers!

What are your spring training tips? Let us know by commenting below.

The best healthy eating restaurants in London

April 30, 2015July 22, 2017 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

Living in London we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to eating out healthy. You just need to know where to go, Whether you’re paleo, low carb, vegan or raw we have put together our favourite go-to places for lunch and dinner.

Daytime Eating

Raw Press – Mayfair -W1J
These raw pressed juices are super healthy. Totally raw and organic, the cold-pressed manufacturing method of these juices ensures that they retain essential nutrients and taste better for longer. For the green juice connoisseurs out there, you have a load of choice including super green, green or sweet green depending on how sweet you like your juice. They are also the only cafe in the area that does a yummy almond milk cappuccino. You can find Raw Press on Dover Street below Wolf and Badger.

Nama -Notting Hill – W11 1JR
Eat guilt free when visiting this Vegan raw food Nirvana in Notting Hill. All the food is unrefined and gluten free and raw. The menu is supercharged with body and skin nourishing foods such as seaweed, kale, lucuma and coconut. Perfect for a post yoga session brunch date with the girls.

Detox Kitchen– Soho – W1B 5PJ
Great food without the stress. Detox Kitchen enables you to eat restaurant quality food every evening from the comfort of your home. Their team of chefs and nutritionists create and deliver nutrient dense, well-balanced meals to help you feel great. They also do a wicked breakfast smoothie using co-yo yoghurt and the beetroot brownie is to die for.

Roots & Bulbs – Marylebone – W1U 3JG
Roots & Bulbs offer homemade superfood smoothies at their two London locations. Focusing on keeping things unprocessed these juices are free from unrefined sugars and are packed full of flavour.

Daylesford – Notting Hill – W11 2RH
From farm to fork is the approach at Daylesford. All the food that is grown or reared on their 100% self sufficient organic farm is used in the restaurant. The food is free from pesticides and fertilisers and their ruminant livestock is fed with GM-free produce grown on the farm. After your meal, they have a delectable delicatessen to pick up a few organic treats and some items for dinner.

Wild Food Café – Covent Garden – WC2H 9DP

This vegetarian cafe situated in Covent Garden are true flavour innovators. They are big on superfood infusions and raw treats. Expect dishes like vegan paella, delicious raw cakes, a wide array of juices and super fresh salads. A favourite with celebs, this café offers a gorgeous view out across Neals Yard, so grab a window seat if you can. Our favourite is the Wild Pizza special that has a dehydrated almond & butternut squash base, topped with marinara, wild sea purslane pesto and a daily selection of toppings.

Evening Dining

Nopi – Soho – W1B 5NE

In this fast moving Ottolenghi restaurant you will find dynamic art and tasty food. They go big on vegetables but meat lovers also will find inventive flavoursome dishes to keep them more than happy.

Mildreds – Soho – W1F 9AN
This long standing Vegetarian cafe in Soho stands out from the crowd with its diverse menu mixing the best of European and Asian cuisine. Our favourite is the Sri Lankan curry which is infused with spices and punchy flavours.

Pure Taste – Westbourne Grove – W2 4UP

Paleo restaurant Pure Taste serves dishes that are all gluten and dairy free. The menu is about big bold flavours and it caters for everyone from low-carb serious meat eaters to Vegans.

Ethos – Oxford Circus – W1W 8DX

The new kid on the block. Ethos pulls inspiration from the middle east it oozes creativity and delivers on taste. This self serves restaurant offers delicious salads and unusual grain dishes alongside treats for vegans like seitan spare ribs. Breakfast, lunch or dinner – there is plenty to choose from at every meal.

If we missed anywhere out please let us know and perhaps we’ll follow up with part 2!

P.S. Subscribe to the blog below or follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @trubeapp for more inspirational ways to reach your health and wellness goals!