How to Overcome the Intimidation Factor: Fitness Addition

It is safe to say the first fitness steps are often the hardest. With so much out there, it is completely normal to wonder how exactly to begin. No matter how you decide to begin you are bound to come out the other side a healthier and happy version of you, and remember there is no right or wrong way to do things, just your way.  

You may have heard of the phrase, ‘One size fits all.’ With fitness, this is most certainly not the case. Some people thrive in certain environments, others don’t. We want to prove to you that no obstacle is too big.

We are here to offer a helping hand! Here are our top pointers for those who are ready to embark on their fitness journey this Summer.

Don’t like working out alone?

Walking into any fitness environment for the first time can be intimidating itself, but you don’t have to do it alone! A workout buddy is always favourable and helps keep you motivated as well as giving you the company you need. A study published in Nature Communications found that friends can influence a person’s workout routine, and they found exercise is “socially contagious.” If all your friends are busy, then this is where a personal trainer can be extremely beneficial. Not only will a personal trainer help motivate you, but they will be with you every step of the way and can even help accelerate the process allowing you to see visible results, faster.   

Anxious?

Try having a plan in place. It’s important to know exactly what you want from your body. If you are not sure, why not have a complimentary ‘lifestyle assessment’ with one of our TruBe professionals. Having a game plan will help you navigate your way from start to finish. Plans will help keep you motivated and can help relax any negative thoughts/ feelings that can distract you from your goals.

Once you have taken that first step, exercise it a great way to monitor your anxiety, it helps you order your thoughts and can even enable you to remove any stresses that have been playing on your mind.

Self conscious?

It’s important to focus on one thing: yourself.

Don’t let yourself become stuck in the mindset that people will be judging you. A poll done by the British Mental Health Charity shows that 2 out of 3 women say they feel self conscious about their body shape when they exercise in public, whilst 60% of women were uncomfortable about their bodies reaction to exercise. Just remember: people are concentrating on their own workouts, not on you. You are all there for the same reasons…to become healthier! Don’t dwell on what other people think, and remember, everyone must start somewhere. We’re all in this together! *cue High School Musical*

Scared you won’t see results?

There’s no need to rush when it comes to wanting to see results, time is important. Any fitness goal takes time to see the results you’ve been craving. It’s key to stick with it and to remember that it’s all about progress and passion. Once you build passion for your favoured discipline, changes will happen much faster due to increased energy. Results will come from your dedication and commitment and a healthy stress-free mindset.  Visible results won’t just come from working out, but from other factors as well. For example, it’s important to be fueling yourself properly. Eating fruits and veggies and foods that are high in protein are the perfect way to boost your workout. Healthy tip? Try making a fruit smoothie before a workout. A fruit smoothie the perfect pre-workout snack because it’s high in protein and can be quickly digested. 

We hope we have helped give you the motivation you need to help make you feel more confident and comfortable.  It’s important to not give up on your commitment of a healthy lifestyle! Our TruBe trainers are just a tap away and here for you anytime.  Overcoming fitness intimidation definitely takes time, but remember that with time, patience, and confidence, you will become comfortable in no time! 

Your TruBe Team

The Top 4 Benefits of Kickboxing

Trainer, Alessandra

When it comes to kickboxing, the benefits are countless. From increased flexibility to a boost in energy levels, kickboxing is a fun sport that’s worth the hard work. Whether you’re a pro or just starting out, kickboxing is a great way to change up your usual workout routine. Since we’re all about kickboxing this week at TruBe, we’re here to let you in on 4 of our favourite (and exclusive) benefits of kickboxing.

Kickboxing Improves Your VO2 max

What exactly is VO2 max? The technical definition for the maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during incremental exercise, in short, kickboxing improves your overall fitness. Kickboxing is usually comprised of ‘rounds’ (2-3 minutes of intense hitting) often referred to as a HIIT workout (High Intensity Interval Training). When doing an interval workout, your heart is trained to be more efficient. This act helps to greatly improve your VO2 max, thus improving your fitness. For example, you won’t feel as tired after climbing a hill or even a long flight of stairs –something we’re all in need of!

A Boost in Confidence

You may not know that when you are taking it out on the bag, endorphins are being released into your body, this helps lift any negative mood you may have been in and helps you feel confident and energised. An increase in confidence is a huge benefit of kickboxing. Learning a form of self defence proves that you can hold your own, resulting in a confidence boost that will benefit you in your everyday life.

Tones Your Entire Body

Looking for a full body workout? Kickboxing is the sport for you. There’s no area of the body that kickboxing won’t tone. The Muscle, Ligaments, and Tendons Journal conducted a study  titled ‘The Effects of Five Weeks of Kickboxing Training of Physical Fitness’. The study showed that after only five weeks of training, the participants involved showed great improvements in speed, agility, upper-body muscle power, and flexibility. Kickboxing is a full-body workout, and if you’ve taken a training session before, you know that everything gets worked!

Builds Endurance

Kickboxing is a perfect workout to improve your endurance. By taking part in regular cardio exercise, your endurance is strengthened, as proved by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

We hope these 4 benefits inspire you to start incorporating kickboxing into your daily workout routine. Need help or have any questions? Our kickboxing trainers are here for you anytime, and anywhere. Book your next kickboxing session with us here!

Fun fact about endurance: By building up your endurance with kickboxing, you can transfer it to any other workout whether that be swimming or running.

Keep those kicks coming!

Your TruBe Team

Introducing Pietro L: Personal Trainer and Movement Specialist

Pietro is a personal trainer and movement specialist with expertise in lower back pain and workout routines for weight loss and fat loss. With over 6 years experience in group fitness classes and one to one personal training, he is an expert in providing a full body workout and creating workout plans to achieve your fitness goals.

What is your background in fitness?

I always been passionate about endurance sport and “body movement”, with many years of experience as a master swimmer and triathlon participant. I have completed several regional and national Olympic distance triathlon events in Italy. I have always been keen on helping friends and as many people as possible  to improve their movements and to “understand” their body and take cake of it. This is my life, I can’t imagine another way to live my life!

What is your top tip for someone just starting their fitness journey?

Explore the elegance of your body. No matter who you are, what your age is, or your background. There is always space to improve and discover something new in your body as well as in your mind. Keep moving forward and have fun!

How do you keep yourself motivated?

I always try to remember the reasons I started doing what I do and the effort I put in to get here. This gives me so much motivation and inspiration to keep going.  Another thing I like to do is to reward myself every time I achieve a particular goal which spurs me on to achieve more.

What is your favourite thing to do to unwind?

I love to be around people, especially the people that I love! I always try to make time during the week to enjoy cooking and practising Vinyasa yoga. These are activities that help to centre myself.

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

To book a session with Pietro, download the app and find him as one of our featured trainers.

 

Introducing Yolanda, Personal Trainer and Professional Performer

Yolanda is one of our newest TruBe trainers specialising in Personal Training and Ballet Fit. She holds extensive skills in calisthenics as well as TRX making her an expert in improving flexibility, strength and muscle tone. As a professional dancer she has over 10 years experience being part of world famous Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre.

Why did you sign up to be a TruBe Trainer?

I want to empower people by helping them take control of their health and fitness goals. The benefits of training are not just limited to improving your physique. The confidence gained and the mental satisfaction that clients enjoy from reaching targets and exceeding their own expectations surpasses this. TruBe provides a flexible and accessible way of allowing me to share this.

What is your biggest client success story?

A client came to me with a goal which was purely to lose weight. I shifted the focus towards skill based goals alongside her weight loss goals. This transformed her physique, but most importantly improved her mindset. She fell in love with her training and gained the knowledge and confidence to maintain that level of fitness in her lifestyle. She learned to embrace her body and feel proud of what it was capable of.

What is your greatest achievement?

Establishing a career as a performer in the west end and coming back stronger after an injury, which caused me to be on crutches for six weeks.

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What is your favourite way to finish off the end of a session?

An intense core finisher followed by a relaxing deep stretch.

How do you motivate yourself and do you have a favourite motivational quote?

My favourite motivational quotes are “a comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing ever grows there” and “strong body = strong mind”. Variety is the key to motivation for me. I like to do a bit of everything from ballet fit, callisthenics, strength training to yoga in my training. This keeps things fresh and challenges my body and mind. I always have a lot of goals on the go and I love to immerse myself in making them happen. If motivation wavers, discipline is my go to!   

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How do you find balance in your life?

As a trainer and performer, it’s so wonderful to do a job you love, but it’s important to take time out with friends and family. I also ensure I make time to train for myself, as that’s my meditation. I’m working on listening to my body, when my body tells me to rest, I know I need to before it forces me to!

How do you treat yourself?

Dinner with friends and maybe the odd purchase of some new training gear!!!

To book a session with Yolanda, download the app and find her as one of our featured trainers.

Try these 5 Yoga poses before bed time

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.

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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.

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3. Legs Up the Wall 

helps the circulation of both blood and lymphatic fluid.

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4. Siddhasana – Simple Crossed Leg Pose

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

 

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5. Savasana

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

 

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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!