How I beat my Personal Best at the Royal Parks Half Marathon, by Tashi Skervin-Clarke

Tashi Skervin-Clarke at Royal Parks Half Marathon 2017

The Royal Parks Half Marathon is one of the major highlights in every runner’s race calendar. It’s a flat and fast course with a huge crowd turnout, which means that at the Royal Parks Half Marathon, you’re almost guaranteed to run a PB. I ran my first ever half marathon last year at the Royal Parks and got my PB at another race earlier this year but I felt like I still had more to give. So I turned to TruBe on a quest to run a sub 1:40 minute half marathon and achieve a new personal best.

When it comes to running, I am actually quite disciplined in the sense that I can do the miles that my body needs to do and I lift weights to ensure my body is strong, but what I struggle with is getting in all of the other sessions that will help me become a better runner. Like yoga and pretty much any form of stretching. This in turn has limited my mobility and I have the tightest hamstrings in the world! This flagged up in a running assessment that I recently did so I knew that if I was going to run a half marathon PB, something had got to change. I needed to improve my mobility and flexibility as this in turn would improve my running efficiency.

Tashi Skervin-Clarke training in studio

What I love about TruBe is that along with their yoga and Pilates workouts, they also have stretching sessions which can be booked too! This meant that I was able to dedicate entire sessions to stretching out the muscles I use the most during running and I also learned which stretches worked best too. Long gone are the days where I considered touching my toes as the only hamstring stretch I needed! I now regularly perform what has been dubbed The World’s Greatest stretch (because it is) before runs and I have also added moves such as bear crawls and walk outs to my pre-running routine. It might sound strange stretching before a run but these stretches help to improve your mobility and essentially wake your muscles up so that when you actually start running, your body is ready.

Tashi Skervin-Clarke weight training for Royal Parks Half Marathon

Believe it or not, I didn’t even increase my mileage in the lead up to the Royal Parks Half. I continued with my usual workouts and runs. And instead of clocking up the miles as a bid to run faster, I started focusing on using mobility to get my body in PB shape.

Before I knew it, race day arrived and I crossed the finish line in 1:38. A 2 minute PB and well under my goal of running a sub 1:40 half marathon.

If you’re looking to run your first half or full marathon or even a 10km, make sure you have a good stretch and mobility routine in place. It’s something I completely overlooked and if you don’t know how to stretch or improve your mobility, book a session on TruBe to find out how. Your session will be completely tailored to your needs and you’ll walk away with exercises that you can do on a daily basis to help improve your running.

Download the TruBe app and take a look at the website.

Introducing Shaolin Kung Fu Fighter and Martial Artist Dom D

Dom is a 5 x British National Sanda Kickboxing Champion who has a 3rd Dan black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu as well as being a 35th generation Shaolin fighting disciple. As well as this, he is also a qualified personal trainer specialising in strength and mobility, martial arts and gymnastics and full body workouts.

How long have you been training in martial arts and what do you love about it?

I started Western style kickboxing and then switched to Taekwondo which felt like a more holistic style of exercise with emphasis on breathing, forms and tradition. I then went along to a Shaolin Monk’s class in London and although it was impossibly hard, I decided to keep going until I could finish a session without dying. Over the years I began to train there more and more which lead me to fighting at the World Games. Now I’ve been studying martial arts for 22 years and I’ve met my best friends at training. I’ve faced some big fears and challenged myself, pushed myself and found out what sort of person I could be.

What is your biggest client success story?

My most rewarding client story is when I trained an 87 year old man who had suffered serious falls and therefore found it difficult to walk. I taught him to get up off the floor unassisted and he can now move with more confidence which has given him back some of his independence.

What is your top tip for someone just starting out in martial arts?

Find a good teacher. You can learn a technique from anyone but real martial arts training should be inspiring! Find a bad teacher and they might put you off training for life!

How do you keep a balanced diet?

Generally I follow the rule that if my great grandparents wouldn’t know what it was I’ve got no business eating it, i.e. processed foods. I dip in and out of a keto diet to keep myself healthy but I’ve found it doesn’t support my level of activity enough to sustain it for extended periods… having said that, ‘Everything in moderation… including moderation!’

Where is your favourite place to travel?

South East Asia always works. Good food, friendly people, culture and amazing landscapes.

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

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

 

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.

 

NEW! Running, Stretching and Pre & Postnatal Workouts

TruBe are excited to reveal that we have added THREE new services which are now live on our website and app! We now offer running and stretching workouts as well as pre and postnatal workouts.

Running:

couple running

One of the most popular types of exercise, running is a great way to improve your  and cardiovascular fitness whilst burning a high amount of calories. Whether you are training for your very first 5k, have an upcoming marathon or just want to start jogging, TruBe running sessions will help get you there. Our trainers will be with you every step of the way whilst you run, motivating you and helping you to improve your endurance and technique. Additionally our trainers provide guidance and tips on how to avoid ‘the wall’ during a marathon race, and prepare you mentally and emotionally.

Stretching:

Two people stretching

Stretching helps to improve flexibility and range of motion. Our expert TruBe fitness trainers will show you a variety of different types of stretching to target specific muscle groups. If you have an injury or are looking to improve your mobility, stretching can aid the process allowing you increase your range of movement and improve any restrictions. Your TruBe stretching session will cover both dynamic and static stretches, and develop a personal stretching program that complements your exercise goals in the comfort of your own home or private space.

Pre & Postnatal:

Pregnancy workout

There are multiple benefits of keeping healthy, mentally and physically, during pregnancy and as a mother. Our TruBe expert trainers will provide a full body programme of exercises for pre and post pregnancy, and with our on-demand service, are able to workout alone in the comfort and security of your own environment. During your pregnancy, you stay toned, comfortable and active whilst post pregnancy working the body safely back to its full range of movement and strength again.

Book your session here!

Don’t forget we also offer a range of workout disciplines such as personal training, kickboxing, boxing, pilates and yoga. Search our network of expert trainers and send a request in seconds!

We’re excited about this new developments, and as always, we welcome your suggestions.

 

5 Best Proteins To Eat To Build Muscle

man with muscles

To build muscle, the first thing most people think of is lifting heavy weights and protein. Eating the right foods plays a big part in building muscle as it allows for greater muscle mass and a lean body. TruBe knows that it is essential to get the right amount of protein in your diet to see changes in your body. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and different foods contain different combinations. Leucine is the most important of the 20 amino acids which create muscle and studies show that eating around 2-3 grams will give you the maximum anabolic effect from a meal. So which foods have the best proteins? TruBe have come up with our 5 best proteins to include in your diet for muscle growth.

  1. Chicken

Chicken is probably the most common source of protein that people eat in order to build muscle. 100g of cooked chicken breast contains over 2 grams of Leucine.

     2. Eggs

Eggs are incorporated into most diets for their high quantity of protein. Just three eggs contains at least 2g of Leucine

    3. Yoghurt

Yoghurt and Cheeses

Yoghurt is great to include in breakfast meals with some fresh fruit. 1 cup of greek yoghurt contains at least 2.5 grams of Leucine. If you are lactose intolerant, there are many different types of yoghurts that are lactose free and are still high in protein.

    4. Tuna

Tuna can be eaten raw or cooked and is a great source of protein. 100g of cooked Tuna has over 2 g of Leucine Try adding some tuna to your salad or on a bed of quinoa.

   5. Soybeans

Green Soya beans

Soybeans are great to liven up salads or to accompany a meat dish. 100g contains over 3 grams of Leucine.

Don’t forget that our TruBe trainers will support you with your nutrition to help you reach your desired fitness goals. We have a range of trainers who have certified in nutrition such as Mel Rutherford who has obtained a precision nutrition certification.

To book a session, visit our website or book through our app today!