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Bootcamps - why do it?

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Fri, 19 Jul 2019 09:57:55 GMT

Benefits of bootcamp

If you take a stroll through a local park, you’ll often see groups of people doing things like squats, sprints and press-ups in an outdoor bootcamp class. So what’s the benefit of joining in.

First off is the feelgood factor. The oxygen boost you get from the fresh air gets the serotine flowing plus the natural environment puts extra demands on the body which means you work harder doing each exercise. Exercise is thought to really help with mental health, helping to treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressants. It can help relieve anxiety, tension and stress and boost physical and mental energy. It can also help you sleep and boost your confidence.

You also challenge yourself. The body quickly recognises and adapts to any exercise you complete, so you must continually make it guess and challenge the body in different ways. Each session is different.

You’ll get a total workout. You’ll be able to master exercises such as squats and lunges whilst using the correct form under guidance from the instructor. You’ll do sprints, high intensity interval training, resistance training and stretching.

You can train outdoors all year round. Just make sure you dress for the weather!

Bootcamps cater for all different levels of fitness, so don’t think you need to be superfit to join in. If you keep going, you’ll soon notice the difference in your fitness level.

All in all, bootcamps are social, you’ll make new friends for sure, fun and hardwork.

So why not put on your training gear, grab some water and head over to either Raphael Park, Romford on a Sunday at 9.00am or Lawns Park, Collier Row on a Tuesday at 6.30pm and join in the fun!

We also offer kid’s bootcamps which are an ideal way to get the kids moving. These sessions are 30 minutes of fun, running, jumping and circuits and you’ll child will be exhausted by the end of it! Get in touch to find out more.

Exercise and your mental health

Thu, 18 Jul 2019 10:50:18 GMT

Why exercise is good for your mental health

We all know that exercise is good for your body but it is one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health. Regular exercise can have a massive impact on depression and anxiety as well as helping to relieve stress, improving your memory, helping you sleep better and improving your overall mood.

Physical exercise can help treat mild to moderate depressions as effectively as antidepressant medication studies have shown. Exercise helps for several reasons. It promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including reduced inflammation and neural growth. It also provides new brain activity which in turn can lead to feelings of calm and well-being. It also releases endorphins which is a chemical in your brain that energises your spirits and make you feel good. If you exercise, it can also serve as a distraction, taking you away from any negative thoughts.

Exercise can also relieve anxiety. It relieves tension and stress and boosts physical and mental energy. If you focus on your body and how it feels when you exercise you will be able to stop the flow of worries going through your head.

When you are stressed you might feel tense, have headaches, and feel tight across the chest. You may also suffer from insomnia, stomach ache or even an upset stomach. Worrying and the feeling of discomfort may well make you feel even more stressed and this will make a vicious cycle between mind and body. Exercise is a great and effective way to break this cycle. Physical activity helps to relieve the tension and relax the muscles in the body as well as releasing the endorphins in your brain. The mind and body are linked, so if you feel better in your body, then your mind will feel better too.

Even short bursts of exercise can help regulate your sleeping pattern. Increasing your heart several times a week will also give you more energy. Start off slowly and gradually increase the length of your exercise pattern as you feel more energised each day.

Those endorphins that make you feel better also help you concentrate and feel mentally sharp. Exercise stimulates the growth of new brain cells and helps prevent age-related decline.

Finally exercise can help improve your self-esteem. Regular activity should be seen as an investment in your mind, body and soul. When it becomes a habit, it can boost your self-worth and help make you feel strong. You will also feel better in your appearance and make you have a sense of achievement.

So pull on your exercise gear, grab your trainers and start your health and fitness journey now. Not only will help your body but also your mind.

High Intensity Interval Training - HIIT

Thu, 20 Jun 2019 13:58:41 GMT

Why it's good for you....

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training – a workout that does what it says on the tin!! HIIT boosts your metabolism whilst burning tons of calories in a short period of time.

HIIT is great if you are short of time. Studies how shown that just 15 minutes of high intensity interval training burns more calories than jogging on a treadmill for an hour. It also helps build your endurance. This will help when doing any kind of exercise.

As HIIT uses a system of work hard then recover intervals, this teaches your body to efficiently use energy that comes from your body’s energy system. It also helps eliminate toxic waste from your muscles during the rest periods and helps you breathe effectively.

The American College of Sports and Medicine have said that HIIT helps you consume more oxygen than when doing a non-interval workout. This is turn means the excess amount of oxygen consumed helps increase your rate of metabolism from about 90 minutes to 144 minutes after a HIIT session. Thus the increased metabolism helps burn more calories at a faster rate.

You continue to burn calories and fat up to 24 hours after the HIIT workout, whereas with a steady pace workout you may not. This is due to the body’s repair cycle going into hyper drive.

With HIIT you lose fat and not muscle. HIIT workouts combine weight training (your body weight) which allows those looking to lose weight to preserve their muscle gain while shedding weight.

You can do HIIT training anywhere as no equipment is needed. All you need is a bit of space and the will to do it! Use exercises such as high knees, jumping jacks or burpees to get your heart racing. Although a good piece of equipment which doesn’t cost a lot or take up any room is a skipping rope. With interval training it’s easier to push yourself to the limit because of the rest interval that comes right after the hardwork. This in turn keeps the heart healthy and helps the blood flow around the body.

You can change your HIIT workout each time, thus eliminating boredom and constantly challenging your body.

So grab some water, clear some space and have a go at the following HIIT workout.

30 seconds work 10 seconds rest repeat 3 times

High knees

Burpees

Skipping

Mountain climbers

Squat jumps

Jumping jacks

Lunges – each leg

Russian twists

Exercise and happiness

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Sat, 16 Mar 2019 13:18:29 GMT

How exercise can make you feel happier

Exercise can improve your mood and also decrease feelings of depression, anxiety and stress.

It releases happy chemicals into your brain. Dopamine is a chemical that plays a role in your happiness. If your exercise the brain produces more dopamine.

Exercise also helps if you suffer from anxiety. The immediate mood boost from the production of dopamine is then followed by longer-term relief, similar to that offered by meditation.

Feeling stressed will also be helped by exercise. In the short term sweating out the day’s worries will help but regular exercise will help you become less stressed out in the long term as well.

When you exercise you raise your heart rate and trigger a burst of hormonal changes which subject your body to a low level form of stress. So subjecting yourself to the stress of exercise continuously eventually makes your body better at handling the rest of life’s stressors.

So get exercising and have a happier, healthier life.

Contact Mandy on 07775 745908 or mandy@mandyedwards.com to find out more about how personal training can help you reach your goals.

Exercise and your heart

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 14:18:00 GMT

The effects....

Exercise keeps your heart healthy
Exercise is one of the best things to do to keep your heart healthy which in turn reduces the risk of developing coronary heart disease or having a stroke. It can reduce your chance of cardiovascular disease by a third. Doing regular exercise can also help reduce your blood pressure and subsequently reduce the risk of having a stroke or heart failure.

It also helps to improve the balance of cholesterol. You have two types of cholesterol - low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is sometimes called "bad" cholesterol and HDL "good" cholesterol. High levels of LDL and low levels of HDL increase your risk of heart disease. The good news is that exercise is linked to higher levels of HDL cholesterol.

Contact Mandy at mandy@mandyedwards.com or 07775 745908 to find out how personal training can help keep you and your heart healthy.

How much exercise should we be doing

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 12:49:00 GMT

Types of exercise and how much

The weekly recommendation for exercise for adults aged 19 to 64 is at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise or a mix both moderate and vigorous. In addition you should also add strength exercises on 2 or more days that work all major muscles in your body.

A good rule is 1 minute of vigorous exercise is the equivalent of 2 minutes of moderate exercise and one way to do your 150 minutes per week is to do 30 minutes 5 days per week.

So what counts as moderate aerobic exercise - brisk walking, water aerobics, riding a bike on the flat, doubles tennis, mowing the lawn or hiking.

Moderate activity will raise your heart rate and make you breathe faster and feel warmer. You should be able to talk but not sing when you are doing moderate exercise.

Vigorous aerobic exercise can be jogging or running, swimming fast, riding a bike fast or on hills, singles tennis, football, rugby, jumping rope, hockey, aerobics class, cross trainer, rowing or martial arts.

Vigorous activity makes you breathe hard and fast. You shouldn't be able to say more than a few words without pausing for breath.

These activities count as strength exercises: lifting weights, working with resistance bands, using bodyweight to do exercises such as sit-ups, squats, lunges or push-ups, heavy gardening such as digging, yoga or pilates.

Muscle strengthening exercises are counted in repetitions and sets. A repetition is 1 complete movement such as a squat. A set is a group of repetitions. When you first start out try to do at least 1 set of between 8 to 12 repetitions. As time goes on you will be able to do more sets and lift more weight.

You can combine doing aerobic and strengthening exercises on the same day or do them separately on different days. Muscle strengthening exercises are not an aerobic activity, so you do need to do them in addition to your 150 minutes of aerobic activity.

So if you need help getting in your 150 minutes of weekly aerobic exercise and 2 muscle strengthening sessions, contact Mandy on 07775 745908 or email mandy@mandyedwards.com to find out more about personal training and how our different sessions can help.

Facetime/Skype Personal Training

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 11:02:49 GMT

The benefits.....

Facetime or Skype personal training sessions are ideal for people who are short on time. You don't have to travel to the gym so less time is needed for you do do some exercise. No equipment is necessary as there are tons of exercises that work the whole body that only use bodyweight.

Clear instruction is given, along with a thorough demonstration of the exercises. Being able to see you means that we can ensure you technique is correct. We provide encouragement, motivation, advice and guidance to help you on your health and fitness journey.

So whether you're are just starting out or just need that extra bit of encouragement, get in touch to book your first session. The cost is £15 per 45 minute session for one person or £20 for two people.

Call 07775 745908 or email mandy@mandyedwards.com to book or find out more.

Personal Training

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 11:16:40 GMT

Different types of personal training sessions

We offer a variety of personal training sessions:

1 hour face to face sessions in a private gym in Collier Row or Romford – these sessions primarily consist of a warm up, resistance training, HIIT session, cool down and stretching. These sessions are adapted to your level, your goals and objectives, your progress constantly monitored and your programme updated.

30 minute face to face session in a private gym in Collier Row or Romford – these 30 minute sessions are great for a HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout. HIIT improves your aerobic fitness, increases fat burning, tones your body and boosts your metabolism post-exercise which means you continue to burn calories throughout the day.

45 minute Facetime or Skye session – these sessions are great for people who do not have the time to travel to the gym. You don’t need any equipment as there are tons of exercises you can do just using your bodyweight.

Costs:

1 hour face to face sessions cost £35. You can of course train with a partner and the cost for two people is £50 per session.

30 minutes face to face sessions cost £20. Again you can train with a partner and the cost for two people is £30 per session.

45 minutes Facetime or Skye sessions cost £15. For two people the cost is £20 per session. All you need for these sessions are a laptop or tablet and bags of enthusiasm!

Way forward:

Get in touch today to book your personal training sessions. Call me on 07775 745908 or email me on mandy@mandyedwards.com .

If you believe in yourself, anything is possible!

High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 15:10:01 GMT

Book your 30 minute session now

What is high-intensity interval training (HIIT)?

HIIT can be described as repeated bouts of short to moderate periods of exercise performed at maximum capacity followed by a short recovery period.

Each bout of exercise can last between 10 seconds to 5 minutes which is then followed by a period of inactivity or low-intensity activity allowing the body to partially recover. With both the exercise effort and rest period the individual is able to perform at a higher intensity, stimulating and stressing the body to adapt.

So why do HIIT?

It is time effective. Due to the high level of intensity, the overall exercise time is often shorter that other types of fitness sessions. You can fit a good HIIT session in in half an hour, or even add a ten minute session in at the end of an hour PT session.

It’s a lot more fun that cardio on a machine in the gym!

It improves your aerobic fitness, increases fat burning, improves your body composition by reducing fat mass whilst simultaneously increasing lean mass and also boosts your metabolism post-exercise which means you will continue to burn calories throughout the day.

Types of HIIT

Tabata – 4 minutes of exercise broken down into 20 second bouts of high-intensity exercise and 10 seconds of rest. A number of 4 minute rounds can be performed.

Intervals – very much the same as Tabata but the work to rest ratio could be 2:1, 1:2, 3:1 or even 4:2. A number of rounds can be performed.

EMOM (every minute on the minute) – a certain amount of reps is performed on the minute, once you’ve completed the required reps, you rest for the remainder of the minute. A number of minutes can be performed.

AMRAP (as many reps or rounds as possible) – this is performing as many reps or rounds in a given time. Rounds are made up of sets and sets are made up of reps. So you could do 10 squats and 10 burpees as many times as you can within five minutes.

AQAP (as quick as possible) – workload is set, so you could row 1000m, 20 jump squats and 20 push-ups. That would be one round.

The Way Forward

If you fancy giving HIIT a go, get in touch and book a 30 minute PT session. You can train on your own, in a pair or even in a group of 3 to 5 people. Costs are £20 per person for an individual session, £30 for two people and £10 each for 3 to 5 people. This is a great way to get fit and healthy and its lots of fun! Call me 07775 745908 or email mandy@mandyedwards.com today.

Benefits of having a personal trainer

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 14:59:28 GMT

Book your personal training sessions now

So why book a personal trainer? Ok they can be expensive but you'll get more out of each session than you would training by yourself in the gym or at home. A personal trainer is there to help you reach your specific health and fitness goals effectively, efficiently and without injury. If you understand what a personal trainer can offer you, it will help you decide whether or not the expense is worthwhile.

Motivation
It's difficult to motivate yourself when you are working out alone. Regular personal training sessions can create accountability, which in turn motivates you to not let yourself down or your personal trainer. Hearing your trainer praise you for a job well done, consistency, progress or even proper technique can be a real boost when you feel like giving up.

Goal achievement
A personal trainer can help you set realistic and achievable goals. They will take into account where you are starting from and set you smaller realistic goals to get you to where you ultimately want to be. They will monitor your progress and help you achieve your goals.

Personalised workouts
Each person is different and has different goals. Personal trainers create specific workouts to help you achieve your goals. The personalised plan is tailored to your needs and takes into account your current physical condition and medical background. The plans are constantly monitored and updated as you go along.

Correct technique
Incorrect technique can cause injury, thus putting your health and fitness journey back. Your personal trainer will teach you the correct technique for each individual exercise. They will demonstrate the movement, guide you through it and correct any issues that you have. This in turn helps you to perform the correct technique when on your own.

Accountability
If you lack motivation, commitment or just the ability to get up and exercise, a personal trainer could be the help you need to kick start your personal health and fitness journey. It's easy to skip a session or fall off the wagon completely if there's no one to answer to. Working with a personal trainer makes it far more likely for you to show up and work out.

Variety
A personal trainer will mix things up and ensure that you don't get bored with your workouts. They will teach you a variety of exercise methods and if you want, no two sessions will be the same. You will be using machines, free weights, bands or just your bodyweight and there will be no end of combinations and exercises. You'll never feel stuck in the same old routine.

Efficiency
A personal trainer will make the most out of your workout time, which will increase the efficiency of your workouts. They'll know how to use every minute of your time and make sure you get a great workout at each session.

The way forward
We offer a free initial consultation where we get to know you, what you like, what you dislike, what your goals are and you get to know us and find out what we can offer you.

We'd then write you a fitness programme which you would do with us along with a programme that you could do on your own in your own time. If you are pushed for time we offer half an hour sessions as well as hour long sessions.

We'd monitor your progress, continually update the fitness programme, motivate and guide you to reach your goals.

So if you need encouragement and motivation to hit your health and fitness goals, get in touch today. Call Mandy on 07775 745908 or email her on mandy@mandyedwards.com.

Kick start your health and fitness journey

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 12:05:48 GMT

Book your personal training sessions now

Personal training is a great way to either kick start or continue your health and fitness journey. Don't forget your summer body is made in the winter!

Why not book your free consultation/taster session with us. At this session we get to know you, what you like, what you dislike, what your goals are and you get to know us and find out what we can offer you.

We offer personal training sessions that last either an hour or 30 minutes. We'll provide you with an fitness programme to do with us and in your own time, we'll monitor your progress, continually update the programme, motivate and guide you to reach your goals.

30 minute sessions are great for a high intensity interval training (HIIT) session. Hour sessions can incorporate some HIIT as well as resistance training. All sessions with help improve your cardio fitness as well as tone your body.

So if you need encouragement and motivation to hit your health and fitness goals, get in touch today. Call Mandy on 07775 745908 or email her on mandy@mandyedwards.com.

Gift vouchers for Christmas

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 10:23:00 GMT

Buy a great pressie for someone you love

Would you like to give someone you love an absolutely fabulous Christmas present and help them improve their health at the same time?

Why don't you help them kick start their health and fitness journey in the New Year by giving them a gift voucher for personal training sessions.

You can buy one, three, five or ten personal training sessions for your loved one. The cost of one PT session is £35 for an hour.

So if you want to help someone special get on track, get in touch by email mandy@mandyedwards.com or call 07775 745908.

Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year!

Sign up for personal training

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Sat, 10 Nov 2018 11:34:38 GMT

Free consultation

Do you have the motivation to go to the gym by yourself? If the answer is no, then why not sign up for personal training.

We offer a free initial consultation where we get to know you, what you like, what you dislike, what your goals are and you get to know us and find out what we can offer you.

We'd then write you a fitness programme which you would do with us along with a programme that you could do on your own in your own time.

We'd monitor your progress, continually update the fitness programme, motivate and guide you to reach your goals.

So if you need encouragement and motivation to hit your health and fitness goals, get in touch today. Call Mandy on 07775 745908 or email her on mandy@mandyedwards.com.

Free Taster Sessions

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 13:05:53 GMT

Get in touch...

If you've made a decision to get fit and healthy, its really easy to get started. Book in a free taster session and find out the benefits of having personal training sessions. All you need is an open mind and a commitment to start your training programme.

During the session we'll find out what motivates you, what you like and dislike, what your goals are and give you a taster of a personal training session. This will help us give you the kind of training you need.

If you don't like it, all it will cost you is 60 minutes of your time. If you do like it, all you need to do is sign up for regular personal training sessions.

So if you want to start or continue your health and fitness journey, or even drop a dress size for your Christmas Party, get in touch by email on mandy@mandyedwards.com or call 07775 745908.

It's good to stay hydrated

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 08:52:58 GMT

The reasons why....

Water should be top of your list to keep you hydrated. You shouldn’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water as thirst is the first sign that your energy levels are becoming depleted.

Water helps energise your muscles, so making sure you keep hydrated during exercise is really important.

Body fluids transport wasted products in and out of your cells. Drinking water helps the kidneys cleanse the body of toxins. When you are drinking enough water, your urine flows freely, is light in colour and free of odour. When your body is not getting enough water, your urine concentration, colour and odour increases as the kidneys keep extra fluid for bodily functions.

Water also helps to keep things flowing through the gastrointestinal tract making your bowel movements easier and more regular, thus preventing constipation.

As water helps all of your body’s systems function at optimum levels, it also has a huge impact on your immune system. As we know it flushes out the toxins and ensures that your cells get all the oxygen needed to function.

Skin in an organ and just like any other part of your body, your skin is made up of cells. Skin cells, like any other cell in the body, is made up of water. Without water, cells in the body won’t function properly. So you need to drink water to keep your skin hydrated and not dry, flaky or tight. Water reaches other organs in the body before the it reaches the skin, so make sure you drink at least 8 larges glasses a day.

Drinking water before a meal can reduce your appetite, thus making you not eat as much which in turn helps with weight loss. It also helps as water in calorie free and if you choose this instead of other high caloric drinks it will also reduce calorie intake.

Some headaches can be caused by chronic unintentional dehydration. If you correct the dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, it is possible for some people to finally end the pain of headaches.

Muscle cramping can be bought on by dehydration. If you are in a hotter climate and exercising you are more likely to get cramp during the activity. So making sure you drink loads of water is essential.

Overall water can increase your energy and relieve fatigue, it flushes out the toxins in the body, boosts your immune system, improves your skin complexion, can help with weight loss and getting rid of headaches which in turn can put you in a very good mood!! The added bonus is that its free. So buy yourself a water bottle, fill it up and keep drinking.

The Four Essentials to Good Health

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 11:16:05 GMT

Sleep, exercise, diet and water

The definition of health is the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness or vigor – ie good health; poor health.

So with that definition in mind, what helps to make up the term ‘good health’? There are many factors that contribute to a person’s good health but four of the most important ones are sleep, exercise, diet and water.

Sleep

During sleep the body rests and repairs. In order to give yourself the best chance of being mentally and physically prepared for the next day it is important to get a good amount of sleep. With quality sleep you will feel happier and better prepared to face your day and attain your peak performance. The amount of sleep a person needs varies person to person. On average, adults should optimally receive between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule is the best way to regulate the body’s clock and therefore get the best night sleep.

Exercise

There are many benefits of exercise. Regular exercise decreases the risk of health conditions such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, depressions and arthritis. It will also help with your mental health as it stimulates chemicals in your brain that make you feel happier and less stressed. It also helps you sleep.

Diet

In nutrition, the term diet is the sum of food consumed by a person. The word diet often implies the use of specific intake of nutrition for weight-management reasons but what it actually means is what you eat. It is easy to get overwhelmed by all the information out there about what is good and what is bad for you but the most important thing to remember is to consume whole foods such as vegetables, eggs, lean protein, nuts and fruits. Stay away from processed foods such as packaged snacks and fast food.

Water

You can survive approximately 3 weeks without food but only up to 7 days without water. Water helps the body by flushing out the toxins and maintaining the balance of body fluids. Your body consists of about 60% water. It helps keep your skin and body healthy and you should be drinking between 2 to 3 litres of water a day. Our body can often mistake thirst for hunger, which can cause you to eat more when you should be drinking more water. Water can help control calorie intake as substituting it for higher calorie beverage can certainly help. It also helps energise the muscles. Drinking enough fluid is important whilst exercising.

So overall make sure you are getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and drinking enough water.

Free Personal Training Sessions

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 11:05:16 GMT

Special offer

To help me kick start my personal training business, I am offering two free personal training sessions to the first ten people who respond to this blog. Get in touch by email on mandy@mandyedwards.com or call me on 07775 745908. The sessions will be held at a private studio in either Collier Row or Romford and at a time convenient for you.

So if you fancy kick starting or continuing your health and fitness journey, get in touch to book in your two free personal training sessions.

Benefits of Strength Training

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 09:39:58 GMT

Why you should do it....

What is strength training I hear you ask! Well its simple – it’s weight training. That said you don’t need to use actual weights. Your body weight is good enough.

This type of exercise will help your heart, strengthen your bones, improve your balance, co-ordination and posture, help you lose weight and make you look and feel better. It will elevate your level of endorphins which lift energy levels and improve your mood. It will also help boost your metabolism - you’ll burn calories during strength training and after your workout too. It is designed to improve your muscular fitness by exercising specific muscles or muscle groups.

People often think they will bulk up when doing strength training – this is generally untrue. You need to lift some serious weight to bulk up like a bodybuilder. Using this type of training helps prevent the natural loss of lean muscle mass that comes with ageing.

It should be part of your fitness plan and benefits people of all ages, but particularly those who have health issues such as obesity, arthritis, heart condition or osteoporosis. Aim to muscle-strength training at least two days or more each week.

It’s easy to begin a strength training programme either at home or in the gym. You can use:

Body weight – doing exercises such as squats, lunges, pushups, abdominal crunches is a great way to increase muscular strength.

Free weights – using dumbbell or barbells which can be purchased pretty cheaply for use at home or most gyms will have them.

Weight machines – these will be found at most gyms and they target different muscle groups. Ask to be shown how to use them correctly when using them for the first.

Resistance bands – these are very versatile and pretty cheap to buy. You can do a whole body workout effectively using these.

So who doesn’t want to feel better, look better and live a healthier life? Get started with your fitness programme and make sure it includes strength training.

Learn to love exercise

mandy.edwards1969@googlemail.com (Mandy Edwards) — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 12:10:53 GMT

Why do it?

Exercise is great for mind, soul and body. Even a quick walk can make you feel better. It can improve your overall health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exercise can have immediate and longer term health benefits. It can also help improve your quality of life.

Exercise can also help you stay healthy or get you healthier. Regular exercise will increase your overall fitness which in turn helps your body become more resilient to illness. It also gives you more energy and increases your overall stamina.

It can help with weight control. Exercise burns calories, which can result in losing pounds. More vigorous exercise burns more, but even a brisk walk can have an impact on the calorie burn.

Exercise can also be a mood booster, releasing chemicals into your brain that can help you feel happier and can also ease the effects of depression and anxiety. It also helps you sleep better at night.

Try to do some sort of exercise on a daily basis - get off the bus a stop earlier, walk up the stairs instead of taking the lift, take the dog out for a longer walk. All of this will help improve your overall health and fitness.