Flexercise Personal Training & Sports Massage Therapy

Some great work from clients in the studio this evening. Remember, progression doesn't happen all at once, you need to take small steps and gradually you start to see the results. Keep plugging away and good things will come 👍

My clients are pushing hard in the gym this week. The landmine attachment has added some extra difficulty to the sessions for rows, deadlifts and Viking presses. Keep up the good work Flexercisers 💪

** PT SESSIONS CANCELLED TONIGHT **

Unfortunately, when doing any form of training, whether it be sport specific or gym based weight training, there is always a risk of injury. Despite warming up and minimising that risk, it's still there and it does happen. Today was one of those days for me and whilst performing some dips on one of my normal weight sessions (👇), I felt a pop in my upper back and the sharp pain stopped me in my tracks. Unfortunately I've managed to tweak my rhomboids (between the shoulder blades), which has left me with an upper back that's gone into spasm and I'm struggling to lift anything, even raising my arms is uncomfortable.

It's nothing major, I've had a million of these little injuries over the years, which I recover from quickly with a day or two of rest, but it does mean I have to cancel all of tonight's PT sessions to make sure I don't damage it anymore. I will of course contact all clients individually to let you know and will rearrange your sessions to another suitable time.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience, it's frustrating I know, but it can't be helped 🤷‍♂️

Let's talk SMART goals. What does SMART stand for? 🤔

S pecific
M easurable
A chieveble
R elevant
T ime-bound

Let's focus on the middle one, ACHIEVEABLE 👍

I've been training, for some form of sport outdoors or in the gym since I was around 10 years old. Obviously, as a young boy it was more focussed on football and other sports, so more cardio, technique, flexibility and mobility based. As I've got older, my body has developed and the goals have changed, it's become more strength based in the gym. No matter what kind of training I've done, I've dedicated a lot of time over a many years to get in the shape I am today. I've overcome injuries, gone through many surgeries and other obstacles along the way, but my motivation hasn't wavered and my determination has stayed the same. It's never easy and as time goes on and we get older, it becomes more difficult to stay in shape.

The reason for mentioning my background is to bring you back to that word ACHIEVABLE. If you've lived a pretty normal life and go to work, looked after your kids, do a little exercise here and there like the average person, when setting your goals you need to be realistic about what is achievable. Now, there's no harm in aiming high and there's no reason why it isn't possible to get into incredible shape, but it does take a lot of time and sacrifices along the way.

I train most days and sometimes twice a day if I get the chance, as well as having two active jobs that have me walking 10-12 miles a day and showing exercises, lifting weights around a lot. Fitting all of that exercise into a busy lifestyle of work and family, can be very difficult, so you need to take that into consideration when thinking about your goals.

Is it achievable to have the body sculpted like a greek god? Is it realistic to want a body like the fitness model you see on a magazine cover? 🤔

Maybe not, so don't beat yourself up if your body isn't perfect or you feel like you're never going to look sculpted, there are far more benefits to exercising regularly than just looking in great shape. Be SMART, be realistic and work your way to more ACHIEVEABLE goals 👍

🫀 Healthier heart and lungs
📉 Less bodyfat
👇Lower stress levels
📈 Increased strength
🙂 Feeling happier about yourself
💪 Getting stronger
🏥 Building a better immune system
➕ Plus many more 👍

A quick test of the new 'landmine' barbell attachments. These could be added to your sessions, watch out 😉

Another great strength session tonight for one of my PT clients. A simple circuit format, decreasing the reps and increasing the weights with each set. A solid, full body session 🦵💪

They showed up, they conquered and they'll feel the DOMS tomorrow 😉

All it takes is a dash of consistency, a sprinkle of hard work and drizzle of determination, then you've got the perfect mixture for success 💪

"Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today" 👊