Fitness frocks

Another new feature to Barrett's Fitness is, Fitness Frocks!
I am forever buying new workout gear so I will now be sharing my new gear with you guys!

I love this outfit, it is perfect for teaching Body Jam

The Nike top was a bargain from Sports Direct
Trousers Pineapple
White Nike sweatband, sports direct (pack of two)
Pink sweatband, claires accessories.
Nike trainers, TK Max

Olympic mascots 2012

I've been hearing a lot about these Olympic mascots recently, nobody seems to like them!
Personally, I don't see whats wrong with them? I wonder if everyone is moaning about them, just for something to moan about, or if the mascots genuinely insult them that much!

(Wenlock left, Mandeville right)

The mascots symbolise so much, the image is labeled and below is an explanation of each one.

1- Represents the three levels of the Olympic Podium

2- Features the three Paralympic colours – red, blue and green

3- A light inspired by the signs on top of London taxis.

4- The mascots have just one eye each. They are intended to represent focus, and also resemble the cameras through which the public will view and record the tournament

5- Wenlock wears five friendship bracelets, in the colours of the Olympic rings.

6- Mandeville wears a personal best timer to keep track of his performance.

7- Both mascots are emblazoned with the London 2012 logo, which was launched to a mixed response in 2007.

8- The mascots owe their curved, metallic forms to their industrial origins. According to a background story written by the children's author Michael Morpurgo, they were crafted by a character called Grandpa George from the last drops of steel used to build the Olympic Stadium.

9- While predominantly silver, Wenlock is painted with flashes of gold and bronze, to represent all of the Olympic medals.

10-  The mascots both appear in athletic poses. In merchandise to go on sale in advance of the Games they will be shown competing in various Olympic events.

What do you feel about the mascots? Is there something wrong with them? Do you have a better idea for how they should look? 

Let me know, I would love to know everyones opinions.

Progress Post

My exercise regime has been all over the place this past week. I had my last exam Tuesday, spent the day packing to leave Loughborough on Wednesday and spent Thursday travelling back to Eastbourne.


Friday: I taught Body Combat, my first class in a few weeks due to revision
Saturday: Pump, Step and Balance
Sunday: Pump and Combat
Monday: Step, abs, Jason taught me how to do an Olympic lift, the power clean, then I taught Pump
Tuesday: RPM, Step, Pump abs, practices Combat in my garden (hello sunburn!), Swam 30 lengths and went into the steam room after every 10. My shoulder is stiff again so that really helped. I haven't been in a pool since I went to Egypt last September, but the weather this week has made me want to do nothing but get in a pool!

I started back on Sculptress shakes and caplets yesterday, I may cut down on the caplets as I still struggle to handle the caffeine!

So far today I have done Step, Pump, Spin and some abs. Later on I will do Combat and maybe go for a run if I have enough energy left! 


                                      What has your week in exercise been like?                                              

Query...Does muscle weigh more than fat?

Eeeeeeeek! The Summer seems to be upon us! You know its here when all of us fellow brits flock to the beach at the first sight of the sun, are bright red and sore all over.

Its not too late to start your beach bod training programme!

And what is it thats going to make you look amazing on the beach? Your muscle tone. Many people believe the myth that muscle weighs more than fat,

What is heavier a ton of bricks or a ton of feathers?

What would look better on your body? 1kg of muscle or 1 kg of fat?

Most of you would have answered muscle.

To gain the desired muscle tone you need to concentrate on working your fast twitch muscle fibres.

Slow twitch muscle fibres are common in marathon runners, these fibres can carry loads of oxygen, therefore aiding aerobic activity (aerobic = in the presence of oxygen) For example Paula Radcliffe who doesn't have much body fat or muscle

Fast twitch muscle fibres are common in sprinters in power lifters who train in alot of anaerobic activity (anaerobic = without oxygen) For example Ussain Bolt

who has much more muscle.

To gain more a more toned body it is advised that you weight train 3-4 times per week, doing 3 sets of 8-10 reps, always ensuring that you leave atleat 24hours between each session.

Answer....No muscle does not weigh more than fat. 

You would need a vast amount of muscle before it does so, and ladies, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET HENCH AND BULKY IF YOU WEIGHT TRAIN!

Typically women don't have the correct hormones to bulk up, those you see in body building competitions will have an extremely gruelling exercise regime which they do for a living, give the weights a go :) They are your friend.

Witness the Fitness

Witness The Fitness is a brand new feature to Barrett's Fitness, for you to learn, and be able to actually see how to perform new exercises to ensure you stay on track to reach your goals and gain untimate fitness!

This week you get to witness the squat.

For beginners, cross your hands over your chest

For intermediate level, hold dum bells at your sides for a bit of extra weight

For advanced use either a barbell or an Olympic bar for more weight, placing it on to the meaty part of your back, avoiding the bone and neck.

Set position:
Feet slightly wider than hip width apart
Toes slightly turned out
Engage your core
Lift your chest
Shoulders down away from your ears
Chin tucked in

Execution:
Push your bum back
Bend from your knees
Tip from your hips
Sink down untill you have a 90 degree angel in your knees (thighs parallel to the floor)
Push up through your heels
Squeeze your glutes

Ensure that you:
Do not allow knees to drift forward past your toes
Do not curve your spine
Do not hyper-extend the knees or tilt your pelvis at the top (end) of the squat
Do learn to love the squat!

Welcome to the new and improved Barrett's Fitness blog!

With weekly features you can't miss such as
-Witness the Fitness
-Fitness Frocks
-Fitness Facts
-My own personal progress posts
-Product posts
-Exclusive competitions
-Monthly Ask Sophie
and much much more!


Launching Monday!

Become a follower today and be in with a chance to win!!

Seriously lacking exercise!

So the revision week has set in.

I managed to get in some classes this morning, but apart from that I have been cooped up in my room reading up on Anatomy for my exam on the 17th. I have a busy week this week and just do not have enough hours in the day to keep up with my regular training. I will try to get in a few hours every morning until I go home for the Summer on May 20th!! I am very excited to go home for many reasons;
-to get back to training in a decent sized gym
-to be able to run along the beach and not a dual carriage way
-to not have to go to lectures anymore
-to get back into teaching looooads of classes everyday
-to be within 300 miles of my lovely boyfriend, sister, parents and friends
-to be able to eat mummies dinner and not my rubbish attempt at cooking
-to have a car and not a rusty bike
-and to not be woken up every night by the idiots who live above me who are so unlightfooted it is actually ridiculous, who feel the need to shout rather than talk, who have to have showers at 2.30 am, who have to slam doors and drawers rather than shut them.

So to cut a long story short...I miss home and I miss my gym!

When I get my training back in order I am going to take a Sculptress shake in the morning, and a Definity shake in the afternoon. I will also restart doing 3 Powerplate workouts a week which I haven't been able to do since I came to Loughborough.
 I will also have a more organised blog with new features and giveaways, so watch this space....

Chill out day

Today is my last day back in Eastbourne before I return to Loughborough to finish my first year of uni and put an end to me eating pringles for lunch, with oreos to follow.

So, I treated myself to my longest lie in this year, and breakfast in bed with freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit juice from Motherbear :)

I'm going to pop to the gym for some Body Step and Body Pump action and leave it at that for today. I've also got a date with the boyfriend to...do some revision! yay!

My mission for next week is to perform tripod pushups (with correct technique) on my toes! Found in Body Combat 43

Tuesday

My plan for today was 

RPM 7am

Body Step 8am

Body Jam 930am 

Body Pump 1030am

What actually happened was...I decided against getting out of bed at 6am and instead did Body Step at 830 followed by Body Jam and Body Pump.

I then had a job interview at Sovereign Centre Eastbourne, (the first gym I was a member of!), to work in the gym and teach classes. It went well and I got the job for the summer to keep me entertained whilst I'm not at Uni. 

I am currently having a break from my anatomy revision and looking forward to Body Combat at 6pm!! Can't wait!

Visit les mills to find a class near you today!

Bank holiday monday

It's bank holiday monday, the sun is in the sky (every now and then) and what have I done so far?

1. Had a lie in
2. Bacon sarnie for breakfast
3. Proof read Jason's dissertation
4. Had a nap
5. Had a cream egg and an Easter egg...oh dear. On the plus side, it is the last egg I had left!!

Think I had better get off to the gym! I'm taking this week off running and will start back fresh on Friday. I am dedicating this week to classes classes and more classes...and chocolate apparently! 

On Saturday I started taking my new protein shakes. Maxitone's Definity shakes in banana flavour, they taste AMAZING! The best I have tasted yet! I am definitely going to get some more.