Month: April 2023

Functional training – it really is the key to success!

I strongly believe that our workouts should incorporate exercises which mimic everyday life & help us in daily activities. So here is one for you to try which ticks all the functional fitness boxes and just so happens to be my most popular class! Why is this the class to try:

• It is low impact and focusses on technique
• It is designed for ALL abilities
• It uses movements and exercises we need to be strong and fit for life
• It is just 30 minutes long

Functional training often involves compound moves where we use more than one muscle at a time (for example we squat down to lift something up & then reach to put it away or we rotate to one side as we get out of a car etc). The term functional training can be a little confusing as you would assume that all training has some functional benefit which is true but we are specifically talking about movements which mimic key movements we do in everyday life – think about it as training for life. For example sitting – we sit down and stand up off a chair, off the bed, off the loo many, many times in a day but all too often we don’t actually train that movement. We have slightly fallen into the trap of training like an athlete – for performance, rather than training functionally for the movement patterns we do in everyday life.

Functional exercise can help prevent injury, trips, falls and generally enhance day to day living, especially as we get older. Did you know that more people get injured doing day to day activities e.g. lifting something heavy in the wrong way like dragging the lawnmower out of the garage or getting out of the bath than they do in the gym doing their workout. So, whilst you might be strong at lifting a weight in a certain movement pattern or be a great runner it might not actually help you to take the bins out each week! That’s not to say there isn’t a place for running and other types of training but it’s important to get the functional work in too.

Take a look at some of my favourite functional exercises ~ these can really help improve our strength in so many daily movements; gardening, cleaning, in/out of a chair etc! The best part about functional training is that we really can do it anywhere – it primarily uses body weight and if you wish dumbbells or resistance bands rather than machines. A couple of great examples would be the squat with a press, press up and bicep curl shoulder press. Take a look here to see some great functional exercises you can try at home today. 

If you’re looking for a way to get started with functional and strength training my platform, Caroline’s Circuits, is just 30 minutes 4 times per week. They are interval training circuits which work different muscle groups and challenge the body, keeping the heart rate moderate to high with passive or active rest – they give the perfect mix of strength and cardio for long lasting results.

The workouts are Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9am and Tuesday at 2pm (they are all recorded and available to you immediately after the session if you can’t make the live).

Mondays and Fridays are workouts focusing on all the muscle groups. A strength-based class where you have the option of using weights or exercising without equipment.

Wednesdays are focussed on the lower body using resistance bands if you have them but equally all the classes can be done without equipment. Tuesday are our arms and abs day.

Classes have been specifically designed to suit all fitness levels and create fitness habits which last & produce results.

Intrigued to know more or have a go? Try a class for free here or read more about the platform here. If you have any questions please do get in touch.

For more workout inspo and to find out a bit more about me check out my Instagram.

Caroline x

Feeling sluggish and unmotivated post Easter? This free workout will kickstart Spring in just 20 minutes!

Summer is now in sight. Let’s get started now! All you need is YOU – no equipment, no gym. Try and repeat this 3 or even 4 times a week for maximum results – see the full workout & free trial here.

Interval training / HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) means that you work hard in short high energy bursts with a quick rest before moving on to the next exercise. Great for fat burning as the body will continue to burn calories even after you finish. You can always modify the exercises for low impact options too.

In this workout you will do each of the six exercises for 40 seconds with a 15 second rest in between. Aim for 3/4 rounds! 

1. High knees (or marches)

2. Squat jumps (or air squats)

3. Reverse lunges or lunge jumps

4. High Plank Jacks

5. Walk out to push up & jump

6. Mountain climbers

As always, any questions please do get in touch, I love to hear from you!

Caroline x

Running: It’s London Marathon Month! A few reasons in this week’s blog as to why running is so beneficial both physically and mentally!

Running is such a popular form of exercise and with such a list of health benefits it’s easy to see why. I know running isn’t possible for everyone so I will be sure to include some alternative exercises for you to try in this week’s blog.

1. Running is a great way to combat stress and anxiety 

It has been shown that just 30 minutes of exercise is enough to release the endorphins responsible for feeling great – these are your body’s natural anti-depressants. In addition to endorphins running also causes the release of norepinephrine, which is responsible for managing the brain’s reaction to stress.

2. Running is great for your heart

150 minutes of moderate exercise (such as gentle running) per week has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by 30% – which is huge! In addition to this it can also reduce the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) and strokes, so running really is beneficial to both how you feel right now as well as looking after your body long term.

3. Running and bone strength

The strength of your bones in your spine, pelvis and legs is enhanced by running. Bone becomes stronger when it’s loaded and the impact of running helps build bone strength in these bones. In addition the muscles, ligaments and joints supporting those bones all become stronger. Together, this can help prevent conditions like osteoporosis and enhance bone density. However if you do suffer from brittle bones, osteoporosis or low bone density then starting running requires a bit more thought and a discussion with your doctor to ensure it is safe to start.

4. The social side of running

Running can be an incredibly sociable activity! From bumping into the same person on your runs, running clubs, virtual running clubs, Strava meet ups and just meeting a pal for a jog and coffee afterwards there are so many ways to make running sociable and fun. 

5. Or ‘Me’ time

Running is also a great way to switch off and have some time out for yourself. It is great for getting away from your desk, getting out into nature and this is a massive boost for your mental wellbeing.

6. Balance and coordination

The positives of unilateral movement! When running you spend the majority of your time on one leg which is great for your balance, core stability and coordination. This can be particularly beneficial as we get older and reduces the risk of injury and falls.

7. Endurance

The more you run, the greater your stamina becomes and this has far reaching benefits for your respiratory system, your heart, your muscular strength and endurance and your weight management. It is so important to increase distance and time on your feet gradually as a spike in running is a huge injury risk. So be patient and slowly build those miles up.

Now I know running doesn’t suit everyone so I am including some alternatives here to try for your cardio activity – to get the same benefits without the pounding impact of running. 

Firstly cycling – you can still get out in nature and get the cardio and respiratory benefits as well as the balance and coordination but without the impact. 

How about wild swimming? Outside in nature definitely, not for the faint hearted though! 

Pool swimming can give you the cardio benefits and endorphin release too again without the impact on bones and joints.

Finally power walking – carry some light weights and get out on a power walk, if you really push yourself here you can definitely get all the benefits that you get from running and especially great for the legs on an incline.

As always, any questions please do get in touch!

Caroline x

Due to popular demand I have decided to include a Kettlebell workout tomorrow (Thursday) in this week’s online classes! Do you use one in your training at all? Here’s a few reasons why I love them!

1. They are SO versatile! Perfect for all aspects of your training be it Strength / Cardio / Power!

2. They build all round full body strength – recruiting many muscle groups at once, excellent for functional fitness training

3. They suit both high and low impact workouts – raising the heart rate and burning calories but equally kind on the joints. KBs are excellent HIIT training tools, great for fat loss if that is your goal by increased recruitment of muscle fibres. Challenging the body and increasing cardiovascular fitness

4. Fantastic for improving core strength and stability – they change your centre of gravity and recruit the abdominal muscles much more than in many dumbbell exercises.

5. Many KB exercises are unilateral which have huge benefits in themselves – increasing muscle stimulation, correcting imbalances, improving weaknesses

6. Brilliant for improving posture – strengthening the posterior chain which in turn will help with reducing injury risks

7. There are some great dynamic movements with KBs too, which are really effective in promoting joint health and strength. 

8. Not to be forgotten is the increased range of motion with certain KB exercises – they can be a huge help with improved flexibiity and mobility.

9. KBs increase our grip strength!

10. A power routine with a KB is a great stress buster – swing cleans, snatches, squats all require focus and technique and really help with the feel good factor that strength training brings!

So these are just a few of the benefits. Tomorrow’s class at 9am will take us through some fundamental kettlebell exercises. Use my code destress20 at the checkout to join us and try for yourself!!

Just in case you’re wondering…this is what this week’s schedule looks like – there’s no better time to join!

Caroline x