Home - Blog - Crawley Fitness

November 29, 2016

0

Lumpini Fight Team at Muay Thai Mayhem: 19th November 2016

By JohnJarvis | Boxing, Competition Team, Muay Thai | No Comments

Club coach, Reece ready for action in his fight on Muay Thai Mayhem

Saturday 19th November was our last Muay Thai Mayhem show of the year and our biggest and most expensive show ever with 7 WBC Titles on the line and fighters from Spain, Portugal, Italy and France traveling to take on some of the UK’s best talent.

From our own Lumpini Fight Team, sports therapist Dani Peters started the action, beating Marie McManamon in a well matched battle over 5 rounds.

Boxer Jake Williams was up next, didn’t quite get going and having taken a count in the early rounds lost on points. Up and coming, George Jarvis, fighting in his 2nd adult bout faced Daniel Iodice from Italy winning all 5 rounds convincingly. Personal Trainer, Holly Spence, had a tough fight against Brighton’s Alexandra Vogt losing on points. While BJJ instructor, Keith McKenzie, fought the more experienced Davide Lupi from Italy. In his second outing for the club (his last bout over 3 years ago) Keith never quite got going, perhaps paced himself too well and lost on a points decision.

Perry Dee, who had recently been training at the famous Vos Gym in Amsterdam fought the seriously sharp, Sandro Martin from Spain in a 57kg contest. The slick Spaniard fought a well thought out game plan to beat Perry on points in what was a nice, technical battle of styles.

Ash Cooke was matched to face Sonny Dormer from Bromley. Ash who’d lost to Dormer in his first fight over a year ago had been training hard but couldn’t stop Dormer from getting the judges decision.

Next up was club coach, Luke Hill, fighting Italy’s Ivano Siviero at 60kg under Full Thai Rules with knees and elbows to the head. Luke fought a clever fight, listened well to his coaches in the corner and managed to hit and move, hit and move to frustrate the aggressive Italian. My favourite part of the fight… Luke ducking under a big right elbow from Siviero! Impressive stuff from the young 20 year old.

Scott McGovern, who had previously fought Thaiboxing, was fighting under boxing rules. Unfortunately for Scott, his opponent dislocated his shoulder in the first round leaving a disappointed Scott (who’d hoped to get a few rounds experience out of the fight) to win the “Prize Fighter” Southern Area title.

WBC World Champion at 55.3kg Ruth Ashdown fighting out of Lumpini Muay Thai Crawley

3 time World Champion, Ruth Ashdown faced Italy’s Sveva Melillo for the WBC World Title at 55.3kg. Ruth had previously held the 52kg WBC World Title and fighting at this new weight, looked strong, fought aggressively and won the title with a unanimous decision. Hastings Amy Campbell took on Jillian Corbett from the well respected Wicker Camp in Sheffield. From the first bell, Amy came out with all-guns blazing and in what was an action packed 5 rounds of relentless action, Amy won the 66.6kg WBC National Title.

Club coach Reece Thomson faced the tough and experienced Karl Hodges from Louth Thai in Ireland. An awesome technical battle, with tit-for-tat action it was a fight that was close right up to the final bell with Reece just nicking the fight probably thanks his work in the 4th and 5th round to win the WBC European Title.

Last up for Lumpini was Ben “Mr Cool” Hodge. Off the back of a big win against Saiyok on Thaifight and then a loss against Leed’s Jordan Watson, Ben faced WBC ranked Lotfi Talbi from France. The tricky Frenchman was on the back foot from the bell and a big kick to the ribs of Talbi dropped him to the canvas and finished the fight. All 0:24 seconds of it.

Arguably the fight of the night, and definitely the one that swung one way and then the other was the WBC International Fight between Lyndon Knowles and Portugal’s Carlos Degraco. The monstrous Degraco is a sparring partner for the UFC’s Mike Bisping and with a reputation as a “banger” he caught Lyndon with some huge punches in the first round. Having taken two counts already, it was looking like the end for Lyndon, but with some serous heart he came back into the second round, pushed forward and started to worry the dangerous Portugese fighter. Lyndon got caught with an elbow in the 3rd round which dropped him to the canvas and the referee waved the contest off.

A good show, that run smoothly and something for everyone.

Muay Thai, Boxing and K1 Kickboxing. With some wars, some technical battles and Lyndon’s fight which showed what being a fighter is all about.

With the end of the year only a month away, the boxers are out for their last show in Brighton on December 10th and the Lumpini Thaiboxer’s off to Thailand on the club’s Annual Trip to train and (maybe) fight.

November 14, 2016

0

The Lumpini Ladies at the Diesel Gym Interclub

By JohnJarvis | Ladies Fitness, Martial Arts Clubs in Crawley, Muay Thai | No Comments

The Lumpini Ladies at a Muay Thai Interclub in London

Rita, Karen, Holly, Emily and Lauren at the Muay Thai Interclub in London

A big well done to Rita, Karen, Emily and Lauren at last weeks Muay Thai Interclub at the Diesel Gym in London.

All four train in both our Ladies Muay Thai classes and jump in with the guys during our regular Muay Thai classes and invite only fighters classes too.

We use interclubs as a stepping stone towards having your first fight. Instead of “thowing people” in the deep-end, they’re the best way to build your confidence, to test yourself and feel what it’s like to have a real fight.

They’re typically a 3 round bout against one one from another club with a referee and corner team. So on the outside it looks and feels like a real fight. You train in advance for it, maybe for 3-4 weeks depending on how much notice we get, you watch your diet, lose a few kilograms and learn how to deal with the nerves of a contest.
Then you fight.

They’re not 100% all-out fights, there should be an element of control. It’s about learning to put what you learned into practice. To battle-test your techniques in a real situation against a less-tha compliant partner. You have to stay calm, be strong, listen to the advice of your corner team and to the referee who’s there for your safety.

If you or your opponent go “too heavy” the referee will step in and tell you to take it down a notch. If you’re outclassing your opponent, he’ll tell you to take it down a level – to go easy.

An interclub is all about learning. There is no winner or loser at this stage so it doesn’t make sense to “lose it” or “go crazy!”

We run several interclubs here at our gym and travel to local shows locally.

If you’re interested in training for an interclub, let us know. Train regularly and be consistent. Then put your name down for the next “Fight Skool” in the gym.

We post them on our Facebook page and put up posters around the gym in advance — so keep your eyes peeled!

See you in the gym!

October 13, 2016

0

Lumpini Muay Thai Fighters Session

By JohnJarvis | Martial Arts Clubs in Crawley, Muay Thai | No Comments

A short clip of Paulo’s Muay Thai Fighter’s class which runs every Wednesday Night.

A nice mix of people in the class, a few novices through to season A Class fighters (Professional) who fight with knees and elbows (full Muay Thai rules) to the head and even a couple of retired fighters in there too 😉

We try to make sure you learn from sparring. It’s not a fight (if you want to have a fight, then just have a fight) but sparring should be a time to learn how to apply your techniques.

To learn how to read your opponent, to time your shots and fight with your brain, not just brawn.

Then you get better and you don’t get injured (which would mean you can’t fight and if you’re a pro-fighter it means you don’t get paid and don’t get to eat!)

Personally, I think everyone should spar. Regardless of ability. We don’t make people spar but even if you “play spar” super-light you’re going to learn. You’re going to become technically better and you’re going to be able to use your techniques for real.When you learn new techniques, when you shadow box, hit the bags or pads then you hit them the same way you hope to spar and one day fight (if that’s your goal).

Everything is consistent.

You train how you fight, so you fight how you train.

It makes Muay Thai a “live” martial art because you’re not up against a compliant partner, they’re resisting and that’s what keeps the art and the sport real.

If you’re interested in learning Muay Thai you can find out more by clicking HERE.

November 18, 2015

1

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gold at the English Open for Kolarov

By JohnJarvis | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | No Comments

Well done to George Kolarov on his Gold Medal win at the English Open in Dartford at the weekend.

Super motivated, always here — training in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling classes — George entered the Adult Heavyweight Category at the weekend and showed mucho experienced for his 18 years.

Winning his first two fights on points, George did well to take the top-position, passing half-guards and moving well to keep on top and keep scoring as he moved from position to position.

In the semi-final he came up against the touch Rich Caplen from Brighton, winning on points and in the final he initiated the fight with a well performed ‘ankle-pick’ before taking control and winning via arm bar.

It was an awesome weekend for George who’s literally going from strength to strength and demonstrated both his technical skill and physical strength to win with three convincing performances.

Big well done and it’s great to have such a great player in what’s already a great Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team.

October 6, 2015

0

A Winning Weekend for the Boxers of the Crawley Martial Arts Academy

By JohnJarvis | Boxing, Martial Arts Clubs in Crawley | No Comments

It’s been a busy week for the boxers at the gym with a few of the guys jumping in and trying the Ultra White Collar Boxing tournament – raising money for charity – and then another 7 of of the team fighting in Erith last Saturday.

Fighting on the card were Cai, Aaron, Jake, Ashley, Josh, Dean and Randall.

Crawley Boxers

The results – a mixed bag for the gym.

Ashley, Josh and Jake all had tough fights – that’s a good thing – and despite putting in good performances they lost to better boxers on the day. They’ve all gone away, having learned a lot and have already been back in the gym working on getting better for next time.

MMA fighter, Aaron, was back in the boxing ring for the first time in a couple of years – taking a few MMA fights in between. The come-forward fighter did exactly that winning by TKO in the 2 round having already given his opponent a count earlier in the round.

Randall was back in great form – the tall, rangey fighter picked his shots well, moved stylishly and did what he had to do to take home another convincing win . While Dean – in a tough, well matched fight – listened well and put his gym work to good practise to win what was only his 3rd fight.

Military man Cai had boxed only 6 days earlier on the Ultra White Collar Boxing event for charity and was stepping into the ring for his first official fight for the Crawley Martial Arts Academy. Moving well and picking his shots he put on a great display to out box and win his fight.

It’s been a busy few weeks down the gym and with more fights on the horizon – plus an international Muay Thai even coming up on the 21st November – it’s only going to get busier!

To find out more about boxing or learning Muay Thai at the Crawley Martial Arts Academy – you can get in touch by filling on the form on the side of this page or calling us on 01293 552 511.

August 18, 2015

0

Kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team Results

By JohnJarvis | Crawley BJJ, Kids Martial Arts | No Comments

Only a year in and the Kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team is starting to look GREAT!

Their second competition this year saw Jack , Ali, Finley, Drai, Jodi, Jayden and winning Golds, Silvers and Bronze medals at the Brighton BJJ Open.

The team of boys and girls are all taught by Black Belt Keith McKenzie and Purple Belt, Sonny Weston at our gym in Crawley and in no time at all have gone from rank beginners to medal winners in the competition.

A big well done to all the team, you all did awesome!

If you’re interested in finding out more about our kids martial arts classes (we have two different martial arts and teach 6 days a week) click HERE.

August 18, 2015

0

Surrey Open 2015 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Results

By JohnJarvis | Competition Team, Crawley BJJ | No Comments

A big well done to all the McKenzie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu boys and girls (based here at the Crawley Martial Arts Academy) for their performances at the weekend.

It was a big team out (Graham, Paul, Dan, “Keys”, Jim, George, Wayne, Mike, Przemyslaw and Joanna) that took home three golds and plenty of silvers – several of whom are still relatively new blue belts in a division with plenty of people ready to make the next step up to Purple.

The Checkmat guys (our lineage is via the Viera brothers in Brazil so we’re the McKenzie BJJ team, part of Checkmat and based at the Crawley Martial Arts Academy) did fantastic with 18 year old George Kolorov fighting in the Adult Blue Belt, Heavy Weight division – winning his first two fights convincingly before making a tired error in the final to take a silver medal.

Super-slim, super-strong Graham Day pulled guard twice to fight from his favourite position on the bottom winning with two triangle chokes, while Paul Brimelow won his first fight with an armlock and his second submitting his opponent AFTER he’d already gone 16 points up. An impressive victory for Paul.

Przemyslaw and Joanna both won Silver Medals, while Dan and Steve took home Bronze medals for the team.

All in all, it was a fantastic performance from a team that’s just getting stronger and stronger and with the Oxford Open only around the corner – next month should be even better (and hopefully we’ll bring an even bigger team).

See you in the gym!

May 5, 2015

0

The Juniors on Tour…

By JohnJarvis | Uncategorized | No Comments

It’s been a busy couple of weeks at the Crawley Martial Arts Academy.

On the adult side of things Paulo and Ruth have both fought locally and abroad while we’ve also had teams fly to Glasgow and West to Hearne Bay for a fight night.

Locally we’ve been working with the Ultra White Collar Boxers who raising money for cancer research and then the kids have been all over the place.

Fighting at the Junior Championships in Stoke. Bournemouth and even travelling to Seville in Spain where they did fantastic getting a mixed bag of wins and losses (and yes we’re biased but we think the judges were too).

The kids fighting — made up of Brad, Harvey, Yai, Ethan and Linstead — have all be on fire recently. Super busy and training their hearts out in our Kids and Junior Muay Thai classes in Manor Royal.

While brother and sister — Gavin and Jodi — have been competing with the other Juniors and on the back of it they’ve been training super-hard. They both have amazing attitudes toward training, super polite and listen, listen listen!

With the summer approaching and holidays coming up — we’re still hard at it at the gym.

With two more trips to Italy on the cards, a trip to France and plenty of domestic competitions locally for both the adults and the kids.

If you’re looking to get started (or have your child get started) and learn the art of Muay Thai (for self-defence, for confidence, for fitness or to compete) you can get in touch with the team on 01293 552 511 or enter your name and telephone number in the enquiry box on this website and we’ll be in touch.

March 9, 2015

0

Four Steps to Permanent, Sustainable Fat Loss

By JohnJarvis | Exercise and Fitness, Weight Loss | No Comments

Most people approach Fat Loss wrong.

In fact they do it backwards.

Then wonder why things aren’t changing.

You see most people think it’s all about exercise. They think getting down the gym three or four times per week will cut it. And while it will help — it’s the thin end of the wedge. Getting to the gym isn’t where the magic happens and it isn’t the reason weight just “falls off”.

Let me give you an example:

You train three times per week and you burn 400 calories per session (… forget all those claims about burning over 1,000 calories per hour because it’s usually non-sense). Well that’s a grand total of 1200 calories expended per week.

Break that down and 1,200 calories per week is 171 calories per day in the red.

Here’s the best bit…

That’s roughly two and half digestive biscuits.

So if you have a sweet tooth and like a little treat with your lunch or a dessert in the evening you could smash that 171 calories just by tidying up what you eat.

Take the sugar out of your tea, get rid of processed foods and sauces.

It’s not rocket science (… although if you need a gentle nudge in the right direction we can help)

It’s a lot easier and lot a cheaper to just tidy up your diet than it is to haul your butt down the gym and push yourself once you get there.

And that’s what I mean when I say most people approach weight lose backwards.

They think about the exercise first and foremost… treating it like it’s some kind of magic cure or worse still they actually go and look for a magic cure (… cue slimming tablets and shakes). Which is the single worst thing you can do if permanent change is what you’re after.

Our approach here is different.

Sure we believe in diet and we believe in exercise but we prefer to say eating and training.

Because you’re going to continue to eat (… and not diet) for the rest of your life.

And exercise is random. Training has a purpose. There is an end goal and milestones you can celebrate along the way.

Our personal trainers have a four step approach to fat loss:

Eat right
Train right
Social support
Accountability

Hopefully you understand 1 and 2 a little better now.

It’s about eating and training. We can help you with that.

Social support, well that’s the reason weight watchers and slimming world are so popular. It’s a group of people who get together and support each other. Then weigh in weekly (… before binging and hiding the evidence) for the pat on the back.

And accountability.

Well that’s about having to look someone in the eye and tell them you’ve hand a sneaky chocolate bar (… or been really good and getting a pat on the back).

Accountability is where you have someone who’s going to be waiting for you in the gym at a specific time on a specific day where you’re going to make sure your food has been in check for the week (… we recommend all our clients use a food diary) before working through your training programme (… the programme that makes you look and feel great, not just ‘skinny’).

There you have it.

Fat loss in four easy steps — with a little bit of an ‘a-ha’ moment — on why you can’t out train a bad diet.

If you’d like to have a chat to one of our trainers to find out how you can kick start your new lifestyle click here to find out more.

February 13, 2015

0

Good Luck Jay… an Interview with the BBC at the Crawley Martial Arts Academy

By JohnJarvis | Exercise and Fitness, Gym Crawley | No Comments

Jay featured on yesterday’s BBC News as he trained at the gym in preparation for his trip to Australia this weekend.

Post by BBC South East Today.

Jay, who’s been training and friends with us at the Crawley Martial Arts Academy for years (we’ve lost count) is a real life hero and inspiration to us all. Never making any excuses and grabbing life by the ….. despite what’s happened.

Good luck on your trip!

February 4, 2015

0

Why our Kids Muay Thai Classes are great for confidence

By JohnJarvis | Kids Martial Arts, Martial Arts Clubs in Crawley, Muay Thai | No Comments

While our classes might look like they’re all about punching and kicking… running and jumping… press-ups and squats…

They’re not just physical skills our Little Champions learn.

During our classes our students have to be able to listen carefully and follow instructions.

They learn to have the confidence to put their hands up and ask if they’re not sure or need extra help. They’re asked for opinions and suggestions (… it takes a brave person to put their hand up in public, most adults are too scared) and participate in class.

We have our students volunteer and help demonstrate. They’ll be in charge of exercises… they’ll count our reps and lead by example.

All of which are MASSIVE confidence builders and make our classes much more than just punching and kicking. And if our adults find classes good for their confidence then imagine what it can do for your kids!

There’s a lot more going on too.

Sure children improve their physical skills and learn to help out in class, participate and engage but here’ something else they do.

They learn to take responsibility for themselves and the other members of the class. We have partner drills where (… yes) the kids practice techniques on each other. They punch each others gloves and learn to place their kicks and knees on each others bellies. That all takes control and it takes trust from us – the instructors. And guess what? The kids have never let us down because they listen… they respect their instructors and they respect the other children in the class. Their training partners and team mates.

Our Kids Muay Thai classes are great for confidence… they’re great for skill, co-ordination and control and with a little hard work they’ll be where the next Champion Thaiboxer from Crawley starts their journey!

To find out more about kids martial arts classes you can call us on 01293 522 511 or enter your details in the enquiry form on this page >>>

See you in the gym!

January 22, 2015

0

Hard Hitting Cardio Classes…

By JohnJarvis | Weight Loss | No Comments

Today I spoke to a guy who wanted to get shredded.

His words, not mine. And while I know our training gets people shredded (… fighters are some of the leanest and, pound for pound strongest athletes on the planet) it’s a weird word to hear on the phone. A word I associate with the bodybuilding world. But I’m wrong because getting shredded is something we do with all of our fighters and (… if they’re prepared to train right and eat right) something we help many of our members do.

The reason our classes are so popular for getting shredded (… remember his words, not mine) is because our training is tough and our training is intense. Punching, kicking, kneeing and elbowing pads with full intensity, speed, power and force is a tough, tough workout.

By their very nature our classes make the most of intensity and volume, the two biggest factors associated with burning a lot of calories. You’ll train hard, as physically hard as you can and then there is some downtime in our classes. Where you hold pads for your partner, move around and try to check their guard, their balance and their positioning. It’s an active form of rest.

And (… as a gym with active fighters) we incorporate a lot of their training into our regualar classes for folk who want to train recreational too. Tough strengthening exercises and strength endurance circuits designed to increase your cardiovascular conditioning… which create something called EPOC. Which is what people mean when they talk about afterburn and how the body can continue to burn calories for hours even after training.

Interesting, eh?

If you’d like to find out more about our fitness classes, if you’re looking for an exercise class with a BIG difference and get the kind of results you’ve always dreamed of then get in touch!

You can find out more by entering your name and telephone number into an inquiry box on this page or give us a call on 01293 552 511 and we’ll talk through our training programmes here at our gym in Manor Royal, Crawley.

January 13, 2015

0

Boxing Classes for Weight Loss

By JohnJarvis | Exercise and Fitness, Gym Crawley, Self Defence Classes, Weight Loss | No Comments

If you’re looking to get in great shape, burn body fat, build lean muscle mass then why not try our boxing classes? They’re physically tough, burn a lot of calories and build a great level of fitness that ticks all the boxes.

And if you like the idea but need a little push or are a little daunted, read on because there’s plenty of myths holding people back from starting boxing.

So You’ve Never Trained Before?!

Neither have most of our members, our classes are suitable for all levels from beginners through to fighters. During each and every class you’ll work on learning new techniques, improving your skills and mastering the fundamentals.

From their you’ll either hit pads with a partner or spend time on the punch bags honing your skills. And if you’re worried about sparring, don’t worry! We strongly believe in stepping stones, learn the basics, build your confidence and (if you want) we’ll introduce you to sparring further down the line.

The “I’m not fit enough” Myth

One of the biggest mistakes anyone can make is putting off getting started until they are fitter. The harsh reality is most people don’t get fitter and the fitness they build isn’t specific to boxing.

Sure running and other cardio will help and build a base but the intensity of hitting pads and working on punch bags is very, very different. Come down, jump in the deep end and work at your own pace. We’ll look after you, help you out and you will get a lot fitter, faster!

The “You Gotta Fight “Myth

Most fighters don’t start out thinking they’re going to fight. They start boxing for fun, for fitness or because they got dragged down by a friend. So if you want to train just for the enjoyment that’s fine with us, it’s the reason most of our members got started.

But as you get better and realize “Maybe I could fight” and decide to up your training, we have a dedicated team of trainers and fighters who are here to help.

Just Do It

Now’s the time to take action. If you’re reading this article, you’re interested already the only think holding you back is the next step. So go on, pick up the phone and give us a call on Crawley 01293 552 511 (or enter your name and telephone number in the box on this page) and get ready to get a sweat on.

All you need to get started is a t-shirt, shorts and a drink.

Out gym is fully equipped with boxing rings, pads and bags, kettlebells, bulgarians bags, dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls and more. Everything you need to get in the best fighting shape of your life.

See you in the gym in Manor Royal, Crawley and open 7 days a week.

January 6, 2015

0

How to Pick a Personal Trainer

By JohnJarvis | Uncategorized | No Comments

If you’re shopping around for a personal trainer then be careful…

Because shopping around usually means making decisions based on price which reminds me of the saying “If you think an expert is expensive, then wait until you hire an amateur”.

You usually get what you pay for.

So what should you be looking for before you pick a personal trainer?

Andy Brown of the Huffington Post wrote this article (one of the best I’ve read) where he quite rightly says that if you’re hoping to look like someone from a BodyPower or enter next years strongman competion then you need to pick someone who looks and specialises in that kind of prepartion (and expect a lot of protein, broccoli and chicken consumption)!

What you really need is to know what you’re looking for before deciding to pick a personal trainer who’ll happily take your money.

So what’s the best way to find out if you’re trainer can help you achieve your goals?

Find a trainer who’s already helped others in your situation which brings me onto the next point.

Make sure you a) get on with your trainer and b) you meet face to face before parting with cash and committing to their programme.

You don’t have to become best buddies (in fact you should be training not chatting during sessions) but you do need to get on and click with each other. If you like to be shouted at, then pick a trainer who likes to shout at their clients. What motivates me won’t necessarily motivate you.

Which brings me to the last part.

What do we specialise in?

With a background in martial arts, our clients are the kind of people bored with the gym and looking for a more interesting way to get in shape.

We have a team of professional fighters who have competed around the world and must be in the best shape of their lives before stepping into the ring.

That’ s what we do.

We train our Personal Training clients like fighters (minus the getting hit bit) and our clients range from 13 year old children through to 50 year old executives who HATE the gym, want to lose weight, burn fat and get in amazing shape.

If that sounds like you, get in touch by filling in the form on this webpage or call us on 01293 552 511 and we’ll talk through our programmes and invite you down to meet us, have a chat and find out if you like us 😉

January 2, 2015

0

How to get in the best shape of your life in 2015…

By JohnJarvis | Exercise and Fitness, Gym Crawley, Personal Training Crawley, Weight Loss | No Comments

It’s that time of year when people are setting goals, making (and breaking) New Year’s resolutions and keeping their fingers crossed for a BIGGER better year than they had in 2014.

And as cheesy as the “New Year New You!” slogans might sound and as cliched as they might be…

There really is nothing bad about sitting back, reflecting and doing something to make 2015 a better year than lasts BUT you need to do something more than just reflect, think and make a note in your mind.

That’s where folk fall down and that is why they fail.

Instead of doing, they think.

Instead of acting, they talk.

Which all leads to 2015 (potentially) being the exact same as 2014.

So What’s the Solution?

It’s super-simple (like most solutions are) and there is no magic secret or push button solution.

All you got to do is Turn Up and start doing something.

Forget thinking and making a resolution to lose a stone, two stone or 5 stone in 2015.

Instead set yourself a goal to sort your diet out and eat healthy. It all starts with your eating (let’s not call it a diet) and making sure you make long term, permanent and sustainable plans that mean you lose weight and keep it off. Eating that doesn’t just help you look better it makes you perform better too. Eat good, look good and feel good!

Instead of thinking about getting to the gym four, five or six days a week just make a small commitment to getting there twice a week. Then turn it into three days and add a little walk here and there. Start with a small, simple change and then scale it.

Lastly (but arguably the most important) is social support and accountability which is why personal training is so popular. It’s not just about eating and training… it’s about eating, training, having support and someone to tell (or confess to) when you’ve eaten that bar of Dairy Milk or been a little naughty and eaten an entire pizza for desert.

Social support and accountability are perhaps two of the biggest and most neglected factors ‘we’ forget when it comes to losing weight and getting in shape.

You Must Start Now…

Losing weight and getting in the best shape of your life is simple.

Turn up, do the work and keep it consistent.

That means eating right and training right.

Keep it realistic, keep it sustainable and keep it consistent.

Procrastination is a dream killer which is one of the reasons our fitness classes and personal training sessions are so popular. You book in and you turn up. Then let the pace and energy of the class pull you along and get your body moving!

That’s the first step sorted.

The next biggie is finding social support and accountability.

Finding people (ideally a partner or spouse) who’ll get behind and help you out when times get touch, when you need to be kicked off the sofa or to stop you raiding the fridge when late night boredom sets in and you start to eat for the sake of it.

Social support and accountability are big factors. Even if you want to ‘go it alone’ find someone, even if it’s online who’ll help you out and be there for you. Fact.

And that really is it.

It’ll get you in the fittest and best looking shape of your life and it’s something our team has been doing for close to 20 years now.

December 16, 2014

0

How to Eat and Lose Weight at Christmas…

By JohnJarvis | Ladies Fitness, Personal Training Crawley, Weight Loss | No Comments

If you’re looking to keep in shape (or even lose a bit of weight) over the Christmas period it can… be tough. There’s food everywhere, and for the most part it’s they’re not the healthiest options.

So, what do you do?

A super simple tip is to eat well before you go out. Now conventional wisdom says you’ll eat twice as much but with a little care (and a lot of listening to your body) you should end up eating less when you go out. And by well I mean lean protein, low G.I. carbohydrates and lots of vegetables (there should be plenty of Brussels sprouts floating around)!

Then you have flexible dieting.

Lets keep it simple and practical.

Say you eat 2000 calories to maintain your weight. If you’re off out in the evening for a meal and think you’re going to eat 1500 calories — then you make sure you’re breakfast and lunch are only 500 calories.

This isn’t an exact science, and it’s not perfect either BUT if you want to eat when you’re out and enjoy the festive season then it’s a perfectly practical option to keep your weight in check.

Just make sure to make the most of those 500 calories, full of nutritional dense foods (think vegetables again) and protein. For the simple reason that the evening is highly likely to be higher on the carb side of things.

Last tip (you can combine all these options) is learn to make healthier choices when you do eat out. Pick the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats. By that I mean lean protein (think chicken breast, turkey, salmon and lean beef), lower G.I. carbs (think brown not white and starchy carbs instead of sugary ones), and by healthy fats you can have salmon and plain nuts (not salted etc).

And lots of vegetables (are you seeing a trend here?) these nutrient rich, low calories foods should become staples of your eating.

Away from the eating side of things don’t forget to keep your body moving.

The gyms might be shut but that’s no excuse.

Make the most of crisp, sunny Winter days and go for a walk, take the stairs and not the escalator when you’re doing your Christmas shopping and squeeze in a few bodyweight exercises (press-ups, chin ups, squats and core work) to keep your body moving.

Christmas doesn’t have to be the overindulgent fest many folk think it is.

Apply these simple tips, keep moving and enjoy!

And if you’re looking for a little help with your eating and exercising come the New Year… get in touch with our team on 01293 552 511.

We have over 40 classes per week, offering 1-2-1 personal training and are here to help!

Now go and have a great Christmas!

December 9, 2014

0

How to Burn Even More Calories without Exercising More

By JohnJarvis | Crawley BJJ, Personal Training Crawley, Weight Loss | No Comments

Like it or loathe it — weight loss is largely down to creating a negative energy balance.

Sure — a calories isn’t just a calories — 300 calories from donuts are very different from 300 calories of vegetables but ultimately if you want to lose weight you have to create a negative energy balance.

Less in. More out.

While most of us attribute that to exercise and diet — move more and eat less — there are two other very simple, very important factors that will make a difference.

The first is N.E.A.T or non-exercise related thermogenesis.

How to Increase Your N.E.A.T.

N.E.A.T. is burning calories that are not from exercise, eating (yes, your burn calories from eating) and sleeping (yep, you burn calories even when you sleep).

It might be the fidgeting you do at work, taking the stairs instead of the lift and moving around more.

While the amount of calories burned from N.E.A.T. might not sound like a majority factor remember exercise is often as little as 15-30% of your daily calories needs.

A small increase in your daily N.E.A.T. can and will have an impact.

And often it’s N.E.A.T. that makes naturally skinny people, skinny.

Increase Your T.E.F.

T.E.F. is the Thermogenic Effect of Food and can account for 10% of your daily calorie expenditure.

In a nutshell the food you eat can and does impact the calories you burn, with protein having the highest T.E.F.

So in a nutshell, eat more protein and you’ll burn more calories.

One of the biggest problems with Western Diets is that we all eat too many carbohydrates and not enough protein.

So most folk don’t eat enough protein (you should try to squeeze in lean protein at every meal, including breakfast) which will a) make you feel fuller b) ensure your protein needs are met and c) help you burn more calories.

That’s what you call a win-win-win situation!

Do You Want to Start Burning More Calories?

If you’re serious about losing weight — and more specifically fat — then the surest ways to do this is by:

Increasing your metabolism
Increasing your N.E.A.T.
Increasing your T.E.F.
Exercising more
And eating the right kind foods

Five things our training and nutritional suggestions can and will help you improve.

To find out more about our daily fitness classes or personal training for weight loss fill in the enquiry form on this page or call our gym on 01293 552 511.

We’re a friendly bunch, here to help and when you get in touch you’ll be making the first and most important step to changing how you look, feel and perform.

See you in the gym (hopefully)!

November 20, 2014

0

The 20% of your efforts that mean 80% of your weight loss….

By JohnJarvis | Personal Training Crawley, Weight Loss | No Comments

Back in the 1600s an Italian by the name ‘Pareto’ realised that 80% of the results you get come from 20% of your work and effort. It’s a strange phenomena that seems to crop up all and that includes burning fat and losing weight.

There is the one thing that leads to 80% of your results…

And there’s the ‘other’ thing that leads to just 20%…

What’s the 80%…?

I kid you not … you can 80% of the ‘way’ there by just focusing on your diet.

Imagine this…

You work out two days a week, train hard and burn 600 calories per session (… if you’re lucky, most folk don’t work nearly hard enough to achieve this) leaving you 1200 calories in the red — not bad.

Or you could tidy your diet up just 200 calories per day and you’re 1400 calories in the red without stepping any where a gym or working up the slightest of sweat.

Now sure both work but the problem with the gym solution is most folk treat it as an excuse to eat some naughty food, have a treat and indulge a little.

Just two biscuits with your cup of tea and you’re gone from 1200 calories in the red to 900.

And it’s very easy to let it slip further.

Proof that tidying up your diet is as (if not more) important than exercise and exercising more.

That might sound a little weird coming from a gym who like to see new members but truth be told helping our members eat better AND train harder WITH additional social support really is why we can help our members and personal training clients succeed where other methods have failed.

The Exercise and Diet Double-Whammy…

While you can get 80% towards where you want to be with just diet the harsh reality is discipline often gets in the way. Or rather a lack of discipline gets in the way, holds us back.

That same lack of discipline coupled with the horrendous food marketing we’re bombarded with daily can — for many of us — make looking how we want to look a near impossibility.

And that’s where exercise help.

While I don’t have the papers to reference, there is evidence to support the fact that people who train also eat well and stick with their diet for longer periods of time.

And, there’s more.

When people diet they typically lose weight but it’s weight — not fat — they lose.

What does that mean? It means they lose muscle mass and they lose fat and potentially end up skinnier without any really shape of definition. It’s what most people mean when they say toning – that’s the nice shape having muscle gives us.

If you have no muscle then you look like ‘what you are’ skin covering bone and that’s not a good look.

The right combination of the right exercises with the right diet on the other hand leaves you looking fitter, healthier and feeling good too.

Not to mention the fact that people with more muscle burn more calories (they have a higher metabolism) so it’s a win-win-win situation on many fronts.

Interest in Personal Training?

While personal training isn’t for others (some people prefer a small group or class), a one-to-one session is the quickest way to get in shape, lose weight, burn body fat and build a better looking, healthy body.

Our gym in Crawley is unique in that we’re not a mainstream commercial gym.

We don’t have station upon station of cardio machines.

We don’t have meat-heads who’ll stare at you when you walk into their domain and we know all of our members by name.

Our gym is a cool place to train, it’s super-friendly and we get great results.

To find out more, get in touch.

Enter your name and telephone number in the enquiry box on the side of this page and we’ll give you a call back to talk through your training goals and get you started as quick as possible.

Or you can call us on 01293 552 511 and if we don’t answer (because we’re probably training someone) leave a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

See you in the gym!

November 3, 2014

0

The Simple Science of Fat Loss

By JohnJarvis | Exercise and Fitness, Gym Crawley, Personal Training Crawley | No Comments

Fat loss (better than weight loss) is super simple.

You can boil it down to the basics:

Better nutrition
Smarter training
Social support

And that’s it. That’s enough to get most people 80 – 90% there and achieving their goals.

But simple doesn’t always mean easy.

You have to be ready to change and you have to want to change.

Now you don’t have to confine yourself to the world or broccoli, chicken and tupperware pots to achieve those goals.

But the better you can be, the quicker you’ll see results.

We can help guide you with better nutrition and meal plans.

We can train you to make sure you’re burning extra calories and preserving your muscle mass (this is what toning is all about).

And we can offer you the moral support — or more bluntly a kick up the backside and accountability — but it’s up to you to take the first step towards changing your healthy, how you look and how you feel.

If you’d like to have an informal chat about our personal training and your weight loss goals you can call us on 01293 552 511 or better still (we’re spend a lot of time training people) enter you name and email address in the enquiry box on this page.

The first step is the hardest and it gets easier (and better) from there!

See you in the gym!

October 22, 2014

0

SMART Goals, Weight Loss and the Missing Ingredient…

By JohnJarvis | Exercise and Fitness, Gym Crawley | No Comments

We know that if you’re investing your time, money and energy into personal training then you want a return on that investment.

And it’s in our interest to see you achieve your goals, realize that investment and feel good again.

But — there is a but — we can only do it if you can set SMART goals and one very special ingredient.

SMART goals are:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Have a TIME frame

And the missing ingredient?

Your goal has a meaning and significance in your life.

Back to SMART.

A specific goal isn’t “I want to lose weight” it is “I want to lose 3 stone”

There is a specific number attached, it’ s not just a random statement about losing weight.

A measurable goal — that’s obvious — you measure your weight but if you’re super serious about measuring and monitoring your weight loss efforts you should really think about getting that tape measure out and writing down the inches around your waist, your upper arms, your thighs, calves, chest, hips and neck.

Plus — this is a biggie — determine your body composition. How much of you is fat? And how much of you is lean mass (not fat). These two measurements (and not just weight) are more important than most people realize because sometimes your weight won’t change even though your body is. An increase in muscle and decrease in body fat won’t show on a weighing scale but you will see it when you look in the mirror, try on your skinny jeans or measure your body.

Your goals must be achievable. There’s no point in trying to lose two stone in a month. You likely won’t achieve it and more than likely feel crap for failing.

But a meager two pounds per week is a stone in 7 weeks. That is realistic or if you’re serious, then maybe a 12 pounds in 4 weeks — but two stone — unlikely.

Which brings me onto realistic. You must pick a realistic weight loss target per week and as part of your bigger goal. If not you run the risk of failing, feeling crap and giving up.

Not because you failed but because you set an unachievable and unrealistic goal.

And last there has to be a time frame in place.

Without a time frame a goal takes as long as it takes. If you give yourself an hour to workout, it will take an hour. Give yourself two and it will take two. The same is true with weight loss.

You can give yourself 8 weeks to lose a stone and do it in eight weeks. Or you can forget a time frame, procrastinate, put it off, drag it out and then give up. A time frame (and deadline) that’s realistic is super important.

Last … the MISSING INGREDIENT …

And the missing ingredient, your goal needs to have purpose and real meaning to your life.

I learned a long-time ago there are two reasons people do (and want) anything. There’s the reason they tell you, and there’s the reason they don’t tell you. That’s the reason they keep secret and to themselves.

People tell you they want to look good, feel good and be healthy.

But there’s a secret behind that and a real reason.

It might be to look better naked for their partner, to attract a partner or it might be because your family have a history of heart disease, diabetes and you don’t want to be the next victim.

We all have two reasons for doing anything — the reason we tell people and the real reason we keep to ourselves.

This is the MISSING INGREDIENT — it’s remembering and keeping your real reason and motivation for losing weight, getting in shape, putting on muscle or whatever your goal might be.

Keep the real reason at the front of your mind and remind yourself of it every time you start to stray from the course, when you think about missing a training session or eating a not-so-tasty take away meal that does you no good.

If you’d like to find out more about losing weight, getting in shape and — as importantly — getting a helping hand to support you every step of the way why not get in touch and find out more about our group training classes and personal training?

With a team of full-time trainers (male and female) we’re here to help train, advise and support you on your fitness, fat loss and training journey.

Enter your name and telephone number on the enquiry form on this page (or visit our personal training page) for more information.

This is Salient

Pixel Perfection

Beautiful & Robust

So You’ve Never Trained Before?!

The “I’m not fit enough” Myth

The “You Gotta Fight “Myth

Just Do It

So What’s the Solution?

You Must Start Now…

How to Increase Your N.E.A.T.

Increase Your T.E.F.

Do You Want to Start Burning More Calories?

What’s the 80%…?

The Exercise and Diet Double-Whammy…

Interest in Personal Training?

SMART goals are:

Last … the MISSING INGREDIENT …

Coded to Pixel Perfection

Crawley Fitness

Martial Arts Classes

Fitness Classes