Take your training to the next level this summer!

Summer is on the way and many are looking forward to those summer holidays and thinking about getting in their best shape possible! Here at Better Gym Mere Green we like to support our members as much as possible and if you are looking to take your training up a gear then we are here to help

Here are some of our tips on how to get started or advance your current training routine.

1. Progressive overload – when staring back training it is easy to start off to fast. Be that running at a high pace or lifting near your 1 rep max. When starting a new training block we advise starting off around the 60-65% mark of your maximum output. The goal is to create volume in your training and build intensity over time. Starting off near 100% when not conditioned to training that hard can lead to burn out in your workouts, severe muscle DOMS (soreness after training) and could lead you to feeling unmotivated in your workouts. Start off slower and as the weeks progress increase towards that 100% mark and beyond!
2. Set Short, Medium and Long term goals – When assessing what your goals are break them into separate short, medium and long term goals. What do you want to achieve in the next 4 weeks? 6 months? 1 year? Short term goals should look to build you towards the wider goal which should be your medium or long term goal. For example if your goal is to lose 12kg in a year break it down into monthly goals of 1kg per month and asses your progress every month.
3. Variation – Changing up your exercise routine with small changes every 6 weeks can go a long way to longer term progress. As we become accustomed to certain exercise stimulus the amount of return diminishes over time. Switching up an exercise to a slight variation (e.g. Barbell bench press to Dumbbell bench press) can help break through plateaus and challenge your body in a different way.
4. NEAT - Neat stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This accounts for all energy expended that isn’t sleeping, eating or physical training/sports. This is a really valuable tool to understand as it enables you to gage how much activity you are doing throughout a 24 hour period rather than just when completing a workout. Adding in an extra 30 minute walk or trying to get some extra work done around the house and garden can help to significantly increase your NEAT output

If you’re still unsure on how to get back into your training or just looking to switch up your normal routine speak to a member of the fitness staff next time you are in club and we will get you booked in for a refocus session and build you a bespoke 6 week plan based around your goals