Strong for Life
Did you know that the longest running class on my timetable is actually strength training?
I started with Bums, Tums & Wobbly Bits at a school in Reddish once a week. Now there are multiple ways on my timetable to get stronger - Total Body Tone, Kettlebell circuits, Strength and Cardio, Low Impact HIIT and Pilates!
I started with Bums, Tums & Wobbly Bits at a school in Reddish once a week. Now there are multiple ways on my timetable to get stronger - Total Body Tone, Kettlebell circuits, Strength and Cardio, Low Impact HIIT and Pilates!
The advice is that you do two strength workouts a week - and the benefits go far beyond just getting stronger:
builds functional strength
improves bone health
helps with weight management
improves insulin sensitivity
reduces injury risk
boosts metabolism
strengthens joints and reduces aches and pains
reduces blood pressure
boosts mood and helps with stress management
Strength training is also key for dealing with many of the issues that come along with menopause and has even been shown to reduce hot flushes!
builds functional strength improves bone health helps with weight management improves insulin sensitivity reduces injury risk boosts metabolism strengthens joints and reduces aches and pains reduces blood pressure boosts mood and helps with stress managementStrength training is also key for dealing with many of the issues that come along with menopause and has even been shown to reduce hot flushes!
One of the most interesting things to come out of my menopause training is that strength training even helps the brain - it can prevent cognitive decline!
Strength training for me started out as a weight management thing. Then it became competitive - how heavy could I lift?
Now it’s about functional fitness
I’m training for my old lady body (not so far away now…)
To be able to keep doing all the things I want to do.
And to stay independent for as long as possible
Whether that’s lowering into a seat (squatting), climbing stairs (leg presses), picking something off the floor (deadlift), lifting bags (bicep curls), putting something up over head (shoulder press) or carrying (core). Or even just being able to unscrew a jam jar lid!
(did you know that grip strength is an indicator of overall strength?)
Heres what one of my class members has to say about my classes:
"I have being doing Sarah's classes for over a year, which is the most consistent I've been with an exercise membership for a long time. This is down to the quality and variety of classes, and the ease of accessing them from home.
I'm a keen exerciser and always find the Total Body Tone classes challenging, whilst being low impact so OK for my dodgy knees. I started off using 2kg dumbbells and am now on 4kgs, so my strength and fitness have definitely improved.
The strength classes are perfectly complimented by pilates and a whole range of other recorded classes online, which helps me work on my fitness in a much more holistic way then I have before. It's also a great way to switch off if I've had stressful day at work and to make sure I find some time for myself during the week." Esme
Not sure what we get up to in a Total Body Tone class? Here’s a little sequence for you to try - make sure you’ve warmed up first (walk around the house for a bit, or do some of the WalkFit class I sent you two weeks ago!). If you’re just starting out feel free to do without weights, go slower and limit your range of movement
One of the things I’ve loved adding to the timetable this year is my new kettlebell class
Everyone was brand new to it, so I was able to work on technique with them
Most had already done strength work with me but I had one of my older clients wanted to give it a go. She had been suffering with a frozen shoulder and had been working with a physio and doing my Pilates classes and was doing much better. Her physio was happy for her to try kettlebells
And within a few weeks she was doing an overhead tricep extension - something she never thought she would be able to do!!
And even I have seen some changes - despite working with weights for years. I’ve also seen an improvement in the range of movement in my shoulders. There are new muscles appearing! And I was able to climb to the top of awesome walls for the first time ever!!
Sometimes a little change in routine is just what you need to see more results….
Everyone was brand new to it, so I was able to work on technique with them
Most had already done strength work with me but I had one of my older clients wanted to give it a go. She had been suffering with a frozen shoulder and had been working with a physio and doing my Pilates classes and was doing much better. Her physio was happy for her to try kettlebells
And within a few weeks she was doing an overhead tricep extension - something she never thought she would be able to do!!
And even I have seen some changes - despite working with weights for years. I’ve also seen an improvement in the range of movement in my shoulders. There are new muscles appearing! And I was able to climb to the top of awesome walls for the first time ever!!
Sometimes a little change in routine is just what you need to see more results….
Sarah x
PS. All the workouts listed at the top of the email are included as part of my membership - and you can do as many different variations as you like!
If you are interested in kettlebells, I have a beginners course starting September - let me know if you would like more information about that. I also have a mini kettlebell membership - just £15 a month for one live Zoom class a week, plus access to a library of recordings
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