muscle strength

Can you Love Yourself Healthy?

14/03/2019 by Beverley Addy Leave a Comment

As we started our Love Yourself Healthy theme for Valentine’s Day last month we met Richard Metham, 36, from Millhouse Green.

He has two daughters aged six and two, who keep him on the go when he isn’t working as a voluntary gym instructor or doing his own workouts at Penistone Leisure Centre.

He started working as a gym instructor when he was 21 and likes to help at the centre because he likes to ‘put something back’. In his professional life, he works as assistant manager for Penistone Grammar School leisure centre

“My own workout makes me feel more energetic and more confident about myself in my day to day life,” says Richard.

He has pointed us to the leg curl/extension and bicep curl as two of his favourite exercises. This week he is sharing at how he keeps his body healthy in other ways and has another a top workout tip.

FOOD AND DRINK

One of his favourite meals is steak, chicken or eggs with rice, or he suggests using pasta or potatoes for energy if you are doing a lot of cardio exercise.

For weight loss, Richard stresses you need to change your diet – smaller portions and more better quality food to keep your muscles going through the day.

But he added that you can start bit by bit: “Little changes – for example just butter one slice of bread instead of both if you can’t give it up altogether.”

Try baked sweet potato chips, or oven baked potato wedges, instead of regular fried chips, he added.

“I tend to have lots of homemade stir fries and lean steak or chicken,” said Richard – but he loves to make them more of a treat by adding sweet and sour sauce, and serves them with rice or noodles.

He also reminds gym users to: “Drink water – plenty of fluids. Swap the fizzy pop for no sugar or dilute alternatives and don’t forget to rehydrate throughout the day.”

TOP TIP

“Alternate cardio with weights and be sure you are working hard enough,” said Richard.

Let the leisure centre help you Love Yourself Healthy. No contract, simply take an induction (followed by your first session for free) to be able to use the gym whenever it’s open – click for opening times.

Request an induction online today – click here.

Are you Loving Yourself Healthy?

21/02/2019 by Beverley Addy Leave a Comment

It’s week two of our Love Yourself Healthy campaign.

So it is time to meet another of our voluntary gym instructors and personal trainer Kostas Viazis, 35, from Penistone.

Kostas is one of our volunteer Gym Instructors!

He is a married father of two girls aged three and one. When he isn’t working out, he plays football, runs, cycles and climbs

“It was exciting to learn about training yourself while qualifying as a gym instructor and personal trainer. I like to help other people to understand that it’s easier than they think it is to get fit and I love to encourage them.

“Many people that come to the gym have previous experiences of going to a gym. However in many cases they don’t really understand why they are doing what they are doing, or exactly how they nee to do it. I like to help them understand this,” said Kostas.

“To keep fit, I do a mix of cardio and weights, but I concentrate on weights in the gym, as I do lots of cardio outside of the centre,” said Kostas.

“Most people that come to the gym have similar goals – get fitter, stronger and feel better. A steady weekly schedule will definitely get them there.”

Kostas looks to his legs for the first of his favourite exercises.

LEG PRESS

“I like the leg press. It works three or four groups of muscles. It uses the front and back of the leg. It’s working hard. It’s great for warming up, then you can move on to something like the leg extension or the leg curl and isolate specific muscles.

“For the start I like to concentrate on the big muscles. The bigger the muscles the more calories you burn,” said Kostas.

TOP TIP

“After a certain age people should really look after their muscles and I try to share that with them,” said Kostas.

He reminds people that muscle work is important – recent studies have referred to the importance of maintaining muscle strength in later life.

“Keeping your muscle tone and working on that has been shown to enhance the quality of life and enable people to keep doing more things into older age,” said Kostas.

Follow this link to find out more about later life muscle strength – this includes links to the NHS guides to physical activity in later life.

Also find out how exercise helps you live longer – according to the BBC here

Request an induction online today – click here.

Take Your Fitness to the Next Level with Personal Training!

06/02/2019 by Frances Greenwood Leave a Comment

Do you need a helping hand to start your fitness journey? Or need some expert advice to progress your training? Why not consider a Personal Training Session with our Gym Instructor Kostas?

A personal trainer can help you to achieve exactly the results you want, whether it is strength, stamina, fitness or to lose weight.

Kostas demonstrating the use of a kettlebell on the balance board.

We now have a new personal trainer, Kostas. He has been doing inductions at the centre for a while and getting people started on their training journey. By popular demand, he is now starting to take on clients on a one-to-one (or two) basis. Your first session is free, so you can get to meet Kostas and talk through what your training goals are. If you’re happy, you can then go on to book more sessions. To arrange your first session or if you have any questions, please contact Kostas on 07421 228822.