Learn To Lift Training - Glasgow Personal Training & Bootcamp Blog

Bootcamp Glasgow: Block 4 2025 Starts Tuesday, June 24th!

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 15:03:18 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow: Block 4 2025 Starts Tuesday, June 24th!

Welcome, Glasgow fitness enthusiasts! If you’re searching for the ultimate Bootcamp Glasgow experience, you’re in the right place. At Learn to Lift Bootcamp, we just wrapped up an incredible Block 3 of 2025, and the results were phenomenal. Our team crushed their 1-rep max testing last week, showcasing their strength and dedication. Stay tuned for highlight videos dropping soon—they’re sure to inspire! Now, we’re gearing up for Block 4, kicking off this Tuesday, June 24th, and we’d love for you to join our Group Training Glasgow community. Here’s why this 8-week Gym Class Glasgow is your ticket to smashing your fitness goals.

Why Choose Bootcamp Glasgow at Learn to Lift?

Our Bootcamp Glasgow is more than just a workout—it’s a transformative experience designed to build strength, confidence, and community. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned athlete, our Group Training Glasgow sessions are tailored to your level, ensuring everyone progresses together. Here’s what makes our Gym Class Glasgow stand out:

Expert Coaching : Our trainers guide you through every lift, focusing on proper technique to maximise results and prevent injury.

Community Vibe : There’s nothing like the energy of Group Training Glasgow. Train alongside motivated individuals who push and support each other.

Scalable Workouts : From newbies to pros, our Bootcamp Glasgow adapts to your fitness level, helping you grow stronger week by week.

Proven Success : Block 3’s 1-rep max results speak for themselves—our members are achieving incredible milestones!

What’s New in Block 4?

Starting Tuesday, June 24th, Block 4 of our Glasgow Bootcamp brings an 8-week programme packed with fresh challenges to keep you engaged and progressing. Here’s what you can expect from this Gym Class Glasgow :

New Exercises : We’re introducing innovative movements to target all muscle groups, keeping your Group Training Glasgow sessions dynamic.

High Volume Training : Build strength and endurance with plenty of reps, perfect for levelling up your fitness.

Exciting Challenges : From team-based motivation to personal bests, our Bootcamp Glasgow adds fun ways to test your limits.

Flexible Options : Choose 2 or 3 sessions per week to fit your schedule, making this Gym Class Glasgow accessible for all.

Join the Best Group Training Glasgow Has to Offer

Ready to take your fitness to the next level? Our Bootcamp Glasgow is the perfect way to stay motivated, learn new skills, and connect with Glasgow’s fitness community. With Group Training Glasgow, you’re not just working out—you’re building lifelong habits in a supportive environment. Don’t miss out on Block 4—spots are limited, and they’re filling up fast!

How to Sign Up for Bootcamp Glasgow

Joining our Gym Classes in Glasgow is easy! Block 4 starts Tuesday, June 24th, so act now to secure your spot. Simply DM us on Instagram (@learntolifttraining) or drop us a message on here. Let us know if you want 2 or 3 sessions per week, and we’ll get you ready to roll.

Let’s Get Moving, Glasgow!

We can’t wait to welcome you to Block 4 of our Bootcamp Glasgow. Whether you’re looking to lift heavier, feel stronger, or just have fun in a Glasgow gym class, Learn to Lift Bootcamp is the place to be. Join our Group Training Glasgow community and let’s make this block the best yet!

For more updates, follow us on Instagram (@learntolifttraining) and watch out for those Block 3 highlight videos. Ready to transform your fitness? Contact us today!

Mastering Your Midline: A Guide to Core Training

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 08:00:01 GMT

Mastering Your Midline: A Guide to the Different Types of Core Exercises

When it comes to building a strong, functional core, there’s more to it than just cranking out endless sit-ups.

Your core—those muscles wrapping around your midsection like a natural weight belt—does far more than help you look good in a tight shirt. It stabilises your spine, transfers power between your upper and lower body, and keeps you moving efficiently, whether you’re lifting weights, running, or just carrying groceries.

To train it right, you need variety. Let’s break down the main types of core exercises, why they matter, and how to weave them into your routine.

1. Isometric Holds: The Stability Kings

What they are: Exercises where you hold a static position, resisting movement to build endurance and stability. Think planks, side planks, or hollow holds.

Examples:

Forearm Plank : Brace your core and hold for 30-60 seconds.

Side Plank : Prop yourself on one elbow, stack your feet, and hold steady.

Hollow Hold : Lie on your back, lift your legs and shoulders slightly off the ground, and hold the tension.

Why they’re great: Isometrics teach your core to stay rigid under pressure—crucial for heavy lifts like squats or deadlifts. They’re also low-impact, making them a staple for beginners and pros alike.

Pro Tip: Add a twist, like tapping your shoulder in a plank, to challenge stability further.

2. Dynamic Flexion/Extension: The Classic Movers

What they are: Movements that actively flex or extend your spine, targeting the rectus abdominis (your “six-pack” muscle). These are the old-school ab moves you know and love—or hate.

Examples:

Crunches : Curl your torso up, focusing on the squeeze.

Leg Raises : Hang from a bar and lift your legs to hit the lower abs.

Sit-Ups : Full range from lying down to sitting up.

Why they’re great: They build strength and definition in the anterior core, and they’re simple to progress—just add weight or reps.

Pro Tip: Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase to maximize time under tension and avoid mindless reps.

3. Anti-Movement Exercises: The Spine Protectors

What they are: These resist unwanted motion—extension, flexion, or rotation—training your core to stabilize against forces. They’re less about moving and more about not moving.

Examples:

Ab Rollouts : Roll out with a wheel or barbell, keeping your spine neutral.

Pallof Press : Hold a resistance band or cable at chest height and press it forward, fighting the pull to one side.

Dead Bugs : Extend opposite arm and leg while keeping your lower back glued to the floor.

Why they’re great: Life (and lifting) throws chaos at your spine. Anti-movement drills prep your core to handle it, reducing injury risk and boosting performance in compound lifts.

Pro Tip: Focus on breathing—exhale hard as you resist the toughest part.

4. Rotational Movements: The Power Twisters

What they are: Exercises that involve twisting or rotating your torso, engaging the obliques and deeper transverse abdominis.

Examples:

Russian Twists : Sit, lean back, and twist side to side with a weight.

Woodchoppers : Swing a cable or dumbbell diagonally across your body.

Bicycle Crunches : Alternate elbow-to-knee while extending the opposite leg.

Why they’re great: Rotational strength is key for sports, throwing, or any activity where power transfers across your body. Plus, those obliques carve out that coveted V-shape.

Pro Tip: Keep the movement controlled—wild swinging sacrifices form for ego.

5. Loaded Carries: The Functional Favourites

What they are: Walking while holding weight, forcing your core to stabilise dynamically under load.

Examples:

Farmer’s Carry : Grab heavy dumbbells or kettlebells and walk 20-30 meters.

Single-Arm Carry : Hold a weight in one hand, forcing your obliques to counterbalance.

Overhead Carry : Press a weight overhead and march, keeping your core locked.

Why they’re great: Carries mimic real-world tasks and build a core that’s as tough as it is functional. They also fry your grip and traps as a bonus.

Pro Tip: Stand tall—slouching defeats the purpose.

How to Mix Them Up

A well-rounded core routine doesn’t need all five types every session, but hitting each category weekly keeps your midsection balanced and bulletproof. Here’s a sample approach:

Warm-Up : Plank (isometric) for 30 seconds.
Main Workout : Pair squats with ab rollouts (anti-extension) for 3 sets of 10.
Finisher : Russian twists (rotational) for 20 reps, then a 20-meter farmer’s carry (loaded).

The Takeaway

Your core isn’t just one muscle—it’s a team, and each type of exercise trains a different player. Isometrics build the foundation, dynamic moves add flash, anti-movement drills protect your spine, rotational work brings power, and carries tie it all together.

Experiment with these, find what clicks for your goals—whether it’s aesthetics, strength, or resilience—and watch your midline transform.

If you want to learn more about core training and receive expert coaching, take a look at our Personal Training Glasgow page and drop us a message to have a chat!

Top Tips for Beginners From A Glasgow Personal Trainer

Sat, 31 May 2025 08:00:06 GMT

Top Tips for Beginners From A Glasgow Personal Trainer

Weight training can feel intimidating when you’re just starting out, I hear this all the time from clients in my role as a Glasgow personal trainer . However, with the right approach, weight training is an incredibly rewarding way to build strength, improve your health, and boost confidence.

Whether your goal is to tone up, gain muscle, or simply feel stronger, these beginner-friendly tips will help you kick off your journey safely and effectively. They are based on over 10 years of experience working as a Glasgow personal trainer helping people overcome their anxiety about training and teaching them how to get started with it.

Read on to learn my top 10 tips to help you start achieving your goals!

1. Start with Proper Form

Before you even think about lifting heavy, focus on mastering technique. Proper form prevents injuries and ensures you’re targeting the right muscles. Begin with bodyweight exercises like squats, push-ups, and lunges to get comfortable with movement patterns. When you’re ready to add weights, use light dumbbells or resistance bands and practice in front of a mirror—or better yet, ask a trainer or friend to check your form. Quality reps beat sloppy ones every time.

2. Pick the Right Weight

As a beginner, resist the urge to grab the heaviest dumbbell on the rack. Choose a weight that challenges you but still allows you to complete 10-12 reps with good form. If you’re shaking uncontrollably or compromising technique by the fifth rep, it’s too heavy. A good rule of thumb: you should feel fatigued by the end of your set, but not defeated.

3. Follow a Simple Program

You don’t need a complicated routine to see results. Start with a full-body workout 2-3 times a week, targeting major muscle groups (legs, back, chest, shoulders, arms, and core).

A basic plan that I might use with clients as a Glasgow personal trainer may include:

Squats (legs and glutes)
Bench press (chest and triceps)
Bent-over rows (back and biceps)
Plank (core)

Aiming for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise, resting 2-3 minutes between sets, if often a good starting point. Consistency beats complexity for beginners.

4. Warm Up and Cool Down

Jumping straight into lifting is a recipe for pulled muscles. Spend 5-10 minutes warming up with dynamic movements like arm circles, leg swings, or a brisk walk. All the training sessions I perform with clients as a Glasgow personal trainer begin with a sensible and effective warm up, these help you perform at your best and significantly reduce any chances of injury.

After your workout, cool down with static stretches—hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds to improve flexibility and reduce soreness. Your body will thank you the next day.

5. Rest and Recover

Muscles grow when they rest, not when you’re lifting. Avoid training the same muscle group two days in a row—give it at least 48 hours to recover. Sleep is your secret weapon here; aim for 7-9 hours a night to support muscle repair and overall energy. Overdoing it early on can lead to burnout or injury, so listen to your body.

A good way to think about things is that training is the stimulus for your body to change, rest and recovery is what allows it to happen.

6. Fuel Your Body

Weight training demands energy, so don’t skimp on nutrition. Eat a balanced mix of protein (chicken, eggs, tofu), carbs (rice, oats, sweet potatoes), and healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil). A small snack with protein and carbs—like a banana with peanut butter—before and after your workout can boost performance and recovery. Stay hydrated, too; even mild dehydration can zap your strength. Be sure to consult a qualified professional or nutritionist if you have any specific needs or are unsure of how to approach things.

7. Track Your Progress

Keep a simple log of your workouts—weights used, reps completed, and how you felt. Progress isn’t just about lifting heavier; it’s also about doing more reps, feeling stronger, or moving better. Tracking keeps you motivated and helps you see how far you’ve come. Apps, a notebook, or even a spreadsheet work great.

A key element of my job as a Glasgow personal trainer is ensuring that we are following a structure plan customised to your goals and tracking each element of the training sessions to ensure we are constantly progressing towards achieving them.

8. Be Patient and Consistent

You won’t turn into a seasoned expert overnight, and that’s okay. Strength gains take time—typically 4-8 weeks to notice changes and even months and years to achieve bigger goals—so stick with it. Show up, even on days you’re not feeling 100%, and focus on small wins. Consistency trumps perfection every time.

9. Learn the Lingo

Gym jargon can be overwhelming, so here’s a quick cheat sheet:

Reps : Repetitions, or how many times you perform a movement.
Sets : A group of reps (e.g., 3 sets of 10 reps).
PB : Personal best, your best lift or performance.
DOMS : Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, that stiff feeling 1-2 days after a workout (normal for beginners!).

10. Get Expert Guidance with Learn To Lift Training

The best way to fast-track your results is to seek expert help and coaching. A Glasgow personal trainer can take all the guess work and trial and error out of things for you, and help set you on the right path towards achieving your goals.

Learn To Lift Training offers fantastic options for beginners, including our Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow and 1-2-1 personal training in Glasgow . Perfect for those new to lifting, these programs provide hands-on guidance, ensuring you learn proper techniques and build confidence from day one. Check these out to start benefiting from professional coaching in a fun and friendly environment!

Final Thoughts

Weight training is a journey, not a race. Start small, stay curious, and celebrate every milestone—whether it’s lifting a heavier dumbbell or just feeling more energised.

With these tips, you’re well on your way to building a stronger, healthier you. Now get to the gym and get lifting!

From Zero to Chin Up Hero: 3 Tips from a Glasgow Personal Trainer

Sat, 24 May 2025 08:00:00 GMT

From Zero to Chin Up Hero: 3 Tips from a Glasgow Personal Trainer

Chin ups are a gold-standard exercise, often dubbed the "squat of the upper body." This reputation isn’t just hype—it’s a testament to their incredible ability to build strength and sculpt muscle in your back, biceps, and shoulders. Not to mention the confidence boost you will get from hitting your first chin up or from hitting a big target you set yourself for them.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your technique, mastering chin ups is a game-changer. As a Glasgow personal trainer , I’ve helped countless clients conquer the bar, and I’m sharing my top three tips—plus a bonus—to get you there too.

1. Harness the Power of Eccentrics

If full chin ups feel out of reach right now, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Many people struggle with the concentric phase (pulling up), but the eccentric phase (lowering down) is where you’re naturally stronger. This is why eccentrics are a go-to method in my Glasgow personal training sessions.

Here’s how to make them work for you:

Step 1 : Jump or climb to the top position so your chin is above the bar.
Step 2 : Lower yourself slowly and smoothly until your arms are straight.
Step 3 : Repeat for sets of 5-8 reps, aiming for control.

Start with a 3-5 second descent and build up to 8-10 seconds over a few weeks. You can also increase reps or sets to pile on the volume. This technique strengthens your lats, biceps, and grip—key players in a solid chin up.

2. Use Bands for a Boost

Resistance bands are a Glasgow personal trainer’s secret weapon for chin up progress. They give you a helping hand at the bottom of the movement—where the pull is toughest—making full reps more doable.

Here’s the breakdown:

Loop a thick band over the bar and place one knee inside (or a foot for maximum support).
Perform your chin ups, letting the band assist you through the initial pull.
As you get stronger, switch to a thinner band to dial down the help.

This gradual approach builds confidence and strength without overwhelming you. It’s a method I use with clients across Glasgow to bridge the gap to unassisted reps.

3. Drive Your Elbows to Your Ribs

Technique can make or break your chin up game. One of the best cues I share as a Glasgow personal trainer is to focus on driving your elbows toward your ribs as you pull. This engages your lats—the powerhouse muscles of the movement—and keeps your body aligned for maximum efficiency. Think "elbows to ribs" next time you’re on the bar and feel your lats kick into gear.

Bonus Tip: Build Your Foundation with Rows

Want an extra edge? Add horizontal rows (like inverted rows or dumbbell rows) to your routine. These exercises target the same muscle groups—lats, biceps, and rear shoulders—while building the pulling strength you need for chin ups.

The video above shows ring rows and inverted rows being used in the gym to help build strength towards full chin ups later on. To perform them try this:

Set up under a low bar or use a bench for inverted rows. Use Gymnastic rings for ring rows and setup as per the examples in the video.
Pull your chest toward the bar or rings, keeping your core tight.
Aim for 3 sets of 10-12 reps, 2-3 times a week.

Rows are a staple in my Glasgow personal training programs and a fantastic way to accelerate your chin up journey.

Why Chin Ups Matter

Chin ups aren’t just about looking good (though they’ll sculpt your upper body like nothing else). They improve functional strength, posture, and grip power—benefits that carry over to daily life. Plus, nailing your first unassisted rep is a confidence boost that’s hard to beat.

Your Glasgow Personal Trainer Is Here to Help

Ready to go from zero to chin up hero?

Personalised guidance can fast-track your success. At Learn To Lift Training, we offer personal training in Glasgow and Glasgow bootcamps tailored to your goals. Whether you’re training one-on-one or in a group, we'll keep you motivated and on the right path.

As a Glasgow personal trainer, my mission is to help you build strength, master skills, and feel unstoppable. Let’s conquer those chin ups—reach out today and start your journey to smashing out those reps!

3 Expert Tips to Boost Your Bench Press from a Glasgow Personal Trainer

Sat, 17 May 2025 08:00:06 GMT

3 Expert Tips to Boost Your Bench Press from a Glasgow Personal Trainer

The bench press is a gym classic—and for good reason. It’s one of the best ways to build upper body strength, sculpt your chest, shoulders, and triceps, and feel unstoppable under the bar. As a Glasgow personal trainer , I’ve coached everyone from beginners to seasoned lifters to perfect this move, and I’m here to share three simple, expert tips to help you lift more, improve your technique, and stay safe.

Whether you’re chasing a new personal best or just want to feel stronger, these tweaks—taught in our Glasgow bootcamps and personal training sessions—will get you there. Let’s dive in!

1. Learn How to Arch Properly

A solid bench press starts with a strong setup, and that includes your back arch. Now, unless you’re a competitive powerlifter chasing a massive arch to shorten the range of motion, you don’t need to go overboard. But a subtle arch? That’s a game-changer. It protects your shoulders, boosts stability, and makes the lift more effective.

Here’s how to do it right:

Squeeze your shoulder blades back and down , pinning them into the bench like you’re trying to hold a pencil between them.

Pull your hips back slightly to close the gap between your hips and shoulders.

Tuck your feet under your body and drive them into the floor for a firm base.

This setup creates tension and keeps your shoulders safe while letting your chest and arms do the work. Practice it with an empty bar first—get it dialed in with a Glasgow personal trainer , and you’ll feel the difference in every rep.

2. Find the Right Grip Width for You

Grip width can make or break your bench press. The max-width grip—index fingers on the power rings—is a go-to for powerlifters because it shortens the bar’s path and maximizes lift potential. But here’s the thing: it’s not always the best fit for everyone, especially if you’re not competing. As a Glasgow personal trainer, I’ve seen clients thrive with grips that suit their unique builds.

Start here: find a grip where your elbows and wrists stack vertically when the bar touches your chest. For most people, that’s a medium grip—pinkies on the rings. It balances power and comfort, keeping your shoulders and elbows happy. Some prefer a close grip (hands shoulder-width apart) for more triceps focus, while others stick wider for chest gains. Experiment with lighter weights, film your reps, or ask for feedback in our Glasgow sessions to lock in what works for you. Trial and error is your friend here!

3. Set the Bar Right in Your Hand

How you hold the bar matters more than you might think. Gripping it wrong can sap your strength and leave your wrists screaming. The fix? Set the bar across the base of your palm—not up in your fingers.

When the bar sits low in your hand, it aligns naturally with your wrist and elbow, creating a straight, strong line of force. If it’s too high (in your fingers), your wrists cock back under the weight, causing pain and inefficiency. You’ll lift less and feel it more—in all the wrong ways. Next time you bench, check your grip before unracking. Squeeze the bar hard, keep it low, and watch how much smoother the lift feels.

We love a bit of bench pressing in the Learn to Lift Training Gym, have a watch of the video below to see some of the excellent lifts that happened recently.

Why the Bench Press Is Worth Mastering

The bench press isn’t just about looking good (though it’ll do that too). It builds functional upper body strength for pushing movements—like shoving a heavy door or carrying shopping bags. It hits your pecs, delts, and triceps hard, while teaching you control and power. Plus, there’s something satisfying about stacking those plates and pressing them up. It’s a confidence booster—and who doesn’t want that?

Avoid These Bench Press Pitfalls

Nailing the bench press means dodging common mistakes that can sabotage your progress or land you on the injury list. Here’s what to watch out for—and how to fix it:

Flaring Elbows : If your elbows splay out too much, you’re putting your shoulders at risk. I see this a lot with lifters chasing max weight too fast. Keep your elbows stacked under your wrists and don't allow them to flare outside of this position—it’s safer and stronger. Practice with a lighter load to groove the pattern.

Bouncing the Bar : Dropping the bar to your chest and bouncing it up might feel like a cheat code, but it’s a shortcut to bruised ribs or a stalled lift. Control the descent—take 1-2 seconds to lower it—and press smoothly. It’s harder, but it builds real strength.

Weak Leg Drive : Forgetting to push through your feet is like leaving power on the table. Your legs anchor you and add force to the press. If they’re dangling or flat, you’re missing out. Tuck them back, plant them firm, and drive down as you push up—feel that extra oomph!

Lifting Your Hips : Popping your hips off the bench might help you grind out a rep, but it turns the lift into a mess. It strains your lower back and shifts focus off your chest. Keep your glutes glued down—tighten your core and reset if you feel them lift.

Spot these habits early, and you’ll save yourself frustration—or worse. We catch these all the time in our Glasgow training sessions and fix them on the spot.

Put These Tips into Action

These three tips—arching properly, finding your grip, and setting the bar right—are straightforward but powerful. They’re the same techniques we drill in our personal training sessions in Glasgow and bootcamps at Learn to Lift . Want to dig deeper? Check out our services pages for more on how we can help you level up.

I’ve regularly taken clients from starting off with benching the bar to 100 kg and beyond, transforming their bench press with these exact cues. Ready to do the same? Drop us a message today to join our Glasgow personal trainer team or book a spot in our next bootcamp. Let’s make your bench press a lift you can be proud of—happy lifting!

3 Tips To Improve Your Deadlift from a Glasgow Personal Trainer

Sat, 10 May 2025 08:00:00 GMT

3 Expert Tips to Boost Your Deadlift from a Glasgow Personal Trainer

The deadlift is a powerhouse move. Whether you’re aiming to build raw strength, sculpt a stronger physique, or simply move better in everyday life, it’s one of the best exercises in your toolkit.

As a Glasgow personal trainer, I’ve seen firsthand how mastering the deadlift can transform clients’ fitness journeys—boosting confidence, torching calories, and improving posture. But here’s the catch: to reap those rewards, you’ve got to do it right.

That’s where these three expert tips come in. They’re simple, practical, and designed to help you lift heavier, safer, and smarter. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned lifter, these tweaks—taught in our Glasgow bootcamps and one-on-one personal training sessions in Glasgow —will take your deadlift to the next level.

Let’s get started!

1. Master the Art of Bracing Your Core

A strong deadlift starts with a rock-solid core. Bracing isn’t just about looking tough—it’s about creating a stable base to transfer force from your legs to the bar without leaking energy or risking your spine. Done right, it’s your secret weapon for heavier lifts and fewer injuries.

Here’s how to brace like a pro:

Take a big breath into your belly (not your chest) before you lift.
Tense your stomach as if you’re bracing for a punch.
Expand your sides outward —imagine 360 degrees of tension around your midsection.

Think of your core as a pressurised cylinder. When it’s tight, it keeps your spine neutral and lets your legs and hips do the heavy lifting. Mess this up, and you’re more likely to round your back—a fast track to pain or a stalled lift. Practice this in front of a mirror or with a Glasgow personal trainer like me, and you’ll feel the difference instantly.

2. Engage Your Lats for Better Control

Your lats—those big muscles under your armpits—aren’t just for show. They’re key to a safe, powerful deadlift. Engaging them properly locks your upper body into place, protects your spine, and helps you pull more weight with less effort.

Try this cue: imagine you’ve got a sheet of paper tucked under each armpit. Squeeze your lats out and down to “pin” those papers in place. If they’d fall out, you’ve lost tension—and that means less control over the bar. A simple drill to practice this? Hang from a pull-up bar and actively pull your shoulders down without bending your arms. That’s the lat engagement you’re after.

As a Glasgow personal trainer , I’ve seen clients add kilos to their deadlift just by nailing this step. It’s not about flexing for the ‘gram—it’s about maximising force and staying injury-free.

3. Position Your Hips Just Right

Hip placement is where I see most deadlift mistakes, especially with new lifters. Set your hips too low, and you’ll turn the move into an awkward squat, losing power and risking form breakdown. Too high, and you’re pulling with your back instead of your legs. The goal? Find the sweet spot.

Here’s the trick: set your hips where your chest and hips rise at the same rate as you lift. This isn’t one-size-fits-all—it depends on your body. Long legs? Your hips might sit higher. Short torso? You might hinge lower. Start with the bar over your mid-foot, shins touching it, then hinge until your shoulders are over the bar. Film yourself or ask for feedback during our personal training in Glasgow to fine-tune it.

Nailing this keeps the lift efficient and safe—no shooting hips or rounded backs. It might take a few tries, but once you’ve got it dialled in, you’ll lift smoother and heavier.

Have a look a video below to see some of the members of the Learn to Lift Training Gym putting these tips into action and hitting some big deadlifts recently.

Why Deadlifts Are Worth It

Beyond the tips, let’s talk about why the deadlift deserves a spot in your routine. It’s not just about strength—it builds resilience. It targets your posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, back), improves posture, and burns serious calories. Plus, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of pulling a heavy bar off the floor. It’s functional fitness at its finest—whether you’re lifting groceries or chasing a new PB.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

Perfecting your deadlift means sidestepping pitfalls that can derail your progress or lead to injury. Here’s what to watch out for:

Rounding Your Back : Skip the brace, and your spine takes the hit. This happens when lifters forget to tense their core or rush the setup. Over time, it’s a recipe for lower back strain. Focus on that 360-degree tension every rep.

Jerking the Bar : Smooth is strong—yanking it up wastes energy and throws off your form. I see this a lot with eager beginners trying to muscle the weight up. Instead, pull steadily, letting your legs drive the movement.

Overthinking : Keep it simple with these cues, and the rest falls into place. Overcomplicating the lift—obsessing over every angle—can freeze you up. Trust the process: brace, engage, hinge, lift.

Ignoring Fatigue : Pushing through sloppy reps when you’re tired is a fast way to hurt yourself. If your form slips, drop the weight or call it a day. Quality beats quantity every time.

Spotting these early can save you weeks of frustration. In our Glasgow sessions, I help clients catch and fix these habits before they stick.

Level Up with a Glasgow Personal Trainer

These tips are just the start. For more deadlift wisdom, check out our post The Anatomy of a Good Deadlift . Better yet, join us at Learn to Lift Training! Our Glasgow bootcamps and personal training sessions in Glasgow are built to perfect your form and smash your goals. We've helped numerous clients transform their deadlift with these exact methods and regular see massive new personal bests being hit.

Ready to lift smarter? Drop us a message today to book a session or learn more. Let’s take your deadlift to new levels—happy lifting, team!

Struggling For Motivation? Set Some Goals With a Personal Trainer in Glasgow Southside

Sat, 03 May 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Struggling For Motivation? Set Some Goals With a Personal Trainer in Glasgow Southside

If you’re finding it hard to stay motivated with your fitness routine, you’re not alone. Many people in Glasgow Southside struggle to keep up the momentum, especially when life gets busy. But here’s the good news: working with a personal trainer in Glasgow Southside can help you reignite that spark.

How? By setting clear, achievable goals that give your workouts purpose and direction. Let’s dive into why goal-setting is a game-changer and how it can transform your fitness journey.

Why a Personal Trainer in Glasgow Southside Makes a Difference

A personal trainer isn’t just there to count reps—they’re your accountability partner, motivator, and guide. In Glasgow Southside, our trainers understand the local lifestyle and can tailor plans to fit your busy schedule, whether you’re near Queen’s Park or Shawlands. They’ll help you set realistic goals and keep you on track, so you’re not just dreaming of progress—you’re making it happen.

Tips For Setting Goals That Work

Everyone needs a sense of purpose, and fitness is no exception. Setting goals gives you focus and a reason to push forward, even on tough days.

Whether you’re new to exercise or a seasoned gym-goer, our Glasgow Southside fitness coaches can guide you toward goals that suit your needs. Here’s why it works and how to do it right:

Strength Goals Are a Win-Win : Aiming to lift heavier weights doesn’t just build muscle—it improves your physique too. When you train with purpose, like increasing your bench press or squat, you’ll see progress in both strength and appearance.

Make Them SMART : Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Vague ideas like “get fit” won’t cut it. Instead, pick one or two big, clear targets. Examples include:

Bench 100 kg in 8 weeks.
Squat 80 kg for 5 reps in 6 weeks.
Lose 5 kg in 12 weeks.

Keep It Simple : Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many goals. One or two is plenty to start with, and our personal trainers in Glasgow Southside can help you refine them to match your current fitness level.

Take Action ASAP!

The best time to start is now—don’t let excuses hold you back. Living in Glasgow Southside? You don’t need to trek across the city for a gym. Learn to Lift Training gym is conveniently located in the Southside of Glasgow—we are within close proximity of areas like Pollokshields, Mount Florida and Shawlands.

Our Southside of Glasgow PTs can help you knock down those perceived barriers to taking action:

No Fancy Equipment Needed : You don’t need an overcrowded gym full of machines that are constantly being used and you don't know what they do. A mix of good old fashioned barbell, dumbbell and bodyweight exercises are the foundation of all good training.

No Waiting for Payday : Learn to Lift Training offer different options including personal training and Bootcamps to fit your budget. Personal training is more customised to you and as a result a little more expensive per session, where as Bootcamp offers the advantage of being in a fun group setting at a lower cost.

No Perfect Circumstances Required : Life is messy, but fitness doesn’t demand perfection—just consistency.

Need help getting started? A personal trainer in Glasgow Southside can create a custom plan for you. Reach out today and turn your motivation into results!

Looking Back, You’ll Regret It If You Don’t

Let’s be real: we’ve all had moments where we wish we’d started something sooner. Whether it’s learning a skill or taking a trip, regret often comes from inaction.

Don’t let your health and fitness become another “what if.” Imagine looking back a year from now, wishing you’d teamed up with a personal trainer in Glasgow Southside to get stronger, fitter, or healthier. The time to act is now—future you will thank you.

Real Results From Personal Training in Glasgow Southside

We have helped a countless number of people achieve big goals they have set for their health and fitness. Have a look at our transformations page to get a feel for the amazing results they have achieved with their physical transformations.

Some of our proudest achievements include the strength training goals we have helped people achieve, including big milestones such as their first 100 kg bench press, hitting a 140 kg personal best on deadlift or perfecting their squat technique. You can get a brilliant feel for this on our Learn to Lift Training Instagram page, where we love to celebrate just how well everyone in the Learn to Lift Training gym is doing!

You’ll Be Amazed at What You Can Achieve

When you set your mind to a purpose, incredible things happen. Every journey starts somewhere, and with the right goals and support from personal training in Glasgow Southside , you’ll be shocked at how far you can go.

Picture yourself hitting that 100 kg bench press or dropping 5 kg—it’s all within reach when you commit to taking action!

Ready to take the first step? Take a look at our personal training page and drop us a message to start building the healthier, stronger you. Your goals are waiting—go get them!

8 Week Bench Press Program by a Personal Trainer in Glasgow

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Boost Your Strength with This 8-Week Bench Press Program – Personal Trainer Glasgow

Are you looking to increase your bench press strength and build a powerful upper body? As a personal trainer in Glasgow , I’ve designed an effective 8-week bench press program tailored to help you smash your goals. This program takes inspiration from the famous Russian Masters program, renowned for its strength-building principles, and has been tweaked specifically to optimise your bench press performance.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced lifter, this structured plan will guide you toward a stronger chest, shoulders, and triceps. Plus, it’s perfect for anyone training in Glasgow gyms or at our own facility, Learn to Lift Training , where we offer personalised coaching.

This program is tried and tested, I've used this program with a number of clients to great effect. Let’s dive into the details!

Why Focus on the Bench Press?

The bench press is one of the cornerstones of strength training, targeting your chest (pectorals), shoulders (deltoids), and triceps. It’s a compound lift that not only builds muscle but also boosts overall upper-body strength. This program is designed for intermediate level lifters as you will require a good base in terms of technique and proficiency in the lift.

If you are a beginner, working with a Glasgow personal trainer can ensure proper form and progression. Take a look at our Glasgow personal training page to find out more about coaching on bench press and other key lifts.

In this 8-week plan, we’ll use a percentage-based approach (based on your one-rep max, or 1RM) to progressively overload your muscles, followed by a deload and a max-out test. Ready to get started? Let’s break it down!

The 8-Week Bench Press Program

This program assumes you know your 1RM (the maximum weight you can lift for one rep). If you don’t, book a session with a personal trainer in Glasgow at Learn to Lift Training to test it safely. The program runs two bench press days per week, with percentages calculated from your 1RM.

Week 1: Building the Foundation

Day 1: 6 sets of 3 reps at 80% of 1RM
Day 2: 6 sets of 2 reps at 80% of 1RM
Focus on form and control to set the tone.

Week 2: Increasing Volume

Day 1: 6 sets of 4 reps at 80% of 1RM
Day 2: 6 sets of 2 reps at 80% of 1RM
A bit more volume than last week.

Week 3: Gaining Momentum

Day 1: 6 sets of 5 reps at 80% of 1RM
Day 2: 6 sets of 2 reps at 80% of 1RM
The volume is ramping up.

Week 4: Peak Volume

Day 1: 6 sets of 6 reps at 80% of 1RM
Day 2: 6 sets of 2 reps at 80% of 1RM
This is your toughest volume week—dig deep.

Week 5: Strength Shift

Day 1: 5 sets of 5 reps at 85% of 1RM
Day 2: 6 sets of 2 reps at 80% of 1RM
Heavier weights, fewer reps—strength is building.

Week 6: Power Up

Day 1: 4 sets of 4 reps at 90% of 1RM
Day 2: 6 sets of 2 reps at 80% of 1RM
You’re getting seriously strong now!

Week 7: Nearing the Top

Day 1: 3 sets of 3 reps at 95% of 1RM
Day 2: 6 sets of 2 reps at 80% of 1RM
Precision and power are key here.

Week 8: Max Effort

Day 1: 2 sets of 2 reps at 100% of 1RM
Day 2: 6 sets of 2 reps at 80% of 1RM
Test your limits safely—consider a spotter.

Week 9: Deload

Day 1: 3 sets of 3 reps at 70% of 1RM
Day 2: 6 sets of 2 reps at 60% of 1RM
Recover and recharge for the big finish.

Week 10: 1RM Test

Day 1: Test your new 1-rep max!
Celebrate your progress—you’ve earned it.

Assistance Exercises to Maximise Your Bench Press

While the bench press is the star of this program, balancing all that pressing with assistance exercises is crucial for strength, posture, and injury prevention. As a personal trainer in Glasgow , I recommend incorporating these moves to complement your training at Learn to Lift Training or any other gym:

1. Rows for Balance

Barbell Bent-Over Rows: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per arm
Why: Rows strengthen your lats and mid-back, counteracting the forward push of the bench press and improving posture.

2. Pulls for Upper Back Strength

Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Why: These build your lats and rear delts, supporting your bench press stability and power.

3. Upper Back Work for Shoulder Health

Face Pulls: 3 sets of 12-15 reps (use a cable machine or resistance band)
Reverse Flys: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Why: These target your rear delts and traps, promoting shoulder stability and reducing the risk of injury from heavy pressing.

4. Core Stability

Plank Variations: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Why: A strong core keeps your body tight during the bench press, transferring power efficiently.

Pick from some of the options listed above and add these exercises on your bench days (after the main lift) or on off days. A Glasgow personal trainer at Learn to Lift Training can help you adjust reps and weights to match your level.

Tips from a Glasgow Personal Trainer

Here's some additional tips that will help you get the most out of the free Bench Press programme.

Warm Up Properly: Spend 5-10 minutes on dynamic stretches and light sets before jumping into your working weight.
Rest Between Sets: Take 3-5 minutes rest for heavier sets (85%+), and 2-3 mins for lighter ones.
Form First: Keep your shoulders protracted and retracted, feet planted, and back slightly arched. A personal trainer in Glasgow can refine your technique if needed.
Nutrition Matters: A slight calorie surplus is beneficial for progress and recovery (although not essential). Fuel your gains with protein and carbs—think chicken, oats, and veg.
Track Progress: Log your lifts to stay motivated, accountable and give you the ability to adjust as you go if need be.

Ready to Crush Your Bench Press Goals?

This 8-week program, inspired by the Russian Masters and fine-tuned for the bench press, paired with smart assistance exercises, is your ticket to a bigger bench and a stronger, more confident you. If you’re in Glasgow and want hands-on guidance, contact me—a personal trainer in Glasgow at Learn to Lift Training —to kickstart your journey. Let’s build that chest and smash your personal records together.

Start today—big PBs are waiting!

Glasgow Bootcamp Block 3 2025 Starts On April 29th!

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 16:14:43 GMT

Glasgow Bootcamp Block 3 2025 – Let’s Keep the Momentum Going!

What a way to kick off the year! The first two blocks of our Glasgow Bootcamp in 2025 have been nothing short of phenomenal. After a well-deserved break over the Christmas period, our members returned in January for Block 1, laying a rock-solid foundation with incredible personal bests (PBs) and noticeable improvements in strength, fitness, and confidence. Block 2 built on that success, pushing our community to new heights with even more PBs and a vibrant, supportive atmosphere. Now, we’re gearing up for Block 3 2025, and we can’t wait to see what our members—both returning and new—will achieve next!

Block 3 2025: Starting Tuesday, April 29th

The third block of our Glasgow Bootcamp is just around the corner, kicking off on Tuesday, April 29th, 2025 . This 8-week programme is designed to build on the progress made in Blocks 1 and 2, helping existing members smash through plateaus and reach new levels of performance. For newcomers, this is the perfect opportunity to jump in, as our sessions are fully scalable to suit all fitness levels—from complete beginners to seasoned athletes.

Why Join Block 3?

Progressive Training : Our expertly crafted sessions will challenge returning members to surpass their previous achievements while providing a welcoming entry point for new participants.

Fun and Supportive Community : Our Bootcamp is known for its friendly, inclusive vibe. Expect plenty of banter, encouragement, and camaraderie to make your fitness journey enjoyable.

Scalable Workouts : Every session is tailored to your ability, ensuring you’re challenged appropriately while working towards your goals.

Proven Results : Blocks 1 and 2 saw members hitting massive PBs and feeling stronger and fitter than ever—Block 3 will continue that trend!

Program Details

Duration : 8 weeks, starting April 29th, 2025

Pricing Options :
2 sessions per week: £144
3 sessions per week: £184

Session Times :
Mid-morning Group : Tuesday and Thursday, 10:00 AM
Evening Groups : Tuesday and Thursday, 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, and 8:00 PM
Weekend Groups : Saturday, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 11:00 AM

What to Expect

Each session is designed to improve your strength, fitness, and overall well-being. Whether you’re learning to lift for the first time or chasing a new deadlift PB, our coaches will guide you every step of the way. The workouts are varied, engaging, and designed to keep you motivated. Plus, our community’s infectious energy and sense of fun make every session something to look forward to.

How to Get Involved

Ready to join the Glasgow Bootcamp for Block 3? Here’s how:

Learn More : Visit the Glasgow Bootcamp page on our website for full details about the programme, what to expect, and testimonials from our amazing members.
Sign Up : Drop us a message via the website or contact us directly, and we’ll provide all the information you need to get started.
Show Up : Come ready to work hard, have fun, and be part of our incredible community!

Let’s Make Block 3 The Best One Yet!

We’re beyond excited to get Block 3 underway on Tuesday, April 29th, 2025 . Whether you’re a returning member chasing new goals or a newcomer ready to transform your fitness, this is your chance to be part of something special. Let’s lift big, laugh hard, and have fun training towards your health and fitness goals. See you at the Bootcamp!

For any questions or to secure your spot, reach out today. Let’s make Block 3 the best yet!

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Incline DB Bench Press with A Personal Trainer in Glasgow

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 08:00:00 GMT

3 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Incline DB Bench Press with a Personal Trainer in Glasgow

The incline dumbbell bench press is a standout pressing exercise, and it’s one we love incorporating into sessions with clients working with a personal trainer in Glasgow .

This movement strengthens key pressing muscles like the chest, front delts, and triceps while addressing imbalances between arms—something barbell exercises can’t always achieve. Plus, it’s gentler on the shoulders compared to flat dumbbell or barbell presses, making it a fantastic addition to nearly any fitness routine.

Ready to level up your incline dumbbell bench press? Try these three expert tips—straight from techniques we teach at our Glasgow gym—to refine your form and boost your results. Whether you’re training solo or with a personal trainer in Glasgow, these strategies will help you perfect this key lift.

1. Get a Strong Setup Position on the Bench

A solid setup is critical for any bench press variation, and the incline dumbbell press is no exception. Here’s how one of our Glasgow personal trainers would guide you:

Shoulder Blade Position : Squeeze your shoulder blades back and down as you settle onto the bench with the dumbbells. This creates an arched upper back, offering a safe, stable base for your shoulders and priming you for a powerful press.

Foot Placement : Drive your f eet firmly into the ground to establish a rock-solid foundation. As the saying goes, “You can’t fire a cannon from a canoe.” A stable base means more force transferred to the dumbbells, leading to stronger lifts. Pull your feet slightly back, positioning them just behind your knees, and keep them locked in place throughout the set.

Mastering this setup can transform your performance, and it’s a technique our personal trainers in Glasgow emphasise for maximum safety and strength.

2. Keep Your Elbows Stacked Under Your Wrists

Proper alignment is key to lifting efficiently and safely. When your elbows are stacked directly beneath your wrists, you optimize force transfer from your muscles to the dumbbells. This not only helps you lift heavier weights and squeeze out more reps but also reduces the risk of losing control.

Here’s what this means in action:

Natural Arc : The dumbbells start wider, to the sides of your shoulders, and arc inward as you press, finishing directly above your shoulders. On the descent, reverse this arc with control.

Controlled Lowering : Keep the eccentric (lowering) phase smooth—aim for a 1- to 2-second descent. This ensures you maintain control without sacrificing the lift’s benefits.

Our personal trainers in Glasgow often coach this technique to help clients build strength safely while avoiding common pitfalls.

3. Utilise a Full Range of Motion

A full range of motion (ROM) is essential for any lift, but it’s especially critical for dumbbell exercises like the incline press. Too often, people skip the bottom third or quarter of the movement—typically the toughest part—limiting their gains.

Here’s how our personal trainers in Glasgow defines full ROM for this exercise:

Bottom Position : Lower the dumbbells until they lightly touch the outside of your shoulders.

Top Position : Press up until your elbows fully lock out.

By committing to this range, you maximise muscle engagement, driving greater hypertrophy and strength gains. It’s a tip our Glasgow training team drills into every client for optimal results.

Bonus Tip: Handle Dumbbells with Care

Avoid dropping the dumbbells at the end of your set—it’s risky for you, disruptive to others, and can damage the equipment. Instead, lower them controlled to your thighs, then place them gently on the floor. This small habit reflects respect for your gym space and gear, a value we uphold in our Glasgow training community.

Get Expert Training with a Personal Trainer in Glasgow

At our Learn to Lift Gym in Glasgow, the incline dumbbell bench press is a staple—and a member favourite.

Want expert coaching on this move and other key exercises? A personal trainer in Glasgow can guide you every step of the way. Drop us a message to sign up and start mastering your lifts today!

Improve Your Squat: 3 Expert Tips from a Glasgow Personal Trainer

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Improve Your Squat: 3 Expert Tips from a Glasgow Personal Trainer

The squat is often called the king of exercises—and for good reason. When done right, it builds strength, boosts mobility, and transforms your physique like few other movements can. But it’s also one of the most misunderstood and poorly executed lifts out there. Whether you’re training solo or working with a Glasgow personal trainer , mastering the squat can take your fitness to new heights.

At Learn To Lift Training, we’ve helped countless clients in Glasgow perfect their squats through personalised coaching.

Here are three essential tips—plus a bonus—to improve your squat, get stronger, and make the most of this key exercise.

1. Learn Proper Squat Technique

On the surface, squatting looks simple: you sit down and stand back up with a barbell on your shoulders. But the devil’s in the details. Proper technique is the foundation of a great squat, and small adjustments can mean the difference between a mediocre lift and a personal best.

Start with your setup: position the bar securely on your traps (for high-bar squats) or rear delts (for low-bar), keep your feet shoulder-width apart, and point your toes slightly outward. Brace your core like you’re about to take a punch, then as you descend, push your knees out in line with your feet, keep your chest up and your eyes forward. These cues ensure your spine stays neutral and your power stays consistent.

Aim to hit a depth below parallel, where the crease of your hip is lower than the top of your knees, then aggressively drive back up whilst focusing on leading with your chest. This keeps your chest and hips rising at the same rate and ultimately helps you keep a strong position to push through and finish the lift.

Not sure if you’re nailing it? Our guide, The Anatomy of a Good Squat , breaks it down step-by-step. As Glasgow personal trainers, we’ve seen clients transform their lifts—and avoid injury—by focusing on form first.

If you’re in Glasgow and struggling with technique, a session with us could be the game-changer you need.

2. Boost Your Hip and Ankle Mobility

A full squat—where the crease of your hip drops below your knee—unlocks massive benefits: stronger glutes, healthier joints, and better athleticism. But tight hips or stiff ankles can stop you dead in your tracks, forcing you into a shallow, inefficient squat.

Mobility isn’t glamorous, but it’s a squat superpower. Spend 10–15 minutes a day on hip openers like the pigeon stretch or ankle drills like calf stretches against a wall. Before squatting, try dynamic warm-ups—think bodyweight squats with a pause at the bottom or ankle rocks—to loosen up. Over time, you’ll sink deeper without compromising form.

Need inspiration? Our previos Instagram post ( check it here ) shares mobility drills we use with clients. As Glasgow personal trainers, we’ve helped everyone from beginners to seasoned lifters overcome mobility blocks, proving it’s never too late to improve. Add these to your routine, and watch your squat depth soar.

3. Invest in a Pair of Lifting Shoes

If you’re squatting in running shoes, you’re selling yourself short. Lifting shoes are a secret weapon for two big reasons:

Better Ankle Mobility : The elevated heel (usually 0.5–1 inch) boosts dorsiflexion, letting you sit deeper into the squat without your heels lifting or knees caving.

Unmatched Stability : With a flat, solid sole, lifting shoes create a rock-steady base. Compare that to running shoes, with their squishy cushioning designed to absorb impact—not transfer force. That softness can wobble your stance and sap your strength.

We’ve seen clients at our Glasgow Bootcamps go from shaky, unstable squats to confident lifts after switching to lifting shoes. Brands like Reebok Legacy Lifters, Adidas Powerlifts or Nike Romaleos are a great investment if you’re serious about your training. Pair them with coaching from a Glasgow personal trainer , and you’ve got a recipe for squat success.

Bonus Tip: Strengthen Your Core for a Rock-Solid Squat

A strong squat isn’t just about your legs—it’s about your core, too. Your midsection acts like a natural weight belt, stabilizing your spine under load. A weak core can lead to a rounded back or shaky descent, killing your form and power.

Add planks (hold for 30–60 seconds), dead bugs, or ab wheel rollouts to your routine 2–3 times a week. These moves build the deep core strength that keeps you upright during heavy squats. We often see our Glasgow clients, in particular beginners who couldn’t squat past parallel, add in additional core work and hit a full-depth squats 20 to 40 kg heavier in as little as three months. Small effort, massive payoff.

Have a look below to see some of the excellent squats on display in the gym recently.

Take Your Squat to the Next Level

These tips—technique, mobility, footwear, and core strength—are simple but powerful. Put them into practice, and you’ll squat stronger, safer, and with more confidence. At Learn To Lift Training, we live and breathe this stuff. Our personal training in Glasgow and Glasgow Bootcamps are built around helping you master lifts like the squat with hands-on guidance from expert Glasgow personal trainers.

Got squat goals? Whether you’re aiming for your first bodyweight squat or a new PB, we’d love to help. Drop us a message or join one of our sessions to see the difference personalised coaching can make.

Happy squatting, team!

Strengthen Your Core with Our Glasgow Bootcamp: A Guide to Core Training and Nutrition

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Strengthen Your Core with Our Glasgow Bootcamp: A Guide to Core Training and Nutrition

When it comes to fitness, few things are as essential as a strong core. Whether you’re training with a personal trainer in Glasgow or joining a Glasgow Bootcamp , understanding how to develop your core can unlock a world of benefits.

So, what exactly is the core, and why should you care? Let’s break it down and explore how to build a strong, balanced core—plus a few tips to make it happen.

What Is the Core?

Your core isn’t just about those coveted abs. It’s a complex network of muscles that includes your rectus abdominis (the “six-pack” muscle), obliques, transverse abdominis, and even deeper stabilisers like the multifidus and pelvic floor muscles. Together, these muscle groups provide stability, support your spine, and power nearly every movement you make.

Why Core Strength Matters

Developing your core is a win no matter your goals. Want that Hollywood six-pack look? Learn to Lift Glasgow Bootcamp can help. Looking to lift heavier weights or smash personal bests? Core strength is key. Maybe you’re an athlete aiming to boost performance, or you just want better posture and injury prevention. Even if your dream is to become a standout Instagram influencer, a strong core is your foundation.

Investing in your core pays off in ways that go beyond the gym. Training with a personal trainer in Glasgow or joining a Glasgow Bootcamp can unlock these perks, making it a game-changer for any fitness journey.

A strong core enhances everyday movement, supports your spine, and powers up your physical potential. It’s not just about looking good—it’s about feeling unstoppable, whether you’re chasing performance goals, aiming to stand taller, or simply moving through life with confidence.

From injury prevention to boosting your athletic edge, core strength is the secret weapon you didn’t know you needed.

Developing a Strong and Balanced Core

To build a robust core, variety is key. Focus on exercises that target different functions—resisting movement, creating movement, and handling rotation. Here’s how:

Resist Movement

Exercises that challenge your core to stabilise are gold. Try:

Planks: Hold for 30-60 seconds.
Side Planks: Target those obliques.
Ab Wheel Rollouts : A killer move for full-core engagement.

Create Movement

Dynamic exercises build strength and definition. Include:

Sprinter’s Sit-Ups: Mimic running motion for a functional burn.
V-Ups: Engage upper and lower abs.
Leg Raises: Perfect for lower core strength.

Emphasise Rotation

Rotational moves enhance power and flexibility:

Russian Twists: Add a dumbbell or kettlebell for resistance.
Rotational Slams: Explosive and fun.

Resist Rotation

Preventing twist strengthens stability:

Pallof Presses: A go-to for anti-rotational strength.

Your specific plan depends on your goals—whether you’re working with a personal trainer in Glasgow or designing your own routine. Tailoring exercises to your needs is where the magic happens.

Core Circuit: Try This at Home or the Gym

Ready to put it together? This core circuit is perfect after a workout or as a standalone session. No fancy gear needed—just some good old fashioned hard work. Here’s the plan:

Core Circuit (3-5 Rounds)

A1. Plank: 3 x 30 seconds
A2. Sprinter’s Sit-Ups: 3 x 16 reps total
A3. Russian Twists: 3 x 16 reps (use a dumbbell, kettlebell, or loaded backpack)
Rest: 1-2 minutes between rounds

Feel the burn? That’s the impetus for your core to become stronger, all it takes now is a little consistency and some more hard work.

Big Lifts Build the Core Too

Instagram might glorify flashy ab workouts, but don’t sleep on the classics. Big compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and cleans are powerhouse moves that demand core stability. They won’t make trendy Reels, but they’ll forge an iron-clad midsection.

That said, pairing these with targeted core work—like we do at our Glasgow Bootcamp —maximises results. A balanced program with both is the sweet spot.

Nutrition: The Unsung Hero of Core Development

Training builds the muscles, but nutrition reveals them. For visible abs, body fat percentage matters—think around 12% or lower for men and sub-20% for women. Achieving this often requires:

A calorie deficit: Burn more than you consume. This helps reduce your overall body fat and make your abdominal muscles more visible.
High protein intake: Preserve muscle while losing fat.
Less junk food: Minimise empty calories. It's much easier to create and maintain a calorie deficit by minimising junk food consumption.

That Hollywood six-pack is cool, but we’d argue a strong, functional core trumps aesthetics every time. It’s all about your priorities—whether you’re training for looks or performance with a personal trainer in Glasgow .

Get Coaching and Master Core Training

A strong core is the bedrock of fitness, whether you’re lifting, running, or just living better. Joining Learn to Lift Glasgow Bootcamp or working with a personal trainer in Glasgow can fast-track your progress. Expert guidance ensures you’re training smart, eating right, and building a core that’s as functional as it is impressive.

Ready to get started? Your core is waiting—let’s get building it!

3 Tips to Master Paused Squats We Use At Our Glasgow Bootcamp

Sat, 29 Mar 2025 09:00:00 GMT

3 Tips to Master Paused Squats We Use At Our Glasgow Bootcamp

Paused squats are a staple exercise we love incorporating into our Glasgow Bootcamp at Learn To Lift Training. They’re fantastic for building strength in the bottom half of your squat—the toughest part of the movement.

Whether you’re new to squatting or a seasoned lifter, mastering paused squats using the tips we use at our bootcamp in Glasgow can take your performance to the next level.

This squat variation is more challenging than the standard version, with most people lifting 5 to 20 kg less due to the pause. But when done right, paused squats offer incredible benefits, boosting your regular full-speed squats and setting you up for new personal bests (PBs).

Here are three expert tips from our Glasgow Bootcamp to help you nail paused squats and maximise your gains.

1. Stay Tight at the Bottom of Each Rep

At our bootcamp in Glasgow, we emphasize staying tight at the bottom of your paused squats. Start by bracing your core and holding your breath at the top before descending. Maintain that tension and hold your breath while pausing at the bottom. This technique keeps your body in a strong, safe position, making it easier to power back up once the pause is over.

Proper bracing can be the difference between a clean, controlled rep and a shaky one. While some advocate exhaling slightly and rebreathing during long pauses, we generally stick to holding the breath for standard paused squats at our Glasgow Bootcamp—it’s the most effective approach for most lifters.

2. Come to a Complete Stop Before Counting the Pause

A common mistake we see at our bootcamp in Glasgow is lifters slowing down near the bottom but never fully stopping before counting their pause. To get the full benefit of paused squats, come to a dead stop before you start counting. This eliminates the stretch reflex—where your muscles store energy as they stretch during the descent—forcing your body to work harder from a static position.

We encourage squatting below parallel (hip crease below the knee) at our Glasgow Bootcamp, as it’s a great standard for range of motion. Struggling with depth? Check out our article, Improve Your Squat: 3 Expert Tips from a Glasgow Personal Trainer , for hip and ankle mobility tips to enhance your paused squats.

3. Pause for a Quick 2-Count

Time can feel like it drags at the bottom of a paused squat, tempting you to rush the pause. At our bootcamp in Glasgow, we recommend a quick 2-count in your head before standing back up. This standardises your pauses, making progress easier to track. For example, pausing for 2 seconds with 80 kg versus just 1 second with 85 kg skews your strength gains and you aren't comparing like for like.

A 2-count strikes the perfect balance—long enough to challenge your muscles, but short enough to keep the movement efficient. It’s a technique we’ve perfected at our Glasgow Bootcamp to ensure you get the most out of every rep.

Bonus Tip: Avoid the Extra Dip

After the pause, some lifters dip lower before standing up, using the stretch reflex to “rebound” out of the hole. At our bootcamp in Glasgow, we coach you to drive straight up after the pause instead. Skipping the dip makes the lift tougher, but it builds greater strength and translates better to regular squats.

Putting It All Together

Mastering paused squats with the approach we use at our Glasgow Bootcamp is simple: stop fully at the bottom, stay tight, and pause for a 2-count. Pair this with solid squat fundamentals (check out our article, The Anatomy of a Good Squat ), and you’ll see serious improvements in your strength and technique.

Join Our Glasgow Bootcamp for Expert Coaching

Ready to perfect your paused squats with hands-on guidance? Our bootcamp in Glasgow offers expert coaching to help you nail this exercise and more.

At Learn To Lift, we’re here to help you squat stronger and smarter. Take a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow page and drop us a message to sign up today!

Why Joining a Glasgow Bootcamp Beats the Gym: A Local’s Guide

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Why Joining a Glasgow Bootcamp Beats the Gym: A Local’s Guide

When it comes to fitness in Glasgow , the choice between a traditional gym membership and a bootcamp can feel overwhelming. But for many locals, especially in the vibrant Southside of Glasgow , bootcamps are stealing the show—and for good reason.

The Learn to Lift Bootcamp by Learn to Lift Training, based in the Southside, is a prime example. This isn’t your average workout; it’s a game-changer that offers a refreshing alternative to the gym grind. It's way more than just your normal Bootcamp and beats training alone in a commercial gym by a long way.

Here’s why joining a Glasgow bootcamp like this one will beat the standard treadmill-and-dumbbell routine.

Community Over Isolation

Gyms in Glasgow can sometimes feel like lonely places—headphones on, eyes down, everyone in their own bubble. The Learn to Lift Bootcamp , held at Learn to Lift Training gym in the Southside of Glasgow , flips that on its head. It’s a fun, supportive community where you’re sweating it out alongside people who cheer you on. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned lifter, the group vibe keeps you motivated. Locals love how it fosters camaraderie, turning strangers into workout buddies over shared lifting PBs and spicy cardio finishers.

Expert Guidance Without the Price Tag

At a commercial gym, personal training can drain your wallet faster than a night out on Sauchiehall Street. The Learn to Lift Bootcamp delivers top-tier coaching at a fraction of the cost. Based in the Southside , this program combines strength training—like squats and bench presses—with cardio, all under the watchful eye of experienced trainers. You’re not just left to figure out the weight rack alone; you get tailored guidance in a group setting, making it perfect for Glasgow folks who want results without breaking the bank.

Glasgow’s Outdoor Edge (Even Indoors!)

While some bootcamps embrace Glasgow ’s parks like Kelvingrove or Glasgow Green, the Learn to Lift Bootcamp brings its magic indoors at a private facility in the Southside of Glasgow . No muddy shoes here—just a controlled space where rain (a Glasgow staple) won’t ruin your session. Yet, it still captures that bootcamp spirit of variety and intensity, blending weights and cardio in ways a gym’s predictable machines can’t match. It’s the best of both worlds for Southsiders who want consistency without the weather wildcard.

Results That Speak Louder Than Reps

Gyms offer freedom, but how often do you leave feeling truly transformed? The Learn to Lift Bootcamp is designed to deliver. Locals in the Southside of Glasgow rave about losing fat, building muscle, and boosting confidence—goals that feel tangible in this structured yet fun environment. Unlike the gym, where progress can stall without a plan, the bootcamp’s progressive workouts build on each session, keeping you challenged and engaged. Members often comment that they have never looked back after ditching the solo grinds and becoming part of something bigger in the Glasgow fitness scene.

A Southside Vibe You Can’t Replicate

There’s something special about training in the Southside of Glasgow —a gritty, creative energy that the Learn to Lift Bootcamp taps into. It’s not just about lifting weights; it’s about lifting your spirits in a community that reflects the area’s down-to-earth charm. Gyms might dot the city, but this bootcamp feels uniquely tied to the Southside’s character, offering a good laugh, top quality training and an experience that can't be found in a generic fitness chain.

Just have a look at the video above to get a feel for the fun and supportive atmosphere that is the signature of the Learn to Lift Glasgow Bootcamp.

Is Our Bootcamp The One For You?

So, why choose a Glasgow bootcamp over the gym? With the Learn to Lift Bootcamp in the Southside of Glasgow , it's about more than exercise—it’s about connection, expert support, and results that stick, all wrapped in a local flavour that makes every session feel like training with friends.

Ready to trade the gym pass for a bootcamp spot? Your Southside fitness journey might just start here. Drop us a message to book a spot on one of the Glasgow Bootcamps !

Build Your Bench Press With Learn to Lift Training Glasgow

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Build Your Bench Press with Learn To Lift Training Glasgow

The bench press is a classic lift that defines strength training. It's a cornerstone exercise in our Glasgow Bootcamp sessions and during one-to-one Glasgow personal training sessions.

Whichever way you choose to implement it in your training, if you are in to lifting weights, sooner or later someone’s bound to ask, “ How much do you bench, mate? ”

It’s a badge of honour, a measure of grit, and a goal worth chasing. We’re here to help you build a stronger bench press with proven techniques, smart programming, and the right nutrition plan. From mastering the barbell to fuelling your gains, this guide has everything you need to impress your mates and hit new personal records.

Ready to build a stronger bench? Let’s get started!

Bench Press Basics: Master the Fundamentals

To improve your bench press, specificity and technique are key. That means practicing the lift regularly with proper form and full range of motion.

Getting better at the bench press starts with two golden rules: specificity and technique. If you want to excel, you’ve got to practice the lift itself—there’s no shortcut around it. That means hitting the barbell regularly, focusing on proper form, and using a full range of motion (no half-reps here!).

At our Glasgow bootcamp , we ditch the bodybuilding-style body part splits in favour of upper/lower or full-body routines. Why? Because these approaches build functional strength and give your chest, shoulders, and triceps the consistent work they need to grow.

Picture this: instead of isolating your chest once a week, you’re hitting it multiple times with compound lifts that mimic real-world power.

Whether you’re a beginner just learning the ropes or a more experienced lifter chasing a 100kg bench press, nailing the basics is your foundation for success.

How Often, How Much, and How Hard?

Building a big bench press isn’t just about lifting heavy—it’s about lifting smart. Consistency and balance are key, so here’s how to dial it in:

Volume : Strength comes from a solid base. Think of it like laying bricks—more quality reps and sets over time build the foundation for those personal bests (PBs). Start with moderate weights, for example 3 sets of 8 reps, and gradually increase the workload as your strength climbs.

Frequency : The bench press loves repetition. Training it 2-3 times per week keeps your muscles adapting and growing without overtaxing your joints. Our personal training Glasgow programs are designed to fit this frequency into your busy life, balancing progress with recovery so you’re always ready to lift.

Intensity : Pushing to your limit feels heroic, but doing it too often can backfire. Avoid training to failure every session—save those max-effort days for when you’re peaking for a big lift or competition. Steady progress beats burnout every time, and our coaches help you find that sweet spot.

Assistance Exercises to Boost Your Bench

Every lifter has a sticking point, and assistance exercises can be your secret weapon to break through plateaus. Here’s how to tackle yours with targeted moves:

Weak off the chest? Paused bench presses—where you pause the bar on your chest for a second or two—help build a lot of strength in the bottom part of the movement to help blast through that initial push. We teach this technique in our bootcamp Glasgow classes, and it can be a game-changer for beginners and more experiecned lifters alike.

Struggling at lockout? Partial reps (focusing on the top half of the lift) and tricep-focused work like close-grip bench presses or dips will strengthen that final squeeze. Your triceps are the unsung heroes of lockout strength—don’t neglect them!

Some other key considerations when it comes to assistance exercises is building certain muscle groups that are key in properly executing the movement. We can group these as follows:

Prime Movers : Build your chest, triceps, and front delts with exercises like incline bench presses, overhead presses, and dumbbell flyes. These add variety and target the muscles that power your bench.

Stabilisers : A strong bench benefits from a strong back and opposing muscles to the prime movers discussed above. Strengthen your lats, traps, and upper back with lat pulldowns, bent-over rows, and face pulls. These keep your shoulders healthy, something often overlooked but hugely beneficial for big lifts and longevity.

Lower Body and Conditioning: Keep It Balanced

While the bench press is your star player, don’t bench your lower body entirely (pun intended). Keep training your squats, deadlifts, but dial back the volume and intensity a bit—say, 2 sets instead of 3—to prioritise upper-body recovery for phases when you are really wanting to focus in on your bench press and drive it on in particular. Your legs still need love to support overall strength and stability, so think of it as maintenance mode.

As for conditioning, a little goes a long way. Light cardio—like a brisk walk around Glasgow’s parks or a few rounds of battle ropes—keeps your heart healthy and can help speed up your recovery between sets for general training sessions and those focused on your bench press. Balance is the name of the game.

Nutrition & Supplements for Bench Press Success

As the old saying goes, you can’t out-train a bad diet, and this applies when strength is the goal too. Here’s how to fuel your bench press gains:

Calories : A slight surplus (think 200-300 extra calories daily) fuels strength and muscle growth—crucial for a lift like the bench press that thrives on bodyweight increases. Our personal training Glasgow team can help guide you on this to match your goals, whether you’re bulking or maintaining. (Yes, you can still gain strength in a deficit, but it can be a lot tougher!)

Protein : Aiming for around 2g per kg of bodyweight is usually a solid target—around 160g for an 80kg lifter—to repair and build muscle. Chicken, eggs, and protein shakes are your allies here (other options too if you follow a different nutrition approach such as vegetarianism).

Supplements : Creatine monohydrate (5g daily) is a proven, budget-friendly way to boost strength and power output. It’s not essential, but it’s a nice bonus. Other options like whey protein or caffeine can help, but whole foods are the real MVPs.

Get Started: Build Your Bench Press Today

Ready to smash it? Set a clear bench press goal—maybe it’s 80kg for 5 reps or a clean 100kg single—and commit to a plan.

Consistency is king, and hard work pays off. At Learn to Lift Training, our bootcamp Glasgow sessions bring the group energy to push you, while our personal training Glasgow offers tailored coaching to fine-tune your form and programming. Whether you’re lifting with mates or flying solo, we’ve got the tools to help you succeed. Start building your bench press now—your next PB is waiting, and we can’t wait to see you own that barbell!

Ready to lift smarter? Join Learn to Lift Training’s Glasgow Bootcamp for a fun, full-body challenge, or book personal training in Glasgow for expert coaching tailored to your bench press goals. Contact us today to kickstart your journey!

Strength Training Tips for Beginners in Glasgow

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Strength Training Tips for Beginners in Glasgow

If you’re new to fitness and based in Glasgow, strength training might feel intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be! At Learn to Lift Training, we believe everyone can harness the power of lifting to build confidence, improve health, and transform their lives.

Whether you’re stepping into a gym for the first time or curious about personal training in Glasgow, these beginner-friendly strength training tips will set you on the right path. Let’s get started!

1. Start with the Basics

Strength training isn’t about lifting the heaviest weights right away—it’s about mastering the fundamentals. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and presses. These exercises work multiple muscle groups, giving you more bang for your buck. At Learn to Lift Training in Glasgow Southside, our expert trainers break these moves down step-by-step, ensuring you build a solid foundation safely.

2. Prioritise Technique - Form Over Weight

Lifting too heavy too soon is a recipe for injury—especially for beginners. Proper form is key to seeing results and staying safe. Start with lighter weights (or even just your bodyweight) and focus on controlled, smooth movements. Our Glasgow personal trainers at Learn to Lift are very thorough, offering real-time feedback to perfect your technique before you level up.

3. Set Realistic Goals

Strength training is a journey, not a race. Set achievable goals—like mastering a bodyweight squat or lifting a small dumbbell with confidence—rather than aiming for massive gains overnight. Glasgow’s busy lifestyle can make consistency tough, but small, steady wins add up. We’ll help you craft a plan at Learn to Lift Training that fits your schedule and keeps you motivated.

4. Rest and Recover

New to lifting? Your muscles need time to repair and grow stronger after each session. Aim for 48 hours of rest between working the same muscle group, and don’t skip sleep or nutrition. A balanced diet with protein (think chicken, eggs, or lentils) fuels your progress. Our Glasgow team can guide you on recovery tips tailored to your routine.

5. Use Glasgow’s Fitness Community

Glasgow’s fitness scene is buzzing, and there’s no better place to start than with a supportive crew. Training at Learn to Lift Training gym in Glasgow's Southside connects you with like-minded beginners and advanced lifters alike. The encouragement you’ll find here—whether from trainers or fellow lifters—makes those early workouts less daunting and more fun.

6. Invest in Coaching

Self-teaching via YouTube is tempting, but nothing beats personalised coaching. A good coach spots bad habits, boosts your confidence, and keeps you accountable. At Learn to Lift Training, our Glasgow personal training sessions are perfect for beginners, helping you avoid pitfalls and progress faster than going it alone.

7. Be Patient and Consistent

Results won’t come overnight, but they will come with consistency. Commit to 2–3 sessions a week, even if they’re short, and track your progress—whether it’s lifting a bit more or feeling less sore. Glasgow’s weather might tempt you to stay indoors, but our welcoming space at Learn to Lift Training will keep you coming back.

Why Start Strength Training in Glasgow?

Strength training isn’t just about aesthetics—it boosts your metabolism, strengthens bones, and lifts your mood (perfect for those grey Glasgow days!). As a beginner, you’ve got an edge: every lift is a chance to learn and grow. With Learn to Lift Training, you’re not just exercising—you’re building skills for life.

Ready to Lift?

Glasgow beginners, this is your moment! Strength training is for everyone, and Learn to Lift Training is here to make it accessible, effective, and enjoyable. Drop us a message to book a session with our expert trainers and get started on turning your fitness goals into reality—one rep at a time.

Learn to Lift Training New Logo - Refreshed and Improved!

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 14:21:36 GMT

Learn to Lift Training Unveils a Refreshed and Improved Logo

At Learn to Lift Training, we’re thrilled to announce an exciting update: our logo has undergone a bold refresh! As Glasgow’s go-to personal training experts, we’re committed to evolving—not just in how we train our clients but also in how we present ourselves.

Our new and improved logo reflects our dedication to strength, growth, and the vibrant fitness community we’ve built right here in Glasgow. Here’s everything you need to know about this exciting change.

Why Refresh the Logo?

Our original logo served us well, but as Learn to Lift Training continues to grow, we wanted a design that better captures our identity and mission. Personal training is about transformation—pushing limits, building confidence, and achieving goals. We felt it was time for our visual identity to mirror that energy and the modern, dynamic approach we bring to every session. The refreshed logo is a symbol of our ongoing commitment to excellence and innovation in fitness.

What’s New in the Design?

The updated Learn to Lift Training logo blends sleek, contemporary style with nods to our core values. Here’s what’s changed:

Bold Typography : The new logo features sharper, more confident lettering. It’s easy to read and stands out, just like our clients do when they master their lifts.

Strength-Inspired Elements : Subtle design cues—like angular lines and an improved weightlifting motif—hint at the strength, power and resilience we help our clients unlock.

Vibrant Colours : We’ve introduced a refreshed colour palette on our new signage incorporating the new logo that’s energetic yet approachable, reflecting the welcoming vibe of our Glasgow training space.

Simplified Look : The cleaner design ensures it looks great everywhere—from our website ( www.learntolift.uk ) to gym gear and social media.

While the logo has evolved, it still carries the spirit of Learn to Lift Training—empowering people through strength and training.

A Reflection of Our Glasgow Roots

Based in Glasgow Southside, we’re proud to be part of this city’s thriving fitness scene. The logo refresh also nods to our local identity. Glasgow is known for its grit, warmth, and determination—qualities we see in our clients every day. The updated design embodies that tenacity while showcasing our role as a forward-thinking leader in personal training.

What This Means for Our Clients

Don’t worry—the logo refresh doesn’t change what you love about Learn to Lift Training. Our expert trainers, personalised plans, and focus on sustainable results remain at the heart of what we do. This update is about enhancing how we connect with you—whether you’re a long-time client or someone considering your first session. The new logo is a promise: we’re here to lift you up, both in the gym and beyond.

The Feedback So Far

Since revealing the refreshed logo to our community, the response has been incredible. Clients have told us it feels “stronger,” “more modern,” and “perfectly us.” We’ve also heard from new visitors to www.learntolift.uk who say the updated branding makes them excited to learn more about our services. It’s a small change with a big impact, and we’re grateful for the support as we roll it out.

See It in Action

You’ll start spotting the new logo across all our channels soon—on our website, social media (follow us for updates!), and at the Learn To Lift Training gym in the southside of Glasgow, where we provide our services. We’re also considering some fun ways to celebrate, like the possibility of limited-edition merchandise featuring the refreshed design. Stay tuned for more details!

A Fresh Look for a Bright Future

The logo refresh marks an exciting chapter for Learn to Lift Training. It’s a visual reminder of where we’ve been and where we’re headed—pushing boundaries and helping Glasgow’s fitness enthusiasts achieve their best selves. Whether you’re lifting your first dumbbell or chasing a new personal best, we’re here with the expertise and encouragement you need.

Ready to experience the Learn to Lift difference? Drop us a message to book a session and see why our refreshed look is just the beginning of what we have in store. Here’s to stronger lifts, improved health, and achieving your fitness goals!

Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow New Block March 2025

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 14:29:14 GMT

2025 is Off To A Flyer!

Our first block of Bootcamp for the year is in the books and it marked a brilliant start to the year. After everyone had a few weeks off over the Christmas period we started back in January and built an excellent base with everyone finishing the block hitting big PBs and looking stronger and fitter than ever!

Block 2 2025 Is On The Way

The second block of our Glasgow Bootcamp kicks off this coming week on Tuesday the 4th of March. The new block will build on what we achieved in block 1 for existing members, pushing them on to even higher levels and more new PBs. All the training sessions are designed to be scalable to all ability levels and thus are also perfect as a starting point for new members too.

It will be an 8 week block and we offer the following options:

2 sessions per week £144
3 sessions per week £184

The sessions run as follows:

Mid-morning group - Tuesday and Thursday 10am
Evening groups - Tuesday and Thursday 6pm, 7pm and 8pm
Weekend groups - Saturday 9am, 10am and 11am

We have a really fun and friendly community of people in the Bootcamps and pride ourselves on creating a fun atmosphere with lots of banter to make working towards your goals a really enjoyable experience.

Learn More About Bootcamp and Sign Up

If our Glasgow Bootcamp sounds like something you would like to get involved with you can learn more about it here on the website on the Glasgow Bootcamp page and if you want to sign up just drop us a message and we will let you know everything you need to do to get started.

We can't wait to get the new block of Bootcamp started on Tuesday and can't wait to see all the big lifts that await throughout it!

Increase Your Bench Press Top Tips

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 08:00:02 GMT

Increase Your Bench Press Top Tips

In some ways the Bench Press is the iconic gym based exercise and perhaps forever associated with the cringingly common phrase "how much do you bench?".

Despite the cliche, it is an excellent upper body strength builder and a key foundation for most strength training programs.

Here's some of our top tips to help you increase your Bench Press!

1. Get A Strong Setup Position on The Bench

Like any lift, success on the Bench Press all begins with your technique and a key part of this is your setup on the Bench. Your ability to transfer force into the bar and lift at your best is dependant upon being in a tight and stable position.

Here's some of the key pointers to creating this position:

Squeeze your shoulders back and down and dig them firmly into the bench.
Pull your hips back to reduce the distance between them and your shoulders.
Pull you feet back and drive them firmly into the ground (either go onto the balls of your feet or keep your feet flat and drive into your heels).
Keep your head back on the bench.

By following these steps you will create an arched position on the bench, create a lot of tightness through your body and create tension with the ground. Imagine someone was to walk up to your side whilst you were setup on the bench, if they were to nudge you the goal would be that you are so tight on the bench you wouldn't move. This is the setup position we want to create to maximise what you can lift.

2. Train Bench Press Multiple Times Per Week

The Bench Press is a lift that responds particularly well to a higher frequency of training. This flies in the face of a lot of the traditional bodybuilding type information out there that typical revolves around a body part split approach and only training a muscle group once per week. In this instance the Bench Press might feature on "chest day".

However, a much better approach when training for performance, strength and even muscle building (as suggested by a lot of research these days) is a higher frequency approach. Upper/Lower or whole body routines work best for this in our opinion.

Generally speaking we recommend training the Bench Press 2 to 3 times per week utilising various intensities and variations of the movement. The specifics can vary from individual to individual and from program to program but the key point to bear in mind here is to train the lift more than once per week to increase your performance on it!

3. Utilise The Correct Assistance Exercises

The other lifts you use in your upper body training can be important in helping build your Bench Press, not only in the sense of building the prime mover muscles (chest, front delts and triceps) but also in balancing out all the pressing movements and helping you avoid imbalances and injuries.

For the purposes of discussion we'll split the assistance exercises into 3 categories:

Other Pressing Exercises

These help build the prime movers as described above and compliment the bench press movement pattern.

Some of our favourites include:

Close Grip Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Strict Overhead Press
Push Press
Dumbbell bench variations
Flat DB Bench press
Incline DB Bench Press
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press

Utilising these as secondary pressing movements after your main Bench Press work or as main movements on other training days can be of great benefit.

Pulling Movements

It's important to balance out all your Bench Pressing with a good amount of pulling movements. These help build the opposing muscle groups such as the lats, which play a role in helping stabilise the bar on the eccentric (downward phase) of the Bench Press.

It's often recommended to use a 1 to 1 or 2 to 1 ratio of pulling to pressing exercises in your training to avoid imbalances from all the benching and the over development of the anterior pressing muscles, internal rotation of the shoulders and potential injury this can result in.

In simple terms try to do at least as many sets of pulling movements as pressing in your training, if not double the amount.

Some of our favourite exercises in this category include:

Chest Supported DB Rows
Seal Rows
Pendlay Rows
Single Arm DB Rows
Chin Ups
Pull Ups
Lat Pulldowns

Shoulder Health Exercises

The Bench Press is particularly taxing on the front delts and in a similar vain to the points made above it's important for your shoulder health to balance this out with work on your rear delts and upper back muscles.

Try to include plenty of Face Pulls, Band Pull Aparts and Rear Delt Flyes in your training to do this. We also like to include Band External Rotations for rotator cuff health.

More Useful Tips

Here's some other helpful articles we have posted that should help you visualise the optimal setup position described above and some additional tips to getting your technique just right:

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Bench Press

The Anatomy Of A Good Bench Press

Get Coaching on This and More

Teaching people how to master the Bench Press and other key exercises is a big part of our Glasgow Bootcamp and Personal Training in Glasgow. Drop us a message if you would like to get involved!

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Trap Bar Deadlifts

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 08:00:02 GMT

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Trap Bar Deadlifts

Trap Bar is a fun Deadlift variant and a big bang for your buck movement given all the big muscle groups it works and the training effect it can have.

You will often find that people can lift a good amount more on a Trap Bar Deadlift than a conventional Deadlift, in fact it's not uncommon to see an increase of anywhere from 20 kg to 40 kg.

There are a few reasons for this with two of the main ones being:

A Higher pick up position for Trap Bar Deadlifts - the handles of the Trap Bar allow for a starting point of the lift that can be around 4 to 6 inches higher than the start point for a conventional Deadlift (depending on the specific Trap Bar you are using). In simple terms, the higher start point means a reduced range of motion and thus less work must be performed to lift the same weight to lockout as you would on a conventional Deadlift. It's worth noting that most Trap Bars also have what are described as "low handles" that are at a standard bar height, although these tend to not be used nearly as often by comparison.

The Trap Bar puts the weight in line with your centre of mass - this is in contrast to a conventional Deadlift where the weight is out in front of your body. Without delving into the specifics of the biomechanics, this makes it easier for you to lift a given weight.

Now that we have a clearer understanding of the movement relative to what we might describe as its "parent" lift, here's our top tips to make sure you perform your best on them!

1. Set Your Feet Wider Than For A Normal Deadlift

Our usual advice for the majority of people on a standard Deadlift is to set their stance shoulder width apart. This is perfectly valid for Trap Bar Deadlifts too. However, we have found that a slightly wider stance than this if often superior.

The reason for this is the fact that in some ways the Trap Bar Deadlift is more akin to a partial squat with the bar in your hands rather than on your back. The fact that you stand in the centre of the bar means you can use more of your quads on the movement than a standard Deadlift where the weight is out in front of you.

Given the parallel you can draw with a partial squat and the greater quad involvement, we recommend gravitating more towards a slightly wider stance that more closely aligns with your squat stance. It might not be a huge positional difference but experience has taught us that this can be very beneficial.

2. Make Sure You Are Dead Centre In The Bar

This is important as it can have a big impact on your initial drive on the lift and as you will probably know if you have done Trap Bar Deadlifts before, breaking the floor is the hardest part of the lift.

The most common error we have observed is standing slightly behind the centre of the bar. This can often happen because people's instinct is to stand a little further back so they can see where they are placing their hands more easily.

The challenge with this setup is the bar will need to swing back towards you as it comes off the ground before you can rise up properly with it. This can cost you valuable energy and cause you to bleed out a lot of force your are generating through inefficient angles. Ultimately, it will most likely make the lift a lot harder or cause you to miss it altogether.

We would strongly suggest taking your time in your setup to ensure you are dead centre in the bar, aiming for the sleeves to be aligned with your mid foot.

3. Focus on Driving Your Legs Into The Ground

This ties directly back in with our previous points about a Trap Bar Deadlift resembling a partial squat, greater quad involvement in the lift and breaking the floor being the most challenging part.

You may well have heard the start of a conventional Deadlift being described as leg pressing the floor away from you. This is even more pertinent here. Really focus on driving your legs into the floor and imagine pushing the floor away from you as forcefully as you can!

Become a part of our Glasgow Bootcamp

Put these tips into action and enjoy the rewards of improved technique and bigger lifts on your Trap Bar Deadlifts!

If you would like expert in person coaching to implement tips like these and many more, take a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow page and Drop Us A Message !

Overcoming Poor Leverages To Build A Good Deadlift

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 08:00:02 GMT

Glasgow Personal Training Tips - Overcoming Poor Leverages To Build A Good Deadlift

First and foremost let's consider what good leverages for a deadlift actually are. Generally speaking an excellent build for a deadlift is having a short torso and long arms. This allows you to have a more upright torso position at the start of the lift, creates a more open angle at the hips and will most likely result in a lower lockout position. In fact some of the best deadlifters in the world lockout the lift with bar just over their knees.

Unfortunately I do not have these proportions. My torso and arms are not far off the same length and my lockout position is what might be considered very high up with the bar up at groin level.

You may have heard of something called the Ape Index, it essentially compares your wing span, finger tip to finger tip with outstretched arms, to your height. A positive Ape Index indicates your wing span is greater than your height and this is generally a good sign for deadlifting, especially is there is a big positive difference. I have a negative Ape Index meaning my wing span is a little short than my height. Yep you guessed it, not a good sign for deadlifting.

All this translated means I have a more challenging start position for a deadlift with a more horizontal torso and a more challenging lockout position with a relatively greater range of motion.

However, I have been able to overcome this to a large extent and still hit some good lifts, 240 kg x 5 beltless (not far off 3 times bodyweight) being a recent highlight.

The tips that follow are based on my own experiences and what worked for me. Hopefully if you find yourself with similar leverages they can help you too!

1. Develop A Lot Of Speed Off The Floor

I believe this has been the most important factor of all for me. I would often find the lockout the most challenging part of the lift and by building up my bar speed it helped generate momentum that would carry through to the top of the lift and make it much easier for me to lockout big weights.

It's obviously important to build this speed from good positions technique wise including a solid back angle, arms staying straight like hooks connecting you to the bar and the chest and hips rising at the same rate.

Sometimes you will see people make the trade off of acquiring more speed off the floor at the cost of ending up in a more stiff leg, rounded back position and snatching at the bar with a bend in their arms. Ultimately this can make it very difficult for them to lockout top end weights and possibly even put them in a more compromised position in terms of the potential for injury.

To improve my ability to develop force rapidly at the start of the lift and get the bar moving off the floor explosively, I utilised a lot of lighter speed deadlifts in my training.

These are typically in the range of 50-70% of your max and performed for singles, doubles or triples. The key when doing them is focusing on moving the weight as rapidly as possible, treat every lift as if it were a 1 rep max attempt. They can be done after your main heavy set for the day or as part of a separate workout.

2. Work On Bringing Up Your Squat

I have always found that when my squat increases my deadlift goes up too. They are very complimentary lifts, although as an aside it is worth noting the inverse of this is not normally true, increasing your deadlift doesn't usually result in an increase in your squat in my experience.

By building your squat strength you are obviously helping to increase the strength in key muscle groups that are big contributors to the deadlift. I have also found that the increased leg strength helps build the aforementioned speed off the floor that I believe has been so valuable in helping overcome my own poor leverages for the lift.

Your quads key contribution to a deadlift is at the bottom of the lift as you attempt to break the bar off the floor and as you will sometimes hear it described "push the floor away".

A good balanced training program will have you squatting as part of it and spending time focusing on bring this up had a big benefit to my deadlift too!

3. Build A Really Strong Back and Core

Deadlifts can sometimes look effortless when you see certain people with favourable leverages perform them. It's always important to have a strong back and core for the movement but in my opinion it becomes even more important when you don't have the best leverages for the lift and find yourself in a more horizontal position at the start of it.

When I say back and core I am in particular talking about the spinal erectors, the lats, various muscles of the upper back and the abdominals. Improving in these areas benefited me a great deal.

Aside from putting a lot of work in on the deadlift itself, something that helped me a lot was spending time on assistance exercises developing these areas. Particular favourites included:

Good Mornings
Pendlay Rows
Chest Supported Dumbbell Rows
Ab Wheel Roll Outs.

As an added bonus building a great deal of strength in these exercises has a big carry over to many different lifts and can only be a big plus overall.

More Top Tips For Deadlift

Here's some more useful articles we have published that will help you master your deadlift technique and improve the lift:

How To Build A Bigger Deadlift

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Deadlift

The Anatomy Of A Good Deadlift

Get Some Expert Coaching

We teach these tips and more as part of our Glasgow Bootcamp and Personal Training in Glasgow . If you would like expert coaching in putting them into action drop us a message !

Is Bootcamp good for weight loss?

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 11:31:06 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - Is Bootcamp good for weight loss?

In our latest instalment of our series addressing the most commonly asked Bootcamp questions online we will be looking at how it can help people achieve their goals.

Question - Is bootcamp good for weight loss?

Answer - Yes but most importantly it is very good for fat loss.

So what's the difference between weight loss and fat loss? These terms are often confused, weight loss means losing bodyweight but unfortunately this is usually a combination of body fat, muscle, water, glycogen and so on. This obviously isn't optimal as we don't want to be losing muscle mass and the drop in water weight and glycogen etc can give people the false sense of security that they are losing all the weight as body fat, which unfortunately isn't the case.

What people really mean when they say weight loss is fat loss, which as the name implies means losing body fat specifically. This is what improves your body composition and how you look.

Fat loss is more challenging to achieve than simple weight loss but Bootcamp gives you the training sessions, nutritional structure, support and, perhaps most crucially of all, the motivation to achieve fat loss. All this as part of a fun, friendly and supportive community of people working towards similar goals!

Learn more about Bootcamp

If you would like to learn more about Bootcamp and see how it can help you achieve your goals, take a look at our Glasgow Bootcam p page!

Close Grip Bench Press Top Tips

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 08:00:03 GMT

Close Grip Bench Press Top Tips

The Close Grip Bench Press is an excellent benching variant to use in your training and can be particularly useful for developing tricep strength and building your lockout on your normal Bench Press.

Here's our top tips for mastering the movement:

1. Don't Grip The Bar Too Narrowly

There is a common misconception, particularly in bodybuilding circles, that Close Grip Bench Presses should be performed with a particularly narrow grip, often with your hands positioned only a small distance apart. However, the major downside to this approach is the strain it puts on your wrist, shoulder and elbow joints.

We recommend using a grip roughly equivalent to shoulder width or slightly outside this. Indeed, in research you will often see a Close Grip described as 95-100% biacromial distance, which simply means 95-100% of the distance between your shoulder joints.

This grip width is more joint friendly due to the more favourable angles it creates and has a far superior transfer to building strength and a much greater application to sporting performance.

2. Keep Your Elbows Under Your Wrists

This alignment of joints creates the strongest and most efficient position to press from, as well as, being the most joint friendly.

This can sometimes take a little practice but the most common things to try and avoid are the elbows flaring out to the side or shooting out in front of the bar. The former internally rotates the shoulders and puts unnecessary strain here, as well as on the elbows. The latter puts a lot of strain on the elbows and can really reduce how much weight you can lift.

3. Use A Lower Touch Point Than Normal

This ties in directly with our previous point about stacking your elbows under your wrists. One of the key implications of maintaining this is that the normal touch point for a traditional bench press, lower chest/sternum area, isn't applicable here.

Instead you will most likely find that you will need to use a touch point that is slightly lower and more towards your upper abs. The difference won't be huge but it's still significant as using the same touch point as your traditional bench press will result in the elbows losing alignment with the wrists (by virtue of the elbows shooting out in front or flaring to the sides) and ultimately create a more inefficient position and decrease your ability to generate force into the bar.

Translation - you won't be able to lift as much and will put needless strain on your joints.

Take Home Message

In summary, to get the best results out of the Close Grip Bench Press from the perspective of performance, strength building, being joint friendly and transfer to sport, use a roughly shoulder width grip, keep your elbows under your wrists and use a slightly lower touch point than normal!

Get Coaching From The Experts

If you would like expert coaching on the Close Grip Bench Press and big compound movements, have a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow and Personal Training Glasgow pages and send us a message !

How Many Times A Week Should I Do Bootcamp?

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 08:00:03 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - How Many Times A Week Should I Do Bootcamp?

It's time for the third instalment of our series answering the mostly commonly asked questions online about Bootcamp and today's topic surrounds training frequency.

Question - How many times a week should I do Bootcamp?

Answer - Between 2 and 3 times per week. These are the two options we offer members at they represent a good balance of training and recovery and offer flexibility for those with busy schedules. They also allow for individual training sessions to be mixed in with the Bootcamp training sessions themselves if need be.

In our experience those people who do 3 sessions per week progress faster as they have more touch points with us coaching wise and ultimately train more consistently and with greater motivation.

It's also worth reiterating here that the Learn To Lift Bootcamp is no ordinary bootcamp. The training is very much based around a blend of big compound exercises such as Squats, Bench Presses, Push Presses and Deadlifts. This makes the training very effective but also something that requires recovery to optimise results. It is for this reason we have found 3 times per week to be the sweet spot in terms of training frequency.

Learn more about Bootcamp

To find out more about Bootcamp and what it involves, take a look at our Glasgow Bootcam p page.

You can also find more information on pricing, times and location on the Find A Bootcamp page!

3 Things That Helped Me Build My High Bar Squat

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 08:00:02 GMT

3 Things That Helped Me Build My High Bar Squat

Squats were never a lift that I took naturally to. In fact in my first ever Powerlifting competition I squatted 155 kg and pause benched 150 kg. A ratio that is pretty ridiculous in all honesty, your squat should far exceed your bench press!

However, I have grown to love squats over the years and enjoyed the challenge of turning a glaring weakness into a strength. It certainly hasn't been easy, especially as I drifted away from the classic Powerlifting low bar squat to the much harder high bar squat.

This was again a challenge I grew to relish and I'm glad to say that I have become pretty good at the lift. In the last 2 years I have taken my 5 rep max from 170 kg to 200 kg. Not world record standard by any means but still no easy task given my bodyweight and the years I have been training (normally progress tends to come a lot more slowly the longer you have been training and the more advanced you become).

In the hope that you can successfully implement them into your training, here's my top tips based on the things that helped me build my high bar squat.

1. Focus On Breaking At The Hips and Knees Simultaneously

It was very common in years gone by to hear about beginning a squat by breaking at the hips and sitting back into it. Whilst this is a valid technique for low bar Powerlifting style squats (although not our preferred one even for these), it's most definitely not the best approach for a high bar squat.

A high bar squat requires a much more upright torso position and what really helped me a lot technique wise was drilling the timing of breaking at the hips and knees simultaneously as I sat into a squat. This created a much more favourable body position and ultimately helped me unlock a lot of progress on the lift.

Spend time practicing this and hopefully it can do the same for you.

2. Think Of The Bar Position As A Range

On a high bar squat the bar position is generally thought of as sitting on the traps. However, it doesn't need to sit on the very top of your traps, in fact you will most likely find the leverages more favourable by moving the bar an inch or two lower from there.

This is still a high bar position and is still a good few inches from the bar being on the shelf of the rear delts, which is what is generally considered as a low bar position. In fact it can make a big difference in being able to keep a strong position through your torso into your upper back on big lifts and can ultimately help you lift more weight.

Thinking of the bar position as a range and playing around with it to find the spot that suited me, slighted lower down my traps than what I had been using originally, helped make a big difference to my high bar squat and I feel confident in saying it can for you too.

3. Build Your Core and Upper Back Strength

If you have spent much time training high bar squats you will be accustom to the feeling of the bar almost wanting to roll up onto your neck and fold you over. It's not as easy as a low bar squat to push your shoulders back into the bar and win this fight with it.

Indeed, the high bar squat has a far greater demand for upper back and core strength and spending time developing these areas paid off big time for me. By strengthening these areas I was able to maintain my body position under big weights and this essentially helped me be more efficient at transferring force up from my legs into the bar and thus lift heavier weights.

Obviously your upper back and core strength will develop from performing high bar squats themselves in your training but I would also recommend utilising various assistance exercises to further develop them. My absolute favourite amongst these is Ab Wheel Roll Outs. If you can master these to a high level your core strength will go through the roof!

Bonus Tip

By way of a wee additional bonus tip I would recommend training your high bar squats multiple times per week. Squats generally respond well to this if you program it sensibly so as to balance the stimulus with recovery and pick your moments to push. Training them twice per week worked very well for me and I believe was an important factor in my progress.

Hopefully you have found these tips valuable, give them a go and enjoy the satisfaction of the progress they bring!

Get Expert Coaching To Build Your Squat

We teach these tips and more as part of our Bootcamp Glasgow and Personal Training in Glasgow . If you think you'd benefit from expert coaching drop us a message to get involved!

How Much Does It Cost To Go To Bootcamp?

Mon, 31 May 2021 08:00:13 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - How Much Does It Cost To Go To Bootcamp?

This is our second instalment of our series tackling some of the most common questions about Bootcamp online. Today we are going to be addressing the topic of cost.

Question - How much does it cost to go to Bootcamp?

Answer - It costs £80 for 10 sessions over a 5 week block and £100 for 15 sessions. This translates to 2 sessions per week and 3 sessions per week respectively and per session works out as only £8 or less!

That's one of the beauties of the Learn To Lift Bootcamp, it is essentially group personal training with all the benefits of one to one personal training but with the added bonus of being more affordable and having the support and camaraderie of the group.

Learn more about Bootcamp

If you would like to learn more about the Bootcamp and get a flavour for how it works, take a look at our Glasgow Bootcam p page. If you are keen to sign up jump over to our Find A Bootcamp page to locate one near you!

Is Bootcamp Better Than The Gym?

Mon, 17 May 2021 08:00:02 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - Is Bootcamp Better Than The Gym?

If you are new to training or the concept of Bootcamp you will most likely have a number of questions. Indeed, it's common to see a lot of these online and in light of this we decided to provide the answers to the questions most frequently asked.

First up in this post we will address one of the biggest questions and this is as follows:

Question - Is Bootcamp better than the gym?

Answer - Yes it is. The reason for this is that you receive expert coaching in working towards your goals as part of a fun, friendly and supportive community.

If you have trained in a gym before by yourself you will probably have noticed familiar faces training away and never making any progress towards their goals. Indeed, you may well have been frustrated for these very same reasons.

The Learn To Lift Bootcamp isn't like other bootcamps, there's no running about in the park doing endless burpees and bodyweight exercises. It is essentially group personal training where you get all the knowledge, support and motivation for working towards your goals and share the journey with a friendly group of likeminded people. Our style of training is very much gym based but you will be training in a focused and fully coached manner rather than attempting to figure things out on your own.

The key components of Bootcamp include:

✔ Fully coached training sessions

✔ Comprehensive training programs

✔ Detailed nutrition guide

✔ Closed Facebook group for constant support

✔ Full result tracking

It's suitable for a wide range of goals from fat loss and muscle building to ultimately looking and feeling better about yourself.

Learn more about Bootcamp

We are very proud of the our Learn To Lift Bootcamp community and what the members of it have achieved. To learn more about it and find out what others have to say, take a look at our Glasgow Bootcamp page and our Find A Bootcamp page to locate one near you!

Training Tips - How To Properly Perform Pendlay Rows

Mon, 03 May 2021 08:00:03 GMT

How To Properly Perform Pendlay Rows

The Pendlay Row is a fantastic exercise for building strength but unfortunately it is also one of the most incorrectly performed movements too.

There's a good chance you will have seen people in the gym or on Instagram supposedly performing Pendlay Rows and the movement more closely resembles an odd partial deadlift/high pull hybrid than the intended exercise.

The most common error on this movement is to use a lot of body English in an attempt to lift more weight. Don't be that person, here's how to perform the exercise correctly!

Correct technique

�� Set your back parallel to the ground - this will be the position you should lock your back into for the entire duration of the exercise.

The bar should be over your mid-foot and your head should be neutral. Set your grip just outside shoulder width, we personally prefer a thumb space out from where the knurling starts.

�� Brace your core & squeeze your upper back - this will help stabilise your torso and set you in a strong position to perform the exercise and maintain the alignment of your back through the duration of the set.

�� Pull the bar towards your mid to upper ab region - initiate the movement with your arms and think of driving your elbows up past your torso as you do. Make sure the bar makes contact with your stomach and then return the bar under control (but not too slowly) back to the floor.

�� Minimal "body English" & full range of motion - your back should stay in an almost identical position throughout the execution of the exercise. Although generating momentum by moving your torso is a valid technique in other row variations, there shouldn't be any of this on a Pendlay row.

Make sure you get a full range of motion on every single rep for best results. The definition of a full range of motion in this instance is moving the bar from the floor to contact with your mid to upper ab region and back to the floor again.

�� Let the bar go dead on the floor at the end of every rep - this along with the torso position is one of the key defining traits of a Pendlay Row. Let the bar go dead for a split second and then initiate the next rep.

Learn more from the infographic & video

There's a handy summary of the pointers for correct technique on the infographic attached and a video from the man himself, the exercise's inventor Glenn Pendlay!

Sadly Glenn passed away in 2019 but he leaves behind a fantastic legacy in Olympic lifting and strength training, this exercise being an important part of it.

Get some coaching

If you would like expert coaching on this exercise and many others, have a look at our Glasgow Bootcamp and Personal Training In Glasgow pages and send us a message to get involved!

Life After Lockdown - Top Tips For Making A Return To Training

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 08:00:02 GMT

Life After Lockdown - Top Tips For Making A Return To Training

With a little bit of luck this will be our final lockdown and we can get right back into proper gym based training once and for all.

You will be shocked at how quickly you can get back to full strength and fitness once you are back into things. Here's some top tips for how to do it!

Have a plan and execute it

This is key as it will give you a clear focus to your efforts and in turn help provide you with confidence and motivation.

Any good plan will have sensible progression built in and ultimately allow you to get back to full fitness as fast as possible with minimal risk of injury.

To get help finding the right approach for you, have a read of our Personal Training Glasgow and Bootcamp Glasgow pages.

Prioritise recovery

If you haven't trained much over lockdown or have been training in a very different way from what you would in the gym, there's a good chance you are going to be experiencing a lot of muscle soreness when you make your return.

To help minimise the impact of this and maximise the benefit you get from your training, we recommend that you pay close attention to the following factors:

�� Try to get sufficient sleep - general recommendations for good quality sleep fall in the 7-8 hours per night range. This is sometimes easier said than done depending on your schedule and life circumstances, regular naps can help if you struggle to get enough sleep.

�� Get a good structure in place for your nutrition - aligned to your goals whatever they may be and perhaps most importantly, a structure that you can regularly adhere to.

�� Make some time for mobility work - this doesn't need to be a big time commitment, 10 to 15 minutes per day or every other day can make a good difference. Fit it in where you can.

�� Consider getting massages to aid recovery - or similar modalities that may help you recover faster.

Start light and progress sensibly

This is perhaps the most important element of all. There's a strong chance your training has been very different during lockdown or perhaps you haven't trained for quite some time. Essentially, this will mean that your body will be desensitised to your normal training and thus you won't be able to lift as heavy as before, your body won't be able to tolerate the same amount of volume and a lot of muscle soreness awaits.

In light of this we recommend you:

�� Start back light - 50-60% of max is a good guidelines for big lifts.

�� Use less volume - think 2 sets instead of 3, less total exercises per training sessions or training 3 days instead of 4 at first.

�� Progress in small increments - examples include adding a little weight each week, adding in additional sets or reps or adding in an additional training day as you build back up.

Be patient, small jumps will add up to big progress in time. Have fun and enjoy being back in the gym training!

Become a part of our Glasgow Bootcamp

If you want to hit the ground running and get the most out of your return to training, take a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow page and Drop Us A Message to get involved!

Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow Transformation Of The Year 2020

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 08:00:03 GMT

Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow - Transformation Of The Year 2020

At the end of every year we have a Learn To Lift Bootcamp night out and awards ceremony. This is a fun social session for the group but also a great way to acknowledge the achievements of the bootcampers throughout the year. Last year was obviously a very different one for the world but the awards moved online and happened none the less!

One of our biggest award is that of Transformation Of The Year. As the name suggestions it is in recognition of the bootcamper who has made the biggest improvement both physically and towards their goals.

Last year this award went to Chris B. He was a very deserving winner having dropped a massive 25 kg in bodyweight, vastly improved his general health and fitness and to put the cherry on top, he achieved a big goal he had set himself of hitting a 200 kg Deadlift!

This big Deadlift also bagged him equal 3rd place on the Bootcamp Record board, which you can see in full here:

Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow - Records Updated

With his strong work ethic and high levels of motivation we are sure Chris will be in the running again this year. Indeed, once the gyms reopen and Bootcamp can restart, it will be all to play for once again!

Bootcamp Awards and Bootcamp records

If you would like to see the Bootcamp Awards in full and hopefully have a wee laugh at the humour we try to inject into them, head over to our Instagram page and click on the Bootcamp Awards 2020 highlights tab.

To see other impressive transformations people have made at Bootcamp have a wee read of this previous post:

Glasgow Bootcamp progress pics

Get some coaching

If you are inspired by Chris' achievements and would like to make a transformation of your own, take a look at our Glasgow Bootcamp page and drop us a message !

Online Personal Training Glasgow Results - Sinead's 12 Week Transformation

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 08:00:03 GMT

Online Personal Training Glasgow Results - Sinead's 12 Week Transformation

This is an exciting post for us to be able to share with you today, nothing makes us happier than seeing clients succeed in achieving their goals and this is exactly what Sinead did with her 12 week Online Personal Training transformation!

The 12 week results

First up let's take a look at the big changes we have seen in some of the key measurements:

�� Bodyweight - down 10 kg from 76 kg to 66 kg

�� Waist - down 14 cm

10 kg is a superb amount of weight to lose in 12 weeks and we are sure you will agree you can see a massive change in Sinead in the pictures attached. This was in fact the ambitious goal we set at the beginning of the process and it was brilliant to see her achieve it!

However, it's always about more than just the change in the scale weight, what the pictures and measurements don't necessarily show you is the improvements in self-confidence, the increase in fitness levels, the health benefits and indeed the mental health benefits too, especially during such a challenging time as a global pandemic and the lockdown life this has brought with it!

How did we do it?

It can seem like a big challenge to achieve such a big change in such a short period of time and in truth it isn't by any means easy but by putting certain factors in place it is most definitely achievable as Sinead has shown!

Here's some of the key elements behind how she achieved this result:

�� Consistency - this is the most important factor of all, you can have a brilliant plan in place covering all the bases but you need to be consistent in executing it to achieve the best results.

�� Goal setting - this can also be very important as it can give you motivation and focus in your efforts. In Sinead's case we set the aforementioned ambitious goal of dropping 10 kg but she smashed and that is in large part to do with our previous point, she was very consistent through out the process.

It's always a good idea to set some sub goals too, habit based ones that work well in chipping away at your overall goals are a good idea here. Things like hitting certain nutrition targets daily, a certain number of workouts per week etc.

�� Calorie deficit - one of the key things about a fat loss goal in particular is that you must be in a calorie deficit to achieve it.

There are many different ways to approach creating this calorie deficit, from intermittent fasting to calorie tracking and even keto. They can all work if applied properly but the key is finding the structure that works best for you.

In Sinead's case the approach we found what worked best was setting some basic calorie and protein targets with some simple parameters set around how she would achieve these each day. Things like consuming 4 meals per day, minimising liquid calories and so on.

�� Training program - getting a good training program in place is another important factor. Resistance training is extremely valuable in maintaining lean mass, think muscle mass, the good stuff we don't want to lose in order to improve body composition and have you looking your best with your transformation.

If you are new to training you can even build muscle whilst in a calorie deficit, although this is a conversation for another day.

There's a lot of different ways to approach training and things will vary from individual to individual but in general focusing on big 'bang for your buck' compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, overhead presses and even things like leg presses and lat pulldowns, can be very valuable. As can utilising supersets and various cardio elements such as metcons and high intensity interval training. These are very time efficient and can help even the busiest of people fit in some effective training sessions.

3 to 4 workouts per week is a good target for most people and this is in fact what Sinead did during the 12 week training process.

�� General activity levels - it's easy to overlook how valuable a part of the process this can be, people often purely focus on the workouts they perform in the gym.

However, increasing your general activity levels is a great way to help in achieving a fat loss goal and has big benefits to your general health as well. Step targets are an easy and effective way to do this and this is exactly what we did with Sinead to excellent effect.

��Strategies for real life situations - no matter how focused you are and how much you try to mould your schedule to the goals you have set, something will always pop up that can make things challenging. From special occasions to holidays and so on.

Things were no different for Sinead during the 12 weeks in question and the key was coming up with strategies to help accommodate them.

For example, simple strategies like consuming spirits with low/no calorie mixers as opposed to wine or beer and preparing healthier food options ahead of time made all the difference for occasions when alcohol consumption became a factor.

The take home message

The points above are of course a simplified version of things to give you a feel for what was involved but the most important thing to bear in mind if you want to achieve something similar to what Sinead did is to set some goals, get a solid plan in place and take consistent action towards achieving your goals!

Learn more about Online Personal Training

Whenever we work with a client the personal training process is about so much more to us, it's about the satisfaction of helping clients achieve their goals, the big boost in self-confidence that clients get through the process and ultimately putting them in the position where they look and feel the best they ever have!

If you are inspired by Sinead's achievements and would like to start on making your own 12 week transformation, take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message to get started!

How Much Is A Personal Trainer In Glasgow?

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 07:44:21 GMT

How Much Is A Personal Trainer In Glasgow?

Today we wanted to tackle one of the most commonly asked questions about personal training and give more detail about what you get in return for your investment in it.

Question - How much is a Personal Trainer in Glasgow?

Answer - A Personal Trainer in Glasgow will generally cost between £30 and £40 per session.

The exact per session price will depend on the number of sessions in the block that you purchase, with a lower per session price for longer blocks.

The longer blocks are also more advantageous for reasons more than just price, you will get much more out of the process and be more likely to commit to meaningful action by viewing things in terms of longer blocks.

Like anything worth achieving, hitting your fitness and physique goals won't happen overnight, so it's important to visualise things more in the context of a longer term process than something that will happen in just a session or two.

Blocks of personal training include the following key elements:

✔ Expertly coached training sessions

✔ Comprehensive training program

✔ Detailed nutrition program

✔ Full measurement and result tracking

✔ Easy to follow training and nutrition eBooks

✔ Ongoing support outside the gym itself

Indeed, for the reasons above we don't even offer one off sessions but instead have found it much more beneficial to approach things in terms of blocks of 4 or 10 sessions. The pricing for these blocks is as follows:

��Blocks of 4 sessions - £160

��Blocks of 10 sessions - £350

They cater to a number of goals from fat loss to muscle building and improving fitness levels.

However, to us it's much more than that, the physical and fitness changes are great but the real value comes from the boosts in self-confidence, the satisfaction from achieving things you didn't think possible and the sense of looking and feeling better than you ever have before!

Learn more about Personal Training in Glasgow

If you would like to learn more about the process and what is involved take a look at our Personal Training page.

You can also see some examples of what others have achieved and perhaps take inspiration by having a look through our Transformations page.

Drop us a message if you would like help making your own transformation and begin working towards looking and feeling the best you ever have!

Bootcamp Glasgow - Trap Bar Deadlift Records

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 08:00:02 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - Trap Bar Deadlift Records

The Trap Bar Deadlift is always a fun Deadlift variant as people often lift significantly more on here than a Conventional Deadlift.

It's an impressive sight to see the big weights being lifted and indeed this was exactly the case when the Bootcamp records were set.

These are as follows:

��Sarah - 210 kg Trap Bar Deadlift

An absolutely huge lift from Sarah and one she was especially pleased with as this was three times her own bodyweight. An outstanding milestone to hit and an achievement that has seen her sit atop the record board ever since!

��Richard - 240 kg Trap Bar Deadlift

Another huge weight to hit and made even more impressive by the fact that Richard hit it for a triple touch and go style. This goes nicely with his Bootcamp Bench Press record!

Have a look at the other records

If you fancy a look at the record board for the other big lifts as of the time of writing you can do so here:

Learn To Lift Glasgow Bootcamp Records

If you are interested to go even further back to the previous records before these as of the end of lockdown 1.0 to get an idea of how much they progressed in a short time, you can do so here:

Learn To Lift Glasgow Bootcamp Records Pre Lockdown

Become a part of our Glasgow Bootcamp

If you want to get involved in our fun and friendly community and work on building your strength and fitness, take a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow page and Drop Us A Message !

Bootcamp Glasgow - Push Press Records

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 08:00:02 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - Push Press Records

Push Press has long been a favourite of ours as it's an excellent way to build whole body strength and explosive power.

As you will see, we've had the pleasure of witnessing some big Push Presses at Bootcamp. The records for this lift are as follows:

��Agne - 70 kg Push Press

An impressive weight to press overhead and the best thing about this was not only was it a new Bootcamp record but she also hit it for a double and narrowly missed a third rep.

There's definitely more in the tank and scope to push this record on even higher in the near future once the gyms reopen and we get back to full training!

Also a big shoutout to Ashley on her second place on the record board with 65 kg, that's just a few kilos off putting the equivalent of her own bodyweight overhead. No easy task at all and a milestone that few people ever reach!

��John - 100 kg Push Press

John's no stranger to the Bootcamp record board and he took top spot for the males on the Push Press with the tasty milestone of 100 kg!

This represented a 10 kg increase on his previous best at the time, though in truth he could definitely break this record again as he has since gone on to exceeded this lift. It wasn't at Bootcamp so it can't yet go on the records board.

Have a look at the other records

If you are keen to have a look at the record board for the other big lifts as of the time of writing you can do so here:

Learn To Lift Glasgow Bootcamp Records

You can also learn more about some of the performance standards we like to have clients aim for here:

Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow Performance Targets

Become a part of our Glasgow Bootcamp

If you would like to learn how to master the Push Press and work towards getting your name on the record board, take a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow page and Drop Us A Message !

Bootcamp Glasgow - Deadlift Records

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 15:56:26 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - Deadlift Records

The next stop on our look at the Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow records takes us to that of the Deadlift.

For some these can be the most impressive records of all as the Deadlift is the exercise where the highest total weight will be lifted.

The Bootcamp records for this are as follows:

��Agne - 170 kg Deadlift

This was actually an unplanned max as we were training for her first competition at the time. Said competition had a max reps at 140 kg event in it so the training was more focused on strength endurance than maximal strength. However, it paid of all the same with this big PB.

Incidentally, she also bagged a massive 140 kg x 12 reps in preparation for the competition, with a view to going beyond this mark on the day!

��John - 240 kg Deadlift

Big lifting by big John on this one with what was at the time a massive PB. When he first started at our Glasgow Bootcamp his best Deadlift was 150 kg. This lift obviously blew that out of the water!

One of the key rules of the Bootcamp records is that they can only be set at Bootcamp. Since hitting this lift we have had the pleasure of coaching John during numerous Strongman competitions, during which he has beat this lift by a big margin. His most recent Deadlift max attempt coming in at a massive 272.5 kg (or 600 lb for any American's out there)!

These standards will be very hard to beat but we have a number of Bootcampers coming up fast. We can't wait to see what happens once the Glasgow Bootcamp is back in full flow when the gyms are allowed to reopen.

Become a part of our Glasgow Bootcamp

If you want to build a big Deadlift and develop some serious strength of our own, take a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow page and Drop Us A Message !

Bootcamp Glasgow - Bench Press Records

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 15:07:38 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - Bench Press Records

Today we are going to continue our more detailed look at the Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow records and put the spotlight on the Bench Press records specifically.

These are as follows:

��Agne - 90 kg Bench Press

A huge number to hit on Bench Press and an impressive 10 kg increase on the previous record which she also held. Not only that but also a massive 20 kg ahead of the next biggest lift on the record board for females. The massive milestone of 100 kg is on the horizon and we won't be surprised at all to see that happen later this year!

��Richard - 120 kg Bench Press

Technically this was a double but none the less it remains the mark for the males to beat on the Bootcamp record board. This one has stood for a few years now but from the looks of how things are shaping up, it may well not last too much longer. We have a number of the bootcampers making great progress on their Bench Press and on the cusp of being ready to take this one down. It's an excellent target to aim for and like all records, it's meant to be broken!

We can't wait to see the big lifts that come shortly once the gyms are back open and we get the Glasgow Bootcamp back in full swing.

Become a part of our Glasgow Bootcamp

If you fancy building a big Bench Press and achieving some amazing results too, have a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow page and Drop Us A Message !

Bootcamp Glasgow - Squat Records

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 08:00:03 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - Squat Records

We recently posted an update on the Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow records and we wanted to elaborate on them a little more by showcasing some of the amazing lifts.

Today we will begin by looking at the Squat records and giving a little more detail and background on them.

These are as follows:

��Scott - 200 kg Squat

Living up to his nicknames of Scott The Squat and Scotty 2 Squatty, he smashed the goal we set him at the end of last year by hitting this huge milestone. All in that represented a 30 kg increase on the last time we tested his 1 rep max. Huge progress and a big well done to Scott!

��Eilidh - 147.5 kg Squat

Eilidh began 2020 with a best Squat of 90 kg and ended it with the 147.5 kg you can see in the video attached. An absolutely outrageous 57.5 kg increase. Although not a record like the Squat she also added an amazing 30 kg to her Deadlift too. A big well done too Eilidh for such superb results!

Not long now until we can get back into training and set to work with the team on achieving even more huge PBs and phenomenal results!

Become a part of our Glasgow Bootcamp

If you fancy seeing what all the hype is about and achieving some amazing results too, have a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow page and Drop Us A Message !

Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow - Records Updated!

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 14:53:07 GMT

Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow - Records Updated

We absolutely love performance goals and as part of our Bootcamps in Glasgow we keep track of the biggest lifts performed for some of our big exercises.

In particular these include Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift.

There were some huge lifts last year

Despite the challenges of 2020 and the vastly reduced amount of training time due to lockdowns, some big new records were set.

Some of the highlights included:

��Scott hitting the huge milestone of a 200 kg Squat. This was a big goal achieved for him, as was the 100 kg Bench Press that seen him take the equal third spot in that category.

��Eilidh setting a new mark of 147.5 kg on the Squat for the women to try and beat. She also entered the record board for Deadlifts in equal third spot with an excellent 160 kg.

��Agne knocking out a massive 90 kg Bench Press and 170 kg Deadlift as new top lifts to beat. Plus a huge 145 kg High Bar Squat for the second biggest female Squat in Bootcamp history.

��Ross claiming an impressive 130 kg Squat for third spot despite having only been training a short amount of time.

��Neil with a 115 kg Bench Press to equal the mark John had set in second place, a mere 5 kg under the record and looking like there is more to come too.

��Lana with a massive 165 kg Deadlift for a solid second place in that category and also only 5 kg behind the leading mark.

��Chris B achieving a huge goal he had set of hitting a 200 kg Deadlift and in doing so making his way onto the record board.

For the full list of records have a look at the graphics attached.

It's more than just the records

There were many more superb lifts and new personal bests beyond those on the record boards.

In fact some of our favourite lifts weren't records at all, they were huge personal bests for Bootcamp members who had worked very hard to achieve them.

We do love some friendly competition to push everyone on and the records serve as excellent motivation but perhaps the most important factor of all is how supportive everyone in the group is of each other.

The atmosphere when people go for big lifts is electric, everyone is so supportive of each other and cheer each other on regardless of whether they are about to have their own record beaten or not.

We can't wait until lockdown is over and we can get back to smashing records and hitting big PBs!

Join one of our Glasgow Bootcamps

If you would like to take a shot at beating these records or if you would simply like to be part of a fun and support community whilst training towards becoming stronger, fitter and more confident, take a look at our Personal Training Glasgow and Glasgow Bootcamp pages.

Records are there to be broken and nothing makes us happier than seeing all the hard work people put in paying off with new standards being set for everyone to aim for in the future!

Lockdown Life Nutrition Tips Elaborated - Liquid Calories

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 08:00:02 GMT

Lockdown Life Nutrition Tips Elaborated - Liquid Calories

Minimising your intake of liquid calories can be a good way to help get you into a calorie deficit. Which as we know is the centre point of achieving fat loss goals.

Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated

Calories from liquids can sneak up on you and often people overlook them in their diet.

Drinking plenty of water has a big benefit form the point of view of fat loss as it obviously contains no calories and also helps ensure you stay hydrated (with all the other benefits this brings).

General recommendations tend to fall between 2 and 3 litres of water per day. However, staying properly hydrated doesn't need to be overly complicated, drink to thirst and you should most likely be fine.

Choose diet/no sugar over full calorie

Drinking nothing but water isn't for everyone of course. Another effective strategy may be to switch from full calorie versions of drinks to diet or sugar free versions. The latter contains little to no calories and thus can help take a big chunk of calories out of what may be your usual intake.

For example, a can of Coca Cola contains around 140 calories, lets say for talking sake you consume 3 cans of this on average per day. By switching to Coke Zero you will have removed 420 calories from your daily intake with one simple swap.

Please note we aren't necessarily advocating for the consumption of fizzy drinks, as some of you may know this can be a hotly debated subject at times. Rather we are pointing out that from a body composition and fat loss perspective making the aforementioned switch might be a superior option for some.

Change up your daily coffee

Similarly, some people might find that an easy way to reduce their overall calories is to switch from elaborate high calorie coffees options to lower calorie simpler options.

For example, let's say you have a Vanilla Latte from Starbucks in the morning and one at lunch time (for those of you who are still working and not doing so from home or indeed pop out to get coffee during the day if you are). That amounts to roughly 506 calories just from coffee.

Now lets suppose you switch to having an Americano at these times instead. We are now looking at only around 6 calories, giving a total reduction of 500 calories. This could prove to be the difference between sitting at maintenance calories and being in what would be considered a good daily level of calorie deficit.

Minimise alcohol consumption

It's usually wise to minimise your alcohol consumption when your goal is fat loss. It eats into your calories budget, as it were, and can easily lead to you being in a surplus.

Not only that but it can often spill over into other areas like consuming high calorie "junk" foods that day and the next when the hangover kicks in and motivation ebbs.

If you are intent on consuming some alcohol or have occasions coming up where it is much harder to avoid it (albeit this is less likely during the current situation), then simple strategies like consuming spirits instead of wine or beer and having diet/low calorie mixers instead of full calorie ones can help.

Take action towards your goals

As with any nutrition based tips please bear in mind they are based on a normal healthy adult with no underlying medical conditions, if in doubt always consult with a qualified medical professional.

Hopefully you've found these tips for reducing liquid calories helpful. If you would like further guidance on implementing them and coaching to help achieve your fat loss goals, take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

Lockdown Life Training Tips Elaborated - Get The Walks In

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 09:00:02 GMT

Lockdown Life Training Tips Elaborated - Get The Walks In

In Scotland we are currently allowed to go outside for exercise as many times per day as we want. This may differ in other parts of the UK but in general getting outside for walks can not only help you physically but can be a big plus for your mental health too.

The classic 10k steps per day

You have probably heard the figure of 10,000 steps per day being banded about. Although this is an arbitrary number it can provide a good target to aim for.

You might even start with a lower target of around 8,000 steps per day and build these up over a period of time or you might prefer to use rough time targets for you walks (30 mins for shorter walks 60 mins plus for longer).

Whatever your preference, the main point to bear in mind here is that setting some targets such as these can help keep your activity levels high, it gives you something to aim for and can provide a little bit of accountability.

The increased activity levels can in turn be very valuable for working towards a fat loss goal and ultimately be of great benefit to your general health and well-being.

Take frequent short walks

If you have been furloughed or for whatever reason have a lot of free time just now during lockdown you might prefer to get the vast majority of your daily general activity and steps in the form of one big walk.

However, many of you are still working during this time and might find it particularly challenging to do this as it can be a big time commitment. In this instance taking short frequent walks may be the superior option.

These can add up quickly to a large overall amount of activity and steps and be much more achievable with a busy schedule.

A simple strategy such as taking a short local walk before work, on your lunch break and later in the evening after work may be a great solution.

Take action towards your goals

If you find these tips useful and would like help implementing them and get further motivation and guidance with your training, take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

Lockdown Training Tips - Bulgarian Split Squats

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:01:52 GMT

Lockdown Training Tips - Bulgarian Split Squats

If you have been training away at home during lockdown there's a good chance that one of the exercises you will have utilised is the Bulgarian Split Squat. If you haven't they may very well make an excellent addition to your training.

Here's some tips to make sure you are doing them right and ways you can tweak the movement to make the position more comfortable and shift the emphasis of it!

Push through the heel of the front foot

A common mistake when it comes to Bulgarian Split Squats is pushing through the front of the foot and letting the heel come off the ground.

The key is focusing on pushing through the heel of the front foot to ensure you maintain a good position and contact with the ground. This in turn makes for the most efficient way to transfer force up through your body as you drive out of the bottom position and ultimately lets you get the most out of the movement.

Adjust back foot for comfort

The importance of the back foot is not to be overlooked when doing Bulgarian Split Squats, it's your key anchor point to the bench (or whatever object you are pivoting off of) and is central to your stability and comfort through the movement.

There are two distinct ways you can position your back foot depending on what you feel is the most comfortable:

�� Pivot off of the top of the foot - think laces of your shoe flat on the surface.

�� Pivot off of the ball of the foot - think toes up on the bench.

Examples of both can be seen in the graphic attached. Most people tend to prefer pivoting off the top of the foot but we would encourage you to experiment with both to find which suits you best.

Different position, different emphasis

The Bulgarian Split Squat is a very versatile exercise in that we can change the position of your body when doing it to emphasise different areas.

�� More quads - a more upright torso combined with a shorter step away from the bench puts greater emphasis on the quads.

�� More glutes - a longer stride with more of a forward lean in your torso means more emphasis on the glutes.

Again examples of both techniques can be seen in the graphic attached.

Get more help working towards your goals

If you have found these tips helpful and would like further guidance on how to go about training towards your goals, take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

Recommended Lifting Accessories

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 09:00:03 GMT

Recommended Lifting Accessories

We are big proponents of focusing on performance goals and building your training around big compound movements such as Squats, Bench Presses, Overhead Presses and Deadlifts.

Here's our top tips for the training accessory equipment that will help maximise your performance on the big lifts.

The kit we recommend

First and foremost it is important to note that the equipment we are about to discuss is by no means a prerequisite to learning how to performing the big lifts. If you are a beginner to lifting you may not need to consider investing in any of this for a while yet.

However, if you are a little more advanced, have mastered good technique and want to take your lifting up a notch, we recommend you consider investing in the following:

�� Olympic lifting shoes - these are specifically designed to help make it easier for you to achieve a deeper position on Squats by virtue of the raised heel. They also provide a stable base for lifts such as this and pressing movements with their solid base (the polar opposite to the squishy, cushioned heel of a running shoe).

Overall, an excellent piece of equipment and one we highly recommend purchasing for the vast majority of you. Be warned, they can get a little pricey though!

�� Weightlifting belt - this helps increase the stability of your torso during big lifts which in turn can help you lift more weight and assuming proper technique, increase the safety of doing so.

Top end belts can get pricey, especially if you go for lever options but you don't need to spend a fortune to get a solid and reliable belt. For example, StrengthShop offer an excellent single prong tapered belt for only around £35.

�� Knee sleeves - a good pair of knee sleeves will offer you stability and support around your knee joint and despite what some people may claim, they will also give you some rebound out of the bottom of a Squat and potentially add 5 to 10 kg to the lift depending on how tightly they fit.

There are a lot of different knee sleeves available on the market but we recommend the SBD and 7mm IPF approved Strength Shop knee sleeves in particular. There's a knack to putting these on correctly so pay close attention to this when you first get them.

�� Wrist wraps - these provide support to your wrist joint by effectively creating a cast around it. Particularly handy for heavy Bench Presses or Low Bar Squats where there can be a lot of pressure on your wrists due to the bar position.

There's also a knack to wrapping your wrists correctly so it is worth spending some time learning to do this correctly when you first get them.

Get some coaching

If you are looking to purchase any of the above kit and want to learn how to use it properly, we teach this as part of the training during our Glasgow Bootcamp and Personal Training In Glasgow . Take a look at the relevant pages and send us a message to get involved!

Lockdown Life Nutrition Tips Elaborated - Snacks

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 09:00:04 GMT

Lockdown Life Nutrition Tips Elaborated - Snacks

Snacking is often something that can derail your fat loss goals but there are some good strategies that can help!

Keep some high protein snacks handy

In our last Nutrition Tips Elaborated post we discussed the importance of protein and offered some good daily targets to work towards. A big advantage of high protein snacks is that they can help you hit these targets. Sometimes people find it quite challenging to get their protein levels up at first so this can be a big help in bridging the gap.

One of the other big advantages is that they can help you avoid snacking on "junk" food. The net effect being that the high protein snacks can help minimise the calories you consume through snacking and may be an important part of keeping you in the calorie deficit you need to have in place to achieve fat loss goals.

Some examples of good options for high protein snacks include things like beef jerky, high protein yogurts, protein bars and for some people even packets of cold meats.

Fruit is also an excellent snack

Fruit can also be a great snack option when you have fat loss goals in mind. When we spoke about satiety in previous posts we mentioned fruit as one of the key groups of satiating foods to focus on.

It meets the criteria of being:

��Relatively low calorie.

��Nutrient dense.

��High food volume (relative to the calories).

On top of that it is also tasty and can help overcome the cravings for something sweet that some of you may have.

Keep an eye on the big picture

Ultimately, you are most likely to snack on what you have available so keeping a good supply of high protein snacks and fruit handy can be a good idea.

However, please keep in mind that regardless of what you are snacking on you must be in a calorie deficit in order to lose body fat. You can still nudge yourself out of a calorie deficit consuming food that might be considered "healthier" options. Be mindful of your overall food intake and plan the aforementioned snacks to fit with this.

Take action towards your goals

As with any nutrition based tips please bear in mind they are based on a normal healthy adult with no underlying medical conditions, if in doubt always consult with a qualified medical professional.

Hopefully you've found these snacking tips helpful. If you would like further guidance on implementing them and coaching to help achieve your fat loss goals, take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

Lockdown Life Training Tips Elaborated - Get Some New Kit

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 09:00:02 GMT

Lockdown Life Training Tips Elaborated - Get Some New Kit

Investing in some new equipment can add variety to your training and open up the opportunity to include different exercises and training structures.

Even the simple addition of a set of heavier dumbbells or a kettlebell might open up all sorts of exercises you were unable to do before.

This variety might be just the thing to freshen things up for you mentally and help give you a boost in motivation!

It's not easy but it can be done

The market for training equipment has gone a bit wild since lockdown first began back in March 2020 and it can prove quite challenging to get your hands on equipment.

However, it can be done if you know where to look and keep a close eye on things!

Check out these companies

They seem to restock the quickest of all the equipment suppliers out there and some allow you to setup alerts so that you can be notified as soon as the new stock you are interested in becomes available (a very valuable feature these days given how quickly things can sell out).

�� Rogue ( www.rogueeurope.eu )

�� Mirafit ( www.mirafit.co.uk )

�� Strength Shop ( www.strengthshop.co.uk )

Other good options are available, these are just examples of companies we have personal experience with and trust due to their good supply of products, high quality of products and good levels of customer service.

It's an investment not just for lockdown

Owning a certain amount of equipment may prove handy even after lockdown has ended and the gyms have reopened. For example, you may find that there are times when you can't make it to the gym because you are particularly busy and having some equipment at home might prove the difference between getting some training in or not.

Given the way the world is at the moment we can't fully rule out a future return to some sort of lockdown, so in our opinion it's always handy to have some training equipment at home if you can.

Take action towards your goals

Lockdown Training Tips - Push Ups

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 09:00:04 GMT

Lockdown Training Tips - Push Ups

No equipment whatsoever required this time as we focus on the classic Push Up. Perhaps many people's go to exercise during lockdown, so definitely worth doing right.

Here's some simple but very effective tips to keep you on the right track!

Keep a straight line through your body

Keeping your core tight throughout the movement and maintaining a straight line through your body is fundamental to good technique on Push Ups.

This helps avoid your hips sagging which can put unnecessary strain on your back and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise by impacting how your pressing muscles (chest, shoulders and triceps) are working.

Think a straight line from your heels through your knees, hips, shoulders and head.

Get a full range of motion

A full range of motion on push ups will yield the best results. In the context of this movement we can define a full range of motion as:

��Descending to a position where your chest is just short of touching the ground at the bottom of each rep.

��Pushing up to a position whereby you fully extended your arms at the top of the movement.

�� Achieving the above whilst maintaining the aforementioned straight line through your body.

Don't worry if you can't achieve a full range of motion on full Push Ups quite yet, there are options to scale the movement as discussed below.

Adapt them to your ability level

It can be important to adapt the exercise to your particular ability level to get the most out of it.

If you find full Push Ups particularly difficult and struggle to complete many, if any reps, you should consider utilising the following variants:

�� Push Ups From Knees - pivot from your knees to effectively reduce the weight you need to push back up during the exercise. Still be mindful of keeping a straight line through your body.

�� Incline Push Ups - elevate your body by performing push ups off of a sofa, chair, table or something similar. As you get stronger and more confident reduce the height of the incline until eventually you are able to perform the movement from the floor.

Conversely, if you find regular Push Ups too easy you might consider the following variations to make them more challenging:

�� Hand Release Push Ups - going all the way to the ground at the bottom of the movement and removing your hands from the ground before driving back up.

�� Decline Push Ups - elevating your feet to change the angle of the movement.

�� Weighted Push Ups - putting a weight on your back or wearing a backpack filled with heavy objects.

Get more help working towards your goals

If you have found these tips helpful and would like further guidance on how to go about training towards your goals, take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

Conditioning With Barbell Complexes

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 09:00:04 GMT

Conditioning With Barbell Complexes

Barbell complexes are a fantastic training tool and don't require a huge amount of equipment to perform. They make for excellent whole body training and are a brilliant way to bring up your conditioning, as well as having muscle building benefits.

If you are lucky enough to have a barbell and a few plates during this lockdown, give the complex in the graphic attached a go!

Some notes on the barbell complex

��You can use it as a finisher to a workout or it can be the main workout itself.

��If you are going with the latter be sure to do a good warm up before your start to optimise your performance and minimise the risk of injury.

��Transition smoothly from one exercise to the next and try to complete the whole complex without putting the barbell down and only resting at the end of each round if possible.

��If you are new to barbell complexes or haven't trained for a while start with the lower end of the suggested rounds and build on this in the coming weeks.

��You can also build in progression by adding reps for each exercise and/or reducing your rest period between rounds as you adapt to the complex and become more proficient at it.

Get some coaching

If you fancy trying your hand at some barbell complexes and would like expert coaching on them and more, take a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow and Personal Training Glasgow pages and send us a message !

Reopening Date For Gyms In Scotland Confirmed

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 21:55:14 GMT

Reopening Date For Gyms In Scotland Confirmed

Yep it's not as soon as some people would have liked.

Yep it's a few weeks after gyms reopen in England.

But we finally have a date confirmed for when gyms will be officially allowed to reopen in Scotland!

April 26th 2021 is the big date and hopefully this will be the final time gyms will have to reopen and the final lockdown we will have to face of this pandemic.

It's just under 6 weeks to go and we can't wait to get back in the gym, see everyone again and get the training back underway!

Get some coaching

If you are raring to go and can't wait to get back training again once the gyms reopen, have a look at our Glasgow Bootcamp and Personal Training In Glasgow pages and send us a message to book a spot!

Lockdown Life Nutrition Tips Elaborated - Protein

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 09:00:05 GMT

Lockdown Life Nutrition Tips Elaborated - Protein

Consuming a sufficient amount of protein can be another key foundation of successfully achieving a fat loss goal.

Protein is important for body composition

Two of the key reasons for this are:

��Protein is very satiating.

As discussed in our previous Nutrition Tips elaborated post this means that it helps keep you feeling fuller for longer, thus helping you control hunger, maintain a calorie deficit and shift your body composition by losing body fat.

��Protein intake helps preserve muscle mass.

When you are in a calorie deficit working towards a fat loss goal you can very easily lose a good chunk of muscle mass if you don't approach things correctly. Consuming sufficient amounts of protein helps prevent this from happening as much as possible (the other key ingredient in doing this is of course resistance training).

So how much protein should you eat?

A good starting point is 2 grams per kg of bodyweight per day. However, it is worth noting that some research indicates higher levels may be required. You may have heard a range of 2 to 2.8 grams per kg of bodyweight being quoted. The circumstances for the higher end of the range tend to be in more extreme circumstances, such as the latter phases of preparing for a bodybuilding competition (which frankly we have no interest in).

There are exceptions but in general our recommendation for most people remains 2 grams per kg per day.

The maths is obviously pretty simple on this one. For example, if you weigh 75 kg, aiming for a target of 150 grams of protein per day is most likely a good starting point.

Build your meals around a protein source

A good strategy to help ensure you consume a sufficient amount of protein is to build your meals around a good quality protein source.

This might mean steak, chicken breasts, turkey, bacon medallions, eggs, low fat percentage mince, high protein yogurt and many more. If you are vegetarian or vegan this may mean looking more towards grains, pulses and possibly even meat substitutes or supplements.

The other big plus of this strategy is of course the fact that it is in a strong starting point for making your meals very satiating and conveying all the benefits we discussed previously that this has.

Take action towards your goals

As with any nutrition based tips please bear in mind they are based on a normal healthy adult with no underlying medical conditions, if in doubt always consult with a qualified medical professional.

Hopefully you find these tips helpful. If you would like further information and guidance on implementing them take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

Lockdown Life Training Tips Elaborated - Get In A Routine

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 09:00:03 GMT

Lockdown Life Training Tips Elaborated - Get In A Routine

Getting in a routine with your training can be one of the best ways to help improve your adherence to your training routine.

Make training part of your routine

As the somewhat cliched adage goes motivation can only take you so far, discipline is what will see you through.

Commit to training a certain number of days per week. This will of course be dependant on many factors that influence your life such as work or kids but generally speaking 3 to 5 training sessions per week is a good starting point.

By having set days and times for your training sessions you can build them into your daily and weekly routine. This can make a huge difference at times when motivation wanes and allow you to fall back on the discipline of your routine to help you push through.

Build your schedule around training

Part of it at least. For example, if you train 4 evenings per week try to build your schedule around your training on those evenings.

This might mean taking steps such as:

��Lining up zoom calls with family and friends on different evenings.

��Scheduling the weekly shop on a night when you don't train.

��Keeping the time free to train on certain evenings after the kids have gone to bed.

These simple strategies can be very valuable as they can make the difference between getting the training sessions done or not.

Take action towards your goals

Lockdown Training Tips - Kettlebell Swings

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 09:02:09 GMT

Lockdown Training Tips - Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebells are another excellent piece of equipment for home training during lockdown. If you were lucky enough to get your hands on one in this crazy equipment market you may well find yourself doing a lot of Kettlebell Swings in your training.

Here's some top tips to get the most out of them!

Focus on pushing your hips back

This helps ensure you execute the movement properly and load up the hamstrings when doing it.

A good tip we often use is to imagine there is a wall a short distance behind you and you are pushing your hips back to meet it.

It's a hinge not a squat

This ties in nicely to the previous point on focusing on pushing your hips back. A Kettlebell Swing is a hinge movement and the implication of this is that we want the muscles of the posterior chain to be doing the work, in particular the hamstrings and glutes.

In order for this to be the case we need to avoid letting the knees travel forward and turning the exercise into some kind of hybrid Squat.

Again, put the focus on pushing the hips back and think of the knees as unlocking as you do so but not travelling forward and bending.

Braced core and neutral back

Bracing your core and keeping your back neutral are an important components of executing Kettelbell Swings safely and effectively.

To properly brace your core think of doing the following in quick succession:

��Take a deep breath into your stomach.

��Tense your stomach as if you are about to be punched in it.

��Expand your sides.

Get more help working towards your goals

If you have found these tips helpful and would like further guidance on how to go about training towards your goals, take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Push Press

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 15:37:49 GMT

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Push Press

The Push Press is a fantastic whole body exercise. Your legs, core and upper body are all key contributors and it's brilliant for developing strength and explosive power.

Here's some top tips to master the movement:

Don't dip too deep at the start

The Push Press essentially has 3 phases - the dip, the drive and the lockout. The dip phase had a big bearing on the force you are able to generate during the drive phase and contrary to what many people believe, you don't actually want to dip too deep.

It's not uncommon to hear the dip phase described as a quarter squat type position. However, to get the best out of it you don't actually want to be dipping as deep as that.

The best way to think about it is as a short sharp dip, descending only around 4-6 inches and exploding violently out of this position, punching the bar in the air as you quickly transition to the drive phase!

Dipping too deep actually reduces how much force you can generate, so be mindful of this to get the most out of the movement.

Keep your torso upright on the dip

It's important to keep your torso in a upright position through the dip phase. Any backwards or forwards lean during this part of the movement will prove costly as you transition into the drive (punching the bar in the air phase).

There is a valid technique and an argument to be made for leaning your torso back slightly during the drive phase but to develop the most force and transfer it up into the bar during the dip, an upright torso is key!

Get the correct lockout position

When we lockout the bar overhead in a Push Press we want to be in the strongest and most stable position to allow us to support the weight overhead.

At some point you may well have seen people lockout Push Presses with the bar towards the front of their head/over their face area. You may well also have observed that they struggle to hold the weight over head for longer than a split second, if at all in this position. It doesn't create a good alignment through the body to support the weight and as a result isn't very stable.

The key to a strong and stable lockout is having the bar sitting over the back of the head (or slightly behind it) with your arms fully extended. This creates a good alignment through your body and allows you to use the muscles of your traps and upper back to support the load.

Get coaching on this and more

If you found these tips helpful and would like expert coaching on the Push Press and other key movements, take a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow and Personal Training Glasgow pages and send us a message !

Lockdown Life Nutrition Tips Elaborated - Satiety

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 09:00:02 GMT

Lockdown Life Nutrition Tips Elaborated - Satiety

Controlling hunger can be central to achieving a fat loss goal and eating satiating foods can in turn be central to this.

Satiating foods promote better adherence

Satiety means the satisfied feeling of being full after eating. When it comes to a fat loss goal think:

��High volume of food.

��Relatively low calories.

��Nutrient dense.

These are some of the key characteristics that help keep you feeling fuller for longer and thus help manage hunger.

The obvious options are sometimes the best

The notion of what might be described as healthy eating can be a bit cliched at times, no doubt many of you will have heard of the old school bodybuilding approach of eating endless meals of chicken, broccoli and rice. It doesn't need to be this monotonous or boring by any means but some of the best satiating food options are often what might be considered the obvious ones.

Good examples include:

��Lean protein sources such as certain cuts of steak, chicken breasts, turkey steaks, fish and even things such as low fat percentage mince.

��Fruits and vegetables ranging from bananas and apples to various berries and so on.

��Whole grains.

Protein is a particularly satiating macronutrient and, as we will discuss in future posts, is very important when working towards a fat loss goal for other reasons too. The examples we have given above for lean protein sources obviously don't apply if you are vegetarian or vegan. If you don't eat meant think grains, pulses and possibly certain meat substitutes in terms of protein sources.

The examples provided are far from exhaustive but the main take home point here is building the vast majority of your nutrition around satiating foods like these can be a crucial strategy in hunger management and in achieving your fat loss goals.

Take action towards your goals

As with any nutrition based tips please bear in mind they are based on a normal healthy adult with no underlying medical conditions, if in doubt always consult with a qualified medical professional.

If you find these tips useful and would like help implementing them and receive further support with achieving your goals, take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

Lockdown Life Training Tips Elaborated - Set Some Goals

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 16:07:48 GMT

Lockdown Life Training Tips Elaborated - Set Some Goals

Setting goals can be excellent in focusing your efforts and provide motivation.

It goes without saying that it's wise to adhere to the SMART criteria you may well have heard of before. Essentially, this is an acronym that means making your goals:

S pecific

M easurable

A ttainable

R ealistic

T ime based.

Set some performance goals

In addition to setting what might be considered typical fat loss goals, such as losing 4 kg in 8 weeks, we particularly love performance goals.

These can be powerful motivators during the process and are particularly relevant to our discussion about training as they can help to:

�� Encourage adherence to regular training.

�� Ensure quality of the training.

�� Ultimately provide the stimulus and impetuous to achieve your fat loss goals.

Performance goals can take many forms, some examples might include to:

�� Hit 10 full Push Ups in 8 weeks.

�� Squat a PB of 100 kg x 5 in 6 weeks.

�� Build up to 10 rounds of a certain circuit in 5 weeks.

Pick some challenging but achievable performance goals based on the equipment you have available to you and set to work on achieving them!

Set some habit based sub goals

These can help you focus on achieving the process based elements that allow you to chip away at achieving your overall goal.

They might include things such as:

�� Completing 4 workouts per week.

�� Hitting 10,000 steps per day.

�� Performing 10 mins of mobility work per day.

Breaking a larger goal down into smaller elements you can achieve each day can add up to big results over a longer period and mentally it can make things seem much more manageable.

Take action towards your goals

Lockdown Training Tips - Goblet Squats

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 17:26:45 GMT

Lockdown Training Tips - Goblet Squats

Unfortunately Lockdown �� will be going on for a while yet so here's some more tips for training at home, in particular focusing on a common fixture of many programs - the Goblet Squat.

Elevate your heels for more depth

Elevating your heels makes it easier to achieve a full range of motion. There are numerous benefits to this on this particular exercise but that is a discussion for a different day.

Full range of motion can be different for different people depending on a number of factors but as a general target we like to aim for the crease of hip below the top of the knee or what might be referred to as a below parallel position. There are some caveats to this of course, such as maintaining a good position through your back, but overall it's a good target to work towards.

You can elevate your heels by standing on books, blocks of wood, yoga wedges, small weight plates or by wearing olympic lifting shoes if you have them. Whatever you choose make sure it's nice and secure for you to stand on.

Stretch your calves

This can help improve your ankle mobility which in turn can have a large bearing on your ability to sit into a squat and the range of motion you achieve.

Spend some time in your warm up doing some ankle mobility work to prepare for the Goblet Squats in your workouts. A few simple exercises and a short time dedicated to this can make all the difference.

You can see an example of one of our favourite stretches in the graphic attached. Some other excellent exercises for this can be found with a simple Google.

Slow tempo eccentrics

One of the main limiting factors of home training can be the equipment you have available. For many of you that may mean only having access to some dumbbells and kettlebells.

However, there are still ways you can make your Goblet Squats more challenging. One of the best ways to do this is by manipulating the tempo of the movement. In particular by using slow tempo eccentrics (think the downward part of the squat) and pauses in the bottom position of the exercise, you can make things much more challenging.

For example, you could try using a 5 count on the eccentric, a 3 count pause at the bottom and then going full speed on the concentric (way back up).

Get more help working towards your goals

If you have found these tips helpful and would like further guidance on how to go about training towards your goals, take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

International Women's Day - Glasgow Bootcamp Tribute

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 17:33:36 GMT

International Women's Day - Glasgow Bootcamp Tribute

In honour of International Women's Day we wanted to give a shout out to all the strong and impressive women of the Learn To Lift Bootcamp here in Glasgow!

Excellent feats of strength such as 100 kg plus squats and 140 kg plus deadlifts are regular sight during the training sessions.

It's amazing to see how strong and confident everyone has become!

Have a watched of the video attached to get a flavour for just how hard everyone trains and how impressive they are.

We can't wait to get back to training

It's provisionally 7 weeks until gyms might reopen here in Scotland, although there have been indications it may be sooner.

Either way, hopefully it won't be too long and we can get back to smashing big PBs!

Lockdown Life - Nutrition Tips For Fat Loss

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 12:48:28 GMT

Lockdown Life - Nutrition Tips For Fat Loss

Earlier in the week we posted some training tips slanted towards a fat loss goal with the intention of helping give some guidance on how you might make the most of the now just under 8 weeks to go until gyms reopen in Scotland (provisionally).

Here's some nutrition tips to compliment the aforementioned training tips.

Nutrition is fundamental to achieving a fat loss goal and these are some of the key components and tips we feel can be of big benefit.

As before, bear in mind that it is absolutely fine not to want to focus on fat loss during these challenging times.

Even if this isn't your focus right now these tips can help benefit your general health and set solid foundations for working towards specific goals you might have in the future when the world settles down a bit more.

Hopefully you find these helpful and they can provide you some motivation if you feel it is lacking at the moment!

Eat satiating foods

This is arguably our most important nutrition tip of all.

Satiety means the satisfied feeling of being full after eating. The key when we talk about satiating foods is controlling hunger as this can be a big determinant of your success when working towards a fat loss goal.

Some of the key characteristics of satiating foods that help for controlling hunger is that they:

��Allow for high food volume at relatively low calories.

��Are nutrient dense.

��Help keep you feeling fuller for longer due to factors such as high fibre content or high protein content.

Good examples include boiled potatoes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein sources such as certain cuts of steak, chicken breast, fish and so on. If you don't eat meant think grains, pulses and possibly certain meat substitutes in terms of protein sources.

Building the vast majority of your nutrition around satiating foods like the above can make a huge difference in controlling hunger, properly nourishing your body and in achieving your goals.

Make sure you get the protein in

Protein intake is another key foundation of working towards fat loss. There a few important reasons for this:

��It's important for body composition.

��It helps preserve muscle mass in a calorie deficit.

��It is very satiating.

We'll go into more details on this in future posts but for now the key point to bear in mind is to include a good quality protein source as the centre point of your meals.

Keep some high protein snacks handy

This can be a great way to help you get sufficient protein in each day, which as discussed above is very important for a number of key reasons.

It can also be very valuable as it can help avoid you snacking on what might be considered high calorie "junk" food and thus help minimise the calories you consume when snacking and help work towards the overall calorie deficit you need to have in place for a fat loss goal.

Snack on fruit too

Fruit can be an excellent snack when focusing on fat loss. It fits the criteria we discussed above for satiating food as it is:

��Relatively low calorie.

��Nutrient dense.

��High food volume (relative to the calories).

It's also tasty and can help fill the gap for those of you that find yourselves craving something sweet.

Minimise liquid calories

A good daily consumption of water is great for hydration and an excellent option for a fat loss goal from a calorie perspective as it contains none.

However, water can be too bland and boring for some. If you have found yourself consuming a lot of full calorie drinks in the past a good strategy for you might be switching from these to "diet" or "sugar free" options, as these contain little to no calories. This may well prove to be an easy way to take a big chunk of calories out of your diet and achieve the calorie deficit necessary for fat loss.

Get some coaching and learn more

Hopefully you have found these tips valuable, we will be elaborating more on each individual tip with dedicated posts on them soon.

As with any nutrition based tips please bear in mind they are based on a normal healthy adult with no underlying medical conditions, if in doubt always consult with a qualified medical professional.

If you enjoyed these tips and feel like you would benefit from additional motivation and help in achieving your goals, have a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

Lockdown Life - Training Tips For Fat Loss

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 17:16:20 GMT

Lockdown Life - Training Tips For Fat Loss

8 weeks to go, provisionally, until gyms are allowed to reopen here in Scotland.

The news was greeted with mixed feelings last week and some people indicating they had become a little deflated by it.

We wanted to provide some motivation to make the most of the 8 weeks so here's some simple but effective training tips with an emphasis on a fat loss goal.

Obviously, it is absolutely fine not to want to focus on fat loss during challenging times like these, so even if this isn't your focus the tips provided can help bring great benefit to your general health and well-being too.

They are of a broader, more general nature than the technique tips for exercises we posted recently and are aimed at helping set the foundations for getting back into a routine with training and general exercise.

Hopefully they resonate with some of you reading out there and help motivate you to take action.

Set some goals

These can be excellent for providing motivation and giving you that little nudge you might need to take action.

Use the SMART criteria when setting them. This is an acronym that means making your goals S pecific, M easurable, A ttainable, R ealistic and T ime based.

When it comes to fat loss it is common to set some body composition shift goals. However, we particularly love performance goals.

These can be powerful motivators and some examples might include to:

�� Hit 10 full Push Ups in 8 weeks.

�� Squat a PB of 100 kg x 5 in 6 weeks.

�� Build up to 10 rounds of a certain circuit in 5 weeks.

We strongly encourage you to set some performance goals to help in your efforts to achieve your wider fat loss goals.

Get in a routine with your training

You may have heard the phrase motivation can only take you so far, discipline is what will see you through. Getting in a routine with your training helps develop the discipline that can carry you on when motivation takes a dip.

There's a few good strategies that can help with this:

��Have set days and times for your training sessions.

��Build your schedule around your training sessions (elements of it at least, such as the 4 evenings per week that you usually train on).

Simple strategies such as these can make difference between getting the training sessions done or not.

Try to get some more equipment

The market for training equipment is a bit wild at the moment and it can be hard to buy equipment. However, it can be done.

Buying some new equipment can add variety to your training and allow you to include different exercises or approaches to training. This variety might be just the thing to help give you a boost in motivation.

Keep your eyes peeled for future posts where we will give you some advice on the best places to source new equipment during these bizarre times.

Keep your activity levels high

It's not uncommon to hear the figure of 10,000 steps per day being used these days. On some levels it's an arbitrary number but it can provide a good target to aim for.

The key thing to note here is to try to keep your activity levels high. This can be extremely helpful for a fat loss goal and have the added benefit of being really good for your general physical and mental health.

Take frequent short walks

You might have a lot of free time at the moment and prefer to get most of your steps from one big walk. If so great but this might not be a viable option for those of you who are still working.

In this case frequent short walks might be the better strategy to get your steps up. It can be as simple as taking a short local walk before work, on your lunch break and later in the evening after work.

Find the strategy that suits you best and get those steps in.

Get some coaching and learn more

Hopefully these tips help, we will be elaborating more on each individual one with dedicated posts on them soon.

In the meantime if you feel like you need extra motivation and focus to help you get on track with your goals, have a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

When Will Gyms Reopen In Scotland?

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 17:04:43 GMT

Reopening date for gyms in Scotland

There's some light at the end of the tunnel at last with the announcement that gyms in Scotland might get to open from the week commencing April 26th 2021!

This date is provisional

However, it is important to bear in mind that this is all provisional at this stage. April 26th is the date the government indicated the economy might be allowed to start opening back up and so this doesn't necessarily mean gyms will be allowed to open from that exact date.

By the same token they did say that things might be sped up if certain factors go the right way. If indeed this might happen and by how much remains to be seen.

The government also indicated that they will provide more detail on the road map out of lockdown in mid March, so we might have a clearer picture of things come then.

Cause for optimism

This was perhaps not the news many people wanted to hear given the English government's committal to more concrete and indeed earlier dates. However, it is cause for optimism all the same.

Take action in the meantime

At the time of writing we still have the best part of 9 weeks until the provisional date of April 26th arrives.

If you need some motivation and want to take action to improve your health and fitness before then or indeed if you want to get training to ensure you hit the ground running once the gyms do open up again, then take a look at our Online Personal Training page and Drop Us A Message !

There's light at the end of the tunnel team!

Learn To Lift Training Bench Press Challenge

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 22:23:48 GMT

Learn To Lift Training Bench Press Challenge

Those of you who are NFL fans �� will probably know that the NFL combine would normally take place this week (final week on February) and even if you aren't a fan, one of the events can provide a fun challenge.

The format for the real combine might be a bit different this year due to the pandemic but we can give the Bench Press a go none the less.

What is the combine and what is the challenge

The combine is essential one big job audition for players coming out of College to help earn them a job in the NFL. One of the tests they must perform is a MAX REPS set of 100 kg on the Bench Press (well technically it converts to 102 kg because they use "freedom units" in America but let's be honest 100 kg makes more sense to use here as it's 2 plates and the chances of you having 1 kg plates to load the bar to 102 kg is slim).

So our challenge to you, if you are fortunate enough to have the equipment at home, is to rep out 100 kg for as many reps as you can on Bench Press! ��

We have provided some rough guidelines in the graphic attached if 100 kg is too heavy for you (they aren't set in stone but use them to help adapt the weight to a reasonable level for you).

There's also some standards to aim for to help provide you motivation to push things!

Rules of the challenge

There's a few simple rules for you to be aware of:

✔️ Full range of motion

��Every rep must touch your chest.

��Every rep must be fully locked out with elbows fully extended.

✔️ Your bum must stay on the bench.

If you don't have the full kit you could try Floor Press, DB Floor Press with the heaviest DBs you have or even a Max Rep set of Push Ups if you don't have any kit at all.

Some helpful tips

Here's some links to previous articles we have posted that will help you perfect your technique and do your best in the challenge:

The Anatomy of a Good Bench Press

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Bench Press

Give the challenge a go and let us know how you got on!

Take action towards achieving your goals

If you enjoyed this challenge and would like coaching on how to improve your bench press or your score on the challenge, take a look at our Online Personal Trainin g page and Drop Us A Message to get involved!

Bootcamp Glasgow - More Of Our Favourite Lifts

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 14:49:24 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - More Of Our Favourite Lifts

A wee bit of motivation for the start of the week with some more of our favourite lifts from back during a time when the gyms were open and the team were able to train hard at our Learn To Lift Glasgow Bootcamp.

Quite a few people are struggling for motivation at the moment and although home training isn't nearly as good as training in the gym for most, hopefully this helps provide some motivation to keep training away.

The hard work you put in just now will pay off later and can help give you a good boost mentally and physically during what is definitely a challenging time.

The lifts we are very proud to showcase this time around are as follows:

��Ross - Squat 130 kg

This was a huge PB for Rosco and done High Bar too. He came on leaps and bounds before the most recent lockdown and no doubt once we are able to get back to it even more massive PBs will be hit!

��Neil - Deadlift 190 kg

Deadlifts have always been a more challenging lift for Neil owing to previous injuries but this was a tasty +10kg PB. The 200 kg will fall once the gyms are back!

��Agne - Squat 145 kg

Also done High Bar and a massive PB at the time. She's been practicing Low Bar squatting so even more big lifts coming in the future!

We can't wait to see more of the same when the time finally comes to get back to it!

Become a part of our Glasgow Bootcamp

If you are inspired by these achievements and would like to get involved in the training to hit some big PBs of your own whilst being part of a fun, friendly and supportive community, have a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow page and Drop Us A Message !

Lockdown Life - Some Motivation To Give You A Boost

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 00:29:35 GMT

Lockdown Life - Some Motivation To Give You A Boost

It most likely going to be a while yet before gyms open again here in Scotland and it's easy to lose motivation for training when confined to home workouts with no clear idea of when they will no longer be needed.

However, here's some motivation from some of the team training away at home.

Some have managed to acquire quite a lot of equipment, some have a reasonable amount and some very little at all.

Regardless of what you have available to you there is still plenty you can do.

There's huge benefits to your physical and mental well-being and the hard work you put in now will pay off later when the gyms do reopen!

Get some motivation for your training

If you feel like you need some motivation and support to action towards your goals, have a look at our Online Personal Trainin g page and Drop Us A Message !

Lockdown Life - Free Low Kit Workout

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 23:58:39 GMT

Lockdown Life - Free Low Kit Workout

Given how popular the last one was, here's another low kit home workout to get your week off to a great start!

For this one all you need is a kettlebell, a set of light/moderate dumbbells and a resistance band. Don't worry if you don't have all of these things though, substitutions can easily be made.

A few notes to accompany the workout

��Perform a 5 min general warm up before starting. As before a few rounds of bodyweight squats, push ups, reverse lunges, plank, arm swings and leg swings should suffice.

��Supersets - A1 and A2 denote supersets, as do B1, B2 and B3. Perform a set of the first exercise followed by a set of the second (and then the third in the case of B3). Once you've done this rest a few mins then repeat for the specified number of sets.

�� Exercise Specific Warm Up - Before performing each of the supersets get a short warm up for each exercise. A set of 5 reps of each exercise should be fine.

��Finisher - perform 10 DB Thrusters followed by 15 Kettlebell Swings. Then move back to the DB Thrusters to begin the next round. If you need to slit up the reps that is fine, rest whenever needed but try to complete the entire 5 rounds as quickly as you feel you can.

�� Exercise Technique - Google any exercises you aren't familiar with, good technique is always paramount.

��Scaling the Workout - the workout is easily scalable to your ability level and the weight of the equipment you have available. The easiest way to do this is to add or subtract reps and rounds.

Take action towards achieving your goals

If you enjoyed this workout and would like coaching on this and similar take a look at our Online Personal Trainin g page and Drop Us A Message to get involved!

Lockdown Life - Free Home Workout

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 20:02:35 GMT

Lockdown Life - Free Home Workout

Last week in our post about factors still within your control during lockdown we spoke about bodyweight/low kit workouts.

Here's a low kit workout you can do at home, all you need is a kettlebell of moderate weight!

Some important things to bear in mind

Here's a few notes to accompany the workout:

��Perform a 5 min general warm up before starting, a few rounds of bodyweight squats, push ups, reverse lunges, plank, arm swings and leg swings should suffice.

��A1 and A2, B1 and B2 mean supersets. Perform a set of the first exercise followed by a set of the second, then rest a few mins. Repeat for the specified number of sets.

��Before performing each of the supersets get a short exercise specific warm up in. Again nothing overly complicated, one set of 5 reps of each exercise should work just fine.

��For the finisher perform 21 KB Swings follows by 21 Weighted Toe Touches, then 18 of each, 15 of each and so on moving back and forth between the exercises. Split the reps up and rest as needed but try and complete the whole circuit in as little time as you feel you are able to.

��Google any exercises you aren't familiar with, technique is always a priority.

��You can obviously scale the workout to your ability level and the weight of the KB you have available by adding or subtracting reps and rounds too.

If you are able to hit workouts like these 3-5 times per week they can have some great benefits both physically and mentally.

Take action towards achieving your goals

If you enjoyed this workout and would like coaching on this and similar take a look at our Online Personal Trainin g page and Drop Us A Message to get involved!

Bootcamp Glasgow - Some Of Our Favourite Lifts

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 14:26:46 GMT

Bootcamp Glasgow - Some Of Our Favourite Lifts

A wee throw back to a time when the gyms were actually open with some more of our favourite lifts from our Glasgow Bootcamp.

We love seeing everyone become stronger, fitter and more confident. These are some of the big lifts in particular that stood out:

�� Kirsty - Squat 120 kg

A big milestone for Kirsty to hit, and with access to kit during this lockdown and Santa bringing a pair of knee sleeves for Christmas, there are undoubtedly even bigger lifts on the horizon!

��Chris B - Deadlift 200 kg

It was brilliant to see Chris hitting this, it was a big goal he had set himself and it came in combination with a massive drop in body fat too!

��Rachel - Squat 110 kg

Rachel came on leaps and bounds last year despite all the challenges it presented and some health issues to boot. You can tell by the beaming smile on her face how happy she was with that one!

Although these lifts may have been a while ago now we can't wait for the day when the lockdown is over and we can get back training hard towards more of the same!

Become a part of our Glasgow Bootcamp

If you find these achievements inspiring and would like to train to achieve similar as part of a fun, friendly and supportive community, have a look at our Bootcamp Glasgow page and Drop Us A Message !

Online Personal Training In Glasgow

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 19:42:32 GMT

Online Personal Training In Glasgow

Unfortunately it feels like this lockdown is going to go on for quite a while. Particularly frustrating as it's at a time of year when people are really motivated to get training and there's nothing we love more than training clients in the gym and seeing the progress they make.

Given the restrictions we are going to be doing a lot more Online Coaching at the start of this year.

This is something we have always done to great effect but not showcased to the same extent as Bootcamp and Personal Training clients.

What does the online personal training include?

The process includes the following:

✅ Training Program

��Designed based around your goals and the equipment you have available.

✅ Nutrition Program

��A sustainable structure that suits and you can consistently adhere to.

✅ Training App

��Full program with detailed instructions in the app.

��Log your training on the app.

��Video demonstrations for all exercises.

✅ Nutrition eBook

��Breaking down everything you need to know for the nutrition side of things.

✅ Result Tracking

��Full measurement guide.

��Progress sheet to record results.

��Weekly check ins.

✅ Accountability, Motivation & Support

��Giving you the motivation and support along the way to achieve your health & fitness goals during this challenging time.

Take action towards achieving your goals

To learn more take a look at our Online Personal Trainin g page and Drop Us A Message to get involved!

3 Things You Can Do To Keep Fit In Lockdown

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 19:22:07 GMT

3 Things You Can Do To Keep Fit In Lockdown

More frustrating news with the tightening of lockdown measures being announced ��. We can't control what we can't control but on the positive side, there are still a number of key things within your control with regards to your health and fitness.

3 key thing you can do to improve your health and fitness during lockdown include:

✅ Bodyweight/low kit workouts

A bit clichéd by now and although we are big proponents of barbell and dumbbell based training, there is still plenty you can do with little or no equipment.

Unilateral lower body work, push ups, core work, tempos, supersets, circuits etc can all be utilised to improve your fitness levels, especially if you are new to training, or help maintain levels and blunt the impact of the lockdown if you are more advanced.

Getting into a good rhythm of hitting 3-5 of these workouts per week can be of big benefit and help bring structure to a time when it can seem to be lacking the most.

✅ Focus on your nutrition

You don't need to go into a full blown post Christmas cut tracking everything you consume with MyFitnessPal. Lockdown can be a stressful time and impacts everyone differently. Even simple actions such as the following can be of big benefit to your health and fitness during such a challenging time:

��Consume a good portion of protein at every meal.

��Eat fruit or vegetables at most meals.

��Aim to drink 2 litres of water or so per day.

��Minimise junk food consumption.

Finding a structure that suits you is always the key but you don't need to overcomplicate things at a time that can present a great deal of challenges as it is.

✅ Get the steps in

Unlimited outdoor activity is still permitted in Scotland and regular walks can be a big plus for not only your physical health but mental as well.

They are a great way to get your general activity levels up and a simple step target can be a good motivator for this. 8-10k steps per day is generally a good starting point.

Get more support

You might not be able to approach things the way you normally would if the gyms were open but hopefully this helps highlight that there is still a lot of positive things you can do in the meantime.

If you would like more support and motivation take a look at our our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message !

Glasgow Bootcamp Progress Pics

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 13:39:08 GMT

Glasgow Bootcamp Progress Pictures

We use the word "Bootcamp" to describe our group training. We use this word as it is what most people generally recognise as representing group training.

However, in truth we don't run a bootcamp. Not in the traditional sense at least. There's no running around in parks and countless bodyweight exercises such as burpees.

Not that there is anything wrong with this approach, it's just that we run our version of a Bootcamp, which would be better described as high level group strength and conditioning sessions.

More than just a bootcamp

We are very performance focused, emphasising results and progression in big barbell lifts and other key areas. We love this approach for helping people achieve well rounded improvements in their lives, both physically and mentally. From goals such as fat loss to muscle building but most importantly of all feeling more confident, happier and empowered.

We are extremely proud of our fun, friendly and supportive community of Bootcampers and wanted to share some of their results from focusing on a performance based approach despite very different goals.

Ashley - from learning to lift to lean, athletic and strong

What a difference in Ashley, she has been a valued member of the group since day one.

Her original goal was to improve her body composition and learn how to train properly.

Not only has she become much leaner but she has gone from learning how to lift to becoming extremely strong, athletic and even competing in Powerlifting.

She is also a very good baker and provides some excellent training tunes to get the energy up in the room and the big lifts flowing!

John - added loads of muscle and strength through the roof

John is a great example of a male member of Bootcamp who wanted to add muscle and become stronger to aid his performance on the rugby pitch.

To say he has been successful in doing this is a massive understatement. The pictures speak for themselves as to the sheer amount of muscle mass he has added to his frame.

His strength has increased massively too, perhaps the best example of this is his Deadlift increasing from 150 kg when he joined bootcamp all thew way up to 240 kg and he is now on the cusp of pulling a massive 272.5 kg (600 lbs for any Americans reading).

John has progressed so much that he now competes in the sport of Strongman, with impressive competition performances already under his belt and even more big things to come soon!

Abi - added more muscle and looking great

Abi's goal was always to add muscle to her physique, learn how to train properly with free weights and increase her strength.

She has gone from skeletor (her word not ours, we think she looked great before and after) to athletic and strong.

It's fantastic to see the difference in her, not only can you clearly see from the pictures that has she added good quality lean mass to her back, shoulders, arms and glutes but she has also developed extremely impressive lb for lb strength!

A valued member of the group from the very begining, she keeps going from strength to strength.

Chris B - leaner and stronger than ever

Chris joined Bootcamp with the goal of decreasing his body fat levels, learning how to perform the big barbell lifts and getting stronger.

He is now 4 stone lighter, that's a massive 25 kg, and getting stronger every time he touches a bar.

A massive difference in Chris already and he keeps improving!

There's more to it than just the pictures

These are four different people with very different goals but superb progress was made by all of them!

However, these pictures are just a visual representation of physical changes. What you can't see is how much stronger, fitter and more confident they have become. All the friendships they have made, the motivation they get from other members and indeed the friendly motivation and support they provide to others.

The physical changes are great to see but it is always about so much more than that for us!

Be a part of our amazing community

If you would like t o be part of our fun, friendly and supportive community take a look at our Glasgow Bootcamp page, drop us a message and we will let you know what availability we have.

Happy training team!

How To Build A Strong Overhead Press

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 07:30:04 GMT

Overhead presses, particularly Strict Presses, are notoriously slow to progress. However, the work you put in is definitely worth it as the movement is a fantastic upper body builder and a staple in many a good training program.

H ere's some guidance on what you can do to build a strong overhead press.

Set a goal

Having focus and a target to aim for is a very powerful thing and will help push on the results you get much more than simply going through the motions.

Aim to beat your current best by an increment of 2.5 kg, 5 kg or 10 kg depending on how proficient you are at the movement. Set a time frame for this, often periods of 8,10 or 12 weeks work well.

Make sure you have good technique

This is the crucial foundation of your progress on the lift and the benefits you will get from it.

To learn more about good Overhead Press technique take a look at our Anatomy Of A Good Strict Press and 3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Overhead Press articles.

Have a plan to achieve your goal

To make the most progress possible and do so in a manner that minimises the risk of injury, you need to get a solid, well designed program in place.

If you want to learn more about how we build clients Overhead Presses take a look at our Personal Training Glasgow page.

Strengthen the prime movers

In the case of the Strict Overhead Press this is the shoulders and triceps. These will obviously be strengthened by sensibly programming the exercise itself but it is also wise to use assistance exercises to compliment this.

Movements such as incline bench press, seated dumbbell overhead press, close grip bench press etc are great options.

Build the stabilising muscle groups

Spending time building up the lats, upper back and rear delts can be very important. Not only does this balance out all the pressing and keep your shoulders healthy, it also helps build a stable platform for you to execute what can be a very challenging exercise.

All manner of rows from chest supported rows, to one arm arms, to seated cable rows rows are great options. As are lat pulldowns, chin ups, pull ups, face pulls, band pull aparts and rear delt flyes.

A number of these should be implemented in any good training program to build your Overhead Press.

Learn how to brace your core properly

We have some great guidance on how to properly brace in our 3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Deadlift article .

Proper bracing is crucial in creating the stability in your torso for a strong Overhead Press, as well as to protect your back from any potential injury.

Including core exercises in your training is always of benefit, ab wheel roll outs and various plank variations are good choices.

Volume is a key driver of strength

The key implication of this is to ensure you build a good base with plenty of volume, this primes you for the big PBs to come a little further down the line.

We recommend plenty of volume in the 70%-80% of max to build this base.

Use a full range of motion on every rep

We are big proponents of a full range of motion, there are huge advantages to this including a greater stimulus to the muscles and standardising the movement to measure progress (actual increases in strength not just shortening the range of motion).

Ultimately, a proper Overhead Press should start at top of your chest and finish with your elbows locked out with the bar over the base of your head.

Pick your moments to push things

Training to failure every sessions is counterproductive for developing strength. It might work for a short time but you will quickly find that fatigue and soreness will mount rapidly and you will start to move backwards. You might even find that niggling injuries start to creep in.

A much more sensible way to approach things is to keep a little back each set and move closer to failure as the program progresses. The concept of reps in reserve (RIR) and decreasing these reps in reserve as the program advances covers this concept but that's a discussion for another time.

The key takeaway here is pick your moments to really push to your limits, well designed programs should account for this.

Get some coaching and learn more

If you would like some detailed coaching on how to build a strong Overhead Press and a well designed training program to do so, have a look at our Personal Training in Glasgow and Glasgow Bootcamps pages and drop us a message.

Get building those Overhead Presses team!

How To Take Good Before and After Pictures

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 07:30:01 GMT

Before and after pictures are a key part of the personal training process but they can often be very misleading and deceptive.

Here's how to take good quality progress pictures to properly assess the improvements you have made in your physique.

How to take good progress pictures

�� Take photos from the front, side and back. This one is fairly straight forward. These 3 angles let us get a good overall gauge of progress when compared to the same positions later on.

�� Use the same lighting, pose and location. Consistency is key here. Perhaps most importantly when it comes to pose. How often have you seen before pictures with people standing normally contrasted to after pictures where they are doing a muscular pose and sucking their stomach in or twisting their hips to make their bum look bigger?

This doesn't showcase progress and can be very misleading, especially for others trying to assess what is possible or the quality of the personal trainer's work. Be very critical when looking at before and after pictures to avoid being mislead and do your best to avoid falling into this trap with your own pictures by keeping the lighting, location and pose you use as similar to the original set of pictures you take as is possible.

�� Take the photos in your underwear. This ensures as much of your physique as possible can be seen and thus a better measure of progress achieved.

Shorts or tight fitting clothing can be another good option if taking pictures in your underwear makes you feel particularly uncomfortable.

�� Stand with a normal relaxed pose. Try to avoid things such as sucking your stomach in, tensing your muscles or using an unnatural position.

As discussed above, this offers a proper assessment of progress, anything else and you are most likely misleading yourself and others.

�� Take photos at the start of the process and at regular intervals thereafter. It goes without saying that it is important to take before pictures at the very start of the process before your body starts changing to fully asses your progress later on.

Taking pictures at regular intervals, every 2-4 weeks for instance, allows you to keep an eye on how your physique is changing and may guide decisions and indeed motivation throughout the process.

Consistency is key

It may not be entirely possible to tick all of the boxes mentioned above. For example, it might be difficult to use the same lighting if you take your pictures in an area where there is natural light, which can obviously vary depending on the weather.

However, try and ensure there is as much consistency as possible between the pictures you take and you will be on the right path.

Start your own transformation

Take a look at our Personal Training Glasgow Transformations page to see what is possible and if you want to undergo your own transformation drop us a message.

Happy training team!

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Hip Thrusts

Sat, 19 Sep 2020 07:30:01 GMT

Glute training is definitely one of the in things these days. Let's be honest who doesn't want to have a good set of glutes for all the aesthetic benefits they bring, as well as all the positives for strength and performance.

Hip Thrusts are widely considered to be one of the most effective exercises for building your glutes, so here's 3 easy to implement tips to help you get the most out of them.

Keep your gaze forward, chin tucked

This helps create a good alignment of your body at the top of the movement and helps prevent you from overextending, thus keeping your back in a safer position.

Ultimately, it well help work your glutes more by putting the emphasis more on them and away from the hamstrings and erectors.

Drive through your heels

A common mistake when it comes to Hip Thrusts is pushing through the balls of your feet and letting your heels rise up off of the ground. This gets your calves and quads doing more of the work and takes the emphasis off of the glutes somewhat.

Make sure you drive through your heels to get those glutes working and get the most out of the exercise.

Squeeze your glutes at lockout

Ge tting a good squeeze in your glutes at the top of the movement forces them to do that bit more work with the extra time under tension. It also allows for more of a focus on the control of the weight and technique as you perform your reps. A subtle tweak but it can pay off.

Get some coaching and learn more

To learn more about how to develop your glutes and get coaching on how to do so, jump onto our Personal Training Glasgow and Bootcamp Glasgow pages and drop us a message.

Get building those glutes team!

5 Things You Can Do Today To Get Better

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 07:31:54 GMT

If you are feeling stuck in a rut after lockdown, sometimes you just need to focus on simple steps you can take to make improvements and move towards your goals.

Here's some simple things you can do this very day to help.

5 things you can do today to get better

�� Get a workout in. You'll feel better for doing it. This one step can be the catalyst for ticking off all the other steps and for building on this workout by hitting another and then another in the coming days.

�� Go for a walk. Much like getting a workout in, you will feel better for it. Walking can be great for your mental health and gets your general activity levels up, which in turn helps you improve your physical wellbeing.

�� Stay well hydrate. There are many health benefits from staying well hydrated. Generally speaking, aiming for between 2 and 3 litres of water is a good target.

�� Eat lean protein at every meal. Protein is important in supporting your body's recovery and development from your physical efforts. It helps build and maintain muscle mass and is very satiating, meaning it will help keep you fuller for longer and aid in making improvements to your nutrition in general.

�� Do 10-15 mins of mobility. If you have been working from home, furloughed or generally quite inactive you can get quite stiff and possibly experience ill effects from this. Allocating as little as 10-15 mins in your day to perform some flexibility and mobility work can go a long way. It doesn't need to be complicated either, fire a quick search in YouTube and follow along with one of the many free routines.

Get some accountability and motivation

If you feel like you would benefit from some accountability and motivation to help you escape the lockdown blues, take a look at our Personal Training Glasgow and Glasgow Bootcamp pages.

Nothing to it but to do it as the saying goes!

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Overhead Press

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 07:26:51 GMT

The Overhead Press is an excellent addition to your training but it can be a tricky one to master and a slow one to progress.

With that in mind, here's 3 simple things you can do to improve your Overhead Press.

Get the bar path right

A common mistake, particularly amongst those new to the lift, is to move the bar out in front of their head and then loop it back round it. This is a very inefficient way to press and will cost you in terms of stability and the amount of weight you can lift.

We advise a slight backwards lean and tilt back of the head as you initiate the movement. Keep the bar close to your face as you press from this position and then as the bar passes the top of your head, drive your head and torso through.

Push your head through at lockout

The correct position at lockout to allow you to support a heavy weight overhead is with the bar over the back of your head which puts it in a position where your wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips and feet are all in alignment.

Thinking of pushing your head and torso through as the bar passes your face is a good way to help achieve this (just be careful not to push through excessively as we want the aforementioned alignment not an overextension of your back with the bar behind your head entirely).

Build the stabilising muscles

The shoulders and triceps are prime movers for the Overhead Press but building the stabilising muscles can be of big benefit. Two good areas to focus on are:

��Lats - these help create a shelf to press from so using assistance exercises such as rows, lat pulldowns, pull ups etc can really pay off.

��Core work - a strong core gives you the stable base you need to press from and helps efficiently transfer force into the bar. Great options here include assistance exercises such as planks, weighted planks, ab wheel roll outs and more.

Get some coaching and learn more

If you are Glasgow based and would like to get some coaching on this and other big lifts have a look at our Personal Training in Glasgow and Glasgow Bootcamps pages to find out more.

Happy pressing team!

The Anatomy Of A Good Strict Overhead Press

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 07:30:01 GMT

The Strict Press is a fantastic exercise for working the shoulders, triceps and believe it or not even the core. It's one we use often with our Glasgow Personal Training clients and during our Learn To Lift Glasgow Bootcamps .

Here's some pointers on what a good Strict Overhead Press should look like.

Top tips for your Strict Overhead Press

�� Grip the bar just outside of your shoulders. This is a good guideline for most people, although this position may very from person to person based on your own particular build and proportions. What we are trying to achieve here is a position where the wrists and elbows are aligned with each other. Too wide a grip and the elbows will be outside the wrists and too narrow will result in the wrists being inside the elbows. Stacking these joints is a very strong and efficient position to press from.

�� Bar sitting in the base of your palm. Much like bench pressing, setting the bar in the base of your palm will prevent the wrists from cocking back and avoid leaking out force through this inefficient position. It also helps put your wrists in a safer position from the point of view of avoiding pain and injury.

�� Feet set roughly shoulder width apart. This helps create a nice solid and stable base for you to press from.

�� Knees locked, legs straight. There is no leg drive in a strict press. By using your legs to drive the bar up you change the movement into a Push Press, which is a fantastic exercise in its own right, but it changes the emphasis of the movement somewhat away from the muscles of the upper body to the legs. In this instance keeping the movement strict and driving it with the shoulders and triceps is our goal.

�� Core braced, glutes squeezed. As with other major lifts such as Squats and Deadlifts, your strongest and safest position to lift from is with a properly braced core (think taking a big breath into your stomach, tensing your stomach as if your are about to get hit in it and expanding your sides in quick succession).

Squeezing your glutes can also be a big help in creating the stable body position we want for a good Strict Overhead Press and helps enhance your power by displacing force from the ground up.

�� Bar over the back of you head at lockout. This creates a nice alignment through your body to support a heavy weight overhead and is what we consider to be the correct end point of each rep. Think of pushing your head through slightly as the bar passes your face when pressing it to help achieve this position at lockout.

Learn more and put it into practice

If you can tick the boxes on the points above you will most likely have a very nice looking Strict Overhead Press. However, this isn't an exhaustive list and we will be looking at some other top tips such as bar path in future posts.

If you want some specific coaching on lifts such as the Strict Overhead press and want to learn how to integrate them into your training, take a look at our Personal Training Glasgow and Glasgow Bootcamp pages.

Happy overhead pressing team!

Top Tips For Fat Loss

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:28:36 GMT

The gyms are open and most of the people we have spoken to have identified that they have particular fat loss goals �� they want to achieve, having gained some extra weight through inactivity and the various challenges lockdown presented.

Here's some top level tips for helping achieve these goals.

You must be in a calorie deficit

This is the most fundamental tip of all. In order to achieve fat loss you must be in a calorie deficit, meaning calories in must be less than calories out.

There are many ways and approaches to achieving a calorie deficit, the key is finding a system that works for you and being consistent over an extended period of time!

Eat plenty of protein

The are a number of advantages to eating a good amount of protein in your diet, particularly when working towards a fat loss goal.

��It helps preserve muscle. This is always a good thing, we've never heard of anyone working towards the goal of being "skinny fat" as the saying goes.

�� It's satiating and keeps you feeling fuller for longer. Thus making it easier to work towards a calorie deficit.

Recommendations can vary for just how much protein to consume but in general if you are hitting 2 grams per kg of bodyweight spread relatively evenly across 3-6 meals for the day, you are off to a good start.

Get the fruits and veggies in

As well as offering many general health benefits due to micronutrient content, fibre etc, fruits and veggies are great when working towards a fat loss goal because they let you get in a lot of food volume for relatively little calories. Much like the point above as regards protein, this helps in keeping you fuller for longer and makes it much easier to sustain a calorie deficit.

As always these tips aren't intended as an exhaustive list but cover some of the key factors to be aware of. They are based on a normal healthy adult with no underlying medical conditions, if in doubt always consult with a qualified medical professional.

If you want help achieving your fat loss goals have a look at what we offer in terms of Personal Training in Glasgow and our ever popular Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow .

Get stuck in to smashing those goals team!

Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow Records - The Targets To Beat

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 17:11:47 GMT

Having discussed what strength standards we like to set for our clients, let's take a look at the current records for the various lifts in our Glasgow Bootcamps.

Big targets and high standards

These are great targets to beat and if you have been able to achieve all the strength standards we spoke about previously, these might just be the next set of big goals you can take aim for.

As you may have gathered from our previous posts we are sticklers for good technique and a full range of motion, all these records were set with just that.

All squats were achieved to a depth below parallel, there were no hitched deadlifts, all bench presses hit the chest and so on.

How to get involved and hit these goals

If you think you have what it takes to beat these records or indeed you would like help in learning how to go about doing it, take a look at our Personal Training Glasgow and Glasgow Bootcamp pages.

We love performance goals and we love helping and pushing people towards achieving them.

Happy training team!

Strength Standards We Like To Use For Our Personal Training and Bootcamps in Glasgow

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 07:25:23 GMT

We love performance goals as they have a huge positive impact on achieving so many different goals from strength goals themselves, to fat loss, muscle building and more.

H ere's some strength standards we like to set for our Glasgow personal training and bootcamp clients to work towards.

Female strength standards

For our female clients we have found that the following are excellent strength standards to aim for:

�� Squat - 100 kg

�� Bench Press - 50 kg

�� Chin Up - Bodyweight x 1 full range rep

�� Push Press - 40 kg

�� Deadlift - 120 kg

�� Trap Bar Deadlift - 140 kg

Male strength standards

For our male clients we set them the challenge of hitting the following targets:

�� Squat - 140 kg

�� Bench Press - 100 kg

�� Chin Up - Bodyweight x 10 full range rep

�� Push Press - 70 kg

�� Deadlift - 180 kg

�� Trap Bar Deadlift - 200 kg

We are sticklers for good technique and a full range of motion, make sure you use both when shooting for the female and male standards.

How to get involved and hit these goals

If you can hit most of the standards laid out you are doing great and well on your way to achieving some great results. If you can hit them all big well done to you, you're ready to set some new goals and take things to the next level!

To learn more about the training involved to achieve these goals and get specific coaching and support on how to do it, take a look at our Personal Training Glasgow and Glasgow Bootcamp pages.

Happy training team!

Take A Look Inside One Of Our Glasgow Bootcamps

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 16:06:57 GMT

Take a look inside our Glasgow Bootcamps

Our Learn To Lift Bootcamps in Glasgow are very different from what might be considered a normal bootcamp. There's no running about in a park doing every variation of bodyweight exercises under the sun.

Take a look and see what our style of Bootcamp training involves.

Who are the Bootcamps for?

We have a wide mix of people who are members of our Bootcamps:

�� Males and females anywhere from 18 years of age all the way up to people in their 50s.

�� Everything from total beginners all the way to people with high levels of experience and competing in sports such as Powerlifting, Strongman and Strong-woman.

��Teachers, nurses, solicitors, students, IT specialists, business owners and everything in-between.

��A range of nationalities from Scottish and English to Lithuanian, Romania and more.

��A varied range of goals from those achieving fat loss, muscle building, improving fitness levels, increasing strength levels and ultimately looking and feeling their very best.

Age, gender, nationality, training experience and job aren't important, the key traits are having a desire to better yourself, a willingness to train hard and a good attitude that blends well into our fun and friendly community of people!

Performance goals are very powerful

Our style of training is very different from most, you won't be running around for an hour doing countless burpees and air squats. We put a great emphasis on big compound free weights movements, from squats and deadlifts to overhead presses, bench presses and more.

These give you a huge bang for your buck, working a wide range of muscles and ultimately helping you work towards achieving a wide range of goals.

We love setting performance goals, working towards these yields huge benefits not only in terms of strength or fitness but in body composition and how you look and feel.

Core and conditioning make a big difference

Another important part of our Bootcamp training is core and conditioning work. Core work yields huge benefits in terms of core strength, posture and transfers brilliantly into aiding other areas of your training.

Conditioning work is brilliant for your cardiovascular fitness, general health and lends itself well in working towards a whole host of goals from fat loss and more.

How to get involved

To learn even more about our Glasgow Bootcamps , take a look at the dedicated pages on our website and drop us a message if you want to get involved!

Happy training team!

The Bootcamp Guides Have Had A Refresh

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 15:27:55 GMT

The gyms are back and the Bootcamp Guides have been updated

Our Glasgow Bootcamps are all about empowering people and helping them become the fittest, strongest and most confident version of themselves possible.

To achieve this we not only have an amazing community of friendly and supportive people but we also provide all the tools required outside of the training sessions themselves to help people achieve their goals.

Now that the gyms have opened back up and a lot of people are telling use their focus is on losing body fat and getting their strength and fitness back, we have updated the Bootcamp Nutrition and Measurement Guides to ensure everyone has the knowledge they need to achieve their goals in a nice straight forward and easy to understand format.

All this information is readily available to our members on the private Bootcamp Facebook group. If you would like to be part of our amazing community and join one of our Glasgow Bootcamps take a look to get a feel for what all the fuss is about and drop us a message.

We can't wait to see what everyone will achieve in the coming weeks and months!

The Anatomy Of A Good Deadlift

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 15:08:28 GMT

The Deadlift is one of our favourite lifts and is always popular with our Personal Training clients and members of our Glasgow Bootcamps . It's a great whole body exercise with huge benefits but it can also carry with it a higher risk of injury than most movements if performed incorrectly.

Here's some guidance on how to execute the movement correctly and get the most out of it.

Top tips for your Deadlift

�� Feet roughly shoulder width apart or slightly wider. This is the stance for a conventional Deadlift, the exact stance will vary from person to person but in general this is a good guideline to get you in a strong position.

�� Feet pointing forward (or slightly out) and bar over mid foot. The foot position for a Deadlift differs from the Squat in that we want the toes pointing much more forward to ensure a good alignment. The bar should be over your mid foot in the starting position, think somewhere over the laces or near the tongue of your shoe. This helps us put the bar in an optimal position biomechanically, too close and your hips will shoot up first, too far away and you will need to pull the bar in towards you and place unnecessary strain on your back.

�� Hips set at the correct height and not too low. Ideally we want your hips set at the exact point that allows your chest and hips to rise at the same rate as you lift the bar. This might take a bit of trial and error but pulling yourself into the bar as you set your position can help find this point.

�� Squeeze your lats out and down. This helps set your back in a nice strong position and stabilise your torso for the pull. This technique is sometimes describe as putting your lats in your pockets. Another way to think of it is as if you had a sheet of paper in each arm pit, if you squeeze your lats out and down you will lock it in place. If you lose tension in the lats the piece of paper will fall to the floor.

�� Eyes forward. There can be some differing views on head position for Deadlifting but in our experience the vast majority of people benefit from a neutral head position with the eyes looking forward and not down.

�� Chest and hips rise at the same rate. As you pull the bar off the floor, think of leading the movement with your chest. Similar to a Squat we want the chest and hips rising at the same rate to ensure optimal position and allowing you to stay in the safest and strongest position possible.

Learn more and put it into practice

As always these are some of the main factors to consider in order to achieve a good Deadlift but it is not intended as an exhaustive list.

It's one thing to read a blog post about good technique and another to put it into practice, so if you think you would benefit from detailed in person coaching on this and other lifts take a look at our Personal Training Glasgow and Glasgow Bootcamp pages.

Happy Deadlifting team!

We Have A New Home - AGFitness South

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 14:29:29 GMT

New home, same great community!

After being part of the Gym Group Glasgow Quay since day one of it opening, we have taken the decision to move on to new things.

As many of you may know we are in the process of opening our own gym. However, in the mean time we will be based out of AGFitness South which is based not far from the Quay in the Southside of Glasgow.

It's a fantastic private facility run by very nice people and we will be moving all of our Glasgow Personal Trainin g sessions and our Glasgow Bootcamp there.

We are very excited about this new chapter and look forward to seeing you there!

The Anatomy Of A Good Squat

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 13:52:46 GMT

For us there is nothing more elegant and impressive looking than a well executed Squat. Here's some pointers on what we look for in a Squat to help you develop yours.

Top tips for your Squat

�� Keep your eyes forward. There are other styles of Squats where people will keep their gaze downwards but in our opinion for the vast majority of people it is best to keep your eyes forward.

�� Grip the bar with your hands as narrow as your shoulder mobility allows. With the one caveat that your hands should never be inside the position of your elbows. This creates good tightness in your upper back and thus helps ensure a strong and stable position.

�� Feet pointed slightly outwards, weight through the middle of your foot. This again helps ensure you are in a strong and stable position to execute the movement as safely and efficiently as possible.

�� Core braced and tight. Take a big breath of air and brace your core before initiating the lift, think 360 degrees of pressure round your torso. Hold this breath all the way through the descent and all the way towards the top of the lift after you have passed your sticking point.

�� Knees following the line of the foot. As you descend it is important your knee follows the line of your foot, this is a nice strong and safe position for your knees. If you find your knees cave in or push excessively outwards take time to work on correcting your technique before trying to lift more top end weights.

�� Crease of the hip below the top of the knee. This is what we look for as a full range of motion at the bottom of the Squat. There are many big advantages to using a full range of motion, although not everyone will be capable of this at first. If you struggle to achieve full depth, spending time working and your hip and ankle mobility may well be required.

�� Chest and hips rise at the same rate on the ascent. Try and think of leading the movement out of the bottom position with your chest. This well help achieve the chest and hips rising at the same rate, which is want we want for a good squat.

Learn more and put it into practice

Hopefully you find these tips helpful. These are some of the things we teach during our Personal Training sessions in Glasgow and during our Glasgow Bootcamps . Click on the links to learn more.

Happy squatting team!

The Anatomy Of A Good Bench Press

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 13:52:43 GMT

Bench press is a mainstay of our Personal Training sessions and Bootcamps in Glasgow . It's a fantastic upper body exercise but one that is often performed incorrectly. Here's some top tips on how to excel at the movement.

Top tips for your Bench Press

�� Shoulder blades squeezed down and back. This helps create a little bit of an arch in your upper back and in doing so puts your shoulders in a much safer and stronger position.

�� Hips pulled back towards your shoulders. This again helps create this arched position and will help put you in a strong and safe position to execute the lift.

�� Feet pulled back and driven into the ground. Your legs and feet are crucial in creating a stable base for you to bench from. Make sure to keep your legs driving into the ground. Unless you compete in a specific powerlifting federation with rules that specify otherwise, feet flat or on the balls of your feet is up to you and what position you find best.

�� Head back on the bench. This helps to maintain the arch in your upper back. Sometimes you will see people bring their head off the bench and look the bar into their chest, this is a misapplication of equipped powerlifting technique to raw benching. So unless you are using a bench shirt, keeping your head back on the bench is probably your best bet.

�� Bar sitting across the base of your palm. Ideally at a slightly diagonal angle. By doing this and avoiding having the bar in your fingers you will help prevent your wrists cocking back, thus creating a much stronger position and avoiding any potential future wrist issues and pain.

�� Full range of motion. We always recommend using a full range of motion as there is huge benefits to this in terms of strength, hypertrophy, mobility and longevity. In this case a full range of motion is the bar touching the chest at the bottom and pressed all the way to full extension of the arms at the top. Aim for the sternum as a rough target for a touch point at the bottom and be sure to keep your shoulder blades squeezed back and down against the bench as your press and your feet driven into the ground.

Learn more and put it into practice

Hopefully you find these tips helpful. They are not intended as an exhaustive list but cover off a lot of the key points for Bench Press technique.

If you would like some more detailed coaching on this and other lifts take a look at our Personal Training Glasgow and Glasgow Bootcamp pages.

Happy benching team!

Our Bootcamps In Glasgow Are Back!

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 13:46:39 GMT

Finally time for the return of our Bootcamps in Glasgow

After almost 6 months the wait is finally over and our Glasgow Bootcamps are back!

Get back on track

Don't worry if you're activity levels have seriously dropped off over lockdown or you have lost motivation and put on a bit of weight. Gyms in Glasgow, and indeed all around Scotland, are finally allowed to reopen and the bootcamps are back to help you turn all of that around.

Fun, friendly and supportive atmosphere

Everyone is in the same boat, lockdown presented a lot of challenges for us all. We have been hearing from a lot of people that they need to drop some body fat and get their fitness levels back up.

The good news is we have a really good community built around our bootcamps, everyone is very friendly and supportive and this helps create the perfect atmosphere for everyone to motivate each other towards achieving shared goals!

Lose fat, build muscle and improve self-confidence

The bootcamp workouts are designed to help people achieve a range of goals from shedding body fat, putting on muscle, getting stronger and fitter but to us it is about even more than that.

Above all our goal is to have you looking and feeling the best you ever have with your self-confidence at an all time high, especially after such a challenging period as lockdown!

Find a Bootcamp in Glasgow that suits you

Have a look at our Bootcamp page to get a good feel for what is involved and how they are run.

Take a look at our Find a Bootcamp in Glasgow page to find one that suits you.

Have fun getting back into training, we are very excited to be back to it!

Top Tips For Making Your Return To The Gym

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 13:46:39 GMT

The gyms are finally back in Scotland and like many people in Glasgow and throughout the country you may well be doing your first training session for quite sometime.

Here are some top tips for making your return to training and getting off to the best possible start you can.

Have a plan and execute it

Even before lockdown how often have you seen people in the gym randomly make things up as they go a long and make no progress month on month, year on year.

To get off to the best start possible have your training program in place so you have a clear plan for moving forward and focus your efforts towards achieving your goals.

Start light and progress sensibly

Chances are you haven't done much training lately or have been training in a way very different from how you would have trained in the gym.

Your body will be desensitised to the kind of training you will be doing when you get back in the gym and so you won't be able to lift as heavy, tolerate as much volume and you are probably going to be quite sore the next week or two.

We recommend:

��Starting back light (50-60% of max is a good guide for big lifts).

��Use less volume (for example, 2 sets instead of 3, less overall exercises or train 3 days instead of 4 for a few weeks).

��Progress in small increments week on week (for example, adding a little bit of weight week on week, adding more reps/sets or additional training days as you build back up).

Prioritise recovery modalities

To get the most out of your training and minimise the impact of the impending soreness we recommend you:

��Try and get sufficient sleep (7-8 hours).

��Get a good structure in place for your nutrition to facilitate recovery and working towards your goals.

��Make some time for mobility work.

��Consider getting a massage or using other similar services to aid recovery.

Overall, have fun and enjoy making the most of getting back in the gym to train!

Hopefully you find these tips helpful and can implement them into your plan for getting back to training. If you want more guidance or to be part of a friendly and supportive group of people to get back to it, we offer Personal Training in Glasgow and run the ever popular Learn To Lift Bootcamp Glasgow . Click the links to find out more.

Enjoy team!

Learn To Lift Training - Glasgow Personal Training & Bootcamp Blog

Bootcamp Glasgow: Block 4 2025 Starts Tuesday, June 24th!

Bootcamp Glasgow: Block 4 2025 Starts Tuesday, June 24th!

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What’s New in Block 4?

Join the Best Group Training Glasgow Has to Offer

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Glasgow Bootcamp Block 3 2025 Starts On April 29th!

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