Virgin Active’s fitness experts have come together to bring you the most effective and fun ways to keep in tip top shape this summer. Together, they are helping members discover innovative ways of keeping healthy and active with a big focus on teamwork and training indoors to make sure you’re able to get the maximum benefit of enjoying the great outdoors! Happy exercising...
1. TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK: With a rise in popularity of team sports such as Netball and Women’s Football, we are seeing an increased emphasis on the importance of teamwork. Group classes are always in demand, with members telling us that the supportive environment of sessions like fast-paced bodyweight training class ZUU where participants high-five and shout encouragement to each other, have a positive effect on how they feel about their workout.
There are many benefits of working out in a group, as explained by Hugh Hanley, National Personal Training Manager:
- Training with a friend or in a group will help push your training even further and will also help keep your training interesting and intense
- You will skip fewer workouts as you will have to deal with the guilt of letting your training buddy down and potentially spoiling their workout
- Once at the gym with your workout partner they will help push you further and to the best of your abilit
- When you and your gym buddy have got in a groove you can start to try new exercises and make the workouts more interesting
- If you need a spotter they are right there with you
- Time flies when you’re having fun, so keeping the workouts sociable yet intense passes the time and you may even start to work out longer
2. TRAIN HARD INSIDE TO PLAY HARD OUTSIDE
When the sun is shining during the summer months there’s no better time to sign up for an outdoor challenge or to pick up your favourite outdoor activities. Whether you’re training for a half marathon or feeling inspired by the likes of Wimbledon and the Tour De France, Virgin Active has the kit and innovative classes you need to get fighting fit and ready to compete, whatever the event.
- Cycling: When the commute gets hot and sticky in the summer and public transport is your worst nightmare, cycling is great alternative to help you get from A to B. There’s also plenty of cycling events happening all over the UK throughout the summer to set your sights on, from the Prudential RideLondon to Surrey in August to the Shropshire Devil in September. Dan Little, Group Exercise Manager at Virgin Active Royal Berkshire Club recommends mixing up outdoor rides with indoor Wattbike session to build fitness and stamina. Wattbikes are designed to closely represent a real bike, they take in air to create resistance, so riders actively work through each pedal stroke. They are an easy way to monitor your speed and time. Wattbikes are also great for interval training which is fantastic for increasing endurance – exactly what you need when there’s a lot of tarmac to cover!
- Swimming: With so many outdoor swimming ponds opening up in the UK, and the inevitable dip in the sea while at the beach, it’s important to be a confident swimmer. Whether it’s recreational or competitive swimming you’re into, there are multiple benefits to be gained from a few laps in the pool. Swimming is low impact exercise (so perfect for coming back after injury or if you have stiff joints), and it gives a full-body workout, working almost every muscle in the body without putting it under stress. It’s also a great cardiovascular workout that helps build strength in the legs, arms and torso.
For people who are just discovering the benefits of swimming, Virgin Active recommends Aqua Aerobic classes, like Aqua Zumba, that will build water confidence whilst giving a full body workout. The class uses cardio fitness using low impact moves against the resistance and inertia of the water all to great latin music! By attending classes regularly, participants can expect to gain lean muscle tissue and tone as a result of working-out against the resistance of the water and burn up to 400 calories in a 45 minute class.
- Tennis: If you’re new to the court or you’ve been playing tennis for years, it is important to vary your gym workout to get the most out of your tennis game. Strength training and cardiovascular exercise will both help to give you an edge over an opponent. Strong legs are key to being king or queen of the court, with so much space to cover and with so many changes of direction. Interval training is another great way to help build strength in the legs and a greater V02 capacity so you don’t get out of breath so quickly.
To get powerful legs reminiscent of a Williams’ sister, Alex Rahim, PT at Virgin Active Barbican has said, ‘to increase strength in legs, Virgin Active clubs nationwide recommends GRID Strong to improve strength and power. It comprises of 3 sets of a 40sec and slow controlled phase followed by a 15sec and explosive phase finished with a tough minute. There are 6 exercises based around the primal movements of the body - squat, bend, lunge, push, pull and twist. This is how our body has evolved and training these movements are of upmost importance for an optimal functioning body. The class requires weights to be used as this is imperative for strength gains so expect to see the use of barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, bulgarian bags, TRX and slam balls.’
- Rowing: Whether you want to take advantage of the UK’s stunning waterways or put your body to the test on the machines in the gym, using a rower provides a full body workout using all the muscles in the back, glutes (butt) and legs. Rowing will also help build upper body strength while improving cardiovascular endurance.
An example of a rowing workout is 30 seconds at maximum effort, followed by 10 seconds recovery rowing – repeat this sequence for 10 minutes to get the heart rate up and work every major muscle group in the body.
Virgin Active clubs have water rowers, which use water as resistance. This natural element increases resistance the harder the cable is pulled. Catering to all levels of fitness and experience, no settings are necessary beyond switching on the monitor and positioning your feet in the foot straps
- Running: Training for a 5K, 10K or a Marathon? The benefits to running are endless, it’s a great cardio workout that’s good for the heart and lungs, and also strengthens the bones and tendons. It’s also been found to increase brain power, alleviate stress and boost overall energy levels.
James Harrison, Personal Trainer at Virgin Active Barbican says: ‘There are benefits to be had from both outdoors and treadmill running, depending a lot on the individual. Running outside gives you a more realistic training environment if you’re planning on taking part in events, like 5Ks or 10Ks, and the changing scenery can really take your mind off the repetition of running, which some people can find boring. However, running on a treadmill may give you a more controlled situation, which can be of great benefit to beginners – you stay in charge of the pace and you can stop at any time without being potentially miles from home in the freezing cold and rain.’
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