TEMPO FRONT SQUAT (MONDAY)

AIMS:

• TO WORK ON CORRECT MOVEMENT PATTERNS
• TO IMPROVE HIP AND ANKLE MOBILITY
• TO IMPROVE FRONT RACK POSITION
• TO BUILD STRENGTH IN FUNCTION

DETAILS:

SLOWING THINGS DOWN WILL BUILD POSITIONAL AWARENESS. PAUSING WILL INCREASE STRENGTH IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SQUAT/ CLEAN.

HIP, ANKLE AND SHOULDER MOBILITY WILL ALL BENEFIT FROM THE CONTROL AND TIME UNDER TENSION.

PUSH PRESS + KB PRESS (TUESDAY)

AIM:

• TO BUILD UPPER BODY STRENGTH
• TO INCREASE CONFIDENCE WITH LARGE LOADS OVERHEAD
• TO CONTINUE THE UNILATERAL WORK ON OUR SHOULDERS

DETAILS:

PAIRING THE PUSH PRESS AND KB PRESS-UP WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE LARGE LOADS OVERHEAD WITH THE POWER OF THE PUSH PRESS. THIS WILL INSTILL CONFIDENCE WITH HEAVY LOADS.

THE KB PRESS WILL CONTINUE OUR WORK ON UNILATERAL STRENGTH.

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT (WEDNESDAY)

AIM:

• TO BUILD STRENGTH IN THE TOP HALF OF THE TRADITIONAL DEADLIFT
• TO INCREASE POSTERIOR CHAIN STRENGTH
• TO IMPROVE HAMSTRING MOBILITY

DETAILS:

THE HIP HINGE SEEMS TO BE A MOVEMENT THAT A LOT OF US ARE STRUGGLING TO PERFORM SAFELY. THIS COULD BE DOWN TO A NUMBER OF REASONS: FLEXIBILITY, STRENGTH, MOBILITY OR EVEN MOTOR RECRUITMENT.

WHATEVER THE REASON I THINK THE RDL WILL HELP IN ALL AREAS.

GYMNASTIC STRENGTH (THURSDAY)

AIM:

• TO BUILD ON THE GOOD BASE WE NOW HAVE AND MOVE ON TO INTERMEDIATE WORK
• TO INCREASE STRENGTH IN STRICT PULLING AND PRESSING
• TO CREATE AWARENESS IN DYNAMIC MOVEMENTS

DETAILS:

LEADING ON FROM THE LAST CYCLE, WE WILL ADD SOME STABILITY, FLEXIBILITY, AGILITY AND DYNAMIC MOVEMENTS TO THIS PHASE.

6X6 BACK SQUAT, SHORT REST (FRIDAY)

AIM:

• TO BUILD SQUAT STAMINA AND FORM WITH LIGHT WEIGHT
• TO SPEED UP RECOVERY TIME BETWEEN SETS/ REST PERIODS

DETAILS:

6X6 BACK SQUAT WITH A 30 SECOND REST WILL HELP US BUILD MUSCLE, STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE. OUR MUSCLES WILL BE FORCED TO RECOVER QUICKLY WHICH WILL SHORTEN THE REST PERIODS NEEDED IN CONDITIONING WORKOUTS.

Not everyone joins our Transformation programme to lose weight – some people have a special goal in mind and they need to boost their strength and fitness to achieve it.

For Philip and Yvonne, two of our April Transformers, that goal was to climb Skafell Pike, the highest mountain in England.

Last week they fulfilled that goal, and even managed to fit in a few more climbs whilst touring the beautiful Lake District:

Thanks to the training sessions, we were able to enjoy the climb without feeling too worn out.  The main challenge we had was the descent! But the training helped us to recover much faster and we were able to climb another two mountains on Thursday and Friday.

Skafell Pike is a more arduous climb than Snowdon, which we did last year, but this actually felt easier thanks to all those conditioning sessions. We have to thank those burpees!

Although the backpacks were weighed down with food and drinks (20 Kg), all the weight-lifting exercises strengthened our upper bodies and made the walk much more enjoyable. 

We’re going to spend a few more days around the beautiful Keswick lake / Derwent water before returning to more training next week.

Oh and let’s not forget, they got to eat a guilt-free full English every day!

Jimmy Richards:  I’m 4 weeks into the Transformation Programme, so this is a little review for people that are interested and thinking about signing up:

Mindset

Obviously you will lose weight, and me and my fellow transformers have lost weight and changed body shape with some dramatic results ( pictures will follow ). But the biggest surprise for me has been that it’s still possible to find motivation to go to the classes even when you’re shattered from work, the kids, an injury and a new baby. You can still pick yourself up from the sofa and go to a class no matter how you’re feeling (even the late classes ) because once you’ve done it once and got through the next day, your mindset changes. You just think “you’ve done it before you can do it again”.

Once you’ve done it again and again your mindset changes from feeling guilty about eating rubbish food or slumping on the sofa, to feeling guilty for not finishing that round of sit-ups or slipping on a box jump.

I even wanted to get to class 10 minutes early to stretch my ankle out that doesn’t want to bend forward anymore, so that it improves my form on dead lifts and back squats .

I ache the next day but don’t care because I’ve managed to beat my wall ball record from 3 weeks previous, and can’t wait to do it all again. I want to talk to Ray and Danny about my form and diet and want to know what’s being written on that dreaded whiteboard that gives us the class itinerary .

Your mindset will change quickly.

Nutrition

When you start the Transformation you’re given a nutrition guide with calorie targets. I had to drop from 2,700 cal per day to 1,800 and fast for 15 hours. The thought of that was horrendous at first.

The first few days you hit your calorie target in your allotted eating time and you don’t feel hungry, in fact you feel better -healthier . Then you realise your macros were out so you tweak it again and feel better again for it  – and My Fitness Pal app does it all for you, it’s easy.

Then the end of week 2 hits and you hit a wall – you’re sick of nuts and fruit and it’s Friday so you have a rum and coke (or four!). And you have a ham sandwich with mayo ( still only in wholemeal bread ) “but it was bread” , and you feel guilty , but you tell coach Ray about it and he laughs and says the end of week 2 is the hardest, everyone will cave in and cheat, but you’re through it now and it gets easier ( “now get down and give me 10 press ups !“) .

And he’s right, it gets easier – I’m not hungry and I’ve broken my habit of bread, crisps and biscuits . I’m enjoying my overnight oats and homemade stir-fry’s (it helps that my misses is a good cook though).

I do treat myself to the odd rum and sandwich but never over-indulge. I still need a naughty flat white coffee some days to get over not sleeping because of the kids , but I just push myself harder in the class to make up for it.

The nutrition plan is a guide not gospel, just do your best with it and you will see results in weight loss , body shape , bad habits and cravings.

Training

The classes are brilliant, the coaches are great and fun (not drill sergeants) and your fellow transformers are the same as you: people with busy lives , with body’s of all shapes and sizes, with injuries, with time restraints and bad habits. We all turned up on the first class nervous , shy, not saying much to each other .

But now we all encourage each other through the tough classes, exchange meal ideas and recipes, tell each other about the cheat days we’ve had and the food and drink we shouldn’t have eaten (because we’re all human and cave in sometimes ). You see everyone getting better and fitter and it encourages you to try harder and improve .

Every class is different , you will do exercises and strength movements you never thought you’d be able to do.

Yeah, you will still hate burpees and wall balls and you will still ache every day after class, and make funny noises and groans when walking upstairs . But it’s all well worth it to change your body and mindset about food , posture , form , hard work and dedication.

Do it , you won’t regret it

The Southern Legion coaches are on a mission to develop our technical skills and knowledge by learning from some of the best coaches and athletes around the world.

The seminars and workshops we’ve attended this year have been by far the best we’ve ever been to, and we’ve come away with skills and coaching practices that will help us give you a vastly improved training programme.

With this in mind, here is an introduction to the Core Elements that will underpin the Southern Legion programming this year. Our overall aim is to make you a stronger and more well-rounded athlete by progressively improving your mobility, skill level and fitness.

And we promise to keep learning from the best, keep growing as coaches and keep providing you with the best programme and training experience possible.

 

 

The past 12 months have been a really exciting time at Southern Legion. Our Transformation Programme has introduced over 100 new faces to the gym, and the vast majority of them have been complete beginners to exercise.

Getting to meet and train this new group of people has been a real privilege for me. It’s hard to put into words how rewarding it is to see people who were too embarrassed or nervous to walk into a gym before, feel confident enough to come in, pick up a bar and train next to our advanced athletes.

The fact that exercise and psychological wellbeing go hand-in-hand is something that’s obvious to people who’ve trained for years. I’ve been training since I was 7 years old, and if I miss a session now it’s not my physique that suffers, it’s my mood and my energy levels. I just don’t feel good if I don’t train.

But for those who are new to exercise it often comes as a surprise that training makes them happier, not just fitter. By far the most common feedback I get about the Transformation course is that it has a massive impact on confidence – being fitter and stronger makes my Transformers feel more in control at work and home, and they feel excited about life again.

So for 2018, my goal was to develop a programme that will boost that mind-body connection and give people the tools to deal with whatever life throws at them. I want my Transformers to build strong minds as well as strong bodies so that they are happy, healthy and resilient, in and out of the gym.

Luckily, I knew the perfect person to work with on this project…  my coach Alex Davison who, as well as being an excellent strength and conditioning coach, is passionate about using exercise to improve psychological wellbeing.

Alex currently works for the NHS as an Assistant Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, providing therapy for people with common mental health difficulties such as depression and anxiety. She has extensive knowledge of how our habits and behaviours can influence the way we feel.

Alex says:

“Being active not only promotes physical health but it also develops mental health. Mental resilience, focus, problem solving, pacing, self-awareness and positive attitudes are all essential components for being successful in getting stronger and feeling healthy.

When we feel our bodies becoming more functional, we not only feel better within ourselves but we feel better about ourselves too. As soon as you notice this, you will no longer exercise because you feel like you have to – you will do it because you want to”.

Alex and I are really excited about the impact this could have on so many people, so we’re reaching out to you to tell us why you would benefit from the course, and asking you to let us share your journey, in return for taking the course for free.

So for your chance to take part in the very first MIND AND BODY TRANSFORMATION, please like our facebook page and send a brief message stating why you would like to take part

Like and Message

Thanks for reading

Ray

We are really excited to welcome Dan Rebolledo, the owner of Stability RX Physiotherapy, to the Southern Legion team. Dan is a highly qualified and very experienced Physiotherapist with a holistic, active approach to recovery and rehabilitation.

As an athlete himself, Dan understands the frustration of having to stop training because of a new or recurrent injury. With this is in mind he has three clear goals for his clients:

• Identify and correct the source of injury
• Reduce the risk of future injury
• Enhance and enable best-ever performance

 

To do this, Dan uses a systematic method of screening your movements, and works with you to implement a programme of correction and recovery leading to long-term rehabilitation.

Here are some of Dan’s 5* reviews:

“Dan is not just your average Physio. It wasn’t just an hour of being massaged, he had me in the gym assessing my movements and creating a personalised gym plan to strengthen my flaws. I now have a proactive rather then reactive perspective to muscle wellbeing. Thank you Stability RX” – Harry Wood

“Stability RX provided a reliable and thorough service to me after I sprained my ankle. I was back in the gym running better than before after the strength and stability training he showed me. Stability worked with me and adapted exercises to suit my ability and time. Daniel was patient, responsive and you can tell a very experienced Physiotherapist. Thank you stability RX! I will be recommending you to my friends, but please keep a slot free for me in future :)” – Laura Dacil

“Dan has really helped me recover from injury by providing excellent advice, and he is such a lovely guy. Highly recommended.” – Cheryl Williams

In terms of credentials, Dan graduated from the University of Southampton with two first class degrees in Sport and Exercise Science (BSc Hons) and Physiotherapy (MSc). Since then Dan has worked as a Senior Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist for both the NHS and privately at Spire Hospital.

Dan has also worked closely with the men’s first team at Basingstoke rugby club, as well as elite runners at the London Marathon.

With such a diverse background, Dan has gained a wide range of clinical experience in assessing and treating acute sporting injuries, post-operative orthopaedic rehabilitation, and helping patients manage complex long term musculoskeletal injuries.

This means that whatever your issue, Dan will work with you and find a way to help.

To book your consultation please message Dan at

https://www.facebook.com/SRxPhysiotherapy/ or stabilityrxphysiotherapy@gmail.com

20% discount available to Southern Legion members.

Week 1 is done and I’ve enjoyed every second of it! All week I’ve felt energised, focused and really excited to be part of the group.

So what have we been up to so far? Well we’ve spent a lot of time on the fundamental movements (drilling our squats, learning correct technique for press-ups, sit-ups etc.) as Ray doesn’t want us to get injured, but we’ve also done a couple of really intense workouts that we actually all loved!

Last night’s was a 40-minute workout, 1 min on /1 min off, with the minute on at absolute maximum effort. There was 1 particularly evil section – the ski-erg – which (funnily enough) simulates the action of skiing. Well, I’ve never been skiing before, and after that experience I never will! It was BRUTAL – my triceps were burning after 30 seconds. I really wanted to give up but my team were shouting me on, giving me 30, 15, 10 second countdowns and I reckon I did 50% more than I would have done on my own. (in fact, I wouldn’t have done it on my own so make that 100%!)

All in all, the whole group did 20 minutes of work at 100% effort – not bad for a bunch of beginners.

From a personal perspective, I’m finding it really hard to get out the door at 8pm after the trauma of putting a 4-yr-old, 2-yr-old and 4-month old to bed. A couple of nights I’ve felt like I can’t do it and really haven’t wanted to go in. But as soon as I step inside the gym it’s all forgotten, that hour is just about me and I don’t have to think about anything else. It’s almost a form of meditation or mindfulness – all you think about is the moment you’re in, getting your position right or squeezing out 1 more rep.

But by far the biggest impact has been on my energy levels. Obviously having a young baby means sleep is rare, and before the course I felt like I was just going through the motions every day, praying for 10 minutes when I could just lay on the sofa or even have a nap.

I can honestly say that has changed dramatically in the last week, but I’m certainly not getting any more sleep (in the last few days baby Valentina has decided the cot is lava ????), so it can only be the endorphins from the training and the fact I’m no longer crashing between sugar highs and lows. Over Xmas (and since) I was easily eating the equivalent of about 2/3 chocolate bars a day, but I’ve cut that out completely so my blood sugar levels are more steady throughout the day.

The eating plan has been tough at times, but whenever I feel like I’m wavering I have a look at my ‘before’ photos (absolutely hideous, I’m too ashamed to share them now but I promise I will once I’ve got some dazzling ‘after’ photos to go with them!), and I take myself back to the awful experience in the H&M changing room with the 360-degree mirror. It’s only six weeks and I know people who have lost inches on it so I just have to be strong if I want it to work!

Overall, this is the most motivated I’ve ever been to lose weight and get fit. If I’d just been joining a new gym then I think I’d know deep down there was a good chance I’d give up after a few weeks. But this is so different. Not only am I motivated by my desire to look better, I also believe 100% that I can achieve it on this programme, which is the key to sticking it out.

Bring on the next 5 weeks!

Metcon 3s, lifting gloves and an Under Armour hoodie.

Ray has probably been dreaming of buying me this Xmas present combo for the past 8 years. Luckily for him he has never dared do it…. until now…

Yes, my New Year’s resolution is to stop eating all the leftover chocolates, don my new fitness gear and take part in the first Transformation Programme of 2018!

Now, you might think that because I’m married to a CrossFit-obsessed fitness fanatic who owns his own gym and watches videos of complete strangers lifting weights in his spare time (???) that I’m similarly athletic. Well, you’d be wrong.

In the past I’ve gone through phases of running (boring – I run out of things to think about) and I’ve tried CrossFit (due to my ‘strength issues’ Ray made me use a PVC pipe instead of a bar, pretty embarrassing!) but I’ve never had the grit and determination to stick to a fitness programme for longer than a few weeks.

Added to that, I’ve spent the last 6 years either pregnant or breastfeeding so my fitness level is absolutely zero, and the heaviest thing I’ve lifted is my double Bugaboo Donkey.

So there’s my starting point. A total weed with zero stamina.

Before January last year I would never have dreamt of going into Ray’s gym in this state – the regular members were mostly advance-level athletes and I would have felt far too intimidated to join the normal classes.

But that was before the Transformation Programme.

In Jan 2017 Ray put together a group of absolute beginners and coached them through a high-intensity, progressive programme which gradually built their strength, fitness, skill and, most of all, confidence. And the results were absolutely incredible! Something about the group dynamic and the structure of the programme just worked, and those previously fitness-phobic people were able to achieve things they never thought possible.

And so the Transformation Programme was born.

In the end over 100 people completed the Transformation Programme in 2017, but they didn’t just complete it – they got fit, they got strong, they lost weight and they made lasting friendships. So if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.

I’m excited and nervous about starting the course, but I know it’s my best chance of getting fit and losing the baby weight so I’m going to give it my best shot.

To make sure my motivation doesn’t waiver half-way through I’m going to post photos and blogs as I go along. Please follow me and offer (kind) words of encouragement! I’m hoping some of my fellow Transformers will do the same so that we can all share our journeys and stay on-track.

The programme starts on 22nd January – less than two weeks – so watch this space!

by Nicole Pharoah