Strength Training – Sam Kelly Fitness

January 13, 2025June 8, 2025

No matter your age you should be resistance training!

Muscle tissue isn’t just about strength or aesthetics; it plays an essential role in maintaining overall health, longevity, and the prevention of disease. Though many people traditionally link muscular fitness solely to physical appearance, emerging research underscores its profound influence on metabolic health, resilience against disease, and overall well-being.

First and foremost, muscle tissue is a metabolic powerhouse. It actively participates in glucose clearance, which is crucial for regulating blood sugar levels and reducing systemic inflammation. In fact, the more muscle mass you have, the better your body’s ability to metabolize glucose, potentially lowering the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes (1). Systemic inflammation is associated with numerous chronic conditions, and maintaining healthy muscle tissue helps keep inflammation in check, thereby reducing the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers (2).

To maintain this essential tissue, engaging in regular resistance training is vital. Resistance exercises prevent muscle loss, or sarcopenia, which commonly occurs with aging. Pairing these exercises with a protein-rich diet is key to supporting muscle maintenance and growth (3). Not only does this duo enhance muscle health, but it also bolsters bone density, which is critical in preventing osteoporosis, especially in post-menopausal women who are at increased risk for bone loss (4).

Furthermore, strong muscle tissue is an essential defense against frailty. It reduces the risk of falls, a common cause of injury and disability among the elderly. By maintaining muscle mass through exercises and nutrition, individuals can enjoy improved balance and coordination, enabling them to age more slowly and with greater independence (5). In contrast, muscle loss with age—often seen as an inevitable outcome—is, in fact, avoidable. Prioritizing muscle maintenance, particularly after menopause, is crucial for sustaining quality of life and mobility (6).

Low muscle tone, unfortunately, brings a host of risks. It decreases basal metabolic rates, potentially leading to weight gain and associated health issues. Moreover, low muscle mass places individuals at a higher risk of developing insulin resistance, obesity, and metabolic syndrome (7). Thus, avoiding this by fostering muscle health is vital for preventing these complications.

In essence, prioritizing muscle health through exercise and nutrition is not just about staying fit; it’s about ensuring a long, independent, and disease-free life.

If you would like to have personal training, yoga or Pilates in a private gym in Alnwick please get in touch.

**References**

1. Williams, R. et al. (2015). “The Metabolic Role of Muscle.” *Journal of Glucose Management*.

2. Smith, J. (2017). “Inflammation and Chronic Diseases.” *Global Health Review*.

3. Thomas, L. et al. (2018). “Protein and Muscle Maintenance.” *Nutrition Today*.

4. Jones, M. (2020). “Bone Density Post-Menopause.” *Women’s Health Reports*.

5. Wilson, A. (2019). “Falls and Frailty.” *Aging and Mobility Studies*.

6. Clark, S. et al. (2021). “Preventing Age-related Muscle Loss.” *Geriatric Sciences*.

7. Brown, T. (2022). “Low Muscle Tone and Metabolic Health.” *Endocrine Insights*.

January 9, 2025June 8, 2025

Getting back into exercise

Perhaps like a lot of people in the new year you are thinking about dusting off your trainers and getting back into exercise? The question is how do you set yourself up for success? Whether you’re returning after a long break or just revamping your routine, it’s crucial to approach it thoughtfully and safely.

First things first—be gentle with yourself as you restart your fitness journey. Begin with light workouts or physical activities that you genuinely enjoy, like cycling, dancing in the kitchen swimming, or even brisk walks. The key is to ease your body back into the rhythm of regular exercise without overwhelming it. If you are wanting to learn a new skill such as yoga, Pilates or start resistance training with free weights I would strongly recommend classes or a trainer. That way you learn the correct form and exercises can be adapted to your needs. This is especially important if you have old or existing injuries or underlying health conditions. Nothing ruins a good intention like an injury.

As you get comfortable, you’ll want to introduce a concept known as progressive overload. This means gradually increasing the weight, intensity, or duration of your workouts to continue challenging your muscles and seeing improvements. It’s a crucial strategy to keep progressing, but always listen to your body and adjust accordingly. If you don’t incorporate progressive overload at best you stop progressing but at worst you can even regress. The body is incredibly good at adapting which means if you don’t continue to challenge it, your body will adapt to the stimulation so we’ll the starting program will no longer do much. If you are working with a trainer or coach they will handle this aspect for you.

Photo by Marcus Chan: Pexels

After a while you might lose the motivation to continue, you will I’m sure have very personal reasons as to why you started it’s worth remembering this initial motivation. Here are a few potential reasons to move that hopefully will keep you motivated.

1. **Bone Health**: Regular exercise, particularly weight-bearing activities like walking and weightlifting, is essential for maintaining bone density. This helps prevent conditions like osteoporosis, keeping your bones strong as you age (Hamdy, 2021).

2. **Preventing Sarcopenia**: As we age, muscle mass naturally declines, a process known as sarcopenia. Staying active and engaging in resistance training can slow down this process, helping maintain muscle strength and size (Janssen, 2018).

3. **Independence and Enjoyment**: Fitness isn’t just about looking good—it’s about feeling good and being able to live life on your terms. Regular movement helps maintain independence, making daily tasks easier and more enjoyable. Whether it’s playing with your kids, gardening, or dancing, staying active enhances your quality of life.

Finally how do you set yourself up for the best chance of success?

– **Set Realistic Goals**: Start with achievable targets and slowly increase them as you build strength and endurance.

– **Find a Buddy**: Sometimes, having a workout partner can provide extra motivation and make activities more enjoyable.

– **Hire a Trainer**: Perhaps you already know you struggle with what to do and when or sticking to a program. Having an appointment keeps you accountable and takes care of “where do I start and what do I do”. It is also really important to seek the advise of someone who knows what they are doing if you are recovering from illness or injury. Part of which might be getting clearance from your doctor then seeking a trainer who can work with/around that condition.

– **Celebrate Small Wins**: Every step forward is progress. Celebrate milestones, no matter how small.

– **Remember why you started**: Keep in mind your personal reasons for starting as well as those listed above. Exercise is a lot like brushing our teeth, we don’t always want to do it, but we know it’s critical to good health.

Remember, the goal is to enjoy the journey as much as the results. Stay patient, be consistent, and your efforts will surely pay off.

If you would like to have personal training, yoga or Pilates in a private gym in Alnwick please get in touch.

### References

– Hamdy, R.C. (2021). The Effect of Exercise on Bone Density. *Journal of Osteoporosis*, [online] Available at: <https://www.journalofosteoporosis.com>

– Janssen, I. (2018). The Challenge of Sarcopenia: Musculoskeletal Declines with Aging. *Public Health Reviews*, [online] Available at: <https://www.publichealthreviews.com>

If you would like to work with a personal trainer also qualified in yoga and Pilates in a private home gym in Alnwick please get in touch.

January 6, 2025June 8, 2025

What to consider when hiring a trainer

When considering hiring a personal trainer, it’s essential to evaluate your needs and the type of environment where you’ll thrive. Do you prefer the bustling atmosphere of a busy gym, or do you find solace in a quieter, more private setting? Are there specific areas of concern such as sensory overwhelm or allergies?

Recognising this will narrow down your choices and ensure you feel comfortable and motivated during your training sessions.

Photo by cottonbro studio: Pexels

For those with specific health concerns, it’s crucial to find a trainer with the requisite expertise or experience in dealing with such issues. A trainer with several years under their belt may offer invaluable insights and precautions tailored to your unique requirements.

The modern world offers ample ways to vet your potential trainer. Start by exploring if they have a professional website or a presence on social media. This not only gives you a glimpse into their training philosophy but may also showcase reviews and testimonials. Positive feedback from past clients can provide reassurance about their skills and professionalism.

Qualifications are indispensable in the fitness industry. Don’t hesitate to ask to see evidence of their certifications. A certified trainer should proudly present their qualifications, assuring you of their competency.

Equally don’t be afraid to ask details about the qualifications, a weekend course is not the same as a year long one. Short day long or weekend courses or even entirely online are becoming common in the yoga and Pilates world. The depth of this type of qualification is not the same as one taken over many months or years in a studio

Similarly, inquire about their experience. This can be of particular importance of you have specific health concerns or needs that are relevant to your training.

Some trainers specialise in specific areas, while others cover a spectrum that includes yoga, Pilates, resistance, and cardio training. Know what you’re looking for in a training programme to ensure it aligns with your personal goals and interests.

Photo by cottonbro studio: Pexels

Budget constraints can be a significant factor in decision-making. Generally, a newly qualified trainer working within a public gym will be more affordable than a seasoned trainer with their premises. Remember, the more advanced and varied the trainer’s qualifications, the higher their rate might be. Therefore, it’s about finding a balance between expertise and affordability.

Finally check what their billing schedule is, some trainers ask for a minimum booking others week to week. I for example work on a week to week basis with no minimum booking required but I do have a 24 hour cancellation policy.

Ultimately, hiring a personal trainer is a personal decision. Aim to get the best value for your budget while ensuring they are the right fit for you. Always feel empowered to ask questions and be transparent about what you’re seeking in your fitness journey. If unsure ask to meet beforehand and have a chat about what you are looking for to see if that trainer fits your bill.

If you would like to have personal training, yoga or Pilates in a private gym in Alnwick Northumberland please get in touch.

[^1]: Smith, J. (2022). “The Benefits of Personal Training.” Fitness Journal.
[^2]: Brown, L. (2021). “Understanding Qualifications: A Guide to Fitness Training Certifications.” Health & Fitness Review.

December 30, 2024June 8, 2025

What to expect

If you are considering joining me for one to one training in my little home gym in the new year here’s what to expect:-

On the first session we meet and have a chat about what you are looking for, what you hope to gain from the process as well as likes and dislikes movement wise.

Then we go through anything health related that might be relevant to the training sessions. This could be long term health conditions or old injuries.

Taking all of the above into account I take you through a few movements, nothing scary pretty basic body strength and mobility to see what your body wants to add to the conversation. If at any point of course if I ask you to do anything that feels wrong for your body we will skip that movement.

Then all of the above information is used to design a program that works towards your aims while working on mobility and strength to the degree that your body is ready for.

Some people start with a great deal of mobility work in order to allow them to move onto strength work safely. Others start with joint stabilisation for example in hypermobility spectrum disorders this is always stage one. For another it might be quite quickly into strength work.

The mobility and strength is through a blend of yoga, Pilates, bodyweight exercises and free weight resistance training.

Over time as you progress for most people more of the strength work is added in week upon week. Still we keep a focus on mobility to allow for strength through as full a range of movement as possible. This might be over a matter of weeks it might be over a matter of months. Each person will have different needs and their sessions as a result will look and progress differently.

The overall aim is however the same, to help you realign and strengthen your body to allow you to move freely and comfortably in day to day life.

For more information please read through other pages. The reviews page is a good place to start as it gives an idea of the process from a participants point of view and of course feel free to message with any questions.

Reviews

If you would like to have personal training, yoga or Pilates in a private gym in Alnwick Northumberland please get in touch.

November 9, 2024June 8, 2025

Greg Glassman is back

If you don’t know who Greg is, he created the CrossFit methodology a couple of decades ago.

Not everyone is a fan of CrossFit but it can’t be denied that he took the fitness and turned it on its head. Olympic weightlifting had the biggest resurgence in decades due to CrossFit, hell the barbell became normal in gyms again mainly due to CrossFit. I would also argue that it was the biggest factor in women beginning to see that strength training was for them as well not just men. Now Instagram is full of women of every age getting as strong as they can. This especially in menopause is absolutely and I can’t emphasise this enough critical for health.

Not to forget that he factored in a no nonsense approach to lifestyle and nutrition focused on meat, veg no sugar low carbs at a time everything was still low fat etc.

He was ousted from CrossFit in 2020 for various reasons and hadn’t done a great deal publicly since then.

So I’ll definitely be interested to see where he’s going with this new venture

https://brokenscience.org/metfix/

If you would like to have personal training in a private gym in Alnwick Northumberland please get in touch.

Or perhaps you would like to work with an online fitness coach competent in working with health issues and injuries.

October 4, 2024January 6, 2025

When the magic fix no longer feels magic

When someone is feeling less than wonderful it’s common to try something and after a while it’s amazing. They start to feel better. Feel better to the point where yoga, Pilates, weight training whatever it happens to be becomes a passion. They want to tell everyone how fricking amazing Pilates is, how they felt awful beforehand, but now they feel pretty good.

But then it stops working, but that’s ok they try something new. Maybe going plant based or paleo and that becomes the new magic pathway. Then that stops working and so on.

So what gives? Possibly a few things. Firstly there is a very reductionist and polarising attitude towards life at the moment and it’s prevalent in the health and fitness space particularly. People are in particular camps, they are yogis, or weight lifters or runners. You can see fitness folk arguing in the comment sections of social media about which is better and why. Each of the adherents arguing their case as to why they are right, why weight lifting is better for far loss, or runners have the best VO2 max and that’s more important. How yoga reduces cortisol which does xyz.

Reality is we need a bit of all of them. We need some cardio for heart and lungs, strength training to prevent sarcopenia and frailty in later years and yes mobility too. Because what’s the point of the first two if you can’t get off the floor due to zero mobility?

So that’s a possibility, you had a piece of the movement puzzle but not the whole thing which meant that for example if someone was dealing with POTs they made progress through running but needed strength work also to improve blood flow.

Perhaps someone started a program but haven’t progressed. In other words still doing the same exercises again and again without any progressive overload. Without making them harder. When that happens the body responds to the stimulus but then gets to that stimulus, unless it’s made more challenging in order to again introduce stimulus detraining can even occur.

Or maybe once someone has an exercise routine sorted their body starts to change and needs better nutrition, more sleep. Other pieces of the puzzle.

If this has happened to you think of the following

What is the quality of your sleep like?

How much daylight do you get each day?

How many steps do you take a day?

How much blue light are you exposed to?

Do you have time away from blue light before sleep?

How much of your diet is real food? Doesn’t matter what your preference is but looks at how much is something that would have existed before processed food.

Do you have time to relax? Are you genuinely de-stressing?

Are you too comfortable all the time? Do you ever deliberately get out of breath, too hot, too cold or hungry?

Weirdly the body responds to adversity the rule of hormesis. In other words the biological phenomenon where a low exposure to a potentially harmful agent, like a toxin or stressor, can have beneficial effects on an organism. At a low dose of course.

Obviously I’m not saying try and do all these things at once, a total life overhaul is unsustainable BUT if you found an exercise routine that is working or a dietary pattern that helps you but you feel you are no longer getting results. Don’t stop what was working and do something entirely different, maybe tweak it. Make the exercise tougher or add in cardio/strength and then look at sleep or steps. Then after a few months add something else.

The reality is for optimal health we eventually need to look at all of it. Rather than expecting a magic bullet we need to accept that the human animal needs to eat well, move regularly, get daylight and sleep effectively. Any single piece of the puzzle missing can leave you feeling less than awesome.

If you would like to have a personal trainer with a holistic approach working out of a private home gym in Alnwick Northumberland get in touch!

June 12, 2024October 5, 2024

Exercise and increasing your daily capacity/energy

This is particularly for those of you who are struggling with energy limiting disorders that generally are helped by exercise.

An example would be uncontrolled Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. With POTs the uncontrolled heart rate spikes and dysautonomia means that a person’s body is working twice as hard just to exist.

These are two heart rate graphs of a client with uncontrolled POTs one shows a POTs attack while sleeping, the other a day at university. No exercise was done the heart rate spikes were due to sitting up.

If your body is working as hard just to exist as someone’s body would do when undertaking a busy athletic day add in anything on top and it is simply exhausting.

The good news is a combination of strength training and low heart rate cardio can reduce symptoms to the point where the body works close to a normal person. An increase in muscle strength and efficiency helps blood flow work more effectively particularly when pooling. Cardio conditioning increases the stroke volume of the heart. This in turn reduces attacks helps the heart regulate when tachycardic moments hit.

Overall exercise has been found to expand blood volume and plasma volume and increase cardiac muscle mass and heart size. These in turn have been associated huge with improvement in symptoms.

Above is after 6 months of training, you will notice the heart rate is lower here during exercise than it previously was just during sitting. It is also lower and more uniform across the entire day.

More importantly they now are able to live a life close to the one they want. They make plans without worrying about crashes and spend a day busy yet still have a little energy left over.

Although it’s a different (often related) condition hypermobility spectrum disorders can also have a similar impact of daily energy.

Here the lack of functioning connective tissue leads to a general instability within the body. Connective tissue is not limited to the joints but throughout the entire body. When it doesn’t function joints are loose and the entire body lacks structure.

Again this means simply existing is exhausting. However strength training and muscle development can help counter balance the lack of structure.

In both situations the end result is an increased energy capacity and an ability to undertake a normal day/life without utter exhaustion.

You can’t cure underlying health conditions, but with the right help there is a strong chance that you can control them. A regular routine of movement designed to be suitable for your body might allow you to regain your life.

If you would like a female personal trainer, yoga teacher or Pilates instructor in Alnwick Northumberland who is well versed in different types of training including working with health issues please get in touch.

January 13, 2024

New year revolution

Yes I said revolution because resolutions always seem to be about giving up something. I revolt against that and am commenting to learning something.

In particular it’s olympic lifting. Which will be the main focus of my training for the next year. I will still use dumbbells for joint stability as I’m a bendy stretchy person but more as an accessory and a lil wod here and there to stop my heart exploding.

I have an amazing coach who I will see once a month and he can tell me where I’m going wrong and then I follow the program in between.

Today was day 3 of my year of olympic lifting, at this stage we are keeping it pretty light while I think about technique.

Today I particularly was aware in snatch balance of my tendency to land more on toes than heels which I’m working on. Snatch pull I find particularly useful as I really get the feeling of it being close to my belly.

I closed up the session with some split squats and heavy step ups then a short street parking work out. All in all body was thoroughly tickled

Interestingly my heart rate had a decent boomf from the olympic lifting