Barefoot Running

You may have seen our Personal Trainer Matt Finch in his Vibram 5 finger (toes) trainers and wondered why he wears

them.

Picture by Living Spirit Photography

The trainers are reputed to be the closest thing you can get to running barefoot. The advantages of wearing such footwear include making you more mind full of your running as you feel the ground more. Matt explained to me that these types of trainers help to strengthen your ligaments and tendons as well as developing your calf muscles, there is less impact on the knees and the risk of injury is lower.  They allow the feet and toes to move more naturally whilst improving your balance and agility as well as posture.

They are not just for outdoors in fact you are more stable if squatting or doing dead lifts with these on than in conventional trainers.

If you do buy a pair it would be prudent to build up the amount of time that you spend in them  to allow your legs and feet to adapt.  Always make sure you stretch your legs afterwards and do use a foam roller for some stretching.

Matt has only worn them for road running so far so we will have to let you know how he gets on off road.

Would you run barefoot?

Top 10 questions to ask before you Join a Gym

Ask yourself these questions first.

1. What are your goals, what are you trying to achieve? Weight Loss,
   Be Fitter, Stronger, Tone Up?
2. When do you want to do this by? Do you have a special occasion
   coming up, a wedding, holiday or have you entered a race?
3. Are you motivated enough to train on your own with a gym programme
   or would you be better to attend Fitness Classes?
4. Would you like a Personal Trainer?
5. When do you want to train? Before work, after work, during the
   day, at weekends.

Once you have answered these questions then you need to visit gyms
in your area and find out if they can satisfy all of the above. Ask to see a
Trainer rather than one of the sales staff as they will have a better
understanding of your needs and will be able to advise you as to which training
is best for you.

Ask them these questions.

1. Do they offer a free trial so that you can try the facilities
   before you commit to a contract with them?
2. Are they flexible with their payment options? or do you have to
   sign up for a long period of time? Can you pay as you go?
3. What classes do they run? How easy is it to book a class?
4. Do they offer a fitness assessment? Is there a charge for this?
5. Can you get a money back guarantee? If they are confident about
   their services they should agree to this.

The gym needs to be right for you, some people feel very
intimidated going into a gym full of machines that they don’t know how to
operate. The best workout comes when you have a trainer with you to motivate
and support you especially if you are new to working out.

I thought this would be a good place to start our blog. We all like to know why we are doing things so why do we have so many clients enjoying our Fitness Classes in Ipswich. Below is the definaition from wikipedia, I think it speaks for itself!

Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons including strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, as well as for the purpose of enjoyment. Frequent and regular physical exercise boosts the immune system, and helps prevent the “diseases of affluence” such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity.[1][2] It also improves mental health, helps prevent depression, helps to promote or maintain positive self esteem, and can even augment an individual’s sex appeal or body image, which is also found to be linked with higher levels of self esteem.[3] Childhood obesity is a growing global concern[4] and physical exercise may help decrease the effects of childhood obesity in developed countries. Health care providers often call exercise the “miracle” or “wonder” drug – alluding to the wide variety of proven benefits that it provides