• GETTING THE REPS IN. . No matter what it is, to get better you have to learn, practice and put the time in. . Haven’t spent enough time on a practice ground in recent years and it shows. . Despite the wind it was great to get an hour or so getting so reps in 🏌️‍♂️ . Here’s to forever being a student! . #alwayslearning #practicemakesprogress #golf #hobby #angussmithpersonaltrainer #personaltrainer
    22 0
    GETTING THE REPS IN. . No matter what it is, to get better you have to learn, practice and put the time in. . Haven’t spent enough time on a practice ground in recent years and it shows. . Despite the wind it was great to get an hour or so getting so reps in 🏌️‍♂️ . Here’s to forever being a student! . #alwayslearning #practicemakesprogress #golf #hobby #angussmithpersonaltrainer #personaltrainer
  • CONSISTENCY IS KEY 🔑 . This morning I got outside early before the rain started to get my second leg workout of the week in. . Throughout lockdown, I have tried to be consistent in training legs at least twice per week. . Due to this consistency, I feel I am coming out of lockdown with stronger legs than when lockdown began. . This hasn’t meant lifting the world every session (I don’t have heavy weights at my disposal). But if you ask me what i feel is the most important factor behind this? I’d say it’s undoubtedly consistency! . Consistently showing up and getting it done. . But also consistency with my program. . Sticking to one program for a substantial amount of time allows you to track your progress and make progressions where necessary. . Chopping and changing programs daily/weekly makes it incredibly difficult to track your strength and lifting progress. . Hence, consistency is key! . Obviously if you like chopping and changing and that keeps you interested, then that is much better than not training at all. . But I for one am an advocate of seeing those strength and endurance gains through following a consistent training program 👍 . Videos above show what I got up to in today’s training session. A)Banded Tempo Bulgarian Split Squats - 4x15 (each leg) B)Banded Static Lunges - 4x15 (each leg) C)Swiss Ball Single Leg Hamstring Curls - 4x12-15 (each leg) D)Single Leg Hip Thrusts - 4x12 (each leg) E)Banded Good Mornings - 4x20 Let me know if you decide to give this a go 👍 . Stay consistent, patient and always be the hardest worker in the room! . #legday #legs #legworkout #angussmithpersonaltrainer #personaltrainer
    15 1
    CONSISTENCY IS KEY 🔑 . This morning I got outside early before the rain started to get my second leg workout of the week in. . Throughout lockdown, I have tried to be consistent in training legs at least twice per week. . Due to this consistency, I feel I am coming out of lockdown with stronger legs than when lockdown began. . This hasn’t meant lifting the world every session (I don’t have heavy weights at my disposal). But if you ask me what i feel is the most important factor behind this? I’d say it’s undoubtedly consistency! . Consistently showing up and getting it done. . But also consistency with my program. . Sticking to one program for a substantial amount of time allows you to track your progress and make progressions where necessary. . Chopping and changing programs daily/weekly makes it incredibly difficult to track your strength and lifting progress. . Hence, consistency is key! . Obviously if you like chopping and changing and that keeps you interested, then that is much better than not training at all. . But I for one am an advocate of seeing those strength and endurance gains through following a consistent training program 👍 . Videos above show what I got up to in today’s training session. A)Banded Tempo Bulgarian Split Squats - 4x15 (each leg) B)Banded Static Lunges - 4x15 (each leg) C)Swiss Ball Single Leg Hamstring Curls - 4x12-15 (each leg) D)Single Leg Hip Thrusts - 4x12 (each leg) E)Banded Good Mornings - 4x20 Let me know if you decide to give this a go 👍 . Stay consistent, patient and always be the hardest worker in the room! . #legday #legs #legworkout #angussmithpersonaltrainer #personaltrainer
  • BANDED GOOD MORNINGS This has been a regular in my home workouts over the past 12-13 weeks as a great way of hitting the hamstrings. But forgetting the hamstrings, it’s also a great lower back and glutes exercise too. I enjoy putting this exercise in at the back end of my leg workout as a high volume exercise performing 3 or 4 rounds of 15-20 reps. This exercise is primarily about a good hip hinge. Swipe along to see two of the common mistakes seen with good mornings plus a video showing the correct technique. A few technique pointers: 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Place band carefully on upper shoulders (rather than high up the neck). 3. Brace your abdominals and take a good breath in. 4. Hinge at the hips until your hamstring muscles start to limit your movement. From here, you can bend a little further to give them a stretch, but not so far that you feel pain or discomfort. Remember to keep your back straight. Your knees can bend slightly to relieve pressure, but you don't want to be in a squat. 5. Focus on maintaining a straight back and chest is up. Squeeze your butt at the top of the movement and DON’T rock backwards. 6. Smoothly return to the starting position and repeat. Good mornings are most commonly done with barbells but long heavy duty bands are a fantastic alternative currently. It appears we still have a few weeks of training at home and outside ahead. If you have a long bands or perhaps a barbell, it could be a great addition to your training plan! Give it a go and let me know how you get on! #hiphinge #goodmornings #angussmithpersonaltrainer #onlinetraining #personaltrainer
    12 1
    BANDED GOOD MORNINGS This has been a regular in my home workouts over the past 12-13 weeks as a great way of hitting the hamstrings. But forgetting the hamstrings, it’s also a great lower back and glutes exercise too. I enjoy putting this exercise in at the back end of my leg workout as a high volume exercise performing 3 or 4 rounds of 15-20 reps. This exercise is primarily about a good hip hinge. Swipe along to see two of the common mistakes seen with good mornings plus a video showing the correct technique. A few technique pointers: 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Place band carefully on upper shoulders (rather than high up the neck). 3. Brace your abdominals and take a good breath in. 4. Hinge at the hips until your hamstring muscles start to limit your movement. From here, you can bend a little further to give them a stretch, but not so far that you feel pain or discomfort. Remember to keep your back straight. Your knees can bend slightly to relieve pressure, but you don't want to be in a squat. 5. Focus on maintaining a straight back and chest is up. Squeeze your butt at the top of the movement and DON’T rock backwards. 6. Smoothly return to the starting position and repeat. Good mornings are most commonly done with barbells but long heavy duty bands are a fantastic alternative currently. It appears we still have a few weeks of training at home and outside ahead. If you have a long bands or perhaps a barbell, it could be a great addition to your training plan! Give it a go and let me know how you get on! #hiphinge #goodmornings #angussmithpersonaltrainer #onlinetraining #personaltrainer
  • WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THOSE GYMS TO OPEN Really looking forward to gyms potentially opening in the next couple of weeks. Definitely missed quite a few faces and that buzz training people in the gym setting. It’s going to be great to see everyone! Not to mention picking up my own training. #gym #covid19 #gymlife #personaltrainer #personaltraining
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    WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THOSE GYMS TO OPEN Really looking forward to gyms potentially opening in the next couple of weeks. Definitely missed quite a few faces and that buzz training people in the gym setting. It’s going to be great to see everyone! Not to mention picking up my own training. #gym #covid19 #gymlife #personaltrainer #personaltraining
  • There isn’t a day goes by that I don’t feel extremely fortunate to be this beautiful girls daddy ❤️ . #bestbuddies #fathersday #lucky #daddydaughter #loveatfirstsight
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    There isn’t a day goes by that I don’t feel extremely fortunate to be this beautiful girls daddy ❤️ . #bestbuddies #fathersday #lucky #daddydaughter #loveatfirstsight
  • Will maintaining your health and fitness be a priority for you moving forward? If this COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, hopefully it’s taught us to prioritise our health. We’re all very good at making excuses not to eat healthy, exercise more and stay active. An excuse not to do something can always be found. How often have we all said “I don’t have time”? But the reality is, we all make time for what we prioritise. Most of us made time to watch 60 episodes of Game of Thrones. If making time to look after your health and fitness isn’t a priority, then you’ll never make time for it. Be that person who makes things happen rather than the one who makes excuses for it not to happen! #priorities #stayactive #healthandfitness #personaltrainer #angussmithpersonaltrainer
    12 1
    Will maintaining your health and fitness be a priority for you moving forward? If this COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, hopefully it’s taught us to prioritise our health. We’re all very good at making excuses not to eat healthy, exercise more and stay active. An excuse not to do something can always be found. How often have we all said “I don’t have time”? But the reality is, we all make time for what we prioritise. Most of us made time to watch 60 episodes of Game of Thrones. If making time to look after your health and fitness isn’t a priority, then you’ll never make time for it. Be that person who makes things happen rather than the one who makes excuses for it not to happen! #priorities #stayactive #healthandfitness #personaltrainer #angussmithpersonaltrainer
  • With the lockdown restrictions slowly being lifted, it got me thinking about the things I’ve learnt over the past 12 weeks or so. Here we go! . - My daughter is the coolest little character I have ever met! . - Although I thoroughly enjoy training within those four gym walls, I’ve learnt that I can cope just fine training at home if necessary. . - Training clients virtually with minimal equipment has helped me become a more creative and versatile trainer. . - Lockdown has 100% got me cherishing every moment with those special people I’m lucky enough to have in my life. . - Lockdown could have been a disaster for my business. However, in the toughest of times my loyal clients stuck by their man! I am incredibly fortunate to train such a fantastic bunch of people. Legends, the lot of you. . - Adversity can bring out the best in people. Certain clients of mine have gone through some seriously difficult things in the last 12 weeks. Those people (who know who they are) have battled on and proved to themselves just how strong they truly are! . - So I’ve done very little running over the years, mainly because I don’t like it. Having gone running a few times in lockdown I can confirm, I still don’t like it. . - I never knew how important playing the sport I love was to me until the opportunity of playing was fully taken away. Making time to play golf will be something I make more of an effort to do moving forward. . - Exercising is as much about what it gives me mentally as it does physically. Exercise has played a huge role in keeping me level headed over the past 12 weeks. . - Finally, I’m looking forward to a pint in the pub again soon. Anybody else? #lockdown #lessonslearned #personaltrainer #onlinetrainer #mentalhealth
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    With the lockdown restrictions slowly being lifted, it got me thinking about the things I’ve learnt over the past 12 weeks or so. Here we go! . - My daughter is the coolest little character I have ever met! . - Although I thoroughly enjoy training within those four gym walls, I’ve learnt that I can cope just fine training at home if necessary. . - Training clients virtually with minimal equipment has helped me become a more creative and versatile trainer. . - Lockdown has 100% got me cherishing every moment with those special people I’m lucky enough to have in my life. . - Lockdown could have been a disaster for my business. However, in the toughest of times my loyal clients stuck by their man! I am incredibly fortunate to train such a fantastic bunch of people. Legends, the lot of you. . - Adversity can bring out the best in people. Certain clients of mine have gone through some seriously difficult things in the last 12 weeks. Those people (who know who they are) have battled on and proved to themselves just how strong they truly are! . - So I’ve done very little running over the years, mainly because I don’t like it. Having gone running a few times in lockdown I can confirm, I still don’t like it. . - I never knew how important playing the sport I love was to me until the opportunity of playing was fully taken away. Making time to play golf will be something I make more of an effort to do moving forward. . - Exercising is as much about what it gives me mentally as it does physically. Exercise has played a huge role in keeping me level headed over the past 12 weeks. . - Finally, I’m looking forward to a pint in the pub again soon. Anybody else? #lockdown #lessonslearned #personaltrainer #onlinetrainer #mentalhealth
  • This post popped up on my timeline from this time last year. Still relevant and something that can hopefully help many of you improve those deadlifts and prevent injury 💪 . Have you ever watched someone squat or deadlift and seen them thrust their hips forward at the end of the movement? Sometimes, it's so far that they actually lean backward. . It’s a commonly seen mistake in nearly all gyms. . This HYPEREXTENSION of the lumbar spine in the lower back means you are forcing your spine into a motion outside of its usual range. . This hyperextension usually occurs when you drive your hips forward at the end of your lift. . Doing this at the end of each repetition will increase the risk of injury to that lower back of yours. Not advisable! . Squeezing your glutes (butt cheeks) at the top of your lift is something we should all be doing with these two big lifts but it doesn’t necessarily prevent that hypertension. . 4 Tips for preventing this hypertension: . 1. Get a trainer to check out your form 👍 2. Take videos of yourself doing your deadlift/squat. This way you can check out your form 👍 3. Think carefully about your form throughout each repetition - drop down weight initially to ensure form is good 👍 4. Add one or two glute activation exercises to your routine prior to those big lifts such as a hip thrust or a glute bridge. This will help get your mind engaged with utilising the glutes efficiently for these exercises 👍 . Practice 'squeezing' or 'clenching' your butt cheeks together, without allowing your hips to move forward. You will actively target your glutes and engage your core while keeping the hips level and your spine in a safe, neutral position. . You’ve got this guys! . #deadlift #squats #personaltrainer #onlinetrainer #repost #angussmithpersonaltrainer
    15 1
    This post popped up on my timeline from this time last year. Still relevant and something that can hopefully help many of you improve those deadlifts and prevent injury 💪 . Have you ever watched someone squat or deadlift and seen them thrust their hips forward at the end of the movement? Sometimes, it's so far that they actually lean backward. . It’s a commonly seen mistake in nearly all gyms. . This HYPEREXTENSION of the lumbar spine in the lower back means you are forcing your spine into a motion outside of its usual range. . This hyperextension usually occurs when you drive your hips forward at the end of your lift. . Doing this at the end of each repetition will increase the risk of injury to that lower back of yours. Not advisable! . Squeezing your glutes (butt cheeks) at the top of your lift is something we should all be doing with these two big lifts but it doesn’t necessarily prevent that hypertension. . 4 Tips for preventing this hypertension: . 1. Get a trainer to check out your form 👍 2. Take videos of yourself doing your deadlift/squat. This way you can check out your form 👍 3. Think carefully about your form throughout each repetition - drop down weight initially to ensure form is good 👍 4. Add one or two glute activation exercises to your routine prior to those big lifts such as a hip thrust or a glute bridge. This will help get your mind engaged with utilising the glutes efficiently for these exercises 👍 . Practice 'squeezing' or 'clenching' your butt cheeks together, without allowing your hips to move forward. You will actively target your glutes and engage your core while keeping the hips level and your spine in a safe, neutral position. . You’ve got this guys! . #deadlift #squats #personaltrainer #onlinetrainer #repost #angussmithpersonaltrainer
  • CONSISTENTLY TURN UP, BE PATIENT, & WORK HARD . The basics to improving at just about anything you want to improve at! . Back on the golf course for the third time in 2 weeks 🏌️‍♂️ . Really enjoying playing after a massive lack of golf in recent years. . My golf was up and down as expected but like anything, with practice, dedication and repetitions the game will become more consistent again. . Appreciative to be back playing and even more appreciative to be doing it pain free. . Thanks for the game @gaz_porteous 👍 looking forward to the next outing. . #kneerehab #kneehab #golf #personaltrainer #angussmithpersonaltrainer
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    CONSISTENTLY TURN UP, BE PATIENT, & WORK HARD . The basics to improving at just about anything you want to improve at! . Back on the golf course for the third time in 2 weeks 🏌️‍♂️ . Really enjoying playing after a massive lack of golf in recent years. . My golf was up and down as expected but like anything, with practice, dedication and repetitions the game will become more consistent again. . Appreciative to be back playing and even more appreciative to be doing it pain free. . Thanks for the game @gaz_porteous 👍 looking forward to the next outing. . #kneerehab #kneehab #golf #personaltrainer #angussmithpersonaltrainer
  • Always lovely to receive some feedback and especially nice when it’s as positive as this! Sharyn Johnson has worked her butt off through lockdown, managing to make some real gains along the way. No positive changes come without some hard work and dedication to the cause and Sharyn has certainly showed both! Managing to fit into jeans she had struggled to fit into previously, strength improving week on week and importantly, a much improved balanced diet. Sharyn has made these gains whilst still enjoying alcohol, cake as well as other things she enjoys most along the way. All of this through virtual personal training. Long may the progress continue. Well done again Sharyn it’s a pleasure to be a part of your journey! #clientappreciation #clients #personaltrainer #pt #onlinetraining
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    Always lovely to receive some feedback and especially nice when it’s as positive as this! Sharyn Johnson has worked her butt off through lockdown, managing to make some real gains along the way. No positive changes come without some hard work and dedication to the cause and Sharyn has certainly showed both! Managing to fit into jeans she had struggled to fit into previously, strength improving week on week and importantly, a much improved balanced diet. Sharyn has made these gains whilst still enjoying alcohol, cake as well as other things she enjoys most along the way. All of this through virtual personal training. Long may the progress continue. Well done again Sharyn it’s a pleasure to be a part of your journey! #clientappreciation #clients #personaltrainer #pt #onlinetraining
  • SQUAT ENVY Envious watching my daughters squatting ability right now. Improving my depth of squat has been a goal of mine for a while now. I have made major in roads to improving it but there are further gains to be made. Those gains I’ve made with my range of movement have coincided with a decrease in knee pains. Coincidence? Absolutely not. Toddlers tend to have brilliant squats both with technique and depth (as my daughter is showing in the caption) unlike many adults. I’ve picked out a few points with my daughters squat in the caption above that all of us can use as guidance for improving our own squat. Happy squatting! #squats #squat #angussmithpersonaltrainer #pt #personaltrainer
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    SQUAT ENVY Envious watching my daughters squatting ability right now. Improving my depth of squat has been a goal of mine for a while now. I have made major in roads to improving it but there are further gains to be made. Those gains I’ve made with my range of movement have coincided with a decrease in knee pains. Coincidence? Absolutely not. Toddlers tend to have brilliant squats both with technique and depth (as my daughter is showing in the caption) unlike many adults. I’ve picked out a few points with my daughters squat in the caption above that all of us can use as guidance for improving our own squat. Happy squatting! #squats #squat #angussmithpersonaltrainer #pt #personaltrainer
  • Hi, I’m Angus. Most of you following me know that I’m a personal trainer and sports masseur, but there will be many of you who know little else. Here’s a few facts and random things about me. Firstly, I am a family man. I have a wife and daughter with whom I adore the ground they walk on. Clearly I love going to the gym and keeping fit. I also enjoy inspiring others to do the same and helping them become the version of themselves that they wish to be. I am an advocate of a balanced life with both nutrition and lifestyle. I am a firm believer that a diet that has you dropping all the less nutritious foods you enjoy most is just setting you up to fail further down the line. A nice balance of resistance training and cardio training is a winning formula for most. I’m a firm believer that you should treat everyone the same as you’d like to be treat. I am an avid golf fan, both playing and watching. Back in the day as a 15 year old boy, I was voted the most promising junior golfer in north Northumberland. At this age, I had pretty bad acne and lacked self confidence. As a young man, I was quite overweight. I did conjure up getting a hole in one on a par-4 as a 15 year old though and was in the local newspapers for it. I have suffered bad knee issues since I was 17 years of age culminating in 6 knee operations between 2005 - 2018. I have osteoarthritis in both knees. I thoroughly enjoy going out for beers with the lads. Newcastle United will forever be the football team I love. My favourite place is Bamburgh in Northumberland. My wife and I spent 2 and a bit years travelling around Australasia and Asia, working in random places along the way. I played Rugby when I was younger but I was terrible at it! Running has never been a strength of mine. My legs are stupidly hairy. My favourite exercise is the Romanian Deadlift. I really enjoy helping and watching others smash their goals. I love my job and what I do for a living! I do personal training, online training and sports massage. If working with me is something you think you’d enjoy, please don’t hesitate to fire me a DM 👍 . #hairylegsfordays #personaltrainer #angussmithpersonaltrainer
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    Hi, I’m Angus. Most of you following me know that I’m a personal trainer and sports masseur, but there will be many of you who know little else. Here’s a few facts and random things about me. Firstly, I am a family man. I have a wife and daughter with whom I adore the ground they walk on. Clearly I love going to the gym and keeping fit. I also enjoy inspiring others to do the same and helping them become the version of themselves that they wish to be. I am an advocate of a balanced life with both nutrition and lifestyle. I am a firm believer that a diet that has you dropping all the less nutritious foods you enjoy most is just setting you up to fail further down the line. A nice balance of resistance training and cardio training is a winning formula for most. I’m a firm believer that you should treat everyone the same as you’d like to be treat. I am an avid golf fan, both playing and watching. Back in the day as a 15 year old boy, I was voted the most promising junior golfer in north Northumberland. At this age, I had pretty bad acne and lacked self confidence. As a young man, I was quite overweight. I did conjure up getting a hole in one on a par-4 as a 15 year old though and was in the local newspapers for it. I have suffered bad knee issues since I was 17 years of age culminating in 6 knee operations between 2005 - 2018. I have osteoarthritis in both knees. I thoroughly enjoy going out for beers with the lads. Newcastle United will forever be the football team I love. My favourite place is Bamburgh in Northumberland. My wife and I spent 2 and a bit years travelling around Australasia and Asia, working in random places along the way. I played Rugby when I was younger but I was terrible at it! Running has never been a strength of mine. My legs are stupidly hairy. My favourite exercise is the Romanian Deadlift. I really enjoy helping and watching others smash their goals. I love my job and what I do for a living! I do personal training, online training and sports massage. If working with me is something you think you’d enjoy, please don’t hesitate to fire me a DM 👍 . #hairylegsfordays #personaltrainer #angussmithpersonaltrainer
  • WHICH EXERCISE HAVE YOU DONE MORE THAN ANY OTHER WHILST IN LOCKDOWN? . Comment below 👇 . Mine has to be the Bulgarian Split Squat or a Static Split Squat. . Far from being my favourite exercise (not sure it’s anyone’s) but it has been a fantastic addition to my home workouts and has helped to keep those knee pains away. . Progressing from high volume bodyweight Reps at the beginning of lockdown to fewer reps with a heavy band and a 30/10 tempo throughout the movement. . Both variations can be done with bands (as seen above), dumbbells, barbell or simply fill a backpack and put that on your back! . If you don’t have any of the above equipment and want to make it tougher, add a pause in at the bottom of the movement. Alternatively you could add a pulse in or add a 3 or 4 count on the eccentric phase of the exercise (as seen above). . Be sure to add some single leg work into your next leg day! . #splitsquats #squats #personaltrainer #personaltraining #angussmithpersonaltrainer
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    WHICH EXERCISE HAVE YOU DONE MORE THAN ANY OTHER WHILST IN LOCKDOWN? . Comment below 👇 . Mine has to be the Bulgarian Split Squat or a Static Split Squat. . Far from being my favourite exercise (not sure it’s anyone’s) but it has been a fantastic addition to my home workouts and has helped to keep those knee pains away. . Progressing from high volume bodyweight Reps at the beginning of lockdown to fewer reps with a heavy band and a 30/10 tempo throughout the movement. . Both variations can be done with bands (as seen above), dumbbells, barbell or simply fill a backpack and put that on your back! . If you don’t have any of the above equipment and want to make it tougher, add a pause in at the bottom of the movement. Alternatively you could add a pulse in or add a 3 or 4 count on the eccentric phase of the exercise (as seen above). . Be sure to add some single leg work into your next leg day! . #splitsquats #squats #personaltrainer #personaltraining #angussmithpersonaltrainer
  • #blackouttuesday
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    #blackouttuesday
  • SUN, SEA, SWIMMING, SAND, FAMILY, GAMES & AT LONG LAST......... GOLF ⛳️ . First proper day out exploring after suffering mild coronavirus like symptoms for several weeks & lockdown rules being slackened somewhat. Shame my test results never came back to me 🤷‍♂️ . Feeling loads better now and made the most of it. . Today was a day I’ll remember for a long long time and definitely worth the wait. . My golf wasn’t bad today either 👍 . Taking those positive Sunday vibes straight into Monday 👊 . Hope you’ve all had a fantastic weekend! . #wherearemytestresults #whoknows #sundayfunday #golf #personaltrainer #pt
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    SUN, SEA, SWIMMING, SAND, FAMILY, GAMES & AT LONG LAST......... GOLF ⛳️ . First proper day out exploring after suffering mild coronavirus like symptoms for several weeks & lockdown rules being slackened somewhat. Shame my test results never came back to me 🤷‍♂️ . Feeling loads better now and made the most of it. . Today was a day I’ll remember for a long long time and definitely worth the wait. . My golf wasn’t bad today either 👍 . Taking those positive Sunday vibes straight into Monday 👊 . Hope you’ve all had a fantastic weekend! . #wherearemytestresults #whoknows #sundayfunday #golf #personaltrainer #pt
  • So this afternoon was fun! #thursdayvibes #lockdown #playtime
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    So this afternoon was fun! #thursdayvibes #lockdown #playtime
  • LEARNING TO FIND THAT WORK/LIFE BALANCE So those who know me well will know I am a bit of a workaholic. Some would say this is a strength and others would say it’s a weakness. In my opinion, I love what I do for a living but needed to find more of a balance between work and living life. Lockdown has really opened my eyes to this. Quite simply, being a parent in lockdown doesn’t allow you the time to be a workaholic. Anxiety creeped in in the first couple of weeks in lockdown because you think you’re losing ground on others working in the same industry due to having other responsibilities. But actually, any anxiety has gone now. It’s allowed me to treasure extra time with my little girl. Probably the best learning curve I could have had! It’s been a question of working as efficiently & as effectively in the window of opportunity you have. But learning how to switch off from it when it comes to spending time with my daughter. This was never a strong point of mine prior to lockdown. No getting distracted through work time, no work distracting me through playtime. It’s been such a privilege to have this extra time with my daughter. It’s going to be odd not seeing her so much when everything begins to return to normal. I just want to give a big shout out to those parents out there juggling work and childcare through lockdown 👏👏👏 You’re all doing a Stella job! #lockdown #daddydaughter #balancedlife
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    LEARNING TO FIND THAT WORK/LIFE BALANCE So those who know me well will know I am a bit of a workaholic. Some would say this is a strength and others would say it’s a weakness. In my opinion, I love what I do for a living but needed to find more of a balance between work and living life. Lockdown has really opened my eyes to this. Quite simply, being a parent in lockdown doesn’t allow you the time to be a workaholic. Anxiety creeped in in the first couple of weeks in lockdown because you think you’re losing ground on others working in the same industry due to having other responsibilities. But actually, any anxiety has gone now. It’s allowed me to treasure extra time with my little girl. Probably the best learning curve I could have had! It’s been a question of working as efficiently & as effectively in the window of opportunity you have. But learning how to switch off from it when it comes to spending time with my daughter. This was never a strong point of mine prior to lockdown. No getting distracted through work time, no work distracting me through playtime. It’s been such a privilege to have this extra time with my daughter. It’s going to be odd not seeing her so much when everything begins to return to normal. I just want to give a big shout out to those parents out there juggling work and childcare through lockdown 👏👏👏 You’re all doing a Stella job! #lockdown #daddydaughter #balancedlife
  • A BALANCED DIET IS A SUSTAINABLE DIET A sustainable diet is likely to give you sustainable results. People have asked me how manage to not put on body fat despite allowing myself cakes, pizza and the occasional beer. It basically comes down to balance. I am a big advocate for trying to eat those foods/drinks that you enjoy most and not cutting them out completely. To be quite honest, why would you want to cut them out completely if you enjoy them so much? Obviously we do have to be mindful of the quantities of those higher calorie, less nutrient dense foods we consume. That’s a given! Finding that balance between those healthier more nutrient dense foods and the less nutrient dense foods is key. I’m an advocate of the 80% nutritious foods, 20% less nutritious. This leaves me with wiggle room to fit in that cherry bake well tart (that I love so much) or that magnum I’m going to eat later in the sun. Removing all of those things you enjoy so much might work in the short term, but it’s certainly not a long term solution. Think long term, think sustainability, think about your mental health and be kind to yourself. Don’t punish yourself! Enjoy your food. #nutrition #nutritioncoach #balanceddiet #balance #personaltrainer
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    A BALANCED DIET IS A SUSTAINABLE DIET A sustainable diet is likely to give you sustainable results. People have asked me how manage to not put on body fat despite allowing myself cakes, pizza and the occasional beer. It basically comes down to balance. I am a big advocate for trying to eat those foods/drinks that you enjoy most and not cutting them out completely. To be quite honest, why would you want to cut them out completely if you enjoy them so much? Obviously we do have to be mindful of the quantities of those higher calorie, less nutrient dense foods we consume. That’s a given! Finding that balance between those healthier more nutrient dense foods and the less nutrient dense foods is key. I’m an advocate of the 80% nutritious foods, 20% less nutritious. This leaves me with wiggle room to fit in that cherry bake well tart (that I love so much) or that magnum I’m going to eat later in the sun. Removing all of those things you enjoy so much might work in the short term, but it’s certainly not a long term solution. Think long term, think sustainability, think about your mental health and be kind to yourself. Don’t punish yourself! Enjoy your food. #nutrition #nutritioncoach #balanceddiet #balance #personaltrainer
  • THE REALITY 🥵 . Most of the time, we tend to show the highlights of whatever we’re doing. This time I thought I’d show you just how I felt after my workout today. . The reality is the struggle and hard work is real, just as it is for everyone else. . It’s fair to say I was pooped after today’s 2000 rep workout! . Started my watch 10 minutes late unfortunately 🤷‍♂️ . 10 core exercises of 100 reps with 100 high knees between each exercise 😤 . The feeling post workout made it worth it! . #hardwork #reality #workout #tired #personaltrainer
    24 7
    THE REALITY 🥵 . Most of the time, we tend to show the highlights of whatever we’re doing. This time I thought I’d show you just how I felt after my workout today. . The reality is the struggle and hard work is real, just as it is for everyone else. . It’s fair to say I was pooped after today’s 2000 rep workout! . Started my watch 10 minutes late unfortunately 🤷‍♂️ . 10 core exercises of 100 reps with 100 high knees between each exercise 😤 . The feeling post workout made it worth it! . #hardwork #reality #workout #tired #personaltrainer
  • LETS TALK SELF BELIEF & CONFIDENCE On a week where we are rightly shining a light on #mentalhealth I felt it was important to share things I’ve struggled with in the past. #repost @angussmithpersonaltrainer It may not seem like it but for the majority of my life I have struggled with low confidence. Why have I suffered with low confidence in previous years? Many reasons really. Firstly, I wasn’t particularly book smart at school which means I struggled through it. Those who were in the same situation will understand it’s not a particularly easy position to be in. Secondly, for many years I was overweight and I suffered with acne through my teenage years. This lead to me not feeling comfortable in my own skin. Something that many can relate to. Thirdly, I always put myself down by picking on my own bad points in front of others. If you joke about your own bad points, this inevitably makes others feel they can make fun of them too. Fortunately, the problems I had in earlier years gradually disappeared through working hard and taking better care of myself. Confidence started to return and the gym played a huge role in that. My mental health improved. Exercise helped with clearing many of the issues I had with my appearance and generally made me a more positive person. I always find a positive in every situation now and never put myself down anymore. I have also surrounded myself with the friends, family and gym goers who want to see others succeed. Life has improved! Confidence is a funny thing, it takes a long time to build up. However, it only takes one thing to knock that confidence. Maybe there a few things you can change to improve your own self belief and confidence! #personaltrainer #confidence #selfbelief #selfimprovement #mentalhealthawareness
    20 4
    LETS TALK SELF BELIEF & CONFIDENCE On a week where we are rightly shining a light on #mentalhealth I felt it was important to share things I’ve struggled with in the past. #repost @angussmithpersonaltrainer It may not seem like it but for the majority of my life I have struggled with low confidence. Why have I suffered with low confidence in previous years? Many reasons really. Firstly, I wasn’t particularly book smart at school which means I struggled through it. Those who were in the same situation will understand it’s not a particularly easy position to be in. Secondly, for many years I was overweight and I suffered with acne through my teenage years. This lead to me not feeling comfortable in my own skin. Something that many can relate to. Thirdly, I always put myself down by picking on my own bad points in front of others. If you joke about your own bad points, this inevitably makes others feel they can make fun of them too. Fortunately, the problems I had in earlier years gradually disappeared through working hard and taking better care of myself. Confidence started to return and the gym played a huge role in that. My mental health improved. Exercise helped with clearing many of the issues I had with my appearance and generally made me a more positive person. I always find a positive in every situation now and never put myself down anymore. I have also surrounded myself with the friends, family and gym goers who want to see others succeed. Life has improved! Confidence is a funny thing, it takes a long time to build up. However, it only takes one thing to knock that confidence. Maybe there a few things you can change to improve your own self belief and confidence! #personaltrainer #confidence #selfbelief #selfimprovement #mentalhealthawareness
  • Focus on what you want to achieve this week and go after it. Don’t let the small obstacles get in your way! #noexcuses #findaway #positivemindset #positivity #determination @muhammadali
    6 1
    Focus on what you want to achieve this week and go after it. Don’t let the small obstacles get in your way! #noexcuses #findaway #positivemindset #positivity #determination @muhammadali
  • Looking forward to getting that pizza tonight instead 🙏 . Have a great weekend everyone! . #balanceddiet #balancedlife
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    Looking forward to getting that pizza tonight instead 🙏 . Have a great weekend everyone! . #balanceddiet #balancedlife
  • I am a great believer that we are extremely privileged if we are capable of exercising. There are plenty of others out there that who don’t have that privilege. Make the most of what you CAN do and don’t take it for granted. #exercise #privilege #exercising #fitness #healthandfitness
    24 3
    I am a great believer that we are extremely privileged if we are capable of exercising. There are plenty of others out there that who don’t have that privilege. Make the most of what you CAN do and don’t take it for granted. #exercise #privilege #exercising #fitness #healthandfitness
  • PRESS UP PROGRESSION In recent days I’ve had 4 or 5 conversations regarding press up and how to progress them. This follows on from a press up technique post that I posted last week. Swiping along ⏪⏪⏪ through the videos, I have posted 8 different variations of press up progression starting with the basics and increasing the difficulty. This ranges from starting with an incline for your press up (you can use something higher than my incline if needs be) before moving to the knees then on to the toes. Importantly there are things you should be looking out for with your technique when in an incline or on your knees, much like there is with the full press up. - Your core should be locked at all times in any press up - period. - Remember to take your hips down with you (don’t leave your bum stuck in the air). - Maintain a neutral spine, therefore thinking having a neutral pelvis (DM me if you need more guidance on what this means). - Keep your elbows around 45 degrees from the side of your body. - Look down, not forward therefore keeping your neck in line with your spine. There’s a lot to think about in a press up, no matter what variation. Hopefully these videos can help you move forward from that press up where you only get half the range of movement into potentially moving forward to full range. Or maybe if you were stuck in terms of how to progress the difficulty of your press up, this gives you a couple of ideas moving forward. Remember to SAVE for future reference 👍 . Happy hump day! . #pushups #pressups #workout #pt #personaltrainer #personaltraining
    23 6
    PRESS UP PROGRESSION In recent days I’ve had 4 or 5 conversations regarding press up and how to progress them. This follows on from a press up technique post that I posted last week. Swiping along ⏪⏪⏪ through the videos, I have posted 8 different variations of press up progression starting with the basics and increasing the difficulty. This ranges from starting with an incline for your press up (you can use something higher than my incline if needs be) before moving to the knees then on to the toes. Importantly there are things you should be looking out for with your technique when in an incline or on your knees, much like there is with the full press up. - Your core should be locked at all times in any press up - period. - Remember to take your hips down with you (don’t leave your bum stuck in the air). - Maintain a neutral spine, therefore thinking having a neutral pelvis (DM me if you need more guidance on what this means). - Keep your elbows around 45 degrees from the side of your body. - Look down, not forward therefore keeping your neck in line with your spine. There’s a lot to think about in a press up, no matter what variation. Hopefully these videos can help you move forward from that press up where you only get half the range of movement into potentially moving forward to full range. Or maybe if you were stuck in terms of how to progress the difficulty of your press up, this gives you a couple of ideas moving forward. Remember to SAVE for future reference 👍 . Happy hump day! . #pushups #pressups #workout #pt #personaltrainer #personaltraining
  • SIMPLIFYING THINGS WILL INEVITABLY HELP YOU TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL! We love to over complicate things when it comes to fat loss for some reason. Unfortunately we still have people being sold products (that simply don’t work) by others trying to make a quick buck from them. Whilst inevitably everyone gets bored of hearing about the same old things that help with fat loss, it’s important for fitness professionals to keep putting them out there as many still choose to ignore them. These are the tried, tested and successful methods of losing fat - simple as that! No gimmicks, no frills, just the simple and honest way to lose body fat. Back these 6 points up with adherence, consistency and patience and you’ll most certainly be on to a winner 😊 . Swipe along to check out some of the things people generally get too caught up with ⏪⏪⏪ . Have a great week! . #fatloss #weightloss #weightlossjourney
    12 1
    SIMPLIFYING THINGS WILL INEVITABLY HELP YOU TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL! We love to over complicate things when it comes to fat loss for some reason. Unfortunately we still have people being sold products (that simply don’t work) by others trying to make a quick buck from them. Whilst inevitably everyone gets bored of hearing about the same old things that help with fat loss, it’s important for fitness professionals to keep putting them out there as many still choose to ignore them. These are the tried, tested and successful methods of losing fat - simple as that! No gimmicks, no frills, just the simple and honest way to lose body fat. Back these 6 points up with adherence, consistency and patience and you’ll most certainly be on to a winner 😊 . Swipe along to check out some of the things people generally get too caught up with ⏪⏪⏪ . Have a great week! . #fatloss #weightloss #weightlossjourney
  • A big WELL DONE and THANK YOU to all the people in having the pleasure of training through this difficult time 👏👏👏 . Just excuse the wild hair 🤷‍♂️ . #thankyou #clientappreciation #welldone #keepitgoing #personaltrainer
    14 1
    A big WELL DONE and THANK YOU to all the people in having the pleasure of training through this difficult time 👏👏👏 . Just excuse the wild hair 🤷‍♂️ . #thankyou #clientappreciation #welldone #keepitgoing #personaltrainer
  • Really appreciating this good weather right now ☀️ . It’s making my outdoor office a nice place to be through lockdown 😊 . #feelinglucky #feelingappreciative #workingfromhome #personaltrainer #pt
    13 1
    Really appreciating this good weather right now ☀️ . It’s making my outdoor office a nice place to be through lockdown 😊 . #feelinglucky #feelingappreciative #workingfromhome #personaltrainer #pt
  • WARMING UP AND COOLING DOWN Are you warming up before exercising and stretching off afterwards? I think if most of us are honest with ourselves, most would say probably not. The vast majority of us will be moving less in lockdown than we were beforehand so stretching to keep the aches and pains away will be as important as ever. Pre-Workout - Dynamic Stretching: Your warm up can and should be used for cardio or strength training sessions. It will help to raise the body temperature and increases blood flow to your muscles. Most importantly for me, warming up reduce muscle soreness and lessens your risk of injuring yourself. Pre-workout stretching can be done in a dynamic form. Dynamic stretching are active movements that get the joints and muscles working at full range of movement. You could possibly mimic exercises that you are about to do in your full workout. For example, if you are going to do barbell back squats in your main workout, warm up by doing some bodyweight squats first. Post-Workout - Static Stretching: For post workout stretching you would place a certain muscle or muscle group in a position where it can be extended for a more specific amount of time. Static stretching is primarily recommended for when your muscles are warm, hence it’s a good idea to do them after workout. Stretching tired, fatigued muscles after a workout is essential as it enhances flexibility, mobility and reduces muscle tension after a workout. Stretching should always be thought out as part of your workout. Rule of thumb, I tend to recommend stretching off the muscles you’ve used in your workout. For example, if you’ve completed a legs workout the obvious muscles to stretch off would be the glutes, hamstring, quads, calves and hips. Then throw in a core stretch for good measure. In terms of how long to hold these static stretches post workout, I recommend holding for a minimum of 25-30 seconds. But if you find one hamstring is tighter than the other, simply hold the tight side for slightly longer. Even if walking is all you’re doing right now, it’s still worthwhile to stretch afterwards. It might just help with that lower back, knee or hip pain along the way.
    14 1
    WARMING UP AND COOLING DOWN Are you warming up before exercising and stretching off afterwards? I think if most of us are honest with ourselves, most would say probably not. The vast majority of us will be moving less in lockdown than we were beforehand so stretching to keep the aches and pains away will be as important as ever. Pre-Workout - Dynamic Stretching: Your warm up can and should be used for cardio or strength training sessions. It will help to raise the body temperature and increases blood flow to your muscles. Most importantly for me, warming up reduce muscle soreness and lessens your risk of injuring yourself. Pre-workout stretching can be done in a dynamic form. Dynamic stretching are active movements that get the joints and muscles working at full range of movement. You could possibly mimic exercises that you are about to do in your full workout. For example, if you are going to do barbell back squats in your main workout, warm up by doing some bodyweight squats first. Post-Workout - Static Stretching: For post workout stretching you would place a certain muscle or muscle group in a position where it can be extended for a more specific amount of time. Static stretching is primarily recommended for when your muscles are warm, hence it’s a good idea to do them after workout. Stretching tired, fatigued muscles after a workout is essential as it enhances flexibility, mobility and reduces muscle tension after a workout. Stretching should always be thought out as part of your workout. Rule of thumb, I tend to recommend stretching off the muscles you’ve used in your workout. For example, if you’ve completed a legs workout the obvious muscles to stretch off would be the glutes, hamstring, quads, calves and hips. Then throw in a core stretch for good measure. In terms of how long to hold these static stretches post workout, I recommend holding for a minimum of 25-30 seconds. But if you find one hamstring is tighter than the other, simply hold the tight side for slightly longer. Even if walking is all you’re doing right now, it’s still worthwhile to stretch afterwards. It might just help with that lower back, knee or hip pain along the way.
  • LEG DAY WORKOUT Thoroughly enjoyed my workout today after a bit of a lull with my training last week. Getting it done early set the tone for a positive day too! Currently training legs at least twice per week in lockdown and have seen some noticeable improvements. Particularly with single leg exercises. Range of movement is ever growing, strength is improving and visually I am beginning to see leg definition for possibly the first time ever! Today’s Workout: A1) Tempo Banded Bulgarian Split Squats - 4x15-20 (each leg) B1) Banded Static Lunges - 4x15-20 (each leg) C1) Banded Morning Glory - 4x15-20 D1) Single Leg Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl - 4x12 (each leg) E1) Single Leg Hip Thrusts - 3x12 (each leg) F1) Single Leg Banded Calf Raises - 3x12-15 (each leg) no video! Finished with 10 minutes of stretching, specifically for the calves, glutes, hips, quads and hamstrings. I think it’s fair to say, leg day was once the day I dreaded. It’s far from that now, if anything it’s the day I look forward to most! Bring on the next leg day 😊 . #legs #legday #legworkout #angussmithpersonaltrainer #pt
    14 1
    LEG DAY WORKOUT Thoroughly enjoyed my workout today after a bit of a lull with my training last week. Getting it done early set the tone for a positive day too! Currently training legs at least twice per week in lockdown and have seen some noticeable improvements. Particularly with single leg exercises. Range of movement is ever growing, strength is improving and visually I am beginning to see leg definition for possibly the first time ever! Today’s Workout: A1) Tempo Banded Bulgarian Split Squats - 4x15-20 (each leg) B1) Banded Static Lunges - 4x15-20 (each leg) C1) Banded Morning Glory - 4x15-20 D1) Single Leg Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl - 4x12 (each leg) E1) Single Leg Hip Thrusts - 3x12 (each leg) F1) Single Leg Banded Calf Raises - 3x12-15 (each leg) no video! Finished with 10 minutes of stretching, specifically for the calves, glutes, hips, quads and hamstrings. I think it’s fair to say, leg day was once the day I dreaded. It’s far from that now, if anything it’s the day I look forward to most! Bring on the next leg day 😊 . #legs #legday #legworkout #angussmithpersonaltrainer #pt
  • When the gym eventually re-open I’ll be turning up like. . . . . . #lockdown #angussmithpersonaltrainer #personaltrainer #pt #onlinetrainer #covid19
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    When the gym eventually re-open I’ll be turning up like. . . . . . #lockdown #angussmithpersonaltrainer #personaltrainer #pt #onlinetrainer #covid19