Contour Personal Training

Shona repping 5kg over her old one-rep-max 💪 75kg x5 reps
This woman is unstoppable!!

Christine's pushups continue to march ever closer towards full bodyweight reps on the floor 💪😃 Keep up the good work, Christine!

Well over half of individuals who promise themselves a healthier lifestyle every January fail to do so. But this year could be different... 🏋️‍♂️
Make it happen for a friend or loved one by buying them a personal training voucher so they get started on the right foot with all the help and advice they need. It doesn't matter if they are totally new to the gym, if they want to lose weight and get strong or if they already love to train.
Vouchers can be bought for any number of individual sessions or you can purchase a whole month at a time. Send Duncan a message using the button below and we can get something arranged 🎅

Fantastic competition day from both these strong ladies 💪😎
Elaine improves her total by a massive 12.5kgs and earns her first podium position in 2nd place with a comfortable gap to 3rd.
Arlene also improved her total by 10kg and finished in 1st place, narrowly beating Elaine to the top spot by 7.5kg.
... Very proud once again of their performance. Next comp is in February but first, some well deserved rest 😊
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Elaine also PBs in the deadlift, adding 7.5kg to her all time best with 130kg at 65kg bodyweight - exactly twice her own weight!! 😃

Arlene adds 5kg to her deadlift in her last attempt with an amazing 120kg at 51kg bodyweight! 😮

Bench has been a bit off and on for both Elaine and Arlene and we went for an ambitious plan for this comp. Sadly neither of them managed their 2nd or 3rd lifts. They settle for 40kg (shown) for Elaine and 60kg for Arlene.
Deadlifts next! 😃

Arlene sets a 5kg PB in the squat of 92.5kg at 51kg bodyweight. Amazing progress since her last comp in October!

Elaine also sets a PB in the squat but of 7.5kg since her last comp in October! 95kg at 65kg bodyweight.

Elaine and Arlene's second powerlifting competition at Dundee Strength Unit. Weigh ins at 0830. Stay up to date with their lifts by checking in throughout the morning! 💪

Personally I don't believe in a one size fits all approach when prescribing rest. The answer is different for every individual. In general higher resistance sets will require more rest and lighter more technical sets will require less, but how much exactly?
What you want to achieve is an effect called 'cumulative fatigue' - you should find each set slightly harder than the last (assuming no other variables have changed). If each set feels the same you are either resting too l...ong or the load is not great enough to make a worthwhile impact on your body. Cumulative fatigue affects people differently depending on their experience, technique, current strength, willpower and fitness.
💪 A very strong client will lift a lot of weight per set, increasing the need for rest once the set is complete.
🐇 A very fit client will recover quickly and will need less rest in order to experience cumulative fatigue.
You get the idea. Rest times can also be tailored to goal...
🏋️‍♂️ If your goal is strength orientated, being able to lift enough weight enough times becomes a higher priority, so only minor cumulative fatigue should be felt from set to set.
🏃‍♀️ If your goal is to improve fitness or to build muscle then rest becomes a very important variable to monitor and record. Cumulative fatigue should be very noticeable, and rest times should be consistent and as short as possible.
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Short 2 part series on 'Bent Over Rows'
Part 2 - The Pendlay Row
A row for intermediate lifters who need or want to generate more power in their rows or rowing actions. Personally I do this row almost exclusively to help me pick things up off the floor in Strongman like sandbags, tyres, atlas stones etc.
... Benefits: - builds a VERY strong back because of the extra weight it is possible to add to the bar and the extra tightness required to support it - improves explosive power in the deadlift and clean and generally picking up heavy stuff
Drawbacks: - more complex movement (notice little leg drive right at the start) - not suitable for beginners - easy to cheat and/or do it badly
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Short 2 part series on 'Bent Over Rows'
Part 1 - The Basic Row
I often programme this basic row for novice lifters for several reasons.
... Benefits: - promotes a strong, enduring posterior chain - easy to spot weaknesses in upper or lower back - lots of time under tension promotes muscle growth and stamina - fixed position makes it easy for novices to concentrate on achieving good lat engagement
Drawbacks: - grip needs to last but you can use straps or other gripping aids - lifter needs to know how to effectively hip hinge and retain tightness from hip to shoulder to maintain position so start light
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Presenting Shona's first ever pullup. And she didn't just get one...

David is up to 100kg for 12 reps in the last few weeks of his muscle building phase! 😮 A milestone he has been aiming for for a long time. Well done David!

It's probably the easiest way to put a newcomer off the idea of ever going to a gym - and it's not even true!
Here are 3 myths put to bed surrounding pain during or after gym sessions:
The stiffer I am after a workout, the better!... 🚨 FALSE 🚨
This is an unscientific and lazy way of judging the effectiveness of a workout. Unfortunately the myth is perpetuated everywhere, from advertising to ignorant PTs who use phrases like 'feel the burn' and 'you'll be sore tomorrow!' Criteria to judge the effectiveness of a workout should be the RESULTS, for one (see my other post about why results matter). And the client's ability to repeat that workout (or another workout) again in the near future. If you're disabled for 3-4 days after every session, by the time you train again any positive effects of the first session will have worn off and no progress will be made.
That burning sensation in my muscles is a sign the exercise is working! 🚨 FALSE 🚨
What you are feeling is lactic acid, a waste product produced as a result of chemical reactions in your muscles being released into your blood stream - usually when you are working at higher intensities. Like getting warm, sweating or breathing heavily, it is just a sign of the body REACTING to the stimulus (exercise) not necessarily ADAPTING to it. Exercise selection should never be solely based on whether it achieves this burning sensation or not.
A sore back after lifting weights is totally normal, and if I don't get that the session wasn't hard enough! 🚨 FALSE 🚨
This is especially false for novice lifters who should be developing good motor patterns and muscle memory by performing as close to perfect reps as possible at all times. Weights of appropriate magnitude, lifted well, and structured into sensible sets, reps and rest should not result in a sore back.
For intermediate or advanced lifters a sore back from the OCCASIONAL session can be deemed acceptable as they know their bodies well enough to push right up to a maximal threshold without causing severe harm. But even lifters of this level of skill and experience do not and should not be training to that level all the time - it just isn't sustainable. Lifters of this level should be mixing deload weeks and lighter more technical sessions into their programming to stop themselves running their bodies into the ground.
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Shona continues to steam towards full bodyweight pullups. Punching out 5 sets of 5 this morning on this thin band. Next week we plan to try full bodyweight singles! 😮

Elaine smashing this practice single at 85kg in training on Friday - just 2.5kg off what she got in her last comp. After this she went on to make light work of 80kgx3. Squats are really on a roll right now! 💪

Some tyre flip from my session today after having completed a ton of deadlifts. This is my last (6th set) of 3 reps with the 305kg tyre. Trying to be quick but the fatigue is evident 😂 Tyre has always been a good event for me so I leave it to later on in my sessions and use it for conditioning mostly - until the gym gets a heavier one anyway 😉

When I began training with Duncan my goal initially was to lose weight & to rehab from a rotator cuff injury. Almost a year later I'm now over 3 stone lighter, totally pain free & the fittest I've been since my teenage years! I've fallen in love with lifting weights thanks to Duncan's tutelage & encouragement & am now in the process of learning the Olympic lifts. He's been a constant source of advice, motivation & support to me & I'd definitely highly recommend him to anyone!

The best decision I've made for my health and fitness. I genuinely enjoy training and have overcome shoulder and knee issues as well as improving my general confidence in a gym environment. Duncan knows when and how to push to get the best out of people and makes sure you're never short of new challenges!

I started training with Duncan just over a year ago, with the aim of getting back to long-distance running after a non-running related injury. After being introduced to strength & barbell training with proper form, I'm now stronger than I ever was and lifting weights I never thought would be possible, whilst still being able to pop out the odd parkrun. Duncan's plans, sessions and guidance have been invaluable, and he's always there if you have a question. I've progressed so far in the past year with Duncan that running has taken a bit of a back seat for now, and I'm aiming towards eventually having a go at a powerlifting comp!

I started training with Duncan a few months ago to motivate myself to go to the gym more consistently and to restart my strength training. In these few months I have improved and learned far more than I thought I could. Duncan has helped me improve my squat, deadlift and bench techniques and the weights that I can lift immensely. He’s been patient in teaching and guiding me through all the different exercises and my session plans have been a nice balance of strength training and conditioning. He always pushes me to do better whilst also being encouraging when I don’t perform as well as I would like. Training with Duncan has been an invaluable experience and I would highly recommend him for anyone looking to improve their fitness and strength.

I really enjoy going to Duncan's classes. They push you to work as hard as you can and you feel brilliant afterwards. I had recently developed knee problems and was worried that this was going to damage the progress I had been making, as many of the exercises I was doing I was finding extremely painful. I approached Duncan and he was extremely helpful. After a session with him I felt much more optimistic. I had learnt different exercises which not only allowed me to continue exercising but also helped strengthen muscles around my knees to prevent this from happening again. I would definitely recommend Duncan as a personal trainer. :)

Having attended classes with Duncan fairly regularly at the gym, I knew his approach and encouraging style would suit me when I was looking for a PT. He always takes the time to help individuals make slight changes to posture or technique to ensure you get the most out of an exercise. Duncan's explanations and demonstrations are always clear and easy to follow.



I began training with Duncan in July and in that time he has helped me with my running, pushing me with sprints and hill climbs, adapting my style to make it more effective which helped me take over 2 minutes off my best course time in a recent 10k.



Duncan's knowledge, experiences, personal goals and achievements allow him to plan and support individuals keen to make improvements in their training.

Great bespoke training sessions tailored to my goals and objectives. Duncan is an excellent teacher able to help build technique while being encouraging and motivating. Highly recommend Contour PT to anyone looking to grow, improve or simply get fit.

Duncan is hands down the best personal trainer I’ve ever had. I started training with him when I was practicing pole dancing for fitness and despite it not being his usual goal set, he gave me comprehensive fitness plans which developed my strength, flexibility, grip strength and balance.



In the following months I went from being a weak mess to a confident, advanced dancer and the training I received from Duncan was solely responsible.



Because of the nature of my goals it was especially important for me to have a trainer that acted professionally and I’m happy to say Duncan is the epitome of a true gentleman.



I couldn’t recommend him more highly.

Duncan has managed to take me from someone who hated PE at school and was a bit gym phobic to someone who really enjoys (and even looks forward to) her training sessions. I have a history of knee and hip issues and these have never bothered me since I started training with Duncan. I've also found that through my training my posture has become better and I now no longer have shoulder and neck pain. I cannot recommend Duncan enough. Whatever your goal, Duncan can help you get there. He encourages and pushes you but also keeps it fun. If you ever have a question between sessions he's always happy to help via email and the session sheets have helpful reminders as well.

When I began training with Duncan my goal initially was to lose weight & to rehab from a rotator cuff injury. Almost a year later I'm now over 3 stone lighter, totally pain free & the fittest I've been since my teenage years! I've fallen in love with lifting weights thanks to Duncan's tutelage & encouragement & am now in the process of learning the Olympic lifts. He's been a constant source of advice, motivation & support to me & I'd definitely highly recommend him to anyone!

The best decision I've made for my health and fitness. I genuinely enjoy training and have overcome shoulder and knee issues as well as improving my general confidence in a gym environment. Duncan knows when and how to push to get the best out of people and makes sure you're never short of new challenges!

I started training with Duncan just over a year ago, with the aim of getting back to long-distance running after a non-running related injury. After being introduced to strength & barbell training with proper form, I'm now stronger than I ever was and lifting weights I never thought would be possible, whilst still being able to pop out the odd parkrun. Duncan's plans, sessions and guidance have been invaluable, and he's always there if you have a question. I've progressed so far in the past year with Duncan that running has taken a bit of a back seat for now, and I'm aiming towards eventually having a go at a powerlifting comp!

I started training with Duncan a few months ago to motivate myself to go to the gym more consistently and to restart my strength training. In these few months I have improved and learned far more than I thought I could. Duncan has helped me improve my squat, deadlift and bench techniques and the weights that I can lift immensely. He’s been patient in teaching and guiding me through all the different exercises and my session plans have been a nice balance of strength training and conditioning. He always pushes me to do better whilst also being encouraging when I don’t perform as well as I would like. Training with Duncan has been an invaluable experience and I would highly recommend him for anyone looking to improve their fitness and strength.

I really enjoy going to Duncan's classes. They push you to work as hard as you can and you feel brilliant afterwards. I had recently developed knee problems and was worried that this was going to damage the progress I had been making, as many of the exercises I was doing I was finding extremely painful. I approached Duncan and he was extremely helpful. After a session with him I felt much more optimistic. I had learnt different exercises which not only allowed me to continue exercising but also helped strengthen muscles around my knees to prevent this from happening again. I would definitely recommend Duncan as a personal trainer. :)

Having attended classes with Duncan fairly regularly at the gym, I knew his approach and encouraging style would suit me when I was looking for a PT. He always takes the time to help individuals make slight changes to posture or technique to ensure you get the most out of an exercise. Duncan's explanations and demonstrations are always clear and easy to follow.



I began training with Duncan in July and in that time he has helped me with my running, pushing me with sprints and hill climbs, adapting my style to make it more effective which helped me take over 2 minutes off my best course time in a recent 10k.



Duncan's knowledge, experiences, personal goals and achievements allow him to plan and support individuals keen to make improvements in their training.

Great bespoke training sessions tailored to my goals and objectives. Duncan is an excellent teacher able to help build technique while being encouraging and motivating. Highly recommend Contour PT to anyone looking to grow, improve or simply get fit.

Duncan is hands down the best personal trainer I’ve ever had. I started training with him when I was practicing pole dancing for fitness and despite it not being his usual goal set, he gave me comprehensive fitness plans which developed my strength, flexibility, grip strength and balance.



In the following months I went from being a weak mess to a confident, advanced dancer and the training I received from Duncan was solely responsible.



Because of the nature of my goals it was especially important for me to have a trainer that acted professionally and I’m happy to say Duncan is the epitome of a true gentleman.



I couldn’t recommend him more highly.

Duncan has managed to take me from someone who hated PE at school and was a bit gym phobic to someone who really enjoys (and even looks forward to) her training sessions. I have a history of knee and hip issues and these have never bothered me since I started training with Duncan. I've also found that through my training my posture has become better and I now no longer have shoulder and neck pain. I cannot recommend Duncan enough. Whatever your goal, Duncan can help you get there. He encourages and pushes you but also keeps it fun. If you ever have a question between sessions he's always happy to help via email and the session sheets have helpful reminders as well.

When I began training with Duncan my goal initially was to lose weight & to rehab from a rotator cuff injury. Almost a year later I'm now over 3 stone lighter, totally pain free & the fittest I've been since my teenage years! I've fallen in love with lifting weights thanks to Duncan's tutelage & encouragement & am now in the process of learning the Olympic lifts. He's been a constant source of advice, motivation & support to me & I'd definitely highly recommend him to anyone!

The best decision I've made for my health and fitness. I genuinely enjoy training and have overcome shoulder and knee issues as well as improving my general confidence in a gym environment. Duncan knows when and how to push to get the best out of people and makes sure you're never short of new challenges!

I started training with Duncan just over a year ago, with the aim of getting back to long-distance running after a non-running related injury. After being introduced to strength & barbell training with proper form, I'm now stronger than I ever was and lifting weights I never thought would be possible, whilst still being able to pop out the odd parkrun. Duncan's plans, sessions and guidance have been invaluable, and he's always there if you have a question. I've progressed so far in the past year with Duncan that running has taken a bit of a back seat for now, and I'm aiming towards eventually having a go at a powerlifting comp!

I started training with Duncan a few months ago to motivate myself to go to the gym more consistently and to restart my strength training. In these few months I have improved and learned far more than I thought I could. Duncan has helped me improve my squat, deadlift and bench techniques and the weights that I can lift immensely. He’s been patient in teaching and guiding me through all the different exercises and my session plans have been a nice balance of strength training and conditioning. He always pushes me to do better whilst also being encouraging when I don’t perform as well as I would like. Training with Duncan has been an invaluable experience and I would highly recommend him for anyone looking to improve their fitness and strength.

I really enjoy going to Duncan's classes. They push you to work as hard as you can and you feel brilliant afterwards. I had recently developed knee problems and was worried that this was going to damage the progress I had been making, as many of the exercises I was doing I was finding extremely painful. I approached Duncan and he was extremely helpful. After a session with him I felt much more optimistic. I had learnt different exercises which not only allowed me to continue exercising but also helped strengthen muscles around my knees to prevent this from happening again. I would definitely recommend Duncan as a personal trainer. :)

Having attended classes with Duncan fairly regularly at the gym, I knew his approach and encouraging style would suit me when I was looking for a PT. He always takes the time to help individuals make slight changes to posture or technique to ensure you get the most out of an exercise. Duncan's explanations and demonstrations are always clear and easy to follow.



I began training with Duncan in July and in that time he has helped me with my running, pushing me with sprints and hill climbs, adapting my style to make it more effective which helped me take over 2 minutes off my best course time in a recent 10k.



Duncan's knowledge, experiences, personal goals and achievements allow him to plan and support individuals keen to make improvements in their training.

Great bespoke training sessions tailored to my goals and objectives. Duncan is an excellent teacher able to help build technique while being encouraging and motivating. Highly recommend Contour PT to anyone looking to grow, improve or simply get fit.

Duncan is hands down the best personal trainer I’ve ever had. I started training with him when I was practicing pole dancing for fitness and despite it not being his usual goal set, he gave me comprehensive fitness plans which developed my strength, flexibility, grip strength and balance.



In the following months I went from being a weak mess to a confident, advanced dancer and the training I received from Duncan was solely responsible.



Because of the nature of my goals it was especially important for me to have a trainer that acted professionally and I’m happy to say Duncan is the epitome of a true gentleman.



I couldn’t recommend him more highly.

Duncan has managed to take me from someone who hated PE at school and was a bit gym phobic to someone who really enjoys (and even looks forward to) her training sessions. I have a history of knee and hip issues and these have never bothered me since I started training with Duncan. I've also found that through my training my posture has become better and I now no longer have shoulder and neck pain. I cannot recommend Duncan enough. Whatever your goal, Duncan can help you get there. He encourages and pushes you but also keeps it fun. If you ever have a question between sessions he's always happy to help via email and the session sheets have helpful reminders as well.

When I began training with Duncan my goal initially was to lose weight & to rehab from a rotator cuff injury. Almost a year later I'm now over 3 stone lighter, totally pain free & the fittest I've been since my teenage years! I've fallen in love with lifting weights thanks to Duncan's tutelage & encouragement & am now in the process of learning the Olympic lifts. He's been a constant source of advice, motivation & support to me & I'd definitely highly recommend him to anyone!

The best decision I've made for my health and fitness. I genuinely enjoy training and have overcome shoulder and knee issues as well as improving my general confidence in a gym environment. Duncan knows when and how to push to get the best out of people and makes sure you're never short of new challenges!

I started training with Duncan just over a year ago, with the aim of getting back to long-distance running after a non-running related injury. After being introduced to strength & barbell training with proper form, I'm now stronger than I ever was and lifting weights I never thought would be possible, whilst still being able to pop out the odd parkrun. Duncan's plans, sessions and guidance have been invaluable, and he's always there if you have a question. I've progressed so far in the past year with Duncan that running has taken a bit of a back seat for now, and I'm aiming towards eventually having a go at a powerlifting comp!

I started training with Duncan a few months ago to motivate myself to go to the gym more consistently and to restart my strength training. In these few months I have improved and learned far more than I thought I could. Duncan has helped me improve my squat, deadlift and bench techniques and the weights that I can lift immensely. He’s been patient in teaching and guiding me through all the different exercises and my session plans have been a nice balance of strength training and conditioning. He always pushes me to do better whilst also being encouraging when I don’t perform as well as I would like. Training with Duncan has been an invaluable experience and I would highly recommend him for anyone looking to improve their fitness and strength.

I really enjoy going to Duncan's classes. They push you to work as hard as you can and you feel brilliant afterwards. I had recently developed knee problems and was worried that this was going to damage the progress I had been making, as many of the exercises I was doing I was finding extremely painful. I approached Duncan and he was extremely helpful. After a session with him I felt much more optimistic. I had learnt different exercises which not only allowed me to continue exercising but also helped strengthen muscles around my knees to prevent this from happening again. I would definitely recommend Duncan as a personal trainer. :)

Having attended classes with Duncan fairly regularly at the gym, I knew his approach and encouraging style would suit me when I was looking for a PT. He always takes the time to help individuals make slight changes to posture or technique to ensure you get the most out of an exercise. Duncan's explanations and demonstrations are always clear and easy to follow.



I began training with Duncan in July and in that time he has helped me with my running, pushing me with sprints and hill climbs, adapting my style to make it more effective which helped me take over 2 minutes off my best course time in a recent 10k.



Duncan's knowledge, experiences, personal goals and achievements allow him to plan and support individuals keen to make improvements in their training.

Great bespoke training sessions tailored to my goals and objectives. Duncan is an excellent teacher able to help build technique while being encouraging and motivating. Highly recommend Contour PT to anyone looking to grow, improve or simply get fit.

Duncan is hands down the best personal trainer I’ve ever had. I started training with him when I was practicing pole dancing for fitness and despite it not being his usual goal set, he gave me comprehensive fitness plans which developed my strength, flexibility, grip strength and balance.



In the following months I went from being a weak mess to a confident, advanced dancer and the training I received from Duncan was solely responsible.



Because of the nature of my goals it was especially important for me to have a trainer that acted professionally and I’m happy to say Duncan is the epitome of a true gentleman.



I couldn’t recommend him more highly.

Duncan has managed to take me from someone who hated PE at school and was a bit gym phobic to someone who really enjoys (and even looks forward to) her training sessions. I have a history of knee and hip issues and these have never bothered me since I started training with Duncan. I've also found that through my training my posture has become better and I now no longer have shoulder and neck pain. I cannot recommend Duncan enough. Whatever your goal, Duncan can help you get there. He encourages and pushes you but also keeps it fun. If you ever have a question between sessions he's always happy to help via email and the session sheets have helpful reminders as well.