Alastair Thomas- Personal Trainer

Had fun running a bootcamp at @thisiswilderness this morning such a beautiful setting to work in!

Saw this on @strong_by_science this morning and thought it was too good not to share. - It’s easy to get caught up on the finer points of exercise we forget to do the simple things. - This infographic shows the difference in the quality of your weight loss.... Those with an unrestricted sleep pattern lost 22% more fat when they were in a calorie deficit. We want to hold on to as much lean mass as possible when losing weight so this can play a big part in doing so!
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#Learningisearning, on my way to becoming a nutrition coach with @precisionnutrition - Advice to any PTs just starting up is to continue your professional development- there is always more to learn! My goal is to get at least 2 cpds, workshops or courses under my belt a year, to keep me fresh and motivated. . . .... . . . . . . . #Nutrition #health #performance #precisionnutrition #healthyeating #development #learning #study #advice #investinyourself #learnfromthebest #science #foodscience #eatwell #coach #fitness #personaltrainer
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When I started training with Brian just under a year ago we spent 6-8 weeks on working in the hip hinge movement using light weight and various accompanying exercises.
That focus on technique gave a good base to be able to lift heavier weights with confidence to trust his technique.
By all means this isn’t perfect form but 3x5 sets of 110kgs is a good achievement and there’s plenty more in the tank. I think his face tells you that even he is a bit shocked!
... Advice I would give to those starting an exercise program is to hire an experienced professional to guide you through the start of your training. Slow and steady will win the race, rushing things will only get you injured. . . . . . . . . . . . . #gym #gymtips #personaltrainer #healthandfitness #pressups #gymworkout #workout #homeworkout #tricep #fitnessmotivation #fitfam #training #fitness #health #chestworkout #legday #legworkout #hamstrings #deadlifts #vetswholift #gymworkouts
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This is probably my favourite minimal equipment glute exercise- good for busting out high reps on and really focusing on squeezing the glutes at the top.
Couple of things when getting the form right is the angle of the shin- make sure the knees are at 90 degrees.
Feet too far forward and you’ll get more hamstring activation, too far back and you’ll feel it more in the quads.
... Try this at home or in the gym for a great glute workout! . . . . . . #gluteworkout #legday #glutepump #hipthrust #gym #workout #personaltrainer #personaltraining #gymworkouts #homeworkout #resistancetraining #exercise #thethrustisamust #fitness #health #strongwomen
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These videos were taken today and Matt has lost over 2 stone, can complete two unassisted pull ups and is in the best shape of his life so far! It's genuinely been a pleasure seeing all this happen and It's great to be able to look back and see how far he's come. Plenty more left in the tank and I'm excited to see him continue his progress in the future.

The next couple of posts highlight where hard work and consistency can get you. I've been training Matt for 8 months and when we started his goals were to lose weight, get fitter, build some muscle and complete a pull up without assistance. Here are two videos from October and December, so at this point progress was already happening.

Very happy with my client Sue's progress, she's lost 10lbs since we started 8 weeks ago. She's really focussed on her nutrition and kept training varied with HIIT, interval and resistance training.
Here she is nailing some slider split squats with 7kg dumbbells. We initially started with 3s and have made good, full body strength gains.
I like this variation as it ensures perfect form and keeps constant tension on the lower body.

Happy New Year everyone! Hopefully we've all had a good festive period- here are 5 tips to help you get some of those extra pounds off and return to good, healthy habits!
1. Drink plenty of water/Reduce liquid calories
-most soft drinks are full of sugar and can cause sugar highs and lows which then encourage snacking.
... -Staying hydrated is key to weight loss and can help performance in the gym.
2. Move more -Aiming to meet minimum guidelines of 150minutes of moderate exercise per week can keep us healthy, physically and mentally. It will also help to shift excess calories.
-Things as simple as taking the stairs instead of elevators or walking to the shops (when possible)instead of taking a car.
3. Be mindful of your portion size -Use smaller plates and try to have a high percentage of veg, moderate lean protein and a small amount of carbs in each meal.
4. Set a sleep schedule.
-Try and go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day, aim for 6-8hours sleep.
- Try and wind down 30mins before by switching off electric devices as they can disrupt sleep patterns.
5. Get back in to exercise with short sessions
- Start back with short achievable sessions to increase your motivation and build the time/intensity. Don't try and start from where you were if you've had a significant amount of time off!
Please share if you think you know someone who could benefit from this and get in touch if you'd like to start personal training in the new year!
Ali
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Just a festive post to wish all my clients and everyone who came to my classes a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Big shout out to this lot who endure the pain of Metafit week in week out and hardly ever complain (except when we do tuck jumps). The photo was taken was after 25 minutes of HIIT so they were delighted when I asked for a photo!
This was my last ever Monday class as I'm freeing time to focus on personal training. I'm already looking forward to what 2018 w...ill bring.
Best wishes, Ali
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For those wanting to be able to lift their body weight but struggle with pull ups, using a band is a great way of facilitating the movement.
Here Matt Munford is demonstrating these with great form- (no swinging). The better we get at these we can start to reduce the tension by using thinner bands.
Matt has been training with me every week for 12 weeks and has built up strength & muscle as well as losing a stone and 2 inches around the waist. ... He always gives 100% and does the work outside of our sessions so I can't wait to see how we progress in the new year 💪🏼
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Going skiing this winter? Need to get in to shape and strengthen your core & legs? Here are 6 exercises to help you on your way. Get in touch if you need any regressions or progressions for any of these movements!
Weighted ski jumpers- 30s
Mogul jumps/squats-30s
... Split squats- 12 each side
High step ups (with slow downward phase) 12e/s
Plank With knee drive- 30s
Wall sit- 30s
Start off with one set of all of these then do more as you improve!
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A great way of getting fit and losing weight is boxing. It stimulates the mind and body, so you don't get bored and you get to release a bit of stress as well! Anyone can do it, not just athletes.
Here's a video of myself and gym bro James Webster doing a bit of sparring after a leg session- absolute killer! Technique is by no means perfect but luckily there's no one opposite trying to hit me back.
If your interested in a session like this, get in touch and book today!

EXERCISE OF THE WEEK!
Triceps drop set!
Thought I'd share with you a good 'bro' exercise to finish off a session and fill the sleeves for the summer. Triceps are actually two thirds of the upper arm so prioritising them over biceps is a more effective use of your time.
... Here's how to do it:
1. Find a weight you can do 8,10 or 12 dips with
2. Set up a looped band between your dip handles
3. Complete your reps with the weight then drop it down, continue for as many reps as possible then put your knees in the band squeeze out the last few reps with the help of your band.
4. Collapse on the floor

Have fun! Ali
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Here's one for those looking at starting a diet- remember it's all about creating that calorie deficit.
That basically means you need to burn more calories than you put in your body.
It doesn't matter if you eat healthily if you're still in calorie excess! ... Any questions you have on this pleases get in touch and I'll do my best to answer them.
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LANDMINE SQUATS
These are great if: -you struggle with range of movement in regular squats -you're taller than average height... -you're new to squats -you lean forward excessively in back squats -you want to build your quads more
Why??
The natural curve of the bar puts the weight on your heels forcing you to sit back in to the movement and keep you upright. It's easier on the knees, puts the emphasis on your quads and biceps.
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