Lochloy Barbell

10/04/2026

03/04/2026

Consistency isn’t sexy.

It’s not extreme.

It’s fu***ng boring at times.

But it’s also the difference between staying the person you are now and the person who actually changes their life.

I’ve been the guy that would train hard for 4-5 days and stick to my “diet” the f**k of up at the weekends and have to restart each Monday.

Now I see it as a coach with clients, train Monday to Friday and eat like an adult all week then disappear off the face off the earth for 10 days then wonder why things aren’t working.

That’s not being consistent that’s being inconsistent, so il say it again.

Consistency isn’t sexy or exciting or extreme, it’s boring as f**k most of the time 🤣

If you actually want to be consistent do this…..

Set a standard you can hit even on your bad weeks, don’t set the standard for a perfect week.

Have a “bad day” fall back plan.

(Steps, calories, Protein) for example.

So when s**t hits the fan and trust me it will you already have that plan in place and don’t need to keep restarting on Monday.

03/04/2026

27/03/2026

Not often we get these emotions from Emma 👀🤣

But around a year since last competed.

We decided not to compete later into last year and going into this year.

Lots of factors played into this including injuries. But the last few months training has been going incredibly well even under less than optimal conditons 🤣👀

After a well deserved DELOAD last week, she’s absolutely smashed it out the park this week with some huge REP PB’s and the topped it off today

132.5kg squat 10kg added from her last testing

With more there.

Zero taper, or peaking protocols used just a good sign of where her current training is taking her.

Big bench and deadlift PB coming soon.

Super proud today.

25/03/2026

DAVID MUIRDEN. REAL LIFE. REAL RESULTS.

David came to me at the end of October feeling stuck.

His words, not mine
“Not getting any younger… bad habits have crept in… I used to be fit and I’ve let it slip. My relationship with food’s gone downhill.”

No motivation.
Struggling to run 5km.
Knew something had to change.

He didn’t wait for the “perfect time.”

This is a guy who

🚛 Drives long hours, living out of hotels at times

🍽 Eats on the go more often than not

👨‍👩‍👧 Comes home to family life and responsibilities

So if you’re thinking “I’m too busy”…

You’re wrong.

We didn’t do anything fancy.

No extremes.
No magic plan.

Just

Structure
Basic habits done well
Training with purpose
Nutrition that fits real life (not Instagram life)

Fat loss was the goal…
But performance led the way.

Since November:

Nearly 30lbs down
Stronger across the board
From struggling through 5km…

To completing a 50km ultra in March

That doesn’t happen by accident.

Here’s the truth most people don’t want to hear

It wasn’t perfect.

He didn’t always have ideal food options.
He didn’t always feel motivated.
Life didn’t suddenly get easier.

He just stopped negotiating with himself and got it done.

This is what works

Show up
Stick to the basics
Make better choices when things aren’t ideal

Do that consistently and everything changes.

David’s just getting started.

Marathon 2026 is coming… and he’s building it the right way.

If you’re reading this and thinking “I need to sort myself out”…

Now’s your time.

I’ve got

👉 Online coaching spots open coaching from everyday fitness to getting you race ready for hybrid events, races and strength events.

👉A limited number of face to face spaces available

Drop me a message or comment and I’ll get back to you.

20/03/2026

Some Friday spotlight for and well deserved.

Kris slid into my DM’s in the after the summer last year after seeing other clients success and hearing how hilarious I was.

Looking to improve his health and his fitness.

A a busy father, working full time he wanted to feel good, look good and had some big event goals in mind.

I’ve got to be careful here as I don’t want to give him a big head but Kris is the ideal client.

He fully emerges himself in the process, he asks questions, he gives detailed feedback, communicates regularly throughout the week.

Wants to learn why we’re doing things, and whenever any education material is sent his way he gets stuck in.

So it’s no surprise he’s seeing the success and results come.

7kg down so far, PB’s in his 5 and 10km with a big 10km PB at the Loch morlich run in January:

Then most recently a big 13 plus minute PB on his inverness half marathon time (few mishaps and illness) there is more there for the taking.

Now into a new block of training as Kris takes on the Etape then the Lochness Marathon later this year.

Kris has always worked hard this wasn’t about how hard he was working. It was about having proper structure, guidance on proper fuelling for his training, and knowing when to push hard and pull back.

Some big goals for the rest of the year, I’m sure you’ll be seeing him on my feed again.

If you want guidance or have any questions on how I could help you achieve your goals please drop me a message.

12/03/2026

One of the biggest mistakes I see newer lifters make is thinking they need a really complicated programme to get strong.

Different exercises every week.
Fancy methods.
Constantly changing things up.

But if you’re in your first few years of lifting, chances are you haven’t even scratched the surface of what you can get from the basics yet.

Getting stronger is built on something very simple but often over complicated.

PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD

Doing a little bit more over time.

That might mean
Adding a bit of weight to the bar
Doing an extra rep or two
Adding an extra set
Improving your technique and control

Small improvements, repeated consistently over weeks and months, add up to big progress.

Now don’t get me wrong, more advanced lifters will end up needing more complex programming to keep progressing.

But most people starting out don’t need more complexity they need simplicity.

They need to nail the basics, consistently, for long enough.

Master the fundamentals first.

11/03/2026

The event was my first Ultra distance and this is my post race debrief / reflections.

It was a fantastic experience the community of people there were all fantastic and I can’t wait to do another one.

Before this, the furthest I’d gone was 35km back in January… and if I’m honest, the training and prep for this race fell off a cliff not long after that.

Life just got in the way. Family stuff, work demands, prepping for moving house all the things that remind you that training plans don’t always survive real life.

Going into the race I knew even getting past the marathon distance was going to be tough.
But one thing I do trust is my ability to stay mentally resilient when things get uncomfortable.

Race morning wasn’t exactly smooth either. A few things threw the routine off and I found myself rushing onto the start line. Last one away from base camp after a last minute visit to the 💩

It took a few laps just to settle down, organise my kit and nutrition, and get my head in the game.

I also massively underestimated how hot it would be.
Even in the Cairngorms with the wind, the heat crept up. For the first time ever I had that dry salt caked on my skin and forehead from sweating.

By about 35km the cramps started creeping in.
And that was with 500mg+ sodium per hour and around 75–100g carbs.

Clearly… I needed more.

Once the cramps started it was almost impossible to fully shake them.

Another big lesson I need to spend a lot more time in the hills.

The climbs were fine.

The descents absolutely battered my knees and ankles.

At 89kg racing weight I’m also carrying more bodyweight than I’d like for that kind of terrain.

Next time I’d like to be closer to 80kg which will make a big difference on the downhills.

Despite all of that, it was an incredible experience.
There’s something about ultras that strips everything back.

It’s simple: keep moving forward, problem solve, and see what you’re capable of when things get hard.

The best part?

By Tuesday my legs were completely back to normal, minus the giant blister from a stone in my shoe 🤣

Which tells me something important, There’s more in the tank next time.

08/03/2026

First Ultra distance bagged and being able to go out and do it with clients too was a fun experience.

The running community there was top notch

Only thing that kept me going to the ultra distance was my IG story poll 🤣

A lot of lessons learned yesterday happy with the effort but by no means content.

Be back better for the next one 👀

03/02/2026

Trust me I know how you feel.

I’ve walked in your shoes.

And if I’m honest, I still walk in them every single day.

I’m not an elite athlete.

I’m not someone who’s always been in shape, far from it.

My life is hectic.
It’s unpredictable.
And I wear a lot of hats

Father (autism dad 🫶)
Fiancé
Business owner
Coach

All while trying to improve my own health and fitness so I can be around as long as humanly possible for our son Adam.

Some days it’s hard.
Some days it’s stressful.
Some days you’re just exhausted.

But putting yourself first even when it feels selfish is never a waste of time.

Looking after your health isn’t just about you.

It’s about your family.
It’s about your future.
And years from now, when you’re still healthy, active, and present in their lives…

they’ll thank you for it.

13/12/2025

⚙️