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http://www.warwickpersonaltrainer.com/

Hedge Haigh Personal Training, Warwick (2025)

22/10/2024

If you want to tone or build a specific area of your body, focusing too much on that one area can actually inhibit the function of the muscles involved.

I recommend picking compound movements the majority of the time, and utilising isolation only to improve strength within exercises which stimulate the muscle in a way which will be relevant to its function in day to day life.

The chest, quads, abdominals and biceps are muscle groups which are particularly relevant here, as many people want to develop these “beach muscles” they often over-train them and reduce range of motion through developing too much tension, or not stretching the muscle and training with full range, and there is often an over-reliance on isolating these muscle groups.

To increase your metabolic rate for burning fat (or to effectively build lean tissue) and to train for longevity - ideally muscle balance and efficient movement will be what you strive for, rather than trying to develop a mind-muscle connection or to just build one area (and pouring with sweat does not necessarily mean you are training effectively for losing fat, it just means you are hot)!

Remember that some of the biggest muscle groups with the most important functions are hidden away and you cannot see them when you look in the mirror (glutes, hamstrings, lats), however, training these muscle groups with their primary function in mind will lead to better alignment of the pelvis and spine, allowing you to build better strength in areas which are more commonly trained (e.g. abdominals, quads, chest or arms).

This is one reason why I often recommend avoiding sit-ups, crunches and other spinal flexion movements like leg raises – not only can these exercises put you at risk of disk bulges, they are often ineffective for fat loss and can actually make the stomach look worse!

Performing a high number of crunches can lead to an imbalance in the hip flexors, creating an anterior pelvic tilt in many cases, meaning your pelvis tips forward which forces an excessive arch in your lower back - resulting in a protruding stomach.

Instead you could utilise a foam roller to help you open and stretch your chest, practice hip extension movements such as glute bridges, and aim to train your core muscles for their primary function in breathing and in stabilising the spine.

Holding the plank can also be a much better option to train the deep core core muscles, along with diaphragmatic breathing and learning how to create a "TVA vacuum".

This exercise involves pulling the stomach in for periods of 6-10 seconds which will strengthen the deep core muscles and create a “synching-in” effect on the thoracolumbar fascia (tightening “gods weight belt”) – which can mean better posture, a stronger core and a tighter stomach.

Training your entire body and seeking to balance strength with mobility will lead to more lean tissue growth (fewer plateaus and injuries) and a better hormone and metabolic response from training, because you can train with higher volume, load and intensity.

Focus on isolating too much and you’ll shorten your hip flexors, pecs and biceps, as well as overloading your sympathetic nervous system which will make it harder to burn body fat and develop balanced muscle tone – not only that you may find yourself walking around like the missing link, looking fit and strong but being unable to perform everyday tasks like gardening and moving furniture, and be plagued with injuries which will hinder your progress and your motivation!

Achieving a fitness goal does require determination and commitment, but if you're not seeing results, doing more of the same thing is unlikely to produce a different outcome.

Sometimes, it’s about being open to changing your approach and training smarter to break through those plateaus. 💪

19/10/2024

Scott’s journey is a true testament to what’s possible with commitment and the right plan.

When I first started training Scott we had to build the exercises up gradually but I was impressed by his eagerness to change his diet—he had tried everything before, and nothing seemed to work.

This time, he was ready to give it his all.

The results came fast. Week by week, Scott consistently made progress.

There were moments where his weight fluctuated, but I reassured him that this was normal, especially with such rapid weight loss.

His dedication to nutrition was key and gave him the foundation to challenge himself with more intense workouts, including running 5 and 10Ks.

It wasn’t long before the exercises he once dreaded, like walking lunges, became second nature. Watching him power through circuits with 25kg dumbbells, press ups, and pull ups was incredible!

In just 9 months, Scott lost 6 stone, and by the end of the year, that total reached an amazing 8 stone. His hard work and determination were simply outstanding!

If you're ready to start your own transformation, get in touch—every journey begins with that first step!

17/10/2024

🏋️‍♀️ CONSISTENCY 🏋🏼‍♂️

If there is one thing all of my successful clients have in common, this is it.

You’ll have ups and downs in your training—some days you’ll come to the gym full of energy, beat your PBs and really feel a sense of personal achievement.

Other days you won't have as much to give - you may feel like there's no point to the session and there may be some temptation to skip the rest of the session, or not go to the gym at all!

But remember: no single gym session is going to get you to your desired outcome.

Although it is important to build up to training at high intensity, sometimes you have to listen to your body and tone it down.

Training frequency is a very important variable, most of us should be doing functional resistance training at least 2-3 times a week in order to see continuous progress and really get the most out of a fitness programme!

As James Clear explains in "Atomic Habits", true success comes from building habits that become part of your identity.

It shouldn't be just about hitting one goal—it’s about becoming the kind of person who consistently shows up, even on the tough days, because it’s who you are.

Results don’t happen overnight. They’re the cumulative effect of consistent training and good nutrition over months and sometimes even years.

That’s why turning up to the gym and following the right plan is key!

It’s also important that your habits are driven by your intrinsic values—like prioritising health or strength—rather than being solely motivated by external outcomes.

It's all too common for people to fall off track because they've seen a fluctuation on the scales, but the body has natural fluctuations of 1-3kg due to hydration and glycogen levels, so we can't allow this measurement to affect our actions - especially when it is not always a reliable measure of progress in the short term.

When your actions align with your values, you’ll find it easier to stay consistent, regardless of the day-to-day highs and lows.

And when you reach your goals it is vitally important that you maintain the habits that got you there, otherwise you will lose your progress.

So even when your energy levels dip, focus on just showing up.

Over time, these habits will sustain you and carry you toward even bigger goals!

15/10/2024

Why is strength training a must for sustainable fat loss? 💪

A friend once shared an analogy to illustrate how we can sometimes be like a hamster on a wheel when we're trying to reach a goal, running faster and faster, without stopping to see if we're really heading towards where we want to be.

This caused me to think of the cardio area in the gym - usually being the busiest area - and how some members would spend hours every day wearing out their favourite treadmill only to be disappointed with the returns on their time and energy invested.

I'm sure many trainers can relate to the surprised reactions during an initial conversation about the best methods to lose body fat.

Clients are often surprised when I explain that, for the vast majority of people, a calories in calories out focus is ineffective - and that training for calorie expenditure (usually through steady state or endurance cardio) within a session is likely to cause plateaus in your progress due to the fact that adaptations to a cardio based programme tend to shift towards efficiency I.e. using the same amount of calories to run further or for longer, rather than actually increasing metabolic rate in the same way that resistance training does.

That's why cardio programmes can often show some results in the short term, but then progress is likely to stall after the first 6-12 weeks when your body has made adaptations to the stimulus.

So now that you are burning fewer calories to run 10k, the only way to further increase calorie expenditure for more fat loss is to run further, for longer or to train more frequently.

Eventually there are no more hours in the day, the body and the immune system is weakened from overtraining or you simply can't stand to spend even more time in the gym.

Many end up stuck in a routine of excessive exercise, I've even known people who would spend up to 4-6 hours a day in the gym—great for professional athletes when it's a full time job, but unsustainable for the average person.

So wait, "putting in the work" being out of breath and sweating doesn't guarantee results? Stated simply, no.

While training intensity is an important variable, sweat is not "fat crying".

In fact there is very little correlation between sweating and burning body fat, sweating is simply a means of thermoregulation when your temperature is too high.

So that's not the best way to measure the effectiveness of a particular programme or workout.

Endurance focused cardio is great for releasing endorphins and making you feel good, which is why it can be hard to break away from this method of training to an approach which prioritises the quality of your reps.

Strength and conditioning based workouts offer a much more effective method for achieving long term fat loss and health goals.

Not only are they associated with better functional capacity as we age, they also tend to preserve joint integrity which is important for injury prevention.

How does strength training burn fat?

* Strength training builds and preserves lean tissue and increases your metabolic rate so that you burn more calories throughout the day and night

* Depletes glycogen stores, which means you are more likely to use stored body fat for energy

* Increases levels of catecholamine hormones and enzymes involved in fat burning

* Improves insulin sensitivity which means you are less likely to store less fat after meals, this has an effect on blood glucose control which can lead to being more full between meals and less likely to crave junk food

* Temporarily increases metabolic rate for 24-48 hours due to excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (mostly happens during circuit training or high intensity training when your heart rate is elevated)
and also when recovering from the tissue damage created by weight training.

Another key point is that when someone loses weight through calorie restriction or cardiovascular activity, quite often a significant percentage of that will be lean tissue resulting in a lower metabolic rate and being more likely to put the weight back on in the future, if your daily activity levels drop.

A strength training program is much more likely to build or preserve lean tissue and increase your metabolic rate, so that further down the line you can be more relaxed with what you eat.

Strength also takes much longer to build, however, it will not diminish if you happen to have a week or two off from training.

Cardio fitness can be improved in a relatively short space of time but also diminishes quickly, so because of this I would tend to view strength training as more of a long term investment in your health.

Endurance cardio is also known to have a catabolic (losing muscle) effect on the body which can also affect your metabolic rate and can increase cortisol levels, which is linked to storing more body fat around the stomach.

Interval cardio training can help to increase your metabolic rate through the "Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption", a period of 24-48 hours of elevated metabolism following an intense interval session.

However, the limiting factor is often that the average person with weight loss goals is not able to safely train cardio at a high enough intensity for it to be effective for fat loss, they have to build up to this gradually, and most exercise classes do not allow frequent enough rest intervals to be able to work anywhere near your maximal intensity, so the emphasis is placed on endurance.

For the average gym user cardio will be less beneficial than resistance training for long term fat loss, so I encourage people to add in high intensity training once they have hit their quota for strength workouts in any given week.

Keep the strength exercises multi joint compound movements for maximum effectiveness, set rest times to a minute and do at least 3 sets of 8-12 on each exercise, maintain a high protein intake and train to technical failure.

Following an approach similar to this rather than pounding the miles away on a treadmill can really be the difference between seeing no significant changes in your body or actually surpassing those all important goals.

Sometimes we just have to train smarter, not harder.

12/10/2024

It was a pleasure helping Birgit and seeing her hit her targets and move beyond what she thought was possible! 💪

By breaking big goals down into small daily practices that add up to massive changes over the course of time, healthy habits become second nature and last a lifetime.

I’m looking to work with a small number of busy over 30s who would like to make sustainable changes and see long-lasting results! Please drop me a message or email info@warwickpersonaltrainer.com to get started! 📧

10/10/2024

As a Personal Trainer, I’ve found that one of the biggest barriers holding people back from achieving their health and fitness goals is the limiting beliefs we often have around food.

So many people feel trapped in a cycle of restriction, where the focus is always on cutting calories, eliminating food groups, and depriving themselves.

Words like "restrict," "eliminate," and "cut out" are used constantly, and this can reinforce the negative emotions and behaviors that led to weight gain in the first place - especially when not enough emphasis is placed upon what we should be eating to fuel our bodies optimally.

This mindset leads people to feel like they can't eat anything or that they need to starve themselves in order to lose weight.

People are often drawn to low calorie artificially sweetened products which are advertised as being healthier for you, but often they can be devoid of any quality nutrition, just causing you to feel even hungrier.

Protein, diet and meal replacement drinks are often some of the worst examples of this, because I've found that people are often less aware of the effect that drinks are having on their bodies and can be scared of consuming enough food when they're trying to lose weight.

We tend to treat our bodies like calorie calculators, expecting a lower intake in this number to lead to a consistent reduction in the number on the scales.

The truth is - for the majority of people - this approach doesn't work in the long run.

People tend to take calorie restriction to a level where it is unsustainable, trying to lose weight as much weight as possible from the outset without building healthy levels of lean muscle first, leading to poor results which causes non-compliance and falling back into old habits quickly.

The evidence shows that yo-yo dieting (extreme calorie restriction followed by periods of unhealthy eating when you fall off track) can cause you to lose muscle during the restricted time periods, and then when you return to old habits, the weight you regain is often stored body fat and not the muscle which you lost!

This is detrimental because the amount of lean tissue you have is like your engine, so when we lose muscle we burn less energy at rest and are more prone to storing fat, similarly an increase in your body fat percentage can lead to hormonal changes which make it more likely for you to continue storing more.

This is how both fat loss and fat gain can cause a "snowball effect".

It’s time to break away from this cycle and take a more positive, sustainable approach to nutrition and weight loss.

The way the human mind works, it can't process a negative thought (if I asked you to not think of a pink elephant, it would usually be the first thing that comes into your head!).

So with this in mind it makes sense to shift most of our focus towards what we should be eating more of - to fuel our bodies for optimal results.

Instead of focusing on what you need to cut out of your diet, I encourage you to shift your focus to what your body actually needs - starting with protein.

Most people with weight loss goals need to eat at least 140-240g of protein per day, based on the recommendation of 1.8g of protein per kg of body weight.

Yet, from my experience, many people are only getting a fraction of that, with the average person consuming just one protein-based meal a day.

The rest of their meals are often made up of refined carbohydrates, low-nutrition options like soup, or snacks that don’t provide much value.

When you consider that the first 30g of protein you eat each day is required just to support your immune system, that leaves very little for your body’s other needs—like maintaining lean muscle, repairing tissues, and even supporting healthy skin, hair, and nails.

If your body is only getting 45g of protein or less, it’s not enough to fuel these vital functions, let alone support weight loss.

So, rather than obsessing over what foods you should avoid, start by prioritising the right foods—particularly protein and high-quality vegetables.

Once you meet your protein requirements and fill your plate with nutritious veg, you’ll find that there’s naturally less room for highly processed carbohydrates and sugar (which both have similar effects on the body).

And if you do run better on carbs, having them later in the day or after exercise for recovery (or combining them with healthy fat, protein and fibre to reduce the glycemic load) will mean they are more likely to replenish glycogen stores and less likely to cause fluctuations in blood glucose - which make you hungrier.

This brings me to another important point—choosing real, whole foods over processed options - particularly when it comes to protein.

A simple rule I’ve come to appreciate is: “If it’s advertised across TV and social media, it’s probably not healthy.”

While there are exceptions, most foods with big marketing budgets—like processed snacks, low-fat products, and weight loss supplements—are designed for profit, not health.

These companies spend huge amounts on packaging, billboards, and TV ads to convince you that their products are good for you, but in reality, they are often filled with cheap, low-nutrient ingredients and can crash your blood glucose in a similar way to sugar, causing you to feel hungrier shortly after consuming them.

Fake processed foods such as wheat and grain products, low-fat items, many weight-loss supplements, soy products, vegetable and seed oils as well as processed meat snacks have very high profit margins because they are inexpensive to produce.

That’s why you see them everywhere—on the end shelves in supermarkets with attractive advertising while the whole foods aisles can be less appealing.

On the other hand, real, nutrient-dense choices like berries, eggs, fish, meat, vegetables, nuts, and beneficial supplements don’t need flashy ads, are rarely on offer and have a much less appealing placement on the supermarket shelves.

These foods have low profit margins because the money goes into the quality of the product itself, not the marketing.

These are the foods that will provide real, lasting benefits to your body, even though they may not come in shiny packaging or have adverts telling you how great they are.

The problem is that good nutrition advice is hard to come by these days.

We are constantly bombarded with marketing that tells us what to eat and how to feel about certain foods.

But remember, most of the time, this marketing is about making you feel good about a purchase, not about actually improving your health.

The usual emotions you get from shopping on Amazon or buying products such as clothes or a new phone are often not very helpful when it comes to making better food choices.

If you want to feel genuinely good about the food you’re eating, it’s important to rely on your own intuition and trusted sources of information; rather than the messages coming from multinational companies whose primary interest can be profit over your health.

In summary, instead of focusing on what foods to cut or restrict, try a new approach—one that emphasises fueling your body with the right nutrients.

Make meeting your protein needs and eating real, whole foods your priority.

Not only will you feel more satisfied and energised, but you’ll also set yourself up for long-term success in your health and weight loss goals.

So with this more positive and empowering mindset, what’s stopping you from getting started?

The journey to better health doesn’t have to be about deprivation or restriction—it can be about nourishment, balance, and long-term success.

Hedge 🙂

P.S. Don't forget the pink elephant - when you feel hunger "think protein"!

09/10/2024

Have you ever paused to reflect on how you feel about your body, health, fitness, and food choices?

Are these thoughts uplifting, or do they leave you feeling down?

It's common to experience negative emotions around our health and fitness choices.

These feelings can impact other areas of our lives, leading to guilt and a lack of motivation.

But here's the key: understanding and facing these emotions is crucial before setting any fitness goal.

A personal trainer can help you tap into these emotions, turning pain into a powerful motivator.

Unless you can connect with your goals emotionally, and really believe in that WHY - it can be difficult to keep yourself on track during the highs and lows of your fitness journey.

Many fall off the bandwagon early on because they forget why they set out to do it, or feel lost in the process and lose sight of the end outcome, the "destination".

Many people are stuck in a rut and feel trapped in the cycle of negative emotions regarding food, exercise, their body shape and health.

So they don't get started in the first place, or feel scared to fully commit to a goal at the risk of failing.

So instead they would "dip their toes in the water" and realistically do themselves an injustice by not committing their efforts to the end result.

This really is preparing to fail - if there's no emotional connection to a goal then it can be difficult to make and maintain the changes to behaviour needed in order to get the results you want.

How will you make the right decisions and form the habits needed to get there unless the goal resonates with you on a deeper level then "I should start working on my fitness" or "I wish I could lose the belly fat".

So what's the answer?!

How do you get the level of motivation that all those "high achievers" have, and more importantly - how do you keep it up?

It starts with self-honesty.

Because the driver is different for every person, and the only person who can create this change is you!

In order to move forward, it's time to face that pain and ask yourself how does your current level of health/current body shape make you feel right now?

Why does it make you feel like that?

Then ask yourself how will you feel if you achieve x, y and z?

What outcomes can you visualise that relate to reaching your goal and how will it make you feel if they become your reality?

Write this down, you now have your WHY, you've found the emotional driver and this is actually more important than the goal itself (because the goal should change over time as you move on to greater accomplishments).

When you have a big enough reason WHY, when it resonates with your values and beliefs, and when you have a strong emotional connection to the end outcome your "SHOULD" turns into a "MUST"!

The most important thing is to throw yourself into your fitness journey - take action now!

Once you have set your goal, join a gym, contact a personal trainer or start exercising at home.

For many, even a daily walk can be a significant step forward.

Take those first few steps, keep reminding yourself of your WHY, visualise your success, commit yourself to consistent action - and then once you've gained momentum and the results create a "snowball effect", the possibilities are endless.

Start today and see where it takes you!

08/10/2024

✖️ EXCITING NEWS FOR WARWICK OVER 30s✖️ I've Just Opened Up More Spaces On My 90 Day Programme

My new 90 Day Kick-Start is designed for busy people living in and around Warwick.

Fed up with fad diets and promised quick fix results? Want to be coached on how to create and maintain long lasting results without restrictive diets and limited diet plans?

➡️Get in touch with me to see how I can help in just 90 days!

The great thing about this Programme is that it is designed to suit ANY ABILITY

Are you looking to...

🤞🏼 Kick-Start your health & fitness, I take into account injuries and underlying health issues

💕 Improve health and fitness while also improving relationships, energy & wellbeing

💥 Feel Less Tired And Have More Energy Throughout The Day

Here’s what you’ll expect in this Programme ⬇️

✅ PERSONAL TRAINING Sessions in my private training studio

✅ Nutrition EDUCATION & meal ideas to enhance your results alongside improving balance within lifestyle & family

✅ Discover how NEURO-PERFORMANCE exercises unlock your potential for optimal cognitive function & resilience to stress

✅ More ENERGY, be FITTER, LEANER & STRONGER

✅ ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT with custom training programmes, instructional videos and food diary tracking 24/7

This is the Over 30s Kick-Start Programme designed to improve your body, fitness and health 💪🏼

❗PLEASE NOTE SPACES ARE LIMITED ❗

13/05/2024

Are you stressed because of poor gut health?

Most of us have experienced the sensation of having "stomach butterflies" when we feel nervous, so we know that the gut and the brain are connected, but is there a proven link between gut health and your stress levels? 🧠

Research in humans and animals suggests that the vagus nerve has a crucial role in passing messages between the gut and the brain, almost acting like a motorway passing information back and forth. 📧

The vagus nerve is associated with activity of the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), which is why people who are chronically stressed are often found to have poor vagal tone.

It is thought that when there is a state of dysbiosis (too much bad bacteria, not enough good) the messages between the gut and the brain start to change and vagal tone is reduced - which leads to increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and an increase in stress hormones. 😤

When stress hormones are elevated this also creates an environment for bad bacteria to thrive, the pathogenic species crowd out the good bacteria leading to more imbalance, which can create a viscous cycle of more stress and more bad bacteria! ❌

Eating nutrient-dense high fibre vegetables & berries that will nourish the good bacteria (as well as reducing sugar and processed food)
is an effective way to start to break this cycle and reset your gut health whilst reducing stress, improving your mood and getting rid of the brain fog ✅

Hedge Haigh Personal Training

22/10/2024

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13/05/2024

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