Strong in Surrey Personal Training

26/04/2023

3 weeks ago I found a lump.
During a routine check, I noticed something that hadn’t been there before. I felt it, felt my other b**b, felt it again. Moved the way I was lying and felt again. It was definitely a lump.

Doing the job I do, I knew this wasn’t something to ignore. It was bank holiday weekend, so as soon as my dr surgery opened on the Tuesday, I emailed and had an appointment that afternoon.

The GP confirmed she felt it too and gave me an urgent referral. After hospital appointments (being told I was probably too young by one nurse 😡) and scans, appointments with specialists, weeks of feeling nervous and stressed, weeks of not sleeping properly and thinking about what it could be and what it probably wasn’t, today I found out it’s not sinister. It’s a cyst… we have to keep an eye on it, I have to go back in 6 weeks, have a yearly mammogram and potentially have a genetics test due to family history.

Interestingly it has given me a deeper understanding of the beginnings of most of my clients journeys and what they might have been feeling in the lead up to their initial results.

The moral of the story is, you’re never too young. Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate. My specialist took me seriously, my gp took me seriously. The sonographer took me seriously.

Have a monthly feel, feel it on the first. Check the next 2 pics to see how and don’t leave these things - get yourself checked.

**bs

17/02/2022

06/01/2022

My toes still do a weird little dance when I lift heavy things - anyone else?!

Seriously though, I left the hospital after working with the amazing cancer patients there, feeling totally motivated and inspired by them - and spent an awesome hour Motion Training straight after.

Getting a little less scared of throwing heavy things over my head, and it’s definitely easier when the coaches are always there to make sure you’re alright!

This was just the strength section. The wod was brutal but once again, very proud that I completed it and felt good at the end. Little by little, progress is happening!

STRENGTH
5 x1 Clean + 1 Pause Split Jerk + 1 Split Jerk
rest 2:00

WOD
10 RFT
5 Hang Squat Cleans
5 STOH
CAP 12

Thanks for today Grace & !

03/11/2021

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY!

My goal was for everyone to leave the event with hope. Bags and bags of hope. S**t tons of it. Hope that they CAN feel stronger, hope that this diagnosis doesn’t mean the end of moving in ways they love. Hope that that leaflet they were given, telling them to barely move and that they can never lift again will be a thing of the past soon. Hope that there’s so many people fighting for them to have more ways to feel fit and strong, despite what they’re going through. Hope for exercise being the fourth treatment.

I’ve never felt so passionate about something in my whole life and this is just the beginning. I will not stop. Ever.

A HUGE Thank you to everyone who came down yesterday. Thank you to all the speakers and the audience members who turned up with an open mind and warm hearts and got involved, shared your stories, spoke so openly. It felt like such a safe, positive and wonderful space for everyone to just be. Thank you to all the charities and brands who so kindly donated to the goody bags. Thank you to .home for such a beautiful location to hold the event in.

It’s time to tell you (if you didn’t know already) that me and the legend that is are teaming up. Just Thrive is getting bigger and better. More is coming. More events. Things even bigger than events. We are throwing everything at this. So watch this space. S**t’s about to go down. Cancer thrivers, we’ve got your back.

It’s time to JUST THRIVE.

27/10/2021

TIME TO FEEL STRONG AGAIN…

You asked and I listened - incoming, a whole bunch of workouts for you all!

This one is perfect for those of you - cancer thrivers as well - who are post op, midway through treatment, feeling like you’ve got some strength and cv fitness to rebuild but don’t know where to start.

So long as you’ve had the okay from your team - you’re good to go!

Grab a chair, a fireplace / windowsill / sofa / wall and get to working!

Go for a full circuit & then take 1-5 mins rest, depending on how you feel / where you’re at and then try for one - four more sets!

Work up to 10 x each / each side

💪Sit stand - proud chest, squeeze glutes to stand
💪Punches - core tight, elbows by your side
💪Step up & knee drive - engage core and hold knee drive for 1 second before stepping down
💪Incline press-ups - use a wall or something lower, depending on what’s comfortable. Chest to whatever you’re using.
💪Seated sit ups - belly button to spine, don’t use momentum.

Any questions, my DMs are always open!

y

27/08/2021

JUST THRIVE

I’ve teamed up with the amazing and brought together some of the incredible women in the cancer & exercise world that inspire me every single day.

On 30th October, at .home in Holborn, join us for a day for cancer thrivers and those who live, love and work with those going through their cancer experience. From an open and honest conversation with a panel of women who’ve used exercise alongside their treatment, to a nutritionist giving you the skills you need to fuel your body the right way, to an interactive session with a top pelvic health physio to find your core strength and SO much more. Join us for a day to help you thrive!



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The link to book is in my bio - I really can’t wait to see you all there! X

01/08/2021

01/08/2021

One half of Strong Studio.

My private 1-2-1 or 1-2-2 PT studio, between Lower Sunbury and Hampton.

03/06/2021

FREE INSTAGRAM LIVE - CANCER FRIENDLY - WORKOUT OVER ON Kettleb**bs INSTAGRAM

THIS SUNDAY 10AM

NO KETTLEBELL NEEDED, PERFECT FOR ALL ABILITIES & LEVELS OF FITNESS!

01/04/2021

Pistol squat challenge! Inspired by Littletfitness! Maybe with a little less finesse (okay a lot) but I did it and I didn’t land in my fireplace, face plant the carpet or break anything!

A little message to all of you out there - after some convos that I’ve had with my clients this week, I want you to all stop for a second and think of something you’ve achieved, smashed, completed this week, in fitness or in other areas of your life - and shout about it! Whether that’s to a friend, on here, however you like - IT IS OKAY TO BE PROUD OF YOURSELF - and finally - LITTLE WINS ARE STILL WINS!

Save, share & tag a friend who either you can challenge to do the pistol sequence OR who you think should celebrate themselves!

What little wins have you achieved this week?!

25/03/2021

This Saturday I’m running a FREE cancer friendly workout.
For anyone who has, has had or has been affected by cancer - join me (and a whole heap of amazing people!) for a 45 min workout - perfect for all abilities. All I’m asking is that if you can, you donate to a cancer charity of your choice!

Know someone who wants to get involved or fits the bill? Send them my way!

Get in touch for details! X

20/02/2021

Hit Save, Share & Get Stuck In!

Who knew, the humble resistance band could be so magical and versatile (with the assistance of my magic Nike sock)!

🔥 Single Arm Kneeling Shoulder Press. Be sure to tuck your hips under and keep your core engaged here and don’t forget to work the other shoulder too!
🔥 Lat Pull Down (make sure the sock and door are tied/shut tight) Depress & retract your shoulder blades as you pull the band towards you. Keep your eyes on the top of the band and squeeze your elbows into your ribs for a second at the bottom, before releasing the band with control.
🔥 Glute Bridge Iso Hold & Chest Press. Keep your core and glutes engaged at all times, keeping hips lifted high, while you press the band with control.
🔥 Single Arm Bent Over Row. Depress your scapula - pulling it away towards your back pocket - before pulling on the band and making a shark fin with your elbow, don’t forget both arms.
🔥 Deadbug & Pallof Press. Keep tension in the band and pull it over you - making sure to not let your body fall towards it as you press. Be sure to work both sides here!
🔥 Face Pull. In a split stance, have your hands in an overhand grip, with your arms outstretched, drop your shoulders away from your ears (depressing your scapula). Pull the band towards your face, keep your elbows out, in line with your shoulders & squeeze your shoulder blades together (retract your scapula). Great for those of you sitting at a desk & feeling a little hunched over.

This isn’t a full work out - these are exercises that you can add into your workouts. Think about adding (for example) shoulder press (video 1), lat pull down (one with the sock), chest press (laying on my back) and deadbug pallof press (legs and arms moving) into a full body workout alongside your lower body movements and see how you get on! Then you can chop and change and add in the ones you like the best!

18/02/2021

How to use a towel for pull ups & more!

Hit save, share & let me know if you have a go!

Many of my clients don’t have equipment and I know lots of you have struggled to come by it as well! So, here’s how you can work:
🔥 pull ups
🔥 assisted pull ups
🔥 face pulls
🔥 rows
🔥 front raise

ALL USING A TOWEL & A DOOR!

Make sure the knot is tight, the towel is anchored safely and the door shuts tight. Have a clear or soft space around you and keep your core engaged throughout! What are you waiting for - get that towel from the airing cupboard & get to working!

15/02/2021

While the pandemic is affecting all of us in our day to day lives - it’s had huge adverse affect on those having cancer treatment.

Where you could have people sitting with you during chemo before or with you while you wait for tests etc, now it’s all done alone. This makes the journey quite a long and lonely one.

Usually, I work at the Royal Surrey’s St Luke’s Cancer Centre once a week, through the Fountain Centre, helping those going through treatment with 1:1 PT sessions - the pandemic put a stop to these too.

So - I’m baking and donating cookies every week to those going through their treatment at the RSCH St Luke’s, so that they have a little something sweet to make them smile!

I’ve already had donations to cover costs for over 100 packs of 2 cookies - so thank you to everyone who has pitched in so far!

Bags are £1.50 each or 5 for £5 - all proceeds go towards the ingredients and packaging and anything leftover is donated to the fountain centre!

Let me know if you’d like to donate 🙂

07/02/2021

NEWSFLASH - GET YOUR PULL UPS HERE!

Hit save, share or comment if you’re gonna give this a go!

No pull up bar - no worries at all!

Whether your pull up game is strong, or you’re still working for that one full perfect pull up, here’s how you can get to working them, from your front room!

Grab a long resistance band (one of the easiest, most versatile and cheapest pieces of equipment still available online) anchor it round something sturdy (I used sofa legs) and round your ankles.
Lay on your front, arms extended.
Brace your core (maybe lay on a towel on hard floors or something to protect you from carpet burns)

21/01/2021

Increase the 🔥 without adding weight!

Save, share & get stuck in!

Here’s 8 reasons why your lack of home workout equipment won’t stop you hitting your goals.

Moving the position of the weight will recruit additional muscles in the same movement, it certainly makes for a more challenging exercise.

Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase - In a rush to get your workout done? STOP. Add an extra 4 seconds to the lowering phase. You’ll increase the time under tension, put more strain on your muscles & increase the intensity & your strength!

Add an extra 1/2 rep - These stop me rushing, keep me focussed on form & really burn!

Add a deficit. The most important thing to focus on here, is to use the extra space you’ve created. Talk about bang for your buck, these will help you with mobility too!

Add a pause (or more than one) - time under tension! Add a 2-3 second pause at one - or more stages of the movement, helping you build strength at every stage of the movement.

Make it explosive/plyometric - not for everyone BUT, if like me, you come from a background where being springy was important - or you just love doing your best tigger impression, add power to your favourite exercise. You can thank me later.

2:1/accentuated eccentric training - Who doesn’t love a 2 for 1 deal! 2:1 training means you’ll lift the load with 2 limbs (in this case, legs) but lower - controlled - on only one. While you’re using a heavier weight than you could lift concentrically (on the way up) with one limb, you’re able to overload each individual limb with 2x the normal load. Without getting all sciency on you - this builds muscle, as it causes your body to recruit and fatigue more muscle fibres.

Add instability - as with moving the position of the weight, making yourself (safely) unstable will challenge your core, making you work to stay steady, which in turn makes you work harder!

If you’d like more of a challenge with your home workouts, get in touch, I’d love to help!