Build your pyramid

Good morning all, this is Sam typing today…

In our last email we asked you for some feedback and we both want to thank you so much for your responses so far – it makes us so proud and humbled to know how much SMASH means to you – keep it coming in – its been so helpful and we will be able to go through it properly in the next couple of weeks to take what we can from it. We already created our new (and amazing) class format used yesterday - "The Finisher" - based on some of your feedback so please send any comments and suggestions through to help us develop even more .

On the subject of new classes... a big thanks to you guys that came to our first ever SMASH run. We will continue to build your confidence with running and help reach that 10k goal. Over the next week your running challenge is to fit 2 runs into your schedule. 30 minutes for each is enough, and run/walking is fine. Make one of them SMASH Run on Wednesday at 12:15pm if you can!

Today I wanted to talk a little more about our focus of “foundations” from the angle of training. Purely by chance, on Monday we did the pyramid style training class (90 second run, 60 second with a sandbag, 45 second HIIT and 30 second plank) and during it I thought that the Pyramid is a great example of what it means to have solid foundations!

In order to get to where you want to be you have to start with strong foundations to build upon; whether it's making small adjustments to your diet with the end goal of losing or gaining a certain amount of weight, focusing on endurance-based weight training in order to build strength without injury or if its laying the groundwork for a 10k race with shorter run/walking sessions (hint hint www.vitalitylondon10000.co.uk).

January is always a time when people re-focus, feeling the most motivated to begin new things or improve aspects of their lives – but its also the time of year where many people struggle that little bit more. A re-focus could possibly mean that some of the negative things affecting our lives in 2017 still need to be addressed. In fact this Monday (15th Jan) is officially “blue Monday”, the day of the year where the combination of crappy weather; the wait till the next pay day; the fading memories of Christmas; and the potential failings of traditional new year resolutions kick in resulting in “the most depressing day of the year”.

This is why taking “resolutions” slow and steady, focusing on building good foundations as opposed to jumping head first into a new extreme routine, is the most sustainable pathway to aim for. For me, I have been applying my buzzword of “focus” to different aspects of my life and so far have found that I have already been much more efficient - feeling a lot more in control day-to-day.

I have been working with my clients to set them THREE main focuses for the year, whether its to be able to achieve x number of push ups; or to get down/up to x weight or to be able to say they now train x times a week… Whether it is a fitness goal or any goal in your life have a think now what are your THREE achievable goals that you WILL have implemented into your life by the end of 2018. Check in with your goals at least weekly and at any point take one and expand on it… what three things can you do to help you towards that goal?

For me one of my fitness goals is to get a PB in my half marathon distance. Breaking this down by three; my main focuses are to

• run more frequently (increase from 1-2 longer runs a week to 3-4 more focused runs a week)
• run longer distances (1x a week only run 10+km)
• add interval training to my schedule (one session a week use the treadmill for sprint/hill intervals)

Small, specific and achievable goals will help you get to the top of that pyramid. Have strong foundations and then keep on building throughout the year.... it may feel like an effort at times but the view at the top will be worth it!

Sam and Ashley

SMASH

For Body  For Mind  For Life

p.s. one of the best ways to combat the Blue Monday effect is to exercise… of course there may be a couple of ways we can help with that

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