Running Training

Running as part of a Personal Training programme or as regular Group Exercise sessions

You were born to run – free your mind and ease your body

Wednesday 13 October 2010 By Peter Moorhead Leave a Comment

Running on Autopilot

There is something about running that is almost a disconnection from what your body is doing and where your thoughts go. A bit like on those occasions when you are driving your car and you are either singing away to CD playing loud or you are thinking of something else completely unrelated. You are in autopilot and you come back to reality to find you have arrived at your destination or driven miles passed the motorway exit!

Let your mind drift

I do some of my best thinking when I am running and and it is really that altered state of consciousness that attracts me to run most days, I love it.

Of course I am a lucky man not only because my work as a Personal Trainer keeps me fit and healthy but because I get to share some of these moments with fellow runners sometimes just one to one and in a small group as I do with 10 km runners on a Friday evening and with absolute beginners on a Saturday morning each week. It is a real pick-me-up.

Twiddling

Each time the preparation is similar, regardless of the weather, I picture myself running and feeling free and without any effort it makes me smile and feel good. Then before setting off doing the “twiddling” as one of my friends calls it, to loosen and lubricate the bone joints before setting off.

Cool Running

Feeling easy, almost too slow and easy, getting into a rhythm and second breath, appreciating the beauty of the surrounding whether that be at Willen Lake, my office as I call it, or along the canal through Campbell Park or to Great Linford and the lakes beyond.

Into the stride and mental check list, hips forward, leaning forward from the toes, arms forward and back not across, breathing easy, footfalls under centre of gravity, kick back heels and smile, feel the joy!

Cool running; feeling easy, running free and light.

Fantastic

Beginners Enjoy Running & Fitness

Monday 27 September 2010 By Peter Moorhead Leave a Comment

How I do I start my new Fitness Regime?

Beginners after the workout

It’s a good question and asked by most people when they have decided to do something about losing a bit of weight and getting to be fitter.

I usually invite people to come to our class which runs every Saturday morning out of the Peace Pagoda car park at 9 am, we meet by down the end on the left by the big tree!

What if I am too slow for the others?

Well most people are a bit scared either because you have been put off exercise from a bad experience at school or uni. or you are worried that you wont be able to keep up. No need to worry anymore because everyone here is in the same situation. One of the best things about the group is how we all support each other, some days you feel strong, other days you need some help. We stick together and bond as a team together

Training Outdoors – What if the weather is bad?

You know the worst thing about bad weather is the thought of being our when it is cold a wet but with practice you get to know what to wear to keep warm and dry and there is no doubting that you feel just as good if not better when the weather is more challenging. I asked our group about coping with the weather last week and everyone said that the fresh air and chnging weathere was again, a good thing. Come and try it for yourself and if the weather has put you off, I’ll give you a full refund!

What do you do for the Beginners Classes?

Our session starts with some standing exercises to loosen up and mobilise the joints, we then set off at a brisk walk either along the canal or around by the Peace Pagoda and North Lake at Willen where we walk and jog and do some exercises at the benches, play some games do some exercises in other convenient place that you will get to know and love! If nothing else it breaks up the routine and gives you a chance to catch your breath because the idea is to raise your heartrate, to get you breathing and into the aerobic workout zone which is when you start to burn fat. With about ten minutes to go from the hour session we finsh off with relaxing flexibility exercises to gently stretch all the major muscles in your body

Will it be Fun?

I don’t subscribe to the “no pain no gain” school of thought. That is why I keep the beginners together so that everyone can enjoy the workout, laugh a lot and want to come back again for more. OK, you may be a little sore for a day or so afterwards but just enought to remind you that you are alive and have had a bit of a workout.

: Beginners after the workout

: Beginners Award Ceremony

Will it be safe?

Remember this class is run by me, a qualified and very experienced mature Personal Trainer. We follow fitness industry practices and guidlines, have accreditation with recognised fitness industry bodies, full insurance, are licenced to opertate and have First Aid Training. We always recommend that you seek advise from your GP prior to starting any fitness or weightloss regimen and ask you to complete a simple health checklist before you start. So we take every reasonable precaution to ensure your safety including a risk assessment of the area we are training in. Having said that, there is always a small risk and we ask you to consider your own safety as well and stop what you are doing and inform your instructor if you feel faint or unwell.

Filed Under: Fitness and Weight Loss, Goal Setting and Positive Outcome, Group Exercise, ParkFit Exercise Classes and Courses, Running Training Tagged With: beginners fitness, beginners_fitness, fitness, running

Running Injury Free – Discover the Magic of “Barefoot” Running

Monday 23 August 2010 By Peter Moorhead 1 Comment

Do Running Shoes Protect?

A good deal has been discussed about the merits or otherwise of technical training shoes and ever since Nike produced the first trainer designed to “protect” a runner’s foot from impact, the shoe industry has made millions from rolling out the latest running shoe every couple of months. But if you take the view that, as running animals, our bodies, and feet in particular, are designed to absorb and dissipate the shock of impact then why are we attempting to change that by modifying our natural movement with a lump of fabric and rubber?

No shoes – But we all wear shoes!

Of course, not many of us have feet tough enough to walk on a gravel path let alone running barefoot and actually the expression “Barefoot Running” more frequently describes a running technique with minimal footwear than running with no shoes. The biggest problem with literally running barefoot, not surprisingly, is all the stuff that can hurt and cut your feet, plus all the dirt you have to wash off when you’re finished running. We wear shoes these days!

And yet many people describe how barefoot running has improved their running, healed old injuries, strengthened their feet and legs, turned flat feet into feet with arches and for me, allowed me to run having being told I may not walk let alone run when in my 20’s.

Born to Run

Thanks to Chris McDougall’s inspiring and exciting best-selling book, Born to Run, runners are discovering the magic of barefoot running which for me is a technique I have used since a back injury 30 years ago and I now run at least six days each week. I have practiced and refined the techniques learned from Chi Running, the PACE method and more recently from reading of experiences of Christopher McDougal with the Tarhumara Indians and added the human element to change a technique into a joyful and invigorating experience.

Run barefoot on grass

So avoiding the pain, the easiest way for you to learn the correct posture and foot placement is to run barefoot on the grass with your coach, to “remember” or re-learn how to run. Then, applying what you have learned, back on with the shoes and this time the shoes you choose will protect your feet from abrasion rather than forcing your foot to roll inwards, outwards or not at all.

Running the way our bodies are designed will change your views on what you wear on your feet and the good news is, until the training shoe industry catches up with the move away from technical training shoes, most “Barefoot” running shoes are less expensive and you may even develop a preference for the running sandals worn by the Taruhumara.

Filed Under: Fitness and Weight Loss, Goal Setting and Positive Outcome, Niggling Injuries and Pain, Personal Training, Running Training

Spring into Fitness with a Personal Trainer

Tuesday 23 March 2010 By Peter Moorhead Leave a Comment

Spring has finally sprung and although it is still a bit miserable and wet at least it’s getting warmer and lighter outside. I even cut the grass today!

At last people are starting to shake off the long winter apathy as is evident by the number of enquiries about Personal Training and joining our Saturday Fit Club, Cycling, Nordic Walking and ParkFit groups

Home consultation for Personal Training

My first free consultation this week was early Monday morning when I spoke to a woman considering Personal Training to help her prepare for a special event later this year.

Like many of us, she wants to get fit but finds the gym boring and uninspiring, she needs to be motivated and enjoy her work out instead of it being just another chore. Losing a little bit of weight will not go amiss either but she is a busy woman with a full time work and a home to run as well.

We spent some time chatting to get to know a bit about each other but in general the talk was about, likes and dislikes for exercise, about what she is doing now and in the past to keep fit and about setting some realistic goals. We also talked about small changes, commitment and how I could best help her achieve the goals we had agreed upon and I left her with two bits of advice to get started right away. I then made a promised to put together a programme overview for her to look at before I would ask for her to choose to work with me or not.

It is good to meet someone who has decided to make a change for a healthier lifestyle and to feel better because I know that, with some commitment on all sides, I can provide the inspiration, motivation and perhaps most importantly of all, the accountability, which is so often the missing piece between success or failure. A Personal Trainer can really make a difference here and I look forward to many more conversations such as this.