Bodyology Exercise Studio

Heard about kettlebells but don’t know where to start?

Love them already & know someone who could benefit too?

Here’s an informal chance to find out what the fuss is all about. Drop in & get your questions answered by Claire & Roger, two of only five level II Russian hardstyle instructors in the UK.

Find out about:

• Rocketing your cardio fitness
• Getting strong all over, quickly
• Burning calories as fast as running 6-minute miles, from day one
• Standing taller with better posture
• Banishing common injuries, such as shin splints, back & joint pain

See exercise demos, chat about what kettlebell training can do for you & even give it a go if you fancy.

Come along any time between 12 & 2pm on Saturday 30th October. If you have any questions, just ask.

See you there!

Proud congratulations to Claire for winning the UKBFF West Midlands 2010 Body Fitness title!

Full report to follow, but for now a pic of the happy champ:

Claire winning at the UKBFF West Midlands 2010

If you want to get fitter & bag a bargain too we’ve got good news!

We want you to get results & the key is consistency.

A chance to get more for less

So, when you commit to a month of classes we’ll reward you with a hefty discount. The more classes you pay for at the start of the month, the bigger your reward:

And you don’t just pay less, you receive priority when reserving places too.

Want it even cheaper? Ok! Refer a friend & when they pay for a monthly course, you’ll get a discount off your next course as well:

• When they buy 4 classes you get a £5 discount
• When they buy 8 classes you get a £10 discount

Sound good? Because our class sizes are limited, this offer is too. So, if you want to take advantage, confirm your places for this month now.

Full terms & conditions here. Any questions, please comment or contact us

Phil as he used to be

• Phil, tell us about the award you’ve won & what you’ve achieved so far.

“The award is the regional ‘Man of the Year’. This award is not necessarily for the biggest weight loss but for those who have shown commitment, drive and continuity.

My total weight loss before the award was 4st 7.5lbs (29kg) in 16 weeks [it's now well over 5st & counting]. I’ve been very consistent & lost weight every week so far.”

•Impressive numbers! It wasn’t always so positive though. When we first met you were in pain if you walked on the treadmill for a couple of minutes. You’re now doing shuttle sprints, flipping tyres & can deadlift 165kg. Tell us how the transformation started. (more…)

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, mainly because we’ve finally taken the plunge with a Bodyology page on Facebook as it’s more interactive. However, I’ve had a few requests to update the blog from FB-avoiders & it’s also better than FB for longer content.

So, I’m pleased to say the 40kg stacked press is now hoisted:

One of the lessons hit home at RKC II was how much sub-maximal work is effective for strength. That means instead of trying to increase your maximum lift by trying to lift your maximum, do it by increasing your proficiency at sub-maximal weight. Wherever your limit is, training at that level is stressful & requires a lot of recovery before you can do it again well.

So, to reach 40kg most of my pressing practice has been in the 20-32kg range. The lack of fatigue has allowed me to perform more high quality repetitions than if I was struggling under a heavy load. Practising the movement until it’s efficient means the body knows what to do when faced with the bigger bell. My weekly heavy sessions have comprised very few reps, but the maximum weight has crept up from 34 to 36 to 38 to 40kgs over the last few weeks.

This philosophy of rarely approaching failure seems counter-intuitive to anyone bought up on school PE or the fitness tabloids. It is challenging to suspend those prejudices & assumptions that tell you a workout doesn’t count unless you can’t move for three days after. Remember, possibly the simplest yet most important of the RKC’s guidelines: strength is a skill.

Our personal clients will know the philosophy well from their sessions & in recent weeks we’ve used timed blocks of quality reps in the kettlebell classes too. It’s amazing how much work you can achieve over a period of time by never flirting with failure.

So, press goal pressed – time to set a new goal. I’ll aim to have a video of something heavier going aloft before long.

If you’ve set yourself targets but don’t seem to be getting nearer (or even further away) no matter how much you practise, it’s time to stop & have a think about how you’re going to get there. Questions & comments welcome as always.

The way things were. Steve the electrician standing in what is now the changing room doorway.

Today marks the first anniversary of opening our studio in Forest Park. Our sincere thanks to all those who have come through the doors since then.

We’re proud to say that most of our current clients were with us on day one. Unlike chain gyms we don’t rely on a constant turnover of people paying for a membership they rarely use. We hope that all those who were here from the start & those who have discovered us since will still be enjoying their training & results when we mark our next anniversary & beyond. (more…)

Big ol' tyres. Every gym should have them.

The head coach here is also an RKC, so instead of rows of weights machines as you’d find in most gyms, he has a hall full of olympic bars, bells, clubs, sledgehammers, ropes & some giant tyres outside.

Sound familiar to anyone? (more…)

My sincere thanks to our cohort mc for rallying team UK into existence & for being such a learned & inquisitive companion throughout. You can check out mc’s insightful research into wellbeing at begin2dig.com

Our final day of training & at last we were outside all day in the Californian sunshine. Whoops & high fives all round.

No amount of factor thirty could prevent me looking a lobster shade of Brit-abroad pink by the end. At least it hid my grey pallor underneath. Yesterday’s head cold matured into aching joints & dizzy spells this morning which didn’t bode well for our final technique tests. (more…)

The legendary Arthur Saxon performing a heavy 'two hands anyhow'

Day two & annoyingly I’ve come down with a cold which doesn’t make thinking or lifting any easier. Today’s agenda requires plenty of both as it’s all about getting weights overhead in various ways: the viking push press, the jerk, the windmill, the side press & the bent press.

Lots of similarities between them & lots of differences too. A plethora of subtle & invaluable pointers of note from the instructors, who can perform these lifts with loads heavier than my bodyweight. (more…)

A pistol squat. The most fun you can have keeping one foot on the floor?

Ok, day one of the course proper & the culmination of our last six months’ training.

First up were the pull-up & press tests. Job done & the teaching started, taking us through the delights of the hanging leg-raise (touch your toes to your hands while hanging from a bar) & the pistol.

Don’t worry folks, they’re not moves we’ll be dropping into everyone’s program anytime soon….. (more…)