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Introducing Personal Trainer and Parkour Fitness Specialist, Rowena R

July 16, 2015November 1, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

Rowena is one of our most creative trainers, regularly practicing the art of parkour. She has a great understanding of how the body moves and like most great trainers, practices what she preaches on a daily basis.

What is your biggest client success story?
I worked with a weight loss client who managed to drop from a size 20 to a size 10 by changing her lifestyle and nutrition. When we started she was extremely self conscious and embarrassed by her low fitness levels. It was great to see her confidence grow as the months went by. Her posture improved, she treated herself to a new wardrobe and actually started to enjoy the sessions! She recently ran her first 10k and has progressed from a 20 second plank on her knees to a 90 second full plank.

What do you enjoy about being a part of the TruBe Team?
I love the philosophy behind the app and the fact it caters to today’s modern lifestyles. I love the use of functional exercise in the signature workouts as this is something I am very passionate about. I encourage all my clients to be strong for a reason! I also really enjoy teaching the barre workouts as I can draw upon my background as a professional dancer.

Your favourite piece of TruBe equipment?
The suspension trainer; as it’s so versatile and can be used both in and outdoors. It is great for core strength and adds an extra dimension to body weight training, enabling you to work through a greater range of motion without losing form.

What was your last health and fitness obstacle and how did you overcome it?
In September last year, I had surgery on both my knees and was on crutches for 2 months. This was a challenging time as I am normally so active. The surgery was quite invasive and I was left with a lot of scar tissue to work with but I was determined to make a full recovery. I’m happy to say the hard work paid off and I am now stronger than before and have a newly found confidence in my knees.

Tell us something we don’t know about you?
I lived in Cuba for 2 years, speak fluent Spanish and dance a mean salsa!

What is your favourite instagram account you follow?
GMB fitness – as they offer great tutorials

What is your favourite motivational quote?
Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live in.

What was your latest qualification?
Parkour UK ‘Parkour fitness Specialist’. Taking the principles of free running and parkour training into a fitness context.

How do you treat yourself?
With a pair of new workout leggings. I have a ridiculously large collection of colourful leggings, but there is always room for one more pair!

What is the best piece of advice you have received from a mentor?
If it doesn’t challenge you it won’t change you.

How do you find balance in your life?
I’ve learnt to be very strict about my days off work and rest days from training. Duvet day is sacred! It’s so important to take time out for myself and to give my body a chance to rest, yet not always easy to stick to. When I feel like I need a break I’ll take some time out for a walk by the river and a nice long stretch in the sun.

To book a session with Rowena, download the app and find her as one of our featured trainers.

Ten Reasons to Have a Personal Trainer On Demand

July 10, 2015July 22, 2017 Alex Coombes1 Comment

Exercising at home or in your local park is something we have all considered and even attempted, however it’s not as easy as it sounds. We believe that with a little bit of help you can achieve any fitness outside of the gym. There are many reasons why you may need someone to help you with your training outside of a gym; here are our top ten reasons.

You’re Time Poor
In London, long working hours are the norm and in a city where there is always something to do, usually involving drinking and eating, it is hard to squeeze in a workout. A mobile trainer will come to you, at your convenience.

You’re Expecting a Baby
Pregnancy is a tiring time and the last thing you want to do is leave your house and enter a busy gym. By ordering a trainer to come to your home you don’t need to worry about anything else except making the healthiest body for your baby.

You’re Injured
Being injured is a difficult time but it is still extremely important to keep exercising to maintain good circulation to deliver nutrients to the injured area. Some injuries will make it difficult to travel as you may have crutches, need a wheelchair or you’re just worried about being knocked over.

You’re A Work-At-Home Mum
Looking after children is a lot more than a full-time job and unless your gym has a creche it can be difficult to find the time to exercise. If your order a personal trainer to your home you can workout and keep an eye on the little ones at the same time.

Gyms Aren’t For You
The gym can be an intimidating place. An on-demand personal trainer can help you exercise just as well, if not better, from the privacy of your own home.

You Want to Make the Most of the Nice Weather
The sun can make rare appearances in London, but when it does London has some of the best parks to work out in. However, it is definitely easier to lie on the grass than to do push ups or sit ups, so a personal trainer that will meet you at the park will stop your workout turning into a picnic.

You’re an Exercise Newbie
If you are new to exercise the last place you want to go is somewhere full of judging eyes and so called “experts.” A personal trainer outside of the gym will help improve your fitness levels from the privacy of your own home.

You can Exercise with Friends
Healthy socialising is hard to come by in London. Ordering a personal trainer to meet you and your friends at a location convenient to all means that you focus on catching up and let the trainer worry about what set you’re going to do next.

You Get Distracted Easily
Home or park environments are littered with distractions that can prevent you from performing to your maximum. A good personal trainer will transform a dull, uninspired area into a focused, training arena.

You Need Fresh Inspiration
Training with your bodyweight requires a lot of creativity. Having an expert to train with can bring new ideas to your training to help you to push through plateaus and reach your goals.

TruBe trainers will travel anywhere in London bringing your workout to you. Its easy to book a session with our iPhone app. Download and book a session today.

Introducing Personal Trainer: Zycco W

July 6, 2015November 1, 2018 Alex Coombes1 Comment

Meet Zycco W, a TruBe trainer and bodyweight strength training expert.

What is your biggest client success story?
This would have to be Mark Fisher. Mark had a stroke over a year ago and the whole of the left side of his body stopped functioning for a year. When I first started training Mark, he ate quite badly and could not stand up or straighten out both arms. It took him 10-20 minutes to walk down a short road.

With my training, he has become a lot more confident, being able to stand up on his own and he can straighten both his arms. It now takes him 3-4 minutes to walk down the same road. His eating has drastically improved.

What do you enjoy about being a part of the TruBe Team?
TruBe is a lot like Uber for personal Trainers. I love the way TruBe has incorporated an on demand app into the fitness industry, making Personal training more flexible in London.

What was your biggest health and fitness obstacle and how did you overcome it?
I started my bodyweight training journey over a year ago. It’s been very challenging mentality, but I love pushing myself always trying to improve and get stronger. I am looking forward to being a well known bodyweight specialist.

What is your favourite piece of TruBe equipment?
The resistance bands. I use them on a regular basis and I’m always trying to think of new ways to incorporate them into my workouts.

How do you treat yourself?
I treat myself by doing other things I love such as photography, videography and graphic design. I also like a cheeky pizza.

What is your favourite instagram account you follow?
My favourite Instagram account would have to be gymrat.nuff_said & mr_barfreakz.

What is your favourite motivational quote?
“If not now, when.” “Love and Give, and it shall be returned.”

What is the best piece of advice you have received from a mentor?
The best advice from a mentor would have to be “You are your own brand, everything you do represents your brand, so be the best you and be proud of you.”

How do you find balance in your life?
I find balance by practicing being in the moment, enjoying being with whoever I am with and doing whatever I am doing.

To book a session with Zycco, download the app and find him as one of our featured trainers.

Quick and Easy Healthy Proteins

July 3, 2015April 25, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

Our bodies are literally made out of proteins. When we exercise we use proteins to repair and rebuild muscle cells. Protein based foods can also be used to replace calorie dense foods when trying to burn fat. This can leave you fuller for longer. However remember that for effective protein digestion you must eat them with a small amount of good carbohydrates.

Choosing the healthiest protein foods is easy if you stick to organic and those without any unwanted added extras. We have made a list of our favourite proteinous foods and the best way to eat them!

Animal Proteins

Eggs – One of the best mixes of protein and good fats. A great go to breakfast and also a great high protein snack when hard boiled.

Beef Jerky – Jerky has a bad reputation for being unhealthy. But if you buy beef jerky from a good natural source it is packed full of protein and easy to eat on the go.

Turkey – Turkey breasts are easy to cook in bulk and can be ready to eat when you get home from the gym. It’s a great lean source of protein with only 1g of fat per 30g serving.

Seafood Proteins

Sardines – Sardines are great for adding to salads straight from the tin. Making it a quick and easy meal after late training sessions. Just squeeze a bit of lemon for some zing!

Salmon – Salmon is extremely high in omega 3 which is a very important nutrient for muscular recovery. Smoked salmon slices can be eaten on the go or baked salmon can be added to a summer salad to increase the protein in the meal.

Prawns – Pre cooked prawns are one of the easiest on-the -go proteins around. They are perfect for post gym recovery with around 22g of protein for a 85g portion and packed with omega 3 fatty acids.

Non Animal Proteins

Nuts – Raw nuts and good quality, organic nut butters can be eaten on the go or at the desk. Try peanut butter spread on apple slices for a natural energy kick.

Lentils – Lentils are full of Iron, Vitamin B, magnesium and are a good amount of protein for a plant based food. Try making a large batch of homemade spicy lentil soup then freezing it for an easy, nutritious meal.

Hummus – Made from mainly chickpeas, it’s a yummy high protein plant based protein. A great proteinous snack when eaten in small amounts and easy to make at home.

Quinoa – Quinoa is a carbohydrate with one of the highest protein values that can replenish energy levels as well as aid muscle recovery. Great to add into salads or to make quinoa breakfast pots.

Dairy

Greek yogurt – Greek yoghurt is loaded with calcium making it one of the best foods to keep bones strong and healthy. It also contains around 10g of protein per 100g serving. Try mixing it with frozen berries for extra vitamins and minerals.

Protein Shakes – The easiest alternative protein source to whole foods. You can go for standard whey protein or try a hemp protein for a dairy free option.

Got a favourite on the go protein snack? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

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Why is Flexibility so Important?

June 30, 2015July 22, 2017 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

All dancers and gymnasts need to be flexible to achieve graceful movements. Having a flexible body also has a wide range of health benefits, and can help you reach your general fitness goals. Flexibility is usually associated with static stretching or being able to get into a position with a large range of motion. However it also encourages better mobility, which is the ability to use a large range of motion whilst moving.

Why you should spend time improving your flexibility and mobility

While you don’t need to spend masses of time working on your mobility, you can simply incorporate it into your warm up or morning wake-up routine to reap the benefits. Ideally, you should focus an hour a week on increasing your mobility. Here are four reasons why:

To Prevent Injuries

Static stretching was once used to prevent injuries. However increasing the static range of motion is like stretching an elastic band. If you don’t teach the body how to use a new range of motion properly, it will spring back to its original position, which can lead to injuries. Trying to move in a new and unknown way, particularly when muscles are not warmed up properly, can cause muscle tears, sprains and even dislocations. However If you gradually increase your range using dynamic stretching movements, you can teach your body how to cope in the new range, and over time explore more and more exercise options.

Burn More Fat
To burn fat you need to increase the amount of energy you expend. By increasing your mobility you will recruit more muscle fibres along the full length of the muscle which will then require more energy. If you aim to increase the mobility of all the muscles you use throughout the day then you will greatly increase the amount of energy you expend without doing any extra exercise.

Become Stronger

To become stronger a muscle needs to be fully activated. To activate a muscle you must lengthen it. The more a muscle is lengthened whilst moving, the more muscle fibres will be recruited resulting in larger muscles and increased strength. A good example of this is the crossover lunge. This exercise isolates the glute by lengthening it in all three planes of motion: rotating it, extending it forwards and sideways.

Be More Defined
Being more mobile will allow fibres to contract along the full length of the muscle. By utilizing more of the muscle in this way, you can build a better shape and become more defined and toned.

By simply adding an aspect of flexibility to your regular training sessions, such as yoga or dynamic stretching, you should notice a difference in your overall fitness levels. TruBe includes mobility exercises in every warm up and cool down.

How do you include flexibility exercises in your workout? We would love to hear below.

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