PT for Life

16/09/2026

🚣 ROWER OR SKIERG ON 10 = HARDER WORKOUT… RIGHT?

Not necessarily!

This is how I explain drag factor to my clients:

Think of the damper like the gears on a bike 🚴

Imagine your bike has 5 gears.

⚙️ Gear 3 might be perfect for riding along a flat straight.

⛰️ Hit a steep hill and you might drop into gear 1.

⬇️ Head downhill and you might move up to gear 5.

But nobody looks at someone working their backside off cycling uphill in gear 1 and says:

“You’re only in gear 1, you must be having an easy workout!” 😂

The gear isn’t a difficulty setting. It helps you choose the right resistance for what you’re doing.

It’s the same with the damper and drag factor on the Concept2 RowErg and SkiErg.

Setting the damper to 10 gives you a heavier pull, but that doesn’t automatically mean you’re working harder or getting a better workout.

Sometimes a lower drag factor lets you move faster and maintain better technique. Sometimes a heavier drag is appropriate. It depends on you and the session.

Just like you wouldn’t cycle an entire route in the same gear regardless of whether you’re going uphill, downhill or along the flat, you don’t need the same drag factor for every workout.

So next time someone tells you to “put it up to make it harder”, you can explain why that’s not always the case!

10 isn’t “level 10 difficulty”. Think gears, not difficulty. 🚣💪

13/09/2026

This is what I want PT to do ❤️

Heather isn’t actually a client of mine anymore. She’s moved to a different town, joined a new gym and is doing it without me.

And that’s a good thing!

She once told me she would cry walking into a gym. Now she can walk into a new gym, join classes, train confidently and use everything she learnt during our PT sessions.

We still keep in touch, and I absolutely love seeing her continue with it.

PT shouldn’t be about needing your trainer forever. It’s about learning, building confidence and gaining the skills to keep going on your own.

Heather is a pretty perfect example of that 💪❤️

10/09/2026

THE 30G PROTEIN MYTH 🥩

For years I told clients that your body can only use around 20-30g of protein in one sitting, and that anything more was wasted. That was the guidance at the time, and it wasn’t bad advice, it was just where the research stood.

But the evidence has moved on, and so has my thinking. A 2023 study compared 25g with 100g of protein after exercise and found the bigger dose produced a greater, longer-lasting response, over 12 hours longer.

There’s no magic cut-off where your body stops using protein.

That doesn’t mean piling 100g onto every plate. What actually matters is your total protein for the day.

✅ Spread it across your meals, aim to hit your daily target, and don’t stress if one meal goes over 30g.

Also no need to rush for a shake the second you finish training. Your muscles stay responsive for hours after.

This is exactly why I keep reading the research. Good coaches update their advice when the evidence does.

07/09/2026

You’ve heard “5 a day” a thousand times, but here’s the evidence behind it.

A large 2021 study (Wang et al) found that eating around 5 portions of fruit and veg a day (3 veg, 2 fruit) was linked to a 13% lower risk of death from all causes, compared with just 2 portions a day.

That’s not a small effect.

Since reading this study, I’ve been a lot more conscious of my own intake and try to “eat the rainbow”, getting a good variety of colours and types in, not just hitting a number.

You don’t need a perfect diet overnight. Small improvements, like adding one extra portion a day, genuinely count.

✅ Aim for balance, not restriction. Build fruit and veg in where you can, and mix up the colours.

05/09/2026

GRIP STRENGTH: NOT JUST FOR OPENING JARS 💪

A weaker grip is linked to a higher risk of illness and earlier death. Sounds dramatic, but the numbers back it up.

A major study (Leong et al, 2015, The Lancet) followed nearly 140,000 adults across 17 countries. Every 5kg drop in grip strength was tied to a 16% higher risk of death from any cause, plus higher risks of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke.

Grip strength itself isn’t the cause. It’s a marker of your overall strength, function and health.

✅ Train it: farmer’s carries, rows, deadlifts, hanging exercises.

03/09/2026

WOMEN: WEIGHT TRAINING IS FOR YOU, WHATEVER YOUR AGE 🏋️‍♀️

Let’s kill the “bulky” myth once and for all.

A 2025 systematic review looked at muscle growth in men and women following resistance training. The finding? Relative to their own starting point, women build muscle just as effectively as men. Men do see slightly greater absolute muscle growth, but that’s largely down to naturally higher testosterone levels, not anything women are doing wrong.

In other words, women respond brilliantly to strength training. Getting seriously “bulky” takes years of deliberate, specialised training, it doesn’t happen by accident from a few sessions a week.

What weight training actually does for us:

✅ Builds and protects bone density, especially important as oestrogen drops with age and the risk of osteoporosis rises
✅ Preserves muscle mass, which naturally declines with age if we don’t train for it
✅ Supports a healthy metabolism
✅ Improves insulin sensitivity and hormonal health
✅ Builds real, functional strength for everyday life

This isn’t just for one age group or body type. Whether you’re in your 20s or your 70s, your body responds to resistance training, and the benefits only grow with time.

I love showing women that we can be strong, empowered and fit. That we can take up space in the gym and lift heavy without fear.

You are allowed to be strong. 💪

📚 Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40028215/

02/09/2026

One last August Challenge post… I promise 😂

I had this lovely review left for PT for Life after we wrapped up this year’s August Challenge and I think Bea summed up exactly what I hoped people would get from it 🥰

“It gave you the habit to be active every day… The community who participated was also amazing and challenged each other.”

Yes, there were 6,000 reps to get through 😬😂 but the challenge was always about much more than that.

Throughout August we looked at exercise, hydration, sleep, nutrition, protein, recovery and building habits that are actually realistic.

But probably my favourite part was the community that came with it. People encouraging each other, sharing their wins, getting competitive 😂 and ultimately doing more than they probably would have done on their own.

Finishing it with 30 of us, aged from 3 to 60+, working out together at the Lake Grounds was a pretty perfect way to end it. ❤️

Thank you Bea for the lovely review, and thank you again to everyone who threw themselves into the challenge!

Same again next year?! 👀😂

31/08/2026

THAT’S A WRAP! 🎉💪

What a way to finish the PT for Life August Challenge!

Today, 30 people aged 3 to 60+ came together at the Lake Grounds for a team workout, cheering each other on, followed by a picnic, ball games and over three hours of fun. And the weather held out! ☀️🙌

The perfect end to an amazing month.

Over August we’ve tackled 6,000 reps, 10 extra challenges and learnt more about hydration, nutrition, sleep, recovery, strength, cardio and building healthy habits.

But the real wins have been even better…

⭐️ Fat loss successes, including almost a stone lost
⭐️ Reduced blood pressure
⭐️ First ever press-ups on toes
⭐️ Better fruit and veg intake
⭐️ Returning to exercise after having a baby
⭐️ New strength and fitness achievements
⭐️ Supporting each other through some really tough times ❤️

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

So proud of what this group has achieved and the community that’s come with it. ❤️

31 days. 6,000 reps. A whole lot of learning, laughs and encouragement.

Now just the prize draw to go tonight! 🎁👀

25/07/2026

⏰ JUST ONE WEEK TO GO!

In just 7 days, we’ll be kicking off the PT for Life August Challenge 2026! 💪☀️

Over the course of August we’ll be:
✅ Completing 6,000 reps
✅ Taking on 10 mini lifestyle challenges
✅ Learning something new every few days (backed by scientific evidence)
✅ Supporting each other through every win

Whether your goal is to get fitter, build consistency, improve your habits or simply prove to yourself that you can stick at something for a month, this challenge is for you.

A huge welcome to everyone who’s already signed up. The WhatsApp group opens next week and I can’t wait to get started!

If you’d like to know more or get involved this year just drop me a message! We have 42 people signed up and ready to go already! 🤩

🎨 Artwork for this post created by Faye. Thank you!

13/06/2026