Andy Loughran

Tag: small-group personal training

  • Upgrading My Recovery: From Thumper to Theragun Mini

    I’ve made and maintained a positive start to the year when it comes to running & exercise.

    I’ve managed to get to the gym – two or three times a week. The lovely team at Format Fitness have been putting me through my paces.

    I’ve also joined a new run club @ the Byrds in Leytonstone. It’s at 7pm on a Tuesday night for a 5k run up to Whipp’s Cross and around Leyton Flats.

    It’s pretty good to be running regularly again, and even the 1°C run this morning was enjoyable.

    I’m also saying goodbye to my massage wand; Thumper – having upgraded to the Theragun mini. It felt like it was a super-luxury purchase. However, after some Achilles problems last year, it’s already paying dividends on loosening up my calves and hips. The associated app also provides some neat stretching routines after my runs.

    I’m adding more races to my calendar this year. I am growing in confidence. I’m very much looking forward to joining my “littlest” brother Charlie. We will take on the Manchester Half in October.

  • Back in the gym

    Alongside the triathlon training, today marked the first day back at my regular group personal-training gym.

    It’s a great little gym doing small-group personal training; which means a maximum of 4 people in a class doing multiple sets of a ‘breakfast, lunch and dinner’ program. Each meal has two/three exercises each, with multiple repeats.

    I’ve now been going for over two years (with two ‘month skips’) for holidays/wedding .etc; and I’ve really noticed a positive impact on my core strength and general health. Initially I was looking forward to losing a little bit of weight; but instead the focus has really been on holding my body better, and just feeling generally loads healthier when pottering about the house/garden and doing any weight-based chores.

    I would thoroughly recommend anyone wanting to get this sort of thing done as part of their regular exercise. I was initially a bit against waking up at 6.30 twice a week to make it to a 7am session – but now we’ve got in the groove I kinda missed it!