Inspired By Vu Fitness & Nutrition

Hammer those hamstrings!

1/10/2021

Happy Octoberrrrrrrrrrr!

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but there is definitely a chill in the air!! Fret not, as you will not be getting too cold with this month's fitness challenge. We are going to be targeting the muscles in the back of our thighs (hamstrings) and firming up our glutes! This is a low impact fitness challenge in that we will not be jumping around, HOWEVER, your heart rate will be going through the roof as the rest period is very short! The Deadlift Circuit will feature 7 different deadlift combinations with a brutal 30sec deadlift pulse after every move.
Now even though the focus is on hammering those hamstrings, you can see that I have added additional exercises which covers the upper body and the core too so that we can get a sneaky total body workout in (I love me a fitness bargain!).

As always, let me know how you get on with this months challenge.

xoxoxo

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Back to reality

6/9/2021

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I came across this 30 day Self Care challenge and just had to share it with you. Honestly, if you are a parent or a carer reading this and you have had to juggle working and having to entertain children all summer long, I think we deserve to be a little kinder to ourselves as we spend so much time pouring out to others.

Looking after your physical and mental wellbeing is so important and that is why I am committed to putting out my monthly fitness challenges and bitesized workouts. Our challenge this month is a back sculpting challenge!! We carry a lot of tension in our upper body and focusing on improving the strength across our back muscles will help us to stand a little taller, improve our posture oh and create an illusion of a smaller waist! We are going to be on the floor for this one so all you are going to need is a mat and a long resistance band (or towel).

Workplace Workouts for your wellbeing

I have been delivering a range of wellbeing sessions over the years and it is always great to see organisations supporting their staff by investing in them to look after their health. So as my way of giving back, I have been running my 30min Friday Fitness Sessions (powered by Zoom). These sessions are open to anyone working from home and they are 100% FREE to join. To secure your spot and join a live class from anywhere in the world, simply email info@inspiredbyvu.com

XOXO

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Olympic Dreams

1/8/2021

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Have you been watching the Olympics? Honestly I have thoroughly enjoyed watching all the different sports and finding out about all the YEARS of training the athletes have been through. That's right YEARS!! So it amazes me when I see all these videos and images all over social media which 'promise' abs in 7 days, a bigger butt in 30 days and master the splits in 5 easy moves! I can DEFINITELY see how such sensational headlines will attract more 'likes' but the reality is there are no shortcuts for success! Whether it's weight loss, increased stamina or endurance....it takes time, training, nutrition, sleep, coaching etc!

So whilst it make take time to develop as an athlete, here are my top 5 tips as to how you can start training with success right now

1. Find an activity that you enjoy
2. Be realistic with your goals
3. Keep an eye on your nutrition
4. Invest in a trainer
5. Give it TIME to see your results

I am here for you, so if you need a little help with getting started, drop me an email at info@inspiredbyvu.com

XOXO

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It's not vain to use the mirror at the gym!!

1/7/2021

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Honestly, one of the most underutilised pieces of equipment in the gym is the mirror!! Yep, it is not there for helping you take that gym selfie, it is a tool to help you monitor your form when performing an exercise. Now that I have been lifting more weights this year, I have DEFINITELY noticed that I have a weaker side - whether that's my left arm during a chest press or right leg during a leg press...we all have imbalances! The tip to improving imbalances is to focus on strengthening the weaker side first and I like to do this by splitting the body and working out unilaterally - focusing on one side at a time.

So for this month's fitness challenge, we are going to be doing exactly that! Now from the printable you can see that there are 7 moves. The goal is to work your left and right side two times each each. You have one minute on the clock per exercise, so really take your time to focus on the movement and if you have a mirror to hand - USE IT to keep an eye on your form. NO it is not vain - even in the gym environment the mirror is to be used for helping to reduce your risk of injury. So if things are not feeling right, in the words of Michael Jackson "take a look at yourself and make that change"

xoxo

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We ARE celebrating!!

1/6/2021

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It's that time again! Not only is it my birthday month, but June also marks the beginning of summer and hopefully the lifting of the remaining lockdown restrictions in the UK!!! So we are celebrating with a dance challenge!

The routine is very simple, with lots of movements to work the core muscles too (check out the video). Also, the fitness challenge poster features a few of the dance hiit exercises. All you are going to need is a timer and your favourite track to dance to. The goal is to perform each move (to the rhythm!!! Lol) for one minute and complete the whole thing 4 times for a 20min workout! I would love to see some of your videos of you doing the routine, so do tag me in any of your social media posts!

Good Luck!

xoxo

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Return of the plank

1/5/2021

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Have you tried this months plank challenge yet? Last year I shared a plank challenge and only uploaded a brief demonstration video (see below). HOWEVER, this year I wanted to do an upgrade and share with you how I add plank exercises as a finisher to my weight training sessions!

The plank as an exercise is great for targeting the muscles in the ENTIRE body!! Think about it - your core is engaged along with your upper body and lower body and then you are working with holding your body weight in one position!! Now I love to keep it moving during my workouts, so you will be pleased to note that the plank progressions in thi months challenge are dynamic. It is a short, but effective workout.

What if I can't get on the floor?

No problem! You can actually perform ALL of these exercises standing! All you need to do is fine a wall, or a bench/edge of sofa and do the exact same thing. The important thing is to keep your core engaged throughout (imagine wearing a waist trainer - hold it all in WITHOUT holding your breath!) Please note, this is an ADVANCED exercise, so if you have issues with your lower back, or have abdominal separation (diastasis recti), then please opt for the standing modification.

Let me know how you get on with the challenge and which plank exercise was your favourite!

XOXO

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Give upper body workouts a chance

1/4/2021

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April always feels so much better with brighter evenings, better weather (well sometimes..lol) and lots of beautiful flowers in bloom. Speaking of things in bloom, this month we are focusing on sculpting our upper body! Everyone seems to go crazy for the workouts which are focused on building a bigger butt, slimmer waist etc, but I am not seeing the same love for our arms or upper body. There seems to be this fear that my lifting weights you will turn into the incredible hulk!!

The reality is that only when you progressively overload your muscles (by lifting heavier weights over time) and fuel your body with adequate nutrition, that is when you will begin to see muscle growth. However, we have become creatures of gadgets; constantly looking down at our phones, sitting in front of screens for long periods etc. Have you stopped to consider what it is doing to your posture?

So this month's challenge focuses on 7 upper body sculpting exercises that when performed regularly, will leave you with some amazing arms, sculpted shoulders and better posture too!! As always, the weights are optional, so you can even do them at your desk too!! Remember you can download a copy of this month's challenge as a PDF, so print it off and put in on your fridge or desk to remind yourself of the exercises!

Do let me know how you get on with this one! If you enjoyed it, then please sign up for my 30 day Arm-azing Arms challenge. Each day you will be given an arm sculpting exercise to work, as well as some bonus upper body workouts to try at the end of each week. Sounds good? To sign up, email info@inspiredbyvu.com

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A year of online workouts!

1/3/2021

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I can't believe that it has actually been a whole year of teaching lockdown fitness sessions! I have to say, thank God for technology that has allowed us fitness trainers to continue to motivate, inspired AND run our businesses! On the other side of the coin, it has been so great to be able to participate in a whole wealth of sessions that I probably wouldn't have considered! So I salute every single trainer out there who has made time to deliver content online!!

Now if you have been hiding under a rock and have been consoling yourself with Netflix, it is not too late to put a spring in your step and just try something. There are a wealth of FREE fitness challenges on my You Tube channel, so DO forward on to friends and family! This month's challenge features curtsy lunges!

Speaking of something new, there will be some more exclusive on demand sessions available on my website. There's everything from Pilates, boxercise, dance etc etc. These sessions are all FULL length and available for you to enjoy at your convenience. If you are in need of nutritional support, then I have a host of resources to help with that too, do drop me a line (info@inspiredbyvu.com) and send you some more info.

xoxo

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Lunge into your workout

1/2/2021

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I am so late with posting this months fitness challenge!! But the eagle-eyed amongst you have already seen the video on my YouTube channel (so make sure you are subscribed!!).

This month's lunge workout is one of my favourite workouts so far! Lunges are great for not only strengthening those glute and thigh muscles, but also helps with improving your balance and core stability. Be prepared to be very sore with this one, so follow it up with one of the stretch and tone videos on the channel.

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Getting your mind right in 2021

1/1/2021

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Happy New Year!!! For me, 2021 is about living life with mental clarity. Just think about that for a second. It's hard to make decisions when your mind is clouded with negativity and filled with toxicity. We may not have all the answers, but we can be in control with what we are mentally consuming.

This is where it all goes wrong

We all know that January is the time of year where everyone does the same thing expecting a different result! You know the usual signing up to the gym and going on a fad diet and then giving it all up before the end of the month! LOL. Now I am not saying that exercise and eating well is bad, but the missing link in all of this is the monitoring of where our head is at.

What are you feeding your mind with?

When was the last time you did an audit of what you are mentally consuming? We have access to so much information that it can be overwhelming and can affect our ability to make the right choices. The detox that we really should be talking about this season, is more of a mental one. It is so liberating to have mental clarity, as it releases the body from excess cortisol (which can result in inflammation in the body) and frees us to be able to make better choices. You may want to begin keeping a journal and start consciously removing a lot of the negative things you are consuming by way of texts, conversations and social media.

Now let's talk about fitness

A strong mind and a strong body is a powerful combination. A little bit of something is better than nothing at all. Hence why I am bringing back my bitesized fitness videos to my You Tube channel!! Last month I started a new project, which has meant that I am at the computer for most of the day and honestly, my body is not liking it! My joints have started flaring up for the lack of movement that it is used to experiencing. So I have had to schedule in time throughout the day to regularly move around and my bitesized workouts have been super helpful. Check out this month's tabata workout. It is a short HIIT workout that will definitely get you moving and the heart rate up.

Want more?

You will be pleased to note that I have made my Dance HIIT and Tone workouts available on demand as well as my new fitness programme Total Body Fitness Series. These serve as a more affordable option compared to personal training, as you train during your own time with the same expertise! Click HERE to find out how you can access both programmes.

Boom, something for everyone! Happy New Year once again!

xoxo

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