So this will be our area for bringing you our thoughts and ideas on all the things we are passionate about:
- Health & Fitness
- Training
- Food
- Family life
- Gym life
and whatever else we feel would be helpful for you or need to get off our chest!
As a little background we bought Oxygen 8 years ago, Ian and Michelle, husband and wife and partners in this roller coaster industry. With two young children we understand the challenges life can throw at you. We are not social media gurus and this is not our intention with this blog but we understand that to help as many people as we can this is a necessary platform. We’ve been in the industry over 40 years combined and have a lot of knowledge and experience we want to share with you.
To kick off let’s talk strength.
Our moto is “BUILD YOURSELF STRONG” and strength or resistance training forms the basis of all our programs here at Oxygen but, Why?
Quite simply without strength your quality of life is impinged.
It forms the foundation for many sports, breeds confidence and impacts on your mental and emotional wellbeing not to mention the string of physical health benefits such as preventing osteoporosis and lower back pain, improved blood pressure, insulin resistance and body fat which are linked to diabetes and heart disease among so many more benefits. Strength in the older exerciser is more important than ever as you try to ward off the aging process. You want to keep yourself strong and independent for as long as possible.
Getting stronger requires a well-rounded, progressive resistance programme, which is tailored to you, not a generic download online. Don’t think that resistance training is all about weights. Resistance can be achieved through bodyweight, bands, balls, bags and other equipment and methods. Be smart and start at a point appropriate to your current fitness levels. Consistency will be key here to achieving results and at least 2 sessions per week will provide benefit.
Technique rules out over weight so this is where a Personal Trainer can help you find your starting weights and modify exercises. If you’re new to resistance training make sure you take your gym up on the induction process or better still, getting some sessions with a Personal Trainer cannot be underestimated, but choose wisely and research your trainer. You are giving them your body to work with, they need to know what they are doing with it.
Probably the most desirable effect from resistance training is the increased muscle mass which provides you with a better body composition and burns fat even at rest. That means more tone and shape and less bodyfat. Forget waist trainers and hours of cardio, the weight room is your best friend.
Michelle