Christmas duldrums - now it's time to get back in shape

Well, here we are a few days after the big binge that saw us planning, making, shopping, inviting and spending for 3 months in order to ensure that our families had 'the best christmas ever'.

Brussel sprouts, mince pies, beer, christmas cake, christmas pudding, snowballs, beer, crisps, turkey, ham. beer, mulled wine, tv, more beer, more tv.....uggg.

Well now could be the perfect time to get your head to talk to your legs and sort out a new exercise and healthy eating regime.  Often, following a period of excess, we feel the most motivated to get back to the gym, start a diet or get out on regular walks. 

This year how about grabbing that post Christmas duldrum by the throat and shout to your legs

'come on legs - we're going to do it this time - 2012 is our year and we're going to look and feel great!!!'

To help, Crossfire have a number of 'kickstart' fitness bootcamps' starting in January at only £3 a session and arranged at times to suit most.  Alternatively, if you prefer a more personal approach,  1 to 1 Personal Training may be your thing.

For those that are already in shape but looking for a new challenge then Crossfire have designed the Spartan extreme courses.  A series of tough training with automatic registration into 2012 Spartan Sprint raising money for 'Help for Heroes' whilst tackling mud, barbed wire crawls, woodland sprints, tyre runs and lots more.

So come on get off the couch and get in shape!!!

Merry Christmas

We would just like to thank all of our clients, old and new, our therapists, our trainers and anyone else that has been involved with Crossfire over the past 12 years.

Merry Christmas and a prosperous and healthy new year to you all!

And to those that are about to join us on the start of their own fitness journey in 2012 - see you, raring to go, in January :@)

Enjoy the break!

Reset your fitness at our Spring retreat

Spring Fitness retreat

By popular demand here it is at last, our first fitness retreat.  5 days of intense exercise, classes, motivation, competition and quality food, rounded up by the campfire and then off to bed in your own luxury Bell tent.

Our trainers, instructors and chef are there to ensure that you come away feeling like a new person - relaxed, motivated, super-fit and  ready to start your own new healthy lifestyle regime.

Located in a beautiful part of Suffolk with rolling fields, woodlands and water features your day will start with either an early morning swim, jog or class followed by a healthy breakfast and a day of exercise instruction and healthy cooking classes.  We have all levels of adventure from Cross-country dog running and open water challenges to yoga, pilates and stretch.

The retreat will cost £950 to include all classes, activities, meals, insurance and luxury 'glamping'.

Provisional dates 21st to 26th April 2012 (subject to numbers)

Register your interest to receive further updates and special offers

resetmyfitness@cfire.co.uk

Please note our new free phone number

With the launch of next years Spartan and Retreat camps as well as the ongoing work with our Corporate and Studio clients, we are expecting there to be a fair amount of phone traffic as the enquiries come in!

0800 6126092

Help your loved ones get back into shape next year with a block booking of personal training sessions.

Book 4, 10, 15 or 20 sessions and receive a 25% discount off of the standard prices.  Your present comes with a fleece, a gift voucher and water bottle as well as access to discounted products from the musclefury range of shakes and supplements.

To enquire please email via our contacts page or call on 07917 608278

Cards accepted.

ooh what a lovely morning

What can I say - the woods this morning looked like this.

Makes you want run about, climb trees and kick the leaves up like a big kid doesn't it! Go on then DO IT! Let the inner child out - you'll feel great. Thats all.

Tabata intervals

Today we mixed some Tabata interval training on a heavy punch bag into our upper body weights routine.  This routine lasts only 4 minutes but OMG. if you use max. effort, it's a killer. 


Although we used the punchbag for sport specific training, it is equally effective on bikes, treadmills, skipping ropes, as squats, burpees or whatever other method rapidly increases your heart rate without prematurely fatiguing your muscles (for example heavy weights squats would not work as your legs fail with the weight before your heartrate gets up to max).


Tabata Summary 

Tabata Intervals consist of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This cycle is repeated 8 times (for a total of 4-minutes). Although Dr. Tabata used a mechanically braked cycle ergometer, you can apply “Tabata Intervals” to several forms of exercise, such as hitting a heavy bag, sprinting, jumping rope, or fast paced bodyweight squats.

Your first reaction might be, “How effective can this protocol really be with just 4 minutes of exercise?”

Let me answer this question for you… VERY EFFECTIVE!

You will be amazed at how intense 4 minutes of exercise will feel. This form of training taxes both the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. Tabata Intervals are excellent for those athletes who participate in high intensity sports such as boxing, MMA, or wrestling.

After just 6 weeks of testing, Dr. Tabata noted a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity along with a 14% increase in V02Max. The 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off interval system improved both the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems significantly. These results were witnessed by physically fit athletes. Many tests are conducted on deconditioned subjects, which makes the test results more difficult to evaluate. Dr. Tabata's test was much more effective, as it produced a positive response on individuals who were already in shape.

This form of training is also effective for fat loss. Tabata Intervals will raise your body’s metabolic rate long after the exercise session is completed. You will continue to burn fat throughout the day. Recent studies have shown that intense interval training will elevate the rate that your body burns calories by up to 142% more than low-intensity, continuous exercise

As mentioned, you can perform Tabata Intervals with several forms of exercise. The most obvious is sprinting. For example, sprint 20 seconds, and then rest 10 seconds, and continue until you have completed 8 x 20 second sprints. Always begin with a moderate warm-up and cool down session.