​If you are thinking about getting started with weight training but really have no idea where to begin then this article should be your starting point. You’ll learn everything from its role and benefits to how to get started right now.

As the Scottish Government unveils it's 4 phase approach to lifting lock-down restrictions, it looks like gyms and the leisure industry will be the hardest hit. 

Will we be allowed back into our beloved gyms before the end of the year?

Check out my review of the Born Tough Alfresco Parka Hoodie that I've been trialing out over the last few months. 

The Pendlay Row is a major upper body pulling compound exercise. It’s easily performed with a barbell and works the muscles of the upper back like the lats and rhomboids as well as the biceps and forearms. This differs from a bent over row as the bar is reset each time. Set it up on the floor or from a low rack depending on your proportions so that you can keep a nice tight back position with your chest just above the parallel line of the floor. It’s good for getting in extra upper back volume to help with your chin-ups and the reset allows you to work on generating speed off the floor to help fire those muscles a bit quicker.

The Push Press is a full body explosive lift. You can start to handle heavier weights overhead which gives greater overload than you might be able to achieve with just shoulder power alone. It also gives the opportunity to develop rate of force development as you skilfully try to accelerate the weight overhead! If you are an overhead or power-based athlete then the overhead press is perfect for improving power. It is essentially a more advanced version of the strict press and so is a great skill to start to develop to take your general strength training to the next level. Make sure you have mastered the strict overhead press before attempting this. It is a staple for Weightlifters to improve their overhead strength but it is also very useful for developing power that will transfer into jumping and throwing based movements. 

:With the current situation surround Covid-19, many regular gym goers have built makeshift home gyms are embracing home workouts with minimal equipment.

Will this enthusiasm last and will the home gyms become a hanger for clothes, disused as we slowly transition back to normal?
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From my discussions with many of my current personal training clients, I’ve discovered a few key themes:

​If you are currently looking for a personal trainer in Glasgow yet are confused by so many offerings and different prices, then this page is for you.

The seated dumbbell press is a fairly simple exercise but unless you pay close attention, you can put unnecessary pressure in the wrong areas. As you can use the bench upright as a support to set yourself against you can normally lift a little more weight overhead as you take out some of the focus from the core. This is good for getting extra volume through the upper body and shoulders to bring on lagging areas.

The Chin-Up Negative is just a variation of the chin-up but it is a great tool for bridging the strength gap to achieve your first Chin-Up. The eccentric portion (or negative) is the lower phase of the lift. Normally we are 20-30% stronger during this phase, you can normally lower under control more than you can lift. If we focus on utilising this extra strength during this portion, we can get stronger overall which can transfer to the pulling up part too! This one requires a decent level of strength already to keep good control and the eccentric phase is the part that makes us sore so expect this one to be really tough and taxing afterwards if you give it a try.

The front squat is a great choice for your squat pattern if you are thinking about implementing weightlifting into your program or have athletic performance as your primary goal. It places greater demand on the trunk as the load is stacked directly on top of you rather than behind forcing the abs and quads to work a little harder than a standard back squat. It’s important to make sure you have the required mobility through the shoulder joint in order to effectively support the weight in the front rack without putting strain on any of the smaller joints.