FAQ Section

Whatever your fitness level, you'll find a class that's right for you. Why not try something different? Take a look through the following descriptions and if you're still not sure, just give us a call and we'll be happy to guide you through our various classes on offer.

Aerobic Attack
A high energy exercise workout to music, help burn those extra calories, improve fitness, toning & coordination.

Beg Aerobics
An energising exercise workout to music to improve fitness.

Badminton Club
Want to play badminton? Interested in challenge of playing against lots of different match standard opponents? See Gill Jones or Dave Brett. Call 01752 792840

Body Pump
A choreographed weights workout for men and women, designed to reshape and strengthen.

Boxacise
A cross training class involving boxing skills combination of punches, skipping, footwork, circuits and Aerobics.

Circuits
Each exercise is designed to work different body parts, building up both stamina and strength.

Football in The Community - Plymouth Argyle
Soccer skills training for kids aged 5 - 11 from Plymouth Argyle Football Club. Please call 01752 562561 for further details.

Hip-Hop
The freestyle Hip-Hop dance step will make you grind to the beat of the newest Hip-Hop music, high energy Aerobic routine.

Kickboxing
Sparring kicks, punches, kick blocks and shadow boxing.

Little Dragons
Tae Kwon Do for kids aged 4-7. It is a perfect release for children's hyperactive energies.
Call Chris Woods 01752 701918

Muscle Tone
A whole body workout, with use of weights or body resistance.

Pilates
An all encompassing mind, body and spirit exercise

Step
A cardio-vascular total body workout to improve tone and fitness performed to upbeat music.

Stability Ball
Core strength training helps to strengthen abdominal and back muscle.

Tae Kwon Do
Korean in origin, Tae Kwon Do incorporates self - defence, fitness, flexibility and self - discipline for all ages. Call Chris Woods on 01752 701918.

Bike Blast
30 minute calorie killer on stationary bikes. "Do as much as you can" type of class, excellent fun lasting 30 mins.

Triple Challenge
A combination class incorporating aerobics, step and tone.

Yoga
The word 'Yoga' means 'union', the union of the physical self with the
spiritual self through physical postures and breathing exercises.

Call for latest timetable of classes 01752 792840

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FAQ Section.

Feel the burn | Moving the Midriff | Pumping Iron | Food for thought | Feel that stretch

Feel the burn!

The higher my heart rate is whilst exercising the better.
This is true in some cases, but there are a few key factors to be taken into consideration. Any form of exercise should be progressive, try and gradually increase your time and intensity level's. You may hear the term 'anaerobic threshold' this is the point when your body switches from working aerobically to anaerobically. Some say that this is when we change from working out efficiently to inefficiently. Exercising beyond this point can only be maintained for short periods.

The more I sweat when working out the more calories & fat I will burn off.
When we sweat it is our body's way of cooling us down. If you are prone to heavy it doesn't
necessarily mean you are unfit. It merely indicates that you generated considerable muscle heat. If you drink too little or sweat too much you will not be training or competing to your capabilities. It is vital that plenty of fluids are taken before, during and after exercise.

I don't need to exercise because I have a job where I'm on the go all day.
However active your job it is unlikely that your heart rate will reach the desired range. Cardiovascular exercise has many physiological and health related benefits. Ideally any workout you take part in should keep you within your heart rate training zone ( 220 beats per minute minus your age and then 70 to 85 percent of that figure ). You should try to do at least 20 mins 3 - 4 times a week, although some exercise is obviously better than none!

Moving the midriff

I do lots of abdominal exercises it will get rid of my beer belly.
It is impossible to 'spot reduce' any area of the body. A combination of low fat diet and regular exercise should help you on your way towards a toned mid section.

I can complete more than 100 crunches, should I carry on for as many as I can do?
If you can easily complete more than 25 of a particular abdominal exercise it's far too easy for you. If I was to curl a 1lb dumbbell a 100 times it would have a minimal affect on my biceps. The same thing applies to your stomach muscles. Choose a new exercise, do less reps but make it harder, for example instead of a normal crunch try doing crunches using weight for resistance.

I've noticed a difference in my stomach but lately there has been no progress.
Keep your stomach guessing, constantly following the same workout will cause you to"plateau". Variety and progression is what required, don't be afraid to try new exercises.

What happened to the good old fashioned sit - up?
Sit - ups of the right type can be beneficial to some people. In most cases however they
tend to place an undue strain on the lower back by lifting too high, and in general this movement utilities a lot of leg muscle and reduces the effect of the crunch on the abs.

Pumping Iron

I don't want to use the weights because all my fat will turn to muscle.
Possibly one of the biggest exercise myths of all time. Muscle is a very active tissue, and an increase of lean muscle tissue will see an increased metabolic rate, which in turn will actually help your body burn off fat when your not exercising I don't want to use weights because it will make me
get big muscles.

For women in most cases, it is very unlikely that you will gain in muscle mass.
By following a good all round resistance programme the muscles will get stronger and more toned. For men heavy weight trraining may see larger muscle develop, however these changes in size will not happen over night.

Why haven't I seen any progress from using the weights of late.
For results to be seen in strength or toning you must 'overload' your muscles whilst working out. If you constantly ask your muscles to do something which it is already capable of, it will not improve. Set yourself 'goals', aim to progress at regular intervals. Don't follow the same old weights programme. Changing exercises for individual body parts forces your muscles to work at the deferent angles and through different ranges and motion,which leads to greater more balanced development.

Don't be afraid to ask for help with new exercises, often this is the best way of keeping your muscles guessing.

Food for thought

I've started dieting, I hardly eat anything all day and then I have a big meal in the evening.
Leaving big gaps between meals slows down your metabolism because it sees the reduction of food as a threat. It sounds funny but the more you eat the more your body will burn off. The best thing to do is to eat little and often throughout the day.

I'm on a very low calorie diet. This is the best way to lose weight.
Most diets which are very low in calories are often food replacement diets or there is a minimal intake of food. Diets of this type can leave you exhausted because your body doesn't have sufficient energy to go about day to day tasks. Try a diet that is well balanced and will not leave you starving or exhausted.

Are the 'celebrity' diet such as the Atkins diet any good and how do they work?
People on the Atkins diet are allowed unlimited amounts of protein and fat but have restricted carbohydrate intake. The approach of this diet goes completely against much current thinking about the importance of carbohydrate as a staple of healthy eating, and the possible risks of too much fat. There is lots of contradictory evidence to the benefits of this type of diet and it should be approached with caution. A good diet should be realistic and something which can be maintained, easy to follow and right for what you are trying to archive.

Feel that stretch

The more I bounce up and down when stretching the more I feel the stretch.
There are numerous benefits which can be achieved through stretching. One of the safest and most effective ways is what is know as a static stretching. It is important that you hold a stretch in a position that gives you a stretching sensation but not pain. Bouncing up and down when stretching can cause injury to the muscle as it forces the muscle to contract very quickly leading to the possibility of damaging the muscle internally.

I never get stiff after using the gym, so why do I need to stretch?
Stretching should be included in everyone's fitness programme. Probably the most important reason for stretching is to increase your level of flexibility. Poor flexibility. can place stress on muscle and joints leaving your body suspect to injury. At one time flexibility was one of the most under - rated aspects of fitness, however in recent times there have been several high
profile reports suggesting we place more emphasis on stretching.

Before my workout I run through a series of exercises such as high leg kicks and arm swings.
These types of exercises are known as ballistic stretches. This is where you work a limb through its range of movement at speed. These stretches are only really appropriate to exercises or sports were these movements will be replicated such as Martial Arts and gymnastics.