Functional Fitness – How to be fit for real life.
Functional Fitness – How to be fit for real life.
Have we lost touch with the true meaning of fitness?
Fitness:
- The condition of being physically fit and healthy
- The quality of being suitable to fulfil a particular role or task.
Instagram, Facebook, Youtube pros are invasively taking over the world of fitness.
6 week bikini body promises, home workout plans, 30 day challenges – you name it, they’ve got it. They offer the moon, the stars and rock hard abs but nothing in the small print says that their plan will make us fit. Or that it will help us in everyday life. Yet individuals are buying into it and with a huge price to pay.
We’re not about that life. We recognise that there are so many people who are sailing the same ship as us towards a fitter, stronger and healthier life. We want to look strong. We want to be strong.
Healthy and functioning.
Fit for real life situations.
Our aims are with being able to hold down a physically demanding job and not need to sleep for three days after it. Or to run after young kids without heavy breathing through each step. Us ladies strive to be strong enough to handle a reasonably heavy load (lifting a box etc) without relying on a man to do it for them (I know you’re thinking it!)
The world of fitness covers a multitude of areas. It’s difficult to know where the best place is for you to fit in. We understand it’s difficult to know what’s helping you on the path to becoming a functionally fitter individual or steering you further away from said goal.
Regardless of your background – whether you’re an average gym goer, a competitive athlete, a serious fitness enthusiast – your community and environment should be of that which will help you to be of the quality of being suitable to fulfil a particular role or task.
There are countless gyms out there that will help you do exactly that and we advise that you do your research to discover which is the best suited for you. We simply can’t go through them all but we’ll leave that to you (we would love to hear in comments where your community gym of choice is!)
Our Magherafelt store manager Sarah who is also a competitive athlete has given the top 5 gym choices in the Mid Ulster area. Mid Ulster has been gifted with many professional and highly educated coaches but here is her pick of 5 gyms that each offer something different to the world of fitness.
- York Performance
“The Home of Strength and Fitness” is exactly that. With a range of different classes from their signature class Strength & Fitness, Metcon to Caveman, York Performance delivers programming to get individuals fitter, stronger and faster. Most recent programs include Ladies who Lift (tailored for ladies starting out with barbells and advanced lifts) and the Foundation Program which helps individuals learn the basics before trying out classes in the gym. York Performance prepares its members for a range of local, UK and worldwide competitions from Powerlifting to Fitness Championships. Jonny tailors his programs to suit each individual and keeps the best interests of every member at the top of his priorities. If you’re up for a challenge, enjoy learning new things and want to be the fittest and strongest you can be – this is the one for you.
- Chris Bradley Personal Training
Chris Bradley Personal Training is made up of a team of transformation coaches who specialise in helping busy people lose weight. The community of CBPT is something extraordinary and the results speak for themselves. Individuals come together to smash their goals & have fun while doing it – which is why they keep coming back for more. Weight loss is achieved but the pay off goes beyond the scales – happiness, confidence, quality of life.
CBPT has a range of Bootcamp packages on offer and have also founded the Alpha Team Project – if you like a 5am training session and aren’t scared of running the streets of Magherafelt – this is where you need to be involved!
- GMC Performance
Gareth operates a semi – private personal training facility which is designed to improve health & performance in movement, nutrition & recovery. Gareth, who has worked closely with the athletes at Ulster Rugby is a Strength & Conditioning coach whose expertise is focused on athletes training for big competitions. From MMA fighters to runners preparing for marathons, Gareth’s specialised programming enables them to be functionally fit for purpose in the game. If you’re serious about moving better, and performing well in your sport – get in touch with Gareth.
- Mark Shiels Fitness
Recently rebranded as Superhero Fit – Mark places his interests in helping your average, everyday gym goer get into the condition of their lives (and be a Superhero!) without sacrificing the condition of their life. Mark, a father of two young kids, understands the struggles placed on any individual when trying to fit inside the ideals of health and fitness. He strives to make his members fit, healthy and strong, while functioning within their own manic lives. We’re all busy and we all want to be healthy – Mark’s programming is designed to enable that busy person to achieve their goals. Mark also offers an online program for parents which involves workouts that can be done from your own home & helpful nutrition advice. A new parent or a busy individual who struggles to fit gym sessions into their schedule – give Superhero Fit a try!
- Train Station Fitness Academy
Another recent rebrand, the Train Station Fitness Academy is situated 10 minutes outside of Magherafelt. Owner Paddy Heaney took his class based gym to a new level when he rebranded to the Train Station Fitness Academy. He stated that the newly named academy was a place where “you just don’t lift weights. You learn why you lift weights. You learn how to lift weights. You learn to how live a fit life. You learn how to lose weight.
If you follow Paddy on social media you will be familiar with his teaching methods and his thorough explanation of absolutely anything he posts. A true advocate of practicing what he preaches. A fountain of knowledge to enable you to be functionally fit in everyday life. Paddy doesn’t believe in quick fixes and requires that you are willing to make a minimum of a 16 week commitment to his program. If you are ready to commit to the challenge and want to learn why and how to be fit and strong – get in touch with them now!
We could talk for days about the fitness industry and every individual that adds so much value to it. We believe if you want to be functionally fit, adding value to your life, the environment you immerse yourself in must be fit for purpose.
Figure out WHY your health, strength and fitness matter (general health, longevity of life, post illness, illness prevention, competition preparation, mental wellbeing) and choose a gym accessible to you that will work exactly for you.