TGt Meets... The UTS Bath Team

We've been speaking to the UTS Bath Team all about staying motivated, their favourite workouts and all things fitness!

How did you turn your passion for fitness into a career?

We are all keen sports people and have been from a young age; racket sports, rugby, skiing, football, swimming. We all have passion for movement, and testing our bodies in various ways. All of us had inspiring role models when we were younger; like Andre Agassi who had a great mental attitude towards sport with a charismatic sense of humour. Each of us researched and listened to mentors and tutors, then enrolled on courses to become fully-fledged accredited fitness professionals. We all have a passion for delivering training sessions to a high standard and sharing our knowledge. We individually decided to start our own businesses and by fate, met and merged our offerings to give our clients a truly amazing product. As time moved on, inspiration came in the way of the Olympic Games in London, we took up cycling and branched into the world of triathlon.

How do you stay fit and healthy?

By planning what we want to achieve. Changes start with the head and the rest will follow; your fitness is a reflection of your lifestyle choices. We want to make the most of our bodies so we look after them. Eating well, moving well and prioritising health near the top of life’s commitments. Our fitness regimes revolve around triathlon and are recorded weekly, which vary from 5-15 hours depending on races or recovery.

Do you have a motto or favourite motivational quote?

Our Urban Training Systems motto is: “No guts no glory”

People often struggle with fitness motivation, how do you keep yours?

Prioritising and planning. We set clear goals and discuss them with other like-minded people. A bit of healthy competition with your friends or colleagues helps you take ownership and become accountable to your training plan. Caffeine is also a great fall back!

What are your tips for people looking to get into shape?

We have a blog that helps on this ‘Starting a fitness regime’ - click here!

Get Started

• Be clear about your goals and date your targets
• Give yourself (realistic!) milestones to reach
• Tell friends and family about them so you don’t back out!
• One-to-one time with a personal trainer
• Get a fitness programme specific to your requirements
• Keep your programme up to date

Get Organised

• Plan the week’s sessions in your diary
• Make sure your gym kit’s ready, running watch/heart rate monitor charged
• Remember to warm up, cool down and stretch
• Treat yourself to regular massages to help muscle recovery
• Prepare healthy meals and snacks in advance
• Set a bed time rule to ensure optimal rest (7-8 hours/night ideally)

Stay Motivated

• Use mobile phone apps to record progress
• Have a visual reminder to get out and train – hang up that little black dress where you can see it!
• Exercise to music (be careful when running outdoors)
• Try something new – do a group fitness class or be active with your friends/family
• Set benchmarks, such as entering a fitness event
• Get feedback from your personal trainer on your progress
• Reward yourself when you reach your goals

What are some mistakes people make when working out?

Everyone is in a rush to see results. Always start slow, don’t over-do your first couple of weeks as your body will need to adapt. If you’re not sure about something then ask for advice, whether it be from a gym instructor, personal trainer or physiotherapist. This is what we are trained to do, so we can set you off in the right direction and avoid you becoming confused by the masses of conflicting information on the internet and in the press.

Are there any exercises you advise against?

Not really. We look at each client as an individual and prescribe suitable exercises or classes and advise them on the pro’s and con’s of each. Every exercise completed should be SAFE and EFFECTIVE.

What music do you listen to when you work out?

We try and match the type of music to the intensity of the session, so it depends on what type of exercise we’re doing. A long run might be a pod cast; stretching session to some sort of Ibiza chill-out mix; high intensity training could be anything high paced and loud, like The Prodigy! For our classes we encourage our members to suggest tracks they like.

What foods are always in your fridge?

Greek yoghurt, chicken, eggs, milk, hummus, we fill up our salad and vegetable drawers and make sure we use everything up by the end of the week. We have a soft spot for peanut butter but we don’t keep that in the fridge. Read about Hero foods on our blog kindly written by Renee McGregor our Dietician - click here.

What's been the most rewarding part of your job?

We are extremely focused trainers who prefer nothing more than delivering diverse group training sessions. Helping clients redefine themselves and push through to new levels of fitness is great to see and in turn improves their quality of life. We believe that movement is the key to improvement, not just a focus on strength or stamina. If you can move in the correct way the task will be easier to achieve and reduce the risk of injury. We all love the interaction with our clients, whether its helping them improve technique or giving them advice to take away and think about. Exercise is not just for an hour now and then; it’s a way of life.