Category: Uncategorised

HOW TO USE YOUR RESULTS TO IMPROVE

It is important to take time to look at your results after you’ve completed testing.

The self-reflection after a test is where the learning happens, and is more important than the result itself.

You want to look at both what went well and what didn’t go well. Keep an eye on both the objective and subjective data, as they both matter.

You might have not improved your lifts, but if you felt stronger and had less pain that is valuable. Both of those will not be reflected in the numbers.

There is almost always some negative self-talk that comes with any performance, good or bad. “That should have been faster. Did I only get that much stronger? I improved but I’m still the weakest in the room.”

Take time to reflect on what the internal chatter sounds like.

• What do you want to change about that?
• What doesn’t serve you?

We like to promote an environment of learning.

How can we learn rather than beat ourselves up?

You may not be able to avoid beating yourself up, but you should absolutely try and learn from everything.

What are the lessons you want to take away? What if you don’t test well?

Performance anxiety is real and sometimes you just don’t bring your best self to testing day. That’s OK too. You can still benefit from the stimulus from the benchmark, and it may set you up for a great training cycle ahead where you set new personal bests.

Truth – testing helps you to KNOW where you stand, and this can be powerful as we age.

It is essential to have standards that we aim to uphold while age starts to play games with our minds and bodies. If you just assume that you will lose fitness and strength with age, but have no way of measuring over time what is actually happening with your body, then you might fall victim to a more rapid decline. Benchmarks can hold us accountable to what we are physically capable of rather than just assuming age will get the best of us.

• What did you learn?
• What is your strength?
• What is your area to work?
• What did you avoid????

Connect

Connect with the World around you. Build meaningful relationships.

BE PRESENT.

• Move
• Be active (aim for 7000 steps daily)
• Strength train 3 times a week using the squat, hinge, push, pull and carries.
• Mindset
• Don’t whine
• Don’t make excuses
• Accept there is no destination and embrace the journey.
• Seek challenges

SLEEP

7-8 hours every day

EAT

Minimally processed whole foods. Have protein with every meal and eat lots of vegetables.

Take ownership of your journey (there is no destination).

Good things don’t just happen. Gareth fancied having a go at HYROX but he was in no state to have a go. This year he booked the event and made the necessary change to his training to prepare.

He is running 3x per week

He still does strength work but now he does 2 Hyrox Sessions per week.

He is having to eat to fuel training rather than maintain a weight.

But he’s having a lot of fun on this journey.

You don’t have to do HYROX, this could apply to weight loss, powerlifting, a career change, promotion etc

Achieving something you desire but don’t currently have requires behavioural change, doing something different to what you currently do, doing it consistently and doing it for a long time.

An uncomfortable truth……….if you want to make a long-term change in your life, you are responsible for that change….

• Not your partner
• Not your coach
• Not your best friend
• YOU…

At BASE you are part of an amazing team, a support network, a place of accountability, you are surrounded by a culture that is not a slogan on the wall but runs through everyone involved. There is no better team to help you…….but you have to take action.

A half arsed approach will get you a whole load of nothing.

Are you taking ownership or is your approach half arsed?

HOW DOES THE JOURNEY GO?

The path of progress is never linear

Week 3 of starting my running training and I felt the dreaded pop in my calf. A few days later it bruised so it was clearly a small tear.

I knew starting running after such a long time of not running would not be easy but this was literally my 4th run.

So what do I do?

Give up, put it down to a bad idea?

Stop everything for 4 to 6 weeks while it recovers?

No chance, I’ve barely taken a week off in 40 years, I’m not going to stop for a soft tissue injury. I firmly believe that giving up becomes a repeatable option.

If you train and you push yourself, you will get injured. It’s part of the course but it doesn’t mean stop. At Base we minimise this risk with appropriate warm ups, rehab and strength balance work, Coaches to correct form and a well balanced programme but we can never completely negate the risk.

Here are my tips to stay safe and recover effectively:

• Listen to your body: There are still plenty of other parts of your body to work.
• Stay low-impact: I can cycle, Ski and row and still get all the cardio vascular benefits.
• Ask Coaches to Modify exercises: Our Coaches will use their knowledge to select exercises that avoid putting unnecessary stress on the injured area.
• Use lighter weights: Higher reps at lighter weights will help promote blood flow just back off on intensity
• Build back slowly: Gradually increase the intensity as your injury heals and build strength in the injured area
• Work with a professional: A physio or your Coach can help you create a tailored plan.

After a 3 week break and focussing on building leg strength and Zone 2 work I have returned to running, completed my furthest run yet and my fastest run to date.

Are you injured?

Do you need advice?

Don’t let injury stunt progress.

WHAT ARE YOU TRAINING FOR?

HYROX

At the BASE Christmas Party it was highlighted to me that I owned a Hyrox Gym and had never actually completed one – thanks Gael ????

Inspired by Gael and having watched our amazing athletes compete at Hyrox London (especially Sam) in November, I was swept along with hype and decided to commit to completing a Hyrox in 2025.

‘Easy for you’ you may think, after all I own a gym.

However I haven’t run more than 10m since 2017. In the last 6 years I’ve had 3 knee surgeries (including a leg realignment) a hernia operation, shoulder surgery, a pulmonary embolism and I’ve been on steroids to stop me from being in constant pain for the last 2 years (Polymyalgia Rheumatica). My training stopped completely for 8 months in 2023 due to my autoimmune condition, since September 23 I have been doing 3 x BASE sessions per week and not doing the conditioning because my body has not been able to handle intensity.

Not exactly ideal. However I love a challenge and I love the journey even more.

It is a shame to have a body capable of so much and not to explore its potential.

So the date is set, I will be travelling to Latvia along with some of the BASE Tribe in May for Hyrox Riga where Alyse and I will be competing in the mixed pairs 50-59 category.

So what?

I thought it might be of interest to some of you on how I get myself ready for this, especially as I can’t run.

My journey will not be easy so I hope it will inspire some of you who may think Hyrox is out of your reach. I will journal my weekly training ‘warts and all’, the highs and the lows.

Right now I’m excited for the challenge and I feel a bit of pressure to not let Alyse down.

I believe this commitment will bring growth in 3 areas for me.

Physical

• Better endurance
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Improved agility and coordination

Mental

• Mental toughness
• Give your training purpose

Social

• Bond with the team – this is the part I miss the most, the shared experiences from taking on a challenge 

HYROX is a great way to challenge yourself, focus your training and improve your fitness and strength.

Maybe it’s your time to have a go in 2025.

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for”

For years I’ve been a sceptic or rather just not interested because I didnt understand the synergy between mental and physical health. More recently I have been exploring ways to better my mental state, reading in the evening, listening to relaxing sounds and practicing breath work. My next step is to try meditation no distractions, no screens; ideally outside.

I’m no meditation expert, but those who are claim incorporating this practice has been life-changing. You don’t need to meditate for 30 minutes to see benefits—just a few minutes can help. And don’t get caught up in the word “meditate.” It’s not about sitting in silence and emptying your mind immediately; meditation starts with just being still.

Over time, with practice, it’ll become easier to settle into a deeper meditative state, but it takes time and practice.

Meditation offers a wide range of benefits, with the most obvious being stress and anxiety reduction. But beyond that, regular meditation can improve focus and concentration, enhance emotional health, promote better sleep, positively impact the nervous system, and increase mindfulness and presence.

If you’re someone who struggles with sitting still or doing nothing, I recommend trying a follow-along yoga nidra meditation session. It’s a fantastic way to ease into meditation, especially for beginners. Here’s one I use to get you started:

Do you meditate? Any tips?

It’s not sexy but it works… HABITS! ????

Habits are rituals and behaviours that we perform automatically. Almost without thinking about them.

These are things like brushing our teeth, getting dressed for work, making breakfast, and turning the lights off before heading to bed.

We all have habits.

Why do HABITS work so well for health and fitness goals?

Think of it this way….

• You are the average of your actions over time.

You won’t become an athlete by going to the gym once.
You won’t lose weight by eating one salad.
(Just like you won’t become overweight by eating one burger)

• You are the average of your actions over time.

By working on small habits. Just one habit at a time. You can build momentum and consistency in the direction you want to go.

It’s not about how ‘on point’ you were with your diet yesterday. Or how hard you worked out in the gym this morning.

It’s about your constant, repeated efforts, over months and years. CONSISTENCY.

• You are the average of your actions over time.

It’s important to understand this when you’re looking to improve your health and/or body composition.
Your habits should be consistent, but they don’t need to be massive. In fact, making drastic changes to your lifestyle can often backfire.

An example of some small daily habits:

• Go for a 10 minute walk before you sit down for your lunch.
• Add a piece of fruit to your breakfast.
• Drink a glass of water with your evening meal.

Keep it simple, easily achievable (for you), and precise.

Once you feel confident with one habit, you can either build on it (i.e. increase your walk to 20 minutes) or you can add another habit (go for another 10 minute walk after work, before you walk into the house).

With most things in life, the best things take time. Weight loss takes time. Building muscle takes time. Learning a new language takes time.

What habits are you going to include in a 4 week Reset?

Enjoy this post to get you started on your ‘crush 2025’ plan.

We have previously highlighted how important it is to be intentional about where we’re going. Some of us move passively through life, just reacting to whatever happens to us while never planning too far ahead or getting under the skin of who we are and what we ‘really’ want. Amazing things are possible when you dig deep into who you truly want to become, and what actions are within your control to bring you into that reality.

With that in mind, lets show you how positive, actionable steps can help you to take and to make big changes in 2025 – your mission, if you choose to accept it!

Let’s give you 3 popular scenarios to help you. This is very similar to a previous post about Pirate Maps and Shark Habits. Choose your treasure, create the habits that will get you there.

“I want to lose weight and make a visual change in my body.”

Daily practices:

• You must get accountable to what you’re consuming.
• Track your nutrition closely, focusing on protein and meeting your calorie needs (use a macro calculator ).
• Measure body weight daily and take weekly averages to make sure you’re in a deficit.
• Walk 8-10,000 steps per day – measure it!
• Build muscle following Base Method at least 3 times per week.
• Get 8 hours sleep daily
• Drink plenty of water

“I want to compete in a Hyrox event!”

Daily practices:

• Make sure you are fuelling yourself adequately for your training volume. Use a macro calculator to get an idea of your daily needs, and log your food if needed to make sure you’re on track.
• Take enough time to build up your endurance – you can start by attending our Hyrox sessions.
• Begin a running programme, we will be releasing one in the new year. A good start point is Couch to 5k – don’t rush.  Download your copy.
• Commit – enter as Hyrox 4-6 months away. Enter Now!
• Follow Base Method Training at least 3x per week

“I want to overcome nagging injuries and feel invincible for years to come”

Daily practices:

• Commit to consistent sleep routines, and re-examine lifestyle factors that contribute to pain, such as alcohol use and stress management. Take action!
• What do you need to change to give your body support to heal?
• Walk and move regularly throughout your day. Build your mobility gradually, Squat University have some great routines
• Strength train at least 3 days per week with an emphasis on tempo and full range of motion.

Don’t let 2025 pass you by

• Commit
• Plan
• Act

What change would you be proud of in one year’s time?

WHO IS IT FOR?

Anyone who wants to kickstart their journey towards better nutrition and health, transform their body and see long-term sustainable results.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

A pathway to:

• Look good – improve body composition
• Feel better – improved health
• Play better – whether for sports performance or day-to-day life

Our course will teach you a sustainable system arming you with strategies for better long term results

THIS IS NOT A COURSE IN CALORIE DEFICIT AT THE EXPENSE OF YOUR HEALTH

WHAT DO I GET?

A 6 Week Guided Nutrition Programme, led by PN Nutrition Certified Coaches.

Access to a private Facebook community containing weekly videos, daily tasks, accountability check-ins and support from our coaches and positive community.

Access all information via our app.

Weekly guidance on creating better long-term nutrition habits for sustained results.

WHAT DO I NEED?

An open mind, be willing to get involved and make changes.

WHEN DOES IT START?

The programme runs periodically throughout the year and is only available for in 6 weekly intervals.

You will also receive access to the Facebook community group prior to commencement.

To check out when the next programme starts click below.

Whether you use Barbells, dumbbells, Kettlebells or resistance bands this should form part of a balanced training program.

The best exercise will always depend on you, but everyone needs to move some load through the essential movement patterns – squat, hinge, push, pull, lunge and core.

Here are 5 things that we know for sure about strength training;

1. It’s great for bone health and prevents osteoporosis
2. It improves immune function
3. Its functional i.e. it supports activity outside of the gym
4. It aids weight loss and muscle gain
5. Everyone should do it in some form

Want to learn how to get strong and move well?

STRENGTH STARTS HERE

Structured and progressive strength sessions is one of our elements for improving overall general fitness.

Getting stronger will help you in every way possible in your daily life.

We focus on 6 movement types – hinge, squat, push, pull, single leg and carry.

Focusing on these 6 movement types gives you a balanced approach to your training, plenty of variety and unlimited ways we can keep you progressing.

A quick chat = big results!