The hardstyle snatch is a full body pull pattern exercise that develops explosive power, especially in the hips and shoulders. It can be used as a strength/power exercise or a cardio exercise. It also acts as a transition to other more complex kettlebell movements. Its origins are come from the world of Olympic lifting, where the barbell snatch is a staple lift alongside the clean and snatch (also adapted to kettlebell training).  The Snatch is an explosive strength-endurance based exercise. Because of this, it can be a great exercise to help reduce back pain, it's excellent for endurance ...

* (bias confirmed; I HATE the tabloids so may not be diplomatic with my choice of words here) * It seems like every day the newspapers print some rubbish about fitness or nutrition. The headline is more often than not scary and sensationalist. No surprises there then. I mean, the job of the press isn't to educate you (perhaps controversial but unfortunately true) but to sell papers. Using click-bait headlines that evoke emotional responses from readers is the most tried and tested way of doing this. The media can literally swing elections just by telling you not to vote for the other ...

Six-packs are sexy, right? I mean, everyone wants to look good naked, to be proud of their body, to be confident enough to take their shirt off in the summer like the diet coke guy, right? Of-course we do! I don’t usually concentrate too much on the aesthetic side of fitness, there’s enough gym mirror bum selfies on Instagram to keep this solar system in self-image reinforcement for a millennia. But, the fact that I am a fitness and nutrition coach seems to provoke people to ask questions along the lines of “if I eat more salads will I get a six-pack?” Or “if I avoid potatoes will I get a...

High intensity training or HIT, often referred to as HIIT which actually stands for High Intensity Interval Training has been presented as some kind of magic bullet for fat loss in recent years - technically any form of exercise that involve high intensity efforts if 'HIT'. This includes resistance training. Whilst HIIT (true HIIT) is very short bursts of very high intensity efforts with a short rest interval - but do they burn more fat? I mean, I was even taught this when I first did my level 3 personal trainer diploma. The main reason we are told that HIIT burns more fat than other form...

  Did you know that in addition to fitness and nutrition I also offer professional bike fits? Well I do. Full disclosure, I’m a part-time recreational cyclist at best and my personal preference is for off-road. I ride an entry level 26er hardtail… Yep a 26er, remember those? Anyway, the fact that you are likely to be a more serious cyclist than me ought not to put you off because I have a very particular set of skills, skills that I have acquired over a long career… Don’t worry I’m not going to hunt you down and kill you like Liam Neeson. My background is in fitness, I am a pe...