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Category Archives: BLOG
Week 5 Training schedule
Don’t forget you can pick an choose which workout you do, or pick one from the previous weeks.
Strength.
1. 5 – 5 – 3 – 3 – 1 – 1: Deadlift, Weighted pull up, bench
2. 5 – 5 – 5: Back squat, Lunges: 10 – 10 -10: Inverted rows, touch your chest push ups: 5 – 5 – 5 – 5 – 5: Box jumps.
3. 5 – 5 – 5 – 5 – 5: Push press, Weighted pull ups, Bench.
Met-Con
1. 15 mins get as high as you can of 1 push up, 1 squat jump, 2 push ups 2 squat jumps etc etc. Compare to week 1.
2. 400m run, 50 reps of Inverted row/ pull ups, high pulls, push ups, walking lunges, 400m run for time.
3. 30s on 15 off: Kettle bells full swing, half swing, Squats, Push ups, Left hand half swing, right hand half swing, push press. x 3 with 3 min recovery, try and count your reps and try and hit what you did n the previous round.
Strength standards
A question often asked is how strong should i be? what should i be lifting?
If your strength training it always helps to have a goal to get to, a target to hit and a way to monitor progression. We have put together a table of strength targets, you should be aiming for wether you are male, female, athlete or gym enthusiast.
Target – Is what you should aim for first. These targets are ideal for recreational gym goers, and what we expect all our clients should be lifting at some point in the future.
Advanced – If your an athlete, wether that be track and field, football, rugby, triathlon and even marathon runners should be aiming for. The more force you can push into the ground, the more potential power you have, which is exactly what you need to run faster.
| Exercise 1 rep max | Target | Advanced |
| Back squat | 1.0 – 1.5 mass | 1.5 – 2.0 mass + |
| Deadlift | 1.0 – 1.5 mass | 1.5 – 2.0 mass + |
| Bench press | 0.5 – 1.0 mass | 1.0 – 1.5 mass + |
| Weighted pull up | 0.5 – 1.0 mass | 1.0 – 1.5 mass + |
| Clean (Power/full) | 1.0 – 1.5 mass | 1.5 – 2.0 mass + |
| Snatch (Power/full) | 0.5 – 1.0 mass | 1.0 – 1.5 mass + |
| Push press/split jerk | 0.5 – 1.0 mass | 1.0 – 1.5 mass+ |
Warning
Do not attempt to lift the recommendations if you are un-sure on technique or have not lifted heavy before.
The above standards have been taken from various strength journals and books used by strength professional such as: Essential to strength and conditioning, super training and Mike boyles strength and conditioning.
FST training system
Welcome to week one of Fstacademy’s fitness system, which is in desperate need of a better name!! If you want to get fit, loose weight, gain muscle and have fun doing it then there is no better way.
Our training system is a blend of weights, Met-con and calisthenics designed round a weekly training system that changes each week. You’ll never train in the same way each week, keeping it interesting, fun and challenging. Each workout is scalable so any fitness level can join in, then you can compare yourself to our lifting standards, workout standards and challenge your friends.
There will be some standards posted and benchmark workouts which will be repeated to monitor progression, which can be done at anytime you feel like setting down a bench mark.
How it works.
Each week 6 workouts will be posted, 3 strength/power based and 3 Met-con based. The order and how many and distribution is entirely up to you. For example if you want to out on muscle mass without improving your aerobic capacity then just do the strength training, you could double up or choose previous workouts. Likewise if you just want to focus on aerobic capacity then just do the Met-con sessions again either double up or choose from previous sessions. A recommended blend is to do both for a daily undulating way to general all rounds fitness, athletic physique and to burn fat like furnace.
Weights
You might struggle to do the workouts if you haven’t got access to an Olympic bar, plates and squat rack. In terms of weights that’s all you’ll really need, so if you’re a member of a gym that doesn’t have these then leave it and go and find one that does because, well a gym without the basics as mentioned is basically a huge waste of time.
Met-con
Be ready for anything. You’ll be able to use a whole variety of things to jump over and on too, throw, swing and lift in an endless combination to get yourself fit. 
Warning
Some of these workouts are hard, I mean really hard!!!! Your heart rate will increase rapidly, you’ll be asked to move quickly, lift heavy and try your best. (things you should be doing anyway) If you are un sure about any movements then please ask a trained professional to coach you safely. Start slow and build up, fitness is a life long journey. GET ON THE ROAD.
Selecting a gym
How to select a gym
Choosing to get fit can be a daunting task. Firstly it’s a question of when? This week? Next week? In the New Year? It’s always seems to be next on the list, rather than when I get home I will… Then next its where? What gym should I join? A commercial gym. Like a fitness first gym, or a small boxing gym. Should I get a personal trainer? Or go it alone and just use online resources. Even the fit amongst us can loose interest and struggle to decide where to go when motivation is low.
Once you’ve decided to get fit and when you want to start your journey, Monday probably (I’ll put a post together why Monday is the worst day to get fit). The second question is where? Where to invest your hard earned cash. After all joining a gym is an investment isn’t it? You invest and trust this company, to take care of your health, just like you trust a doctor, or a dentist to provide a service. You expect a gym to help you get fit, stay fit and take care of your health.
A quick google search, for “gyms in Manchester “Threw up all the usual suspects La fitness Manchester, Virgin Active Manchester, Fitness first etc etc. The question is what is the difference? They all have machines and all have pools, sauna’s and all that stuff, but does any of this actually help you get fit? The machines will do their part, a pool would if you swam instead of sitting in the Jacuzzi but how many of us actually swim in it? And a sauna, well in theory every time you sweat you burn calories, but in reality sitting in a sauna is only going to get you hot, and dehydrated, still nothing wrong with chilling in post session.
A survey has showed that most people that are members of globo gyms use it less than once a week, this was taken from a whole variety of people, some admittedly went every day and most didn’t turn up at all. When clients leave a big globo gym and come to my small gym I ask why they left? Without fail every single person said they didn’t really know what they were doing and so lost interest and inevitably left.
So try and see through all the fancy gym equipment and pools and ask some key questions, what do I learn? Will you teach me to get fit? Will you monitor my program? Will you write a program? Will you take some markers? How do I know if I’m improving? These are super important questions and the ones that WILL get you fit, and most importantly keep you fit. Try calling over the phone first so they can’t blind you with shiny equipment. If they can’t answer your questions hang up and move on it’s not for you.
Good luck and remember why you want to be there, to get fit, stay fit or train for something particular and ask them how they will help you.
Fstacademy pride ourselves on delivering results, you aren’t spending your hard earned cash on keeping a pool at a comfortable temperature or keeping a treadmill running but on knowledge, professional staff and most importantly your achieving your goals whatever they are.
Run better online service
A very exciting new service will be hitting Fstacademy very very soon, and that’s our run better online service, to help you correct your running technique.
Our run better online service is an opportunity for people that can’t make it into Fstacademy to have there running technique assessed and receive some great feedback and how to improve your running technique, how to take the best step forward and pick up some running tips.
This is ideal for anyone who is interested in how they move, had an injury or recently changed there technique without actually travelling all the way to a center to have there analysis done.
It works by you filming yourself with any digital device from the side for atleast 2 cycles (when the same foot hits the ground twice) and from the back for atleast 2 cycles. It doesn’t have to be on a treadmill this can be done anywhere, aslong as you get the cycles in then it will work perfectly. You then upload your footage to Fstacademy.com/runbetteronline and fill in the fields. We then use our specialist bio-mechanical software to slow down the footage, measure angels and have a good look at what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong. Once we have done this we will email you a video, complete with a coach talking over the top. So you can not only see, but hear what we have to say, it’s like your right here with us. We even provide you with a break down on a PDF, so you can read about your feedback, and have it to hand next time you put your trainers on and take to the streets.
We’ve been helping people run better for the best part of a year now, and helped lots of people find there confidence running, increased there speed, smashed pb’s and help get rid of some long standing injuries. So now we decided, it’s time to open the doors to the rest of the country.
We will be putting together some video’s t make sure you know exactly how to upload your footage so you can join the people who have already benefited from our run better service.
General gym warm up
Hi as part of my blog i said i would post up video’s of my workouts and training, today i’m posting up my standard warm up that i do before any weight training.
It usually takes up to about 10 mins and its all about perfecting movement patterns and increasing range of motion, not through static stretching but through movement.
I usually do something very similar with all my clients from triathletes to track and field athletes before moving onto there specific needs and injury prevention work.
Diane Modahl Foundation
Fstacademy is proud to say we shall be working with the coaches and athletes of the Diane Modahl foundation which help under priviliged kids find and athletics and help them to develop as athletes and as people.
The Diane Modahl Sports Foundation is a registered charity with The Charity Service. Number 1011293. It was set up by Diane Modahl in 2010.
DMSF brings high quality athletics coaching opportunities to young people, particularly those living in disadvantaged areas.
Through an expanding network of school-based athletics clubs, we look for, support and shape sporting talent. read more…
My workout for the next 4 weeks
Hi, welcome back to my second post. It’s been a pretty good week, with Olympics taking place with plenty of inspiration coming in all shapes and sizes, from Mo and his amazing double 5 and 10k, wins to Sir Chris Hoy and Vik Pendleton in the track cycling a great ending to an amazing Olympic carrer. As a result a few more future stars have joined fst working on there strength and conditioning right here in Manchester, which is pretty good and now we’ve got a Judo player which is going to be interesting, so I can’t wait to get started with that.
As I’ve mentioned I’m going to post my workouts, training plans and my journey back to
track and field or triathlon (still un-decided). After my first post I got on with a fairly basic program designed just to strengthen my tendons, muscle attachments and core. I’m lucky in the fact I know my body and know what it capable and not capable off so, anybody wanting to copy I’d drop the weight right down I’m working at around 60% of my old 1RM. It looks a little like this at the moment:
4 days of training with optional longer slower distance or a swim or ride which ever seems best on the other days. 2 days lower body strength and 2 days upper body and core stability. By the way why core stability is not abdominal crunches and non of this plank business, but good quality core stability designed to stabilize the pelvic girdle.
Lower limb days.
Warm up
Foam role
Lunges including rotations and hip flexor stretches.
Internal external rotation for the hips
Single leg Romanian deadlift
Shoulder mobility
Push up plus to T stand.
I do around 2 sets of 15 reps each.
Lower limb
Session 1
5 sets 5 reps on the 2 mins of
High pulls
Mid thigh cleans
Back squats
Nordics
Core circuit
Session 2
5 reps 5 reps on the 2 mins of
Front squats
Deadlifts
Lunges (forward)
Nordics
Upper body
Session 1
The above warm up pluss
Scorpion kicks
T swings
Spiderman lunges
I do around 2 sets of 15 reps each.
Session 1
L-sit 3 x 30s
Planch tuck 3 x 30s
Kb Swing and GHD sit ups 3 x 30
Role outs
Pull ups 5 x 5
Ring Dips 5 x 5
Run or Met-con.
Session 2
Horizontal lie 3 x 6
V-sit 3 x 30s
Leg pull over
Pull ups 5 x 5
Ring dips 5 x 5
Max velocity training
Anything with a weight on it will be increased week by week over the next 4 weeks, and anything that’s timed will have a goal of increasing reps in the time.
I’ve not done any testing yet, that’ll be done at the end of this 4 weeks as I want it to be a realistic effort so I can get accurate intensities for weights.
I’ll post a video of the warm up at some point either this week or next so it makes a bit more sense.
The first post
Since this is my first entry and my first ever blog about me and what I’m up to, I should really introduce myself and what this is all about, and also mention i’m pretty dyslexic, so please forgive any spelling mistakes.
As you’ve probably gathered my name is Danny and 27 years old and run my own business called Fstacademy, (the fst stands for functional strength training) where we train athletes and individuals to move and recover better to improve performance. I’m living the dream at the moment, training people my way with my own philosophies and training principles, more of which I’ll talk about along the way or through the website.
The whole reason for doing this blog is a bit of self motivation and to share with anyone who wants to read it what it is I actually do when I’m not getting people to squat, run or Olympic lift. Since many of my clients ask what sport I play or did play, I find myself in a tricky situation saying I used to sprint (many many years ago now), but at the moment I don’t compete at anything, but I do feel I should be since I’m still young enough to. The problem is doing a degree and opening a business is all very time consuming and doesn’t leave a lot of time to do much else, but now the gym is open and the degree is done it’s time to do as I do not do as I say like it has been for the last few years.
I should give you a bit of background about myself first. Back when I was a teenager around 16 or 17 I trained as a sprinter and had done since the age of 11, and in that time I’d been to the English school’s, won a medal at regional level, defended numerous county championships and been to several national championships. However, from 17 to 21 thanks to college, women, injuries and partying something had changed, I found myself injured more than I was healthy which I found extremely frustrating the dreams of representing my country was slipping away month by month until enough was enough and I hung up my spikes at 21. From 11 till 21, training was training Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday for 2 to 3 hours, without fail!!!! Pluss 2 mile runs and the occasional weight session, all stopped pretty much over night. The next few years were great no training, no being sick in the tree’s, no lactic acid. All this time let me focus on what I wanted to do as job, which I’ll go into in my next post. But in doing this I became a mere shadow of my former self, the 6 pack faded and the body weight (fat) slowly crept on, and the aerobic fitness reduced so much I found myself recently on a 5k run round Heaton park looking for the nearest bin to throw my breakfast up in (I didn’t) and finished in what I would consider a very slow time of 26mins. What on earth has happened to me? Like I said opening a business and doing a degree takes some effort and leaves no time for anything.
It’s not all doom and gloom though a few years ago I travelled down to Bath to try out for British bobsleigh team at there talent ID day, I turned up over weight and out of shape and still got through but didn’t do enough to go on tour which was to be expected, but did show I still had a little bit of talent left in the tank. In Uni I did a lot of testing mainly on myself which showed I had good tendon structure for a sprinter, can squat twice my own
body mass, and can clean my own body mass without little to no training oh my and my vertical jump is pretty good aswel, I cant remember what it is exactly; but down in Bath I performed a standing long jump of 3m 10cm. All in all I strength and power wise I can keep up with most professional level teams, I know I tested some and obviously compared myself it’d be rude not to after all.
So I find myself training people to get strong, powerfull and fit to compete or just to live a better healthier life and not really taking the time to look after myself. I think it’s about time I put some of what I say into practice on myself. I am the type of person who needs something to aim for, and it can’t be just aesthetic and health reasons, i love to compete i always have and always will, the problem is what exactly am I going to do with myself? Do I go back to the track and chase all my pb’s or will I be left disappointed chasing a dream that once was, or do I go for something completely new? Like sprint distance triathlon, (800m swim, 20k bike and 5k run). If I’m honest 80% says put the spikes back on while the rest probably the more sensible side is saying, you’ll never be as good and realistically breaking 11s for 100m is just a dream that’ll never come true, do something new.
But!!! and this is a big one, my aerobic capacity has always been my week point, with my strength and power being my strongest area. So choosing to opt for a distance competition is always going to be an upward battle, but returning back to the track I run the risk of chasing what once was.
Since it’s pretty much mid way through the track and field season and same for the tri season doing anything of any use this year is pretty much out of the question. So next up realistically is the track and field indoor season starting around Christmas time, so it seems logical to make that my first long goal and take it from there, see how I perform against others and try and forget what I once was and focus on what I can do now.
Over the next week I’ll put myself through some tests to see where I need to improve, I’ll be testing my body fat, strength, power and aerobic power and report back on what I need to do to improve and hit my goals. So I leave you up to date with my physical condition and a statement of my intention over the next 6 month. I’ll be posting my training, my nutrition and all things that are happening from week to week at Fstacademy. If through any of this you have any question please get in touch I’ll be happy to answer them.