Happy New Years from the Nordic Balance team! Our Free Gym Membership giveaway has started for this month, and we've got a couple of people off to flying starts- well done to Sarah Willis (42 likes), Stewart Briggs (22 likes), Francis Joseph (9 likes) and Pac Gujsta (2 likes).

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By completing this workout in between your usual training sessions 1 to 3 times per week you will boost calorie expenditure in a creative and fun way!  You will add variety to your training sessions by incorporating some Capoeira based swing mixed with functional exercises while exercising your body as a whole!  This is an efficient body workout that will make you ready for beach holidays!

Specifically on this workout only kicks to the punching bag will be used mixed with some stren

With the clocks having just gone forward, it is about time we start preparing for summer and there’s no better way to get into the summer spirit than by getting into a swimming pool!

I know you’re thinking “This South African is lost!”... well, think again! People have been using the benefits of baths and swimming pools for centuries.

Due to popular demand we’ve now added another Boxing class, which is on Mondays at 5:30pm. These fun workouts combine the more technical elements of boxing with a good cardio workout, and are perfect for men and women of all levels of experience.

One of the best ways to get in shape is to play squash. Said to be one of the most intense workouts you can do in 40 minutes, squash is a great way to get the heart pumping and the best thing is that by focussing on the little black ball, often you forget about all the hard work you’re doing.  Our squash community has been growing solidly and

Hi there

I am going to be running a monthly circuit challenge starting today. Below are the series of exercises that from this month’s challenge.

I wanted to do a piece about press-ups as I think they have lots of value in a training environment. Press-ups are one of the most functional movements. Think about it- every day you use press-ups through the day, whether it be when you wake up and get out of bed, to falling over and catching yourself, to pushing heavy furniture.

Sara is one of our personal trainers who is also a Pilates teacher, and just happens to be the current World Champion at Capoeira. She’s a pocket-rocket who kicks some serious ass!

Enjoy!

It’s that time of year again!! Like me you may have noticed the increased amount of runners on the street in some very bright and tight lycra. This can mean only one thing- marathon training has started. I was lucky enough to gain entry into the London Marathon last year and it was a fantastic experience.

Wanna lose weight? Then cut out your carbohydrates! Right??? Wrong!!! Well, let’s just say that it’s not entirely true and what we really need to do is have a good understanding of what Carbohydrates really are.

First things first.

This is a subject close to my heart, quite literally!! Being half Italian half French coffee pretty much runs through my veins from that morning cappuccino to after-dinner Espresso, to the nice coffee you have at… hey, anytime of the day! But incorporating coffee, or caffeine to be more precise into my training schedule only came to my attention a couple of years ago.

We recently started training the lovely Lydia from The Resident Magazine, a magazine which covers some of the more well-heeled parts of London including Mayfair and St James.

She felt like she wanted to shed some pounds and get in shape for 2011, so we set her up to do a 4 week version of it to get her going.

I have recently been training barefoot on a regular basis during my running and resistance workouts and the results have been interesting. I have purchased a pair of Vibram five finger shoes and although they look a little strange and feel odd on your feet at first I have noticed a real change in my running technique since wearing them. When running barefoot it is uncomfortable for your heel to strike the floor first so instead you should strike with the ball of your foot.

Mince pie = 225 cals, so....

1. Chop firewood for 34mins.

2. Play jingle bells on the piano for 90 mins.

3. Sing 24 carols.

4. Argue with a family member for 2 hrs.

5. Play in the snow with the kids for 50 mins.

6. Put the Xmas tree up and decorate it for 1hr.

7. Wash the plates the mince pies were on for 92 mins.

8.

As soon as I took my first power yoga class, there was no turning back.

Yoga for me is a great tool aligning my mind, body and soul, a tool for letting go of pain and struggle, physical and emotional.

We all love to push ourselves and set ourselves challenges, such as; running 5k, losing a stone, cycling from London to Brighton, competing in a triathlon, running a marathon, climbing Ben Nevis! Whatever your goal no matter how small it may be for some people, to you it is your personal challenge.

To set ourselves up for this challenge we know we need to make some changes to our lifestyle, we join a gym, we get a personal trainer, we train hard and we start to see results! But then, halfway through your tra

Victoria Stewart, one of the lead columnists at the Evening Standard, came to us a few weeks back after having broken 2 of her fingers. She was annoyed because she couldn't exercise so wanted to know what she could do. We partnered her up with Linnea, one of our Rehabilitation experts, who went to work on her for a few sessions.

To cut a long story short, she loved it! So much so that she decided to write about her experience, and also the growing problem on injuries and what to do about them.

We've recently started training Sabrina, a contributing editor at Women's Fitness. She's signed up to do a bespoke 4 week program called the Body Refurb- it's not for the faint hearted and is a great way to kick start your fitness regime.

Read more to find out how week 2 went for her. She's really enjoying her training and Alex is certainly putting her through her paces.

We've recently started training Sabrina, a contributing editor at Women's Fitness. She's signed up to do a bespoke 4 week program called the Body Refurb- it's not for the faint hearted and is a great way to kick start your fitness regime.

Ultimately she wants to look like Jennifer Aniston (but will setlle for Halle Berry if need's be!), so we've pooled the skills of our team and come up with something that works for her.

Having been a competitive swimmer for most of my life, and still to this day using it as part of my training regime, I would like to remind those who have forgotten how great this natural form of training is.

I think there is a definite reason why swimmers are amongst the fittest, toned and most injury free people in the world. Swimming is a healthy and relaxing activity for all to do whilst toning every muscle in your body, and at the same time providing a great cardiovascular workout.

Nutritional tip for the guys:  is all that protein getting expensive? Don't worry here's my top six of the month that will add strength and size without weakening your wallet.

• Red kidney beans
• Cottage cheese
• Canned tuna
• Chicken breast
• Cashew nuts
• Milk

It’s a small price for large gains!

Exercise tip for the girls:<

This month sees a lovely write-up in the Mayfair Times, a glossy mag aimed at the well-healed residents of Mayfair and St James's in Central London.

The lovely Selma Day was in touch and has done a fantastic piece on us, mentionining Sweating on the Square, our gym, Nordic Walking and the Body Refurb.

We've been featured in Vanity Fair online (www.vanityfair.co.uk)- an exclusive readership of fashion conscious social butterflies who know a good thing when they see it.

After meeting Alice BB, the editor of Vanity Fair online, she agreed to do a piece about us.

We give up our walls to profile some of the talented people we come in contact with. At the moment we're showcasing the work of one of a friend of ours, Ben Grubb.

Ben is an aspiring photographer living and working in London shooting a wide range of subjects. Over the five years he's lived in the capital, he has spent many cold, winter nights exploring sights of the city, trying to capture them in a unique way.

When you begin your voyage towards your fitness goals it is important to realise that slow and steady is key. In my time in the fitness industry I have seen many people with good intentions have to reduce their weekly sessions simply because they are trying to do too much too soon.

When starting out as a complete beginner to exercise it is important that you know your limits as to what your body can and can’t do.

Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates during the First World War to improve rehabilitation for veterans returning from war. He developed a sequence of movements aimed to increase muscular strength, flexibility and endurance, using exercises that focus on the deep core muscles which are essential for spinal stability.

Holistic Approach- “looks at the whole picture. The totality of something is much greater than the sum of its component parts and they cannot be understood by the isolated examination of their parts”

We’ve always prided ourselves on our holistic approach, and feel that by offering a range of services tailored to suit each client, our clients can grow and achieve a balanced body and mind.

Spring is (finally!) here and that means our Nordic Walking classes are starting up again on 29th March.So dust off your poles and pray for sunshine as we head on out to enjoy some of central London’s great parks.

Our first class, on Monday 29th March, will be a beginners class, and will be aimed at teaching you the basics. Thereafter, we will be holding sessions on Monday and Thursday evenings at 6:30pm at Green Park.

If you have attempted any quick visits to the shops lately, then you will know that it's that time of year again. Lots of presents to buy, and lots of Christmas parties to attend. Then it’s over for another year and - whilst your wallet is a lot lighter - it’s a different story when you step on the scales. But does it have to be this way?

Well, no.