Cycling Assessment Days

The relentless climbs of Swains lane and Highgate West Hill have made Highgate a bit of a cycling Mecca in recent years. The mobile phone Ap - "Strava" has The Swains Lane climb as one of its most popular routes and the achievement of the ten climb challenge has become like a badge of honour worn by the local cycling enthusiasts!

As every good cyclist will tell you, cycling performance is all about knowing your numbers. Your cycling cadence, your power output, and the key ones - Maximum heart rate, training zone heart rate and lactate threshold.

Getting an accurate grasp of these numbers isn't that easy. There are predicted formula's that give a rough guide but in order to get a true understanding you need some physiological testing.

So we have set up two testing days at All About You in November.

Our Cycling Assessment Package is designed for cyclists of all levels that want a high performance approach to improving their performance. The package uses tests and equipment endorsed by British Cycling to establish a profile of your current performance, determine which areas have the biggest potential for improvement and you will receive a report on your personal heart rate and power zones in order to optimise your training.

What Does The Package Involve?

1.      Pre-test Assessment: Blood pressure, lung function, height and weight.

2.      Lactate Threshold Test: Performed on a ‘Wattbike’ (endorsed by British Cycling), this is an incremental step-test, which consists of 4-minute stages of increasing work. Heart rate, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), power (watts) and blood lactate (taken via a painless ear lobe prick) are recorded at the end of each stage to determine the intensity your body switches from primarily aerobic to anaerobic energy production.

3.      3 minute max power test: This maximum effort 3 minute time trial provides an estimation of your aerobic capacity. The absolute average power and maximum heart rate achieved during the test can also be used as an estimate of maximum minute power and maximum heart rate to calculate your training zones and power to weight ratio.

4.      Training recommendations: Advice to help you optimise your training efforts.

Duration: 90 minutes to 2 hours

Cost: £120

Coach: Steve Gent is a physiologist and conditioning expert who has worked at the highest level, helping prepare athletes for the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics. The athletes he has coached have returned a total of 16 Olympic medals and finished on the podium in over 90 World and European Championships.

All About The Tour

The Tour de france has come to All About You

As you know we've upgraded all of our facilities at the studio in Highgate and as part of this process we want to add some exciting new concepts to our Fitness Class Programme


So what is All About The Tour?

We've created a unique cycling workout with images of some of the world's most famous climbs.

All of our classes are technique and terrain based and focus on cadence, heart rate, climbs and sprints to create an unpredictable ride that is fun and challenging.

Not only do the classes look great - but you'll get an incredible workout through the French alps whilst the rain comes down outside in Highgate - I know where I'd rather be!...

If you'd like to join us then we have classes on the following days and times...

Monday at 6:30pm
Wednesday at 7:15pm
Thursday at 6pm

And we are working on introducing an extra long session at the weekend...

If you're a serious cyclist then we also have a Team GB physiologist coming to the studio in November to deliver unique fitness testing days.

Stay tuned for more information...

Meet The Team!

In the last few months there have been a number of changes to All About You. The business has grown drastically, not just in the size of the studio but also through the addition of a new fitness class timetable and our wellbeing clinic.

Here's how our team looks today...




David Osgathorp

David set up All About You in 2006 with the idea of creating a holistic health centre that delivers a unique experience and an unrivalled personal service to our clients. After seven years and many additions to the original business I feel that I have now constructed an excellent team of individuals to offer the ultimate health and wellbeing package.

James Hutchison

Combining over 10 years of experience in the fitness industry with a Psychology degree has allowed James to develop a unique Personal Training style which focuses not only on health and well being, but on goal setting, motivation and long term behaviour change for weight loss.

Nick Palma

Sports Therapist Nick, specialises in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. With a wealth of experience in both clinical and health & fitness environments, Nick enjoys using the latest corrective exercise techniques to provide pain prevention solutions for all his clients.

Dan Humphries

Fat Loss Specialist, Dan has designed our One to One Bootcamp Programme which combines a mix of sweat, challenges and a topping of fun to deliver exceptional results. He is our resident nice guy and will also ensure you have a five star experience at the studio in his role as Studio Manager.

Benjamin Cooper

Holistic Lifestyle Coach Benjamin understands that the human body works PHYSICALLY (movement), EMOTIONALLY (Hormonal) and CHEMICALLY (Nutrition). His approach addresses sleep patterns, stress levels, nutrition, and movement to not only improve his clients quality of life but educate them on the best choices to make.

 Paul Ranson

Natural Movement Coach, Paul aims to address our body’s optimal health and alignment which is compromised on a daily basis. His approach teaches clients to move with efficiency and skill while following his philosophy of having fun and enjoying movement to achieve sustainable fitness. He has worked successfully with this approach in London, Spain and Kenya.

Tony Wilson

Performance Coach Tony has a no nonsense approach to training. He lives and breathes health and fitness and delivers exceptional results to his clients. He specialises in strength training, fat loss and nutrition. With many years of experience he understands the importance of keeping clients motivated and on track to achieving their goals.

James Lockyer

Sport & Exercise Rehabilitation Specialist James has a unique approach to training. He uses a variety of release techniques and corrective exercise methods to create strong foundations to reduce pain and improve everyday function. He is a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic trainer and a great addition to the All About You Team.

Stephen Sacks

Harley Street Osteopath Stephen has a simple approach: Find it, fix it and leave it alone but maintain it and give you the tools to make sure it does not come back. In order to do this, he uses a variety of methods from osteopathy, acupuncture/dry needling, sports taping and electrotherapy.

Stephen is now working at the studio on Monday and Wednesday mornings.

Antonia Ptohides

Pilates Instructor Antonia started ballet at the age of 10 and she has since gone on work as a professional dancer and complete an MA in Movement Studies. Antonia acknowledges the original form of the Pilates Method, and applies his principals in her classes. Her classes give adherence to core stability and body awareness and emphasise spinal and pelvic alignment, coordination and body balance.

 Tanya Kalides

Tanya is a keen and enthusiastic trainer whose interest in health and fitness began whilst studying human biology at Loughborough University. She believes in training hard whatever your fitness level. Her sessions are always energetic varied and challenging!

Tanya will be heading up our new fitness classes at All About You from September.

Simone Woolerton

Female weight loss specialist Simone has a passion for movement and fitness. She has a wealth of skills in teaching Kettlebells, TRX, Aerobics,Yoga and Boxing to name a few! Her training sessions take you beyond your physical limits and her creative and motivating training sessions and classes make her a much loved instructor.

Alex Neilsen

Sports Massage Therapist Alex, has experience working for the Whittington hospital and Hampstead Rugby Club. Alex first learnt massage in Thailand where he studied Thai massage and elbow massage and has continued his studies and practice 

specialising in Sports Massage.

Christine Nielsen

Christine is a specialist in Pregnancy Massage, Baby Yoga and Baby / Infant Massage Therapist. She originally trained in Thailand where she discovered the importance of regular massage and a hands on approach towards teaching.

Christine teaches the Infant & Baby Massage Diploma & Baby Yoga Diploma's as well as workshops on Pregnancy & Labour Massage.

For more information on any of our practitioners please Contact Us at the studio.

Does Weight Training Make Women Bulky?

There are numerous myths and scare stories around the issue of female resistance training that cause most women to stay well away from the weights room in the gym through the fear of growing bulky muscles.

This simply won’t happen! 


The truth is that women don’t have enough of the hormones in their body that allow for increased muscle mass. In fact they actually have 10 to 30 times less amounts of testosterone and human growth hormone than males.

In fact most male weight trainers will tell you that simply lifting weights isn’t going to guarantee instant muscle gain. It takes serious dedication, a precise and appropriate weight training programme, a strict and scientifically engineered diet complete with dietary supplementation and for a number of guys, chemical enhancement to see these results!

Muscle mass just won’t suddenly appear because you dare to lift weights. Unfortunately many women believe this myth and therefore miss out on all of the benefits that strength training offers.

Weight training is incredibly beneficial to women and my team of trainers and I incorporate some form of strength training element into all of our female client’s programmes. The down side is that YES, it may mean that your overall weight may go up but as I always say to my clients “is the number on those scales really important if you look and feel so much better?”

The bottom line is that muscle tissue weights more than fat. Therefore, as you increase your muscle tissue, your "weight" will increase.

However, here’s the good bit, Muscle is thermogenic which means that by having more of it this will increase your resting metabolism. The denser your muscle tissue, the more calories you will burn even at a complete rest. Those with dense muscles burn more calories by just engaging in their regular daily activities. In fact, research shows that for each pound of muscle earned, you will expend 35 to 50 more calories per day. 

So, if you gain three pounds of muscle, you will burn 40 more calories per pound, which equates to 120 additional calories per day, which translates into 3,600 additional calories per month and ultimately results in a weight loss of 10 to 12 pounds in a single year.

Weight training is also an incredibly powerful weapon against osteoporosis, a disease characterised by low bone mass, leading to an increased susceptibility to fractures of the wrists, hips, and spine. About 3 million people in the UK have osteoporosis and every year more than 230,000 fractures occur because of it. In fact, statistics show that one in two women over the age of 50 will suffer from an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lifetime.

So maybe the question should be can we really live healthily without weight training?

For more information contact David and his team – www.aayou.co.uk

The Great Calorie Debate

You want to lose weight?

Just cut your calories right?

Or burn a few more in the gym??

This started off as a simple conversation in the studio earlier this week and soon turned in to a pretty heated debate! So we thought we’d share our view on why all calories aren't created equally and how your body is just too smart to fall for this simple trick!...

In theory the calories in vs calories out debate works but the reality is your body is far too intelligent for this to work as a long term weight loss solution and there are a number of considerations you need to be aware of as to why following this simple equation won’t get you the results you desire.

The truth is your body is an amazing control centre that is monitoring and regulating constantly therefore the fewer calories you consume, the fewer calories your body burns.

There are around 3500 calories in a pound of fat. So if your goal is to lose 1 pound of fat per week simple maths tells us that if you simply reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories per day you’ll lose one pound of fat per week and you can just keep doing this until you hit your desired weight. Simple 

yes??

Well, NO

You’ll probably find that you lose a pound in the first week but less and less in subsequent weeks as your body adapts to this change and starts to literally run cooler to conserve the lower amount of calories you are now consuming – effectively increasing the value of each calorie!

It’s a tough job to outsmart the human body!

Here’s the even worse news...

The long term damage of this approach is that your body has now effectively lowered its Basal Metabolic rate – the amount energy expended daily at rest.

So, when you go back to your normal eating habits you easily put on the weight you’ve lost AND more!

This is the reason why most calorie restrictive diets don’t work as a long term solution and why most people go back to weight watchers time and time again.

My other problem with calorie counting is that All Calories Are Not Created Equally!

Simply put some of the things we eat are just not food! They are “food like substances!”

                                                  Real food or GOOD CALORIES, are those that supply energy to the body in an effective and efficient manner. They ensure that all of our bodily processes like hormone production, muscle growth and organ function develop and perform in the way that they should.

BAD CALORIES are those that stimulate excessive insulin levels (which is the real cause of fat storage and will be properly discussed in another blog post) they offer very little to the body except for fat accumulation and poor health.

So what do you do?

Here are a few simple tricks:

Don’t fall for marketing tricks! No matter how “Low Cal” it may be, if your body cannot use it, digest it and function optimally from consuming it your causing harm to your health and adding to that growing waist line!

Eat real food.

Our simple philosophy at All About You is that if it’s lived or come out of the ground it will benefit your body and you can pretty much eat as much as you like of these foods!

We are now offering nutrition and lifestyle consultations at the studio. If you like the sound of this and want to find out more, CONTACT US for more information.

Why haven’t you tried Pilates yet?

Joseph Pilates first introduced his concept to the world in 1910! Any exercise routine that is still getting amazing results over 100 years later must have something about it!! Our Pilates programme is really taking off at the studio now and if you’re wondering how it can help you here are a few reasons why we think you should give it a try...

It’s not just for your abs.

Pilates stretches and challenges every muscle allowing you to tone, strengthen and firm those tough to reach parts!

It’s great for stress relief

Pilates allows you to feel calmer, sleep better and be more relaxed. It improves your immune system and also lowers your blood pressure.

Pilates reduces the risk of injury

The movements involved in Pilates work every muscle group creating greater core strength and thereby reducing injury in other sports and day to day activities.

It improves you posture

Good posture doesn’t just make you look taller and slimmer, 

it will prevent neck pain, back pain, it allows for improved 

movement and also reduces referred pain throughout the body.

It improves your breathing

Joseph Pilates once said “Inefficient breathing lies at the root of poor health.” An inability to use oxygen sufficiently places unnecessary stress on the body and not being able to properly expel carbon dioxide creates an acidic environment in which disease and ill health thrive.

It’s not just for girls!

It appears that women are more aware for the benefits of Pilates, but guys, I have to tell you, you’re missing out...  Although our core training beliefs at All About You are very similar to those of Pilates we all still certainly feel the affects of one of Antonia or Blanca’s classes!

So what are you waiting for?

We now have seven mat classes per week, 10 small group reformer sessions each week as well as numerous one to one sessions at the studio in Highgate. You can view our class time table HERE or CONTACT US to arrange a free trial.

“In 10 sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 sessions you will see the difference and in 30 sessions you will have a whole new body” Joseph Pilates

Not another fad diet?!!

Everyday we are faced with so many ideas and opinions on the best way to lose weight, get into amazing shape and feel great. As fitness professional my team and I are questioned by our clients constantly about diet X or workout plan Y.

I believe it is our job to dig into all of the confusing and conflicting advice and to provide a simple approach that our clients can easily adhere to!

At All About You we keep things simple. We don’t like fad diets and quick fix solutions we believe in eating clean and moving in the right way and then moving more!

The simple facts that we promote to enjoy a healthy life are:

1.       Move more

2.       Drink more water

3.       Eat more vegetables

4.       Keep starchy carbs to a minimum

5.       Always chose real foods over supplements.

6.       The biggest one of all for me... Avoid Sugar whenever possible!

Simply put, Fat doesn’t make you fat sugar does!

Take a look a this great video which perfectly explains the role that sugar plays in not only making us fat but seriously stressing the pancreas and affecting the regulation of insulin and leptin – the hormone that tells our brain when we’ve had too much to eat!

Sugar is added to so much food and we are constantly lied to by marketers about how healthy for us their products are. Low fat alternatives or 99% fat free products are generally full of sugar. We need more information like this to make us all aware of what sugar actually does to our bodies