ARE YOU GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TRAINING?
We love seeing you double up on classes and join us for an evening of feel good energy, but are you maximising or compromising your workouts? Without the right fueling strategy, fatigue will hold you back and you won’t get the full benefit of your training. If you’re feeling drained halfway through or are saving energy for the second session, your results are suffering - Here’s how we get through teaching 2-3 hours of classes keeping our energy up and training impact high.

PAIR SMART: STRENGTH + CARDIO FOR MAXIMUM RESULTS
We have done our best to pair classes that suit a back-to-back if you choose it, so you’ll mostly see a strength class with a cardio session, or a cardio with a toning session, and so on.
If you do cardio first, you might deplete glycogen (your muscle-stored energy), making it harder to push heavy in your strength work. There wont be much injury risk, but you may feel depleted and notice a reduction in strength. However we’re going to go through fuelling options in the post, to get you through this.
If you do strength first, you’ll be utilising your power which can take the edge off of your cardio speed and accuracy. This can lead to injury risk if you are performing jumping and high impact movements after strength training on tired muscles. Again, see our fuelling suggestions below to avoid this!
Which should go first - cardio or strength? What is your primary goal from your training? Put the training type that’s most important to you first where possible so it has your maximum power, energy and effort.
DON’T HOLD BACK + TRAIN WITH FULL INTENSITY
Ever notice yourself going easy on the first class to save energy for the second? That means you’re only getting the real benefit of one workout instead of two. To see results, you need to train at full intensity from the start.
Your body uses glycogen as its primary energy source during workouts. If you don’t replenish it before training, your body will tap into muscle protein for fuel, leading to muscle breakdown instead of muscle building. This is why proper nutrition before and during training is crucial. Without it, you’re leaving potential results on the table, and potentially causing detriment to them.
FUEL UP BEFORE YOU TRAIN - WHAT TO EAT & WHEN
If you’re walking into a session running on fumes after a long day, you’re setting yourself up for an exhausting workout with diminished results. The right pre-training nutrition can completely change your performance.
1-2 hours before training - A balanced meal of protein, complex carbs, and some healthy fats keeps energy levels stable.
Examples: Chicken with rice and veggies, eggs with wholegrain toast, Greek yogurt with granola, protein smoothie with oats.
30-60 mins before training - A quick-digesting carb to spike blood sugar and provide fast energy.
Examples: Banana, rice cake with honey, energy bar, half a bagel, or an energy gel if you’re in a rush.
Neglecting pre-workout nutrition is like trying to drive a car on an empty tank - you’ll only go so far before you crash.
THE POWER OF INTRA-WORKOUT SUPPLEMENTS & ENERGY GELS
Your body isn’t designed to perform at peak effort for two hours without refueling. This is where intra-workout nutrition comes in. Intra-workout supplements and energy gels provide fast-digesting carbohydrates and electrolytes, keeping your energy stable and performance high throughout both classes.
Intra-workout supplements (such as powders containing cyclic dextrin, dextrose, or essential amino acids) help maintain endurance, reduce muscle breakdown, and improve recovery - Your instructor likely has this in their water bottle!
Energy gels contain simple sugars like maltodextrin and fructose, which are quickly absorbed into your bloodstream, preventing energy crashes. These are ideal if you’ve come straight from work or don’t have time for a proper meal beforehand.
Think of these supplements as fuel top-ups to replace the energy being used, to keep your body firing on all cylinders, just like marathon runners refuel mid-race to maintain pace.
WHAT YOUR INSTRUCTORS USE:
Gerry Leanne uses Intra-Workout Power from Myprotein, Energy Gel from Myprotein and Recovery Gel from Myprotein. Gerry is part of the My Protein Coach Club, which means you can get extra discount with he code GERRYCC
Chris Reader uses High-5 Energy Gel, CIS Energy Gel and CLIFF Energy Chews
We recommend trying various brands to see which work for you!
READY TO TRAIN SMARTER & HARDER?
You’re putting in the hours, now it’s time to train with intention and make those sessions count. Small changes in fueling can transform your endurance, strength, and overall progress.
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