Sports Massage with Josh Holman

My name is Josh Holman. I have attained a Level 4 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy and I am STA certified. As well as being a sports massage therapist, I am also a very keen triathlete, having competed in the sport for a number of years at a very high level. I myself have utilised the skills of sports massage therapists in order to recover better, prevent injuries, and also compete to the best of my ability.

The treatment that I offer includes a number of different massage therapy techniques in order to get the best results for the person, including Soft Tissue Release, Trigger Point Therapy, Myofacial Release, Connective Tissue Release and Muscle Energy Techniques.

Sports massage offers more than just a treatment for injuries, it also produces overwhelming benefits for people physically, physiologically, and psychologically. As well as treating and preventing injury, sports massage can help to prepare the person for their activity, reduce fatigue, improve posture, relieve muscle swelling and tension, and improve flexibility. Whether you are a serious athlete or simply working out for the health benefits, sports massage is beneficial in a number of different ways.

April Offer: £34 for all treatments

Book here

Mundesley to Cromer Walk

Approx 8 miles

On the East Coast it’s always a treat if you can catch the sunrise coming up over the sea. Today the sky was stunning and the temperature was so warm, which was perfect for a good stretch to start the day..

Before setting off a hearty breakfast was needed. The guy sat next to me said he needed a good walk after his full English - I certainly felt well prepared after mine!

I set off through Mundesley village centre and past Kiln cliffs. I now know where they got their name - from this unique looking building…

Then down to the beach. The plan was to go the whole way to Cromer on the sand. It was mid tide and this seemed possible, but I would check in high tide as the beach got very narrow at points.

Along the way I was surprised at the amount of clay on the beach - all fallen away for the soft cliffs, which in places created little caves

I also looked for cool shells and stones for my son, Jack, along the way.

This part of beach was almost deserted. I think I past one dog walker all the way to Side Strand. It is a perfect place to relax. I listened to an audio book (A short history of nearly everything, by Bill Bryson). Highly recommended!

Eventually Cromer came into sight. The pier was visible from a way away and the sun burst out from the clouds for the last couple of miles.

Into Cromer and a well earned ice cream and a dip in the sea to finish the journey (cold but good recovery for the legs!)

Exercise to live longer

We all know that exercise is good for us mentally, physically, and emotionally. It's one of the reasons we trainers love our jobs and why you dynamic team members love coming in to the studio! It has so many health benefits, one of which is living longer.

Earlier this year, The British Journal of Sports Medicine published a study* outlining some of the 'best practices'' for exercise and where we should focus on time. Researchers found that either aerobic or strength training was associated with a lower risk of dying, but regularly doing both (1-3 hours a week of aerobic and 1-2 hours weekly of strenght) was associated with an even lower mortality risk!

With all adjustments for other factors (age, gender, income, education, pre-existing conditions, etc), researchers found 1 hour of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity a week had a 15% lower moratity risk, and becomes 27% lower for those who did 3 hours a week!

Add in 1-2 hours a week of strength training, and mortality risk becomes 40% lower than those with a sedentary lifestyle! This is roughy the difference between an individual who smokes a pack-a-day versus a non-smoker.

As with a lot of research, it's really challenging to gather all the facts and data about longevity and exericise as there aren't any studies that can go long enough with a large enough sample, but this research and similar is proof that you're all on the right track by keeping up with your movement, strength, and aerobic activity levels! Catch you in the studio soon!

*Coleman CJ, McDonough DJ, Pope ZC, et alDose–response association of aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity with mortality: a national cohort study of 416 420 US adultsBritish Journal of Sports Medicine Published Online First: 11 August 2022. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105519

Steph's 2nd Trimester Update (18weeks pregnant)

Well, dynamic-fam, pregnancy has taken an extreme toll on my (aging!) body. I am currently 18 weeks pregnant... and I have only just today completed my first workout since I was 5 weeks pregnant (ie: the week you miss your period). Which means, it has been FOUR MONTHS since I have done a workout. As many of you know, I have hyperemesis gravidarum or 'morning sickness on steroids'. There have been times I couldn't sit up without vomiting, multiple visits to hospital, a few different types of drugs to try to keep anything down so I could stay hydrated, etc. etc. etc. I'm faring MUCH better now, and I am starting to use exercise as a way to encourage my body to remobilise and energize.

Don't forget, in all of this, I am a pre & post-natal trained PT, so I have a great background knowledge on what to look out for. I have also been SO SICK, I will not push myself too much. Now that I have given you that disclaimer...

My workout today was entirely seated (hi upper body!) as, much to my extreme chagrin, I have already begun to develop abdominal separation - known medically as diastasis recti - which will further prevent me doing any abdominal specific 'six-pack' work until I have healed following post-partum work. I won't lie, this is a mission I'm already not looking forward to. So- every move now becomes a core exercise (now where have I heard that before?). One thing about the pregnant body is that the new imbalances and adjustments of organs to make room for baby causes every movement to be core work. Nothing extra in terms of ab work is necessary for me during these next 5 months.

I'm keeping a detailed log of what I'm able to do, how my diastasis looks, and how my body feels. The grace to allow for exhaustion and remembering that as I gain weight I don't need to hold extra dumbbell weight keeps for a great maintenance phase of my programing. Aside from a healthy baby and birth, my biggest fitness goal is to be able to keep our gym tidied, grab your weights between sets, and not need a nap every afternoon (maybe just every other afternoon, haha!).

If you have any questions for me, or if you know any pregnant or post-natal women who have questions, please reach out! The dynamic support network is a strong and mighty one.

More updates soon, but I can't wait to see you all in the studio soon!

Ross @ Half Ironman Nice

Here is a little summary of my A-race of 2022…

It was an amazing weekend and a great way to kick off the Stag Do for Ironman Pro Joe Skipper!

Swim (1.9km)

Wow! What a place to race!! The sea is an amazing colour of blue and the temperature is perfect.

I was travelling as light as possible so this was my first ever non-wetsuit swim. It meant it was slower but it still felt good. The sun rising over the mountain was stunning ☀️

Time - 37:14 (av 1:59/100m)

Bike (90km)

The course was described by Ironman as ‘hilly’. They were not wrong! The col de vence was so tough in the heat - we just don’t have hills like this in Norfolk! Luckily, as I was slow in the swim I could keep overtaking people on the climb which was super motivating.

The decent was incredible - so fast and technical. You had to be switched on 100%

I clocked up a max speed of 60kph and it felt awesome!

Time - 3h 02 (av 30.1kph)

Run (21km)

The run along the promenade was brutal! So hot and the wind kicked up incredibly. I had a target of 5min/km before the race and I tried to stick with it with all the energy and effort I had!

I was very pleased to see the turn into the red carpet! I tried to turn on a sprint but my hamstrings said no - I left it all out on the course

Time 1:42 (av 5:03/km)

OVERALL TIME - 5h 31

33rd out of 183 in my age group

234th out of 1,419 male finishers

Ross' 40th bday challenges

The last decade I found my love of triathlon and as I love a challenge I thought I’d set myself 3 challenges before I turn 40 - 1 swim, 1 bike, 1 run….

The Swim

I have got loads better at swimming over the last few years. Mostly thanks to my dolphin-like wife Sarah and my mother-in-law Jane, who have both grown up swimming. I also joined local club EAST for a season and it was amazing to see how fast people are when they swim regularly. Unfortunately my legs still seem to sink but I am trying to improve that every session!

This challenge is something I could never have done 2 years ago and it’s going to be very tough going every 2 minutes…

The Challenge

40 x 100m efforts (every 2 mins)

*If you want to join me you can join in on any of the 100’s - it will be great to have more people in the lane

Date - Sat 9th Apr

The Bike

I have biked everyday since my Mum sent me off my bike to CNS and I love it. Cycling has provided me with so many memories over the years - from climbing hills in Italy, flying down the Rocky Mountains in IRONMAN Canada and especially the rides to the pub! (Gunton Arms is the favourite).

For this challenge local professional IRONMAN Joe Skipper has offered to pace me. I am super grateful to Joe to fit me in with his training schedule as he builds up to the World IRONMAN champs! Joe Skipper

The Challenge

40k time trial (as close to 1hr as possible!)

*Come and join on the back of the peloton (lead by a pro athlete!)

Date - Sun 20th Mar

The Run

Ever since I can remember I have loved sport - my main sport over the years has been Korfball, which involves short sharp running intervals. I have always enjoyed team sports chasing a ball, then as I got older I just enjoyed running for running. I love the challenge it gives you, exploring nature and getting the endorphins afterwards!

I have always wanted to run faster than further so I am going to attempt a speed challenge…

The Challenge

10k in 40 mins (25 laps of the track)

*I am going to book the UEA track so if you want to join me you can pace me round a few laps

Date - Sat 16th Apr

HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!

Try this healthy pancake recipe… 

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes 

Ingredients in banana oatmeal pancakes 

These gluten free banana pancakes are easy to make, SO delicious and happen to be an awesome post-workout breakfast because they’re packed with healthy complex carbs and 12g protein per serving. They are naturally gluten free and contain no flour or added sugar. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

Bananas: super ripe bananas give the pancakes their natural sweetness. Make sure they have lots of brown spots! 

Eggs: you’ll need 2 eggs in this pancake recipe. 

Milk: add moisture with any milk you’d like. I typically use unsweetened almond milk. 

Oats: instead of using regular flour, these healthy banana pancakes are made with rolled oats! Feel free to use gluten free rolled oats. 

Pancake staples: you’ll also need baking powder to allow the pancakes to get nice and fluffy, plus some cinnamon, vanilla extract & salt for flavor. 

Blend the ingredients. Yes, you’ll literally add all of the ingredients to a blender, and blend on high until smooth! 

Please let us know if you make it by sending us a comment. Feel free to tag us at @dynamicfitnessnorwich of any pictures of the recipe. 

We would love to hear from you and it helps encourage others to make the recipe too! Enjoy! 

Vic x



21 day Healthy and Balanced meal plan

This 21 day plan has been created by our new PT Victoria.

It helps you to form new healthy habits so that you can incorporate them forever and afterwards.

You can purchase the plan below and Victoria will contact you directly within 3 days to start your plan!

21 day nutrition plan
£15.00 £30.00