weight lifting articles

First Time at the Gym in Petts Wood? Your Complete Beginners Guide + Free Workouts

If it’s your first time stepping into a gym in Petts Wood or Orpington, you’re not alone in feeling nervous or unsure where to start. Most beginners worry they’ll look out of place, do something wrong, or waste time without seeing results.
The truth is, everyone starts somewhere — and with the right plan, you can go from uncertain beginner to confident lifter faster than you think.
I’m Matt Knight, a personal trainer based at Oakley Fitness Petts Wood, and I help busy professionals go from overweight and unfit to lean, strong, and confident. This guide will show you exactly how to … Read more

How to burn fat without losing muscle

So you want to drop stubborn body fat.
You’ve trained hard for months—maybe years—to build muscle. Now you want to lean down and reveal the physique underneath, but there’s a very real fear holding you back: losing the muscle you’ve worked so hard to earn.
That concern is valid.
Losing fat while preserving muscle is challenging, but it’s absolutely achievable—and it’s essential if you want to look, perform, and feel your best.
Muscle isn’t just about aesthetics. It plays a critical role in long-term health, strength, insulin sensitivity, and metabolic rate. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, meaning it requires energy (calories) to maintain. The … Read more

I can’t feel my chest when training – do this

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
“When I train chest, I always feel it more in my shoulders than my pecs.”
“No matter what I do, I can’t feel my chest working.”
Most men enjoy training their chest.What they don’t enjoy is putting time and effort into it and getting very little in return.
After coaching hundreds of men over the years, there is a clear and consistent reason this happens.

THE ISSUE IS NOT YOUR CHEST
IT’S HOW YOU USE IT
If you cannot deliberately engage, contract, and feel your chest without any load, you will not train it effectively once resistance is added.
This is not about effort.It … Read more

How to stop yourself falling forward when you squat

Why you fall forward when you squat

Perfect Preacher Curls

Intelligent back building

How to warm up properly

How to Warm Up Properly Before Weight Training
Going straight from the changing room to your first heavy set without warming up properly is a good way to make your workout harder than it needs to be — and potentially increase your risk of injury.
If you’re serious about getting stronger, building muscle and improving your physique, your warm-up shouldn’t just be something you do because you think you should.
It should prepare you for the work you’re about to do.
A good warm-up increases body temperature, gets blood moving, takes your joints and muscles through the ranges you’ll be using and, importantly, prepares … Read more

VIDEO: Should you use lifting straps