Sunday, 12 May 2013

Porthkerry 5: multi-terrain running race

Mark took part in the Porthkerry 5 this morning, it's a 5 mile off road (multi-terrain) running race held in Porthkerry Park, near Barry.

It's a tough race, all off road and it has some tough, tough hills thrown in at several points in the race, just to spice things up a bit!

Mark used this race as a training race in the run up to his 'A' race of the season (Holland in July as part of the GB off-road triathlon team) and managed a very creditable 7th pace in a very large field of runners - well done Mark!

Mark provides one-to-one running, cycling and triathlon coaching and online training plans, so if you're in Cardiff, Penarth, Barry or Cowbridge and are contemplating getting a coach to guide you through your 2013 season contact Mark (Cardiff, Penarth & Barry) on 07947 010276 or visit the brand new WhittleFit website for more details on the running coaching services that Mark provides.

Monday, 6 May 2013

New WhittleFit website NOW live!

Cardiff running coach WhittleFIt
Our sister company, WhittleFit, has just launched their new website, please read their press release below and check out their website.

Welcome to the brand new WhittleFit website!

Our goal is to help guide you on your health and fitness journey. Whether your goal is to get fit, lose weight, stay fit, attempt a challenging endurance event or set a new personal best; WhittleFit are here to help you achieve your goals.

Whether you choose to work with our personal trainers and coaches in person or online, our tools, techniques and progressive training approaches are individually tailored to you, to make you faster, leaner, fitter and stronger in the most time efficient manner. Our methods provide you with the motivation and direction required to achieve the results you require.

WhittleFit specialises in:
Running Coaching
Triathlon Coaching
Cycling Coaching
Personal Training
Outdoor Training
Sports Massage

WhittleFit provide our coaching and training services in the south Wales area. We enjoy training in the natural environment of the Vale of Glamorgan with our outdoor coaching and training sessions, and when not outdoors we can be found at our exclusive personal training and Pilates studio in Penarth, on the outskirts of Cardiff.

If you live further afield or would prefer an online training solution, we offer interactive online coaching for triathlon, running and cycling events and downloadable standalone training plans for fitness, strength and fat loss, as well as triathlon, running and cycling.

Please keep popping back to check out the website, we’ll be updating the site all the time with news, articles, FREE resources and much more!

If you have questions regarding WhittleFit and what we can do for you, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

5 things to do to kick start your personal fitness program

Penarth Personal Training Cardiff
The most common challenge that people I talk to face is how to incorporate fitness into their lives. They know they have to do something to get in shape but they really don’t know how. It can be quite off-putting because of the abundance of information out there. So much so that you may not know where to begin.

Our society has so many food choices that it is easy to pack on the extra pounds. Also our day to day jobs are far less physical as they where 100 years ago so we have more sedentary life styles. We know there are benefits involved when we exercise and clean up our diet, however, most of us don’t know how or where to start.

So where do we begin? Or is the question: How do we begin?

If you feel you are out of shape you should consider going to your doctor and get their approval to start exercising. Your doctor may also provide some helpful tips as well.

After you get the OK from your doctor, try these 5 things to help you get started:

1. Make the choice to start exercising and eating right: Making the decision to do something provides a form of commitment you make to yourself. Deciding that you need to change your behaviour creates new possibilities. When you say to your self “I need to get in shape”, it means something. You should be answering these questions in your mind: When can I work out? What exercises do I need to do? What foods should I be eating? Make yourself think about the commitment you just made. Only then you can let go of the past and take steps to move forward.

2. Write down what you do: You need a reference that is realistic towards your weekly activity. Write down everything you do during the week. This should include work hours, commuting hours, nights spent with your spouse, your child’s activities and anything else you can think of that you do. You should also include what you do on weekends. You should make a list for each day of the week, as some people set lofty goals like working out for 2 hours a day. This can be due to an old saying, “More is better”. However, this is not the case. Knowing your schedule will help you set realistic goals and help you find a few hours a week to start exercising. You’ll have a visual perspective on what you can and can’t do with your routine.

3. Research and get information: Most people do not have enough information before they start a work out program. So how do we get the information we need? The good news is we live in the information age. Take advantage of your favourite search engine and learn a little bit about fitness and nutrition. However, do not go overboard and lose focus. Find a source of information you like and take notes. Find the simplest and easiest workouts and nutrition tips. Don’t overload yourself with information. If you prefer you can hire a personal trainer for a few sessions to help you get started. Hiring a personal trainer is a great way to get started because you have made a commitment to meet someone to workout. Your goal is to have the trainer show you the basics on exercise and eating healthier. It may also be safer to learn how to perform the exercises (especially if you have not exercised for a while).

4. Create a simple plan and set realistic goals: Keep it simple! Following a simple plan while on a hectic schedule is much easier than following an convoluted plan. You should have a plan of which days you want to work out and a goal to change your eating habits for the next few weeks. For example, “I will work out for a half an hour for 3 days this week. I will eat a little less each meal.” Keeping it simple is a major key to success.

5. Execute your plan: Now that you have a plan, all you need to do is follow it. Sounds easy! However, this is another big step. You should look at your plan every day. You need be mentally prepared for the great day ahead of you. Having your daily schedule in hand will help you achieve your goals for the day. When you complete your workout for the day, highlight it or cross it off your list. It will show you that you accomplished something for yourself.

I hope these things help you get started on a new life of physical fitness. Life is filled with making decisions, knowing your commitments, getting information, planning and execution. Try these approaches for yourself and you will see that having your own workout and nutrition program is not as far fetched or complicated as you think. Good luck!

Saturday, 20 April 2013

Running technique workshop - Cardiff

Cardiff run technique course
How would you like to run faster, with less effort? Well, with our Learn To Run workshop you’ll learn an effective run technique that allows you to run more efficiently, with no injuries and best of all, faster! With these new running skills you’ll enjoy a more active lifestyle and gain great health benefits whilst enjoying the wonderful sport of running.

Personal trainer John Bruno and running coach Mark Whittle have teamed up to present this amazing workshop. The workshop is primarily aimed at beginners and novices, so fitness levels aren’t important; the goal is to teach you the steps, principles and drills for you to become more successful at running.

The next Learn To Run workshop is:


Date: Sunday 19th May 9.30am - 12.30pm

Location: John Bruno Total Training studio, Glebe Street, Penarth
Cost: £40


So if you live in Cardiff, Penarth, Barry, Bridgend, Cowbridge or Llantwit Major and would like to learn how to run more efficiently, faster and with less injuries, register with John Bruno on 07976 769390 or Mark Whittle on 07947010276.

Friday, 19 April 2013

300 bodyweight challenge

Fitness coach Cardiff
The 300 bodyweight challenge:
Here's a quick 300 rep bodyweight circuit to start the day for you, here goes, enjoy!

Prisoner squats x20
Press ups x20
Alternate lunge x20 (x10 each leg)
Close grip press ups x20
Burpees x20
Rest 2mins
Repeat (3 rounds in total)

Thursday, 18 April 2013

7 tops tips for healthier and fitter living

Fitness Cardiff
More and more people these days are getting sedentary instead of physical jobs. Sitting in the office chairs all day long has become the norm for many of us. The stress, busyness and rush make us forget about regular food and stuff our stomachs with convenient pre-packaged fast food and sugary drinks, which don't do anything good for our bodies.

As a result of such crazy life rhythm, we rarely find time for exercises, gyms or balanced nutrition. As a matter of fact, it's one of the reasons why there are now more that 60% of U.S citizens that are overweight. However, it is possible to change your lifestyle and lose your weight if you are willing to.

These 7 day-to-day life tips provided below will help you to drop your extra pounds, become more energetic and healthier.

1. Drink More Water
Our bodies need a lot of water. Water removes waste from our organisms and carries various nutrients into all our organs and cells. Your body also loses water by using it for various processes within the body. For this reason you have to replace it and drink water more often than you are used to. Start your day with a glass of water in the morning. Drink a glass of water before any meal. Take a bottle of water with you when you go to work. Your body needs approximately 3-5 liters of water during one day. So don't hesitate to drink plenty of water wherever and whenever you can.

2. Eat Fruits and Drink Fruit Juices
Eating fruits and juices helps you eliminate toxins from your body. Eating a variety of fruits also helps you get enough fibre, vitamins and antioxidants, which is one of the main reasons why you should eat fresh fruits and drink natural fruit juices as often as possible. Fruit juices from supermarkets are often sweetened (with a LOT of sugar!). If you want to drink juices, try to make fresh juices yourself. If you think it takes too much of the time, then look for juices with labels that say 100% fruit juice, these are much healthier for your body as they contain many more vitamins.

3. Eat Lots of Vegetables and Vegetable Salads
When it comes to losing extra pounds, vegetables are a great choice. They are natural and contain different vitamins, minerals and tons of other useful chemicals known to provide benefits for your body. Vegetables are low in fat and calories, they help control blood glucose levels, reduce blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of colon and other cancers. All these features also help control your weight effectively. If you feel that eating vegetables alone isn't great choice for you, then make some salads. Mixing vegetables together gives you even more different vitamins and health benefits. There are tons of tasty, healthy salad recipes on the internet. You can also use you imagination to make some great salads.

4. Eat Only When You Are Hungry
How many times you've been to a party where you saw lots of different and tasty looking meals, which you were offered to try. Don't just eat it because you are offered to. Eat only when you want to. Many people also like snacking. In between meals or when have nothing to do. Quit snacking. Most snacks contain a lot of fat and calories. Replace your usual snacks with vegetables or fruits. These are healthy to your body and you'll never get fatter, only thinner.

5. Carry Healthy Food with You
Many of us work busy office jobs and don't have time to eat regularly. In this case, bring your own made food with you. Instead of bringing sandwiches with meat, take vegetable salads, carrots or chicken or turkey salads. Any low fat food will do. This way, you won't have to wait for a break to fill your stomach. It's also quite important to try to eat about 5 times a day, rather than 3 or 2. Eat in smaller quantities, but more often. This helps you to increase your metabolism.

6. Work Out When You Can
Working out in a gym is not only a great way to grow some muscles, but also to drop a few pounds. Exercising helps you burn your calories instead of storing them in your body as fat. Our bodies were made to be active, so exercising slowly and easily can actually help you get more energy and make you feel much better. At the end of the week, try to lose all the stress and burn your calories in a gym or having some kind of physical activity at home. If you have time, then try to do easy exercises everyday.

7. Don't Lie Down or Sit When You Can Move
Many of us like to watch TV lying on a couch or sitting in a comfortable chair. Of course, when you come home after hard working day, you're tired, and all you can think of, is a couch and a remote in your hand. But such laziness won't help you lose weight. Contrarily, it will make you grow some more pounds. So don't lie or sit, when you can walk and move. Instead of staring at TV, go ahead and work out in your garden for example, clean your garage, fix your car, go to walk in the local park or beach. Breathe fresh air and move more often. Not only does it help to reduce stress after work, but also ups your mood and makes you more energetic.


Remember that all these tips will help you to lose weight, but only if you are determined and are ready to devote some of your time. Don't expect to slim down 4 sizes after eating 5 carrots and drinking orange juice. 

Your body, just like many things in this world, needs time. So be patient. And if you will honestly use at least some of these tips, you are going to change your lifestyle, which in the end will lead you to a thinner and healthier body.

Monday, 15 April 2013

Product Review: Promixx vortex mixer bottle

I recently got my hands on a new mixer bottle for my recovery shakes; it’s the new Promixx vortex mixer.

It’s a small electric portable mixer, which with the touch of a button effortlessly mixes your drinks to a nice smooth consistency. Bottom line, it’s a cool looking mixer bottle that leaves your drink mixed with no nasty tasting lumps!

I’m not sponsored by these guys so have no vested interest in bigging up their product, but I like to share quality new products with my friends and followers, so if you fancy a new hassle-free mixer bottle for your shakes, this is definitely the one to try!!!

Sunday, 14 April 2013

Sports massage for London Marathon

With many sporting events coming up, like the London Marathon, more and more of us are getting out there and putting in some serious running training. This occasionally brings along aches and pains, but have no fear, Mark and Delme are here to help and support you through this process and get you 100% ready for your big race!

Sports massage is designed to assist in correcting problems and imbalances in soft tissue that are caused from repetitive and strenuous physical activity and trauma. The application of sports massage, prior to and after exercise, may enhance performance, aid recovery and prevent injury.

So if you're in the Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Barry, Penarth, Cowbridge or Bridgend and need some sports massage, check us out at Vale Sports Therapy.

Sunday, 7 April 2013

Open water swim training for triathlon

triathlon open water swimming cardiff
With the triathlon season almost upon us, and many more people deciding to undertake bigger and longer triathlons, I thought it would be timely to highlight a few tips and tricks regarding the open water aspect of triathlon.

Because open-water swimming includes many variables that differ from normal pool swimming, the only way to get better is to practise; therefore you must get out and swim more in the open water. This is one of the biggest fundamentals of open water swimming, nonetheless, here are my top tips to help you excel at your next open water triathlon race:

1. Train in the open water
If you have a race in the open water, then you must train in the open water! Do not use the triathlon race itself as your first open water swim session, if you do you’re setting yourself up for disaster.

2. Practice sighting
When swimming in open water you have to lift your head out of the water to see where you are going (called sighting). One of the best ways I’ve found to sight is to lift your head straight up, look forward quickly, then turn your head to the side to breathe. Try to keep your head fairly low, just so your goggles are just out of the water, as you want to limit how high you lift your head because your hips will drop, causing more drag, thus slowing you down.

3. Sighting on buoys
Swimming in a straight line and sighting on the course buoys can be very difficult at times, due to the size of the buoys or the chop and swell of the water, therefore sighting on landmarks that don’t move (like a pier, house or trees) is the better option. So choose a stationary prominent landmark and swim to that, so much easier than sighting on a tiny buoy that you can only see every few minutes.

4. Practice swimming with others
Swimming on your own is very relaxing. Throw in a few hundred other people and all sorts of strange things happen! Try swimming with a masters swim group or during a "family" swim time and get used to not having the water to yourself. This will help you experience more choppiness than usual in the water, help you deal with unexpected changes of pace of other swimmers and allow you to become familiar with swimming in and around other people.

5. Drafting
Drafting is an integral part of open water swimming. It can help you sometimes and hurt you others. Swimming behind someone (called drafting) allows you to swim faster so you may be able to hang on to a faster group of swimmers, likewise you can also get stuck behind some slower swimmers who will slow you down. Additionally, you can be tempted to simply follow the feet in front of you and not sight the course, this is great if the swimmer in front is swimming the correct line, but please check, as you could both be swimming way off course if left unchecked!

So if you're in Cardiff, Penarth, Barry or Cowbridge and are contemplating an open water triathlon race and would like some help with your swim technique or your triathlon training plan, check out our Vale Sports Therapy website or contact Mark (Cardiff, Penarth & Barry) on 07947 010276.

Enjoy your open water swimming and have a great triathlon race!!!

Sunday, 17 March 2013

Great Learn To Run workshop today

running technique
This morning we presented another successful Learn To Run workshop in Penarth, on the outskirts of Cardiff. The goal with our workshop is to teach the runner the steps, principles and drills to enable them to become more successful at running.

Richie, a local runner from Cwmbran, really enjoyed the workshop and had this to say about it:

"As a new runner I was looking for tips on technique when I came across the Whittlefit ‘Learn to Run’ Workshop. I have been coached in other sport most of my life and in comparison found the workshop format easily digestible. Match this with the welcoming, friendly and informative style of the Whittlefit team and I would recommend the Whittlefit ‘Learn to Run’ workshop to any new runners. Since attending I have noticed improvements in both pace, and more importantly comfort, and will be keeping a keen eye out for any future Whittlefit events."

So if you're a runner in Cardiff, Penarth, Barry or Cowbridge and are contemplating running a 10K, half marathon or full marathon and would like some help with your running technique or your running training plan, check out our Vale Sports Therapy website or contact Mark (Cardiff, Penarth & Barry) on 07947 010276.

Friday, 1 March 2013

Open water swim training

Cardiff swimming coach
Here’s the swim set I did yesterday. It’s great for open water swim training, not too taxing and you can be in and out of the pool in about 40 minutes. 

Give it a try:

300m swim/200m pull/100m kick
4×100m with 20 second rest (25m water polo drill/75m no walls drill)
3×200m pull with 30 second rest (100m easy/100m strong)
4×50m kick with 15 second rest
200m easy cool down
Total: 2000m

Water polo drill: Swim with your head out of the water (like a water polo player). Look forward as if you were sighting a buoy or landmark in open water.
No Walls drill: As you probably guessed, turn before you get to the wall to simulate open water swimming.

Wednesday, 13 February 2013

Cycle coaching Cardiff

Wattbike Bike Cycle Coaching Cardiff Wales
Our cycle coaching services are aimed at people of all abilities, so if you want to finish your first 100-mile sportive, get faster on your mountain bike, improve your pedalling technique or need help with the bike leg of an Ironman triathlon, WhittleFit can help you achieve your goals and more!

You can work with our coaches on a one-to-one basis for fitness and technique testing, to develop a bespoke training plan, a combination of both or simply download a standalone training plan, either way, our structured, progressive approach will provide you with the tools required to achieve the results you desire.

Integral to our cycle coaching at WhittleFit is the Wattbike. The Wattbike was developed over seven years in partnership with British Cycling; it is the world's first indoor bike that feels like riding a real bike, whilst providing scientifically accurate training data.

Beyond cycling, the Wattbike has broader appeal. It is a superb cross-training and talent identification tool for a wide range of sports that want a high quality training alternative. It is currently being used by several Premier League football clubs, rugby union international teams, Olympic runners and GB international rowers. The Wattbike is simply the most advanced, scientifically accurate, simple to use training bike in the world.

When it comes cycle coaching, we appreciate that everyone is an individual, with different strengths and weaknesses. And depending on your event, you will have different training needs and goals. We identify your current fitness levels, goals, lifestyle and commitments and then balance them with an effective training plan that works for you, the individual.

If you're in Cardiff, Penarth or the surrounding area and would like to know more about the Wattbike email Mark or visit the WhittleFit website.

Monday, 14 January 2013

First ever mountain bike race

Mountain bike coach penarth
I did my first ever mountain bike race this weekend! And what an experience it was!

It was a 90 minute race held by Red Kite Events as part of their Winter XC Series. It was my first MTB race and my first 'real' outing on the new Merida 29'er.

I travelled up to mid-Wales the night before, just so I could get to the race site in plenty of time, and the weather was looking rather grim (snow & frost forecast) so I thought it would be prudent to be near the race site to avoid the worst of the weather.

However, the weather was pretty bad come race morning, -3.5'C on my car computer!!! The race was quite a low key affair, but the course was pretty brutal. The course consisted of a mix of fire road, single track and technical downhill sections, I was fine on the less technical climbs (always passing people), but really suffered on the technical descents, with loads of people passing me back. And that's the way the whole race went really, me passing them on the climbs and them re-passing me on the technical sections.

It proved to be a great race, very, very cold, but a great experience! Results won't be out for a few days but I'm content with my own race, and now know where I need to focus my efforts before the next race (in a few weeks time). Train smart all!

Tuesday, 1 January 2013

Learn To Run workshop

running workshop cardiff
Would you like to run faster, with less effort? Well, with the Learn To Run workshop you’ll learn an effective run technique that allows you to run more efficiently, with no injuries and best of all, faster! With these new running skills you’ll enjoy a more active lifestyle and gain great health benefits whilst enjoying the wonderful sport of running.

Personal trainer John Bruno and running coach Mark Whittle have teamed up to present this amazing workshop. The workshop is primarily aimed at beginners and novices, so fitness levels aren’t important; the goal is to teach you the steps, principles and drills for you to become more successful at running.

The next Learn To Run workshop is:


Date: Sunday 20th January 9.30am - 12.30pm

Location: John Bruno Total Training studio, Glebe Street, Penarth
Cost: £40


So if you live in Cardiff, Penarth, Barry, Bridgend, Cowbridge or Llantwit Major and would like to learn how to run more efficiently, faster and with less injuries, register with John Bruno on 07976 769390 or Mark Whittle on 07947010276.

Friday, 14 December 2012

Wattbike training course

Cycle Coaching Cardiff
Yesterday I attended a Wattbike training course at the Wattbike Training HQ in Evesham. The Wattbike is the world leading indoor training bike that is revolutionising cycling at all levels. It combines scientific accuracy with simple and intuitive operation and is like no other indoor training bike.  It is the first indoor bike that has ever been endorsed by British Cycling and it is now used by elite cyclists, triathletes and adopted by countless other sports including Football and Rugby as the training and testing tool of choice.

The Wattbike feels like ‘real’ cycling and delivers accurate, repeatable and comparable results. The bike can be used for rehabilitation, general fitness, high level training, scientific testing, cross-training and competition. 

The Wattbike is the first training bike to bring elite scientific training to an affordable exercise bike making world class training accessible to home users and gyms.

Beyond cycling, the Wattbike has broader appeal. It is a superb cross-training and talent ID tool for a wide range of sports that want a high quality training alternative, delivering objective data. Therefore, the Wattbike is the most advanced, most accurate training tool available today helping everyone to train less and ride faster.

I really look forward to getting my own Wattbike for training cyclists, triathletes and people of all sporting backgrounds. If you're in Cardiff, Penarth or the surrounding area and would like to know more about the Wattbike email Mark or visit the WhittleFit website.