MP Must See - Week 1!

It’s not all about training at MP!

Rest and relaxation are just as important. And since we’re all housebound for the time-being we thought we’d start a weekly “MP Must See” service! 

Each week one of our coaches will recommend a television watch that is in some way related to sport, training, exercise or fitness. It might be a documentary, fiction or perhaps a feature film based on a true story. We will include some classics, but will also showcase things that are a little less well known. Some weeks recommendations will be on free platforms like YouTube, other weeks on paid streaming sites like Netflix or Prime. 

We hope that this will alleviate some of the lockdown boredom and maybe even give you some inspiration for goals to train for once we’re all allowed back in the gym again! 

This week’s first recommendation is freely available on YouTube and is Paul Tierney: Running The Wainwrights.

Photo credit to: Pete Aylward

Following ultra runner Paul Tierney on an epic adventure to summit all 214 Alfred Wainwright Lake District peaks in one go. His goal - to try and beat the record time of 6 days 13 hours and 1 minute, set five years earlier by fellow fell runner Steve Birkinshaw. 

Needing to cover a distance of approximately 318 miles and ascend the equivalent height of four times Mt Everest, Paul knew this was his biggest challenge to date and enlisted the help of friends and family. 

Battling sleep deprivation and everything the Lake District weather could throw at him, what transpired was a story that gripped not only the fell-running and ultra-running communities but also the wider sporting world. 

Enjoy!

The MP Team

Information | Sign in/out at Macclesfield Performance

We are delighted to inform you that we are undergoing a series of updates and upgrades at Macclesfield Performance and Run Macclesfield, with each intended to enhance your experience as a visitor or member of our gym.

With an increase in coaches, classes, courses, treatments and open gym time to our timetable it has become apparent that we need a more sophisticated signing in and out system at MP.

To ensure the safety of all on site and to also enhance the professionalism of our service to you, we felt that a comprehensive system with individualized coding was the only way forward.

We may be a small independent facility but we have huge aspirations and your 100% customer satisfaction is at the heart of every decision we make.

Over the next few weeks your coaches, instructors and sports therapists will be trained in our new signing in system. They will then be setting out to ensure that every member and visitor to the gym has signed in and signed out on each visit.

Those that are regulars to the gym such as “members” will receive an invitation to download our partner app next week, which will store their individualised QR code for quick and easy sign in/out. This will be sent by email to all on our members list so if you do not receive one and you are a member please let us know.

Even if you have been sent the QR code, you will be prompted on first visit to sign in manually to complete your member profile. From then on a quick scan of your code both in and out of the gym will suffice.

One-off visitors such as “pay-as-you-go” customers and personal training clients who do not use the gym as a member will be required to sign in as a “guest” on arrival using a simple 4 step process of which takes just a few seconds of your time.

“Sign in” will be clearly marked at the front of the gym at the top of the stairs, we ask that everyone does their best to get in the habit of this as soon as possible and so in an effort to get you all in to a good routine. We will be running a series of sign-in/out competitions once the system is fully active. Keep an eye open for more details on this.

In the meantime we ask all members to keep a look out for their invitation and to complete the download process as soon as they recieve it.

Many thanks from all the team at Macclesfield Performance & Run Macclesfield.

Course | February 2020 Couch To 5km

With the new year just around the corner we find that many people tend to be looking forward to fresh starts and new goals.

In our recent end of month giveaway we asked you to tell us what your 2020 training, fitness, competition, challenge, healthy lifestyle goals were and we were overjoyed by the responses. You guys have some seriously awesome plans for next year!

At Macclesfield Performance & Run Macclesfield we too, have some really exciting plans for 2020 and we are chomping at the bit to get them rolling in the new year. We are saving some of the bigger and newer things for another day but today we want to tell you that our ever popular “Couch To 5km” course will be kicking off in February and we can’t wait to see our new runners join us for this one!

Run Macclesfield have been leading couch to 5km courses now since 2014 and each course has been a huge success. With fitness and running newbies of all ages and each with different reasons to attend, our new runners have all progressed through the weekly sessions and gone on to achieve great running routines, some even taking part in running events and challenges.

As the years have gone by our coaches and run leaders experience in leading these courses has meant that we have created a unique and highly successful course designed to help even the weakest and slowest of new runners, transform into 5km superstars.

We’ve created a course for you!

Each individual not only builds up their running ability but they learn about their own running style and are educated on training from day one. Next year will be no exception and we have even added even more to our course for your enjoyment and to help you with your achievement.

Movement screening and biomechanical assessment with Run Macclesfield coach Emma and MP Sports Therapist Tom.

Once booked all attendees will be invited to our C25K introduction evening. You will get to meet your course leaders and others that have booked to start with you. Have an opportunity to ask questions, learn about the course and our facility, have help deciding what clothing/footwear you will need, meet with our in house sport therapist Tom and talk with him about any concerns you have and even have a biomechanical screening in preparation for your new 8 week running programme. We will help you set off on the right foot (pardon the pun) to ensure you get all you need from our C25Km course at Run Macclesfield.

What does the course involve?

Our C25km is a progressive 8 week course, under the tutelage of our UKA Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) Richard. Who endeavours to offer you full support and programming during your learning period.

The support at our C25Km courses doesn’t stop with the bare bones of the session plans and weekly group runs. Your leader Rich is on hand throughout the 8 weeks to offer you all kinds of support and you even receive 8 weeks of “Core & Mobility” sessions to attend at Macclesfield Performance if you wish to as part of your course content amongst lots of other helpful hints and tips along the way - laying you the perfect foundations for your new found healthy hobby.

History has proven with all of our previous C25Km courses that by end of the course you'll be tackling the distance without a moment’s thought, a fully fledged and more than capable 5km runner!

Yes - YOU!

When & Where?

Your course content includes two coached runs a week, Monday and Wednesday evenings at 18:30. Meeting at Macclesfield Performance on Gunco Lane, Macclesfield, and a homework run to do in your own time. Don’t worry if you aren't able to attend every single session as we have plans in place to ensure you never fall behind.

Kicking off on Monday 24th February with your exclusive introduction evening and then run sessions officially starting on Monday 2nd March.

Over the last 5 years we've delivered 16 courses with over 260 course graduates. These runners have gone to achieve plenty more impressive milestones and goals with us. These include…

• Continuous weekly club running with Run Macclesfield.

• Involvement in other courses at Run Macclesfield & Macclesfield Performance

• Park Run participation.

• 10km obstacle courses and local events.

• Regular trail running.

• Half Marathons - both road and trail.

• Marathons - both road and trail.

• Regular gym attendance at Macclesfield Performance. 

• Fat loss, better health, new found self-confidence and improved physical fitness.

Join us for our incredible 2020 Couch To 5km course by booking your place now!

Black Friday at Macclesfield Performance

That’s right… We’re jumping on the “Black Friday” bandwagon and why not? You deserve it! ;)

The little difference is, Macclesfield Performance is an independent business with a very open and transparent price list, meaning unlike many other Black Friday sales you are 100% guaranteed that we won’t be putting our prices up, before offering you a discount.

So what’s on offer we hear you say? Check out our list of discounts below.

1 Day Offers - Friday 29th November 2019 - Between 07.00 -19.00

20% off all memberships paid as an annual payment.

• 12 months : Elite Membership £480 from £600

• 12 months : Standard Membership £384 from £480

• 12 months : Open Gym Membership £240 from £300

• 12 months : Run Macclesfield Membership £240 from £300

• 12 months : Elite Family Membership £1,144 from £1,430

Pay now train later? All annual memberships purchased using this discount will have an “open start date” up until 1st January 2020 meaning if you have already paid up to the end of the year you don’t have to miss out!
Also making this offer great as a Christmas gift and January incentive for loved ones.

15% off 10 run coaching sessions with Run Macclesfield coach Emma. Includes a FREE 4 week online programme complete with home workouts and tailored runs and training zone programming to suit your goals.

• 10 x 121 running coaching sessions plus 4 week plan : £255 from £335

1/3 off personal trainer Mandys’ recently launched “30 Quick & Healthy Recipes” e-book.

• FlexFit Ebook Price : £4.00 from £6.00

Up to 40% off Macclesfield Performance & Run Macclesfield branded clothing.

If you would like to be first in line to take advantage of any of these limited time offers click below and let us know what you’d like more information on and how to get your hands on these awesome discounts next friday!

Session Information | Yoga with Emma

Yoga at Macclesfield Performance is lead by EmaYoga and is a disciplined yet light-hearted and enjoyable way to enjoy yoga classes.

Emma mixes Hatha and Vinyasa to stretch, tone and warm the body.
Her classes work every muscle and joint, unlocking greater mobility, flexibility and improve range of motion as well as giving mental calm and focus.

Emma likes to lead pure and simple yoga classes designed to be accessible for anyone - of any age, flexibility or ability. So if you are new to Yoga or looking for a greater challenge, then these classes are for you.

Our weekly small group Yoga classes at Macclesfield Performance are like no other. Combining the energised and exciting environment of Macclesfield Performance while enjoying the benefit of Yoga in an informal, friendly and fun space - “Each class is different and challenging to your own ability.”

Emma’s unique approach to her yoga sessions is precisely why we have asked her to join our team, she can often be found hanging out in Manchester Airport offering Yoga for staff in the busy terminal.
Emma’s energy blends beautifully with Macclesfield Performance and in to the sessions she leads here.

Tuesdays: 09.30-10.20

Information | Getting started at MP

We receive many enquiries every week at Macclesfield Performance. The most common question is “how do I join and what does signing up entail?”

It occurred to us that for us, this is a simple every day occurrence but to many the first step, and joining up to a gym, can often be quite confusing and concerning especially where of course hard earned money is involved.

One thing you can count on at Macclesfield Performance and Run Macclesfield is we are honest, open and upfront with information. We like to leave no uncertainty or concerns for our members.

We have decided to list below, the most common process for signing up so you know exactly what to expect if you decide to pay us a visit and/or join one one of our memberships in future.

One off sessions

Booking a one off session is easy. Simply head to our booking page and choose what you’d like to do, choose the number of people joining you, have your card at the ready and pay the classes/course/open gym fee.

Membership

Signing up to a membership package is much the same as booking a one off session. Choose your package, fill in your contact details and input your card details.

Members do not need to book classes if their membership package includes classes, just show up and join in.

a) Your first payment will be taken immediately from your account.

b) You will receive a confirmation email. Make sure you keep hold of it.

c) You will be invited via email to download and join our “Sign In Companion App” there you will be given a 5 digit pass number to to set up your Members QR code or quick and easy access to MP.

c) If you have chosen a membership package then this is a payment subscription. Payment for this will leave your account on the same date each month.

d) Remember we said to keep hold of your confirmation email? You can use this email to cancel your membership at any time. You will see there is a link on that email for cancellation. There are no fees or early exit charges. We do not offer refunds but as you pay in advance of the month you have the whole month to enjoy what you paid for should you decide to leave at any time.

Some of our membership packages come with additional perks such as discounts and freebies. If any of these interest you and match your subscription be sure to get in touch for more information.

Discounts include

• Money off 121 coaching and personal training.

• Money off sports therapy, rehabilitation and sports massage.

• Free posture and movement screening with in house Sports Therapist Tom.

• Access to courses and programmes only available to certain level members.

Still not sure of what to do?

Give us a call or drop us a line to arrange for one of our staff to show you around and talk you through our timetable and your options at Macclesfield Performance and Run Macclesfield.

Session Information | Cyclone 60

Cyclone 60 is a 1 hour indoor cycling session bought to you by Macclesfield Performance. Designed to complement our existing Cyclone 30 sessions held on Mondays and Fridays. Cyclone 60 is an endurance engine session. 

The sessions work on an 8 week structured programme cycle, building muscular endurance, pedalling efficiency, developing your ability to produce force in an encouraging and enjoyable environment. 

Led by MP coach Sam Yarwood. Sam is an all round bike-nut. Cyclone 60 sessions are without a doubt hard work, but Sam will make sure that you learn lots and make big gains in your endurance.  Calories will be burned, technique will be improved, guidance and motivation will be provided and results will be seen!

Those who attended our regular indoor cycling sessions have seen measurable improvements in:

• Cardiovascular fitness.

• Reduced body fat.

• Personal progression.

• Improved power & performance. 

• Confidence and direction with their training.

Each session applies structure and teaches consistency, to gain the best possible results. Participants become efficient at tapping into different energy systems and maintaining power effectively as they work hard each week to meet their own benchmarks. At Cyclone you don’t just assume the workout is doing you good, you see yourself get better as the group regularly sets goals be be achieved.

We lead our Cyclone 60 sessions from Hulleys Spin Studio, Club AZ, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield. Tuesdays: 18.30-19.30

STARTING TUESDAY 1ST OCTOBER!

Run Macclesfield | T-Group

T-Group coach & main contact Natalie

Our “T-group” is programmed and led by UKA qualified coach Natalie.

Each session is suitable for runners able to run an average pace of 10-min/mile or faster over 5km.

T-Group is a 40-60 minute group running session, with a different focus each week. From road to trail, intervals to endurance, uphill to downhill running and high to low intensity – every week your coach Nat will lead you through a progressive running programme providing guidance and feedback on running technique and intensity.

Our routes are a minimum of 3-miles, but for the speedier runners in the group our ‘loop back’ drill gives an opportunity to cover more miles in the session.

Our main session is always sandwiched between a thorough warm-up and cool down and depending on the session plan, some running drills too!

If you would like to know more about T-Group and wether this group is suitable for you, contact Natalie on 07793 018123.

Want to know more about Natalie?

Subscribe to our blog to be updated on all our group sessions at Macclesfield Performance and Run Macclesfield.

News | Run Macclesfield Relaunch

March 2018 marked the start of an exciting transformation for Macclesfield Performance.

It was “out with the old, in with the new” - new equipment, new time table, new coaches and a new outlook on how we delivered our sessions to you. We are delighted to have seen the gym go from strength to strength in the last 16 months and we continue to look for ways of bringing you even more as members and regular visitors of our independent strength & performance facility in Macclesfield, Cheshire.

Run Macclesfield (Formerly DS Running Club) has been a huge part of Macclesfield Performance and we are really pleased to see that our committed running club has so many happy and dedicated runners every week.

For many years now our RM coaching team have worked hard to ensure that our runners, no matter what their ability, receive the coaching and programming they need to improve as runners.

Emma, Natalie & Rich are keen to see the club continue to grow and to stand out from the crowd, known for for the quality coaching our runners receive. As such, we will be making some exciting changes to help each of our runners become more capable within their groups and with their goals.

From end of August 2019, each group will have their own dedicated coach. The groups will be as follows:

• T Group - Coached by Natalie, Tuesdays at 18.30.

• W Group - Coached by Rich, Wednesdays at 18.30.

Each of the groups will be programmed by the dedicated group coach and will be multi-terrain groups, meaning all of our runners will become efficient and familiar with both road and trail running.
Each of the groups will meet at Macclesfield Performance at the allocated time slot, unless your coach has informed you otherwise with notice prior to your run day.

The group coach will offer a weekly update on the upcoming runs and locations if anything changes via our social media feeds. You can also contact the session coach directly to request information if you do not have social media access.

You will not be restricted to just one group, runners that wish to run in more than one group a week are of course invited to do so. The only condition being you must be capable, as per the group description.

We will be releasing information on each of the groups, the coaches, and what to expect from September over the next 3 weeks. Starting with information on “T Group” with Natalie, so watch this space.

News | Meet Sam

I am really excited to be joining Macclesfield Performance. I am a strength and conditioning coach and a personal trainer.  I specialise in strength and conditioning for outdoor athletes – anyone who enjoys the great outdoors, either competitively or purely for fun. 

Although there can be some old-school thinking/reluctance around strength training in outdoor athlete communities, the bottom line is that if you’re a cyclist (road or MTB), climber, mountaineer, runner, triathlete, wild swimmer, skier, snowboarder or even paraglider, targeted, individualised strength training can make you faster, stronger and more injury-resistant. All of which mean that you can perform at a higher level, train more consistently and enjoy your sport more.  Strength can help you keep you racking up those great adventures for many years to come!

Having spent many years in a busy, stressful, time-poor (non-fitness) job I know how hard it is to keep fit and strong in and around the other pressures of life.  Because of this, I also provide personal training for anyone who would simply like to get stronger and fitter, but who might not know where to start or how to fit it into a busy life.  There is a lot of confusing information out there and sometimes we all just need someone who knows what they’re talking about to point us in the right direction.  

I have a life-long love of sport, exercise and the outdoors.  Previously a county- and university-level badminton player and coach, most of my 20s and 30s were focussed on outdoor sports, in particular climbing, cycling and winter sports.  I’ve been cycling (including competitively) for 30 years, climbing for 11 years and snowboarding for 20 years, and they’re just my 3 favourite ones!  

Although sport and exercise has always been central to my personal life, it hasn’t always been my professional life.  After originally starting a sport science degree at Glasgow University, my interests evolved a little, and I eventually gained a PhD in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from The University of Bristol, via a couple of stints living in Japan.  I worked for a number of years researching the molecular mechanisms behind cancer and other diseases, and later I moved into medical, scientific and health communications here in Macclesfield.

Multiple injuries over the years led me to explore and become passionate about focussed, science-based strength training, and I came to view strength as the absolute foundation for long-term athletic performance, injury resistance, recovery and health, both physical and mental.  Over time I decided to leave my career in science and communications to pursue a new career providing strength coaching and personal fitness training.  

It is my mission to provide highly personalised, evidence-driven training and coaching to athletes and non-athletes alike, blending my own athletic-, scientific-, life- and career-experience to help people meet their own sporting, health and life goals as efficiently, effectively and sustainably as possible.  

If you’d like to explore getting stronger, whatever your sport or motivation, please come and chat to me on the MP gym floor, or contact me via my website for more information.

I look forward to meeting you!