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Is your daily coffee helping or hurting your training? Let’s find out. Caffeine is one of the most effective (and totally legal!) performance boosters available. It can help increase energy, focus, and endurance — which is why so many people use it before a workout. But to get the benefits   without   hurting your recovery, it helps to use it smartly. Why Caffeine Helps Caffeine acts on your central nervous system to: Increase alertness and reaction time Make exercise feel a bit easier (you feel like you can push more) Improve endurance and power output So yes — that pre-training coffee isn’t just psychological. It  actually works. How Much Should You Take Pre Training? A good starting point is 2- 3 mg per kg of bodyweight but this can be increased to up to 6 mg.  There is around 60-100mg in a coffee and your average energy drink contains around 160mg - 200mg Caffeine.   Start on the lower end and only increase if needed. Timing  Take caffeine  30...

 If you’ve ever seen people doing pull ups then lifting weights then going for a run and thought,  “That’s CrossFit — I could never do that!”.. .if so,  you’re not alone. But the truth is, CrossFit isn’t just for athletes or super-fit people. It’s a  strength and conditioning program designed to improve overall fitness for anyone, at any age, ability, or starting point. So What Actually  Is  CrossFit? At its core,  CrossFit is a training program built around constantly varied, functional movements performed at high intensity . Let’s break that down: “Functional movements”  are exercises that mimic real-life actions like squatting, lifting, pushing, pulling, and jumping. They make you stronger and more capable in everyday life. “Constantly varied”  means you're not just repeating the same workout over and over again, you follow a structure progressive program that has variety to keep it interesting. “Performed at high intensity”  simply m...

Meal timing can make a big difference to your  energy, performance, and recovery  — but it doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need to track every bite or plan your day around food. What really matters is  creating simple, consistent habits  that support your training and lifestyle. Here’s how to get it right 👇 🍳 Start Your Day Right Breakfast really does set the tone for your day — especially when it’s  high in protein . A balanced breakfast helps: ✅ Stabilise your energy levels. ✅ Keep you full for longer. ✅ Reduce cravings and snacking later on. Example: Scrambled eggs on wholegrain toast with avocado, or Greek yoghurt with berries and oats. If mornings are hectic, a  protein shake and a banana  are still better than nothing — you’re giving your body fuel to perform. 🏋️‍♂️ Fuel Around Training If you’re training hard (like we do at CrossFit Greater Brislington),  when you eat around your workouts  can make a big difference to how ...

Intermittent fasting has become a huge trend in recent years — but what is it, really? Put simply,  intermittent fasting means you eat all your meals within a set time window each day  and don’t eat for the rest of the time. For example, you might  eat between 12pm and 8pm  — that’s your  8-hour eating window . After that, you don’t eat again until the next day. That’s it. Nothing fancy or extreme  just a different way of timing your meals. ⚖️ The Truth About Fasting and Fat Loss Here’s the important part:  fasting itself doesn’t magically burn fat. The reason it can work for some people is because it helps them  eat fewer calories overall. When your eating window is shorter, you might naturally eat less food — and that’s what creates the calorie deficit needed for fat loss. But if you still eat more calories than your body needs — even in a shorter window — you  won’t lose weight. Fat loss always comes down to one thing: burning more calorie...

 This is one of the most common questions we get asked — and honestly, it’s a good one. Some people think they need to train every day to see results. Others worry that if they can only make it two or three times a week, it’s not enough. The truth?  It depends on your goals, your recovery, and your lifestyle. 💪 For General Strength & All-Round Fitness If your goal is to move better, get stronger, and improve your fitness —  training 2–4 times per week  is more than enough when you follow a structured program (like ours). Why? Because progress comes from a balance of  training hard, recovering well, and staying consistent. Even elite athletes build rest days into their week. The magic doesn’t just happen in the gym — it happens when your body adapts between sessions. 🧠 It’s About Quality, Not Quantity Doing 2–4 well-planned, purposeful workouts each week will give you far better results than seven half-hearted sessions with no plan. Each time you train, you...

Walk into any health shop and you’ll see shelves full of powders, pills, and potions promising big results. But do you  really  need supplements to get fitter, stronger, or healthier? The truth:  no — not if your diet is already balanced.  Supplements are exactly that — a way to  supplement  your nutrition, not replace it. ⚖️ The Pros & Cons of Supplements Pros: Convenient when whole foods aren’t enough Can help fill gaps in your diet Backed by research in some cases (like creatine and vitamin D) Cons: They’re not magic — you still need to eat well and train consistently Can be expensive if you’re taking things you don’t really need Not all supplements are created equal (quality matters!) ✅ The Supplements I Recommend There are just a few that I suggest most people take: Vitamin D3 (4000iu daily):  Especially in the UK where we don’t get much sunlight. Supports bones, immunity, and overall wellbeing. Creatine (5–10g daily):  One of the most re...