Log inTraining, nutrition and mindset from the ACTV coaching team.
trainingYou have chosen the Lean pathway, and a session like this hands you the best of both worlds. It carries the volume you need to optimise body composition, and the density of load and rep ranges to genuinely lift heavy. This is an intensification week: we push the intensity up and
Read moretrainingThis week the squat is the star, and Strong are not chasing a one rep max. You are chasing twos. You build to a heavy double at 92%, then you keep stacking doubles at 92% for the time you have left. Here is why that beats grinding for a max. BUILD TO 92, THEN HOLD 85% x2 87% x2 9
Read moretrainingRunning on Tired Legs: why the Tuesday easy run still builds the engine Your long run sits on Tuesday, the day after a heavy squat session, and your legs will know it. That is not an accident or an oversight. Easy running on slightly tired legs still builds the engine beautifully
Read moretrainingKeep the Rest Tight: how short rest builds the pump On the Lean track this week the cue is simple: keep your rest tight. It is easy to think of rest as just recovery between sets, but for building muscle it is one of your most powerful dials. Turn it down and a moderate weight be
Read moretrainingBar Speed: why you stop the set when the rep slows This week the big lifts top out at a heavy double, and the coaching cue is the same on every one: stop the moment a rep slows but stays strong. That is not caution for its own sake. The speed of the bar is the single best readout
Read moretrainingFuelling the Lean Program: Eating to Build Muscle and Stay Lean Lean program education The Lean program asks a lot of you: higher rep strength work plus conditioning that gets the heart rate up. Food is what makes that possible. This is not about restriction, cutting hard or labe
Read moretrainingThe Sets: Why We Build to a Heavy Double, Not a Max Strong program education If you have looked at the Strong board lately, you will have seen the same instruction on the big lifts: build to a heavy double at RPE 8, then one back off set. Here is exactly what that means, how to r
Read moretrainingMost people only think about lifting the weight up. The truth is the speed of the bar is a dial you control, and this week we work both ends of it, slow to build and sharp to burn. The lower is where the muscle is made A muscle is at its strongest, and takes on the most tension,
Read moretrainingThere is a moment in a heavy triple that you never get in a set of ten. The bar is loaded, you have two reps in the bank, and the third one asks a real question. Everything switches on. That moment is the whole point, and it is why this week your squat, bench and deadlift all run
Read moretrainingFor weeks you have run easy. Conversational pace, nose breathing, the sort of running that feels almost too gentle to be doing much. It was doing a lot. You were building the engine. This week we turn the key and add the first bit of speed, your first proper interval run. Here is
Read moretrainingHYBRID · THE SCIENCE OF YOUR WEEK Two Engines, One Body You are building strength and an engine at the same time. Trained randomly, they pull against each other. Trained the way your week is built, they stack. Here is the science, and the proof is already sitting in your program.
Read moretrainingHere is a trick that looks backwards. Before your main lift, you deliberately tire the muscle out with a controlled primer. Then you load the big lift and chase clean reps through that fatigue. It feels heavy with less weight on the bar, and that is exactly the point. THE TERM Pr
Read moretrainingYou build to one heavy, crisp top set. Then you drop the bar 10–15% and do it again. That second set — the back-off — isn't a cool-down or an afterthought. It might be the most important set you do all day. THE TERM Back-off set — after your heaviest set of the day, you reduce th
Read moretrainingYou finish the session. You rack the weights, grab your bag, walk out the door. Here's the part most people never feel: your body keeps burning for hours after you've left the floor. That's EPOC, and this week it's working for you on purpose. THE TERM EPOC — Excess Post-exercise
Read moretrainingYou have felt them this week. Squat to the bottom, rise a few inches, sink back down, then stand tall. That little extra dip is the one and a quarter rep, and it is one of the most effective tools we have for building strength that actually shows up on the HYROX floor. Here is wh
Read moretrainingACTV STRONG is where you find out what you are really capable of. It is built around one powerful idea, your own numbers, and over the next 12 weeks it will take your strength to places you have not been before, building serious muscle along the way. What Strong is really about T
Read moretrainingACTV LEAN is one of the smartest ways to train. It is built to do two brilliant things at once: build lean muscle and burn body fat, using real training science, so every session moves you closer to looking, moving and feeling your absolute best. Over the next 12 weeks, it is goi
Read moretrainingHYROX is about 90 minutes of running stitched together with eight stations that are built to break you. Most of us finish somewhere between 75 minutes and two hours — which, in fuelling terms, makes it a proper endurance event. Fuel it like you train it and you will not fall apar
Read moretrainingYou know that deep burn in the back half of a hard interval — the one that makes your legs feel like they are filling with concrete? For years we all blamed "lactic acid." Turns out we had the wrong suspect. Have a read below, because once you understand what is actually going on
Read moretrainingEducating our members is something we are very passionate about at ACTV. If you want to learn and take your training to 'The Next Level' have a read below. We hear people say all the time: "cardio workouts burn more calories and are better for fat loss than strength training," bu
Read moretrainingI don’t know anyone who comes to ACTV who is not looking to improve their fitness level or make significant changes to their body composition. So, you should have heard the term "progressive overload." But what does it mean, and why is it such an important principle when it comes
Read moretrainingThe benefits of lifting heavy weights at low reps are numerous. Here are some reasons why this technique is so effective in our strength and conditioning program: Builds maximum strength: Lifting heavy weights at 3-5 reps is a proven way to build maximum strength. This is because
Read moretrainingUnderstanding FORCE FIT AND FUSION Hey guys, I think it’s very important for everyone to understand the importance of why we program the way we do at ACTV. We are very passionate about providing a platform for our members to reach their full potential. We do things right and I ju
Read moretrainingShould you be concerned about muscle loss during a fat loss phase? Yes, it’s important for fat loss success, but the risk of it occurring is hugely overplayed in most cases, and said risk is also hugely reduced if you eat enough protein and train properly. Why is it important? Be
Read moreotherGetting enough sleep has a lot of proven health benefits. Scientists have learned more and more as they've gained a better understanding of the role of sleep. You know it doesn't feel good when you don't get enough sleep. But you may not realise how far-reaching the impact can be
Read moretraining'Tempo' is an extremely important part of any program promoting progressive overload. Tempo can assist you in achieving both your body composition goals and strength goals. Have a read below: Tempo is usually expressed as a set of four numbers For example, 3010. Each number in th
Read moretrainingVolume sets are an incredible tool when used correctly. This method, popularised by Charles Poliquin, is where you do three exercises in a row, on the same muscle group, using minimal rest between those exercises. The execution of ' Volume Sets' requires careful attention and pro
Read moretrainingAnyone who laces up a pair of shoes and hits the pavement is a runner in my books. Not matter how often or infrequently you do it. It’s only natural for someone that runs to want to get better and faster. Why spend all that time and energy doing it if you’re not going to improve,
Read morewellbeingFor this week’s blog post, I thought I would touch on some techniques I have been shown on goal setting. I think it’s fitting with it being testing week and I would encourage you take these basic principles, do some of your own research and come up with a goal setting system that
Read moretrainingThis week we are looking at introducing some cluster sets into our hypertrophy week. What are cluster sets? Cluster sets are sets with built-in, intra-set rest periods allowing for more weight, reps, and total weight lifted. For example, instead of doing 4 sets of 6 repetitions,
Read morenutrition-tipsLately I have been asked for my opinion on and questions around, intermittent fasting. I am going to start by saying straight of the bat, I am not a big fan. We can however find pros and cons, like any situation and if fasting helps you achieve your body composition goals, then i
Read moretraining4 WAYS TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR BODY COMPOSITION GOALS So here is the bad news, you can’t choose where you’re going to lose fat, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to throw the toys out of the cot. We have your back, have a read below. 1. Don’t neglect your target area. While you ca
Read morenutrition-tipsI talk so much about the importance of having enough protein and how important it is when we are trying to add muscle or look “toned” as a result of all the hard work we put in at the gym. Lately I have had a lot of questions about the difference between branch chains and protein
Read moretrainingThis week is Strength week!! This week we are really focusing on lifting heaver weights with greater rest periods for our strength work. You will also notice strength components in our conditioning pieces this week. I don't want to get bulky'. 'I want to tone'. 'I need to use lig
Read morenutrition-tipsOne of the biggest questions coming out of this 8 week challenge so far is why diet soft drinks are not included in the diet when they are a great treat but so low on calories. So, should you drink diet soft drinks or not? This subject comes up time and time again and to be hones
Read morewellbeingWhilst thinking about writing this article and how floating can aid in recovery, I was mulling over what defined recovery and who could benefit? Upon reflection I realised that most people at some point in their life will have to recover from some sort of injury, or even need sup
Read moretrainingAnaerobic Threshold training is one of my favourite of ways to train. I think it is because it asks so many questions both physically and mentally. Have a read below to understand why it’s a staple in the ACTV program. We have all suffered with the "burn" during an intense workou
Read moretrainingThis is designed for the person who not only wants to look good but also wants the engine to match. Incorporating a combination of body weight, strength training and conditioning. This is a performance based program that will have you looking great, feeling even better and have y
Read moretrainingWhy does our ACTV Gravity Program achieve such great results? The answer is simple, our program is built around the same principles as our ACTV performance program. These are: Monday, Wednesday and Friday we focus on getting stronger and improving muscle tone. On Tuesday, Thursda
Read morenutrition-tipsMACROS Macros, a term synonymous with diets is often misunderstood or ambiguous. Macros or Macronutrients is simply the term used to classify Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate. When thinking about your nutrition a good place to start is to look at the percentage of daily energy intak
Read morenutrition-tipsWe suggest eating four meals a day [excluding your workout meals such as a protein shake] around 3-4 hours apart e.g. 7am, 11am, 3pm, and 7pm. Although the timing of your meals is important, fitting four meals into your schedule is the first priority. Meals need to have a balance
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