We came to the end of the year and the coaches felt very generous with their shout outs, so buckle up because there’s a lot of compliments coming your way!

Shout out from Coach Hamish – “Big shoutout to Nat Dixon V2! Nat always shows dedication and perseverance, consistently bringing her A-game to every workout. She’s not just one of the most impressive athletes at the gym but also an inspiring role model, balancing her fitness journey with becoming a new mum last year. An absolute joy to coach!”

Shout out from Coach Dan – “Lois Gidley – V1- I’ve only had the pleasure of coaching Lois Gidley a couple of times but I’ve also seen her in a bunch of classes and she’s always putting the work in with a big smile on her face. Even when the Metcon Mayhem programming has been SAVAGE. Super friendly and super coachable. Keep it up Lois!”

Shout outs from Coach Leila – ” V1 – Sam von Romberg – She’s improved week on week since joining. Always smiling and a joy to coach. She has improved so much and is always super friendly to newbies. V2 – Di Pardoe – For always being our biggest supporter since day one. How many 70 year olds can do what she does?? Sings our praises from the roof tops and takes on any workout. V3 – Laura Thomas – Has smashed training recently. Hit new weight PBS and learnt new gymnastic skills. Is always super fun to have in class. And absolutely loves it!”

Shout out from Coach Dec – ” Lucy De Vial – V2 – Lucy has made incredible progress this year in so many realms. Her lifting has come on hugely, as have her gymnastics. Lucy is super coachable (albeit a little chatty) and supportive of everyone she shares a class with.”

Shout out from Coach Amy – ” Vicki Bytheway – V1- Vicki has really commented to this Front Squat cycle and is already reaping the benefits. Vicki is currently working around an injury but hasn’t stopped her committing to the Monday 6am sessions and showing that you can still get a good session in even if you are working with an injury.
Vicki is super coachable, makes an effort with the new members and is an all round pleasure to have in at 6am on a Monday!”

Shout outs from Coach Simone – ” Roberto Rubén Darío – V2 – Roberto has been an outstanding member throughout his year at Valesco. He’s consistently shown up, always full of energy, and takes a genuine interest in how others are doing. His consistency, positive attitude, make him a pleasure to coach and a valued part of the community.
Aimee Bettridge – V1 – Aimee has been a great part of Valesco this year. She works hard in every session and always tries to get better. She also brings lots of energy, a bit of chaos, and loves to dance during workouts. Her hard work and fun personality make her a joy to have in the gym.”

Shout out from Coach Drew – ” Lou Maley – V2 – Gotten to know Lou over the last few years in yoga and more recently in fitness classes since I’ve been working a bit more in Werbs. She is an all round easy person to get along with. I’ve had her in busy classes where she is a chatterbox making friends (still working hard though) and we have had a few 1-1s too where she it all for it ready to go, plus more talking. Basically she talks a lot. But it’s a good thing, I swear. ”

Shout out from Coach Camila – ” Just wanted to give a big shout-out to all my amazing people at Valesco St. Philips, St. Werburghs, and Brislington! I’m heading off to Brazil for the holidays and I’m already missing you all. Seriously, this year has been so special, and that’s all because of YOU.
From day one, you’ve welcomed me with open arms. You’ve been so patient with my English (I know that I made you laugh sometimes with that, but it’s okay) helped me feel confident as a coach, and most importantly, made Bristol feels like my home away from home. You’ve got no idea how much that means to me—thank you for being such absolute legends!
So, while I’m gone, keep smashing those workouts, keep cheering each other on, and don’t you dare forget about me! I’ll be back before you know it (probably with a ridiculous tan on my skin middle January) sorry!
Stay awesome, Valesco Family! Much love to St. Philips, St. Werburghs, and Brislington—you’re the best!”

Let’s keep the germs at bay! No one wants to be sick over the festive period and taking coaches down with colds leaves the struggle of last minute cover, so let’s work together to keep the germs down and keep each other safe and follow some basic hygiene rules.
Please wash your hands on entering the gym, after the toilet and after wiping your nose or coughing into your hand.
If your nose runs in this cold weather please carry tissues with you (and take the home with you too, or put them in the bin).
Please do not come into the gym and train if you’re feeling unwell, take the opportunity to rest or go out for a walk in the fresh air and come back stronger.
Please ask for a cloth and cleaning fluid and wipe down any kit you may have sweated, sneezed or coughed on.
We are sorry to nag but coaching is stretched in December due to us all wanting to take a bit of time off to spend with family and friends and coaching when you have a stinking cold is really not fun. Help us be the best for you by doing the best by us please.

Dark morning and night safety. Outside running is part of what we do and when given the choice a lot of you would prefer to run outside and get the fresh air but please do be careful. All three sites are located on busy roads or working trading estates. Please do put your safety (and the safety of others) before a few seconds off your time.

Block Booking and the January Rush. Like every gym in the land we are expecting the January rush to hit hard and we love that so many of you want to start the year off right by getting after those fitness goals and with the above mentioned lack of sunlight a great way to get a boost is to come in and get those endorphins going, and for that we can’t blame you. Please do be considerate when booking sessions and please only book the sessions you know you’re going to attend and cancel out as early as possible if you know you can no longer make it. We know it’s going to be busy and that drives certain behaviors but we are confident that if everyone only booked what they used, the waitlist would be very low if anything at all. We will as always be monitoring classes and capacity and asking WODboard to flag any repeat offenders to block booking and cancelling.

Upgrading your membership. With the above in mind have you thought about upgrading your membership to Diamond? Often for an extra £10 per month, can give you unlimited access to unlimited sites. The only gym in Bristol with the ability to do this! Want to get a 6am or 7am session in but your home gym is booked out? Why not skip across town, beat the track and attend another site. Want Gymnastics on a different day of the weekend? Want to attend Yoga or at a different time?
There really are so many reasons why Diamond is such good value and for £109 per month we know you’re worth it.

Thanks,
Amy.

We hope you have enjoyed the last 8 weeks of programming and are looking forward to the week beginning 16th December – TEST WEEK!
Remember test week doesn’t have to be about going to a Max if you don’t want to – it can be about drawing a line in the sand and setting yourself targets for the next few months whether that is moving more weight, learning a new skill, finding a routine or simply staying strong and mobile!

Following test week we will be going a little ‘off piste’ and do a few of our favourite WODs. Classes might take a slightly different format and you will have an opportunity to vote for some of the workouts you want to do!

Before we get into test week we are holding the annual Christmas Team WOD on the 14th December! What you need to know…
– Saturday 14th December
– Teams of 3*
– 0800-0930 for you early rising go-getters (not at V3)
– 0930-1100 for all you sleep loving legends
– Optional fancy dress with prizes to be won!
*You can pick your team or you can turn up and we’ll find you a team

As it’s Christmas you are all invited to join us, regardless of membership! If you want to take part but your membership wont allow you to book on please EMAIL US and we will book you in!

And whilst you are here, our holiday opening hours are:

Monday 23rd – NORMAL HOURS

Tuesday 24th – 0530-1400

Wednesday 25th – CLOSED

Thursday 26th – CLOSED

Friday 27th – 0530-1400

Saturday 28th – NORMAL HOURS

Sunday 29th – NORMAL HOURS

Monday 30th – NORMAL HOURS

Tuesday 31st – 0530-1400

Wednesday 1st – CLOSED

Thursday 2nd – normal hours resume

And finally…

The 12 days of ‘Valesco’ Christmas is coming to you!

In every class, for the 12 days leading up to Christmas (starting 12/12/24), we will be handing out gifts! Coaches will be selecting 1 person from each of their classes to have a go on the 12 Days of Christmas Lucky dip! And all you have to do is show up to classes!

Coaches can select a member for any reason*! Killing a workout, hitting a PR, helping someone out, cheering on fellow members, picking up a new skill or simply being a pleasure to have in class. The selected athlete will pull a card from the Christmas stocking and will be guaranteed a gift from us!
*Coaches cannot be bribed or coerced 😉

Prizes range from cans of Nocco and protein bars all the way up to a free month of the Diamond membership and everything in-between!

You gotta be in it to win it!

Embracing a Balanced Approach to Training During the Holidays

The holiday season is here, bringing with it a mix of festive celebrations, indulgent meals, and quality time with friends and family. For those passionate about their fitness and training, this time of year can also offer up a mix of excitement and anxiety. How do you balance training throughout a whirlwind of holiday activities? Should you try and maintain your usual routine or allow yourself a break? How should you manage your nutrition? What if I can’t get to a gym? How do I say no to an 8am glass of champagne and a tiramisu breakfast?!

There is a perspective worth considering and embracing here; that the holidays offer us the opportunity to take away the pressure and embrace a different approach to our wellbeing — one that prioritises balance, recovery, and fun. With that in mind, I wanted to share my thoughts on navigating our training during the holiday season, and why it might actually benefit your long-term progress.

I recognise that much of this will relate more to those that struggle with the holiday period and/or those, like me, that really rely on the gym and their routine. Regardless of who you are, I hope that you can all take something, small or significant, from the next 5 minutes. I think it’s fair to say we all have our moments in one way or another and managing the next couple of weeks positively will help even the most stoic.

Take the pressure off.

First and foremost, it’s important to remember that your fitness journey isn’t defined by the coming few weeks. If you’ve been consistent throughout the year, or even just portions of it, a holiday period of reduced intensity or altered training won’t derail your progress or ‘kill your gains’. In fact, it might do the opposite!

Instead of trying to stick rigidly to your usual routine, allow yourself the freedom to train as much —or as little—as you want to. Some days might call for a big ‘full-send’ workout with some friends or family, while others might be better spent outside in the fresh air, going for a walk or simply enjoying some downtime in front of the fire. By making the choice to remove the pressure and fully embrace the downtime at this point, while you aren’t faced with panic or any in-the-moment challenges, you’ll hopefully feel more at peace with those moments when they do arise. This can help reduce ambient stress and create a more positive relationship with the next couple of weeks from the outset.

If you really do like to plan and that makes things feel more under control, you could consider creating a set of short-term rules or values for yourself ahead of time. When you’ll drink, when you won’t. The days you’ll limit the chocolate and the days that are no-holds-barred. What does on-the-road nutrition look like for the days you may be traveling? You could also decide when you will reintroduce your ‘usual’ routine. Consider treating your approach to the gym just like your approach to work; you’re just taking a couple of weeks of Annual Leave.

The benefits of resting.

The holidays are definitely an ideal time to lean into recovery. Training hard year-round can take a toll on both your body and mind, and a couple of weeks of lower intensity – read lighter weights, lower heart rates, fewer gym sessions, and alternative forms of exercise – can allow your body to heal and truly recharge. Your CNS (Central Nervous System) takes as much of a beating as your body when you train regularly, but shows up in a very different and sometimes harder-to-spot way. This is another great opportunity for recovery. Some longer hours in bed, prolonged periods of barely moving from the sofa and engaging in activities that make you feel good, loved, grateful and happy can have a significant impact on training. I know if I go into the gym feeling good about life, I feel supercharged. Throw in a bit of caffeine and I’m unstoppable (or unbearable depending who you ask)!

Higher calorie intake isn’t something to fear, either. Your body can actually use this extra energy to repair muscle tissue and replenish glycogen stores. Think of it as fuel for future progress rather than a setback of anything existing. Those first few sessions back might feel a bit slow and ‘creaky’ but trust me, you’ll feel strong like bull! It might even be a nice opportunity to book into open gym and hit a few new Potato-powered-PRs in those lifts you love! P.s, can I come please?

So what does it mean to reframe challenges?

So far we’ve talked about choice and choosing to reduce the intensity, but what if you actually can’t get to the gym? Awesome, great opportunity. More time at home means more moments to connect with family, build memories, and focus on other aspects of well-being that could well be something that, for the rest of year, doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Use this period to flip the script and do the things that might typically come second to the gym; working on your mobility, stretching or yoga, getting the steps in with a walk after dinner, or playing games with your kids or your dog.
Movement is movement, and it all contributes to your overall health.

The key to thriving during the holiday season is adopting a flexible mindset. Fitness isn’t about perfection; it’s about consistency over time, taking care of your body and a healthy relationship with your mind and thoughts.

Here are a few reminders to help your perspective:

• Enjoy the present: Recognise all the little things that make up your day and focus on enjoying the company of the people around you. Training will always be there; these moments are fleeting.
• Celebrate what your body can do: Whether it’s a 5K run, Deadlift PR or a simple stretch, appreciate your body’s capabilities without judgment. Feel proud about everything it’s done this year and excited about everything it will do next. Maybe set some fitness goals for the 12 months ahead and use this time to plan and get excited about where you are now and where you’ll be as you tick your goals off. If you like the sound of this, ask me about my ‘Project Athlete’ list when you next see me. It’s a great way to always feel like you’re moving forward and a chance to also look back and recognise how far you’ve come.
• Let go of guilt: Food, rest, and relaxation are not enemies of progress—they are vital parts of a balanced life. Win at resting instead of Burpees for a couple weeks. Think about all the other members resting at home and do it better. Beat them at recovery.

Post-Holidays

When the holidays start to wind down, you’ll hopefully feel refreshed, recharged, and ready to return to your routine with renewed energy. Any temporary deviations from your training plan will be forgotten after enjoying the benefits of the rest, recovery, and the quality time spent with loved ones. Honestly, I guarantee that by the end of January, you’ll forget you even had any time off! So, this holiday season, give yourself the gift of flexibility. Train when you want to, rest when you need to, eat that cake and savor the season. Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you.

For the more Snackish amongst us, here’s some bonus content…

If, like me, you’re an out-of-control sweet-fiend, I thought I’d share some hacks I use to try and limit the amount of grazing I do when I’m home. I am a self confessed Mummy’s-Boy and there is ALWAYS an array of chocolate, fudge, crazy desserts, drinks, seconds, thirds, fourths… just snacks. Snacks everywhere… so here are some things you could try that help me out!

– Pint of Water. A lot of the time, when you think you’re hungry, you could just be dehydrated. Set yourself a rule that you can still have the snack if you want it, but you must drink a pint of water first. You might be surprised at how much snacking that avoids. I also don’t drink enough water day to day so this is a win-win for me.

– Fruit and high protein yoghurt. My go-to snack. Keep a couple of pots of high protein yoghurt in the fridge – something like Skyr or anything from the Lidl or Aldi Protein bit (if you know..!) – and some berries. A bowl of yoghurt, berries, chopped banana and some honey drizzled over the
top can scratch that snacky-itch, offers some of your 5-a-day and boasts a good 20g+ of protein!

If all that isn’t enough, I salute you and we should do brunch together.

Have fun team x

It’s that time of year again when all the votes are cast, counted and verified and the awards given out at the Valesco Christmas Party! We can’t wait to reveal the 2024 worthy winners so if you miss the event tonight be sure to tune in here next month to find out who was voted Best Dressed, The Greatest Dancer, The Equipment Warrior and of course SOV (Spirit of Valesco) for each site!!

Looks like Claudia and James are ready to join a Team for the Weightlifting Worlds! Both turned up in lilac and black gear on the same afternoon, ready to smash PBs and be each other’s spotter.

Have you ever accidentally matched outfits with another Valesco member? We want to see it! Send your snaps to hi@valesco.fitness, and you might just feature in the next newsletter. Matching kit, matching gains!