Hey Team,
Welcome to the October edition of the Valesco Newsletter. It's been another amazing and busy month and still lots to come in the countdown to Christmas!! Yes, that's right we said the C word and WE NEED YOU TO SIGN UP ASAP. We appreciate there is lots on during the Christmas weeks but we assure you this is an event not to be missed. Imagine a whole nightclub filled with only Valesco members and their loved ones, great food, amazing entertainment, two incredible DJ's rocking on until 2am - no need for that after club!! Each site has designated meet up points from 6pm so please do not worry you will know at least a few people going and then you can all share taxis in.
Friday 12th December - Loco Club - 7pm until late, food entertainment and good vibes all included - £30 per person.
October has been a great month of putting in the work as we progress through our 10 week training block with a test week set for week 11 followed by a deload in week 12 before we start all over again! Whether you have been with us for the whole block or joined part way through test week is a great week just to see where you are at and record some realistic figures to use moving into future blocks.
October of course saw Halloween. Great to have a fun Friday WOD with Coaches and members getting involved in the silliness dressing up, creating some fun warm ups and of course Trick or Treat.
November the 16th we look forward to hosting our 2nd HYROX SIM day, it's a sold out event and we are looking forward to so many of you and members from other gyms coming along and putting yourself through your paces.
Keep up the awesome work, sign up for the Christmas Party and let's smash test week.
Team Valesco xx
Welcome to the monthly Member Shout out section where we like to celebrate some of the good things we see in the gym day in and day out.
Coach Dec
Jasper Gerhards V2 - Jasper has made incredible progress in the last year both strength and skill wise. Quietly determined, Jasper’s hugely coachable and great to have in class. Keep up the good work!
Jules Gardner V2 - Jules is a pleasure to have in class. Very coachable, Jules puts in a good shift every time she’s in the gym and goes out of her way to support others. Making really great progress too so all around a legend
Coach Ryan
Shoutout Laura Thomas at V3 for competing at Hyrox Birmingham! Consistent attendance at ErgWOD on a Wednesday paying off to get a great time 💪
Coach Rox
Shout out to Glen Weeman Stokes and Harry-Joe Hovis Gallimore for taking home 1st place in the recent pairs competition Proving Grounds🥇
Coach Becca
Hannah Stott from me 🙏 training when injured is no easy game to play and she’s been a trooper with consistency, chatting with the coach and adapting the session to best suit her while the body’s been playing up 👏 love the commitment
Coach Leila
Shout out to holly knight v3 for making the most beautiful bride and tying the knot. Thanks for also bringing the early morning vibes and banter x
Coach Ellie
Shout to JoJo at V2! Super hard working and a delight to have around. As an open gym member he makes an effort to engage with members in classes, always has something positive to say to those around him & wears the biggest smile! And kudos for those 48kg (2 KBs in 1 hand) Bulgarians 🫡
Huge shout-out to Hannah Pepper, who has made incredible progress since joining us just a few months ago! Hannah’s hard work and determination are a true testament to what consistency and a positive attitude can achieve. She always shows up ready to give her best, takes on any challenge the coaches throw her way, and does it all with a smile! We love having you as part of our community! Keep crushing it!
Coach Drew
George and Jon Wordsworth V2 - Both regulars on my Sunday mornings, but always different classes following a swift handover of the kids in between sessions.
George is a delight to see at 8am sweat class, she works hard and clearly loves here.
Jon was recently dragged along by his wife to sign up and I’ve seen him take to yoga like a fish to water.
Coach Hamish
My shoutout goes to everyone of my v2 Tuesday gymnastics crew. You are all such a dedicated and passionate bunch and I’m so proud of you all! Everyone contributes to creating such a fun, positive and up lifting atmosphere where you can support each other’s failures and celebrate those wins. Love you all x
Coach Jamel
Shoutout to David G @ V1! David has made an extra effort to get to class on time recently. When he is in class he’s really supportive to other members and made an effort in welcoming me to Valesco
Coach Tash
Mine is Ciara Seabrook v3. She consistently turns up, and is making great gains, both in strength and technique. Keep up the great work 💪🏽
Coach Johnny
Shout out to Lise Théron from V2. Trains hard, moves really well and always has a laugh with other members.
Coach Maddie
Shout out to Sarah Scott! Sarah has been training hard for her first HYROX race (in Birmingham) last month and smashed it. She’s been mega consistent with her training and always brings a great energy to sessions.. Best of luck with your upcoming races!!
The party of the year is back!! Our Christmas party is on Friday 12th December returning to LOKO Club near temple meads. Tickets are £30 each and will include; welcome drink, food, entertainment and live music. From 7:15pm until late. Sign up sheets are at each gym now, get your name down to reserve your place!
Legends- Our Legends class at Valesco Brislington is building and we love to see it! If you know anyone that would be interested in joining the class please drop Amy an email to Bris@valesco.fitness to get them booked in. The 60 minute sessions are a lot of fun (with arguably the best playlist of the week.. all out 80’s). They run on Wednesdays at 10:30am every week and always finish with a biscuit, cuppa and catch up!
New Block!!- Get excited we have a new block starting Monday 24th November.
New Training Block Starts Monday 24th November!
Team, it’s time to shake things up — our new 10-week training block kicks off Monday 24th November, and we’re coming in hot with a fresh structure to keep you progressing and fired up!
Here’s what’s changing:
Main Classes:
Monday: Deadlifts are back! We’re following the Wendler programme to build serious strength.
Tuesday: Time to move fast and lift heavy — Power Clean + Push Jerk with Push Press as your accessory.
Wednesday: Nothing changes here — Metcon Mayhem stays where it is. It’s an institution, after all!
Thursday: Focus shifts to Toes To Bar — 5 weeks building strict strength, then 5 weeks building capacity.
Friday: We wrap up the week with Back Squats — time to grow those quads & glutes!
Specialist Classes:
Clean & Jerk: Moving to Wednesday
Snatch: Moving to Thursday
Gymnastics:
Tuesday: Switching to Pull Ups (5 weeks strict, 5 weeks capacity).
Weekend: We’re keeping Bar Muscle-Ups — they’re here to stay!
As always, remember — training should be enjoyable. It’s about showing up, putting in the work, and celebrating the small wins along the way. Not every session will feel easy, but every rep, every effort, and every bit of consistency adds up. Trust the process, have fun with your training, and enjoy being part of the journey.
And finally, listen to your coaches — they’re here to help you move better, stay safe, and get the most out of every session. Whether it’s adjusting your technique, managing intensity, or scaling a workout, they’ve got your back. Stay coachable, stay consistent, and let’s make this next block our best one yet!
This months Women's Health Focus;
Women's health issues can often be overlooked. That's why, this October, we're looking at what really matters - pelvic floor health.
Why pelvic floor health matters and how it can boost your wellbeing
Pelvic floor health plays a vital role in women’s physical, emotional and mental wellbeing – yet it’s often overlooked. Here’s why your pelvic floor needs more attention.
When it comes to women’s health, pelvic floor health can – through no fault of its own – be left out of the conversation. Yet these small, tucked away muscles (literally) have a big job to do and neglecting them can lead to a cascade of physical and emotional challenges.
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and sphincters that sit like a hammock at the base of the pelvis.
These small but mighty muscles help us stay continent, support our pelvic organs and work with our core muscles to regulate pressure and provide stability.
Despite their importance, many women don’t know where these muscles are, let alone how to engage with them and strengthen them.
If you don’t train those muscles in the right way then they are going to be too relaxed and you’re going to have potential problems
Pelvic health for every life stage
While pelvic floor therapy is often associated with postpartum recovery, it’s relevant for women of all ages.
From teenagers to older adults, pelvic floor dysfunction can affect bladder and bowel control, sexual function and even mobility.
It can help anyone of any age or life stage,
And there’s a strong link between incontinence and falls – especially in older women. Falls are common, one third of those over 65 and 50% of those over 80 will have at least one fall a year. Some of these falls are due to decreased bladder control and individuals trying to rush to the toilet.
Beyond physical health, pelvic floor issues can impact emotional wellbeing. Pelvic health symptoms can significantly impact an individual's mental health, as they are often symptoms that hold a lot of shame and are taboo, and not easy to talk about, Many suffer in silence for years before seeking help or feel dismissed for their symptoms when they do reach out.
Over time this can impact quality of life, including women not being able to do the exercise they love, or symptoms impacting their relationship.
Training your pelvic floor
Despite its importance, pelvic floor care is often neglected. One reason? Many women simply don’t know how to do the exercises.
The good news is that you don’t have to spend hours at the gym or have special equipment to train your pelvic floor.
What it does require is consistency – and the right approach to habit formation. This means that with just a few minutes a day, you can build a pelvic floor routine that becomes second nature.
Here’s how to get started:
Start small
Choose a simple, practical pelvic floor exercise. Try ‘slow holds’ where you gently contract your pelvic floor muscles, hold for five seconds, then release; repeat 10 times. You can also try ‘quick pulses’: short, sharp contractions and releases.
Set a trigger
Link your pelvic floor exercises to an existing habit. For example every morning when you brush your teeth, do five pulses or do it when you’re making a coffee. It’s just about finding a routine.
This technique, known as habit stacking, helps embed the new behavior into your day.
Repeat, then intensify
Once you’ve integrated your exercises into your daily routine, you can increase the intensity – for example, by adding more repetitions or trying different types of contractions.
Track your progress
Use a journal, app or calendar to log your exercises. Seeing your progress builds motivation and helps you stay consistent.
Overcoming barriers to pelvic care
As well as the ‘out of sight, out of mind mentality’, there’s the issue of embarrassment when it comes to the pelvic floor.
Seeking help for pelvic health can feel daunting, but healthcare professionals are trained to handle these conversations with sensitivity.
Please know that as healthcare professionals we are so used to talking about everything, including taboo topics and will do our best to make you feel as comfortable as possible.
Make notes and write down any questions beforehand, so even if you feel nervous you make sure that you get what you need from the session.
Making the appointment is always the hardest part
Hey Team, it’s time to meet Chester..
You might have spotted the new pup around the gym recently.. he tends to be following his big brother Eddie everywhere because let’s be honest.. he’s the BEST!!
Here’s the inside scoop on Chester:
Things Chester LOVES:
Play Time.. Chase, tug-of-war and the zoomies are part of his daily cardio.
Anything Ed likes, he likes.. Anything Ed wants, he wants..
Mirrors.. He still figuring out why the other guy won’t play with him.
Things Chester Could Do Without:
Stairs – Those things are scary, his PB so far is 3..
The hoover- What is that?!
Chester is still getting used to gym life, but don’t be surprised if you spot him making a guest appearance on the gym floor or attempting to become the unofficial greeter at the front desk.
If you do see him around, feel free to say hi – he’s always up for some friendly attention. Stay tuned for more updates from Pup Corner, Chesters adventures are just getting started!
The perfect meal to prepare for busy weeknights, packed full of protein and a real winter warmer, try out this slow cooker chilli con carne!
