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Spring at Valesco
May 2026
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Hey and welcome...
April was an incredible month for the Valesco Fitness Collective community, packed with big energy, great people and unforgettable weekends together.
A huge highlight was the Valesco Big Weekender and what a weekend it was. Seeing 90 plus Valesco members throwing down, cheering each other on, eating tacos and enjoying some friendly competition was truly special. The atmosphere across the whole weekend perfectly summed up what this community is all about. Massive congratulations to everyone involved for making it such a success.
Alongside the competition, we had brilliant trial runs around Ashton Court, a well-earned trip to SIVO to relax and recover, and rounded the weekend off with an amazing sunny dog walk around Castle Combe on Sunday. Community weekends like this are exactly why Valesco is so unique, and we cannot wait to do it all again.
Make sure you lock the next Big Weekender into your diaries now: June 5th–7th.
We also had an epic Easter Bank Holiday weekend at the gym, with Easter eggs galore and plenty of laughs during the Saturday Team WODs. Thank you to everyone who came along and brought the energy as always.
From 1st May onwards, your membership now includes one Guest Pass per month for you to use. Communications about this have already been emailed out and can also be found on the first page of the WodBoard app. The take-up so far has been brilliant and we are excited to see even more of you using them to bring friends, family and colleagues in to share the Valesco love.
The past two weeks have also been Test Weeks, and it has been incredible to watch so many of you smash PBs, support each other and reap the rewards of your hard work and consistency. The progress across the community has been amazing to see.
Now that the weather has finally started to warm up, grab yourself a cold drink, get comfortable and enjoy all the news, updates and highlights from April at Valesco.
We are looking forward to an incredible May full of fun, progress and community.
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MEMBER SHOUT OUTS
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 Maria, I’d like to shout out Alex Birch at V1. Alex has been consistently showing up to the front squat classes this block and bringing his A game. His commitment has paid off massively and he has hit some huge numbers on test week. Excited to see what you’ve got next block Alex!
Coach Amy, Please can I shout out Ollie Gostlin from V3.
Ollie had an incredible test week and smashed some serious PB’s. Ollie is super commmited to his training around a super busy work life. He always has a smile for everyone, super coachable and a real solid member of the V3 community.
Coach Alex, I’d like to shoutout all the Thursday night crew, great to see so many hit PB’s on their strict press. I’d also like to shout out Greg and Tomer who have been a huge presence at V2, always dancing, chatting and being overall great people. You’ll be hugely missed and wishing you all the best with your move ☺️
Coach Ryan, Shout out to team Here4Tacos (Kyle, Dani, James and Maggie) for representing V3 and taking the win in the scaled division at FNL 🤟
Coach Maddie, Shout out to Kya and Em (V2) for completing their first ever HYROX doubles in Cardiff last weekend!!
Coach Jamel, Georgia Benney V1. Super consistent with training no matter what’s on the whiteboard she always gives 100% also, super positive with other members and has a great gym T-shirt collection.
Jed Meerholz (son of long standing member Sach Meerholz) is facing one of the toughest moments of his young promising football career.
After returning to Aldershot Town and signing permanently in February from Bristol City, Jed quickly became a vital part of the side fighting to secure National League status. Having already made a strong impression during his earlier loan spell, he picked up right where he left off — showing commitment, quality, and real character when it mattered most.
Sadly, Jed has now suffered an ACL injury that will keep him out of football for up to a year. To make things even harder, he’s currently out of contract — meaning this setback isn’t just physical, but financial too.
Now, he’s facing a long road back — and he shouldn’t have to do it alone.
Football, like Valesco is more than just what happens on the pitch or in the gym. It’s about community, and supporting people when they need it most.
Any contribution, no matter the size, will help Jed focus fully on his recovery and give him the best chance to return stronger.
If you can support, it would mean a lot. And if not, a simple share can make a real difference.
Let’s get behind Jed and Sach
VFC
All things training..
Focus This Month: Test week is done and our New Block starting Monday 11th May. We’ve got some exciting changes coming into play!
Class Highlight: Flex & Flex Sunday.. Think exercises like Bench Press, Bicep Curls, Core Builders and Spicy super sets. No Burpees, no Cardio...FLEX is our Strength & Accessories class. You can jump into a class at:
St Philips: Wednesday @ 5:30pm
St Werburghs: Sunday @ 11am
Brislington: Wednesday @ 5:45pm
New Here? 💡Tip of the Month
Warmer days can boost motivation, but don’t go from 0 to 100. Aim for steady sessions each week and adjust your intensity as temperatures rise. Hydrate well, take breaks when needed and focus on consistency.
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Coaches Corner
The importance of Test Week and why you shouldn’t
feel pressured or intimidated.
We know how tough it can be sometimes to stick to the programming week on week. Maybe you joined
part way through a block? Maybe you’ve been away on holiday (you lucky thing!). Maybe you’ve been
feeling unwell? Or just generally dealing with the day to day, which for so many feels like a pretty rough
ride right now. Whatever it is, we get it, life happens.
Why do we test? Well, quite simply, we test because the programming is designed to help us get
stronger, fitter and more confident in each and every movement. Over the course of the twelve weeks,
through repetition, increasing and decreasing loads and slowly perfecting our technique, its important
that we test ourselves so we can not only see how far we’ve come, but also how much your hard work and
consistency has paid off! (It also gives us those ever useful numbers to input into WODboard so that we
don’t have to do the Crossfit maths percentages on the spot!)
However, in the run up to test week, I’ve overheard some comments that really made me pause and think,
not only about the impact the hype around test week can bring, but also about how it might really trigger
some of those insecurities we have about our own abilities and progress.
“I’ve only been coming a few weeks, does it make sense me coming to test week?”
“I’ve actually been dreading it all week”
“I don’t think I’ll bother coming to test week… I know I won’t hit a new PB”
Naturally, with all the hype and build up we as coaches try to bring, test week can bring pressure - the
pressure to feel strong, hit that new PB or to outperform your last result. But the reality is, you won’t always
walk away feeling 100%, and thats completely normal. Progress isn’t measured only by numbers on the
board. Sometimes the biggest win is simply showing up when you’re tired, sore, busy or doubting
yourself.
What matters most is your willingness to give honest effort and apply everything we’ve spent the last
10/11 weeks learning throughout the programme. Better movements, smarter pacing, improved mindset,
resilience under fatigue, those are ALL a sign of growth too. Test week isn’t just about proving how fit/
strong you are; its about recognising how far you’ve come and continuing to push yourself forward,
regardless of the outcome.
As we move into a new training block, don’t let the thought of the next test week create pressure or doubt,
thats not what its about. Instead, see it for what it truly is — an opportunity. A chance to measure your
progress, celebrate the work you’ve put in, and recognise your personal growth. Every session between
now and then is building something, and test week is simply a moment to celebrate that progress.
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Rehab & Performance, Lucie at Flex
An introduction to us at Flex Injury Rehabilitation
Lucie, I will be doing some regular content on the news letter so I thought I would start off with an introduction to myself and the team:
I’m a former pub manager turned Graduate Sports Rehabilitator with an MSc from Cardiff Met.
I specialise in Equine Performance and Rehab with a PG Cert from Hartpury.
Proud owner & lead therapist at LJP Performance and Rehab/Flex Injury Rehabilitation.
Associate lecturer at UWE and starting to research in endometriosis and sport
Therapist for England Rugby U18's Player Development Group & Somerset Senior Men’s County Team.
Worked with everyone from elite athletes & Paralympian’s to weekend warriors!
I have been based out of Valesco for 10+ years and am based out of V1.
The team
Connor- graduated from the University of the West of England in 2024 as a BASRaT accredited Graduate Sports Rehabilitator. Sport has always been a huge part of his life, from countless hours on the football pitch to the bouldering walls in rock climbing gyms, shaping the way he see the importance of exercise, movement and recovery. Connor is based at V1 and will be in V2 a couple of times a month.
Jess- Graduated from UWE as a BASRaT accredited Graduate Sports Rehabilitator in 2023. She is an experienced Sports Rehabilitator and prior to graduating had her own successful sports massage business. Jess has a range of experience working in private practice, elite sport (Ice Hockey and Rugby) and within the NHS. Jess has been with us for a couple of years and we love her and would not be without her!!!
We offer a range of services:
Injury assessment/ diagnosis
Rehab plans/ return to sport plans
Sports Massage
Medical Acupuncture
Pregnancy massage
Biomechanics assessments
Event planning/ training programme building
Equine therapy (if there are any horse owners here!)
Rider performance clinics
Let’s talk injury recovery and rehabilitation.
We may get injured doing the sports we love at some point, its a law of averages and chances are, something will happen that may cause a small musculoskeletal (MSK) ache or something that may require a longer recovery process. IF you are carrying an injury, please get it assessed, diagnosed and rehabilitated by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
You may have to take a period of time off of training, however, this is to allow for tissue healing and recovery (the body follows a healing process, which we can influence to a point, however there is no quick fix or magic pill) Training can be adjusted so you may be advised to train just upper or lower body while the injured area recovers.
Stick to your rehab- you will have an outline of rehabilitation exercise that will follow a process, firstly, pain management, restoring range of movement and proprioception (awareness of where your body is in space) strength and then returning to sport (sport specific exercises will be prescribed to ensure robustness when returning to normal activity) rehab is NEVER linear, there are bumps in the road and it can be incredibly frustrating, however trust the process and reach out to your therapist- we have all seen the dark side of injury so can suggest resolutions and tools to help. By doing this will ensure adherence to rehabilitation therefore returning to sport in the quickest way.
Use other complementary therapies and interventions to help, contrast therapy, massage, chiro, compression to name a few, none of which will fix things on their own, however as a collective, there is a place for all, depending on personal preference. Exercise rehabilitation is the most clinically proven recovery from MSK injury as it loads the tissue appropriately triggering and encouraging the healing process at cellular level
Everyone has "advice" on how to get better, probably based on their own injury experience, however make sure you get properly diagnosed as soon as possible so the rehab process can begin.
Lucie Peters MSc(BASRaT), PGCert, Ba(Hons) MISRM
Sports Rehabilitator
LJP Performance and Rehab / Flex Injury Rehabilitation
07850154219
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Recover & Rebuild
This months Focus: Protein..One of the Building Blocks to Progress:
Protein plays a key role in helping your body recover, rebuild, and get stronger after every workout. When you train, you create small amounts of muscle damage. Protein is what helps repair that tissue so it comes back stronger over time.
Consistently getting enough protein supports better recovery, reduces muscle soreness, and helps you maintain (or build) muscle. It also keeps you feeling fuller for longer, which can help with energy levels and nutrition habits throughout the day.
You don’t need to overcomplicate it. Aim to include a source of protein in each meal, things like eggs, chicken, fish, yogurt, beans, or protein shakes all count. Spreading your intake across the day is more effective than having it all in one go.
Try to include a portion of protein 2-4 times per day, especially around your workouts.
Bottom line: Fuel your body with enough protein, recover better, and make your training count.
VFC
SAve the Dates!
📅 VALESCO SAVE THE DATES!
It’s going to be a great year with the Valesco community. Bookings available on Wodboard.
JUNE
Friday 5th- Sunday 7th June- Valesco Big Weekender
Friday 5th- FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, at V1
Saturday 6th- RunClub x BackYARD Ultra
Sunday 7th- Dog Walk
JULY
Saturday 11th July- Valesco x Pride
AUGUST
Saturday 1st August- Summer Party
SEPTEMBER
Friday 18th-Sunday 20th- Valesco Big Weekender
Friday 18th- FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, at V3
Saturday 17th & Sunday 19th- RunClub and Dog walk
OCTOBER
Saturday 31st- Halloween WOD
DECEMBER
Saturday 19th- Christmas WOD
Friday 4th- Christmas party
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Run Club Corner
Exciting updates for Run Club will be featured here each month including upcoming dates, collab events and not too miss events for your calendar!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
May: Sunday 10th
9:30am meet on the Clifton Downs. The run will be 5,7 and 10km distances. Paces to suit all runners!
JUNE: BACKYARD ULTRA at Bakehouse
Saturday 6th June, first lap at 7am, last at 6pm.
3,4,5,6km lap options with bike and row ergs if you can’t run/injured/don’t like running/want to break up the running.
Raising money and awareness for Andy’s man club and men’s mental health.
You can turn up and do 1 lap or 12 or anything in between. We will have physios on site and lots of sweet treats from bakehouse
Any questions please reach out to the event organiser Christa Kaizer
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🎧 VFC Perks & Extras
🎧 Podcast Pick: High performance podcast with Gary Brecka
This month we have been listening to the High Performance Podcast with Jake Humphrey. This episode offers a powerful reminder that health isn’t about perfection, it’s about consistency, simplicity, and living with purpose. You can listen here: https://www.thehighperformancepodcast.com/hp-podcast/gary-brecka-2
Member Perks
LSKD: 20% off, check out your Wodboard notice board for the code!
EXTRACT COFFEE: 20% off, check out your Wodboard notice board for the code!
LJP PERFORMANCE AND REHAB: Members pay £45 which is a £20 discount from an initial assessment and £10 off a follow up
BME STORES, Paintworks: 10% off in store, check out your Wodboard notice board for the code!
THE ARMOURY X UKSF: £5 off when you sign up and use your member points towards further discounts
