Hey Team!
We are so excited to be kicking off the year with an incredible lineup of events, training, and community moments ahead. From the Valesco Big Weekenders and plenty of socials, to Yoga + Brunch, The Open, Run Club, HYROX sims, and the launch of The Recovery Pod (coming soon)… 2026 is shaping up to be packed with great training, brilliant people, and plenty of unforgettable memories.
First up...a massive well done to everyone who has been hitting PBs left, right and centre over the past two weeks. The results we’ve seen have been seriously impressive, and you should all be incredibly proud of yourselves.
And that absolutely includes everyone who simply kept showing up during January. We know it’s felt like the longest, wettest month ever - and sometimes just getting through the doors is a win in itself. Even if you trained a little less than you’d hoped, you’ve still done something positive for yourself. You’ve kept the January blues at bay and set a strong foundation heading into our brand-new training block, which starts next week.
If you’re brand new to Valesco - or returning from a little winter hibernation - this is the perfect time to jump in and get going with the new block of training starting next week!
The Open kicks off on 28th February, and we’ll be sharing all the details later this week. Whether you’re a seasoned participant or have absolutely no idea what we’re talking about, don’t worry - everything you need to know is coming your way very soon.
Inside this newsletter, you’ll find:
Everything you need to know about the new training block
Member shout-outs (and honestly… you lot make us so proud)
A wonderful Coaches corner from Alex
Key dates for your diaries
So grab a coffee, take 10 minutes for yourself, and dive into everything that’s been happening in January — and everything that’s coming up as 2026 gets fully underway at Valesco.
Let’s make it a big one!
See you in class!
Big VFC love,
Amy, Ellie and Leila
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 Jo: Big appreciation for Kate & Nicholas Matheson in Friday’s V2 Back Squat sessions. Watching you two work together, celebrate the wins, and build strength side by side with such great attitudes is exactly what we love to see.
Coach Alex: Shout out to all the Thursday V2 weightlifting class. Was great to see lots of PB’s this week and people testing their snatch for the first time! Loved seeing everyone cheer each other on and support each other
Coach Will: I’d like to shout out all of the regulars at the Wednesday weightlifting class at V1 - test week was awesome with most people achieving PB clean and jerks and all moving super well! So rewarding to see all the consistency paying off team! So proud!!!
Coach Hamish: Shoutout Jamal Khan at V2. Class energy and enthusiasm, it’s been great to see Jamal dive into the programming and methodology so passionately having only recently joined!
Coach Ellie: Shout out to one of our newest members, Rachel Reed at V1. Rachel is feeling the fear & doing it anyway! Putting herself well out side of her comfort zone and working really hard in every session! Stick with it Rachel, you will reap the rewards. Thank you for putting your trust in us!
Coach Ryan: Shout out Steph Bohin at V3, showing up consistently at flex, working hard on her compound strength movements and beach muscles
Coach Maria: I’d like to shout out Bea Griffiths. Top effort on her handstands and TTB in classes last month and she is a joy to teach. Great work!
Comms!
Following a meeting with the VCC (your committee of representatives), we’d like to trial making more use of WhatsApp for gym communications. We’d really appreciate it if you could join the WhatsApp chat for your primary site (or all three, if you prefer).
Links for each site are below:
V1 St Philips
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Hhv0gt8puL3FEeVdeGrO2T
V2 St Werburghs
https://chat.whatsapp.com/EblPL5gsuvuA3WHh8qT8PI
V3 Brislington
https://chat.whatsapp.com/IGTTKHWDw181bT6m4TQDVt
Alternatively, you can scan the QR code on the front desk or noticeboard next time you’re at the gym.
Coming up next month- The VFC Open IS back!
The Open is a fun, free, inclusive event is all about challenging yourself, supporting each other, and soaking up the atmosphere!
Whether you’re here to compete or just to have fun, it’s all about getting involved.
When?
Feb 28th, March 7th & 14th, Saturday mornings between 9 & 12
Where?
At your gym - we are running it across all 3 sites this year!
How Will It Work?
- One workout per week with foundation, scaled, and RX options, plus age categories so everyone can take part!
- Want to compete on the official CrossFit leaderboard? We’ll have judges on hand for everyone taking part, but you’ll need to film your workout for submission.
- 60-minute slots available every Saturday at 09:00, 10:00, and 11:00.
FAQs
“I’m not good enough—I don’t think I can do the workouts.”
The Open is for everyone! Each workout has different options, so you can choose what works for you each week. Your effort and participation matter more than the scores!
What if I’m not sure what time I can come?
- Sign up for a 60-minute slot (09:00, 10:00, or 11:00) on WodBoard. If plans change, you can move your reservation or just let us know when you arrive , and we’ll do our best to accommodate!
- Everyone gets a judge who is there to keep you on track, hit the right movements and keep count for you!
- If you want your scores submitted on the CrossFit website, you’ll need to get organised to film your wod.
How will each session run?
Each session includes a coach-led warm-up, followed by heats allocated on the day. Expect a smooth and well-organised event but please be patient if anything runs over slightly
What You Need to Do:
- Book into the Wodboard sessions (you can book any time from now...) - the timings are a rough guideline and to enable us to gauge how many people want to do the workout and when. If you signup for the 10:00 slot we cannot guarantee you will be done by 11:00 so if you have a hard stop deadline please sign into the earlier sessions.
- Want to be a judge or helper? If you’ve come some time to give or you have judged before / taken the CrossFit judges course let us know! We need all the helpers we can get!
- Photographers/Videographers needed! If you’d like to help capture the event, get in touch!
The Open is all about community, competition, and fun!
VFC Run Club – Join the Fun!
We’re excited to set up a VFC Run Club WhatsApp! Participation is totally optional, but if you want to run more in 2026, this is the easiest way to do it. You can join the chat here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DD4qJO2ZzZxB7Xztb9JZ2v
Connect with other runners—from beginners to advanced—across our community. Our monthly sessions will continue (and will be shared with the whole community), and this WhatsApp group gives you the chance to run more regularly with us and your peers (without bombarding everyone in the VFC community).
We encourage members to use the group to get their runs in, not just wait for us to plan something—post your own runs, invite others along, and make it happen!
Use the chat to:
⚡️Join more planned runs & impromptu runs
🫶🏻Find a running buddy—or ten! Simply post your run and invite others along
🏆Aaaaand…if you’ve entered an event or you want a partner to enter one with, let group know!
🙌🏻Celebrate your running wins, big or small!
💥Let’s make 2026 a year of more miles, more fun, and more community!💥
Monthly meets @ Queens Square with 5, 7, 9+KM options:
Sunday Feb 22nd
Sunday March 8th
Sunday April 19th
Saturday April 25th, VFC Run Club x SIVO Wellness
Hey team,
We’re rolling into a new 12-week training block - starting 16/02/26 - designed to build strength, sharpen skills, and then give you a clear chance to test and see progress.
And here's what you'll be doing...
Monday – Front Squat Strength
Front squats will follow the same structure as the Deadlifts in the last cycle: The Wendler (5,3,1) programme, focusing on steady, sustainable strength gains.
Tuesday – Gymnastics Focus: Handstand Push-Ups
Weeks 1–5: Strict HSPU strengthWeeks 6–10: Kipping HSPU & capacity work
Building a solid strict base first, then learning how to kip and apply your new found strength
Wednesday – Metcon Mayhem
Two-part conditioning days:
Progressive threshold intervals to push aerobic capacity (think short, sharp bursts of high intensity work)
Lower skill, lower-intensity AMRAPs to accumulate quality work and volume
Thursday – Pressing Strength & Olympic Technique
Strict Press as the main strength focus
Split Jerk work to refine technique and efficiency of overhead work
Friday – Barbell + Fun
Power Snatch technique work
Volume deadlifts for strength and resilience - think high rep, moderate weight
Finished with a Partner WoD, as always on a Friday!!
Specialist Classes
For those looking to go deeper, our specialist sessions will align directly with the block focus:
Tuesday – Gymnastics Specialist
Kipping & Butterfly Pull-Up technique
Floor press accessories to build pressing strength
Wednesday – Weightlifting Specialist
Snatch + Overhead Squat
Developing confidence, mobility, and stability overhead
Thursday – Weightlifting Specialist
Clean + Jerk
Technical refinement and consistency under load
Weekend – Gymnastics Specialist
Ring Muscle-Ups
A new movement for our gymnastic classes and it is for EVERYONE! Building strong foundations is the only way to mastering high skill movements. Progressions, strength work, and efficiency for those chasing or polishing RMUs.
This block is all about consistent progress, smarter skill development, and finishing with confidence when it’s time to test. Trust the process, hit your percentages, and use the specialist classes to really dial things in!
Coach Alex on Stress and training..
Stress often gets a bad reputation. It’s usually something we’re told to reduce or avoid. But stress itself isn’t the problem. In fact, stress is essential for growth. What causes issues is when stress becomes unmanaged, overwhelming, or unsupported by proper recovery.
Exercise is a form of stress. Lifting weights, pushing the pace, and elevating your heart rate all place deliberate demands on the body and nervous system. At the same time, work pressures, emotional load, poor sleep, family responsibilities, and everyday life also create stress. Your body and brain don’t separate these into neat categories. Physical and psychological stress draw from the same system.
This is why training is best thought of as controlled stress. When that stress is applied appropriately and followed by recovery, the body adapts. You become stronger, fitter, and more resilient. Just as importantly, your nervous system learns that it can cope with challenge. Functional fitness doesn’t just build physical capacity; it builds resilience and confidence in your ability to handle difficulty.
Problems tend to arise when stress accumulates without enough opportunity to recover. If sleep is poor, life feels demanding, or you’re running on empty, training can start to feel harder than usual. Sessions that would normally feel manageable may suddenly feel heavy, frustrating, or overwhelming. When this happens, it doesn’t mean you’re failing or losing fitness. It simply means your system is under load.
Performance is not consistent day to day because humans are not machines. Energy levels, focus, coordination, and strength all fluctuate depending on how much stress the body is carrying. High stress can increase how hard exercise feels, even if your physical ability hasn’t changed. Scaling a workout to meet your body where it is on that day is not a step backwards. It’s a skill, and it’s a key part of long-term progress.
Training can also be one of the most effective tools for building stress resilience. Each challenging session provides practice in staying present while breathing is elevated, managing discomfort without panic, and continuing to move when things feel difficult but safe. Over time, these experiences teach both the body and brain that stress can be tolerated and navigated rather than avoided.
Feeling tired does not mean you are lazy. Needing to scale does not mean you are weak. Recovery is not something you earn after working hard; it is a fundamental part of the training process. Consistency, especially during stressful periods, will always matter more than pushing intensity at all costs.
Our role as coaches is not to push you harder no matter what. It is to help you train in a way that supports your overall health, performance, and life outside the gym. Some days that will mean chasing a personal best. Other days it will mean showing up, moving well, and leaving the session feeling calmer and more capable than when you arrived. Both are valuable.
Train hard when you can, recover well and be kind to your nervous system.
Chipotle chicken wraps
These healthy smoky chicken wraps, packed with veg, are great for a night in. To make a veggie version, simply replace the chicken with roasted sweet potato
