# Westpark Fitness

> Experience the Difference

> Contact: reception@westpark.ie

### Posts

#### 2018 Christmas Opening Hours
Westpark Fitness wish you and your close ones a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. Below you will find our Christmas opening hours over the festive season and what classes are being held. We hope you can fit in a visit or two to your favourite premier fitness facility and if you need some motivation, click / tap here to read our ten reasons to not give up the gym in the run up to Christmas!

Monday 24th December (6am -2pm)
• 6:30am Indoor Cycling 45 mins
• 8:00am RPM
• 9:00am RPM
• 10:00am Bodypump 45 mins
• 11:00am Indoor Cycling 45 mins
• 12:00pm RPM
 
Tuesday 25th December (closed)
Wednesday 26th December (closed)
 
Thursday 27th December (8am -8pm)
• 8:15am RPM
• 9:00am Rig Circuit 60 mins
• 10:00am Indoor Cycling 45 mins
• 11:00am Bodypump
• 11:00am RPM
• 1:00pm TRX Combo 60 mins
• 1:00pm RPM
• 2:00pm RPM
• 3:00pm RPM
• 5:00pm Indoor Cycling 45 mins
• 6:00pm RPM
Friday 28th December (8am - 8pm)
• 8:15am RPM
• 9:00am Aqua 45 mins
• 10:00am Grit 30 mins
• 10:35am CX Work 30 mins
• 11:00am RPM
• 11:10am Bodybalance 55 mins
• 1:00pm Bodypump 45 mins
• 1:00pm RPM
• 2:00pm RPM
• 3:00pm RPM
• 5:00pm Rig circuit 60 mins
• 6:00pm RPM
Saturday 29th December (8am - 8pm)
• 8:15am RPM
• 9:00am Bodypump 45mins
• 10:00am Indoor Cycling 45 mins
• 11:00am Rig Circuit 60 mins
• 11:00am RPM
• 1:00pm CX Work 30 mins
• 1:00pm RPM
• 2:00pm RPM
• 3:00pm RPM
• 5:00pm Indoor Cycling 45 mins
• 6:00pm RPM
Sunday 30th December (8am - 8pm)
• 8:15am RPM
• 9:00am Rig Circuit 60 mins
• 10:00am Grit 30 mins
• 1o:35am CX Work 30 mins
• 11:00am RPM
• 11:10am Bodybalance 55 mins
• 1:00pm TRX Combo 60 mins
• 1:00pm RPM
• 2:00pm RPM
• 3:00pm RPM
• 5:00pm Bodypump 45 mins
• 6:00pm RPM
Monday 31st December (6am - 2pm)
• 6:30am Indoor Cycling 45 mins
• 8:00am RPM
• 9:00am RPM
• 10:00am Bodypump 45 mins
• 11:00am Rig circuit 60 mins
• 12:00pm RPM

We hope you can still make it to us over our 2018 Christmas opening hours! Are you or someone you know thinking of joining a premier fitness facility in 2019? Consider Westpark Fitness where the team work as your fitness partners to help you reach your goals – whatever they may be. Click / Tap here to book a tour of Westpark Fitness.

#### 2018 Myzone Moves Numbers
Do you use Myzone Moves at all? It is a fitness tracker belt that can be used to measure your metrics during exercise - such as your heart rate. You can purchase your own Myzone belt at reception and it is yours to keep! So you can wear it inside the gym and outside if you also exercise at home or go on runs or walks etc. The belt is also required to attend our specialised Myzone Moves classes. It also links to an app to show you your results and as you exercise you earn points known as meps that are a great target to aspire to each month as you rise through the fitness levels! Below are the metrics that our members achieved using Myzone in 2018.
2018 Myzone Moves Numbers

Members
806 of our members used Myzone in 2018. This means that they were wearing the lightweight and comfortable fitness tracker belts during their exercise and workouts (possibly both at Westpark Fitness and also while completing fitness activities outside of the gym). As you can see by this high number, members enjoy using the belts as they are a great motivator that help them to reach their health and fitness goals.

Workouts
In 2018, a total of 25,266 workouts were recorded by our members through Myzone. Yet another really high number, it shows how having the belts and the app are a great motivator as you aim to gain meps and reach your targets. With both a number to aspire to and consistency to consider in order to reach this number, it makes sense as to why the number of workouts are so high. You can purchase your fitness tracker belt at reception to join this number for 2019.

Calories
With the amount of members and workouts recorded using Myzone Moves in 2018, it comes as little surprise as to just how many calories were burned. Are you ready for this? A total of 16,014,906 calories were burned with the help of the app and fitness tracker belts in 2019! A truly amazing number, it demonstrates the potential that can be achieved with this fitness technology on your side. We are proud to be able to offer this to our members.

Fat
Following on from this, a total of 4,575lbs of fat were also lost by members using Myzone. For those looking to lose weight and tone up, they are sure to want to be a part of this number in 2019. The meps that you earn get added to a leaderboard every month - giving you even more incentive to keep you exercises and workouts consistent. Let’s not forget that exercising is known to make us feel good while we get healthy - so it’s a win-win situation!

Summary
Overall with Myzone in 2018, an average of 6lbs of fat per person were lost. You can learn more about Myzone at Westpark Fitness and how it can help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals for 2019 and beyond.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### 2018 Westpark Fitness Numbers
As we move into the second quarter of 2019 (how are we nearly into April already?!) – here we take a look back at some key numbers, stats and metrics that both Westpark Fitness and our members reached in 2018. This examines both our premier fitness facility itself as well as our beloved members who use it to reach their health and fitness goals.
2018 Westpark Fitness Numbers

Classes
In 2018 we offered 6,500 classes! A huge amount, it reflects the diverse range of fitness classes in Dublin 24 that we offer. These include the world-famous Less Mills classes that combine fitness, technology and the physical space and are hugely popular.

Team
Our team also grew to over 30 different staff members. Our staff structure is spread between different teams which all work to enhance your experience at Westpark Fitness and help you reach your goals. This includes our fitness team, lifeguard team, membership team and more – see here.

Years in Business
2018 marked an incredible 28 years that Westpark Fitness has been helping members to reach their health and fitness goals! We have seen a lot of change and growth during this time, but our focus always remains on helping you. Did you see our brochure from back in the 90’s? See below:

Award Win
When our efforts and expertise are recognised by awarding bodies, we can’t help but feel proud and even more dedicated to live up to our accolades. Towards the end of 2018, Westpark Fitness was awarded an Outstanding Leisure 2019 Award by Ireland Active National Quality Standards.

Member Loyalty
We like to leave the best till last when it comes to these numbers and it should come as no surprise that this statistic relates to our beloved members. Did you know that 1,826 of our members have been with us for over 3 years?! An amazing figure that demonstrates how premier our offering really is.
Thank you to all of our members for making 2018 yet another prosperous and successful year for Westpark Fitness – the proof is in the numbers! We can’t wait to see what all of 2019 brings as you continuing working towards and maintaining your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### 2019 Fitness Events in Ireland
Mark your calendars Westpark Fitness members! 2019 will see many health, exercise and fitness events in Ireland within our premier fitness facility and outside of it too. Here we showcase some of the main events to look forward to so that you can prepare for them and train in advance. Do of course make sure to talk to any of our fitness team should you need any help and guidance to empower your training for these events. You can also discuss getting a tailored progression programme made, book in with our onsite facilities like Health Matters and The Movement Clinic and avail of our many fitness classes too!

April 17th – Swim for a Mile
Become a stronger and more confident swimmer in 2019 with swim for a mile – an initiative to get people back into swimming pools and to become lifelong swimmers. Sign up on their website here to start the steps and training required to become strong in your swimming skills. Then on Wednesday the 17th of April (at both 6pm-7pm and 7pm-8pm) the event will take place in our swimming pool at Westpark Fitness – Ireland’s only stainless steel swimming pool! Places are booking up fast, so make sure to visit the swim for a mile website if you are interested.

11th May – Darkness Into Light
This year, the darkness into light walk will be held on Saturday the 11th of May 2019 (you can also jog or run this event if you wish). In aid of Pieta House, this has become a really popular walk which started in the Phoenix Park back in 2009 and is now a global event. Visit the darkness into light website here if you would like to register and take part – as well as for information on donations and fundraising. As it is a 5km circuit, you can prepare and train in advance by using cardio equipment at Westpark Fitness, such as the treadmill, to build up your stamina.

2nd June – Women’s Mini Marathon
Choose to walk, jog or run at the women’s mini marathon which will be held on Sunday the 2nd of June 2019. Entry fees are €25 per person and you can sign up on their website here. You can choose to fundraise for this event too for a wide variety of charitable causes. With a 10km total circuit distance, you can prepare and train at Westpark Fitness using our many cardiovascular equipment and fitness classes that can help improve your movement, stamina and energy levels.

There are of course many events throughout the year, but these are the main upcoming ones within the first six months of 2019. As always, the staff at Westpark Fitness are your gym partners and are happy to help you work and train towards these events – as well as your overall health and fitness goals.

#### 2026 Triathlon + Duathlon Results
Thank you to everyone who took part in the Westpark Fitness triathlon and duathlon on Saturday the 21st of March 2026. This was in aid of the Irish Cancer Society in memory of our dear friend and colleague Maria Kinsella. You can still donate if you would like - click / tap here to donate on our JustGiving page. You can see the results of the triathlon and duathlon (both long and short distance, individual and relay teams) on the tables below along with the winners underneath the results tables:

Triathlon Results

Duathlon Results

 

Winners

Thank you once again to everyone who took part and helped in any way, shape and form - including the many brands and businesses who donated towards the goodie bags on the day and spot prizes too! If you took part in the triathlon and duathlon and had a winning time from the results tables above; your prize will be ready to collect from reception at Westpark Fitness from Thursday the 26th of March!

#### Ab Wheel - Exercise of the Week
The ab wheel is a great piece of equipment and exercise to target and tone your abdominal muscles and midsection. As a single piece of gym equipment, you simply require it and your body to complete the movement (the use of a mat beneath you is optional). Pictured here is our trainer Matt who demonstrates how to properly complete the ab wheel movement and exercise.
Ab Wheel

To begin, get onto your knees and hold each handle of the ab wheel on the floor straight in front of you. Brace your core (imagine you were about to be punched in the stomach and you would tense your stomach in anticipation for the impact) and drive the wheel forward. This driving motion should be derived from the abdominal muscles – meaning that they support the movement as opposed to your arms driving it forward. Your arms will fully extend outwards however to facilitate the movement of the ab wheel.

One repetition (rep) of the exercise is not complete until you return to the starting position. To do this, keep your core braced and drive the wheel backwards. During this entire movement, you will feel your abdominal muscles at work and extending and retracting with the movement of the wheel. When new to this exercise, do not be disheartened if you cannot complete many reps. As this is a new movement to master, it will take time and practice to perfect. However once you do, it is sure to become a staple move as part of your exercise routine as you work towards your health and fitness goals at Westpark Fitness. Please ask any of our fitness team if you would like them to demonstrate and then guide you through this exercise – they are always happy to help.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Acai Bowl - Recipe of the Week
An acai bowl is a great and simple recipe that is hugely healthy and nutritious. You can customise it to your liking too and add toppings of your choosing so that it contains what you like and tastes how you like. Known as a superfood, acai (pronounced ah-sy-e) is available in many health food shops today and can come in puree and powder sachet forms. This recipe uses puree.
Acai Bowl

Recipe Ingredients List

Unsweetened Acai Puree Sachet (100g)
Banana (one frozen)
Peanut Butter
Mixed Berries

Step 1
Remove your frozen banana from the freezer and add this to the blender. If your acai puree sachet is frozen (which most of them in this puree from are stored in the freezer), run the packet under some warm water for a few seconds and then empty the sachet into the blender. Add a splash of water and blend until it becomes a smooth and thick consistency.

Step 2
Pour the contents of the blender into a bowl and let it settle - using a spoon to help if you need. The great thing about this acai bowl recipe is that you can customise it to you liking. This recipe for example suggests that you add a couple of spoons of peanut butter to it and some berries of your choice (these can be either mixed in or left on top of the bowl).

As you can see, in only a couple of steps you can make this tasty and nutritious snack bowl that is perfect for breakfast, lunch or any time of day! This recipe is another way in which we here at Westpark Fitness work to help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals by having your nutrition considered and acted upon.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Accessibility at Westpark Fitness
Our gym here at Westpark Fitness is fully inclusive for our members. This includes platforms and passenger lifts to all floors and we are also equipped with a disabled changing area with shower facilities too. We understand and act on the importance of making health and fitness available and accessible for all of our members and have made sure to have this accessibility at the forefront of everything we do. Just one more way that our members experience the difference with us and call Westpark Fitness their gym for life!

#### Air Purification Systems added to our Changing Rooms
In yet another first for Westpark Fitness, we are now the first gym in Ireland to introduce air purification and air disinfection to our changing rooms. We have now installed three Novaerus Protect devices each in both the ladies’ and gent’s changing rooms.

Why have we done this?

Research has highlighted that the changing areas in gyms have a higher risk profile from indoor air pollutants than the majority of other indoor environments. This highlights the high risk of cross contamination of airborne pathogens while people are exercising. This can be broken down into four main aspects in the changing room area:
Pathogen Transmission
Close quarters and shared surfaces in communal areas can increase the risk of spreading infections like Staph, MRSA and Athlete's Foot.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
VOCs can be a byproduct from disinfection and cleaning materials - as well as deodorants and personal care products - all of which can lead to an increase in VOCs.
Humidity and Mould
Moisture from wet areas (such as sinks and showers) and the presence of wet clothing can all promote mould growth, posing respiratory risks.
Odours
Along with all of the above, the natural presence of sweat and body odours in these areas can accumulate which can in turn lead to unpleasant smells.
By implementing targeted air purification solutions Westpark Fitness has ensured high air quality standards, safeguarding the health and performance of our members. Maintaining clean and safe environments is essential for enhancing the overall experience for our members and is yet another way we also place comfort and hygiene as a top priority of how you experience the difference here with us.

How do air purification systems help?

Improved Respiratory Function
Air purification systems remove up to 99.99% of airborne pollutants by capturing them and preventing them from remaining in circulation in our changing rooms. This will greatly improve the air quality in the changing rooms.
Boosted VO2 Max
By ensuring optimal oxygen levels, purified air can help members achieve higher VO2 max which is critical for endurance and stamina. This can lead to improved performance in aerobic activities and faster recovery times.
Increased Focus and Motivation
By eliminating airborne irritants that can cause discomfort and fatigue, air purification systems therefore help to enhance a person's focus and motivation. With these systems in place, airborne irritants are practically removed from the changing rooms.
Allergen-Free Environment
Air purification systems can significantly reduce the presence of allergens such as pollen, dust mites and pet dander. For people who may be prone to these allergies, this creates a more comfortable and healthier environment.
Pathogen Reduction
Air purification systems are also effective in removing airborne pathogens such as bacteria and viruses from the environment. This reduces the risk of infections and illnesses, allowing people to stay healthy and perform at their best.
Improved Immune System
The inhalation of nanoparticles enhances calcium influx on contact with macrophages that weaken the immune system. Our Air purification systems include certified HEPA filters which reduce nanoparticles in the air.
Protecting Long-Term Health
Regular exposure to clean air through purification systems like these helps protect people from long-term health issues associated with chronic pollution exposure. This is an investment not just for now, but for everyday that compounds.

Air Purification in the Fitness Industry

While we may be the first gym in Ireland to add these to the changing rooms for our members, this Novaerus technology is already being used in the changing rooms of the Leinster Rugby Team for example. As high-level professional athletes, incorporating this into their space demonstrates the commitment to being reactive to the immediate needs of these spaces while at the same time also working proactively to protect long-term health. Around the world other sporting institutions to make use of these Novaerus air purification systems include the USA (Denver Broncos, PGA), Australia (Brisbane Lions), Belgium (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise) Spain (Real Club Deportivo Espanyol de Barcelona) and more.
Yet another example of how you can experience the difference here at Westpark Fitness.

#### Aqua Fitness Team Training
Ever wanted to try our popular Aqua Fitness class? This week some of our fitness team members will be completing Aqua Fitness training and so this is a great opportunity for you to take part in the class and learn some new movements along with them too! If you have the Myzone Switch device, you can wear this in the pool as it is waterproof - meaning you can earn some meps too!

Tomorrow (Tuesday the 14th of February) Atene and Lesley will be completing their training at 9:30am and Chloe and Ciara will be completing theirs at 7pm. This coming Thursday the 16th of February, Paige and Sharin will be completing theirs at 7pm. If you would like to book into any of these training classes (or indeed any of our Aqua Fitness classes), you can do so on the Westpark Fitness app up to seven days in advance.

Aqua Fitness is one of our most popular classes as it is not only a fun group exercise activity; the fact that it is completed in the pool water means that your entire body is supported. The water also acts as a natural resistance for your body to work with and become stronger with - meaning you can expect to burn up to 250 calories or more. As an added bonus, the support of the pool water means the exercise provide twelve times the amount of resistance of land-based classes while only putting 10% of the stress and stain on your body and joints.
Aqua Fitness Team Training
As you can see, our team constantly upskills and refreshes their knowledge and training to make sure our members always experience the difference at their gym for life. Westpark Fitness is a premier fitness facility here in Tallaght, Dublin 24 - click / tap here to arrange a FREE tour!

#### August Myzone Challenge
As we come into a new month we arrive at a new Myzone challenge! The challenge for the month of August is called the 'Add a Photo Challenge'. For this challenge, members have to get at least 1,300 meps over the course of the month and add a photo to every workout they complete on the Myzone app. There will be two winners chosen at random who will win a voucher each for Health Matters for a V02 or Metabolic test. Best of luck!

Whether you complete your workouts here in our gym (or pool) in Tallaght or outside of the gym (such as on a walk or hike for example); remember to take a quick picture on your phone and upload this to the workout on the Myzone app. If you forget to do this and your workout is already uploaded to the app, you can simply tap on the workout and you will see an option to add an image. In this way you can make sure that every workout completed for the month of June has an image attached to it - meaning you can be entered into the draw at the end of the month to be in with a chance of winning the challenge!

If you are not already a user of Myzone, it is easy to get started with us here at Westpark Fitness. You can simply ask any of our team members for more information and how it works and the Myzone device can be purchased here at reception. In fact, Westpark Fitness was chosen to launch the latest Myzone device (called the Myzone Switch) here in Ireland! Our members love using this fitness device as both a motivational tool and also a tool to track their progress as they work to reach and maintain their health and fitness goals.

August Myzone Challenge
Everyone who completes this challenge will be entered into a prize draw at the end of the month with a chance to win a voucher each for Health Matters for a V02 or Metabolic test - best of luck! If you don’t use Myzone yet or are unsure about how it can help to turbocharge your exercise, fitness and workouts overall.

#### Avocado Toast - Recipe of the Week
While avocados may have become very popular with Instagram users who are fond of posting pictures of what they eat; they remain a healthy ingredient containing healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Their vibrant green appearance also gives them a healthy appearance too and they have become a staple fruit in many people’s diets. This is a simple avocado toast recipe that makes for a quick and healthy snack that is beautifully balanced.
Avocado Toast

Recipe Ingredients List

Bread of choice (two slices)
Avocado (one)
Lemon / Lime Juice
Chilli Flakes

Step 1
After removing the skin and stone from the avocado, add it to a bowl. Depending on which citrus taste you prefer, add in a dash of either lemon juice or lime juice (this can either be squeezed freshly from the fruit (preferable) or come from a pre-packaged bottle). Sprinkle some chilli flakes in too and then use a fork to mash all of these ingredients together in the bowl.

Step 2
You can choose any bread to your liking to toast (of course choosing gluten-free if required). Toast two slices of your bread until they start to get slightly crispy but before they go rock hard. Next, spread your avocado mixture onto each slice with a knife.

Step 3
Some people at this stage may like to add a final dash of lemon / lime juice and even some more chilli flakes or some salt and pepper over their avocado toast for an extra hit of flavour. Serve when ready, eat and enjoy!

This recipe was brought to you by Shape My Plan - the amazing app that you can use to get tailored meal plans for your goals. It also includes hundreds of recipes, tips and even a food tracker to optimise your food intake! It is available to Westpark Fitness members for only €4 per month (usually €12 per month). Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about and to get Shape My Plan to help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Band Pull Apart - Exercise of the Week
With just one simple piece of equipment, in this case an exercise band, you can work on your arms and shoulders with this band pull apart exercise. While it provides a brilliant stretch that you will feel, it also works to strengthen the muscles as they work to keep the band stretched while you maintain perfect form and posture. Learn how to complete it here with pictures from inside our premier fitness facility with our very own fitness team.
Band Pull Apart

Stand strong with your feet shoulder width apart. Holding each end of a thick rubber exercise band (or theraband) in each hand, raise your arms so that they are held out straight in front of you. Pull the band at each end and as you do, your arms should extend fully outwards to each side and your shoulders should remain back (i.e. don’t slouch). The aim with this movement is to get the band as close in contact to your chest as possible. As you complete the movement, you are sure to feel the stretch across your arms, shoulders and the top of your chest as your muscles are recruited to work against the natural elasticity of the band.

Slowly return to the starting position and that is one repetition (rep) complete. Make sure to remain standing strong and tall as you go to repeat the movement again. Our friendly fitness team are always available to advise on the ideal amount of sets and reps to complete in order to help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals. They can also supervise you completing the exercise to make sure you are completing it correctly – and even demonstrate it for you to observe and learn from.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Barbell Curl - Exercise of the Week
The barbell curl exercise is great for targeting, training and toning the arms overall - but it plays a particular attention to the bicep muscles to help them grow and get stronger. As with all exercises, correct form is essential to both get the best results from it and also to ensure that it is completed safely to lower your risk of injury. Here we guide you through it, complete with pictures from our fitness team from inside the Westpark Fitness gym!
Barbell Curl

To begin, you will need to select a barbell. Make sure this has no weight plates or if it is a pre-loaded barbell (as pictured here), select the lightest one to begin. This is advised to start so that you can learn to complete the movement with as little resistance as possible in order for the movement to be both natural and manageable. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart and looking straight ahead. Let your arms extend naturally downwards and grip the barbell with both hands in an underhand grip.

Next, curl the barbell up towards your chest - but make sure that only the upper muscles of your arms (the biceps) move at all. Ensure that you breathe normally but that you do not bend or your hips and torso do not swing. Only the upper muscles of your arm should move during the barbell curl exercise. Hold at the top of the movement before lowering the barbell back to the starting position. This is one repetition (complete).
If you find that you are having any trouble completing this exercise, please feel free to ask any of our friendly fitness time who can guide you through it, demonstrate it if needs be and advise on how many sets and reps you should complete to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Battle Ropes - Exercise of the Week
Have you tried using the battle ropes yet at Westpark Fitness? They are an ideal piece of equipment that can be used to work the whole body, making them a complete and highly effective cardio exercise. Here we explain how to use them - but do of course ask any of our gym staff if you would like to be shown how to use them to help reach your health and fitness goals at Westpark Fitness.
Battle Ropes

One of the most common ways you will see people using battle ropes is by whipping them up and down making wave-like movements. This is a great way to mobilise the muscles of the upper body as they work to keep the thick ropes in motion. This motion also increases the heart rate and as such is a perfect way to burn calories. Battle ropes can also be incorporated into lower body exercises and can be used with the likes of lunge, jump and squat exercises. In this way, the battle ropes can be added to your fitness and workout routine for a cardio and calorie burning hit that can work both the upper and lower muscles of the body. Ensure you use correct from (as seen in the pictures above and below) and by bracing the likes of your abs, back and glutes; you can also bring them into the mix to target and tone them too.

A great exercise and piece of equipment all round, consider them as an extra way to target your muscles from new angles and in new movements so that they react and grow. As you can see, there are many benefits to the battle ropes - simply ask any of our friendly staff for a demonstration the next time you come to your favourite premier fitness facility.
Want to join a premier fitness facility such as Westpark Fitness to reach your health and fitness goals? 
Click / Tap here to book a tour or call us on 014626911.

#### Become a Sponsored Athlete in Dublin 24
As one of the most premier fitness facilities in Ireland, we are proud to help fledgling talent and leading professionals alike advance in their careers and fitness endeavours. That is why we are proud to have a range of sponsored athletes and media personalities affiliated with us here at Westpark Fitness. As they represent Ireland on both the national and international stage, we find them inspirational and as such love having this sponsored athlete in Dublin 24 element.
Want to become a sponsored athlete in Dublin 24?

Our love for supporting athletes and famous faces both in the local area and beyond sees such a range of sporting disciplines and career types train here at Westpark Fitness. They include the likes of bike racing, boxing, GAA, MMA and more. Media personalities from the world of dance, stage and TV also form part of our sponsorship. Our sponsored athletes are literally world champions in their respective fields - headlining events and winning medals and trophies at the likes of the Special Olympics and more. Not only are they a credit to their country and local area, but they are also a testament to how far training and dedication can take you in the pursuit of your dreams. As such, they are sources of inspiration for all of us at Westpark Fitness.

As a sponsored athlete in Dublin 24 at Westpark Fitness, you will have access to our entire premier fitness facility which includes use of our gym and equipment, fitness classes (over one-hundred held per week - including Les Mills) and the use of our swimming pool (which is the only stainless steel pool in all of Ireland). We will also promote you and your achievements with posters and digital displays in our gym as well as on our sponsored athletes webpage and across our social media channels.

In return, we ask that you promote Westpark Fitness at any and all relevant events, in tandem with featuring us across your social media channels. We also ask that you update us with your progress and achievements so that we can keep our followers up to date with your amazing work too! Rest assured that we have a dedicated member of staff who can assist you with all of these content elements so that your focus can remain firmly on your training.
So if you would like to apply to become a sponsored athlete in Dublin 24 at Westpark Fitness, please e-mail Alison at fitness@westpark.ie where the full details will be explored and we will see if we are a good fit for each other!

#### Bicep Cable Curl - Exercise of the Week
The bicep cable curl is a great exercise to target the bicep muscles in your arms using a fluid motion with the cable machine. While an isolation exercise mainly targeting the biceps, your triceps will also be recruited during the movement, making it target the majority of your arms to help build both strength and mass. Here we explain how to properly perform this exercise - complete with pictures taken from inside our premier fitness facility and gym in Dublin 24, Tallaght.
Bicep Cable Curl

Set the cable pulley to the lowest height and affix the rope attachment to it. To begin, practice with a light weight that you can comfortably manage and manoeuvre until you are familiar with the exercise. Stand tall with feet hip distance apart and grip the rope with one hand at each of the ends. Bend your elbows to lift the rope up towards your face - making sure to slightly pull the rope out to both sides as you do so. Note that the only part of your body that should move are your hands and forearms. The rest of your body should remain still while the lower part of your arms are moved upwards by the biceps.

Making sure to breathe, slowly lower the rope back down to the starting position. This is one repetition (rep) complete. Repeat the movement making sure that only the lower half of your arm moves. The top part of your arm (home to both the bicep muscle at the front and the tricep muscle at the back) should not move; only the bicep muscle should flex with the movement. If you would like a demonstration of this bicep cable curl exercise or even to be supervised completing it to make sure you are doing so correctly; please ask any of our friendly fitness team. They are always happy to help and can also advise you on the optimal number of sets and reps you should complete to reach your health and fitness goals!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### BLT in a Bowl - Recipe of the Week
The classic combination of bacon, lettuce and tomato is also known as a BLT – a really popular and tasty mix. Most often served in rolls and sandwiches, Shape My Plan here present a healthier option with the BLT in a Bowl. Westpark Fitness are glad to partner with the Shape My Plan app to offer our members access to hundreds of recipes in tandem with a nutritional tracker, tips and information for only €4 per month instead of the usual price of €12 per month!
BLT in a Bowl

Recipe Ingredients List

Bacon Rashers (two)
Lettuce (handful)
Cherry Tomatoes (five)
Cucumber (six slices)
Scallion (one)
Avocado (one half)

Step 1
Using a grill, cook the bacon rashers to your liking. Up to five minutes on each side will suffice - but again, once they are cooked and to your liking (crispy or not etc.) they are ready for you.

Step 2
While the bacon rashers are cooking; slice the handful of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, the scallion and the avocado and mix them together in a bowl with the sliced cucumber. You will see that this is a colourful and healthy combination that is tasty too!

Step 3
When the bacon rashers have finished cooking, dab them on both sides with a paper towel to remove any excess grease. Next, cut them into chunks and at this stage you may wish to trim away any of the fat (but this is optional and to taste). Mix the chunks of bacon rasher into the bowl with the other ingredients – and your BLT in a bowl is complete and ready to eat!

Tasty, nutritious and beautifully balanced, the BLT in a bowl is a great way to healthily satisfy your appetite and ideal to refuel after a visit to Westpark Fitness!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Click / Tap here to book a free tour of our facilities.

#### Boost the teams skillset
The full potential of our membership
Whatever your goal: weight loss, building muscle, toning, stress relief, our qualified and helpful staff will be glad to guide you through your fitness journey, offering advice on your training, classes, nutrition and tailoring personal programs!
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Spinning studio fully equipped
From over 100 classes to choose on our timetable, all free for members, you will find your favourites! In our air-conditioned spinning studio fully equipped with Keizer bikes, you can burn calories and fat, work on your fitness levels in our live indoor cycling classes, HIIT spin or virtual RPM.
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Our amazing studios
Our bright and airy studio offers a selection of world known LesMills programs, Bodybalance (improving strength, balance, flexibility), Bodypump (barbell class shaping and toning your body), CXWorks (core conditioning ), Grit (high intensity interval training, using variety of bodyweight exercises helping you to get fit fast) and soon to come Tone!

Full body workout on our gym floor
Rig circuits are the most popular classes, offering challenging full body workout on our synergy 360 Rig on the gym floor.

Our enjoyable swimming pool 
You can be guaranteed to have an enjoyable swim in our stainless steel swimming pool or try one of our daily aqua aerobics classes. Coached lane swimming will help you improve your swimming technique, strokes, breathing. Spa facilities: sauna, steam room, jacuzzi will help to unwind and get some well-deserved rest.

 
Outstanding club hygiene
We pride ourselves in an outstanding club hygiene, our members are continuously rating over 95% positive feedback for customer service and their overall club experience, on our Happy or Not feedback system. Our equipment is well maintained and regularly updated.

MyZone heart rate monitor
Extra services include an option to train with MyZone heart rate monitor, a device monitoring your heart rate, calculating calories burnt in your session, offering training support from our team, Zone match, option to connect to other users, motivating and helping you train smarter and achieve your goals faster.

 
From free parking to hair salon
Our members can also benefit from free parking, including full-size underground car park, on-site physio, barber shop, nutrition shop, hair salon, beauty salon and café.

 
 
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#### Booty Builder - Exercise of the Week
Like the name suggests, the Booty Builder machine can be used to build and tone the buttocks and glute muscles. As this is a machine that targets the area, it is great to add as an isolation exercise to your workouts and routine. Regardless of the aesthetic results using the machine can bring, it can also be used for overall strengthening of the lower body - as used by the likes of Westpark Fitness sponsored athlete Tom Parsons as part of his recovery programme.
Booty Builder

To begin, you can either select a weight at the weight stack or choose to use your bodyweight only. When you sit onto the machine, make sure to fasten the belt so you are kept safely in place. The lock of this belt should rest comfortably against your stomach with the belt comfortably around your hips. Adjust the bench so that you have a good distance from the foot plates. You need it so that your knees form a right angle bend at the top of the movement. Again practice with a few repetitions (reps) to make sure it is set up correctly.

Place both feet on the footplate and apply pressure through your feet and legs, brace your core and lift your hips as high up as possible while you contract your glute muscles. Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position and this is one rep complete. Practice both using weights in the weight stack and just your bodyweight until you find a solution that you are comfortable with and can manage safely as you get used to using the machine. Our fitness team can advise you on the optimum amount of reps and sets to complete to reach your health and fitness goals. They can also demonstrate the Booty Builder exercise to you and guide you through it in person if needed.

Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Contact us here!

#### Box Jump - Exercise of the Week
Work on your movement, strength and balance with the incredibly useful box jump exercise. This exercise only requires your own body and a soft plyometric box (which we have in the gym at Westpark Fitness) to complete. This blog post also contains pictures so you can see exactly how this should look as you complete it correctly.
Box Jump

To begin with, make sure you have plenty of space all around you. Position the soft plyometric box straight in front of you. You will have to make a couple of practice jumps to gauge the perfect distance for you (as such, it is wise to start with the smallest of the boxes). So stand back from the box and then jump towards it to make sure you will land on it successfully. Make a note of this distance so you know where to stand when completing the exercise.

Keep your feet shoulder width apart and start to get into a squat position. Spring back up outwards from the squat position and propel your body both upwards and forwards as you do so. One of the main things to remember here is to lift both of your legs. While this may seem strange at first as it may not be a movement that you are used to doing; it is an essential step when completing the box jump exercise.

You should land with both feet on the box and then stand upright. This will take some practice to achieve perfectly – so please ask any of our fitness team for a demonstration and guidance. They are always happy to help! As you get used to the exercise, it is a great movement to incorporate into your routine to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Breakfast Muffins – Recipe of the Week
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and with these breakfast muffins, you can start the day off right with this healthy and satisfying breakfast muffins recipe. Requiring only five simple ingredients (which can be mixed and matched if you would like to make this a vegetarian recipe for example), they are quick and easy to make.
Breakfast Muffins

Recipe Ingredients List

Button Mushrooms (eight)
Cherry Tomatoes (four)
Lean Ham (two slices)
Eggs (two)
Spring Onion (one)
Low-Calorie Cooking Spray

Step 1
Preheat your oven to 200°C (or 180° if you are using a fan oven). Spray some low-calorie cooking spray into a frying pan and put this over a medium heat. Wash, peel and slice the mushrooms and after doing so, lightly fry these in the frying pan.

Step 2   
Slice up the cherry tomatoes, spring onion and slices of ham too and add them to the frying pan also so that they fry lightly. When everything is lightly fried, evenly spoon the contents from the frying pan into the individual sections of a muffin tray.

Step 3   
Whisk the two eggs together in a jug and when whisked, pour these evenly into the individual sections of the muffin tray that contain your ham, mushroom, spring onion and cherry tomato ingredients. Place the muffin tray in the oven and then cook for between twenty to twenty-five minutes.

As you can see, this simple (but effective) recipe is completed in three easy steps and is a quick way to start your day with a great and filling recipe. You can also choose to leave out the ham or substitute it with another ingredient to make this as a vegetarian option too. This recipe comes to you from Shape My Plan – the amazing Irish-owned app that offers you tailored meal plans, a food intake tracker, recipes, tips and more (now including a shopping list feature!).
Our members can get Shape My Plan FREE while we are closed - see the code included in our member's newsletter sent on 17th April 2020

#### Broccoli and Pesto Pasta - Recipe of the Week
This broccoli and pesto pasta recipe is perfect if you need a hit of energy while also looking to get in some vegetables and greenery at the same time. Made from healthy ingredients that you are sure to have at home, it makes for an excellent option for either lunch or dinner. Choose it to fill up sensibly and to replenish your energy stores so that you can give it your all the next time you come to workout at Westpark Fitness!
Broccoli and Pesto Pasta

Recipe Ingredients
• Pasta (175g – conchiglie ideally)
• Broccoli (150g frozen florets / one third of a fresh head)
• Pesto (two tablespoons)

Step 1
Add the shell-shaped pasta known as conchiglie to a pot, pour in boiling water until all of the pasta is underwater and add a dash of oil (sunflower oil or vegetable oil etc. – to stop the pasta from sticking together) before mixing all together. This will need to be cooked over a medium heat on the hob for between fifteen to twenty minutes until it has softened to reach your preferred texture. Make sure to stir the pasta every few minutes so that it cooks evenly.

Step 2
If you are using frozen broccoli, place 150g of the florets into a pot and add boiling water until these are fully immersed. Cook these over a medium heat for between ten to fifteen minutes until they are fully cooked (but have not become too soggy or limp). If you are using fresh broccoli instead, cut about a third of it away from the full head, cut this into smaller pieces, wash it and cook it in the same way as the frozen broccoli. Store the remaining part of the broccoli head in the fridge.

Step 3
Drain the cooked pasta in a sieve and then place it back into the pot that it was cooked in (which should now be emptied of water). Mix in two tablespoons of pesto so that the pasta is coated evenly with it (conchiglie is preferred hear as it arguably holds the likes of sauces and pesto better). Next, mix in the broccoli florets too after draining them into a sieve (you may want to cut these into smaller pieces first). Serve and enjoy!

A very quick and simple recipe, broccoli and pesto pasta is a great lunch, dinner and even snack option filled with carbohydrates for energy and broccoli for vitamins, minerals and overall nutrition. Did you know that as a member of Westpark Fitness you can get Shape My Plan for only €4 per month instead of the usual price of €12 per month? This is a recipe, meal plan and food tracker app filled with recipes like this to help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals! To get Shape My Plan, please enquire at reception.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Bulgarian Split Squat - Exercise of the Week
As it can be completed just using your bodyweight to begin but you can work up to adding weight also; the Bulgarian split squat is a great lower body exercise that you can progress with. By isolating each leg with the movement, it is very effective at building lower body strength and muscle mass as it targets and trains the glutes, hips and legs.
Bulgarian Split Squat

To begin, set up a bench so that it is completely flat. Stand facing away from the bench and bring one of your legs up behind you to then rest your foot just off the edge of the bench. Only half of your foot should be on the bench so that it is still able to move when needed (i.e. it should not be fixed in place). With the foot that is on the floor, step forward with this as far as you can so that it is not too near to the bench. Make sure to stand up straight and do not tilt your chest forward or bend at the back. Stay looking straight ahead and this is your starting position.

When ready, bend your knee with the leg that is on the floor as if going into a squat position. The leg that is on the bench will naturally follow this movement, so expect this to bend too. Shoot back up strongly to the starting position and this is one repetition (rep) complete. As you will feel when completing the Bulgarian split squat exercise, your balance will be tested as your feet are on different levels. As such, it also works to help with your balance skills!
Like with any exercise, please feel free to ask any of our friendly fitness team should you need any advice or demonstrations when completing them. They can also advise on the optimum amount of sets and reps for you to complete to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Cable Crunch - Exercise of the Week
To target your abdominal and core muscles using the cable pulley machine, the cable crunch is arguably the ideal exercise. It works with your natural range of motion to engage and work your abdominals – causing them to stretch and contract with the crunching motion. Consider it as an exercise to add to your workout routine to help target and train your core muscles.
Cable Crunch

Set a rope attachment high up on a cable pulley machine. Make sure that you can manage the weight that you select on the weight stack – ensuring that it is not too heavy to begin while you get used to the movement. Kneel on the floor in front of the rope (you may want to place a mat under your knees) and grasp it with one hand on each end. Pull it to lower it down until it is in line with your face. Slightly bend at the hips (you ideally want to enter into a hinge motion) and this is your starting position. Make sure you are both comfortable and solid in this positon before you begin the movement.

When ready, keep your hips steady and instead use your waist and abdominal muscles to pull the rope further down. Your body (but not your hips) should stretch downwards so that your elbows come close to / touch off your thighs. As you are completing this part of the exercise, you should exhale and hold the position for a second or two at the bottom of the movement. Return to the starting position but make sure to remain tension on your abdominal muscles at all times to maximise the muscle building benefits of the cable crunch exercise. As always, ask any of our friendly fitness team should you need any advice or even a demonstration to complete this exercise.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Cable Triceps Extension - Exercise of the Week
The cable triceps extension is a great exercise to target the triceps (which are the muscles at the back of your arms) using a fluid motion with the cable machine. As the exercise only requires this single piece of equipment, using a rope pulley attachment, it is simple to complete with little setup required. Here we explain how to do the exercise - complete with pictures of one of our fitness team within our gym itself.
Cable Triceps Extension

To begin, set the cable pulley to the lowest point on the machine and have a rope pulley attached to it. As with any exercise that you are trying for the first time, make sure to pick a lighter weight that is manageable to manoeuvre. Stand facing away from the machine and hold your arms behind your head to grip each end of the rope attachment. As you can see from the picture above, your elbows should be bent at both sides of your ears to grip the rope in this way. Stand in what is known as a staggered stance with one foot in front of the other and a slight bend in the knees. This is the starting position of the cable triceps extension.

Next, extend your arms fully upwards into the air so that there is no bend in your elbows. At the top of this movement, pull the ends of the rope attachment to each side so that it forms a ‘V’ shape. Slowly bend at the elbows again to return the rope attachment back to the starting position at both sides of your ears. This is one repetition (rep) complete of this arm exercise that targets your tricep muscles. As with any exercise, please feel free to ask any of our friendly fitness team for a demonstration and guidance on how to complete this exercise properly should you need it.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Cajun Chicken Salad - Recipe of the Week
Our recipe of the week this week is the Cajun chicken salad. A great mix of lean protein and beneficial greens, it is perfect to keep the likes of vitamin levels topped up and a great meal to satisfy your hunger in a healthy way. This Cajun chicken salad recipe comes to us from Shape My Plan – the nutrition app which offers you food intake tracking and a wealth of information, recipes and tips to help meet your fitness goals. Usually €12 per month, Westpark Fitness members can get Shape My Plan for only €4 per month!
Cajun Chicken Salad

Recipe Ingredients List
• Chicken Fillets (two)
• Mixed Leaves such as lettuce, rocket, spinach etc. (two handfuls)
• Cherry Tomatoes (eight)
• Cucumber (five slices)
• Bell Pepper (half)
• Red Onion (half)
• Olive Oil (one tablespoon)
• Paprika (half a teaspoon)
• Ground Cumin (half a teaspoon)
• Dried Thyme (half a teaspoon)
• Cayenne Pepper (half a teaspoon)
• Salt (half a teaspoon)
• Black Pepper (sprinkle)

Step 1
Preheat your oven to 180 °C. To make the Cajun spice, mix together all of the spices together in a bowl. Once mixed, rub the spice mix into the two chicken fillets (make sure to wash your hands with warm soapy water before and after handling raw chicken!).

Step 2
Over a high heat on your hob, heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Once it has heated up, add the chicken fillets to the pan and cook them for one minute. After this minute has finished, turn the chicken fillets over and cook them for one more minute.

Step 3
Remove the chicken fillets from the pan and place them onto a lightly greased baking tray. Cook them in the preheated over for at least ten to fifteen minutes. While they are cooking, combine the mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper and onion in a bowl to make the side salad. When checking that the chicken is fully cooked, ideally use a meat thermometer to ensure they are at the correct temperature and / or make sure the juice from then runs clear and transparent.

We hope you liked this recipe of the week this week - the Cajun chicken salad. Check back on our blog for a new recipe every week. Thanks too to Shape My Plan for their wealth of recipes and nutrition ideas!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Click / Tap here to book a free tour of our facilities.

#### Calorie Burn per Westpark Fitness Class
We know that some of our classes are naturally more popular than others. But did you know that you can still burn the same amount of calories in our other classes too? Changing your exercise and fitness routine by trying out some different classes is beneficial in many ways. It firstly makes your body move in new and different ways to receive more benefits and secondly it can help to avoid you suffering from repetitive strain injury.

Bodypump and Indoor Cycling - 600 calories
Both of these classes can see you burn up to 600 calories or more. Bodypump places more of an emphasis on building lean muscle mass while Indoor Cycling works to improve your aerobic fitness levels (such as lung capacity and stamina). So if you find that one of these classes is full or fully booked, you can consider the other as an alternative that will still bring a similar calorie burn result. Remember too that adding something new like this to your routine brings its owns benefits as touched on above.

Rig and Cardio Kickboxing - 500 calories
Completing each of these classes can result in a calorie burn of up to 500 calories or more. The Rig class is a circuit class where both cardio and strength is worked on. The Cardio Kickboxing class however is aimed at building and maintaining cardio fitness. Both require you to adapt your natural movement patterns and are both more active styles of classes. Rig offers you a more changeable setup using the actual Rig equipment in the gym itself, while Cardio Kickboxing teaches you a new discipline with a more combative focus.

Grit, Tone and TRX Combo - 400 calories
The Grit class, the Tone class and the TRX Combo class can allow you to burn up to 400 calories or more. While they are all very different (Grit is a high-intensity interval training style, Tone is a cardio fitness style and TRX Combo is a strength and endurance style); they each offer similar potential to burn the same amount of calories. Choosing each one is a choice to develop your body in terms of strengthening, toning and shaping it respectively. With this, you are empowered with multiple options should one of these classes be full.

Aqua Fitness and CX Worx - 200-300 calories
With Aqua Fitness you can burn up to 250-300 calories or more while CX Worx offers a similar calorie burn of up to 200 calories or more. While both different in their approach (Aqua Fitness can target the full body while CX Worx is more focused on the core and midsection), they can each be used to shape and tone your body. Consider this if one of them is full, but you still seek that calorie burn to stay on track with your health and fitness goals.

So as you can see, there is no need to despair if your favourite or preferred class is full. Westpark Fitness is proud to offer our members an abundance of options when it comes to reaching and maintaining their health and fitness goals - and our selection of classes includes this. What’s more, changing your routine is known to have great benefits for your body as it works in different ways, adapts to new movements and can keep the likes of repetitive strain injury at bay.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here.

#### Cardio Kickboxing - Exercise of the Week
For our exercise of the week this week, consider moving your body in new ways with cardio kickboxing. This is a great way to incorporate some new and important functional movements into your routine, while also toning muscles that you may not otherwise target with your current fitness routine. Cardio kickboxing is also a great combination exercise that works on balance movements, strength movements and increases your heartrate to burn calories.
What is Cardio Kickboxing?

While kickboxing is known as a fighting style, by adding a dedicated cardio element to it; it becomes a powerful discipline to work into your fitness routine. By learning stances, punches, knees and kicks, your body will gain strength, flexibility, balance and stamina in abundance. While you can ask any of our fitness team to demonstrate and guide you through some basic cardio kickboxing moves in the gym space, you can also attend the cardio kickboxing class at Westpark Fitness (free for members) if you want to learn it in a more structured manner. Led by world kickboxing champion and martial arts master Liam Dale, each class lasts for forty-five minutes and will help you burn calories, tone up and help in your weight loss efforts.
Learn more about the cardio kickboxing class (including class times) here.

As a premier health and fitness facility and gym in Tallaght, Westpark Fitness offers our members a world class way in which to reach their health and fitness goals. Make sure to approach any of our friendly and helpful fitness team if you ever need any help or assistance with any type of exercise. Make sure too to try out our huge range of fitness classes which are free for all of our members.
Not a member of Wespark Fitness yet? Click / Tap here to book a FREE tour!

#### Change things up and take a class
Change things up and take a class
Adding new challenges to your workout regime is a great way of progressing forward with your fitness goals. Whether you’re a veteran in the gym or a beginner looking to learn the basics, it is important to keep your body guessing as to what workout is coming its way. Classes are a great way of doing this as you will have top class workouts delivered by highly trained instructors here at Westpark Fitness. This added motivation can help push you to new levels of fitness. It is also great for people getting back into the swing of things as you will be brought along at a safe, effective rate.
Here is a sample of classes you should try and add to your programme:
Les Mills Grit
This is a great high-intensity workout that is guaranteed to burn lots of calories and helps tone your body. For any athletes out there this class is designed to increase your power for movements such as jumping, pushing and getting from the ground to standing position, plus many more. It also coaches people strong jump and landing positions which really help strengthen and stabilise joints. This will lead to a stronger healthier body.
Spinning
This class is ideal for every type of gym user. It is a safe, low impact challenging workout. Here at Westpark Fitness, we have the best technology to help you reach your goals. Our Keiser screen and Myzone heart rate belts will help you track your sessions and allow our spin instructors to programme effective sessions to take you to new levels of fitness.
Les Mills BodyBalance
this class is a no-brainer in any fitness programme. As the name suggests the class is designed to help you find a balance in your body, your training and your life. The class is made up of tai chi, yoga, Pilates, balance work, strength work, flexibility and meditation. All these are effective methods in their own right. However, this class combines all this to leave you feeling better leaving our studio than when you entered.

#### Change up your workout
Change up your workout
You may have a wealth of knowledge of how to train yourself and achieve fantastic results or you may be new to the gym environment and want to learn the basics to steer you in the right direction.
Either way, the addition of classes to your training plan will pay dividends in the long run. Classes here at Westpark are taught by highly trained and very knowledgeable instructors who will show you exactly what to do and motivate you to push yourself more than you ever thought was possible on your own. This is all done with a high focus on safe exercise so that you can keep coming back and continue to get the results you are coming for.
Top classes to achieve your fitness goals
To highlight a few classes that you should add to your plan to accelerate your results and add some enjoyment.
Les Mills Grit

Les Mills Grit: this class will create a faster, more toned and athletic version of you in a very short space of time (only 30mins/ class). Grit is a high-intensity cardio based class that works on interval training, which is a short time of hard work followed by a short rest. This class is for all abilities and ages so if you are a complete beginner who feels unfit or if you are a top athlete, the benefits are HUGE. Book into Grit now.
Spinning

Spinning should be added to your plan no matter what your goal is. Spinning is an amazing way to increase your fitness level while adding the no impact element that your knees will thank you for later. Our Keiser app will help you to ensure that you are training at the right level that suits your current fitness level. If you don’t have the Keiser app, ask any of our instructors ASAP and find out what it’s all about.
Bodybalance

Les mills Bodybalance will help you increase your strength, balance and flexibility and will leave you feeling very relaxed and much happier than when you entered the class. Bodybalance will be taught by one of our fewer mills trained coaches that will ensure that you train to your full potential at a level of difficulty that you are able for. This class is a must to add to your plan!

#### Chest Cable Raise - Exercise of the Week
Our exercise of the week this week is the chest cable raise exercise. It uses the cable pulley machine to target the chest / pec muscles with a wide range of movement. This makes the muscles move in a motion that they would not normally in an everyday situation and therefore helps to build and tone your chest.
Chest Cable Raise

To begin, lower the pulleys on both sides of the cable machine to their lowest point. Set them both to a low weight to begin – as it is safer to start with a weight that you can comfortably manage until you are more familiar with the movement. Using the handle attachments, take a staggered stance (as can be seen in the picture above, the stagger stance sees you place one foot forward and having a slight bend in the knees).

When ready, raise both of the cables and drive them forward in front of your chest. You should feel this stretch in the chest as you raise the cables and push them forwards. Return the cables to the starting position but make sure to not let the weights meet the weight stack – the idea here is that you want them to remain fully in your control at every stage of the movement. Repeat this movement for the desired amount of repetitions and you are then able to enjoy it as another chest exercise to add into your workout routine.

Like with any exercise and gym equipment at Westpark Fitness, our fitness team are always happy and willing to help you. They can demonstrate how to complete them with proper form and guide you through the movements correctly to get the best benefit from each and every exercise.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### Chest Dips - Exercise of the Week
The dip exercise mainly targets your tricep muscles, which are the muscles at the back of your arms. However with a slight variation in movement, the exercise can instead target and place more of an emphasis on the chest muscles. Learn how to compete this chest dips exercise here – with helpful step by step pictures as completed by our fitness team.
Chest Dips

To begin this exercise, you start like you would with the normal dip exercise. You can read our blog post on how to complete dips here. With this chest variation, ensure that you have enough room in front of you to bend slightly forward. So you may need to grip the dip bars more towards the ends of the bars to accommodate for this. When at the top of the movement with your arms fully extended straight, slowly arch yourself forward so that your body is held in more of a diagonal line. As you arch forward in this way, you should feel a stretch across your chest muscles as they become engaged and ready to work with your bodyweight as part of this chest dips exercise.

Slowly lower your body down by bending your elbows and flaring your elbows upwards. As you do so, make sure to maintain your arched / slanted positioning so that the emphasis of the movement remains on the chest muscles. As you move downwards, the stretch of the chest muscles should feel more evident and intense. Pause for a couple of seconds at the bottom of this movement and then straighten your arms again to return to the top of the movement. This is one repetition (rep) complete. Please ask any of our friendly fitness team for advice, feedback and even demonstrations of any exercises you may need assistance or guidance with. They can also advise on the best amount of sets and reps to complete in order to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Chicken Arrabbiata - Recipe of the Week
Combining lean protein from chicken, energetic carbohydrates from pasta and a flavourful heat from the arrabbiata sauce; this recipe ticks many boxes for many. As it is homemade you know exactly what you are putting into your body and so it is another great recipe from Shape My Plan that can help you to both reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Chicken Arrabbiata

Recipe Ingredients List
• Chicken Fillets (four)
• Penne Pasta (500g)
• Passata (500g)
• Garlic Cloves (three)
• Small Onion (one)
• Olive Oil (one tablespoon)
• Dried Chilli Flakes (one teaspoon)
• Dried Mixed Herbs (pinch)

Step 1
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. While it is heating up, dice the chicken breasts and then season them with salt and pepper if you would like. Add them to the pan and cook them for five to ten minutes until they start to go golden brown on the outside.

Step 2
Remove the chicken from the frying pan and add a small dash of olive oil into the pan. Dice the onion and garlic and then over a medium heat, cook them together with the dried chilli flakes and dried mixed herbs for four to five minutes.

Step 3
Cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions. While it is cooking, stir the passata in with the ingredients in the frying pan. Bring this to the boil, cover it and let it simmer for fifteen minutes (stirring occasionally). Add the chicken back in for the last five minutes too.

Step 4
Combine the pasta, chicken and sauce altogether, serve and enjoy! You can also garnish this chicken arrabbiata with some fresh chopped parsley if you wish.

Shape My Plan provide yet again another healthy and hearty recipe that doesn’t sacrifice on flavour while still working towards your health and fitness goals. An Irish-owned app, it contains more recipes like this, meal plans tailored to your goals, a food intake tracker and tips to turbocharge your nutrition to work for you. As a member of Westpark Fitness, you can get it at a discounted rate!
Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about Shape My Plan

#### Chicken Noodle Satay - Recipe of the Week
Chicken noodle satay is often a takeaway favourite. But with Shape My Plan, you can make it yourself in a healthy way so that it helps you work towards reaching and maintaining your health and fitness goals. We have partnered with Shape My Plan to offer our members access to the app (which includes recipes, tailored meal plans, a food intake tracker and more) for only €4 per month instead of the normal cost of €12 per month.
Chicken Noodle Satay

Recipe Ingredients List

Chicken Fillets (four)
Egg Noodles (275g)
Broccoli (340g)
Red Pepper (one)
Yellow Pepper (one)
Tin of Coconut Milk (400g)
Crunchy Peanut Butter (80g)
Garlic Cloves (two)
Lime (half)
Sweet Chilli Sauce (two tablespoons)
Dark Soy Sauce (two tablespoons)
Olive Oil (one tablespoon)

Step 1
Cook the egg noodles as per their packaging instructions.

Step 2
Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan / wok. Cut the chicken fillets into chunks and then cook these in the wok until they are cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken then and leave this set aside.

Step 3
Next, cut up the peppers, broccoli and garlic cloves and then stir fry these until they are tender. This can take anything up to five minutes and you can sprinkle them with water if they become too dry.

Step 4
Drain the noodles and add these along with the chicken back into the wok. Add in too the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and the juice from the half of lime. Continuously mix these ingredients together, stir fry for another few minutes and then serve!

A hugely tasty and satisfying dish; you can serve this for dinner or even portion it up for your lunch!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Chicken Satay Curry - Recipe of the Week
A popular takeaway treat, here Shape My Plan present a healthier version of chicken satay curry that is just as tasty – if not moreso! Filled with flavours and including lean chicken for protein and rice for carbohydrates; it is an ideal meal to refuel after or energise before your next workout at Westpark Fitness.
Chicken Satay Curry

Recipe Ingredients List
• Chicken Breasts (three)
• Rice - Basmati or Brown etc. (120g)
• Tinned Chopped Tomatoes (200g)
• Coconut Milk (100mls)
• Red Chilli (one)
• Peanut Butter (one tbsp.)
• Garam Masala (one tsp.)
• Coriander (small bunch)
• Fresh Ginger

Step 1
For the distinctive peanut-flavoured sauce, add the coconut milk, garam masala and peanut butter to a bowl. Chop up the red chilli and tomatoes and add these to the bowl too. A good way to portion fresh ginger is to measure it. As such, measure 2cm of it, grate this and add it to the bowl. Mix all of these ingredients together.

Step 2
Transfer the sauce from the bowl into a deep pan and leave this over a medium heat. Make sure to stir it occasionally so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Step 3
Cut the chicken breasts into strips and add these to the pan. Let them simmer and cook for approximately ten to fifteen minutes until they are fully cooked through.

Step 4
Cook the rice as per the package instructions and serve this with the chicken and the sauce. You can also add a pinch of coriander over this for a final flash of flavour.

Did you like this recipe? The Shape My Plan app includes this and many more – tailored towards your health and fitness goals. Available to Westpark Fitness members for only €4 per month (instead of €12 per month), it also includes information, tips and a food intake tracker!
Want to get Shape My Plan? Enquire at reception or click / tap here!

#### Chicken Skewers - Recipe of the Week
Choose to cook chicken skewers (in a variety of ways) for a healthy lunch, dinner or even snack option. They are made with lean protein and healthy vegetables for a balanced meal option that is quick and simple to make!
Chicken Skewers

Recipe Ingredients List
• Chicken Fillets (four)
• Red Pepper (one)
• Yellow Pepper (one)
• Red Onion (one)
• Courgette (one)
• Olive Oil

Step 1
Note that there are two ways to make these chicken skewers. You can either roast all of the ingredients in an oven, or grill them on a barbeque. Either way, start by cutting up the chicken fillets into cubes. Wash the peppers and courgette and cut these, along with the red onion, into chunks too.

Step 2
If using an oven, preheat it to 180°, line a baking tray with tin foil and place the chicken cubes onto it. On a separate tray, spread out the chopped up peppers, red onion and courgette and drizzle them with olive oil. Allow all of these to cook for between fifteen to twenty minutes – making sure to check that the chicken is cooked through (the flesh is not pink and that the juices run clear) and that the vegetables have not fully burned.
If using a barbeque, it is advised to grill the chicken cubes altogether on a few skewers and the vegetables on their own separate skewers. Like with the oven method above, cook these until the flesh of the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables have not fully burned (charred is preferred).

Step 3
Once all of the ingredients have been cooked properly, add them to the skewers in whatever order you would like. Most people prefer to put a piece of chicken followed by one of each of the vegetables before repeating this pattern. Serve on an optional bed of lettuce if you would like and season the skewers with some salt and pepper if you wish!

Enjoy this summer treat safe in the knowledge that you are getting lean protein and fresh vegetables cooked in a healthy way! Want more recipe ideas like this? Enquire at reception about Shape My Plan – the amazing recipe and meal plan app that can be yours for only €4 per month as a Westpark Fitness member (usually €12 per month).
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Chicken Tacos - Recipe of the Week
A summery and healthy treat, chicken tacos are simple to make and can be used as a lunch, dinner or snack option! Learn how to make them here in four easy steps with only a handful of ingredients.
Chicken Tacos

Recipe Ingredients List

Soft Shell Tacos (three)
Chicken Fillets (two)
Sweetcorn (75g)
Tomato (one)
Mayonnaise (two tablespoons)
Paprika Powder (two teaspoons)
Rocket Leaves (handful)

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°. Place each chicken fillet onto separate sheets of tin foil, sprinkle one teaspoon of paprika powder between them, curl the edges of the tin foil up and bunch them together at the top so that they form a parcel around each fillet. Place these on a baking tray and let them cook in the oven for twenty minutes.

Step 2
Chop up the tomato into small chunks and then in a bowl mix this together with the sweetcorn, teaspoon of paprika powder and two tablespoons of mayonnaise.

Step 3
Warm the soft shell tacos under a grill for nothing more than a couple of minutes. When the chicken is cooked (make sure the meat is not pink inside and that any juices that come from it are clear); chop it up into chunks and mix this in with the bowl of ingredients from step two also.

Step 4
Spoon this mixture into each of the soft shell tacos and garnish them with a handful of rocket leaves to add some welcome greenery and a nice peppery flavour. Serve and enjoy!

With healthy baked chicken, vegetables and greenery all combined – these chicken tacos are a healthier summer treat option that you and others are sure to enjoy! We post a new recipe to our blog every week so that you can help reach and maintain your health and fitness goals with healthy recipes and nutrition ideas!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry - Recipe of the Week
Our recipe of the week this week is the chicken teriyaki stir-fry. It combines lean protein from the chicken, healthy nutrition, vitamins and minerals from the vegetables and a flavourful hit from the teriyaki sauce. You can make this recipe for dinner or even divide it into smaller lunch portions.
Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry

Recipe Ingredients List

Chicken Fillets (two)
Small Red Pepper (half)
Small Orange Pepper (half)
Broccoli Florets (50g)
Teriyaki Sauce (150g)
Sesame Seeds

Step 1
Add some sunflower / vegetable oil to a wok and let this heat up over a medium heat on the hob. Wash the peppers and broccoli florets and cut the peppers in half after drying them with a paper towel / kitchen roll. Cut the chicken fillets into small chunks and once the oil has heated up, add them to the wok. Make sure to add them slowly to avoid the oil spitting back at you and possibly burning you.

Step 2
While making sure to stir the chicken every thirty seconds or so with a wooden spatula / spoon, chop up the peppers and broccoli florets into smaller chunks. Wait until the chicken has been cooking for ten minutes before adding the vegetables to the wok also. Continuously stir fry the ingredients together for three minutes – or until just before the vegetables start to char and go black.

Step 3
Next, add the teriyaki sauce to the wok too and stir this through the ingredients for another two minutes. Turn off the heat on the hob and then spoon the ingredients onto a plate. Cut a couple of pieces of chicken open to ensure they are fully cooked and not pink inside. Sprinkle some sesame seeds over the chicken teriyaki stir-fry to add some texture and crunch and then serve and enjoy!

In only three steps you now have a beautifully balanced meal to savour and enjoy. We have partnered with the app Shape My Plan to offer our members hundreds of recipes like this (alongside custom meal plans, a food tracker and tips and tricks to optimise nutrition) to help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals. Usually €12 per month, our members can get this for only €4 per month!
Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about Shape My Plan!

#### Chilli Con Carne - Recipe of the Week
It’s that time of year again when we want some winter warmer recipes that not only make us feel good, but also keep our health and fitness goals in check. This chilli con carne recipe by Shape My Plan fits the bill perfectly and so we present it here as a recipe you can rely on to power up before the gym, refuel afterwards or even portion for some healthy lunch options!
Chilli Con Carne

Recipe Ingredients List

Lean Minced Beef (500g)
Chopped Canned Tomatoes (400g)
Canned Kidney Beans (400g)
Basmati Rice (350g)
Garlic (two cloves)
Onion (one - medium)
Jalapeño Peppers (30g)
Tomato Paste (two tablespoons)
Coriander (two tablespoons)

Step 1
Add a dash of olive oil to a large pan and heat it over a medium heat (or use a non-stick pan if possible) and then place the minced beef into it. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat so that it cooks through evenly.

Step 2
Cut up the onion and cloves of garlic and add these to the pan when the mince starts to brown and release juices and fat. Fry this gently for the next seven to ten minutes – making sure that everything cooks evenly and does not burn.

Step 3
After the meat has browned all over, add in the tomatoes, the tomato paste and the jalapeños (you can chop these up first – or even leave them out completely if you want the dish to be less spicy).

Step 4
Bring everything to a boil and then add the kidney beans after you have drained and rinsed them. Cover the pan and let is simmer for between twenty to twenty-five minutes so that the sauce thickens.

Step 5
While the pan is simmering, cook the basmati rice as per the packaging instructions (either by boiling or microwaving) and time it so that it is cooked by the time the pan of mince is also ready. Serve the rice, sauce and meat together and garnish with some freshly chopped parsley if desired.

Discover many more recipes like this on the Shape My Plan app. It offers you custom meal plans to help reach and maintain your fitness goals, a food intake tracker, tips and more and we have partnered with this Irish-owned app to offer it at a discounted rate to Westpark Fitness members!
Click / Tap here or enquire at reception to get Shape My Plan!

#### Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie - Recipe of the Week
Recipes do not always have to be for solid food as liquid drinks can also be very beneficial for helping you reach your fitness and nutrition goals. This delicious chocolate hazelnut smoothie combines fruits, seeds, nuts (and some all-important chocolate) for a recipe packed with a boost of health benefits without sacrificing on taste.

Recipe Ingredients List

Unsweetened Almond Milk (200ml)
Greek Yoghurt (30g) or Lactose-Free Yoghurt (if required)
Frozen Banana (60g)
Chia Seeds (5g)
Hazelnuts (12g)
Cocoa Powder (two teaspoons)
Honey (one teaspoon)

With all of the above ingredients measured out, you simply need to add them all to a blender and blend them until they result in a smooth liquid. It really couldn’t be simpler to make this chocolate hazelnut smoothie and it really couldn’t be tastier! This is a great smoothie to refuel after a workout, class and / or swim at Westpark Fitness. If you opt to use Greek yoghurt as part of it, the smoothie will have some protein to help with recovery while the natural sugar in the honey can keep your energy levels topped up. With the banana, nuts and seeds included too, it is a great way to incorporate traditionally healthy foods into your daily diet.
Our chocolate hazelnut smoothie recipe of the week this week was brought to you by Shape My Plan – the amazing app that provides you with recipes, nutritional tips and tricks, progress tracking and much more! Normally €12 per month, Westpark Fitness members can get the Shape My Plan app for only €4 per month as part of their membership. This is just one of the many ways that we offer you a premier fitness experience as your fitness partner who wants you to reach your goals. Click / Tap here to book a tour of Westpark Fitness.

#### Christmas 2019 Events at Westpark Fitness
We are delighted to bring you so many fun and festive events this Christmas season at Westpark Fitness! From some special seasonal days, to charity contributions and some differing opening hours; here is everything you need to know about our Christmas 2019 events at Westpark Fitness!

Gift Health and Fitness
Give the gift of health and fitness to someone special this year with our three month membership option. For €250, members can gift a three month membership to a friend or family member and also get a free Westpark bag, bottle and hand towel. Enquire at reception to avail of this offer.

Staff Christmas Party
We will be closing at the earlier time of 6pm on Saturday the 7th of December as we will be having our staff Christmas party. We are looking forward to treating our staff for all of their hard work and effort throughout the year and beyond – so we’re sure you can understand having to close early!

Christmas and Class Hours
We will be closed on both Christmas day and St. Stephen’s day (25th and 26th of December) but will be open on the dates around this. Our opening hours and class times will be a slightly different.
SVP Toy Appeal
This year we have once again teamed up with SVP in an effort to get toys to those less fortunate at this time of year. Please leave any of your toy and voucher donations with our reception staff by Friday the 6th of December so that these toys can get to where they need on time for Christmas.

Mince Pie and Christmas Jumper Day
On Wednesday the 11th of December we will have festive mince pies available at reception for our members to enjoy as a seasonal treat. Our staff will also be dressing in their best Christmas jumpers to keep the festive feeling alive and well in your gym for life!

We are all looking forward to the month ahead with our Christmas 2019 events and we hope you are too! If you are not a member of Westpark Fitness yet, you can book your free tour here!

#### Coached Lane Swimming Class in Tallaght
Want to improve your swimming endurance, stamina and strength? Our coached lane swimming class in Tallaght is the perfect class for you if so! It is held every week at Westpark Fitness so that you can learn and improve under the guidance of our qualified instructor. By getting accustomed to swimming in lanes, you can learn to control your direction, navigation and precision when underwater. This helps with your overall concentration and co-ordination which in turn improves your confidence when swimming. Held in Ireland’s only stainless steel pool here at Westpark Fitness, you can enjoy a more hygienic swimming pool experience and warmer water temperatures at all times during this class.

In the class, your instructor will guide you through the correct form and movements to help you master the methods it takes to remain a proficient swimmer in the water. By implementing these tried and tested techniques, your swimming skills can only improve and go from strength to strength. As you may know, there are many benefits to swimming which include cardiovascular exercise, weight loss (due to calories burned) and an increase in lean muscle mass all over your body as your full body is used to stay afloat and power you through the pool. As such, there is nothing but benefits to gain with this class.
Coached Lane Swimming Class in Tallaght
We pride ourselves on ensuring you experience the difference with every visit to Westpark Fitness. Your swimming experience is no different either as you benefit from a hygiene team who keep the area clean and pristine, a lifeguard team to safeguard your health and wellbeing and your experienced and qualified instructor who guides you through the class. With this, every element of your experience is enhanced so that your learning potential, time and value is absolutely maximised.
Read more about the class here and book your place on the Westpark Fitness app!

#### Coached Lane Swimming Class is Back
Our coached lane swimming class is back! This will be held every Monday at 8:00pm for 45 minutes and every Friday at 6:30am for 45 minutes. Please check the Westpark Fitness app in case there are any class day and time updates. You can book your class place on the app up to seven days in advance - booking beforehand is essential!

This is a free class for our members aimed at improving your swimming stamina, ability and overall fitness (perfect if you are thinking to take part in our Triathlon and Aquathon in March). Anyone attending must be able to swim at least 2 lengths of our pool. Note that this is not a swim lessons class, but a swim fitness class. The classes are led by a level 2 triathlon coach and 2 lanes of the pool will be given to this (a max of 5 members in each lane).

If you are interested in incorporating swimming and the pool as part of your exercise, fitness and workout routine; we also offer Aqua Fitness and Virtual Aqua Fitness classes along with private swimming lessons too. We are proud to have one of the only stainless steel swimming pools in all of Ireland. This offers you a more hygienic swimming experience due to the stainless properties of the pool material and the pool water is also naturally warmer and more comfortable too!

Coached Lane Swimming
This class can not only improve your ability in the water, but also help with your overall fitness level too. As swimming is a full-body exercise, you can expect to burn calories during the class and if you are a Myzone user you can also earn meps towards your monthly mep target too! Like with all of our classes, you can book your place on the Westpark Fitness app up to seven days in advance!

#### Coconut Rice Salad
A dish that can be eaten hot or cold, the coconut rice salad can work great as a side dish for your summer barbecues or even as a main dish. It is light and refreshing while also a different take on a salad as there are no lettuce leaves involved. With only eight ingredients, most of which you are sure to already have at home, it is a simple and straightforward recipe packed full of flavour and fresh bursts of coconut, coriander and lime.

Recipe Ingredients List
Basmati Rice (90g)
Bell Pepper (one)
Carrot (one)
Desiccated Coconut (8g)
Fresh Coriander (one tablespoon)
Lime Juice
Lime Zest
Spring Onions (three)

Step 1.
Cook the rice until it is light and fluffy / according to the packet instructions. If you like your rice to be a little firmer or al dente, you can choose to cook it this way too.

Step 2.
Finely chop the bell pepper, carrot and spring onions and mix these all together with the fresh coriander, lime juice and lime zest.

Step 3.
Combine the rice from step 1 with the ingredients from step 2, stir together in a serving dish and then sprinkle the desiccated coconut over the top.

Coconut Rice Salad
You can choose to serve it warm / hot as as soon as the rice is cooked - or when it cools down, store it in the fridge and serve cold later. Perhaps you will choose to portion it too for a few snack or lunch time options, making this a great recipe to make ahead of time as part of your meal plans. This coconut rice salad is another great recipe from the Irish brand Shape My Plan. You can click / tap here to learn more about them and how they can help you with healthy meal options and calorie counting tools.

#### Cod and Asparagus - Recipe of the Week
Here we present to you a fresh and healthy recipe that will keep you full while working to meet and maintain your health and fitness goals. This mixture of cod and asparagus is finished with a homemade breadcrumb crust that adds a crunch of texture and energetic hit of carbohydrates. You can call on this recipe when you need a healthy homemade meal that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner.
Cod and Asparagus

Recipe Ingredients List

Cod (two fillets)
Asparagus (six spears)
Wholemeal Bread (two slices)
Low Fat Butter (one teaspoon)

Step 1
Add the two slices of bread to a blender / food processor and pulse until it has broken down into crumbs. Note that you do not want these crumbs to break down so much that they become like flakes. Instead, they should retain a crumbly texture and each breadcrumb does not have to be uniform in size. Place the cod fillets on a baking try lined with tin foil and brush each one with a thin layer of vegetable oil.

Step 2
Melt one teaspoon of butter in a bowl in the microwave and then mix this in with the breadcrumbs. You can use your washed hands to mingle this melted butter together so that the breadcrumbs start to stick together (use slightly more butter if required). Pat these breadcrumbs into the top of the cod fillets and then place these in the oven at 180° to bake for twenty minutes.

Step 3
Wash the asparagus spears and add these to a pot of boiling water. Season the water with a pinch of salt and then cook these over a medium heat until they become tender. Make sure to remove them from the water before they take on a rubbery texture – so between ten to fifteen minutes should be enough time.

Step 4
Remove the cod fillets from the oven. Cut them down the middle to ensure that the flesh is cooked all the way through. If not, place them back into the oven for a further five minutes if needed. Add them to a plate along with the asparagus and your cod and asparagus is complete and ready to eat!
Discover many more recipes like this that can be tailored to your goals with the Shape My Plan app. We have partnered with them to offer this at a discounted rate to Westpark Fitness members – it also gives you tips, tailored meal plans and a food intake tracker!
Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about Shape My Plan

#### Creamy Prawns - Recipe of the Week
For those of us who are seafood and shellfish lovers, prawns can always make a tasty treat in so many ways and dishes. They also contain quite a lot of protein per serving, meaning that they work as great building blocks for lean muscle mass. Shape My Plan (learn more about them here) present this creamy prawns recipe that is not only simple to make; but also consciously crafted to be a healthy option that you can enjoy again and again.
Creamy Prawns

Recipe Ingredients List

Prawns (80g)
Light / Reduced Fat Cream Cheese (60g)
Cherry Tomatoes (five)
Courgette (half)
Garlic (one clove)
Olive Oil (one teaspoon)

Step 1
Place the teaspoon of olive oil into a frying pan over a medium heat. Crush the glove of garlic and then add this to the pan too - frying it for one to two minutes to cook it.

Step 2
Halve the cherry tomatoes, cut the courgette into slices and then add these to the frying pan too. Fry them until they are tenderly cooked.

Step 3
Next, add the light / reduced fat cream cheese into the pan too. Stir this well in amongst the other ingredients until it melts and mingles throughout the pan.

Step 4
Lastly then, add the prawns to the sauce in the pan and allow the sauce to simmer until the prawns turn pink - this will take approximately five to ten minutes. Now serve and enjoy!

As you can see, this creamy prawns recipe is complete in four simple steps and makes for a healthy and tasty treat. By using a mixture of protein, vegetables and light / reduced fat cream cheese; it makes for a mix that is deliciously moreish while being a healthy recipe choice.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Darkness into Light Preparation
Darkness into Light will be held on Saturday the 11th of May 2019. What started back in 2009 in the Phoenix Park in aid of Pieta House has now become a global event as participants literally move from the darkness of the night into the brightness and light of the morning. You can either run or walk in the event and either way, you can prepare for it at Westpark Fitness.

Our gym is stocked with a range of industry-leading cardiovascular equipment including the likes of exercise bikes, treadmills, Step Master machines and more. Using these can help you to build up your stamina and keep your muscles and joints loose and limber before the event. Regardless of Darkness into Light, many gym goers make use of this equipment as a warmup and / or cool down for their workouts. Cardio exercise like this is known to help with heart and lung health and can also help you to burn calories as you expend energy. If you would like any advice and guidance on getting the best out of our cardio equipment to reach your goals and help with your preparation for Darkness into Light – please ask any of our friendly fitness team who will be more than happy to help!

Nutrition is also of key importance to help reach and maintain your health and fitness goals. With a walking / running event like this one (which starts during the night and is therefore highly likely to be outside of your eating routine); it makes sense to have eaten the proper foods in advance to act as the proper fuel. Broadly speaking, consuming carbohydrates in advance can build up your energy stores, having protein can keep you feeling fuller for longer (while also maintaining cell and muscle health) and being properly hydrated (preferably by water) will also make a positive difference. As our friendly fitness team are also knowledgeable and experienced with how to optimise your nutritional intake, please feel free to talk with them about the best way to prepare for the event in terms of optimising your food!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Decline Dumbbell Chest Press - Exercise of the Week
To fully target and train the chest (pectoral) muscles, it can be advised to use different angles during the exercises and movements for them. When it comes to the chest, a flat angle, incline angle and decline angle are recommended to do this when completing the likes of the bench press or dumbbell press. Here we show you how to complete the decline dumbbell chest press which is ideal for targeting the lower part of your chest muscles.
Decline Dumbbell Chest Press

To begin, set a bench so that it is in a decline angle with the head and back rest as close to the floor as possible. Before even lifting any weights, you can lie down on this (making sure to keep your feet firmly on the floor) to see and experience how this angle feels. When ready, select two dumbbells in a light weight that you can comfortably manage. Hold these in close to your chest as you lie back down on the bench (keeping your feet on the floor) in the decline position. Make sure that you are fully comfortable in this position and if you do not think you can manage to move the dumbbells in this position, you are better to swap them out for lighter ones instead.

Extend your elbows out to the slide slightly as you hold the dumbbells against your chest as your palms face outwards. This is your starting position. When ready, extend your arms fully straight in front of you and squeeze your chest muscles as you do so. Return the dumbbells to the starting positon and this is one repetition (rep) complete. Ask any of our friendly fitness team if you need a demonstration or advice on how to complete the decline dumbbell chest press exercise. They can also advise on the optimum amount of sets and reps to complete in order for you to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Dips - Exercise of the Week
Dips are a great exercise to target, tone and train your arms – helping to build both strength and size. A bodyweight movement, the exercise only requires the use of dip bars to complete. As such, it is useful for those who want to get more accustomed to working with their own bodyweight when exercising. This makes the dip exercise also take on a functional element while helping with balance too! Learn how to complete the exercise here.
Dips

To begin, set the dips bars to a height which means that you will not make contact with the floor when you are suspended between them. Grip each of the handlebars and pull yourself off the floor in a jumping motion, making sure to cross your feet over each other as can be seen in the picture above. Stay suspended in the air without your feet touching the floor and keep your arms straight fully down from your shoulders. If you are new to this exercise, hold this position for a few seconds to get used to how this starting position feels.

When ready, bend only your elbows to move your body down closer and closer to the floor. This is what is known as the ‘dip’ movement. You can flare your elbows upwards as much as possible while lowering yourself for a deeper stretch. While you should feel this working the muscles of your arms (particularly the muscles at the back of your arms known as the triceps); it should not feel overly sore or painful. If it does, return to the starting position and seek advice from one of our fitness team.
After you reach the bottom of the dip movement, straighten your arms to propel yourself back to the starting position. This is one repetition (rep) complete. Please feel free to ask any of our friendly fitness team should you need a demonstration or advice to complete this exercise properly. They can also advise you on the optimum amount of sets and reps to complete to both reach and maintain your health and fitness goals!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Don’t Give up the Gym in the Run-Up to Christmas!
The countdown to the most festive time of the year is here!
Can you feel that buzz going around to do . . . well . . . absolutely nothing? We have worked hard all year and with high productivity comes the want to just chill out and enjoy our free time. Just remember one very important thing! The gym IS the place you want to be when you have a little bit of free time. Ten excuses why to not go to the gym coming up to Christmas and ten reasons as to why you should!

1. I'm way too busy and don’t have the time!
Yes, it is getting darker in the afternoon, however the morning is better than ever - being beautifully bright and fresh. Turn yourself into an early riser and early gym goer and it will give you the boost you have needed to stay positive and make better choices for the rest of the day.

2. It's getting too dark and it makes me want to just chill out and stay at home!

Whether you are busy with work or whether you have a lot of mental clutter in your head stopping you from being productive,; even a short gym session (thirty to forty-five minutes) will have huge benefits to help clear you to mind and feel more positive. This will make you way happier and much more productive with a better mindset.

3. I will just wait until the new year to set new goals and I will stick to it!

Who said anything about new goals . . ? Even maintaining the strength and fitness levels you have now will 100% stand to you when we ring in the new year and you will be even more motivated to chase down your new goals.

4. I have been good all year, so I think I will just take a break from the gym until January!

When did the gym become a place that you need a break from? If it is, then things need to change immediately. Whether you need tips for a more suitable and enjoyable training plan or even hints on how to fit the gym into your busy schedule, please book in with one of our friendly fitness team members tat Westpark Fitness and we will get you to start thinking that the gym is the place you can't wait to be in when you have free time.

5. I'm not really motivated to go to the gym by myself!

This is the perfect time to buddy up and go to the gym with a friend or family member. You will enjoy getting results together and keeping each other on track all the way into 2019. They can book a free tour of Westpark Fitness with one of our team to see our premier fitness facilities for themselves!

6. I'm way too tired to train in the winter! Maybe its the weather or something . . ?

Habits of not getting up and about during the winter months and staying active can lead to a cycle of being tired all the time and not being motivated to exercise until the spring and summer months. Get up and have a drink of water and go to the gym - even for a short and easy session. Simply ask yourself if you feel better afterwards and this will be the start of a new (healthy) habit!

7. I just don't feel like going to the gym coming up to Christmas!

The chances are that if you do not feel like going to the gym even for a few sessions each week, that you don't really feel like doing ANYTHING . . . Ask yourself if this is true! Make time to continue going to the gym and you will feel like doing a lot more! You will thank yourself for this and be glad that you did it.

8. I don't know anyone that continues to go to the gym around Christmas!

If this is the case, then you have not met some fantastic, driven, happy and motivated people! Just because you don't know many people continuing to train, it doesn't mean that you cannot come in and feel great like the rest of the regular gym goers. You will see for yourself that Westpark Fitness remains fun, fit and active all through the festive season.

9. I will be 100% committed from January - but not right now!

Who said you had to give it 100% now? It really is a case of something is better than nothing. You will (at the very least) burn a few calories, increase your endorphins to naturally feel great and maybe even socialise with other friendly gym goers and staff. This may leave you wondering why you ever tried to make an excuse not to go.

10. I have 1001 reasons not to go to the gym!

The chances are, the more reasons you have NOT to do something, this is probably the case for many things you do. Just don't make the gym one of those things that you feel you need a quick excuse to get out of. If you become a regular gym goer, you may find that you have less and fewer excuses to NOT do a lot of other things . . .

Stay fun and stay fit this festive season by continuing with your gym sessions and class attendance this festive season. Thinking of joining a premier fitness facility like Westpark?
Click / Tap here to book a free tour of Westpark Fitness with one of our team.

#### Dumbbell Chest Press - Exercise of the Week
One of the best ways to exercise your chest muscles and to help their muscle mass to grow is by challenging them with weights. A staple move here is that of the dumbbell chest press as it utilises a pushing movement to exert the muscles and help them to grow.
Dumbbell Chest Press

For this exercise, make sure and use a dumbbell weight that you can manage for a few repetitions (reps). If you are new to this exercise, it is best to start with a lighter weight until you get used to the movement. Hold a dumbbell of the same weight in each hand with a neutral grip, which means your palms remain in front of you, then lie down flat on a bench. Make sure that your feet are touching the ground, there is a slight arch in your lower back and then while keeping your elbows bent, hold the dumbbells in the air so that they hover just above your chest (as seen in the picture above).

When ready, extend your arms up fully towards the ceiling while keeping a tight grip on the dumbbells. At the top of the movement, try and squeeze your chest muscles together so that they stretch and work as much as possible. Note that your arms, shoulder and chest may all shake when completing this movement. This shows that your stabiliser muscles are at work to support the weight and the more you complete this exercise, they will strengthen and reduce this shaking / supporting movement. To finish, bring your elbows down close to your sides to return the dumbbells back to the starting position (again hovering just above your chest).
A classic and effective chest muscle exercise, as your proficiency improves with it you can raise the bench to target different angles of your chest muscles (known as an incline chest press) and drop it down too (known as a decline chest press). As always, please do talk to any of our fitness team for a demonstration and guidance on how to complete the dumbbell chest press exercise.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### Dumbbell Shoulder Press - Exercise of the Week
The dumbbell shoulder press exercise is a great way to work your shoulder muscles and joints. This is a variation to the seated shoulder press machine that we have here at Westpark Fitness; but likewise it follows a very similar movement and has a very similar effect on the shoulder muscles and joints. Learn how to complete the exercise here with these instructions - complete with useful guideline pictures taken from inside our gym in Dublin 24.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press

To start, make sure and select dumbbells that you can manage to hold comfortably and securely. As this exercise will involve you raising them up over your head, it is crucial to use manageable weights to avoid injury. Start with lighter weights until you get used to the movement of this exercise and build up more strength for it. As can be seen in the picture above, begin by sitting on a bench (with the back of the bench raised) with a dumbbell resting on each leg. Lean back and hold the dumbbells beside your ears so that you elbows form right angles (see image below).

When ready, extend your arms upwards straight over your head. The dumbbells may touch / make contact as you extend your arms. Slowly return them back to the sides of your ears and that is one repetition (rep) complete. For best results, we recommend that you ask any of our fitness team to assess your goals and then recommend the optimum amount of sets and reps to complete. They can also demonstrate this exercise for you and observe you completing it too to make sure you maintain the proper form and posture. They are friendly and always love to help, so please feel free to ask them something anytime!

Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### Eating well does not have to be a chore
Eating well does not have to be a chore.
The key to success, whatever your aim is in the gym, is going to be built around what you eat, I'm sure you have heard it before but YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!
Time and time again you see people working so hard in the gym but then you see them in the supermarket and understand why they are not achieving their goal.
Due to the increase in social media and fitness bloggers, who have the time to spend hours preparing mouth-watering food for that perfect photo, we tend to think we couldn’t prepare a healthy nutritious meal easily.
That’s where you are wrong, eating clean, healthy and nutritious meals daily is about getting back to basics, eating REAL food.
Did it grow on a tree? Did it grow in the ground? Or was it alive?........if so eat it, if it didn’t……Don’t! Literally, plan your snacks and meals around this thought!
Don’t over think the ingredients, look to add in as many nutrients as possible in every meal. Be aware of hidden calories in how you cook and the sauces, oil or butter used and don’t think for one second you need to be a 5-star chef.
Eating healthy does not have to be tasteless or flavourless but is about trying out new foods and adding flavour through spices and colour
Below are some simple meals that you could make daily that contain less than 5 ingredients:
 
Breakfast
Overnight oats – porridge oats, cinnamon, chia seeds, water/milk/milk alternatives like oat milk
Smoked salmon and eggs (poached or boiled) or just eggs
Lunch
Chicken/turkey breast with different salad mixes
Dinner
Turkey/chicken mince with roasted veg(peppers, onions and some garlic work best) with brown rice (add some Franks sauce and maybe even some Glenilen farm yoghurt for flavour)
Lean mince, a tin of tomatoes, plenty of veg and some sweet potatoes or rice.

#### Environmentally Friendly Gym in Dublin
Westpark Fitness are beyond proud to be an environmentally friendly gym in Dublin as we plan to be one of the greenest fitness facilities in the country! We are actively working with the sustainable energy authority of Ireland (SEAI) and have already invested over €250,000 to slash our carbon footprint. If you know anything about Westpark Fitness you should know that we care - for our members, our staff, our country and of course our environment too!
Environmentally Friendly Gym in Dublin

We already have:

Electric car charging ports for our staff and members to use so that they have the option of using their electric cars to travel to and from Westpark Fitness.
New air handling units which are made to be more environmentally conscious and efficient without sacrificing on air quality and temperature.

We are replacing:

Two existing gas boilers with two air to water heat pumps which have the highest efficiency rating on the market with an A+++ rating.
Three new air handling units for our gym, pool and changing room areas which use 92% heat recovery technology thus reducing our carbon footprint.
Eighteen new high efficiency cooling cassette units to keep all areas at the perfect temperature to train in.

We will have:

The cleanest, most comfortable and energy efficient air and water handling system in the country.
A greatly reduced carbon footprint with reductions and savings in both our gas and electricity energy usage - thus reducing our overall CO2 emissions.

As you can see, not only do we here at Westpark Fitness go above and beyond for our members - but we also extend our care to the local area, community and environment too! With the technology and resources available today, there is no reason that a premier fitness facility should not play their part by being an environmentally friendly gym in Dublin - or anywhere in Ireland! This project will ensure members can train in a healthy controlled space with minimum impact on the environment. With Westpark Fitness, we are your gym for life where you will experience the difference!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet Book your free tour here.

#### Exercise of the Week - Farmers Walk
This week, our exercise of the week is the Farmers Walk. If you can’t make it to Westpark Fitness for one reason or another, it is a great exercise that you can complete at home. So simple but so effective – this exercise helps to build muscle all over your body, increases grip strength and helps to burn fat. Here’s how to do it.

Farmers Walk
A very simple exercise, it requires that you pick up a weight in each hand (dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls etc.) and then walk around with them. That really is it! Do some laps around a room in your house (or even up and down your garden - wherever you are exercising safely) as you grip the weights in your hands. Correct posture is crucial here to protect your neck and spine from any strain as your body carries the weights while walking. As such, ensure that your posture is aligned correctly with your shoulders back and down away from your ears while you stand up straight. Make sure too that your hips and pelvis are not sagging backwards and are brought forwards in line with the sides of your body during the exercise.

As you walk around holding the weights, make sure to grip them tightly. This activates the muscles in your forearms and works to increase your grip and wrist strength. Walking around at a steady pace places emphasis on virtually all muscles of the body as they work to accommodate the weights while your body moves and walks. Due to this, the Farmers Walk exercise is great for conditioning your entire body at once. It also means that your body is primed to burn fat as an emphasis is placed on this during each and every step of the exercise that requires energy to complete. So simple but so effective, the Farmers Walk is a great exercise to do if you can’t make it to the gym but are keen to keep your fitness goals in focus.

Want to join a premier fitness facility such as Westpark Fitness to finally reach your fitness goals? Click / Tap here to book a tour.

#### Exercise of the Week - Glute Press
Make use of the amazing array of machines and equipment at Westpark Fitness – with something to target every part of your body to reach your fitness goals. This week we take a look at the glute press machine which targets the buttocks and back of the leg area with a controlled movement that is suitable for all fitness levels. Ask any of our gym staff if you would like to see how to use the glute press machine in person.

What are the glute muscles?
The glute muscles are three muscles which group together to form your buttocks. Just like with the muscles in your arms for example, your glute muscles can be exercised and worked on to tone them and increase their size if you so desire. Their positioning on the body means that not many weight machines target them directly. That is why the glute press machine at Westpark Fitness (pictured above) is perfect to target them.

How does the glute press work?
You stand on the glute press machine in an upright position and then extend your leg outwards to push against the weight (as one of our personal trainers Prabhat demonstrates in the pictures above). With this pushing motion, you should feel the resistance at the back of your leg and at the buttocks. The machine allows you to pick the perfect weight for your workout as you can hang weight plates from it in the most suitable heaviness that you are capable to complete reps with. To completely target your glute muscles, you will have to swap sides standing on the machine to work both the right and left sides of the buttocks.

“Great gym, really well equipped and the staff are very friendly. Lots of amenities and support professionals based around the place too. Really good opening hours too!” 
– A. Hanley (Five Star Google Review)
Our friendly team are here to help – so please make sure to ask any of our gym staff if would like to be shown how to use the glute press machine (or any of our equipment). Not yet a member of our premier fitness facility in Tallaght? Click / Tap here to book a tour or call Westpark Fitness on 014626911.

#### Exercise of the Week - Renegade Row
The renegade row exercise is certainly an exercise that you will feel working as you complete the steps and movements involved. It is great for targeting the arm and back muscles, while the position of the exercise also requires the core muscles to help work on your stability and stamina. This is an exercise you will really feel as your body has to both hold its position and lift weights at once. Here we explain how to complete the renegade row exercise - with pictures complete from our premier fitness facility and gym in Tallaght, Dublin 24.
Renegade Row

To begin, place two dumbbells or kettlebells on the floor / exercise mat about shoulder width apart. Make sure and use weights that you are comfortable with and that you can safely lift - especially if you are new to completing this exercise. Next, assume a pushup position by gripping both of the weights (either the dumbbells or kettlebells that you have picked). While in this position you should brace your core, while continuing to breathe, making sure to maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.

Do not open your hips and keep your torso parallel to the floor at all times. Push hard into the ground with one hand, keeping your elbow locked, while simultaneously pulling the weight to the waist with your other hand - this arm should form a right angle. This is one repetition (rep) completed of the renegade row exercise. Seek advice from our friendly fitness team should you need them to complete a demonstration of this exercise, if you want them to ensure you are completing it properly and to be advised on the best amount of sets and reps to complete to work towards reaching and maintaining your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Exercise of the Week - Try TRX
For our exercise of the week this week, we implore you to try TRX in Dublin / Tallaght’s premier Westpark Fitness and feel the benefits for yourself. TRX can seem daunting at first simply if it is new to you; but you will not look back after you add a couple of simple (and highly effective) TRX exercises as part of your routine. Below are two examples of bodyweight TRX exercises that also provide great stretching benefits as your muscles lengthen during the movements. As always, simply ask any of our approachable and friendly gym staff if you would like to be shown these or any TRX exercises.

TRX Back Row
For this exercise, make sure the TRX straps are adjusted so that they are not too long or near the floor. When pulled by the handles, the straps should go taut and not have any give or major flex in them. Using a neutral grip (by making fists with your palms facing each other), grip the handles of the TRX straps and position your elbows at a right angle. Keep your feet planted firmly on the floor, your shoulders straight and down away from your ears and your entire body in a straight line. Once in position, slowly fall backwards towards the floor while extending your arms out straight and still keeping your feet flat on the floor. Your body should also remain in a straight line throughout the movement. At the bottom of the movement you should feel a slight stretch at the top of your back.

Next, keep your elbows close to your sides, pull your shoulder blades together and pull on the TRX bands so that your arms form a right angle again. Make sure too that your feet remain firmly on the floor and that your body is still in a straight line as your move away from the floor. You use your strength to get to this position and the back muscles activate to power your body through the movement. That is one repetition (rep) now finished. Complete a few more reps until you get comfortable with the movement, feel the muscles working and stretching and do not feel any aches or pains. This is a simple and effective back exercise that you can add into your routine to move your body in new ways – challenging the muscles of the back and arms to adapt, grow and work more.

TRX Push-Up
The TRX push-up is like the TRX back row above – except reversed to target your chest instead of your back. Adjust the length of the straps so that they hang just below your knees. Grip the handles with your palms facing the floor and extend your feet out behind you (keep your toes on the floor but your heels pointed upwards) at a length and distance that feels comfortable to you. When ready, look straight ahead, keep your body in a straight line and lower your body down towards the floor by bending your elbows and letting your upper arms dip just below them. As you do this, you should feel a stretch across your chest.

To return to the starting position, fully lengthen your arms to move your body further away from the floor. As the TRX bands keep your body in a suspended positon, you can end up activating more muscles to maintain balance while completing the exercise. As such, make sure to brace your core (imagine if you were about to be punched in the stomach and you tense it in anticipation) and keep your glutes tight to maintain correct form and movement while protecting your lower back and spine from straining.

Try the TRX bands out to add some new movements and exercises into your routine and to feel the benefits of your muscles stretching, lengthening and strengthening. At Westpark Fitness, we offer TRX in Dublin and a range of fitness classes, modern equipment, Ireland’s only stainless steel pool and much more. If you are already a member of our premier fitness facility, simply ask one of the gym staff if you would like any help and demonstrations with your TRX exercises. Not a member? Click / Tap here to book a tour of Westpark Fitness and experience premier fitness for yourself.

#### Experience the difference
Here at Westpark Fitness,
We have a wide range of expertise among our unique fitness team. Our instructors have studied a great deal and specialised in many different areas of health and fitness. So here’s a bit more about them:
 

Ger Minihan
Ger is the head trainer here at Westpark fitness. With 16 years of experience and learning, he makes sure all staff at Westpark are up to speed on current trends and fitness classes. Gers background includes Reebok spin, Poliquin Level 1, ITEC personal trainer and gym instruction, ITEC and ISSA personal trainer course tutor, Fms level 1, Berardi precision nutrition level 1, Olympic lifting, Kettlebell instruction, TRX level1 and 2. He is currently doing his B.A Degree in Strength and Conditioning. Ger is committed to fitness and helping members attain their fitness goals.

Matthew O Brien
Matt has worked at Westpark fitness since 2016 he is a qualified fitness instructor and personal trainer with ITEC. He has taken on many Les mills Fitness programmes. Les mills play a big role in the club being the main brand of exercise class taught here. Look no further than Matt to teach you all about the programmes as he has studied on 4 different programmes to date!

Dave Cronan
Dave has worked at Westpark fitness since 2015. Dave has studied a level 8 degree in Exercise Science at the University of Limerick. Dave is passionate about helping members reach their fitness goals and has the knowledge to get you on the right track. Dave is also one of our Les Mills instructors.

Kealan Dowling
Kealan has worked at Westpark fitness since 2017. Kealan has a level 8 Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Leisure majored as a fitness professional. Kealan has a background in strength and conditioning and is currently studying sports massage therapy. Kealan is passionate about injury prevention and rehab. He is also one of the Les Mills instructors in the club.

Eddie Kinahan
Eddie has worked at Westpark Fitness since 2018. Eddie has a BSc honours degree in strength and conditioning. He specialises in Olympic weightlifting, rehab and sports specific training. Eddie is also certified in advanced functional movement screening. He is also a Les Mills instructor at the club.

 
 
 

#### Expert Fitness Classes in Tallaght
Even more additional (and completely free) benefits for our members . . . we are delighted to announce that we will be working with the various experts based here at Westpark to bring you expert classes as led by them! They will be featured on our timetable teaching classes and seminars that are included free in your membership from the week starting the 3rd of April. This includes Colin from The Movement Clinic, Ger from Well4U, Marcin from No Pain No Gain Nutrition and Seán and Kealan from Health Matters. Read on below to learn what extra benefits they are bringing to your gym for life!

Colin - Movestrong Class: Owner of The Movement Clinic, Colin is an expert in all things movement and how the body moves in both everyday life and in fitness and sports. Movestrong is an active and energetic exercise class focused on improving both mobility and strength. This is a more active approach to mobility which involves more energy output than a conventional stretching based class (book a place on the Westpark Fitness app up to 7 days in advance, just like booking a normal class).

Ger - Well4U Classes: A hugely experienced and expert personal trainer, Ger will be teaching Well4U Healthy Heart (Saturdays at 10am) and Well4U MetCon (Tuesdays at 6pm). Healthy Heart is a low intensity class to help improve heart and lung function while MetCon is a circuit style class to boost energy, decrease body fat and build strength with a mixture of cardio and resistance exercises for overall fitness (book a place on the Westpark Fitness app up to 7 days in advance, just like booking a normal class).

Kealan - Expert Spinning: As some of our existing members will know, Kealan was previously a member of the fitness team here at Westpark before joining Health Matters. You may remember his love and expertise for the popular Spin class in particular and we are glad to announce that he will be back teaching a Spin class in the underground every Friday at 6:30am from the 14th of April! (book a place on the Westpark Fitness app up to 7 days in advance, just like booking a normal class).

Marcin - Power Up by TK: A sought after trainer for international bodybuilding competitions, Marcin will be teaching his new Power Up by TK class. This class is a mix of weights and functional training to help improve your posture. With a max capacity of 20 people per class, the emphasis will be on performing exercises precisely and feel comfortable in using weights in a safe and efficient way (book a place on the Westpark Fitness app up to 7 days in advance, just like booking a normal class).

Seán - Expert Seminars: Seán (owner of Health Matters, Hdip Nutritional Therapy, advanced exercise nutrition adviser) will be delivering a seminar once per month. The first one is on the 11th of April on the topic of weight loss with the aim to educate members with the information needed to make consistent better choices and how they work for long term success in weight loss goals (book a place on the Westpark Fitness app up to 7 days in advance, just like booking a normal class).

Expert Fitness Classes in Tallaght

When we say experience the difference here at Westpark Fitness - we mean it! All of these additional expert classes and some seminars are included free in your membership here with your gym for life in Tallaght, Dublin 24.

#### February Myzone Challenge
The February Myzone Challenge is to reach your 1,300 monthly mep target (as recommended by the World Health Organisation - WHO) and on the Myzone app to name each workout your complete over the month of February.

When you complete any type of workout or exercise and turn off your Myzone device afterwards, the Myzone app will automatically save your workout and ask if you would like to rename it. Here at this stage you can rename it to anything that you like such as ‘Upper Body Workout’, ‘Treadmill Cardio’, ‘Swimming’ etc. or anything else you would like. This is helpful for when you look back over your workouts as you can for example that swimming may earn you X amount of meps and help to burn X amount of calories. It also helps you get used to using the Myzone app if you are new to it!

Remember when it comes to Myzone that you can use it both inside and outside of Westpark Fitness and if you have the newer Myzone Switch device, this is waterproof and can be worn when swimming (unlike the previous MZ3 model). You can wear it for all of your workouts at the gym and also outside of the gym if you go for a walk, run or hike for example. Each and every exercise and movement counts so it is a good idea to keep in the habit of wearing your Myzone device and earning those meps at every opportunity!
February Myzone Challenge
At the end of the month, one lucky winner will be chosen at random to win a €100 One4All voucher - best of luck! If you don’t use Myzone yet or are unsure about how it can help to turbocharge your exercise, fitness and workouts overall, contact us to find out more.

#### Feedback 97% Customer Satisfaction
Feedback for February saw 6,000 responders rate us at 97% customer satisfaction

#### Fitness Classes in Tallaght Westpark Fitness
If you are looking for fitness classes in Tallaght, look no further than the premier fitness facility known as Westpark Fitness. Based in Tallaght for over twenty-five years, we have earned a reputation for excellence and offer fitness classes for all interests, goals and fitness levels. Below are just a small selection of the fitness classes we offer in our gym and pool areas. Click / Tap here to view them all and you can also book a tour by clicking / tapping here.
“Love this gym staff are great will always help when asked and they have tonnes of classes for all different shapes and sizes they are worth every penny.”
– James (Five Star Google Review)

Yoga for Anxiety

Calm the body and calm the mind with our Yoga for Anxiety class. Designed to lead you to a happier self, the Yoga for Anxiety class was designed for those who experience anxiety, depression and / or stress. It is also great to remove your body and mind from the hectic pace of modern life in a safe and serene space at Westpark Fitness. Led by a qualified instructor, each class lasts for sixty minutes and works on the traditional principle of chakras to restore balance and peace to the body and mind through specific yoga movements and stretches. A very popular and beneficial class.
“Great facility, friendly staff and brilliant range of classes.
Would highly recommend.”
– R. Madden (Five Star Google Review)

Les Mills Classes

Westpark Fitness are proud to provide the world renowned Les Mills fitness classes in Tallaght. Les Mills classes are described as mixing “great music and cutting edge science to help people fall in love with fitness.” At Westpark Fitness our Les Mills classes include Bodybalance (a motivating blend of yoga, tai chi and pilates), Bodypump (which works all major muscles by using light weights at high repetitions) and CXWORX (designed to tighten and tone your midsection in the shortest amount of time possible). Les Mills classes merge digital technology with the physical space for an immersive fitness experience.
“Amazing gym with top class facilities.
The staff are so so friendly and helpful.” 
– G. Lyons (Five Star Google Review)

Aqua Fitness

Did you know that Westpark Fitness is home to the only stainless steel pool in Ireland? Our Aqua Fitness class is held here and those who attend the class love the warm water and less need for chlorine that the stainless steel pool provides. Allowing your body to be supported by the pool water (therefore reducing pressure on joints), the Aqua Fitness class is designed to tone and strengthen your entire body through aerobic exercises and movements that are fun and engaging. Each class lasts for forty-five minutes and they are held at morning and evening times throughout the week.
“Best gym in Tallaght, great classes, great staff and facilities.” 
– D. Coker (Five Star Google Review)

Family Rig

Have fun and get fit together with our family rig - one of the most family friendly fitness classes in Tallaght that Westpark Fitness are proud to offer. Open to both adult and child members (children aged between eight and fourteen) of Westpark Fitness, the class lasts for between thirty to sixty minutes. Designed for parents and children to work together, it involves a warmup beforehand and cool down stretching afterwards. The rig itself can be broken up into different parts – challenging both adult and child with lower body and upper body exercises using both push and pull motions.
"Excellent staff, great facilities, great classes and gym, changing area, pool kept exceptionally clean highly recommend."
– D. Walker (Five Star Google Review)

As you can see from the small selection above, Westpark Fitness is the ideal location for fitness classes in Tallaght. With each one being led by qualified instructors, our class offering has been designed to offer something for everyone with a multitude of benefits to be gained no matter your fitness level or ability. Click / Tap here to view all of our classes and time and click / tap here to book a tour of the premier fitness facility that is Westpark Fitness.

#### Five Weeks To Go!
There are only five weeks to go until the Westpark Fitness aquathon, duathlon and triathlon in aid of the Irish Cancer Society (in memory of Brian Kane). The aquathon will be held on Friday the 10th of March and the indoor duathlon and triathlon will be held on Saturday the 11th of March. You can register at reception either individually or as part of a team! You can click / tap here to learn all about the event and distance details.

With there being five weeks until these events begin, you still have time to train and build up your strength and stamina if you wish to take part. Our members have access to a dedicated spin studio in our underground area, an array of treadmills and cardio equipment on our main gym floor and a stainless steel swimming pool (one of only a couple in Ireland!) for you to train and practice in. Remember too if you are a Myzone user to use your device while training and also if you take part in any of these events to build up your meps too!

The day itself promises to be fun and energetic as we will have the fitness team and event organisers cheering participants on and even a DJ on the gym floor to keep the energy and atmosphere high. Goodie bags will be given out to all who take part (including children), a photographer will be there on the day and there will be both prizes and spot prizes given out afterwards too! Best of luck to everyone who takes part in what is shaping up to be a great event for a great cause.
Five Weeks To Go!
You still have time to register to take part in any of these upcoming events (click / tap here for the full event details) and if you would like to donate you can do so on our official JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/westpark-fitness

#### Floor Y Raise - Exercise of the Week
The floor Y raise sees you put your body into a position that resembles the letter ‘Y’ while lying on the floor. It works to target and train the muscles of your back and shoulders. As it only requires your body (and possibly a mat depending on what surface you choose), it is a simple and effective way to exercise if you are stuck for time or equipment. Learn how to complete it here.
Floor Y Raise

Unless you have a soft / carpeted floor, you may want to use an exercise mat. Lie down flat on your stomach and extend your arms out fully straight above your head on each side. This is your starting position, so make sure you are comfortable and stable in this position before moving onto the next part. Make sure that your face is not fully pressed into the floor / mat so that you can breathe properly and normally. Move your arms out to opposite diagonal angles on each side so that your whole body forms the letter ‘Y’ when you are lying down.

When ready, lift your arms up into the air and as you do so your head and neck should follow and lift away from the floor / mat too. You should feel this working at your shoulders and your trapezius (trap muscles) in your back which are located at the upper back at the neck area. Return to the starting position and that is one repetition (rep) complete. While you should feel this working, it should not cause any pain in the neck area – so make sure to stop and ensure your starting position is correct before continuing.
As with any exercise which may be new to you, please ask any of our friendly fitness team should you need any advice or demonstrations on how to complete them safely and properly! They can also advise you on the optimum amount of sets and reps to complete in order to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Four-Point Kneeling - Exercise of the Week
The four-point kneeling exercise makes use of a stretching movement to target and train your core and also to help strengthen your lower back (an area where quite a lot of people can suffer from pain). It also brings benefits to your overall balance too - helping your body by strengthening each side of it. While it may look and seem like a simple exercise, the movement it uses can be quite challenging and makes for an exercise that you will really feel working! See how to complete it here, complete with pictures and instructions from inside our premier fitness facility.
Four-Point Kneeling

To begin, you may want to put an exercise mat down on the floor first. Get down on all fours as seen at the picture above - making sure to keep your back straight (do not let your hips sag) and placing your hands on the floor directly under your shoulders. If you have neck pain or are prone to niggles in the neck, it can be recommended to look straight ahead (instead of down to the floor) to keep your spine and kinetic chain in correct alignment. Get used to being in this position and maintain balance as best as possible before beginning the movement.

When ready, lift your right hand off the floor and hold it straight out in front of you. At the same time, lift your left foot off the floor and hold this straight out behind you. You should feel a stretch in your lower back as you do this - while your core may naturally brace and tense up in response to the movement as it works to keep your balance. Hold this position for a few seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat with the opposite hand and foot and this is then one repetition (rep) complete.
The four-point kneeling exercise can be used to mobilise your back as part of your warm-up / cool down, or even built into your workout as a back and core exercise. If you need any help at all or would like this demonstrated to you, please ask any of our friendly fitness team who are always happy to help! They also can recommend the ideal amount of reps and sets for you to complete - along with advising on how many seconds you should hold the movement for as you build up a stamina the more you progress and complete it.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### French Toast - Recipe of the Week
We recently polled our followers on Facebook to see if they prepared sweet or savoury dishes when it came to our recipe of the week blogs. While savoury won in the end, it was a very close call with nearly as much love for sweet recipes! So this French toast recipe gives you the best of both worlds as it can be made as either a savoury snack or a sweet treat!
French Toast

Recipe Ingredients List
• White Bread (two slices)
• Eggs (three)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Caster Sugar
• Vanilla Essence

Step 1
Crack the three eggs into a bowl and whisk them together. If you are opting to make this as a savoury snack, whisk in some salt and pepper too to taste. If you prefer a sweet treat, whisk in just over half a teaspoon of the vanilla extract instead.

Step 2
Place one slice of bread directly into the bowl with the egg mixture to let it absorb and get coated by this mixture. Place a dash of oil into a frying pan and let it heat to a medium heat. Once both sides of the slice of bread are full coated in egg mixture, lift it out of the bowl, let some of the mixture drain back into the bowl and place the slice of bread into the frying pan.

Step 3
As you fry both sides of the bread for a couple of minutes until it becomes a lightly crispy texture and golden-brown colour; place the remaining slice of bread into the bowl to use up the rest of the egg mixture. When the first slice of bread is cooked, place it onto a plate and dab dry with some kitchen roll. You can now cook the second slice of bread in the pan.

Step 4
When both slices are cooked, simply serve and enjoy if availing of the savoury option – garnishing with more salt and pepper or even some sauces of your choice of you wish. For the sweet version of this French toast recipe, dust both slices with a layer of caster sugar before serving.

As you can see, your food and meals can smartly be adapted to not just reach and maintain your health and fitness goals - but also to appeal to either your sweet or savoury cravings. Discover more recipes and meal plans like this on the Shape My Plan app which we have partnered up with here at Westpark Fitness. This means that our members can get it for only €4 per month instead of the normal cost of €12 per month!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Functional Movement Lunge - Exercise of the Week
We place a big emphasis on proper form and posture when it comes to exercising. That is why for our exercise of the week this week we bring you the functional movement lunge. This works to assess your body alignment and make sure your spine remains in the correct position when completing functional movements and exercises that require the use of weights.
Functional Movement Lunge

For this exercise, you will need a mobility bar. Begin by standing up straight and using one hand to hold the mobility bar behind you. It should sit against your spine and rest in between your shoulder blades. Make sure that you are looking straight ahead, your feet are close together and you are standing tall. Hold this solid position as you move on to complete the second part of this exercise.

When ready, drop down into a lunge position by bending down on your knee with one foot and keeping your other foot flat on the floor. The key here is that the mobility bar should not move and remain perfectly straight at all times. This bar mimics how your spine (from your neck down to your tail bone) should be to ensure your posture and form remains precise. As a lunge is a functional movement that your body can complete, your spine should remain in perfect alignment when completing it.
Functional movement is a key aspect to consider and work upon with all of your exercises and workouts. By keeping it in mind and working to perfect it, functional movement can help to alleviate pain patterns and work to empower your body with correct alignment and natural movement inclinations that work with the build and kinetic chain of your body. Ask any of our fitness team if you would like any more advice and / or demonstrations on functional fitness and functional movement.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Goblet Squat - Exercise of the Week
Our exercise of the week this week is the goblet squat exercise - a great way to work on the lower body muscles including the legs and hips. It only uses a single piece of equipment, in this instance a kettlebell, making it simple to complete in any area of the gym. Here we explain how to complete it with instructions and images from inside Westpark Fitness as completed by members of our fitness team.
Goblet Squat

As with any exercise that may be new to you, make sure to start by selecting a weight that you are safely able to manage and manoeuvre. The more you repeat this exercise and become accustomed to it, you will be able to increase the weight to make it more challenging. To begin, select a kettlebell and hold the handles of it with both hands close to your chest. Stand up tall with feet just wider than shoulder width apart. Bending only at your hips (in a hinge-like motion), go into a squat position as you bring the kettlebell closer to the ground.

It is important with this movement to remember that the motion should only come from your hips in a squatting position. There should be no bending over as such, rather moving your body downwards. To help visualise this, stand in front of a mirror and imagine you had something written across your chest. At every stage of the movement, you should be able to read this clearly. Spring back up to return to the starting position and this is one repetition (rep) complete. As always, please make sure to ask any of our friendly fitness team should you need any help, guidance or even a demonstration of the goblet squat exercise. They can also advise you on the optimum amount of reps and sets to complete to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Green Detox Smoothie - Recipe of the Week
How was your January? We are one month into the new year already! Whether your health and fitness goals are now back firmly in focus or are still making their way back into your routine; this green detox smoothie is the perfect way to complement them. With a mixture of fruit and vegetables (with added protein too), it is an ideal recipe from Shape My Plan to turbocharge your body as your work towards your 2019 health and fitness goals at Westpark Fitness.
Green Detox Smoothie

Recipe Ingredients List
• Avocado (one)
• Banana (one – frozen)
• Kiwi (one)
• Pineapple (handful of pieces)
• Spinach (two large leaves)
• Almond Milk (200ml)
• Vanilla Protein Powder (one scoop)

Step 1
Slice the avocado in half. After you remove the stone, scoop out the flesh of the avocado and add it to a blender.

Step 2
Peel both the frozen banana and the kiwi. Cut each of these fruits up – with slices working better for the banana and rough chunks being perfect for the kiwi.

Step 3
Add the banana and the kiwi to the blender along with the avocado and then add in the almond milk and the scoop of vanilla protein powder.

Step 4
Blend all of these healthy ingredients together in the blender until the smoothie has a smooth and velvety consistency.

Vibrantly green and brimming with health benefits, the green detox smoothie is a great recipe to know and keep as part of your health and fitness routine. It comes to you from Shape My Plan – the amazing food and nutrition app packed with recipes, information, tips and even a nutrition tracker. Usually €12 per month, Shape My Plan is available to Westpark Fitness members for only €4 per month!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? 
Click / Tap here to book a FREE tour of our facilities.

#### Grilled Tuna Steak - Recipe of the Week
A grilled tuna steak provides a fresh alternative to traditional beef steak and is a way to add some delicious lean protein into your diet. Here we show you how to make this dish – complete with a simple side salad to add balance and welcome greenery to your plate. You can source tuna steaks from many butchers and fish counters today as it has become a popular protein option!
Grilled Tuna Steak

Recipe Ingredients List

Tuna Steak (one)
Lettuce Leaves (handful)
Cherry Tomatoes (handful)
Lemon (one)
Balsamic Vinegar (to garnish)
Olive Oil (to garnish)

Step 1
Brush a light layer of olive oil onto the grill and let the grill warm up to a medium heat. Brush a light layer of olive oil on both sides of the tuna steak too and season both sides with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 2
Place the tuna steak onto the grill and allow it to cook on one side for between four to five minutes. While this is grilling, wash the lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes and dry them with a paper towel / kitchen roll.

Step 3
Turn the tuna steak over to cook it through on the other side for a further four to five minutes. While it is cooking, chop up the lettuce leaves and tomatoes and toss them together with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Step 4
Remove the grilled tuna steak and place it on a plate with the side salad. If you want, you can cut a lemon in half and squeeze it over the tuna steak (and the side salad), while also drizzling balsamic vinegar over the dish too if you wish.

As you can see, this grilled tuna steak and side salad recipe is simple to complete and makes for a delicious and healthy treat! As a member of Westpark Fitness, you can gain access to hundreds of delicious and nutritious recipes to help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals!

Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Click / Tap here to book your free tour!

#### Grip and Forearm Builder - Exercise of the Week
Start off the new year by paying attention to an essential aspect to lifting weights – grip strength. As you know, you rely on your hands, wrists and arms to hold onto weights and keep them in control during movements. As such, it makes sense to specifically pay attention to them from time to time to keep them primed to perform when lifting weights. While these parts of the body will develop and strengthen when lifting weights, it is also beneficial to give them specific attention with this exercise.

Grip and Forearm Builder
With your palms facing down towards the floor, grip a barbell or EZ curl bar with both hands. Squeeze your hands to hold it tightly and bend your shoulders slightly to raise the bar towards your chin. Maintain this position for as long as you can until you need to put the bar back down on the floor again. This exercise keeps your wrists and forearms engaged and in doing so works to strengthen the muscle fibres. This in turn strengthens them so that they can become stronger when lifting weights. When you gain more confidence in this exercise, consider adding light weight plates to both sides of the bar to increase the difficulty and to work the wrists and forearms (grip strength) further.

By incorporating this quick grip and forearm builder exercise into your fitness routine, you are sure to see your grip and wrist strength improve. This will then benefit each of your weight bearing and resistance exercises which require you to life and hold weights. As such, this simple addition has long-reaching effects on your entire fitness routine and can help you reach your health and fitness goals.
Turn your fitness dreams into a reality at Westpark Fitness. We are here to help you succeed – your gym partners who are there for you every step of the way.
Click / Tap here to book a tour of Westpark Fitness or call us on 014626911 to have any of your questions and queries answered.

#### Gym Review in Tallaght Roundup
What better way to show you can experience the difference at our gym in Tallaght than with the reviews that our members leave us? This blog post serves as a gym review in Tallaght roundup to show you the many reasons as to why people choose us as their gym for life!
Gym Review in Tallaght Roundup

“This gym and pool is always spotlessly clean and the staff are so friendly and informative. Free parking along with a nice cafe. Really like it.” – Five Star Google Review
This review shows the variety of amenities available here. We are home to both a gym and a pool (Ireland’s only stainless steel pool) as well as having the likes of a café to unwind in and free parking while you enjoy your visit to our premier fitness facility!

“This gym has excellent facilities and some very good trainers who are always happy to help you with your fitness. The many classes are very good with something for all ages and abilities” – J. O’Brien, Five Star Google Review
Fitness classes are hugely popular here – with many different types and times that our members love to choose from. Like this review above says, there really is something for all ages and abilities to enjoy and excel as they reach and maintain their health and fitness goals!

“Fab gym pool jacuzzi sauna steam room so well run so well equipped on three levels.” – K. Armstrong, Five Star Google Review

Did you know that our gym is split on different levels meaning that we have dedicated sections for the likes of cardio, free weights, machines and benches etc.? We also have separate pool, jacuzzi and sauna areas too so that you can relax and workout in peace.

“Great equipment kids love the swimming pool would highly recommend it.” – B. O’Callaghan (Five Star Google Review)

Westpark Fitness makes time for the younger person too! The pool can be enjoyed by both children and adults alike and we even have the Family Rig class where families can work on their fitness and have fun together too!

“Great gym, great facilities, brilliant professional but friendly staff. Very well run. Great location. Brilliant selection of classes. Very good atmosphere to workout in. A very happy member.” – J. P. Walsh, Five Star Google Review

We think this gym review sums it all up really. Everything we do is done for you as we aim to always be your gym for life where you experience the difference!

Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Gym Terminology Explained (part one)
The gym and fitness industry is definitely a world of it’s own and we here at Westpark Fitness aim to make it an inclusive and enjoyable environment for all! One such way is with our weekly blogs which teach you a new exercise per week, give you a new recipe per week to fuel your exercise and blogs like this which work to have gym terminology explained to you in an easy to understand way! You can always approach any of our friendly fitness team too for any help or advice you may need!

Progressive Overload
This term mostly applies to exercises using weights and it means how one can add more weight progressively over time to overload the muscles. In essence, this means lifting heavier weights so that your muscles have to work harder. The extra effort that they have to use can help with their growth – which in turn improves the strength and increases the size of the muscles. Progressive overload is almost always recommended so that your muscles do not plateau in their ability, strength and size. In quite a lot of circumstances, you will not feel or recognise any types of ‘gains’ if you neglect to feature progressive overload as part of your workouts over time.

Isolation Exercises
Like the word ‘isolation’ suggests, these are exercises that focus on a single muscle at a time. As such, they comprise of very targeted exercises – like how a bicep curl places all the emphasis and focus on the bicep muscle of the arm. These are great exercises if you are looking to work on a particular area of your body at a time. They can be useful if you want to give particular attention to a body part, have identified an imbalance that needs to be addressed and worked on or even from a recovery and rehabilitation angle should your body need to repair itself after a strain, pain or injury. Isolation exercises will no doubt be used by you as part of your workouts at Westpark Fitness.

Compound Exercises
The opposite to isolation exercises, compound exercises work multiple muscle groups at once. Examples of these would include the likes of snatch exercises which make use of the arms, legs, back and shoulders – as well as the likes of pull-ups which recruit the muscles of the arms, shoulders and back to complete the movement. Great for adding muscle mass in multiple areas at once, compound exercises are often very functional movements that make use of most of your body at once. Popular with athletes and those who may train their body for sports and endurance, you will surely use some form of compound movements and exercises during your training at Westpark Fitness.
Gym Terminology Explained
Now you know what progressive overload, isolation exercises and compound exercises are and you can use this knowledge to empower your workouts at your gym for life. As always, you can approach our friendly fitness team at any time if you need any advice and explanations about anything to do with the gym, exercise, nutrition, workouts and more!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Honey Glazed Salmon - Recipe of the Week
This honey glazed salmon recipe from Shape My Plan makes for a healthy dish that is high in protein, low in fat and full of flavour. Served with some stir fry vegetables, it also offers you a mix of vitamins and minerals so that you feel full from a healthy assortment of foods. Learn how to make it here and click / tap on the link at the end of this blog to learn more about Shape My Plan.
Honey Glazed Salmon

Recipe Ingredients List

Salmon Fillets (two)
Onion (one – small)
Bell Pepper (one)
Broccoli (handful)
Green Beans (handful)
Spinach (handful)
Fresh Ginger (1cm piece)
Garlic Clove (half)
Soy Sauce (two tablespoons)
Honey (one tablespoon)
Olive Oil (half a tablespoon)

Step 1
Finely chop the garlic, grate the ginger and combine these together with the honey and soy sauce. Into a Ziploc back, add these along with the salmon fillets and ensure that the fish is fully surrounded by the marinade. Leave this in the fridge for at least two hours.

Step 2
When ready to cook the salmon, preheat the oven to 180°, remove the salmon from the bag and place it on a baking try lined with tin foil. This needs to bake for between twelve to fifteen minutes until fully cooked through.

Step 3
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and after you have chopped up the bell pepper, broccoli, green beans, onion and spinach; add these to the pan and stir fry them for between five to ten minutes until fully cooked but crisp (i.e. you do not want to them to be either limp and soggy or burnt).

Step 4
Serve the stir fried vegetables together with the salmon on a plate and you can chose to garnish the dish with a splash of soy sauce and salt and pepper if desired.

This recipe comes to you from Shape My Plan. An Irish-owned app that we have partnered with to offer our members (at a discounted rate) so that they can get tailored meal plans for their goals, a food intake tracker and many tips and recipes like this to optimise their nutrition!
Enquire at reception to get Shape My Plan and learn more about it here

#### Improve your Balance with Westpark Fitness
Life can be all about balance and so we place an emphasis on how you can improve your balance and quality of life at Westpark Fitness. As your gym for life where you experience the difference, here are three ways that we help improve your balance in your life.

Balance Exercises
Every week we publish a new ‘Exercise of the Week’ blog to our website. Many of these exercises have an element of balance to complete them - usually working on your abdominal and core muscles. These exercises can involve the use of dumbbells, Swiss balls and your own bodyweight etc. to target and train all of the muscles of your body.

Make sure to check our website and social media posts regularly to keep up to date with these new exercises that can help improve your balance, concentration, coordination and more. Whenever you are at Westpark Fitness too, please feel free to ask any of our friendly fitness team for advice and demonstrations of balance exercises (or any exercises for that matter) that you would like to complete safely.

Fitness Classes
We make sure that our huge class offering has something for everyone and as such we are proud to offer a balance of cardio, resistance and mixed classes. To keep a balance in your life and to keep your body working and moving in different ways, consider trying a different class instead of the one you always go to. You can see on each of our classes pages (click / tap here) the calorie burn you can get per class - so it can make sense to swap to something new to burn the same, or even more, calories.

Periodically we update our class timetables to promote balance in our studio space i.e. having availability during the morning, afternoon and evening times so that everyone can try all of our classes at some stage. Due to their popularity, you can book your place in any of our classes up to one week in advance on our Westpark Fitness app.

Opening Hours
With opening hours starting at 6:00am and closing at 11:00pm throughout the week, we are proud to offer these long hours so that you can fit exercise and fitness into your routine. As we all know, getting regular exercise is crucial for our health and so we promote it as a necessary balance to counteract long hours sitting down at home, at school or at work etc. Likewise exercise has so many health benefits that you should consider it as a necessity - especially when we can spend so much time scrolling on social media, watching TV and relaxing overall.

By balancing these activities with exercising, you can feel less guilty when you indulge in a boxset or have well earned days of rest and relaxation. Remember too that unlike some other gym chains, you can come and go to Westpark Fitness as often as you like during our opening hours. We recently heard from a new member who joined us as to how she was unable to use her older gym for twenty-fours after she left to get a bottle of water from her car and was not allowed back in as the gym system had completed her session for the day without letting her back in to do any exercise . . .
Improve your Balance with Westpark Fitness
You are sure to see and feel the benefits of a balanced lifestyle with Westpark Fitness in your life. From specific balance exercises to a mix of fitness classes and long opening hours; you will experience the difference with us as your gym for life.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Indoor Triathlon – Saturday 9th March 2019
Westpark Fitness is proud to host an indoor triathlon on Saturday the 9th of March in aid of the multiple sclerosis society of Ireland. This is sure to be a great event to raise funds for a good cause while also bringing together the community to meet and have fun with fitness as the focus. It costs €30 per entry and there are three different ways to compete. These are:

Short Distance
The short distance comprises of a 500m swim, a 10km cycle and a 3km run. As you can see, these three disciplines are staple cardio exercises that use virtually all of the muscles in your body to power through. Westpark Fitness is home to a swimming pool (Ireland’s only stainless steel pool), exercise bikes and treadmills so that you can practice for these disciplines and build up your stamina.

Long Distance    
The long distance comprises of a 740m swim, a 20km cycle and a 5km run. More intense than the short distance, feel free to check-in with our fitness team to tailor your exercise and workout routine towards reaching these long distance indoor triathlon targets. They can also educate you on what to eat to best poise, prime and fuel your body for these taxing disciplines.

Relay
For those why may prefer running to swimming etc., the relay option is perfect for you. Enter as a team of three (a relay team costs €30 to enter) where one team member can complete the 740m swim, another can complete the 20km cycle and another can complete the 5km run. This relay option is a great idea to complete with your friends and / or family members.

Being held in aid of MS Ireland, we are glad to hold our indoor triathlon for such a great cause! Make sure to sign up at reception before places run out and link in with our fitness team if you would like any help and direction with your training and food intake in the run up to the event.

#### January Myzone Challenge
To kick off the New Year, the January Myzone challenge is to get 2,023 meps! The usual monthly mep target is 1,300 per month (as recommended by the World Health Organisation - WHO), so this month the challenge is to get an extra 723 meps on top of this.

There are many ways to earn meps with Myzone both inside and outside of Westpark Fitness. Here at the gym along with your own exercises and workouts you can book into any of our fitness classes held seven days a week. This includes the popular Spin class (where you can earn between 180 - 220 meps per class) and more. Click / Tap here to see all of our fitness classes and you can book your class place on our app. As the Myzone Switch device is waterproof, you can also wear it while swimming in our stainless steel pool and / or taking part in our Aqua Fitness and Virtual Aqua Fitness classes too.

Outside of the gym, you can wear your Myzone device when going on a walk, a jog, a run or even a hike. Any and all exercises and fitness activities can earn you meps - it is all about movement! If you have a dog, a brisk daily walk every day with your pet can earn you around 20 meps (or more!) per walk and these easily build up over the days and weeks of the month. So don’t forget to make use of your Myzone device even when not at the gym as there are still meps to be earned . . .
January Myzone Challenge
At the end of the month, three winners will be chosen at random to win a one month Westpark Fitness voucher - best of luck! If you don’t use Myzone yet or are unsure about how it can help to turbocharge your exercise, fitness and workouts overall; contact our team to find out more.

#### Keep up to date with our facebook page!
Keep up to date on our facebook page!

 

Westpark Fitness

#### Kettlebell Russian Twist - Exercise of the Week
The kettlebell Russian twist is a very popular exercise to target and train both your abdominal and oblique muscles (your obliques are the muscles on the outer side of your abdominals). Like the name suggests, the exercise uses a twisting and rotating movement. By gripping a kettlebell in your hands while doing so, it forces your muscles to support the weight as you continuously move from side to side.

Kettlebell Russian Twist

To begin, you may want to put an exercise mat down on the floor. Sit on the exercise mat and hold the handle of a kettlebell with both hands. Note that as with any new exercises you are completing, you should always begin with a weight that you can manage comfortably before you build up to using heavier weights. Lean slightly backwards and cross your legs at the ankles. You can choose to either raise your feet slightly - or keep them on the floor. It is important to keep your core braced throughout this exercise. To do so, imagine you were about to be punched in the stomach and you would brace yourself. Keep this tesne bracing while also remembering to breathe!

Turn your torso to the left side and bring the kettlebell with you to the side in your hands. Make sure that just your torso moves here and that your legs and full body do not also turn. As you return your torso to the middle / starting position, continue turning all the way to the right side. This is then one repetition (rep) complete. Repeat the movement and work on getting into a rhythm and tempo with it. You can choose to keep the kettlebell aloft in the air; or some prefer to have it touch the ground on each side as they twist between the left and right sides. As with any exercise or piece of gym equipment, please feel free to ask any of our friendly fitness team for advice and demonstrations on how to complete any exercise correctly! They can also advise you as to how many sets and reps to complete to help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Kettlebell Swing - Exercise of the Week
The kettlebell is a versatile piece of gym equipment that you can complete many different exercises with. Due to this versatility, kettlebells can be used to target many different areas of your body – to tone up, to lose weight and to increase muscle mass. Here we show you how to complete the popular kettlebell swing exercise with written instructions and pictures that display the correct form.
Kettlebell Swing

One of the main things to remember with the kettlebell swing is that the movement is driven by your hips. Think of them like a hinge as they move to complete the movement correctly. To begin, select a kettlebell with a weight that you are comfortable with and use both of your hands to grip the handle of it (grip it with your palms facing towards your body – known as an overhand grip). With your feet positioned just wider than shoulder width, slightly bend your knees, bend your hips forward and swing the kettlebell back between your legs.

Continuing the movement, keep your arms straight by straightening your knees and aiming your hips forward. You should aim to swing the kettlebell up to your chest height as your hips and knees work to return you to a standing position. This is one repetition (rep) of the exercise complete. To continue the exercise, keep swinging the kettlebell back and forth with this correct form. This exercise works your glutes muscles and hamstrings and as such helps to tone and tighten them by helping to develop their muscle mass.
To make sure you complete this exercise right and reap the best benefits from it, ask any of our friendly fitness team for guidance and demonstrations. They, along with all the staff at Westpark Fitness, are always happy to help you reach your health and fitness goals as your gym partners.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### Lat Pulldown - Exercise of the Week
Like the name suggests, the lat pulldown exercise is a great way to target the muscles of your sides. They are known as the Latissimus dorsi muscles and are more commonly referred to as the lats. A popular piece of equipment at Westpark Fitness, here we show you how to use it correctly - complete with images from inside our premier fitness facility.
Lat Pulldown

To begin, sit on the seat and adjust the pads at the knees so that they stay firmly on the tops of your legs (this is to keep you in the correct fixed position during the exercise and movement). If you are new to using this piece of gym equipment, start by putting the pin in a light and manageable weight in the weight stack. Grip the overhead handlebar with a wide grip, just where the bar starts to curve towards the ends. Keep your back straight and your feet touching the floor - this is your starting position for the exercise.

When ready, pull the bar down towards the top of your chest as pictured below. As you pull the bar downwards, your back may move slightly backwards in response. This fine as long as it is not an overly exaggerated or extreme movement - as doing so can cause injury. Extend your arms upwards again (using your back to power the movement) to return the handlebar to the starting position while making sure not to let the weight plates touch. That is one repetition (rep complete).
Please ask any of our friendly fitness team if you would like a demonstration and guidance on how to use the lat pulldown machine the next time you are in Westpark Fitness. They will also be able to advise you on the optimum amount of reps and sets for you to complete in order to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here.

#### Lemon Chicken Skewers - Recipe of the Week
While skewers are traditionally associated with barbeques and the summertime, there is nothing stopping you from enjoying them at home at any time of year. Here we show you how to make lemon chicken skewers which are grilled and served with a side salad so that they are low in fat and high in protein and flavour. The use of lemon juice also adds additional health benefits to this recipe such as a dose of vitamin C, improved digestion and healthy hydration!
Lemon Chicken Skewers

Recipe Ingredients List

Chicken Fillets (two)
Lemons (two)
Lettuce Leaves (handful)
Dried Mixed Herbs (half a teaspoon)

Step 1   
Cut the chicken fillets into medium sized chunks, place these onto skewers and then put these onto a flat baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.

Step 2   
Using a zester, get the zest from both of the lemons and also juice both of these lemons so that you have a cup of fresh lemon juice. Stir half a teaspoon of dried mixed herbs in with this lemon juice and then using a brush, brush the top of each of the chicken chunks with this juice and herb mixture. Pat some of the lemon zest onto the tops of the chicken chunks too.

Step 3   
Place the chicken chunks under the grill on a medium heat for seven to ten minutes. After this time, remove the tray and using a tongs, flip each piece over so that the cooked parts are upside down. Using the brush again, repeat the process of brushing the lemon juice and herbs on the tops of the chicken – followed by patting some lemon zest into them.

Step 4   
Place the chicken back under the grill on a medium heat for seven to ten minutes. While this is cooking, wash your lettuce leaves of choice (iceberg or Romaine etc.), cut them up and arrange them on a plate.

Step 5
Make sure that the chicken is fully cooked by cutting a couple of chunks open. The flesh should not have any pink inside and the juices should run clear. If needs be, place them back under the grill on a medium heat to finish cooking. Once ready, lay them on top of the lettuce leaves and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice if desired.

Complete in five simple steps, these lemon chicken skewers are made with a healthy recipe that can recall the warm summer months at any time of year. Discover more recipes like this along with meal plans tailored to your goals, a food intake tracker and more with the Shape My Plan app. We have partnered with them to offer this to Westpark Fitness Members at a reduced rate!
Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about Shape My Plan!

#### Les Mills in Dublin 24
Westpark Fitness is proud to offer Les Mills in Dublin 24. These world famous fitness classes provide you with fun, effective and innovative ways to reach your health and fitness goals. By placing a focus on technology and the physical space, the classes make for an immersive experience with fitness as the focus. Below are the Les Mills classes that we currently hold in our premier fitness facility based in Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Bodybalance
As one can assume from the name of this Les Mills class, it focuses on fitness being achieved through balance exercises. Largely yoga-based with elements of Pilates and Tai Chi included; each thirty to sixty minute class aims to achieve a sense of balance between both your body and mind. An ideal way to relax and unwind while still keeping your health and fitness goals in firm focus - this is yet another popular Les Mills class.

Bodypump
Motivating and music-led (with a backing track curated to work on beats per minute, tempo and intensity); this class is perfect for those who like to see a visible ‘pump’ effect after their workout. It works the major muscle groups by incorporating compound and isolation moves such as squats and deadlifts. Yet another great benefit is how bone density can be built up as a side effect. Bodypump lasts between thirty to sixty minutes.

CX Worx
An intense thirty-minute core-based class, CX Worx is perfect for those looking to target and tone their midsection. It uses a mixture of your own bodyweight, free weights and resistance bands / tubing. These exercises work to challenge your core, balance, coordination and functional strength while developing the muscles within your trunk (your mid-section to your shoulders). CX Worx is once again another very effective Les Mills class.

Grit
Known as a fun and high-intensity workout, it fuses aerobic and co-ordination techniques for a set of exercises that challenge both the mind and body. Classes last between thirty to sixty minutes at a time and regardless of which one you choose, your body can burn calories for up to thirty minutes even after the class (known as the ‘epic effect’). Grit is one of our more popular classes by Les Mills in Dublin 24.

Tone
One of our newest classes on offer, this class lasts between thirty to forty-five minutes and is ideal to help you get fitter, faster and stronger. Like the name suggests, it is designed to tone the muscles of your body while helping to accelerate fat loss as your heart rate spikes and calories get burned. Tone incorporates both balance and strength techniques while placing an emphasis on your core.

Interested in Les Mills in Dublin 24? See our class timetables here.

#### Light Banoffee Pie - Recipe of the Week
What if we told you that you can make a light banoffee pie which tastes just as good as the real thing? Banoffee is traditionally known as a hugely indulgent and calorific dessert (which it almost always is). However by making some healthier swaps to lighter and fat free alternatives, you can enjoy this treat knowing that it won’t fully sabotage your health and fitness goals. While still high in calories overall, it is a recipe to keep in mind when you deserve a treat without feeling too guilty.
Light Banoffee Pie

Recipe Ingredients List

Light / Fat Free Digestive Biscuits (250g)
Light / Fat Free Cream (250ml)
Light / Fat Free Butter (one tablespoon)
Caramel (400g can)
Bananas (three)

Step 1
Add the digestive biscuits to a Ziploc bag that can be sealed. Once sealed, use a rolling pin or meat tenderiser to crush the biscuits until they are all broken down into a crumble. Be careful when crushing them that you do not damage the countertop or surface underneath the bag. It is a good idea to place a chopping board and tea towel underneath the bag first. Pour the crushed biscuits into a round cake tin that has a removable edge. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a bowl in the microwave and then add this to the crushed biscuits. Using a fork, compress the biscuits together with the melted butter so that the biscuits solidify into a hard layer. Note that you may need to use more butter as necessary so that all of the crumbs are bound together. When finished, place the cake tin into the fridge.

Step 2
While the biscuit base is left to chill in the fridge, add the cream to a large mixing bowl and whisk it with an electric whisk until it becomes fully whipped. Note that you do not want to over whip the cream as it may start to form an undesired buttery / stodgy texture.

Step 3
Remove the cake tin from the fridge and then pour the tin of caramel over it – using a spoon to get it all from the can and then smoothening it so that it forms an even layer over the biscuit base. Slice the bananas into discs and arrange these so that they cover the caramel in a layer on top of it. Finally, spoon over a layer of cream to finish. Place the light banoffee pie back into the fridge to chill.

Step 4
Leave in the fridge for at least an hour and then serve and enjoy! Note that the biscuit base will have become quite hard, so it will need a strong knife to cut through it. As such, make sure to remember knife safety and be careful when cutting this to minimise the risk of accident and injury.
You can find recipes like this on Shape My Plan (with a discount for members) – click / tap here!

#### Low Fat Brownies - Recipe of the Week
What if we told you there was a way to enjoy brownies in a healthier low fat version that doesn’t compromise on taste or indulgence? Here we present to you this low fat brownies recipe that makes use of some more offbeat ingredients that will surprise you with their enjoyable taste and texture.
Low Fat Brownies

Recipe Ingredients List

Maple Syrup (300g)
White Cannellini Beans (150g)
Fine Oat Flour (125g)
Chocolate Chips (100g)
Unsweetened Applesauce (90g)
Cocoa Powder (85g)
Baking Powder (8g)
Vanilla Extract (one and a half teaspoons)

Step 1
Line a small / medium sized cake tin (ideally in a square or rectangular shape) with baking paper and preheat the oven to 180°. Drain and rinse the white cannellini beans and then pat them dry. Add these to the blender along with the applesauce, baking powder, cannellini beans, maple syrup and vanilla extract (along with a pinch of salt) and blend them together for one minute.

Step 2
After the above ingredients have blended, next add the cocoa powder and oat flour and blend again for one more minute. Check to ensure that there is no powdery residue on the inside of the blender (mix this in using a spoon if there is) and then blend everything again until you are left with a smooth and thick consistency. Before you remove the low fat brownie batter from the blender, use a spoon to mix in the chocolate chips – do not blend them.

Step 3
Pour the batter into the cake tin and spread it evenly into every corner. You can choose to sprinkle some chocolate chips on top of this if you wish and then bake them in the oven for twenty-five minutes. This will result in a more ‘gooey’ brownie so if you would prefer a more firm and crisp result, leave them baking for thirty minutes in total.

Step 4
When removed from the oven, the batter may still seem a bit wet but rest assured that it will continue to cook when out of the oven for a while. When fully cooled, cut them into slices and you can choose to serve them with some vanilla ice-cream or a flavour of your choice!

Discover more recipes like this on the Shape My Plan app which empowers you with a food intake tracker, tips and even custom meal plans suited to your health and fitness goals! Enquire at reception to get it for €4 per month (we have partnered with this Irish app to offer it at a discounted rate to Westpark Fitness members).
Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about Shape My Plan!

#### Low Fat Chocolate Mousse - Recipe of the Week
Who said that a sweet chocolaty treat can’t be low in fat too? This low fat chocolate mousse recipe achieves just that – making for a light and luscious dessert or snack option that won’t sabotage your health and fitness goals. As it is homemade too, you know exactly what you are putting into your body. It also gives you a simple recipe to follow whenever you are craving something sweet!
Low Fat Chocolate Mousse

Recipe Ingredients List

Fat Free Greek Yoghurt (120g)
Dark Chocolate Chips (75g)
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (60g)
Egg Whites (60g)
Sugar (50g)
Vanilla Extract (half a teaspoon)

Step 1
Microwave the chocolate chips in a bowl for fifteen second intervals. You want to stir them at each interval and heat them until they are not fully melted, but much softer than when they started. Ensure that these do not burn at all – so reduce the intervals to ten seconds at a time if required.

Step 2
Mix the yoghurt, vanilla extract and cocoa powder together in a bowl and then heat this in the microwave for sixty seconds. When removed from the microwave, mix in the melted chocolate chips with this. Whip the egg whites and sugar together until they become white and hold firm in a stiff texture (practically like making meringue).

Step 3
You will then need to add this egg and sugar mixture to the chocolate and yoghurt mixture. Do this one table spoon at a time – adding the egg and sugar mixture slowly and folding it into the chocolate and yoghurt mixture. If the chocolate and yoghurt is still too hot, do not complete this step yet as the eggs will start to cook (which must be avoided).

Step 4
When fully folded together, cover the bowl with cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for at least thirty minutes. Serve and enjoy!

This is a great recipe to have to satisfy those sweet cravings without sabotaging your health and fitness goals. There are hundreds of recipes like this available on the Shape My Plan app (as well as custom meal plans, a food intake tracker and more!) that is available to our members for €4 per month instead of the usual price of €12 per month.
Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about and to get Shape My Plan!

#### Make Your Own Electrolyte Drink - Recipe of the Week
You may have heard of electrolytes as they are featured in many sports and energy drinks. But did you know that you can make your own electrolyte drink? Electrolytes are important to regulate the balance of fluid in our bodies – especially at times when our body is more physically exerted like when exercising or even when sick / fighting illness. So rather than choosing a sports or energy drink packed with added sugars and chemicals, here is how to make a healthy homemade version.
Make Your Own Electrolyte Drink

Recipe Ingredients List
• Still Water (500ml)
• Lemon (one)
• Lime (one)
• Sea Salt / Pink Himalayan Salt
• Pure Maple Syrup (optional)

Step 1
Make sure that the still water is cold and add this to a jug (you can also add some ice cubes if you like). You can choose to use either tap or bottled water here. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice and fresh lime juice into this jug along with a small pinch of either genuine sea salt or pink Himalayan salt. In terms of a ‘pinch’ measurement here, this should be a very small amount (even less than a quarter of a teaspoon).

Step 2
Mix all of these ingredients together in the jug using a spoon or whisk. When ready, pour it into a bottle and your homemade electrolyte drink is made and ready to enjoy! Note that you can add more fresh lemon and / or lime juice if you like to achieve a certain taste. Note too that if you still find the taste too bitter that you can add a dash of pure maple syrup to add some natural sweetness.

Surprised at how simple this is to make? The electrolytes themselves are molecules of certain elements that have an electrical charge and what are known as ions – in this case the sodium from the salt. They work to help power our nervous system and need to be replenished when exercising or when sick / fighting off an illness. Knowing this, you can make your own electrolyte drink as and when you need it with simple ingredients that you are sure to have at home!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Medicine Ball Slam – Exercise of the Week
We have medicine balls located upstairs in our new functional area at Westpark Fitness and they are a great piece of equipment to target and train many parts of your body when exercising. One such exercise is the medicine ball slam and this is great to target the muscles of your abdominals, back and shoulders. Here we explain how to do it – complete with step-by-step instructions and pictures from inside our gym.
Medicine Ball Slam

To start, select a medicine ball that you can manage the weight of. You will need to be able to hold this and have the power to slam and throw it, so make sure that this is manageable for you to do. Stand up tall and straight with your feet shoulder width apart and make sure you grip the medicine ball with both hands. Note that you should be standing on a floor space that is suitable to have the ball hit off it with force – this is very important to consider when completing this exercise. Keeping a hold of it, extend both arms straight up over your head and then with power, slam the ball down to the floor in front of you. This is one repetition complete.

Depending on the type of ball you are using, it may bounce off the floor a bit when it makes contact with it. If so, aim to catch it and repeat the medicine ball slam movement. If not, pick it back up and complete the movement again. Either way, you are looking to maintain a smooth and consistent movement as you complete the reps. Should you require any assistance or demonstrations with this exercise, please ask any of our fitness team who will be happy to do this for you. They can also advise you about the optimum amount of sets and reps to complete in order to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Meet the Fitness Team at Westpark Fitness
Like our very name suggests, we are all about health, fitness and wellbeing here at your gym for life. This is especially evident when it comes to our fantastic fitness team as they work to help you experience the difference and both reach and maintain your health and fitness goals. Meet them here and learn more about them - you are sure to see them around our gym in Dublin 24!
Fitness Team

Chloe
Chloe joined Westpark Fitness as a member back in 2014 before becoming a part of our fitness team in 2018. We have loved to see her fitness career blossom here with us and love the genuine enthusiasm and positivity that she brings to everything that she does. A trained class instructor for the likes of Aqua Fitness, Bodypump, Myone, Zumba and more; Chloe loves expanding her knowledge and is a particular fan of Les Mills. A huge fan of lifting weights too, make sure to talk to Chloe if you ever need any help with completing an exercise or workout!

Eddie
With a degree in sports strength and conditioning and a certificate in sports exercise and nutrition; Eddie is often the trainer or choice for athletes and sporting enthusiasts here at Westpark Fitness. He currently works with Wicklow GAA, teaches a range of classes here with us and like all of our fitness team is available for one-to-one assessments and training sessions. Utilising his education and over five years of experience within the fitness industry; Eddie likes to challenge members both mentally and physically in a safe and supportive manner.

Gerard (Ger)
Active in the fitness industry for over thirteen years, Ger brings an expert level of experience to everything that he does. He has done it all - whether it be working with demanding high-performance athletes or those simply looking to lose weight and tone up. Ger is a big proponent of what is known as Functional Movement Screening (FMS) which is a methodology that places an emphasis on natural movements that we use everyday. This folds into his love of helping people to rehabilitate after an injury too and adds a more unique edge to his offering.

Kealan
Kealan joined the fitness team in early 2017 and brings with him a degree in health and leisure as a fitness professional. With interests rooted in sports (he currently plays GAA), he is also a keen fan of injury prevention (also known as prehabilitation) and rehabilitation - keeping players and athletes on pitches in as perfect form as possible. His own sports performance coupled with his desire to see members succeed in their health and fitness goals has also led him to become a class instructor - teaching the likes of Grit, Rig Circuit and Spinning classes.

Lee
Lee has been a member of Westpark Fitness since 2008 and joined the fitness team in 2016. We have really seen him grow with us! Like all of our fitness team, he has a desire to see our members achieve their health and fitness goals. Conscious too that these results require maintaining, he enjoys holding assessments and check-ins with members so that they continuously look and feel their best while staying on track. Lee’s favourite class to teach is Spin and he is also a big fan of incorporating TRX into his training routines.

Matthew (Matt)
As soon as he completed his gym instructor course back in 2016, Matt joined us as part of the fitness team. Since then he has been continuously learning and increasing his experience. He now teaches many classes including Aqua Fitness, Bodypump, CXWORX and Grit. Like with all of our fitness team, Matt appears regularly on our website and social media channels - educating our members and followers with advice and demonstrations of exercises, training tips and even nutritional and lifestyle advice.

Prabhat
With a successful background in men’s physique competitions and with being a qualified personal trainer; Prabhat has a wealth of knowledge and experience to call on. Clients choose him if they are looking to build lean muscle mass or lose weight as these are the core areas that he likes to focus on. Part of our fitness team now for over four years, he also teaches our Rig and Spin classes. Prabhat, like all of our fitness team, is available for initial assessments and also one-to-one personal training sessions.

Susan
With a real passion for people, Susan loves nothing more than interacting with members by both teaching classes and holding personal training sessions. With interests in crossfit and powerlifting, she encourages more women to get involved in sporting disciplines such as these. Susan finds it hard to pick a favourite class because she honestly loves them all and teaches a range of Les Mills classes such as Bodybalance and Bodypump. Talk to Susan for any technical advice too - especially when it comes to completing exercises and routines correctly and safely.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book you free tour here!

#### Meet the Westpark Fitness Hygiene Team
When you choose us, you are choosing a premier fitness facility no matter what you use it for. As part of this, the Westpark Fitness hygiene team plays a key role in making this a possibility. Together they work around the clock to manage and maintain the cleanliness and hygiene aspects of the gym, changing rooms, studio, pool area and more – making the effort that you would expect from your gym for life.
Westpark Fitness Hygiene Team

Marie has been working here for over eighteen years. She can regularly be seen around Westpark Fitness maintaining the high standards of cleanliness and hygiene that she commands in everything that she does. Marie is a huge Elvis Presley fan and loves nothing more than spending quality time with her beloved grandchildren. Like with all of our team members, she is a treasured asset who works had to really make a noticeable difference to help make Westpark Fitness your gym for life.

Over two years as a brilliant part of the hygiene and maintenance team, Conor brings an energetic and positive attitude to everything that he does. Alongside keeping Westpark Fitness in perfect and pristine condition, he enjoys keeping fit and even teaches children’s boxing classes. As such, he really loves the gym and fitness environment and enjoys keeping it clean and hygienic at all times for our members! Outside of Westpark Fitness, Conor also loves DJ-ing which he also brings his infectious energy too.

One of the newest members to the hygiene team, Ann brings both experience and passion to her work. These qualities make her an exceptional team member that makes a positive difference with everything that she does. You can count on Ann and the hygiene team to keep your experience at Westpark Fitness a perfect one supported by perfect cleanliness and hygiene.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Meet the Westpark Fitness Hygiene Team (part two)
Did you know that there are even more members to the hygiene team at Westpark Fitness? We work so hard behind the scenes to manage and maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of your gym for life - and the entire fitness facility! Meet two more of the members here and discover what they do in their roles and what they like to do outside of work when they have finished making Westpark Fitness perfect and pristine!
Meet the Westpark Fitness Hygiene Team (part two)

Liz has been working in Westpark Fitness as part of the hygiene team since 2015. You will find her keeping the premises and everything within it clean and hygienic to ensure you are comfortable and satisfied with your workout and experience each and every time! What she particularly loves about working here is that she gets to meet so many different people and help them throughout their day. When not in work, Liz loves reading and socialising with her friends.

Jessica has been a part of the Westpark Fitness hygiene team since October 2018. She enjoys working here due to the great atmosphere and energy within the premier fitness facility. Of particular interest to her is getting to meet all of our members and cleaning the likes of the equipment and female changing rooms to perfect standards. Outside of work, Jessica likes to spend time with both her friends and family. She is currently studying childcare in college and really enjoys every aspect about it.
As you can see, we have a dedicated hygiene team here at Westpark Fitness - one of the many ways we become people’s gym for life as they really get to experience the difference. We have a huge team of dedicated staff who work together to maintain this level of service for our loyal members and the hygiene team plays a key part in this!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Meet the Westpark Fitness Lifeguard Team
Westpark Fitness is not just home to Ireland’s only stainless steel pool, it is also home to some of the best lifeguards in the country. The Westpark Fitness lifeguard team ensure safety at all times at the pool - making sure that both fitness and fun can be carried out in a safe and sensible manner. Meet the team here and learn a bit about them both professionally and personally what they like to do when not in work.
Westpark Fitness Lifeguard Team

Ben has worked as a lifeguard here for over eight years and he also teaches some of the adults and children’s swimming lessons. A real lover of the water and advocate for safety in and around it; he is also a water safety instructor, runs Irish water safety courses, is a qualified first responder, coaches for the Dublin lifesaving team and also competes in many water-based events around the country. As you can see, Ben is adept at practically everything to do with water safety. When not in Westpark Fitness, or in the water, he enjoys keeping fit in the gym, teaching martial arts classes twice a week and riding his motorbike and partaking in motorbike events around the country too!

Joining the team in early 2018, Elaine brings a genuine passion and enthusiasm to her lifeguard duties here at Westpark Fitness. Naturally sociable, she loves chatting and talking with our members and educates them on water safety to be aware of when in and around the pool area. Outside of work, Elaine is keen about arts and crafts and also enjoys hiking. These aspects assist with her being a cubs leader too - again demonstrating her love of working with and helping people at any age!

Liam also joined the team back in early 2018 and loves being a lifeguard here. He understands how the swimming pool area can be used for both athletic and leisure activities and relays the safety and security of the water to all who use the pool area - regardless if they are training for a triathlon or simply relaxing in the water. Liam has a huge interest in sports and since joining the Westpark Fitness team he has also taken up weights training and added a more functional mindset to his fitness and training overall. Aiming to be an architect in the future, he is a current asset to Westpark Fitness and is a joy for our members to deal with. Like with all of our lifeguard team, Liam is always happy to help and our members are glad to have him and the team there to ensure safety at the pool area.
As opposed to just one lifeguard, we have a dedicated Westpark Fitness lifeguard team who are in place to keep you and your loved ones safe and secure in the water of our pool and at the pool area overall. This is just one of the ways in which we are a premier fitness facility - your gym for life where you experience the difference with each and every visit!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Meet the Westpark Fitness Management Team
The Westpark Fitness management team work to ensure that you experience the difference at your gym for life in all ways, shapes and forms. Across the gym floor, administration and the overall club itself - they make sure Westpark Fitness remains everything you expect it to be (and more). Westpark Fitness is a standalone Irish owned club which allows the management team to focus on making it one of the best fitness facilities in Ireland. The commitment of its long term management team is a key factor in our success.
Westpark Fitness Management Team
Club Managers

Kevin has worked at Westpark Fitness for almost thirty years and is the general manager. Having a lifelong passion for health, fitness and wellbeing; he works to maintain the extremely high standards that Westpark Fitness members have come to expect and what leads the way in making sure it is one of the most premier fitness facilities in all of Ireland. It is not unusual to see Kevin all around the gym as he maintains his own fitness and also mingles with staff and members alike - bringing his positive energy and ethos into everything that he does. 2019 sees him place a huge emphasis on making Westpark Fitness into one of the greenest fitness facilities in all of Ireland.

Having worked in Westpark Fitness for over eighteen years, Alison is the assistant manager. Knowing she wanted to work within the fitness and wellness industries from a young age, she has completed international studies and a degree in leisure management. Along with keeping on top of her own fitness, Alison teaches classes at Westpark Fitness, works with sponsored athletes and media personalities and organises hikes for members, charity fundraising events and more as a way to both give back and mobilise the local community. You will often see Alison around the gym making sure everything and everyone is working perfectly.
Gym Floor Managers

Lizzie manages the gym floor itself and has been with Westpark Fitness for over thirteen years (working in the fitness industry for over twenty years). With a tangible passion for what she does, Lizzie embodies what it means to love your job and go above and beyond for it. She keeps up to date with the latest fitness trends to be able to offer insight and bring the most up to date classes, equipment and training to both members and staff. Lizzie also teaches classes such as Family Rig which is a great way for families to get fit (and have fun) together and is a Les Mills trainer teaching Bodybalance, Bodypump and CXWORX.

Here with Westpark Fitness for over eleven years and working on the gym floor itself for over nine; Sharon brings a wealth of experience to her role. Not only does she teach a variety of classes (as she is a Les Mills trainer who teaches Bodybalance, Bodypump and CXWORX classes), she is also a designated child liaison person (DLP), health and safety officer and fire warden who looks after the health and safety of the club. Paying attention to the goings on on the gym floor itself, she ensures the fitness team are available for members should they need anything at all and is herself available to help demonstrate and guide members through exercises and how to use equipment.
Administration Manager

Michelle helps to control the administrative side of Westpark Fitness which also comprises of managing the receptionist team. She has worked at Westpark Fitness for over fourteen years and is also involved in the likes of HR, IT and overall client service and satisfaction. Committed to making members experience the difference that Westpark Fitness offers, she has completed further learning which includes a degree in business management. Michelle can often be found at the front desk - ready and waiting to greet new and existing members with a smile.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book you free tour here!

#### Meet the Westpark Fitness Receptionist Team
Whether you call our premier fitness facility or call in for a visit, your first interaction is most likely with the Westpark Fitness receptionist team. You will be greeted by their friendly manner as they help you with any of your questions and queries. Meet them here and learn more about the warm and welcoming faces that give that favourable first impression from Westpark Fitness.
Westpark Fitness Receptionist Team

Emma joined the team back in 2017 and has also been a member for over two years. Loving to remain active, she is a big fan of the Myzone fitness tracker belts and the Bodybalance class. She likes spending time in the outdoors and hiking too. Outside of work and fitness, Emma has a passion for animals and has become a qualified veterinary assistant.

Hazel joined towards the start of 2018 and has a genuine love and passion for what she does. She has obtained a Fetac level 5 certificate in reception and gets to combine her liking for fitness with her role too. Family plays a huge part of her life and she is amazed at how far her two daughters have come as they have joined the swimming lessons here at Westpark Fitness.

Niamh joined the team back in 2017 and was one of the very few of our team members who did not come from some type of fitness background. That quickly changed however as she now loves making use of our premier fitness facility and attends many different fitness classes. When not at work, Niamh loves spending quality time with both her friends and family as well as taking the time to bring her dog on long walks.

Sarah became a part of the receptionist team in mid-2017 and brings a fun and bubbly aspect to her role. She loves the positive environment of Westpark Fitness and gets a real buzz from the staff and members alike. Like with the majority of our team, Sarah enjoys maintaining her fitness here and is also a fan of the Myzone fitness tracker belts to monitor and improve her progress.

Joining the Westpark Fitness receptionist team in 2017, Vicki adds to the friendly, warm and welcoming aspects that the entire receptionist team exudes. Like with all of our members (should they choose to do so), a member of our fitness team has customised her fitness plan exactly to reach and maintain her goals. Outside of work, Vicki enjoys walking her dogs and spending time with friends and family.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Metabolic Testing in Dublin 24
Did you know that Westpark Fitness is home to the headquarters of Health Matters? This offers you amazing metabolic testing in Dublin 24 right here in our premier fitness facility. Health Matters has been providing this service for over eight years now and is a credit to have as part of our offering. Their services can really make the difference in your training and help you to reach your health and fitness goals (i.e. looking to lose / gain weight, looking to tone up etc.) with insights that can lead to a breakthrough in your progress.
Metabolic Testing in Dublin 24

Located within Westpark Fitness itself, Health Matters utilises innovative equipment and testing methods to give you a reading and better understanding of how your body works - both during resting periods and more active periods. Empowered with this information, you can work with your body (instead of against its natural design and limitations) to turbocharge both your nutrition and training to help you reach your goals. Our assistant manager Alison recently completed metabolic testing with them and shares her experience here:

Why did you go to Health Matters?
“I wanted to know how much calories I should be aiming for daily in order to lose weight. While I know the general guidelines and recommended daily amounts, I had never had my own body tested before to know exactly what amount was right for me. So with Health Matters, Sean [the owner] was able to discover exactly that.”

What did the test consist of?
“For what I was looking to find out, the test was quite simple in that it only took twelve minutes and consisted of me sitting down using some breathing apparatus. This works to establish the amount of energy being used, measured by calories, while my body is resting or not completing a physical activity - known as being at the metabolic rate. It was all very relaxed and calm while the machines took their readings. I know that there are other forms of testing that they can do such as using the apparatus on an exercise bike, so this is something I want to try next to see what my more active rate is.”

What did you leave with?
“Well you are given a sheet printed with your individual results that you can look over again, but Sean talks you through this anyway. He also gives really really good information and advice on nutrition, so you know what calories to aim for and what foods to eat to help with this goal. I think the biggest thing however is the sense of understanding you get in that I know exactly what my body needs. General guidelines and frameworks are great as a guide, but I really like knowing what scientifically works for me and can tailor my plans to these exact specifications.”

How would you review your experience?
“I would highly recommend booking in with Sean from Health Matters. You will be blown away by his knowledge and also the results. He says that many people are surprised by what calorie amounts and numbers their body actually needs for their goals as many people had thought they were doing the right thing, but were nearly doing the opposite of what their body needed! So it’s nothing but a good review from me and for Sean in particular - a great and friendly guy who makes the whole process easy and enjoyable. Really looking forward to going back to be tested on an exercise bike next and see what my numbers and rates are like during my more active phases.”
Want to know more or book metabolic testing in Dublin 24? Click / Tap here!

#### Military Press - Exercise of the Week
The military press exercise is an exceptional movement to target, tone and train your shoulder muscles. A great show of strength, it is a more intermediate / advanced exercise that should only be completed if and when you are comfortable manoeuvring a barbell safely and securely. Make sure to ask any of our friendly fitness team for assistance and guidance before completing this exercise for the first time to ensure you learn to complete it correctly.
Military Press

You will need plenty of space around you, so begin by finding such a space (for example at one of our weight racks or in the bench section etc.). Place a barbell on the arms of a weight rack and make sure there are no weight plates on either end of it. Using a wide overhand grip (which means the palms of your hands face away from you), lift the bar off the arms of the weight rack. Take a couple of steps backwards, so that you have plenty of space all around you, making sure to keep a solid stance with your feet just less than shoulder width apart.

When ready, curl the barbell towards your chest and then press it straight up over your head. Hold it for a second at the top of the movement with your arms fully extended and then bring the bar back down to just below you chin. This is one repetition (rep) completed. Our fitness team will be able to advise on the optimum amount of reps and sets for you to complete in order to integrate the military press into your workouts to both reach and maintain your health and fitness goals. They can also demonstrate any exercise for you and ensure that you are completing your exercises properly so that they are completed both safely and effectively.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free your here!

#### Muesli Breakfast - Recipe of the Week
This week we take a look at a healthy muesli breakfast recipe from Shape My Plan. It contains a combination of fruit, seeds and of course muesli for a terrific mixture of textures, ingredients and health benefits. While a breakfast recipe, you can of course make it as a snack at any time of day. Consider spreading the love too and making it for your friends and family and they are sure to appreciate this beneficial boost to their day.
Muesli Breakfast

Recipe Ingredients List

Fat Free Greek Yoghurt (125g)
Unsweetened Muesli (95g)
Blueberries (ten)
Banana (one)
Honey or Maple Syrup
Chia Seeds (half a tablespoon)

Step 1
Cut the medium-sized banana into slices and place them into a bowl. Add the ten blueberries into the bowl also.

Step 2
Spoon the yoghurt into the bowl also and then sprinkle the muesli on top. Mix all of these ingredients together and take care to not crush or burst the blueberries while doing so.

Step 3
Leave the bowl for ten to fifteen minutes to let the yoghurt soften the muesli slightly and also allowing the flavours to meld together.

Step 4
For an optional final touch of sweetness, you can choose to drizzle either some honey or maple syrup over your muesli breakfast.

Thanks once again to Shape My Plan for another simple and nutritious recipe. This is an amazing app filled with recipes that can be tailored into meal plans for your health and fitness goals – along with a food tracker feature to monitor your intake. Normally €12 per month, Westpark Fitness members can get it for only €4 per month instead as we have partnered with them. It is a huge help if you feel you need assistance to optimise your food intake to help meet your goals.
Want to get Shape My Plan? Enquire at reception or click / tap here.

#### Myzone
Myzone
MYZONE is an easy-to-use monitoring system that measures real-time heart rate, calories and effort data. Physical activity from both inside and outside of the club is wirelessly uploaded to a user, trainer, and owner cloud account, providing relevant data that can be accessed anywhere in the world.

 
Step 1
Wear your belt
Wearing your MZ-3 Belt is easy and comfortable. Position the belt so that the centrepiece is directly below your chest, on top of your sternum.

 
 
Step 2
Exercise Anywhere
Whether you're in the gym watching your live feed, or out on the street viewing your tile through the MYZONE App, you can rest assured you're earning MEPs and tracking your effort anywhere you go.

 
Step 3
Monitor your results
By logging in to your MYZONE account on your computer or through the MYZONE App, you'll be able to see minute-by-minute breakdowns of your exercise effort. Track your progress over time to gain more understanding about your workout habits.
 

#### New Les Mills Music and Moves
Towards the end of July 2019, there was new Les Mills music and moves added to your favourite classes like BodyPump, CXWORX, Tone and more here at Westpark Fitness. This is known as the Les Mills launch and occurs every few months so that your fitness can be kept fun and (even more importantly) effective as you work to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.

Why did we add new Les Mills music and moves?
As a provider of Less Mills classes in Tallaght, Les Mills themselves send us new music and updated movements to incorporate into your favourite fitness classes. This is because repeating the same exercises and movements over and over can actually be less effective as your body becomes used to them and therefore less challenged by them. It can also lead to what is called repetitive strain injury (more on this below) and so there is a safety aspect involved. In a nutshell, remixing the classes with new Les Mills music and moves ensures you excel at your fitness by challenging your body with these new edges and elements that force it to work hard and reap the results!

What is repetitive strain injury?
Like the name suggests, this is what can happen when you repeat the same movement over and over again. It is not just confined to the fitness environment. Gamers for example could complain of sore wrists and thumbs etc. when playing video games over and over again for a long period of time. The gym environment is no different in this regard as your body can become strained and pained from the same movement patterns – especially if you are constantly completing exercises and movements with incorrect form and posture. So the remixed moves and music with the Les Mills classes help to balance and counteract this as a preventative measure.
With a range of functional fitness classes held seven days a week here at Westpark Fitness, why not try something new and mix up your workout routine too in new and interesting ways? Not only will this help you to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals, it will also keep your body strong by helping to keep repetitive strain injuries at bay.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### New Les Mills Tone Class
The Les Mills Tone class is starting at Westpark Fitness on Monday the 4th of February 2019 and we couldn’t be happier! Les Mills classes are a world famous fitness movement which combine technology and exercise for a fully immersive experience. This class was developed based on global feedback to Les Mills and as such is created to cater to both males and females to target some of the most popular health and fitness goals that we all have in common.

What is the Les Mills Tone class?
The class combines the functional aspects of strengthening techniques, cardio exercise and core work for a full-on exercise experience. Classes run for between 30 – 45 minutes and are designed to break down the barriers to give you the freedom to workout in the best way that suits you! It is suitable for every fitness level and as such you are sure to feel welcome, successful and supported all throughout the class. With a mixture of strength and balance techniques, you will learn to improve core strength and stability while burning calories and breaking a sweat. Les Mills Tone is a class where you will definitely feel the results and are sure to feel fitter, faster and stronger!

The class is led by members of our experienced and qualified fitness team who are hugely passionate about the Les Mills offering and are excited to bring Tone to Westpark Fitness members!
Starting on Monday the 4th of February 2019
Monday 10:00am for 45mins
Monday 7:45pm for 30mins
Wednesday 11:00am for 45mins
Wednesday 6:05pm for 45mins
With over 100 classes held, state of the art equipment, a pool and many other onsite facilities at Westpark Fitness; we really do offer our members a premier fitness facility and gym in Tallaght.
Not a member yet, click / tap here to book a FREE tour of Westpark Fitness!

#### New Member - What I Need to Know
As a new member of Westpark Fitness, we have put together this FAQ-style list to help you get started and start to experience the difference here with us! Remember you can always ask any of our friendly and helpful team members if you need anything at all - we are always here to help.

Opening Hours
Normal Opening Hours

Monday - Thursday: 06:00 - 22:00
Friday: 06:00 - 21:00
Saturday - Sunday: 08:00 - 18:00
Bank Holidays: 08:00 - 18:00

Children's Hours

Monday - Friday: 10:30 - 18:00
Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holidays: 09:00 - 17:30

How to Use Our Equipment
You can click / tap on the following link to watch videos on how to use our industry-leading True Fitness Palladium pin-loaded strength machines on our main gym floor: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa1uLhh46K39cUPMUk17Zp6tGCtcZXfI1

Myzone FAQ
This is a fitness tracker device that is very popular with our members here at Westpark Fitness. It can be worn during all types of classes, exercises and workouts and even in the pool and sea too! You can learn all about Myzone here: https://myzonesupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360057026891-MZ-Switch-FAQ-s

Online Shop
Want your very own Westpark Fitness bag, cap, t-shirt, water bottle or more in a range of colours and sizes delivered to your home? Follow this link to browse and buy on our online shop: https://westpark-fitness.myspreadshop.ie/#openexternal

Rewards Programme
Join our rewards programme through Perkville where you can earn points to exchange for prizes. For more information and to join if you have not already, please click / tap on this link: https://www.perkville.com/biz/8971/earning/

Class Timetable

click / tap to view our Fitness Classes timetable
click / tap here to view our Virtual Spin timetable

Concessions
We have a range of concessions available that include a hair cut studio and barber, beauty treatments, a movement clinic, and more. click / tap here to view a list of our concessions.

Contact Us
You can call us on 014626911, e-mail fitness@westpark.ie or follow this link to contact us through our website: https://westpark.ie/contact/

#### New Spin Orientation Class
Always wanted to try our popular Spin (indoor cycling) class? Are you new to Spin and / or the gym or just don’t know where to begin? Try our new Spin Orientation class every Monday at 7:30pm held in our dedicated underground area!

This is a brand new class aimed at people looking to start spinning classes here at Westpark Fitness. It will take you through all the basics you need to know (such as setting up your bike, setting up the CicloZone app) to enjoy a safe and fun class. The CicloZone app connects to the spin bike and forms part of our Spin class offering and this will be explained and discussed during this Spin Orientation class. The class instructor from the fitness team will take you through everything you need to know from bike setup to getting a fun and effective workout!

The first 15 minutes of the class is all instructional where you can get all the questions you will need answered and the class then moves onto a 30 minute light paced virtual class with a member of the Westpark Fitness team (i.e. the class instructor) at your side to guide you through. This is a great way for you to experience a Spin class with this dedicated time for those who are a beginner / starting out with everything they need to then transition into a Spin class. This new Spin Orientation class will be held every Monday at 7.30pm - you can book your place on our app or at reception!
New Spin Orientation Class
You can get all of your questions and queries answered, get your spin bike setup just to be optimised perfectly for you, get the CicloZone app setup if you need and enjoy an easy introduction to Spinning here at Westpark Fitness with this class!

#### New WP Burn Class at Westpark Fitness
We are delighted to announce the new WP Burn class at Westpark Fitness! This is a class that combines circuit style training with strength, conditioning and cardio aspects to deliver a full body blast of benefits.

Myzone Fitness Tracker Belts
WP Burn uses the Myzone fitness tracker belts throughout the class to monitor your heart rate and track your progress through different zones and effort baselines. As such, the belts are required to take part in the class. Note that we do have demo belts available for you to use during the class, but we would recommend that you invest in your own Myzone belt (available at reception for €60) to track your progress beyond the class and for any exercise you complete both inside and outside of Westpark Fitness.

New Functional Training Area    
The class is held upstairs in our new functional training area where there is space for up to forty people to attend the class at any one time! Like with most of our classes, you can book your space in advance on the Westpark Fitness app. In this new area you will discover some new state-of-the-art equipment that is used within the class (such as the Max Trainers) and the area itself is closed off so that only those completing the class can use the space and equipment.

New WP Burn Class
We bring this class to our members as a new version of the Myzone class and as a way to further make fitness more immersive and fun in a bigger group setting in a new dedicated space. This is just one of the many ways that we work to make Westpark Fitness your gym for life where you experience the difference. The use of modern means with the likes of fitness tech and the classically appreciated approach of having a real and dedicated fitness team available combines for a way for you to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Omelette and Side Salad - Recipe of the Week
A classic and tasty dish packed with healthy protein from the eggs and nutrients from the salad; this omelette and side salad recipe is a great dinner or lunch option. It is made from ingredients you are sure to have at home and can be made in just a few simple steps to help reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Omelette and Side Salad

Recipe Ingredients List

Eggs (three)
Lettuce Leaves (handful)
Cherry Tomatoes (two)
Avocado (optional)
Grated Cheddar Cheese (optional)

Step 1
Crack three eggs into a bowl and whisk them together either by themselves or optionally with a dash of milk, small piece of butter and salt and pepper to flavour. Note that you can also add some extra ingredients here to this egg mixture should you wish – like some cut up chunks of avocado for example. Wash the lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes and cut the cherry tomatoes into halves.

Step 2
Add some oil to a frying pan and heat this over a medium heat. Once heated up, pour the egg mixture into the frying pan. Use a spatula to even the mixture out so that it cooks evenly while in the frying pan. After two minutes on one side, use the spatula to flip it over to the other side. You ideally want both sides to be yellow that is bordering on a golden brown colour.

Step 3
Add your lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes to a plate and use the spatula to get the omelette onto the plate too (you may find folding this in half to be easier to manoeuvre). You can also dab the omelette dry with some paper towel / kitchen roll if you find there is still too much oil on it.

As you can see, in three simple steps your omelette and side salad is complete! Enjoy this now or let it cool and portion it for a couple of lunchtime options. Recipes like this (and many more) are available to you on the Shape My Plan app. Only €4 for Westpark Fitness members (as opposed to €12 normally), it also gives you a food intake tracker and custom meal plans to help reach and maintain your health and fitness goals!
Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about Shape My Plan!

#### Online Personal Training App
One of our lead personal trainers, Ger Minihan, has an app called Well4U that he uses to offer online personal training to those who may be interested in it. This is ideal for those who want the skills of a personal trainer at their disposal whenever it suits them – for both at home workouts and workouts at Westpark Fitness. For a limited time only, both new and existing Westpark Fitness members can get this for eight weeks for only €19.99! This includes the following:

Personal Training a Tap Away
With the Well4U online personal training app, your trainer is only a tap away should you need any advice or need to message them for anything at all! You have access to the workouts tailored just for you and your goals, while your trainer can be reached by sending them a message through the app itself. Having these aspects in place empowers you to train and workout when suits you best while also being able to message your trainer for any advice or clarity that you may need.

Videos and Tracker
The app also contains exercise videos which show you how to complete the exercises in your training plan with proper form and function. This ensures that you complete them correctly to maximise the benefit of each exercise and also to ensure your health and safety during the movements. The workout tracker too enables you to keep on top of what you have completed to monitor your progress. Being able to upload before photos and progress photos is another way with which to motivate you and monitor your progress within the app.

 
Nutrition and My Fitness Pal
You will also get a seven day personalised meal plan specific to you and your goals. With this, your exercise and workouts are supported by the proper nutrition and food intake to help you both see and feel the results you desire. A great feature here is that this can link up with the popular My Fitness Pal app as a seamless way to track your food intake and keep it optimised for your goals. As you can see, the Well4U app thinks of every aspect of your health and fitness.
Online Personal Training
Click / Tap here to get his €19.99 eight-week offer for a limited time only with Well4U!

#### Only Stainless Steel Pool in Ireland
Did you know that Westpark Fitness in Tallaght is home to the only stainless steel pool in Dublin and the whole of Ireland? We are proud to have this unique and special stainless steel swimming pool in all of Dublin and Ireland because it is one of the many ways that allows us to offer our members a more premium fitness experience. Our stainless steel pool is a great example of not only how we invest in the facilities here at Westpark Fitness, but also in how we invest in the experience of our members. So what does this mean for you? There are many benefits to enjoy with a stainless steel pool which include:

Warmer Pool Water
The use of stainless steel means that the pool can hold heat better and remain warm and welcoming for all that use it. As such, both the younger and older person alike can appreciate this boost in temperature which makes being in the water a more enjoyable experience. Likewise those who are new to water and learning how to swim can feel more comfortable sooner as they ease into the warmer water. As soon as you enter the stainless steel pool area you are sure to feel the welcoming warmth that it exudes.

Chlorine + Hygiene
As a material, stainless steel is more hygienic than more traditional pool materials (such as tiles) as it does not retain stains or blemishes. It is also highly resistant to damage and remains smooth and securely in place. Traditional tiled pools however can often have broken and missing sections and the grout that is used to set them can break up and enter the pool water. Yet another benefit to stainless steel is that it requires less chlorine to be added to the pool water because it is a more hygienic material and overall cleaner solution.

Classes + Lessons

Our popular Aqua Fitness Class and both adults and children's swimming lessons are also held in the stainless steel pool throughout the week. Led by our qualified instructors, our pool-based classes and lessons are a great form of aerobic exercise that lets your body be supported by the water of the pool. Both the Aqua Fitness Class and swimming lessons are made even more enjoyable by the warmth of the water and the superior cleanliness that the stainless steel offers – without having to rely on an excessive amount of cloying chlorine.

As you can see from above, our stainless steel swimming pool offers members a warm and welcoming experience that is also cleaner and more hygiene than traditional pools. Sure to be enjoyed by people of all ages and swimming abilities, Westpark Fitness in Tallaght is immensely proud to offer our stainless steel pool as part of our premium fitness experience. Click / Tap here to book a tour of Westpark Fitness in Tallaght where you can see the stainless steel pool and the entire gym and fitness class facilities that we offer – making for a premium fitness experience.

#### Outdoor Bootcamp in Tallaght
Westpark Fitness are delighted to announce the addition of an outdoor boot camp class to our fitness class line-up! Following our taster session of an outdoor boot camp in Tallaght, we will now be holding this class every week on the grounds of Westpark Fitness! This is a great way to bring fun and fitness to the great outdoors while challenging your body outside of the gym environment.
Outdoor Bootcamp in Tallaght

The class lasts for sixty minutes (one hour) and will incorporate classic bodyweight exercises such as burpees, push ups, squats and more! It will also involve collaborating with others who attend the class for the likes of movements and exercises that require the support of others. Included too are drills and sets to really keep the pace up, get your heart rate going and burn calories. This makes it a great class to bring your Myzone fitness tracker belt to! If you do not have one of these and are interested in buying one, please enquire at reception.

Our outdoor boot camp in Tallaght is led by members of our educated and experienced fitness team who will adapt exercises to be completed outside in a safe and secure manner. By completing these exercises and movements outside on the actual ground instead of on the gym floor, you challenge your body to move and perform in different ways. As such, this brings a more functional fitness approach to the class – empowering your exercise with that naturalistic edge. What’s more, you will learn skills and techniques that you can use again if you ever want to make use of a park of playground etc. to exercise in when not at Westpark Fitness (ideal if you are away on holidays for example).
So why not try the Westpark Fitness outdoor boot camp class for yourself to see if it may become your next favourite class from our fantastic fitness class line-up?! Like with all of our classes, you can book your place on the Westpark Fitness app. It is held every Tuesday and Friday at 6pm for sixty minutes!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Overnight Oats - Recipe of the Week
Overnight oats have become really popular in recent times and it makes sense why. Not only are they quite easy to prepare and make, they are also tasty and healthy. They provide you with slow release energy too, making them perfect to help you power through your day or to power through your next workout at Westpark Fitness.
Overnight Oats

Recipe Ingredients List
• Oatmeal (40g - either quick or rolled oats)
• Almond Milk (120ml)
• Banana (one)
• Almonds (6g)
• Chia Seeds (one tablespoon)
• Maple Syrup (one tablespoon)
• Vanilla Extract (quarter of a teaspoon)

Step 1
Use a weighing scales to measure out 40g of oatmeal and then add these into either a bowl or a mason jar. You can of course use gluten-free oats here if dietary requirements require this.

Step 2
Chop up the almonds and then add them along with the almond milk, the chia seeds, the maple syrup and the vanilla extract in with the oats too and mix all of these ingredients together. Depending on how you like the consistency and texture of the banana; you can either slice this and add it in now or wait until the other ingredients have mingled together overnight.

Step 3
Cover the bowl or mason jar with cling film and leave it in the fridge overnight. When you take it out the next day, stir it with a spoon and enjoy! If you did not add the banana to it yesterday, you can slice some now and stir the slices in.

As you can see, these overnight oats take mere minutes to make and are therefore a quick, healthy and tasty treat to make. Consider having them for your breakfast – or even as a snack throughout the day. Thank you once again to Shape My Plan for this recipe. Westpark Fitness have partnered with Shape My Plan so that our members can get his amazing recipe, information and food tracking app for only €4 owe month (usually €12 per month).
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### Parking at Westpark Fitness
If you are finding it difficult to get a car parking space (especially around the New Year as members return to the gym after Christmas); we ensure there are enough places for everyone with the following spaces in place.

Westpark Fitness Carpark - ground level
The most obvious place to park is in our big and spacious carpark right outside Westpark Fitness. When you come through the gates there are spaces directly in front of you and also if you turn to the left (spaces here run all along the gym and down further too).

Westpark Fitness Carpark - underground
If you turn left through the gates into our carpark, you will eventually come to a slope which leads down to our underground carpark. There are yet more car parking spaces down here - including a couple of electric car charging stations too!

Overflow Carpark 1 - athletics club
Between 9am to 1pm Monday to Friday, members can park at the Tallaght Athletics Club carpark which is right beside Westpark Fitness. When you drive through the gates, keep driving straight down and you will come to this overflow carpark to the right of the trees (there are also signs directing you to this).

Overflow Carpark 2 - school carpark
Between 5pm to 10pm Monday to Friday, members can park at the school beside Westpark Fitness. This carpark is located to the right of our main gates (before you drive through the main gates).

Electric Scooters and Motorbikes
If you take an electric scooter to Westpark Fitness, we have dedicated parking for these in our underground area. Please make sure to lock your scooter here while you are inside Westpark Fitness. We also know how big and bulky motorbike helmets are and that is why we have a dedicated locker space where you can store these while you are in Westpark Fitness.

#### Pina Colada Smoothie - Recipe of the Week
Ring in the new year with this cocktail-inspired (but completely free from alcohol) pina colada smoothie. Yet another great recipe from Shape My Plan - the amazing nutrition tracking and recipe app that Westpark Fitness members can get for only €4 per month (usually €12 per month). It contains a healthy fruit and vegetable combination, includes oats which provide you with slow release energy and whey protein powder to help maintain and build the likes of muscle mass. All of these benefits are present in this tasty smoothie that is that extra bit special to make - both a healthy sight and a great reminder of the Christmas season with its vivid green colour.
Pina Colada Smoothie

Recipe Ingredients List
• Pineapple (300g)
• Cucumber (325g)
• Ice (200g)
• Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (85g)
• Oats (20g)
• Shredded Coconut (20g)
• Coconut Milk (120ml)
• Fresh Mint Leaves

Step 1
Chop up the pineapple, cucumber and fresh mint leaves into small chunks. This will make them easier to blend as the blades of the blender can navigate around smaller pieces and chunks of food such as this.

Step 2
While this is not an essential step, it can help with the process and reduce the amount of time that the blender is used for. For the ice, consider placing it into a food bag and then crushing it with a suitable kitchen utensil (like a rolling pin or meat tenderiser etc.)

Step 3
Add the chopped pineapple, cucumber, fresh mint leaves and ice into the blender. Next, pour in the coconut milk, oats (gluten-free if required), shredded coconut and vanilla whey protein powder. Blend the ingredients together until it results in a smooth and velvety liquid texture.

Choose this pina colada smoothie for a treat packed with an abundance of health benefits and beautiful flavour. It is that extra bit special and can be regarded as a protein smoothie with a difference. Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Click / Tap here to book a free tour of our facilities.

#### Plank - Exercise of the Week
The plank exercise is a staple abdominal and core exercise that is popular with both male and female exercise enthusiasts. One of the greatest things about it is that you only need your own body to complete it - with an exercise mat being optional if you would like a more comfortable layer between you and the floor. As such, this exercise can be completed at Westpark Fitness, at home or even in the likes of a park if you prefer to get some fresh air.
Plank

For this exercise, you will need to lie face down on the floor. Make fists with your hands and then set your forearms down onto the floor so that your arms bend at the elbows in a right angle. Remaining in this plank position, bring your feet up onto their toes and raise your body so that it forms a straight line from head to toe. While doing so, make sure to brace your core. Bracing your core means to tense your abdominal muscles - so imagine you were about to be punched in the stomach for example. This tensing of the abdominals is a crucial part of the exercise as it makes sure to keep the muscles working and strengthening throughout the movement. Remain in position for as long as possible, making sure to breathe, before letting your core and feet rest again on the floor.

Note that the plank exercise has many variations that can increase and decrease the difficulty as required. So for example, some may like to stack their feet on top of each other - or even grip a Bosu ball with their hands to increase the difficulty. As pictured above, you can also bend your knees and raise your feet if new to the movement as you get used to the way it feels and build the strength to make it to the standard position. Try and complete sets and repetitions (reps) of the plank exercise to build a strong core - timing yourself each time you hold the movement (ten seconds, thirty seconds, one minute etc.). Ask any of our fitness team for advice on the optimum amount of sets and reps you should complete towards your health and fitness goals and also if you need the exercise to be demonstrated or adapted to suit your fitness level. They are always happy to help!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness? Book your free tour here!

#### Porridge Bread - Recipe of the Week
This porridge bread recipe from Shape My Plan is a more unique bread recipe which is made from oats and yoghurt. As you can source gluten-free oats, it is a great alternative for those who have a gluten intolerance or allergy. Likewise you can use dairy and lactose-free ingredients too for those who need this to suit their dietary requirements. With just six simple ingredients, it makes for a new healthy recipe to add to your repertoire and to help optimise your food intake towards your health and fitness goals.
Porridge Bread

Recipe Ingredients List

Porridge Rolled Oats (360g)
Low-Fat Natural Yoghurt (500ml)
Egg (one)
Semi-Skimmed Milk (one tablespoon)
Bread Soda (two teaspoons)
Salt (half a teaspoon)

Step 1
Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan 160°C / gas mark 4). Mix the yoghurt, bread soda and salt together in a bowl and stir them together. Once these are mixed together, add in the porridge oats and thoroughly mix all of these together.

Step 2
Crack the egg into a separate bowl and beat it. Next, add this along with the milk to the rest of the ingredients and stir these together.

Step 3
Line either a bread tin or a suitable oven tray with parchment paper and then add the ingredients to it. At this stage you can sprinkle on some extra porridge oats if you wish. Cook this for fifty minutes.

Step 4
After the fifty minutes of cooking time, remove the porridge bread from the tin and cook it for a further ten minutes. Remove it from the oven then and leave it to cool before serving and eating.

If you like this recipe, you are sure to love the many more contained within the Shape My Plan app. Available to our members for only €4 per month, instead of €12, it also contains a meal prep feature tailored to your goals and a food intake tracker to monitor your food intake.
Want to get Shape My Plan? Enquire at reception or click / tap here.

#### Porridge in a Cup - Recipe of the Week
Here we present to you a healthy and balanced snack option from Shape My Plan. While porridge in a cup may seem simple (and indeed it is overall to prepare and make), it is in fact a great way to power you through your day (and your workouts), with a mixture of fruit, dairy and carbohydrates. Here we show you how to make it – a great option as a snack for any time of the day!
Porridge in a Cup

Recipe Ingredients List

Porridge Oats (40g)
Fat-Free Yoghurt (90g)
Egg (one)
Blueberries / Berries of Choice (handful)

Step 1
Note that with this recipe, you can of course use gluten-free porridge oats and lactose-free yoghurt if required. Crack the egg into a bowl and mix the porridge oats in with it. Place this in a microwave for two minutes and stir the ingredients in the bowl again once removed from the microwave.

Step 2
Scoop these mixed ingredients out from the bowl and into a cup. Add in the yoghurt and the blueberries (or the berries of your choice) and you can either mix these together lightly so that they mingle together – or keep them in the way they fall and arrange naturally within the cup.

Step 3
You can of course eat and enjoy this now – or perhaps you may prefer to cover the cup in cling film, place in the fridge and eat at a different time (maybe you are taking this to work or planning to have it after your workout at Westpark Fitness). You can also eat it off a plate or from a bowl if enjoying at home.

Yet another simple and healthy recipe from Shape My Plan – it is one of the hundreds available on their amazing app. Usually €12 per month, we have partnered with them to offer it to Westpark Fitness members for only €4 per month! The app also includes an abundance of tips and a food intake tracker to optimise your nutrition.
Enquire at reception to get Shape My Plan and learn more about it here!

#### Porridge Oat Scones - Recipe of the Week
This porridge oat scones recipe makes about eight scones which work as ideal healthy snacks – especially if you are craving something sweet to eat. With only four basic ingredients, they are quick and simple to make. You can also make them in batches to freeze them to have in stock for when you need.
Porridge Oat Scones

Recipe Ingredients List

Porridge Oats (250g)
Greek Style 0% Fat Natural Yoghurt (250g)
Egg (one)
Bread Soda (half a teaspoon)

Step 1 
You will need a mixing bowl, wooden spoon, ice-cream scoop and oven tray for this recipe. Preheat your over to 180°C (fan oven 160°C / gas mark 4).

Step 2 
Mix all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Make sure that they are mixed through evenly in the sense that everything mingles and merges together as best as possible. Note that when it comes to the porridge oats, you can use gluten-free oats if required. Likewise the Greek yoghurt can also be dairy and / or lactose free if necessary.

Step 3 
Use an ice-cream scoop to scoop out the mixture from the bowl and add the scoops onto an oven tray. By using an ice-cream scoop, you ensure that each of the scones will be virtually the same size when cooked.

Step 4 
Cook the porridge oat scones in the oven for 15 - 20mins or until they go an appetising golden brown colour. Leave them to cool before eating or freezing to use later.

As you can see, Shape My Plan have here provided another recipe that is simple, healthy and delicious. Their app is available to Westpark Fitness members for only €4 per month (usually €12) and gives access to hundreds of recipes like this, tailored meal plans for your goals and even a food intake tracker.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Potato and Leek Soup - Recipe of the Week
As we (hopefully) finally move into warmer and milder weather, we may not have soup as much until autumn and winter rolls around again. As such, it makes sense to use up any of your winter warmer ingredients that you have at home in a delicious and nutritious way. That is why we present to you this potato and leek soup recipe from Shape My Plan today - a simply satisfying recipe filled with healthy vegetables that your body is sure to love and appreciate.
Potato and Leek Soup

Recipe Ingredients List

Potatoes (500g)
Leeks (three / 250g)
Onion (one)
Chicken or Vegetable Stock (1.2 litres)
Single Cream (150ml)
Butter (25g)
Parsley or Chives (two tablespoons either chopped or snipped)
Lemon Juice (one teaspoon)
Nutmeg (optional to taste)

Step 1
Trim the leeks but take care in leaving some of the green parts at the tops as this adds an appealing colour to the soup. Cut the leeks lengthwise in half and then across in smaller slices (around 5mm or a quarter of an inch thick). Rinse them in a colander with plenty of water and then drain them well.

Step 2
Peel the onion and then cut into slices that are roughly the same thickness as the sliced leeks. Place the pan onto the hob (on a medium heat) and add the butter to it. Once this has melted and started to foam, add both the leek and onion slices into the pan.

Step 3
Stir everything together in the pan so that both the leeks and onions are as evenly coated in butter as possible. Next, peel the potatoes and cut them into similar small slices around 5mm or a quarter of an inch thick. Add these to the pan then also.

Step 4
Make the stock of your choice (either chicken or vegetable) using hot water and then add this to the pan too. At this stage you can add salt and pepper to season, but take care when using the salt as the stock may already contain enough and you don’t want to overpower the taste.

Step 5
Turn the heat up so that the pan is brought to the boil and then add about eight gratings of fresh nutmeg (or about a teaspoon of ground nutmeg) - if you like this flavour and taste which traditionally works well with potato and leek soup. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and then simmer for about ten minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Step 6
Next, purée the mixture using an electric handheld blender; or allow it to cool slightly before transferring to a traditional blender to blend in batches. Once blended, bring the soup to boil over a medium heat, reduce the heat and then stir in the cream and lemon juice.

Step 7
The final step is to check that you are happy with the seasoning, garnish with fresh herbs (either chop up some parsley or add some snipped chives), serve and enjoy!

This recipe comes from Shape My Plan who we have partnered with to empower our members with recipes like this, tailored meal plans and a food intake tracker. Normally €12 per month, Westpark Fitness members can get this amazing app for only €4 per month!
For more information and to get Shape My Plan, either click / tap here or enquire at reception!

#### Preacher Curl - Exercise of the Week
Our exercise of the week this week is the classic preacher curl. This is a great and effective exercise that isolates the bicep muscles in the arms to help them to tone, strengthen and grow in size. As it is completed with the EZ bar too, this means that your wrists are kept in a more neutral and supported position which is yet another bonus. Here we explain to you how to complete it correctly and include picture guides from inside our premier fitness facility in Tallaght.
Preacher Curl

To begin, make sure that an EZ bar is placed in the rack of the preacher bench. The EZ bar has an almost zig-zag shape to the bar, as opposed to how barbells are straight bars all the way across. Until you get used to completing the preacher curl exercise, it is best to not put any weight plates on the bar to begin. Sit down on the padded seat and place your arms onto the slanted padded part in front of you. Grip the EZ bar with an underhand grip and make sure that your triceps (the muscles at the back of your arms) lie flat against the padded part. Make sure too that your elbows also lie against this padded part and that they do not hang in mid-air at any stage of the exercise and movement.

While gripping the bar tightly, bend your elbows to curl the bar upwards towards your face. As you do so, you will see that your elbows and triceps are locked into place and therefore cannot over help or assist with the movement. Due to this, your biceps must do the majority of the work to lift and move the weight. Curl the bar up as close to your body as you can – making sure that your elbows and the backs of your arms (triceps) never come away from the padded part of the bench. Hold your position at the top of the movement for a couple of seconds and then lower your arms down so that the bar is almost put back in the rack. This is one repetition (rep) of the preacher curl complete.
If you are having any trouble at all with this exercise and movement, please feel free to ask any of our friendly fitness team for advice, help and even a demonstration if you need it. They can also advise you on the optimum amount of sets and reps to complete in order to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Protein Bean Soup - Recipe of the Week
This week we present to you a filling and flavourful protein bean soup that is perfect to refuel after a workout. It contains a marvellous mixture of healthy ingredients that make for a real winter warmer in these colder months. What’s more, it is a vegan option that leaves you feeling full for quite a while and can be made in batches to store in the fridge or freezer for when you need a tasty and healthy option.

Recipe Ingredients List

Black Eyed Peas (400g tin)
Barley (125g)
Green Lentils (125g)
Spinach (125g)
Coriander (125g)
Parsley (125g)
Onion (one large)
Garlic (three cloves)
Dry Mint (one tablespoon)
Turmeric (one tablespoon)

Step 1
Cut up the onion and garlic into small pieces and fry these together in a pan with some oil. After they have fried, add in the dry mint and turmeric and stir everything together with a dash of water.

Step 2
Add all of the other ingredients too and then add water until all of the ingredients are covered in water. Stir everything together and then bring everything to a boil. Turn the heat down and leave everything to simmer with a lid over the frying pan.

Step 3
When most of the water has been absorbed into the ingredients, your protein bean soup is ready to serve and enjoy! At this stage you can choose to add the likes of fresh lime juice, vinegar, salt and pepper or chilli flakes depending on the kick of flavour you would like!

We are sure you will love this healthy and hearty soup that is bursting with nutrients, protein, carbohydrates and more! Consider it as a recipe to rely on in the warmer winter months. You can find more recipes like this on the Shape My Plan app – with a discount available to Westpark Fitness members!
Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about Shape My Plan at Westpark Fitness

#### Protein Pancakes - Recipe of the Week
Of course you can indulge in traditional pancakes this upcoming pancake Tuesday on the 5th of March. But for those who may want to weave this wonderful treat into their health and fitness goals, Shape My Plan here present a perfect protein pancakes recipe! Ideal for you to enjoy without having to disrupt your dietary goals in a major way.
 Protein Pancakes

Recipe Ingredients List

Banana (one)
Egg (one)
Vanilla Protein Powder (30g)
Rolled Oats (25g)
Coconut Oil (one tbsp)
Fat Free Greek Yoghurt (two tbsp - optional for the side)
Fresh Berries (handful - optional for the side)

Step 1
To make the batter, roughly chop up the banana into small chunks and add them then to a mixing bowl. Mix in the egg, the vanilla protein powder and the rolled oats.

Step 2
Add the tablespoon of coconut oil to a frying pan and heat this open over a medium heat. When melted, make sure that it covers the entire surface of the frying pan.

Step 3   
Use a ladle to ladle the protein pancake batter from the mixing bowl into the frying pan. When the bottom side is cooked (use a spatula to see that it has become a nice golden-brown colour), use a spatula to turn the pancake over – or try the traditional flipping method!

Step 4   
One cooked, you can choose to serve your protein pancakes with spoons of fat free Greek yoghurt and / or a handful of fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries etc.).

A great recipe idea from Shape My Plan which allows you to partake in pancake Tuesday celebrations while keeping your health and fitness goals in focus! Available to Westpark Fitness members for €4 per month (instead of €12 per month), Shape My Plan provides you with an amazing app filled with tailored recipes, tips, information and a food intake tracker.
Want to get Shape My Plan? Click here or enquire at reception.

#### PT Open Day
Members! Are you tired of your workout?!
Need to change things up? Want someone to guide you through your workouts and push you further than before? Have you considered a Personal Trainer?
On Saturday 1st December, 10 am to 2 pm, we are having a PT open day! You can come in and talk to our in-house PT’s about what PT means for you and how they can help you reach your goals under their guidance and expertise
We are offering free 30-minute consultation with three of our in-house Personal Trainers. Please book indirectly with the PT of your choice to get to know them.

My name is Prabhat
a certified PT here in Westpark Fitness. I treat each client differently recognizing that what works for one person may not work for another. Whether you want a life-changing body transformation or lose weight for an upcoming event, I can help you to reach your potential. The goal of my personal training is to turn you into your own personal trainer. Only you are guaranteed to be with you for the rest of your life.
Contact me: 086-3515606 or prabhatpersonaltraining@gmail.com
The goal of my personal training is to turn you into your own personal trainer. Only you are guaranteed to be with you for the rest of your life.

My name is Ger
I am Ger, as a PT I take a holistic approach with my clients, helping them achieve their ambitions by examining their current fitness, health, social and lifestyle circumstances; and then working closely with them to make the necessary adjustments so that they can achieve the results that they want. I have worked with a wide range of clients, from high-performance athletes to people looking to lose some weight.
Contact me: 0861969121 or ptexpress1to1@gmail.com

My name is Lee
My name is Lee and my aim as a PT is to help you achieve and sustain goals that leave you in peak physical condition. Whether that be for a specific sport, upcoming event or just overall health and well-being, I will work alongside you to achieve excellence. You can expect dedication, a deep-rooted knowledge built from years of training and studying in the industry and new and exciting techniques to take your fitness to new levels.
Contact me: 0857607630 or leedohertyfitness@gmail.com

 
 

#### Pumpkin Soup - Recipe of the Week
Such a seasonal dish (and with the ingredients appearing in nearly every supermarket at this time of year); pumpkin soup can be enjoyed as a lunch or dinner portion for a healthy and flavourful dish. It has a pleasing and vibrant orange colour and is a perfect example of a winter warmer recipe.
Pumpkin Soup

Recipe Ingredients List

Pumpkin (500g)
Carrots (two)
Onion (one)
Milk (500ml)
Chicken Stock Cube (one)

Step 1
Chop the pumpkin up and weigh 500g of the pumpkin flesh with a weighing scales. Note that you do not want any of the skin or seeds to be part of this 500g. Dice up the carrots and onion also so that they are cut into small chunks.

Step 2
Make the chicken stock using 400ml of water and then add this along with the diced carrots and onion to a large saucepan. Bring this to the boil and then let this simmer for around ten minutes until the carrots and onion have softened.

Step 3
Add the pumpkin and the milk and let everything simmer together for a further ten minutes. When done, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the contents to cool. When cooled, blend everything until it becomes a smooth consistency.

Step 4
After blending, you can choose to portion the soup and freeze some that you want to save for later. If looking to enjoy it straight away, you can heat it up in a pot or in the microwave. Garnish with some black pepper and / or some pumpkin seeds if desired and then serve and enjoy!

This is another simple and healthy recipe from Shape My Plan – the Irish-owned app that helps you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals by giving you access to tailored meal plans, recipes, tips and even a food intake tracker! We have partnered with them to offer it to Westpark Fitness members at a discounted rate!
Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about Shape My Plan!

#### Recipe of the Week - Bean and Vegetable Stew
For our recipe of the week this week, we present a perfect winter warmer with this pinto bean and vegetable stew. Designed to fill you up while being low in fat and high in fibre (and flavour), this delicious four ingredient stew is ideal for dinner but can also be portioned for lunchtime and even as a quick and healthy snack. As there is no meat or animal products used in these ingredients, it is also a great vegan and vegetarian recipe option to enjoy.

Recipe Ingredients List

Can of Chopped Tomatoes (500g)
Pinto Beans (500g)
Yellow Pepper (one medium / large pepper)
Red Onion (two small onions)
Vegetable stock (optional - to taste)
Paprika (optional - to taste)

Step 1
Wash the pinto beans and then place them into a pot filled with 500ml of boiling water. Bring this water to the boil for ten minutes and then leave it to simmer for a further sixty minutes (for a total cooking time of seventy minutes). As you will see, uncooked pinto beans are very hard and need to be softened before eating. Check them after seventy minutes to make sure you are happy with their consistency (leave them simmering for further five minute intervals if required). When happy, strain the water from this pot and leave the cooked pinto beans in it.

Step 2
Chop both the pepper and red onions into small chunks and add them to a frying pan with a little oil (using whatever oil you prefer such as olive oil, sunflower oil or vegetable oil). Coconut oil can also be used here, but the ingredients also respond well when fried in more traditional oils. Fry them for no more than ten minutes - ideally until the onions start to become transparent. When finished, add them into the pot with the cooked pinto beans.

Step 3
Next, add your chopped tomatoes (and their liquid) into the pot along with the pepper, onions and cooked pinto beans. On a medium heat, stir the ingredients so that they all become mingled together and are bubbling away nicely. Allow the stew to cool until you can taste it to see if you are happy with it. At this stage, you may want to add vegetable stock if you would like a more balanced vegetable flavour - or one to two teaspoons of paprika for some heat and subtle spice.

Serve and enjoy! With a simple three steps and only four ingredients; with this recipe of the week you now have a hearty, healthy and delicious pinto bean and vegetable stew that is filling without being fattening. Enjoy it for your dinner and depending on how much you have left, you may also have some lunch and snacking portions remaining. Filled with fibre and bright vegetables, it is sure to satisfy your hunger and power you up for your next visit to Westpark Fitness.

#### Recipe of the Week - Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
Did you know that you can make a vegetarian form of chicken wings known as cauliflower buffalo wings? Like the name suggests, they are made from cauliflower florets which make for a surprisingly similar result to traditional chicken wings. This recipe is also baked as opposed to fried, making it a healthy treat to enjoy as either a snack, lunch or dinner option.
Cauliflower Buffalo Wings

Recipe Ingredients List

Cauliflower (one head)
Low-Fat Milk (250ml)
Flour (120g)
Paprika Powder
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

Step 1
Wash the cauliflower head and then cut it up into smaller chunks (known as florets). Preheat your oven to 220° (or 200° for fan ovens).

Step 2
In a deep bowl, mix together the milk, flour (you can choose gluten-free flour here if required) paprika, garlic and onion powders to make the batter. Dip each of the cauliflowers into this batter and make sure they are evenly coated. Let any excess batter drip back into the bowl before placing each floret on a baking try lined with greaseproof paper.

Step 3
Add these to the oven and monitor them so that they bake to a golden brown colour and don’t become burned. They should take around twenty minutes in total to bake, so you should remove them from the oven and flip them over after ten minutes so that they cook evenly.

Step 4
As tasty as they are, the cauliflower buffalo wings can be served and enjoyed by themselves! You may also wish to serve them with a sauce of your choosing to dip them into; or even with a side salad or some carrot sticks to add a hit of healthy nutrients to your meal too!

We provide you with a new recipe each and every week to help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals. For even more recipes, custom meal plans and even a food intake tracker, consider getting the Shape My Plan app. We have partnered with them to offer this to Westpark Fitness members for only €4 per month instead of the usual price of €12 per month.
For more information and to get Shape My Plan, enquire at reception or click / tap here!

#### Recipe of the Week - Custom Stir Fry
Our recipe of the week this week is a healthy stir fry that you can customise yourself to suit your fitness and nutrition goals. We provide some ingredients options here to show you how to make it, but feel free to mix and match with what you like instead for a truly custom stir fry!
Custom Stir Fry

Recipe Ingredients List

Chicken Fillets (two)
Brown Rice (250g)
Red Pepper (one)
Baby Sweetcorn (four cobs)
Peas (50g)
Sweet Chilli Sauce

Step 1
Add a small amount of oil to a wok and heat this over a medium heat until it thins out to a liquid. Cut the chicken breasts up into small chunks and add these to the wok. Continuously stir the chicken around for five minutes using a spatula and making sure that each side of the chunks are cooked and turn white (you should not see any pink colour at all).

Step 2
Add the frozen peas to a pot of boiling water over a medium heat and leave to cook for five minutes. While they are cooking, continue to stir the chicken in the wok every now and then while you wash the pepper and baby sweetcorn. Cut these up into small chunks (you may not want to use the full pepper, so save any that is left over in the fridge). Before the peas finish cooking, add the bag of microwaveable rice to the microwave and cook for two minutes (make sure to follow the instructions on the packet in case they are different).

Step 3
Next, after the peas and rice are cooked; add them along with the pieces of pepper and baby sweetcorn into the wok with the chicken. You may need to add a dash of water to lessen the friction between these different foods.

Step 4
Stir everything together within the wok for the next five to ten minutes, testing that the peppers and baby sweetcorn are properly cooked. When it comes to the chicken, test that it is cooked by cutting some pieces in half and ensuring there is no pink or red colour in the middle of the flesh and that the juices run clear from it. Serve in a bowl and drizzle with sweet chilli sauce as needed and your custom stir fry is complete!
Find more recipes like this (tailored to your goals) on the Shape My Plan app 
- click / tap here for more information!

#### Recipe of the Week - Spanish Garlic Prawns
Have you started using Shape My Plan yet? Westpark Fitness members can get the app for only €4 per month (€12 without your membership) to gain access to thousands of recipes, meal plans, personal progress monitoring, nutritional advice on how to feel good, look good and reach your goals and more! Our recipe of the week this week comes from Shape My Plan and is the simply delicious and nutritious Spanish garlic prawns which only requires six ingredients to make.

Recipe Ingredients List

Cooked Prawns (80g)
Garlic (two cloves)
Spanish / Red Onion (two slices)
Olive Oil (one teaspoon)
Chili Powder (half a teaspoon)
Paprika (half a teaspoon)

Step 1
To begin, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a low heat. While the oil is heating up, dice both the garlic and onion into small pieces. You can use a Spanish or a red onion – depending on preference. Add them to the frying pan once the oil has heated up and then stir them so that they cook evenly.

Step 2
Add in the prawns once the onions begin to brown and increase the heat slightly. Stir all of the ingredients together and add in both the chili powder and paprika. Not only will these add some subtle heat and flavour to the recipe, they also turn it an appetising red / orange colour.

Step 3
Continue to stir the ingredients together for a few minutes until the prawns are fully heated up. Simply transfer onto a plate and you are ready to serve and enjoy your Spanish garlic prawns!

With three short and simple steps, you now have delicious Spanish garlic prawns to enjoy. This recipe brings a great source of high-quality protein and is sure to tickle the taste buds with the flavourful garlic, chili and paprika used within it. The use of olive oil too brings with it a dose of antioxidants which are known to have heart health benefits.
Consider adding a side of vegetables to make this the perfect post Westpark Fitness meal to help your muscles recover and repair themselves with a flavourful and filling hit of protein. Don’t forget too that you can discover many more simple and effective recipes like this one (and much more) with Shape My Plan – available for only €4 per month for members of Westpark Fitness. Not a member? Click / Tap here to book a tour of Westpark Fitness.

#### Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup Recipe
Feeling the chill in this cold snap of weather we are having lately? Consider making this roasted sweet potato and carrot soup – a healthy winter warmer you are sure to enjoy.

Recipe Ingredients List
• Sweet Potatoes (500g)
• Carrots (300g)
• Onions (two)
• Garlic Cloves (two)
• Vegetable Stock (1ltr)
• Crème Fraîche (100ml)
• Olive Oil (three tablespoons)

Step 1
Preheat your oven to 200°C. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into chunks. Peel the carrots and dice them. Add both of these to a large roasting tin and drizzle them with two tablespoons of olive oil. You can add some seasoning (salt and pepper) also at this stage if you wish. Roast these vegetables for 25 – 30 minutes, or until they are tender.

Step 2
Finely chop the onions and crush the two garlic cloves. Add one tablespoon of olive oil into a large and deep saucepan over a low – medium heat. When heated up, add the onions to the frying pan. When the onions have softened, add the garlic and stir for one minute. Add the vegetable stock and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes until the onions have softened – then turn the heat off.

Step 3
When the sweet potato and onions have finished roasting in the oven, remove them and leave them to cool a bit. Once ready, add them to the saucepan and use a hand blender to combine all of the ingredients together until smooth. Stir in most of the crème fraîche, add more seasoning (if desired to taste) and reheat in the saucepan until hot.

Your roasted sweet potato and carrot soup is now ready! Serve it in bowls and add a swirl of crème fraîche and some black pepper if you would like – of course this is down to personal taste preference. Like this recipe? You are sure to find many more that you like on the Shape My Plan app (where this recipe comes from). Filled with recipes, food information, tips, a nutritional tracker and more; Shape My Plan is available to Westpark Fitness members for €4 per month instead of usually being €12 per month!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? 
Click / Tap here to book a FREE tour of our facilities.

#### Seated Back Row - Exercise of the Week
When looking to build as strong and balanced of a body as possible; you simply can’t neglect to work on your back muscles. A large muscle group, they are key in terms of assisting with posture and function and should not be overlooked (simply because you do not see your back straight in front of you). Here this blog post shows you how to complete the seated back row exercise to work on your back muscles - complete with instructions and pictures from within Westpark Fitness.
Seated Back Row

When completing this seated back row exercise for the first time, select a lower weight that you are comfortable exercising with until you become more familiar with the movement. To begin, sit down on the cushion of the machine and place your feet against the pads in front of you. Your legs should be straight and only have a slight bend at the knees - meaning that you sit in a solid position. Hold the handle with both hands and sit in an upright position.

Engage your back muscles as you pull the handles towards your body to complete the movement. Note that your body should stay as still as possible throughout the movement - meaning that your back muscles have to work harder and remain engaged to support the weight at all times. Straighten out your arms again back to the starting position and that is one repetition (rep) completed. Talk to any member of our friendly fitness team to see the exact number of reps and sets that will work best for you to reach your health and fitness goals. They will also be happy to give you a demonstration of the exercise and answer any other questions and queries you may have.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### Seated Leg Press - Exercise of the Week
The seated leg press machine at Westpark Fitness is a great way to target the muscles of your lower body. While it mostly makes use of the leg muscles, the likes of the hips and back also come into play as you power through the movement. Did you know that while exercising and dedicating time to each of your body parts is important; when you workout the lower body it releases natural growth hormones which benefit the muscle mass of your body overall?
Seated Leg Press

To start, sit into the machine and adjust the seat as necessary so that your legs form a right angle when you place your feet up onto the foot plate in front of you. Before starting to complete repetitions (reps) of this exercise, it is advised to use a lower weight in the weight stack until you become used to and comfortable with the exercise movement. When ready, drive through your feet and legs to push yourself away from the footplate. While your legs should straighten to accommodate for this movement, you should keep a slight bend at the knees. When returning to the starting position, make sure that the weight plates do not meet and touch off the rest of the weight stack. The idea here is that you want to remain in control of the weight being used at all times.

If you would like a demonstration on how to use the seated leg press or would like to make sure you are completing it correctly; please ask any of our friendly fitness team who will be happy to help! Remember that our motto is ‘Your gym for life - experience the difference’ for a reason. We work to get the best for you! This is a great exercise to add to your routine and so they can advise you on the most optimum amount of sets and reps to complete to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Shoulder Press - Exercise of the Week
The shoulder press machine allows you to focus on a smaller, but still majorly important, muscle group. It is important to not neglect the shoulders in favour of bigger muscles groups like the arms, legs, back and chest etc. as the shoulders are a key area in terms of overall movement, function and strength. Here we show you how to use the shoulder press machine at Westpark Fitness – complete with pictures of one of our trainers using it with the correct and proper form.
Shoulder Press

To begin with, sit at the machine and if needed, adjust the seat so that the handles are positioned just above your shoulders. Start with a light weight (or even take the pin out of the stack so there is no weight plates engaged at first) so that your shoulders can warm up by completing the range of motion of the movement. Grip the handles tightly and as can be seen in the picture above, you can grip the handles with your palms facing forward, or move your hands further down the bars so that your palms are facing each other. While both grips will work your shoulder muscles and joints, the change of grip will target them from slightly different angles to engage differing muscle fibres. Push the handles straight up towards the ceiling and hold them up in the air for a couple of seconds.

Slowly lower the handles back down to the starting position, but make sure not to let the weight plates meet and hit against each other (which will happen if you lower the handles down further than the starting position). The idea here is that at all times when using the shoulder press machine that your muscles remain engaged and in control of the weight at all times. As such, familiarise yourself with this movement pattern before you start to use the machine with a pin in the weight stack.
Do of course ask any of our fitness team for a demonstration on how to use this machine at Westpark Fitness and to check your form and movement pattern when using it too.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### Shoulder Shrugs - Exercise of the Week
While only completed with a small and very slight movement, shoulder shrugs are still a great and effective way to train your shoulders. They also target and train the trapezius muscle (traps) of the back and so act as an exercise with dual purpose like this. While shoulder shrugs can be completed using either dumbbells or a barbell, here we show you how to complete them with dumbbells.
Shoulder Shrugs

As with any exercise which may be new to you, begin by selecting a lighter weight that you can comfortably manage for a few repetitions (reps) in a row. While lifting heavier weights can be beneficial for the likes of muscle mass and progressive overload, exercises are still hugely effective when completed with perfect from even if using a lower weight. So don’t despair if you need to pick a lighter weight to begin as with consistency and training; you will soon be comfortable with heavier ones. Stand (ideally facing a mirror) with your feet shoulder width apart, hold one dumbbell in each hand and keep your spine and posture straight and strong.

When ready, raise your shoulders so that they move closer to your ears. Your arms should remain completely straight as the movement is driven by your shoulders. Hold this position at the top of the movement for a second before returning to the starting position. This is one rep complete and you can continue to complete the optimum amount of sets and reps to reach and maintain your goals. Anyone from our friendly fitness team can advise you on this at any time and you can also book in with them every six weeks for a free workout assessment to make sure your progress is continuing on the right track in your gym for life!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Side Plank - Exercise of the Week
It is important to incorporate some bodyweight exercises into your fitness routine in order to get used to supporting your own bodyweight as well as challenging it to move and work in different ways. A bodyweight exercise is one that can be completed without needing any machines or equipment and just relying on your bodyweight alone. For our exercise of the week this week, we take a look at the popular and effective side plank bodyweight exercise.
Side Plank
To begin, lie down flat on the floor on your back – use a mat if you would understandably like this to be a bit more comfortable. While lying down, shift onto one side and then lift your hips off the ground and point them up towards the ceiling. Support your bodyweight by keeping your elbow and forearm rooted to the ground. Your other hand should shoot up towards the ceiling and you may need to slightly swing / sway your body to get into this outstretched position. See the image below of the side plank in action and how your form should look. In terms of the position of your feet, you can either keep them staggered on the floor as seen in the image below; or stack them one on top of the other for a more challenging exercise. Complete this exercise on both sides to fully target your core.

When in position and holding the correct form and posture, it is very important that you brace your core at all times. To brace your core, imagine you are about to be punched in the stomach and you tense it to brace for the impact. By doing this as your body balances while holding the side plank position, your core is forced to work much harder to support you. This results in a stronger and more stable core over time and develops the abdominal muscles to assist in them being visible (a healthy balanced diet is often essential to get the abdominal muscles to show).
When it comes to any exercise, please ask any our gym staff for a demonstration and to help you complete exercises correctly – they are always happy to help!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book a free tour here.

#### Side-to-Side Knee Rolls - Exercise of the Week
The side-to-side knee rolls exercise is a great way to stretch your back and lower back whether it is tight and causing you niggles, or even as part of your warm up routine. It is also great to complete before a back workout as it helps to mobilise the spine for movement. Did you know that side-to-side knee rolls are often prescribed by physiotherapists to help lessen the feeling of lower back pain?
Side-to-Side Knee Rolls

To begin, place an exercise mat on the floor and make sure that there is plenty of space on both sides of it as you will need to occupy this space. Lie down flat on your back and raise your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms out on both sides beside you and lift your legs up into the air in what is known as the table top position (as can be seen in the picture above). Make sure that your spine remains flat on the floor and this is your starting position.

When ready, turn your neck to one side (left or right) and then roll your knees towards the floor in the opposite direction. You should feel a stretch across your entire back – with a particular focus on your lower back. Return to the starting position and repeat this on the opposite side and that is one repetition complete. Note that the stretch that you feel should be moreso pleasant and not painful as it works to mobilise the back muscles and not cause it too much discomfort. If it does, stop the exercise and ask for advice from any of our friendly fitness team. They can also demonstrate side-to-side knee rolls to you to ensure that you are completing them correctly.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Sit Up Bench - Exercise of the Week
You may have seen this piece of equipment on the gym floor on Westpark Fitness – it is the sit up bench and it is used to target your abdominal and core muscles. It also helps to target your obliques (the muscles on your sides that sit on both sides of your abdominals) as well as your hip flexors. As such, adding it into your fitness routine is a great way to give some dedicated attention to your midsection.

Sit Up Bench
As you can see in the picture above, you can hook your feet into the end bars of the sit up bench. This is your starting position and it keeps your body in place to complete the sit up movement. With your feet hooked in, lie down flat on the bench. Cross your arms across your chest, brace your core (imagine you were about to be punched in the stomach and you are bracing yourself for the impact) and crunch upwards using your abdominal muscles to raise your head and shoulders off the bench. It is important to remember that this movement should be driven by the abdominal muscles. If you simply raise your head and neck without driving them forward using your abdominals, you risk straining your neck as it is unsupported without your core being activated to power the movement. Please ask any of our gym staff if you need assistance and they will be happy to demonstrate and guide you through the correct movement.

Once you are comfortable with the correct movement, you can incorporate the sit up bench exercise into your routine. Complete sets and reps with it to target your core, abdominal and oblique muscles and your hip flexors. With this, there is yet another piece of equipment that you can master at Westpark Fitness to help reach your health and fitness goals.
Want to join a premier fitness facility such as Westpark Fitness to reach your health and fitness goals? Click / Tap here to book a FREE tour!

#### Smoked Salmon Salad - Recipe of the Week
While the festive season is traditionally an indulgent time when it comes to food choices; you can still enjoy a tasty treat that is more than a little on the healthy side. Our recipe of the week does just that and it is the smoked salmon salad. This is a brilliant meal idea by Shape My Plan - the nutrition tracking app available to all Westpark Fitness members for €4 per month instead of normally being €12 per month.

Recipe Ingredients List
• Smoked Salmon (60g)
• Egg (one)
• Mixed Salad Leaves
• Cherry Tomatoes (4)
• Avocado (½)
• Red Onion (½)
• Cucumber (¼)
• Lime (½)
• Olive Oil (one tablespoon)
• Clove of Garlic (½)

Step 1
To hard-boil the egg, place it in a pot of boiling water for approximately six to seven minutes. While it is boiling, chop up the cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cucumber and garlic and add them together to a bowl. Squeeze the lime into a bowl to obtain fresh lime juice and then mix in one tablespoon of olive oil with it.

Step 2
Remove the shell from the hardboiled egg and then slice it. Chop up the smoked salmon too into chunks or slices (whatever you would prefer) and add it along with the egg to the chopped cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cucumber and garlic.

Step 3
Mix in the mixed leaves and the lime juice infused olive oil and your smoked salmon salad is now complete! If you would prefer to bulk it up that bit more, serve it with a couple of slices of brown bread (gluten-free if required).

Full of colour and flavour, consider this salad as a healthy punctuation in between the tins of sweets and selection boxes that you deserve to enjoy this festive season. Implementing a bit of balance like this recipe means that your fitness goals will be maintained as best as possible so that you can be back on track when you return to your favourite Westpark Fitness after the festivities. Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Click / Tap here to book a free tour of our facilities.

#### Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry - Recipe of the Week
Add some heat and flavour to the dinner table (or the lunch box) with this spicy chicken stir-fry recipe. Quite like a takeaway treat, you can instead make this yourself using wholesome and healthy ingredients such as lean chicken (filled with protein to grow and maintain muscle mass) and vegetables such as tomato, pepper and onion (filled with vitamins and nutrients).
Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry

Recipe Ingredients List

Chicken Fillets (two)
Basmati Rice (130g)
Large Tomato (one)
Green Pepper (one)
Small Onion (one)
Green Chillies (two)
Olive Oil (one tablespoon)
Chilli Powder (one tablespoon)

Step 1
Start to cook the basmati rice as per the package instructions. Make sure to remember that it is cooking while you move onto the next steps - ensuring that you stir it etc. as needed and monitor that it does not become overcooked.

Step 2
Cut up the chicken fillets into cubes or strips and then season them with half a tablespoon of chili powder and salt and pepper (this should be done to taste i.e. to what you and whoever else this spicy chicken stir-fry is being served to likes and tolerates).

Step 3
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and then stir-fry the seasoned chicken for three to four minutes (or until no longer pink). Once cooked, remove it from the frying pan.

Step 4
Cut up the pepper and onion and stir-fry them in the same frying pan until they begin to become softer and more tender. Cut up the tomato and chillies and add them along with half a tablespoon of chilli powder to the frying pan and stir-fry for an additional three to five minutes.

Step 5
Lastly then, add the chicken back to the frying pan and stir-fry everything for a final two minutes. Serve with the basmati rice and enjoy.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Spider Curl - Exercise of the Week
The spider curl exercise is a more unique way to work on your bicep muscles. Instead of standing or sitting, it positions you facing backwards on a bench and making use of a barbell or EZ bar for a more dynamic movement. Learn how to complete it here as demonstrated by our fitness team in our premier gym in Tallaght.
Spider Curl

Like with any exercise that may be new to you, begin by using the lightest weight possible so that you become safely comfortable with the movement. For this exercise, begin by using a barbell / EZ bar that has no weights loaded onto it. Set a bench to an incline position (45°) and then grip a barbell or EZ bar with both hands. Lie with your chest against the bench and drape your arms over the top of the bench while holding the barbell / EZ bar out in front of it. This is your starting position so make sure that you feel solid and comfortable in this position before moving to the next part of the exercise.

Keep your feet rooted to the floor and when ready, curl the bar up towards your face. The movement should focus on your bicep muscles so make sure that the top part of your arms do not move. The movement should be powered by the biceps as they work to lift the bar up towards your face. Return it back to the starting position and that is one repetition (rep) complete. Ask any of our friendly fitness team for a demonstration on how to complete the spider curl. They can also advise you on the optimum amount of sets and reps to complete to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Spiderman Pushup - Exercise of the Week
You have probably heard of the pushup exercise, but have you heard of the variation known as the spiderman pushup? Like the name suggests, it incorporates a different movement that mimics how spiders (and of course spiderman) can crawl and contort their body in certain ways. While mainly a chest / upper body exercise, this variation is more challenging overall - especially for your abdominal muscles and core area.
Spiderman Pushup

To begin, assume a standard pushup position. This entails of lying on the ground with your hands on the floor with arms stretched out just in front of the shoulders and your feet being supported by your toes. Your body should form a straight line - making sure that your hips and midsection do not sag or dip. As you go to lower your body towards the ground to complete one repetition (rep); raise your left leg off the floor and bend your left knee up towards your elbow and chest area. Push back then to the straight starting position.

On your next rep, raise your right leg off the floor and bend your right knee up towards your elbow and chest area instead. Repeat this rhythm and movement at each rep - swapping from the left to the right side and back again. You may feel it during the motion of the movement, but the crawling effect can be observed by others (especially from the side) when you are completing this exercise. For all the superhero fans out there, this is the movement that spiderman would make when scaling high-rise buildings!
As with any exercise and movement that may be new to you, please ask any of our friendly fitness team if you require any help to complete the spiderman pushup properly. They are more than happy to demonstrate any exercise for you and guide you through it to help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Staying fit during the summer
✓ Plan your training!
The earlier you get your training done the more time you’ll have to enjoy the day. Try booking a class so you commit to making time to keep your body fit and healthy.
✓ Train short and smart!
High-intensity sessions are a great way to burn lots of calories in a short period of time while you tone your body. By spiking your heart rate multiple times you will create an afterburn effect, and burn calories even when your finished training.

✓ Use Myzone!
Myzone heart rate monitors are a great way to track what you’re doing i.e. calories burned, heart rate zones used during the session and tracking every type of session you do. Try the zone match workouts to get excellent cardio sessions done in a short time while taking your mind off of the hard work.
✓ Try new things!
There is a wide variety of classes to choose from at Westpark have you tried them all? Not to mind our running club and hiking group that not only caters for all levels but encourage beginners to try something new.
✓ Eat healthily!
Summer is a great time for barbeques, try making healthy salad options. Try adding fruit and mint to water for flavour instead of fizzy drinks. And why not just host a healthy Dinner evening.

#### Strawberry Protein Smoothie - Recipe of the Week
Traditional protein drinks and smoothies can be very chalky and thick – undesirable and unappealing in many ways. However this strawberry protein smoothie proves different as you control the consistency and taste to your liking. Not only does it provide you with healthy and natural fruit and dairy ingredients as part of your nutrition; it is also enhanced with added protein to help build and maintain your lean muscle mass!
Strawberry Protein Smoothie

Recipe Ingredients List

Strawberries (150g)
Banana (one)
Natural Yoghurt (55g)
Strawberry Ice-Cream (one scoop)
Protein Powder (one scoop)
Ice Cubes (handful)

Step 1
Start by cutting the leaves and stems away from the strawberries and then wash them thoroughly in cold water. Add these along with half of the banana to a blender.

Step 2
Add the natural yoghurt and scoop of strawberry ice-cream to the blender too, put the lid on the blender and pulse it a couple of times until the ingredients mingle. Next add a couple of ice cubes to the blender also and then blend until the ingredients form a thick pink liquid.

Step 3
Now is the perfect time to add in the scoop of protein powder (ideally strawberry flavoured if possible) and blend once again until this is mixed through. Once ready, taste some of this with a spoon.

Step 4
At this stage your strawberry protein smoothie may be ready to serve and enjoy! However the beauty of this recipe is that you can add in some additional ice cubes to change the consistency if you wish (these work to make it a bit thicker) and also some more banana if you wish to balance out the taste a bit more. Don’t forget too that you can add even more strawberries or even the likes of orange juice if you would like to increase the sweetness!

Take control of what you are putting into your body with homemade smoothie recipes like this. The scoop of protein powder can of course be from a brand of your choice where you are free to pick the best one that suits your goals and dietary preferences such as gluten-free or vegan etc.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Sweet and Sour Pork - Recipe of the Week
Shape My Plan here present a healthy and tasty meal option in the form of sweet and sour pork. A mixture of lean meat, fresh vegetables and sweet and sour flavours, it makes a great dinner idea, a post-workout refuel meal or can even be divided into lunch portions.
Sweet and Sour Pork

Recipe Ingredients List
• Pork Fillet (100g)
• Basmati Rice (100g)
• Pineapple Rings (one can in natural juice)
• Red Pepper (half)
• Yellow Pepper (half)
• Small Onion (one)
• Garlic (one clove)
• Root Ginger (one teaspoon)
• Coconut Oil / Olive Oil (half a tablespoon)
• Ground Black Pepper

Step 1
On a chopping board, cut the pineapple rings, red pepper, yellow pepper, onion, garlic and fresh root ginger into small chunks.

Step 2
On a separate chopping board, chop the pork into small cubes and make sure to cut and trim away any of the excess visible fat.

Step 3
Heat the coconut oil / olive oil in a wok over a medium heat. Once heated up, add the cubes of pork to the wok and stir fry for five to ten minutes / until cooked and golden all over.

Step 4
Add the pineapple, red pepper, yellow pepper, onion, garlic and ginger to the wok too. At this stage, add some of the pineapple juice for the can of sliced pineapples too (as much as you would like to achieve your preferred consistency).

Step 5
Stir and cook this over a medium heat for one to two minutes until the sauce thickens and coats all of the pork and vegetables.

Step 6
Cook the basmati rice as per the instructions on the packet and then serve with the sweet and sour pork and vegetables from the wok. Season with ground black pepper if desired.

Shape My Plan is available to Westpark Fitness members for only €4 per month instead of usually being €12 per month. It is an amazing nutrition app filled with recipes and tips tailored to your health and fitness goals as well as a food intake tracker.
Want to get Shape My Plan? Click here or enquire at reception.

#### Sweet Chilli Salmon - Recipe of the Week
Get both a boost from lean protein and a flavourful spicy kick with this sweet chilli salmon recipe. Very simple to make, it is a healthy recipe for you to have that can be served with whatever you prefer (this recipe mentions rice, but you could also make noodles or a side salad etc.). As with most of our recipes of the week, you can enjoy this recipe however you like – such as a lunch or dinner option, or even portioned into smaller healthy snack options.
Sweet Chilli Salmon

Recipe Ingredients List

Salmon Fillets (two)
Microwaveable Brown Rice Pouch (250g)
Fresh / Frozen Peas (50g)
Sweet Chilli Sauce

Step 1
Heat the oven to 200° or 180° for fan assisted ovens. Place one salmon fillet on a sheet of tin foil and pour a thin layer of sweet chilli sauce so that it covers the top of the fish. Then fold the tin foil surrounding the fillet up together and bunch it together so that it forms a parcel that covers all around it. Make a small hole at the side of this parcel so that the steam can escape from here. Do this with the second fillet too and then place both of these onto a baking tray. Place these onto the shelf in the oven. They will take twenty minutes to cook, so after ten minutes turn the tray around so that they cook evenly.

Step 2
When there is only five minutes left of cooking time for the salmon fillets in the oven, add the peas to a pot of boiling water and cook over a medium heat on the hob. Tear open the top of the pouch of rice and cook this in the microwave for two minutes (exact instructions may vary by brand, so be sure to follow the instructions on the pouch you are using). Once the peas have finished cooking after about five minutes, drain them and mix them in with the rice in a bowl.

Step 3
Remove the baking tray from the oven and carefully remove each salmon fillet from the tin foil parcels (avoid burning yourself from the steam and boiling liquid within these parcels). An optional step is to use a knife to remove any skin which may still be underneath these fillets. When ready, serve them with the rice and peas and drizzle over some extra sweet chilli sauce.

As you can see, this sweet chilli salmon is a simple recipe that provides you with a healthy hit of lean protein, carbohydrates (from the rice) and overall nutrients and flavour. Discover even more recipes like this (along with custom meal plans tailored to your goals, a food intake tracker and many healthy tips and tricks) on the Shape My Plan app. We have partnered with them to offer this at a discounted rate to Westpark Fitness members!

For more information and to get Shape My Plan, click / tap here or enquire at reception!

#### Swim for a Mile 2019 at Westpark Fitness
Swim for a Mile comes to Westpark Fitness on Wednesday the 17th of April! The event will be held at both 6pm-7pm and 7pm-8pm where, like the name suggests, participants will swim a mile in distance in our pool. There is also a half-mile option available for those who may not be ready for a full mile just yet. As the initiative promotes being stronger and more confident in swimming skills, this is a huge achievement as many of those swimming will have improved their skills as part of their training and preparation for the event!

Those who have practiced for Swim for a Mile or who will partake in the event here at Westpark Fitness are very lucky. This is because they will be using Ireland’s only stainless steel pool! Not only is this a more hygienic pool due to being stain resistant and not requiring as much chlorine as a traditional tiled pool; it also makes for a warmer and more pleasant temperature of pool water. This is the only pool of its type in Ireland and so it makes for a more unique swimming experience. It is just one of the many reasons that we are a premier fitness facility in Tallaght - winning an Ireland Active Award in 2019 as a national quality standard for leisure, health and fitness.

We are proud to be hosting Swim for a Mile at Westpark Fitness because we are huge believers in the health benefits of swimming. As a full-body exercise, it can help to strengthen and tone your body, improve cardiovascular fitness and burn calories. We make great use of our pool by offering the likes of coached lane swimming, adult swimming lessons, children swimming lessons and the popular Aqua Fitness class. Our jacuzzi is also positioned beside our pool, so you can relax and unwind after your swim.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Swimming - Exercise of the Week
As we know, exercises don’t only have to take place in the gym setting with the likes of equipment and weights. Swimming offers a total body exercise and is a function that is often referred to as a life skill. This week we decided to highlight it as our exercise of the week for two reasons. Firstly, Westpark Fitness is home to Ireland’s only stainless steel pool (read why this matters here) and secondly, it is an ideal time for people to learn this skill as summer (and summer holidays) approach!
Swimming

To power your body to move through the water, both your arms and legs are used to support your bodyweight, to balance and float and to propel your movement. Due to this, swimming is known as a full and total body exercise that is great for burning calories and developing stamina. By burning calories, your body is primed to reduce fat deposits which results in a more taut and toned bodily appearance (think of how streamlined professional swimmers look). By developing a longer and stronger stamina, you will be able to spend longer in the pool and increase the amount of quality time completing swimming as exercise.

Knowing the importance and benefits of this exercise, we are proud to offer swimming lessons in Tallaght for both adults and children at Westpark Fitness. Click / Tap here to see all of our swimming lessons and times. Learning this life skill unlocks the potential for you to complete swimming as an exercise – while also being more comfortable and stronger in the water. Why not set yourself a challenge for 2019 with the Swim for a Mile Challenge? Sign up on their website here to start the steps and training required to become strong in your swim skills. Then on Wednesday the 17th of April (at both 6pm-7pm and 7pm-8pm) the Swim for a Mile event will take place at Westpark Fitness. Places are filling up fast, so make sure to visit their website if you are interested!
Learn more about our swimming lessons in Tallaght here.

#### Swiss Ball Jackknife - Exercise of the Week
Using just a Swiss ball and your bodyweight, you can get an effective abdominal exercise with the Swiss ball jackknife. It also helps you work on balance as your abdominal muscles work to maintain the smooth movement of the Swiss ball. Here we show you how to complete it, with instructions and pictures from our premier fitness facility and gym in Tallaght, Dublin 24.
Swiss Ball Jackknife

To begin, get down on all fours and position a Swiss ball behind you. Raise one leg and balance it on top of the Swiss ball. Maintain your balance as you do this with the other leg also - so that both of your legs are resting on it. You should then assume a pushup position with your arms so that only your hands make contact with the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds to get used to it while keeping your balance. To begin the movement, extend your legs so that only your feet are resting on the ball and your body is aligned with a straight spine and neck (i.e. don’t let your hips sag or raise them too much upwards).

When ready, use your feet to roll the ball towards your chest as you bend your knees in towards your chest. Hold this position for a couple of seconds before extending your legs out again. This is one repetition (rep) complete. Note that if you are new to this exercise, it will take a few attempts to complete the movement correctly without losing your balance. This is to be expected, but with time and practice you are sure to master it. Please ask any of our friendly fitness team for help and guidance in completed this Swiss ball jackknife exercise and they can even demonstrate it to you.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Swiss Ball Pike - Exercise of the Week
The Swiss ball pike exercise is a great way to target and tone the abdominal muscles – using only the Swiss ball and your bodyweight. With a specific movement to master, it also works on your balance skills as your muscles have to adapt to maintain the movement as the Swiss ball itself moves on the floor. Learn how to complete it correctly here for an amazing abdominal exercise that you will really feel working with that classic ab crunch feel.
Swiss Ball Pike

Position a Swiss ball behind your legs and then get down on the floor on all fours. Raise one leg and balance it on the ball behind you. When ready, maintain your balance as your also do this with the other leg. Keeping your balance, extend your arms fully so that only your hands are in contact with the floor and you are in a pushup position. Roll the ball backwards a bit until only your feet are resting on it and make sure that your torso stays in a straight aligned position all the way from the neck down to the spine i.e. don’t let your hips sag downwards (see the picture above).

When ready, work to lift your hips as high up into the air as possible so that your body almost forms a ‘V’ shape as seen in the picture above. While doing this, brace your core as if you were about to be punched in the stomach. This engages the abdominal muscles and forces them to work harder because of the movement. All the while, the Swiss ball may move slightly and this is where you will really have to work to maintain balance. Hold the position at the top for a couple of seconds before returning to the start. This is one repetition (rep) complete. Please ask any of our friendly fitness team if you would like any help and guidance with this exercise (they can also demonstrate it for you) and to see what the optimum amount of sets and reps are for you to complete to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### The Benefits of Group Exercise
While many people really enjoying exercising and working out on their own, there are many benefits to group exercise too. From accountability to motivation and support, having a ‘workout buddy’ or exercising with your fellow Westpark Fitness friends can really make a difference when working to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals. If you want to try this too, we have guest passes that your friends or family can purchase so that you can experience exercising in the gym and pool together (classes are not included)!

Accountability
By having someone who goes to the gym with you and relies on you to exercise with them, this adds an aspect of accountability to your workouts. As such, if you decide not to exercise on any particular day; you also jeopardise the planned exercise of those who would have went to the gym with you. With this, you become responsible not just for your own fitness and have an accountability to more than yourself. Luckily for you, Westpark Fitness is a premier fitness facility that you are always sure to enjoy visiting with our modern and spacious gym space, state-of-the-art equipment and Ireland’s only stainless steel swimming pool.

Motivation
Your main motivation when it comes to exercising and working out should be to better yourself and your health and your fitness. Surrounding yourself with others who share the same mindset can only help you to feel this way too and to fuel your workouts in this way. Likewise if your fellow Westpark Fitness friend who you choose to exercise with are feeling low on energy or motivation, you can be the one to spur them onwards when it comes to going to the gym and optimising your time there. As such, one of the major benefits of group exercise is that you can be there for those who you exercise with – just like how they can be there for you too!

Support
Some exercises require two or more people to complete properly and this is where having someone nearby is also helpful. As the saying goes, two minds are better than one and this rings true on the gym floor two. An extra set of eyes can spot if your form or posture needs to be corrected when it comes to some movements. Likewise you may notice an aspect that your ‘gym buddy’ may need to improve on to maintain their health and safety while working out. The support you can receive is a huge benefit of group exercise and you are sure to feel the benefits of this both inside and outside of the gym.
The Benefits of Group Exercise
So if you would like to workout with your Westpark Fitness friends, enquire at reception about our guest passes so that your friends or family can join you too in our gym and pool (classes not included)! Don’t forget that our fitness classes are also a great way to meet new people and workout together too in a supportive environment where everybody is working to reach and maintain their health and fitness goals!

#### The Heart Health 365 Class
We are delighted to add the Heart Health 365 class to our class line-up here at Westpark Fitness. It is aimed at members who are aged 65 and over and is designed to work on their mobility, flexibility, strength and heart health overall.

What will the class be like?
It is held upstairs in our new functional training area and there is lift access available to reach this area if members cannot manage the stairs. Limited to ten members per class, it will be led by our fitness team staff trainer Ger. With decades of experience in the health and fitness industry, Ger specialises in what is known as functional movements – this being the way our bodies move and perform with everyday tasks such as walking and sitting. Those completing the class are also asked to bring their Myzone fitness tracker belts if they have them (if not, demo belts can be provided). Using this fitness tech, your heart rate and wellbeing overall is monitored and maintained over the course of the class.

What will the class exercises be?
The Heart Health 365 class will make use of exercises that work on your mobility, flexibility and strength. There will also be a light cardio element too. Overall the exercises will take what is known as a LIIT approach – this refers to low-intensity interval training and is ideal for those who require more low impact and less rigorous exercise (but still want to effectively move their bodies and feel the challenge and benefits of exercising). As each member will be wearing a Myzone Fitness tracker belt during the class; the class instructor can monitor your heart rate and check your ability level and wellbeing as you complete the exercises and movements.

What does Heart Health 365 mean?
The name of the class refers to how those aged 65 and over can use this class to work on 3 important elements (mobility, flexibility and strength) to help to maintain their heart health 365 days of the year. In this sense, the number 365 relates to both the content of the class and the healthy mindset and ethos to aim to remain fit and healthy all throughout the year.
Heart Health 365 Class
We hope you enjoy our newest class and see and feel the benefits as you move in functional ways and exercise in a way to maintain your heart health. Please ask any of our team should you like any more information on the class (or if you would like to purchase a Myzone fitness tracker belt). You can book your place in the class up to a week in advance on the Westpark Fitness app.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Tips to Sleep Better: Food + Diet
Tips to Sleep Better: Food + Diet
Here at Westpark Fitness, we care for the wellbeing of our members even when they are not onsite with us. This is why we are delighted to publish these ‘Tips to Sleep Better’ blogs to show you ways to optimise your sleep as a way to reach your health and fitness goals. Here we take a look at how food and diet can affect your sleep and offer tips to combat this and overall tips to sleep better.

Food at Night Time
Did you know that even when you are asleep, your body can still feel hungry and crave food? Just like a car needs fuel in its tank to perform any type of driving action, your body needs food to power it through any action – and this can include the action of sleeping. As such, your sleep can be optimised if you have a light snack an hour or two before bed.* This bit of fuel in the tank, so to speak, will provide you with energy while you sleep through to the next morning. Due to this, you are less likely to stir in your sleep and less likely to wake up as your body subconsciously seeks food.
Tip: Have a light snack and hour or two before bed to provide your body with enough energy to power you through the action of sleeping until the next morning.
*Note: This may not be advisable for those who experience acid reflex and / heartburn as these are negative aspects in themselves, as well as negatively affecting your sleep in this instance.

Sleepy Ingredients
Some foods contain ingredients that are processed by the body in a way that can aid with your sleep and keep it from being disrupted. The likes of magnesium, tryptophan, serotonin and melatonin can all play their part and so seeking foods and drinks that contain these can help to optimise your sleep overall. However it must be stated too that there is no one size fits all in that some people may react differently to different foods and drinks and have their sleep affected either for better or worse. As such, perhaps keep a food diary or log to record what works for you and your sleep pattern.
Tip: Learn to identify the foods and drinks that make you feel tired (after ruling out any allergies or intolerances) and incorporate these into your diet as a tip to sleep better.

Caffeine
As we all know, caffeine has a very energising effect on the body and is often specifically used for a boost of energy when the body is feeling drained and sluggish. The likes of tea, coffee and energy drinks are some of the most popular sources of caffeine. In fact such is the prevalence of tea and coffee in modern consumption that de-caffeinated versions of them are also become popular. As such, an obvious tip to sleep better is to avoid these from late afternoon onwards. While caffeine and energy stimulating foods and drinks have their uses, try and limit these to early in the day.
Tip: Limit your caffeine intake and try to avoid it altogether from late afternoon in the day onwards to that your body can naturally become tired and fatigued in time for bed.

By implementing these tips to sleep better into your lifestyle and routine, you are sure to see the benefits of having more quality sleep when it comes to reaching your health and fitness goals. At Westpark Fitness you can also make an appointment with Health Matters, which is based here, to learn more about how your body works and can react to different things. You can also read our tips to sleep better blog about how technology can affect your sleep here.

#### Tips to Sleep Better: Technology
Tips to Sleep Better: Technology
Here at Westpark Fitness, we care for the wellbeing of our members even when they are not onsite with us. This is why we are delighted to publish these ‘Tips to Sleep Better’ blogs to show you ways to optimise your sleep as a way to reach your health and fitness goals. Here we take a look at how technology can affect your sleep and offer tips to combat this and overall tips to sleep better.

Blue Light
Devices such as mobile phones, tablets, computer, laptop and TV screens all emit what is known as ‘blue light’. Blue light is a part of the visible light spectrum that has been linked to inhibiting sleepiness in humans. This is largely due to how the body can perceive this type of light as it is known to trick our internal body clock into thinking that it is still daytime. So by using these types of devices in the run up to bed time, you may feel physically tired but having trouble actually falling asleep.
Tip: Refrain from using these types of devices for at least one hour before you go to bed. Break the bad habits of using the likes of your phone in bed and develop this new habit instead to sleep better.

Apps
While the above is the ideal scenario in terms of not using blue light devices the hour before you fall asleep; there are times when you may simply need to use them in this time. The likes of work commitments and family requirements may dictate this, so all hope is not lost. Apps exist that can block and reduce the amount of blue light emitted so that the effects are not as harmful. These apps can be kept enabled all day too to minimise your blue light exposure.
Tip: Use apps that can minimise / block blue light altogether emitted from your devices overall. Don’t use this as an excuse to keep using these devices up until the moment you go to sleep however.

Alerts
When you do put your devices away for the night, don’t let an alert or message lure you back to using them. Not only can the ping of an alert or message wake you from your sleep (which in itself is bad), but it can also emit more blue light into the room and your line of sight as the screen lights up. While it may not be ideal to put your phone on silent in case people genuinely need to contact you; instead consider disabling notifications for the likes of gaming apps and your social media accounts at night time. Better yet, why not log out of them completely until the next day?
Tip: Make peace with your devices at least one hour before you go to sleep by logging out of apps, games and social media accounts and turning off your notifications from them.

Alarms
It is not always doom and gloom with these devices however – they can have their uses too as part of tips to sleep better. One such way is by using your phone to set an alarm to wake up each morning. It is really beneficial for your internal body clock to wake at the same time each day to get into a healthy and consistent sleep pattern. Not only will this routine optimise your sleep overall as your body gets used to certain rest and sleeping periods; it can help establish a routine in your daily life overall.
Tip: Setting alarms and waking up with them at the same time each day can optimise your sleep as your body gets used to a healthy and consistent sleep pattern.

By implementing these tips to sleep better into your lifestyle and routine, you are sure to see the benefits of having more quality sleep when it comes to reaching your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### Top Tips for Beginners
Top Tips for Beginners

So you have taken some of your valuable time to dedicate to the gym. This is one of the best steps you will make to achieving a healthier, fitter and happier you. When you step through the doors of the gym it may feel a bit daunting at first but take all that energy inside you and make something positive out of it. Here is a list of some of the best tips for beginners to ensure a highly enjoyable and very rewarding lifelong journey.

1: You are not alone!
If you think that you are the only person in the gym with no background in sports or exercise or think that you are the only beginner, then rest assured that you are in the same boat as so many members. You are not expected to learn everything overnight so relax and enjoy your time at the gym.

2: Think positive.
You are doing this in order to achieve the many positive rewards that come from being a gym member such as better fitness level, fat loss, muscle building, adding to your list of friends and simply enjoying the feeling of exercising.  Every time you go to the gym think of all the positive things and remember that is why you are going.

3: Keep it simple!
You may have seen a million videos online of different exercises and are not sure what works or even how to do any of what you have just seen. Don't worry about not knowing what works. Leave this to the professionals (our highly qualified fitness team). Anyone of our trainers will be more than happy to work with you and set goals and show you how to get results while working at a pace that is suitable for you.

4 Classes
Gym goers that take part in classes alongside their own workouts get a lot more out of their gym experience from meeting new people in the same boat as themselves to learning a wealth of information on how to train with correct and safe technique. Classes are for all, from beginners to advanced, so book a class right away.

5: Safe exercise
Safety while training is of the uppermost importance as we wish your journey to the gym to be a happy and injury free one. If you are unsure on the technique of any particular exercise then please do not hesitate in asking one of our trainers on the correct and safe way to execute it. That is if a trainer has not already come over to you and communicated to you politely on how to correct your technique,

 6: Orientations
One to one personal session with our trainers are highly recommended. We will go through a training plan that will be completely at your pace and will get you the results that you came for. Your trainer will also go through an appropriate warm up to get your muscles ready for exercise and also a cool down and some stretching afterwards. As reception for details.

#### Training On Holiday
Training On Holiday
On the build up to a summer holiday, We tend to watch what we eat, how we train and what we look like.
Once your gone away it’s time to take a step back, To relax and forget about everyday life back home.
If training plays a big part in our life, It is more important than you might know, Aswell as keeping you fit it helps release stress, tension and makes you feel fresher on a daily basis.
When we head away we tend to take in a few extra calories via Food, Cocktails etc.
To help you stay on top of all your hard work over the weeks building up to your holiday, Getting active for a few minutes a day on holidays can help burn off some of those unwanted excess calories.
A short jog, Use of the hotels gym, A couple of lengths of the pool, body weight movements on the balcony/beach.
Being active when your away doesn’t have to be a chore, use your imagination and it will actually add to your holiday experience. The other great thing about training when your away is that once you get home, You don’t feel like your starting form scratch, And if your using a Myzone belt your not falling behind on your MEPS.
Here’s the breakdown of each of the exercises. Perform each exercise for 40seconds and take 20 seconds rest before moving to the second exercise. Reaper each round 5 times which adds up to a 20 minute HIIT session.

Burpee
This is a full body exercise used as both a strength and aerobic exercise.

To Person break into 4 steps
Move into squat position with your hands on the ground.
Kick your feet back into a plank position with your hands on the ground.
Immediately return your feet into squat position.
Stand up straight and repeat

Push Up Side Plank

Get into a push-up position on the toes with your hands just outside of shoulder width.
Perform a push up by allowing the elbow to flex. Keeping the body straight.
Do one push-up and as you come up, shift your weight on the left sid rod the body, twist to the side while bringing the right arm up towards the ceiling in a side plank.
Lower the arm back to the floor for another push up and then twist tot he other side.

 
Wide Squat Narrow Squat
This exercise will elevate your heart rate and work all the major muscle groups in the the legs?

Start with feet shoulder width apart and perform a squat jump by lowering the glutes towards the floor and elevating yourself into the air in the way back up pushing through the toes .
As you land bring your feet in closer together and repeat the squat this time with the narrower stance.
Repeat steps 1 and 2.

Bicycle Crunches

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head.
Raise your shoulder blades off the ground and lift your legs off the floor and bend knees to 90 degrees. Then slowly pedal them in the air, alternating them as if riding a bicycle.

#### TRX Chest Press - Exercise of the Week
A great way to target and train the pectoral (chest) muscles with a dynamic range of movement is that of the TRX chest press exercise. Don’t be afraid of the TRX straps if you are new to them. With simple but effective exercises like this, you can get used to them and learn how to set them up for a full body workout using the popular strap apparatus.
TRX Chest Press

Use the clips to set the straps to a long length so that when you are standing up straight, the straps are just below your waist. Grip the handles tightly, raise your heels and keep your toes firmly planted to the floor. Keep your body upwards by extending your arms out straight. With your heels raised off the ground, your body will naturally be held in a diagonal line like can be seen in the picture above. This is the starting position so make sure that you feel solid and comfortable with it before proceeding to the next stage of the exercise movement.

When ready, lower your body towards the floor by bending at the elbows and keeping your heels raised off the floor. You should feel a stretch across your chest at this part of the movement as the pectoral muscles become engaged and work to support your bodyweight. Go as far down low as you can and this is one repetition (rep) of the exercise complete. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement again. As you will see when completing the exercise, your balance skills are also tested as you move in this suspended position.
When it comes to any exercise or piece of equipment in our gym, ask any of our friendly fitness team for help should you need it! They can demonstrate it for you and make sure you complete it correctly to get the most benefit – as well as recommending the optimum amount of sets and reps to complete.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### Try our new Yoga class
What is Yoga for Anxiety?
Do you suffer from anxiety, depression, stress? Are you a perfectionist afraid of making mistakes or failing? Is this stopping you in reaching your goals, developing yourself and going forward? Do you feel trapped, scared? Many of us live our lives rushing through to-do lists, struggling to balance work, family, social life, personal development, or focusing on one of these too much, by missing out on others, feeling tension, worry, stress and anxiety, losing awareness of who we really are and what we really want…

JOIN ME IN MY YOGA JOURNEY TO A HAPPIER SELF.
Yoga for anxiety class is designed to help with mental health, to help you feel stronger, more relaxed, more balanced and happier.
 
 
Get started Now
[btn-cta class="accent" link="https://westpark.ie/class/yoga-for-anxiety/" text="Start Yoga for Anxiety"]
 
 
 

#### Tuna Salad Wrap - Recipe of the Week
While a tuna salad wrap may seem like a simple enough recipe, with Shape My Plan you can be assured that it is as healthy and nutritious as possible to help you reach your health and fitness goals. It combines fish (protein), vegetables (vitamins) and a wrap (fibre) to bring a range of health benefits to you - while also keeping you full and keeping your goals in focus.
Tuna Salad Wrap

Recipe Ingredients

Tuna (100g can in brine or spring water)
Cucumber (four slices)
Red Pepper (three slices)
Tomato (one)
Sweetcorn (one tablespoon)
Reduced Fat Mayonnaise (two teaspoons)
Wholemeal Wrap (one)

Step 1
Drain the can of tuna and place it into a bowl. Chop the slices of pepper, dice the slices of cucumber and slice the tomato until they are all in smaller chunks. Along with the sweetcorn and reduced fat mayonnaise, mix all of these ingredients well together in the bowl.

Step 2
Spread the wholemeal wrap out flat on a plate or chopping board. Note that you can of course use a gluten-free wrap if required. It is also an idea to toast or grill the wrap ever so slightly if you would like to make this a warm / hot dish to enjoy. Spoon the mixture into the middle of the wrap.

Step 3
Roll the wrap up tightly - making sure that none of the filling escapes from each of the ends. Cut it in half and it is ready to serve, eat and enjoy!

Simple to make, tasty to eat and beneficial for your body, what’s not to like about this tuna salad wrap? It is one of the hundreds of recipes available on the Shape My Plan app. The app also contains tailored meal plans for your goals and a food intake tracker to optimise your nutrition. This can be yours for only €4 per month as a Westpark Fitness member - usually €12 per month!
Interested in getting Shape My Plan? Enquire at reception or see here!

#### Turkey Rasher Toast - Recipe of the Week
We aim to bring you recipes that are delicious, nutritious and healthy all at once. This makes them ideal to help you both reach and maintain your health and fitness goals with Westpark Fitness. Our recipe of the week this week is turkey rasher toast - a filling carbohydrate and protein hit that will help you sustain energy and build and repair lean muscle mass.
Turkey Rasher Toast

Recipe Ingredients List

Turkey Rashers (four)
Cherry Tomatoes (four)
Eggs (two)
Ciabatta Roll (one)
Avocado (one)
Lettuce Leaves (handful)
Olive Oil (dash)
Vinegar (dash)
Lime Juice (dash)

Step 1
Cut the ciabatta roll in half so that you can add the fillings to it. Toast it lightly so that the bread has a slight crunch to it. Mash up the avocado in a bowl and add a dash of fresh lime juice to it. You can also add some salt and pepper to it too if you wish for flavour.

Step 2
Bring a pot of water to the boil on the hob and add a dash of vinegar to it - ideally use white vinegar here if possible. Using a fork, carefully swirl the water around (making sure to not scald yourself) to create a swirling vortex within the pot. Crack an egg into it to poach it as the hot water should swirl around to cook the egg. Leave it swirling for two minutes and then let it remain in the boiling water for a further few minutes before removing it. Repeat this with the second egg.

Step 3
Add a dash of olive oil to a frying pan and once it heats up, add the four turkey rashers to the pan. Cook these for a couple of minutes on each side so that they are cooked through and begin to become slightly crispy and golden brown.

Step 4
Toast the ciabatta lightly so that the bread has a slight crunch to it. Next, spread the avocado on the ciabatta, add in the turkey rashers and poached eggs and garnish with some lettuce leaves of your choice. Add the cherry tomatoes to your plate or within the ciabatta if you wish for a sweet and succulent addition that completes the ingredients perfectly.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Turkish Getup - Exercise of the Week
You may have heard of the Turkish getup exercise and / or may have seen some people completing it in the gym. It is a movement with many steps and while watching someone perform it you may not see clearly what muscles it works; it is actually a full body exercise that works most of the muscles in some way. With may steps to complete to do this somewhat complex exercise correctly; it can take up to sixty seconds to complete. Learn the steps to this powerful exercise here.
Turkish Getup

To start, select a kettlebell (or dumbbell) with a weight that you can easily manage. When you become more proficient with this exercise, you can increase the weight as needed – this is called progressive overload and is a key factor in strength and muscle mass gains. Lie down on the floor and position the kettlebell up near your shoulder. Grip the handle with one hand and the kettlebell itself with your other hand as you prepare to lift it off the ground.

Turn over so that your back is lying flat on the floor and extend your arm straight up so that you are holding the kettlebell directly above you. Note the position of your legs also here as the leg on the same side of the kettlebell should have the foot flat on the floor while the either leg stays straight down on the floor.

Using your free hand, firmly place your hand flat on the floor to anchor your body as your other hand reaches for the ceiling. Your torso should naturally follow this movement so that you are in a position where you are beginning to stand up fully. See the picture above as to how this should look – taking note of where each of your hands and feet should be placed.

Next, lift your hips up off the floor and pivot the kettlebell that you are holding so that your balance remains. To correctly complete this part of the movement, your leg that was flat to the floor will also have to come upwards so that you can use your heel / foot to balance on the floor.

With this foot that has just come upwards to help with balance, you will next sweep this backwards so that you come to kneel just under your shoulder. Make sure at all times to keep the kettlebell aloft with your arm extended fully straight towards the ceiling.

Take your hand up from the floor and turn your body so that you are down on one knee. It is important at this stage of the movement especially to not let your hips or back sag – keeping them strong and stable while you continue to support the weight of the kettlebell that remains in the air.

Lastly then, drive your body upwards to stand up straight and tall; all the while keeping the kettlebell directly above with your arm straight in the air. This is one repetition of the Turkish getup complete! But it is only one side – you will also need to hold the kettlebell in the opposite hand to work the other side of your body too for a true full body workout from this super exercise.
As you can see, there are many steps and movements to consider to complete the Turkish getup correctly. We hope that this blog post helps you as a guide, but do of course always feel free to ask any of our friendly fitness team for a demonstration of it and to assess your form when doing it too.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Tyre Flip Exercise - Exercise of the Week
This week we bring you instructions on how to correctly and safely complete the tyre flip exercise using the foam tyres that can be found in the Westpark Fitness gym. While this may seem daunting at first, it is in fact a great compound movement to work towards achieving. A compound movement refers to an exercise that works multiple parts and muscles of your body at once (whereas an isolation movement only works a single part at once). Note that this exercise requires enough space all around you on the gym floor to accommodate for the movement of the tyre.
Tyre Flip Exercise

To begin, both your feet and hips should be shoulder-width apart while you push your hips out backwards. At the same time, make sure to brace your core (imagine you were about to be punched in the stomach) and to keep your back flat. Use your hands to grip the underside of the tyre as you mentally prepare for the movement of the exercise. You will need to bring a lot of power to this movement as you drive upwards through your hips to lift the tyre off the floor. When the tyre is almost standing up straight on the floor, switch to a pushing motion so that the tyre can be pushed down onto the ground in front of you (the final part of the flipping movement).

The main lifting part of the tyre flip exercise works your back, glute and leg muscles as they support the weight of the tyre and engage and exert during the lifting phase. After the exercise has been completed, you will have also engaged and exerted your abdominal, arm and chest muscles (especially during the pushing part of the exercise). Do of course ask any of our friendly fitness team if you would like any assistance or even a demonstration of this exercise and they will be happy to help.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your FREE tour here!

#### V02 Max Testing with Health Matters
After having her metabolic testing completed with Health Matters (located in Westpark Fitness) back in April; here our assistant manager Alison discusses her follow-up visit to learn more about how her body works best and how her exercises, nutrition and routines can be tailored to her goals. She met again with Seán and this time completed V02 testing to get a broader understanding of her physiological make up and what she needed to do to continue to reach and maintain her fitness goals.
V02 Max Testing at Westpark Fitness

Alison started by reviewing her metabolic testing from April and reflecting to where she had come. As you can hear in her own words, she could identify some gaps in her training (specifically her preferred type of training) that needed to change: “I had the metabolic test done in April with the goal of losing some weight and finding out what my daily calorie intake should be. Since then I have lost some weight but my metabolism has gone down by 10% which is not good. This also means I have to consume 200 calories less per day if I want to lose weight. Working in the gym environment, I know that a big factor in boosting metabolism is having a certain amount of muscle mass. As I don’t do any strength training, I know this is where I need to focus to increase my metabolism. The more muscle we have the more calories we burn and my training consists of cardio only - two spin classes per week and three 10km walks on a good week . . .”

At Health Matters, Seán explained to her that knowing her V02 max can help to see how hard she could push her body and if she had been doing this correctly for the results she wanted. As a V02 max test assesses how much oxygen-rich blood your heart can pump around your body, it can reveal how efficient your muscles are at using this oxygen and if they need to be conditioned to improve performance and (ultimately) get the desired results from exercising: “My VO2 max test put me in the excellent range for VO2 max but I am conditioned for doing hard intervals (like in my spin classes) but my recovery is not great. I can’t go from a hard heart rate zone back to a recovery zone very quickly, so this needs to improve. I wanted to get this test done to see what heart rate zones I am purely burning fat and when I have gone into burning glycogen - I can monitor this easily through my Myzone tracker. This was really interesting as it shows that if I want to burn fat I don’t have to be pushing myself so hard in my cardio workouts. This in turn will help with recovery.”

Armed with even more knowledge of not just how the human body works, but specifically how her own body responds to different levels and intensity of exercise, Alison was empowered in knowing what to do next. With these results, you can put into a place a plan that is backed by science and tailored just for you to both reach and maintain your health and fitness goals: “I have since booked in with Eddie from the fitness team and he has given me a two day weight training programme concentrating on hypertrophy with compound exercises. Time is a factor for me with two young children, so I will do two forty-minute weight sessions per week along with two spin classes and two 10km walks in my lower heart rate zone. Seán from Health Matters explains all of this so well and it really makes you think about why you are training. You need to change your training to get a different result. It was the perfect motivation and encouragement that I needed to get me strength training.”
Health Matters is based here in Westpark Fitness and you can book in with them to get your own metabolic testing, V02 max testing and more! You don’t have to be a Westpark Fitness member to book in with Health Matters. Learn more about them on their website here and contact Seán on 086 100 6088 or e-mail sean@myhealthmatters.ie

#### Vegetable Pasta Bake - Recipe of the Week
Who said meals can’t be both tasty and healthy? This vegetable pasta bake recipe from Shape My Plan gives you the best of both worlds. A great and filling option for dinner, you could also separate it into portions for lunch too!
Vegetable Pasta Bake

Recipe Ingredients List
• Wholemeal Pasta (200g)
• Mushrooms (eight)
• Green Pepper (one)
• Onion (one)
• Garlic (two cloves)
• Tomatoes (one tin)
• Tomato Puree (two tablespoons)
• Wholemeal Breadcrumbs (three tablespoons)
• Vegetable Oil (one tablespoon)
• Mixed Herbs (one teaspoon)
• Cheese Sauce (575ml)

Step 1
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C or 180°C if you are using a fan oven. Dice up the mushrooms, pepper and onion and crush the two cloves of garlic. Heat the vegetable oil in the frying pan and once it is heated up, fry the mushrooms, pepper, onion and garlic together for five minutes.

Step 2
Next, add the tin of tomatoes, the tomato puree, the mixed herbs and if you would like (to taste), you can also add a little black pepper. Reduce the heat slightly and then allow this mixture to simmer for twenty minutes.

Step 3
Follow the instructions on the packaging to cook the wholemeal pasta. After it is cooked and you drain the water, add the vegetable mix to the pasta. Stir this together and cook it gently for two to three minutes.

Step 4
Put this pasta and vegetable mix into a casserole dish and then cover it with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the grated breadcrumbs over the top and you can also sprinkle over some grated cheese if you wish. Bake this in the pre-heated oven for ten to fifteen minutes – then serve and enjoy!

Thank you once again to Shape My Plan for another great recipe idea. An extremely useful recipe, information and nutrition tracking app, Shape My Plan is available to Westpark Fitness Members for only €4 per month (usually €12 per month)!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? 
Book a free tour of our premier fitness facility here.

#### Vegetable Scrambled Eggs - Recipe of the Week
Upgrade the standard, yet scrumptious, dish of scrambled eggs with the addition of some healthy and tasty vegetables. This makes for a meal that is basic in all the best ways – simple to make with ingredients you are sure to have at home. Perhaps best of all, you are sure to enjoy this comfort food while the protein it contains helps to keep you feeling full and build your lean muscle mass.
Vegetable Scrambled Eggs

Recipe Ingredients List
⦁ Cherry Tomatoes (twelve)
⦁ Eggs (six)
⦁ Large Mushrooms (four)
⦁ Red Peppers (two)
⦁ Wholemeal Pittas (four)
⦁ Low Fat Milk
⦁ Low Fat Butter
⦁ Black Pepper

Step 1
Preheat the grill. Slice up your peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms and then place these on a tray under the grill. Grill them for between four to five minutes – turning them over once so that they grill evenly.

Step 2
Whisk the eggs together with a dash of low fat milk (about four tablespoons).

Step 3
In a non-stick frying pan, melt two teaspoons of low fat butter and add the eggs. Keep stirring this until the eggs are scrambled – making sure that they are fully cooked but do not become too rough and ‘rubbery’. Add the grilled peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms and cook for a few more seconds.

Step 4
Warm the pitta breads under the grill and when ready, serve them with your vegetable scrambled eggs. Season with black pepper to taste if you would like.

This recipe is brought to you by Shape My Plan – an amazing app filled with recipes, food plans and even a food intake tracker to help you meet and maintain your health and fitness goals. Usually €12 per month, it is available to Westpark Fitness members for only €4 per month!
Want to get Shape My Plan? Enquire at reception or click / tap here.

#### Vegetarian Breakfast Bake - Recipe of the Week
This vegetarian breakfast bake is healthy way to start your day – but you can also make it as a snack or lunch option too. It combines the lean protein of eggs with nutritious vegetables that are baked together for a tasty meal that will really feel like a treat.
Vegetarian Breakfast Bake

Recipe Ingredients List

Eggs (three)
Tomatoes (two)
Mushrooms (two medium)
Spinach (100g)
Garlic (half a clove clove)
Olive Oil (one tbsp)

Step 1
Heat the oven to 180° and dice up the tomatoes and mushrooms. Add these to an ovenproof dish (or even a couple of ramekins) along with the half garlic clove (thinly sliced), the olive oil and optional salt and pepper for seasoning. Bake this in the oven for ten minutes.

Step 2
Place the spinach leaves into a colander and pour boiling water over them to make them wilt. Drain and squeeze out any excess water, chop the leaves a bit so they become smaller and then add them to the dish along with the tomatoes and mushrooms (after you have removed it from the oven).

Step 3
Using a spoon, make some gaps in between the current contents of the dish and then crack the two eggs into the dish. Use the spoon to ensure the egg mixes through with the ingredients and then return to the oven to cook for a further eight to ten minutes (or until the egg is cooked to your liking). Serve and enjoy!

Complete in three simple steps, this vegetarian breakfast bake recipe is quick to make and serves you with a healthy protein and vegetable hit. Discover even more recipes like this (along with tailored meal plans, a food intake tracker and more) on the Shape My Plan app. This Irish-owned app is available to Westpark Fitness members for the discounted rate of only €4 per month.
Want to learn more about Shape My Plan? Enquire at reception or click / tap here!

#### Virtual Aqua Fitness with Hydrohex
We are delighted to be able to offer our members a Virtual Aqua Fitness class with the Hydrohex technology here at Westpark Fitness. At our swimming pool (which is one of only a couple of stainless steel pools in all of Ireland!) you will see we have a big television screen with a blue remote control holder in front of it at the pool. You can use this to select a class to complete with the aid of the instructors who complete the movements on screen for you to replicate in the pool.

Note that the class can be completed in two ways. The first are scheduled classes which you can book your place into on the Westpark Fitness app (places can be booked up to seven days in advance). The second option is the on-demand option whereby once nobody else is completing an Aqua Fitness or a Virtual Aqua Fitness class, you are free to use the remote control to select the class you would like to complete. Note that if you are completing an on-demand virtual class and a scheduled class is about to begin, a countdown timer will appear on the screen to let you know when the scheduled class is due to take over.

Some examples of classes that you can complete with the Hydrohex software at the pool include Cardio (take your endurance to the next level), Power (full body workout with dedicated muscle moves), Move (to support core strength and mobility) and Beat (lift your heart rate and improve coordination at once). Like with our traditional Aqua Fitness class, you can expect to burn up to 250 calories or more per Virtual Aqua class. If you have a Myzone Switch device, you can also wear this when completing the classes to earn meps as the device is waterproof and therefore suitable to wear for any type of Aqua Fitness class and when swimming too!
Virtual Aqua Fitness with Hydrohex
In another first for Westpark Fitness, we were the first gym in Ireland to get this Hydrohex software last year in 2022 and our members and new members alike continue to love it! You can read our case study on the Hydrohex website here. Interested in joining Westpark Fitness? You can click / tap here to book a FREE tour!

#### Walnut Protein Smoothie - Recipe of the Week
The vivid green colour of this smoothie signals the healthy benefits within it. A nutritional boost for your diet and body, this walnut protein smoothie also contains a scoop of protein powder to help you maintain and build lean muscle mass. This recipe comes from Shape My Plan – the innovative app filled with tailored recipes, tips and a nutrition tracker which Westpark Fitness members can get for only €4 per month (usually €12 per month).
Walnut Protein Smoothie

Recipe Ingredients List
• Banana (one)
• Apple (half)
• Avocado (half)
• Walnuts (90g)
• Spinach (20g)
• Protein Powder (one scoop)
• Coconut Oil (one tablespoon)
• Strawberries (optional)

Step 1
Cut up the banana, the apple, the avocado and the spinach leaves into smaller chunks so that they are easier to blend together.

Step 2
To help the walnuts to blend easier too, seal them in a food bag and then crush them with the likes of a rolling pin or meat tenderiser.

Step 3
Add all of the above ingredients together into a blender and blend them along with a scoop of protein powder (unflavoured or vanilla flavoured are among the best options here) and the tablespoon of coconut oil.

Step 4
You may wish to chop up some strawberries and add them to the smoothie before drinking – simply to add some sweetness to the mix.

This walnut protein smoothie is a great way to add some variety to your smoothie recipes while still remaining tasty, healthy and full of benefits. Thanks once again to Shape My Plan for yet another recipe idea!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### Weight Loss Success Stories at Westpark Fitness
This year we started our Transformation Tuesday campaign which sees us highlight members who have submitted before and after pictures of their fitness journey. These serve as inspirational and real-life accounts as to how Westpark Fitness can help to reach and maintain your goal weight, fitness level or more! Here we take a look at some of our weight loss success stories and how Westpark Fitness helped. You can view all of our success stories on our website here.

Glenn lost over seven stone with his exercise and workouts and says that “Westpark was the secret to my success. I managed to keep it off over the next 18 months up until now, thanks to regular workouts at what I consider to be the best gym around.” He credits our team and new member plan with setting him on the right track from the start and understanding his needs and working with them to not only reach and maintain his health and fitness goals, but also to restore his confidence “I got an initial assessment, a diet plan and an achievable routine from . . . the trainers I worked with. For the first time last summer, I felt confident on the beach and happy in myself.”

Rosie wanted somewhere that she could rely on to both support and motivate her on her weight loss journey and as you can see from her before and after pictures above, she is a shining example of one of our weight loss success stories. In her words “I honestly can’t speak highly enough of the gym and trainers and how much it has helped me become a fitter and stronger person but mostly helped me believe in myself and my ability to achieve anything I set my mind to, even when it is hard . . . ESPECIALLY when it is hard. Do yourself a favour and sign up, you won’t look back.” This is one of the ways you experience the difference – we are there for you at every step of the way!

Paul managed to lose 13kg and change his body fat percentage from 17% to 13%. He actively enjoys maintaining his body and genuinely looks forward to learning more and more about health and fitness as he knows that this is a journey for life (and that is why we are your gym for life). As he explains “In the last year I knuckled down with the help of their staff to get my body to a point of where I’m comfortable and all the while enjoying my fitness and increasing my knowledge to help me improve. I couldn’t have done this without the help of . . . all the staff of Westpark Fitness!” Westpark Fitness are your gym for life where you will always experience the difference.

Rosanna had taken early retirement from work and was unhappy with being a size 18. So joining Westpark Fitness was one of the best decisions she made in terms of using her time wisely and reaching and maintaining her health and fitness goals! In her words: “I can’t recommend Westpark Fitness enough, it was a lifesaver for me! I continue to go and . . . I am healthier and happier now. While it was daunting at first, everyone made me feel very welcome and I got to meet the trainers and they are amazing.” For all of our members, we offer a free workout assessment every six weeks to keep you on track with your health and fitness journey.
Weight Loss Success Stories
As you can see with these examples, there are many weight loss success stories at Westpark Fitness. From our trainers to equipment, to our classes, pool, fitness tech, opening hours (and more!) – we have everything you need to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals for life.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Weight Plate Halo - Exercise of the Week
For our exercise of the week this week, we show you how to utilise weight plates, away from the likes of the barbell and EZ curl bar, with the weight plate halo exercise. Consider the weight plates as a different type of dumbbell or kettlebell as they are a disc-shaped weight that often requires you to hold them with two hands to keep in control of the weight plate and gain the most benefits from exercises and movements that use them.
Weight Plate Halo

To start, grip the weight plate on each side with your hands and hold it straight out in front of you (some weight plates have handles on them with room for your hands for this purpose). Make sure that you are comfortable with the actual weight of the plate and are confident to move it around. As with any weight bearing exercise, it is safer to work with a weight that you can control to avoid injury and strain.
Maintain correct posture, keep your legs about shoulder width apart and then raise the weight plate above your head with both arms (your arms should extend fully straight). Moving both arms, bring the weight plate down past your right shoulder, down just past your hips and then back up over your left shoulder. In this way, the weight plate should complete a circular movement and pass around your head like a halo. Repeat this movement in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions for your desired number of repetitions and sets.

This is a great exercise to both mobilise the shoulders and add muscle mass to them. When correct form is maintained and stabilised by the abdominal muscles; they too receive some subtle benefits by staying braced and tight to help you control the movement of the weight plate.
Want to join a premier fitness facility such as Westpark Fitness to reach your health and fitness goals? Click / Tap here to book a tour.

#### Weighted Lunge - Exercise of the Week
The weighted lunge exercise is a great way to combine free weights (in this case dumbbells or kettlebells) with bodyweight movement for a great lower body exercise. An exercise that you are sure to feel working, it targets the muscles of your lower body including the legs, hips and glutes. Learn how to complete it here with pictures of our fitness team from within Westpark Fitness.
Weighted Lunge

To begin, stand with a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand keeping your feet under your hips and keeping your chest high. Like with any exercise, use weights that are heavy enough for you to manage - you can increase the weights as you become more proficient with the exercise. When ready, lunge back and lower your body by flexing your front knee until the knee of your back leg almost touches the floor - make sure to keep your torso as upright as possible.

Return to the starting position by driving upwards from your front knee and hip. Repeat by alternating the lunge with opposite leg. Note that some people like to do this exercise as if they are walking in a straight line and move forward with each lunge; while others prefer to say in one fixed position and just alternate the leg that is lunging each time. To make sure that both legs receive equal amounts of attention with this exercise, only count it as one repetition (rep) complete when you have completed the lunge motion on both legs.
If you need any help at all or wish to have the weighted lunge exercise shown and demonstrated to you; please feel free to ask any of our friendly fitness team! They can also advise on the optimum amount of sets and reps to complete to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals!
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Westpark Fitness Christmas 2019 Hike
It’s coming up to that time of year again when we have our Christmas 2019 hike for Westpark Fitness members and their friends and family! It is a great way to embrace the great outdoors together during the winter months and has become a popular tradition here at Westpark Fitness. Here we explain all the details of the hike and if you are interested in coming, contact Alison on either fitness@westpark.ie or 0879574514
Westpark Fitness Christmas 2019 Hike

The Hike – Glendalough
The hike will take place at Glendalough (starting at 9:15am) and it will be on a track the whole way. As such hiking boots are not essential, but they are still useful so please feel free to wear them if you like. Either way, wear footwear that is secure and will keep your feet dry. For those of you who have not been there before, Glendalough is one of the most scenic locations in Ireland and is popular with hiking enthusiasts of all abilities. The hike itself will take between two and a half to three hours to complete. Note that the hike is free to attend.

Christmas Meal – The Hollywood Inn
After the hike then, we will be having a Christmas meal in The Hollywood Inn, County Wicklow from 2pm – 5pm. A nice and festive way to relax and refuel after the hike. This will cost €25 per head. Note that this is optional and you can just attend the hike instead if you prefer. But if you and your friends / family are interested in attending for the Christmas meal too; please let us know as soon as you can so that we can confirm numbers for the meal.
To book in for the hike, meal or both; contact Alison on fitness@westpark.ie or 0879574514 – we can’t wait to bring the fitness outdoors and celebrate at this festive time of year!

#### Westpark Fitness Team Building Days
To make sure we remain leaders in health and happiness for our amazing members, we often complete team building days, exercises and workshops to strengthen our bond and skills even more. It is important for us to perform exceptionally well together as a team and give our all to our members with a real team effort. Across June and July 2026 we completed these team building days at the beautiful Avon Rí resort in County Wicklow. This was a fun and useful way to collaborate as a team outside of the gym setting!

The days began with a relaxing 11km walk through the forests and waterways of the resort. This was not a hike, but moreso a walking and talking exercise where the team relaxed and mingled - a great break from smartphones and a great chance to be immersed in nature with the particularly good weather we have been having lately. While 11km can seem like a lot, the morning glided by at an easy pace and before we knew it we were back at the resort.

Lunch was then served with a delicious variety of hot and cold options laid out for the team. Not only did this help us all to recharge, it also allowed us to refuel ahead of the intense afternoon that was to come . . . We then made our way to a large room which was dedicated to a three hour guided breathwork and meditation session to learn more about the Wim Hof Method and try the exercises and techniques that have become world-famous. This can at once be a relaxing, releasing and a revolutionary experience for those who complete it, with a range of feelings and emotions washing over you.

The breathwork exercises and techniques learned at this session were then put to the test as the team then completed ice baths together. The goal was to spend at least two minutes immersed in the icy cold water, utilising the breath and focus to remain composed, comfortable and in control despite the natural urge to leave the icy waters of the baths. There was a great sense of camaraderie in the air as the team cheered each other on and encouraged each other to complete the tricky task.

On their day the management team worked together to brave the beautiful Blessington lakes and we are happy to report that nobody went overboard! These were great days (featuring some great weather too!) with our fantastic team feeling the benefits straightaway and carrying this energy into everything they do here at Westpark Fitness.

A huge thanks to both Alison and Michael from New Level (https://newlevel.ie/) for organising these fantastic days along with Aaron from Slow and Steady (https://slowandsteady.ie/) who teaches the Wim Hof Method and coached the team through the breathwork and ice bath sessions!

#### Westpark Fitness Triathlon, Duathlon and Aquathon
Our triathlon and duathlon is back for 2023! We are also delighted to introduce for the first time this year our brand new aquathon too! Both events are being held in aid of The Irish Cancer Society in memory of Brian Kane (pictured in the image below). If you would like to donate to our fundraiser, you can so through our page on JustGiving here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/westpark-fitness

Triathlon and Duathlon
Being held on Saturday the 11th of March, this will be our first indoor triathlon and duathlon since March 2019. A brilliant event for our members to get involved in to both raise money for a great cause and as a way to focus on your training in January. There will be relay options for the triathlon and you can see the distances on the posters all around Westpark Fitness. Note: This year we are allowing children over the age of 10 to swim as part of a relay team. This is the only part children can do, the rest of the team members need to be over age 18. The event is open to both members and non-members of Westpark Fitness. Entry is €40 for an individual or €60 for a relay team and you must pay to enter. Entries open from today (Monday the 9th of January), so please come to our reception if you wish to register and take part. There will be prizes for each category and a prize for the person who raises the most money.

Aquathon
Coming on Friday the 10th of March, we will be hosting our first Aquathon in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. If you wish to take part, you will be completing ‘20 lengths for €20’ - and you can choose to either swim or walk the lengths of the pool if you like. Entries open from today (Monday the 9th of January), so please come to our reception if you wish to register and take part.  We will also have a prize draw for spot prizes on the day too!

#### What are Compound and Isolation Exercises?
Through your exercising and workouts, you may have heard of both compound and isolation exercises. These work the body in different ways and target different muscle groups at a time to help you reach and maintain your health and fitness goals. Here we explain the difference between the two and also give you examples of each.

Compound Exercises
These are exercises and movements that recruit a number of different muscle groups at once. This means that a compound exercise may work both the back and shoulder muscles at the same time for example when they are being completed. Compound exercises are great to work on your full body fitness due to this and are arguably quite challenging due to the effort your body must exert to complete them. Due to this, they are great to both build muscle all over your body and also to lose weight and tone up as the energy expanded to complete them can make for a great calorie burn. Examples of compound exercises would include barbell deadlifts, barbell squats and pull-ups.

Isolation Exercises
The opposite to the above, isolation exercises (like the name suggest) only focuses on one or individual muscles at a time. They are ideal to focus on a particular area of the body you are looking to build up or target – such as the bicep or glute muscles for example. Isolation exercises also work well if you are looking to strengthen a particular part of your body and are often used in recovering from an injury before compound exercises can be completed again. Examples of isolation exercises would include ab crunches, hammer curls and the shoulder press.
Compound and Isolation Exercises
Please ask any of our friendly fitness team if you ever need help with any of your exercises and workouts. They are always happy to help you to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals. Remember too that you get a free workout review every six weeks with our fitness team to make sure you are staying on the right track.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### What is Aqua Fitness?
What is Aqua Fitness?
Aqua aerobics is aerobics exercises performed in our shallow water pool, using the water as resistance and for extra resistance paddles and noodles.
Aqua Aerobics helps build cardiovascular stamina, strength and flexibility. It also to helps burn body fat and increase circulation to help you rehabilitate healing muscles and joints.
Exercise in the water can be more effective than land-based exercises for people with injuries or rehabilitating muscles, by placing resistance on your muscles yet has a fraction of the stress and strain on your body.
 

Top 5 benefits of Aqua:

The water helps support the body, so there’s less stress
Working out in the water helps build strength using the resistance of the water
The water pressure puts less stress on the heart by moving blood around the body
The impact is less in the water, allowing a greater range of motion
Working out in the water helps prevent overheating, so you can exercise for longer!

Bonus Benefit!
It’s fun! We try to use music that will keep you moving and even singing along!
 

When it's on?
Our Aqua Aerobics classes are on very frequently during the week!
We have classes on:

Monday morning 9.30am
Tuesday morning and evening 10 am and 7.05pm
Wednesday morning 9.30am
Thursday morning and evening 10 am and 7.05pm
Friday morning 9.30am

 

 
Who should take part?
Aqua is a great class for a wide range of people!
It’s great for anyone with any sort of injuries or restrictions, pregnant women, over 55’s, anyone who enjoys the water, anyone uncomfortable training upstairs in the gym, anyone looking for a fun workout with fun music in the water!
What it consists of?
Aqua aerobics consists of moves pushing in the water using water for resistance. We also use paddles and noodles as an option to increase the resistance to make the moves more challenging.
Expect to burn between 400-500 calories per hour in an aqua aerobics class!
Even with a great calorie burn some of our instructors might even have simple choreographed dances for extra fun!
 
 
Get started Now
[btn-cta class="accent" link="https://westpark.ie/class/aqua-fitness/" text="Start Aqua Fitness"]
 
 
 

#### What is Cardio Kickboxing?
What is Cardio Kickboxing?
We have teamed up with World Kickboxing Champion & Martial Arts master Liam to bring you a cutting-edge approach to Cardio Kickboxing. The moves are Real, the effort is Total and the outcome is one great workout.
You won't believe how quickly you pick up the moves and the time flies as you perform stances, punches, knees and kicks. Kickboxing your way to a high level of fitness and all over body conditioning.
Liam’s personal motto is “Don’t hope for it work for it” and he has put together a comprehensive class that’s guaranteed to appeal to those who wish to try martial arts moves in a safe and fun environment. This high energy workout challenges the beginner and elite athlete alike.
Build stamina, improve coordination and flexibility, and burn calories as you build lean muscle with this fun and challenging workout and Liam will be there to support, encourage and push you towards your best workout every time.

Who is it for? 
Cardio Kickboxing is a good fitness choice for those looking to burn calories, for weight loss and to improve stamina and heart health.
 

People who become easily bored with stationary cardio equipment like treadmills and stair steppers will enjoy the fast pace and new movements in a cardio kickboxing class.
 
 
Get started Now
[btn-cta class="accent" link="https://westpark.ie/class/cardio-kickboxing/" text="Start Cardio Kickboxing"]
 
 
 

#### What is Repetitive Strain Injury?
This is an injury caused by overuse and repetition - when the likes of your muscles are used again and again, over and over in the same way. Ranging from uncomfortable to painful, repetitive strain injury can also be felt in the tendons and nerves too.
Repetitive Strain Injury

What causes it?
As the name suggests, it is caused by repeating exercises and movement patterns to the point where they become an unhealthy (and physically imposing) pattern. If these exercises and movements are repeatedly completed with incorrect form and posture, repetitive strain injury can occur sooner and at a more intense level. So in your workout routine for example, consistently completing the same exercises week in week out can be a cause.

How is it treated?
With any injury and ailment, the best advice can be received from your doctor and in this more physical scenario; a physiotherapist can also help. Due to the nature and cause of the injury, by breaking the cycle and stopping the repeat movement, this may also alleviate symptoms. Likewise if you habitually choose to complete the exact same fitness classes all the time, choosing a different option can make a world of difference to move in a new, less painful way.

What to do next?
Luckily for you, Westpark Fitness is home to a wide range of fitness options, equipment and classes so that you are never stuck having to do the same thing forever. So if you normally gravitate between only a few machines and / or only ever complete the same free weight movements; talk to any of our friendly fitness team. They will be able to guide you through a new set of exercises to help keep repetitive strain injury at bay while also working your body in new movements and ways to spur on the likes of fat loss and muscle gain. With a range of classes held every day of the week too - you should try something new and feel the benefits as your body works to adapt and move in fresh ways that help to reach your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### What will you gain from anabolic steroids?
Here at Westpark Fitness, we support the Zero Gains #zerogains initiative by the HPRA (Health Products Regulatory Authority). This aims to educate people on the negative side effects of taking performance enhancing substances such as anabolic steroids - along with the very serious health risks and proven link to this that has been studied and established. We champion our members to reach and maintain their health and fitness goals without needing to take any substances that can be harmful to their physical and mental health in both the short term and long term. While there are many gym and sports supplements which are proven to be perfectly safe, studied, effective and popular; the use of anabolic steroids is illegal for a reason. In general:

Male steroid users can experience adverse side effects including:

The growing of breasts colloquially called ‘man boobs’
Erectile dysfunction and shrinkage of testicles
Infertility and reduced sperm count
Stomach cramps and pain

Female steroid users can experience adverse side effects including:

Excess hair growth on both the face and body
Voice can become deeper and huskier
Problems associated with periods
Shrinkage of breasts

Younger and teenager users can experience:

Premature ageing of the bones
Stunted growth and height

The following negative side effects can also occur for all steroid users:

Increase in high cholesterol and the risk of blood clots
Severe acne on both the face and body
High blood pressure and heart failure
Hair thinning, hair loss and baldness
Kidney problems and fluid retention
Liver damage

In tandem with the physical side effects as mentioned above, there are also a host of emotional and mental negative side effects which can also develop if you use and therefore alter the natural processes and chemical and hormonal makeup of your body by taking steroids.
This can include:

Aggression, depression, mood swings and violence (‘roid rage’)
Problems sleeping as your sleep cycle is altered
Increase in irritability and manic behaviour
Hallucinations
Delusions

What will you gain from anabolic steroids?
Knowing all of the above, it becomes clear as to why the HPRA have named this campaign ‘Zero Gains’ as it shows that there is really no logical benefit to taking anabolic steroids due to the bevy of physical and mental health drawbacks which can be life-threatening and can affect users for their entire lives. There is a reason that anabolic steroids are illegal and we support the HPRA in their crusade to educate the public about this hugely harmful aspect of enhancing performance. For more information you can visit their website here: www.zerogains.ie and www.sportireland.ie/anti-doping

#### Wholemeal Raisin Pancakes - Recipe of the Week
Looking for a healthy way to start your day? This wholemeal raisin pancakes from Shape My Plan is just the thing for you. If you are not a fan of raisins you can choose to leave these out of the recipe if you prefer.
Wholemeal Raisin Pancakes

Recipe Ingredients List

Raisins (if using) (125g)
Wholemeal Plain Flour (110g)
Soft Brown Sugar (one tablespoon)
Ground Cinnamon (one and a half teaspoons)
Baking Powder (one teaspoon)
Bicarbonate of Soda (half a teaspoon)
Eggs (two)
Semi-Skimmed Milk (250mls)

Step 1
If using raisins, place them in a bowl and, pour in 250ml of boiling water and then cover the bowl. Leave these to steep for between one to two hours and then drain well.

Step 2
Sift the wholemeal plain flour into a large bowl and following this, sift in the soft brown sugar, ground cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda too.

Step 3
Make a well in the centre of the sifted dry ingredients, mix the eggs and milk together in a jug and then pour this into the well. Stir everything together to form a batter. If using raisins, you can also stir these in now.

Step 4
Heat a frying pan to a low to medium heat and then add a drizzle of olive oil to it. Once the oil has heated up too, add a ladle (around 125ml) of pancake batter to the pan and cook on both sides until golden brown.

Complete in only four steps with a series of healthy ingredients, these wholemeal raisin pancakes can become your new breakfast staple! Discover more recipes like this along with meal plans tailored to your goals, a food intake tracker and more with the Shape My Plan app. We have partnered with them to offer this to Westpark Fitness Members at a reduced rate!

Enquire at reception or click / tap here to learn more about Shape My Plan!

#### Why Choose Westpark Fitness?
If you are looking for a gym in Tallaght, we offer our members a truly premier fitness facility – unlike the vast majority of gym memberships. Did you know for example that over 1,826 of our members have been with us for over three years? Choose Westpark Fitness for a place where you will be helped to stick to your new year resolution - because people that come here to reach their health and fitness goals stay with us for the service they receive and the results they get. Our many five-star review also highlight this:
“I've been in this gym 6 years and still loving it and it's probably the best gym in Tallaght with the most members too. The service is great and the facilities are the best they could possibly be.” – G. Courtney (Five-Star Google Review)

Premier Service and Sense of Community
We are proud to offer members a real sense of community – no matter how long they have been with us or what stage their fitness level is at. This is at the heart of everything we do as our team of over 40 staff members actively work to be your fitness partners at every step of our journey. The images above and below show our gym manager’s office which is located on the gym floor. As you can see, it is made of glass so that you can see into it. This was purposely designed to encourage our members to go to the office should you need anything at all. Our gym managers (and all of the staff) love engaging with and helping our members in any way that they can when you choose Westpark Fitness.
“Great gym, really well equipped and the staff are very friendly. Lots of amenities and support professionals based around the place too. Really good opening hours too!” – A. Hanley (Five-Star Google Review)

Amazing Results and Premier Facilities
You are sure to reach your health and fitness goals when you choose Westpark Fitness due to the range of equipment and facilities on offer. This includes a multi-story gym complete with state-of-the-art cardio and weight equipment and machines, a huge range of classes (including the world famous Les Mils classes), Ireland’s only stainless steel swimming pool, over 200 free parking spaces, 400 lockers, male and female saunas, a jacuzzi and more. On top of this, our members can also gain access to MyZone (a heart rate monitor and app to monitor your progress) and Shape My Plan (a nutrition tracking and recipe app to optimise your food intake).

So why choose Westpark Fitness? As you can see, the proof is in the numbers when it comes to our premier offering and the results that our members achieve which are enabled by our dedicated team and premier facilities on offer.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Click / Tap here to book a free tour!
“Best gym in Dublin without a doubt. Spotlessly clean, friendly staff, lots of classes, recently updated. Great pool, jacuzzi, sauna etc.” – A. Dei (Five-Star Google Review)

#### Woodchop - Exercise of the Week
To target your core muscles with a dynamic movement and minimal amount of equipment, the woodchop exercise is a perfect choice. For those who attend our Les Mills CXWORX class – you may be familiar with this exercise and movement as it can form part of the class content. Here we show you how to complete it, with pictures of our fitness team from inside our gym in Tallaght.
Woodchop

To begin, place a theraband or Les Mills smartband under one of your feet and using both hands, hold the two ends / handles together on the same side of your body. Lunge forward on the same side of where the band is under your foot, maintain a wide stance and stretch your arms out fully and bring them up to mid-chest height. Next, create tension in the band by lifting the handles upwards and shift your weight to the opposite side of your body as you bring your arms across to the other side of it; all the while keeping a stretch and tension in the band as you lift it up higher in the air. As you shift your weight across with the movement, make sure to keep your hips square and solid while you switch the leg you lunge forwards with.

Twist and lunge from side to side so that you return to the starting position and back to the opposite side again with the band stretched and position adapted for each repetition (rep). You can also watch a video from Les Mills on how to complete the woodchop here. Targeting your core, the woodchop also helps with overall posture and stretching ability as you work to get into a rhythm with each rep. As always, if you would like any help or guidance with this exercise, please feel free to ask any of our friendly fitness team for feedback and even a demonstration. They can also advise you on the optimum amount of reps and sets to complete in order to reach and maintain your health and fitness goals.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Wrist Curl - Exercise of the Week
We use our hands for pretty much everything both inside and outside of the gym. So don’t neglect to give them exercise attention too by paying attention to the wrist and joint area that is what powers the movement in your hands and the dexterity in your fingers. Here we present to you the simple but effective wrist curl exercise that also benefits your forearms too.
Wrist Curl

Choose a light dumbbell that you can comfortably manage and manoeuvre (this should be quite light, beginning with less than five kg ideally). Kneel beside a bench and holding the dumbbell with an underhand grip, lay your arm out flat on the bench so that your hand holding the dumbbell hangs over the side of the bench (like what can be seen in the picture above). Hold this position and make sure you feel strong, stable and balanced as you kneel on the floor.

Next, only move your wrist to curl the dumbbell towards your face. Hold it for a second at the top of the movement (to maximise the work and effort your muscles must undergo) before returning to the starting position. If you never completed a specific exercise for your wrists and forearms like this, it will initially feel like an intense movement as your wrist works in a different way as it has to support a weight throughout the movement. This is to be expected, but make sure to use a lighter weight if this is too sharp and sore to complete.
As with any exercise you are looking to complete, please make sure to ask any of our friendly fitness team if you would like advice and / or a demonstration on how to complete it correctly with the proper and safe form and function.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here!

#### Yoga Classes in Tallaght
If you are looking for yoga classes in Tallaght, you may be interested in yoga for anxiety that is held here in Westpark Fitness. Like the name suggests, this is a yoga class tailored to those who may experience anxiety, depression and / or stress. The mood and movements of the class are designed to help alleviate these aspects while stretching and strengthening your body with our qualified yoga instructor – technically known as a yogi.

Each class is held in our bright and spacious studio with a single class instructor. It will touch upon what are known as the chakras of the body – energy centres that have been studied for centuries and can cause tensions and negativity when blocked. As such, the class works to target them to unblock them and let positive energy flow abundantly through your body. Please bring a bottle of water and sweat towel to the class. We can supply mats, but you are of course free to bring your own if you prefer.

Made to be suitable for all yoga proficiency levels, meaning that absolute beginners are more than welcome, it provides a challenging and stimulating block of time with which to unwind free from external distractions and pressures. Your muscles will learn to relax and lengthen while you destress and decompress in our safe and serene studio space. With the assistance of our calming and passionate yogi, our yoga for anxiety class is sure to live up to its name and work to alleviate your anxiety and negative aspects which may be dragging you down in life.
Yoga Classes in Tallaght
Our yoga for anxiety classes are currently held every Tuesday at 8pm for sixty minutes, Wednesday at 12pm for forty-five minutes and Sunday at 11am for sixty minutes. Quite a popular class (we had to add an extra time this year), they are known to fill up in advance – so make sure to book your place ahead of time in the Westpark Fitness app.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Book your free tour here.

#### Your 2019 Summer Beach Body Guide
Yes it may only be January now – but we all know just how quick time seems to fly in Ireland. While we are still in winter, it is the perfect time to start envisioning your sunny summer break and that so called ‘beach body’ and ‘summer body’ that many aspire to. This works for many as a great and tangible image to work towards and something visual for their health and fitness goals to produce. Make the dream into a reality this year and start now! You will not look back once you start on your routine, stick to it and look and feel great. Here is how Westpark Fitness can help you – with a beach body guide to finally obtaining the physique of your dreams in 2019.
Your 2019 Summer Beach Body Guide

Personal Training Sessions
One of the best ways to focus fully on your summer body goals is by being not only accountable to yourself, but also to a personal trainer. Here at Westpark Fitness, we have a team of friendly, skilled and experienced personal trainers who can work with you in a one-to-one capacity to focus specifically on you and your goals. Whether this is to tone up and lose weight, gain and maintain muscle mass or anything you wish; they will keep you on track with a supervised, progressive exercise plan with your goal date in mind. Invest in yourself and in the summer body of your dreams with personal training sessions – this could be the best decision you ever made to suit and realise your health and fitness goals.

Smart Technology
We take a modern approach to many aspects of health and fitness. Westpark Fitness members can attend any of our fitness classes for free and these include the world famous Les Mills classes. Les Mills combines technology and exercise for a fully immersive fitness experience and is a fun and effective way to work towards your goals with classes that focus on the likes of cardio exercises and core work. We also utilise the MyZone fitness tracker belt – smart technology that records your heart rate and encourages you to work towards points to advance levels in a community-based format. Westpark Fitness members can also avail of Shape My Plan. This is an app that provides you with hundreds of recipes tailored towards your body goals, tips, information and even a nutrition tracker. Usually €12 per month, Westpark Fitness members can get Shape My Plan for only €4 per month to optimise their food intake.

Fitness Classes
Did you know that we run fitness classes seven days a week during the morning, afternoon and weekend? Our huge class timetable includes a range of classes for people of all fitness levels. Choose Les Mills for a fun and immersive fitness experience, consider Aqua Fitness for something outside of the gym area and Yoga for Anxiety for a great way to re-energise and remain focused on your health and fitness journey (while also working to keep anxiety and stress at bay). We pride ourselves on both the amount and variety on classes on offer. Not only are you sure to find some that you love, but also classes that fit directly with your summer body goals for 2019.

On-Site Support
While we have a state of the art multi-story gym space complete with recently upgraded equipment, members also have access to other on-site supports and facilities. We are home to Ireland’s only stainless steel swimming pool and hold swimming lessons for all ages. Maybe this is your summer body goal? Giving your body the ability to swim with family and friends. Many shops and services are also based at Westpark Fitness. These include Health Matters (a scientifically driven company that specialises in fitness testing, performance enhancing and health-related programmes), The Movement Clinic (which provides clinical massage, corrective exercises and dry needling) and No Pain No Gain (a nutrition and supplements shop stocked with the likes of bodybuilding aids and products to help with weight loss and muscle growth).

So simply be being an active member of Westpark Fitness, you have access to the tools and skills to craft your dream summer body. Make the dream into a reality this year and start now! You will not look back once you start on your routine, stick to it and look and feel great.
Not a member of Westpark Fitness yet? Click / Tap here to book a FREE tour!
“Beautiful place to exercise, friendly staff, motivating coaches.” – A. Kal (Five Star Google Review)

### Pages

#### Blog
URL: https://westpark.ie/blog/

#### Book a Tour
URL: https://westpark.ie/book-a-tour/

#### Child Protection
URL: https://westpark.ie/child-protection/

#### Christmas Opening Hours
URL: https://westpark.ie/christmas-opening-hours/

#### Classes
URL: https://westpark.ie/classes/

#### Club Policies
URL: https://westpark.ie/club-policies/

#### Contact
URL: https://westpark.ie/contact/

#### Cookies Policy
URL: https://westpark.ie/cookies-policy/

#### Disability Policy
URL: https://westpark.ie/disability-policy/

#### Environmental Management
URL: https://westpark.ie/environmental-management/

#### Facilities
URL: https://westpark.ie/facilities/

#### Gallery
URL: https://westpark.ie/gallery/

#### Home
URL: https://westpark.ie/

#### Live Times
URL: https://westpark.ie/live-times/

#### Meet the Team
URL: https://westpark.ie/meet-the-team/

#### Mental Fitness
URL: https://westpark.ie/boost-your-mental-fitness/

#### Myzone
URL: https://westpark.ie/myzone-tallaght/

#### Our Story
URL: https://westpark.ie/our-story/

#### Personal Training
URL: https://westpark.ie/personal-training/

#### Policy - Key Points
 

                
                        
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#### Privacy Policy
URL: https://westpark.ie/privacy-policy/

#### Rewards
URL: https://westpark.ie/rewards/

#### Swimming
URL: https://westpark.ie/swimming/

#### Westpark Fitness Health Commitment Statement
URL: https://westpark.ie/health-commitment-statement/

### Classes

#### Aqua Fitness
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/aqua-fitness/

#### Beginners Pilates Sculpt
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/beginners-pilates-sculpt/

#### BodyBalance
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/bodybalance/

#### BodyPump
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/bodypump/

#### Ceremony
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/ceremony/

#### Chair Pilates
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/chair-pilates/

#### Chair Yoga
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/chair-yoga/

#### Coached Lane Swimming
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/coached-lane-swimming/

#### Core
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/wp-core/

#### Liam Dale: Cardio Kickboxing
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/liam-dale-cardio-kickboxing/

#### Movestrong
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/movestrong/

#### Pilates with Aoibheann
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/pilates-class/

#### Spin
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/spin-class/

#### Spin (Beginner Friendly)
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/spin-beginner-friendly/

#### Squeeze
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/squeeze/

#### Track Running Club
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/track-running-club/

#### WP Burn
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/wp-burn/

#### WP Dance
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/wp-dance/

#### WP Strong
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/wp-strong/

#### Yoga for Anxiety
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/yoga-for-anxiety-class/

#### Zoom Yoga with Jurate
URL: https://westpark.ie/class/yoga-for-anxiety/

### Personal Trainers

#### Aaron Lawlor Fitness
My name is Aaron and I’m a personal trainer focused on helping people build a strong, lean physique in a way that actually fits their life. I got into fitness through my own journey. Like a lot of people, I struggled with food, went through phases of being all-in and then completely off track and found it hard to stay consistent. Going through that pushed me to properly learn what actually works when it comes to training, nutrition and building habits that last. That’s why my approach to coaching is built around structure, balance and keeping things simple. I don’t believe in extreme diets or unsustainable routines. Instead, I focus on helping you build a system that works with your lifestyle so you can make progress without feeling restricted or overwhelmed. For me, this is about more than just how you look. It’s about helping you build confidence, discipline and a routine that you can actually stick to long term - @aaronlawlorfitness

#### Lesley Moore
My name is Lesley and I love helping people on their fitness journey. I have been working in Westpark Fitness since 2021. Everyone deserves to be healthy, happy and confident with themselves inside and out. I particularly like working with women who are new to the gym, may have some gym anxiety and need guidance – also pre and post natal too. The work I do with clients goes beyond the gym floor, it is also support and motivation to take with you everyday. If you need help and guidance on your fitness journey, e-mail me and we can chat.

#### Marcin Konkel
I train a mixture of both athletes and those who may be new to the gym or need to improve their current workout and exercise routine. For me, the most important aspect to implement when it comes to training is how balanced and good your food is. It is also a crucial aspect of your performance to recognise your mistakes and fix them. Therefore I am helping my clients to achieve their goals with healthy and balanced programs which help to fix many mistakes which are made especially at weightlifting or training with high intensity. Remember it is your choice on how good you want to be – but my job is to bring you to that goal. For any more information and for pricing, please e-mail me.

#### NB Coaching
Hi, I’m Nallea and I believe that real progress happens when your mind and body are aligned. My mission is to help you grow stronger, more confident and more balanced – not only in the gym, but in everyday life. Every client is unique, which is why I design tailored, personalised programmes to fit your goals, lifestyle and experience level. Whether you want to build strength, improve your fitness, or boost your confidence; I’ll guide you with a supportive, structured and caring approach. I focus on education as much as motivation – so that the changes you make last a lifetime. I work with people of all levels, including beginners who feel unsure about starting. If you’re ready to shape both your body and your mindset, you’re in the right place. This is your journey and I’d love to help you make it powerful, enjoyable, and sustainable. Contact me today to book a free consultation and take the first step towards becoming the best version of yourself.

#### Shaped by Shona
I’m here to help you with your goals whether it's to work on building your strength or your confidence. Work with me to help you achieve your best results with tailored personalised programmes and a friendly and caring approach. Shape your body and your mind - @Shaped_by_Shona

### Sponsored Athletes

#### Alan Patchell
Alan Patchell is an elite football referee from the Republic of Ireland. He officiates primarily in the League of Ireland and he has been on the Elite Referee Panel since 2016. He took up refereeing in 2008 and joined the Dublin branch of the Irish Soccer Referees Society (ISRS). He has refereed in local leagues including the Leinster Senior League. Alan then joined the League of Ireland Elite Referee Panel in 2016 while participating in the FAI Referee's School of Excellence. Since then he has officiated matches in the League of Ireland Premier and First Divisions. In 2019, he was selected for UEFA CORE. This is an elite programme where referees are selected to represent their country to travel to UEFA HQ in Switzerland for a number of assessments and tests spread on a modular basis. This is designed for the best young referees in Europe who have the ability to become FIFA international referees and be able to make the FIFA list.

Elite Referee Panel
FAI Referee School of Excellence
ISRS Member
UEFA CORE

"I hope to referee the FAI cup final in the not to distant future. This is the national cup final in the country and it would be a fantastic achievement if I could do this. Internationally I hope to receive a FIFA badge soon. This would elevate me to the international list of referees and enable me to referee matches at international, Champions League and Europa League level. Refereeing is a very important of football. I feel I could show other referees across all sports not just football that Westpark Fitness has helped and supported me to get to the next level. I know I can be a positive influence on members as well as potential new members."

#### Brigi German
Brigi German is representing Ireland in bikini fitness and female bodybuilding all around the world! She is a hugely popular person both here at Westpark Fitness and in her competing circles with a consistent work ethic that is hugely inspiring. Below you can see some of her recent amazing achievements as well as what she has to say about Westpark Fitness and how we help her reach bigger and better things in her bikini fitness and female bodybuilding endeavours.

Diamond Cup Hungary 1st Place
IFBB English Grand Prix 2nd Place
EBFF Top 6
RIBFF National Bikini Champion
NIFMA Bikini #1 Overall

"Privileged to be sponsored by Westpark Fitness! I am very happy as they have great facilities, new machines every few months and of course such nice staff who are always helpful towards their members and they have been towards me even when I came training a bit . . . hmmm whats the right word . . . not in the best mood!"
"Love to train here not just because of the professional high standards, but the atmosphere too. Usually after my sessions I use the spa or sauna which is always clean and tidy. I spend a lot of the time practising my posing in the class studio – it has amazing mirrors and lighting! Sorry to Lizzie as I always interrupt her before her class with my heels! Overall, thank you to all at Westpark Fitness for their support. I will do my best to make everybody proud of me!" - Brigi German

#### Dean Barry
Dean Barry is a professional MMA fighter known as 'The Sniper' due to his fighting style. He has held a European championship title and is also a five time world champion. Competing on an international level, he brings a level of focus and determination that sets him apart and has won him a legion of fans. Dean can often be found training and priming his body for battle at Westpark Fitness. Active recovery is also high on his agenda - which sees him tweak his workouts as necessary to optimise his time and training.

Titan FC Winner (TKO - first round)

#### Eoin Doherty
Eoin Doherty has some historic sporting achievements to his name when it comes to running and sprinting. Since 2013 onwards, he has held many national 60m / 100m / 4 x 100m relay titles - showing his physical and powerful prowess on the running track. In 2017 he secured the record as being the fastest Irish under 21's 60m ever (yes, since Irish records began!). Other achievements include placing in the top ten of the European junior finals and securing the 4 x 100m national junior record at the world junior championships. To top it all off, he is also ranked 10th on the Irish all time list, making for a simply incredible achievement at any age.
Personal Bests

60m - 6.81s
100m - 10.83s

#### Evan Allen
Evan Allen is an American Football Player (Defensive End) for the South Dublin Panthers (the team is in the Top Division in Ireland in the Shamrock Bowl Conference). He has also been called up to start training with the Irish Wolfhounds (Ireland's International Team).
In his first season of playing American Football, Evan was awarded Defensive Rookie 2017 when playing for the North Kildare Reapers. After the club merged and became the Cil Dara Crusaders, he was also honored to be a Defensive Captain in 2018 against the Meath Bull Dogs (helping them get thier first win of the season). He was awarded Defensive Player of the year 2018 with the Crusaders.
In 2019, Evan Allen joined the South Dublin Panthers (his current club) and went on to the Shamrock Bowl Final in 2019 He has been selected to start training with the Irish Wolfhounds (Ireland's American Football International Team) this year and is very excited about it. In his words:
"I'd like to thank Westpark Fitness for the honour to become one of their sponsored athletes. I would not be where I am today without the use of the large variety of fitness machines, free weights and of course their pool for recovery. Plus the staff are just amazing. You will not feel as comfortable at any other gym no matter what your fitness level and that's down to them."

#### Luke Thompson
A basketball prodigy, Luke Thompson plays for the Templeogue basketball team. He most recently helped usher them to success as the winning Basketball Ireland Champion team for 2019! Luke is so grateful to have the use of Westpark Fitness to help keep his body and mind in focus to score those winning shots. He works on both cardio and resistance training when he is not on the court - keeping him primed to perfectly perform as evidenced by his team's huge recent win.

Basketball Ireland Champion's 2019

"I would like to sincerely thank all Westpark Fitness has done for me this season making sure I was always ready to go and help Templeogue to a very successful season!" - Luke Thompson

#### Lynn Tunnah
Lynn has played basketball for the Templeogue Basketball Club since she was only seven years old. As an underage player, she has played on the Irish Team Development Programmes - which led on to the National Squads. Her many achievements include the U15 Irish Development Team, U17 Irish Development Team, U18 Irish National Team, competing in Division A Europeans for the first time ever and also the U18 3 x 3 National Team. Lynn has also represented Dublin at Senior Level so far in 2019. As you can see, she is a very proficient basketball player - arguably reaching prodigy status as she has been excelling since a young age.
"I am so happy to be sponsored by Westpark Fitness as the fantastic facilities it provides for me help to develop myself off the court for basketball." - Lynn Tunnah

#### Paul Ryder
Paul Ryder is one of our sponsored media personalities - hugely popular with his drag persona (known as RuPaul Ryder) and television presenting duties including Weekend AM, Elaine (Virgin Media Television) and much more. He also is a choreographer and dancer with his stage school 'Pride Dance Academy'. His use of Westpark Fitness is key in maintaining his physique and presence on stages and screens both in Ireland and abroad. Paul embarked on a true transformation with the help of Westpark Fitness too; dropping from 80kg to 67kg and cutting his overall body fat from 17% to 13%. He can often be found in the gym and is a genuinely friendly presence with staff and members alike.
"I have been a member of Westpark Fitness for nearly five years. In the last year I knuckled down with my fitness and nutrition with the help of their staff to get my body to a point of where I'm comfortable and all the while enjoying my fitness and increasing my knowledge to help me improve." - Paul Ryder

#### Ryan Keogh
One of our sponsored athletes from Tallaght, Ryan Keogh has been involved in martial arts since starting karate at age 5 then later going on to start mixed martial arts at age 10 and being obsessed ever since. Over the years he has earned multiple achievements in different forms of martial arts such as karate, Jiu Jitsu and MMA. He has been chosen to represent Ireland in the first ever international mixed martial arts World Cup on September 8th 2021 in the Czech Republic. Ryan's achievements include:

8 time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Irish open gold medallist.
NAGA European champion.
2 time Dublin open gold medallist.

#### Sam Doyle
Sam Doyle is one of our sponsored athletes here at Westpark Fitness who specialises in the mountain biking discipline. Competing since his teenage years, he has also completed the TLC training course. This enables him to coach too so that he can impart his skills and wisdom onto other aspiring athletes like him. Representing Ireland and his local community whenever he takes to a biking trail, his mountain biking requires a combination of mental and physical strength to carry him through each race and circuit. As such, he loves the facilities and equipment at Westpark Fitness in order to keep him poised and primed to perform.

#### Shauna Bannon
Shauna Bannon is a world-class kickboxer and MMA fighter with a ridiculously successful set of achievements which are listed out below. As one of our sponsored athletes, she is a shining example of Irish representation on the world stage and within the highly competitive kickboxing environment. Shauna keeps her fitness in focus here at Westpark Fitness and also makes use of the facilities for active recovery and rehabilitation should an injury strike. She is also a fan of the Myzone fitness tracker belts to aid in her training goals and targets.
Her recent shift to MMA has also been a successful one. Not only did she win her first fight by TKO, but she has also been chosen to represent Ireland in the European championships in Rome being held in summer 2019!

WAKO World Champion x 5
WAKO European Champion x 6
WKC World Champion x 4
Irish Open Grand Champion Winner
Bristol Open Grand Champion Winner
Flanders International Champion x 7
Best Fighter WAKO World Cup x 7
Hungarian WAKO World Cup Winner
Over 20 National Titles
Bristol Open Winner x 4
Athens Challenge Winner

#### Stuart Edmonds
Stuart Edmonds is a fantastic motocross bike racer who represents Ireland in various events around the world. He also trains other motocross enthusiasts as he is so passionate about every aspect of the sport. Stuart spends his time on Westpark Fitness working on both cardio and resistance training so that his body is perfectly primed for the extreme racing conditions. The amenities of Westpark Fitness also allow for active recovery with the likes of our swimming pool and the various intensities of our fitness classes. Below he shares a recent race update:
“I’d had some important bikes changes and some rest coming into the round, this helped me massively with the preparation. Qualifying was tricky, though better than previous rounds. The first race was tricky, avoided a few crashes, though managed to settle into a rhythm and push to 7th. I had to ease towards the flag as I thought I had a puncture."
"Unfortunately, this is where Krestinov made a place on me before the flag. In the second race, with confidence, I felt good and pushed on for my season-best 9th overall. I feel I can build on this performance and am happy with the changes I’ve made to the bike. I’d like to thank my mechanic for this weekend, Alastair, Apico Husqvarna, CCM and all their sponsors as well as my private sponsors, without these guys it would be possible." - Stuart Edmonds

#### Zak Moradi
Originally from Iraq, Zak Moradi moved to Ireland in 2002 and initially lived in Carrick-on-Shannon. He has been living in Tallaght since 2004. Zak plays senior intercounty hurling for Leitrim. He was first invited onto the Leitrim senior panel at the age of eighteen. In 2019, he scored a vital point and provided the pass for the decisive goal in extra-time to help Leitrim win the Lory Meagher Cup final for the first time. Back in 2012, Zak was selected for the Ireland U21 shinty squad and in 2016 he was selected on the Lory Meagher Cup Champions (All-Star) Team after scoring in every one of Leitrim’s championship games. In 2017, he won the Dublin Intermediate Hurling Championship with Thomas Davis. Zak also coaches under 14 and under 11 hurling teams. He is an active playing member of Thomas Davis GAA Club and plays hurling for the club in the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship.  As a club and intercounty senior hurler, he is regularly in the gym. In his words:
"I am delighted to be sponsored by Westpark Fitness in my pursuit of excellence on the hurling fields of Ireland."