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At PT Academy, we’re very proud to be a homegrown Birmingham business and love to celebrate and champion the talent from our diverse, exciting and creative region.

So, you can imagine our excitement about the biggest event Birmingham has ever staged. The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be hosted in our city this summer.

With thousands set to descend to the city to watch in person plus billions tuning in around the world, this is a huge chance for us to showcase our city to the world.

The Games have not only promised to showcase the incredible athletes we have to offer but also Birmingham as ‘a global powerhouse of innovation and creativity.’

With the event starting soon, we’ve put together our top 5 things you need to know about Birmingham 2022:

1. The largest-ever female sports program.

It’s the first time in history that a major multiple-sport event will feature more women than men’s events, with a total of 135 women’s medals up for grabs.

2. A £72 million venue transformation.

Birmingham council has overseen a staggering £72 million investment to upgrade the Alexander Stadium ahead of the 2022 Games. Capacity has been increased from 12,000 to 18,000

3. First carbon-neutral commonwealth games.

The event will reduce the games’ carbon footprint by focusing on emission hotspots. They have also developed an emission offset strategy by planting 2,022 acres of new forests in the midlands.

4. Biggest para-sport program in history.

As well as the largest-ever female program, the 2022 games are smashing records yet again by having the biggest para medal offering and a total of 8 different sports confirmed.

5. 286 different sessions of sport.

15 venues and 286 sports across 11 days, the games are set to be the sporting event of the year. Plus, there’s the addition of some new sports like women’s cricket, beach volleyball and para table tennis.

With excitement building across Birmingham, there’s no better time to champion your city. If you haven’t already, you can still grab tickets here!

So you’ve decided that health and fitness is your passion. You know that personal training is the career path you need to follow. The only thing you’re unsure of is how to get on the path.

This blog will tell you what fitness qualifications are mandatory to become a successful personal trainer.

To start your journey as a personal trainer, you need a level 2 certificate in gym instruction and a level 3 certificate in personal training at a minimum. However, the more certifications you can get, the better you’ll stand out in the personal training market, which is highly saturated.

What is a level 2 certificate in fitness instructing?

It’s a course that equips you with the skills and knowledge to plan and deliver safe and helpful fitness programmes such as:

• Anatomy and Physiology for Exercise
• Health, Safety and Welfare in a Fitness Environment
• Principles of Exercise Fitness and Health
• How to Support Clients Who Take Part in Exercise and Physical Activity
• Planning Gym-Based Exercise
• Instructing Gym-Based Exercise
• Altogether, you’ll learn the latest techniques to ensure you are ahead of your game.

However, completing just this certificate won’t qualify you as a pt. To fully qualify as a personal trainer, you will also need to complete a level 3 certification in personal training.

What is a level 3 certificate in personal training?

It’s a certification that will run you through all the theory and practical skills to become a personal trainer.

Basically, you will take a deeper dive into what you’ve learnt in your level 2 certification with the added bonus of learning the following:

Anatomy and Physiology for Exercise and Health
Health, Safety and Welfare in a Fitness Environment
Principles of Exercise, Fitness and Health
How to Support Clients Who Take Part in Exercise and Physical Activity
Applying the Principles of Nutrition to a Physical Activity Programme
Programming Personal Training with Clients
Delivering Personal Training

Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to gain employment within an organisation or become self-employed. You’ll also get access to The Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs)

Are you ready to qualify as a personal trainer?

As UK’s most trusted personal training course, you’ll build your reputation on a solid foundation with PT Academy.

All Personal Training and Fitness qualifications we provide and deliver are OFQUAL regulated and recognised by REPS, Cimspa and the Fitness Register. Additionally, We are approved to deliver level 2 gym instructing and level 3 personal training by the NCFE and YMCA Awards awarding organisations.

We’ve got the perfect bundle to start your new personal training career. See our courses offer page for all the details.

Are you undecided on the best outfit for training this Summer?

As summer approaches, we thought it would be great to share some hot fitness outfit inspiration to keep you fresh and cool whilst you get your summer body ready.

Base layers

Base layers are basically like your second skin. They are super lightweight thermal, allowing you to keep both warm and cool. As the weather is unpredictable in the weeks leading up to summer, this outfit is a great happy medium to keep you both cool and warm.

Not all base layers are designed solely to keep you warm. While frequently effective for retaining warmth, base layers can also be useful for controlling your skin temperature. It also serves as a shield from the sun, which is crucial if you’re prone to sunburn.

Fit Tapered Joggers

As we head into the summer, not all the days are glorious. So for those colder days, throw on some Fit Tapered Joggers. They are comfortable, loose-fitting with a physique enhancing tight cuff – making them breathable yet warm enough to block the cold breeze.

Sleeveless Shirts & Tanks

Get yourself some Sleeveless shirts and tanks when the days are brighter and warmer. They are a hot summer look you simply can’t go wrong with. It’s a comfortable fit that looks good with both shorts and a fit tampered joggers.

Stringers

Stringers are the best choice when training in the hot summer months. They are open and breathable due to the fabric used, which is generally relatively thin. This means you will be able to keep it cool during a hard workout in summer.

Stringers help control sweat and body temperature. Wearing sleeveless clothing can make your workout more comfortable in summer because you can work out for longer when it is cool.

Shorts

A must-have for every summer workout outfit is a pair of shorts. They are ideal for running but look just as good for training, especially in summer.

These training pieces are essential to your summer gym outfits. Making sure you have at least one of these clothing items in your wardrobe will prepare you for training as the temperatures rise.

The benefits of fitness and exercise are endless, from improving health to reducing depression and decreasing stress levels.

This month we celebrate World Health Day, a day that raises awareness about keeping humans and the planet healthy.

One of the themes for this year is well-being and with physically active people having a 30% reduced risk of becoming depressed, we’ve rounded up some top tips on how exercise can help improve your wellbeing:

1-Jump in.

Did you know that swimming has been proven to help improve your mental health? Not only is it therapeutic but being in or near water creates a calming atmosphere and boosts happiness. If you’re feeling brave, cold water in particular has been known to help the body respond better to stress and help combat any feelings of anxiety.

2-Shake it off.

Not a fan of the gym floor, how about hitting the dance floor instead? This fun aerobic activity has been known to help improve self-esteem, mood and attitude. Also, because dancing gets that heart rate going it can help your body release endorphins and help fight against negative thoughts and emotions.

3- Walk it out.

Just a brisk 10 minute walk a day makes your heart healthier, helps anxiety and fatigue and reduces stress. The benefits don’t stop there, as people who walk regularly have a better quality of sleep and increased mental alertness due to the increased blood circulation to the brain and body.

4-You’ll be hooked.

Boxing not only gets your heart rate going but it directly combats feelings of stress, which is why it’s one of the leading physical activities for stress relief. Also, as it’s a combat-based activity it can seriously help boost confidence and help increase feelings of happiness and empowerment.

The fitness industry has always been a fast-paced, ever-changing landscape with new trends and techniques coming out daily. However, over the past few years, there’s been a vast increase in the number of fitness trends originating on social media, and on TikTok in particular.

With people now reaching to their phones for advice we thought we would investigate the top 5 trends to sweep our screens:

1. Weighted Hula Hooping

Think Hula Hooping looks easy? Think again, especially when you add a 3kg weighted hoop. This craze dominated TikTok with almost 70 million views on the hashtag and a 234% increase in Google Searches. As well as toning your core it helps boost fitness and strengthen lower body muscles.

2. The 12-3-30 treadmill challenge

This trend literally went viral in just a few days with 1.5 million TikTok views. This challenge involves setting your treadmill to a 12% incline and then setting the pace to 3 miles per hour and walking for 30 minutes. Now, walking may not sound hard but trust us you need to give this a go!

3. Proffee

Yep, you read that right another trend that went viral overnight was adding protein powder into your morning coffee. The rumours are that this helps weight loss, boosts energy levels and helps you burn more calories. However, this is a trend we DO NOT condone, with many experts saying this can be dangerous and advising against it.

4. Reverse running

With a 50% increase in Google searches, this has become a buzzword amongst the London fitness scene. This trend is a combination of squats and knee extensions that make it appear you are running backwards; it’s been said to reduce your risk of injury and has been championed by the likes of Runners world.

5.HIRT

So, we’ve all heard of HIIT training, well this is HIRT training, meaning high-intensity resistance training. This is made up of short, intense bursts of fitness that really get the heart rate pumping. HIRT Training has swept across the studios of the UK due to its speedy calorie-burning sessions lasting only 30 minutes.

Take back control and keep your wits about you on runs

Everyone wants to feel safe when running outdoors and more importantly to make it home safely. This applies to both men and women but with March being International Women’s Month, and in light of the recurring attacks on women we wanted to highlight the importance of ladies’ safety while still enjoying those cardio routines.

Running by yourself can be liberating and an awesome workout when you really get in the zone, but also very dangerous if you’re not taking the right precautions and staying street smart! There are several steps you can take to regain confidence and feel empowered on those outdoor runs, starting with the below!

Safety in numbers

Running in groups is a sure way to stay safe on your runs. But if you are more of a lone wolf and prefer going solo, then running in busy areas and parks during the day will create a much safer environment for you. Predators typically only attack when nobody else is around, and at night. So stay street smart by running in light conditions but also through heavy footfall. If you aren’t able to run during the day, make sure you run in well-lit, busy areas or main road pavements during the evening time. You could even plan a run into your commute home or on the way to work to save time in the day and keep safe.

Run without music

Get to know your surroundings, and run to the beat of your feet instead of music that could potentially blind you from an attacker, especially when running in the dark. Headphones playing music are distracting and cause people to zone out when listening on runs. You’ll need to be alert if someone happens to approach you from behind on a run. If you own wireless headphones, another option is to only wear one earphone so you can listen to music whilst still being aware of your surroundings. Although music can be motivating, there are many benefits of running without it.

Send your location

Before you set off on a run on your own, as an added safety precaution make someone aware of where you’re going, and perhaps even send your live location. A check- in system with a pal or partner will give you more of a safety buffer if someone else knows where you’re running and when you make it home safely. If you use GPS tracking, make sure your mobile is fully charged and you can be contacted on it!

It seems far-fetched and ludicrous that people even have to resort to these safety measures but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. So keep them all in mind and look after yourselves!