Black Country Barbell

This week's Member Monday goes to a small group of legends who joined Jack for our hike across the Malvern Hills.

With this Hike, we stepped up the intensity from our usual strolls! so a huge well done to Macy, Bex, Linda, Chris and Paul, who took on all the hills, climbs, descents, questionable weather forecasts, and plenty of steps along the way.

Everyone got stuck in, kept smiling, and made it a fantastic day out. The views were incredible, the conversation was flowing, and thankfully nobody had to be carried back to the car park.

One of the things we love most about these events is seeing members spend time together outside the gym. It's a reminder that fitness isn't just about barbells and PBs. It's about getting out, challenging yourself, meeting new people, and having some fun along the way.

A big thank you to Jack for organising and leading the hike, and to everyone who came along and made it such a great day.

Keep an eye out for future walks and social events. We've got plenty more planned.

This week’s Member Monday goes to Chris. And honestly… what a story.

Chris’ main sport is Hard Enduro, an off-road motorcycle discipline that combines motocross, trials and cross-country racing across brutal terrain. In his words, it’s “widely regarded as one of the toughest endurance sports out there.”

And he’s still doing it at 70+ years old.

A few years ago, Chris competed in Romaniacs, a five-day world championship event in Romania. He came back “happy, exhausted and fairly broken” after tearing knee ligaments and breaking his hand on the final day. Then, after recovering from that, he tore two rotator cuff muscles in his shoulder.

“At this point, most sensible people would probably hang up the helmet and take up gardening. Unfortunately, that’s not really me.”

His physio strongly suggested weight training to prevent further injuries and, when Chris asked which gym had the best personal trainers locally, the answer was immediate. Black Country Barbell.

Since joining, Chris has been working with Connor.

“Connor clearly drew the short straw getting paired with me, but he’s been excellent.”
“Very patient, very encouraging, and somehow manages to keep sessions productive without making me feel like I’m being prepared for retirement.”

The biggest thing for Chris has been how tailored the coaching has been.
“Connor quickly worked out what I needed, what needed protecting, and when to push me a bit harder.”
“I now fully appreciate the value of having someone who understands you and helps bring out your best without breaking you in the process.”

His goals are simple. Stay fit, strong and as injury free as possible. But there’s also a mindset behind it.

“I don’t want age deciding what I can and can’t do.”
“My motto is: if most people think something is a bad idea for someone my age, that’s probably exactly why I should do it.”

And his biggest win since joining? Not a PB.

“It’s the difference outside the gym.”
“I move better, feel stronger, recover faster and have much more confidence in what my body can handle.”
“The biggest change is probably mental. Training properly has given me confidence to carry on doing the things I enjoy.”

And finally, his advice

Another week of clients turning up, putting the work in, and proving that consistency really is the secret sauce. The feedback coming through for their coaches has been unreal! 🙌

Every workout, every healthy choice, every little bit of progress counts. Keep stacking those wins—you’re closer than you think. 💛

Your turn: What’s been your biggest win this week? Drop it below and let’s celebrate it properly! 🚀

This week's Member Monday goes to everyone who attended the Flexibility for the Inflexible workshop hosted by .trethewey

A couple of weeks ago we hosted our first Flexibility for the Inflexible workshop with Iain, and safe to say it was a huge success.

A massive thank you to everyone who came along, got involved, asked questions, stretched things that probably haven’t stretched in years, and made it such a good atmosphere throughout.

The workshop covered everything from understanding mobility and flexibility, to practical ways of improving movement both in and outside the gym. Whether you came in barely able to touch your knees or secretly discovered your hidden gymnast potential, we hope everyone took something useful away from it.

Huge credit to Iain as well for putting the whole thing together and sharing his knowledge with the group.

This definitely won’t be the last one either. We’ll be running more workshops in the future covering different topics, so keep your eyes peeled.

And speaking of upcoming events… our next BCB social will be a special hike with 👀
More details on that coming very soon.

This week our clients have been putting in the effort, staying consistent, and sharing some fantastic feedback with their coaches. It’s always inspiring to see progress happening one step at a time.

No matter how small the win may seem, it still counts and it’s worth celebrating.
Keep going, you’re doing amazing. 💛

Your turn: What’s one win you’re celebrating this week? Share it below and let’s hype you up! 🙌