I’m Jordan McCulloch and over the coming weeks, I am going to share some tips, stories and funny moments with you that will hopefully give you some motivation or that extra kick to get you on your fitness journey.

If you’d said to me when I was in my teens that I’d end up working in the fitness industry, I’d never have believed you. I was a pretty overweight teenager, with absolutely zero interest in fitness or sport. My career path at that time could easily have pointed towards professional couch potato.

All that changed when my parents took me with them to join the gym. We got a family membership and for a while I kidded myself that I was keeping fit going to the gym five to six times a week but getting nowhere. It was only after one of the instructors encouraged me to come along to a group fitness class that I finally got the fitness bug. After that, I tried different exercise classes and started working out in the gym with support from the club’s fitness team and I started seeing real results.

When I turned 18, I was able to take a fitness instructor course and ten years later, I’m now a national presenter and master trainer for Les Mills, one of the world’s largest fitness companies.

What I love about my job is that I get to pass the fitness journey and experience that I went through onto my clients and members.  Everyone is different and it's about finding what suits the individual. Exercise should be fun so find what you enjoy doing! I personally enjoy strength based exercises in the gym and alongside this, I get to share my love of fitness and exercise in the many varied group fitness classes we run at the new Village Urban Resorts Glasgow at Pacific Quay.

Have you had your HIIT this week?

It’s one of the hottest fitness trends of the moment.  HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) has been around for quite a while but over the last couple years, it’s become really established as part of the mainstream exercise scene. If I wasn’t teaching classes, I’d be making sure I take part in regular HIIT classes every week, because it’s so easy to fit in, no matter how busy you are.

A workout lasts just 20 to 30 minutes - a short, sharp burst of work at a high intensity level. Alot of people like HIIT for this reason, also because you tend to see results pretty quickly which helps you stay motivated.  Members often ask me why HIIT is so effective and the reason is that it creates an EPOC effect - Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption. The high intensity of the workout causes the body to crave more oxygen than it would after a moderate intensity workout.  This raises the body’s metabolic rate, so you burn a lot of calories during a HIIT workout and keep on burning them even after you’ve finished.

There’s a stack of research behind HIIT which shows that short bursts of high intensity exercise – where you work to failure - can deliver the same fitness benefits as longer, ‘steady state’ aerobic workouts.  Taking part in HIIT training two to three times a week can really increase your cardiovascular output and metabolic rate, helping you burn FAT quickly. If you’re trying to get in shape for a special event or a holiday, starting doing some HIIT classes now and track your progress.

There’s plenty of HIIT workouts you can try. I enjoy teaching the HIIT workout series from Les Mills, called GRIT. We’ve got all three to choose from at Village Urban Resorts Glasgow - Grit Strength, Grit Cardio and Grit Plyo, and they’re all seriously effective and very popular with members. If you’re coming along to try one, be prepared to work!

Runner’s tip

It’s less than nine weeks until the Great Scottish Run so whether you’re planning to take part in the 10k or Half Marathon, you should have a training plan in place by now and be tracking your progress. Building up stamina is key to running the time you’re looking for and it’s not just about getting the miles ‘in the bank’. HIIT workouts help to improve muscle endurance and cardiovascular performance, and by incorporating a strength and conditioning workout as part of your training schedule, you can help prevent injury.