Tashi Skervin-Clarke is the creator of TSC Method, a personal trainer and an EastNine Coach. And today she’s our featured guest for the My Lockdown Workout series…
How did you get into fitness?
My fitness journey started properly when I was at college. I had all this time on my hands in between studying and working a part-time job so I decided to join a gym. I ran track as a child so that was something I was used to but using machines and free weights was completely alien to me.
That was over 11 years ago and since then I’ve fallen in love with weight training and embarked on a career as a personal trainer.
I’ve trained pretty much consistently throughout those 11 years, without any injury. Fitness has helped me to structure my life and give me a purpose. It’s very much my lifestyle, through which I’ve made friends for life and it’s given me confidence that years at drama school never did.
What is one of your favourite lockdown workouts?
I love compound exercises. Anything that works multiple muscle groups is a big ‘yes’ for me and my favourite is the deadlifts. It’s one of the best exercises to build strength throughout your entire body.
I also focus on having a strong starting position. I drive my heels in the ground and make sure I can feel the tension in my legs before I use my legs to drive the weight up off the ground. I usually do six reps at a heavier weight if I am in a strength phase or 8 -12 reps at a moderate weight if I’m in a conditioning phase. The rest period varies depending on the goal of the exercise.
What’s your nutrition like when doing a lockdown workout?
I try not to complicate things when it comes to working out. If I feel hungry, I’ll eat. If I’m training early and don’t feel like eating, I won’t. I listen to my body and work according to how I feel. If I’ve got a big session and feel like I could benefit from an extra boost, I may have a NOCCO drink but other than that I make sure I’m fully hydrated before a workout and I always drink water during a session too.
Do you have any tips for those new to working out?
Try not to over-complicate things and don’t force yourself to do something you don’t like, just because everyone else is. If you don’t like running, don’t run. There are so many different ways to build strength and increase your fitness. Spend some time thinking about your goals and map out a path to achieve them. Don’t compare yourself to someone else who has been training for a long time and go easy on yourself. We all had to start somewhere. Building strength and fitness takes time, so give yourself time.
I’d start by working out three times a week for 45-minutes to an hour. I’d try to do a mixture of cardio and strength training. Work on mastering the body weight version of exercises first. After that you can then look at using dumbbells, barbells or other forms of resistance. Look at increasing your daily activity too. This might include taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking to the shop instead of driving.
There are lots of great tools out there to help you along the way. Consisting of experienced personal trainers, professional athletes and even Olympians, EastNine’s fitness audio app is packed with sessions to support users in getting fitter, running more comfortably and becoming more confident. The audio and video app offers guided sessions aimed at everyone including:
- One-off runs
- HIIT sessions
- Weekly training plans
- Marathon training
- First 5k runs
- All with useful tips, encouragement and advice from expert trainers to help you find the right workout for you.
And finally…
Don’t forget about recovery! It’s something that is massively overlooked, especially at the start of training. Make sure you’re getting enough rest in between sessions, stretch and foam roll regularly and fuel your body accordingly.
Tashi does live online workouts every day on TSC Method, and you can pay per class, per block of through or for a monthly unlimited access pass. Likewise, EastNine offers guided workouts anywhere, anytime with expert trainers, including Tashi – check them out on Instagram: @eastnine.fit.
