Can the ‘Doc’ save Harris Tweed?

Unlike Dr Who which continues to growth from strength to strength, the fate of Harris Tweed is still unclear. Harris Tweed, once a must for all men’s wardrobes has been declining in popularity over the last decade. Production of this captivating cloth peaked in 1970, when approximately 7million metres were produced; today this figure is probably closer to 500,000 metres of cloth.

Shortly after the Second World War, 8 out of 10 people in Harris wove tweed or were somehow involved in the industry. In the peak of its popularity in the 70’s there were some 2000 weavers, this number is now in the low hundreds.

Changing fashions and consumer trends in the 80’s, sadly contributed to the start of the downward spiral of what almost led to the extinction of the tweed industry in Harris. So unstable did the market become that production was ceased in March 2009.

Nevertheless, one year on and the revival of the once loved cloth seems to be upon us. Matt Smith the new DR Who actor, has been recently snapped wearing a 1960’s Mackenzie Harris Tweed jacket, and ever since the phones of the Harris Tweed Authorities office have  been ringing of the hooks.

The revival of this versatile, vibrant and vivacious material has been at the heart of the Aptus Suits country range since its development in 2008 (http://www.tailored-suits.co.uk/woodcock_country_range.html). Harris Tweed lasts for decades, and comes in many different weights and styles. It therefore, lends itself perfectly to everything from a tailored Harris Tweed shooting suit, to a bespoke tailored Harris Tweed overcoat, the options really are endless.

Aptus Suits is based in the heart of the Cotswolds near the village of Dean. It is a small tailoring company offering its clients a personal service usually associated with tailors charging 5 times as much. The company was set up and continues to be run by two friends and has a growing client list of men and women seeking high quality tailoring, made from world renowned cloths but at an affordable price both nationally and internationally.

A tailored Harris Tweed jacket by Aptus suits starts at £550, a full three piece tailored shooting suit is £850.00.

http://www.tailored-suits.co.uk

What are the Most Effective Repetition Brackets To Use?

This article is in response to a question that an old friend asked me recently as he intended to start training and didn’t know where to start. After giving him advice I thought it made sense this as I am sure if he is asking it, a lot of you are thinking it.

It is a complex subject and upon understanding it you will improve your rate of success in your exercise programmes improves dramatically. This is especially the case if you have been following one of the generic programmes written in a magazine or copying a friends which has been written for them by their trainer. To be honest with you, this will probably create more questions as it impossible to say what is best for someone without assessing them first.

To keep such a vast subject concise I will try and keep each point short and exact.

How many repetitions you use controls the training effect (including how fast you see that effect and what result you will achieve from your programme)

You may use a different rep bracket when training for strength than training for hypertrophy or fat loss as you will want to target different hormone production.

Rep brackets vary from person to person. Your muscle fibre makeup means that training in certain repetition zones will improve how fast you build muscle and lose fat in comparison to training in other zones. An example of this would be a very fast twitch muscle, if you consistently train with high reps on this muscle you aren’t going to activate the muscle fibres (high-threshold motor units) that only contract with very high loads and are therefore not going to fulfil their potential.

Muscle fibre makeup is therefore also muscle group specific. A lot of people lack hamstring development because they are training it in an incorrect repetition bracket. The part of the hamstring that bends the knee (short-head of biceps femoris) is much more fast twitch than all of the long muscles of the hamstring which extend the hip exercises such as a deadlift and therefore short be trained with lower reps. If your routine includes leg curls above the 8 repetition mark it is probably time to revaluate how you are training or who you are training with.

To summarise, this is one of the hardest topics to give an exact answer and you should be vary cautious when someone advises you of a ‘perfect’ universal repetition bracket (look in popular programmes where everything is 8-10 or 12-15 reps). This demonstrates lack of extensive knowledge on the subject which in turn will short-change your results if you follow it.

To appropriately select reps for a programme your trainer should have an idea on the fibre makeup of your body, know the goal of your training programme and know your exercise history. Other factors will impact upon how they should select it but these are crucial facts to find out via fibre type assessments and appropriate screening prior to exercise.

www.bcpersonaltraining.co.uk

Are Supplements Necessary to Make Gains?

One question that I get asked a lot is if nutritional supplements are necessary to make progress in the gym. While this is often a hotly debated topic by fitness professionals it is worth pointing out that there is absolutely no black and white answer on the subject. For this reason I am going to give you two sides of the coin and let you make up your own mind.

Technically speaking, supplements aren’t necessary to make progress with your training programme. I have seen people adapt to exercise with a very poor diet and no supplement intervention. They can put on muscle, lose fat and build strength comfortably. Some people think that supplements are too expensive to use and are over-hyped. In a lot of cases this is true, if you look at companies with the big marketing budgets there is a consistent abundance of advertising aimed at improving their sales figures. I have heard how much it costs one of the big UK companies to produce their whey protein and how much they sell it for- it doesn’t surprise me some people think it is too much money.

On the other hand supplements can play an important role in maximising your progress. You can improve your hormonal levels which creates a more favourable environment for making gains. Examples of this can be improving your blood sugar levels, testosterone and cortisol ratios as well as your estrogen score. Other examples can be improving organ function to lead to better health and consequently faster gains. Supplements are definitely not a sure-fire way of improving your results. If you are bodybuilding and eating very little protein you are not going to out supplement that void. It is also important to note that the longer you have been training the slower your progress is going to be (not taking into consideration any improvements you make in your training regime through experience) and the need for supplements may therefore increase with training age as your body slows down it’s response to exercise.

In my training I encourage the use of a supplement programme. When I train clients it is important that their results are fast and therefore I like to be as precise as I can. Yes-you could eat a meal straight after training to lower your stress response and improve your results but it doesn’t have the same effect as having a well designed post-workout shake. If people are on a limited budget or have a personal preference against them then there are things you can do to make the best out of that situation. In my opinion and in my practice I use them for clients aiming for any training goal.

I always encourage my clients to ask for my professional opinion before buying any supplements. It can save them a lot of time and money by resisting the impulse purchases and instead buying supplements which I know would be more effective for their goals.

http://www.bcpersonaltraining.co.uk/

Harris Tweed

One of the most desirable wool textiles in the world, Harris Tweed is produced in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, mainly in the one island with two names – Lewis and Harris – Whose centre is the town of Stornoway. Aptus Suits utilises the hardwearing nature of Harris Tweed, along with the protection it offers its wearers from the elements, by incorporating the endless colour combinations available into unique tailored shooting suits and bespoke tweed suits.

Raw Material

Harris Tweed begins life with pure virgin wools which are blended together to gain the advantages of their unique qualities and characteristics. Although the wool is grown principally on the mainland of Scotland, in the early summer the island and communities join together to round up and shear the local sheep to add their wool to the Scottish mainland clip.

Processing and Warping

The wool is taken to the factories of the main tweed producers where it is then washed and dyed. The coloured and white wools are weighed in predetermined proportions and then thoroughly mixed or blended, then carded. The resultant yarn has a twist imparted to it as it is spun to give its strength.

The spun yarn is then warped. This is a vitally important process where the basic pattern of the colours is prepared by winding the threads on to a frame of wooden pegs ensuring an even tension throughout. The warp is then gathered together in long hanks.

Weaving

The warp is delivered, together with yarn for the weft, to the homes of the weavers. All Harris Tweed is hand woven on a treadle loom by the weaver at his own home. Each loom is the weaver’s own property.

The tweed which is now approximately 78 metres long is collected from outside the croft gate and is returned to the manufacturers.

The tweed is returned in the ‘greasy’ state to the manufacturers, and it is here that it is finished – that is dirt, oil and other impurities are removed by washing.

The tweed will also pass through the skilled hands of the mending department where any loose ends and broken threads are rectified.

Stamping

After finishing, the Harris Tweed is then presented to the Harris Tweed Authority’s inspectors, and if all the necessary regulations have been complied with, it is stamped with the Certification Mark – or ORB MARK – as it is known throughout the world.

‘Harris Tweed’, must be made from 100 per cent pure virgin wool, dyed, spun and finished in the Outer Hebrides and hand woven by the islanders at their own homes, “in the islands of Lewis, Harris, Uista, Barra and their several purtenances”. (Harris Tweed Authority”)

http://www.tailored-suits.co.uk

Aptus Suits recognize that the perfect fitting suit is just the start. We realise that for a suit to truly come to life, it needs to be tailored using a selection of some of the finest cloths available, woven from some of the most luxurious raw materials, sourced from every corner of the world.

At Aptus we are continually updating our material ranges, in order to offer the Aptus client, the best material for every occasion. As part of our new Cotswold Executives range we have recently teamed up with Ermenegildo Zegna the world famous Italian material producer.

Despite being the youngest of ten sons, it was Ermenegildo that truly put Zegna on the map.  The Zegna brand is closely linked to its family’s heritage. The company has remained within its family ownership for over one hundred years. Ermenegildo began working with his father in 1910, and quickly emerged as the natural leader to take the company forwards. However, it was not until 1930 that Ermenegildo developed a mill of his own, after completing his studies in a textiles institute.

Before setting up his own mill, Ermenegildo had spent a long period of time travelling extensively around Europe. It was during this time spent travelling that he became particularly inspired by the high quality of the British Textiles industry.

The driving force behind Ermenegildo Zegna was to develop a brand based on fabrics woven from the finest raw materials available using the most advanced technologies. His goal was to produce fabrics better than the British. Ironically to make this vision a dream he set about importing a selection of the best British spinning machines and before long felt confident enough in his weaving abilities to put his name on the fabrics.

Many years on, Zegna now produces over 2 million metres of fabric alone from its fabric mill in Biella. However, the two most important things Ermenegildo introduced to the brand still remain prevalent today, ‘the choice of only the finest materials and continuous technological innovation based on its customers needs’.

It is well known that Zegna is one of the biggest customers of top quality superfine merino wool and the best cashmere fibres derived from the Kasmir goat. It is also the biggest customer of the South African kid mohair, which is the finest mohair in the world.

Aptus Suits work alongside Zegna to provide our customers with a selection of materials appropriate for all seasons and all occasions.

Cool Effect Summer suiting material

Aptus Suits uses Zegna’s innovative new Cool Effect material, to provide the ultimate in summer suit comfort. This collection of materials is given an exclusive wash treatment, enabling the surface of the dark fabrics to replicate the properties of white fabrics, reflecting 80% of direct sunlight, where they would normally only reflect 20%, thus minimising the heat build up and cooling the effect of the summer sun. The ‘Cool Effect’ treatment does not affect the fabrics feel which remains light, soft and sumptuous offering the wearer not only an impeccable appearance but also maximum comfort in hot climates.

Trofeo 600

Trofeo 600 – For those simply seeking the best, Aptus Suits have sourced Zegna’s Trofeo 600 range of materials. ‘Trofeo’ is a legendary Ermenegildo Zegna suit fabric owing its name to the excellence of the raw materials used in making it. From this acclaimed fabric, Lanificio Ermenegildo Zegna has developed a refined version, ‘TROFEO 600’. The most precious of wools is woven with 15% naturally lustrous silk. The measure of the silk count is 600. The 600 silk yarn is the finest existing on the market, as it is five times finer than a high quality wool yarn.

The natural lustre of the silk highlights the fineness and appeal of wool, making the ‘TROFEO 600’ fabric an ideal fabric for summer suits. Naturally bright, light, with a subtle sheen and a smooth silky touch. Ideal for day or night, it is for men who love the look of silk, but also insist on the performance of wool.

http://www.tailored-suits.co.uk

 Why ‘Diets’ Do Not Work

For this article I will start by asking a question. How many of you have tried a diet and were less than impressed with the results? Have you or anyone you know lost weight on a diet only to put it back on when you stopped? This is an extremely common scenario and when it comes to achieving your physique goals it is completely backwards.

Most diets will involve you creating a deficit in the energy you consume through food. While this will make perfect sense to a lot of you when it comes to fat loss, it just doesn’t pan out in the long run. When you cut calories below maintenance levels your body goes into a ‘survival mode’ as it recognises starvation. This will create a decrease in thyroid function and leptin (a hormone that has a central role in fat metabolism). What does this mean for your diet? It means that after an initial period of potentially sudden fat loss your weight levels out and you struggle to lose more. This often results in further deprivation which acts as a catalyst for your diet to appear successful again only to find that after a period of time your fat loss stalls. As your metabolism drops due to the sudden lack of energy you are consuming in comparison you will be very sensitive to any increase in this. Now when you eat more than you were on your diet it is very probable that you will put all of the weight back on. (This is what happens in the term ‘yo‐yo dieting’).

To combat this it is important that when you are looking to achieve your goal of a lean physique you must take into consideration how long it will take for you to get there and if you want to stay there. If you are dieting down for a particular event like a holiday or bodybuilding contest you may accept that the fat will come back on and not worry about it. However in most cases where you are unhappy with your body and want to create lasting changes then healthy modifications to your diet without depriving yourself of vital nutrients will always be more sustainable.

Fortnum and Mason sparkles this summer with Camel Valley

A perfect suit for your perfect day

The wedding day, is often one the most important days in any adults life, if not the most important day. It is for this exact reason that everyone wants to look their best on the day. Often a lot of emphasis is placed on the brides dress, and quite right too, but this isn’t to say that the groom should settle for an ill fitting off the shelf suit.

Increasingly it is actually the bride that chooses the suit for her groom, a month or so before the wedding. Getting this suit to fit perfectly on the all important day often involves costly alterations and time. It is for these reasons that we believe Aptus Suits is seeing a large increase in the number of tailored wedding suits we do. Whether for the groom, best man, father of the bride or even the mothers of both parties, we are able to tailor bespoke wedding suits for all involved on the big day.  By taking over 25 measurements from our clients we can avoid the stress involved to trying to correct a poor fitting off the shelf suit. Not only this the whole experience tends to be a much more enjoyable one, with both the bride and groom often taking an active part in selecting materials from our range of Italian and English wools.

The level of service received is second to none, and the beauty with a tailored wedding suit is that you can have the specification exactly the way you want it. In the past we have tailored wedding suits to incorporate a lining to match the brides dress, a lapel flower button hole to be specially cut to hold a specific flower and this is of course before you even think about buttons, pockets and vents to name just a view of the options available. This shouldn’t be a stressful occasion, whilst relaxing in our fitting studio, with a nice glass of wine or a freshly brewed coffee, one of our fitters will offer you guidance on what materials, style and cut would work best for your tailored wedding suit. You can have as much or as little of an input as you would like.

We have also noticed that individuals are also opting away from tails, and instead are looking to get 3 piece suits made which they can wear for business during the working week. To me this makes a lot of sense, if you are going to get a great suit tailored why only wear it once?.  Clients seem to opt for a nice waistcoat to use on the special day, then can simply remove it to leave them with a 2 piece tailored business suit.

It is not only tailored wedding suits that we can help our clients with, we also tailor beautiful bespoke shirts and can offer advice on which of our handmade ties would best match the suit and shirt, as well as the brides dress off course.

Don’t leave looking good on your day to chance, leave it to the experts. A tailored wedding suit from Aptus ranges from £360 to about £500 dependant on spec, only little more than the cost of an off the shelf suit, but a lot more in terms of substance.

http://www.tailored-suits.co.uk/blenheim_evening_range.html

Aptus Suits ‘it’s a lifestyle choice’

http://www.tailored-suits.co.uk

Aptus Suits would Like to thank Steve a Cotswold vet for his interesting insight and comaprison between the internet and human nature.

Socially organized insects, such as bees & ants and certain herd animals, such as Wildebeests, live in large groups, so that the individual benefits from the collective efforts of the group. This is known as ‘Swarming’ and has many advantages for the individuals. They act collectively in providing food, in reproduction & protecting the ’swarm’ against predators, giving the group a competitive advantage over separate individuals.
The internet offers us similar advantages, as we have access to many more minds to solve a problem.
This was graphically illustrated to me when I first used the Vincent forum to help me find an answer to the reason why my charging system was not working.
I have an old Vincent motorcycle, which first saw the light of day in the same year that I was born, so we have an certain affinity, & a strong love/hate relationship. When it works, it is sublime, but less so when it breaks down inexplicably on a country road, miles from anywhere. Despite spending hours tending to its constant needs, it periodically lets me down, most recently by failing to charge its battery, resulting in no sparks from its electronic ignition system, with which I replaced its even more temperamental magnito. I have already replaced its ancient dynamo with an alternator, cunningly designed to look like the original equipment together with a modern solid state regulator, so what could go wrong. It runs beautifully on a fully charged battery, but after some 50 miles splutters to a halt, leaving me stranded on various scenic country roads in the Cotswolds, where I live.
I do not really understand electricity, & my small group of fellow enthusiasts could not shed light on the cause of this anomaly, so I decided to post the symptoms on the Vincent forum to attract a wider audience. Within an hour I had answers from three American Vincent owners commiserating & offering  some suggestions, but the gold plated knowledge came in the next 2-3 days from British owners, who gave freely of their knowledge to help me in my dilemma.
It would appear that the alternator that I bought, which was a three phase derivative, was at fault. Several of the ‘threads’ had had them, & had to discard them after short usage. The manufacturer had changed the unit back to single phase, and may exchange my unit too, I was told. Being French in manufacture, the factory is closed until the end of August, but at least my problem has been explained by the collective brains summoned together by the power of the internet.
I am not sure they realized that they had been ’swarming’ to my rescue, but as my other hobby is bee keeping, I find it an agreeable simile.

Having a perceived lack of time in your life to exercise is one of the most sure-fire ways to hinder your progress or stop it completely. You could ask any trainer what the most frequent excuse is for their clients missing a session and they would probably all say the same thing- “I just didn’t have the time” or “I was busy”. While I know that you are likely to have a whole host of things which you consider to be more important than going to the gym it is important to realise what needs to be done in order to get the results you want.

I often find that people who don’t have a specific training goal are the same people who fail to prioritise it highly enough to squeeze it in. If you are serious about improving your physique, performance or health it is vital that you know exactly what you want to get out of the time you put in. If you have the specificity of your goal exact your motivation will go up and you can trust me on this! I will give you an easy example to help prove my point. You and a friend want to lose fat. Your goal when asked is “weight loss” (hardly specific) and your friend’s goal when asked is “to lose 7kg of fat before my wedding in eight weeks time”. Now, which of the two do you think is more likely to be dedicated towards their goal? The take home message is having a specific goal, a deadline and a reason why you need to do it makes you a lot more likely to achieve it. It can be easy to predict who is going to still be in the gym in six months just by finding out why they are there. A lot of people don’t really know- they are more likely to be the ones who don’t last.

Think of the gym as a job. You know what you have to do, you understand the steps you have to go through to achieve it, you do it and you succeed. Jobs have deadlines, financial projections and specifics; not just “to make more money”.

I appreciate that you probably have a lot on your plate right now and a lot of things which you need to do before you can even think about getting in the gym. What I would recommend to you is to realise how effective exercise can be on your productivity and mental state. I know investors who believe keeping yourself healthy in body and mind are one of the most important things for your business. At the end of the day, if music moguls and celebrities can fit it into their schedule I am sure you can do the same; it just comes down to if you want to or not.

If you really feel like time is a constraint and you are not happy to spend the appropriate time exercising then it is even more important that you are exercising efficiently. You can burn fat and build muscle on short thirty minute sessions if you are exercising well.

So, do a little self-assessing first.

1)

Do you know exactly what you want from your training programme?

2)

Do you know exactly what you need to do to get you there?

3)

Are you prepared to do that?

4)

Are you prepared for any consequences of doing those things? Examples could be getting up earlier, taking your own food to work and buying new clothes once the old ones don’t fit.

www.bcpersonaltraining.co.uk

If you can answer yes to all of these things you are well on your way to achieving your goals, if not it is definitely worth dedicating a bit of time to yourself to think about what you want before attempting it with less than worthwhile effort.