Posted on

Friday,12th July

Finishing off this toughest of weeks in terms of weather in good form will perhaps be one of your toughest challenges!

You have had a tough week of training or have you avoided training completely because it is so warm? I know of plenty of people who have battled through it, and I know some who feel incapable of getting their kit on in this weather.

I see week’s like this as pivotal. They put your mind to the test, and they put your commitment in question. Are you really hardcore in terms of training, or does the pub hold too much influence on you in this weather?

If you have stuck with the training side this week, and eaten fairly well, then you will be entitled to a beer at the weekend, and I am sure you will enjoy it greatly. You can have a bit of what you fancy in terms of food too, enjoy your sunday lunch in the knowledge that you have had a great week, and you can have a treat whenever you want, as long as it doesn’t form the majority of your week of course.

This is indeed the mindset you need to develop if you are going to get into the shape you really want. It should be no hardship, it shouldn’t be a struggle, just give it some time and you will soon be into it and feeling absolutely on top of your game pretty much all of the time!!!

Balance in your lifestyle is always welcome especially on a boiling hot week like this. You can have it all as long as you put the work in during the week first!

Twitt
Posted on

Thursday, 11th July

Eating enough is a problem for some people and for different reasons.

If you need to put on muscle for example, then it can be quite a feat to get used to eating more food, more often in bigger quantities each time. It is not comfortable at the beginning and I remember going through the same thing myself many times.

Eating more food usually goes with your training schedule being upgraded. If you are training a lot harder and for longer, then its absolutely critical to be eating more calories, and more importantly more QUALITY calories!

The secret of success in going through this process is simply sticking with it!

Many people haven’t the patience to go through this, and are forever looking for the “wonder supplement” that will somehow slap a ton of muscle on their frame.

So it’s a simple equation, you need to up your portion size a little bit, and eat every 3-4 hours max to stimulate lean muscle growth in your body.

Then when growth happens (and it will given time), then you will notice your poundages in certain exercises in the gym tend to start going up.

Another vital ingredient would be your sleep. You can be training your guts out, you could be eating a ton of food, but if you’re not getting to bed early every night, you’re not going to experience the growth in your body you should be getting.

If all of this sounds pretty rigorous, and requires a lot of discipline, then you would have guessed right! Putting muscle on is not as easy as those advertisements make it sound or promise you. It can be done though IF you show the consistency required more or less every day of the week. You can have one day off from the relentless nature of the eating, training and eating, but you had better get back on it the very next day.

This is the type of attitude you need and as I said sticking to it no matter what is the true secret to muscle gain!!

Twitt
Posted on

Tuesday, 9th July

The temperature has relented just a little bit today, which makes it a little bit more enjoyable to train in than yesterday’s conditions which reminded me of training in some kind of oven!

If you watched andy murray on Sunday, then you will have seen someone who takes full advantage of the heat and the humid conditions.

When he first broke on the scene, he tried playing a 5 setter versus Nalbandian. Despite taking a two set lead, he then run out of steam and was overcome by his far more experienced opponent.

Murray knew then that he needed to be able to cope with the heat and all the demands it brought.

He employed a big team of nutritionist, fitness trainers, yoga teachers, psychologists to get him into the real big time.

A key factor was re-locating to Miami. Anyone who has been there realizes that you are unlikely to get anywhere so humid as Miami, especially in the summer, this is where murray still calls his training base, and has obviously benefitted immensely from it!

He of course plays tennis all over the world, and although the rumoured 50 degrees on court was tortuous even for him, he at least has a lot of experience of those conditions and his experience of it was critical when it came to the crunch.

He was seen putting ice on his shoulders and neck in between games, he took longer to get out of his chair, he made sure he was fully hydrated and the extreme amount of work he put into his body paid off even against a supremely fit champion like Novak Djokovic!

So as we feel a little sorry for ourselves training through the extreme heat (for us anyway), we shou.ld realize that as long as we are sensible, and we take the proper precautions, we should be able to work our way through it, and year in year out, we are likely to get better in how we deal with it just like our new Wimbledon champion!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Monday, 8th July

As I write this, it is 26 degrees and I have already experienced getting through some tough sessions this morning.

The usual protocol must be followed in this very warm weather.

Regular water intake is the most important by far, and I am talking about drinking THROUGHOUT the day and not just your workout. This will enable your body’s core temperature to stay in a healthy range, it will help you workout for longer and help you recover from your session a lot quicker.

In this weather, like when you are abroad, it will be a great idea to train either first thing in the morning or later in the evening, when it goes a bit cooler and it’s a bit more pleasant to train in.

A massive test of exercising in the heat was Andy Murray’s wonderful performance yesterday. It was said to be up to 50 degrees on centre court yesterday would you believe! No wonder murray looked as if he had already played 5 sets than the 3 he already played! He looked out on his feet when he had the winning point and with good reason.

Playing in 50 degrees is extreme and most people could never get through such a match, and this shows the extremely good condition that both players were in, and both can now be regarded as the great champions they are!

They are constantly hydrating themselves, constantly eating throughout the day, before and after the match, and sometimes taking on calories through gel’s and various products. Djokovic consumes a protein and carbs shake straight away after his match as he leaves the court for example.

Good water intake, good nutrition all round is vital for these players who often play in extreme heat, and if you adopt some of their habits, then you too will be able to train harder and longer even when it’s a lot warmer than usual!!

Twitt
Posted on

Friday, 5th july

I am often asked about which are the best foods, what variations of that food, why so extreme, why so bland, why can’t I do this and that?!!! The questions are endless so here goes at answering them!

Brown rice is better than white rice? Yes it is, it releases a lot less sugar into your body, gives you energy for longer and will keep you leaner for longer.

Wholegrain pasta or white flour pasta? Of course, wholegrain pasta is better for the same reasons as the rice.

Jacket potatoes or sweet potatoes? In terms of sugar, sweet potatoes are far slower in these terms again.

White bread or wholemeal? This is the biggest clear cut winner, white bread is trash, full of sugar and bleaching agents, a nasty product that you must avoid, and the more freshly baked breads are cleaner in terms of additives. If a loaf of bread stays fresh a week after opening it, then you had better start worrying!!

Here’s a redeeming word of advice though.

With the exception of white bread, the rest of those products are okay in the simpler versions, as long as its in moderation.

The problem becomes with over-consumption, AND the consumption of other rubbish sugary foods too!!!

So if you had just boiled white rice, veg and fish for example, then of course its going to be no problem!!

It’s about moderation ultimately, and not pigging out on the sugary foods along with the ones full of saturated fat! Keeping your diet simple is key, and you don’t need to go to extremes of any kind. Keep your sauces low or make them yourself, keep the portions sensible, eat regular and keep the ingredients as natural as possible.

Do these things and will stay healthy, and have enough energy for regular good quality workouts!

Twitt