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Thursday, 19th September

So assuming you have taken onboard the advice over the last few days, I would start to map out your programme out a bit more. Trying to do everything in one session will not work, will be ultra-time consuming and make you extremely tired all of the time, making you quit exercise because it wont fit into your life very well at all!

So I would look at doing weights Monday and Thursday with an all over body programme. Pick 6-8 exercise with one good exercise per body part.

For an average healthy adult male, I would look at giving the following programme a go.

Bench press-3 sets of 8

Upright rows-3 sets of 8

One arm dumbbell rowing-3 sets of 8

Leg press-3 sets of 10

Dips-3 sets of whatever you can do

Tricep pushdowns-3 sets of 8

Curls-3 sets of 8

Aim to improve the weight you use slowly but gradually, and as long as you are eating well, this should be achieved naturally as long as you train regularly and show good commitment levels!

So that would be Monday and Thursday with some sledge hammer work (3 sets of 10) to finish. If you haven’t done some sledge work with tyres before, then you need to change gyms. One lot of flipping tyres over 10 yards and back 10 yards.

So some stretching on the core roller to finish. Again, if you haven’t done some stretching on a roller, then I would strongly question where you are training.

The Monday and Thursday sessions are all about you delivering power in a safe and productive environment.

Your form on each exercise has to be good, you shouldn’t place any strain on your back whatsoever, and you should be shown PROPERLY how to do each exercise properly.

Tuesday and Friday, I would look to do some speed and agility work, and we’ll talk about that tomorrow.

Twitt
Posted on

Wednesday, 28th August

Catherine asked a great question about marathons, and how to become a good runner in the first place, or become A runner of some description, run longer than a couple of minutes would be an achievement for many people I have started with the last couple of years.

As I said yesterday, I have one lady about to do a marathon but I have had MANY who have been through the same challenge and each a different story to tell.

Before we get into all of that, and the problems and challenges that the 26.2 miles presents, its vital you start at the beginning. You either do it the proper way or it’s like reading a book and going straight to the back of the book to find out the ending, because you couldn’t be bothered to read the book!

Some people have started off better than others, and doing it your own way is frought with danger.

I remember one lady really wanted to become a good runner, or even be able to run for ONE MINUTE was an achievement, she wasn’t overweight whatsoever and in some disciplines, had a reasonable level of fitness.

The first thing I told her was to buy running shoes, and change them every 500 miles (I tell everyone this).

I then took her out running and the best she could do was run for around 15 yards, then she had to walk until she got her breath back. She would walk for 40 yards, then run 15 again, then walk for 40, run for 15 etc.

This lasted for around 20 minutes and she was really tired, felt more than a little frustrated but explained this was the best way to go. This session was on a Monday lunch time.

I gave her other exercises to do on Tuesday inside, rest Wednesday, and to try the same run/walk Thursday. Inside exercises again on Saturday after a Friday rest.

When I saw her the next Monday, I could tell things had gone badly wrong.

Number one she hadn’t changed her trainers, she was still wearing the thinly supported “fashion” trainers.

Number two she had tried to run EVERY night!

Two things happened as they usually do following this schedule, she had blisters due to poor trainers, she pulled a calf muscle due to overdoing it, and when I saw her she was almost in tears fearing she would never run again.

I asked her why she didn’t follow my schedule and admitted she followed a book her brother had bought her (to encourage her).

It was called “run a marathon in 26 weeks”, claiming you could run a marathon in 26 weeks. This may be technically possible with perfect conditions and support for 1 in a 1000 people, but I can assure you I HAVE NEVER SEEN IT!!!

I soon had it out with her and told her to throw away the book, as its going to permanently injure her if she keeps to that impossible schedule!

It turned out to be the best thing she ever did, and she went on to reach an incredible standard which I will fill you on tomorrow!

Twitt
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Tuesday, 20th August

The biggest surprise that individuals have when they come home from holidays is their first measurement immediately after returning home.

Depending on what type of holiday they have had, the measurements across the range can vary wildly!

Someone who has drunk alcohol every night on their trip and eaten heavily will be the worst offenders and their first measurement usually shocks them!

Blood pressure is usually way up!

Their resting heart rate is usually way up!

They usually put 2-3 inches on their waist and hips.

They usually add 2-4% body fat which is a significant number!

Their energy levels have vanished and show no signs of returning.

Their motivation is at an all-time low.

Their start back to exercising again is usually delayed by a series of minor excuses.

So you can a two week holiday of this kind of indulgence can have a serious effect on one’s ability to get back to where you were before the holiday!

It’s up to you what kind of holiday you want but beware the consequences of constantly overdoing it EVERY night on holiday. The best advice is to get straight away into it, take your time the first week back especially, and within 2-3 weeks, you will soon be feeling yourself once again!!

This shows the benefits of measurements too! If you weren’t constantly checked, you wouldn’t know the damage caused internally, as well as how you look in the mirror of course compared to when you went away!

Twitt
Posted on

Wednesday, 7th August

If you’re stuck in the same routine for the last few months, even last few years, then chances are that your results have come to a crashing halt some years ago, and your gym visits now are little more than going through the motions and nothing to get excited about anymore.

The fault is both with yourself and the people trying to help you at the gym. If you have been doing the same thing for years, then you have probably experienced extended absences from the gym, and exercise full stop.

You may stop and start regularly, always going back to what you know and never finding any kind of a good result.

You must change and you must change now if the following are NOT HAPPENING!!!

1 Your body is not improving at all.

2 You find the gym boring and have little incentive to go.

3 you have stopped eating well because you feel “what’s the point”!!

4 you don’t use your gym membership properly because your attendance is poor and
you get no help when you are there.

5 others comment on the weight you have put on

6 you get out of breath walking upstairs

7 you only do your “favourite” exercises

8 you can’t fit into your clothes anymore.

These are all signs things need to change RIGHT NOW and quit whatever you are doing, wherever you are doing it because nobody is caring a damn about you and your programme, meaning nobody is caring about your progress and your body and mind’s future wellness.

Change is as good as a rest too and you may find the change of scenery very empowering!

Please don’t treat your body as a second rate citizen, put it to the top of your list and stop putting up with gyms that frankly don’t give a damn!!

Twitt