Posted on

Sunday, 1st June

Watching the person you are training in how they move is often far more important than what they have to say.

Anyone I train will know I often ask excessively “how they are feeling” and how was that movement they just did.

Did it work for them? Was there any pain? Was it too much?

When anyone I train doesn’t know me too well, they will often tend to agree with everything I say. Then when they get to know me, they will tend to answer me back and question a lot of what I say-THIS IS A GREAT SITUATION!

Take a movement that’s causing you pain for instance.

When I get someone doing a new movement for the first time, there is a small chance that this new movement may cause them some discomfort.

The person I am teaching may say they found it “fine” but may walk away rubbing their shoulder. This is a clear sign that everything wasn’t fine and that movement we tried was a problem for them.

This is when observation of the person I am training is vital. The person I am training for years will always tell me straight if something was causing them discomfort, and they know I would stop right there.

When new people come to the gym, I always explain how your body works and is supposed to move, and avoiding pain is key for us. Their past experiences of exercise though have often not included this philosophy.

PAIN DURING EXERCISE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO WALK AFTERWARDS ON A REGULAR BASIS IS WRONG, DAMAGING AND IS GOING TO CAUSE LONG TERM PROBLEMS FULL STOP.

There is said it!

This is why how people move often gives more tell-tale signs than what they say.

The potential for new members to make mistakes in their training early on is huge, this is why I need to spend so much time developing them and not leave them after just one session left to their own devices.

Twitt
Posted on

Monday, 19th May

There are all different types of people who join gyms, and whoever it may be, it’s important to get them back down to basics to make sure they improve.

People who dabble in this and that, need to start buckling down to a proper programme and develop real strength and endurance.

For example, you often get individuals who have tried a bit of everything.

They have done weight training before at times, they sometimes have used the latest machines and convinced themselves that somehow they were “better”, they may have tried endurance training such as longer runs and longer cycles and bought all the latest kit and looked like a pro, they may have tried yoga and pilates, and more than likely swore blind that each of them was the best form of training at one particular time.

These people are willing to try anything, and many of these individuals have developed some strength and some endurance, which is a great start when it comes to our programme.

However, when it comes down to it, they usually have never done enough training to develop the skill, strength and power that comes with more specialist programmes that REALLY transforms you!
When many people come to us, they lack the strength of someone who trains consistently and has developed real strength.
Their tendons and ligaments haven’t developed the strength to learn a new way of training.

Our programmes are transparent, well-thought out and may look easy on paper.

If they were really easy to do though, you are doing them wrong or not putting enough into them!

We build everyone up gradually, and with time you will develop into an impressive athlete.

To start with though, you have to learn to do things right, to follow through with a programme for the first time ever, and to test yourself constantly.

You have to take your nutrition seriously, you have rest properly and you have to come in with a positive attitude.

Nobody gives a damn what you wear in the gym or how much make up you have on, but you better be prepared to work hard!

Twitt
Posted on

Monday, 5th May

Anyone who has gone fishing for crabs could probably never guess that this story could be related to getting into great shape, but here goes!

When fishermen go out trapping crabs, they bring them back to shore, and put them all in a big bucket of water.

All the crabs surprisingly stay in the bucket even though they could climb out as there is usually no top on the bucket.

The crabs are usually then left in an open bucket all night.

If one crab tries to get out of the bucket, the other crabs would pull him back down, and if he kept trying then the other crabs would pull one of his legs off so he would be made to stay in the bucket.

You would think that the other crabs once they see that one of the crabs can get out, they would want to get out too, but this is not the case. They were more interested in keeping everyone in the bucket.

This story relates very closely to human nature.

When anyone is doing something to improve themselves like exercising or eating healthy, there will always be those who want to drag that person back down and stop from them being successful.

Think of the times you are out when people give you a hard time for not having a few drinks, or they give you a hard time for eating healthy or they want you to do anything else apart from train? There are people within your circle who won’t want you to succeed, and you have to break out of this.

If you are trying now to make a drastic change for the better in your life, then you are probably experiencing these scenarios right now. Just think that you are one of the crabs trying to get out the bucket, but some of your friends will do anything to keep you stuck in there just like them!

It’s important to surround yourself with people who are going to support you no matter what, this is a key element for being successful.

I have seen it many times, someone I am training is really keen to change their body, but someone in their immediate circle is intent on stopping them adopting the habits that are going to let them be successful.

It could be not supporting them eat healthy by continuously eat junk in front of them, it could be putting them off making their exercise sessions by constantly giving them other options and saying things like “missing workouts here and there won’t matter”, or a general lack of support or kind words, even when that person may be doing amazing things! This lack of support WILL drag you down.

Ask which people are supporting you, and which ones are sucking the life and motivation out of you?

So you have to decide which one you are, the one trying to change everything and escape mediocrity or the one who really wants to stay with the rest of the crabs as the fisherman story goes!

Be conscious about the time you spend with negative people, if those people are giving you constant negative thoughts, then see these people as poison to your chances of being successful.

Surround yourself with as many positive supportive people as possible, it will make all the difference.

Twitt
Posted on

Saturday, 19th April

Bumped into three individuals yesterday.

One has had two heart attacks by the time he was 35, now had a child and was unable to play with his child for any length of time because he would get out of breath. His partner confirmed this to be true.

The next has a severe bad back, and couldn’t stand for any length of time. She was a good sportswoman in her time, she is now 42. She couldn’t go anywhere anymore because of the embarrassment of not being able to walk far, and always needing to sit down. She had trouble keeping up with her kids and was depressed about her condition.

The third was 32 years of age, been a big drinker with the medals to prove it, and was suffering from very high blood pressure. He wouldn’t talk to anyone about it because he felt embarrassed, because his sporting past was so good, and he didn’t want his employer and his friends to find out about it.

They all asked for help due to their various ultimately unsuccessful ways of trying to solve these problems. All of these people could be classed a relatively young and in the prime of their lives.

They explained that they had been to gyms before, but the recurring theme of being shown around machines once, then they were left to their own devices. Their “programme” consisted of treadmill, bike, and rower IF they could do it.

They felt alone, and soon the feeling of hopelessness flooded their minds again, and led to them quitting their very limited “programme” almost before it started.

The big question has to be asked, all of these examples have been badly let down before and forgotten about in the “system”.

Their progress HAS NOT been followed up, their needs haven’t been considered, and proper care was not taken.

One of the most common questions we get is “do you look after us all of the time, EVEN after the first session?!! All of you who train with us now know we do of course we do. New members still ask us that question and we still have to keep giving the same answer of YES until they find out that we do ALL of the time. Yes we do measure all the time too, with several tests every month no matter what.

This will always make us the complete opposite of any other gym.

I like to answer it another way too, we like to DEVELOP everyone because you don’t really know how everyone will react to exercise, and ALL of you will improve and reach new standards and new highs and physical development, balance, coordination and mental concentration, plus significantly improving any health worries.

All of those three examples at the start can be helped enormously and their lives can be turned around, but a lot of care and attention must go into them first.

Twitt
Posted on

Wednesday,16th April

Rest intervals are highly important for your workouts, and can make the difference between having very effective sessions, or just going through the same old thing which will sooner or later put a halt on your progress.

Many of you must have been to a place where they have 5 minutes in between sets, have a chat in between sets and generally there is “no rush” on the training session.

Look at those who do it, then decide whether you want to emulate them.

This feels a really comfortable place to be for all the wrong reasons.

Staying in your comfort zone is fun but not very challenging. The longer you stay in your comfort zone, the longer you are not going to get the results you want.

Simply reducing your rest in between sets can be the smartest thing you do this week.

You may get a bit out of puff, you may even have to lower the weights you use, but you will be all the better for it, and become a lot fitter too, reduce your body fat and feel a lot, lot better in 4 weeks or so.

We challenge all our members on their rest periods, and there’s never much sitting around not doing anything. We want everyone to keep on improving, so stay ahead of the game and reduce your rest periods!

Twitt