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

Tuesday, 6th May

Determining your best workout should be thought of in terms of what does it cost your body in energy terms. This is the real way that great things are going to happen for your body.

A lot of men tend to measure their workouts on how good it makes them look, or think it makes them look. For many men for example, they tend to make Friday night “chest and arms” night because the chance are that they are going out later and want to look their “best pumped up”!

We like to think that we have changed that thinking completely.

Many women think that as long as they hit the treadmill and spend endless hours on the bike, that the fat will be “stripped away” and they will get their “beach body” far quicker this way.

Weights many females think are for the “bulky look” and they really don’t need them, in fact many females never hit the weight room. It should be obvious by now that we train with huge variety, and mixing strength training up with everything else is the way to go.

Many of our women are stronger than many men in certain tests, and all of those women are getting leaner, would certainly never be classed as “bulky” and are reaching new standards of fitness on a weekly basis.

Energy cost of workouts are a good way to think about your efforts, and will have a direction relation to lowering your body fat, getting you leaner and sending your fitness levels through the roof!

The tyres, the prowler, sledgehammer work with little rest in between, has a lot more energy cost than doing curls and leg extensions with very light weights for example.

It may be nice doing a couple of light weights exercises, and chatting on the bike for half hour at low intensity, but your time in the gym should be as productive as possible. Your weight sessions should be high on energy cost too, just like the ones I keep showing all of you all the time, and all of you are doing very well on them.

Use your gym time wisely, and you will always deliver far more impressive results.

Twitt
Posted on

Sunday 27th April

Best bit of advice I ever had was to make sure you get some sort of exercise in on the Sunday morning after a few drinks the night before.

If you don’t, you are likely to feel like rubbish all day on Sunday, and you don’t really recover until the Wednesday as the booze and excess food will sit on your stomach for a couple of days.

You may try to train it off on a Monday but in all likelihood you will still be feeling rough, be able to put in only a light session if at all, because you will want to hit the sack early after your first day back in work as your tiredness will hit a peak!

Then Tuesday you will want to put a big session in, you still feel exhausted but you do your best, and then have an early night, so it’s Wednesday before you are actually 100% again!

Starting your week mid-way through is always going to put you on the backfoot, so this morning is an ideal time to try and make up for a Saturday of excess. Monday then can be a great productive session and you are all set up to get a quality week’s training in!

Sunday should be your version of going to church for your body, feeling much better immediately and getting all the rubbish out of it.

Twitt
Posted on

Saturday, 26th April

When any individual starts training with us, it’s vital we collect the evidence of their current physical condition, their past medical problems, their current mental strength and willingness to change, and their current ability to move forward through a series of tests that we carry out on everyone no matter who they are.

It’s at this stage that EVERYONE goes on their own different path with us, and responds in all sorts of different ways.

I find that everyone will respond at a DIFFERENT rate, sometimes you have a super fast responder to exercise, sometimes you have someone who finds most things a little more difficult but the crucial and key thing I find is you HAVE to spend time with them finding this out.

You need to spend time with them finding out the best way to overcome any obstacles, and spend time with them adjusting their programme all the way making sure they always get a first class measurement at the end of the month.

Show urgency with everyone’s training and nutrition, and I find we always get a positive response in terms of an individual’s effort. The results from these efforts always speak for themselves in terms of the evidence we are able to gather from their workouts and their eating habits.

Much lower body fat, healthy blood pressure ranges, a strong heart, much better waist and hip measurements, healthier stronger bone density, much great movement ability, a much stronger back, much better balance and coordination are all pieces of the hard evidence we constantly collect.

Put all of this together with far greater mental strength, and you will find that anyone is capable of achieving a dramatic and life changing transformation no matter who they are.

Twitt
Posted on

Thursday, 10th April

After coming out of a long dark and wet winter, it’s vital you come into the spring as fresh as possible.

Many of you train 5-6 times a week with us, and this will usually mean that you are in great shape, that you have improved substantially over the winter and there’s a very strong chance that your fitness is at its all-time best.

Sometimes though we all hit a wall and we don’t know really what to do about it.

Our motivation goes down a bit, we can’t get a constantly good performance out of ourselves, and we wonder whether we can hit the heights anymore.

We may see people who we have been training with pull slightly ahead of us, and we may lose our enthusiasm to stay with them. This is a sign that you need to step back a bit.

A great answer to these problems is to train LESS for a while in terms of days.

Cutting back to three days a week for a month or so can make all the difference.

On your days off, try doing different things, enjoy yourself whatever you want to do, and you will give your mind a good rest from your programme.

The result from this type of approach is that you start enjoying your training much more again.

When you hit those three sessions a week, they tend to be of much higher quality again because you will realise again what you are really capable of.

You will start to make gains again and your body will thank you for getting off a schedule that you needed a break from.

I usually find that a month is usually enough, and then most of those who have cut back feel ready to step it up again and hit extra days again.

You can feel the rest has done them good, and most people go on to reach new personal highs in their next cycle of training.

Training in different cycles is very common with professional athletes, who find it an absolute must to peak for their events.

Training smart and taking days off when you need them will always keep you close to your peak, and keep you mentally fresh just when you need it.

Twitt