Posted on

Friday 23rd September

Everyone wants to have things yesterday and fitness is definitely no different!!!

Everyone wants to cut corners too, and do things in the quickest possible time.

The great news is that i have been working in that world a long time now, and i try constantly to come up with new methods to meet ever increasing demands. If you want to stay in business, you WILL have to move with the times and more often than not, stay ahead of the curve and not behind it!!

So lets quickly cut to the chase!!!

Bear in mind its definitely not 1970, 1980 or even 1999 anymore and a lot has changed.

Weight training is still in for sure, and works every time. I have had numerous arguements about it before i start with someone, especially with women, but i always stick to my guns on this one!!!

Fads have come and gone, then come back again but most of them are exactly that “fads” have no place on a proper exercise programme and won’t work long term, and can often be dangerous.

You have a dangerous fad like cross fit out there right now, the basic concept is to combine really tough exercises together, and work over a very short period of time, half killing yourself and some people think its a great workout. The bad news is that you are likely to put your back out very quickly, your knees, ankles and just about everything else, BECAUSE OF THE ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS FORM/TECHNIQUE you use in this crazy system. Body mechanics go out the window and i strongly advise you to re-consider what you are doing if you’re involved in it!

Its called “cheating” in weight training circles, just to get a few more reps done, and its a cardinal sin. Youtube it and you will see how dangerous it is and i rest my case.

Circuit training is out completely too, moving around in a circle is another way of getting used to exercises (you’re going round and round doing the same exercises all the time), if not changed regularly. Circuit training is a fancy way of giving the instructor an easier time especially if he doesnt change the exercises regularly. Circuit training died in the 90’s so RIP and i used to do it myself but time moves on!

If you want to get in serious shape, try swiss ball’s used aggressively i mean, medicine balls, bosu balls, roller’s and many other non-conventional ways to get the job done, all done at a high tempo.

This should be underpinned by some good weight training and shorter duration interval cardio, but the options now are vast, and safer and more productive than all the fads of the last 3 decades that have come and gone!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Thursday 22nd September

Every day I bump into someone who I know has trained for most of their life. I hear a lot of inspiring stories on how well they are doing. Unfortunately I hear a lot of stories about how certain things have happened and they have had to have a break in their training.

Then follows that period when they promise themselves they have  to get back into things, and that time is always usually a week away. This week can lead to weeks or even months.

This is the number one reason for me why individuals get out of shape, or never get into the kind of shape they once dreamt about getting into.

If you don’t train, then changes will never happen to your body.

This is why the actual “doing” is always more important that copying some complicated training routine from a magazine.

Rather than make life difficult for yourself, “just do it” as the old saying goes.

If you tried asking people you haven’t seen yourself for a while how their training was going, I would put money on it you would get similar answers to me. People in general are the same wherever you go and its never easy to be in shape all the time, very few people manage this.

Those people you ask who are having a break are maybe the ones you need to ask yourself if they would like to join YOU in your efforts to get in shape?!!!

You cant beat training with someone else to get more out of yourself!

The only downside training with someone else is that sometimes they let you down, and this can be most unhelpful in your efforts to get your sessions in!

So as long as you can hook up with someone who is trustworthy and motivated, and a similar fitness level as yourself, its an absolutely fabulous idea for you to get your own “training buddy” and you help your friend out too!

Anything that gets you actually doing instead of talking about it will be massively beneficial for you!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Wednesday 21st September

When you talk to real life people who stay in shape or got into shape, the answers are always a lot simpler than you think.

For example, when you ask some people how they did it, did they cut out carbs? Did they cut out just bread? Did they never drink again? Etc etc!!! The reality as i said is that there are no miracles.

This reality plays out like this-they didnt cut out carbs but didnt eat huge quantities either (they had portion control).

They ate good carbs such as brown rice, wholemeal bread, wholegrain pasta and definitely didnt eat junk food anymore, absolutely NOT those types of carbs!!

When going to restaurants, simple things like not having dessert tend to work they tell me. If a huge plate of food comes your way, then only eat three quarters of it, simple!!

Some successful people eat really well but always have hearty appetites! They get around this by putting quality workouts in and give it everything they have!!! They use this as a very valid excuse to eat heartily, and who can blame them, i have some triathletes and marathon runners who could eat anyone out of house and home!!!

Most if not ALL people in shape i train or know or both never drink in the week, alcohol in the week is a one way ticket towards weight gain and miserable performances in all areas of your life FULL STOP.

Most people in shape never eat late at night, after all where are you going to put all of those extra calories!!!! A very successful strategy that works!!!

These little changes aren’t exactly mind-blowing are they?!!! One thing’s for sure though, they ARE life changing!!!!

Most nutritionists agree that these LITTLE changes make the BIG difference!!!

Time to get a grip, give yourself a better quality of life by fitting these little habits in, and enjoy the massive results to come!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Tuesday 20th September

The rest intervals in between your exercises are one of the best ways to increase intensity in your workouts, burn body fat, build lung capacity and increase muscular endurance.

Intensity for your workouts are done in several ways, but i really trust this way of doing things as its tried and tested.

An old saying is that fitness can be defined as the ability to get up after being knocked down, and do it again straight away! This may be more of a rugby example but the example holds true.

When you transfer that to the gym or home workout imagine it like this.

You do a press up and the most people have a rest for a couple of minutes, maybe five minutes then do another exercise.

If you try to do two exercises back to back for a change, it automatically becomes harder of course, and your muscles feel much better worked, you get out of breath easier, and the whole thing becomes a much bigger effort, leading to overall better results.

This is a good way to start, press ups followed straight away by arm dips, then rest for a minute, then try another two exercises, you will be able to build up over the weeks.

Ultimately, you want to be targeting 6 exercises and up to 8 exercises in a row.

For example, if you are working at home

press ups

arm dips

alternate squat thrusts

squats

sit ups

lunges

If you were in a gym, it may be

bench press

lat pulldowns

leg press

upright rows

tricep pushdowns

curls.

This is just a small example of what you can do, and your programmes and workout ideas are only limited by your imagination!!!

Just concentrate by working on one exercise per body part and you won’t go far wrong, you can literally have a different workout every time you train!!!

So tempo of workout is everything for me, the less rest you have the better (as long as you are well conditioned first!), and once you get used to training this way, you will never go back!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Friday 16th September

Congratulate yourself today if you’re doing something positive about your health and i really mean that!

From individuals i know currently having pulminory rehabilitation to those who have just done the Tenby Ironman race, the efforts on both counts have been hugely impressive, and in some cases relatively the same considering the starting point of the individuals!!!

Anytime you show up and do some exercise, life will become better and move in the right direction for you.

Anytime you get up saturday morning and you start grilling your breakfast instead of frying, you’re improving your health if you can make it lasting change.

Anytime you can say that you’re not going to go through the motions anymore, and you want to do different things in your training that will bring you some great results, life will change for you for the better because you will be focused on continuous improvement.

Anytime you decide that instead of staying in bed saturday and sunday morning, you walk up some hill or even small mountain that you never even thought of, you’re going to be improving at a speed that will shock you!

Anytime you start thinking that just because you have hit 40, 50 or 60 years of age, you are finished in physical terms you are doomed!!! TURN IT AROUND RIGHT NOW, cut that thinking right out of your mind and start realising that these ages offer OPPORTUNITY and not the end of the road!!! I have countless examples who have proved me right, and its their experience that inspires me every day!!

So we are on friday and traditionally the end of the week for most, start seeing it as the beginning of your enjoyment if you have been stuck in an office or house all week, this weekend is the beginning of your opportunity to feel alive again and get in shape so lets give it your best shot!!!!

Twitt