Christmas 2013 - DOUBLE BLOG: 10 Things to Focus On & 10 x Free 10 Min Workouts

 

So it's Christmas season and I'm feeling generous - here's a double blog to take care of you over the Christmas break and make sure you don't go completely off the boil with your health.

First up...

PART ONE: 10 Things to Focus on Over Christmas...

1) Exercise: Obvious right? My advice is just to "Get it done!" Most people will take advantage of the relaxed Christmas schedule and rise a little later than normal. But if their plan is a 10am breakfast of Cadbury's Heroes then it means you'll need to be out of the door at 9am and off exercising. One hour less sleep and you can have your workout for the day complete and be home in time to join in the usual festivities.
DON'T wait until later or plan to get it done "at some point" - it won't happen!

2) Hydration: Don't neglect the simple things. Keep yourself hydrated throughout the day and help your body to ease some of the strains you're putting on it with your week or so of excess. try to link drinks with daily events; for example: Target a pint of cold water within 10 minutes of waking, before you go to bed, and before lunch and dinner - that's 4 every day as a minimum. Add a pint of water every time you're going to leave the house for an extended period to ensure hydration and you're averaging at least 5 pints a day - make that a minimum.
DON'T leave it to chance and realise you haven't had much water today - ESPECIALLY when alcohol levels will be higher for many of you!

3) Turkey: Yep, that's right: "Target The Turkey!" My point being, go big on high protein, lean meats (turkey being one of the best for this)at meal time. It will offer you prolonged energy, aid recovery from exercise (you WILL need to exercise!), keep you fuller for longer and also curb your hunger a little before pudding shows up! Avoid taking your first few bites of any dinner from foods that aren't high in protein such as roast potatoes. If there's lean meat left, DON'T save room for pudding!
DON'T approach your days differently to your working week. have a plan for rough meal times and meal content ahead of each day. Leaving things to chance and eating "whatever's going" won't rub!

4) Sleep: Easiest one! Take advantage of the break from work (if you're fortunate enough to have one) and sleep where possible. Don't fear a day time nap - embrace it. Sleep is one of the easiest and cheapest medicines going; the value of sleep should never be over looked.
DON'T burn the candle at both ends and go back to work after your break, needing a break!

5)R&R: Following on from the sleep suggestion focus on taking care of your body. Spend some time foam rolling and stretching, doing yoga and pilates and generally making sure you feel in top notch for 2014. you might not have this much spare time or flexibility again for a few months.
DON'T waste this opportunity to really let your body recovery and repair ahead of 2014.

6) Fun: Don't take activity seriously all of the time. In fact, be creative and try to exercise elsewhere apart from your usual gym. Some of the workouts listed below don't require any equipment so why not head of to somewhere scenic and workout there for a change?
DON'T just head to the gym and go through the motions

7) Next year: Have a moment of reflection. What did you do with the last 12 months? Where did you start? Where did you finish? Are you in a better place physically than you were 12 months ago? How do you intend to improve again? What is your new "Why"? Get a focus for the year ahead and plan it out with micro plans of 1-3 months that will take you to your end goal stage by stage with no chance of failure.
DON'T just do next year what you did this year - life's too short!

8)Life: If you want to have a successful year ahead in terms of improving your health then it's important to have all other areas of your life in balance such as your work, family and other commitments. More often than not people struggle with results as their health isn't a REAL priority. They may say it is, but they're not willing to manage other areas of their life to MAKE time for exercise and living healthily.
"I didn't have time to go to the gym this week..."
"I was in a rush at lunch so just picked up..."
"I don't have time for breakfast in the morning..."
"I had to drink as it was..."
" I'm going to struggle to make the gym next week. I'm running my kids around..."
"There aren't enough hours in the day!.."
If you say these things, your health is not your priority. You need to plan in the inevitable and figure out solutions when met with barriers.
DON'T "try" to do anything next year... just do it! Plan with accuracy and thoroughness and create a fool proof regime.

9) Alcohol: Don't focus on drinking it; focus on being aware of when you're most likely to drink it. For example, if you're planning your exercise regime for the week then consider social occasions too. Don't plan an early morning sprint session on a day when you'll be recovering from a family gathering where you might drink. Likewise, don't drink "because it's Christmas" - you're not a child; have some self control. Sure, you may drink more than normal but remember, you don't HAVE TO drink! Try saying "no", then wake up the next day and workout - you'll be glad you did it. Just be realistic with your plans and don't instantly let lose on the alcohol.
DON'T see Christmas as a green light for daily drinking!

10) Embracing your surroundings: In my opinion, there is no better time of the year to get outside look around and listen to what's around you. Reflect on the year gone by, think about the year ahead and be grateful for what you have and how fortunate you are. Go for a walk, discover somewhere new, enjoy scenery and spend time absorbing your surroundings. Life can be very go-go-go... stop... be aware!
DON'T sit in all Christmas eating chocolate and watching repeats of Christmas films or playing with your newest toy!

PART TWO: 10 x 10 min workouts...

NB: ALWAYS take time to warm up first though with either a lower intensity of the exercise you're about to do such as tempo runs before sprinting or a mobility flow such as the two on the links below before doing resistance work. The warm up may last only a few minutes but it's necessary to get the most from your 10 minute workout.
Mobility Flow 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1cpIOjiVs4
Mobility Flow 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cnMTfq_ON4

WORKOUTS: 1) 10 x "1 minute 100's" : Run 100m in 15-17 seconds, turn and immediately jog back to the start in the remainder of the minute (ie: 45 sec jog if the sprint took you 15 secs), try to keep an eye on the time so that you make it back on time. When the second minute starts, turn and sprint again. Do this 10 times - much harder than it sounds.

2) Tabata Push and Core: Set your timer up for Tabata Intervals: 20 secs work, 10 secs rest x 8 (4 mins total). During the 20 second working periods alternate between these exercises:
A1) Push Ups and Tuck (as you perform the push up, during the upwards "push" motion lift one knee and raise it towards the wrist on the opposite side of your body, drop into the nxt push up with both feet on the floor and this time, as you push raise othe other knees under the body and across to the opposite wrist) Similar to exercise 3 here (link) but with push ups in between
A2) Plank and Reach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAzQqEF50PE

B1) Shoulder Press Push Ups (push ups with your feet standing nearer your hands to create an upside down "V" shape with your body. Lower the top of your head towards the floor rather than your chest) Exercise 10 here (Link)
B2) Frogs Exercise 12 here (Link)

3) Short Running intervals: Set your GymBoss or interval timers to sound every 15 seconds. Simply run as fast s you can for 15 seconds, walk for 15 seconds trying to slow your breathing as much as possible in that time. It might be necessary to break this into 2 x 5 minute blocks with a short rest between.

4) Tabata Pull and Core:
A1) Pull Ups or inverted row under a bar or tree or climbing frame A2) Side Plank on your left side
B1) Heavy Deadlift (find something heavy and pick it up with a flat back, heels planted flat and feet either side of the object. be creative: plant pots, logs, old Christmas trees anything "heavy".) B2) Side plank on your right side

5) Broken 1000m Row: Row 100m - Climb off and do 10 x heavy Kettlebell Swings - repeat for 10 rounds

6) Tabata - Legs and Core:
A1) Squats or jump squats (add weight if accessible)
A2) Laying Leg Raises

B1) Alternating Reverse Lunges
B2) Crawl Outs - (Link)  

7)10 x Minutes of 5 x exercises: 1) Push Ups, 2) Squats, 3) Plank 4) Walking Lunges, 5) Burpees - Twice Through with minimal/no rest

8)Tabata - Conditioning
A1) "Up/Downs" or "Suicide Push Ups" (start in a push up position climb down to a plank and then back up again as fast as you can as many times you can without your knees touching the ground) Exercise 21 here: Link
A2) Animal Crawl 2-3m Forwards and Backwards (Link)

B1) "Pop ups" - (Link)  
B2) Mountain Climbers (Link)  

9) Short variation of "Cindy" (it's a Crossfit workout"): 5 x pull ups, 10 x push ups, 5 x bodyweight squats - 10 minutes. Aim to do a round a minute every minute and you'll be doing well.

10) Walk. The easiest option going but if you at least walked every day that's streets better than the majority of the country. Add variety to it though - whether you add in some intervals, hill sprints, bodyweight exercises, combine walking lunges between regular walking, race a friend, take a dog and sprint around with them, whatever you do, just try to be active.

So there you have it - 10 things to focus on and 10 EASY to fit in workouts. You're telling me you can't sacrifice 10 minutes from your day?

You must REALLY want to be fit and healthy! (sarcasm intended!)

PRIZE for anyone that does all of the 10 workouts above and shares evidence of it with me (pictures along the way). I mean it - I'm offering to reward you for putting aside 10 minutes of your day! How easy is THAT!?...

Hope you found this useful. Feel free to share with your friends, family and networks.

Have a lovely break from Christmas... but not from life! Until next year....

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter  @MichaelD_PT and YouTube

How to improve your workout - the ongoing list

This is fairly straight forward; below is a list of ways to improve your workouts. You may already use some of the suggestions below in some capacity but hopefully, there may be an idea or two that you can incorporate in your current workouts.

I intend to add to the list from time-to-time (hence the title) enjoy...



Use an interval timer to add intensity - I'd recommend a GymBoss (they also have a free app that you can download). You'd be surprised at how you react to a timer and feel accountable and obliged to carry on. Its a great way to save time too and keep your workouts short. Quite a few ideas of how to use one here: Workout Ideas



Train with a training partner with similar goals - Find yourself a friend with similar goals and aims. Pushing yourself with some healthy competition and being accountable for your efforts and attendance is a great way to make your gym sessions consistently high quality.



Train With a Partner (2) - with different goals / skills / knowledge - Find someone that does something COMPLETELY different to you. A different approach to training, a different sport focus or a different background in fitness can be a real eye opener. You don't have to change you entire way of training but approach the session with someone new with an open mind. Take from it what you can and apply it to your own training. It doesn't need to be a weekly event but take from other areas of health and fitness what you can.



Enter a competition - Signing up for a challenge is a great way to instantly set yourself a S.M.A.R.T goals (read about setting S.MA.R.T goals here: S.M.A.R.T goals) It's specific, and time sensitive - a great way to make yourself accountable and stay on track with your training.



Set yourself quarterly goals - Look back. Are you any "better" than you were 6 months ago? For most people the answer is "no". Ask yourself "why" and then set yourself a goal for the next 3 months. Do this regularly and make regular, progressive steps each year.



Set a time limit for each workout - This is a great way to get through a pre-set amount of work and ensure your intensity if sustained. For example, if you planned on doing 3 sets of 4 different exercises why not limit your session to 45 minutes? Aim to do each exercise in under 10 minutes and allow for a brief water drink and setting up of equipment.



Write it down: The Workout - The amount of people that enter a gym with no plan or reasoning for what their about to do is probably a direct reflection of the amount of people that seem to exercise regularly and make little or no progress. Despite what the good people at CrossFit may suggest, you can't just go and pluck random number and exercises for your workouts and expect to make regular progress.



Write it down (2) - Numbers - Again, looking at "are you any better than 6 months ago?" Are you any stronger? have your sessions become progressively more intense, heavier or harder in any way? It can be hard to know a definitive answer without tracking the weights you use. Also, it can be a useful kick up the backside when you look back and realise you haven't made any progress with your deadlifts in 6 months for instance.



Get Help-  There's a phrase that goes something like: "A person who trains themselves has a fool for a athlete" - No Matter who you are, how well educated you are or how many years of experience you have you don't know everything; even those self titled "experts" and "gurus" that seem to appear all over the internet. Seek help. Think outside the box. you may be a powerlifter, speak to a mobility professional or if you play a fast paced sport you may benefit from the control and balance required for Yoga.



Get outside - A "workout" doesn't have to be limited to a gym setting. "Train to Your Environment"; get outside, run places, climb things, carry heavy objects, explore and use your body in ways that aren't confined by resistance machines and exercises while making the most of what's around you. Move freely and move with control and see how you require different skills and movement patterns to some of those you use in the gym.



Have Fun - a "workout" doesn't always need to be serious. Every now and again choose an activity. Go climbing, kayaking, swimming or whatever you choose. be active and broaden your skills set.



Finish with a "finisher" - Many gym sessions lack intensity. No matter what your overall aim, I like to "Finish with a finisher". Just a few minutes of intensely stringing a number of exercises together intensely. If you're looking to burn fat this can be a nice thermogenic boost - simply pick 4 or so exercises, keep the reps or time low and go round it a few times. For instance: 5 dumbbell thrusters, 5 hanging leg raises, 5 pull ups, 30 second run x 4. If you're looking to grow your muscles, a final "pump" can also be created with a similar structure ie: 8 dumbbell lateral raises, 8 dumbbell front raises, 8 shrugs, 8 upright row x 4. Leave the gym knowing you've had a workout. If you can wear todays gym kit again tomorrow then you're doing it wrong.


Start with core work - Lots of people overlook the benefit of targeted core work or abdominal work. They plan to add it in to their sessions or do it at the end of the session but afterwards it somehow gets forgotten, Try doing your core work and ab work at the start of a session. It not only gets it out of the way but it also works as a great way to warm up your body, elevate your heart rate and activate your core ahead of your bigger lifts.



As I said at the start, you may already use some of these methods, but hopefully one or two of the ideas come as welcome additions to improve your current workouts.



That's all for now.



Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @MichaelD_PT and YouTube

Retro Bodybuilding Myths

As we get more and more information thrust upon us each day, it's easy to understand why some people take on bad advice and include it in their training.

However, there are some old fashion, retro "body builder" tips that, for no great reason, have hung around and still show their ugly face in many gyms across the world. "BroScience" to many of you is more apparent than ever.

Just because a big lad at the gym gave you a tip, don't take it as gospel. here's a few to look out for.

Bench Press with your feet in the air to isolate the chest...
There are some people that like to perform chest press with their feet on the bench, or worse still, feet in the air. The idea being that it "isolates the chest". Remember, just because something is harder, doesn't make it better. Performing squats balanced on a swiss ball is tough but not the best way of working your legs.
Ultimately, if you want to improve your chest and your pressing ability you want to be stimulating growth and adaptation. The best way to do that is through some form of overload via increased weight or repetitions or time under tension; if you want to do that then you're best to keep your feet planted firmly on the floor. You're not a balancing act after all.

Heavier squats are more important than deeper squats...
You'll see many people looking to squat the heaviest weight they can waddle out of a squat rack at the cost of sacrificing squat depth and at times, much squat form all together. In order to recruit the highest amount of muscle fires and stimulate growth from a squat depth is key. Work on proper depth under proper control and maintaining good form throughout - the weight increases will soon follow.

Always wear a weights belt for the heavier sets...
Many people still opt for a weights belt as they reach their upper limit for lifting weights. They looked shocked at you when you ask why their using a belt as if you wouldn't imagine lifting a heavy weight without a belt. Personally, I wouldn't ever advise a non-competitive lifter to use a belt. Instead, focus on strengthening all areas of your body equally to take the load and strains placed on it. Relying on a training assistance of any kind is never a good idea.

Walk for extended periods for fat loss...
Long bouts of steady-state cardio (usually treadmill walking) has been a staple exercise for body builders looking to shift body fay and retain muscle for many years. However, what many people ignore is the benefits of sprint work in reducing body fat and improving sporting performance. Sprint work is tough, but short bouts of interval sprint work are an incredibly effective way to shift body fat and boost your metabolic rate. It's a much more time-effective and less tedious option in my opinion. If like me, you're not a huge running fan, intervals of rowing, cycling and even crawling might be a viable option.

Wear a sweat suit to burn more fat...
Sweat suits like you sometimes see a boxer in are designed for one purpose only: to reduce your immediate weight. Not your body fat, just your weight. All that it may do is increase the rate at which you lose water. If you're under pressure to reach a specific weight in time for a pre-fight weigh-in then sure, a sweat suit might be a viable (though not ideal) option. Otherwise, be warned that any fast loss in weight is merely water weight that will return once you take on water again. Rather than a positive, in fact these suits are likely to have a negative impact on your training and results. A loss in water will cause dehydration. Dehydration will reduce your performance and rate you can work at and so, reduce your potential effort so burn less calories and lift less weight. It will also hamper your bodily functions which are heavily reliant on water.

Arms days are essential...
Don't be lured into thinking that you need to put aside an hour a week just to build your arms. Most of you will have other time constraints such as work, family and friends; so why not spend your valuable gym time a little more effectively? Sure, the odd bit of isolation work will target your arms specifically, but consider the benefit of fully body, multi-joint compound exercises like squats and deadlifts if you're looking to improve strength and general body composition. If your under-sized biceps are keeping you awake at night then opt for lots of narrow grip pulling work when working your back. This will not only target your back but also require a lot of forearm and bicep effort. Bigger back and better arms in one go.

More cardio to reduce body fat and get fitter...
It's often the view that if you want to "get fit" then running is the first option. Or, if you need to lose weight, it's cardio again. "Cardio" training is designed to improve the strength and capabilities of your heart and lungs by elevating the heart rate. This can be achieved in many more ways than just running. Heavy lifting or high intensity resistance work are all viable options. Just because you need to reduce your body fat, don't instantly opt for the treadmill. Build lean muscle and improve your everyday metabolic rate while also burning calories in the gym through high intensity resistance work. This is much more likely to avoid you spending a long time in a catabolic state (muscle wastage) and so, will help to retain the muscle mass you've worked hard to gain. if you want some ides for high intensity interval workouts I've written up plenty here: http://www.michaeldarren.blogspot.co.uk/p/workouts-that-ive-enjoyed.html

Carbs in the evening will make you fat...
Ever heard "no carbs after 8pm"? This can work... but usually as it stops people from eating anything after 8 and so, reducing their calorie count every day. Where they might usually opt for late night eating, if you cut that out of your life then yeah, you probably will make a difference. However, it's not that carbohydrates that were the villain in this whole lifestyle adjustment.

Conclusion...
Most of these ideas and tips will have an element of truth or, at one stage, were a current and up to date method of training. However, they're now out-dated and sports science has allowed us to find more beneficial and effective way to stimulate adaptation in the body. Don't be surprised when you still see the above happening in a  gym... just don't join them!

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter - @MichaelD_PT and subscribe to my YouTube channel

10 Coaching Cues I Wish I'd Been Given

 

Often when learning a new exercise a good cue, choice of words or something to focus on can be the "eureka!" moment that you need in order to grasp the desired technique. The point when you "get it!"

Every person is different, some are visual learners, some like to listen to coaching cues and tweaks while others need to be physically put in the correct position first time round; most benefit from a combination of all three.

However, these are 10 things to focus on / cues / top tips when practicing lifts or, ideally, if you're new to specific exercises. It's much easier to learn something than it is to re-learn something.

BENCH PRESS
1 - Push Yourself into the Bench: After you have lowered the bar to your chest, instead of focusing on pushing the bar away from you, imagine that you are trying to push yourself into the bench and drive away from the bar. As you press yourself into the bench you will engage your lats and also make yourself wider. This gives you a much wider and more stable base to press from while allowing to push with maximal effort.

DEADLIFTS
2 - Deadlift in Socks: Deadlifting in socks has multiple benefits. 1) You're instantly lower to the ground and so you don't need to lift as far (sounds petty but it makes a big difference). 2) It allows you to keep your weight predominantly on your heels and engage your hamstring better while not tipping forwards too far ahead of the bar. 3) It give you 100% recoil from the floor; no power is leaked and dispersed through the cushioning in your shoes. 4) The proprioception in your feet is improved and you are now much more grounded, balanced and stable.

3 - Take the Tension Out of the Bar: Just before starting your deadlift, squeeze your shoulder blades back and take the strain of the bar a little. If you're lifting and you can hear the bar clinking into place as it fills the hole in the plate then you're doing it wrong; it should be a silent lift without plates clinking during the initial pull. This will avoid you having a second pull as you hit resistance. By doing this brace/squeeze of the shoulder blades you will help to keep your spine in place throughout the lift. If you're not quite sure what I mean, check out this quick video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iboVuB-Ig3k 

SQUATS
4 - Screw Your Feet into the Floor: Before squatting, imagine your feet are on two plates. Without moving the position of your toes, screw your feet into the floor (right one clockwise, left anti-clockwise) to create some tension and stability in your hips and improve the knee alignment. Try to keep this tension as you sit into the squat position and it will improve your posture, stability and knee alignment throughout the exercise.

5 - Move Your Hips First, NOT your Knees: A common mistake, particularly among women (that's not sexist - it's factual) when squatting is that the knees ride forwards towards the toes. This is an ineffective movement pattern that will add unnecessary strain to your back and knees and not allow you to lift as heavy or as safely. Most people assume that the first movement for a squat is to bend at the knees.;in fact, in order to engage the hamstrings and glutes correctly and maintain a strong position it's important to tuck your hips  and move your hips backwards first. This will keep the weight on your heels and avoid the knees from riding forwards.
This guy talks you through it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbxxs1PErLQ

6 - Break the Bar: Being a lower body exercise, many people under estimate the importance of the upper body when squatting. Make sure that you don't relax your hands and rest them on the bar. instead, grip the bar tightly and try to "break the bar" over your shoulders as you squat. Brace/Pull down the most at the bottom of the squat. This will add the required tension in the upper back to keep you more upright and squat with the desired posture.

KETTLEBELL SWINGS
7 - Hinge Don't Squat: A kettlbell swing is a hinge movement, NOT a squat. If you want to swing with more power then hinge more, don't squat lower. The kettlebell should never swing near to your knees, it should only just clear your groin no matter what weight or range you swing with.

8 - Keep the Arm in Contact with the Body for as Long as Possible: During the back swing and the swing try to keep your upper arm and body in contact with one another for as long as possible. It's not an upper body lift so the effort should come from the hip thrust rather than any upper body strength. On the way down you shouldn't sit back and wait for the kettlebell to come down (ESPECIALLY as you swing heavier). This limits your potential power output. Instead, wait for the kettlebell to fall and pass under with you as your arm re-makes contact with the body. Watch this video if you're unsure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_XjJjLc7NE 

PULL UPS
9 - Push Your Chest Towards the Bar: During all "pull" exercises (pull ups, bent over row, seated row etc) it's important to avoid internal rotation of the shoulder. Instead, exaggerate a good posture by bracing in the lower back and maintaining a natural arch in the lower spine, pushing your chest towards whatever object you're moving as you pull. This is probably easiest with a bent over row or seated pull - try to hit your upper ribs on the bar or handle as you pull.

GENERALLY
10 - Warm Up Specifically and Mobilise Specific Joints and Groups of Muscles: I over-looked the benefits of a specific warm up for a long time. A decent warm up (where you ACTUALLY feel warm) should leave you feeling warm, mobilised and mentally ready for the workout ahead. not only will this help with avoiding injuries but it's also crucial to offer you the mental preparedness for maximal effort. Consistently warming up well and mobilising post workout will also help to improve mobility issues and can improve rehabilitation time from injuries and minimise discomfort from existing injuries or muscular soreness - don't keep skipping this!

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10 Ways to Take Care of Your Body

Every day we expect something from our body. We expect basic (actually not that basic) bodily functions to kick into action and work on command as soon as we wake. We eat a mixture of foods and textures and expect the body to take it and make use of it. We mix and match our sleep and rest patterns and expect the body to keep up. Then, we add in exercise and stretch the body, pound it on paths and treadmills and put unheard amount of weight and torque through our joints. Then to bed – we might be sleeping but we still expect the body to do its bit. Then wake up and do it all over again!

It’s not easy being a body! We can’t expect it to just keep on giving and keep on giving before something gives way and injuries, illnesses or more complex personality and relationship issues occur.

It’s time we gave back! Take care of your body and your body will take care of you. Here are my top methods/products for giving back to my body. Take a few minutes every day and give back to yours and see how much better you feel in all aspects of life. The focuses here are robustness, performance and general wellbeing...

1)      Escape Fitness Foam Roller - £25

This had to be number one. I carry it everywhere and it has relieved pain for me, eased tension for me, helped me to move better before and after exercising, it’s even improved my mood. This Escape fitness one is ideal! Most others are too soft and lose their shape – this is firm and gives deep pressure in more fleshy areas like your backside. If it’s too hard, layer up in more clothes. Best to have a roller that’s too hard and adjust your position and clothing accordingly, than a useless one that’s too soft. I also like that it’s smooth and not like the “grid” style rollers that lots of people use. If you want more specific, localised pressure for trigger point work, see point number 2). Get this roller today from: Escape Fitness Online Enter the reference code MDARREN – if you do buy one please.

2)      Lacrosse Ball -£5

I use this in a similar fashion to the roller above. The lacrosse ball differs as it offers a much more localised pressure and allows you to focus on smaller areas. It’s also an AMAZING way to release the fascia in your feet by simply rolling the sole of your feet hard against the ball on the floor. Try this after a day of walking around – it’ll change your life.

One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen done with this is “Whacking” to improve ankle mobility and as a result, squat depth – I now use this myself most weeks and it’s brilliant! Take a look:

I’ve tried other objects and sports ball like tennis balls, golf balls, hockey balls for similar trigger point work  – stick with the lacrosse ball – nothing compares. The texture, weight and density are ideal. What’s great about having a ball is that it travels easily too. My current lacrosse ball has some serious air miles to its name – it’s great to use after long journeys or hours of walking around on holiday. Get one today from www.Amazon.co.uk

 

3)      AdiSage - £22

That’s right – flip flops! Anyone that has ever played rugby with me over the last 8-10 years will know that this is my essential post-training and post-game footwear. So comfortable and also the little “numbles” act as mini lacrosse balls if you like (only much softer) and gently add some trigger point pressure to your feet. Perfect after a day in shoes or sports footwear. Plus, they look ace! I love them that much, I’m going to buy a pair for around the house too. Available from: Adidas Online

4)      Recovery Leggings

Now, I get some stick when I wear these but I can HONESTLY say, these have been one of my best purchases of the past 10 years. I have on-going arthritis issues in my knees and I’ve found that the additional high level of warmth and compression has really benefited me. I sleep in them fairly regularly and by the morning feel brilliant in comparison to when I went to bed. There are different versions or purposes to leggings so be sure to get the right ones. 2XU (the brand of my latest ones) pictures above, do an “Active” pair – basically for warmth and general sports wear. Some kind of Cross-Active pair which is part recovery and part for sport (ie: You can wear for either), but I opted for the all out “Pure Recovery” ones. This may make some men feel a little uneasy... they only come in stockings. Throw a pair of shorts over the top and no one knows the difference. Available on sale at the moment, sickeningly for me at half the price I paid for mine, at Rat Race.com

 

5)      Becoming a Supple Leopard - £35

Featured above in the lacrosse ball/ankle mobility video is Dr Kelly Starrett, the author of this book. He is the guru of all things mobility based – if you need mobility help just search him on YouTube; he covers it all. Before you assume it, no, he isn’t a skinny guy that practices just Pilates – he’s a pretty big and athletic dude too. This book isn’t cheap but it’s the only reference you’ll ever need to improve your own mobility for exercise and general wellbeing. There are some free extracts available online if you want a preview and I believe it’s also a little cheaper if you download it onto a kindle etc. Buy the hard copy here: Amazon

6)      Massage - £15+

So you may not want to put the time or money aside for regular massages and sure, your daily maintenance with a foam roller and lacrosse ball will go a long way towards keeping your engine oiled. But, it’s the pure escapism of massage that I think is so valuable. If you don’t want to commit financially to the idea or can’t commit monthly to it, why not join Groupon? They send you email offers of massages and similar on a regular basis – often up to 80% off. Why not wait for one in our local area and take advantage of the deals sporadically? You owe it to yourself. www.Groupon.co.uk

7)      Sleep - £Free

Probably the easiest and definitely the cheapest of my suggestions. Sleep more. Rest when you can, get your feet up when you can, nap when you can. Don’t be afraid to allocate time to sleep or weekend naps.

Sleeping is extremely helpful and it’s when your body gets the most rest and opportunity to repair and recuperate itself. If you want to sleep well it’s important your bedtime routine and surroundings are correct. A few simple tips: Try to avoid all electronic goods (TV, phone, iPad etc) for 30-60 mins before bed. Brush your teeth and wash as early as possible. Use black out blinds for a fully dark room. Breathe slowly and learn to calm yourself in the time leading up to sleep.

8)      Holiday / Outdoor Breaks - £0+

A holiday doesn’t need to be expensive or even abroad, but they need to be factored into your year. I genuinely believe in the power of change;  change of scenery, change of focuses and priorities and a change of mind set for a few days does you, your mind and body the world of good. Avoid taking work related items or methods of contact if possible. If this isn’t possible then restrict your time with your phone to an hour in the morning and again in the evening.

If you 100% cannot afford to get away, even within the same country then make sure you get outside. Whenever you can, get outside. Fresh air and vitamin D are great catalysts for improving mood, health and general wellbeing. If you work at a desk all day - walk in your lunch break. If you’re going to eat at home at the weekend – eat outside; however you do it, take time to be outside.

9)      Laugh and have fun

It’s incredible how much better you can feel within your body once you’re in a happy mind set. Consciously make time to have fun. I don’t mean visiting the pub, I mean have fun. Good, old-fashioned, clean fun. Ride a bike, laugh with friends, take the dog to a park and run around and play with it, do something stupid and exciting – whatever you do, DON’T let yourself get stuck in a rut. Take time to forget your worries for a few minutes and let your mind focus on other, seemingly less important things. When you go back to reality it often makes things appear that much clearer.

 

10)   Eat Well

Eating well and eating lots are very different things. Feed your body fresh grown produce without preservatives and sweeteners. Give your body natural and easy to digest food that is high in nutritional value. It may cost a little more at times but consider this: Eating well isn’t too expensive – eating badly is too cheap! Feed your body junk and you can expect the output to be sub-par. If you’re not even going to make any effort with your food then why should your body? If you want to find some reasonable and varied food alternatives try the “Exotic Meat” section on www.KezieFoods.co.uk ... Zebra anyone?..

 

CONCLUSION:
Giving back to your body is a physical and mental process. Allowing your muscles, joints and mind to rest from their daily rigour is essential if you want the best from them. Don’t go half a year and realise you haven’t been doing any of the above; schedule them in and make them as much a priority as your exercise regime.

 Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter - @MichaelD_PT and YouTube

 

 

Don't undo 11 months hard work: Simple holiday health tips

You get up extra early, you exercise late at night after work when you'd rather go home, you say "no" when people offer you food and drink you shouldn't have all year round. Then, when the holiday count down comes you up your efforts again; add additional cardio and increase the intensity of your workouts all for one holiday.

Then what?.. You go away, stuff your face, drink alcohol every day, do no exercise and undo 11 months of hard work. This doesn't have to be the case. You can still enjoy your holiday and stick to these simple tips to try and limit the damage you do.

Don't drink EVERY day
Start with what most people will consider the hardest one. Really, it's not. Drinking every day will not only significantly add to your calorie count, but even one or two drinks can heavily impact your food choices, sleep patterns and metabolic efficiency. Then, if you plan on training on holiday, the alcohol may completely compromise any strength gains you aim to make during the session; read Charles Poliquin's blog on that topic here: Blog One and another from him on the impact of alcohol here: Blog Two

Exercise in the morning or at lunch time
You want to enjoy your holiday and not let every day revolve around your exercise regime - that's a given. So why not get it out of the way first thing? Get up early, get moving and get it done? You don't need to spend all morning in the gym; if you're fast and effective then you can be in and out in 45 mins or less. If you want some ideas on how to spend your time in the gym efficiently there are some great ideas here, including some hotel workouts: Workout Ideas

Alternatively, if you're not a morning person and/or you're visiting a hot country what about scheduling a midday workout? Personally I like a midday workout, followed by lunch then back to the pool for 2pm. you'll enjoy your rest after and the hottest part of the day will have passed. It's a nice and easy routine to build.

Download an interval timer
When the surrounding are new, you're on holiday mode and the climate is a little warmer, it can be difficult to exercise with any intensity and stick to a worthwhile workout. A great way to make sure this isn't the case is to download an interval timer. What's also great about interval work is not only will you get through lots of work and maintain the intensity, but you know before you enter the gym exactly how long your session will be so you can be happy you won't be spending hours of your holiday exercising. A lot of the workouts listed on the previous links rely on an interval timer - if you're unsure which to choose I'd recommend the free GymBoss timer.

Use your bodyweight
Not every hotel has a gym facility and it can be tricky in some places to scout out a gym that offers short term membership or reasonable guest fees. There are THOUSANDS of YouTube videos offering you alternative bodyweight exercises and ideas for things you can do depending on your abilities. Again, why not combine this with the interval timer and knock out a quick, hard and effective 30-40 minute bodyweight session? You can do it on the beach too - work on your tan at the same time.
Here's 21 bodyweight exercise ideas from me: Here
and here's a recent video from AthleanX with some advanced exercise ideas utilising the sandy beach - great video: Here

Stick with high protein content every day
Be sensible with food choices. You know the usual rules - they still apply. High protein, low sugar, low carb, no preservatives. Just because it's your holiday, it doesn't mean you need to let everything go out the window. There are usually decent or at least half decent options available if you look hard enough. Eggs at breakfast, avoid chips where possible, skip dessert - if you stuck to those 3 simple rules alone you'd be way ahead of most people.

Take supplements with you
If you take supplements all year round, continue with this while you're away. You can spend a few minutes counting out the daily amounts and putting them into small bags before you leave. Another great addition is taking sachets of protein away with you. These are easy to pack and can be used to help reach your daily protein targets, used post workout and also if you're ever away from food for a long time or, as a last resort when you're unable to get good quality food for a meal. For instance in Hong Kong when I wasn't exactly sure what was on offer in some places and I didn't fancy rice for breakfast, I had a high protein, meal replacement shake each morning for breakfast (a blend of casein, whey and egg protein). Not ideal but much better than what was available and outs you into an anabolic state for the next few hours.

Start your day off right
Try to eat a high protein, low sugar and low carb breakfast. Steak and eggs, omelettes etc I realise waffles, muffins and other bits are very appealing but, if you can start off the right way your energy levels will be more sustained, your food choices throughout the day will be impacted positively and you will minimise any insulin spikes and stop your body from encouraging fat retention.

Summary
Sure, it's a holiday and you want to have a good time. You can't be expected to have a dull holiday as you're purely focused on your food and visiting the gym. However... it's not an excuse to turn off completely - there's plenty of small and effective adjustments that you can easily make to your schedule.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and on YouTube

Reach out. Learn, improve and prosper

The moral of this blog and the take away lessons are:

If you don’t know, ask. If you want, ask. There’s always someone that has more than you and knows more than you – be open minded, ask questions,  learn and improve yourself.

So, I never usually write this blog as a personal experience blog, “I just had an amazing moment...” kind of blog, but... this month I was on a little (actually fairly long) road trip with “Tiny” in America for 8 days.

Starting in New York City, then New York State, over the boarder to Niagara Falls in Canada and then back to Philadelphia and finishing with family in Brooklyn. Decent drive!

Anyway, the important part with regards to this blog is my stop off in New York State. We stopped overnight at a little town called Binghamton – a place that, as it happened, I’d visited a few times when I was younger for summer football / “soccer” camps.

Anyway, through various social media forums I had noticed that a guy named Joe Hashey of Synergy Athletics (www.Synergy-athletics.com) is based in Binghampton. For those of you that don’t know, Joe is not only a gym owner but also a highly regarded Strength Coach and contributor to a number of top tier fitness publications. He’s someone that I’ve followed online (www.Twitter.com/Jhashey ) for a number of years now and learned a great deal through his YouTube contributions. (Join his 15,000+ YouTube subscribers here: www.YouTube.com/JHashey )

I realised we’d would be in town for a day so shot Joe a message on Twitter and he got back to me pretty quickly. We spoke briefly over email and, the following day I drove down there and got to meet the good man himself and use his facility.

Joe is a not only a really smart guy but a really kind and welcoming guy. My visit there was brief as we had to check out of the hotel that morning BUT... just him opening his doors to me, allowing me to use his facility, check out the set up and ask a few questions about Synergy Athletics had a really positive impact on me – probably much more than he realised.

It was great to see how other people operate and engage with clients. Plus I got to lift an Atlas Stone and picked up this sweet warm up Tshirt.

 

As I always say “Never stop learning”. I think, particularly in England, people are often too shy to ask. Sure, social media has made this a little easier with much greater access to industry figures and heads of business but even so, I think we should all ask more questions.

Joe had no reason to reply to me or welcome me to his facility, but he did, and for that I am extremely grateful. Though my visit was somewhat brief, I took away a LOT to think about and left feeling really welcomed and really motivated! Thanks Joe!

 

Now to the rest of you – go forth and ask. In return, give your time as you would hope others would do for you. Ask open questions with an open mind and be aware of positive lessons that you can take from every interaction and experience.

As I said at the start:

If you don’t know, ask. If you want, ask. There’s always someone that has more than you and knows more than you – be open minded, learn and improve yourself.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and YouTube