Christmas Post - What are you doing with your 2016? What's next?

Merry Christmas etc, etc.


Anyway...


2015 is almost over and 2016 is just around the corner so what's the plan? What's next? Christmas is a brilliant time to take a short break from work, reflect on the year gone by (what you did/didn't like), what you're grateful for, what you achieved and what you'd like to improve and achieve in the year ahead.


Always try to be specific with goals and bracket them into different groups with a detailed timeline for success broken down into specific actions.


For example, here are my goals for the year ahead (I have them drafted in much more detailed and specific stages than this).


WORK

• I want to continue to grow my own PT business in order to help more people lead a fuller and healthier lifestyle. This will require regular, targeted content and marketing efforts.

• I want to expand the outreach of my monthly eNews letter to reach more people and offer free fitness related content to a wider wed of people. This will require me to collate more email addresses throughout the year and also rely partly on word of mouth.

If you'd like to receive monthly fitness information, articles and promotions then please email me at: MichaelADarren@gmail.com


There are other "Business" bullet points that I won't be sharing just yet.


PERSONAL

• I would like to spend more and more time with my son, Cassius. He will be 2 in February and I am very aware that these coming years can be very influential in terms of progression for him.

Over Christmas I am going to spend some time thinking about the specific life lessons and morals that I would like to instil in him. I want him to continue to be exposed to "new" and nurture his curiosity for all things new. Now that he is more mobile and able I would also like to show him some new activities such as bouldering for children. I want him to understand that "The best things in life aren't things".

• I would like to expand my own personal knowledge and self worth. I will be reading more regularly and also taking at least 2 new qualifications in 2016. In 2015 I booked myself on to 2 courses which were both (annoyingly) cancelled!

FITNESS

• I am going to completely revamp my training structure for the week. In my on-going pursuit of leg gains I am going to focus on 2 x slower, longer gym sessions a week for my legs. I feel that my knee health is at the stage where this is now a realistic aim. I will aim for 2 further sessions each week in a circuit style gym sessions and a final movement based exercise session each week. I am also going to try and include more mobility and swimming this year (though not on a weekly basis).

• I want to get outside! At some stages while travelling and for a period afterwards I had no gym membership. I trained outside regularly whatever the weather and I loved it! I want to make sure that I'm training outside at least every other week. This is likely to compliment my pursuit of movement based sessions so it's likely to be achievable. While I'll always gravitate back to traditional gym exercises I really value outdoor training for enjoyment and clarity of thought. Hopefully it can also be combined with my tinkering's with meditation too and allow regular meditation and relaxation exercises to become a pillar of my training.

LIFESTYLE
I am going to continue to invest in memories and experiences rather than possessions. I have a theory that: many people don't truly understand the meaning of happiness, how to find it or how to embrace it. I am forever grateful for small moments of beauty and happiness: laughing uncontrollably, hearing my son laugh or achieve something that he couldn't achieve a month earlier, sites, views and experiences. Being able to spot these moments, acknowledge them and savour them is a huge part of my happiness and wellbeing. After all: "The best things in life aren't things."


So what are your specific aims and goals for 2016? Think about different subject or pillars that you can group them under.


Don't forget to follow me on: www.twitter.com/MichaelD_PT and www.YouTube.com/uer/BigMikePT

Too Much of a Good Thing

The phrase "too much of a good thing" can be applied in some shape or form to lots of things (depending on your definition of "good").

 

Too much alcohol - makes you feel terrible, too much pudding - also makes you feel terrible, too many late nights and parties - terrible; and you can add to this list "exercise".

 

Wait - This is NOT an excuse to just do the odd bit of exercise and me saying "you don't want to do too much - it's bad for you." That's not what I'm saying at all.

 

I'm talking about issues caused by repetitive movements. Here are a few tips to make sure that you don't make exercise "a bad thing".

 

CARDIO KINGS:

1) Off ya bike!

Imagine in your head a perfect posture. Head upright, spine in a neutral position, hips below shoulders. Then imagine your position on a bike. Far from this perfect posture correct? I'm not saying "never cycle" but if you want to repeatedly compromise your bodies natural shape and form then cycle every day. If you DON'T, then get off of your bike and add variety to your cardio. Also add in corrective resistance work and mobility work between bike sessions.

2) Run on the other side of the road

Most roads are cambered so if you do a lot of road running try to run on different sides of the road in order to avoid repetitive strain issues from an unbalanced running style. It's as simple as that!

3) Add resistance

Making resistance work a part of your weekly gym schedule with have multiple benefits to aid your bodies recovery and general robustness: 1) You'll be stronger and more efficient when it comes to your cardio sessions, 2) You'll be stronger and more robust when it comes to injury avoidance, 3) You can un-do  some of the repetitive strains added to your body by countless hours of cardio. 4) You'll give your body a break from the usual cardio and offer it an alternative stimulus.

4) Find a kinder surface

If you're a regular runner then road running can be very unkind for your joints. try to add variety and find a kinder running surface such as an athletics track.

5) Run correctly

Most people think they can run because they can move at a walking pace and then do some movements that make them move a bit faster. There is in fact a lot more technique to running than many people understand. If you intend of running regularly you should seek the advice of an experienced running coach. Not only will this help you to avoid injuries but it should also make you more efficient. You wouldn't buy a car and just "give driving a go" as you'd probably damage it. So why would you take the same risks with your body; an object that can't be replaced when damaged?

 

GYM FOLK:

1) Pull more than you push

Most things we as humans do are in front of us and require us to hold our arms in front to do so; driving, eating, typing etc. This often causes a shortness in the anterior muscles (front side of the body) causing a rounding of the shoulders and neck. Try to un-do the everyday tensions by focusing on "pulling" work in the gym far more than you do "pushing" work. For people that perform push ups and sit ups every morning.. stop it!

2) Move freely

It's important that you allow the body to move as it's designed to. Try to include a variety of movements in all sessions. As well as your standard push and pull work make sure that you rotate, hinge, lunge and crawl or climb. Don't be limited by resistance machines and conventional exercises, use your own body, move naturally and incorporate elements of play into your exercise regime.

3) Don't train the same muscle groups consistently without sufficient rest

By not allowing sufficient rest for muscles your body will not be able to repair, adapt and grow. If you have a set gym routine that you cover every time you're in there then this needs adjusting. If you're not sure how to do this then see a professionals help and ask them to design your gym programmes in 6-8 week blocks and then re-visit them for a new set,

4) Train the body equally

Most people (males especially) like to train what they can see. Usually their chest, abdominal area and biceps are the main focus week-on-week. Training with this as your sole focus not only leaves the symmetry of your body all out of whack, but also causes additional strain for areas of the body that are weaker and are forced to operate in an alternative, incorrect way in order to compensate for the weakness. For example, neglecting your legs and glute muscles may lead to back pains due to a weakness in that area.

5) Train limbs individually

It can be tempting to stick with resistance machines or barbell work for the majority of your resistance work. However, often these exercises to do not highlight areas of weakness or imbalance in terms of strength or range of movement. It can be hard to definitively say where the majority of the effort is coming from. For these reasons it's important to regularly train single limbs, uncover areas of weakness and imbalance between the left and right side of your body and then address these issues.

 

EVERYONE:

Foam roll and stretch

Everyone (in my opinion) should foam roll and stretch regularly. Even if you're not a regular exerciser you need to undo the unnatural confinements, positions and strains that your lifestyle imposes on you. We're not designed to be sedentary; we should move be mobile and be free. Help your body out and give back regularly.

 

Ultimately, it's about finding a good balance that suits both your lifestyle and your own personal rate of recovery. Listen to your body, think prevention rather than cure when it comes to injury and recovery, don't put all of your eggs in one basket and don't have "too much of a good thing."

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

Use Your Time More Wisely

When you're in the gym and you're between sets, what do you do? Talk to a friend? How long does that go on for? Walk around the gym finding the best down-lights to make you look awesome? Get a drink? Prowl the gym floor like you own it? Check-in on Facebook, Tweet and upload a picture on Instagram to report on your gains?

While checking out how great you look might seem like a good use of your time, why not be even MORE productive?

The chances are when you spend time doing these non-specific activities, significant amounts of time may pass unnoticed and you lose the momentum of your workout.

Why not set 60-120 second timers between sets. This should be ample rest time. Then, during your rest period maximise your gym time even further by trying these things between sets:

 

Mobilise

Select a body part (not necessarily the parts your working) and try to mobilise them between sets with bands, foam rollers or lacrosse balls. Then, next exercise pick an alternative body part. You can plan these out before you start each exercise or, you might pick and choose them to help improve your current session depending on where you're feeling restrictions. For example, using a lacrosse ball to relieve tension in the hip flexors during the early sets of a back squats may benefit you as the weight increases. Alternatively, use a foam roller to reduce stiffness and soreness from previous sessions.
Here's a nice little gym flow that you could include between the warm up/build up sets next time you squat: VIDEO

 

Work Your Core

Loads of people leave ab and core work until the end of their session. They then do it half-heartedly or not at all as they just want to get home. Why not mix it into your session. Sometime I like to try and superset every exercise with a different test of core strength or a good ol' fashioned abdominal exercises. Most of my clients will have experienced this at one time or another. It's a great way to not only get through a lot of core work, but you also increase your anaerobic capacity, it tests you mentally but above all, it means that when the main part of your session is done, then you're done. You'll probably also find that the quality of core work increases due to improved rest periods compared to when you throw it all together at the end of a session.

 

Cardio

The OTHER thing that gets left until the end of a session or ignored altogether is cardio. Why not try and throw some small intervals between sets of resistance work. You may need to add further rest after each round though or you'll soon blow out. For example if you planned on doing 4 sets of 4 different exercises you might: row 200m between each of the first 4 sets, Run for a minute up hill between the second 4 sets, do 30 mountain climbers between the third 4 sets and do a fast 2 minutes on the bike between the last 4 sets. A fast and effective way to incorporate intervals into your session. Try to consider the structure of your session; for example: if you're doing lots of pulling work then perhaps save your grip and avoid rowing. Likewise, if you're already doing lots of lower body work, cycling may compromise the quality of the resistance work.

 

Isolation & Accessory Work

Between the "bigger exercises" you could try some isolation work or accessory work. It may be for aesthetic purposes or perhaps to help improve some weaknesses you have such as grip strength. As long as it doesn't then compromise the "bigger exercise". For example: Avoid doing sets of bicep curls between deadlifts as it is likely to fatigue your grip when you go back to deadlifting. But, you might want to do sets of calf raises for instance; I hear some people need that kind of thing.

 

Practice Breathing

Sounds stupid? It's not. Practice relaxation breathing, lowering your heart rate and breathing using your stomach muscles rather than lifting your entire diaphragm. Read more here about The Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing.

 

Practice Form

With a lesser load or perhaps, no load at all practice the technique of the exercise you're performing between each set. You might even use alternative equipment such as a broom stick to replicate a bar. If there's an element of the movement you want to practice such as improving your posture during squatting, you could replicate this with a light goblet squat, holding it in the bottom position and trying to adjust your posture.

 

THINK ABOUT IT...

Lots of people will go to the gym and perform 4-5 exercises and do 3-4 sets of each. That means you're potentially missing out on 8-15 opportunities to improve yourself every session. Do this kind of thing every session and you can imagine how it will add up over the year.

 

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

Do you have a pill for that?..

Now don't get me wrong, I love a supplement as much as the next person (if not more). BUT... I do feel there's a strong over-reliance on supplements in the UK.

While some people do need assistance from certain supplements due to deficiencies or advanced training schedules; it's important to remember that they are exactly that, a "supplement", designed to "supplement" areas that are lacking in your diet or lifestyle.

However, I often feel that many people instantly react to issues by throwing money at it and purchasing something from their local health store. Or, people starting out on a new health regime instantly assume that they "need" supplements as soon as they begin to exercise.

Here are a few supplements, which, with a few lifestyle tweaks, you can amend your natural levels in your body, save a few pennies and avoid having to swallow mountains of supplements each day.

Protein shakes...
GOT to be number one. Now I'm not saying "Don't buy protein shakes". What I will say is, "Don't buy protein shakes... and expect them to solve everything." They should top up your protein intake, not BE your protein intake. Picture the, frightningly common scenario:
You eat dinner at 7.30pm, bed at 11pm, wake early morning and have cereal for breakfast,a sandwhich at lunch, head to the gym after work for an hour at 530pm following the gym you down 40g of protein shake. You've gone 23 hours without a decent serving of protein (last nights dinner). This one shake is unliley to have a significant impact on your goals.
THE FIX: Protein should be spread throughout the day; every meal is an opportunity to get protein in your body, and ideally snacks between meals should have protein content. So go for it, drink protein shakes, but DON'T rely on them and them alone. Spread the (protein) love and get as much as possible from real food, not shakes!

Pre-workout drinks...
This is more just a pet hate of mine. I've heard LOADS of people claiming that N-O-Explode "get's you pumped innit" and they "need" certain pre-workout drinks for their workout. I personally don't like to rely on anything or anyone, so to be dependen on a little bit of powder for an effective workout doesn't sit well with me. Again, I'm not saying they have no impact or benefit, but to rely on them is far from ideal. if you can't drag yoursefl to the gym and find your own motivation and you NEED these drinks every workout, it's time to take a closer look at your lifestyle.
THE FIX: Improve sleep quantity and quality. Make sure you eat adequately throughout the day for sufficient energy. Try to train (when possible) during my most awake hours.

Vitamin D...
Vitain D is one of the EASIEST things to top up and maintain in your life. It's said that spending 30 minutes outside, 3 times a week will give you the adequate levels of Vitamin D. It's SO under-rated too! Vitamin D can help to reduce the likelihood of depression, heart disease, liver failure and obesity; just by getting outside from time to time!? Make it part of your life!
THE FIX: Schedule in time outdoor throughout your week (ideally daily). If nothing else, spend some of your lunch break outside each day.

Fish Oils...
Clue is in the title. Now it may be tricky to get the adequate amount desired each day, and to have the correct omega balance, (it's been estimated that Western society diet causes the baance of Omega 3:Omega 6 to be at around 1:15 rather than a preferable 1:2). Again, you may need SOME supplementation along the way, but a balanced diet will significantly alter the balance naturally.
THE FIX: Aim for fish sources high in Omega 3 such as halibut, herring, mackerel and salmon as well as Flaxseeds, Walnuts, Chia Seed and even organic beef.

"Fat Burners"...
Last week I saw a very popular brand of "fat burners" available for the bargain price of £110! I worked out that you would get 55 days worth from this bottle. I couldn't help but think "You could get a gym membership for 2 months for that!" Don't have an over reliance on "fat burners". Don't look to the bottle, see what you can do yourself. Regular exercise may not be the "easy option" but in a number of ways, it will be much more beneficial than purchasing a few caffeine /green tea/ guarana based stimulants. Exercise offers you:
- Improved strength
- Improved cardiac strength - lowering changes of heart related illnesses
- Reduced risk of injury
- Improved posture
- Increased bone density
- Increased levels of serotonin

A box of "fat burners" does not!..

THE FIX: Exercise frequently and consistently. Avoid processed foods and man-made sugars. Focus creating a sustainable lifestyle/routine and as a result, a sustainable body composition.

Chromium...
Some of the qualities of chromium include "reducing appetitte and sweet cravings". Now if you need a pill for this, I think it's time you took some steps of your own to reduce these urges.
THE FIX: Why not think about your shopping? Shop on a full stomach and make a decission to avoid purchasing these sweet snacks. If they're not in your house, you're surely much less likely to eat them. Not unless you want to get yourcoat and shoes and drive yourself to the local store. If you're doing that in the middle of the night, then your problem is probably beyond fixing with a bottle of chromium.

To conclude...
As I stated a the start, I FULLY support and endorse the use of supplements... when used correctly. My issue is an over reliance on supplements and an instant reaction of purchasing tablets to sort out any issues or without making any changes to your current lifestyle first. By all means "supplement" your diet, but avoid dependence on anything you can find in a bottle. or tub.

 

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

5 Exercises You Probably Don't Do... But Should... Probably

Catchy title ay?..

Anyway, short on time and off the top of your head, you can probably name your favourite (and most used) couple of exercises for your chest, your back and your legs (don't worry if not - that's not the important part).

However, there are thousands upon thousands of exercises and/or exercise variations available. Some better than others and some that should be ignored forever in my opinion.

However, there are a handful of brilliant exercises that most people (not ALL people) overlook in their training regime. They have a great deal of benefits, can be a real test to your athletic ability no matter what your experience and can also help to transform not only your physique, but also your general wellbeing.

Here's my top 5 along with the key muscle groups involved and also key benefits.

1) Turkish Get-Ups

MUSCLE GROUPS INVOLVED: All of them...
BENEFITS: Promotes mobility, isometric strength and proprioception as you aren't able to look at many of the moving body parts. It's also a multi-plane movement unlike many gym exercises.
REASONS PEOPLE IGNORE THEM: They're hard, they've never heard of them, there's lots of elements to learn, they can't figure out the point of them, they're hard!
HOW DO YOU DO THEM? Video Here 

2) Face Pulls

MUSCLE GROUPS INVOLVED: Rear deltoids and upper back
BENEFITS: Can have a real impact on not only developing your rear deltoids but also improving shoulder mobility, reducing chest tension and improving posture.
REASONS PEOPLE IGNORE THEM: They tend to focus on bigger pulling exercises for back workouts. Personally, I like to add these at the ends of all pushing sessions to reduce pectoral tension.
HOW DO YOU DO THEM? Video Here

3) Single leg Romanian Deadlifts

MUSCLE GROUPS INVOLVED: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back
BENEFITS: Improve mobility, posterior strength, the balance of strength between legs, hip hinge and also proprioception.
REASONS PEOPLE IGNORE THEM: They don't trust their balance or they have poor hinge capabilities.
HOW DO YOU DO THEM? Video Here 

4) Z-Press

MUSCLE GROUPS INVOLVED: Shoulders, core and posterior chain
BENEFITS: Improves shoulder, hamstring and hip mobility, also helps to spot weaknesses in shoulder and core strength. Also isolates the shoulders and forces you to press with the shoulders alone while improving core balance and stability.
REASONS PEOPLE IGNORE THEM: They can press more weight when standing or seated on a bench. Mobility may also be a real limitation for some people.
HOW DO YOU DO THEM? (you can obviously use a barbell) Video Here 

5) Front Foot Elevated Split Squat (Bulgarian Split Squat)

MUSCLE GROUPS INVOLVED: Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings
BENEFITS: Low impact but great range to improve mobility and recruit large areas of muscle in the upper leg. Also a great warm up mobility drill if you perform it as in the video below (back leg almost straight).
REASONS PEOPLE IGNORE THEM: Requires balance, you can't do it with much weight, they don't understand the mobility benefits that can come from it.
HOW DO YOU DO THEM? Video Here 

The exercises listed above are suitable for everyone in some shape or form. They can also make significant improvements to mobility issues bought on by the strains of everyday life and working environments. It wouldn't be too much to try and include these within your weekly gym regime for the next 6 months and see how it impacts you.

Let me know how you get on.

Don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube

Staying Active and Healthy on Holiday

WAIT, WAIT! Don't move on just yet!!

 

I'm not about to tell you to live a fully healthy and exercise filled life while on holiday.

But... there are a few groups of people out there (me included) that might wish to just keep things ticking on holiday and also limit the damage to their hard work which has been taking place leading up to the holiday.

 

People that actually enjoy exercise (yes, they/we exist), people that are a long way from their goal and want to avoid as many backwards steps as possible, people that don't want to "start over" when they get home (remember the pain of last time) or people that simply enjoy feeling healthy and active - read on.

 

TAKING STUFF WITH YOU:

If you want to travel light but take the odd piece of equipment with you while you're away and without a gym then there are a few great options.

 

TRX: While it may seem costly, the TRX (or similar suspension training equipment) are extremely versatile. They allow you to work the entire body and have progressions/regressions for most exercises meaning that everyone from an experienced exerciser to a gym-novice can challenge themselves. There are also a number of great apps with free TRX workouts on them so, if you're unsure what to do, you can have someone walk you through a workout step-by-step. They're also lightweight to pack and don't use up much valuable luggage space. A few quirky ideas here if you want to try some tougher exercises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNtzl7ui-c4 

or 15 other exercises here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-z6X4ifYiA 

 

GLIDERS: There are a few options available to you, personally I pack the purple disks below as most places on holiday will have a tiled floor for these to work on. These particular disks aren't that cheap so an alternative is to use two small hand towels/flannels. The majority of the exercises that you can do with these are core based exercises but they're easy to pack and offer you some challenging workouts that you can even do in your room.

if you want cheap disks that can be used on carpet and astroturf, I tend to use furniture moving disks from Amazon. Very cheap and do exactly the same thing. If you're on holiday and forget your disks you can even use an upside down Frisbee - no excuses now!

 

RESISTANCE BANDS: These take up a little more space and are a little heavier BUT... offer you a chance to do standard resistance work on the move. Again, they are really versatile and can offer you a different workout with improved time under tension if used correctly.

(cheesy) Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7M2nwbh2Cg

USE YOURSELF:

Alternatively, body weight workouts can be highly effective and challenging too. Plus, it's probably something a little different to your normal exercise regime so it might be a refreshing change for a couple of weeks while you're away.

There's loads you can do and plenty of people on YouTube have pieced together workouts for you to follow too. Check this one for a few bodyweight ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R819KfRrRe0 

Or, if there's a kids park nearby you have even MORE exercise options available to you. Like this park workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td4tRul_u5w

STAY ACTIVE:

Whether you decide to have structured "workouts" on holiday or not, it's important to try and stay active on holiday. Walk, swim, climb, play, crawl and play. Rest is important but stopping your body from moving freely as it should is an absolute no-no.

QUICKFIRE GYM CIRCUITS:

If you're on holiday it's usually hot (you'd hope) - which might be bad for exercising. However, the gym hotel is usually empty - which is good for exercising. Why not make the most of this rarity and put together quick gym circuits? You can blitz through a number of exercises quickly and have the rest of your day to relax and enjoy your holiday.

Be creative: recently on holiday I set a timer up for 30 secs work, 15 secs rest. I had a spin bike, my body and a single dumbbell that was about 10kg. During the working 30 seconds I simply alternated between the spin bike and a bodyweight or dumbbell exercise. I soon worked up a sweat and covered all major muscle groups and movements in 20 minutes or so. Then a recovery swim in the sea - beautiful start to the day!

THE FOOD STUFF:

Remember: "you can't out train a bad diet". So while cake and pudding might seem tempting at breakfast, lunch and dinner, aim for a MINIMUM of 50/50 as a good/bad food ratio. Be aware of what you're consuming. Try to avoid unnecessary sugars and aim for the high protein options at all times.

 

Also: remember to drink plenty of water. Not JUST when you're dehydrated by sip it throughout the day and remain hydrated; especially with the increase in temperature and alcohol levels that you might be consuming.

 

REMEMEBER... YOU'RE ON HOLIDAY!!!

 

Don't let health and fitness ruin your fun. But likewise... don't let your fun ruin your health and fitness!

 

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

The Importance of De-Loading

Only in recent years have I recognised the importance of a "de-loading" week and it's something I continue to struggle to get others on board with at times. Bit by bit though some of my clients and friends are getting on board with it should the intensity of their training require such a thing.

So what is it? And, why is it so important?

What is de-loading?

De-loading is a principle whereby you spend a period (usually a week) deliberately reducing your training volume and intensity, working with lower loads in the gym. No personal bests this week and no ego allowed. It's based on the theory of "Supercompensation" ( Explained Here ).

What are the benefits of de-loading?

De-loading allows:

- A rest for your Central Nervous System (CNS)

- Improved recovery and repair in key joints and muscle groups by lessening the load they endure for a week

- Full recovery in order to allow supercompensation to occur

- You can focus on weaker areas and accessory work

- Time to focus on your technique and tweak it under a lesser load

- A chance to experiment with new exercises and exercise variations

How should I do it?

The general consensus is to use no more than 60-70% of your maximum loads throughout the week. Also reduce the volume of work for your week ie: Less sets and less sessions ideally. However, I also like to try and focus more on some isolation work and also some accessory work to compliment your later workouts. For instance, some people may have weaker triceps that let them down during pressing work so focus on that. Or perhaps an imbalance or lack of lower body stability. Or mobility issues that can be addressed. Use the time to focus on improving yourself and addressing some of the issues that you usually try to "work around" / ignore.

Things to be aware of:

While I've just been singing the praises of de-loading as it has helped me HUGELY, it's not for everyone. There are some things you need to consider:

1) De-Loading is not for everyone if A) You don't do enough: Not everyone has a training schedule with an intensity great enough to warrant a de-loading week. The average gym member uses a gym 0.9 times per week (yes, less than once!) so if you're doing 1,2,3 or even 4 gym sessions per week then you probably (probably!) don't need a de-loading week. If you're doing more than 4 sessions per week or working with a strict strength focused protocol then a de-loading week might be beneficial to you every 4-6 weeks.

De-Loading is not for everyone if B) Your recovery rate is superior: We aren't all built the same and every person will recover from exercise differently. Just recently I had my DNA tested (article on that to follow) and my suspicions were confirmed: I have an extremely slow recovery rate and high susceptibility to tendon related injuries. Therefor, it would be impractical for me personally to expect to follow an intense training regime without giving back to my body and expect to avoid injuries and make regular progress.

2) De-loading should not always be penned in: It's important to not be too regimented with your de-loading. If you're feeling great and you're feeling strong then carry on. Planning a strength cycle or training cycle that allows for a de-loading week every 4-6 weeks (usually nearer 6 weeks) is a smart idea, but, at this stage if you don't need it, don't feel obliged to de-load; it can wait a week or 2.

3) Deloading is for prevention rather than cure: At the other end of the spectrum is this. Don't wait until your body is broken and you're injured before you de-load. De-loading is a short prevention solution, not a cure for a body that's damaged and broken.

THE KEY:

So they key that I want to leave you with is this:

You must, must, MUST learn to "listen to your body".

This is easier said than done and can take years to master. Be aware of energy levels, how the weights feels (monitor the weights you use and be aware when weights suddenly feel heavier), tension and mobility restrictions, aches and pains.

If you're aware of these things and aware of subtle changes or regressions in these areas then you'll soon know when de-loading should be introduced.

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

The Power of Habits

I have a saying that I use with some people:

"Most of what we do in life is a habit."

That's to say that the majority of people (not all) are in the career they're in, not because they actively chose it but because they've ended up there, they eat the food they eat because "it's just what I eat" and heck, some people are with their life partners because they seemed to "end up with them." They're living by their habits.

High aspirations, I think not...

If you repeat something often enough it becomes a habit rather than a conscious thought.

I saw a quote recently:
"Nobody ever wrote a plan to be broke, fat, lazy or stupid..."

And that's exactly my point. Much of the life we posses has come to us not by proactive mapping of our life, aspiring to various milestones along the way and moving along stepping stones towards an end goal. instead, they have come as a result of our habits; habits that we haven't intentionally chosen with an end goal in mind. But what if we looked at these habits and made a conscious effort to amend them in order to impact our future selves?..

By proactively choosing your desired outcome, you can put in place some conscious actions which eventually, become your habit.

It was Aristotle who said:
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

Start with something obvious - your physique. Do you look exactly how you want to look?

You look the way you look not by accident or chance, but because of your choices, lifestyle and habits.

If you can actively change your mindset, alter your actions I guarantee your body will follow. Here's what I mean....

THE POWER OF 21
It's said that in order to form a habit, you need to do something 21-28 times consecutively (depending on who you ask). The key part here is consecutively. Too many people try to alter their eating habits and weekend one comes around and shock horror they've picked up on the term "cheat meal" / "treat meal" and they're knocking back McDonalds like it's about to go out of business. At this stage you cannot have a cheat meal - you do not have the habit of healthy eating yet. Therefore, this isn't a "cheat meal" - it's simply your normal habits rearing their unwelcome face again.

PLAN OF ACTION
If your current diet is your issue set that as your 21 days to focus on it. Some people may call it a "detox" but I look at it from a different point of view. Don't do it with the intention of detoxifying your body (as if that's just a 3 week process), do it with the intention of switching your mindest and, as a result, your bodies setting to healthier habits.

ABSTINENCE MAKES THE HABIT GROW STRONGER
For 21 days, allow yourself no treats, no alcohol, no sweats, nothing that you probably describe as "exciting" or "fun". You're not a dog - get your excitement elsewhere - not from food. "But it's boring not drinking"... I tell you what is boring: trying on clothes and nothing fits properly, being in a group of friends and feeling conscious of the way you look, feeling uncomfortable every time you might need to reveal certain body parts in front of people, looking at yourself in the mirror and not liking what you see - THAT'S boring!

WHAT TO EXPECT
Week 1 - Immediately you will have the "forbidden fruit" feelings. Just because you've consciously said, "I can't have it", you want it even more. This is natural and will only last a couple of day. Change your mental approach and rather than say "I want it and can't have it."
Say: "I CAN have it... but I choose not to."
Week 2 - Now you ACTUALLY want it. Week 2 is the tipping point. Most people can make it here fairly comfortably; it's those that strive to conquer week 3 that actually change their habits with any longevity.
Week 3 - Defeat week 3 and you're there. You should really start to notice a change in what your body is saying to you. For instance, if you've managed to swap your daily bowl of (not so) Special K for 21 breakfasts of eggs and turkey then your desire for the old breakfast should have depleted. You probably aren't craving alcohol by now and, you might EVEN be considering adding on week 4... GO FOR IT! The longer you can abstain during your habit building phase the better!

SUSTAINABILITY
Don't worry - this isn't forever.  But... It's not a short-term fix; it's an intensive period designed to adjust your bodies cravings by adjusting your thoughts and actions. This should allow you to take better control of your eating habits and build an awareness of your habits and eating cravings or desires. You may even choose to re-visit this technique later in the year if for some reason you've fallen back into old habits (often after Christmas, a stag/hen do, a holiday or even a festival).

This isn't designed to be sustainable for the rest of your life. You are going far beyond what you would do on a daily basis. For these 3-4 weeks you might even live what you consider to be an unsustainable lifestyle. That's fine - it's just a few weeks!

If you DO manage to make significant changes to your habits then that's great. You can now move on and apply the same method to other less desirable habits. For instance:

- How often you visit the gym
- Drinking habits
- Smoking
- Sleep patterns
- Attitude and positivity
- Confidence through self affirmation

The possibilities are endless! Go forth and explore the power of 21!!!

Here E.T / Eric Thomas aka: "The Hip Hop Preacher" talks more about "The Power of 21"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBtz7TUwkdA

UFC Commentator and all round spiritual guy, Joe Rogan puts it slightly differently (including some rude words) but take note, particularly his points on the benefits of exercise and his final point "The brain is the general, the troops are the body..." Spare 4 minutes and watch this
http://educateinspirechange.org/health/need-motivation-exercise-get-shape-listen-joe-rogan/

Don't forget, you can follow me on www.Twitter.com/MichaelD_PT www.Twitter.com/MichaelD_PT and www.youTube.com/user/BigMikePT

15 Training Tips For Beginners

 

 

Start of a new year, all the gyms are going to be full, all the gym-regulars are going to moan about how busy the gym is, how crowded the changing room is, how there's nowhere to park and how someone they don't recognise keeps blocking their down light and mirror spot!

 

BUT... what if you're NOT a gym regular? What if you've never REALLY set a foot inside a gym, followed any structured gym program or been "shown the ropes" by anyone other than that big guy at the gym? Then read on friend:

 

If the gym is a new phenomenon to you, here's how you should start out:

 

1. Learn to move

This is number one for a reason. It's easier to learn something than it is to re-learn something; so get your fundamental movements nailed before you even think about lifting a significant weight. Learn the key "rules" to effective squatting, hinging, lunging, pushing and pulling. Do that and you'll be able to make the most of your gym time in a safe and effective way. You'll also be better than most people in the gym!

 

2. Get professional help

Don't just rely on the biggest guy at the gym for advice. Their experience and years of training will mean their demands and approach to training should be distinctly different to yours. A professional trainer will be able to offer you specific coaching for your needs and teach you all of the fundamentals mentioned above. You don't have to stay with them forever, but invest in yourself and your body and think of them as lessons or tutorials so that you can then make the most of your time in the gym when you go it alone. You wouldn't just buy a car and "figure it out" without driving lessons (and cars are replaceable!); so why would you do that with your body?

 

3. Don't start with machine weights and move on to free weights

Many people see this as the "safer" option. However, what it doesn't do is teach you good movement patterns and good exercise habits in terms of recruiting and engaging relevant muscle groups for stability and control. You may well use some resistance machines but, leave these until the end of the session when you're more fatigued. You don't need enormous weights, but the benefits of free weights will always out-weight resistance machines whatever your end goal.

 

4. Avoid CrossFit

CrossFit might be "cool" but it requires a lot of coordination and athletic prowess to perform it safely and effectively. Don't try and run before you can walk. If you're relatively new to the gym, this isn't for you.

 

5. Don't "get a bit fitter first"

This is a strange one that I've never understood but still hear it a lot. People think "before I go to a gym and get fit and healthy, I'm going to try and get a BIT fit and healthy".!?! Excuse me?.. By this they usually mean that they're going to churn out some running first for a few weeks. If you're after reducing your body fat then running probably isn't the best thing for your out of condition body nor the quickest way to reduce your body fat. For this, read the next point below.

 

6. Combine resistance work and cardiovascular work

If you want to improve your body composition, improve your cardiovascular system and become stronger and more robust with a better metabolic rate then you need cardiovascular work AND resistance work. Whatever your age, gender, aims and abilities this is true to some degree. While the ratio and balance of each will vary, the message will not - don't put all your eggs in one basket.

 

7. Avoid JUST group exercise

More accurately, I'd say avoid group exercise all together. At least initially. in my mind, group exercise is often contradictory as it can't cater for all abilities. Classes are getting tougher and tougher to challenge the regular attendees and numbers are so great, that you can't expect quality 1-2-1 attention and coaching from an instructor. If you're new to the gym it's likely that you won't follow good form (particularly under fatigue) so group exercise may, accidently, cause you more damage than good. Spend some time with a personal trainer and learn the fundamentals (mentioned in point 1) before throwing yourself into high intensity semi-supervised exercise.

 

8. Train your body - Not your ego

This can be a tough thing to do, particularly if you're 16 and trying to impress potential life partners. However, don't chase heavier weights at the peril of your technique. Work within your capabilities and focus more on mastering the movements than setting personal bests every time you enter the gym. Take your time. The great news for you is, if you're new to the gym then gains and improvements will come relatively easy to you compared to others that have exercised already for year. trust me when I say: You'll find you get WAY more benefit from doing something correctly than incorrectly but with a heavier weight.

 

9. Train your entire body

Avoid doing things like an "arms day" and instead focus on the movement in section one. At the early stages of training you won't need such an intense stimulus for growth. If anything, you're likely to cause more discomfort than you're happy with and hamper future sessions (see point 12). Try to include plenty of lower body work too; let your body grow and develop in an even and balanced ratio to speed up results and lessen the likelihood of injuries.

 

10. Give back to your body

Regular exercise is probably a new concept to you. No matter what your age, you need to give a little back and take care of your body. Think of it as fire prevention rather than fire fighting. You don't wait until your car breaks down before you put oil in it and expect it to run. Here's some tips on how you can take care of your body: http://michaeldarren.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/10-ways-to-take-care-of-your-body.html

 

11. Take your time

Don't expect overnight results. Don't expect to look like the guys and girls in the gym or on the magazine covers just yet; they've probably been training and eating well for years. Be consistent and committed and your results will come,. You will get back exactly what you put in so be honest with yourself.

 

12. Don't over-do it

This is very "un-me" as any of my clients will tell you. However, if you're relatively new to the gym you're in a unique position. This is make or break time and you're in a psychological minefield. Try (as hard as it might be) to not go all guns blazing on week one. Avoid training for 3 hours at a time every day doing every single exercise that you know. The likelihood is, you'll be sore all over, you'll hate the soreness, miss other aspects of your life (like staying in an watching TV all night), you won't see any immediate results and so you'll get disheartened and pack the entire thing in! Trust me - this happens a lot! Instead, set yourself a realistic and sustainable gym programme (limit yourself to an hour) and weekly schedule, stick to it for 4 weeks or so before adding or adjusting it.

 

13. Don't overlook your diet

As the old saying goes: you can't out train a bad diet. You're now going to be putting in a lot of effort with your new exercise regime, make sure you get the most from it by eating foods to enhance your results. Seek professional nutritional guidance but, for now: avoid sugars and processed foods and try to prepare all meals in advance. Don't say "I don't have time." If you have time to watch TV then you have time to prepare your food. Prioritise.

 

14. DO overlook supplements

Supplements are exactly that: a supplement to areas lacking in your diet. They are not the be all and end all, the missing link or the magic pill you "need". Exercise and eat well and you'll be doing enough for now. You may experiment with supplements at a later date but first off, find out how your body reacts to your new diet and exercise regime. Change everything at once and you won't know where the changes are coming from.

 

15. Enjoy yourself

Initially the gym may be a bit of a slog but make sure you look around, educate yourself and ask enough questions to find a way to make the experience enjoyable. Sure, it's hard work but there's plenty of variations you can add to exercise and the equipment you use in order to make it a little more interesting and enjoyable. If you don't enjoy it at all, you probably won't stick to it!

 

To Summarise...

 

Things to focus your attention on:

• Movement
• Technique
• Full body movements
• Mobility
• Nutrition
• Enjoyment

Things NOT to focus on:

• Competition
• An entire session of arms
• Just cardio
• Just weights
• Supplements

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