How to Make the Most of Your Personal Trainer

Investing in guidance from a personal trainer can be a very sensible thing to do. However for some, the cost may be off putting. Whether you’re already training with a personal trainer or you’re unsure how you’d get the most value from a sessions these tips should be helpful:

1) Get there early and run through a warm up routine – If you can arrive 10 minutes prior to the session and warm up this is ideal. Then, you can hit the ground running and fly straight into the session. If you’re unsure exactly what to then your trainer can you some useful drills to include. If you waste 10-15 mins of each session warming up with your trainer then over the course of a year you’ve missed out on 12 hours of productive time with your PT.

2) Get a good night sleep prior to sessions – The saying goes: “an hour before midnight is worth 2 hours after midnight.” This is so true! To improve your quality of sleep, check make sure you have a sleep routine that you start as early as possible. Basic things include avoiding a TV, phone or illuminated screen before bed, try to brush your teeth as early as possible and pack your bag the night before.

3) Don’t drink alcohol the night before sessions.. AT ALL! Even a small amount of alcohol can have a significant impact on sleep, food choices and energy so if you want to make the most of your session with a trainer then you need to go completely without alcohol during the 24 hours before training.

4) Listen and try to absorb/learn – Use the sessions as lessons. Try to absorb as much information as you can. If you don’t understand what your trainer is telling you then let them know and ask them to explain it in a different way. It’s important that you learn over time and feel more confident in your own knowledge and abilities week-on-week.

5) Stay active between sessions – An hour in the gym with me will do you good; but it’s important to stay active throughout the week. Major activities such as gym sessions, sport and group exercise classes should be part of your weekly routine. However, smaller efforts such as taking the stairs every day, walking in your lunch break and walking instead of driving short distances will all add up to make a significant impact no matter what your goal. Activity is key.

6) Foam roll after a session – The foam roller is a great way to improve recovery and aid performance. It’s important to make this part of your routine and mobilise major muscle groups and joints that have been worked during the session. Once you understand the fundamentals of this you can probably do this in your own time before and after sessions.

7) Ask your PT for session plans  - Guidance from your trainer shouldn’t be limited to an hour at a time within the gym. As your trainer for specific, tailored programs to follow in your on time in order to compliment the 1-2-1 sessions.

8) Give feedback – It’s important that you’re not only making progress but that you understand what we’re doing and (hopefully) enjoy it too in some part. Tell your PT if sessions are too hard, too easy, causing you pain or you just hated them. They may not change everything but they should at least listen.

9) Leave your lack of enthusiasm at the door – We all have good days and bad days and part of the trainers job is to listen and develop a relationship with you so they’re open to hearing about your life outside of the gym. However, once you’ve made the effort take yourself to the gym, you might as well make the most of it. It’s only an hour after all!

10) Be honest – Its essential that you’re honest with your trainer! In fact, this should probably be the 1^st point. Honest about what you’re doing outside of the session, what you’re eating in your own time, how difficult sessions are, what you can and can’t do, how you’re feeling, if you’re ill, your mood, any injuries all of it! Tell them everything! 

Don’t forget to follow me on www.Twitter.com/MichaelD_PT www.Twitter.co/MichaelD_PT

Bad Gym Plans

When it comes to health and exercise there are plenty of people with plenty of bad plans. Here are some and some alternative, better plans...

 

“I need to get back into the gym after some time off - I’m going to go to the gym every day from now on”

If you’ve had some time away from the gym or you’re starting out for the first time then aiming to exercise every day isn’t a good idea. You won’t allow yourself enough rest time so you’ll inevitably feel sore all of the time and end up resenting it. Also, it’s likely to be too much of a shift from your usual schedule for you to manage every day so you’ll end up missing some of the sessions and so you’re instantly setting yourself up to fail.

 

Better Idea: Start out with something reasonable; twice a week is a good starting point. Then, when you’ve managed this every week for 3-4 weeks add in an additional session every 2-3 weeks until you finish with a sustainable routine that fits in with the rest of your lifestyle.

 

“I need to lose weight so I’m going to run and get rid of it all”

Purely cardio work may have some weight loss effect but after a while it can become slow or impossible to lose weight via just traditional cardiovascular work. Often some of the lost weight on the scales is a combination of lost body fat and lost muscle mass which in turn, slows your metabolic rate. Over time your body becomes less efficient at burning calories and in turn, weight loss will plateaux.

 

Better Idea: When it comes to being healthier and improving your physique it’s unwise to put all of your eggs in one basket. In general you need to be fitter, stronger, more mobile and robust so your weekly schedule should be made up of a combination of strength work, cardiovascular work and some stability, mobility and stretching work.

 

“I’m going to get fitter before I join the gym/group exercise / start personal training.”

You’ve become unfit. The purpose of exercising or training with a trainer is to help you get more fit. If you haven’t managed to get yourself fitter in the past few years what makes you think that you’re going to suddenly do it now?

 

Better Idea: Join the gym and, if you need guidance on relevant and suitable exercise for someone of your ability then get an educated trainer to steer you in the right direction.

 

“I’m going to go on a juice diet.”

Why are people surprised that they do nothing but drink a few small juices every day for a week or two and then they lose weight!?.. You could drink 3 McDonalds milkshakes each day and eat nothing else and lose weight!? You do NOT need to go on a juice diet! Ever!

 

Better Idea: Don’t start anything that isn’t sustainable. Amend your diet bit by bit to include ground rules and guidelines for eating that you can apply whether you’re eating at home or eating out and you can maintain year-round.

 

“I’ve got a really good plan to follow from a magazine”

There are lots of programmes and pieces of training information available. It can be hard to sift through the junk and find a) the good quality suggestions and b) the ones that are suitable to you at your stage of training. Then, if you’re not very experienced with exercise then there’s also a big risk that you may be performing the exercises incorrectly and unsafely. You may also be buying into a lie. If you want to look like a super hero then don’t believe that they did some planks, bodyweight squats and pull ups and looked like an absolute tank. Don’t believe too that there wasn’t a decent amount of growth hormone supplementing involved too.

 

Better Idea: Seek some guidance. There are some great free resources available but you can’t always be sure that they’re suitable for you and designed with your goals in mind. Don’t aim for a “6 week body” approach; find something with longevity that will steadily and regularly offer you

"I NEED to go to the gym" - Speed bumps Vs Hurdles

A healthy lifestyle and effective training and nutrition routines can  be heavily influenced by your perception of problems that may arise and your approach to conquering them.

Picture these two scenarios and how different people react depending on whether or not they see "hurdles" or "speed humps" in front of them.

 Scenario A: You usually finish work at 5.30pm and go to the gym before you go home. Today you finish at 6.30pm. What do you see?

HURDLE? "I'll give the gym a miss today otherwise I won't get home until late!"

SPEEDHUMP?  "Well I don't want to get home late... so I'll go to the gym and do a quick circuit rather than my usual workout."

Scenario B: You usually train on a Thursday after work. You're obliged to go to dinner after work as a colleague is leaving. What do you see?

HURDLE? "I can't go to the gym Thursday as I'm out and I'll also be too hung over Friday to go in the morning."

SPEEDHUMP? "I'm going to have to get up early and go to the gym before work on Thursday morning. I'll probably drink on Thursday evening so I'd better make sure my food is flawless this week."

So whats's the difference? It's two-fold:

1) Some foresight:

Inevitably "things crop up". So, in order to have a successful routine with your food and training it's essential to look ahead each week, understand where changes are necessary to your standard routine and makes the necessary amendments in order to stay on track and compensate for unavoidable deviations. Create a calorie deficit if necessary when you realise that heavy eating and/or drinking is on your schedule. Train at alternative times when you know your usual sessions aren't all possible this week. Without this forward planning things will always "pop up" and there will be opportunity after opportunity to fall away from your original plans for training and nutrition.

2) Language you use with yourself:

Another important thing to utilise is the language you choose to use with yourself. Be positive and be assertive. If you say "I should..." do something, this already suggests that you're unlikely to do it. For instance "I should go to the gym in the morning before work as I'm out in the evening." Part of you is already planning on not going. Instead try: "I need to go to the gym in the morning...." or "I can't eat badly this week as I'm drinking on Thursday" or "I have to do an extra session this weekend."

There needs to be a level of certainty and positivity in your own affirmations. Make your plans and statements absolute.

So each week make sure that you A) Look ahead and understand your week. Then, make sure you see speed humps, NOT hurdles. Then, where changes are necessary make an amended concrete plan that's air-tight and non-negotiable.

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

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

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

 

Christmas is a time for giving... Here are some free workouts

With the festive season just around the corner, I wanted to give you all something from me.

Christmas time can be a common time for people to fall off the wagon in every unhealthy way imaginable. Late nights, extra alcohol, extra food, extra chocolate or nibbles and no exercise.

I can't stop you from doing ALL of that, but what I wanted to do was offer you 10 quick workouts that you can do in or around the house.

Ideally, you would drag yourself to the gym. But, if you're not going to do that, you could at least spare 20-30 minutes to do some of these at home over the holidays.

As a promise, I'm going to do each of these as a MINIMUM this holiday just to up my activity levels.

I HOPE some of you might take these and give them a go; if you do, let me know how you get on.

I'd ALSO like to remind you of this handy article which explains how you can approach Christmas in order to limit the damage you cause yourself: Brilliant Christmas article - click and read!

WORKOUTS

WORKOUT 1 - 22 mins

Set your watch or timer for 10 minutes. Leave your house and run as far as you can in 10 minutes. Don't think too much about where you're running, just run in the most continuous and straight way you can. When the alarm goes, stop and rest for 2 minutes. After that, reset the alarm and try to make it all the way home in 10 minutes.

WORKOUT 2 - 20-25mins

Set a time to go off every 30 seconds for 20 minutes. You'll work for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds and carry on until you complete 4 or 5 rounds

A1) Press Ups

A2) Bodyweight Squat or Jump Squats for more advanced

A3) Mountain Climbers

A4) Plank

A5) Alternating reverse lunges while raising your arms and opening your shoulders

WORKOUT 3 - 20 mins

Set your timer for Tabata (20 secs work, 10 secs rest). Perform each of these exercises against the Tabata timer until you have completed all 8 sets of 20 secs. Then, rest a full minute and move on to the next exercise.

Exercise 1: Mountain Climbers

Exercise 2: Burpees

Exercise 3: Plank-Push Ups / Suicide Push Ups

Exercise 4: Kneeling - squat (do a squat, climb down to kneeling position, and back up, squat and repeat)

WORKOUT 4 - 21 mins

Set your timer to sound every 60 seconds for 21 minutes. Start each exercise when the buzzer sounds and rest for the remainder of the minute. For examples, if the exercise takes you 30 seconds then you still have 30 seconds rest. But, if it takes you 50 seconds for example, you only have 10 seconds rest until your next exercise. Speed is of the essence. Complete 7 rounds of these 3:

A1) 10-15 press ups and reach. As you come up from the press up extend your arm and the opposite leg and hold at the top position for a second. Change arm and leg each repetition.

A2) 20-40 Mountain Climbers & 5-10 Crunches

A3) 10 reverse lunges or 16 Jumping switch lunges

WORKOUT 5 - 21 mins

Set your timer for 30 second intervals. Complete each of these exercises for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R819KfRrRe0 

WORKOUT 6 - 22 mins 

Repeat the 20 minute run in workout 1 and aim to run further.


Workout 7 - 15 minutes or so
Bodyweight complex - do 1 repetition of each of the exercises below in this order. Keep going until you have completed 8 repetitions of each. That's 1 set. Then rest for 60-90 seconds and repeat it again until you have done 3 sets. ie: by the time you've finished, you will have completed 24 repetitions of each exercise by doing 3 x 8 reps. Make sense?


A1) Squat
A2) Reverse lunge each leg
A3) Burpee
A4) Press Up
A5) Lower Back Extensions
A6) 8 mountain climbers
A7) A "pop up"
That's 1 rep.

WORKOUT 8 - 11mins

Roxanne Challenge: Play the song "Roxanne" by The Police. When they sing the words "Roxanne" perform exercise 1. When they sing "Put on the red light" perform exercise 2. Rest for 2 minutes and then try it with the next exercises.

A1) Press Up

A2) Up/Downs or Plank-Push Up or Suicide Push Up (whatever you want to call it)

B1) 2 x Squat Jumps

B2) Burpee

WORKOUT 9 - Ladder: As fast as you can without rest

A1) 10 Press Ups

A2) 10 Squats

A3) 10 Lower Back Extensions

A4) 10 Burpees

A5) 10 Crunches

Then 8 of each, 6 of each, 4 of each, 2 of each, and finish with 10 of each.

WORKOUT 10 - 20 mins

Set the timer for 30 second intervals. Work for 30 secs, rest for 30 secs.

A1) Press Ups

A2) Plank

A3) Squats

A4) Left Side Plank

A5) Split Squat - Left leg Forward

A6) Right Side Plank

A7) Split Squat - Right leg forward

A8) Plank

A9) Lower Back Extensions

A10) Left Side Plank

A11) Plank Crawl Outs

A12) Right Side Plank

A13) Burpees

A14) Plank

A15) Mountain Climbers

A16) Left Side Plank

A17) Crunches

A18) Right Side Plank

A19) Straight leg Raises

A20) Plank

There you have it - 10 workouts - all under 30 mins and all without equipment.

make it your challenge to do at LEAST these over Christmas. I'm going to make a start on them December 20th or there abouts to finish them this month. I'll be moaning about them on Twitter.

Enjoy.

Try them out and let me know how you get along.

DON'T FORGET: You can follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube