“You’ve gota live though haven’t you?..”

Recently when discussing lifestyle adjustments for a leaner physique and less hung-over, more memory filled lifestyle I suggested going to the pub less and was me with “Yeah, but you’ve gota live haven’t you?”

Where to start?...

I’ve had this, or words to this effect as a reaction many times when giving lifestyle advice and it always confuses me.

ME: “Stop eating McDonalds every lunchtime.”

THEM: “You’ve gota live though haven’t you?..”

If your definition of living life is food from McDonalds then I suggest you aim a little higher.

I set out at the start of 2017 to make a healthier year with higher quality memories. Not necessarily doing more, but more than likely doing less and investing more time and money into these things. I decided that rather than mindlessly having a few drinks with friends at the weekend on a regular basis I would try to drink alcohol once per month (ideally 1 day, if not 1 full weekend) for a pre-organised event or occasion.

I went through my calendar and marked off some events that I knew about in advance. The first weekend of the rugby 6 nations – February event. The final weekend of the rugby 6 nations – March sorted. Birthday weekend – May sorted. By April I had booked a summer holiday and also a rugby tour had come my way – I soon had nearly every month organised.

This was great for me as I was able to focus my training for set blocks of time with an end goal in mind. It also meant that I wasn’t going out wasting money at pubs on my local highstreet which made the bigger, more memorable events financially viable.

Don’t get me wrong – I wasn’t cooped up ignoring the world for weeks on end. I still saw friends, I still went places with my girlfriend and I still did things with my family; I just didn’t blow my money at the local boozer.

This gave me 2 things:

1. More money to do better stuff
2. More energy to be more productive with my gym work and everyday life

So who’s living more? Productive me with something fun and memorable planned for every month of the year? Or Mr McDonalds lunch break and his inevitable gain in body fat and lack of energy which came with it?

I’m not doing this to pat myself on the back and say “Aren’t I great – Aren’t you useless!” I just find peoples definitions of “living” very odd!

Rather than allowing yourself junk food and alcohol which you term “living”, it may be possible, with a little planning and self-control to actually “live” more and make more memories and do more AND be healthier! Imagine that!?...

PS: I did the “drinking once a month” for 6 months, then went on holiday and drank every day. I’ve since kept to once or twice per month but still keeping the fun events and memory makers going.

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



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

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

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

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

 

There is literally NO excuse for eating badly

So before you read the headline and think I'm either unrealistic, militant, a moron or all three, read on.

I'm not asking you to never eat a chip again, never touch alcohol again and never touch another Haribo (I know I could never fully say "bye" to my friend Mr.Haribo).

What I AM saying is there is ALWAYS a choice. So when people say: "I know I'm going to eat badly this week because of...." then that's fine. But that's your choice.

Make the choice: Do you want to carry on optimising your training 100%? Or do you want a beer? Do you want to continue to make steady progress in reward for all of your hard work? Or, do you want some chips?

Neither is necessarily the "wrong" answer. But don't tell me how badly you want to lose weight the day before you eat a tub of Ben and Jerry's because you had organised to go the cinema so it was inevitable.

Obviously there will be times where you turn to the dark side and eat something from the less desirable list. But, use a little forward planning, know when these are and then avoid other easier and less appealing slip ups.

For instance, you're heading out for a meal with your partner and you're looking forward to a drink before hand and probably pudding after. Fine, but knowing this is coming you can't just grab some breakfast on the way to work which ends up being a croissant and a coffee, grab a sandwich and a bottle of coke at lunch and then some sweets for an afternoon pick-up. If you're booking in some slip-ups, you need to be flawless before and after.

Here's some ways to spot these hurdles and some choices you can make. Do them all and you're a far better person than me. Avoid the majority and you're likely to be doing better than you are now:

"I have to go out for dinner"

That's fine and no one would expect you to stay in and never venture out for food. There's usually a varied menu at most places you visit and, if you really want to focus on your food choices, you can ask for a tweaked version of the listed meal. For instance, if you're at an establishment that seems to believe chips are an essential addition to any meal, then simply ask them to trade the chips for additional vegetables. No one will blink twice at the request and you won't even be faced with the temptation of chips on your plate. Of course, there will be some restaurants that you deliberately visit for an unhealthy food option such as a pizza place or your favourite burger and beer combo. But... if that's the case be sure to consider that as a treat to yourself and not a "go-to" dinner. Also, be sure to make sure your food before this meal is outstanding. If you can, try to exercise that day. Exercise has been heavily linked with improving decision making around food choices.

"I was in and out of meetings all day"

This is a common one and often an excuse for "grabbing a sandwich on the go". Instead, why not prep your food the night before and eat it in instalments between meeting. You must get 5 minutes surely? Another idea is to have a casein protein shake just before your meeting. It will keep you fuelled and alert through longer meetings and also supply protein to your body over a prolonguied period. Finally, if it's not a bit Captain Keeno, why not make healthy protein snacks? 1) Your boss will love you, 2) You can eat healthy snacks throughout and not be forced into picking at junk.

"I don't have time for breakfast in the mornings"

Simple. Wake up earlier. Breakfast doesn't need to take hours to create. You can make and eat a nutritious breakfast such as scrambled eggs with mushrooms and turkey (my favourite) in a matter of minutes. There's no excuse! If you're tired in the mornings then go to bed earlier. Or, just stop moaning, get up and make your breakfast while you're tired and get on with it. You want to be in better physical shape? But not as much as 15 minutes more sleep? You obviously don't want it that badly.

"I don't have time to prepare my lunch"

Prepare it the night before. Either cook extra dinner and put that aside for lunch the next day or just take the time to prepare your lunch before you settle down for the evening. You DO have time, it's just a case of identifying the time and addressing the issue in advance. Remember: Tupperware is your friend!

"I don't get home from work until late"

Your problem is similar. The solution is: preparation. While you're happy to wait a few minutes for your microwave meal to cook or for your take away to be heated and delivered this time could easily be spent cooking a quick meal such as grilling some basic meat that you had ready to use. It's perfectly manageable; it's just a case of if you can be bothered or not.

"They only serve junk food"

If you know that you're heading somewhere with poor food options, perhaps even your workplace, then you'll need to prepare your own food. The easiest option is to take left overs from last nights dinner. Failing that, you'll need to find 5 minutes either the night before or in the morning to throw together something to take with you.

"I had to take clients out"

Often people will use client entertainment as a green light to let lose with food and drink. While you don't want to make people feel uneasy or appear boring and unable to let your hair down, ask yourself: would they ACTUALLY care if I didn't drink? If you can avoid mid-week drinking or drinking for the sake of it on a regular basis this will have a huge impact on body composition and dietary choices. If you think you might be pressured into drinking why not drive and use that as your excuse for not drinking? They're unlikely to put pressure on you throughout the evening to drink then. Just as above, if it genuinely is unavoidable, take this into consideration with your food and exercise regime in the time before and after your client night out.

"I'm flying that day so can't control my food options"

This one is tricky but again, if you REALLY don't want to let things slip you have choices. many long-haul flights won't allow you to take food produce into another country. However, if you eat the food in the air they won't mind. This means that you can prepare all of the food you want and eat on-board. Alternatively, make sure you're fuelled pre-flight by eating ahead of time and even having a casein proteins hake or bar on flight or just before hand for high quality, slow releasing nutrients.

"My family won't eat healthy things if I cook it for them"

Firstly, if they're children, yes they will. Children learn from their environment and only understand from experience. If you don't make a big fuss about it and even try to make interesting meals with fresh produce then they can be enjoyable and the children won't think anything of it. If the problem (child) is a little older or your partner is the issue then either try to cook something a little more diverse (millions of options online) or cook separate meals. Don't suffer failure as a result of someone else's narrow mindedness.

As I said, you're unlikly to stick to all of these examples in your life but, be aware of them before they arise and plan around them where possible rather than accepting them and falling at the first hurdle. All it takes is a little foresight and a hell of a lot of will power... That's all!

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

Be More Flexible

It can be hard to break a habit, particularly when it comes to your gym routines. The amount of times I see the same faces, doing the same sessions week in, week out in a gym. Or people waiting religiously for a piece of gym equipment as they "need" to use it next.

Y'all need to be more flexible. Make the most of hurdles and see your glass as half full - not half empty! What do I mean? Here's what I mean:

Someone is using equipment you need:

Try to come up with an alternative exercise. If there isn't the heavy weight you want then try to add an element of stability or work a single limb with exercises such as pistol squats rather than regular back squats. Add an element of conditioning or a new challenge for you and your body. Do things at a higher intensity or for a much greater number of repetitions.

You don't have time to exercise:
Increase your intensity and work in a circuit format. See if you can do all of the usual exercises at a much greater intensity with less rest time. Or, create a new workout routine which focuses on the same areas but gets your heart rate much higher.

The gym is too busy:

Come up with a workout using minimal equipment. Things such as kettlbells or a barbell complex are a good idea. Equipment like a TRX or Powerbags are also very versatile pieces of equipment. If you want some more ideas for workouts using minimal equipment see here: Ideas

You're stuck at home because of "X":

Try using your own bodyweight. There's plenty you can do aside from just press ups. In fact, here's 21 ideas for you: 21 Bodyweight Ideas

You have an injury:

Don't avoid the gym all together. instead spent longer focusing on other body parts, especially the weaker parts. Even if you had a broken bone there will always be some exercises available to you. If you have a repeating injury, spend time focusing on "pre-hab" - improving your weaker areas ahead of any injuries to minimise risk of them repeating. You might even double up on a session in a week. For instance if you had a damaged elbow, you might do 2 leg sessions that week to help recovery.

You're tired of the gym:

If the gym is physically and mentally taking its toll on you consider a de-loading week. There's only so much your central nervous system can take, not to mention smaller joints such as your elbows which can take a pounding over the weeks. You might be pleasantly surprised that this de-loading week can significantly improve your strength and progress in the weeks to follow. I'll write more about de-loading next month and link it here...

You don't like certain sessions:

The likelihood is you do the sessions you enjoy most first (chest Monday), and the sessions you dislike are done at the tail end of the week... if at all. Why not switch this up? Take all of the exercises that you don't like and get them done ASAP in the week. That way they're done and not hanging over your head and likely to be ignored at a later date. For instance with me, I usually train my legs on a Monday as I find it mentally taxing. I will also try and include exercises on a Tuesday session such as cleans and bench press into a really quick session as I don't enjoy them at all. Then I know the rest of the week is mine to enjoy.

What I'm trying to say is: be positive and take the opportunity when hurdles arise, to do something different. Train with someone new, try a new exercise or workout, train outside etc etc - You never know, you might like it!

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