Make a Plan “A” and a Plan “B”... and a Plan “C”

 

Sometimes life doesn’t run smoothly and things come up. But you can’t throw in the towel as soon as the first hiccup or bit of adversity appears.

The same goes for keeping your exercise and nutrition on track.

 

I frequently hear “I’m away with work for a few days so can’t train.” Or “We ate out so my food went to pot.”

But why? Sure, these scenarios are from ideal but they shouldn’t be enough to go completely off-piste. You need a plan “A”, a “B” and a “C”.

 

TRAINING

Plan A – Go to the gym and do your regular hour long session after work                 

You have a meeting after work...

Plan B – You get up at 6am and do a session before work

You live to far from the gym or you’re involved in the morning school and wake up routine

Plan C – You go for a run at work during your lunch break or you run when you get home or do a bodyweight workout once you’re home

 

EATING:

Plan A – You prep your food the night before

You were out late and didn’t have time

Plan B – You get up 30 mins early and cook your food in the morning

You’re staying away for the evening

Plan C – You eat out and make a conscious effort to eat well. You amend your orders to remove parts such as chips in exchange for additional vegetables

 

SNACKING:

Plan A – You prepare all of your snacks for the next day at home

You weren’t staying at home

Plan B – You have protein bars in your car or stored in your desk

You’ve run out of protein bars

Plan C – You visit a proper supermarket (not a corner shop) and purchase real, fresh food on your way to work

 

As you can see: Plan A is the ideal and probably most convenient. Plan C is often inconvenient and may require some hard work or self control but... being healthy often does require these things.

 

If it was easy there would be no obesity and only washboard abs all over the place.

Remember to follow me on www.Twitter.com/MichaelD_PT

You will NEVER look how you want to look

I’m not one to be a detractor from people trying to better themselves; if you’re going to work hard, eat well and be honest with yourself about the effort that you’re going to put in then that’s great!

However, for the other 95% of gym users, it’s important to realise “You will NEVER look how you want to look.”

Here are some reasons why:

Miss-sold perceptions of how much work is necessary
If you take a glance at the magazine rack at your nearest shop you won’t need to look far before you see promises of a “6 week body” or “simple plan”. In reality there is NO “simple” route and NO way you can look like the person on the cover in 6 weeks (unless you are already in very good shape). Being healthy and getting the body you desire is a long-term plan that requires consistency and commitment for months on end... not a few weeks!


Miss-sold perceptions of what actually went on
Most leading health and fitness magazines have at some stage featured a plan claiming “This is how (insert celebrity) got into shape.” However, there are some things that have been overlooked: 1) There is often insufficient information on the nutrition required for these results. 2) The trainer involved is unlikely to offer all of their methods and techniques they used for free. Instead, this is probably an example of one workout that they used (or, in many cases, just a random workout), 3) This is the job of the celebrity. They were able to focus their entire day on exercise, proper rest and nutrition. You probably have a full time job to contend with so it’s unlikely you can put in the same level of effort, 4) There was probably some supplements involved. Some legal and often some illegal. That’s the truth.


You don't train hard enough
In reality, the physique that you have in mind takes a LOT of hard work. Training with a purpose and a relevant plank and intensity is something that a lot of people overlook. Chatting to people while you train, using your phone at regular intervals, watching TV or entering the gym without a clear and distinct session plan are all guaranteed to leave you not achieving the results you want.


You don't eat well enough
The quality of your training is only half of the battle. The other side is your nutrition. It’s essential to invest in your nutrition and focus on planning your meals and snacks. I often tell clients: “When it comes to nutrition - Common sense doesn’t always apply”. You may think that you’re “eating well”, however your efforts may be misguided. It’s always best to seek professional nutrition guidance and take away all of the guess work. Some of the food you need to focus on may be more expensive but look at it as an investment. Remember: Eating well isn’t expensive. Eating bad food is cheap!


You're not consistent enough
This is where you need to be honest. If you’ve ever “tried” something, did you just “try”? Or, did you give it your full effort? Did you stick to your eating plan 100%? Did you never miss a single gym session? Did you ever have a good week then a bad week? Or, a good day then a bad day? This is not to say that you can NEVER have a treat or enjoy yourself but... you don’t instantly have treats and things you shouldn’t. If you’re seriously trying to lose body fat and you’re more than 14lbs away from your ideal weight then for now, you should minimise “cheat meals”; especially if they keep on appearing time after time. Don’t have the logic “I worked hard at the gym today so I can have this pudding.” That kind of habit building will get you nowhere.


You're not applying enough time to your goals
Again, you’ve been fooled by the sales of these “6 week plans”. Give your body time to adjust to your changing lifestyle. If you’ve suddenly reduced your calories and/or increased the amount of exercise you’re doing then your body will take some time to understand this and establish a routine. If you’re consistent with the amount of calories you consume and the amount of exercise you do then your body will be able to regulate calorie use and hormone levels in order to help you gradually improve body composition. If you don’t apply yourself for at least 3 months then this won’t happen and you won’t see any changes and yet again, you’ll pack it in.


It doesn't actually matter enough to you
Here’s the one that accounts to about 95% of people. Either A) You’re not in terrible shape so you “wouldn’t mind losing a few pounds”, or “Wouldn’t mind getting a bit leaner” but if it doesn’t happen then you’re not that bothered. Or, B) You like the idea of being in better shape, but not as much as you like the idea of drinking alcohol regularly, eating take away food, not sleeping enough, eating high levels of sugar and not prepping your food. Basically, it all sounds like too much hard work.




REMEMBER:
This is not meant to be a negative, moaning blog putting you down and making you feel useless. Instead, it’s designed for you to take a closer, more honest look at your behaviour and realise why you aren’t in the shape you want to be in. If you’re happy with that, that’s fine. If not, then perhaps now you can look at address these behaviours.




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

"I haven't eaten ketchup all year..." - Breaking Habitual Eating Habits

Since January 1st 2016 I haven't eaten any ketchup.


What a great achievement! Well not really. I've had other condiments on some occasions such as brown sauce and mayonnaise.


So what's the point?
Well, I wanted to see if I could make conscious decisions and replace habitual eating with conscious eating.


To put it into perspective, I was not exactly a ketchup addict. But, it did find its way onto eggs occasionally in the morning when they seemed a bit dry and onto some dinner plates too. It was becoming unconscious and I wanted to see what I could do about it.


What about you?
Many people will eat or drink certain things at certain times just because "that's what I've always done."


But what if these things are benefiting them? In fact, what if these small things are regularly steering them away from their goals.


What do you do unconsciously? Biscuits with your daily cup of tea? Sugars in your tea? Pudding after dinner? Alcohol after work?


What should you do next?
Try to remove these habitual things that are taking you further from your goals for 3 weeks or more. Know that you're not going to go without them forever.
Then, as you choose to, gradually re-introduce some of the things on a less frequent occasion.


Building these conscious habits with your eating can be a great way to increase your awareness of the foods you consume and in doing so, strike up a much more beneficial balance between "good" and "bad".


If you're not sure where to start then perhaps write a food diary and look through it after a week to find recurring detractors that keep reappearing such as foods that are high in sugar.

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

The A-Z scale of Lifestyles and Physiques

Recently I have been talking to my clients about what I imagine as an A-Z scale of lifestyles and how these lifestyles usually offer you an exact reflection of your physique.

Or as some people say: "You get out exactly what you put in."

Yes, there are exceptions to every rule. The people that seem to eat whatever they want and stay lean or those at the other end of the spectrum and live a seemingly healthy lifestyle but can't shift any extra body fat.

Yes, there are exceptions but also remember: "What you eat in private, you wear in public". Sometimes all is not as it may appear...

So, what's an "A Lifestyle" and what do these people look like?

An "A Lifestyle" is a clean diet involving no processed foods, no preservatives, no refined sugars, no alcohol and no days off from this regime. An "A Lifestyle" person will train frequently with purpose, intensity and direction with progressive overload. They do not skip days, they do not "just do a bit today" and they do not approach their week without a plan.

As a result, they probably look something like this...

So, what's a "Z Lifestyle" and what do these people look like?

A "Z Lifestyle" has no structure. This person does not exercise, eats what they want and the majority of their food choices are dependent on what's most convenient rather than rich in nutrients. Take away food, instant meals, sweats, puddings, sugars and fatty foods are frequent in their diet.

These people will usually end up looking something like this...

For the vast majority of people, sustaining "A Lifestyle" is not achievable. And you're far from being a "Z Lifestyle" person." However... I like to start the year aiming to move myself close to "Lifestyle A". Take note of changes in my body, mood and energy.

Then not through habit, but through conscious choices I add in things which don't belong in "Lifestyle A" (the odd bit of alcohol, sugar etc) until I reach a point/letter that I'm happy to settle on. THIS is my sustainable lifestyle; ideally closer to "Lifestyle A" than I was before this process.

What I'm trying to say is...

Don't "end up" with a lifestyle, exercise and eating habits accidently. Experience a style of living far "better" than one you intend on sustaining and then consciously set your lifestyle guidelines.

Give it a go and see if you can move a little closer to an "A Lifestyle."

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

Do you have a pill for that?..

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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 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