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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reach out. Learn, improve and prosper

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

As I said at the start:

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

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and YouTube

 

How do you know if you're getting anywhere?.. The importance of tracking progress

One of THE most common reasons for people to leave the gym and quit exercising is boredom. Often this can materialise as the person feels they're not getting any results. A perceived lack of progress is enough to make even the most frequent gym user down heartened and deflated.

In many cases progress in fact IS being made. So why are we not noticing it? It may be relative improvements, you may NOT be as strong as your friends but significantly stronger than you were originally.

Or, it may be a subtle change that you struggle to see yourself; after all, you live with yourself and see yourself every day in the mirror - it can be tough to spot changes and progress.

With that in mind, here are some tangible and useful measures of success everyone should use in some form along with some potential flaws in many of the most common methods people use.

Weighing Scales:
Scales are often the first port of call when people want to track progress and make sure that their exercise regime is making a difference. They can be useful, particularly for those who have a lot of additional body fat to lose.
Potential Flaw: However, weighing scales do not offer an accurate reflection with regards to your body composition. What is the weight made up from? Sure, some offer you a body fat percentage but this is very much a "finger in the sky" process due to the high number of variables that can skew your results. Factors such as when you ate last, how much water you've had and if you use them pre or post exercise can all adjust the readings heavily.

Body Fat Percentage Callipers:
Callipers are the traditional way of measuring body fat percentage. Used correctly, they offer you an accurate, full body percentage for the amount of body fat you have and are widely regarded as the "best" or most accurate way to measure body fat percentage most accurately.
Potential Flaw: However, there can be a big discrepancy in the accuracy of these callipers if used incorrectly. While they CAN be the most accurate in terms of measuring body fat percentage, it's important to get someone with experience in taking skin fold measurements to take your measurements. I've seen it done incorrectly many times; if they don't mark your skin fold points with a pen or eye liner, take multiple measurements in the same place, or even worse, take measurements through clothing (yes that actually happens) then they are NOT taking accurate measurement.

Body Mass Index (BMI):
Your BMI or "Body Mass Index" is a basic way of measuring your height against your weight and saying whether, from this data, you are within the parameters of "normal".
Potential Flaws: While still used by many medical professionals, this is a pretty retro and pointless measure. Your BMI doesn't offer a fair reflection of good health VS bad health as it pays no consideration to body composition. ie: a 6ft tall, 100kg male with 12% body fat that exercises 5 days per week will score the same as a 6ft tall, 100kg male with 35% body fat who does no exercise!?.. Where's the logic?

Tape Measure:
Measuring various circumferences at different points around your body is a great way to track a reduction in size, or perhaps increase in size depending your goals. While you may not be able to notice change with your own eyes, monthly measurements will let you know that you are making progress but also, tell you when specific body parts are making progress at a slower rate or not at all and so you may adjust your training each month accordingly.
Potential Flaw: There are 2 main issues with taking measurements -
1) The tape measure does not take into consideration the difference between fat and muscle. ie: If a male loses body fat through a mixture of resistance work and cardio, his chest measurement may stay identical yet he would be making progress.
2) Measuring in the exact same place a month after your initial measurements may be difficult. There's a huge variation between the top and middle of your leg for instance. Try to use markers that won't change and you can relocate each time such as your belly button or even a mole or scar on your body.

Photos:
Taking a monthly snap in as little clothing as possible can be a tangible way for your to track progress across the months. Under close inspection you can scrutinize each and every body part while getting a clear view of how others see you. If you ask someone to take pictures for you, or you have the necessary skills, then you can also get pictures of your rear view - something that isn't always particularly easy to see or regularly analyse in depth. Taking pictures also allows you to take your time and analyse your physique - this can be really useful ahead of planning for your next phase of training. I mean how much time can you REALLY spend looking at yourself and analysing your physique in a gym mirror before you look strange?.. In fact, don't answer that.
Potential Flaw: Photos can be easily manipulated in order to give an improved and inaccurate reflection of progress. These pictures should be for your own benefit and so this would defeat the purpose of them. A simple adjustment in lighting, positioning within the room, camera angle or pose can give a completely altered image. Be sure to: use the same room at the same(ish) time of day, stand the same distance from the camera and have the same (or as similar as possible to) lighting and stand in a natural and neutral position - no tensing or breathing in. Taking a picture on the first week of each month should be regular enough.

Tally Your Weights:
Tracking improvements in strength is a great way to show that you're making progress in the gym. If you're doing this then it's best to write in a small handbook as you go around the gym. Don't jut try to remember - your numbers won't go up at anywhere near the same rate if you do this. Knowing your numbers is a great way of not only tracking progress but also setting yourself new and testing goals to make sure that this progress continues.
Potential Flaws: The issue here is that you may sacrifice body composition and aesthetics for strength. It all depends on your goals - if your goal is to be as strong as possible and you have little focus on aesthetics then this system works. However, if you become completely encapsulated by improving your strength, your physique may be compromised. Using myself as an example, when I began to enjoy deadlifts and improve constantly, I hadn't noticed that I was gaining weight; that was until I came to do pull ups. Pull ups had gone right down hill. I began dieting, pull ups went up, deadlifts went down. It's a balancing act that many people face. Are you getting stronger or are you getting pound-for-pound stronger?

Conclusion:
So what's the answer? The key is to rely on a combination or tracking methods. You want to make sure everything is working correctly to make sure that your training is going correctly and effecting your body the way that you thought it would. You wouldn't check your car oil levels were ok and if they were, assume that you had enough air in your tyres. Same thing - make sure every bit of your beautiful machine is performing at its optimum and maintain it - after all, you can buy a new car but you only get one body!

Thanks for reading...

Don't forget to follow me on: www.twitter.com/MichaelD_PT - @MichaelD_PT
and YouTube (more videos coming soon!) www.Youtube.com/User/BigMikePT

“I find the gym intimidating”

With summer approaching there are plenty of people feeling a little out of shape and wanting to up their pre-holiday exercise efforts. But for many, the gym is an unknown and, as such, an intimidating environment.

Often a gym can be viewed as an overwhelming place full of gym-regulars that all know exactly what they’re doing. An environment where you won’t have a clue what to do and you’ll stand out like a sore thumb. If that’s the case, here are a few simple tips that you can try in order to make yourself feel more confident entering the gym and bettering your life.

Get some professional help

Training with a personal trainer is a great way to gain the necessary education you need to improve your gym confidence. During your sessions you’ll learn an array of exercises, how various machines work, how to target specific areas of the body, the best exercises to help you reach your goals and the general workings of a gym floor. Having someone guide you through everything can be a great way to learn firsthand what you should be doing and not, like so many, waste years training ineffectively. It may be a cost that you assume you can’t afford but view it as a short-term investment. Train with a personal trainer for a few months, learn what you need to learn and then make contact with them again from time to time while training on your own and book a few additional sessions for more ideas and to check up on your progress.

Dress it down

Just because you’re exercising it doesn’t mean you need to wear tiny outfits or dress yourself head to toe in lycra. Many of these outfits can be very unflattering on the wrong figure and make you feel self-conscious before you even leave the changing room. If you’re unsure what your options are, spend some time browsing sports sections of shops and fitness magazines for ideas and inspiration. If you want to avoid the eyes of other gym goers simply wear something discreet and comfortable that fits you well. If you’ve never bought gym clothing before try it on in store and move around to make sure that everything stays covered as it needs to and you can move freely. If you see someone else in the gym with clothing you like, pay them a compliment and find out how to get something similar yourself, “Nice top – where’s it from?” – simple as that.

Turn it up

You can take yourself to a whole new place if you wear headphones when in the gym. It will not only keep you motivated and upbeat but will keep your mind focused on the job at hand. It seems a simple idea but, if you’re conscious of those around you and the gym environment on the whole, headphones can be a great way to escape it all. Better still, The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (2005),also found that listening to music during exercise not only lifted mood but also helped to improve performance. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/tjem/206/3/206_3_213/_article

Avoid the rush

If you’re worried about being an “outsider” in the gym, try to avoid peak times. Perhaps you work 9-5.30 and can’t avoid the evening rush? Then try first thing in the morning. It may mean you’re out of bed a little earlier which can be hard, but just remember why you’re doing it. By getting up earlier and training in the morning the gym is likely to be less busy than the evenings and you can be happy that you’ve completed your exercise for the day before most people’s day has even started. As you become more confident after a few weeks you can then train during the evenings and be happy that you too are now a “gym regular”.

Bring a friend

Training with a friend can be a great way to boost your confidence in the gym no matter what their level of experience. If you both have little experience then you can learn and work things out together; if they’re more experienced than you are then you can get a guiding hand around the gym from a familiar face. Either way, you’ll no longer be alone on your fitness journey. A “gym buddy” can also help to keep you motivated away from the gym. Together you can make sure that you don’t let your eating habits slip too frequently and that you make each gym session that you have scheduled – a friendly nudge can be very useful from time to time.

Try group exercise first

The gym is full of weights, equipment and fitness “toys” – all of which can, if you’ve never used them before, appear very confusing. If it’s a more active lifestyle you’re looking for then group exercise can be a great inroad. There’s something for everyone and even classes that will incorporate some resistance work in them as a hybrid of traditional group exercise and gym work. You’ll get to build a regular, healthier routine and class times will mean you start off with an instantly more structured workout schedule. As you become more familiar with the classes, more confident in your image and want some variety you can gradually wean yourself into the gym.

Get out of town

For some the fear of bumping into a friend of work colleague while they’re “not at their best”, covered in sweat, wearing an old gym top and gasping for air is enough to keep them out of the gym all together. Don’t use this as an excuse; find a gym a little further away and you can exercise in confidence that you can remain completely anonymous. If that’s not an option you can invest in a variety of equipment to allow you to train at home. Things such as multi gyms, dumbbells, kettlebells, powerbags or a TRX are all very versatile pieces of equipment that you can use for full body workouts in the privacy of your own home.

The Truth...

The truth is there are plenty of reasons and excuses to not exercise if we look for them; being intimidated by the gym is just another excuse. If you want to change the way you look and feel about yourself then you can’t let it be the be all and end all. Find a way around it. Those who want to exercise will find a way. Those who don’t want to exercise will find an excuse. Just remember, everyone, in every gym had their first day in the gym at some point. Now look at them – that can be you in a matter of months. Leaner, more knowledgeable and more confident – stick with it, remain consistent and these things will come.

 Don't forget to follow me on Twitter:

www.Twitter.com/MichaelD_PT

and YouTube: www.YouTube.com/User/BigMikePT

What to Expect When You're Expecting - Exercising During Pregnancy

 

I've recently been working with a few pregnant clients, many of who had concerns about exercising when pregnant. Don't be alarmed if you can relate to this, you're not alone; there seems to be lots of contradictory and out-dated advice available which can be difficult to sift through.The good news is, exercising safely while pregnant has a number of benefits for mums-to-be.

 

Benefits include: Improved circulation, reduced swelling, reduced leg cramps, easier and shorter labour time, improved body awareness, quicker post-natal recovery, reduced maternal weight gain, reduction in labour pain, offset postural imbalances and lesser risk of lower back pain or spinal issues, practical strength for when baby arrives... to name a few!

 

But, how much is too much? What kind of exercises are suitable? How many repetitions and sets? What should you avoid? What impact will changing hormones have? How much more should you be eating? How much weight should you expect to put on?

 

All is explained here...

 

TRIMESTER 1

Additional Calories Needed Each Day: 0 (RDA)

Expected Total Weight Gain by End of Trimester: 7-11lbs

Sets & Repetitions When Exercising: 3-4 sets, 8-15 reps

Hormone Issues and Things To Consider:

A mild level of relaxin (a hormone which creates more mobile joints in order to allow baby to grow freely and a relaxation of blood vessels) is released in the body and causes a lowering in blood pressure known as vascular underfill. As a result, fatigue and dizziness or nausea can be experienced after a relatively short spell of intense exercise. Heart rate is likely to become elevated during a lower intensity of exercise than pre-pregnancy.

Avoid: Working to fatigue, circuit-style training or high intensity training that doesn't allow for rest or changes muscle groups quickly such as a legs and shoulders super-set. "Hard work" can still take place, but be aware of how you feel and don't push if you feel nauseous or light headed. Avoid laying on your back for extended periods.

 

TRIMESTER 2

Additional Calories Needed Each Day: 150Kcal (RDA)

Expected Total Weight Gain by End of Trimester: 11-22lbs

Sets & Repetitions When Exercising: 2-3 sets, 10-15 reps

Hormone Issues and Things To Consider:

Water retention is increased and as a result heart rate and blood pressure is normalised. Many experience a new lease of energy towards the end of the trimester. Relaxin release surges so be mindful of placing large loads on vulnerable joints, particularly hips, lower back and shoulders. Improvement in body temperature regulation - a much earlier onset of sweating. As weight increases there is an increased chance of thoracic kyphosis (rounded/arched upper spine).

Avoid: Assisted stretching for extended periods or stretching beyond a normal range of motion. Avoid training for extended periods without hydration breaks and continue taking on fluids throughout the day. Don't allow for improper posture to be held during exercise; emphasise a strong, braced and neutral spine at all times.

 

TRIMESTER 3

Additional Calories Needed Each Day: 300Kcal (RDA)

Expected Total Weight Gain by End of Trimester: 23-33lbs

Sets & Repetitions When Exercising: 1-2 sets, 15-20 reps

Hormone Issues and Things To Consider:

Fatigue is experienced much earlier. Balance becomes an issue and relaxin is at it's highest. Weight may increase by as much as 1lb per week at this stage. As a result, avoid exercises that rely heavily on balance or place an unnatural pressure on joints such as sumo stance squats and dumbbell flys. A more suitable variation would be body weight squats and chest press machine. Trimester blood volume increases by 30%-50% and cardiac output by 20%-30% so pregnant mother will begin fatiguing sooner due to increased workload. Overheating should be considered at this stage so use suitable clothing dependent on your environment (cold gyms, direct sunlight etc). It may be difficult to elevate the heart rate during this trimester.

Avoid: Working in direct sunlight for extended periods, balance-based exercises, standing for extended periods and placing pressure on the front of the body. Avoid laying on your front or static holds such as planks for lengthy periods.

 

DISCLAIMER:

Of course, pregnancy is a very personal experience and no two pregnancy experiences will be identical. The advice and guidelines above are general guidelines that you should aim to follow. However, if there are any unpredicted adjustment or conditions that occur then always seek medical advice.

 

There are a number of contraindications to exercising while pregnant - especially if you aren't already a regular exerciser. Before attempting to exercise during pregnancy always seek clearance to do-so from your GP. Then, seek a pre/post natal qualified trainer to guide you through the ever-changing process and take away any of the guess work.

NB: Not ALL qualified personal trainers are qualified to train clients during their pregnancy.

 

Always keep in mind "Mum knows best" - don't be encouraged to do anything that you feel very uncomfortable doing. Some pregnant ladies will run throughout pregnancy and other will feel uncomfortable doing it from a very early stage. Do what you're happy to do, now what you "should" do.

 

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter and my YouTube channel.

10 Easy Additions for a Better Life

In general, the media portrays improvement as a total re-vamp process. Celebrity detox, extreme home make over, The Atkins Diet, cabbage soup diets – all suggest that a complete overhaul is needed if you’re to make a significant chance.

 

In fact, what they’re promoting is quick or short-term improvements. When it comes to improving your body composition and physique, we should not overlook the improvement of general wellbeing. Being completely restrictive with your diet is not a way to live, nor is it necessary.

Below is a list of simple additions that you can add to your life in order to make you a better person. They may not be the missing link, nor the entire solution, but done consistently they will warrant significant results and improvements.

DRINK A PINT OF WATER FIRST THING IN THE MORNING AND BEFORE EACH MEAL

Probably the easiest addition to your diet would be to drink a pint of water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Studies have found this to improve your metabolism by up to 30% for the following hour. If you can manage this before every meal then you will not only boost your metabolic rate but you’re also much less likely to eat as much. Often your body struggles to differentiate between being hungry and thirsty. Drink a large glass of water before eating and you’ll only eat what you need.

WALK AT LUNCH TIME

It can be easy to become inactive at work. Take your full lunch hour and improve your vitamin D intake, lead a more active life and boost your metabolism before eating your lunch. A simple 45 minutes of fasted, steady-state cardio can make a real difference to your body composition, mood, productivity and general wellbeing.

CHEW GUM

If you’re on a mission to reduce body fat then skipping meals is not (always) the answer. However, if you know your rough food intake of food that you’ve scheduled for the day but you find that you’re hungry ahead of schedule then chewing gum can really help. Often you may fool your hunger by satisfying your need for chewing. A simple trick that you can use, not for skipping meals, but simply for ignoring your hunger when it shows up a little early in your day.

JOIN A GROUP

Group exercise, sports teams, running clubs, group personal training and anything else where others rely on your attendance is a great way to build a strong exercise habit. If you tend to be inconsistent with making exercise plans then this can be a great way of committing yourself to a healthier, more active week.

COOK WITH COCONUT OIL

Coconut oil has been found to be a very simple and easy addition to your diet which can help to both lower your cholesterol and reduce your body fat; there’s even some evidence that coconut oil can help with maintaining energy levels and cognitive function. Why not replace your standard cooking oil with coconut oil?

SCRAP JUICES AND FIZZY DRINKS

If you’re looking to cut calories and more importantly, cut sugars, an easy place to start is your drinks. Most fizzy drinks will contain a large dosage of sugar, perfect for encouraging spikes in insulin and encouraging fat retention. Even the “diet” drinks have been found to increase your desire for sugary food and drink after drinking them. Easiest rule of thumb? Avoid them all whenever possible (which is most of the time). After understanding the benefits of increased water intake you’d be hard pushed to warrant fizzy drinks on a regular basis. If you “need” flavour, drop some fresh fruit like slices of lemon or lime into your water – surprisingly tasty and refreshing.

EAT PROTEIN AT EVERY MEAL

Proteins are a great source of energy. Protein will not only offer you sustained energy and avoid energy crashes, but it will also keep you feeling fuller for longer. Protein also helps to build and maintain lean muscle which is key in optimising your metabolic rate. If you eat protein as part of your breakfast then you’re much more likely to crave protein based foods throughout the day. Start the day off right – salmon and eggs is a personal favourite. Aim for at least 1g of protein for every Kg of bodyweight each day.

MAKE YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE

What happens if you veer off the healthy path? Not much? Why not make yourself accountable? Do something simple: sign up for personal training, join a group, tell your friends and family what you’re doing, make a bet with friends, set goals with your gym buddies. Whatever you do, don’t strive for improvement alone.

BUY A KETTLEBELL AND LEARN HOW TO USE IT CORRECTLY

Equipping a home gym can be an expensive and laborious task; not to mention you’ll need a space large enough to house all of your fancy gym equipment. Kettlebells however aren’t space consuming and, although they’re not cheap, they won’t break the bank; especially when you consider that they will last you a lifetime. These can be used for pretty much any exercise that you can perform with a dumbbell as well as an abundance of kettlebell exercises – ideal for improving body composition through a mixture of resistance work and cardio vascular conditioning. NB: Seek guidance from day 1 and learn how to use them properly – don’t “just figure it out” or try to teach yourself via Youtube. Poor technique and potential injuries will inevitably appear.

STICK WITH IT

The reason that many people don’t get the results they hoped for is because whatever they started, they never finish. Whatever you choose to do, do it regularly and do it relentlessly. Consistency and persistency need to be added to any worthwhile training structure if you want results. Ignore quick fixes and the likes of “6 week plans” – don’t be lazy, don’t try to cut corners and don’t leave it until the last minute. Start now and KEEP GOING! Don’t stop because it’s hard, don’t stop because it’s slow, stop because you’re done.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @MichaelD_PT

And subscribe to  my YouTube channel

The Importance of One Direction

 

OK, so this blog has nothing to do with the band “One Direction” – it was a tenuous link and possibly a way to get teenage pop fans clicking on something new and learning a thing or two instead of dribbling over Harry Styles... the handsome rogue!

Anyway... Recently, I’ve found a recurring theme among gym users that aren’t making the progress they feel their efforts warrant.

They made it to the gym, check! They have their kit on, check! They’ve spent at least an hour in the gym, check! They’re at the gym at least 3 times EVERY week? Check! They’ve even started being more considerate with what their eating each day. So what’s the issue?

The answer? A lack of direction.

Before even entering a gym, you need to find out WHAT you want to achieve and HOW you’re going to achieve it. It sounds very simple right? Not always. Often a lack of direction can leave gym users going through the motions and repeating the same gym session over and over again – soon enough results stop coming and so does the gym user. It’s essential to make sure that your exercise regime and goals are aligned in “One Direction” (there’s the link).

So here’s a few things that you need to make sure you remember when looking for YOUR direction (remember, it’s YOUR direction. “A good program” isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution).

MOST THINGS IN LIFE ARE A SKILL:

This issue is probably applicable for most people that are stuck in a gym rut. They use the same equipment each time and have, with practice, become pretty proficient at them. The issue is, that’s exactly what they’re good at – that one exercise and that one exercise alone. This is particularly an issue when using resistance machines. The movements within these machines are so limited and predetermined that your skill becomes VERY specific. So much so that if for instance, you become good at a shoulder press machine, if you visit another gym and they have a slightly different machine (narrower seat, fatter grips, wider hand position) you’ll find that you are no longer as good at this exercise. The truth is, you’re not “good at overhead pressing”. You’re “good” at the machine in your gym. For this reason (among others), the majority of the time it’s always advisable to work with free weights.

IF YOU WANT TO GET BETTER AT A SKILL, DO THE SKILL:

So, I’ve just said “don’t do the same thing all of the time”. Now I’m going to say “do the same thing regularly”. This is relevant to anything that is more technical, uses multiple joints and relies heavily upon timing and coordination. For example, deadlifts, squats or cleans. You may make adjustments week on week such as tempo, weight, repetitions etc but these are skills that, if you want to do them proficiently, you need to practice regularly. Remember your first driving lesson? After that hour were you good to go your own way on the open roads? Same idea. If you want to get better at squatting then squat. if you want a stronger lower body and better shaped legs then feel free to squat, lunge, leg press etc.

VARY THE VARIABLES:

I mentioned it briefly above but it’s important that, even if you don’t change your specific exercises often, that you DO change other variables. If you’ve ever said “I use ‘X’kg for that exercise” then this is for you. You shouldn’t really know what weight you use for any exercise as this depend on the number or reps, sets, tempo and intensity that you’re working to. If you always use the same weight and work witin the same parameters it’s no wonder that results are limited.

MAKE SURE YOUR DUCKS ARE IN LINE:

I couldn’t think of a decent cliché or example headline... sorry. What I mean is ask yourself, are your actions a direct reflection of your goals and aims. The vast majority of everyday gym goers are looking to lose some weight and gain a more athletic physique. You will NOT achieve this focusing the majority of your time on steady-stae, long-duration cardio work before doing arms and sit ups before you head home. If you want to look athletic you must train athletic (to some degree). It’s important for all people, male or female, young and old, to do some form of resistance work throughout the week. Not only will it help with gaining strength and stability for your everyday life and improve injury avoidance but it will also offer you the more athletic and... no I’m not saying THAT word (“toned”) physique that you’re after.  Despite what you may have yourself believing, the body that you desire has more muscle and less fat than your current structure. You DO want more muscle.

DON’T AVOID THE UNKNOWN

When it comes to exercise, no one has done everything! There’s always someone better than you at EVERYTHING and on the other hand, everyone did everything for the first time at some point. SO... you’re not the best (yet), but probably not the worst at anything. If you don’t feel confident in trying something (a new piece of equipment, a new exercise etc) then ask a professional and get professional guidance. Don’t look at this as expensive; instead consider it an investment in your health and physical development. Many of the lessons you learn with a trainer are not time-sensitive and will not go out of fashion, need changing or stop working. For instance, if your trainer is able to teach you to squat effectively, maintain a good posture while exercising and perform strong hinge movements like a kettlebell swing or deadlift, then these are lessons that you can take and use for the rest of your life. Remember, it’s much easier to learn a skill than it is to re-learn a skill. Don’t go and groove ineffective movement patterns on your own only to re-address them at a later date once progress comes to a halt or injuries appear.

SUMMARY:

If you’re going to make the effort to get to the gym instead of staying indoors eating biscuits then it’s important to make effective use of your time. Three elements you need are consistency, persistence and structure – get that and you’re a shoe in for continued results. Lack any one of these three and results will vary or become non-existant.

Thanks for reading.

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

And subscribe to my YouTube Channel - BigMikePT

 

 

AND, if you came upon this page hoping for some music, here you go One Direction fans - what a banger!