10 Ways to Make Your Life Better... For FREE!!!

Do these things and have a better life - easy as that:

1) Exercise (it was always going to be number 1!)
Exercise more and increase self confidence, enjoy gains both aesthetically and through improving strength. Release endorphins and INSTANTLY improve mood, reduce the chance of injuries and lessen the strains and efforts of every day life. Whatever you choose to do, do SOMETHING!

2) Exercise Outdoors
Now you've chosen to exercise, do it outdoors! You get to see more of the world and not just a UV-lit gym. Increase your Vitamin D intake as a result, improve liver and kidney function while further improving your mood.

3) Sleep more
Easy right? Then do it! Allow your body repair time it deserves. Lower cortisol levels (that cheeky hormone that can encourage fat retention around the abdomen) and yet again, improve your mood!

4) Turn it up
Be more active. Take your ordinary day, REALLY assess it, realise where you're wasting time and then be more productive with your everyday life. Cut the stuff you don't need, be more proactive with the time you have and get more done in your day. Be ruthless

5)Turn it off
Remove yourself from regular life when you're resting. Take time without electronic devices and ways of communicating with others. Have some "me time". Whether it's at bed time or just taking a walk alone, separate yourself from everything and everyone from time to time. If you don't think this is practical, think about your lunch hour. Take a 40 minute walk all by yourself, come back and eat your lunch and just notice how much better and more productive you feel for a)being active and b) taking yourself away from everything

6) Get some structure
Phrases like "where has the time/year gone?" and "I don't have time to..." "I'm too busy for..." are regularly used. But... what if you had a little more structure. If you plan out your days, time is much less likely to run away with you. If you leave it to chance, the chances are it'll go wrong. Start simple: every Sunday look ahead and know exactly what you're going to eat over the next 5 days, when you're going to exercise and EXACTLY what you're going to do when you exercise. Then, just stick to that - no excuses!

7) Have a timeline - set goals
So now you have your week structured, it's time to think longer term. Why not set out a timeline for the next few years? Start with "C" and then figure out what "A+B" needs to be. IE: Write a list of everything you want to have achieved in 3 years time, then work backwards and set shorter, time sensitive goals along the way which will mean you can't FAIL to reach your target. Then, write it down and look at it... LOADS! Leave it somewhere you'll see it a lot!

8) Surround yourself with positive people
Take a good look at the people you spend most of your time with. Friends, colleagues etc. Are they positive and driven people? Do they have similar goals and beliefs and outlook on life to you? If the answer is "No" these aren't the people that will help you be the person you want to be.

9) Stretch 
Static stretching, foam rolling and dynamic movements such as those in some pilates classes are are great ways to stay not just strong, but mobile and injury free. You'll ache less, feel more flexible and it can also be a great way to relax and relieve stress.

10) Be nice to people
Just be nice to people! Smile at people, say "sorry", help others, give up some of your time and don't expect anything in return. Their life will be better as a result and so will yours. It's simple but true. Today's target: Smile at 5 strangers. Not in a "lets meet up" kinda way, just a polite "Hi, enjoy your day" way. Some people might not smile back instantly but even those miserable lot are LOVING it inside secretly!

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Change your grip, change your life... (1)

OK, so the heading was a bit dramatic. Actually NO! Change your grip – Improve your grip – Improve your lifts – make gains faster and get stronger, better, faster! Genuinely, “change your grip, change your life.”

In some circles, mainly in the strength and conditioning and strongman world, “Grip” is a topic discussed and specifically practiced on a regular basis. Fat bars, fat gripz, towel training, plate pinch, the list goes on.

Yet in other, more mainstream circles, it’s an issue rarely factored into training.

The truth of the matter is, “Grip is key”!!! It impacts so many of your lifts and key exercises and a poor grip can seriously limit your progress. With that in mind, here are two variations for each body part to add into your workouts. When it comes to grip, variety is key – mix it up and test your grip under all forms of strains; often the trickier and more unnatural the better.

Back...

Back is one if the easiest areas to work and vary your grip. Most exercises revolve around pull work so try to think outside of the box, use different attachments and handles and test your grip. Here are two that you can try.

Lat Pull Rope

Drop the regular lat pull down bar or neutral grip, throw on the rope attachment, pull straight and try to flare out to the side at the bottom of the movement aiming to get the karabiner attachment clip as close to your neck as possible. Using a rope for any “pull” exercise will test your grip and also allow a varied motion rather than pulling along a fixed line.

VIDEO: (Exercise 7 in this video, 1 min 8 secs in) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DsXF3Ro8f8

Seated row – Single rope

Again, reach for the rope. Either perform in a similar way to the above exercise; or, try single handed with the same rope – a much bigger test of core strength and you may even uncover an unbalanced grip where one hand gives up sooner than the other.

VIDEO: (This... but with a rope attachment) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL3_oLhO8y0

Chest...

A little trickier to add a grip element to “push” exercises; but you might be surprised what a bit of thickness on a bar will do to your grip. Here are two grip variations for your chest.

Bench Fat Bar

Benching with a fat bar is surprisingly different and more challenging. If your gym doesn’t have a thick bar (you won’t be alone), create your own. Using Fat Gripz or even wrapping the bar in cloth or small towel will make the bar firm enough to hold but much thicker.

Cable Fly – No Attachment

If you’re going to try cable flys as part of your chest work, why not take off all attachments and hold the cable an inch or so away from the end? This will mean that you have to grip tightly throughout the motion on a very small area – tougher than you’d think.

Shoulders...

There are a few options with adding a grip element to shoulder work. Obviously, for the bigger, more crucial core work such as military presses you might want to focus on strength instead, but for more of the “accessory” work and “bodybuilding” exercises there’s plenty of options.

Lat Raises using just plates

This is a simple grip and one that won’t heavily compromise weights being used. Simply hold a plate with your index finger through the centre hole and the rest of your fingers and thumb gripping the edge of the plate as best you can.

Upright Row – Pinch Grip

An alternative grip (which you can use for the lat raises too) is a pinch grip. Simply holding an object pinched between your thumb and fingers. Try it for upright row pinching a plate, or worse/better still two plates with the smooth sides faced outwards and perform the exercise slowly and controlled to reduce the chance of dropping the plates. Like this...

Out and Out Grip...

If you really want to focus on improving your grip strength, you can train it on its own. It's bes to do this at the end of a session for two reasons. a) Your grip will already be slightly fatigued so this will add to the dfficulty. B) Performing grip exercises earlier in a session will ruin your grip for other exercises later in the same session. Here's a few to try.

Plate Pinch Grip

The above pinch grip can be practiced as a standalone skill/exercise. Try holding two plates as described above, when your grip completely goes, put them down and change hands; as soon as that hand gives up, swap back. Keep this going until neither hand can grip anymore. If the plates you have aren’t suitable, try it with a dumbbell held long ways up with your fingers spread around the edge.

Farmers Walk

One of the oldest test of grip strength and still a staple of most strongman competitions is the “farmers walk”. Put simply, it’s walking along holding something heavy at arms length by your side. You can do it with anything! The thicker the grip, heavier the weights, more awkward the shape and more swinging involved the harder your task. Take short, rhythmic steps and try to maintain a tight and upright posture – gets the heart going to – not as easy as you might think!

Check this guy (excuse the outfit!) VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMN8ukHXtO8

To summarise...

Grip is KEY! It can be the make or break of a gym session. The reason you do or don’t make a final lift, and the reason that your results plateaux in some areas. Now you might not want a forearm that looks like you have a leg hanging out of your t-shirt sleeve, but a strong grip is something you most definitely DO want. Add some variety – it’ll change your life!

For LOADS of information on grip work, look at the work of Diesel Strength (@dieselstrength) and Joe De Franco -(@DeFrancosGym) his gym tour (VIDEO ) will show you just how much he loves grip work. Nothing in there is standard thickness!

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A year older, a year wiser...

So it was my birthday last month and usual birthday card comments appeared like: "A year older, a year wiser". And it made me think... "Am I?.."
Well, the short answer is "Yes". Life's a lesson, and as I say to lots of people (particularly when it comes to exercise) "No one knows everything" and "Never stop learning."

Exercise is often a trial and error process and it can take years to form opinions or learn "what works". So I thought I'd be the nice, caring, sharing kinda guy I am and share some of the things I've learnt with regards to exercise which I wish I had learnt before I did. You may know some (all) of these already, but (another cheese-fuelled phrase I use) "If you learn one thing, it's been worth it!"

So give it a read, there's 20 something years of lessons learnt the hard way below!

Squat...
The importance of lower body work and in particular, squatting was never really communicated to me at a young age. Strange, given that I was pretty tall and also playing lots of rugby.. anyway.. I wish it had! Avoid the top-heavy physique that the majority of UK men sport, avoid the majority of knee issues caused by a weak lower body and build strength that will compliment other lifts and also encourage an improved metabolism. SQUAT!

2 back to every 1 chest...
Partly motivated by the "avoiding the crap physique that most gym goers posses" it's essential to focus not only on what you see in the mirror, but your back too.. more back than front if anything! There are loads of reasons why this is true on top of general aesthetic appearance. Read some of them here if you like on another blog I wrote: http://blog.myedo.co.uk/top-tip-take-it-back/

Strength alone is useless. Mobility is key...
Everyone's been there, some people have left; others are eternally stuck on an ego-trip where nothing and nobody can tell you otherwise. You want to lift the biggest weight you can, somehow.. ANY how. Just as long as it's lifted. In your mind, big weights make you big, stretching and mobility doesn't so that can be skipped. But, there comes a point where your lack of mobility will become a limiting factor on future strength gains. Without mobility, your strength becomes capped and ultimately, useless! Get mobile, spend time every session making sure you're mobile and if you have a rest day/recover day and have time, get mobile again! Foam roll, stretch, perform yoga/Pilates, swim, walk - be active! 

Don't do a whole day of arms!
This is a personal pet hate. You're not a body builder (probably) so stop behaving like it, or at least trying to. If you're getting just one session in on a day, don't waste it JUST on arms. Why not do a load more back work and work your arms at the same time? T-shirt bursting lats and big arms?.. Win, win! Isolation work in general is an over-focus for most people - get more bang for your buck: work the big muscle groups and ecorporate larger, compound movements.

"Bigger boys said"...
Don't just do what a big guy at the gym suggested. You have different genetics, diets, training schedules and training histories. Chances are, if they're big and made of good quality muscle, they've been training for years so their body requires a different training stimulus to someone relatively new to the gym. Even if you were similar, remember, "there's more than one way to skin a cat". There isn't ALWAYS a right and wrong way to do everything. If it works for you and you can justify it, stick with it.

Make a plan...
Even now, I like to scribble something down, even if it's on my phone, prior to every session. Without a plan you are MUCH more likely to drift around the gym and do "bits and pieces". Know before you enter the gym: the purpose of the session, what you want to achieve and how you're going to achieve it. When you get time to yourself, have a much longer structure: Why are you training, what do you want to achieve, by when and how will you do this. Get this in place and you're off to a good start!

It's easy to make things hard, it's harder to make someone better...
the amount of rugby training sessions I've been to as a youngster for pre-season fitness and been made to feel sick and left thinking "Wow that was hard"/ "Wow that was a great session". Don't always be fooled by quantity. Again, knowing what you want to achieve is essential for all sessions. You could sit on the floor, stand up, sit down, stand up over and over for half an hour and it would be hard but you wouldn't be getting better... unless your objective is to be good at sitting and standing loads! This leaks over into many group exercise classes. OK, I'm guna say it: Long duration intervals in badly designed circuits classes, body pump and the like do not get the thumbs up from me. Don't be fooled by the sweat!

Longer sessions doesn't always mean a better session...
How many times do I hear people brag "I've been here nearly 2/3 hours, I'm nearly done" and the chances are they're doing all isolation work like 2 hours of chest!?.. Firstly, you can't work hard for 2 hours so you're probably cruising or resting loads. Secondly, more is not always better. I've done it before, aged 16 my session plan was: 2 sets on every piece of equipment. Three hours later I was feeling dizzy and had made no real gains. Take a specific, and bespoke plan to each session and stick to it. Don't add things for the sake of it or join in with pals to be more sociable. Do what you gotta do! Quality NOT quantity!

Sleep...
Probably the easiest thing to improve your training is more sleep. Its free, you know how to do it, you already do it a bit, you can do it at home, you've been practising for years and doing it involves doing nothing. But still, we don't get enough. Sleep is KEY! More sleep = more rest, more alertness, more recovery/repair, more growth and more progress. Get early nights in your schedule with equal importance as your "Big bench day". I know, it's easier said than done and to be honest, one I'm still trying to nail. Always learning!

Technique is key...
It may seem boring or frustrating at first, but grind in your technique and movement patterns for any exercise before you start to train your ego... I mean body! I was very guilty of this. Find a new exercise give it a go, then start to lift weights that someone of my size/weight should attempt. Rather than weights that someone of my current CAPABILITY should use. Get technique nailed and watch your progress rocket. Skip the foundations and expect results to plataux and eventually regress as you ultimately reduce the weight to sort out your technique once you realise the errors of your ways!
Read, absorb, analyse, discard...
As exercising becomes more mainstream, more and more literature appears without much means of quality control. Heck, look at me spouting off on a blog. iImight just be making up nonsense (I'm not - but you get the idea). What I'm trying to say is, just because it's in print (even high street, "Top" magazines!) doesn't make it worthwhile. A quick way to demonstrate my point: 6 week, 6 pack routine. HELLO 99% of people! You will NEVER get a 6 pack in 6 weeks! Sure some people can, but these suggested plans are unrealistic for most! Just remember, they have a LOT of pages to fill every month, hence why so much crap makes it in. Always read and assess what you've read, double-check it with other online sources if you're ever sceptical or unsure., but don't just read and absord everything as gospel.
Is there anything YOU wish someone had told you at an earlier age before you had to learn the hard way with years of getting it wrong?... Share!

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MAY: It's my birthday - Top fitness gift ideas...

("Surprise Present Man" - *NOT ME*)

So this month I turn twenty.. something. *COUGH* Anyway... according to my own mother, I'm notoriously difficult to buy for.

I figured, this must be the case for lots friends and family of those interested in exercise when birthdays, Christmas and other days come around. SO.. here's my top 13 ideas for fitness related gifts, for those fitness people in your life.

NOTE: This IS a hint for presents for my birthday. ALSO NOTE: I have all of the below :-) Think again!

TRX - A great way to add variety to your workouts, train anywhere you want to and add a core strength and joint stability aspect to any exercise. Endless exercises and exercise variations if you're a little creative. A great way to take your training anywhere - inside or out, as anyone who has read my blog before will know from my "Working Out Abroad" section...

Gym Boss - Smart little interval timer which allows you to add intensity to a workout and get a short and effective session. Can also be attached to your shoe and vibrate so that you can still wear your headphones as you train - neat!

Sennheiser Headphones - Seeing as I just mentioned them, these are my choice. They really block out other sounds, music or people trying to talk to you but mainly of use in the gym as they wrap around the back of your head out of the way and fixed so that they can't fall out - real handy!

iPod Shuffle - On the music front, if you like your own music in the gym or need a really easy way to workout and not let your music get in the way, here's my suggestion. This thing is about the size of a USB stick and stores thousands of tracks so you won't get sick of your "Gym Playlist". Neat little clip allows you to attach to any item of clothing neatly out of the way - no need to wear one of those iPod arm straps either...

Bobble Bottle - It's a water bottle. But, not just ANY water bottle. It looks slinky and modern but also contains a funky little carbon filter. this means that you can get filtered water on the go. Just fill it up and let it filter as you drink it. They last around 300 uses so a comfortable 6 month and at around £12 for the mid-sized bottle thats a HUGE saving when compared to shopping for bottled water. Colourful too! I have a few and most of my clients do too - I love them! (the bottles that is)

Resistance Bands - I've gone for BodyLastics as I like that you can attach all of the bands to one pair of handles. You can gradually add them and create a very significant level of resistance. BodyLastics also come with a convenient carry bag, exercise ideas and a lifetime warranty. They can be taken anywhere, used for home training and also added to existing gym workouts for variety...

Heart Rate Monitor - There's plenty of options out there and and they range hugely in terms of what they're capable of and also their cost. Most popular brands are Garmin and Polar. Depending on which model you choose, your watch can count the calories burnt during a workout, tell you the distance you travelled during a run, compare your performance and effort level between workouts and much more...

Gripads - These are a great little addition to your workout if your grip ever lets you down. Useful for any pulling and back exercises and handy to avoid calluses. The sticky front also makes them much better than many pads I've seen before (though it can tear slightly on rough/olympic bars). DON'T wear them for every exercise though, it's not necessary. Plus the stickiness will actually have a negative impact; there's something to be said for getting a real "feel" of the weights. Stick to just the "pulling" exercises...

Nike Free Run Trainers
Now I'm no runner. Nor do I claim to be an expert on footwear. In fact, I like to wear no shoes at all lots of the time in and out of the gym. But... what I do know is these are some of the most lightweight and comfortable kicks I've ever owned. Think they look decent too. That's all...

Weighted Vest - This is my best purchase of 2011... actually it was a present but that's not important. Adding a weighted vest makes any body weight exercises instantly harder. Also great for added resistance during circuit training and any outdoor, gym free workouts. TIP: Though they can be a little more expensive, try to get one with elasticated to avoid movement restrictions or breaking the vest (it's possible, trust me)...

Powerbags - To most people these will look like a sandbag. But, if your loved one has been exercising for a while (particularly with a sports background) they will hopefully have some ways that they could use one of these. Great for outdoor workouts again but also a great way to perform a number of full body exercises. If you're unsure, there's plenty of ideas and information on YouTube. They range greatly in weight so what you plan on doing with them and your strength level will determine what weight you need. Don't expect to use the same weight as you would with a regular barbell...

Kettlebells - Not the 4kg one though yeah? - To look at them, it's not immediately obvious how these would offer you one of the most effective methods to build dynamic strength, burn body fat, improve coordination and use full body exercises. But learn a little and they really can. There's nothing "new" about kettlebells, but they are becoming more and more mainstream. Avoid plastic/rubber ones - the metal ones won't hurt you (once you master the technique). Try to get the big ol' colourful "competition kettlebells" as shown below...

FatGripz - Grip is one of the keys to a successful workout and, in many exercises such as pull ups and deadlifts, surprisingly grip can be the determining factor for failure. If you don't have a strong performing exercises to your potential is just not possible. Plus, if you take part in a number of sports, strong forearms and grip can have a huge benefit; anything from rugby, wrestling, cricket, tennis, golf... loads! Out and out forearm/grip training can be a little dull. So, simply chuck a pair of FatGripz on any bar, dumbbell or grip/attachment and instantly add an advanced grip element to any any exercise...

 

So there you have it, my top 13 fitness figt suggestions. Not based on advertsing or hearsay. These are all great products that I've purchased myself, found great use from, enjoyed and will continue to use myself and with clients.

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It's not helping...

(PHOTO VIA: @TommyFatFingers)

Despite its retro vibe (thanks Instagram) I came across the above picture online only recently, taken at a regular UK health club.

It was a Friday, which, in this particular gym, seemed to be specifically "Curls Friday". Of the 30 or so people in there, all were in big groups, all working upper body.

Anyway, that aside, watching these 5 guys take it in turns to bicep curls and look at themselves in the mirror while the others either chatted around them or over-spotted (discussed below) and gave a false impression of strength; I got thinking "I wonder how many people do things in the gym without realising it's actually not helping their situation/progress?" Here's a few:

Over sized Group Training...

Training with a partner or perhaps in a group of 3 with similar aims and goals can be beneficial for both motivation and safety/spotting on heavier lifts. Any larger than that and it becomes detrimental to your workout - too much rest, changing weights, social talk,distractions it just doesn't work.

Over-Spotting...

I mentioned it in the intro. A spotter is there for safety purposes to make sure that you don't drop the weight in a dangerous way, to offer coaches cues during exercises, and at times to offer assistance when doing eccentric work or pushing for one last repetition. The spotter should NOT join in for more than 2 (MAXIMUM) repetitions! The Spotter should NOT join in unless 100% needed (don't spot for the sake of spotting!) The spotter should NOT be working hard every set! How many times do you see a guy bench pressing and his pal who's "spotting" is basically deadlifting the bar too! Double workout? I don't think so! If you need that much help, take some weight off!

Watch this example. The guy "spotted" him (horribly) for every rep for a set of 10! The "spotter" ended up doing some kind of isometric bicep curl by resting the bar on his forearm/inner elbow and poorly, hunched "good morning" exercise. In reality, the weight was too heavy. Ego trained:

Weights Belts...

I think I get more annoyed by this than most! If you have a bad back, get a better back, not a better belt. Weights belts for injuries do not fix an issue only mask it and more likely, offer unnatural support and cause you to recruit muscles from elsewhere for stability. Look after your back sure; and, if you really feel much happier, perhaps use the belt for additional support on your last, heaviest sets. but don't use a belt for the sake of using it and being lazy with your own core strength. Pet hate, bicep curls in a weights belt! Pardon?..

"Sports Drinks"...
Unless you're a diabetic or have issues with blood pressure and blood sugar levels, leave the "sports drink" at home. These are sugary, isotonic drinks designed predominantly for recovery, not, as many people drinking them mid session will say when you're "Feeling tired and need some instant energy". What you're likely to get is a sugar high and perhaps a feeling of energy - this is more likely to be a release of Serotonin than anything more productive for the gym. After this peak in sugar and accessible glucose, you'll get a drop, with that comes a crash in energy too. These sugary drinks will also cause insulin spikes and encourage fat retention. So your "Energy Drink" makes you less energetic so your workout is worse and your body is more susceptible to retaining fat too - how many would you like?

Protein Shakes...
While on the drinks front I thought I'd mention protein shakes. Not to say "they're not helping." But more, if your diet consists of cornflakes for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and KFC for dinner, it's unlikely the protein shake is a worthwhile investment in as much as it's a small piece of your currently, messy puzzle. Get everything else in place and don't rely on a miracle drink to make you the person you want to be.

Cardio...
Again, I'm not saying "Don't do cardio" but it's more exercise prescription in this instance.

TO LOSE WEIGHT: Slow, long duration cardio is boring and time consuming. Worse still, it offers slow results. Throw in as much variety and intervals as you can with cardio. Short sprints, mixed with resistance work, crawling, hill running, weight bearing, whatever! Intervals are a much more effective, fun and time effective way to cut body fat and retain hard earned muscle.

FOR SPORT: You see or hear people say "I need to get fit for..." and step 1 is go for a run. Be smart, think about replicating your sport. In no sport (other than long distance running) do you run continuously for a long distance. How long is a football or rugby pitch? 100m max? And how many times would you run the length of the field twice consecutively? So why do you need to be good at running any distance longer than 200m continuously. What you DO need to improve is your rate of recovery and ability to repeat exercises at a top standard over and over again with minimal rest.

Sweat suits...
I've mentioned this before but in short: Weight loss through sweat suits is temporary and is just a loss of retained water. Once you consume water after, the weight returns. Worse still, the dehydrated state you put yourself into means that your performance is worse during exercise, as a result, you burn less calories than you could have without the suit. Sweat suit AND a sports drink - NO!

Crunches for fat loss on the stomach...
Again on fat loss - ab crunches to lose stomach fat. You're just developing muscles under the fat - this will not strip stomach fat directly. Sure, work on core strength and stability as you lose body fat, but the issue isn't the lack of abs; you have the abs, they're just covered in fat.

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True or False?.. 10 Gym Myths

April Fools Day may have passed, but that still doesn't seem to stop people passing on joke information in the gym and even in fitness literature!

So... Welcome to "True or False" the gym version. I'll give you a quick clue - the answer to each section is "False". That's right, we're busting gym myths here people! here's 10...

1) "I don't want to lift heavy weights as I'll get bulky" - FALSE
Particularly if you're female, lifting heavy weights will not automatically make you "bulky". In fact, the impact that heavy lifting can have on your heart rate mean that it's a great method for improving cardio strength and burning body fat. Try two "heavy lifts" (5 rep max) as a superset and see what I mean. Watch your heart go nuts!

2) "I don't need to lift weights cos.." (who cares what the rest of the sentence is) - FALSE
EVERYONE should perform resistance work. Usual justification for not lifting weights include, "I don't want to get any bigger." "I'm already toned/in good shape" etc. Aside from vanity purposes, resistance work can improve posture, bone density, motor programing, joint stability and lessen the chance of injury. Pretty useful all round.

3) (Probably from the mouth of a footballer/soccer player if you're American) "I'm better being small and light - I'm built for speed!" - FALSE
Dwayne Chambers, Michael Johnson, Linford Christie... some of the fastest men to have ever lived. look at them... Skinny does not equal quick! Enough said! NEXT!

4) "I need to do cardio to lose some fat, then I'll build muscle after" - FALSE
Wrong for many reasons. Steady duration cardio is the slowest way to burn body fat; resistance work will improve your metabolic rate and allow you to burn more calories all day, every day. Why not incorporate resistance work as part of your training and speed up your metabolism, improve your cardio abilities and maintain a strong physique all at the same time? Weight loss through cardio alone will leave you looking skinny-fat. Bad look!

5) "This sweat suit is brilliant for helping me lose weight" - FALSE
You're dehydrated, not thinner! Some sports require athletes to make a particular weight (boxing, MMA etc) these athletes will use sweat suits in order to make a certain weight for a short period of time. Once they step off the scales they'll immediately consume fluids after achieving their desired weight and quickly gain an easy 14lbs or more. Worse still, a 2% drop in hydration can lead to 10% drop in performance - imagine what this sweat suit is doing to the quality of your workout! Worse STILL, poor hydration is often a root cause of a slowed metabolism and increased eating/calorie intake. So that sweat suit has made your training worse, your metabolism slower and made you eat more - nice one!

6) "I'm too heavy to do pull ups" - FALSE
You're to weak to do pull ups!

7) "My legs have always been pretty big, so I don't need to work on them" - FALSE
Legs are an integral part of all exercise regimes. Whether you're trying to cut some body fat, improve strength or just work on your general fitness levels, a stronger lower body and some resistance work on your legs will help ALL of these goals.

8) "I'm pretty fit, I can run 'X' distance" - FALSE
Fitness is relative. What you mean is, you're good at long distance running - a very specific skill. Intervene your long distance running with some higher intensity intervals or resistance work and you're likely to feel like a gym "newby" again. It's very difficult to have a "rounded fitness" where you're good at everything. And, as @TommyFatFingers likes to say: "You can only sit on one horse!" BUT... it's important to add variety to your training. Don't just do what you're good at. In fact, find what you're worst at and do that the most. Don't take the comfortable/familiar option. Don't be a one trick pony

9) "I'm lucky I can eat what I want - I have a fast metabolism" - FALSE
The second part may be correct, but this doesn't mean you can "eat whatever you want". Heavily processed, heavily saturated and non-"clean" foods are limiting your potential. Potential for exercise output, energy levels and gains experienced from exercising. You may appear "in good shape" but you're not all that you can be. Don't buy a Ferrari, fill it with olive oil and be happy that it still drives

10) "The longer I train the better" - FALSE
LOADS of people seem to feel that a long session = a good one. Not true! I've heard many times young boys boasting in the gym "I've been in here 2 .5 hours bruv!" Well done! Up the intensity, lessen the chit-chat, rest time (when not focusing on low rep/strength work) and reap the benefits. Sessions lasting over 70 minutes or so will seriously compromise your results. It's widely accepted that after an hour of intense exercise muscle catabolism begins - bad! Muscle growth slows and as a result metabolism slows too - lose, lose.

There are lots of myths and false information that you hear branded around gyms. Worse still, there can be a lot published online and on the shelves in highstreet stores. It can be difficult to filter out the nonsense from the science. But remember just that; exercising is a science so if someone gives you information and can't explain the science behind it then research it further. Be wary, common sense doesn't always apply when exercise and diet is concerned. It's not always easy to spot a false information... sorry!

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

8 Natural Ways to Boost Your Energy... Caffeine Free!!

Today, Starbucks UK ran a promotion offering their latest caffeine-fuelled product for free to customers before 12pm. A free latte (which now has an extra Espresso shot in there for the UK market). According to Twitter, this went down a STORM!

Having never been a coffee or tea drinker, I didn't get what all the fuss was about. Nor do I get the urges of self-proclaimed "caffeine addicts" who apparently "need" a coffee.

Personally, I can't imagine depending on something for energy, nor having something like this as an irreplaceable pillar of my diet. With this in mind, here's 8 ways that you can tweak your lifestyle and help to boost energy levels without that little paper cup...

1) Exercise...(it was always going to be #1!)
Might sound counter productive to some. "I don't have any energy so I need to do more?" The lack of energy is probably caused through a number of factors; all of which are bad habit. You're often lethargic rather than tired! Get moving, get active and feel better in yourself physically and mentally. You don't have to become a gym buff; including a little more activity can be part of your everyday. Walk more, ride a bike, leave the car at home on the way to work, go for a brisk walk on your lunch break or simply jump off the train a stop early and get moving each morning. No matter what your age or abilities, we can all probably be a little more active during the day (not just at the gym).

2) Sleep more...
OK so the first 2 are obvious. But if it's that obvious you do it then right? Probably not. One study at Loughborough University simply stated that the amount of sleep a person needs varies from person to person. The way to determine if you need more sleep is easy, "The amount of sleep we require is what we need not to be sleepy in the daytime". (money well spent I'd say!). So if you're tired, you need to sleep more in the evenings.

3)Avoid highly caffeinated drinks...
Yeah you heard! They make you feel "perky" and alert right? Well if they're so wonderful, why do some people rattle through 5 or more each day? Note the people around you who drink excessive amounts of coffee. They probably don't look the picture of health, bad skin, tired eyes and a temper or mood swings to match. Caffeine IS a stimulant correct, and used correctly, is a great "pick-me-up" for a short duration of energy and a boost for your metabolism. But to rely on caffeine for "energy" is a bad idea. you'll get your boost in energy, but as with everything in the body, a steady, regulated level is much more desirable. Following this peak in energy, you'll get a "crash". A low in energy, below your original state. Time for cup of coffee number two...

4) Plan B...
"B" is for "B vitamins" - a great energy booster and a favourite among supplement kings and queens around the world. But, before you go racing to your local health shop, try and get as much B Vitamins from your food as possible. Aim for broccoli, cabbage, sesame and pumpkin seeds, eggs and mushrooms (to name a few).

5) Drink more...
Water! Not coffee! Water is a basic bodily need, essential in a number of bodily functions and key to excreting waste products that we naturally generate. Effectively, without taking water on board, you're running your car exhaust straight back into the car (and we all know what happens there!)
Aim for at LEAST 2 litres a day.
TIP: If you have it, you'll drink it. Don't keep popping back to the tap/water fountain and filling a cup, you won't reach your target. Instead, buy a large, 1.5litre bottle of water and carry it with you; you'd be surprised how much more you get through.

6) CoQ10...
No, it's not a spelling mistake. C0Q10 is widely regarded as a natural way to boost your energy levels. Also available in a tablet form, try to include it in your diet through food. Spinach, mackerel, sardines, walnuts and peanuts will be a good start.

7) Low GI, Complex Carbs and Low Sugar...
The body likes to keep most things regulated and under control. Heart rate, blood pressure, food intake, daily activity levels - a healthy you, is a creature of habit. the same can be said for carb and sugar intake. Eating high GI food or simple carbs or foods high in sugar will cause a spike in your bodies insulin levels followed by a steep crash in both insulin, blood sugar levels and energy. Pick your food wisely to avoid these peaks and troffs in blood sugar and insulin in order to discourage fat retention and maintain a steady and productive energy level.
To keep your energy levels steady...
Go for: cherries, apples pears, broccoli, cabbage, long grain rice, buckwheat, yoghurt, tomato juice, sweet potato,
Avoid excessive amounts of: Dates, pineapples, parsnips, short grain rice, ice cream, cranberry juice, baked potato, fries, and sugary treats
Here's a more comprehensive list...
8) Protein...
This was always going to appear. It's not just an aim of guys trying to bulk up, EVERYONE needs protein! Try to aim for at least 1g of protein for every KG of body weight you have every day! This will help to regulate your metabolism, maintain steady energy levels and avoid the peaks and troffs in insulin mentioned earlier, help to repair each day, maintain your immune system and also help to maintain whatever muscle you have to make every day living that much easier. Look for white meats such as turkey and chicken, or fish. not meat eaters can still consume protein through lentils, pulses and quinoa (to name a few options).

So if you need energy NOW, it's probably a result of a number of things that you're doing to yourself day in, day out. Don't rely on coffee, instead, make small adjustments to your lifestyle and reap the benefits of a naturally, energy fuelled life.

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