10 Coaching Cues I Wish I'd Been Given

 

Often when learning a new exercise a good cue, choice of words or something to focus on can be the "eureka!" moment that you need in order to grasp the desired technique. The point when you "get it!"

Every person is different, some are visual learners, some like to listen to coaching cues and tweaks while others need to be physically put in the correct position first time round; most benefit from a combination of all three.

However, these are 10 things to focus on / cues / top tips when practicing lifts or, ideally, if you're new to specific exercises. It's much easier to learn something than it is to re-learn something.

BENCH PRESS
1 - Push Yourself into the Bench: After you have lowered the bar to your chest, instead of focusing on pushing the bar away from you, imagine that you are trying to push yourself into the bench and drive away from the bar. As you press yourself into the bench you will engage your lats and also make yourself wider. This gives you a much wider and more stable base to press from while allowing to push with maximal effort.

DEADLIFTS
2 - Deadlift in Socks: Deadlifting in socks has multiple benefits. 1) You're instantly lower to the ground and so you don't need to lift as far (sounds petty but it makes a big difference). 2) It allows you to keep your weight predominantly on your heels and engage your hamstring better while not tipping forwards too far ahead of the bar. 3) It give you 100% recoil from the floor; no power is leaked and dispersed through the cushioning in your shoes. 4) The proprioception in your feet is improved and you are now much more grounded, balanced and stable.

3 - Take the Tension Out of the Bar: Just before starting your deadlift, squeeze your shoulder blades back and take the strain of the bar a little. If you're lifting and you can hear the bar clinking into place as it fills the hole in the plate then you're doing it wrong; it should be a silent lift without plates clinking during the initial pull. This will avoid you having a second pull as you hit resistance. By doing this brace/squeeze of the shoulder blades you will help to keep your spine in place throughout the lift. If you're not quite sure what I mean, check out this quick video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iboVuB-Ig3k 

SQUATS
4 - Screw Your Feet into the Floor: Before squatting, imagine your feet are on two plates. Without moving the position of your toes, screw your feet into the floor (right one clockwise, left anti-clockwise) to create some tension and stability in your hips and improve the knee alignment. Try to keep this tension as you sit into the squat position and it will improve your posture, stability and knee alignment throughout the exercise.

5 - Move Your Hips First, NOT your Knees: A common mistake, particularly among women (that's not sexist - it's factual) when squatting is that the knees ride forwards towards the toes. This is an ineffective movement pattern that will add unnecessary strain to your back and knees and not allow you to lift as heavy or as safely. Most people assume that the first movement for a squat is to bend at the knees.;in fact, in order to engage the hamstrings and glutes correctly and maintain a strong position it's important to tuck your hips  and move your hips backwards first. This will keep the weight on your heels and avoid the knees from riding forwards.
This guy talks you through it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbxxs1PErLQ

6 - Break the Bar: Being a lower body exercise, many people under estimate the importance of the upper body when squatting. Make sure that you don't relax your hands and rest them on the bar. instead, grip the bar tightly and try to "break the bar" over your shoulders as you squat. Brace/Pull down the most at the bottom of the squat. This will add the required tension in the upper back to keep you more upright and squat with the desired posture.

KETTLEBELL SWINGS
7 - Hinge Don't Squat: A kettlbell swing is a hinge movement, NOT a squat. If you want to swing with more power then hinge more, don't squat lower. The kettlebell should never swing near to your knees, it should only just clear your groin no matter what weight or range you swing with.

8 - Keep the Arm in Contact with the Body for as Long as Possible: During the back swing and the swing try to keep your upper arm and body in contact with one another for as long as possible. It's not an upper body lift so the effort should come from the hip thrust rather than any upper body strength. On the way down you shouldn't sit back and wait for the kettlebell to come down (ESPECIALLY as you swing heavier). This limits your potential power output. Instead, wait for the kettlebell to fall and pass under with you as your arm re-makes contact with the body. Watch this video if you're unsure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_XjJjLc7NE 

PULL UPS
9 - Push Your Chest Towards the Bar: During all "pull" exercises (pull ups, bent over row, seated row etc) it's important to avoid internal rotation of the shoulder. Instead, exaggerate a good posture by bracing in the lower back and maintaining a natural arch in the lower spine, pushing your chest towards whatever object you're moving as you pull. This is probably easiest with a bent over row or seated pull - try to hit your upper ribs on the bar or handle as you pull.

GENERALLY
10 - Warm Up Specifically and Mobilise Specific Joints and Groups of Muscles: I over-looked the benefits of a specific warm up for a long time. A decent warm up (where you ACTUALLY feel warm) should leave you feeling warm, mobilised and mentally ready for the workout ahead. not only will this help with avoiding injuries but it's also crucial to offer you the mental preparedness for maximal effort. Consistently warming up well and mobilising post workout will also help to improve mobility issues and can improve rehabilitation time from injuries and minimise discomfort from existing injuries or muscular soreness - don't keep skipping this!

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10 Ways to Take Care of Your Body

Every day we expect something from our body. We expect basic (actually not that basic) bodily functions to kick into action and work on command as soon as we wake. We eat a mixture of foods and textures and expect the body to take it and make use of it. We mix and match our sleep and rest patterns and expect the body to keep up. Then, we add in exercise and stretch the body, pound it on paths and treadmills and put unheard amount of weight and torque through our joints. Then to bed – we might be sleeping but we still expect the body to do its bit. Then wake up and do it all over again!

It’s not easy being a body! We can’t expect it to just keep on giving and keep on giving before something gives way and injuries, illnesses or more complex personality and relationship issues occur.

It’s time we gave back! Take care of your body and your body will take care of you. Here are my top methods/products for giving back to my body. Take a few minutes every day and give back to yours and see how much better you feel in all aspects of life. The focuses here are robustness, performance and general wellbeing...

1)      Escape Fitness Foam Roller - £25

This had to be number one. I carry it everywhere and it has relieved pain for me, eased tension for me, helped me to move better before and after exercising, it’s even improved my mood. This Escape fitness one is ideal! Most others are too soft and lose their shape – this is firm and gives deep pressure in more fleshy areas like your backside. If it’s too hard, layer up in more clothes. Best to have a roller that’s too hard and adjust your position and clothing accordingly, than a useless one that’s too soft. I also like that it’s smooth and not like the “grid” style rollers that lots of people use. If you want more specific, localised pressure for trigger point work, see point number 2). Get this roller today from: Escape Fitness Online Enter the reference code MDARREN – if you do buy one please.

2)      Lacrosse Ball -£5

I use this in a similar fashion to the roller above. The lacrosse ball differs as it offers a much more localised pressure and allows you to focus on smaller areas. It’s also an AMAZING way to release the fascia in your feet by simply rolling the sole of your feet hard against the ball on the floor. Try this after a day of walking around – it’ll change your life.

One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen done with this is “Whacking” to improve ankle mobility and as a result, squat depth – I now use this myself most weeks and it’s brilliant! Take a look:

I’ve tried other objects and sports ball like tennis balls, golf balls, hockey balls for similar trigger point work  – stick with the lacrosse ball – nothing compares. The texture, weight and density are ideal. What’s great about having a ball is that it travels easily too. My current lacrosse ball has some serious air miles to its name – it’s great to use after long journeys or hours of walking around on holiday. Get one today from www.Amazon.co.uk

 

3)      AdiSage - £22

That’s right – flip flops! Anyone that has ever played rugby with me over the last 8-10 years will know that this is my essential post-training and post-game footwear. So comfortable and also the little “numbles” act as mini lacrosse balls if you like (only much softer) and gently add some trigger point pressure to your feet. Perfect after a day in shoes or sports footwear. Plus, they look ace! I love them that much, I’m going to buy a pair for around the house too. Available from: Adidas Online

4)      Recovery Leggings

Now, I get some stick when I wear these but I can HONESTLY say, these have been one of my best purchases of the past 10 years. I have on-going arthritis issues in my knees and I’ve found that the additional high level of warmth and compression has really benefited me. I sleep in them fairly regularly and by the morning feel brilliant in comparison to when I went to bed. There are different versions or purposes to leggings so be sure to get the right ones. 2XU (the brand of my latest ones) pictures above, do an “Active” pair – basically for warmth and general sports wear. Some kind of Cross-Active pair which is part recovery and part for sport (ie: You can wear for either), but I opted for the all out “Pure Recovery” ones. This may make some men feel a little uneasy... they only come in stockings. Throw a pair of shorts over the top and no one knows the difference. Available on sale at the moment, sickeningly for me at half the price I paid for mine, at Rat Race.com

 

5)      Becoming a Supple Leopard - £35

Featured above in the lacrosse ball/ankle mobility video is Dr Kelly Starrett, the author of this book. He is the guru of all things mobility based – if you need mobility help just search him on YouTube; he covers it all. Before you assume it, no, he isn’t a skinny guy that practices just Pilates – he’s a pretty big and athletic dude too. This book isn’t cheap but it’s the only reference you’ll ever need to improve your own mobility for exercise and general wellbeing. There are some free extracts available online if you want a preview and I believe it’s also a little cheaper if you download it onto a kindle etc. Buy the hard copy here: Amazon

6)      Massage - £15+

So you may not want to put the time or money aside for regular massages and sure, your daily maintenance with a foam roller and lacrosse ball will go a long way towards keeping your engine oiled. But, it’s the pure escapism of massage that I think is so valuable. If you don’t want to commit financially to the idea or can’t commit monthly to it, why not join Groupon? They send you email offers of massages and similar on a regular basis – often up to 80% off. Why not wait for one in our local area and take advantage of the deals sporadically? You owe it to yourself. www.Groupon.co.uk

7)      Sleep - £Free

Probably the easiest and definitely the cheapest of my suggestions. Sleep more. Rest when you can, get your feet up when you can, nap when you can. Don’t be afraid to allocate time to sleep or weekend naps.

Sleeping is extremely helpful and it’s when your body gets the most rest and opportunity to repair and recuperate itself. If you want to sleep well it’s important your bedtime routine and surroundings are correct. A few simple tips: Try to avoid all electronic goods (TV, phone, iPad etc) for 30-60 mins before bed. Brush your teeth and wash as early as possible. Use black out blinds for a fully dark room. Breathe slowly and learn to calm yourself in the time leading up to sleep.

8)      Holiday / Outdoor Breaks - £0+

A holiday doesn’t need to be expensive or even abroad, but they need to be factored into your year. I genuinely believe in the power of change;  change of scenery, change of focuses and priorities and a change of mind set for a few days does you, your mind and body the world of good. Avoid taking work related items or methods of contact if possible. If this isn’t possible then restrict your time with your phone to an hour in the morning and again in the evening.

If you 100% cannot afford to get away, even within the same country then make sure you get outside. Whenever you can, get outside. Fresh air and vitamin D are great catalysts for improving mood, health and general wellbeing. If you work at a desk all day - walk in your lunch break. If you’re going to eat at home at the weekend – eat outside; however you do it, take time to be outside.

9)      Laugh and have fun

It’s incredible how much better you can feel within your body once you’re in a happy mind set. Consciously make time to have fun. I don’t mean visiting the pub, I mean have fun. Good, old-fashioned, clean fun. Ride a bike, laugh with friends, take the dog to a park and run around and play with it, do something stupid and exciting – whatever you do, DON’T let yourself get stuck in a rut. Take time to forget your worries for a few minutes and let your mind focus on other, seemingly less important things. When you go back to reality it often makes things appear that much clearer.

 

10)   Eat Well

Eating well and eating lots are very different things. Feed your body fresh grown produce without preservatives and sweeteners. Give your body natural and easy to digest food that is high in nutritional value. It may cost a little more at times but consider this: Eating well isn’t too expensive – eating badly is too cheap! Feed your body junk and you can expect the output to be sub-par. If you’re not even going to make any effort with your food then why should your body? If you want to find some reasonable and varied food alternatives try the “Exotic Meat” section on www.KezieFoods.co.uk ... Zebra anyone?..

 

CONCLUSION:
Giving back to your body is a physical and mental process. Allowing your muscles, joints and mind to rest from their daily rigour is essential if you want the best from them. Don’t go half a year and realise you haven’t been doing any of the above; schedule them in and make them as much a priority as your exercise regime.

 Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter - @MichaelD_PT and YouTube

 

 

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.

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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.

 

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