The New Year can bring many new fitness and health related goals and ambitions. One way to ensure your 2012 fitness ambitions don’t crash and burn before they’ve even had chance to take flight is to know, and avoid the many pitfalls associated with ‘getting fit’!
Whilst exercising and getting in shape isn’t over complicated, it’s very easy to make mistakes. Often, these mistakes are made due to lack of knowledge, or because the lack of proper technique hinders progression or simply due to rushing ahead to get the workout completed in time available. Regardless of the reason for the mistakes, they can lead to injuries or at the very least be counter-productive to your fitness goals.
Of course it’s most important to know specifically what to do to be successful at achieving your health and fitness goals, but it is also crucial to understand what not to do. So, take note of the following common mistakes and how to avoid them. These tips will help ensure your workout time is effective, maximises results and is proactive towards helping prevent injuries.
Hanging Out Instead Of Working Out
Just showing up at the gym is not going to help you get more fit. Socialising while leaning on a weight machine won’t build muscles. It’s important to enjoy your exercise time but make sure that the focus remains on physical activity. It’s surprising to know how many people just join a gym a never use it! A membership card or the “I have a Personal Trainer” scenario won’t get the hard work done – you need to make sure you use them!
Too Much, Too Soon
Many new exercisers try to lose weight or tone up too quickly, by exercising too frequently or trying exercise programs that are too difficult for their fitness level. Be sure to start with an exercise plan that takes your current fitness ability and time (or lack of) into account. Too many ‘good intentions’ fall due to being unrealistic in achievements within a certain timeframe.
‘Pigs Might Fly’ Goals
Despite what many advertisers and promotions would like you to believe, it’s unrealistic to think you can lose 30 pounds in 30 days or that you can have Hollywood abs simply by doing 10 minutes of crunches a day. This just does not happen! These types of results do take time and effort to achieve, so be ready to graft for it. It’s good to set goals but be sure they aren’t too aggressive and realise it’s okay to periodically re-define them.
Ignoring Professional Advice
It’s amazing to see how many people ignore complimentary advise fitness professionals give out. It’s also interesting to know how many ‘gym goers’ don’t realise how much study, and continued professional development they need to do to stay ahead of the game. This free information is vital towards achieving real results. So, next time a fitness professional or Personal Trainer advises something, listen, absorb, and use it! Working with a fitness professional is great to learn proper technique, how to avoid injuries and to receive the latest fitness information and knowledge.
Over-Exercising
If you start to feel overwhelmed, neglect other important daily activities in order to work out or repeatedly get injured, then it might be due to over-exercising. Realise the importance of balance and that more is not always better. Consider reducing the frequency of your workouts or the intensity of some of them and periodically resting for a few days or a week.
Incorrect Breathing
Sure, breathing is an involuntary bodily function; something that most individuals tend to ignore. But, correct breathing during fitness sessions is very important. Incorrect breathing can lead to lack of oxygen and even faintness. When working out ensure that you don’t breathe too shallowly and try to breathe through the nose and out the mouth.
Selecting The Wrong Size
Choosing the proper weight size when strength training is trickier than it sounds. Lifting weights that are too heavy for you can lead to improper form and ultimately to injuries. Use weights that are too light and the exercise session can be ineffective. If possible consult a fitness trainer to determine the correct amount of weight for your size, strength and goals. A trainer can also help you develop a plan for safely progressing forward on weight sizes.
Not Staying Hydrated
Drinking enough water on a daily basis is important. When you exercise you need to consume even more water. You should drink 1 litre of water for every hour of exercise you complete. Plus you should try to consume 1-2 cups of water about 30 minutes before you begin working out. Hydration plays a key role in all bodily functions, so, carry your 2 litre bottle around with you during the day – and drink it!
Eating Too Little
No, that’s not a typo. Not eating enough can be as detrimental as eating too much. When the body is not fed consistently, it goes into a starvation mode. Five to six smaller meals evenly spaced throughout the day helps keep the metabolism running smoothly. It’s like keeping the furnace ablaze, you need to dribble a bit of fuel in there regularly to keep it burning. Just be sure to control portion sizes.
Fixating On The Scale
If you think the scale doesn’t lie, consider this. Many professional athletes would be considered obese based on their weight alone. In order to realise where you are going, and where you have been, you need to take a number of measurements as a benchmark for progress. Consider a variety of; body measurements, body fat %, fitness levels, strength levels, resting heart rate, blood pressure, clothes sizes, confidence levels, knowledge gains and much more to assess your improvements.
So, now you know a few of the reasons why people fall short of their fitness goals. There are more, but at least if you implement some strategies to avoid some of these common pitfalls this New Year, you will be going some way to ensure you achieve your goals.
Work Hard – Train Harder
Don’t Just Take Part – Do Something Incredible! – Invest In Your Future Today!
How To Develop Butt Cheeks That Could Crack A Nutshell..!
I know that getting or having a well rounded and beautifully toned rear end is often one goal we all desire..! Having great legs to compliment it is even better huh??
Would you love to know what the best exercises are to get the perfect legs and buns of steel? I thought so… You see there are literally thousands of exercises out there and trudging your way through them all to find those that work the legs and buttocks well is difficult and well… time consuming too..!
So, I have developed this article to highlight what I think could be classed as some the best if not greatest leg and bun steel makers of the 21st century..! Perform these 7 top moves I recommend within your current exercise programme or as a seperate ‘leg and bum’ session for the ultimate legs and buns of STEEL..!
I guarantee, if you perform these frequently and with good technique, very quickly you will be throwing away your leg snugglers and long black dresses and party frocks, for them Little Black Dress numbers and Kylie’esque Hot Pants this Party Season..!
So… What are you waiting for, get them noted, get them perfected and get them regularly completed for the sexiest legs and ass you, your friends and family have EVER seen..!
Stand tall with you feet hip width apart. Switch on your ‘Core’ muscles and take a good step forward with one of your legs, keeping the foot on a straight line (tram lines) from where you started. Raise your rear foots heel, and plant your front foot heel into the ground keeping your toes relaxed and soft on the ground. Sink your rear knee towards the floor, lowering your body downwards (be sure not to at this point lean forwards or drive your front knee forwards). Aim to keep your knees at right angles and the weight in the legs. Once in the lowered position, keeping your spine straight and chest open, twist your torso from the waist over the top of your front leg. Return to face the front, then drive back up to the start position from your front foot heel. Repeat the movement on the opposite leg and continue to alternate.
Start by standing on one leg with good balance. Keeping the leg straight, activate you core and begin to tilt your body forwards from the hip joint. Focus on maintaining a straight back (squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep your chest open throughout). With both hands pointing to the floor, touch the floor on each side of your foot on the ground and slowly and with control start to pull your body back to an upright position. Keep your other foot off the floor and once your body is in a vertical position, perform a knee drive with the leg off the floor by pulling the knee in towards the chest. Return the leg back down and continue to repeat the same move on the same leg for the designated time/reps before repeating the move on the other leg.
Start standing tall with your core muscles activated. Take your left foot out to the side and swing your right foot off the ground and behind the left leg. At the same time perform a single leg squat and with the right hand twist to the left and touch the floor beside the left foot. Then stride quickly to the right and repeat with the opposite sides. Add intensity by performing a small hop/jump from one foot to the other and deepen the squat and rear leg swing for an even better leg and buttock toning.
Start standing tall with your core abdominals activated and tight. Place your feet about shoulder width apart with your toes relaxed and heels ‘nailed’ to the floor. commence the move by hinging your hips backwards, then bend at the knees to allow your bum to sink into the squat position. Check my article on perfecting your squat technique to ensure you’re doing this move right. From the bottom of the squat, drive back up to the start position by pushing through your heels. Once you have completed 10 x full squats, perform 10 x 1/2 lower range squats. Do these by sinking the bottom of a standard squat and then push up through the heels until your reach the half way point of the squat before returning back to the bottom (so your only working through the lower half section of the full range). Repeat full and half squats every 10 reps.
Start in a plank position with your body supported on your hands and toes. Ensure your core is engaged throughout this move as this will provide an excellent abdominal conditioning move as well as a great leg and bum toner. Keep your hands directly beneath your shoulders with your weight more over your hands rather than your toes. Initiate the move by lifting one foot off the ground, pull the knee in a straight line in towards the chest, return to a straight leg, then drop the side of the hip and pull the knee under and across the body towards the opposite elbow and return to straight leg. Then open the hip joint and pull the knee up outwards and towards the same side elbow, return the leg back to a straight leg. From here with a pulse action, pull the heel upwards from pivot from the hips to squeeze the muscles within the buttocks. Then replace the foot back to the ground, regain good balance and ensure the core is still activated and repeat with the second leg. Continue the move with alternating legs after the 4 seperate positions have been hit.
Stand tall with you feet hip width apart. Switch on your ‘Core’ muscles and take a good step backward with one of your legs, keeping the foot on a straight line (tram lines) from where you started. Raise your rear foots heel, and kepp your front foot heel planted into the ground keeping your toes relaxed and soft on the ground. Sink your rear knee towards the floor, lowering your body downwards (be sure not to at this point lean forwards or drive your front knee forwards). Aim to keep your knees at right angles and the weight in the legs. Once in the lowered position, keeping your spine straight and chest open, drive back to a vertical position by pushing up through your front leg. Take the rear leg directly into a straight leg kick infront of your body and touch the toe with the opposite hand. From here, take this leg back directly into the rear lunge position before standing back up to the vertical starting position. Place the foot down, regain balance and repeat on the opposite leg. Continue the move switching legs each time.
Standing with your feet and knees together, turn your toes out at a 45* angle and maintain this foot positioning throughout the move. Start by taking one step outwards with one foot and squat deeply by pushing your hips backwards and keeping your toes over the line of your knees and directly over or behind your toes. Keep a tall, staright back with your chest open and head looking forward. At the bottom of the squat, touch the floor with both hands and power back up out of the squat and return to the starting position whilst at the same time raising your hands high overhead. Then repeat the same movement pattern keeping your toes out at a 45* angle with the opposite leg taking the step out to the side. Continue the move by alternating the feet. Focus on keeping your abdominals tight throughout and squeezing your buttocks as you power out of the deep squat.
So there you have it… my Top 7 Moves for Ultimate BUNS of STEEL to give you that WOW factor and an ass that everybody wants to look at..!
Perform these exercises in a row for 45-60 seconds each with around 15-30 seconds rest between each exercise and repeat the 7 exercises for 3-4 rounds for a great Legs & Bum (and Core) based workout or use it as a ‘finisher’ at the end of your main workouts.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. If you have any comments, it would be great to hear from you so please post them below.
Let me know what you think is the best ‘BUNS of STEEL’ exercise that you have ever completed, something that has left your backside aching the day after..? Then we can add and share extra great exercises to help our problem areas.
How do I get rid of my belly? What’s the best exercise to shed weight from my tummy? What can I do to get a flat, toned stomach..?
These are just a few of the many questions I get regularly asked about when it comes to our mid-section. A problem area for many of us, whether it’s to get rid of the last few lbs from our stomach, or shed the ‘pinch an inch’ over hang on our trousers to reducing the size and shape of the one area of our body that is hiding our six-packs..!
The answer to the above questions is generally focussed around getting the right type and amount of effective fitness training in combination to consuming (on a regular, consistent basis) a healthy and nutritious eating plan.
It’s impossible to ’spot reduce’ any area of the body let alone the stomach – the one stubborn area of the body that it seems fat is purely reluctant to leave..! However, it will happen! The body when dropping fat, will do so from all around the body on an overall equal level and will be only a matter of time that you really start to see significant results from a reduction of the ever-increasing waist line.
It must be recognised by anyone wishing to reduce the size of the tummy area, that performing and smashing out hundreds, if not thousands of stomach crunches every day/week, will do absolutely ‘jack all’ for reducing the stomach area. If anything, all you are doing is ’slightly’ increasing the size of the abdominal muscle beneath the layer of fat and therefore without taking any action to reduce the fat cells above, you are literally making the circumfrence of the mid section larger!
So what’s the answer? Well, as I said, it must be a combination of smart eating patterns that provide optimum nutrition along side an exercise programme specifically geared towards your personal ability, fitness level, time allowance and interests. Try avoiding working out in the ‘fat burning zone’ as this generally gets you sweating at a too low a level. You need to optimise calorie expenditure for your time and effort and therefore high intensity interval training is much more advised (within your personal capabilities).
Now… we all love the idea of working on our abdominal area when we workout don’t we? It makes us feel as though we have done something towards us achieving the long awaited six-pack effect. BUT… as I say above, it’s a complete waste of time and effort at this point to concentrate solely on performing crunches and the like.
Instead, try to spend some time working on the all important ‘CORE‘ muscles. These are the deep abdominal muscles that we don’t necessarily see, but have a critical role to play in our lives.
The core muscles are responsible for many things including:
Providing a strong, positive posture
Providing a strong foundation for your superficial abdominal muscles to build upon
They help to flatten the lower tummy
Reducing lower back pain
Can help females during and after pregnancy
many more benefits…
So… What are the best ‘CORE’ based exercises to do then Richard? – Great question… I have below, what I think are 5 of the best Key Core exercises crital for abdominal tone and success…
Just remember, that when you are performing core based exercises, the idea here is to switch on your deep, core muscles (Transverse Abdominis) and then ‘HOLD’ them on tight (without holding your breath and without squeezing your main Rectus Abdominis muscle). To do this, think about drawing your belly button backwards and inwards and hold it firm. This will activate you deep core muscles properly. Another way is to draw tight your pelvic floor. If you press your fingers on your lower abs beneath your belly button, it should be firm. Test the muscle by coughing and ‘feeling’ the muscle tighten up as you do so. This is the muscle you contract and hold tight throughout the exercises below:
Place your body on the ground, face down. From here, raise up and rest on your elbows and forearms. Ensure your elbows are directly underneath your shoulders. Raise your body then onto your toes (or knees for an easier option) so that your body is in a straight line from shoulders through to your hips through to your toes. Maintain a straight line throughout, keeping your hips just above the height of your shoulders. Once here, start to move up onto your hands one by one, then back down to your elbows and repeat.
Lie on your side in a straight line. Place you lower arm at an angle on the floor beneath you, ensure your elbow is tucked way under your shoulder to start with. Place your top leg just infront of your lower leg on the floor. Next lift your hips off the floor and raise your upper arm to the sky. Slowly and with control bring your upper arm down and through, under your body with a full body rotation and then return to the start position. Work in this mode on both sides.
Start in exactley the same position as the standard plank or the Plank Builder above. On your toes and elbows with your deep core muscles activated. From here, lift one foot slightly off the floor and open up the same side hip joint. Then with control, bring the knee of the lifted leg up and outwards and towards the same side elbow. Squeeze your waist line as you perform the lift. Place back the foot to its starting position and transfer your weight on to the opposite foot to repeat the same movement with the other leg. For a slightly easier version perform this exercise on your hands instead of your elbows.
Start in a standard plank position with your weight supported on your toes and elbows with your deep core muscles engaged. ‘Simply’ crawl your body forward 2-3 steps on your elbows and toes in little steps aiming to keep your body low and in perfect alignment. Then, crawl backwards slowly returning to your start position and repeat.
Start on your back and lift your feet off the floor. Start with your knees directly above your hips and take your ankles just above knee height. From this point activate your deep core muscles, then lift your upper back (shoulders) off the floor with your chin up and head looking up at the ceiling. Place your hands lightly on the side of your ears with your elbows out. Then crunch and twist your torso so that your left elbow moves towards and aims to meet your right knee and then twist/rotate the other direction so that your right elbow and left knee move towards each other and continue to repeat in a ‘bicycle’ action.
So there you have it… my Top 5 Key Critical Core Exercises to provide success..!
Perform these exercises in a row for 30 seconds each with around 15-30 seconds rest between each exercise and repeat the 5 exercises for 3-4 rounds for a great abdominal/core based workout or use it as a ‘finisher’ at the end of your main workouts.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. If you have any comments, it would be great to hear from you so please post them below.
Let me know what you think is the best ‘core’ exercise that you have ever completed, then we can add and share extra great exercises to help our problem areas.
It’s difficult right? Losing weight isn’t an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination.
Losing weight requires more than a physical commitment – the mental aspect is also vitally important. When it comes to fitness, the mind truly is a powerful thing.
Have doubts that there is a mind-body connection to wellness? Simply try this easy test: do a workout of your choice (running, walking, lifting weights) with your favourite ‘workout tuuunes’!!. Then do it again another day but this time with no music at all. You’ll quickly see how the simplicity of motivating music can help you go further, faster or simply feel stronger during your routine. That’s the power of your mind!
Why is the mind-body connection important to understand? Because, having the wrong mental approach to getting fitter can have very powerful negative effects. A huge amount of dieters quit their weight loss plans because of psychological reasons.
What you think, can create what you are! Your personal self-talk is crucial in determining whether or not you are successful at reaching your weight loss and fitness goals. Continual negative thoughts can create a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you daily bombard yourself with self-defeating thoughts, then eventually you will begin to believe them. Likewise, if you surround yourself with people who think this same way, or continually talk to you in a negative way, then you can quickly start to believe them and act in the same negative way.
When you tell yourself such things as “I’m always going to be fat” or “I can’t stop eating” or “I can’t walk that mile”, then naturally you’ll start to believe the myths as factual. From there you have immediately set the stage for failure.
So, how can you dig out of the seemingly endless downward spiral of negative thoughts and feelings? Start with these nine important psychological exercises:
Create a list of all the negative thoughts that you have about yourself. Then create a second list of all the things that you like about yourself. Keep working on your positive list until it is much longer than your negative list. We all tend to be our worst critics, so this can be a challenging exercise. Write down even little things like “I can make a great cheese sandwich”, or “I always get to work on time”.
Take your list of negatives and change all of them to positive potentials. For example, instead of “I always fail at losing weight” change it to “I can succeed at weight loss.” Or, instead of “I can’t stop eating”, change it to “I will control my portions.” Destroy your negative list and only keep the new potentials list.
Stop using these words: can’t, won’t, never. Replace them with: can, will, always.
Forget the past. That piece of cake you ate yesterday is old news. Forget about it and move on. Live only in the present. You can’t change what you did even an hour ago. All you can do is resolve to stay focused and committed right now and try to keep that same focus tomorrow too.
Stop making excuses for why you can’t exercise and eat right. Start by making a list of all of your steadfast excuses and also all the reasons that you should workout. The list of reasons why you should exercise inarguably should be much longer. Post your list of reasons where you can see it daily.
Stop the blame game. Promise to take self-responsibility. It’s easy to blame your genes, your diet-plan or even your family for your failed diet attempts. But not accepting full responsibility will simply keep you trapped in a repetitive loop of failures.
Start to surround yourself with more positive people who will help with staying focussed and also provide support with accountability. Group training and group support is vital for optimum success.
Let all those closely related and friendly with you, know that you are on a weight loss journey. This helps when times of temptation come, that their support will be unwavering. Ask that they support you and encourage you to stay focussed on your end goals. You may count on them more than you first realise.
If you use the power of the mind to allow you to typically ‘over-exaggerate’ your daily physical output and ‘under-exaggerate’ your daily nutritional input, then start to write things down to help you keep a track of exactly what you are doing. Sometimes, we play mind games with ourselves with this sort of data, and it can negatively affect our end goal.
Yes, weight loss is approximately 80% nutritional and 20% physical… BUT it also 100% psychological… If your mind isn’t fully programmed to allow you succeed, then failure to a level will ultimately prevail.
Take the necessary steps required to ensure you are ready and fully prepared to take on everything the weight loss ‘competitor’ throws at you. Switch your mind into positive feelings and thoughts, and you are well on your way to success.
How would YOU like to be 12lbs or MORE lighter by Christmas and a whole £12 or MORE better off in January 2012??
Well… With the absolute fitness
Weight-In to Christmas Challenge
…an idea from a few Boot Campers, you NOW have the opportunity..!
All you have to do is attend a weekly weigh-in during one of our Fitness & Fat Loss Boot Camp sessions, or during one of your weekly private training sessions between Monday 3rd October and Saturday 24th December and get the scales to drop in the figures and you’ll be better off, twice over!
The RULES:
You must weigh-in weekly during one of the weekly weigh-in sessions available
Aim to lose at least 1lb or 0.45kg, or 16oz EVERY week
For EVERY pound of weight lost during the 12 week plan you can celebrate by treating yourself to some NEW clothes at Christmas, and:
For EVERY pound of weight lost during the 12 weeks – absolute fitness will GIVE YOU a £1 credit to ANY absolute fitness product or service of YOUR choice to use during January 2012 to kick start YOUR NEW YEAR with a BANG! The MORE you LOSE, the MORE I GIVE to YOU..!!
All ‘Weigh-In to Christmas’ participants MUST be active absolute fitness customers.
So, that’s it, EASY..! You Lose the weight, I’ll give you some credit notes and you get a hot, smokin’, sexy, healthy body in time to flaunt it over the Christmas Holidays – It’s a WIN – WIN for everybody!
The Weigh-In starts Monday 3rd October, so you must show your interest to join in before then… Available Weigh-In to Christmas sessions:
Monday Boot Camp – GLOSSOP (6.30am)
Wednesday Boot Camp – ASHTON (6.45am)
Thursday Boot Camp – WOODLEY (6.15am)
Thursday Boot Camp – GATLEY (9.15am)
Thursday Boot Camp – HYDE (7.30pm)
ANY Private 1:1 Training Session
This is FREE to take part – so you have nothing to Lose (apart from some unwanted stubborn FAT), and everything to Gain (hot, sexy body for Christmas & Money Off in January 2012!) It couldn’t get ANY better… Or could it..??
SPECIAL BONUS
For the one lucky loser, who is crowned THE BIGGEST LOSER in the ‘Weigh-In to Christmas’ Challenge - a whole host of special bonus prizes could be WON..! So… What are you waiting for?
Get in touch NOW, to show your interest and desire to take up the Challenge, and we’ll be seeing you a whole lot lighter and even hotter at Christmas!
I know, I know when working at the office, the last thing you want to be thinking of is your fitness regime, or eating and staying as ‘healthy’ as possible.
Work commitments are forever increasing and the amount of time spent in your life working just seems to grow, right? This therefore results in many other things dropping down on your priority list. Probably one of the first ones to drop is fitness, but it doesn’t need to be this way.
Exercise offers so many important benefits that it should always be part of your weekly routine. Of course, we all know that exercise can help you stay slim and fit. But, do you also know about all the other great results of exercising? Daily physical activity reduces stress and can help you sleep better – two things that are especially beneficial to busy business people. Fitness helps keep you healthy and has been linked to reducing the risk of some diseases and to warding off depression. We also know that strength training can help prevent osteoporosis. If that still doesn’t convince you to get moving, then keep in mind that exercise also improves self-esteem, increases stamina and ultimately helps you be able to do continuous work for longer. What more could you ask for?
It all sounds great, right? But you still don’t think that you can find any time in your hectic schedule for staying in shape. Don’t worry. There are a lot of creative ways to fit it in. Below are some tips to help you get started.
Take The Stairs: Yeah, you’ve heard this one before… BUT, make a commitment to yourself right now, that from now on you will ALWAYS take the stairs! At the start of your day, at the end of the day, walking 6 flights of stairs regularly over a week, can and will burn a lot of calories. During the day take several 5-10 minute breaks and run up and down the stairs (or even just walk). This will also help rejuvenate your mind by ‘switching off’ momentarily.
Balls To It!: Sitting in front of a computer can be hard on your body, especially your posture. Consider investing in a stability ball. You know those big round inflatable balls. Even just sitting on them will burn more claories than a chair and will strengthen your core (abs). They’re also quite good fun during your lunch breaks. These balls, will improve your overall posture by using your stabilising muscles to sit straight instead of slumping.
3 x 10: It’s not necessary for you to find 30 continuous minutes for working out. You’ll get just as much benefit if you break your exercise into small chunks. Try 10 minutes before you start work (walk around the block and up the stairs), 10 minutes at lunch (go for a walk, or use your new ‘chair’ for some office exercises and then 10 minutes after work (a chance to get a little more sweaty if needs be, so jog back to your car instead of walking).
Cook For Two: For you to eat as healthy at work, and steer away from eating rubbish, either cook large portion meals on the weekend that you can freeze, or simply cook two portions the night before, and bring it in fresh for your lunch the day after. This saves you the time of having to make dinner and you don’t have to compromise calories as you would if you instead opted for take-out.
It’s a Snack Attack: Keep healthy snacks available for when you need an energy boost or simply just need something to chew on to help you get through some tough work (this also keeps your metabolism ticking over). Don’t forget to keep water on hand and sip some all throughout your day (aim for 3ltrs per day) and substitute water for your caffeine fix.
Stretch To Be Your Best: Don’t forget the importance of stretching. Take a couple of minutes every hour to stand up and stretch your entire body. Sat at the desk takes its toll on your body, by shortening your muscles and making it uncomfortable. So stretch your back, legs and roll your shoulders back regularly.
Team Work: Create a regular team based fitness event or challenge that everyone in the office can participate in a feel part of the team. This can be anything from a collective team performance of xxx number of press ups in a week, all have a pedometer, and monitor the total number of steps the team take within a week, to entering a team into the Manchester 10km, or the Urbanathlon. Create a fit & healthy ‘social club’ where you meet and challenge yourselves in different ways every 2 months.
As you can see, making small steps and changes, exercise offers huge benefits even with just a small amount of effort. So, to help you, your work or business, and your family it’s time to stop making excuses and just start moving!
Do you ever go through a day feeling tired, a little sick, and have a total lack of va va voom..? You’re body could be filled with toxins making you ill and very sluggish! What you need is a damn good cleanse and a boost of great energy…
Zambroza is a unique and powerful blend of juices that are naturally rich in antioxidants and specially formulated to neutralise free radicals.
Not only will you feel revitalised but these antioxidants have a powerful effect on the health of the skin helping you to look great too. Zambroza helps to:
• Increase Vital Energy.
• Maintain a Healthy Immune System.
• Protect the Body from Excess Free Radicals.
• Replenish the Body.
• Neutralise free radicals
• Support the immune system.
• Supply powerful nutrients that give the body energy and vitality.
Nature’s Sunshine has harvested the most healthful fruits and natural extracts from around the world and combined them into this unique delicious, nutritious juice which has been specially formulated to neutralise excess free radicals.
Zambroza’s synergistic blend of ten powerful ingredients include mangosteen, wolfberry, apple extract, blueberry, concord grape, grape seed, grape skin, green tea, red berry and raspberry.
Zambroza is a powerhouse of antioxidants that help the body fight the effects of ageing, caused by excess free radicals, it helps to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, restores energy levels, help maintain healthy cell growth and maintains a healthy immune system.
‘UNPARALLELED ANTIOXIDANT PROTECTION’
We live in a world of free radicals – they’re all around us. In fact, many life-promoting functions actually create free radicals inside us. Every moment of every day, your body is fighting a battle against an army of cell-damaging free radicals. Pollution, chemical additives, stress, sunlight and other factors produce or trigger these destabilising molecules.
To combat free radicals the body turns to antioxidants
Antioxidants are organic compounds that have extra electrons. Antioxidants are stable with or without their additional electrons, so they freely give them away to neutralize the harmful chain reaction of free radical stabilization and creation.
Brunswick Laboratories, studied Zambroza to certify its exceptional product quality.
The Brunswick Lab’s certification seal is a ‘visible symbol of antioxidant quality’, says Brunswick founder and Chairman Jim Nichols. ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) is a measurement that calculates the product’s ability to neutralise and ‘mop up’ free radicals.
Evidence from data proves that recommended doses of Zambroza are able to effectively quench various forms of free radicals.
Independent Clinical Research shows Zambroza has a significantly higher ability to neutralise free radicals compared to competitor products, proving its superior protective properties.
The squat is one of the main BIG Power Exercises that targets and works some of the biggest muscles in the body, but if done incorrectly, can cause more harm than good..! So, get it right, and you’ll be firing the muscles off on all cylinders, power will be developed and calories will be stoked in the furnace to aid fat loss..!
The problem with doing this exercise wrong, or with ‘lazy‘ technique, is that your whole posture could suffer and your knee joints will be screaming out in pain. So many times I see people attempting to do squats by simply bending forward at the hips and lowering their upper body and head to the floor… NOOOO!!! All this will do is pump up your blood pressure, send you dizzy, and leave you curled up on the floor in a heap!
“The solution to this problem is quite simple… Sit yourASS back and down. Many people when they start a squat move, begin by bending at the knees, when actually the initial move should come from your hips by sitting backwards.”
From a standing vertical position, and with your abdominals braced, begin by ‘unlocking’ the hips, and sitting your bum backwards and downwards towards the floor. As you initiate this move your knees will naturally bend, but pay careful attention that they DON’T push forwards and over your toes. Aim to keep your knees back and over/behind the toe line. This focus will push your hips further back and into the correct position. This will ensure your squat remains sound in technique, but also powerful and athletic.
When pushing your hips backwards and down, you will find and maybe feel your hamstrings and glutes (rear leg and bum muscles) switch on, maximising these large muscles which will be less used by simply bending at the knees. Always remember that your RANGE OF MOTION is also really important. The bigger the range you cover, the more muscle in your lower body you will use. Ultimately this will end in a greater effect (stronger/leaner/ muscles and therefore more total calories be burnt) – this also increases your overall power output!
Other postural check points to consider when executing the squat is..:
- Maintain a straight, elongated spine (imagine you have a broom rod taped to your back). This will lengthen your spine, keeping all the focus on your legs, and maintaining a strong posture in your upper body (really important if lifting or holding a weight or bar bell). Try pinching your shoulder blades together, opening up your chest, and pinning your shoulders back and down.
- Emphasise the weight of your body onto your heels in the foot. This will ensure all the effort and power is focussed on the muscles it is suppose to work. Try lifting or curling up your toes, this will push the weight into your heels, and stop you rolling forwards onto your toes, and pushing up out of the squat on your toes.
- When completing the squat, drive/push upwards from the seated position in a vertical manner (obvious I know, but not everyone does that), and finish the move back in the starting position standing completely vertical with your hips forward, back straight, chest open and abdominals fully contracted.
So Complete YOUR Squat Check List:
Brace your abdominals
Sink your hips and bum backwards and downwards (unlock the hips at the start)
Sit into a powerful seated position (think of how you sit down on the toilet)
Ensure your knees stay back and behind the toe line (make sure they don’t fall in or out either)
Curl your toes up in your shoes to push the weight into your heels
Squeeze your shoulder blades together, chest open and shoulders back
Keep your head up and looking forward to the horizon
Power your way up to the start position (remember through your heels)
Stand tall at the end and tense your bum and abdominals to fully maximise all lower body muscles
Do all this on each and every squat whether using weights, bar bells, smith machines or just your own body weight and you will soon find your squat execution has improved ten fold and the muscles will be firing on all cylinders. Your legs will be strong, toned and in great shape, ready for you to show off on the beach in no time!
Today I have been sharing with you on Twitter ten great tips to ensure you get plenty, but also start loving your fruit and vegetables… Take a look at what I recommend…
Top Tip No. 10 – Stir fresh peaches, berries or other fruit into your frozen yogurt
Top Tip No. 9 – Drink a travel-size carton of FRESH orange or apple juice on the way to work
Top Tip No. 8 – Top your morning breakfast granola with dried plums, cranberries or handful of fresh berries
Top Tip No. 7 – Pop frozen blueberries or grapes into your mouth for a sorbet like treat -everyone likes a treat
Top Tip No. 6 – Mix a bag of shredded cabbage with a little light coleslaw dressing, chopped apples or pineapple chunks
Top Tip No. 5 – Never and I mean never leave the house without a snack stash (banana, orange, apple, baby carrots, raisins, grapes)
Top Tip No. 4 – Puree fresh fruit add apple juice and freeze it into ice cubes or pops. Add cubes to your drinks to keep refreshing!
Top Tip No. 3 – After dinner place a variety platter of cut-up fruit with plenty of colour on the table for snacking in the evenings
Top Tip No. 2 – At least once a week have a salad for dinner such as Cajun-salmon Caesar salad or grilled-chicken spinach salad with mandarin oranges
Top Tip No. 1 – Ditch fruit drinks and “ades” and go for 100% orange, grapefruit, pomegranate, and pineapple juices etc. Remember moderation!
With the warmer weather season now approaching and our Summer Holidays booked in warmer climates, exercisers want to take their workouts outside and breakout of their indoor fitness ruts. But, when temperatures reach record highs and humidity levels soar, traditional outdoor workouts become less appealing. So how can you stay cool while still enjoying outdoor physical activity? One word – water. Water exercises are the perfect way to workout under the sun without overheating. You can get a total body workout without even breaking a sweat!
Aquatic workouts aren’t limited to just swimming – there are many other forms of pool exercises. You don’t even have to be a regular exerciser to try aquatic fitness. One of the great things about working out in the water is that even fitness novices can easily perform many of the moves.
It’s also an excellent fitness choice for all ages, from the very young to seniors. Water exercise is a very good way to burn calories, improve your strength and flexibility, tone-up, improve your cardiovascular system, and just get more fit overall. And, the types of workouts are practically endless. Most land exercises can be modified and re-created in water. Other benefits include:
lower injury risk
less sweating
works your entire body
challenges your body in a very different way then it is accustom to
refreshing way to workout
water provides natural resistance so no equipment is needed
can increase/decrease intensity (difficulty) simply by alternating between shallow and deep areas
good low-impact exercise choice for pregnant women
reduces joint compression and downward gravity pull (in other words – easier on the joints)
even people who can’t exercise on land can often exercise in the water
excellent rehabilitation exercise for people recovering from an injury
less stress on bones and muscles
great option for people with arthritis
Plus, water workouts also provide a fun and more socially interactive exercise option. For example, parents can enjoy time at the pool with their children while also fitting in some of their weekly workout sessions. Aquatic aerobic classes also provide a social, group-setting alternative.
Still not convinced that a great water workout will challenge your body as well as some of the more common workouts like walking or jogging. Well, try some of the sample exercise below and you’ll probably quickly change your mind. But, don’t judge the workout solely on how high your heart rate gets. Keep in mind that swimmers generate a slightly lower heart rate when compared to cyclists and runners. This does not imply that they aren’t working as hard. Experts equate the lower heart rate partially to the effect of immersion in a relatively cool environment.
So, keep this in mind when determining your target heart rate, which may be 10 beats per minute lower when in the water. Also, don’t make the mistake of assuming you are well hydrated just because your body is submerged in water. You still need to drink about ½ a cup of water about every 20 minutes of exercise.
Swim/Walk interval laps:Swim 1-2 laps (use any swim form you prefer: crawl, backstroke, etc). Walk 1-2 laps in the pool. Repeat sequence 4-6 times.
Water Squats: Stand in the water with feet about hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly as you push your hips back as if you are sitting on a chair. Keep your knees behind your toes. Return to start position and repeat. The water provides extra resistance and makes this move more challenging.
Wave Jumps: (for those with access to the ocean or a wave-simulator): Stand in knee-deep or less water. Each time a wave comes attempt to jump over it. Note: this is a more advanced move that requires good balance and strong swimming skills. Do not attempt this move unless you have experience swimming in waves.
Water Jogging: Can be done with the use of flotation devices where your feet don’t touch the ground or the traditional way of actually jogging in the water.
Star Jumps: Perform as you would on dry land a star jump, the deeper the water, the harder this will be. The more the arms are submerged in the water, the better the water based exercise will be for you.
Foot Sliders: When standing in a pool with a tiled flooring, aim to get submerged in the water to a minimum of hip depth. The standing with your feet just slightly apart, slowly and with control, slide your feet apart as far as they can go… Then tighten your abdominals, and squueze your legs back together using the inner section of your legs – continue this for a minute, and repeat it 2-3 times.
Water Dips: A great alternative to performing standard dry land Tricep dips. Sit on pool side with your legs in the water. Slowly slide your bum to the edge of the wall, and with your hands to the side of your body and your finger tips over the edge, slowly dip your body into the water, bending at the elbows, and then lift back to the start position using your arms. The water will add a little support in this movement.
So… When you’re next in the water, have a think about some of the recent/traditional exercises you have been use to performing at Boot Camp, or at the gym, and do your best to replicate them ion the pool to create a little 10-30min water based circuit to keep you in tip top summer time condition..!
So here is the next instalment – part 3 of the absolute fitness Total Body MASH UP workout where I am sharing FREE with you a series of small workouts which you can do on their own or you can merge togther to form several other workouts, and eventually paste them all together to form the Total Body MASH UP fitness training workout..!
I will keep posting these workouts, BUT… You MUST leave me a comment either on here, or our youtube channel to to keep getting these FREE workouts to do at home or gym..!
Anyway, today I’m giving YOU Part 3 of theFREE Fat Melting Workout to do at home, or the gym, garden or park. ALL you need is a little bit of floor space the same size as your body, and LOADS of ENERGY..!
So the way this works, is to either – complete the 6 simple but highly effective exercises on this video (legs focussed), and repeat them all 3-4 times through to form a very good Leg, Bum, Abs and Cardio training session… OR, you merge Part 1, Part 2 AND Part 3 sessions together…
So on a single training plan – you complete each exercise for around 45 seconds, take a 15 second recovery, and move to the next exercise. After all 6 have been completed (6mins), take a 30-60 second rest before you start the block again.
But, if you merge the three parts together, perform Part 1 (6mins), take a 30-60 second rest, then perform Part 2 (6mins) and then perform Part 3 (6mins) taking a 30-60 second rest before repeating the full 3 part sequence again. I hope that makes sense..?
They’re all still totally body weight based, and require absolutely NO EQUIPMENT..! So you have no excuse really do you? Oh… AND the full training session will take you NO MORE than 36 – 40 minutes to complete, so within 45 minutes you are DONE!
So here is the workout…
If you have any questions regarding this workout, or any other training question, please feel free to leave me a comment.
I would absolutely love you to leave a comment both below here on the post, AND on the youtube channel. If I receive comments and feedback, I will give you many MORE FREE Workouts to help you on YOUR journey, if it seems no one is watching, I may as well just chill in the sun/rain during my down time..!! So PLEASE COMMENT…
Welcome to part 2 of the absolute fitness Total Body MASH UP workout where I am sharing FREE with you a series of small workouts which you can do on their own or you can merge togther to form several other workouts, and eventually paste them all together to form the Total Body MASH UP fitness training workout..!
I have been overwhelmed this week not only by the huge response to our Body Transformation Boot Camps – Ultimate Fitness & Fat Loss Solution. Our June Camp is now officially our biggest ever… But also by the comments and feedback I have received by doing these short video workout clips. For as long as you want me to do them, I will keep delivering, BUT… You MUST leave me a comment either on here, or our youtube channel to to keep getting these FREE workouts to do at home..!
Anyway, today I am here to give YOU Part 2 of theFREE Fat Melting Workout to do at home, or the gym, garden or park. Infact the ONLY thing you do need is a little bit of floor space the same size as your body, and LOADS of ENERGY..!
So the way this will NOW work, is to either – complete the 6 simple but highly effective exercises on this video, and repeat them all 3-4 times through to form a very good Chest, Shoulder and Tricep training session… OR, you now get to merge Part 1 and Part 2 sessions together…
So on a single training plan – you complete each exercise for around 45 seconds, take a 15 second recovery, and move to the next exercise. After all 6 have been completed (6mins), take a 30-60 second rest before you start the block again.
But, if you merge the two together, perform Part 1 (6mins), take a 30-60 second rest, then perform Part 2 (6mins) and repeat that sequence for 6 FULL rounds (3 rounds of each). I hope that makes sense..?
They’re all still totally body weight based, and require absolutely NO EQUIPMENT..! So you have no excuse really do you? Oh… AND the full training session will take you NO MORE than 28 – 36 minutes to complete, so around half an hour you are DONE!
So here is the workout…
If you have any questions regarding this workout, or any other training question, please feel free to leave me a comment.
I would absolutely love you to leave a comment both below here on the post, AND on the youtube channel. If I receive comments and feedback, I will give you many MORE FREE Workouts to help you on YOUR journey, if it seems no one is watching, I may as well just chill in the sun/rain during my down time..!! So PLEASE COMMENT…
So this week has been a fantastic week again for absolute fitness | Cheshire. We have been holding a FREE Boot Camp Taster Week, and we have seen a huge number of ‘new’ Action Takers trying out our Ultimate Fitness & Fat Loss Solution.
What’s more, most if not all of these ‘new’ recruits have decided this solution is just too good to not sign up for the full month, so it now seems that our June Body Transformation Boot Camp will be at capacity on many of our seperate camp locations.
Anyway, that was just a quick update, the reason for this post, was to give you aFREE Fat Melting Workout to do at home, or the gym, garden or park. Infact the ONLY thing you do need is floor space the same size as your body, and LOADS of ENERGY..!
So the way this workout works, is to complete 6 simple but highly effective exercises, and repeat them all 3-4 times through.
You complete each exercise for around 45 seconds, take a 15 second recovery, and move to the next exercise. After all 6 have been completed (6mins), take a 30-60 second rest before you start the next block.
They’re all body weight based, and require absolutely NO EQUIPMENT..! So you have no excuse really do you? Oh… AND the full training session will take you NO MORE than 28 minutes to complete, so within half an hour you are DONE! (even though I make a timing mistake at the start of the video [I got excited], see if you catch me out..)!
So here is the workout…
If you have any questions regarding this workout, or any other training question, please feel free to leave me a comment.
I would absolutely love you to leave a comment both below here on the post, AND on the youtube channel. If I receive comments and feedback, I will give you many MORE FREE Workouts to help you on YOUR journey, if it seems no one is watching, I may as well just chill in the sun during my down time..!! So PLEASE COMMENT…
Well, this last weekend, I spent my 3 day weekend pretty much locked in a room with a huge group of other awesome Fitness Professionals and World Class Speakers, and on a number of occassions the analogy of facing walls or obstacles came up, and ways in which to overcome them in whatever situation was discussed.
But this time, I want to just highlight an issue to those people exercising, or training in fitness for a certain goal and when it’s really important, infact its imperative that you finish AT the Wall, infact you need to work so hard you SMASH into it..!
When I was younger (I know it’s hard to believe I’m a little older than I look), I was an International Modern Pentathlete, and competed in other National and International Tetrathlons, and Equestrian events. For those that don’t know what Modern Pentathlon is, it’s an Olympic sport which includes Shooting, Swimming, Horse Riding, Fencing and Running.
Now, when I use to train, especially in my early morning and evening swimming sessions, I can recall on a number of occassions my swim coach at the time drilling the issue of ‘FINISHING AT THE WALL’..! Why I hear you ask..!!??
Well, I was one of those lazy ones you see, if I was asked to to a particular drill, whether it was; a 50m drill, or a 400m drill (or longer), I would complete my drill as requested and to the very best of my ability (and sometimes more as I use to compete with my fellow team mates even when we were training).
BUT… when it came to the last 10m of the swim, I would ease off, and even ‘glide’ into the wall, often not having the propulsion to even reach it at the very end, meaning I fell short of the ‘finish’. I would then stand up, and walk the last metre or so..! I WAS SUPPOSE TO BE SWIMMING..!
So why is this important..? It’s more than important! My coach taught me to finish strong, stronger than I had started in fact, it was in the last few metres of the race that WINS the race, that’s the bit that makes the REAL difference between winning and coming in second or even third.
So, so often do I see my training clients, both private, and boot camp falling short of finishing strong and AT the WALL..! I can set a timed drill, and this can be as short as a 20 second work segment, and they will still only complete 15 seconds of it, as soon as the 5 second countdown starts, they ease off, and even STOP!! NO..!!!!
I want you to finish at the very earliest at 0, not 5 or even 1, I’d even like it if you pushed an extra repetition out in order to gain that edge, it’s the edge that will give you outstanding results.
Normally, when we train, we are so use to easing off or stopping when it becomes uncomfortable, or we get that ‘heavy’ feeling, but it is at this very moment in exercise when we should push through that little further, as this is when the largest gains in health & fitness improvements are found.
So next time you’re training, and you can see the finishing line, or the wall, smash yourself through it, surpass your expectations, go further than anyone else is prepared to go, this is where you will find the biggest steps of improvements, and results will come your way. Don’t be the one that fell short and finished in second or third..! Be the winner YOU know you CAN be..!
I would say three quarters of people I speak to, including clients, instructors and others involved in the training world hate cardio. I would put myself in this category also. There is however no escaping it’s importance.
I hate traditional cardio, I find it boring, completely mind-numbingly boring, that’s why I love bootcamp and others find it such a great way of getting some serious cardio done. I’m always looking for new ways to work my cardio, with new equipment and new movement patterns.
I’ve had these ViPR’s for over a year now and barely used them to their full potential, so this afternoon I dusted one off and took it for a spin at the gym. Check out the video below of the circuit I did.
In the background you can see a few gerbils plodding through their daily boring 2-D cardio. This ViPR circuit kicked my arse in 20 mins. I was dripping wet, my heart rate was up nice and high, I’d been worked through all planes of movement and I’d hit every muscle group, all in only 20mins.
The beauty about the ViPR is it’s versatility, so long as you put a little prior thought into your session planning, there are infinite exercises and circuits you can construct to work through. I’ll be using my ViPR a lot more in the coming weeks with clients and in my own sessions.
“Life is made up of small pleasures. Happiness is made up of those tiny successes. The big ones come too infrequently. And if you don’t collect all these tiny successes, the big ones don’t really mean anything.” — Norman Lear
Today’s Workout of the Day is a real tester – great for total body conditioning, increasing power and strength and stoking up the fat furnace – burning away the fat!
All you need is either a Sandbag / PowerBag / Medicine Ball or ViPR, if none of these are available, use dumbbells, or a bag with some weighted shopping!
Warm Up = 10-15 minutes
Start with a total, over-all body warm up, use dynamic movements increasing in range – also include some aerobic type movement (running, skipping, x-training, rowing, cycling, step climbing, or some body weight related aerobic movement) to increase your heart rate, and open up the lungs. If you like to stretch during your warm up, then feel free – but do not allow yourself to go cold.
Main Activity Drill = 30-45 minutes
As the title of the workout may suggest, this simple, but effective training session uses one simple piece of kit, and performing single exercises with 50 repetitions each! Use a weight which is going to be a challenge for you, and ensure you always work outside your ‘comfort zone’ maximising benefits.
Take a 1-2 minute recovery between each exercise – aim to maintain form and technique – do not allow speed or momentum to effect your performance (this is not a time trial).
If technique falters, stop the exercise, reset your position, and continue…
Perform 50 repetitions of the following exercises in the following order:
Squats – hold bag across chest or on your shoulder, squat with your bum back and down
Walk Over Press Ups – one hand on bag, press up, walk over to the other side and press up, repeat
Burpees – Hands on bag with your feet close, jump back, jump in, jump up holding bag in hands
Bent Over Row – Stand, bent over at hips, with back flat, pull the bag up to your chest, elbows high then lower
Alternating Lunges – hold the bag similar to squats, step forward, drop rear knee, then drive back to set position
Crunches – hold the bag at arms length over the chest, knees bent, crunch abdominals lifting weight
Deadlifts – straddle the bag, lower bum to floor, with head and chest lifted, hold bag, and power to standing
Over Head Shoulder Presses – Hold bag with both hands on one shoulder, press up and over head to other side
Squat Thrusts – Place both hands on bag, one foot towards bag, other back, jump and switch feet position
Clockface Lunges – hold bag similar to lunges, step with one leg to each clock position 12-6, change legs 6-12
Cool Down = 5 minutes
Perform a general warm down to allow your body to return to near resting / pre-workout state, integrate some total body stretches to improve / maintain flexibility or suppleness. Keep warm and congratulate yourself on your effort!
Remember to drink around 1 litre of water during your 60 minute fitness training session, and aim to eat and replenish the nutrients and energy used within an hour of finishing your workout (you’ll burn it off easier!)
If you have any comments, or suggestions, we would love to hear from you – let us know what you think.
Are you wanting to lose weight, melt away fat, slim down, shape up, and become more defined? Then this process needs to be taken slowly, but with accurate, measurable strategies. These steps only need to be small ones. Small steps makes it easier to implent, and succeed with.
Taking too big a step, normally results in a relapse, and ending back at where you started, but making these small steps, can make a really big difference. Here are some tips to help you stay focussed and on track:
Stick with your nutrition and exercise plan even if you experience a slip up. Changing old habits takes consistent effort. You must practice patience as you relearn new behaviours and allow time for your body to positively adjust.
Small Behaviour Strategies that make a BIG Difference
Making small changes one at a time is the best strategy. It’s not overwhelming and it results in a slower, steadier positive physical change.
Don’t engage in other activities while eating such as watching T.V. driving, reading, or talking on the phone.
Concentrate on the pleasures of the food you eat – the sight, the smell, and the taste. Don’t allow eating to be a mindless, unconscious behaviour.
Choose one room for eating, and don’t eat while standing or walking around.
Spend at least 20 minutes eating your meals to allow your brain to trigger a fullness sensation to your stomach. Take small bites, chew your food completely, set fork down between bites.
Don’t always leave a clean plate. Pay more attention to your hunger. It’s OK to leave something if you feel satisfied before you’re finished. Put it away for tomorrow if you want.
If you can’t eat “just one” of certain foods, don’t buy that food. Never eat out of a bag or box. Take out a measured/counted quantity of food and put it in a bowl. This way, you know exactly how much you’re having.
Try at least one new food every week. If you’re bored with what you’re eating, you’re more likely to give up.
Don’t go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Shop from a prepared list.
Buy foods that require preparation. Ready-to-eat foods have little to no nutritional value.
Incorporate small bouts of exercise into your daily routine. Aim for 30 minutes a day. Try taking the stairs, parking further away, walking to the grocery store, hand-washing your car, playing a sport with your children, or simply go for a 10 minute walk three times a day.
Make exercise a priority, not an inconvenience.
Work on some of these strategies today, and tomorrow, you could start seeing the real benefits. When it comes to fat loss – slow and steady always wins the race!
Well, the World Cup goes on, and we have nothing really more to shout about unfortunately (unless you support a team still in contention!). I suppose we still have Wimbledon to watch!
I am reading on sites such as Twitter and Facebook all the time, people going to the gym, working out for hours, burning loads of calories, working hard – which is great, but are your training methods getting you the results you’re really after? If you ask yourself that question, and have to ponder for a second, then most probably, you’re not heading in the direction you really want to be going, right?
Then it’s time to reconsider what you are doing, mix it up a little, move things around, do your session backwards, up the level 1 or 2, go a little longer, faster, stronger, or try something different… you know the score?!
Have you ever come across yet the ViPR, or TRX, have you tried sledges, tires etc.? If you’re doing the standard ‘gym’ training, it’s time to switch your mind, and training methodology.
Take a look around our site, and some of the blogs on here – watch some of our clips on our Training Guide Page – here, you will find some new exercises for you to try – you may have already seen them, but have you tried them, or simply forgotten about them? Well, here is a refresh… Give them a go, and let us know.
Today, we are going to share an awesome exercise using the ViPR – a hollow – weighted tube with handles which you can use as a functional lifting and functional movement based exercise tool. If you don’t have one of these, maybe use a weighted body bar, or medicine ball, or your hands!
Below are two exercises great for strengthening your abdominals and core muscles, defining the abs, building some muscle definition and developing the back stabilisers – you will need to use your core strength to maintain posture and form. Give it a go – put it in the mix!
This time we are demonstrating the correct technique when executing the Russian Twist and Roll Outs using the ViPR. Nail these correctly, and you’ll get two awesome extras to your training session.
We hope you enjoy this one – as always, give it a try, and please feel free to comment…
Join our channel on YouTube: absolute fitness – Cheshire in order to keep up to date with our video postings of which there will be many more…
Another awesome exercise to share with you here. Today we are using the ViPR – a brilliant and versatile piece of kit. This can be used as traditional resistance forms, or with real creativity, and functionality. Each ViPR is a different weight, so choose wisely when performing your selected exercise, you don’t want to go too high, but it needs to be a challenge for you to progress and develop.
The exercise we are demonstrating today is a great complex exercise, working all muscle groups in the body in one giant movement, this also optimises calorie burning, meaning we are placing our body in the Fat Furnace, melting away the excess body fat, and improving our strength and overall fitness at the same time!
If you have access to a ViPR, then next time, give this one a go next time you’re training… If not, maybe use a medicine ball with handles if they are available or if not, a lighter set of dumbbells.
As always, watch carefully for technique, perform with perfection, and you will create perfection.
The New Year can bring many new fitness and health related goals and ambitions. One way to ensure your 2012 fitness ambitions don’t crash and burn before they’ve even had chance to take flight is to know, and avoid the many pitfalls associated with ‘getting fit’!
If you think the scale doesn’t lie, consider this. Many professional athletes would be considered obese based on their weight alone. In order to realise where you are going, and where you have been, you need to take a number of measurements as a benchmark for progress. Consider a variety of; body measurements, body fat %, fitness levels, strength levels, resting heart rate, blood pressure, clothes sizes, confidence levels, knowledge gains and much more to assess your improvements.
