My Transformation Part 3

Ok I know its been ages since my last post and I will possibly have to tag on another few points to this as I do not have enough time to put in all of what I want to say right now so check for updates.

My trainining for the transformation.

1. Cardio killer – throughout 2007 and 2008 I was doing some form of cardio almost daily as my job as a trainer involves at times going for runs with clients. This can be a twice a day thing and I would still do my own session (weights or cardio) on that day as well. The only problem with this is that A) the cardio is/was not at my level and so the runs are quite easy but do not build MY fitness yet great for the client B) it’s just bloody tough to eat enough to compensate for the calories burned from the running.

Cardio in general is great but if you are really struggling to put on the muscle or even just get stronger I would limit it to no more than 20-30mins per day and this is what I did for the past 12months plus. Now I know I said per day and you are possibly thinking that 30mins 2-3 times per week is lots but for me I find I can do 20-30mins of some form of cardio daily and it does not affect my strength gains. I still love to play tennis once a week also as whats the use in being in good shape if you never use it for anything?

These cardio sessions give me a great base for crossfit sessions where the heart rate is through the roof and helps to keep the body fat down. If you are worried about not putting on enough muscle while doing weights and cardio then I think it has more to do with you not eating enough and possibly not working hard enough on the weights. Also, remember to take your time when putting on muscle as it does not have to happen overnight and I was only in a rush to put muscle back on after running the New York marathon (3hrs 11mins) in late 2006 when I was at my lightest (79-80kg) oh and I also did not feel as energetic as I do now. Overall, if you are only doing cardio to look your best then in my opinion you are never going to get there and at best will only make you into a smaller version of yourself with ever decreasing muscle to end up looking and feeling far from your best.

2. keep your program simple – as you get stronger and in better shape resist the temptation to keep adding more exercises into your program and take out whats not really vital e.g. biceps curls, triceps pressdowns. What I found as i moved up in the weights I was lifting was that instead of say 8 exercises I would do on a particular day I started to cut back to 3-5 exercises and some days just one exercise – i do this quite a bit with squats and deadlifts i.e. do a squatting session for 40mins with various reps and sets and variations.

I have always valued the lessons I learned from Hardgainer http://www.hardgainer.com/ and all the coaches and teachers that used to write for it so I always think less it more at times when it comes to hitting the weights. My rule is if you are not getting stronger then cut things back and spend more time stretching, foam rolling and recovering. You are only as good as how fast you can recover. Push hard on the days you can and then make sure that you put in the recovery days (that does not mean do nothing). I have also found taking 10-20g of glutamine per day, taking digestive enzymes and a green drink every day have helped my recovery from exercise so i can get back training sooner rather later.

3. Do the basics well – it drives me nuts when I go to any gym and see the same crap being done all over the place. There is  the guy who works his butt off doing biceps curls yet can’t do more than a few pull ups or the girl wanting more toned arms and legs yet can’t do push ups or lunges. Guys and girls reality check here – if you want to be in great shape get the bloody basics right. Any of the clients I have that are in superb shape can do all the basics right – look at any of my youtube clips to see.

First and foremost I do the basics all the time but I vary my exercises from session to session and to be honest operate on a more instinctive basis when I train rather than use a set program. I just know from my own body what I need to work on and a go do that e.g. on monday I did this with a few of the guys and we did some yoga for 30-40mins after as we were all feeling quite stiff from previous sessions. Remember to have one week in every 4 as  alight week where you take it a good bit easier – i just do more yoga and light cardio that week. Know when to hold back as you can’t keep pushing all the time.

Most people that are in or that stay in poor shape do so because they A) do not work the basics hard B) do not vary those basics C) have a terrible diet so it all does not make a big difference.

A final point for now – my training always revolves around full body programs and have never done much or any biceps curls, cable cross overs, triceps kickbacks or any of the other exercises that really do not matter much in the way of overall development. Do i really care how big my arms are? No. Do i care how much i can deadlift or press – yes. Wheter you are a man or a woman looking to get in great shape learn to work your legs hard. If you can work the legs hard (most wont and so talk about getting in better shape or moan about lack of equipment) I guarantee you will improve in every aspect of your training.

here we are working legs fairly hard –

Thats it for now so get training properly, recover well and then go back and hit it hard again. Remember to post your comments and hope you enjoyed it. Oh and on a final point i know some of you have transformations of your own to share so mail me those if you want me to post your experiences with my training.

sorry one last pic – my 70% dark choc flapjacks. those tough sessions are worth these and there is no way I would have gotten in this shape without these being made twice a week!

Pink dumbbells are NOT the way to looking fab!

I was having a chat with my client Kathy this morning and discussing how weight training for women sometimes gets a bum wrap i.e. just stick to the light dumbbells and lots and lots of reps. I know from experience that this is the worst way to train and will NOT get any woman into fab shape. For Gods sake the same woman will possibly leave the gym/home after tossing about her pink dumbbells and then pick up her oversized handbag that is HEAVIER than the bloody pink dumbbells YET she is afraid of getting too muscly! Go figure.

My recommendation for any woman is take a look at http://www.stumptuous.com/ for solid advice (just the same as you get here) from a woman who knows her stuff and looks great also.

It’s a little sad to see women doing loads of cardio and really poorly designed weights programs yet looking the same all the time. So ladies pick up a pair of dumbbells and make sure in a few weeks you have moved on to heavier ones to provide your body with a better challenge.

do my abs look firm enough lifting this weight?

10kg dumbbell set for just €20

Lidl are doing a set of 10kg dumbbells for just €20 from tomorrow.

http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20091005.p.10kg_Dumbbell_Set

If you want to workout from home here is your chance to pick up some weights to get started with. I know it may not be heavy enough for you guys but is plenty for most women to get started with. if you want something better and bigger go to www.irish-lifting.com

They have some Swiss balls also (not super quality) which are great for leg curls and other core exercises like  in the picture below –

 

Plank position on swiss ball - hold for 30secs and keep back straight

I also have mentioned it before in the piece i did on the 5 most important exercises you just have to do –

If you are NOT doing weights then getting more toned and fit is never really going to happen and you will always have areas you need to firm up and should not have to resign yourself to cover up – the ostrich approach. If you have areas you need work on then learn how to change them and remember you have to work the whole body and can’t spot reduce. Walking/jogging/swimming/cycling etc can’t change your shape and improve definition – that’s the purpose of the weights. Well that and increasing your metabolism, increased strength and improved posture.

weights - No thanks I'll stick to the walking to make me look fab.

Get your head out of the sand and hit the weights today. Look at the videos I post for ideas. Speed up your fat loss and muscle toning today! Contact me now so you can get working on a program that works.

The myth about exercise – it’s a waste of time!

What follows is  a piece I have wanted to do for a while now and even saved the original article in Time magazine to give you my two cents on

Is exercise a waste of time for fat loss?

 

The basic jist of the article was that there is lots of scientific evidence that shows if you are looking to drop the fat then doing exerise alone is not going to work and could actually make you fatter. The making you fatter part they argued was a result of eating more when you have exercised thus negating all the beneficial effects. The funny thing is that as bad as this sounds I would have to agree with 90% of what is written in the piece.

A few points to note –

1. I have always said in any interviews and to all clients that 70-80% of all weight loss is a direct result of your diet and your fat loss progress is in direct proportion to the amount of starchy carbs you take in (bread, rice, cereals, pasta, potatoes, junk food etc) and how much proper training you do. In other words – if you go for a walk with a few friends and then have a latte and muffin as a treat you are deluded thinking you are going to get in better shape.  

2. The type of exercise in the Time article was never dicussed. Were they weight training, doing intervals etc? I seriously doubt it but even when you do all these things right a diet that is not right for you will stop you from looking amazing all the time. If you are hitting the weights and doing intervals AND keeping nutrition in check you will make significant progress but as you get closer to your goal it is very helpful to get specialised assistance from a trainer as there are usually small changes necessary to get you the rest of the way.

3. If you have a weight problem right now and are overweight then sorting your diet out will make the fat loss easier and will drastically reduce your chances of getting the big 3 – cancer, diabetes and heart disease. You are more likely to suffer from one or more of these even if you do exerise regularly but are overweight. The weight you carry around your stomach is fast becoming a better measure of health (BMI has been used with some success for years) and is called Sagittal Abdominal Diameter. SAD has been shown to predict heart disease better than BMI and is the distance from your back to your upper abdomen (Amer. Journ. Epid. Dec 2006). They did a study in 100,000 men and women and found that the men with the largest SAD were 42% more likely to have heart disease and in women it was 44% more likely. So basically the larger your belly the bigger the risk, regarless of how much exercise you take and how healthy you think you are.  

measuring SAD

In summary, if you think you can out train a poor diet and get in great shape you are wrong and may just end up getting fatter. If you jump about and your belly is doing a dance then please sort your diet out and then get in the weights and intervals, it just may save your life and a lifetime of disease.

Crossfit Games

Crossfit competition - clean and press

Just a short reminder that this coming saturday the 19th the crossfit games are on, which i will compete in. It’s a fun yet tough way to test your fitness/strength/skill and some would say is the ultimate way to test and discover who really is the fittest guy/gal on the planet. Come along and enjoy the atmosphere even www.crossfit.ie

When you go to the gym or even do any form of training how are you testing yourself? How are you checking you are getting stronger/fitter etc. The reason i ask is that your body fat and weight loss will really take care of itself, as long as your diet is right, when you focus on getting A) a little stronger e.g. being able to do more press ups, chin ups, lift a heavier weight etc and B) fitter e.g. able to do more rounds of certain weight exercises in less time, use higher levels doing cardio etc

Yet, what do i see all the time in gyms the world over – people going into the gym doing the same exercises at the same levels/weights week on week and THEN they have the balls to say “why am i not seeing any changes”. People please lets get real here – test yourself at least once a week on any of the crossfit type workouts i have sent you or you can look up on line or your own current exercises. Once you peel yourself off the floor and wipe off the sweat then at least you know where you stand now and can push for progress from there.

The people i meet or train that are always getting a little better/slimmer/fitter are changing the exercises, reps,sets and type of training they do frequently and of course testing themselves in certain workouts. Do you think I would NOT test a clients body fat from month to month? Absolutely not. I test all the time to check for progress and that’s just one tool I use (the weight scales is possibly the worst way to track progress by the way – use your clothes).

If you have the time please just watch the video below and see how the people that are in great shape test themselves. Now it might look extreme but the principles are outlined in what i have already discussed i.e. if you are not testing yourself then you are wasting your time and need to get on a better program. The people that are in and stay in great shape are always looking for that little bit more or atricles like this to push them on to another level. Find a new level inside yourself the next time you workout and test yourself.

Glute work to cure back pain

Last night i did a review with a long time client of mine – Jim. He has just recovered from a bad back injury and has spent the past few months just walking (he has run a 3 marathons in the past 3 years) and doing stretching/pilates for 20-30mins in the morning and evening.

Some of the back injury was due to his glutes being really tight and basically not working right for him and specifically the piriformis which needed lots of stretching. He is now in the position to get back doing weights again and the video I took below is a short section of his workout that gives him some glute work, press ups and core work to keep his back/abs in shape.

Manyof the problems I see with the lower back or even the knee are related to tight glutes and what Jim is doing can help you activate the glutes more so they do the work they are supposed to do and not the lower back and thighs. Jim also does rolling for the glutes along with his stretching which combined is the best way to keep them in shape and free of injury. I have just paired them up with an upper body and core exercise to keep him moving and pushing his intensity up also. This is not a very difficult section of the workout but is right for the level he is at for the moment.

So if you are suffering from back and knee issues then it may be time to look at the source of the problem rather than constantly taking anti-inflammatory drugs, going to a chiropracter (can be helpful at times) or putting on a wrap and pop up to me or mail me with any questions you have.   

The gym free workout

Years ago when i was working as the fitness director for one of the biggest chains of gyms in the country we use an excellent system to track members attendance. Over the first year we used this system i was shocked at the attendance rates – only a third of the members in the gym were going any more regularly than 3 times per week or more and a third were going about once every 10-14days. Now this is a trend that is seen world wide and people continue to pay expensive gym rates yet barely use the facility.

you could have gotten a better workout outside

With this in mind i have taken two videos of a client of mine doing the workouts i have designed for her outdoors. Ruth is a mother of two young kids so wants to be able to get her workout done in about 45mins and some fresh air while she is at it. The two workouts are done using equipment that most of your local parks have installed and i am only giving a small example of the many workouts you can do and they are only 2 of 5-6workouts that Ruth does many of which would use just a bench or step. For exapmle, you can do press ups and inverted rows/chin ups of you do not bring dumbbells with you. A workout i frequently do in cabinteely park is 20dips run to chin up stands do 20 chin ups run back and repeat 5-6 rounds and aim to keep time under 30mins if you really want to work hard!

The first is a combination of using dumbbells and a bar in the park – its 21reps of each on first round, 15reps on second and 9reps on last. Its basically a modified crossfit fran workout. If your a guy you can do chin ups on a full bar instead of the inverted rows. Take as many breaks as needed but you’re aiming to do it as fast as possible so keep the pace up.

The second is more cardio focused and you do need a kettlebell or dumbbell and this can’t really be done in a gym so give it a go and no holding back on the run!

So get out to your local park and do some sprints, dips, step ups, pull ups etc its free, you get fresh air and no one to wait on or having to sit on a machine that some sweaty guy just got off!

How Aisling burned all the fat in less than a month

Aisling came to me after just finishing her leaving cert – a bit burnt out and having done little or no training in months. She started off with the floowing stats using a calipers 16.6% body fat at a weight of 51.7kg on the 10th july 2009. Less than a month later she was 14.4% body fat at 50.7kg and still going down! She is quite short and very slim as it is so it really was a matter of changing her composition and building some muscle.

She is delighted with her progress and of course is far better on her diet – it also helps her mum started around the same time and has dropped almost a stone as it is and can almost get a full chin up. Very impressive for a woman in her 50’s and i she tells me all her friends can’t get over the changes in her body shape and fitness.

Have a look at the video attached for an idea on her most recent workout before i change it soon so she moves on to the next level. Both Aisling and Jean train a few hours per week doing weights, intervals and some walking. Before all the changes they were going for walks and getting no where fast. Goes to show if you want progress at any age you better get a good weights progam and sort out your diet first!