All the things I have written with a connection to our health. Why not take a look? They are all free!
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Improving your Health.
All the things I have written with a connection to our health. Why not take a look? They are all free!
How to: Do Stick Ups
Name: Stick Ups.
Also known as: Wall Slides.
Main muscles used: Upper back.
Other muscles used:
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do Squat Stretch
Name: Squat Stretch.
Also known as:
Main muscles used: Inner thighs.
Other muscles used: Bum.
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do Hurdle Step Overs
Name: Hurdle Step Over.
Also known as:
Main muscles used: Hip stabilisers, bums, legs.
Other muscles used: Ankle stabilisers.
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
Going to get fitter/stronger in the new year? Avoid these pitfalls…
The new year is here, and statistics show that most of us plan to get fitter, stronger or lose weight in 2012. But statistics also show that only a fraction of us will actually succeed. If you are working out your new year resolutions, make sure you don't fall into any of these exercise and diet pitfalls...
...Click here to read more.
What are Movement Compensations?
Since I started to learn Karate when I was 7 years old, I have consciously or subconsciously been trying to improve the way I move. I have learned that if I want to put my body in a certain position, there are loads of different ways I can do it. But I have also learned that some ways are better than others.
...Click here to read more.
Hip mobility and slipping on the ice.
When (not "if") you slip on the ice, your feet are going to shift away from you. If your hips are mobile, you have a greater chance of shifting your support into a position where you might be able to avoid falling.
If your hips aren't mobile, then you have a greater chance of either ripping some important soft tissue in your groin (ouch!), or planting your face into the floor.
...Click here to read more.
3 golden rules for strength and fitness success…
Do you want to get fitter?
Do you want to get stronger?
Follow these 3 golden rules and improve your chances of success...
...Click here to read more.
Fixing the right problems and doing your back in
Often, a pulled muscle is not due to a weakness in that particular muscle, but because of a weakness in a totally different muscle.
Why?
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do Cossack Mobility Stretch
Name: Cossack mobility stretch.
Also known as: (If you know these by any other name, please leave a comment below).
Main muscles used: Bum, hamstrings, adductors.
Other muscles used:
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
Over 40% of cancers due to lifestyle, says review
You may have noticed this story in the news:
Over 40% of cancers due to lifestyle.
If not, click here for the story, and click here for an explaination of the story from the excellent NHS "behind the headlines" website (I love this place, it explains the millions of health related stories you read in the papers and helps you decide which ones you can totally ignore!).
If you want to change your lifestyle for the better, click here to download my very simple guide to help you.
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do Front Leg Swing
Name: Front Leg Swing.
Also known as: (If you know these by any other name, please leave a comment below).
Main muscles used: Bum, hamstrings, hip flexors.
Other muscles used:
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do a Reverse Lunge
Name: Reverse Lunge.
Also known as: Backwards Lunge.
Main muscles used: Bum, legs.
Other muscles used:
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do Inverted Rows
Name: Inverted Rows.
Also known as: Australian pressups, bodyweight rows.
Main muscles used: Upper back, arms.
Other muscles used: Lower back, bum.
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
Recommended Reading: What’s your poison? A special report on alcohol in the media.
Is a small drink good or bad for you? Does a small glass in the evening give you health benefits?
Read this special report from the NHS for an analysis on "the media’s relationship with research on alcohol, the science behind it, and what all this means for us when we consider raising a glass."
The report covers:
...Click here to read more.
Shotokan Karate for pain relief?
I work with several people with various injuries and disabilities. A few of whom suffer from chronic pain. It took me a while to appreciate the concept of chronic pain. As a young, healthy bloke with a background in martial arts I would think that i have been hit by loads of people and got hurt (I was never that good at martial arts!). I would think:
...Click here to read more.
Video: 100 year old sprinter and marathon runner…what is stopping you today?
Click here for a news link i just came accross. It tells of Fauja Singh, a 100 year old gentleman who took up competitive running at the age of 89!
He sprints 100 metre races and is also aiming for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon today!
This 100 year old guy can do it...how old are you again?
What is your excuse?
...Click here to read more.
Recommended reading: Fitness, nutrition and a Peruvian fruit stall.
If you follow this link, the guy talks of being in Peru and being guided round a local fruit stall full of unusual fruit. The line I like is:
"...the future will not be about finding information, but rather, finding reliable interpreters and guides..."
I feel the same way when someone comes to me with the latest internet exercise craze. I remind myself to upgrade my internal "bullshit filters", so I can recognise people who know what they are talking about, and who are just trying to sell me something.
...Click here to read more.
Cross training – training when injured.
My friend was out running in the rain the other day, slipped and twisted her knee. It is now lovely and swollen and she has been advised to avoid too much force going through her knee. So what does she do now? Does she have to lay up for a couple of weeks recovering and possibly losing some of the fitness she has trained hard to gain? Of course not! This is where cross training (and a little imagination) comes in! First of all, here is the usual obvious disclaimer:
...Click here to read more.
New physical activity guidelines for adults in the UK.
"New and important guidelines" have been released today about recommended physical activity levels for people in the UK. Click here to read them and see how you compare.
Here are just a couple of my thoughts...
...Click here to read more.
What happens to your training while on holiday?
My friend is going on holiday to Italy for 3 weeks, so she was wondering how will she cope without her regular training 3 times a week?
Holidays can be difficult when it comes to training. So off the top of my head, here are some of the main problems and how we might get over them...
...Click here to read more.
The USA’s new “My Plate” food guide.
The USDA revamped its guide on what to eat the other day. It used to be a funny pyramid with lots of stripes on. I was never very keen on it, because it wasn't very clear to me.
But I think I like this new one. It is clear and simple. And importantly, it is very clear that half of what you eat should be made up of fruit and veggies.
...Click here to read more.
Recommended Reading: Supplements: Who needs them? A special report.
Supplements. Do you take them? Do you know what they are? Are they worth the money we spend on them and are they even actually safe for us?
If you don't know the answer to any of these, click here to find out.
This NHS report gives you unbiased information from actual science studies (not from an advertising exec.) on:
...Click here to read more.
Training movements, not muscles.
I work in a gym, but I don't think I am your average gym monkey (at least I hope I'm not). I am not interested in isolating muscles and "maximising the burn". Instead, because of my background in Karate, I am more interested in being able to move in strong, powerful, fast and well coordinated ways.
...Click here to read more.
Sprints versus marathons for heart health
I read this story when it came out last month. It shows how multiple, maximal effort sprints had similar effects on health compared to long duration exercise. But after chatting with some people in the gym, I have a couple of problems with the practical implications of it...
...Click here to read more.
Waist fat ‘increases heart risk’
Click here for the news story.
It says how where you carry your bodyfat can have a big impact on your health and risks of disease. It talks about the waist/hip ratio. Or how much fat you are carrying around your belly. This is a very easy measurement to take. In fact, you can do it right now! All you need is a tape measure.
I have written about the hip/waist ratio back in 2009. So click here to find out all about it!
...Click here to read more.
Low Back Pain Recovery Slow; And Worse For Those On Compensation
Last year, I ranted about how a guy I knew was being prevented to exercise and rehabilitate his injuries because his solicitor said it would jeopardise his compensation claim.
Well, today I was doing some research on back pain and stumbled on the following webpage. It talks about recovery times for people with low back pain, and how various factors affected these recovery times. Then I read the following sentence:
...Click here to read more.
Why absolutely everyone should aim to increase their muscle (yes, this includes you!): Part 2.
Last summer I did my best to explain why everyone (including women and the elderly) should do weight training in order to get stronger.
Well, The American Journal of Medicine have published a report that backs me up! They say:
...Click here to read more.
This one is for the office workers out there!
This one is for all you office workers out there. If you find yourself sitting in front of your PC for 8 hours a day, you are probably storing up a load of problems for your body.
Not only the obvious ones like getting fat and unfit, but soon your joints are going to start giving you problems, your mobility will reduce and risks of repetitive strain injury (RSI) will increase.
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do a Scapular Retraction.
Name: Prone Scapular Retractions.
Also known as: (If you know these by any other name, please leave a comment below).
Main muscles used: Upper back.
Other muscles used: Back of shoulders.
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
What makes a fit and capable body?
We should all strive to have a fit and capable body. I don't care if you are:
...Click here to read more.
How hypertension (high blood pressure) is diagnosed is to be changed.
It seems that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is to change it's guidelines on how high blood pressure is to be diagnosed.
I mention this because I get quite a few people being refered to exercise due to high blood pressure, and it is one of the things included in the physical/fitness assesments I conduct on people.
...Click here to read more.
Superfoods! Discover what foods will kill you dead, and save your life!
One of my favorite websites I keep going back to for reliable information, is a section on the NHS site they call "Behind the Headlines". Here they take a look at some of the major health stories in the papers, and give you the facts.
Take a look at just a few of the ways the papers blow a health story out of all proportion, and you will understand why one of my favorite saying at the moment is:
...Click here to read more.
Stretching before running ‘does not prevent injury’
Stretching before running does not necessarily prevent injury a US study of over 2,700 has suggested. Click below for the full story:
...Click here to read more.
Recommended reading: Being a Woman in the gym: Diary of an Intern
If you are a woman and if you go to the gym, please take 5 minutes to read this:
Almost every other day I talk to a woman in work who refuse to do anything that does not involve little pink dumbells in fear of "turning into a man".
...Click here to read more.
U.S. study finds obese people more motivated to shed pounds if they’re paid
I stumbled across this story. Basically, people were paid money if they managed to lose bodyweight. And they were more successful than another group of people who were not paid money.
But, when they were measured again 9 months later, they had regained most of the weight.
...Click here to read more.
Craven Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre Facebook page.
My friend Robin has just started a Facebook page for the fitness centre where I work. There will be timetables, offers and information posted up there, so please, take a look and link to it!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Craven-Swimming-Pool-and-Fitness-Centre/169284923107407
...Click here to read more.
It is SO difficult to get hold of fruit and veg here!
I just remembered a chat I had with a friend the other day. We were discussing healthy eating, and he mentioned that it is so difficult to get hold of fruit and veg these days.
Pardon? 
...Click here to read more.
How central heating is making you fat(?)
I read this story in the Daily Mail. It suggests that the reason 2 thirds of the UK population is overweight or obese, is because of central heating.
The thinking goes, if we are in a warm cosy environment (like a centrally heated room) our bodies don't have to burn so many calories to keep us warm.
Now that is a very good theory, and it sounds totally plausible to me. It is true, the colder your body, the more calories it burns to maintain your body temperature...BUT GET REAL!
...Click here to read more.
Recommended Reading: Food – a fact of life
I can't remember how I stumbled on this webpage, but it is aimed at school teachers/parents trying to teach healthy nutrition to kids.
Having said that, I know for a fact that most adults (myself included) can learn a lot from it. Just some of the things on the webpage include:
...Click here to read more.
Taking regular breaks from desk ‘good for the heart’
Taking lots of breaks from sitting at a desk is good for the waistline and heart health, research suggests.
Research showing that if you sit around all day, you will get unhealthy. But if you regularly get up on your feet (even for a minute or so) you can improve your health.
Click here to download the actual study paper.
...Click here to read more.
Aching like hell after training?
Few weeks ago I wrote a bit on Recovery Strategies (click here). And it was geared more towards those who train harder and more regularly than your average punter.
But it is the new year now, and millions of people have a resolution to get fit, and join up with gyms/exercise classes. So this article is aimed more at that crowd...exercise virgins, if you like!
...Click here to read more.
Absolutely free healthy cook books.
One of my trainees asked me yesterday for some healthy recipes to help them lose some weight. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I am not a very good cook (enthusiastic, yes...good, no!). I am very much a "cook by the seat of my pants" type of person in the kitchen. My idea of cooking is to lob it all in the wok, turn it up to 11, and see what happens.
...Click here to read more.
Happy new year!
In case you didn't notice, it is January, so happy new year!
I've been ill (with sniffles) the last couple of weeks, so to be honest I can't really be arsed to write anything meaninful just yet. So I'm taking the easy route and simply posting the 5 most popular things from this blog over the last year...so here are the things that have attracted the most attention over the last 12 months...
...Click here to read more.
Movement Analysis – See how you move and how it can be improved.
I see my job as helping people move more, and move better. I've been lucky and since I started Karate when I was 7, I have been coached to move well (well = efficiently, safely and with coordination).
And because of this, I notice just how many people move badly (badly = inefficient, unsafe and uncoordinated...click here). These people come in all shapes and sizes, from your average Joe through to your exercise junkie. 
...Click here to read more.
Get the basics right, and the details may not matter at all.
I carry on a lot about getting the basic fundamentals right and not stressing about the little details. This is totally unsexy and not at all what people want to hear when they ask my advice. But what the hell. I'm paid to get results, and I don't have a warehouse full of "Ab-Dominator!" machines to flog.
...Click here to read more.
Are you crippling yourself every time you walk?
I was walking into work yesterday morning, looking at the fooprints in the snow, left by someone who had been along before. This person showed a common problem that can lead to bad things if they are not carefull.
...Click here to read more.
Doctors say most PE lessons neglect all-round fitness
Just read this news article on how many school PE lessons are a bit rubbish when it comes to getting kids active.
There are a couple of sentences in there that jumped out at me:
...Click here to read more.
Recovery Strategies: What to do after training has finished.
It is a well known, but well forgotten fact that our bodies don't improve during exercise/training. Instead, they improve after exercise/training. Put simply, during training, our bodies are damaged/broken/busted up. And in the hours/days following, our bodies repair/improve/upgrade themselves, and make them just that little bit better than before.
...Click here to read more.
Making use of “dead time”.
A very common excuse for people to give for not exercising, or increasing their activity levels, is that they are simply too busy. They "don't have enough time". Unfortunately, this excuse is bollocks.
...Click here to read more.
Marketing magic for a healthier diet: Do try this at home!
I was shown this internet blog by a nutritionist friend of mine. It shows a few ways to "trick" yourself into eating better.
I especially like it because it uses actual, real world marketing tricks that supermarkets use to make us buy the things they want us to buy. And I am a firm believer in shamelessly stealing good ideas from people!
Marketing magic for a healthier diet: Do try this at home!: SELF.com.
If you are a marketing guru, or if you just work in retail, think how you con convince your punters into choosing your products, and leave a comment below.
...Click here to read more.
Army launches ‘improvised’ fitness guide for troops
"The British Army is rolling out an 'improvised' fitness guide to all soldiers operating in isolated spots away from main bases."
Click here for the video.
I absolutely love this kind of "guerilla" exercising. You don't need a gym full of expensive machinery to get you fit and healthy. All you need is your own bodyweight, the environment around you and the indomitable will to do it.
Having said that, I would be doing better exercises than some of those shown on this video...but I think it is clear that they were taking the piss a bit!
...Click here to read more.
Getting ready for Christmas
I have mentioned periodisation before (click here). It is the "big picture" view of training. It is about managing your training in such a way as to maximise your results.
I talkd before about doing things in a certain order, but it also means managing when you can work hard and when you need to ease off to recover. In this way, periodisation works on many time scales, such as:
...Click here to read more.
The difference between a sweat session and a “clinic”.
Some people have been surprised when watching me coach clients. They have expected a hard, rip-roaring sweat session...pushing people to the max like some drill sergeant.
And to be honest, sometime that is my job. Sometimes I do need to push people out of their comfort zone in order to get them to their goals.
But the main part of my job is not simply getting people to do more (a sweat session).
It is getting people to do better (a technical session). 
...Click here to read more.
Has the calorie had its day?
Have you noticed this story? It is asking if we should change the way calories are marked on food labels.
It is an interesting read. It mentions how some foods are processed differently in the body, so this affects how many calories we get from them. There are 3 bits in it that caught my eye:
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do Back Extensions
Name: Back extensions.
Also known as: Back raises, porpoises.
Main muscles used: Back.
Other muscles used: Bum.
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do a Waiters Bow
Name: Waiters Bow.
Main muscles used: Bum.
Other muscles used: Back.
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do the Side Plank
Name: Side Plank.
Main muscles used: Stomach and sides.
Other muscles used: Shoulders.
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
How to: Do the Front Plank
Name: The Front Plank.
Also known as: Prone Bridge.
Main muscles used: Stomach.
Other muscles used: Muscles on the front side of the body.
Top tips:
...Click here to read more.
Background Activity, Active Design and New York
I've talked before about increasing a persons "Background Activity" (click here, and here) to help improve their health and weight. And it looks like New York city has the same idea!
Click here for a BBC documentary about how architects in New York are trying to make it harder for people to get about in order to give people more exercise.
...Click here to read more.
Weight loss, gain and maintainance diets.
I've noticed that when I talk to people about diets, we often end up talking at cross purposes, and they don't always understand what I'm on about.
To your average person, a "diet" means one thing...a short term, drastic change in their eating/drinking habits which they "go on", in order to lose some weight.
When I think about diets, I prefer to use the following definition:
...Click here to read more.
Why absolutely everyone should aim to increase their muscle (yes, this includes you!)
You need to do resistance training (weights) and aim to increase your muscle mass. If you disagree with me, or think this does not apply to you, sorry, but you are wrong, and I am right.
Read on and I'll try to explain why...
...Click here to read more.
Recommended reading: Feeding your kids fruit and veg – 5 a day.
I don't have kids, so there are some problems that I have (thankfully!) never experienced. One of these problems is how to get your kids to eat enough fruit and veg. But my friend who does have children asked me this the other day...so if you have this problem, try reading the following link...
...Click here to read more.
Strength and strength training – What, how and for who.
Many people (including some experienced athletes) tend to equate strength training with bodybuilding...thinking that both are one and the same. But there is more than one type of strength and as such there is more than one way of training for strength.
Here is a quick run down of the major forms of strength...
...Click here to read more.
Recommended reading: The Minnesota Starvation Study
During World War II, 36 conscientious objectors participated in a study of human starvation. This Minnesota Starvation Experiment was a grueling study meant to gain insight into the physical and psychologic effects of semistarvation and the problem of refeeding civilians who had been starved during the war. During the experiment, the participants were subjected to semistarvation in which most lost <25% of their weight.
...Click here to read more.
Large waist size linked to ‘higher risk of death’
Here is another news story suggesting that your waist/hip ratio is a better assessment of your health, than your total bodyweight or your BMI.
...Click here to read more.
Why do we eat?
About 2 thirds of the UK population are overweight or obese. This is because we eat/drink too much and don't exercise enough. We all know this, but we still continue overeating. Why?
Off the top of my head, I can think of 3 major reasons why we eat/drink:
...Click here to read more.
The Healthy Eating Pyramid
I am a firm believer in keeping things simple whenever I can.
Not only does this mean that I can keep my life nice and easy, but I also find that simple things make the biggest differences in life. Especially when it comes to food, drink and weight control.
So probably the simplest thing that any of us can do to improve our health and give our bodies the resources they need to perform at a high standard, is follow this healthy eating pyramid:
...Click here to read more.
Slimming pills: Do the claims add up?
News story looking at 5 slimming pills to see if their claims to help you lose weight are actually backed up by any research.
Click here for the full story.
...Click here to read more.
Link between inactivity and obesity queried
Researchers have challenged the assumption that a lack of exercise causes children to put on weight.
Click here to read the whole news article.
...Click here to read more.
Exercise Workshop last Sunday
So I did my first Exercise Workshop on Sunday, and first and foremost I want to say a huge congratulations and thank you to all who attended!
...Click here to read more.
Carbohydrates, proteins & fats: The basics.
Food is probably the third most important thing in our lives after oxygen and water. But hardly any of us know anything about it.
Do you know what carbohydrates, proteins and fats are?
What do they do?
Where do we get them from?
...Click here to read more.
NHS watchdog NICE calls for trans-fats ban in foods
Trans-fats should be eliminated from food in England, NHS watchdog NICE has said.
Click here to read the rest of the story from BBC news.
...Click here to read more.
Do you have a healthy lifestyle?
Some things are just more important than others.
Some things just need to be nailed before others.
Some things are just so fundamental that without them, other things are simply not going to work.
Some examples include:
...Click here to read more.
Fat and fit
I think I depressed one of my work colleagues today. I was showing them the scales that work out your body fat percentage. Unfortunately it gave a higher percentage than they hoped (it classed them as obese).
So he asked how can he be classed as obese if he does so much training?
Well, fitness and fatness are two different things. Here in the UK, they do usually go hand in hand. In other words, most fat people you meet will also be unfit. But this isn't always the case. 
...Click here to read more.
Priorities of losing fat
With 2 thirds of the UK population classed as overweight, there are plenty of people out there who want to lose some bodyfat. There are hundreds of diets to choose from, and thousands of "fat loss tips" to take in. And this can make things a little confusing for people. Which ones should you try? Which ones will work better? Which things are more important?
...Click here to read more.
Common mistake: “What’s the best thing for…?”
A common mistake I've seen from many people I have trained with (from absolute beginners to those who are really very good). They want to know "The best thing for..."
...Click here to read more.
Consistency…an update.
Following on from my previous post about consistency, a couple of people came up to me to ask:
"So shouldn't I change my current workout then?"
Due to me never reading my posts before I publish them, I want to be a politician for a moment and "clarify" what I meant...
What I meant to say was...
...Click here to read more.
Consistency
A very important factor that decides if an outcome is achieved or not, is consistency (simply doing something time and again and again and again).
Do the following stories sound familiar?
...Click here to read more.
Nearly a million obese Britons may be eligible for weight-reduction surgery
If you are in a good mood and want something to put a real downer on your day, take 2 minutes to read this story here...
...Click here to read more.
Exercise bargin of the year!
In our circuit sessions, we have been doing barbell rollouts on our knees for a few months now (this is a fantastic way to strengthen your stomach/core). First time, they were hideously hard! I felt it for a week! But now...well, they are a bit run-of-the-mill to be honest...
...Click here to read more.
This weeks circuit training sessions was…
It was the first week back off the easter hols, so we had a nice easy session this week.
The group was split into 2 groups, and they alternated between shuttle runs and the following exercises...
...Click here to read more.
Many cereals ‘have more sugar than desserts’
In my usual glance through the news, I saw this story (click here). Would you have ice cream or a jam doughnut for breakfast? I hope not! But the story tells how many of our "healthy" breakfast cereals have more sugar than either of these unhealthy sweets.
...Click here to read more.
My top advice to beginners…
Here is some invaluable advice for anyone who is new to exercise, or is thinking about starting to exercise...
...Click here to read more.
You want me to do WHAT to lose weight??
A couple of months back I wrote about the basics of the 3 main reasons people come to the gym to exercise. One of these reasons is to lose weight.
...Click here to read more.
Fitness tests for kids in school.
Englands chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, has called for "routine fitness tests" for secondary school children in an attempt to fight childhood obesity and inactivity levels. Click here for the story.
...Click here to read more.
Are you getting value for money?
It has been a quiet day in work today. Only a couple of people booked in to coach, and I couldn't convince anyone else to play with me.
So I had to watch a group of young lads playing with the freeweights for 2 hours and must have done about 50 different exercises with the weights. They were having great fun, they never stopped doing something the whole time and they left slapping eachother on the back congratulating for a job well done.
...Click here to read more.
Prevention is better than cure.
In the news today, it mentions that "two key treatments do not halt diabetes in people with early signs of the disease". Click here to read the full story.
...Click here to read more.
Keeping it simple brings real results
A regular in the gym I work at came up to me asking for newer, more elaborate exercises, because the ones she is doing now "aren't working".
Now I'll be the first to admit that there is nothing wrong with doing new, funky exercises...but do them for the right reasons.
...Click here to read more.
Exercise and hypertension (high blood pressure): how one can help the other.
I came across this article (click here) about hypertension (high blood pressure) this morning. In my work I regularly come across people with hypertension, so here is some key information about it...
...Click here to read more.
Exercise during pregnancy: Update
After yesterdays post about exercise during pregnancy, there was a question about what specific reps and sets of resistance should be done.
So here goes...
...Click here to read more.
Exercise during pregnancy.
A good friend of mine just got herself pregnant again (congratulations Sarah!). So I thought I would quickly go over some recommendations for her and others in her predicement ;)
...Click here to read more.
Its official: The importance of Background Activity.
A couple of weeks ago I explained how many people go to the gym, but don't get the improvements in their weight/health that they want.
And guess what? The government has just agreed with me!
...Click here to read more.
Call out for help!
This is a call out to anyone who: Cannot swim yet. Wants to learn to swim. Doesn't mind being on TV. Can get to the swimming pools at either Burnley or Colne in Lancashire. If the above sounds like you, I need to hear from you NOW! Just contact me by clicking here, or leave a comment below. Thanks!
...Click here to read more.
It’s the start of Lent. So what is your willpower like?
It was Pancake day yesterday, so that must mean today is the first day of Lent! Traditionally the time when we give something up until Easter. Perfect excuse to try changing your diet for the better.
Every single one of us already say to ourselves:
...Click here to read more.
Don’t be miserable and have a pancake!
I'm one of those people who are not at all religious, but still use holy days as an excuse to have a good time.
...Click here to read more.
What gets measured gets managed
Over the weekend I heard a couple of people in suits say:
"What gets measured, gets managed".
They were talking about their business, but it applies wonderfully to exercise.
If you are serious about changing/improving some aspect of your health/fitness/performance/weight, it is essential to tke measurements. If you don't know where you start from, how do you know if you are getting better/worse/staying the same?
Whenever I bring the subject of measuring with trainees, they often say:
...Click here to read more.
Why some people who “go to the gym” fail to lose weight
With nearly two thirds of the UK population classed as overweight or worse, a very common goal in the gym is to "lose weight". It is February, and the New Year influx has mostly died away now, but loads of people who joined to "lose weight" have unfortunately failed to do so.
They are coming to the gym 3 times a week, their diet is "pretty healthy"...so what is going wrong?
Here is one common reason...
...Click here to read more.
Background and Peak Activity. What are they and how are they different?
As I have said before, to change ourselves physically, we have to change our behaviour and habits. To change anything successfully, we need to know the starting point. A simple but effective way to find out a persons current activity levels is to look at their Peak Activity and Background Activity.
So what the hell are they?
...Click here to read more.
Back to basics for the “holy trinity”
Most people start exercising for one or more of the "holy trinity":
* To lose weight
* To get fitter
* To get stronger
Here are the most basic things to remember about how to get them...
...Click here to read more.
Changing behaviours and developing habits
I've talked before (click here) about having to change your behaviours and actions to improve your health and fitness. This is the first and most important step, and unfortunately is where a lot of people fall down.
Luckily the boffins and head doctors have come up with a "map" detailing the 5 steps we need to take to change our behaviours.
And here they are...
...Click here to read more.
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