What's Been Happening?

This week at Building Muscle Fast, I posted a review of the EDT DVD "A Complete Video Guide To Escalating Density Training".

Over at The Fitness Journal I covered such topics as eating over the holiday season, steady state vs interval training and protein and fat loss.

I will finish by wishing everybody all the best for the holiday season and I hope you have a great time over the holidays.

Latest Updates

Today at Building Muscle Fast you can read an interview of John Berardi, author of Precision Nutrition. Meanwhile at The Fitness Journal this week, I have talked about Xmas gifts for fitness enthusiasts, weight training for women and given weight training tips for martial artists etc.

Check them out!

Fitness Blogs

If your primary interest is in getting bigger and stronger, check out Building Muscle Fast. It focuses on building muscle and strength and includes interviews, training tips and reviews. The latest post is the second part of an interview with Jason Ferruggia, author of Muscle Gain Secrets.

At The Fitness Journal, I have been discussing weight training, bodyweight training, exercise movement patterns and nutrition.

What's Happening At The Fitness Journal

Over the last week at The Fitness Journal I have covered such topics as bodyweight exercise, supplementation, weight training and training for people with diabetes.

So head over to the Fitness Journal now!

Latest Update

During the last few days at The Fitness Journal I have written about fat loss, maintaining shoulder health, stability training and weight training.

Check them all out at The Fitness Journal.

Remember to sign up for my basic health and fitness newsletter here.

Fitness Journal Update

Recently on The Fitness Journal I have covered boxing for fitness, genetics and weight management and using a training diary. And these are just a few of the health and fitness topics.

Check it out at The Fitness Journal

This Week At The Fitness Journal

This week at The Fitness Journal I have blogged about low carb eating, periodisation, strongman training, training goals, gaining strength without gaining weight and more. So check out The Fitness Journal

Recent Fitness Journal Posts

Some of the recent topics that I have covered at The Fitness Journal include weight loss, 'martial arts' based fitness training, improving your recovery and women and weight training. Check it out here.

My New Fitness and Training Blog

If you are interested, you can now check out my new fitness and training blog The Fitness Journal.

The purpose of The Fitness Journal to give up to date, interesting and practical information to help you achieve the body, fitness, health and lifestyle that you want.

I have been updating daily and I hope to "see" you there.

Fitness for Trekking

As part of our recent holiday in Vietnam and Cambodia(we arrived back this week), we did a short trek in Sapa. It was a great experience but because of the combination of steep hills, clay soil and rain, it was not easy.

Here are some fitness ideas if you are planning a trek

- build up a good basic fitness level

- work on your flexibility, balance and agility - if you are walking on slippery steep ground, you will find these fitness elements are being constantly tested

- prepare yourself for the downhill sections - glutes and hamstrings will take a beating - if you have access to a elliptical machine, backwards stepping is a useful preparation.

- if your are going to use a pole for support (we would not have been able to do without our bamboo poles) - shoulder, back, arms and chest will all need work

Obesity and Sugars

I listened to a great "Health Report" podcast today on the possible link between high fructose and sucrose intake and the increased incidence of obesity in many parts of the world.

The upshoot of the report for the average person is to decrease intake of processed foods that are high in fructose or sucrose and low in fibre. It is important to consider carbohydrates in relation to fibre levels - an orange is good - orange juice on the other hand not so good.

Osteoarthritis and Exercise

A recent study has suggested that doing taichi and other exercise helps sufferers of osteoarthritis by strengthening the muscles, improving balance and proprioception and moving the muscles around the joints.

The adage of "use it or lose it" is very apt in relation to exercise and osteoarthritis. By working the joints through a relatively full range of motion, even if it means "some slight" discomfort is considered to reduce pain and increase joint range of motion.

Training Boredom

One of the challenges facing many people on their path to fitness is periods of feeling bored or stale with their training. You do your normal weight training routine or cardio session and think to yourself – what am I doing? I’m just going through the motions.

Here are a couple of ideas to help shrug off the feeling.
1. Take a couple of days off training and do something different
2. Start doing a new class – dance, yoga etc. (this is for the guys too)
3. Train somewhere new.
4. Increase the variety within your normal workout – spice up each individual workout with a change of exercises, tempo, intensity etc.

Have fun.

Beyond the squat, bench and deadlift

When training in a good weight training facility, I am a firm believer in doing basic exercises that work multiple bodyparts. When talking about the basics most people automatically think of the squat, deadlift and benchpress. These are all great exercises but for the more advanced trainer, there are a multitude of other exercises and variations that will keep your training interesting and make you work hard.

Some exercises to consider are snatchs, cleans, push presses, Romanian deadlifts, front squats, and hack squats. No machines or fancy equipment is required, just good instruction, well-developed movement patterns and hard work. Most of these exercises have been around for ages, but most modern trainers have never used them so you might have to hunt around for someone to show you the movements. Just remember these exercises are generally not recommended for beginners – you should have developed good lifting basics and kinesthetic feedback before attempting these old school exercises.

Balance and Agility Training

As part of your fitness training, do you include balance and agility training.

Unless you are doing yoga (great balance training), dance, a martial art (both balance and agility depending on the style) or gymnastics of some form, you should consider including some balance and agility training in your routine. Together they play a part in your long-term functional health.

Weight Loss Surgery???

There was an article in a recent magazine detailing the dangers of liposuction and other types of weight loss surgery.

Weight loss surgery can definitely have a positive impact on a person - potentially helping them achieve the body and lifestyle they have always wanted. Unfortunately there are a number of risks associated with the surgery that should be considered, some of which are very serious.

Unless a person is morbidly obese, and has made a SERIOUS long-term attempt to control their weight through exercise and dietary modification (working with a Dietician and a Personal Trainer would be a good start) weight loss surgery should not even be considered.

Weight Loss Tip

Do you drive around the department store car park until you find a park close to the entrance?

If so, try parking further away and just walk to the store- you won't waste time in the car and and you will have used a few more calories.

Super Size Me

For a reality check on the potential impact of fast food - specifically McDonald's - on your health - check out Super Size Me.

Although taken to extremes, the experience of the film maker during his 30 day McDonald's diet is quite amazing and quite horrifying.

The serving sizes available in the United States are also amazing, being considerably larger than what I have seen in Australia or Japan.

I find watching Super Size Me to be great motivation to train and to maintain a relatively healthy eating pattern.

Quick Mel Update

Just a quick update on Mel's training - she has been doing very well - training hard and eating well.

I'm proud of her.

Fitness Quote

"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity"

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Mel's First Program

Given that Mel doesn't have a lot of free time and has not done a lot of weight training in the past, this first program is short and focuses on basic exercises. These exercises focus on the major muscle groups of the body, give good results and will give her a strong base for her training in the future.

Because of her limited experience and her concern about using free weights at this time, we are going to start by using weight machines. Free weights will be incorporated in future programs.

The program itself (3 times per week)
Warm-up
Leg Press 3 sets x 10 reps
Lat Pulldown 2 sets x 10 reps
Cable Row 2 sets x 10 reps
Bench Press 3 sets x 10 reps
Crunches 3 sets X 10 reps
Aerobics 30 min (any machine)
Warm-down

The whole program should be finished within a hour, and I hope she will enjoy it.

"Interesting" PT clients

My wife has set me an "interesting"task - she wants me to act as her PT, to help her achieve her fitness and weight loss goals. Given my background this sounds like a great idea. The difficulty in this case, comes with separating us a a couple and us as a trainer and trainee.

This was vividly illustrated when I started to teach Melanie some martial arts basics. I started teaching her as I would a normal student. She got annoyed and started complaining that I was telling her what to do (I was in instructor mode), and I became frustrated that she didn't listen to my advise. Not an ideal situation.

This time, I am going to use a distance PT approach and do the program design, dietary recommendations, motivation and support, without actually doing the one on one training. We both think that this approach should be effective.

The training will start shortly after Mel comes back from her visit to Australia. I will keep you updated on how we go.

Have you set your goals?

What are your health and fitness goals?

Do you want to loose weight? Exactly how much weight? In what time frame?

Do you want to get fit? What does that actually mean to you?

To achieve a goal, you need to know what it is that you actually want to achieve.

Take some time and when you know, write it down, read it regularly and move toward reaching it.

Some tools that may be of use to you are Achieve-IT! and Sculptor 3.

Go for it!

Burn The Fat - Feed The Muscle

"Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle" has developed a reputation as one of the best books available on fat loss, while maintaining your all important muscle. Check it out!!

Great Fitness Quote

"Obstacles are those frightening things that become visible when we take our eyes off our goals."

Although not directly about fitness, this great quote from Henry Ford has validity in any endeavour.

Weight Loss Tip

Start with your “self talk.”

"Self talk" is the inner dialogue that you run through your brain.

Ask yourself this question: Is your self talk positive about yourself, and your ability to meet your weight loss goals or is it negative and keeping you from attaining the things you want?

From today, start being aware of what you are saying to yourself and if it is negative, start replying with a more positive statement (generally not out loud) ;-)

But remember, all the positive self talk in the world won't help unless you actually act on it.

Getting Big

If you want to put on lots of muscle, a simple but powerful thought that I heard at a Tom Platz seminar is a great place to start.

Tom was a awesomely muscled bodybuilding superstars of the 1980's and he said that if you want to get big "Think Big, Eat Big and Train Big"

This statement encapsulates a mental, dietary and training philosophy that is hard to beat if your goal is to put on size.

Great Fitness Quote

"A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world."

This great quote comes from Paul Dudley White - cardiologist and founder of the American Heart Association.

Weight Loss Tip

In simple terms, you loose weight when you use more energy during the day, than you take in in the form of food. So, if you want to loose weight, try eating a little less and training a little more. It may be all your body needs to make a difference.

Motivation and Fitness

I have to admit that I actually do go through stages of not feeling motivated to train. I've actually had a couple of periods in the twelve months that have been particularly difficult.

One was when we moved overseas. Of course there are plenty of reasons (excuses) not to train during a period like this. Bottom line is motivation falls and unless you give it a reason, the mind will come up with plenty of reasons not to train.

What I did was start fanning my motivation, telling myself how much better I would feel mentally and physically and how much more energy I would have.

When I started back at training I started slowly, I didn't want to give myself any other reasons not to train e.g.. injuries or too much delayed onset muscle soreness.

Try it, I hope it works for you.