So, January is here and
my Gym is already full of new people who don’t have clue about how to train,
Gym etiquette or sharing of the facilities.
However, I don’t blame
them, we’ve all been there when we started our fitness journey.
The Gym can be an
intimidating place if you are not comfortable in those surroundings.
The term
“Gym-timidation” has been coined for such a situation.
Sweating, other
people’s sweat, cold iron, Lycra clad ladies and muscle bound blokes in vest
tops are all reasons why the Gym can be unappealing.
The alternative is
working out on your own in the privacy of your own home, however, can you
really motivate yourself to achieve your maximum without the encouragement of
others?
It’s time to shift your
view on Exercise in the Gym, as Body building has lost its appeal and
importance in the fitness community.
The Functional Fitness revolution has changed the way we workout, as we want fitness that helps us outside the gym with exercises that
helps us lift, move, play, dance and recreate ourselves.
The term “fitness”
means adaption to a specific task and
you don’t get that from isolated muscle training. Fitness has 11 components
divided into three categories physical fitness, motor fitness and injury
prevention.
Physical fitness refers
to flexibility, endurance (muscular and heart), strength and speed. Motor
fitness refers to Accuracy, Balance, Power, Agility and Co-ordination.
With this in mind, people
want to exercise for than just health reasons and to lose weight / tone up.
People
also want a challenge, to learn a new skill and get that sense of achievement
that the elliptical or the bicep curl can never bring.
Therefore, it is no
surprise that adventure races involving mud, Bootcamps,
Functional movement
training, Hot Yoga and CrossFit have gained in popularity.
This is because a
community of people working out together to achieve the same goal is more fun
than the loneliness and isolation of your home.
It is not uncommon to pay a
year’s membership to a health club, only to go once and never return, wasting
both precious money and motivation.
Furthermore, working
out in a community is much better when it comes to exercise adherence because
it then becomes a social experience rather than putting earphones on and
jumping on the treadmill, surrounded by people but interacting with no-one
unless they are on a machine that we want to use which brings us full circle
back to Gym-timidation.
Lots of people want to
get fit, let’s make it a social experience and all train together to achieve
the same aim, a better version of ourselves.
Injury prevention
is our specialty at Bulletproofbodies.
We are Physiotherapists and we provide Functional Movement Screening, Orthopaedic assessment, injury diagnosis, Manual Therapy, Exercise Therapy Body Maintenance and Optimisation for you to build a robust and Bulletproof Body.
Keeping a workout fun,
fresh, and new are sure ways to be sure that your New Year's resolution is kept
throughout 2009. If going to the gym and running on the treadmill or using the
elliptical seem like an activity that you can not handle one more time, try
these new and fun activities in the New Year.
Group exercises:
Sometimes the motivation to workout is lacking when it comes to flying solo.
Participating in a group activity will surely be a fun change of pace when it
comes to getting fit. Some creative activities for the New Year include dance
based routines such as Zumba, and military regimented boot-camp styled courses.
1.Yoga:
Yoga is a great way to relax and stretch. Even
though this is a group based class, there is no competition between participants.
Yoga is strictly about you. However, participating in group classes is a great
way to share a positive experience with others.
2. Group Sports:
It doesn't matter if you were the starting
quarterback in high school or the water boy, participating in a group activity
such as tennis, basketball or racquetball is a great way to work up a sweat as
well as make some new friends. Team sports are a great way to make use of the
competitive spirit as well as get fit. Just remember bowling with the guys on
Wednesday nights while drinking beer and smoking cigars does not count as
working out and will not help you to lose weight.
3. Get Back to Nature:
Getting fresh air
outside is another great way to get in all the fitness and exercise that one
needs. With so much time spent indoors these days, taking a long hike through
the woods or along the beach will provide a great opportunity to get fit as
well as get back to nature. Be sure to pack some healthy snacks while out on a
hike. Some great choices include whey protein bars as well as energy drinks.
4. Hi-Tech Fitness:
From the way we listen
to tunes to the specialty socks on our feet. Technology and fitness have merged
together to bring getting fit into the 21st century. From MP3 players that we
wear in our shoes to the moisture wicking properties of clothing, technology
has given us the opportunity to take our workout to a whole new level. This is
proven with Wii Fit and other interactive video games.
So you want to start
the New Year with an exercise routine, good for you!
The key to creating a
long-term habit of exercise is to choose the right level of intensity for your
mind and body.
Basically, if you've
been a couch potato for the last five years, it would be half-assed crazy
stupid foolish to start working out hard-core six days a week (and I mean half-assed
crazy stupid foolish in the most loving way!).
Too Much Too Soon =
Burnout
Simply put, your body
is not ready for extreme change all at once. Yes, you can get there eventually,
but it's not safe to dive into Crossfit classes six days a week when you
haven't even walked around the block in six months.
The likelihood of
injury is very high when you don't have as much strength, flexibility or body
awareness as you used to. Not only that, but your brain is going to become
exhausted and burnt out with too much change, and it won't be long until you're
right back where you started: on the sofa. But this time, your ankle is wrapped
because you strained it and you can't straighten your leg because you pulled
your hamstring!
Start Out Slow
The government officially
recommends that we get 30 minutes of moderate exercise, 6 times a week. It says
"moderate," not even vigorous. That means movement like walking,
stretching, or body weight exercises are appropriate and entirely acceptable.
Start here and then progress to the harder stuff when you are physically and
emotionally ready.
Can you even touch your
toes? That would be a great place to start.
If you're already doing
some sort of exercise, this still applies to you. When you're ready to amp it
up, just kick things up a notch. One notch, not five notches. Choose a goal
that will push you just enough.
Before you begin your
new routine, ask yourself the following questions:
1. When was the last
time you exercised?
2. If you've stopped,
why did you stop? If you've been consistent, how long have you been at this
level of intensity?
3. How do you feel
about exercise? Do you look forward to it, or it is a chore?
Keep in mind that
exercise is not a magic eraser for the French fries and hamburger you had for
dinner last night. Exercise will never make the calories you ate disappear; it
is simply a bonus-extra credit-for your body and health on top of your healthy
diet.
How are you ramping up
your exercise routine?
Christie Miller offers
a balanced approach to healthy living through diet, fitness and life coaching.
She does not believe in deprivation, forbidden foods or spending hours upon
hours in the gym. Living healthy and happy is all about moderation in all
things. Christie is certified in nutrition, personal training and life
coaching.
She gives you the tools
to guarantee you never fail at dieting again in her 5-part video series Why
Dieters Fail. Grab it for free at http://www.EatTrainWin.com
Looking at the 'goals'
board recently made me think about the targets we set ourselves sometimes in
CrossFit.
I saw everything from the common muscle up holy grail, to pull ups
and the hair-pulling movement for many... 'double unders'.
Now a lot of the listed
items have been on there for a while. How many of us can say... yep got those
handled..in the bag!??? Not many of us! Have we got better at them???.. maybe.
If we have we've probably used that 'individual weaknesses' time to our benefit
or have plenty of open gym time to play with. Or, are those goals maybe
unrealistic in the short to medium term?
Right now... I am
always going to suck at Handstand Press Ups and lifting overhead, I'm OK with
that, but that's down to a shoulder mechanics issue.
Long term I'm hoping my
biomechanics therapist can get me to a point where my lower back isn't forced
into a ridiculously compromised position to make up for my shoulder range but I
don't think they will ever be a strong point of mine.
So should they be a goal
high up the list of priorities or a work in progress? Anyone who's done a
fitness or development course will have come across SMARTT goals (Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Targeted or Timed).
Now I'm not suggesting
writing a list using SMARTT but you get where I'm going I hope. High rep
bodyweight Handstand Press Ups are unrealistic for me right now so I scale
while I work on the mechanics. They may never be where I want them to be..but
again, that's OK. It's not the end of the world as there's plenty of other
things to work on in CrossFit.
"How do I get more
kipping pull ups? Just do more kipping pull ups!" This is a pretty common
CrossFit coaching quote... who from originally... I've no idea but you can sub
the movement to anything pretty much where that line gets used.
Things aren't
always as simple as that though. Especially if you are missing components of
the end goal. If you have poor core control, no gymnastic hollow awareness, or
a lack of pulling strength are you going to get more kipping pull ups?
Are you
going to nail muscle ups if you have no dip or dead hang pulling strength
(10-15 pull ups and dips seem to be the common strength requirement in most
CrossFit literature) or cannot stay in the false grip? Are cleans ever going to
feel efficient if you don't release your grip in the rack? Will the overhead
squat always be your nemesis if you've never opened up your pectoral and
shoulder restrictions?
Breaking down the elements of why you may not be getting
something handled can be a helpful exercise.
One thing you don't see
on many goal boards across CrossFit is good positions. E.g. the
air/front/overhead squat position. Yet you may see a certain PB weight goal for
any of those movements plus the clean and snatch may be in there too.
Positions
seem to get dismissed quite easily though and we sometimes accept poor
positions as unchangeable. This could be inefficient patterned movements that
have developed over time.
Perhaps in the power clean, where some may hitch the
bar at the thighs, breaking up the momentum of the lift. Or possibly arching
your back to receive the bar in a muscle clean instead of using a quarter
squat. Poor movement positions can also be biomechanics based as we know.
What
if your knee caves dramatically under load during a squat or your chest lowers
to your knees during squatting? Is correcting that not a worthy goal, and what
have you potentially done to fix it... and is it correctable? Won't good
positions lead to progress, improved function and PB's anyway over the long
haul?
It again comes back to
what value you attach to it and just maybe that little devil on your shoulder
again plays a part... the ego.
Sometimes the functional aspect of the type of
fitness we choose to do gets put into the back of the drawer along with those
nasty Christmas jumpers you may be getting this year (though bad jumpers seem
to be trendy this season)!
Taking one or two steps back to make one forward is
hard for us to do but it could be the difference to reaching a realistic goal
or not. Getting the pieces better could be easier than just hammering that goat
movement as a whole.
From another perspective, if suggestions to improve
technique and positions fall on deaf ears, spare a thought for how it reflects
on your gym and maybe your coaches. Our goals for you as members may not be
getting met.. along with yours. New Year resolutions are close... just saying
like!
With that to reflect on
this week have a very Merry Christmas all! Eat well, drink well and party with
loved ones! Then come back brighter to work off all that seasonal excess with
maybe some new focus for 2018.
For more information go
to http://spartanstrength.co.uk/
Sean Murray is a
Manchester CrossFit Trainer & BWL Level 1 Olympic Weightlifting Asst. Club
Coach in Castlefield. He also runs his own boot camp in Moston, North
Manchester. Hw trains clients to help meet their weight and fitness goals. He
also works with performance athletes such as Triathletes and Rugby League
players to improve their work capacity and weaknesses.
It is the beginning of
another year and your New Years resolution to lose weight and attain your ideal
figure is waiting for you to act. If you are like 90% of People, you may
fail unless you take the right steps.
You can begin a New
Years resolution at any time. A perfect time to honestly reevaluate the last 12
months-right along with hundreds of thousands of people around you - is the
first month or two of a new year.
At the beginning of
every year, people all over the planet make a very firm New Year resolution
that they will lose weight, eat healthier, and start exercising.
Experts who study human
behavior run the numbers on who really sticks with their resolutions. By the
end of January, only about 10% of people succeed at keeping their resolutions.
That means 90% of the people who made resolutions have already failed at them
by the end of 30 days.
Who really wants to
wait another eleven long months until to start losing weight again with one
less year in their lives?
Now, you can succeed,
if you follow what the successful 10% of the people do. Here are five steps
that work to begin keeping your New Years resolution.
Step 1. WRITE down your
resolution
When you make a
resolution, put it into writing. Take a pen or pencil and put your resolution
words down onto a real piece of paper. Experts find that if you don't write it
down, it won't happen. A goal of any type takes shape when you write it out.
Otherwise, it's just a thought that will vanish in a moment.
Step 2. Conquer
Procrastination
One of the main reasons
people fail at New Year's resolutions is procrastination. There is always
tomorrow, they reason. Or they wait until the weather is better or "when I
feel like it." The problem is tomorrow is always a day away. To lose weight,
you have to take action today, even if it is a small step.
Step 3. Get Support
The right environment
is very important to succeeding. Most people aren't even aware how much support
affects achievement. Positive, like-minded people who want to lose weight are good
companions to keep you on track when things get tough.
Step 4. Create a
Detailed Plan
It is one thing to
write down a goal of losing 10 or 20 pounds, another thing to actually do it.
You need to make a concrete, detailed plan that outlines which foods you are
going to eat; how much of them you will eat; when and how much you will
exercise and so on. Anyone who makes a New Year's resolution to lose fifty
pounds without writing down a detailed and specific plan for doing so is bound
to fail.
Step 5. Make your
Resolution SPECIFIC and MEASURABLE
Get specific about your
weight loss goals. You need to define the little steps that add up to real
success. Unless you can measure the results, you'll never know when you've
completed a step and are ready for the next one.
Most of us have made
vague types of New Year's resolutions, such as "I'm really going to get
into shape." Vague resolutions never work. What kind of shape do you want
to be in? How many pounds do you want to weigh? What body measurements do you
want to have? How much body fat or muscle mass?
Get your free report
with the detailed information on all 10 steps for keeping your New Years weight
loss resolution [http://www.online-diet-review.com/nyy] and have the figure
that you want and others admire.
It is that time of the
year when a lot of us reminisce about what we have accomplished over the past
12 months, and, start thinking about new goals and objectives for 2018.
We've been making New
Year Resolutions since as far back as the year 153 B.C. and yet, we still have
trouble with them!
Recent research shows
that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success
with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals!
Here are some of the
most popular resolutions you may identify with:
Losing weight
Getting fit
Eating healthily
Quitting smoking
Reducing stress
Getting organised
Getting out of debt
All around the world,
people will be making one or more of the resolutions on this list over the next
few weeks.
But are Resolutions
just a shopping list for the first week of January? With only a tiny percentage
of people actually achieving their Resolutions, where are we going wrong?
If you want to be part
of that 12% and make some big positive changes in 2018... get ready to uncover
some big mistakes you might have been making...
Mistake #1 Waiting
Until January 1st To Get Started
Why, if something is so
important to you, would you ever want to wait to get it?
If you want it as badly
as you say you do, then surely tomorrow would be too late to get started!
The 1st of January is
probably the worst day ever to get started on your Resolutions.
Why?
Well, for one, a lot of
people will be too hungover to even remember their own name, let alone their
Resolutions!
See, when you decide
what it is that you want to start to do more off, or less off, you have to be
clever, and avoid postponing it until the first week of January. Why wait?
Start right now. Not next week, not tomorrow, right now!
You don't wait until
you're all sweaty and smelly to take a shower, do you? You take a shower
because it is time to take a shower.
Well, it is time for a
change!
Mistake #2 Starting
Working On Your Resolutions When You Are Feeling Less Than Great
Not a good idea! We are
all motivated to move either towards pleasure, or away from pain. Everything we
do is so that we get to be happier, or so that we are not unhappy any more.
Think about your
resolutions individually, and identify what drives you. For example: when it
comes to exercise, some people do it because they think about how great they
are going to look and feel, whilst other people do it because they can't stand
the thought of being fat or feeling unhealthy.
We often resolve to
change things in our lives when we are sad, or angry... and have hit a
threshold; the point of no return.
Once you've reached
your point of no return, that point where you are just so fed up that this is
it...!
Now, you want to make
it so that you look forward to doing the things you need to do.
The better you feel,
the easier it will be to do the things you need to do. When we are tired, sad,
in a bad mood, whatever... we don't feel like doing anything but maybe feel
sorry for ourselves. You need to be able to change your state of mind so that
no matter how you feel at any given moment, you get to feel good as soon as
possible! Why? Because there are things you need to get on with!
This is where NLP comes
real handy. It provides the resources to allow you how to switch your state of
mind in a matter of minutes, seconds even! You get to feel great, now, you are
going to want to do more: exercising, eating healthily, getting organised,
putting a few quid aside... everything seems easier and more enjoyable when we
are feeling great!
Mistake #3 Resolve To
Do Things You Don't Really Want To Do
Most of us spend our
days doing things we don't really want to do, but we have to do. We spend most
of our time doing things for other people. We have responsibilities,
commitments, appointments... When it comes to Resolutions, if you want to
maximize your chances for success, it needs to be about You, it needs to be
about what you want to do, because, you want to do it.
This is your time to
think about what matters to you.
A well-formed
Resolution must reflect your values. Your values are your beliefs about what is
most important to you in your life. Values provide inspiration, govern your
levels of motivation, and guide every decision you make. They are the standards
you live by.
For example, health is
my top value in life. I believe that without health nothing else can be in my
life. This belief imprints everything I do. Most of the time I behave in a way
as to ensure I look and feel healthy and fit, and if I ever steer away it just
doesn't feel right, so I get back on track, quickly. I will simply not accept
my life any other way.
When you set goals that
reflect your values, you'll want to start taking action right now, never mind
waiting until the new year!
Mistake #4 Making Wishy
Washy Resolutions
It doesn't go down well
with our brain. Our brain is a piece of engineering designed to work towards
targets. Just like your computer needs you to follow certain rules, your brain
operates following certain rules too.
I'd love to lose
weight, I gotta be more organised, I better get saving... simply doesn't cut
it. You must quit being vague, and get real specific! Your brain expects
commands that are specific, and stated in an affirmative and direct manner.
Anything else it doesn't understand. We have a minimum of 60 thousand thoughts
a day, how is your brain to know what is a goal and what is just a thought? It
is not your brain's job to sort out your thoughts for you, it is your job.
Mistake #5 Not Writing
Down Your Resolutions Or Writing A "To Do" List
I should go to the gym
more, I really need to get organised, I better start saving some money... these
are just thoughts. And with over 60 thousand of them a day it's gonna be pretty
damn hard to remember them in five minutes, let alone get them done!
If it's in your mind
it's just a thought, not a Resolution.
If you write it down on
a piece of paper, then it becomes a shopping list, or a To Do list. And I know
very few people who write lists of things and actually get them done! This is
where the next mistake comes into play...
Stay tuned for Part II
of this post, where you will discover 5 more big mistakes that have been
sabotaging your New Year Resolution Success!
Anna Aparicio is
regarded as Ireland's top female NLP/Hypnosis Life Coach. A Self-confidence and
Motivation Expert, she has helped hundreds of people all around the world feel
empowered, super confident, and lead happier more successful lives. With a unique
blend of Neuro-linguistic Programming, cutting edge personal development tools,
and a contagious sense of humour and zest for life, Anna is renowned for
getting results fast. Now you can get her free report WHY YOU'LL NEVER GET WHAT
YOU WANT UNLESS YOU DO THIS at http://www.delite.ie
Every year we make New
Year's resolutions, only for them to quickly ware off within a few days, weeks,
and even months. We try our hardest to use motivation to keep us in the game,
but it goes beyond that. Motivation can only last so long, we need to know exactly
what prevents us from going through with our goals.
The majority of people,
approximately 95% of them don't follow through on their plans and goals,
especially their New Years Resolutions. Usually because people don't set goals
and they don't know how to put them into action...
You need to know why
you're setting a goal and what it will do for you when you achieve it. Let's
say you want to lose weight. Ask yourself why do you really want to lose
weight, what will it do for you, what will achieving weight loss make you feel?
Get closer to your
goals this year
Where are you right now in your
life?
Do you want to gain/lose weight?
How much?
Do you want to feel
healthier, happier?
Do you want to build more
muscle?
Do you want to work on vanity or function?
These are some basic
questions you need to ask yourself.
Once you know what you want and where you
are, then we can go on to the next step.
Choosing exactly what you want is the
most important step.
Let say you want to
lose 5 Kg, then this would be the goal.
I you need to lose 5 Kg then this is where you are.
You are in a place of being 5 Kg overweight. You need to be clear about this part and it should be a specific as
possible. Remember losing 5 Kg is just an example I am using to demonstrate
how to effectively set goals. You may want to loose more weight, or you might
want to build muscle. Whatever it is, you need to identify it, and you need to
be specific. If you want to gain muscle, than how much do you want to gain and
by what date?
Overview
A few things to keep in
mind
Know what you want, this is your
goal (lose 5 Kg)
Be committed to this (is this
what you really want to accomplish?)
Put the goal into action
When you set a goal you
need to get emotionally energized. A goal needs to excite you and have you
jumping out of bed. In the beginning you might be going through some changes
and you might feel a bit down. This might be your negative programming talking.
Get focused, gather all
your resources that you need to bring your goal to reality.
Get momentum, by
sticking with your goals. Get informed, how are you going to start something if
you don't know how too. Seek the advice of a professional like myself, or talk
to someone you know that has already accomplished what you want to accomplish.
Take Action
Start right now.
What
can you do right now to bring you one step closet to your goals?
If you want to learn
what it takes to lose weight, and achieve a better life, than your already one
step ahead because you are reading this blog.
Next you probably want
to start to apply the things you learn in the blog. Let's say you want to start
working out, you can get a gym membership, or you can assemble your own home
gym. You can start by buying a pair of running shoes; just take the first step
to make your goal a reality. All of these require you to make an informed
decision first. So gather the right information. If you decide to get a gym
membership, then you might want to ask people from the gym if they like it
there.
Past Accomplishments
Refer back to a time
when you accomplished something big or small. It takes the exact same amount of
preparation to achieve something big or small. So pick your goals wisely. You
might as well go for big, but realistic!
What did you want to accomplish
last year that you never came around doing?
Can you make that a reality this
year?
What do did you least enjoy last
year?
What were some of the more
important decision you made last year?
If they proved useful than apply
that strategy here!
Write down anything you
want to accomplish, even if they are goals outside of fitness and health. These
rules apply to everything. What have you done in the past to overcome obstacles
and challenges in your life?
These are important
exercises because they will help you become more aware of how to achieve your
goals, and make your dreams a reality.
If you have
accomplished a goal in the past write down the steps it took you to accomplish
it. In as much detail as possible. This is important because you can duplicate
that system, and even improve on it.
Did you focus on this goal day
and night?
Were you emotionally charged
about it?
Did you have a plan written out,
and was it executed?
What are the reasons
for you achieving your goals and why must you absolutely achieve them?
What are your most important
goals you want to achieve this year?
What are some of things that
might be holding you back from getting what you want?
What small thing can
you do right now to bring your goals to reality?
Could you buy a new pair of
running shoes, clean out your kitchen cabinets of junk food, pass by the super
market to buy wholesome foods, call a buddy and tell them you are committing to
a program, get a gym membership, maybe join a support weight loss group/ forum,
whatever it is that you can do right away. Even sign a written agreement with
yourself, a promise to yourself that you will commit to making your New Years
Resolution a reality!
I have put together
this article in eBook form, please feel free to download it to your computer
[http://www.bodybyweb.com/resolution.htm]!
Dean Boukaras is a
person who has dedicated his life to educating and helping as many individuals
as possible reach their absolute physical best. I truly want to impact one
person at a time by spreading the health and fitness truth.
