A survey by Harris Interactive in 2007 revealed what personal information prospects are most comfortable sharing. 71% were comfortable discussing their age.
It’s easy to sell personal training when a prospect approaches you, cheque-in-hand and committed to making a positive change in his or her life. The most effective (and well-paid) trainers, however, can approach any member in the facility or stranger in line at the grocery store and within minutes have that person seriously considering personal training. Mastering the art of the casual conversation
18% were comfortable giving their email address.
can mean the difference between barely
4% were comfortable giving their home address.
but creating conversations is a skill that
3% were most comfortable sharing their mobile and/or home or business phone number.
be thought of as selling. You are, rather,
getting by in the career you love and always having a backlog of clients. It’s not something that comes naturally to everyone, can be learned. But initiating a conversation should not expressing a genuine interest in another human being. Isn’t this one of our roles in personal training, anyways? We take interest in our clients and throughout a workout can easily make small talk. Creating an authentic, casual conversation with a stranger is no different.
Don’t Be Afraid, Here’s What To Do For many, starting a conversation with someone you know nothing about can seem scary. You don’t know if you will be ignored or what reaction your words will get. By following a few of the following tips and practising whenever possible, you’ll move through the intimidation phase of breaking the ice, and soon, chatting it up with anybody, anywhere will become second nature.
If you have talked for more than a minute, you’re talking too much. When meeting someone new, the conversation should resemble a tennis match, with each participant taking a quick swing before sending it back to the other person. Too many trainers treat a conversation more like golf, where they keep hitting their own golf ball over and over again.
Pay attention to how you participate in the conversation. The potential client is learning a lot about you. In face-to-face dialog, the other person first sees you then hears the tone of your voice, and only then do they listen
ULTRA FIT MEAL PLANNER BY TERESA CUTTER - the healthy chef
Want to feel
sensational, be full of life and energy?
Pack a punch with Teresa Cutter’s high-powered protein recipes to build muscle and create a strong healthy body. Your body needs protein power to provide us with the 22 amino acids needed to build and repair muscle tissue, make hormones and enable our cells to maintain and repair themselves. Glutathione is a potent antioxidant made by the amino acids l-cystine, glutamic acid and l-glycine which come from eating protein. Without it, your body would collapse from oxidation and you would have little resistance to bacteria, viruses and cancer. Glutathione levels decrease as we age and as a result of stress, illness, fatigue and overexercising, so it’s important to eat at least 3 serves of protein a day to maintain good levels in the body and a healthy immune system. Good sources are: fish, beans, organic lean meat and chicken, organic or free range eggs and egg whites, low fat milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, unsalted nuts, tofu and WPI (whey protein isolate). The aim is to include these amazing power foods into your daily chow and combine them with low-GI carbs which will keep your blood sugars steady and give all hardcore movers and shakers heaps of energy. Your required amount of protein depends on your age, weight and activity level. Usually 1.5 - 2g x your bodyweight will give you a good base indication. Here are some of my favourite protein-packed meals to keep you in power mode for the rest of your busy day.
www.teresacutter.com www.thehealthychef.com.au
CrossFit The Mosh Pit of Fitness BY MICHAEL JAROSKY
With adrenalin pumping and butterflies in my stomach, I feel the lactic acid developing in my body, yet I have not even performed one rep of the CrossFit Workout of the Day – 50 Pull Ups, 50 Push Ups, 100 Body Weight Squats… 3 rounds, for time. As Rage Against the Machine blares through the stereo speakers, the Workout of the Day (WOD) begins,
CrossFit – What is it? It is the latest rage in sport and fitness – from the local group of policemen to Mixed Martial Arts fighters to your everyday businessman, people are stepping up to perform the ultimate workout - CrossFit. The average gym user may have heard a bit about it…the intensity, the myths, the heavy metal-esque culture…but the principles of CrossFit lie much deeper in developing the ultimate, functional athlete.
and so does my first CrossFit group
CrossFit’s principles and workouts
session. Within minutes, I struggle
are designed to test ten general skills
and get tangled up in the body-size
of fitness: cardiovascular/respiratory
rubber band I use to aid me in my
endurance, stamina, strength,
pull-ups, and I glance across the
flexibility, power, coordination, agility,
maze of bodies and pull-up bars to
balance and accuracy.
see Special Services Commando
A CrossFit athlete does not master
Steve Willis performing pull-ups as
one discipline as a weightlifter,
if gravity does not exist on his side
marathon runner or gymnast might,
of the gym.
but rather develops skills across a broad range of disciplines. The goal
The gym reeks of intensity, with
of CrossFit is to test the body’s three
bodies pulling, pushing and squatting
metabolic pathways:
with various degrees of power, strength and speed…and when the
•
first WOD ends with me in the foetal position, shaking uncontrollably and
•
fitness, better known as CrossFit.
ten seconds; Glycolytic – moderate-powered activities that last up to a few
in a mental daze pondering how I will manage one month in the mosh pit of
Phosphagen – high-powered activities that last less than about
whistle blows at the 40 minute, my th
•
minutes; and Oxidative – low-powered activities that last in excess of several minutes.
CrossFit Workout # 1 – By Mick Shaw 15-12-9 Repetitions Squat Thrusters 40kg, Kettlebell Swing 24kg, Pull Ups Run 400m MS: This workout has some of the foundation skills used at CFX. In this workout we are using a cross spectrum of the modalities ie: Weights with the Thruster (front squat and press) and Kettlebell swings. Within the gymnastics modality, at CFX we allow the kipping pull-up which recruits more muscles of the body to pull oneself over the bar. This creates momentum but increases work capacity. Finally, the run is used for metabolic conditioning. With mixed modality workouts we have highly competent clients/athletes that are coordinated, flexible and agile and continue to build speed, strength, power, endurance, stamina, balance and accuracy.
By testing the ten general skills across each metabolic pathway, CrossFit strives to produce total fitness and the ultimate athlete. CrossFit’s founder, Greg Glassman, opened his first gym in California in the mid-1990s. The rise in popularity of CrossFit as a sport and fitness regime has led to over 1,000
affiliate’s website. CrossFit Effects (CFX),
A CrossFit athlete is functionally strong, fast,
located in Kogarah, NSW develops a
flexible, and is at the top of the food chain
12-day macro training cycle of 3 days
when it comes to athletic competence.
on, 1 day of rest. Workouts are designed
The fitness elite just competed at the 3rd
to include one or more elements from
Annual CrossFit Games in San Jose,
metabolic conditioning (cardio), gymnastics
California, where 126 men and women
(body weight exercises), and weight/power/
from around the globe competed in a series
Olympics lifting.
of 8 WODs over a 2-day period that can
CrossFit –
Transforming Workouts into Sport
only be described as unique-yet-torturous. Crowned ‘The World’s Fittest Man and Woman’, the 2009 champions are Mikko Salo (Finland) and Tanya Wagner (USA). Steve Willis from Sydney, Australia finished in 4th place and his Ultra Fit interview is on
fitness brands growing across Australia.
Is CrossFit a sport? Or is it just a new fitness regime? It is both.
There are no Britney Spears videos on
CrossFit as a sport is simple: perform a
LCDs, no stair-masters, no ab-rollers, and
series of movements while being timed,
Some fitness experts point to the ‘CrossFit
no tanning booths…there are no free soap
and the individual who performs those
dangers exposed’ as evidenced on
giveaways from corporate partners, no neon
movements in the shortest period of time
YouTube, where a culture of Jackass-
lights, and no smoothie bars. A CrossFit
wins. However, not everybody at a CrossFit
wannabes (the Johnny Knoxville kind) post
gym contains free weights, skipping ropes,
session is competing, with many simply
their WODs exhibiting poor form, and at
rowing machines in a warehouse-space
enjoying the variety of the workouts and
such an intensity and heavy load create
fit to perform high-intensity, fully functional
body toning/weight loss results it delivers.
serious physical risk and harm.
workouts.
To some, the clock provides a measurement
CrossFit affiliates throughout the world. A CrossFit gym is the antithesis of the popular
There are 32 CrossFit Affiliates across Australia, with members typically following the WOD posted daily on the CrossFit
Page 48-49.
CrossFit Myths
of how well they competed a CrossFit WOD
But just as every poorly executed golf swing
as a sport, to others that same clock is a
cannot be monitored and corrected by a
mere reminder to keep moving efficiently in
golf pro, not every CrossFit squat thruster,
order to perform a solid workout.
deadlift, and push-up can be monitored
Race
Ocean Swimming Some
event tips
By Michael Henry
P.86 How to compete in your first Ocean Swim Race by Michael Henry P.90 Swim to a Fijian Island, Race review by Michael Henry P.94 Competitor Profile John Jacoby. Meet a legend by Rosemary Marchese
As with running, there are different levels of swimming. Luckily in Australia most of us learn to swim at an early age and our schools now run programs to aid a child’s grasp of this great sport. My daughters now also attend at their schools regular surf safety classes which equip them with a basic understanding and experience of waves, rips and sandbanks. The next level of experience most of us have is pool swimming and competing against classmates at the annual school carnival. Beyond this, many adults pretty much fall off the tracks and reserve swimming for the occasional bodysurf or backyard pool paddle.
w w w. t a n i t a a u s t r a l i a . c o m . a u
10
However, if you live anywhere near the coast in Australia, you
1. Pre Race.
will not have been able to escape the onslaught of semi-
We recommend you have a buddy to swim with first
clad people all keen to try an ocean swim. Australia has the
time out. Make sure you follow all rules laid out by the
most organised ocean swimming season in the world. It lasts
organisers. Get there early, warm up and even swim out
from October to March and major events attract up to 3,000
prior to racing, to about 50 metres from the shore. Stop
competitors. There is no telling where this great sport will end
in the water to gauge if there is a current or drift that will
up. Let’s face it, it’s very low cost to train and compete, easily
affect your swim. Also, take into view landforms that might
accessible and is very social.
help with navigation. If it is a long race don’t be afraid to apply Vaseline to areas of your body that might chafe -
The sport itself is demanding and should not be taken
armpits, inside the thighs, chin, around your swim suit
too lightly. A good ocean swimmer will have excellent
straps etc. HINT - don’t get the Vaso on your goggles. It’s
cardiovascular endurance and the ability to keep focused on
impossible to get off just before a race.
technique despite unpredictable currents and other conditions. In comparison to pool swimming an ocean swimmer is
2. The start.
exposed to swell, chop, wind, rips, marine life and other
Most swims are beach starts with a dash from the sand
competitive swimmers. (Trust me, it’s the other swimmers that
directly into the surf. We suggest you run out as far as
pose the greatest challenge. Chatting to some of the pros,
you can, lifting your legs high to get over waves, until it is
what goes on out of view in the front pack of some swims is
too deep. ‘Dolphining’ is also good, meaning, diving and
alarming – thankfully, for most of us this is not an issue!)
running out until it is deep enough that you have to swim. If the surf is big, go under the waves every time, it’s the
So let’s assume you are a competent swimmer and have
most efficient and safest way. If you are not confident to
swum up to 2km in a pool environment. You have trained and
do this, don’t do the race. (Once, I should have pulled
built up the endurance you need, and now it’s time to try your
out of a race, but did not and I regretted it. It was a very
first ocean swim event. Here are some handy tips to get you
unpleasant race and I race to enjoy myself, not to be a
on your way.
hero.) Also, once a wave passes over you be on the
By Ben Fazio: Exercise Physiologist, Director of Melbourne Health Training Services. www.mhts.com.au
Theory A multi gym or home gym allows you to increase muscle strength in a safe, well controlled, convenient and effective manner by placing a load or weight to pull back against the contraction of the working muscles.
Forces vary at a joint as the angle of the bones change through its range of motion. This can make it difficult to move through certain phases of the movement. The Nautilus system uses a cam designed to compensate for these variations in strength, automatically increasing or reducing the resistance to correspond to your muscle’s potential strength capacity. If you are familiar with these machines you might consider them in your purchase.
This is often called weightlifting, resistance training or strength
The Right Multi Gym Features For You
training. When these exercises are done repetitively, your muscle
Buying the right home multi gym for your needs, within your price
increases in length and width.
range, can be very difficult. A wide range of products of varying quality confronts you. Two seemingly similar multi gyms can be very
A multi stack multi gym consists of blocks or discs of weights at-
different from one another when you begin looking at them closely.
tached to a lever or pulley system. Changing the amount you lift is
You need to appreciate your wants and test the machine to ensure it
easy, just move a pin in the weight stack or add another plate in
meets them before making your final decision.
plate-loading models.
Make sure you can use it. Some machines
Using a weight-stack gym machine has several advantages. It looks
literally do not fit their users. Many gyms are designed for people be-
and feels more like models you find in gyms, a definite plus for those
tween 170 cm and 185 cm in height; shorter or taller people could
who have lifted in the health club setting. Weight stacks give you
be in trouble, unless it has an adjustable seat. Other machines are
a point of reference; non-weight-stack models may turn them off
too narrow for larger individuals to fit between the bars. Depending
because of their different feel.
upon your body size and shape you may need a multi gym that has adjustable positions. Adjustments include seat and back position-
ing as well as positioning of the lifting bar or arm. Still others don’t fit the human body at all. Look for a multi gym with people-friendly angles rather than boxy, straight lines. Cast iron weight stacks offer a smoother range of motion.
The Construction. As with any piece of equipment, quality materials cost more but will last longer and require less maintenance. A multi gym has a steel frame, pulleys, cables, and weights. Most US-manufactured frames are made from 11 or 12 gauge steel. These frames are structurally stronger compared to 13 or 14 gauge found in some Asian manufactured frames. Always
Floor space. Manufacturers have refined the pulley and cable systems to reduce noise and improve smoothness. They have tried to reduce the floor space multi gyms occupy without compromising the number of features. You will need at least this amount of floor space for a multi gym: 112cm L x 193 cm W x 203 cm H plus room to move around the gym. Features vary greatly, and you need to make sure they fit you as well. A good multi gym should allow you to do 12 or more different exercises without having to change the configuration.
check the welds and finish of the steel. Welds that do not cover the full extent of a joint may weaken and uneven finishes often show early signs of rust.
The Biomechanics. The design of each exercise station on a multi gym should promote proper lifting position and technique. While you may not be an expert in exercise, one rule of thumb that you should employ is that ‘If it doesn’t feel right/good/comfortable/ natural, it’s probably not right’. You should try out several different stations with light weights to test their comfort.
Number of Stations. The number of stations and/ or exercises that can be performed on a multi gym can vary from 10 to 15 to several dozen. Each exercise is designed to work dif-
Safety Considerations Physically shake any multi gym you are thinking about purchasing: if it moves or wobbles easily, then choose another one. You don’t want to worry about the multi gym moving in the middle of a workout. Look for heavy gauge steel tubing to eliminate flexing and improve movement quality.
ferent muscles. If you don’t know whether a particular exercise is important, discuss it with a qualified personal trainer and have them
If you’ve decided on a weight-stack multi gym, be aware that open
explain how the exercise is done, and what muscles are worked.
stacks pose the safety hazard of weights crushing someone’s (es-
The most important factor about the design of the stations is their
pecially little children’s) hands.
usability. Ask to be shown how to operate a station then try it yourself. A multi gym that has a design that is not easily used will quickly
Finally, examine the cables. They should be strong enough that
become one that is unused. And worse than wasting your money,
they won’t break when you lift heavy weights and have a quiet and
you could become discouraged with strength training altogether.
smooth motion rather than a dragging, noisy one. Buy models with covered cables as this will prolong the life by up to 5 times.
The resistance should fit. The settings should include weights light enough for the beginner to train on and heavy
The following multi gyms represent a sample of designs available.
enough to challenge the strongest lifter. It is recommended that you
They have been reviewed to give you an idea of their features and
look for a machine with at least a 120 kg stack with a 2.5 kg starting
prices. Many other good machines are available for you to pur-
weight.
chase.
Whether you are a professional athlete or just enjoy physical activity for its health benefits, there are a plethora of methods we can use to make our bodies stronger, faster, fitter, bigger, tougher, etc. So what if we could train our minds to match the strength and power of our bodies?? What if I told you about an area of the brain that can be trained? This area is known as our reticular activating system (RAS). It is believed to be the centre of arousal and motivation in mammals. Anthony Robbins, well known author, speaker and self-help guru, gives his explanation of our RAS in his 1991 classic book Awaken the Giant Within:
“This shift in mental posture aligns you more precisely with your goals. Once you decide that something is a priority, you give it tremendous emotional intensity, and by continually focusing on it, any resource that supports its attainment will eventually become clear.” (p. 288) Simply put, the RAS works because when we focus on a question or problem our mind becomes engaged to find the solution.
Genius! So why aren’t we out there kicking butt and achieving our goals? Well, some of you probably are. But for some of us, our RAS may appear to be malfunctioning. Our RAS acts as a filter between our conscious mind and our subconscious mind. It takes its orders from your conscious mind and passes them to your subconscious mind. For example, your conscious mind might send the order that you are a bad driver, simply as the result of a joke ushered by a well-meaning
friend. So as you move through your day, your subconscious mind
1960 self-help book Psycho-Cybernetics (Prentice Hall, 1960).
is on alert for evidence to present to your conscious mind that you
In this book Dr Maltz refers to the idea of the human brain as an
are indeed a bad driver. “I forgot to indicate, see, I am a bad driver”;
automatic guidance system. This human “servomechanism” can
“It just took me 5 attempts to reverse park, see, I am a bad driver”; “I
be either a success mechanism or a failure mechanism. Dr Maltz
didn’t see that stop sign, see, I am a bad driver.”
is essentially describing in his theories (that formulated during the 1930s and 1940s) the basis of our RAS.
With your RAS working away diligently for you, I would suggest that within a very short time, you will struggle to find an insurance company who will represent you! One of the best examples I can give you of how our RAS is functioning 24/7 is when we buy a car. Sure, we know what we want and set off to test drive it. But it’s not until after the deal is done and you’re driving home in your new car that you begin to notice that make and model everywhere. So why is it you didn’t notice them before? Perhaps because your conscious mind has now passed the information as relevant to your subconscious mind….
Remember your present self-image is not based on reality but what
So how can we use this as a training tool for our minds? Well, rather than rely on just your physical strength to get you to the finish line, the strategies below, when practised, will deliberately program your RAS to search for the evidence it needs to believe, to reach the goal you have set. It will begin to show you opportunities that may previously have passed unnoticed.
•
Talk about your goals in the past tense, as if they have already happened. Eg I have crossed the finish line in my first full marathon.
•
THE POWER TO USE YOUR OWN IMAGINATION TO CREATE THE BEST POSSIBLE VERSION OF YOURSELF IS WITHIN US ALL. IT’S SIMPLY A MATTER OF “OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW”.
Visualise the outcome in a positive way. In your mind’s eye, see yourself crossing the finish line. Hear the cheers from the crowd, feel the jubilation inside you, see your
you imagine to be reality. If you are told often enough that you are a certain way, then that is what your self-image reality will become. However, this image can be changed by you at any time. Acting as if you are already a success and your goals have been achieved will simultaneously plant the notion in your RAS that this is your current reality and guess what, so it shall be…….. So what is holding you back? What is stopping you from achieving your goals? Do you recognise the ‘road blocks’? Perhaps you are responsible for the obstacles that keep blocking your path? In the next issue of UFM we will explore these questions and offer some ‘dynamite’ that could ‘blow up the blockages’ and ‘bust down the obstacles’ that may be feeding your RAS a false reality.
loved ones embracing you.
•
Write it down. Journal your success. Put on paper your excitement at achieving your goals.
•
Record your own voice verbalising your goals in a positive tense. Play this in the car, on your MP3, any chance you can - listen to the power of your own words.
•
Daydream often. Upon waking, before falling asleep, every quiet moment you can to see your goals achieved.
One of the truly great things about our RAS is that it cannot distinguish the difference between reality and fantasy. This means that positive self talk and visualisation are powerful strategies to use to strengthen our minds. By just taking a few seconds everyday to see and hear yourself describing your goal achievement will have your RAS working to find course-corrections to any obstacles. Dr Maxwell Maltz, who by the way was not a psychologist by training but was a medical doctor and plastic surgeon, wrote the classic
Bio Jen Forster
is the founder of Goal Power Mind and Body Coaching. As a Life Coach and Qualified Fitness Professional, Jen’s focus is developing minds so that the impossible becomes possible. Jennifer Forster Mind and Body Coach Goal Power Mind and Body Coaching www.goalpower.com.au jen@goalpower.com.au Reference: Dr Maxwell Maltz, Psycho Cybernetics, 1960 by Prentice Hall, Inc. Bobbe Sommer, PhD. with Mark Falstein, Psycho-cybernetics 2000, 1993 by Prentice Hall, Inc. UFM
A common mistake for the new runner is to try to run through pain they are experiencing, rather than recognising that the pain may be their body’s early warning system of an imminent injury!
From individuals exercising for general wellbeing, through social groups, to elite athletes, running is one of the leading participation sports in Australia (Exercise, Recreation & Sport Survey 2006 Annual Report). Along with sports like basketball, volleyball, netball, tennis and some aerobics, running is classified as a ‘high impact activity’ - in that it requires both feet to leave the ground simultaneously.
However, while running is undoubtedly one of the best and most convenient ways to keep fit, its ‘high impact’ nature has the potential to make it the cause of a wide range of injuries.
Running and Injury The most common types of running injuries can be classified into two broad categories: 1) Start-Up Injuries 2) Overuse/Accumulative Injuries
Start-Up Injuries Put simply, running start-up injuries involve
As with all high impact sports, running has
going too far, too fast, too soon. For the
a broad range of associated health benefits
beginner (or returning runner) it is very
including:
important to allow ample time to increase
1) Increasing fitness, endurance, agility and
both your physiological (heart, lung etc)
co-ordination
and physical (muscles, joints) capacity
2) Building bone strength
gradually. A common mistake for the new runner is to try to run through pain they are
3) Increasing muscle strength
experiencing, rather than recognising that
4) Increased feeling of personal wellbeing
the pain may be their body’s early warning system of an imminent injury!
Preventing Running Injury ULT RA FIT
ISSUE [119]
16
Overuse/Accumulative Injuries There are three common reasons for runners to get these: overtraining; failing to allow adequate recovery time between runs; and ignoring small, niggling pains. Statistics released by Smartplay (Victoria, 2007) indicate that in a 12-month period up to 70% of recreational and competitive runners will sustain an overuse injury. Of these, 42% will be of the knee, 17% to the foot/ankle, 13% to the lower leg and 11% to the hip/pelvis.
Getting The Most From Your Running! A large number of running injuries are preventable. Here are some simple guidelines that can help you maximise the health benefits of running, whilst minimising the chance of injury.
1. Essential Assessment — Prior to commencing any running programme it is very important that you consult a suitably qualified health professional, such as a physiotherapist, in order to identify any musculoskeletal or health problems that may contribute to injury. Knowing your body’s strengths and limitations will greatly assist in tailoring a running programme that minimises the change of injury whilst also meeting your health and fitness needs.
2. Warm Up and Warm Down — A thorough warm-up and warm-down (including a range of dynamic and static stretches) should be undertaken each time you run.
3. Allow Time for Rest and Recovery — Appropriate rest is critical to performance gains and injury prevention.
4. Hydration, Hydration, Hydration — Drink plenty of water (or a sports drink) before, during, and after your runs.
5. Don’t Ignore Pain — Listen to your body and if you are experiencing pain in your joints or muscles while running - stop and walk. Consider seeking professional help for the pain — the solution may simply be a matter of adding some additional strengthening or flexibility exercises to your running routine!
6. Remember Your Feet — Healthy feet are your key to running performance, and essential to protecting your feet are high quality running shoes. Many different factors will affect what type of running shoe is best for you and how often you will need to change your running shoe. Consider seeking professional advice in choosing and updating your shoes.
7. Vary Your Routine — Consider the use of low impact ‘cross training’ activities such as cycling or swimming to give your joints a rest between running days.
8. Running Surface — Wherever possible, run on a clear, smooth, even, and relatively forgiving surface. UFM
Preventing Running Injury
At BRP — It’s All About You! As a specialised musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice, Baroona Road Physiotherapy will work with you in order to provide targeted, expert advice in relation to sports performance enhancement, injury prevention and injury rehabilitation issues. If you have a query or would like to make an appointment please visit our website www.baroonaphysio.com.au or call us on (07) 3368 4029.
17
U LTRA FIT
ISSUE [119]
At certain times in our life we get to the point where we feel like “I can’t go on any further, something has to give, I’m losing control, I need to change”. Whether it’s your health, fitness, occupation or your relationship.
Some people are afraid to change. They are afraid of what change means. It’s the fear of what’s on the other side of change. It’s getting out of a comfort zone and moving in to the unknown. Others are afraid to accept where they are really at with their circumstances. They are in denial and they bury their head in the sand. The situation just gets worse. If you are someone who is ready and would like to make some changes in your life, following are some very useful tips to MAKE IT HAPPEN!
DECIDE
First of all you have to decide what is it you would like to change or achieve with your life?? You need an action plan! We all have an idea of what we need to change. It’s about listening to yourself. Listen to what your heart is saying. Make your own personal action plan. Write it down!
AChange for the
Better!
OK, so now we know what we want, the next step is how do we make it happen? How do we make these changes?? How do we go about achieving this?
“They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.“ ~Confucius
ENERGY
When you make changes usually you will come across some very challenging times, tough times. It may get extremely hard for you. This is where you need to tap into some extra energy. Something you can think about that will propel you forward. Write down 2-3 things that you can think about in these times that will keep you going. I know whenever I have a tough time in my life and things can’t get much worse (or so I think) I think about my brother who 2 weeks before his 16th birthday had a rugby league accident and ended up a quadriplegic. Now 20 years later even though he has not been able to move his legs or parts of his arms he is still living a successful life. He is married, has his own miracle baby boy and keeps going. I think about him, it drives me to get through the challenge.
TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!
I believe the most important thing to remember about change is to take personal responsibility for the things that happen in your life. You are where you are at right now because of what you have done. There is no point blaming something or someone else. You have made your life what it is today.
BELIEVE
The first belief we must have about change is that we can all change in an instant. The past does not equal the future. Today is the first
day of the rest of your life. Get excited about life and how you are in control. You don’t have to continue down this path any longer. CHANGE NOW THIS INSTANT!
“Do not wait to strike til the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” William B. Sprague
The second belief we need If we are going to create long term change is we have to acknowledge that we are responsible for our own change not anybody else! It’s ok to have trainers and coaches etc, they are there to help us along and motivate us. I highly recommend using these services. However, if we don’t take full responsibility for the change IT WON’T HAPPEN!
MAKE IT A MUST!
Believe something must change, not it should, or could. It must. There needs to be enough pain or urgency for the change to take effect. I often hear clients say,”I need to do this, I want to do this, I will try and do this” and it never happens. The magic word that is said when change happens is “Jason, I have to do this I must do it. I have no other option that will make a difference” As far as change goes this is music to a trainer’s ears.
I CAN
You must believe that it must change and “I can change it!” YOU HAVE TO BE THE SOURCE OF YOUR CHANGE Then circumstances surrounding you and your decision will help you change.
10 Steps to creating Change 1) Decide what you really want to change in your life right now! Write it out and make your personal plan.
2)
What’s preventing you from Having it right Now? Write it out and work out how you can prevent these things from hindering your change.
3)
Create massive pain to NOT Changing now and massive pleasure to the experience of having the change right now! Anyone who has ever had a heart attack, then decided to get healthy, is good at remembering the pain of not changing.
4)
Make it urgent. The only way you are going to change now is to create a sense of urgency that’s so intense that you are compelled to follow through.
5)
Use mental energy! Remember the thoughts that drive you forward in tough times. As sure as day turns in to night you will always have obstacles, people and circumstances preventing you from change. Always go back to these and draw energy from them to keep you going.
6) Use Leverage
Use pain that comes from the inside. The pain of knowing you are not living up to your standards. Knowing you don’t look like you know you could. I find that my children are good leverage to stay healthy and lead by example. If you don’t change how will you look in 5 – 10 years? How will your life be?
7)
Interrupt the old habits and Identify vulnerable moments When are they? Write them down. Then work out what else you could do at these times. One of my clients had trouble not drinking wine between the hours of 4 – 6pm every day. Parents will know this time. It’s happy hour with the children. They get restless and hungry and it can be quite stressful. It’s enough to drive you to drink. So once this time is identified as a weakness we can do something about it. In her case hubby started work earlier so he could come home and help in this stressful time which meant my client no longer needed the drink to survive.
8)
Open your mind to new ideas Remember you are where you are because of the decisions you have made in the past. Maybe you need to look at some other options. See if you can find someone who has already been through what you are going through now and come out of the situation exactly how you want to.
9)
Create a new Empowering Alternative Who else has made this change? Why do people drink alcohol? Instead of going for a beer with your mates how about a surf or mountain bike?? Instead of reaching for the chocolate cake because you are bored or emotional try yoga??
10)
Take the 21 day challenge Do it for 21 days and make it a habit.
“Our only security is our ability to change”.
~John Lilly UFM
Jason Chapman is a leading fitness coach on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. He also runs health and fitness retreats. Visit www.firsttraining.com.au for more ideas on making changes in your life and the best way to optimum health and fitness.
ULT RA FIT
ISSUE [117]
19
Water – the Elixir of life…… Some small simple changes for some big differences! By Grace McClure
I will never forget the feeling of bathing in warm volcanic springs hidden deep within the tropical mountains of Hawaii, there was an unexplainable sacredness which touched my soul. It was an incredible healing experience as I dived down, loving the sensation of water around me. I wanted to stay beneath the surface forever, if only I had gills! In the tranquil stillness, only a slight vibration warmed the waters, a tiny warm bubbling was emanating upwards from within the volcanic rock… amazing! The moment was pure bliss, yet it wasn’t until afterward that I noticed that the tension and stress I had been carrying from the five hour triathlon the day before and the hot, frustrating, five hour drive to this special place (with many misdirections!) had left my body. I was now clean, alive, alert and with a timeless sense of tranquillity. So what was the magic of that water? Can it be scientifically described? What about water and hydration at a physical level and water in our environment? Is it possible that water could even respond at an emotional level to the way we speak to it? Most importantly, for Ultra-Fit readers, how can we use some answers to these questions in a practical, simple way to help ourselves, our clients and those around us to reduce stress and be more vital, fit, healthy and strong, every day. Every dawn is a new beginning, make changes now!
Hydration – A few more reasons to drink up “It is chronic water shortage in the body that causes most diseases of the human body.” Dr Fereydoon Batmaghelidj (Your Body’s Many Cries For Water). Dr Batmaghelidj has devoted years of research and investigation into why water works so well in keeping us healthy and pain-free. Personally, I believe it is important to remember that there are many other factors besides water involved in a person’s health, however Dr. B’s pioneering work shows that what he calls Unintentional Chronic Dehydration (UCD), contributes and even produces pain and many degenerative diseases that can be prevented and treated. Put simply, dehydration causes stress in our physical systems, we don’t work efficiently on all levels and the information transmission is scrambled. A human can survive around 3 weeks without food yet only 3 days without water! For athletes focused on results, where every increment of performance is analysed, best practice hydration is even more paramount. Even mild dehydration can result in increased heart rate, increased lactic acid in muscles, increased body temperature, increased fatigue, decreased strength, decreases in mental cognition, more
stress and impaired judgement (are you shrivelling up and reaching
Water – a closer look
for your water bottle yet!). Keep in mind it is also important for those
Apart from well-known hydration, what is really interesting is the
losing a lot of fluid through exercise to replace fluid and minerals/
powerful effect of water at a quantum level, at an emotional level and
electrolytes such as potassium, sodium and calcium, as water can
also the positive effect that simply being in a negative ion charged
be insufficient.
environment (beach, waterfall, rainforest) can have on your body.
So listen to your body (see below how to hear your body is asking
Negative ions
for water) and drink at least eight glasses-plus to two litres-plus
Have you ever wondered why it is you feel so good being near the
of good quality water per day (depending on an individual, their
ocean, how refreshed you feel after taking a cold shower or about
exertion and their environment).
the crisp clarity which invigorates you walking through a rainforest
This miracle cure is actually the way our bodies are designed to
and after a thunderstorm and fresh rain? The answer is largely
function, straight from nature and plain common sense.
due to negative ion particles. Ions are small bits of charged matter
Hydration and how to hear your body asking for water •
•
•
late (when you are already dehydrated) so be mindful to
rivers, streams, seas and waterfalls.
sip water frequently before extreme thirst.
Negative ions are at their most plentiful in natural, outdoor settings.
Many confuse thirst for hunger and eat more than they
In fact, scientists have measured the air around natural water
need to. So if you are hungry, try having a glass of water
settings such as waterfalls and found that each cubic centimetre
first.
can contain 95,000 to 450,000 negative ions. The typical office, on
Ideally, your body will produce clear colourless urine – this
the other hand, tends to contain a few hundred negative ions per
is the sign of good hydration. A somewhat dehydrated
cc, and sometimes none. This becomes scary when you see just
body produces yellow urine and a severely dehydrated
what negative ions do, and the damage that not enough negative
body produces orange or dark coloured urine (your body
ions will take on our bodies.
Always keep a large water bottle with you and sip regularly (on your desk, at home, in your workplace, in your car or by your bed) Drink water, as well as other beverages if you are eating out
•
Did you know that time spent indoors can rob you of an ideal exposure to negative ions and cause fatigue, poor motivation, aches and pains, poor moods, and an overall sense of being unwell?
Make water easily accessible and available, it can be that simple
•
ions are atoms that have gained an electron. Oxygen ions are in such beautifully abundant supply near fresh, flowing water such as
A few tips on staying hydrated
•
are charged negatively, and some are charged positively. Negative
Thirst is the most obvious sign yet this often comes too
is crying out for water; so drink up).
•
floating around in the air and scientists will tell you that some ions
Be prepared and be mindful of your own circumstances and start to regulate how much water YOU need,
Why negative ions can be positively healthy! “Positive ions, (ie the bad ones) which occur in high levels in many indoor environments, inhibit the body’s ability to prevent pollutants/contaminants from entering the vulnerable areas of the respiratory tract. However, an overdose of negative ions has proven to provide counteraction to this effect” (Kreuger, 1974; Soyka, 1991; Tchijewski, 1960).
everyone is different according to body size, type, amount
• • •
of daily physical exertion and their environment, start
Countless studies prove the benefits of negative ions on health
paying attention and prepare accordingly
and well-being, including improved sleep, immunity and respiratory
During exercise, plan your water/fluid/electrolyte intake
function – while positive ions can make us feel tired, depressed and
before and prepare to have it available
irritable. Unfortunately for us, our modern indoor, internet, electronic
Limit caffeine intake (coffee, coke, some teas) as this is
lifestyles tip the balance downwards for our health, as fluorescent
dehydrating
lighting, electrical and electronic equipment, television screens and
Drink herbal non-caffeinated teas
static producing, man-made fibres in carpets, clothes and upholstery all reduce the level of negative ions and increase the positive ones.