WIN! get your hands on exclusive boxing yoga home workout dvd!
Reflex Nutrition
us ss rio ne se t fit ou ab
+ 6 NEW WORKOUTS + BANISH GYM FEAR + 8 EXCLUSIVE RECIPES
Master Trainer Richard Scrivener says less is more with Tabata
MINUTES
SPORTS SUPPLEMENT SPECIALISTS SHOW HOW YOU CAN RAMP UP YOUR PERFORMANCE
ADAM KIANA Find out how PT Academy aims to fill the blanks of the qualification sector thanks to Adam Kiani
TAKE CHARGE Tom Godwin explains personal training fees
TRAINING CLIENTS ONLINE PT Jessica Bennett demonstrates a modern take on one-to-one sessions
Neil Johnson rolls out the Torq-King and Ronny Terry hangs with the gymnastic rings
Deadlift Lizzie Havers betters your technique with her tutorial
WRITTEN BY PERSONAL TRAINERS FOR YOU
APRIL 2015 / ÂŁ4 www.ptmagazine.co.uk
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�
Olly Foster, cover model and elite personal trainer
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Experts
WELCOME TO YOUR APRIL ISSUE! EXCITING NEWS!
Kristoph Thompson
You may have notiv ed we’ve got a shiny new log o. We have rebranded your favou rite fitness magazine (that’s us !) and from the summer we will be heading to newsstand so you’ll be able to pick us up from news agents across the uk!
Previously working as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with professional baseball and basketball teams in the USA, Kristoph now runs his own PT business in the UK. www.sideways8.co.uk
Ronny Terry
Specialising in body sculpting, weight loss and elite fitness, personal trainer Ronny Terry is Owner and Director of SWITCH FIT UK. www.switchfituk.co.uk
Richard Callendar
Richard Callendar has over 18 years experience in the health and fitness industry, and has become a widely respected fitness expert, tutor and presenter internationally.
Mollie Millington
London based personal trainer who offers in person and virtual training support. www.ptmollie.com or tweet @PTMollie
Tom Godwin
Tom is the Managing Director of Foresight Fitness Services. He specialises in exercise referral and corrective exercise and helping other personal trainers improve their business.
George Pearse
George is a senior mobile personal trainer for MotivatePT, one of the UK’s leading personal training companies. Follow him @pearsefitness
Danny Apollo Bruce
Danny Apollo is a certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning specialist and international fitness columnist. His clientele includes Olympic and professional athletes and actors. www.brucecoaching.com
Steve Miller
Steve Miller has built up a successful weight loss business and now supports personal trainers, hypnotherapists and coaches develop their entrepreneurial talent. www.yourweightlossmaster.co.uk
We're gearing up to get strong this month in the run up to leading industry events such as Bodypower and UKBFF, so we take a look at leading weightlifting and bodybuilding aids in our Product Profiles, round up muscle boosting protein powders in our Best on Test and also have a whole host of strength training experts to share their knowledge. We have Mark Law teaming up with Strength and Conditioning Coach Sabina Skala to demonstrate how to perform the clean, with sports nutrition expert and PT Jessica Bennett highlighting how women can utilise strength training. Lizzie Havers also showcases ideal techniques for combining bodyweight exercise the squat with a barbell. ON THE COVER: Sports supplement specialists Reflex Nutrition show how you can ramp up your performance.
Fit pros head to our PT Business section to find all the advice you need, from prominent experts such as Danny Apollo Bruce, Richard Callender and George Pearse to name a few. Tom Godwin tackles the minefield of what to charge when you work as a PT, whilst Steve Miller explains the best ways to go about branding your business consistently. If you have any feedback on the mag, drop me an email at katie@ptmagazine.co.uk – I'd love to get your thoughts on our new logo! Excitingly, Personal Trainer will be available on newsstand from our June issue, to be available at an impressive 1,400 plus venues across the UK and Ireland, including branches of WHSmiths! Happy reading!
Katie
@PTMagazine /PTMagazine www.ptmagazine.co.uk
PUBLISHER Myles Davies | GROUP EDITOR Victoria Guthrie | EDITOR Katie Garner katie@ptmagazine.co.uk | DESIGN Maddi Mears maddi@magicfountainmedia.co.uk | MULTIMEDIA DESIGN Adam Daniels adamd@ptmagazine.co.uk | DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Adam Thorpe adam@magicfountainmedia.co.uk | ADVERTISING MANAGER Yasmine Brown yasmine@ptmagazine.co.uk | ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Lorna White lorna@ptmagazine.co.uk | GENERAL info@ptmagazine.co.uk | ACCOUNTS Emma Rayner accounts@ptmagazine.co.uk PUBLISHERS: Magic Fountain Media Ltd, Suite G, Epsilon House, Masterlord Office Village, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9FJ PRINTED BY: The Magazine Printing Company IMAGERY: Some images in this magazine are provided by Shutterstock. www.shutterstock.com PRINTED BY: Bishops Printers PLEASE NOTE: Points of view expressed in articles by
contributing writers and in advertisements included in PT Magazine, do not necessarily represent those of the publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in PT Magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for incidents arising from use of information published. All rights, including moral rights, reserved.
COPYRIGHT: No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievable system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publishers. © Magic Fountain Media Ltd
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CONTENTS
REGULARS
8 INDUSTRY FOCUS
Catch up on all the latest goings on within the #fitfam.
17 WHAT KATIE
TRIED NEXT
Editor Katie Garner combines boxing and yoga.
30 STRENGTH SERIES Lizzie Havers talks you through the deadlift.
32 BILT BY AGASSI AND REYES
Katie Garner explores tennis ace Andre Agassi’s new fitness range.
34 PROTEIN FOR VEGETARIAN ATHLETES
28 TRY
Bio-Synergy reveal how to enhance your amino acids.
Immersive Fitness could renovate the spinning scene.
36 ‘I SAW THE NEED
SOMETHING NEW
39 SUBSCRIBE!
Never miss an issue of Personal Trainer.
49 COMPETITION
Win a BoxingYoga Home Workout DVD!
FOR A TRAINING PROVIDER THAT WOULD CARE ABOUT ITS LEARNERS’
Adam Kiani tells us about his training company PT Academy.
96
VIBRANT VEGETABLES Natasha Corrett displays the tastiest ways to get your five a day.
52 FITNESS HERO
Gillian Hirst talks about her inspirational transformation.
73 ROUND UP
Check out our overview of upcoming fitness finds.
100 PT QUOTES
What advice would you give newbie PTs?
120 10 MINS WITH
We talk to James Exton from LDN Muscle.
FEATURES
15 FAD DIETS?
Mollie Millington explores weight loss food trends.
20 ENTERING THE
E-BOOK MARKET
Craig Libby talks about his first e-book.
HONESTLY HEALTHY CLEANSE by Natasha Corrett. Hodder & Stoughton 2015. Photograph © Lisa Linder
38 HOW CAN
SPORTS MASSAGE BENEFIT YOU?
Nick Forrester explains.
39 ARE YOU FIT FOR THE SPORTING SEASON? Leeds Rhino gives insight into rugby fitness.
22 IT’S TIME
41 THE
Kelly Reed-Banks explains the benefits of heat.
Greg Small asks whether tech has complicated exercise?
24 UTILISING SUPPLEMENTS
42 TABATA
TO GET HOT
Forza Supplements explain what ingredients you should keep an eye out for.
#TECHREVOLUTION
METHODOLOGY
Richard Scrivener highlights the benefits of this high intensity training style.
47 THE FIVE HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SLEEPERS Adam Stansbury shares his sleep secrets.
48 CREATE A
BODYBUILDING PROTEIN PLAN
Reflex Nutrition advise on planning your protein.
51 THE IMPORTANCE OF BALANCE 66fit Ltd talk about how exercise can aid motor skills.
58 REMOVING ALL
BARRIERS
New Level UK give home gyms a thumbs up.
NUTRITION
81 FOOD FOCUS
19th April hails the arrival of Garlic Day.
75
GYMNASTIC RINGS
See this suspension workout with Ronny Terry.
82 GARLIC GALORE Marie Felton showcases garlic infused recipes.
84 RAMP UP YOUR SHAKE
Stock up on the newest gadgets and gizmos.
26 BEST ON TEST We sample the leading protein powders.
40 PRODUCT
PROFILES
Get to grips with bodybuilding aids.
44 10 OF THE BEST
Modern training equipment from Gorilla Sport.
60 CLEAN UP YOUR TECHNIQUE
OR YOUR DAY WILL OWN YOU
Stay on top of your business with Kristoph Thompson.
106 FOLLOW UP OR
108 TACKLING
Robert Sharpe shares this bodyweight session.
Don’t be daunted by training clients via the web – PT Jessica Bennett explains how
WORKOUT
FLY WITH THE WIND
Danny Apollo Bruce says following up is essential.
ONLINE TRAINING
64 THE NINE ELEMENTS
Ged Musto showcases his industry experience.
66 BARBELL LADDER Kristoph Thompson details this interesting training method.
111 BUILDING A
RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR IDEAL CLIENT Steve Miller combats business basics .
112 WHAT’S YOUR PRICE?
68 KEEP YOUR GUARD UP
Tom Godwin explores what PTs should be charging.
90 QUICKFIRE MEAT
Katie Garner heads to London’s Total Boxer.
Let out your inner carnivore with meat classics.
70 DESIGNING AND
113 TOP FIVE TIPS FOR CREATING AN EXERCISE PROGRAMME
MEALS
18 NEW KIT IN TOWN
WORKOUT
Find out how to use this bit of kit with Neil Johnson.
62 ARMAGEDDON
Sophia Stutchbury explains why the Powerhoop is unique.
PRODUCTS
105 OWN YOUR DAY
Gemma Fromage-Crawford shows how to tackle aches.
86 LIGHT AND HEALTHY DINNERS
POWERHOOP: THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED FITNESS HOOP
Katie Garner and Georgina Spenceley sample BMF.
59 TORQ-KING
Russ Howe pushes you to the max.
Check out this classic combo of strawberry and banana.
46
MILITARY FITNESS
104 SPORTS AILMENTS SERIES
Mark Laws and Sabina Skala show you how to perfect your clean technique.
Nichola Whitehead shares her favourite recipes.
118 BRITISH
56 WARZONE WORKOUT
PROGRAMMING FOR OLDER CLIENTS
How you can tailor training for different age ranges.
George Pearse pushes his key points for building a workout.
Dr Michelle Storfer packs her soup with nutrients.
75 STRENGTH
115 STOCKING UP
95 CHOCOLATE
PT Jessica Bennett discusses how to involve women in strength training.
92 CARROT, GINGER
AND SWEET POTATO SOUP
PROTEIN PANCAKES
See this way to add protein in to your morning meal.
99 CHOCOLATE ORANGE PROTEIN FLAPJACKS
Protein Chef deliver sweet treats packed with protein.
WORKOUTS
55 MOVE OF THE MONTH
Work your lower body by dipping into lunges.
TRAINING FOR WOMEN
EXPERTS
102 PT TIP OF THE
MONTH
Ronny Terry shares his business tips.
103 PSYCHOLOGICAL PREPARATION OF ATHLETES Ioanna Karelia explains athletes can suffer from stage fright too.
Podium 4 Sport talk to PT Ellouise Hill.
116 BECOMING A PT Katie Garner speaks to teacher and assessor Natasha Sethna.
117 PROFESSIONAL DO’S AND DON’TS
Richard Callender strips fit pros back to basics.
Head to www.ptmagazine.co .uk for more of the latest stories!
INDUSTRY FOCUS
Personal trainers at LA Fitness clubs have been trained to use key functional training kit from Physical Company, to deliver the Primal Series gym floor classes. The 30 minute,
challenging high intensity small group sessions use a broad range of Physical Company gear combining new items such as The Surge, Slam Balls and SandRopes with more familiar pieces such as Powerbags, Grid foam rollers, kettlebells and BOSU Balance Trainers. Physical Company Master Trainers developed the programmes and taught LA Fitness instructors. See more of the equipment range at www.physicalcompany.co.uk
Back to basics PT Gemma Fromage-Crawford revises the short term effects of cardiovascular exercise
When you start to exercise, one of the first changes you will notice is an increase in breathing rate. Muscle cells start utilising energy and as a result, waste products are produced. One of these waste products produced is carbon dioxide in the blood. Increased levels are detected by the brain sending signals to the lungs to breathe faster and deeper thus increasing respiration rate. This not only removes the waste carbon dioxide but brings in more oxygen to supply the heart and body. The brain also sends a signal to the heart to beat faster leading to increased heart rate. As more blood is having to be pumped back to the heart the muscles squeeze on the veins harder leading to an increase in pressure, which means that the heart is contracting harder. As a result, the amount of blood leaving the heart in
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one beat – stroke volume – increases as the left ventricle is more efficiently filled and emptied. The combination of increased heart rate and stroke volume result is increased cardiac output, meaning more blood flow to muscles where oxygen is needed. As arterioles widen to give blood easier access, blood is shunted from where it's least needed to where its most needed, in general this is a shift from the gut to the muscles. Blood vessels widen (vasodilate) and constrict (vasoconstrict) as necessary to allow this to happen. A change in force at which the myocardium is contracting means if you were to check a persons’ blood pressure, an increase in systolic blood pressure would be seen whilst diastolic pressure remains the same.
Try before you buy. Attend the exclusive JeKaJo Dance masterclass at Pineapple Studios on Saturday 11th April, between 2.30pm and 4.00pm
Boost your CV skills with this month’s recommended course • • • •
Course: JeKaJo Dance Instructor Date: Sunday 26th April 2015 Location: Pineapple Studios, London Cost: £190
JeKaJo Dance is the latest high intensity interval training, dancebased fitness class with a carnival vibe, allowing you to burn up to 1000 calories per hour class. Receive eight REPs points on successful completion of the course. JeKaJo Dance Instructors must be Level 2 Exercise To Music qualified. You can now complete your Level 2 through JeKaJo Dance. Visit www.jekajodance.com for more information and to book your place.
KNOW
PTS GET PHYSICAL
CPD course of the month
YOU
FOCUS
FIND OUT ALL YOUR FITNESS RELATED NEWS AND UPDATES HERE. HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? EMAIL KATIE@PTMAGAZINE.CO.UK
DID
Industry
The Naga Jolokia, or ‘ghost pepper,’ was declared the hottest chilli pepper in the world in 2007, recording a level of 1,001,300 Scoville heat units – almost double that of the previous record holder, the Red Savina Habanero.
INDUSTRY FOCUS
FITLINXX INTRODUCE INNOVATION IN ACTIVITY TRACKERS Health and fitness technology company Fitlinxx are showcasing the details of their latest innovation – the Fitlinxx AmpStrip, due for release in May. This streamlined heart and activity tracker is worlds away from the traditional monitors you see out and about; the thin, waterproof device sticks to your torso so that it can automatically and continuous track your heart rate, activity,
respiration, body temperature and posture. The sensor filled strip is comfortable to wear all day and night, meaning you can gather results from when you are working out, resting, recovering and even sleeping. The AmpStrip also lets you view your stress-recovery cycle, giving you valuable information into how to plan your training for maximum effect. Find out more at www.ampstrip.com
Programming for
pregnancy Consultant Gynaecologist and Royal College of Obstreticians and Gynaecologists Spokesperson Mr Michael Dooley shares his insights on ante natal fitness
E
xercising during pregnancy can be hugely beneficial for women, as not only can it help ease back ache and regulate blood pressure, but it can also help contribute towards a simpler delivery. Exercising throughout pregnancy can also help maintain weight and is a fantastic stress buster too. 'When working with a pregnant client it is important to take an integrated approach, so that would include the personal trainer, the client's doctor and a nutritionist for example,' Mr Dooley explains. This would ensure the client had all-encompassing support to help maintain health and fitness during this period.
R DO: • Take a history from the client • Speak to a health professional if you have any doubts or concerns • Inquire about current or prepregnancy exercise programmes • Ask what the pregnant client's aims are • Discuss the pregnancy so
• •
far – have there been any complications, for example? What is the client's current nutrition? Keep your client well hydrated both before, during and after the session
S DON'T: • Perform supine exercises after 16 weeks, as this puts additional pressure on major blood vessels • Take part in combat sports, such as rugby, as these could more easily lead to injury • Let your client's heart rate reach above 70% MHR • Let your client exercise if they are in pain, have headaches or are bleeding • Let your client become too hot or tired
•
Perform high altitude training
WHAT ABOUT ATHLETES? If you are a competing athlete, Mr Dooley emphasises that your local committee must be notified On the other end of the scale, female elite athletes may also have more trouble becoming pregnant, due to Reduced Energy Deficiency Sport (RED-S), which can have an impact on fertility, bone density levels and energy. RED-S can be defined as a chronic energy deficiency that is most common in female athletes, causing musculoskeletal and reproductive dysfunction. Mr Dooley is a RCOG spokesperson and works with the Kind Edward VII Hospital, London and The Poundbury Clinic, Dorchester.
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INDUSTRY FOCUS
30,000 of the country’s best fitness and exercise professionals. Train Smart. Train REPs.
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Follow: @REPsUK for the latest fitness news, trends debates and events. Louise Hazel, REPs Ambassador, Olympian and Commonwealth Champion.
Check if your trainer is REPs registered 0207 632 2022 www.exerciseregister.org
ASK YOUR TRAINER TODAY
INDUSTRY FOCUS
Injury Spotlight
Weight lifting can cause a whole host of injuries, one of the most common being shoulder impingement syndrome If you are a fan of overhead weight lifting exercises, such as lateral raises, bench presses and shoulder presses, then you'll want to be aware of shoulder impingement sydrome – an inflammation to the tendons around the rotator cuff in the shoulder joint. This common bodybuilding injury will cause pain in the front of the shoulder as well as the side of the upper arm, although it will only be noticeable at first when you lift your arms. If you carry the injury for a longer period of time, then you'll continue to feel the pain when lying down or after exercising too. Generally, the pain will focus on the upper arm and won't go past the elbow joint. When tackling an inflammation based problem, antiinflammatory medication can help, as can certain supplements and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids. Ice packs may help with any swelling, but remember if you experience any pain during exercise, it is important to stop immediately.
Finding your inspiration Katie Garner realises there’s nothing quite like watching the professionals hard at work
I first started playing badminton when I was 12 years old, learning the ropes of the world's fastest racket sport at my local sportcentre, working my way up the training classes until I had tackled every opponent and snatched at every sporting opportunity. Whatever night of the week I played badminton, that was my favourite night of the week. At 16, I ditched in the student sessions and joined a local club, once again rising in the ranks from newbie member to squad player, to team captain, and now at my pinnacle I have been Club Captain for the past four years in an unbeaten and uncontested streak. My passion for the sport is normally displayed by throwing myself around a court in either mixed doubles or ladies pairs, however I also love attending events so that I can see stars such as Chris and Gabby Adcock in action. Before retirement, Gail Emms was a huge inspiration to me and motivated me to improve my net game – now, my short serve is by far my greatest weapon. Over the years, I have managed to attend a few of the big tournaments, usually trying to nab finals day tickets to see the cream of the crop of badminton. For my birthday two years ago, my fiancé took me to Birmingham to see the Yonex All England Championships final day, and I watched in avid admiration as Lee Chong Wei defeated his Chinese opposition. I've also been to see the Badminton Grand Prix at London's Copperbox, which was used during the Olympics. I was then able to see first hand the dominance of Dutch duo Boe and Mogenson in the men's doubles.
More recently, I attended the English National Badminton Championships in February, at the K2 in Crawley, with my sister – a fellow fan and player. It was brilliant to be able to see an array of English players come to the fore, as usually Asian stars are incredibly prominent in the main tournaments, with the winners usually hailing from China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan although Dutch players also have a tendancy to do well. The English National Badminton Championships is a brilliant way to celebrate the burgeoning talent that we have right here, with Chris and Gabby Adcock in particular really leaving their mark on the mixed doubles scene. We also saw leading ladies pairs combination Lauren Smith and Heather Olver who managed to win their final, as well as Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis for the men's doubles. What I love most about seeing the stars in action, is that it is a complete inspiration to me. My feet itch and shuffle on the stands as I ache to run on court with the players to reach for the shot. The sheer speed and accuracy of the play has your head swinging back and forth, the crowd emitting involuntary gasps when a seemingly impossible smash is retrieved, or a net shot cleared by tickling the top of the tape. Seeing the quality of the play spurs me to improve my own game and tactics, and I love the feeling of being part of such a wonderful sport in some small way. What inspires you to excel at your chosen sport? Let me know at katie@ptmagazine.co.uk
@PTMAGAZINE
11
INDUSTRY FOCUS
Feel the burn If you want to get stronger and see real results, eat clean and supplement right BY JAMIE LLOYD Take a quality anti-oxidant
Here are my top five supplements to help with strength gains:
1
Fuel up on good quality proteins
Protein is essential for building muscle growth and you need to get at least 1g per pound of body weight per day if not 1.5g per pound. The heavier you lift the more mechanical damage your muscle fibres undergo. The more damage you do to your muscle fibres, the more recovery they will need. More damage and recovery actually translates to more growth. These three processes require good quality protein – not some sugary whey powder! Good sources of quality protein include organic eggs, grass fed organic beef, poultry, fish, and go for rice, pea and hemp protein powders instead of the whey or casein powders as these cause havoc with your digestive system.
2
Amino Acids
Flood your body with amino acids about 30-60 minutes before you work out, on an empty stomach. The blood stream will become oozing with amino acids and this forces the brain to flip on the anabolic switch associated with improved performance, muscle growth and body fat reduction.
WHAT TEAM PT HAVE BEEN UP TO THIS MONTH
3
These contain high dosage of anthocyanins which help with the following: • Controls muscle damage and soreness • Controls oxidative stress and inflammation • Promotes tissue repair, recovery and performance • Assists immune protection • Train harder, for longer so you don’t get too much DOMS, meaning you recover quicker
Group editor Vick digs into a huge plate of stir fry: red pepper, oyster mushrooms, udon noodles and ginger and soy beef. Delicious!
4
Creatine
The jedi of strength builders is creatine. After years of scepticism, scientists agree that the stuff works well and is safe. Take 5g of creatine as creatine monohydrate, creatine citrate, creatine ethyl ester, or creatine alpha ketoglutarate, immediately before and after workouts.
5
D-ribose
This is a component of ATP which is essential for heart function. Regular supplementation has been found to increase cellular energy stores. This stuff is like dynamite as it helps you recover from those gladiator training sessions and stops you getting the dreaded DOMS!
Hitting the local gym, Katie gets stuck into a set of shoulder presses during a resistance workout.
FABIO HELPS YOU FILL DANCE FITNESS CLASSES Created by Fitmalion founder and dance fitness specialist Naomi Di Fabio, Fabio App is an innovative new mobile app that lets dance and fitness instructors attract new clients for their sessions. When clients register online they can then search for classes within their local area, or they can even search by class type, such as Zumba or Bokwa to find exactly what they need. Each class on the app will
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have its own landing page, containing all the relevant details of the session as well as instructor details and videos of what to expect. Instructors can upload their classes as well as training courses they offer, providing great visiblity to new clients locally. Potential customers can book and pay simply via the app, so class spots can really fill quickly. Sign up for more information at www.fabioapp.com
After lusting for this Yonex Arc Saber 11 badminton racket, it’s now Katie’s, ALL KATIE’S! Designed for controlled, precision power play, the Arc Saber is a fantastically versatile and energetic racket.
INDUSTRY FOCUS
PT Playlist SHOULD YOU DRINK WATER EVEN WHEN YOU AREN’T THIRSTY? Keeping hydrated is definitely a biggie when it comes to supporting your training and ensuring your body stays happy. We've all heard the old adage that we need to be drinking around eight glasses of water per day, but what about the advice that we should still be drinking even if we aren't thirsty? Clare Goodall from Everyday Roots explains that when you are thirsty, you have already lost 1-2% of the total water amount in your body, with thirst acting like an emergency SOS signal from your body. Although
the amount of water you need to be drinking varies depending on factors such as location, exercise levels, body type and medication/ health conditions, she recommends the best – although not the most glamorous – way of checking you are drinking enough water is to check out your urine. If your urine is light, about the shade of lemonade, then this indicates you are well hydrated, however if your pee has a darker, apple juice hue, then this is a sign that you should be drinking more fluids.
CrossFit expert Georgina Spenceley shares her top tracks to exercise to 'Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger' by Daft Punk 'Flux' by Bloc Party 'Good Luck' by Basement Jaxx 'Hotride' by the Prodigy 'Shake! Shake!' by the Subways 'Happy' by Pharrell Williams 'Song 2' by Blur 'Heads Will Roll' by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs 'A-Punk' by Vampire Weekend 'Faint' by Linkin Park
Did you know... The average adult eats 6,000 calories alone on Easter Sunday
VIRGIN ACTIVE AND TOUGH MUDDER TEAM UP TO OFFER SPECIALISED TRAINING CLASS
Virgin Active has been revealed as the first health club partner for the UK obstacle course series Tough Mudder. As part of a three year deal, Virgin Active centres will provide
exclusive in-club training that is specifically designed to help outdoor competitors tackle the world-famous Tough Mudder routes, focusing on strength, stamina and determination.
The event-centric training will focus around Virgin Active’s latest functional training equipment ‘The Grid’, which provides an allencompassing full body workout, with training advice also available through ‘Grid Active.’ Based on high-energy obstacle training, the 30 minute class is set to prepare participants both physically and mentally. The new duo will also be joining forces to create an innovative exercise class which is due to be showcased later this year, with Tough Mudder also touring their latest obstacle – The Liberator – around Virgin Active locations so keen athletes can have a go. See more at www.virginactive.com and www.toughmudder.com
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13
PT BUSINESS – EXPERTS
Are these fad diets? Learn more about the science behind the methods
BY MOLLIE MILLINGTON
P
eople are always looking for an easy way to lose weight and tone up. Unfortunately, the ways that work are challenging – working out with goals in mind and eating healthy meals prepared at home. Here are three fad diets your clients might be trying.
Intermittent fasting diet / 5:2 diet Created by Dr Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer, the premise is a decrease in calories, where you eat only 500-700 calories two days of the week. The other five days you can eat what you like. Mosley and Spencer refer back to early times of civilisation when people never knew when their next meal would be. We, as a species, evolved to survive this sort of eating pattern of feast and famine. Their book refers to numerous peerreviewed scientific articles in which the benefits of intermittent fasting are described: weight loss, decreasing risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer, living longer, lower levels of IGF-1 (growth hormone that
accelerates ageing and cancer), lowering of cholesterol and stable blood glucose levels.
Paleo / Caveman diet Paleo focuses on eating foods that were available before agriculture was introduced. Meat, fruit, and vegetables were what early ancestors ate, so that is what paleo fans do too. Meals typically have higher protein, a lower glycemic index, are higher in fibre and potassium, lower in salt, and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are balanced with omega-3 and omega-6 fats. There is an ethos to buy animal products that were raised locally and use all parts of the animal (from intestines to bones and everything in between). Agriculturally harvested food, such as wheat and dairy, are not allowed. Various spices add flavour to food rather than chemicals or sugar. Legumes (beans) and white potatoes are not allowed.
chew each ingredient on its own. It is important to remind clients to sip on smoothies and juices slowly over a few hours to avoid a blood sugar spike with subsequent energy crash. Let them know that fruit juices will have more calories than vegetable ones. Added protein in the form of Greek yogurt, nut butter, or milk can help increase the nutritional content too and make the drinks more filling.
Juicing Blending breaks down the food as digestion would do, which results in the natural sugars being released more quickly than if you had to
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WHAT KATIE TRIED NEXT
Boxing Yoga Opposites attract with this innovative exercise class. Katie Garner sees what makes these sessions so unique
A
s I made my way to Turnpike Lane in north London to visit Total Boxer, the gym that founded Boxing Yoga, I was completely intrigued as to how two such different disciplines could be combined to create a cohesive exercise session. Boxing Yoga is designed to work alongside traditional boxing training, providing more of a strength focused session that helps stretch out clustered muscles from tight guard positions. The class is about becoming more body aware, coordinated, as well as improving posture and strength. Leading the 60 minute session was Katarina. Katarina had tried one of the classes herself, fallen in love with it and then promptly trained to be an instructor. This passion was evident throughout the session, and I loved Katarina's personalised teaching style. She would regularly walk around us and check our posture, gently extending our limbs
into the required poses. She also helped me progress one of the poses into a bridge – I was so close the first time, that when we swapped sides she showed me how to get in to the pose and supported my back while I got my hands in position. Definitely a highlight of the class was mastering that backwards bridge! Utilising whole body sequences, the class is performed continuously to gentle background music. Claiming to shorten recovery time and enhance focus, Boxing Yoga merges boxing style with yoga poses, so we punched and slipped our way through some of the steps. What I liked most about this yoga class was the challenge of it. I confess that at some yoga sessions, I emerge from the hour feeling like I have done little more than lie on the mat for a bit, however with Boxing Yoga, my muscles were well aware of the job in hand. The core work in particular was very engaging, as we punched between our knees during sit-ups,
Katarina having us in a seated V position and then gently lowering ourselves down without ever quite touching the floor. We also squatted and lunged plenty. Without a doubt, this is the yoga class I have enjoyed the most – stylisically, it fit my ethos that I like to feel the burn with a workout, but I also really connected with Katarina's teaching style. Despite it being my first session, I felt supported and part of the team. With Boxing Yoga founder Matt Garcia planning on taking the instructor training online, I can really see this class becoming a firm group fitness favourite.
Find out more at www.boxingyoga.com
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PRODUCTS
Nike Air Max 90 Essential Women's Shoe
Biom Trail FL
Mix style with sportswear with Nike for their exclusive Air Max 90 range. This women's shoe uses a Max Air unit in the heel to protect against high impact, whilst the leather upper, nylon overlays and foam midsole all ensure that the fashionable trainer is comfortable and durable. £95 from www.jdsports.co.uk
Get outdoors for some trail running with these lightweight and flexible trainers. Available for both men and women, polyurethane insoles ensure your foot won’t slide, the design promoting a forefoot running style. Approx. £125 from www.sport.ecco.com
Medi-Evil Creatine Assault Medi-Evil Creatine Assault contains 100% pure creatine monohydrate, which in scientific studies has been shown to rapidly increase recovery, increase speed and strength as well as improve lean muscle gains. Creatine is one of the most widely used products in performance sport and is used by world class athletes globally. £23.99 from www.medievilfatburner.com
NEWKIT Total Boxer Boxing Gloves
IN TOWN
Suitable for both men and women, these 14oz boxing gloves promote a natural fist, incorporating impact absorbing foam knuckle padding, extra deep wrist supports and a secure velcro close. They are made from long lasting 100% PU high-tec artificial leather for extra durability. £40 from www.totalboxer.co.uk
Braun ExactFit 5 The Braun ExactFit 5 monitor uses inflation technology for speedy measurements, storing up to 120 measurements for two different people, also tracking any irregular heartbeats or morning hypertension. £99.99 from www.boots.com
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WHAT YOU SHOULD BE STOWING IN YOUR GYM BAG
PRODUCTS
USN Casein Night Time Protein Casein Night Time Protein, available in vanilla and strawberry, uses the highest grade of Micellar casein with added Aminogen, aiming to help the body recover faster after a heavy training session. £49.99 from www.usn.co.uk
GYMpartner Accessory Case GYMpartner’s Accessory Case contains a stainless steel water bottle in a protective neoprene holder, which magnetically sticks to whatever gym equipment you happen to be using. The handy phone pocket and key clip means you can carry all your essentials easily and quickly. £15.95 from www.gympartner-uk.com
Jabra PULSE Make your earbuds do the hard work with this three-in-one tool from Jabra. Not only do they feature Dolby sound to really make your music sing, but they can also aid your workout as they include an in-ear heart rate monitor for precise readings and real time voice coaching. £199.99 from www.jabra.co.uk
PROMiXX Mixer Utilising unique Vortex Mixing Technology, the PROMIXX Mixer can be used to combine both liquids and powders, making this ideal for lump-free shakes. You can also use the functionality like a mini blender, so feel free to get creative! From £18.99 from www.promixx.com
FlipBelt With no bulky zips or fastenings, stashing your essential items needn’t be problematic, as this singular tubular waistband is made from a moisture-wicking spandex-lyrca blend to snugly fit around your hips. Slide your phone, keys and cash into the belt, and flip it over to keep your items secure. £25 from www.theflipbelt.co.uk
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E-BOOK
Entering the
e-book market Want to jump the hurdle into writing fitness books? Katie Garner chats to Armageddon expert Craig Libby about how he is making this career step
O
ne of the greatest aspects of working within the fitness sector is undoubtedly the opportunities for experts to branch out and gather plenty of strings to their career bows. Strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer Craig Libby is on track to further spread his fitness reach by writing his own e-book, Train Like a Dog to Look Like a God. I quiz the Tunbridge Wells based PT on his newfound writing plans.
Why did you decide to write an e-book?
I decided I would like to write an e-book as I became more and more booked up as a personal trainer.
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The busier I got the more I thought it would be a good resource for people I didn’t train as well as the clients I do train. The e-book is going to be designed so that it reflects my philosophies and training approach, meaning my clients will be able to relate it to when they train with me.
Is this something you have always wanted to do?
I initially started doing my blogs as a way to make me continue studying – if I could write about the subject I had learnt about then it should become more ingrained in me. I knew that other top trainers had written e-books on specific training styles, but I decided I
wanted to create an e-book for free for my clients and whoever wanted to read it so they could get to know my thoughts on training and why I do things a specific way.
What topics will your e-book cover?
Each of my topics are based on specific Greek myths, heroes and gods. Topics I have covered so far include Achilles Heel, which talks about training and specifically training your weaker muscle groups; Prometheus, who had his liver ripped out of him every day by a giant eagle, discusses how alcohol affects your body and Penthesilea – the Amazon Warrior Queen – looks at why women should weight train.
E-BOOK
my standpoint on any topics I write about change I can edit the e-book and resend it to all the people who download it. I plan to keep it as up-to-date as possible.
Where did you get the inspiration for your e-book?
Visit www.craigsfitness.com for more extracts. (#trainlikeadogtolooklikeagod)
The idea of my e-book came about whilst on holiday in Crete. Sat by the pool I was reading a Greek mythology book and a book on the metabolic diet. The Greek mythology book talked about heroic acts performed using strength and how hard the Spartans and Roman gladiators trained, whereas the metabolic diet book spoke about looking at how your diet should be similar to years and years ago. With this in mind I wrote into my phone I would do a blog named 'Train like a God to Look Like a God’. Coming back to this after my holiday I realised I had actually written 'Train like a Dog to Look Like a God' and thought this would be a great name for my e-book.
What advice would you give to other PTs looking to write an e-book?
What are the aims of your e-book?
My first aim is to get the draft done as my blog then once I am happy with the content I am going to look to get the e-book put together with illustrations so it can be a free download on my website. If it gets some good feedback I hope to create some Train Like a Dog to Look Like a God training plans which people can download from my website and take into their gym and have a great workout from.
Why did you decide on producing an e-book instead of a physical book?
As training and nutrition is an everchanging and progressive industry, if
Start with a blog – not only has the blog given me the idea for my e-book but it also gave me more confidence to speak to people about complex topics as I had to do a lot of studying around the subjects I wrote about. I also would say don’t rush it, take your time to find a subject you find interesting and write about that. I'm lucky as I enjoy reading about Greek mythology and really like training and nutrition and it somehow managed to fit.
Train Like a Dog to Look Like a God The dyslexic trainer’s manual to add lean tissue and reduce body fat
Take a look at Craig’s first extract from his new e-book.
Training weak points – Achilles Heel In Greek mythology, Achilles was the bravest, handsomest and greatest warrior of the army of Agamemnon in the Trojan War. I won’t bore you with the whole story of Achilles but his death came from a fatal arrow aimed at the hero’s only weak point: his heel. When training, looking to achieve the body of your dreams, you need to do the exercises and train the muscle groups you do not enjoy doing – this is usually because this is your weak point. So stop training your chest three times a week and start training your back, legs and shoulders. These will make you appear bigger, help with your posture so you stand taller and will help release hormones that will make your muscles grow. So, what are your least favourite exercises? What are your weak points? Take a few minutes to look at these now, and add exercises that are going to fix these weak points. Look at super setting them with exercises you enjoy in your programming. Get away from the chest day, leg day, back day, shoulder day and arm day. Try four weeks of three full body exercise routines having one big lift in each day (e.g. squat, chest press, squat) and one conditioning day (flip tires, battle ropes, prowler).
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FITNESS TREND
It’s time to get
T O H
Escalate your average Pilates session with this innovative new version BY KELLY REED-BANKS
H
OT Pilates is massive in America and has the backing of celebrities like Madonna and Jennifer Anniston. Now, Choreography To Go have brought it to the UK with their exclusive HOT Fitness Pilates method, which is being launched this year with creators Rachel Holmes and Kelly Reed-Banks also unveiling the programme in Dubai.
So, what’s it all about? HOT Fitness Pilates encompasses the principles of Pilates, the benefits of working with heat and the dynamics of sport and dance to produce a fusion of three dimensional functional movements. The secret of HOT Fitness Pilates is the use of modern
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technology, employing infrared radiant heating panels to enhance the benefits of Fitness Pilates. HOT Fitness Pilates is a group exercise programme designed to enhance the posture, strength, balance and stability of a healthy adult.
It is a fact that exercising in the heat helps to burns more calories (Bikram Yoga can burn approximately 600 calories for example). Heat assists the muscles to get into postures more deeply and effectively, helping to produce a great range of movement in joints, muscles and ligaments. When exercising in the heat, your metabolism speeds up the breakdown of glucose and fatty acids. Sweating promotes detoxification, helping to improve circulation too.
HOT Far Infrared Rays (FIR) are part of the sun’s invisible spectrum. FIR radiant heat is a form of thermal energy. Far infrared rays do not cause sunburn or skin damage – they are waves of energy, totally invisible to the naked eye, capable of penetrating deep into the human body (approximately 4cm), where they gently elevate the body’s surface temperature and activate major bodily functions.
The five phases of HOT Fitness Pilates:
Phase 1 - DYNAMIC MOBILITY Phase 2 - BALANCE Phase 3 - STRENGTH Phase 4 - CORE Phase 5 - FLEXIBILITY & RELEASE If you are a qualified Pilates or a Fitness Pilates instructor and would like to get qualified to teach HOT Fitness Pilates, please check out course dates on www.choreographytogo.com or if you have your own HOT studio and would like a training course run at your centre then please email kelly@choreographytogo.com. We run a wide variety of instructor training courses including Level 3 Pilates, Fitness Pilates and Kick Start Fat Loss.
Kelly is an international tutor, assessor and fitness presenter, with 14 years’ experience in the industry both in the UK and Australia. Coming from a professional dance and singing background, find out more about Kelly at www.kellyreedfitness.com
CALENDAR
Events
Fill your diary with these fitness focused events
Rat Race Dirty Weekend The British Military Fitness Major Series
DATE: Saturday 9th May 2015 VENUE: Burghley House, Lincolnshire COST: From £145 CONTACT: events@ratrace.com MORE INFO: www.ratracedirtyweekend.com When it comes to obstacle runs, there is no bigger challenge than the world’s biggest assault course: Rat Race’s Dirty Weekend. Cramming 200 obstacles into a whopping 20 mile
course, participants can take on 20 themed zones, complete with a mix of permanent or semi-permanent obstacles, such as haybales, water slides, mud runs, inflatables and log carry to name a few as you navigate steelworks, industrial scenery and wooden structures. All taking place within the grounds of England’s finest Elizabethan stately home, you can kick back in an amazing festival-style campsite and party afterwards.
Pilates Workshops with Lolita San Miguel DATE: Friday 24th, Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April 2015 VENUE: Bälans Pilates, Perth, Scotland COST: The afternoon with Lolita on Saturday costs £49 and then the teaoff on the Sunday costs £79 but also includes the cost of high tea at The Old Course CONTACT: info@Bälans Pilates .co.uk MORE INFO: www.balanspilates.com/ events/workshops If you are an avowed Pilates lover, then this event is a must as you can attend sessions and talks with first generation Pilates teacher Lolita San Miguel – the 80 year old flying over from LA exclusively for this weekend.
Lolita’s credentials are jaw-dropping, as she is one of only two known practitioners to have been officially certified by Joseph and Clara Pilates. Lolita has also been certified by Polestar Pilates Education and was awarded a gold certificate by the Pilates Method Alliance. With an exciting roster of events for the whole weekend, workshops include ‘Lolita Shares her Mat’ and ‘Lolita Shares her Reformer’ with scheduled seminars titled ‘An Audience With Lolita: The Secret to Longevity Through Pilates’ and ‘Pilates Tea-Off at The Old Course: An afternoon with Pilates Elder, Lolita San Miguel’.
DATE: Saturday 6 June 2015 VENUE: Cardross Estate, Port of Menteith, Stirlingshire, Scotland COST: Entry starts from £40 for the 5km course and £45 for the 10km course per person CONTACT: themajor@britmilfit.com MORE INFO: www.majorseries.com Leading outdoor exercise specialists British Military Fitness (BMF) conclude their Major Series with this 5km or 10km obstacle course, located in the Cardross Estate, Scotland. Suitable for men and women of all fitness levels, the course has been specifically designed to be achievable, with participants encouraged to work together to reach the finish line. Voted the UK’s Best Trail Race by The Running Awards 2014, it’s a good idea to leave your smart sportswear at home, as you’ll be crawling through mud, scrambling under barbed wire and dunked into ice baths. You can enter as an individual or as a team, so why not grab a crowd to compete in this popular course, now in its fourth year. What events do you enjoy the most? Email katie@ptmagazine.co.uk
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SUPPLEMENTS
Utilising supplements
in your diet Find a full ra nge of relevant supplemen ts at www.forza supplemen ts .c o.uk to help imp rove your physical pe rformance
Navigate the minefield of the supplement market with this useful guide from the experts at Forza Supplements
Y
ou’ll be pleased to know that there are a large number of supplements out there that can provide athletes with genuine, scientifically proven benefits – it is just a matter of finding them. These supplements can have a positive impact on your performance in a variety of ways, such as providing increased muscle strength, improving endurance capacity, speeding up recovery and reducing the risk of injury.
strength and power Creatine is still one of the most popular sports supplements when it comes to increasing muscle strength and power. For those involved in sports which require short and intense physical movements, such as football, rugby or sprinting, it helps to provide explosive bursts of energy for the contracting muscles to keep them working at their maximum capacity. Whey protein is also hugely popular
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for its role in the growth of muscle tissue. An increase in muscle will equal a stronger and leaner physique, which will help to boost performance level regardless of your chosen sporting activity.
endurance For those involved in aerobic endurance sports, such as long distance cycling, there are a number of supplements that can help keep you operating at a high performance level for longer, for example caffeine, which can be taken prior to either short, intense activates or ultra endurance events to help provide gains in both physical and mental energy. You should also look out for betaalanine, an amino acid that can enhance endurance capacity by delaying exercise-induced lactic acid production in the muscles. Isotonic sports drinks are also a great nutritional tool as they are able to
rehydrate the body and maintain a healthy electrolyte balance.
recovery Whey protein is high in recoveryboosting amino acids, such as L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine, which help to reduce muscle soreness and fatigue for several days after exercise. Another useful recovery supplement is ZMA, which is a specific combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. This improves the body’s ability to recover from high intensity exercise.
health and immunity You cannot perform at a high level if you are deficient in any vitamins or minerals, and sometimes it can be quite difficult to get everything that you need from food alone, so make sure you own a daily multivitamin. Glucosamine supplements are becoming more popular for their ability to relieve joint pain and rebuild damaged cartilage.
PRODUCTS
Best
on Test
Whatever kind of muscle you want to build, these proteins can help form the basis of your regime
MaxiNutrition Progain
Targeted at athlete level, this high fibre shake is a blend of fast-acting whey proteins, specifically designed to support gaining muscle size as part of a bodybuilding diet and training regime. Containing 460 calories in each shake, this popular powder also boasts 55g of carbohydrates to keep you going for longer. £49.19 for 2kg from www.maxishop.com
Protein World Pure Performance Whey Protein Concentrate
For a more natural option, why not try 100% whey protein from Protein World – both soy and GMO free? Uniquely using sunflower lecithin instead of the typical soy-based equivalents, this powder’s whey is extracted from fresh milk instead of cheese, making it more nutrient dense with a higher concentration of amino acids to help muscle recovery. £28 for 1.1kg from www.proteinworld.com
PhD Nutrition Advanced Mass
Designed for athletes who wish to increase size and mass during the bulking phase of a nutrition routine. Providing 1140 calories, 190g carbohydrates and 50g of protein in a single serving, this supplement is low in sugar and uses high quality fats extracted from coconut oil. I sampled the chocolate fudge brownie flavour after a cardio heavy gym session and this is probably the best tasting shake I have ever had. It has dense cakey undertones and that rich flavour that makes brownies so delicious. £75.99 for 5.4kg package or £41.99 for 2.7kg from www.phd-supplements.com
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PRODUCTS
Forza LipoWhey
Forza have added an innovative health benefit to their Lipo Whey product by creating the world’s first protein shake that works to lower cholesterol levels. Boosting your immune system, you can get 22.5g of protein in every 30g serving. We love the low calories of these shakes – 113 and 114 per drink depending on your flavour. Not usually a fan of banana, I was pleasantly surprised with Forza’s version after a quick lunch time run. It wasn’t sickly sweet and instead presented a natural, gentle banana flavour that was easy to drink when mixed with water. £39.99 for 908g from www.forzasupplements.co.uk
Matrix Anabolic Gold
This high protein blend is designed to increase lean muscle mass, although this powder also features branched chain amino acids to help repair muscle tissue by supporting the protein synthesis process after exercise. £26.99 from www.matrix-nutrition.co.uk
Reflex Nutrition Instant Whey Pro
This 80% protein shake had me at Banoffee Pie flavour, especially when I read it also packs 20g protein and only 97 calories. Free from added soy protein, sugars and palm oil, Reflex Nutrition use native whey isolate as the main ingredient, combined with hydrolysed whey protein and pure undenatured whey protein concentrate. Available in dessert-like flavours, you can buy tubs in 900g, 2.2kg and 4.4kg. Prices range between £39.99 and £159.99 from www.reflex-nutrition.com
USN Protein Premium
This high-end whey protein combination contains the Myomatrix whey protein isolate and concentrate blend, which not only supports muscle recovery but can also aid in promoting lean muscle growth. You can gain 24g of protein per 34g serving. I really enjoyed the creamy undertones in the strawberry flavour, despite mixing with water – tasted just like strawberry milk! £37.99 for 2.28g tub from www.uk.usn-sport.com
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TRY SOMETHING NEW
Immersive FitnesS Find the gym boring? Try transporting yourself a world away during Les Mills innovative new exercise concept BY GEMMA FROMAGE-CRAWFORD
D
avid Lloyd in Raynes Park has just become the first fitness club in Europe to become home to a permanent Les Mills Immersive fitness studio. The Les Mills Immersive fitness concept came from the creative pairing of Adam Lazarus and Les Mills Junior. Inspired by immersive tents and video innovation at music festivals, the movement and music of cycle classes can now be synchronised with video content screens in a purpose built studio. Immersive fitness gives you a sense of focus as you respond to visual cues instead of counting reps.
The 'TRIP' This is a 30 minute HIIT cycle class, with a large immersive screen allowing you to ride into another dimension. Throughout your ‘trip’ you will ride through a space age city, climb the side of a glacier, sprint race around a digital velodrome and cycle across the ocean at sunset as you cool down. As you become immersed in your environment, leaning into descents and pushing around corners, you forget about
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Visit www.davidlloyd.co.uk to find out more the length of your workout and push yourself harder.
RPM Sprint The RPM Sprint class is a 30 minute HIIT class which allows you to push yourself and reach your fitness goals quicker. The short but intense class comes with massive benefits, including improved cardiovascular fitness, increased lean muscle and burning more calories for longer.
RPM RPM is a live class lasting either 45 or 55 minutes allowing you to ride indoors to a powerful soundtrack. The coach will take you through hills, flats, time trials and interval training. The class has the benefits of improved tone in the lower body, increased leg strength and muscular endurance, not to mention improved cardiovascular fitness and burning up to 600 calories per session.
Les Mills VIRTUAL Les Mills VIRTUAL workouts use a big screen, darkened rooms and pumping sounds to create all of the energy of a Les Mills class, at any time. The instructor is on screen yet you feel as motivated as you would
if the instructor was in a room with you. As well as all the usual benefits of spin classes, this class has the added bonus of allowing members who cannot attend live classes still try the session and is also useful for beginners who are worried about not being able to keep up. Since the Immersive studio arrived in David Lloyd in January, the popularity of cycle classes has soared. Everybody wants to try the immersive experience of the ‘TRIP’, challenge their limits with RPM Sprint and the great news is that more people than ever are trying their first class and reaping the benefits that they offer.
Working as a registered pharmacist for the past 15 years, Gemma is now a qualified personal trainer, working at David Lloyd in Raynes Park. She is currently undertaking further training for sports massage and is also kettlebell qualified.
STRENGTH SERIES
The deadlift Take an in-depth look at major barbell movements used to increase strength for everyday life and for sports specific goals
P
TYPES OF DEADLIFT
BY LIZZIE HAVERS
lease let me introduce you to the king of exercises, the mighty deadlift. This major compound movement allows us to lift huge amounts of weight from the floor, utilising our largest muscle groups in a natural and effective way. The deadlift develops the whole posterior chain, so is of major importance for back health and lower body strength in real life and for sporting scenarios.
Set up position
CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT
SUMO DEADLIFT
Feet hip width apart toes pointed 10-15 degrees out. Bar starts over the mid-foot with shins touching the bar. Hook or claw grip on the bar outside of the knees.
Wide stance 2-3x wider than conventional with toes turned out up to 45 degrees. Bar starts over the mid-foot with shins touching the bar. Hook or claw grip on the bar inside of the knees directly below the shoulders.
Dominant muscle groups in movement Hamstring/Glute Max/ Gastrocnemius and Soleus
Glute Max/Hamstring/ Quadriceps/ Tibialis Anterior
Hip and back angle
Hips higher and further from the bar. Back is always held flat and braced with the chest facing forward at an angle that is more vertical than the Sumo, implying greater strength is needed in lower back and hips during the lift and at lock out.
Hips lower and closer to the bar. Back is always held flat and braced with chest facing forward at an angle that is more horizontal, implying more strength in the legs and hips required with less involvement of the lower back to complete the lift.
Knees and stance implications
The narrower stance and higher hips requires a longer range of movement but is a more natural and stable position to overcome knee flexion without fighting internal rotation of the knees. Therefore the conventional lift is seen to be easier to break off the floor, but harder to lock out. (25% longer movement=25% more work needed)
Greater flexion of the knees in a wider stance reduces the range of movement needed to lock out the lift but increases torque required to keep the knees stable. So greater strength is needed in the legs and hip abductors to fight internal rotation of the knees. Therefore breaking the bar from the floor is harder yet locking out the lift easier.
Body type implications
Long limbs short torso may suit conventional lifting.
Short limbs long torso may suite sumo lifting.
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STRENGTH SERIES
Mix up barbell deadlifts or introduce deadlifting to your routin e with light objects held at your sides as an easier ve rsion of the full deadlift. Try usi ng dumbbells, kettlebells or a trap bar
Deadlift variations Romanian DL Focuses on starting the lift from the top rather than the bottom, and as such loads and stretches the muscle eccentrically rather than focusing on the lifting or concentric phase. From the top finish position, push the hips back keeping the knees stiff but not locked out and back flat, hinge forward until the bar reaches below the knees, then squeeze the bar back to the top again without reaching the floor. Rack pulls Breaking down the deadlift into partial ranges aids with strengthening sticking points in a lift or to give movement stimulus but avoid injury for people with restricted ranges of movement. Rack pulls focus on the strengthening the lockout or top half of the lift. The bar is raised from the floor on rests to the level needed e.g. just below or above the knee, and lifted as normal. Because of the smaller range of movement it is easier to engage the legs and hips so considerably higher amounts of weight can be lifted. Deficit Pulls Extending the range of movement of a deadlift can help with the bottom half of the lift and breaking
the bar off the floor. To create a deficit, elevate your body position in relation to the bar on the floor by standing on plates or boards. Your body position once gripping the bar is much more horizontal to the floor and as such puts more emphasis on strengthening the lower back therefore weights lifted from a deficit should be programmed to be much lighter than conventional lifts to begin with.
#GripIt&RipIt I’m offering a free deadlift feedback message to the first 30 people that like and tag a #GripIt&RipIt video to Fitness Chrysalis Personal Training Facebook page to help you improve your technique and be more beast. Please ensure you take a side and front shot of your full deadlift and mention why you like this style of deadlift, and don’t forget to leave your email address for a reply.
Grips Double overhand claw grip is traditional and using it as much as possible will train your grip to be very strong. Eventually grip will be your limiting factor and switching to a mixed grip (turning one hand over to be underhand while the other remains overhand), will stop the bar unrolling from your hands. Mixed grip can lead to shoulder imbalances or bicep tendon tears with overuse so only use this grip sparingly.There is the 'hook grip' used mostly by Olympic lifters, simply wrap your fingers over your thumb wedged up against the bar. This acts like a locking mechanism and can be quite painful until you get used to it. The width of you grip can also influence your lift and Olympic lifters employ either a snatch or clean width grip on the bar (wider grip or narrower grip respectively) with an almost conventional stance to mimic the positions they need to strengthen for their sport. The snatch (wide) grip forces the hips into a lower start position and a more upright back angle, so the movement is more like a squat, directing more emphasis to the quads and glutes. The clean grip is very similar to a conventional lift but the hips start slightly lower taking the emphasis of the lower back a little.
Lizzie is the owner of Fitness Chrysalis, and focuses on using strength and conditioning training alongside balanced nutrition support to improve client function and strength. She is also REPs Level 4 Obesity and Diabetes trained. Get in touch at fitnesschysalis@gmail.com
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EQUIPMENT
BILT
BILT by Agassi and Reyes Tennis legend Andre Agassi breaks in to the world of fitness equipment with his unique BILT by Agassi and Reyes range – Katie Garner finds out more
by Agassi and Reyes Tennis legend Andre Agassi breaks in to the world of fitness equipment with his unique BILT by Agassi and Reyes range
R
BY KATIE GARNER
esistance machines have become commonplace in most fitness facilities nowadays, however tennis star Andre Agassi has been daydreaming about launching his very own collection of equipment since his playing days, holding patents on his exclusive BILT by Agassi and Reyes range for the past 20 years. Being rolled out across David Lloyd clubs in the UK, Agassi emphasises that his range, in collaboration with famed coach Gil Reyes, provides the ideal strength and conditioning training for any sport, with each item summing up the range's mantra – strength, conditioning and safety. 'Strength has been a huge
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component to my success and longevity,' Andre admits during the product launch at David Lloyd Chigwell. 'It was a learning curve turning it in to a business, it was a lot of work to make it consumerable; you can't just bolt it into the floor now, it has to be moveable.' Promoted by professional bobsleigh athletes, personal trainers and ex-Gladiators Jenny Pacey and Wayne Gordon, the range is already garnering plenty of attention due to it's innovative spring loaded system, introducing a new safety element into strengthening exercises. The spring system ensures that exercisers take the weight of the load at the strongest point of the movement, whilst having less at the weakest point. Wayne highlights during a demo session that the machines show 'care and attention to the muscle groups, so it's less about the joints. The machines use less load in the initial phase for protection but
this also makes sure the right muscle groups are challenged.' Jenny also explains the versatility of the range, saying 'It has been designed by one of the best athletes in the world and one of the best coaches in the world, yet it is accessible for everyone, from soccer players to soccer mums – there are incredible fitness gains for all.' Wayne agrees, commenting 'It's revolutionary, paving the way for fitness machinery.'
the launch range Starting off by revealing four pieces in the collection (with a further four in the pipeline), these ergonomically designed fitness machines are based on custom models that Andre and his then trainer Gil built and honed together. The main feature of the equipment is that it is built for productivity, utilising high intensity muscle isolation to safely build strength.
EQUIPMENT
1. The Change of Direction (COD) machine
Showcasing a mix of weight resistance as well as movement, this exercises the lower body using both squatting as well as a range of lateral movements. Long jumper Jenny provides a great example of this machine's success, as a compressed disc in her back has left her unable to squat using a bar. 'Yet I can squat with the COD machine using a heavy load,' she adds, labelling this as her favourite machine.
2. The Power Stride Claiming to be more effective than a leg press, this one is an advocate of both the concentric and eccentric contraction movements, designed to allow users to isolate each leg so that they can improve their weak side if need be.
How would you use the BILT by Agassi and Reyes range in a PT session? JENNY: ‘I would use a superset system, working the glutes and legs on the COD and then the arms on the Quad, with exercises like the reverse lunge chest press.’ WAYNE: ‘I would use the COD machine to teach squatting technique. The COD is great because it is movement based and you can do both vertical and lateral movements. Exercises with movement are more of a challenge for clients.’
3. The Quad Wayne's favourite machine utilises cable pulleys to provide a multifunctioning workout tool. 'You can coordinate the upper and lower body via the core,' he explains. 'You can also put together a creative workout since there is so much you can do.' Ideal for sports specific training, the cables can be used to replicate typical tennis moves such as the smash and backhand, although the main attraction of the piece is that it promotes fluid and consumer friendly movements, to keep users injury free.
4. The Olympic Flat Bench Eliminating any causes for concern when bench pressing, the Flat Bench uses retractable arms to enable the exerciser to lift the bar from their sweet spot without any added strains, to make that all important 'lift off' as simple and safe as possible.
How does the spring-enhanced weight stack work? Working in conjunction with the weight stack, the optimum flex points of the exerciser’s muscles coincide with the increasing resistance points of the springs as they are stretched and then decreasing resistance as they are closed.
Andre Agassi is launching his BILT by Agassi and Reyes fitness range, which is available at selected David Lloyd Leisure clubs. For more information go to www.dl-f.it/BILT , follow @davidlloyduk and like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/davidlloydleisure. Images by Matthew Alexander/Henman Communications.
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Dark choco late containing a minimum of 80% coco a not only a source of antioxidants but can con tain as much as 10% protein . So don’t b e afraid to pa ir with a bla ck coffee pre-t raining for a performance boost
Protein for vegetarian athletes Nutritionist and Bio-Synergy Ambassador Louise Sinniah-Burr reveals how a veggie-focused meal plan doesn’t have to be devoid of protein
T
he biggest nutrition challenge to vegetarian athletes is getting all nine essential amino acids. As amino acids, and especially essential amino acids, are the ‘building blocks’ of protein they are critical to the body’s processes for protein synthesis and repair as well as other key functions such as brain function. Although some proteins are available in greens – think broccoli, kale and leafy greens – even the most avid vegetarian will not enough to meet the body’s needs. Here are my top five recommended sources of protein for vegetarians:
1 Eggs
In the absence of meat, eggs are the highest biological value vegetarian food source with 7-8g of
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protein per egg. Having whole eggs is fine if your cholesterol levels are active and healthy. However liquid egg whites are also a great addition given their versatility as they can be used to make pancakes, with oats, frittatas, etc.
2 Dairy
Quark and cottage cheese are easily digestible and are an excellent low calorie protein source packing 10-12g of protein per 100g. Also, they are easy to add to meals as a topping. I would recommend avoiding lower fat versions as they usually contain additional, less nutritionally beneficial ingredients to compensate. Another great product is, unflavoured Greek yoghurt. This contains 10g of protein per 100g.
3 Pulses, grains and seeds
Oats, quinoa, hemp and chia seeds provide14-17g of protein per 100g. Peas, chickpeas and black beans are also worthy contenders, with seeds, such as sunflower, linseed and pumpkin, also providing a convenient protein boost (not to mention a
For more information on Bio-Synergy ’s award winning rang e of protein products, visi t www.bio-syn ergy.co.uk
whole lot of good fats). In addition, pulses, grains and seeds are a great source of slow burning energy due to their high fibre content.
4
Protein powders and BCAAs
I am a big fan of athletes supplementing their diets with good quality protein powders for assisting the body with refuelling and recovering. A good quality, high protein whey or whey isolate is fast digesting and post workout helps the body refuel fast.. Taking branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) intra training and/or during the day are great for sustained energy and maintaining muscle.
5 Nuts and nut butters
Almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, pecans, etc not only make a great snack but are also an easy way to get extra protein and good fats in your diet. Nut butters without added salt, sugars and oils are another great option. However, for athletes that need to monitor their weight be aware that nuts are a very calorie dense source of energy.
INTERVIEW
I saw the need for a
training provider
that would care about its learners 36
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INTERVIEW
Katie Garner catches up with pro kick boxer Adam Kiani to find out how he is leading the charge in training the next generation of fitness professionals
M
aintaining professional standards is all important within the fitness industry, but as well as having the relevant qualifications to form a business in the sector, kick boxer Adam Kiani has set out to equip the next wave of PTs with the skills they need to build longevity into their careers. 'Whilst recruiting and mentoring personal trainers, I noticed that most were not adequately prepared or given the correct skills in order to build a PT business. I saw the need for a training provider that would do just that; care about its learners and provide them with the right training so they are ready for a career in fitness,' he emphasises. With this in mind, Adam launched PT Academy, a training provider that delivers and assesses an array of Active IQ fitness qualifications, including Level 2 Gym, Level 3 PT, Level 3 GP Referral and two Level 4 courses. With all courses recognised by standards agency REPs, Adam also proudly recalls that they offer 17 CPD options too, designed to help assist PTs become successful.
Training the nation Having always been passionate about health and fitness, Adam worked as a general manager within a large fitness chain before branching away to focus on the recruitment and mentoring of personal trainers. As well as bringing this experience to PT Academy, Adam also showcases an impressive sporting CV, competing as both a full contact and continuous kick boxer. Currently holding an unbeaten record, he has represented England in the ICO World Championships in
2012 earning a gold medal for his category, also holding a Ringmasters 70kg title. Adam comments: 'Perhaps the key thing that sets us apart is that we use active personal trainers to teach, assess and mentor our learners. My philosophy is there's no better person to help you start in the industry than a successful personal trainer. As a result, every staff member, myself included, has to be an active personal trainer and demonstrate a successful personal training business.' Teaching and assessing in around 70 venues across the country, Adam is striving for the company to be in every major city and town before the end of 2017. 'We have four permanent centres in central London, Manchester, Glasgow and Bournemouth as well as our own bespoke training facility in Birmingham,' he adds. Adam also has an active stance as part of leading industry show BodyPower, acting as one of the event's ambassadors. 'We are planning to launch the qualifications we deliver to an international audience, in particular the Middle East and Indian subcontinent. BodyPower launched in India last year and was massively successful. We felt there would be no better platform for us to exhibit and showcase the qualifications we offer,' Adam explains.
Celebration To commemorate PT Academy's fifth anniversary, Adam hosted The PT Academy Awards, asking independent fitness professionals to nominate candidates across a range of categories, including Assessor of the Year, Tutor of the Year, Best Full Time Learner, Best Self Study Learner, Personal Trainer of the Year and Awarding Organisation of the Year. The nominations were then turned over to the board of directors to select the final winners. Adam
says: 'The fitness awards ceremony was a combination of appreciation, recognition and celebration. It was an appreciation of those individuals and organisations who have helped make PT Academy what it is today. We recognised the amazing achievements of our learners and staff members and held a celebration to mark our fifth anniversary as a training provider.' Clearly working hard to continue the upwards curve of PT Academy's success, Adam is also secretive about proposed plans for the future, although he does concede that an expansion is on the horizon. 'We are launching our own range of cutting edge gym equipment to complement our CPD courses,' he admits. 'We also have a final project which could be the biggest the UK will ever have seen. All will be revealed very soon so watch this space...'
What is the ethos of PT Academy? + Creative: applying new ideas and
concepts to push the boundaries of education and innovation + Responsive: readily reacting to suggestions and influences + Professional: conforming to and applying technical and ethical standards + Supportive: proactively providing assistance with a positive and friendly attitude + Flexible: willing to accommodate change or modification to meet the needs of our learners
Want to get involved with PT Academy? Send your CV to recruitment@ ptacademy.com or visit www.ptacademy.com
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FITNESS SUPPORT
How can sports massage benefit you? Sports massage therapy is geared toward athletes of every kind, from world-class professionals to weekend joggers BY NICK FORRESTER
S
ports massage first came to the public’s attention during the 1924 Olympic Games when Paavo Nurmi (The Flying Finn) won five gold medals in one day, with only a 30 minute break between some events. Nurmi credits special massage treatments as one of the important components of his training. As a formal practice however, sports massage began in the Soviet Union and Communist bloc countries in the 1960’s. Soviet teams were the first to have a massage therapist travel with them and work on their athletes on a regular and ongoing basis. Through sports and cultural exchanges, the concept of sports massage moved to Europe and the United States in the 1970’s. In the late 1980’s to early 1990’s, sports massage became a modality unto itself with more specific training taking place for the practitioner to enable them to address the more specific needs of athletes whose bodies are undergoing intense physical exertion and stress. Aspects of sports massage therapy are gaining popularity as useful components in a balanced training regiment. Sports massage is a generic term for three different types of massage associated with athletic performance. Each type of massage has its own benefits and
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uses different techniques.
1. Pre-event sports massage This is aimed at helping prevent serious athletic injury. The application of different techniques will stimulate blood flow and delivery of nutrients to the muscles, increase tissue temperature, reduce muscle tension, produce a feeling of psychological readiness, increase elasticity and flexibility of tissues, which will in turn improve the length-tension relationships in the muscles and aid optimal athletic performance.
2. Post-event sports massage Whenever athletes undergo intense physical exercise and stress, their muscles suffer microtraumas causing small amounts of swelling. Postevent sports massage helps reduce the swelling caused by microtraumas by increasing lymphatic drainage and stimulating blood flow to the muscles to remove lactic acid and metabolic waste. It also helps to maintain flexibility and reduces muscle cramping. In addition, postevent massage helps speed the athlete’s recovery time and alleviates pulls, strains, and soreness.
3. Maintenance sports massage Maintenance sports massage can be integrated into a weekly training programme which could help athletes avoid DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Maintenance
sports massage also helps relax and revitalise muscles, and could help the athlete feel calmer and more focused before and after events. Maintenance sports massage also helps reduce the development of scar tissue while increasing flexibility and range of motion.
Premier Training International has been teaching sports massage skills over the last 20 years to thousands of learners. Find out more about their Level 3 and Level 4 Diploma in Sports Massage by visiting www.premierglobal.co.uk/courses/ massage for more information.
Nick has been in the fitness industry for the past 15 years, with roles including Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Warrington Wolves RLFC, a teaching position at Warrington Collegiate and working as an Advanced Level 3 Personal Trainer, incorporating performance enhancement, corrective exercise and junior athletics. He currently teaches fitness and sport therapy diplomas with Premier Training as well as running a sports therapy treatment clinic and working as a PT.
SPORTS FITNESS
are you fit for the sporting season? Work out how to gauge your fitness levels to see if you are in prime condition for your sport
Photography: ©Tom Miles
BY JASON DAVIDSON AND DR BEN JONES
R
ugby league is a physically demanding sport that requires players to compete week in, week out. As strength and conditioning coaches, we have two fundamental roles. The first, is to maximise the athletic potential of players. The second is to manage the overall load of a player; how do we know whether a player is overtrained or unfit? We spend a lot of time making sure that players have the right diet and also supplements to prevent overtraining – we use Multipower protein after every gym session, but we also have to make sure that the training stimulus (i.e intensity and volume) is enough, but not too much. To support the development of players, strength and conditioning coaches have to implement testing and monitoring tools to provide objective markers of a players’ overall fitness. This is to make sure that the player is continually progressing at the expected rate, or alternatively maintaining their fitness during a period of intense match play. The first thing that we do, is break down the actual requirements of
rugby league, for example, what are the player’s or coach’s goals? Rugby league requires players to be physically fit. Typically during an 80 minute match they cover approximately 10km, at varying speeds. Other demands of rugby league are that players have to accelerate and decelerate (i.e change of direction), and sprint maximally. Finally, depending on their position, players can spend a substantial amount of time involved in physically demanding situations like making tackles, breaking tackles and being involved in wrestling type activity. These demands mean that players need to be physically fit (aerobic and anaerobic), strong and powerful (through functional movements) as well as fast and agile. To evaluate these characteristics, we would use specific tests that we are confident relate to the game. To monitor the fitness of a player, we would use a Yo-Yo incremental fitness test. This allows us to objectively quantify the aerobic capacity of a player. To look at strength and power, we typically use lower and upper body strength testing (such as back squat, deadlift, prone row, weighted chin-up and bench press), and lower body power tests (like a countermovement jump). Strength testing doesn’t need to be undertaken as a ‘testing session’; we
prescribe the weights for all of our players, so on a week by week basis we know exactly where they are at. This means that when we are in season, we don’t need to sacrifice a gym or field session to test. To evaluate the speed and agility of a player, we use a 505 agility test and also a straight line 5, 10, 20, 40m speed test. This allows us to determine a player’s acceleration, deceleration and top speed. Similar to strength testing, when we are in season, players wear a GPS unit during all training sessions. The GPS unit reports maximum speed among other markers. Therefore during speed training sessions we can evaluate if a player is developing or maintaining their speed throughout the season.
Jason Davidson is the Leeds Rhinos Head of Athletic Performance @JasonDavo13 and Dr.Ben Jones is a Strength and Conditioning Coach @23Benjones. Leeds Rhinos use Multipower Sportsfood who are celebrating 25 years of Fit Protein #StillGoingStrong. Visit www.multipower.com
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PRODUCTS
Product Profiles
With the UKBFF UK National Championships this month, make sure your strength training is going up a notch with these bodybuilding aids
LP Supports
LP SUPPORT’s new range of compression clothing, LP Embio Z, uses both Power and Comfort systems to stablise and support specific joints and muscles to aid sports performance. The collection is said to help with movement, coordination and endurance as well as increase muscle force. £35.99 from www.lp-supports.com
MyProtein Liquid Chalk Get a grip with this mess-free liquid chalk from MyProtein – a useful fluid version of a popular weightlifting aid that can be applied to your hands to help improve your grip as well as reduce sweating. You won’t make a mess in the gym either, as it doesn’t leave stains. £6.59 for 250ml from www.myprotein.com
Adidas Drehkraft Shoes
This men's weightlifting shoe will provide a stable base for all your weightlifting needs. The Boa closure system will keep feet secure in place, supported by the heel tab, while the flexible synthetic upper adds comfort. Available in UK sizes 3.5 to 15. £110 from www.adidasspecialtysports.co.uk
G-Love Baby Leopard Gym Gloves Gear up with a feminine splash of style using these neoprene gym gloves, featuring a no slip action traction grip. No only do they help to prevent calluses, but the lightweight, breathable fabric will wick moisture away and contour comfortably to your hand. £26.99 from www.lovetolift.co.uk
Pro Lifting Straps
If you need some extra grip and support, why not try these high quality, padded lifting straps, part of a collection by bodybuilder and USN Ambassador Ryan Terry. Available in both black and red, they are made from a blend of cotton, with padding on the inside for extra comfort. £4.99 from www.rtprowear.com
RDX Leather Weightlifting 6’’ Fitness Belt
This cow hide leather carbon fibre belt moulds to your waist, supporting your lower back with a handy built-in lumbar pad to help you hit the heavy weights with your lifts. With a suade lining , this belt is super secure with a double prong seamless roller buckle and double loops. £16.99 from www.rdxsports.com
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PT BUSINESS - EXPERTS
The #tech revolution How is social media and modern technology transforming the fitness industry? BY GREG SMALL
I
n days gone by towels, water bottles and trainers were commonplace and there was a sense of respect about belonging to your local fitness centre or leisure club. Trainers knew you by name, they remembered it was your birthday and the name of your pet goldfish. Then something changed. Mobile phones made their way onto gym floors; towels and wiping down your equipment became a distant memory – trainers ignored your goals, receptionists turned a blind eye and uploading the latest picture of your abs and bum made its way into mainstream media – is this where we are going as an industry? #fitfam #healthyeating #paleo has revolutionised what people do – there now seems to be a more focused approach on body beautiful as opposed to body healthy. The focus on external image as opposed to intrinsic health has taken over media, fashion and function with gyms and even exercising programming based upon chasing that ‘bodybuilder’, ‘fitness model’ physique. Now I realise this all seems like a rant
about people wanting to achieve this specific image goal – I have no issue with that at all. However, if we take health and fitness back to its original routes, back to the paleothic times, fitness was a way of life. There was no option to do drop sets of dinosaur curls in the squat rack – it was run, jump, squat, push, pull, eat and sleep. Have we complicated the workout?
squat rack. Why have you got your phone with you in the first place!?
The newest infomercials and training protocols promise increased and improved results in less time – are we still falling for this? This surely is the oldest trick in the book; the promise of a magic pill may come in the future but we are far, far, far away and fortunately or unfortunately it’s getting off your backside and moving and shifting that is going to be the solution.
Not as a gym owner, but as a gym goer and trainer please put the tech down; it has its place yes, but focus on your clients, focus on your own training. Wipe down your equipment and don’t be afraid to open your mouth and speak to new members of the gym or someone who needs a spot. All training starts with engagement and offering to spot someone or greet those new to the gym will put in you in a great position to convert them to a client or as a member learn something new. Remember we were all new once in our life, and one on one training is you and your client, not you, your twitter handle and your client. #hitmeupontwitter
Technology clearly is something that influences our lives on a daily basis, after all it is my phone that tells me to wake up in the winter months, but should we let our lives be led by technology in the fitness arena or should we just ‘shut up and pushup’? My personal vote is for yes and reasons are compounded on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – personal favourites are people taking pictures of a gym goer’s bicep curling in the
As Head of Membership at the Register of Exercise Professionals, Greg has 12 years experience in the active learning and leisure industry, with personal training and gym instruction on his exemplary CV. Get in touch with him via www.exerciseregister.org
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TRAINING METHODS
Tabata methodology Are you prepared to work your clients at 170% maximum aerobic capacity?
BY RICHARD SCRIVENER
T
abata is a training term known the world over. There’s a very good chance that you have participated in some form of ‘Tabata workout’ if you are into conditioning or like the idea of a short, sharp, high-intensity session. And yet, did you really complete a genuine Tabata session? My suspicion is that you didn’t. Yes, you may have worked pretty hard; yes, you likely performed intervals of 20 seconds tough work and 10 seconds rest; and yes, you probably broke a decent sweat, but this still doesn’t mean you performed a true Tabata! Let us rewind… In October of 1996, Professor Izumi Tabata published his now world famous training study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. This study set out to assess the effects of two different protocols on the aerobic capacity (‘endurance’ fitness) and anaerobic capacity (‘high power’ fitness) of seven, 23 year old physical education students. The first ‘moderate-intensity’ cycling protocol was performed for 60 minutes at 70% of maximal aerobic fitness capacity five times per week, whilst the exhaustive high-intensity intermittent cycling protocol was performed for seven to eight sets of 20 seconds at an incredible 170% of maximal aerobic fitness capacity, allowing just 10 seconds to recover in between each interval. The fitness results were equally
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as impressive as the motivation reach an intensity level that comes needed by the participants in this close to 170% of maximal aerobic experiment: both groups saw a fitness capacity without using cardio small and equal improvement kit like rowing ergometers and in their baseline aerobic fitness treadmills, we’ve carefully selected capacity after completing each bodyweight moves which meet experiment, however, the Tabata specific criteria and must be used. group experienced a whopping 28% hike in their anaerobic fitness levels Furthermore, take the time to where as the ‘moderate-intensity’ monitor and assess your work rate group did not see any significant if you decide to take up the Tabata improvements – not a bad return challenge. Whilst only a sports for four minutes of all-out maximal science laboratory can tell you if exercise! So with all that you hit the magical 170% said and done, ask intensity marker, you Find out in yourself: 'have I can be sure you the May is sue how really worked so are getting close to constru ct your ow hard across four if your heart n official Tab ata worko minutes that I rate reaches ut. For more informatio n was barely able its predicted on the official Tab ata memb to pick myself up maximum level e rs h ip programm e , s e off the ground?' (the equivalent of e www.gb.t abataoffic ial.com Because this 100% of maximal is how it feels aerobic fitness to work at 170% capacity) – this will of maximal aerobic likely peak around fitness capacity. The original interval four or five and and true Tabata protocol can and should remain at 100% until round should only be performed for one eight is through! round. Put another way, if you feel like you can go again you haven’t reached anywhere near the required intensity – and herein lies the Richard is the Lead challenge. Tabata Master Trainer in the UK Many PTs and instructors often use and works closely the Tabata timings to push their with Professor clients pretty hard, using exercises Izumi Tabata in the design of such as push-ups, kettlebell swings the Tabata Body programme. He and weighted lunges for example; also holds the post of Product but do these moves require Development Manager with anywhere near the energy output Fitness Industry Education and that our all-out maximal bodyweight contributes widely to the health movements in Tabata do? The simple and fitness world as an educator, and unequivocal answer is no! To presenter and fitness model.
10 OF THE BEST
of the
STRENGTH TRAINING
EQUI P MENT best Leading equipment retailer Gorilla Sports picks its top products for strength training
BarbellS Barbell sets come in a range of types and finishes, from 7ft Olympic bars with rubber bumper plates ranging up to 25kg, through to sets with plates weighing up to 108kg in a range of finishes including chrome, rubber and cast iron. For targeted training try out EZ Curl bars and tricep trainers.
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These can be used to add resistance to a whole range of exercises to increase muscle growth and develop strength. Choose from adjustable dumbbell sets to adapt weight used or fixed dumbbells in either chrome or rubber for increased stability.
FLAT BENCH A flat bench is the most versatile of weight lifting benches. Choose a robust model and use it for chest presses, dumbbell rows, bench tricep dips, split squats and decline push-ups. Stability and top quality padding is a must to offer comfortable support.
An invaluable addition to any strength training programme, kettlebells can be used to target core, legs, abs, chest, shoulders or back in a variety of exercises. Choose from a range of types including vinyl, cast iron, rubber coated, adjustable and competition kettlebells.
KETTLEBELLS
DUMBBELLS
To buy any of the equipment featured or to browse Gorilla Sports’ huge range of top quality gym equipment, visit www.gorillasports.co.uk
INCLINE/DECLINE BENCH
SQUAT RACK
Racks with hooks for storing the barbell and spotter arms to catch the weight for safer lifting are handy. Use for back, front and overhead squats, or opt for a Squat Stand with two separate stands.
An adjustable weight bench allows you to broaden the scope of your training, enabling you to target specific muscle groups more accurately without losing form. Incline the bench for shoulder presses, dumbbell flys and incline bench presses. Decline setting is for exercises where your head is below your feet such as decline sit ups and tricep extensions.
These offer a fantastic way to add variety to your weight training and can be used to improve grip, forearm, shoulder, core and upper body strength. Made from solid cast iron they come in weights from 2-20kg.
WEIGHT RACKS
POWER TOWER These versatile stations are great for working on pull-ups, dips, leg raises and hanging exercises. The Captain’s Chair design of Gorilla Sports’ Power Towers means they feature pull-up bars, dip bars and back and arm padding for more comfort during leg raises.
INDIAN CLUBBELLS
10 OF THE BEST
PULL-UP BAR
If you are serious about your weight training then racks to keep all your plates, dumbbells and kettlebells safely are a must. Gorilla Sports carries robust racks so you can store them neatly in a gym or studio to keep them in tip top condition.
Hang tight with this simple, but hugely effective piece of kit. It uses body weight to work a wide range of muscle groups. Use for all varieties of chin-up, hanging leg raises, hanging reverse shoulder shrugs and much more.
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PT BUSINESS
Powerhoop: the world’s most advanced fitness hoop
Book your place for instructor training via www.pow erhoop. co.uk/inst ructor_ training
Why not broaden your exercise class horizons and learn how to teach the Powerhoop workout with this one day, intensive instructor training course? BY SOPHIA STUTCHBURY
P
owerhoop group exercise classes are the hottest new trend in fitness, and the Powerhoop instructor training course has received rave reviews from over 700 fitness instructors in Scandinavia and the UK. Scientifically-proven, Powerhoop’s full circle training is designed to flatten the stomach, firm up the abs and strengthen the back. Users quickly notice a tangible difference in the circumference of their waist: a Canadian university research team recently published a study showing that the average reduction in waist size was 3.35cm over a six week period, with three of the 14 subjects losing between 5cm and 7.5cm around the waist. Not only that, they found that static Powerhooping (while standing still) burns up to 420 calories per hour, and activates all of the core muscles in the stomach and lower back. Over 250,000 Powerhoops have been sold by Innertrak since 2007, and with more than 700 certified Powerhoop
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fitness instructors, Powerhoop group classes are now spreading to gyms all over Europe. The classes run for about 45 minutes and involve much more than just hip-twirling; the weighted Powerhoop is used in a variety of maneuvers to work all of the body’s muscle groups, and can be used as a versatile resistance tool in dance, pilates, aerobics, stretching and conditioning classes. After two years of research and development, Innertrak is launching their new flagship product: The Powerhoop Deluxe, 'The World’s Most Advanced Fitness Hoop.' The Powerhoop Deluxe has a sleek, revolutionary design, and is loaded with innovative features. One of the most exciting is its adjustable weight to accommodate all users; it starts with a basic weight of 1.6kg, and comes with four stainless steel inserts to take the weight up to 1.9kg (additional weights are available separately, for a maximum total weight of 2.2kg). In contrast to foam covered weighted hoops, which are vulnerable to cuts and tears, the Powerhoop
Deluxe is made by a unique overmoulding process; a hard plastic core protects the hoop against damage, and a flexible inner surface cushions the user with patented, shock absorbing compression zones. These have been carefully calibrated to maximise effect while reducing discomfort in new users. Flush, visible buttons make dismantling a breeze, and angled inner chambers allow users to vary the intensity simply by changing direction. Innertrak is proud to announce that The Powerhoop Deluxe is the only weighted fitness hoop designed, developed and produced in Europe; it's manufactured in Wiltshire, England. Training courses are held monthly across the UK and get booked quickly, so don’t delay and book your place today!
Contact Sophia at sophia.stutchbury @powerhoop.com or call 07775 798211.
RECOVERY
The five habits
of highly effective
sleepers It doesn’t matter who you are or how much of a machine you think you are, going without sleep will reduce your performance in absolutely everything you do BY ADAM STANSBURY
W
e’ve all heard of deep sleep and REM sleep, the two phases that each sleep cycle goes through that last between 1.5 to 2 hours. It is during deep sleep that tissue repair and hormonal balance is restored and during REM sleep that cognitive and memory functions are reset and restored.
every night that will help us to bypass much of the distractions of modern day life.
Sleep habit one: reduce blue light exposure (6pm – 8pm)
Getting into a regular routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day will help to maintain this rhythm and cycle, balancing your hormones, leaving you feeling naturally energetic when you need to be and restful when it is time to sleep and recover. Unfortunately due to the stresses and strains of modern life and the increased stimulus before our eyes from morning to night, it is increasingly difficult for us to switch off when we should be. Never fear though, there are some great little ‘hacks’ and habits that we can adopt
A cup of camomile tea and a generous spoonful of honey on its own is amazing or with some set coconut milk and a banana for an evening snack.
Sleep habit four: Meditate (10pm – 11pm)
Circadian Rhythm Circadian rhythms are physical, mental and behavioural changes that follow a roughly 24 hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness in an organism's environment. They are found in most living things, including animals, plants and many tiny microbes.
Sleep habit three: drink some camomile tea (9pm – 10pm)
When natural light is fading and house lights are going on, I put on my Amber Lens glasses; these reduce the blue light intake from light bulbs and digital device screens. Blue light is essential at the start of the day to end melatonin production to enable the wake cycle to begin but at night it will prevent the melatonin production starting, which enables the sleep cycle to begin.
Sleep habit two: read some fiction (8pm – 10pm)
Read some kind of fiction or storytelling, try and get away where possible from self help or instructional books to allow your mind to switch off. If like me you use your iPad for reading books on the kindle or iBooks app then switch the reading application to nightime or black background mode and lower the brightness.
Meditate for anywhere between five to 20 minutes before bed. If you need a little help with your meditation practise then I highly recommend the Headspace app – it’s free and comes with a 10 day plan which includes 10 guided meditations.
Sleep habit five: darkness and silence (11pm)
Make sure that your room is in complete darkness and silence. I use silicone ear plugs and either black out curtains or an eye mask to ensure complete darkness and as much melatonin release as possible.
Holistic personal trainer Adam works with men and women to help improve their mindset, lifestyle, nutrition and exercise for an all-encompassing approach. See more at www.coverfitness.co.uk or email @adam_stansbury
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PROTEIN
Create a
bodybuilding
protein plan Reflex Nutrition reveal the key considerations to putting together a successful protein plan
F
ast, slow and medium proteins are becoming increasingly popular descriptions for protein powders. During 2015 they are going to be the big talking point because more and more research talks about the digestion rate of proteins and either the positive impact on protein synthesis or ability to prevent catabolism. If you want to use protein products to their maximum effect you really need to understand what all of this means.
Fast digesting A fast digesting protein is typically digested within one to two hours and includes the two big hitters, whey protein and hydrolysed whey protein. Standard whey protein will typically be digested within two to two and a half hours, whilst hydrolysed whey protein (whey
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that has been pre-digested) will be digested within one to one and a half hours.
Medium digesting A medium digesting protein is typically digested within three to three and a half hours and includes a number of proteins such as whole egg protein, egg white protein, pea protein and rice/soy protein.
Slow digesting A slow digesting protein is typically digested and utilised over a period of more than four hours and is usually casein in its various forms.
How to use protein So a typical ‘body-builder’ wanting to pack on muscle will be able to take advantage of these different digestion rates throughout the day to maximise their potential recovery and growth of muscle tissue.
KEY PROTEIN WINDOW ONE: POST WORKOUT If aiming to build muscle as fast as possible, your aim is to trigger growth or protein synthesis. You want to choose the protein that delivers the biggest impact on protein synthesis and this is also factually the best time to take a protein shake. The most recent scientific studies show that between 20-40g of whey protein or a protein blend will work nicely. Interestingly a high quality protein blend, according to more recent scientific studies, seems to have an edge over whey protein. KEY PROTEIN WINDOW TWO: BEDTIME This is very straightforward and there is really only one protein source you should consider and that is casein or Micellar Casein. Studies have shown that Micellar Casein increases leucine levels in blood (arguably the athlete’s most important amino acid) for a period of seven hours whereas whey only lasted three hours after which blood levels of leucine quickly dropped. See how Reflex Nutrition can support your protein plans at www.reflex-nutrition.com
COMPETITION
We’ve got BoxingYoga dvds worth up for grabs! £14.95! ™
PT Magazine have teamed up with BoxingYoga founder Matt Garcia to offer an exclusive giveaway of the first BoxingYoga Home Workout DVD
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vailable for the first time on DVD and to download, follow BoxingYoga™ Co-founder and Master Coach, Kajza Ekberg in the comfort of your own home, as she leads a full-length 60 minute BoxingYoga™ class, providing clear demonstration and vocal instructions to guide you through the challenging session. BoxingYoga™ is a yoga-based training system to support fighters, athletes, and anyone with an active lifestyle; improving both mental and physical strength as well as flexibility to prevent injury, maximise performance and maintain optimal health. Check out BoxingYoga™ for yourself at www.boxingyoga.com
To enter...
Send your name, postal address, email address and phone number to competitions@ptmagazine.co.uk with ‘BoxingYoga’ as the subject line. T&Cs apply. Only one entry per person. All entries in by 30th April, winners to be picked on 1st May. There are five BoxingYoga™ Home Workout DVDs to be won.
FlexStrider offers industry’s widest stride range
PROMOTION
Since the FlexStrider Variable-Stride Trainer launched in 2014, Life Fitness’ biomechanics expertise has been widely celebrated by personal trainers, clients and members alike for providing synergistic exercise
T
he FlexStrider VariableStride Trainer transforms the cardio workout, with exercisers choosing their stride, selecting the intensity level that fits them and enjoying a smooth, free-motion path which emulates true walking, jogging and running motions.
The 36” maximum stride is almost double that of a normal elliptical cross trainer and allows exercisers to reach their longest possible stride, which for the average man when running is 26” to 28”. The elongated
stride transfers energy from the upper body to the lower body, ensuring a greater range of muscle use. With the option to vary length on the fly, the FlexStrider provides total body engagement and higher caloric burn due to the body’s need to maintain stride control. 'FlexStrider can be used by a wide variety of exercisers – no matter their fitness ability,' said Chris Clawson, President of Life Fitness. 'As part of the Elevation Series, it one of is the most dynamic line ups in the industry. The low start
up resistance and a low-to-ground profile makes the machine easily accessible and provides expansive options for the facility floor.' Equipped with swipe technology and LFconnect, it’s easy to pre-set favourites, personalise workouts and track progress. The FlexStrider also has pre-programmed workouts and resistance control selections that provide a variety of options and intensity levels, allowing flexibility without the high impact knee pounding that many struggle with when running.
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Progress
is earnt!
New Range Launch at Be:Fit London and BodyPower Expo
xinx.co.uk @XINXApparel
/XINX Apparel
/XINX_Apparel
RECOVERY
The importance of
balance with dyspraxia and dyslexia Managing Director of 66fit Limited Craig Fleming discusses how improving motor skills can aid certain conditions
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yslexia and dyspraxia may seem like two very different conditions, one being predominantly (though not exclusively) associated with fine and gross motor skills, the other with the ability to read, write and spell words, however there is in fact a lot of overlap between the signs and symptoms, or characteristics, of both.
Both dyslexia and dyspraxia are both examples of SpLD, 'Specific Learning Difficulties'. There is no one type of either disorders, nor are there set characteristics that must be present. Both have a wide spectrum or cluster of characteristics, many of which overlap and it is not uncommon for someone to be diagnosed with both conditions.
Dyslexia refers to a problem with languages and can refer to reading, writing and/or spelling. Another connected feature is a marked discrepancy between intellect and specific skills such as information processing abilities, literacy, organisation and short term memory. Dyspraxia is a form of developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and is a lifelong condition that affects fine and/ or gross motor skills. So basic skills such as the ability to jump, skip, ride a bike or specific finger movements used for activities such as tying your shoelaces, can be quite challenging. Because of this, both children and adults who live with dyspraxia often find it difficult performing everyday tasks such as grooming, house chores, and even driving.
In a normal brain the left and right hemispheres interact and communicate together effectively. The left hemisphere of the brain controls the right side of the body and is responsible for words, numbers, logic, analysis, linearity, lists and sequence. The right hemisphere of the brain controls the left side of the body and is responsible for creativity, imagination, rhythm, colour, holistic awareness and dimension. In people with both dyslexia and/ or dyspraxia, the right hemisphere of the brain is considered to be dominant. Both dyslexia and dyspraxia have also both been linked to problems with the proprioceptive system and an underdeveloped, or impairment of the vestibular system. Both these play an important role in
balance and coordination as well as visual and auditory processing. Another interesting fact that connects these two conditions is that core strength and balance seem to play an important role. Teachers and occupational therapists world wide have been using different types of balancing equipment as forms of sensory integration to help develop gross motor and cognitive skills in both children and adults alike. The use of balancing boards and rocker boards have been shown to not only help develop core strength, flexibility and balance but also work to expand the neural networks that enable communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This means that improving core strength and balance also helps to improve hand eye coordination, thus making it an effective tool to be used for people with dyslexia as well as dyspraxia.
See a full range of balance equipment at www.66fit.co.uk
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FITNESS HERO
Let’s
Take a look at www.healthynationfitness.co.uk for more from Gillian or to get in touch
think
outside
the box Katie Garner speaks to personal trainer and mother Gillian Hirst about her inspirational journey from borderline obese to flourishing PT Before
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After
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any PTs enter the industry due to a love of fitness, however Gillian Hirst's story started very differently. Labelled as borderline obese, and being bed bound for three days due to a back injury, Gillian became the catalyst for her own body transformation as her illness enabled her to dwell on her age and future independence. 'This became my “AH HA” moment,' Gillian confirmed. 'Once I had recovered, my mind was set to focus on my goals of weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.'
Working towards weight loss Gillian's approach to weight loss was very much self-administered, as she delved in to research to help get her on track. Looking at healthier foods, recipes and slimming clubs online, she tackled running as her first foray into exercise. An ankle injury put her on the back foot once more, however Gillian's determination saw her look at other options – a trait that now carries over in to her personal training sessions. 'I started to become inventive with my exercise. One workout I enjoyed
FITNESS HERO
was an activity known as “kranking”. In other words “hand pedalling” on my stationary indoor cycle machine at home. I took the seat off, sat on the floor on a mat with my leg each side of the cycle machine and moved the pedals with my hands for 50 minutes. Smaller upper body muscle groups are utilised with hand pedalling compared to muscles used when running, but you are still working up a sweat and I realised quickly that all movement of the body however small did count towards my longer term goals.'
Personal training with a difference Previously working in IT before being made redundant, Gillian's weight loss in 2012 inspired a complete change of direction. 'I decided I wanted to share my knowledge of what I had researched with others. I wanted to “bottle” this new feeling I was experiencing and I started to think about a change in career that would enable me to share what I felt; I did feel I could offer empathy and understand the whole health, fitness and weight loss process. Qualifying as a personal trainer and entering into the fitness industry would enable me to do this and give others invaluable support, motivation and inspire them to achieve their own healthy fitness goals,' she said. Describing her personal training style as 'different, outside the box, real life, fun, motivating, passionate, empathetic, dedicated and understanding', Gillian prides herself on her first hand experience offering an extra element to her sessions. She explained: 'As a mature personal trainer, with such a busy family lifestyle as a working mother, I understand the realms of this and use this havoc, hectic life we all live daily as a base line to my personal training – thinking outside the box and having an inventive style, bringing with it fun, focus and contagious motivation to any health
and fitness goal.' Gillian favours alternative styles of training that takes clients away from the gym, using everyday surrounding and objects such as stairs, hills and household items. Particularly utilising outdoors trail sessions, Gillian said 'Park benches I love to use for pushups, box jumps, step-ups. I enjoy many variations of the plank exercise and I am passionate about any staircase, steps indoors or outside and also all bodyweight types of exercises – I actually do like burpees!'
Domino effect Gillian's own weight loss is very much in the forefront of her mind as she continues in her new fitness career. 'Personal training is vital as people categorised as obese have many different challenges to address and many feel misunderstood, embarrassed and can suffer low confidence. Personal trainers can give a certain type of training on a focused one to one basis, that addresses many of the client’s needs with empathy, support, knowledge and motivation.' Gillian uses her own journey as an inspiration for her clients. She emphasised 'I share my own personal health journey as an inspiring technique to enable clients to understand that it’s normal to have various frustrations and feelings of ups and downs through the whole process. Having clients know that you have dealt and overcome your own obstacles as a personal trainer, promotes real life situations that people can relate to. Fundamental to being a rolemodel alongside a qualified PT can achieve amazing success – you become a human, a real person and not just a professional.'
When working with obese clients, Gillian advises: 'think about the client’s lifestyle – their family, work life and their emotional mindset. It's understanding the mindset and emotional side to weight loss that’s very important for weight loss success long term.' Gillian's training has also affected her parenting style, as she is now much more aware of healthier decisions and how to better guide her children in this area. It is evident that Gillian takes her work very seriously, believing that PTs can help clients tackle daunting milestones into their own fitness. She concludes 'We as personal trainers have to ability to change people’s lives for the better. This is an important, honourable and proud aspect of our work in my book.' Gillian specialises in weight loss, sports conditions and GP referral, offering the following services: • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Home, outdoors or gym based training One-to-one personal training Small group personal training Client only tailored exercise plans General health and fitness advice Weight loss/weight management GP referral Nutritional plans/advice programmes Outdoor training Group fitness classes Sports conditioning Health and fitness public speaking Corporate well being
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BOXING
Strength training for boxing Andy Wake from Boxercise explains why strength work shouldn’t be confused with fitness for boxing
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irstly, let’s get the elephant in the room thrown right out: weights do not make you slower! They can however make you heavier, so the correct choice of weights is vital for those maintaining weight. Using weights designed to cause hypertrophy would be detrimental, so weights in the four to five rep range for five sets will develop rate coding – this increases strength via the neural system rather than an increase in muscular mass. Also, strength training does not only mean weight training, as bodyweight
exercises can also be used. For a boxer neither does it mean an obsessive concentration on core or functional training. Functional training is different for each person’s needs and a boxers greatest strength need is eccentric. The boxer needs to absorb punches not only from their opponent but also from their own punches. When a boxer lands a punch, force is transferred to the opponent but the force also travels back into the boxers’ body and to the ground. If that body is ‘hard’ or less absorbing, more force is transferred to the opponent. Any weak link will ‘leak’ energy thus the boxer is tiring him/herself out. It’s not uncommon for heavy punchers to ‘blow up’ because their concentric strength is greater than their eccentric. Exercises can include medicine ball catches in a
stance, plyometric press-ups, bounding and more. Be sure to keep quality in the session rather than quantity. When bounding, 60-120 ‘contacts’ is ideal; more than that and the risk of injury due to overload increases exponentially.
Find out more at www.boxercise.co.uk or email admin@boxercise.co.uk to read the full article
Andy is the director of Boxercise Instructor Training. He has trained over 12,000 PTs and been responsible for the development of 19,000 instructors.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BECOMING A BOXERCISE TRAINER
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To find out more or to make a booking call
0844 7706 333 or visit us online
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THE WORLD’S NO.1 IN BOXING FITNESS TRAINING
WORKOUTS
Move
of the Month Move your own bodyweight with a lunge in the right direction
Lunges are one of those fantastically versatile exercises where both you and your clients can get a lot from a simple step. Targeting your lower body predominantly, this movement hits your hamstrings, glutes and quads to really help tone those legs, although various progressions to the exercise can also see you tackle your upper body too. For example, just by holding some dumbbells in your hands you can give your biceps some additional work. By utilising a barbell across the shoulder blades you can further engage more muscles across your back, shoulders and arms. Lunging may look easy, but there are a few key positional pointers that should be remembered: one of the essential ones being that your feet should remain hip width apart to enable you to keep your balance. The aim is to then step forward so that both your knees show a 90 degree bend as you lower your body, vitally keeping your front knee in line with your ankle, and not reaching past your toes. Your body will need to maintain a neutral spine and stay upright, with your ears over your shoulders. You should also ensure that your toes point forwards at all times as you alternate stepping forward with each leg, making sure that your trailing knee doesn't touch the ground.
Studio space: David Lloyd Ipswich
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WORKOUTS
warzone workout Timebombs? Peaks? This can only mean one thing - you’re about to bang arms in the gym with Russ Howe This is a high volume, high intensity arm workout designed to shock you into new muscle growth.
1. EZ-Bar Curl x100 (Timebomb technique) Use your 15 rep max. You have 5 minutes to reach 100 reps.
2. Triceps Pushdown x100 (Timebomb technique) Use your 15 rep max. You have 5 minutes to reach 100 reps.
See more from Russ at
www.RussH owePTI.com
3. Seated Barbell Curl x8 (3 second negatives) and superset Skullcrusher x20 (3 rounds) Sitting removes our forearms from the exercise, allowing us to overload biceps with a heavy weight. Lower the bar for 3 seconds to maximise results. Keep elbows pinned back on skullcrushers.
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WORKOUTS
4. Prone Incline Preacher Curl x10+5 - Peak technique (4 rounds) 10 full reps, then 5 top-half reps focusing on peak contraction. Squeeze your biceps like they owe you money.
5. High Angle Cable Kickback x10+5 - peak technique (4 rounds) 10 full reps then 5 top-half reps. Keep elbow raised to maintain constant tension.
6. Rope Curl x10+10 - double dropset (4 rounds) 10 heavy reps, then 10 slightly lighter reps.
7. Weighted Dips x10+10 - double dropset (4 rounds) Use a chain then remove it for the dropset.
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EQUIPMENT
Removing all barriers
3. Motivation People who invest in a PT are already better motivated than many but when you purchase your own machine, you are making a further investment in your health and wellbeing. Having some equipment physically there in your house can be a lot more motivating.
4. Me Time Lawrence Pickup from New Level UK highlights why PT clients should invest in home gym equipment 1. Convenience
2. Momentum
Finding the time to go to the gym can be enough of a challenge in itself. When you own your own gym equipment there are no excuses. You can jump on it whenever you get a few spare minutes.
This convenience helps build momentum. If your client only ever works out during their sessions with you, then you know how much longer it is going to be before they start seeing results.
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For many of us, training can be a pleasantly solitary experience, a chance to shut ourselves off and to focus. Having your own training machine at hand means you can switch on your MP3 player and treat yourself to a little solitude. See what kit can fill your home gym at www.new-level.co.uk
WORKOUTS
Torq-King workout Senior Personal Trainer from the Chelsea Health Club and Spa, Neil Johnson provides an innovative Torq-King all over workout
Single Leg Squat Thrust: 2 sets of 15 reps
Single Arm Breast Stroke: 10-15 reps on each arm
Torq-King Lunge: 2 sets of 15 reps
Works: core, shoulders, quads and glutes • Start in plank position on your hands with both feet in Torq-King • Bring left knee forward to your chest • Push your left knee back to its start position whilst bringing right knee forward to your chest • Repeat smoothly and rhythmically
Works: core, shoulders and chest • Start in the plank position on your hands and knees with one hand holding a Torq-King directly under your shoulder • Push the Torq-King forward in a circular motion as if performing a breast stroke • Return to the start position and repeat the movement
Scissor Leg Plank: 10 reps on each leg
Torq-King Pike: 10-15 reps
Works: core, obliques, glutes, shoulders • Start in plank position balancing on forearms with both feet in the Torq-King • Squeeze abdominals • Keeping your body still, sweep one leg to the side then return to the start • Repeat on opposite leg
Works: core and shoulders • Start in plank position on your hands with both feet in Torq-King • Bending at the hips, pull your feet in towards your hands keeping your legs as straight as possible • Return to start position slowly and repeat exercise
Works: legs, glutes, core • Start in a standing position with one foot in the Torq-King • Flex at the knee on the stationary leg and drive the Torq-King back on the opposite leg • As the end range is reached, sweep the Torq-King behind the stationary leg • Bring the Torq-King back to the start position
Prone Woodchop: 10-15 reps on each side Works: back and obliques • Lie on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you, holding one Torq-King with both hands • Drive the Torq-King down to one side of the body, then drive in a circular motion around to the opposite side of your body • Repeat the movement rhythmically
Hoodie: GloFaster (www.glofaster.com) | Bottoms: Adidas (www.adidas.co.uk) | Trainers: UnderArmour (www.underarmour.co.uk) | Studio: David Lloyd Ipswich (www.davidlloyd.co.uk)
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LIFTING
1
2
3
Get in touch...
4
Clean
1 @marklaws201 uk @jordanfitness @SabinaSkala
up your
technique Training Academy Manager of Jordan Fitness Mark Laws teams up with UKSCA accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach Sabina Skala to talk through performing the perfect clean
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LIFTING
A
lthough the barbell clean and its alternatives are one of the greatest tools to improve one’s power, a lot of athletes and also trainers avoid the exercise due to its technical complexity. Learning olympic lifts is a complex process and flexibility is often an issue that tends to be overlooked. Only well executed lifts will have a positive impact on improving your athletic performance, and that impact will be huge.
2. First pull The initial pull from the floor is controlled without jerking. •
• •
•
1. Starting position The correct starting position is crucial to completing a successful lift. Remember – the bar will be moving fast, there is no time for adjustments. Feet should be hip width apart (outside of your foot in line with your hips) as when you later perform a ‘jump’ it is better when the feet are under the hips so you are able to generate more force from this position. The bar is pulled to your shins and held with a hook grip (thumb is covered with your index and middle fingers). Back is set in a flat position (lumbar curve maintained) with head and eyes looking straight ahead. Shoulders are positioned in front of the bar – this is very important as it helps to keep the barbell close to your body when pulling from the floor. Hips are slightly higher than knees and the weight is distributed evenly on your feet with a slight shift towards the heels. One more teaching point is the elbow position – elbows are rotated outward. It may seem that this position serves no advantage in the initial pull from the floor. By the time we get to the high pull and catch – this positioning allows the elbows to be pulled high and vertical as the athlete quickly drops under the bar to receive the weight (this happens at the top end of the triple extension).
• • • •
Hips and shoulders rise together as the athlete pulls the weight from the floor – bar is lifted to knee height, travelling up and slightly backwards Push feet through the floor Bar stays by the shins – think about you and the bar as one unit Feet remain flat, the balance is spread evenly shifting towards the heel Torso is rigid and arched, chest proud Shoulders remain slightly in front of the bar Arms straight, elbows rotated outward Head in a neutral position, eyes looking straight ahead
The first pull is slower than the second pull, however slow – slower doesn’t mean ate a cre it is important to th controlled and smoo movement.
elbows bend, dip under and catch the bar. Don’t bend the elbows too quickly, when the elbows bend, the power ends. Once you catch the bar relax the grip, the balance on your feet is again spread evenly with a slight shift towards the heel. Torso rigid, elbows pointing forward, bar resting on the fleshy part of your shoulders. This looks identical to the bottom position of a front squat. The last part is to recover from the squat and stand up tall.
Female lifters The only issues that can occur when coaching female athletes are strictly physique based. Some women’s hips are wider than their shoulders so we would need to adjust the starting position to narrower stance, so the bar ends up on the correct part of the shoulders when the athlete catches it. For bigger chested ladies the pull position can be problematic, as they tend to move the bar away from the body to avoid hitting the chest. The solution is a very strong and supportive sports bra; the bar has to be kept close to the body at all times.
3. Transition phase Push the knees in front of the bar, the bar doesn’t leave the body. Torso is rigid and core tight.
4. Second pull As the bar brushes your thighs, it’s the time for a powerful shrug. Imagine you are trying to cover your ears with your shoulders, keep your elbows straight. The shrug initiates the triple extension (extension through the ankle, knee and hip joints). Remember stay tight – when you throw your hips forward, keep the glutes as tight as you can. As you pull the bar upwards, as soon as the
Mark has worked in the fitness industry for 10 years and has an extensive background in professional sports - including spells with Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Castleford Tigers Rugby League Club, Sheffield United Football Club, Chinese Football Association, Beijing 2008 Chinese Olympic squad and Great Britain Ice Hockey. Mark currently works as Training Academy Manager for Jordan Fitness.
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WORKOUTS
Armageddon workout Personal trainer and bundle of energy Robert Sharpe increases the intensity with this bodyweight blaster
Armageddon Fitness is a Variable Intensity Interval Training (VIIT) group fitness concept which is aimed at people of all fitness levels. It is a carefully thought out training concept which is based around a circuit training framework, to aid in fat loss as well as muscle strength and endurance. The class is bodyweight only, which makes it perfect from an instructor’s point of view as well as a participant’s because this class can be performed anywhere. Ensure you complete a thorough warm up including some dynamic movements and stretches before you begin this workout. Spend 45 seconds on each exercise, with a 10 second active rest period in between each exercise to really increase the heart rate and rapidly improve fitness. To really reap the benefits on the strength and endurance side, complete three rounds of all these exercises with a 30 second rest after each round.
Dolphin Press-Ups: Shoulders, Back, Arms and Core Bend forward into a downward dog position with the forearms on the floor and hands together. Slide the body forward until the chin is over the fists in a plank like position.
Plyo V Squats: Legs Start with feet at hip width apart. Jump forward into a wider stance, landing with soft knees. Then jump back to the start position.
Criss Crosses: Full Body Feet wide and the hands up above the head for the start position. Jump and cross the feet over in front of each other bringing the hands down by the side.
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WORKOUTS
Abdominal Scissors: Core Lie on you back with the feet lifted up a few inches off the ground and one leg slightly higher than the other. Now switch the legs by bringing the higher leg down and the opposite leg up. Keep alternating in a scissor-like motion.
Zombies: Full Body From a standing position, jump upwards with the hands in the air. After landing softly, lie down onto the back with legs out straight and hands in prayer position across chest.
Boxers Shuffle: Full Body Stagger the feet and bring the fists up levels with the chin. Shuffle the feet by switching stance repeatedly as fast as possible.
Kossack: Full Body Place both the feet and the hands flat on the floor and lift the butt up, similar to a tricep dip position. Now extend one leg out. Quickly switch the legs by jumping from one leg to the other, ensuring you keep your core tight and the butt lifted.
Renegade Row Press: Chest, Back, Arms and Core Assume a press-up position. Now perform one press-up. When at the top of the press-up, row one arm up to the chest. Alternating arms on each rep.
Robert Sharpe is an international fitness presenter, fitness tutor and PT with over 10 years experience in the industry. Find out more via his Facebook page www.facebook.com/ pages/Robert-SharpeInstructor/323690523902
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STRENGTH
The nine elements
of strength
and conditioning
training Break down the essential components of this workout style BY GED MUSTO
1. Strength This is the extent to which muscles can exert force by contracting against resistance – this involves holding or restraining an object or person.
2. Power This is the skill to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movements, for example, squat jumps to sprint starts.
3. Strength Endurance This is the muscle’s ability to perform a maximum contracture time after time. This is classed as 'explosive rebounding'.
4. Cardiovascular Endurance The heart’s ability to deliver blood to working muscles and their ability to use it, for example, the ability to run long distances.
5. Local Muscle Endurance A single muscle’s ability to perform sustained work, such as cycling or rowing.
6. Agility The ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing directions, for example zigzag running or cutting movements.
7. Balance This determines the body’s position, either stationary (like during a handstand) or while moving (like a gymnastic or weightlifting movement).
8. Flexibility The ability to achieve an extended range of motion without being impeded by excess tissue, fat or muscle, such as when you execute a leg split. Flexibility can be further broken down into static passive, dynamic and static active.
9. CoOrdination The ability to integrate the above listed components so that effective movements are achieved. Of all the nine elements I have mentioned, the cardiac respiratory qualities are the most important to develop as they enhance all the other
Ged Musto is an award winning personal and celebrity trainer from Herefordshire, with over 30 years experience. He is currently the official number one PT within the county, a stamina and endurance expert and an international fitness writer. Ged can be contacted at www.gedmusto.org
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components of the conditioning equation. When trained correctly, all nine elements of fitness will be utilised. The secret is how you will train – that determines how much of an improvement you will gain in each element from training. By knowing about and understanding the nine fundamental stages you can maintain balance in training.
CONDITIONING This is the body’s ability to work easily and/or with lessened stress while performing a chosen activity. Example: When you learn to do something new it can often be difficult and uncomfortable, but the more you persist at it the easier it becomes, until it is a task that can be carried out with ease or almost instinctively. If you train to do one or two repetitions within a deadlift then have a rest, then that’s what your body will become used to. If you want to perform it twice, if not three times that amount it will be more difficult because you haven’t trained your body to be conditioned to that sort of activity. You need to know what end result you wish to achieve to be able to condition yourself effectively for it. Conditioning involves the correct application of exercise principles to progressively improve and allow you to perform your chosen activity with greater ease.
it’s showtime Don’t become just any instructor, become a Tomboogie instructor! The dance based exercise class modelled on the Musicals we know and love, Tomboogie is exercise in disguise. From Grease to Saturday Night Fever and Hairspray to Dirty Dancing, there’s something for everyone to let their hair down to and dance like no one is watching. The main focus is on the fun and dance elements of exercise, creating an atmosphere where people are free to express themselves.
SPECIAL OFFER Become a qualified Tomboogie instructor today - all three courses just £320! Included in the course is the fully edited music and all the choreography for the Tomboogie 1 routine. No licence fee required, simply set up your Tomboogie class and get dancing! You’re not just becoming a Tomboogie instructor, you get a tailor made business ready to go. www.tomboogie.net @tomboogieltd | /tomboogie.classes.3
11th-12th April at Danceworks
25h-26th April at
London
Danceworks
London
For more class dates please visit the website
WORKOUTS
Barbell ladder T
Personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach Kristoph Thompson shows how you can get clients climbing to their fitness goals
he ladder is a simple concept that lends itself well to short periods of intense exercise. This workout consists of five barbell exercises performed in a circuit fashion, starting with 10 reps of each, then nine, eight, seven and so on until
the client reaches one rep of each exercise. You can change the number and type of exercises, as well as any equipment used, depending on your training environment and your client’s goals. The approach to ordering the exercises is similar to planning a circuit
where you would avoid putting two exercises for the same part of the body back to back. The number of reps at each stage of the ladder can be ascending, descending or both, and you may choose to change the weight used at certain points if you see fit.
Squat Begin with the bar resting across the fleshy portion of the upper back with feet hip width or slightly wider apart. Take a deep breath in then bend the hips and knees to come into a squat position, keeping the chest up and gazing up towards your eyebrows. Straighten the legs, exhaling to return to the start.
Overhead press Begin with the bar resting across the fronts of the shoulders with hands equally spaced just outside the shoulders. Feet should be hip width apart with the core braced. Straighten the arms to press the bar straight upwards, bringing the upper body forwards slightly as you do so. Reverse the movement to return to the start and repeat.
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WORKOUTS
Deadlift Begin with feet hip width apart, shins close to the bar and take hold with an alternated grip just outside your shins. Drive the chest upwards as you straighten your legs, keeping the bar close to your body and bringing the hips forward to meet the bar as it passes above your knees. Reverse the movement to return the bar to the floor, then repeat.
Row Begin by holding the bar with an overhand grip, wider than shoulder width. Bend forward from the hips, keeping your back straight and knees soft. Bend the arms to bring the bar straight up towards the body, without changing angle of the torso in relation to the floor, squeezing the shoulder blades together at the top of the movement. Straighten the arms and repeat.
Ab rollout Begin holding the bar with an overhand grip, hands directly below your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to knees. Slowly roll the bar away from you, keeping your abs and core engaged to control the movement. The further you roll the bar away from you, the harder the exercise becomes. Reverse the movement to return to the start without lifting the hips.
Credits: Photography: Marcel Grabowski (www.marcelgphotography.com) Model: Jack Porter (www.facebook.com/jtpfitnesspt)
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WHAT KATIE TRIED NEXT
Keep your guard up W
Katie Garner gets to grips with her knockout technique
hen boxing-centric gym Total Boxer, based near Turnpike Lane in London, offered me a one-to-one session with one of their trainers, I jumped at the chance to learn something new. My trainer for the 60 minute session was Deniz, who has been coaching at Total Boxer for two years now, taking both the Boxing Yoga and Fitness and Skills classes that run there. Deniz was fantastic and a pure fountain of knowledge about boxing technique. Quitely unassuming, approachable and gentle, he instantly put me at ease with his playful manner. Throughout the session, he
Cardio We used a punch bag for a cardio section. I performed gentle punches for 30 seconds, followed by fast punches with high knee jogging on the spot and then the final 30 seconds was all about strength as Deniz instructed me to whack the bag as hard as I could with crosses and hooks. We did this routine twice, with Deniz behind the bag, swinging it side to side to keep me on my toes.
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would mix up the content, tailoring it to how I was doing or how quickly I was picking up the skills, trying to showcase as much boxing knowledge as possible, as he knew this was what I wanted to find out about. Firstly, Deniz strapped up my hands with long fabric strips. He picked me out some pink boxing gloves too, although we started with some skipping to get me warm. I never knew skipping was so technical, as Deniz encouraged me to use small bounces, and to whip the rope gently using small wrist movements and arms outwards in a wide stance. I was skipping forwards, backwards and even hopping.
Defence Deniz taught me how to slip out of the way of incoming crosses, and roll underneath approaching hooks. He showed me how to protect the sides of by body using my elbows tucked in close, my body crunched over as my hands still guarded my face. Moving my palms outwards deflected jabs, while gloves surrounding my face defended from hooks to the head.
With shado w boxing and exercises bef core ore the coo l down, I was able to hold a plank for tw o minutes! What’s you r best time? www.totalb oxer.com
Punches Deniz demonstrated each punch – the jab, cross, hook and uppercut – as we stood side by side in front of the mirrored wall. Usually assuming the upper body does most of the work, it was really interesting to learn the impact of feet positioning and shoulder movements on the dynamics of the punch – just lifting and twisting your heel for example creates balance and additional power. The movements were small, with my fists literally resting against my cheekbones since your guard is all important. Your feet remain in position at all times, toes in a one o’clock position, left foot forward; even when you are moving you do so one foot at a time.
Tactics Deniz used games to encourage me to think on my feet and utilise boxing tactics. The repetition of the jab can be used to almost hypnotise an opponent with the rhythmic movement – you can then bring in the cross to attack. Jabs can create space, whilst arms always have to stay near the body in case of fake punches. Saying combinations for me to deliver, Deniz constantly mixed it up – one game we played was that I had to jab him in the shoulder without him hitting me back.
EXERCISE
Designing
programmes for
older clients 70
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EXERCISE
Find out how you can tailor your workout sessions to accommodate the UK’s ageing population BY PROFESSOR DAWN SKELTON
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ith increasing longevity, more and more older adults are appearing as ‘clients’ for personal trainers. In 2011, the Chief Medical Officer recommended new Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults, which includes accumulating 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week, in addition to activities which increase strength at least twice a week, activities which improve balance at least twice a week and avoiding long periods of sitting down.
Yet, most older adults will have a variety of stable health conditions and a plethora of medications. More and more frequently, health authorities are looking to exercise referral to meet the needs of an ageing population. At the moment, the L3 Exercise Referral Qualification barely touches on ageing and the adaptations necessary to work safely and effectively with older people, so those seeing an increasingly older clientele should consider the L3 Older Adult Qualification. Even vulnerable older patients can exercise safely, provided that the exercise programme is appropriately designed and adapted to their needs. There are now a variety of L4 qualifications that address the practicalities of this problem, for example Postural Stability Instructor and Exercise and Fitness After Stroke Instructor. With up to a third of older adults falling over every year, many older people have taken to avoiding activity, so the engagement of older people in exercise can
sometimes be challenging. Whatever the level of function the older person you want to work with has, it is vital for a longer warm up (to ensure readiness to exercise, loosen stiff joints and prepare the circulation), appropriate consideration to all the components of fitness necessary for maintenance of function (strength, power, endurance and balance), safe progression of exercise over time (to avoid injury and excessive muscle and joint pain), and stretching to improve range of motion. Home exercise programmes to top up gym based work, and of course, plenty of listening and understanding.
Later Life Training have been in existence since 2003, with the aim of improving the lives of older people through evidence based, specialist training provision. To find out more, visit www.laterlifetraining.co.uk
How to improve balance in older clients:
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Firstly, test your client's balance. With a hand hold support nearby try to stand on one leg for 30 seconds without holding on. Even if they can do this without holding on or putting a foot down, try now with the eyes closed – most people wobble at this point. This emphasises the importance of vision to balance. Balance training starts by reducing the base of support (for example, standing on one leg) but maintaining a static position with eyes looking forward. Work on improving range of motion and muscle strength around the ankles. Then move on to carefully introducing movement with a small base of support – start by taking small steps on the toes or walking along an invisible line. Often balance is compromised when we have to move in directions that are not so normal, so practice backwards walking. Try static and simple dynamic balance activities whilst standing on thick mats – this will make the challenge harder. Using balance balls and reaching wide whilst maintaining balance seated on a balance ball is a relatively safe way to increase balance. Think about three dimensional activities that challenge both balance, vision and inner ear balance (vestibular). Activities such as Tai Chi, dance and yoga which work on core strength as well as balance are great. Look at the gym equipment you work with, do any help improve balance? Is there a BalanceMaster, wobble boards or thick mats you can use to provide additional balance training?
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EXERCISE
Balance exercises Try these four exercise steps with your older clients to help work on their balance.
Calf Raises + Stand tall with your feet hip width apart, holding your support + Slowly lift the heels keeping the weight over the big toes + Avoid locking the knees + Aim to lift for a slow count of 3 and lower for a slow count of 5 each time + Repeat at least 10 times
Heel Toe Walking + Stand tall + Walk 10 steps forwards placing one foot directly in front of the other so that the feet form a straight line + Look ahead and aim for a steady walking action + Take the feet back to hip width apart before turning around then repeat the steps in the other direction
Toe Raises Toe Walking + Stand with your feet hip width apart + Lift the heels keeping the weight over the big toes + Walk 10 steps forwards on your toes + Bring the feet level before lowering the heels to the floor + Turn around then repeat the toe walking in the other direction + Move steadily and with control
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+ Stand tall with your feet hip width apart, holding your support + Slowly lift the toes keeping your knees soft + Avoid sticking your bottom out + Lower the toes slowly + Aim to lift for a slow count of 3 and lower for a slow count of 5 each time + Repeat at least 10 times
ROUND UP
round up
BE:FIT 2015 SHOWCASES LATEST FITNESS TRENDS SHAKESPHERE PRO Adlington and Denise Lewis, although you might prefer to tantalise your tastebuds with demonstrations by The Total Greek Yoghurt Kitchen and celebrity chef Sophie Michell.
Keep ahead of the fitness game by attending leading London-based event Be:Fit this May, offering a range of sample exercise classes, talks from sporting stars and recipe demonstrations. You’ll be spoilt for choice on what to look at first. The Reebok FitHub will be the home of classes run by House of Voga, Frame, Barry Bootcamp’s and Insanity just to name a few, although you may opt to check out the Luxe Lounge instead for a sports massage. Get insider tips from sporting figures like Becky
BOTTLE MARKET
Get tickets (between £9 and £18 or £50 for a VIP Spa Day) and find out what else is on offer at www.befitlondon.com
Want to win two ticket s to Be:Fit? Em ail your name, email ad dress, postal address and ph one number to competitions@ ptmagazine. co.uk with ‘Be: Fit’ as the subject line, to be in with a chance to w in!
NEW APP LAUNCHED BY RETENTION GURU
Retention Guru Dr. Paul Bedford has released a new app offering retention advice to health clubs and leisure centres. The app, available for Android and Apple, will offer news, an advice page, a forum for operators to discuss retention issues and access to Dr. Bedford’s blog. Users will also have access to exclusive videos as well as Dr.
REVOLUTIONISES SPORTS
Bedford’s keynote presentations at conferences around the world. Fitpros can also book tickets for Dr. Bedford’s one-off Retention Convention on 14th May in Central Birmingham as well as view other upcoming events. The app can be downloaded by searching for Retention Guru in the apple store or Google Play.
Building on the original bottle design, ShakeSphere have now developed a new product targeted at serious athletes to help them tackle specific nutritional requirements so they can achieve greater sporting performance. The ShakeSphere Pro not only has an increased capacity, but also has a range of handy new features to support more intense training sessions. One of the key plus points is the integrated compartments so not only do you have your main shaker bottle, but also a pill box and container to store your protein powder and supplements in one easy to use bottle. With three colours available, the compartment can store up to 200g of powder, the bottle having a useful drop and lock system for the lid, hinged cap holder and a unique spherical base. The ShakeSphere Pro will be available this summer on www.shakespherepro.com
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WORKOUTS
Strength training
for women
Lifting little pink dumbbells isn’t going to get you a lean, sexy and fit body. Let’s discuss what you should be doing in the gym
BY JESSICA BENNETT
T
hankfully there are more women strength training now than ever before and the trend is continuing to soar, which is encouraging. With that said, it's still a fact that most women don't strength train properly. The gyms are filled with women who
pick up nothing heavier than a pink dumbbell. They think if they pick up some real weight, they'll wake up the next morning looking like something from a Rugby Union backline. Many women overvalue the importance of cardio, met-con, abdominal and high-intensity interval training, undervaluing the importance of correct strength training.
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WORKOUTS
If you're one of those women who think you'll get big and bulky from lifting weights (or you have clients that are), you need to dismiss that myth right now. As professional trainers, this is a major barrier to exercise we face almost daily with female clients, whose goals and current training styles simply do not align for a positive outcome. Education has to come from the trainers in order to bust this myth. Strength training is key to losing body fat and toning up. Dispelling the fear that weight training will make women bulky is going to take time, but slowly and surely, client by client, trainer by trainer we can make a difference. A muscle can do one of two things, it can grow and it can shrink to varying degrees depending on the stimulus applied. The word 'toning' is nothing more than a clever way for us to sell strength training to women. That 'toned' appearance is simply an increase in lean muscle mass, so vocabulary plays a key role. Training heavy with the right exercises is the proper way to strength train and it will get you the best aesthetic results. Period.
What should women be doing in the gym? The best exercises to use are big, compound movements that recruit a lot of muscle mass, or bang for buck exercises as I call them.
Intensity is something that so many get wrong, both trainees and trainers alike. I too often see clients with trainers breezing through their sets comfortably without the added intensity that is required. Whatever number of reps are dictated for that exercise, it must be a real challenge to complete that number by the last set. It is that intensity that will actually challenge your muscles, forcing adaptations (gains) and helping you to build a lean and fit body.
enough frequency. Plus, you will be stimulating a lot of muscle mass each training session so your metabolism with be elevated longer. Furthermore, these two splits will help you build a lean and sexy body much faster than any other split. I typically put more posterior chain work into my female clients programmes as most women initially possess ‘quad dominance’ or more correctly ‘posterior chain weakness’. What I observe with all my female clients is they absolutely love it when they perform their first legitimate push-up and chin-up; they appreciate the sense of achievement so this is something we should capitalise on for further engagement and motivation. I incorporate a good amount of functional training into my female clients’ programmes and constantly hear how ‘empowered’ they feel from doing what they consider ‘masculine’ things in the gym such as pushing sleds, flipping tyres and wielding hammers.
The typical female gym trainee should only be using one of two training splits: total body workouts (which aren’t a split at all) or upper/ lower splits in which they train upper body one day and lower body the next. The latter may be further divided into a push/pull split routine. These splits will allow you or your clients to train muscles with
Jessica is a Team Scitec sponsored athlete, personal trainer, online coach, fitness model and competitor. Get in touch via www.jessica-bennett.com
LOWER BODY
UPPER BODY HORIZONTAL PUSHING
UPPER BODY VERTICAL PRESSING
UPPER BODY VERTICAL PULLING
UPPER BODY HORIZONTAL PULLING
CORE
Barbell Squat
Push-ups
Military Press
Chin-Ups
One-Arm Dumbbell Rows
Planks
Barbell Deadlift
Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Pull-ups
Seated Cable Rows
Ab Roll Outs
Handstand Push-ups
Lat Pulldowns
Bent Over Barbell Hanging Leg Rows Raises
Dumbbell Lunges Barbell Bench Press Good Mornings Split Squat Hip Thrusts Glute Bridges
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Incline Bench Press
COMPOUND MOVEMENTS
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EQUIPMENT
Life Fitness launch realistic rowing experience
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Upgrade your workout with the new Row GX Trainer
ife Fitness has launched its brand new Row GX Trainer, a rowing machine that gives exercisers the feeling of a natural rowing motion for a challenging full body workout. As gym owners look for creative ways to provide new programmes for their members that also incorporates rowers to address the machine’s spike in popularity, the Row GX Trainer offers an effective workout for a multitude of users and experience levels. With a 77 inch length, the Row GX Trainer has a small footprint and is one of the shortest rowers available. It boasts features such as a workout detail display comprising time, distance, strokes per minute, 500m
split time and more. Other features include a concealed seat track for a cleaner, smoother and safer operation, an ergonomic handle that minimises strain, and a commercial grade design that can withstand high traffic environments. Designed with patented Fluid Technology Resistance system, the Row GX Trainer creates a smooth and natural motion that challenges the entire body and delivers one of the most effective workouts available. Its unique design allows users to feel, hear and see water churn in the tank, creating an engaging rowing experience. The adjustable resistance design lets the machine adapt to each individual’s fitness level.
Adaptability allows the Row GX Trainer to complement programming options facilities are offering, for example in small group training sessions it creates space to engage in a challenging full body workout, yet the portable design makes it easy to be repositioned throughout the facility and stored vertically when not in use.
SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY Inspiration comes in limitless ways. Life Fitness provides the tools facilities need to create experiences that are inspiring and inviting to all exercisers. BE INSPIRED: FIBO Hall 6, Stand B34 LifeFitness.co.uk | +44 1353 666017
© 2015 Life Fitness, a division of Brunswick Corporation. All rights reserved. Life Fitness is a registered trademark of Brunswick Corporation.
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WORKOUTS
Gymnastic rings SWITCHFIT UK owner Ronny Terry explains how to get to grips with this form of suspension training
Suspension training is second nature to many, leveraging gravity with the body to apply suitable resistance for a multitude of exercises. Back in early 19th century Europe, hanging circular rings were emerging in gymnastic circles. Their instability asked different questions of athletes more familiar with stationary apparatus such as parallel bars and the pommel horse. Rings have more recently been popularised by Crossfitters as a means for pull-ups and muscle-ups, and can now even be spotted in many commercial gyms.
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These are excellent for the abdominals as they contract to enable the leg raise. Start in the dead-hang position and create tension through your body by pulling downward. Keep your legs straight and raise them up in a controlled manner until parallel with the floor before returning to the start position. For an easier option raise knees and bend legs to 90 degrees.
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This is a fundamental move crucial for grip strength and a prerequisite for pull-up training. Grab the rings with an overhand grip and simply hang. Pull your shoulders down (away from ears) so that your arms don’t feel like they are being pulled from their sockets.
The king of bodyweight exercises is made more difficult by the rings’ instability, but the shoulders are free and more naturally positioned than on a bar. In the dead-hang position, and with a straight torso, pull your chest up towards the rings by bending your arms. Keep the movement smooth and controlled. From the top, lower back down to the start position.
Pull-Up
Hanging Leg raise
Dead Hang
You needn’t be a gymnast to start using the rings and they can offer massive benefits to athletes of all levels, challenging balance, coordination, endurance, strength, power and core stability. And at about a quarter of the cost of a basic suspension training system, Olympic rings offer an alternative for those looking for portable kit based on bodyweight training and leverage principles. Leotards are optional.
Push-Up
This mainly works the pectorals, triceps and core. From the straight arm plank position, lower your chest towards the rings, keeping elbows tucked in and a neutral spine. Push back up to the start position. Increase difficulty by elevating your feet.
Dip Arm Plank
L–Sit
The L-sit demands a strong support position and hits the core hard. From the support position, keep your legs straight and raise them upwards until parallel to the floor before lowering back down.
These target the triceps and chest. From the support position, lower your body down by bending at the elbows until the humerus is parallel to the floor. Keep your elbows tucked in and push back up to support position.
Straight
Grip the rings and safely hoist yourself up. Keep arms straight and turned out slightly with shoulders a little rounded and arms away from straps. Rings can be set lower to facilitate the transition from floor to position.
Body Row
Support Position
WORKOUTS
This is great for shoulder stability and core strength. With arms just a little wider than shoulder width, grip the rings, keeping your body straight, fully extend your legs. Hold this position until form is compromised.
These target the back and biceps. With feet on the floor, grip rings and lean back until arms are straight. Keep your body straight and pull your chest up towards the rings then lower yourself to the start position. Increase difficulty by lowering rings or elevating feet.
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EAT SLEEP DRINK THINK BREATHE MOVE TALK
INSTRUCT IF IT COMES NATURALLY TO YOU, STEP UP AND LEAD.
WE’RE LOOKING FOR NATURAL BORN LEADERS TO BECOME LES MILLS INSTRUCTORS & HELP US IN OUR QUEST FOR A FITTER PLANET. YOU BRING THE ENERGY AND AMBITION, WE’LL BRING EVERYTHING ELSE. CHOOSE FROM 13 OF OUR WORLD FAMOUS PROGRAMMES, INCLUDING BODYPUMP™, BODYBALANCE™, RPM™ AND LES MILLS GRIT™ AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR FRESH EXERCISE IDEAS AND INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES. YOUR CAREER PROGRESSION COMES AS NATURALLY TO US AS YOUR CLASSES DO TO YOU. CHANGE YOUR LIFE & TALK TO US ABOUT BECOMING A LES MILLS INSTRUCTOR TODAY LESMILLS.COM/CAREERS
FOOD FOCUS
Celebrate Dracula’s nemesis this Garlic Day on 19th April
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lthough usually avoided in a first date scenario, this herb is a popular component in both cooking and medicine. Joining onions, shallots and leeks in the allium family, garlic is widely used to help combat conditions linked to the blood system and heart, for example hardening of the arteries, hypertension and high cholesterol levels, although garlic has also been known to tackle the common cold. Studies have shown
that this pungent bulb can also have cancer-busting properties, with people who ate raw garlic at least twice a week having a 44% less risk of developing lung cancer, the compound diallyl sulfide working as an effective antibiotic. Low calorie yet nutritious, munching on garlic can see you top up your manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C and selenium, with some sources quoting that garlic supplements can improve athletic performance.
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NUTRITION
Garlic galore
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arlic is loaded with antioxidants that kick cancer causing free radicals, as well as vitamins C and B6, manganese, anti- viral, fungal, and bacterial properties that make sure various bodily functions are tip top at all times. But have you heard of black garlic? Packed with twice as many antioxidants and seven times the disease eradicating polyphenols as
its already pretty impressive white counterpart, body builders/athletes who consume black garlic could gain an advantage as it may enhance protein synthesis, increasing muscle and boosting gains. It improves circulation, reduces fat in the liver, boosts the immune system and is a powerful analgesic and antiinflammatory making it a strength building nutrition must. Black garlic is created by a careful
Nutritionist Marie Felton shows how you can celebrate Garlic Day on 19th April with these flavoursome dishes ageing process, which causes the sugars and amino acids to react, resulting in its lovely dark smoky colour. Recent tests indicate that the powerful chemicals in the aged bulb can help to combat fatigue from exercise and even improve physical strength. Unlike white garlic, this new kid on the block is much milder and sweeter, with a hint of balsamic and molasses. Black garlic also helps your body to process glucose, stamping out any urges for carbs and sugar.
Garlic, beef and
chilli stir fry Ingredients: • 3 cups uncooked rice • 7 garlic cloves, minced and divided into halves • 1 red chilli • 1tsp sesame oil • 3 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce • 1lb sirloin beef, thinly sliced (cheaper cuts also work well) • Salt and pepper – to taste • 4 spring onions, chopped, whites and green separated • Coconut oil • 2 heads of broccoli, chopped, about 2-3 cups • 1 head cauliflower, chopped, about 2 cups • A handful sesame seeds for decoration Method: Rinse and cook your rice. Marinate beef in 1tsp sesame oil, half of the garlic, chilli and 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste (for best results marinate over night). Take a small bowl and add the rest of the minced garlic, white part of the green onions and 1/2 tbsp coconut oil. Mix well and
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Serves: 4 people Prep time: 30 minutes (if rice is uncooked) Cooking time: 30 minutes Total time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Calories: protein: carbs: fat: set aside. Add 1/2 tbsp coconut oil to a large pan or wok and turn heat to medium high. Add marinated garlic chilli beef and cook for 5-8 minutes, until browned. Remove marinated beef and place onto a plate. Add 3/4 cup water to the pan or wok and reduce heat to medium heat. Add broccoli and cauliflower and cover. Cook for about 5 minutes. Don't overcook the vegetables. Remove the vegetables and drain the water. Wipe the skillet or wok with clean paper towel if needed.
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210 kcals 3.5g 20mg 7.1g
Return the beef to the pan or wok, leaving room in the middle, add the garlic, spring onion, coconut oil mixture. Cook for a further 30-60 seconds, smash the garlic with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the garlic mixture into the beef. Add back the broccoli and cauliflower. Add 1/2 tsp sesame oil, seeds and 2 tbsp oyster sauce and mix together until heated thoroughly. Season well with salt and pepper. Garnish with the remaining spring onions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and serve with basmati or jasmine rice.
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NUTRITION
Suitable for home freezi ng and can be stored in the fridge for up 5 days
Serves: 4 to 5 people Prep time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Calories: Protein: Carbs: Fats:
Caramelised garlic tart Ingredients: For the gluten free almond pastry: • 75g ground almonds • 1tsp pink Himalayan sea salt • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda • ½ tbsp maple syrup • 30g coconut oil, softened • 2 eggs For the filling: • 250g butternut squash, skin on, deseeded • 3 medium garlic bulbs, cloves peeled • 30g grass fed unsalted butter • 1tbsp maple syrup • 1tbsp cider vinegar • 2 free range eggs • 7tbsp low fat Greek yoghurt • 60g mature cheddar, grated • 70g quark cheese • 3tsp chopped tarragon • Salt and black pepper Method: Preheat the oven to 180oC and roast your butternut squash in
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the oven for 40-50 minutes, until cooked through and tender. Mix the pastry ingredients together and roll out the almond pastry between two pieces of parchment paper. Line a ceramic tart dish with the almond pastry, trimming away the excess. Line with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and put into the fridge for 20 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the beans and bake for 10 minutes more. Set aside. Meanwhile, put the garlic in a small pan with a few tablespoons of water. Simmer for a few minutes, until almost tender. Add the coconut oil, increase the heat and cook until the water has evaporated and the garlic is starting to caramelise. Add the maple syrup, cider vinegar and a pinch of sea salt and simmer for a further 10 minutes, until most of the
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250 kcal 12g 13g 6g
liquid has evaporated and the cloves are coated in the dark syrup. Peel the skin from the squash, chop into 2cm pieces and arrange into the tart base. Whisk the eggs, yoghurt and low fat grated cheddar together with a pinch of salt and a few good grinds of black pepper and pour over the squash. Add/spread the quark cheese (or your own chosen cheese) and caramelised garlic over the tart, drizzle over the syrup and sprinkle with the tarragon. Reduce heat to 170oC and bake the tart for 30 minutes, until it sets and the top goes a caramelised golden brown. Eat warm alone or at room temperature with a delicious crisp seasonal super food salad.
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Marie Felton is a nutritionist, fitness trainer, writer and top UK food blogger. Find out more at www.nakednut35.blog.co.uk
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RAMP UP YOUR SHAKE
2TBSP FAT FREE GREEK YOGHURT
Greek yoghurt is a fantastic source of probiotics, protein, vitamins and minerals; most noteably calcium. One cup of Greek yoghurt holds 264mg of calcium, which equates to 26% of your recommended daily intake.
½ A FROZEN BANANA
Almond milk is lower in both fat and calories than the usual cow’s milk, but it also has no saturated fat or cholesterol, making it a great dairy substitute to use in your shake.
e:
lA so includ + 2tbsp oat flo ur + 1 scoop of protein powde r + ½ tsp vanilla extract
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Strawberry & Banana WWW.PTMAGAZINE.CO.UK
1 CUP STRAWBERRIES
Strawberries are not actually a fruit as their seeds are on the outside. The fibre and fructose content in these can help regulate your blood sugar levels, whilst they also contain vitamins C and K.
workout
protein
200ML UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK
Containing 450mg of potassium and 16% of your daily vitamin C per banana, it’s no surprise that this fruit is so popular on the smoothie making circuit. Potassium maintains your nervous system and is essential for proper muscle contraction.
Shake
Get the right nutrient balance before your workout with this vibrant, fruity number
Recipe from www.nicsnutrition.com
A fun approach to flexibility and core strength
After 3 years of delivering high quality courses and strong support for their qualified instructors, PureStretch has proved it is not a ‘fad’ and is here to stay.
Available now with PureStretch 2 Day Become a PureStretch Instructor course 1 Day PureStretch 1-2-1 workshop Regional franchise opportunities to manage and run PureStretch courses • Both course & workshops offer REPS CPD points • New 2015 dates just announced • 3 regions sold so far
www.purestretch.co.uk email info@purestretch.co.uk or call 01491 577107
NUTRITION
Light and healthy dinners Pack a flavour punch in to your midweek meal with UK dietician Nichola Whitehead
CARBS 22g protein 26g calories 230kcal fat 5g
Serves: 4 people Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 60 minutes
Sweet Peppadew and Turkey Casserole This recipe is colourful, tasty and (perhaps most importantly) bursting with nutrients. It’s also relatively low in fat, easy to make and is great for all the family. Ingredients: • 450g turkey thigh (trimmed of any visible fat) • 70g peppadew peppers (OR double the apricots) • 70g dried apricots • 1tsp ground cinnamon, coriander and cumin • 2tsp olive oil • 1 red onion
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• • • •
1 garlic clove 400g chopped tomatoes 2tbsp tomato puree 300ml vegetable stock Fresh coriander to garnish and brown rice to serve.
Method: Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
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Place the turkey in a mixing bowl and add the spices and oil – mix. Cook the turkey in a non-stick frying pan until browned all over, before transferring to an
oven-proof casserole dish. In the same frying pan cook the onion (finely chopped), chopped tomatoes, tomato puree for five minutes and then season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the peppadew peppers, apricots and the stock and bring to the boil. Spoon the sauce over the turkey and mix well. Then cover and cook in the oven for an hour, removing the lid (or foil) for the last 10 minutes. Roughly chop the coriander and sprinkle over the casserole to garnish. Serve with brown rice , couscous or bulgar wheat.
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NUTRITION
Tuna and Feta Frittata 1 This is one of my all time favourite recipes. Frittatas are not only super delicious but they are super healthy too, each little egg muffin provides 10g of protein and just 93 calories. They are also great to make in advance as they keep in the fridge for three days. You just need to heat each frittata in the microwave for about one minute until warmed all the way through. To create the perfectly balanced meal, I suggest serving these frittatas with salad and home-made sweet potato
CARBS 2.6g protein 10g calories 93kcal fat 4g
wedges (simply slice and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes with some one calorie spray oil and some herbs). They are also great for breakfast/brunch too. Ingredients: • 6 eggs • 75ml milk • 1 tin of sweetcorn • 2 tins of tuna, flaked • 100g light feta cheese • Black pepper • 1tbsp of coriander or chives
Method: Pre-heat oven to 200°C (180°C for a fan oven). Beat the eggs in a large bowl and add in your milk, tuna, sweetcorn, feta cheese, herbs and black pepper. Mix together with a fork.
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Spoon the mixture into 12 x sillicone muffin cases or a metal muffin tins lined with baking paper (and sprayed with one cal spray oil if needed) Bake in the oven until the egg is cooked (15-25 minutes depending on your oven). Serve with salad and sweet potato wedges.
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Yield: 12 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes
Nichola is a UK specialist registered dietician and award winning blogger, who has a passion for promoting easy to understand diet and nutrition tips. Read more of her articles and recipes at www.nicsnutrition.com
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NUTRITION
How to eat for
endurance
exercise Make sure you can last the distance by picking the right foods to support your sport
E
ating the right foods is as important as choosing the right trainers when it comes to performing at your best. If you don’t eat before training then you may not have enough fuel, but eat too much, or too close to training and you may feel sluggish. We know that it’s best to eat at least 60 minutes before exercise to allow our bodies to digest and process the food but so far the jury is out on what is best to eat and drink before and during exercise. Ideally we need to be consuming 2.5g of slow releasing (low GI) carbohydrate, per kg of body weight, two to four hours before exercise.
If you’re exercising for more than an hour, you should consume around 30-60g of carbohydrate per hour, for example an isotonic sport drink, diluted fruit juice, energy gel or banana. Hydration is another key aspect to both physical and mental performance. How much you will need to drink will depend on your sweat rate, as well as exercise duration. An easy way to check if you’re hydrated adequately is by monitoring the colour of your urine; the darker it is, the more dehydrated you are. If you feel thirsty then it means you are already dehydrated. Start exercise well hydrated, drink when you’re thirsty and be sure
Meals two to four hours before:
Snacks one to two hours before:
Porridge with milk
Banana and water / milk / milkshake
Tuna pasta in tomato sauce
Jam sandwich and water
Chicken with basmati rice and vegetables
Isotonic sports drink
Sweet potato with a cottage cheese Cereal bar salad
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to top up fluid levels afterwards. A change in body weight can usually indicate how much fluid you have lost (1kg = 1litre). When it comes to re-hydrating though, you will need to take on board 1.2-1.5 times this amount. To hydrate more effectively, add a pinch of salt to your water or have a drink that has added electrolytes – electrolytes are minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride which are lost in sweat. Replacing these essential electrolytes helps to maintain bodily functions and promotes more effective hydration.
Nichola is a UK specialist registered dietician and award winning blogger, who has a passion for promoting easy to understand diet and nutrition tips. Read more of her articles and recipes at www.nicsnutrition.com
NUTRITION
Quickfire meat meals Re-invent your favourite meat dishes with these lighter options by Dairy Diary
Some supermarkets of sell a 165ml mini can al ide is coconut milk, which us , ise e for this recipe. Otherw the rest part of a can and use for with Thai curry paste al. another me
Chicken Satay with Indonesian-style salad Succulent, nutty chicken served with a bowl of crunchy finely chopped vegetables – perfect for a quick midweek meal. This recipe serves four people and will take 25 minutes to prepare and cook. Ingredients: • 4 large skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips about 1cm thick • 150-200g peanut or satay cooking sauce • 175ml coconut milk • 1 lime, using the zest grated and the juice of half a lime, the rest cut into wedges • 350g mixed vegetable stir-fry pack
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Method:
1
Toss the chicken strips in half of the peanut cooking sauce in a bowl and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, soak 12 mediumlength wooden skewers in hot water. Preheat the grill to hot and line a baking tray with foil. Thread the chicken onto the drained skewers (two to three strips on each) and lay on the tray. Grill for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway, until lightly charred and cooked through. Meanwhile, put the remaining peanut cooking sauce in a saucepan with the coconut
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calories PER PORTION
325
fat PER PORTION
13.6G
saturated faT PER PORTION
7.5g
6
milk and lime zest. Place over a medium heat and simmer for five minutes. Then stir in the lime juice and set aside to cool and thicken slightly. Divide the uncooked mixed vegetable stir-fry between four bowls and serve alongside the chicken satay skewers and lime wedges. Drizzle some warm peanut sauce over each salad and serve the rest in bowls for dipping the satay in.
NUTRITION
Lamb Burgers
with Figs
Gourmet lamb burgers with style! This recipe is suitable to freeze at home, will serve four people and take 20 minutes to whip up.
calories PER PORTION
556
fat PER PORTION
23G
saturated faT PER PORTION
8.1g
For the best result an d fl avour, buy lean leg of la mb stea and cho ks pt (using tw hem very finely o large k nives), o a food p r in rocessor. Bought, ready m inced lam b can lack flav our
Ingredients: • 400g lean minced lamb • 1 small onion, peeled and very finely chopped • 1tsp medium curry powder • 150g ready-to-eat dried figs, roughly chopped • 1tsp mixed spice • 3tbsp chopped coriander • Salt • Freshly ground black pepper • 2-3tbsp olive oil • 4 large rolls or baps • Lettuce leaves, such as Frisee or Curly Endive • A few sprigs of coriander Method: Put the minced lamb, onion, figs, curry powder, mixed spice and coriander into a mixing bowl. Add a little salt and pepper and mix together with your hand. Divide the lamb mixture into four equal pieces and then shape each one, on a lightly floured board, into burgers about 2.5cm thick. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, then add the burgers and cook for 5–6 minutes. Carefully turn them over and cook the other side for another 5–6 minutes until golden brown, and the burgers are cooked through. To serve, put each burger in a roll or bap together with some lettuce leaves and coriander sprigs.
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Recipes from Good Food Fast, a fabulous collection of delicious recipes that can be on the table in under half an hour. Good Food Fast is available to buy for £7.00 (plus P&P) online at www.dairydiary.co.uk or by calling 0845 0948 128.
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NUTRITION
Carrot, Ginger
and Sweet Potato
Soup L ow in fat, creamy and deliciously satisfying, this soup is packed full of fibre, betacarotene and ginger, making it a nutritious, anti-inflammatory, immunity-boosting and waist-line friendly dish. Think of it as your 'green juice for the winter' – a great and tasty way to pack a ton of nutrients, vitamins and minerals into one healthy meal. You can pair it with crackers or crudités for a snack or for a fuller meal, with lean protein or wholesome wholegrain bread, along with some hummus and carrot sticks. It can also be made in bulk to last you through the week or frozen in smaller portions to have on standby whenever you need. Apart from its delicious taste, this soup also has nutritional benefits to match. Carrots provide one of the highest sources of pro-vitamin A carotenes, with just two carrots providing roughly four times the RDA. They are also a fantastic source of vitamin K, biotin, fibre, vitamins C and B6, potassium and thiamine.
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Dr Michelle Storfer sees out the last of the winter chills with this sunset coloured supper
Carrots are also an excellent source of antioxidant compounds (carotenes) that help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Interestingly, one study that examined the diets of 1300 elderly people in Massachusetts found that those who had at least one serving of carrots per day had a 60% reduction in their risk of heart attacks, compared to those who ate less than one serving of this carotenoid-rich veggie a day. High carotene intake has also been linked to a 20% decrease in postmenopausal breast cancer and up to a 50% decrease in incidences of cancers of the bladder, cervix, prostate, colon, larynx, lung and oesophagus. And as most famously known – carrots also promote good vision. Sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamin A. Apart from being extremely tasty, this superfood is also packed full of fibre, potassium, folate, vitamin C, iron, copper and, perhaps most importantly, beta-
carotene. Additionally, not only do sweet potatoes pack in a good amount of iron, they also contain copper, a mineral that helps your body absorb iron. Ginger possesses numerous therapeutic properties, including anti-oxidant effects and the ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds and aid efficient digestion.
Born in South Africa and raised in London, Dr Michelle Storfer qualified as a medical doctor from the prestigious UCL and also completed a BSc degree in nutrition at King’s College London. She has her own independent nutrition practice called The Food Effect, blogging at www.thefoodeffect.co.uk Follow Dr Michelle Storfer on Twitter @TheFoodEffectDR and Facebook www.facebook.com/ foodeffect
NUTRITION
Ingredients: • 1 large onion – chopped • 7 medium size carrots – peeled and thickly sliced • 1tbsp peeled fresh ginger, chopped • 1 large sweet potato – peeled and cubed • 1tbsp sunflower oil • 4 ½ cups chicken/vegetable stock (made from stock powder/ liquid sachets – MSG free) • 1tsp salt (additional according
•
to taste) Pepper, to taste
Method: In a large pot, sauté the onion and ginger in 1tbsp oil until transparent. Add carrots and sweet potato and cook over a low heat until slightly tender. Stir in stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
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4
Once fully cooked, turn off the heat and blend soup fully until completely smooth using a hand held immersion blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with any of the following: chopped fresh coriander, red pepper or chili flakes, pumpkin seeds or toasted flaked almonds.
5
This recipe serves four, but can be doub led easily
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NUTRITION
Chocolate Protein This recipe will make approx five pancakes.
Pancakes
Ingredients: • 3 egg whites • 1/3 cup fat free cottage cheese • 1 ½ tbsp unsweetened almond milk • 1/3 cup oats • 1tbsp ground flaxseed eed • 1 scoop chocolate protein You may n re almond powder to add mo e kind ding on th • 2tbsp cocoa milk depen u use. powder yo • ½ tsp baking powder of protein ick, just er is too th If your batt the liquid until Method: add more the d n a urable Blend the egg whites, cottage batter is po y c sisten cheese and almond milk in desired con c is rea hed a blender.
Food blogger Melanie shows the perfect treat for a protein injection first thing in the morning
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Add the other ingredients and mix well. Place the mixture in the fridge for about three minutes whilst your griddle or pan heats up. Pour batter onto your griddle or into your pan (each pancake should be about a quarter of a cup). Cook for one to two minutes until set on one side. Flip the pancake over and cook on the other side. I love to top these with almond butter, fruit (berries and/or bananas) and a little drizzle of agave nectar. If I’m trying to watch my carbs, I just top it with almond butter and a little sugarfree syrup.
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Melanie is a health and fitness enthusiast, who has been blogging since July 2011 at Happy Being Healthy. See what other recipes the mum of five and running lover offers at www.happybeinghealthy.com
I like to double this recipe and freeze a bunch for later
Calories: Total fat: Cholesterol: Sodium: Total carbs: Fibre: Protein:
91.6g 2.3g 10.2mg 108.7mg 7.7g 2.1g 11.4g @PTMAGAZINE
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NUTRITION
Vibrant vegetables Unsure how to get creative with your veggies? Alkaline chef Natasha Corrett leads the way
carrot ‘noodles’ and
avocado dressing This wonderfully cleansing dish is incredibly alkalising too – which is such a bonus! I love the creaminess of the avocado dressing here, it really transforms a few humble ingredients into a delicious meal. This recipe serves two people.
To garnish: • Tamari-toasted seeds • Finely grated zest of 1 lime • 1tbsp pumpkin oil Method: Place the carrots in a bowl.
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Put the avocados, lemon juice, sweet miso, garlic and salt in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour this dressing over the carrot ‘noodles’ and mix in – using your hands is best I find – then stir in the red onion and coriander. Divide the pea shoots between two plates, add a pile of the ‘noodles’ on top, garnish with the tamari-toasted pumpkin seeds and lime zest and drizzle the pumpkin oil all over.
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HONESTLY HEALTHY CLEANSE by Natasha Corrett. Hodder & Stoughton 2015. Photograph © Lisa Linder
Ingredients: • 2–3 carrots, spiralised • 2 ripe avocados, roughly chopped • Juice of 1 lemon • 1 tbsp sweet miso • 1 small clove garlic, grated • A pinch of Himalayan pink salt • ½ small red onion, finely chopped • 15g coriander, chopped • 40g pea shoots
NUTRITION
Polenta with roasted root vegetables • •
Ingredients: • 140g swede, cut into 2cm cubes • 145g beetroot, sliced into halfmoons about 5mm thick • 2 carrots (about 200g total), cut into matchsticks • ¼ tsp black mustard seeds • 4g thyme leaves, plus extra to garnish • 1tbsp sunflower oil • 2tbsp vegan butter or coconut oil • ½ red onion, finely sliced (I use a mandoline) • 4g fresh turmeric, grated • 1 clove garlic, finely grated • ¼ tsp fennel seeds • 6tbsp water, for cooling the pan
Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Put the swede, beetroot and carrots into the baking tray along with the sunflower oil, mustard seeds and fresh thyme. Mix together so all are well coated and roast for 40 minutes in a preheated oven. Meanwhile, put half the vegan butter or coconut oil in a frying pan and sauté the red onion, turmeric, garlic and fennel seeds on a medium heat for one minute. Add two tablespoons of cold water to cool the pan and add
HONESTLY HEALTHY CLEANSE by Natasha Corrett. Hodder & Stoughton 2015. Photograph © Lisa Linder
This dish is perfect for a winter’s evening and a cosy night in. Polenta is quick to make, it just needs a little love in the flavour department! You could add some smoked tofu on the top if you want to give yourself an extra protein kick before or after a workout. This recipes serves two to three people.
• • • • • •
1 stick celery, sliced at an angle Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon 560ml hot water 70g polenta ½ tsp umeboshi plum purée ¼ tbsp ground cumin 2 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast 200g mixed field mushrooms
4
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3
moisture, then add the celery and lemon zest. Sauté again and add another four tablespoons of cold water and leave for one minute for it to be absorbed. Next, add 230ml of the hot water along with the polenta and stir constantly, for about a minute until it starts to thicken. Add the remaining hot water, still stirring, and turn the heat under the pan down to low, as the polenta will start to bubble and spit at you. Then add the lemon juice and umeboshi plum purée. Just before serving, stir in the nutritional yeast. Once the roasted vegetables are nearly done, put the remaining butter or oil in a clean frying pan and sauté the mushrooms until soft. To serve, scoop the polenta into a bowl, top with the roasted vegetables and sautéed mushrooms, followed by a garnish of fresh thyme.
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Recipe taken from Honestly Healthy Cleanse by Natasha Corrett (Hodder & Stoughton £25). Keep up with Natasha at www.honestlyhealthyfood.com
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FUNCTIONAL Tel: 07790 913 360
TRAINING COMPANY .CO.UK
John@functionaltraining company.co.uk IPSWICH, SUFFOLK IP6 0RE
“Excellence is a mandatory requirement, not a vague aspiration” EQUIPMENT | TRAINING | EDUCATION Education Courses: TRX • Suspension Training (STC) • RIP Training (RTC) • Force Level 2 (FL2) Trigger Point Therapy • Foam Rolling - Princples and Practise (L1) • Myofascial Compression Techniques (L2) RAPTOR • RAPTOR Weighted Vest Course (RWVC) • Manual Handling • First Aid at work
NUTRITION
Chocolate Orange Protein Flapjacks You can still up your protein intake even if you have a sweet tooth – just watch and learn from dessert-loving Protein Chef Ingredients: • 200g porridge oats • 200g extra light cream cheese • 100g nut butter • 100g chocolate orange whey protein • 175g tinned oranges or mandarins (drained weight) • 20g dark chocolate (optional to decorate) Method: Preheat your oven to 180’C.
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In a large mixing bowl, mix together the porridge oats and protein powder. In a separate bowl, mash together the nut butter, cream cheese and tinned orange. Add the wet mixture to the dry and with a fork mash everything together until fully combined. Scrape the mixture into a lined and lightly greased tin, approximately one inch thick.
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Bake on the top shelf for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle over melted dark chocolate if desired. Allow the flapjacks to come to room temperature before placing in the fridge. After an hour or so chilling they will be firm enough to slice. Store the flapjacks in the fridge until you want to eat them.
Protein Chef Heather loves nothing more than training and hitting the gym, so devising delicious cake and sweet treat recipes that won’t undo all the hard work became essential. See what other recipes Protein Chef has at www.proteinchef.co.uk
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PT QUOTES
What is your top tip for someone training as a PT? This month, we ask fitness professionals what advice they would share with the next generation of personal trainers
PRACTICE EVERYTHING ON YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY – WRITE THEM TRAINING PROGRAMMES, GIVE THEM NUTRITION ADVICE, CUE THEM THROUGH EXERCISES, EVEN TALK THEM THROUGH THE ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. THE MORE PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE YOU GET THE BETTER (THEY MAY EVEN WRITE YOU RECOMMENDATIONS), AND WHO KNOWS, YOU MIGHT JUST CHANGE THEIR LIVES TOO!’ Georgina Spenceley, Fitness Writer and Personal Trainer
My top tip for someone training as a PT would be to align yourself with someone successful and ask them if they can train you and vice versa, so they can give constructive feedback on your training. Surround yourself with successful likeminded people and once you are qualified keep reading and learning new training modalities as the fun never stops!’ Jamie Lloyd, International Author and British Kettlebell Champion
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Stay humble and never stop learning is the key. Don’t force your opinions and ethos onto clients or followers. There are so many ways to skin a cat, I wish more trainers would stay open minded and ethical.’ Jessica Bennett, Strength and Conditioning Coach and Functional Training Expert
OUR FACEBOOK FANS SAY... If you’re in it for the money, you’re in it for the wrong reasons.’ Michael Frederick Yuill Work on personal skills such as building client relationships rather than focusing on the theory side of learning. If you can’t sell yourself then no one will benefit from your knowledge!’ Martin Fletcher Don’t get caught up in what other PTs are doing. Find your own style, stick to it and make it your USP. Never, ever stop learning and never assume you know everything just because you have a bit of paper saying you passed a course.’ Amanda Mammadova Practice what you preach. If you can’t keep yourself in top shape then imagine how that may come across to potential clients. Your body is your advertisement for a healthy lifestyle.’ David TF Benham
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PT BUSINESS
PT Tip
of the
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Swindon based personal trainer Ronny Terry shares his top tip While PTs need to be professional, that doesn’t mean you have to wear a crisp polo shirt and post pictures of chicken and broccoli on social media like everyone else. In a gym full of 12 personal trainers, I’d remember the one with pink hair, a tattoo sleeve or interesting accent and not the clean shaven one with a perfect posture. Amplify your personality and don’t be afraid to be different, but remember being unique doesn’t make you a great PT – it just gets you noticed.’
MENTAL GAME
The psychological
preparation
of athletes How can athletes overcome stage fright to maximise performance? BY IOANNA KARELIA
W
hat could an actor performing their role, a politician speaking in front of the public and an athlete competing in their sport have in common? Before I give the answer away, think about a time when you had to perform in front of an audience. What feelings did you experience? Personally, I experienced fear, anxiety and had butterflies in my stomach, all effects of what is known as stage fright. So this is what all the above have in common, the experience of stage fright! But how can athletes overcome the experience of stage fright and maximise their performance? Every athlete aims to achieve peak performance through carefully planned physical training, rest and recovery periods as well as nutritional strategy. Yet, peak performance might not be consistently reached. Using appropriate psychological techniques might allow athletes to perform at least near their maximum physical potential more consistently. There is undoubtedly a connection between the athlete’s mind and physical performance. When an athlete is psychologically aroused, cerebral activity is heightened leading to somatic and autonomic efference, including greater glandular hormonal secretion. Motor unit recruitment is enhanced leading to increased skeletal muscular activity. Smooth and cardiac muscular activity is also increased and
anabolic and catabolic processes are influenced by an increased release of hormones such as testosterone and cortisol respectively. However, psychological arousal might not necessarily have a positive effect on an athlete’s performance. When performance involves the application of a skill that is new to the athlete or complex in nature, arousal reduction techniques should be adopted. There are several types of techniques that athletes could use to control arousal. One technique is goal setting. Athletes should set both short term and long term goals. The former allows the athlete to prioritise their efforts and build self-confidence when achieving them. The latter provides context for the short term goals and encourages the athlete to continuously pursue them. To reduce arousal through increased task relevant focus, relaxation techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing or progressive muscular relaxation (PMR) could be used. Alternatively, mental imagery, where the athlete mentally practices a skill in an imaginary competitive environment, could build confidence and limit arousal. Last but not least, hypnosis, where positive cues regarding the athlete’s performance are subconsciously planted into their mind, or systematic
desensitisation, where a hierarchy of situations that are fearful are constructed and the athlete visualises them progressively in a relaxed state, experiencing anxiety and applying PMR at each stage to overcome the induced fear, are also widely used techniques. The mind and body relationship is often disregarded by athletes. To consistently achieve peak performance, physical preparation alone would not suffice. It is essential to utilise psychological preparation as well and control arousal. However, how certain can we be that psychological preparation techniques have the same effect on all athletes? Will the effect be the same on an athlete motivated to avoid failure and one motivated to achieve success?
Ioanna is a personal trainer and founder of Performance Ground, ex-volleyball player, and currently a kettlebell sport athlete and keen olympic lifter. Get in touch via @ ioannakarelia, www.teamiksc.com, www.theperformanceground.com or at ioanna@teamiksc.com
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SPORTS AILMENTS
Muscle aches We all know about DOMS, but how can we nurture and advise clients with sore limbs?
BY GEMMA FROMAGE-CRAWFORD
W
hen you think of a hardcore workout, a change in fitness routine or an increase in activity intensity, that may seem challenge enough, but with the muscles soreness that may follow your session it can be hard to stay on track. For trainers out there, it will no doubt be hard to get your client raring to go when just the bend to tie up their shoe lace brings a tear to their eye. So what can you do to help with muscles ache – otherwise known as DOMS or delayed onset of muscle soreness? Firstly, your client should be assured that anyone can and will at some point suffer from DOMS. Caused by microscopic muscle tears occurring during the eccentric or lengthening phase of a muscle movement, such as impact from running downhill or the lengthening portion of a bicep curl, DOMS can start as soon as six to eight hours following activity and generally tends to peak at around 48 hours. It can sometimes last up to four or five days. DOMS is mostly considered unavoidable, however measures can be taken to reduce post workout pain. Originally, extensive pre-workout stretching was thought to reduce pain, however research has shown that a thorough pre-workout warm up is key and that stretching is more effective when the muscles are warm. Following a workout, time should be taken to cool down and stretching and flexibility work should not be overlooked. If your client does find they are suffering then indirect ice (such as ice
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wrapped in a towel) should be applied to the affected area immediately for the first 72 hours to reduce swelling and inflammation. Following this, heat can be applied to soothe any remaining pain and and promote healing by restoring blood flow and therefore oxygen and nutrients. Occasionally, over the counter pain killers such as paracetamol or antiinflammatories such as aspirin or ibuprofen can be taken. Clients should be reminded that anti-inflammatories should always be taken with food and should not be taken long term as they may interfere with the muscles ability to repair itself. If your client is on any regular medication they should be advised to check with their pharmacist as some medications should be avoided in conditions such as kidney disease, ulcers and liver disease. Medical consultation is rarely needed, but should be sought if pain is debilitating, limbs experience heavy swelling or if urine becomes particularly dark. A crucial part of DOMS is that it can be experienced by anyone and at any point in their training plan. Experienced clients will know this and be prepared for it, however for newcomers it can be both unexpected and intimidating. Explain when they start a training plan that they may experience pain following sessions and don't let it discourage them. Perhaps recommend a lighter activity such as walking or swimming while their muscles are healing. Encouragement should be given that the pain they are feeling is not to be feared, but embraced as their body is adapting to their fitness routine and making them stronger for next time.
Gemma is a registered pharmacist who has worked in this field for 15 years. Qualified as a PT, she is a keen runner, and a boxer currently in training for her first fight.
PT BUSINESS - EXPERTS
Own your day or your day will own you Stay on top of your business as a whole to ensure nothing slips through the net BY KRISTOPH THOMPSON
W
hen speaking to trainers that have gone on to work freelance, I often find myself talking about the importance of driving your day, rather than constantly reacting. Being a busy PT is great, but with more clients comes more billing and accounting, as well as phone calls to respond to and email support to offer. In addition, consultations with prospective clients need to be scheduled, social media pages need to be managed and a raft of things on top of actually training clients. In this situation, things typically go one of two ways – you don’t rest until things are done, working every waking hour seven days a week just to stay on top of things. Alternatively, things get forgotten and mistakes are made, which can affect your business and your reputation.
Be strategic When it feels like there are a million things to do it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and lose sight of why you went freelance in the first place. You need to be strategic with your time and energy. The difference between owning a business and having a self-employed job that owns you is being able to distance yourself from the day-to-day, work out what you need to achieve in order to drive your business forwards, and then prioritise those tasks.
Call in the experts You tell people that training with you is more effective than training alone. The same can be said of your social media, admin or marketing so why spend hours learning how to create a newsletter when for a relatively small fee you can get someone else to do it
for you. Yes, it’ll cost but it frees you up to do what you’re best at.
Act, don’t react Before you go to bed, list what you would like to achieve the following day. Be realistic with the number of tasks and the length of time each will take. Prioritise them and start with the most important. If you wait until the morning to compile your to-do list you can already be on the back foot, forced to react to whatever the morning throws at you.
Me time As your workload grows there are bound to be things you put off until you get a 'free' weekend, or that you’ll do at 10pm once you’ve finished work. Let’s face it, you will never get them done with that mentality. Make sure you do something for yourself every day. It most likely will be exercise but it could just as easily be meditation, picking up your child from school or reading the newspaper. These sorts of activities help you regain perspective, recharge your batteries and get you ready to come back and smash the rest of your day.
Self-development You spend your time helping others to develop but how much time do you spend on your own development? It can be difficult to justify time reading or attending conferences when there are a host of tasks associated with paying clients to deal with, but stop for a second. Those clients are paying to train with you because you’re at the top of your game. You need to ensure you’re expanding your knowledge base or skill set to stay at the top, and you also need the know-how to drive your business forward.
Personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, Kristoph has previously worked with professional baseball and basketball teams. He runs Sideways8, training others to become personal trainers. Find out more at www.sideways8.co.uk
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PT BUSINESS
Follow up
or fly with the
wind BY DANNY APOLLO BRUCE
H
ow often do you find yourself in situations meeting well known superstars face-to-face like Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson? Do you think they would recall your name and remember you? Let’s face it, a group of highly recognised and well respected individuals are known to most people on earth through social media, radio, concerts and any kind of marketing tool you can think of. They are constantly being bombarded by paparazzi, fans, online social media platforms, their neighbours; anyone and everyone are willing to run up to them and say something.
In a world so infatuated with the latest technology, it's commonplace to see the newest product, artist, actor – or even the next big fitness guru – exploding all over the news and featuring in magazines, making them the focal point of the public's interest. However, part of this success in publicity is down to the celebrity being focused on
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one simple rule, that only a small percentage of people actually decide to do – follow up.
Think of it like this; in order for you to start your car in the morning, you need the key, the motor, the battery, the alternator and all the other components for everything to work as one. Every few days you need gas, you take it in the shop or service your vehicle yourself for an oil change and a tune up. As time continues, you repeat the process for the duration of your ownership with the car. You are following up with the basic routine alongside the other one million things you have to do. As a suggestion, try and do the same thing with your potential clients, always coming back for some more. Following up can be as easy as a phone call, a text message or even a simple like on social media. When you meet someone new and you want to establish a relationship with him or her, go the extra mile or take the next step to ensure you won’t be forgotten in the wind, blending in with the 'everyone else'.
Danny Apollo Bruce is a certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning specialist and international fitness columnist. He is the youngest and most sought after celebrity fitness coach in the world, counting Olympic and professional athletes, musicians and models among his clientele. Find out more at www.brucecoaching.com
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PT BUSINESS
Tackling online training What do you need to consider to really train clients successfully via the web?
BY JESSICA BENNETT
W
e live in a generation where the internet really is king. We do everything online, from our grocery shopping to booking doctors appointments, all from the comfort of our homes. The fitness industry hugely depends on the likes of social media, from disseminating key information to generating business. The question is can you really get personal training results with a client online or is this taking the age of the internet a step too far? Somebody who you have never met in person? Never seen train? Even located in a different part of the world?
Yes is my answer! I think the main issue I tend to see with online coaching is that every man and dog thinks they can do it. It would be a dangerous assumption that training clients online from the comfort of your own home is a fast, hassle free way to make a quick buck. Big mistake. The responsibility of training clients online is actually harder and more pressurising than having that face-to-face interaction and one to one instruction. Not only that, it takes a certain kind of person
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with a specific set of traits and an arsenal of knowledge to be any good at it. Virtual training can be a very intense experience for both you and your clients. Before you embark down this path, it's important to think about the depth of ‘coaching’ you are looking to offer. Furthermore, what training and/or qualifications you need to fill that service responsibly.
NLP, life coaching, sports psychology and nutrition qualifications are all good examples that can greatly add to your business and credibility. I coach clients ranging from models for photo shoot prep, everyday gym goers, transformation clients to pro team sport athletes. Those demographics couldn’t be any more dissimilar in their requirements; making for a bespoke, adaptable business model.
KEY INGREDIENTS TO ONLINE TRAINING:
1
Keep client numbers minimal. Online coaching isn't a service I feel you can roll out in vast numbers without a team of staff, especially if you currently spend a large percentage of your time training clients one-to-one in a gym environment.
2
Provide a tailored, bespoke, personal service, NOT a cookie cutter approach. It’s not ethical to write a couple of plans and roll them out to the masses. To me this isn’t ‘coaching’; you’re selling off the rack plans – that’s a different service.
3
Embarking in to online coaching is much more than just rolling out a plan, kicking back and expecting results to follow. I like to get to know my clients, get into their minds, working out what makes them tick. Understanding and pin pointing the failures and pitfalls is crucial to future success.
4
Deliver your service with empathy, understanding and empower the client to achieve, rather than ‘here’s your plans, stick to them and do as you’re told’. I use various techniques and methods to profile perspective and current clients and tailor my approach accordingly.
PT BUSINESS
Liaising with clients Can you get great results with every client? No. Why not? Compliance. Online training doesn’t suit everybody and whilst you may be equipped with a vast array of tools, to ensure success, client compliance will always be an issue to varying degrees. I consider myself fortunate to be in a position to somewhat
‘cherry pick’ clients that I want to work with, those who I feel I have great rapport with and that I’m confident I can get results with. I’m only in this position after years of working with as many clients as possible, time wasters included. You can give people all the required tools and support to facilitate change but ultimately it starts
© Matt Marsh
CASE STUDY Shaun is a 100% natural athlete and has trained with me only online – we are based at opposite ends of the country and have never met in person. • • • • •
and ends with them; and lets face it, as professionals we know that change is hard to make. Of course everybody wants those dream clients that follow your instructions to the letter. Let me tell you from experience, it’s those difficult clients, that are all consuming. Those are the demographics that taught me the most over the years.
Client: Shaun Rhodes Started to work together: August 2013 Shoot Date: November 2014 Bulking Phase: 12 months Cutting Phase: 12 weeks
Programme included: • •
• • • •
•
•
•
Welcome pack Data collection, including food diary, training log, starting images, video of the client performing compound movements and a thorough questionnaire What they can expect from you and vice versa Agreed time frames S.M.A.R.T goals Initial plans, including nutrition, training and supplementation protocols Proceeding diet and training phases linking back to the S.M.A.R.T goals Communication via Skype, e-mails, calls, text and social media Weekly monitoring using a tangible tracking method, for example progress pictures and measurements
Shaun says: I decided to contact Jess and see
what she could offer me and after initial discussions it became clear to me I could completely place my body in her hands and trust her to look after me! The initial training and nutrition was exactly what I was looking for, it was refreshing to see that all the information I had handed over was read to the letter and what I was provided with was tailored to me. Our first few phases were to build on my current physique, I enjoyed all my training and nutrition and the progress I made under the guidance of Jess was fantastic – I was buying new shirts and trousers to house my
growing physique! Jess completely understood me and tweaked it each week to keep me constantly evolving and moving forward.
Jessica is a Team Scitec sponsored athlete, personal trainer, online coach, fitness model and competitor. Get in touch via www.jessica-bennett.com
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PT BUSINESS – EXPERTS
Building a
relationship BY STEVE MILLER
W
ith your brand defined, it is now time to begin the engagement process with your ideal client. But first of all what do I mean by ‘engagement?’ The first big point to make is that engagement is not about selling. It is about nurturing the relationship with your ideal client and this month I want to hand you a range of practical tools to make this come alive.
1
Build an engaging business Facebook page
As opposed to using your private page I recommend you build your own business Facebook page and keep business separate to your personal life. Within your business Facebook page ensure that you:a. Have a header that is branded, ensuring it markets to your ideal client. b. Post useful and practical take out content for the fans on your page as opposed to simply selling to them. Remember they are your fans and will eventually buy your personal training service if they perceive they have a relationship with you. c. Use lots of visuals on your Facebook page to make it inviting. Make the visuals relevant and different to those of your competitors so that you stand out. d. Offer a free giveaway on your Facebook page, ensuring that your
with your
ideal client fans offer you their email address in return for the free gift. Consider using Aweber software as your email data collection tool. e. Have a clinic on your Facebook page once a week so that your fans can ask you questions. Ensure you get back to them straight away so they feel they are building a close relationship with you.
2 Tweet Out
Twitter is fast becoming an immediate relationship building tool. There are three essentials when using Twitter to build a relationship with your ideal client. These include: a. Tweet during fitness/weight loss TV shows offering your professional opinions so that other people see your individual expertise. b. Retweet others tweets so that they are influenced to follow you and also retweet your own tweets. c. Promote your Facebook clinic via Twitter to encourage those looking for fitness and personal training advice to join in.
3 Email your list
As your list of emails increases it is important to keep in touch with them offering them further support. I recommend you email your list once a week. In your emails you could include: a. Exercise of the week.
Business is all about relationships – the more time and creative effort you put into developing and nurturing relationships the better b. Invitations to email you direct with any questions your audience may have. c. Any promotions you are offering just for those that have subscribed to your list.
a bi-monthly 4 Have newsletter
A bi-monthly newsletter is an ideal way to update, inform and indirectly sell to your email list. Develop a grabbing title for your newsletter and include within it:
a. Success stories of those clients you have worked with. b. Personal updates about you and your life so that your audience feel they know you really well. c. Fresh news about your programmes and developments within your own personal training business. d. Recommended reading. e. Future programmes, events, seminars, etc that you may be offering.
Steve is a TV presenter, published author, and entrepreneur. He has built up a successful weight loss business and now supports personal trainers, hypnotherapists and coaches develop their entrepreneurial talent and build a successful business operation.
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PT BUSINESS – EXPERTS
What’s your price?
Setting your prices is possibly the scariest bit of being self employed. Set your prices too high and it might put off potential clients, set them too low and you are greatly reducing the amount of money you can make BY TOM GODWIN
What is my minimum hourly rate? The first step in considering your pricing strategy is to look at how much you need to earn in order to live a lifestyle you would be happy with. To do this I advise that you keep a record of all your personal outgoings; this will give you the minimum amount you need to live. This allows you to set a minimum earning target, then if you add in the luxuries you would like, it will give you a desired earnings target. This is the figure you will be aiming for each month. If we then do the following as a rough guide: 1. Decide how much you would like to earn a year, for example, £35,000. 2. Decide how many sessions you are willing to deliver a week for the desired earnings target. For example, 20 per week or 960 per year (48 weeks, so you get 4 weeks off). 3. If we then work out our minimum hourly rate to achieve this £35,000 / 960 = £36.45 per
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hour. You would then need to add to this the costs that your business incures in the delivery of your service.
What am I worth? By this point in the process you will have started to have some ideas of what you envision your brand to be. Are you aiming at the more ‘normal’ client base or are you looking to be more of a premium product, aimed at a more exclusive client base? It is very important to do some research into what your competitors both locally and nationally are charging for services of a similar quality standard to your own. This initial research should give you a rough idea of what your price range should be.
Setting your prices So now is the time to make that scary decision to set a price range for your products. To do this effectively you need to take into account: • Your minimum hourly rate • Your costs • Your competitor’s pricing (based on like for like level of service) Remember that it is always easier to lower prices than increase them, but
ideally you will set your price point at a level that will allow you to make a decent profit and also gain and maintain a decent market share.
ACTION POINTS: •
• •
Identify your minimum earnings target and your desired earnings target Set your prices for your services, products and packages Check these against services in your area on a like for like offering basis and see if you’re within the market norms
Tom Godwin @TomForesight is the Managing Director of Foresight Fitness Services. He is a specialist in exercise referral, corrective exercise and helping other personal trainers improve their business. He is also involved with personal trainer education as a tutor, assessor, and course developer for Fitness Industry Education. www.TomGodwin.co.uk
PT BUSINESS - EXPERTS
5
Top
Here’s my refresher on the factors you need to be aware of when composing an exercise programme for your client
tips
for creating an
exercise programme
1
3
4
F
goals?
When you begin to pen your client’s programme, this question should be right at the forefront of your thinking. You’ve got to start with the individual. There may be embarrassment about weight loss, perhaps a lack of belief in their own abilities – barriers to the truth in other words. It is the job of a conscientious trainer to help clients map their goals out clearly. Goals have got to be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and should all come with a timeframe attached.
2
ail to prepare and prepare to fail. Sometimes those tired old clichés make a compelling case. If you’re turning up to your PT sessions with no real programme in place, chances are your
clients are not going to be sticking around for long. Alice Rickard of Frame Shoreditch certainly agrees, saying: 'Programmes are so important for training so your clients can see progression and can set timeframes for their goals.' But how best to assemble a plan in the first place?
BY GEORGE PEARSE
What have you missed?
Casting an eye back over your programme is a valuable process. Have you factored in the client’s reasons for seeking out your services? Injuries, major muscle groups, personal preferences – there are plenty of points that you need to ensure that you’re addressing. A process of continual review will also help you to quickly realise what is and isn’t working.
As much as a client might want a body like a Victoria Secret model or abs that would make Peter Andre blush, you’ve got to be honest and realistic with them. If you go promising the world, it’s you who’ll take it in the neck when their efforts fail to bear fruit. Or a six pack. Clients that are able to perform (at least to some extent) the exercises you challenge them with are far more likely to stick around.
It can be tough working with clients whose exercise baseline is complete aversion. We’ve all been there, where every rep is a chore, each new exercise greeted with a whinge. What is it they don’t like about a certain exercise? What is it they do like about others? By profiling their interests you’re in with a shot of making your job/life a lot easier in the process.
5
ability
George is a senior personal trainer with MotivatePT, one of the UK’s leading personal training companies offering mobile fitness professionals. Find out more at www.motivatept.co.uk or find him @pearsefitness
Likes and dislikes
research
The internet is now host to overwhelming amounts of information about new, and challenging exercises. This means there is no longer any excuse for boring clients to tears with insipid workouts. Variety serves another purpose beyond keeping the client interested and therefore paying for the privilege; it’ll also help them to avoid encountering those dreaded fitness plateaus.
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PT EQUIPMENT
Stocking up
NXG Neoprene covered kettlebell, from 4kg to 40kg, prices between £9.95 and £79.95
Stuart Cain from Podium 4 Sport talks to personal trainer Ellouise Hill about setting up shop as a professional PT
where I PT from, I have invested in a power rack, barbells, weight plates, battle ropes, slam balls and TRX. I always take a mat (as not all clients have one) and my kettlebells.
NXG Wooden Handled Leather Jump Rope, £14.95
The key five My top five pieces of kit are: • Kettlebells in various weights • TRX • Skipping rope for cardio • Med/slam ball • Mat for ab/core work Get in touch with Ellouise at www.ehfitnessandpt.co.uk
Owning your own equipment It was very important to me as a PT to have my own equipment. Having my own kit means that I don't have to train my clients in gyms which may be busy and they may not have membership either, so it eliminates them having to pay for gym membership. It also means that I can provide my clients with new and interesting workouts and they can use equipment that they may have not used before.
Go-to pieces My first pieces of equipment were kettlebells for their versatility, skipping ropes, gloves and mitts. All of this equipment was easily transported to clients’ houses or outdoor workout venues. Now I have my own space
TRX Suspension Pro Trainer, £164.95
Think about... It is really important to consider the amount of use you can get from each piece of equipment. For example, the TRX will work the whole body and there are unlimited exercises and exercise variations that you can use it for. Also consider how you are going to transport each piece of equipment. Is it fun and new? Most PT clients haven't used kit like VIPrs and suspension trainers so it keeps them interested in their workouts.
NXG Double Grip Medicine Ball, from £34.95
Why PT? One of the best advantages of being an independent PT is that you are not tied into any contracts as you would be if you worked on a gym floor. You can really implement your style of training and create a niche for yourself. I have met so many people since being a personal trainer and although the hours can be unsociable, I wouldn't change it for the world.
Elly trained as a personal trainer in 2012 and set up her own business E.H Fitness and Personal Training, offering both beach bootcamp classes and PT sessions. She is currently training for a powerlifting competition and is a fan of weight lifting, marathons, ultra-marathons, rowing and cycling. Get in touch at elly@ehfitnessandpt.co.uk
Fitness Mad Core Fitness Mat, £18.74
BO
OST YOU R
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KIT @PTMAGAZINE 115
BECOMING A PT
I hoped to be able to help set the standard for instructors
See my online diary at www.ptmag azine.co.uk/ category/bec oming-a-pt
Recently qualified Level 2 Gym Instructor Katie Garner catches up with Lead Assessor Natasha Sethna
W
orking as a tutor and assessor at Discovery Learning for the past two years, I first met Tash at my Level 2 Gym Instructor attendance weekend. With a nononsense air and literally oozing knowledge, I was keen to quiz her further about her role as an assessor.
What made you decide to train as an assessor? I hoped to be able to help set the standard for instructors coming through into the business, to ensure we were offereing the highest customer care, knowledge and experience possible.
What are the key components of your role as an assessor? To support, offer advice and encouragement, place the candidate at ease, fully prepare the candidate for their assessment, and to ensure they have all the necessary paperwork completed to undertake their assessment. Provide them with details on the appeals procedure and other company information. To offer them guideance in their next step within the industry.
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With any assessment, we are looking for the trainee instructor to be safe and competent in their field. A sufficient level of knowledge is required, along with motivation, good technique, the ability to communicate well with their participant, and an eye for observing effectively in order to offer corrective instruction. Personality is also something that is nice to see, as the candidate will be looking to build a career and business for themselves and needs to be personable to an extent in an ever growing, competitive industry.
How can PTs get involved with teaching/assessing? Anyone can become a tutor and assessor through completing the relevant industry courses. However, it is always advisable that the learner firstly has experience within their chosen field over a duration of time, in order to be able to pass on that knowledge and life skills to others in the best way possible and to the highest standard.
What advice would you give to PTs/students preparing for a practical assessment? My advice would be to know your exercises fully. This means be sure your own technique and form is
good prior to demonstrating to others. Know the names of the exercises and all the teaching points, alternatives, progressions and set ups. Become familiar with your surroundings and the layout of the gym, as different venues use slightly different equipment. Practice teaching with people of various abilities that have different needs and goals. Lastly, to familiarise yourself with the assessment paperwork so you know fully what is expected of you on the day and no hidden surprises. Relax and put yourself into a role play scenario to overcome the nerves and portray confidence.
Tash teaches and assesses: Level 2 Gym Level 2 Exercise to Music Level 2 Aqua Level 3 Personal Training Level 3 Pilates Level 3 Pre and Post Natal Level 3 Tutor and Assessor Awards Level 4 Internal Verifiers
PT BUSINESS - EXPERTS
Professional do’s R and don’ts S For every PT who posts a great blog about changing a clients’ lifestyle, there is another post of a PT posing sexily in the bathroom of a nightclub
BY RICHARD CALLENDER
F
or all the great work we do as an industry, we have an ever growing number of individuals who drag us all under the unkind microscope of being perceived as being self obsessed, a control freak, carb deficient, preaching show-offs with a weekend qualification, which means we are constantly fighting to gain approval for our skills in a country that needs us more than ever.
•
The fitness industry is a melting pot of cultures, ages, personalities and egos. However, we could enjoy the mix of personalities and function much more effectively together if we implemented a bit more common sense. • Listen better when clients, friends, fitpros and just about anyone is talking to you. • Don’t make promises you cannot keep because it will undermine your position as a credible ‘go-to’ fitness professional. • Show appreciation to everyone you meet, train or work with and this simple gesture will elevate you above your competitors by virtue of the fact that manners go a long way. • Look at the bigger picture
•
•
•
means stepping back and looking at what the short and long term effects are of what you are possibly about to say/ write/do. Every word and action will have both a positive and negative reaction depending on the audience, so plan for both eventualities. This covers everything including dress sense, social media, client care, marketing and life. Be supportive of your colleagues, fellow fitpros and the industry. You do not have to be a Yogi to understand the virtues of Yoga or a strength coach to understand the benefits of resistance training, but by acknowledging the validity of something or someone shows your clients/followers/suitors that you have empathy. A trait that ranks very highly with new clients. Watch the clock is as simple as it gets. Be on time. In fact be early, write some emails, clean equipment or be productive, just do not be late. Reset your attitude every day, every hour, every 30 minutes or when it is necessary to ensure that the golden rule of etiquette is maintained – treat others the way you want to be treated. Never judge on appearance because in business, just as in life, there are pretenders
everywhere hiding in plain sight. A great body does not mean a great PT, an overweight person does not always mean lazy and a scruffy dresser does not mean that individual cannot afford to hire you. • Live in the real world where people will pay you for your services and try not to spend too much precious time seeking increased followers/likes that are unlikely to generate a constant income for you as a fitpro. • Don’t get too relaxed as the kiss of death to your fitness business is feeling like you have made it and taking your foot off the pedal. Maintain a high level of professionalism and consistency and you will have a successful career for life.
Richard is widely known and recognised as an approachable fitness expert, group fitness presenter, writer and television personality both in the UK and internationally, working in the industry for an impressive 18 years. For more information visit www.richardcallender.com
@PTMAGAZINE 117
WHAT KATIE TRIED NEXT
British Military Fitness Editor Katie Garner teams up with fitness writer Georgina Spenceley for a one of a kind bootcamp workout at London’s Hyde Park
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ith my first bootcamp experience under my belt, I thought it was about time I was put through my paces by British Military Fitness (BMF), who’ve been running bootcamps for 16 years now, across 140 parks nationwide, although central London based Hyde Park is still one of their key locations. Meeting up with fitness writer and CrossFit expert Georgina Spenceley, we donned red bibs to indicate we would be joining the intermediate group, with beginners grabbing blue bibs. Green bibs were available for the advanced session but I don't think anyone was brave enough! Since there were so many attendees we were further divided up, with our troop of red bibs being led by Tatiana. All of the instructors for the BMF are either serving or exserving armed forces, whether this is the army, navy or the airforce, so they sure know how to snap out instructions, with Tatiana informing us that 'Happiness is relative ladies and gents' as I performed tricep dips, balancing my hands on Georgina's knees behind me as she squatted against some of the park's railings. The exercises were incredibly creative, using both other participants as well as just what
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was around us. Park benches soon became platforms for our feet while we did push-ups in the mud, with railings acting as a support to tuck your feet under as we did sets of sit ups with our team mate performing a plank behind us before we swapped places. We were made to run up natural undulating hills, round trees and lampposts, the ample space in Hyde Park ideal for running between various spots before tackling some more exercises and then running somewhere else. Lying in the grass, Georgina leaped over me before splatting herself on the ground for me to jump over. Then we were forming high push-up positions so that we could scuttle under each other using classic leopard crawls. Naturally burpees made an appearance, although the teamwork element was still evident as we high-fived between reps. Planking was even made more difficult as we lay opposite someone else and alternated shaking hands or touching their shoulders or ribs. Lunges involved a partner behind you, putting additional pressure on your arms as you raised them above your head with every dip. The hour long session was well paced with alternating styles of exercises so we were definitely working a fantastic range of muscles, with the running
in between a great cardio boost. Half way through the hour long session, Tatiana unzipped her camoflaged backpack to dish out water bottles which we all shared. The atmosphere was focused, with each participant working hard to push themselves, although with the partner based work, Tatiana encouraged us to give our team mates a wink and a smile. The session was a great way to vary your workout, get outdoors and have some fun as well as exercise.
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10 MINUTES WITH
James Exton
Katie Garner talks natural bodybuilding with James Exton, one of the four founders of LDNMuscle Why is bodybuilding and weight work your exercise of choice?
Like many, I was initially drawn to weights in order to improve my aesthetics and strength. There is always a motivation to progress, improve your capability and a neverending amount of variation you can build into your weight training – leaving no risk of me becoming bored anytime soon.
You are one of the co-founders of LDNMuscle. How did you get involved with this?
LDNMuscle was born out of a joint hobby and passion between two sets of brothers. Myself and my twin brother, Tom, and Lloyd and Max. We all trained and worked together years ago. We had a large number of people who would ask us how to train and what we ate, etc. To help others, we created a website and offered free advice, tips, workouts, recipes and more for around six months. As word spread so did the following. It is at this point that we decided to release our first product, from which we have grown to who we are today.
What does LDNMuscle offer?
First and foremost LDNMuscle offers a genuine and realistic advice port with no hidden agenda, fanciful claims, or attempts to sell miraculous supplements. Disenchanted with the distinct lack of clarity online and spurious promises/dream selling that was all too common, we set out to give people the facts of what is actually achievable naturally. We are four normal guys, all who have full-time professional commitments and everything we do takes this into account. This provides those in a similar position with invaluable practical knowledge in addition to
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their dietary and training plans. LDNMuscle specialises in the provision of e-guides – fully comprehensive training and diet plans specific to an individual’s particular body type, weight and training time. We also sell muscle group specific e-guides along with recipe packs and cardio specific packs. We also have an exclusive male and female apparel range.
What do you feel the benefits of bodybuilding are?
Getting people fit and healthy, back from illness or injury, or helping them move on from a low point in their life is invaluable. It would be odd if I didn’t mention perhaps the reason why most get into it in the first place... vanity and aesthetics. Of course we all want to look good too, so I won’t hide or pretend that isn’t an added benefit!
Do you feel bodybuilding is becoming more popular as a fitness trend?
Certainly the appeal of “getting in shape” or “getting ripped/ toned” seems to have exploded in recent years. It certainly now is a trend which is rapidly growing and targeting people from a broad demographic base.
What is your advice for mixing up a cardio and strength routine?
I personally try to perform morning cardio sessions, normally outdoor LISS (typically a 40 minute fast pace walk). When time poor, I'll incorporate a cardio session onto the end of a resistance session (typically 5-8 minute tabata style circuits).
For more information visit www.ldnmuscle.com
NEXT ISSUE
And do n’t forg et your us ual upd ates of insider industr y news, from ou advice r expert panel a as a wh s well ole host of delic recipes ious for you to get your tee th stuck in to
CELEBRITY TRAINING Nicole Attrill teams up with TOWIE star Samantha Faiers for an accessible online workout programme
Also in our May issue: Master Tabata Trainer Richard Scrivener shares an exclusive high intensity workout YouTube sensations The Lean Machines reveal how to utilise this online platform Kelly Reed-Banks showcases Fitness Pilates Dan Parry explains how you can generate more client leads for your business
+ CHECK OUT EXCLUSIVE
PLYOMETRIC WORKOUT FROM ROBERT SHARPE
Ben Coomber demonstrates how your diet can support your workout
@PTMAGAZINE 121
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0844 800 22 80 courses@icon-training.com www.icon-training.com
CUSTOM BRANDED GYM DIARY
Encourage clients to keep track of their progress with a custom branded gym diary. Covers are re-designed to your specification, helping reinforce your business identity. An invaluable distraction free logging tool. Wire bound, durable & compact design. Space for 100 workouts and 4 progress pages. 01159 615412 sales@logitorloseit.net www.logitorloseit.net
01234 567890 www.jekajodance.co.uk
THE CLIENT CONNECTION
A premium service for personal trainers and their clients. We offer an easy and effective piece of software that will enable personal trainers to take charge, look after and control their training business on a daily basis. Our services include:
- Client Profiles - Client Performance Tracking
- Invoicing - Calendar - Programme Design
info@ptnotebook.co.uk www.ptnotebook.co.uk
THE SUPPLEMENT COURSE
REFERRAL PROGRAMMES
Explore the role of supplements within the fitness industry with this one day seminar by Reflex Nutrition, led by industry expert Mark Gilbert Bsc. Based in Brighton, the session will highlight the general principles of supplements and how to select supplements for your training goals. Event costs £65, and each guest will receive a goody bag worth £125.
At New Level our product collection includes treadmills, cross trainers, bikes, rowers and strength equipment. We operate a referral programme with a generous commission structure that is designed to help PTs supplement their incomes while giving clients access to high quality fitness equipment between sessions.
01273 303817 ext. 1005 Julian.wright@reflex-nutrition.com www.reflex-nutrition.com
122 WWW.PTMAGAZINE.CO.UK
01782 593533 info@new-level.co.uk www.new-level.co.uk
0208 543 1017 info@discovery.uk.com www.discovery.uk.com
OWN LABEL PRODUCTS
Supplement Factory is a brand new GMP approved manufacturing plant capable of tailoring and manufacturing quality supplements to suit requirements and budgets. An innovative NPD team, award winning design team and outstanding customer service will work with you to ensure your products make the impact you want. 0845 519 6010 ollie@forzaindustries.com www.supplementfactoryuk.com
SPORTS NUTRITION
Time to #upgrade your sports nutrition then look no further, since 1997 Bio-Synergy has been at the forefront of the UK sports nutrition industry, which is why Olympic athletes and many of the UK’s leading PT’s rely on us to fuel their performance. pt@bio-synergy.co.uk www.bio-synergy.co.uk
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