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ULTRA-FIT MAGAZINE
NO NONSENSE PLANS FOR FAST RESULTS
Vol.18 No.7 £3.70
FLATTEN YOUR STOMACH
GET BACK TO FLAT Waist Shapers For Women
INDOOR CYCLING CLASS OR SWIMMING VOLUME EIGHTEEN NUMBER SEVEN
Which gets you fitter?
ARE YOU FAST OR SLOW TWITCH?
Discover your muscle types and how to train them
REVIEWED: www.ultra-fitmagazine.com
■ NEW SEASON’S GYMWEAR ■ WOMEN’S GYM SHOES ■ BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE www.ultra-fitmagazine.com ISSN 0957-0624 0 7
9
770957 062024
TRAINING WITH SIR STEVE REDGRAVE Priceless!
DIET
How to estimate your calorie needs and physical activity level
NORDIC WALKING Low-cost fat-buster
RUNNING
Speed training + Parklife routine
A-Z OF SPORTS NUTRITION 26 healthy ways to boost performance including: fat burning, muscle building and recovery
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Body+Sole HEALTH FITNESS NEW RESEARCH KIT EVENTS PEOPLE SPORT
HOME GYM
Bowflex Xtreme SE With power rod resistance of 210 lbs (can be upgraded to 310lbs or 410lbs) you can develop strength in all major muscle groups including a lower pulley/squat station that enables you to work glutes, hamstrings and quads. RRP £999. Stockist website www.bowflex.co.uk
KIT
FIT FOOD
Tuna salad with cherry bocconcini
185 grams of spring water tuna 4 ripe organic tomatoes sliced in quarters 2 lebanese cucumbers sliced ½ cup chopped Italian parsley ¼ cup chopped basil ½ tub of cherry bocconcini 1 butternut lettuce ½ red onion sliced Dressing ¼ cup lime juice 1 tbsp organic extra virgin oil Touch of black pepper
½ cup of freshly squeezed orange juice ¼ cup finely chopped chives Drain tuna Into a large bowl place lettuce, tuna, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, onion and basil Add halved bocconcini Pour dressing, toss and serve Serves 2 Taken from Rocco Sorace’s ‘Good Food Good Life’ www.focussfitness.com
EVENTS SILVER IN SLOVENIA FOR JOHN SHEPHERD
MEN’S WALKING SANDAL FROM TEVA As the title suggests the Cardenas Fisherman (SRP £80.00) feature a classic fisherman design with waterproofed leather and traction outsoles. Allowing you to experience all day walking comfort. Taking the traditional fisherman to new heights, the Cardenas feature an adjustable instep strap and its water resistant materials allow you to charge through puddles in style and comfort.
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Left to right: Silver John Shepherd GB Gold Masakatsu Kondo GB Bronze Igor Gavaneiak Slovak Republic
Our ‘walk the talk’ contributing editor John Shepherd has an extra spring in his step these days which he put to good effect in taking the silver medal in the long jump at the European Masters Athletics in Slovenia. Congratulations John.
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MIND
How to beat
boredom and get excited Do you ever get bored with your exercise routine and struggle to get up and go? Do you ever find that you are too busy or tired for your workout? Do you sometimes get out of the habit and then find it difficult to get back into things again? 14
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Well, you are not alone! Many of us do get bored, busy and tired. Then before we know it, we are out of the habit of regular exercise. Once we are out of the habit, it can be tough to get back into the swing of things again. Midgie Thompson shows you how you can get fired up and excited again to get back and keep on track with your regular exercise!
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MIND get dressed in the morning, brush our teeth or get to work? However, when it comes to exercise, doing the same thing as if on autopilot can cause boredom to set in and may be the reason we stop exercising regularly. To stop boredom setting in, do something different! Add variety to your workout routine. If you normally do weights, why not try a class? If you run, why not try cycling or rowing? You can also team up with a friend and take turns at suggesting what you are going to do for exercise. Make it like a game and have fun with it.
Excuses, Excuses … We can all come up with very good reasons for not going to the gym or getting out there and exercising. The most common excuses are that we are too busy (and have more important things to do) or we are too tired. Instead of making excuses to not get out there and exercise, what would it be like if you were to make excuses to get
No more excuses To help you easily overcome those excuses, let’s explore your excuses. Take a moment, now, and write out all the excuses you have used in the past to not do your workout. What did you say to yourself that made you miss those sessions? Now, review all these excuses that you have written down with a more rational, logical and analytical hat on. Write out what can you say to yourself to overcome those excuses? What mechanisms and strategies can you put in place to deal with things? For example, if you are feeling tired for your workout at the end of the day, why not exercise at a different time of the day? If you say that you have childcare arrangements to take care of, can you swop with someone else so you both get to do you exercise at different times or on different days? Be as creative as you can to come up with ideas how you can turn around each and every one of those excuses so they are no longer excuses, but reasons to get you
Make exercise a priority for you and make an appointment with yourself. Actually schedule it in your diary and treat this time just like you would any other appointment in your diary
Bored with the same old routine? Many of us do the same routine or same type of exercise week, after week, after week … so, it’s not surprising that we get a bit bored. Although many of us are creatures of habit, and we like our routines, we often stick to these routines because they are what we know. It is as if we go on autopilot, and our bodies go through the motions without engaging our minds. In some instances, going on autopilot may be a good thing – imagine what it would be like if we had to think of every little thing required to
out there! Focus on all the benefits you reap when you do get out there and exercise! Also, make exercise a priority for you and make an appointment with yourself. Actually schedule it in your diary and treat this time just like you would any other appointment in your diary. Regarding that old excuse of being tired and not having the energy to exercise, barring any medical conditions that may be affecting your health, more often than not we feel tired at the end of our day due to mental fatigue rather than physical fatigue. The stress and strain of what we do during the day can be draining … and when we feel drained, who wants to do their workout? Settling into the sofa, sinking into a warm bath or taking a nap has more appeal than getting out for your exercise! To help you get up and go, why not start off with simply moving your body with some gentle exercise … just to get your body moving and the blood flowing. Gentle stretches, a walk around the block or even just walking through that gym door can be those first steps towards getting you to do your workout. Once you have started; you will feel better! And, now that you are on a roll, why not just keep on going!
going. Then, the next time you come up with yet another excuse, pull out your list and remind yourself what you need to say or do to get you going! Another thing you can do is create some motivational magnets.
Motivational Magnets By creating a picture, with as much detail as possible, to create a strong pull like a magnet, can help fire you up. In this picture, focus on all the outcomes and benefits you want to achieve through your regular exercise. What positive difference will it make to your life by exercising? Make sure all of what you write down is personal to you … because we call know the benefits of exercising yet that might not be enough to get you going. Perhaps you will feel better about yourself, you will have more energy and be able to better handle the stresses and strains of the day-to-day stuff. Maybe it will mean that if you achieve this particular goal, you can achieve other goals in your life. Maybe you feel better about yourself, become more confident and you go out there to get that promotion or that new job. Often times, when we achieve one goal, there are cascading benefits in many other
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FEATURE
Training with Sir Steve
REDGRAVE
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FEATURE
Technogym – “The Wellness Company” who are the exclusive supplier of fitness equipment for the Beijing Olympics 2008 invited Ultra-Fit’s Caroline Sandry and some other ‘victims’ along to compete against Sir Steve Redgrave - 5 times Olympic champion - in an Olympic-style circuit training session…
Our afternoon started with refreshments at the very plush new Henley Leisure Centre. As I munched on my flapjack and coffee (essential pre competition tucker!) I sized up the competition, and the nerves set in – they looked like a pretty healthy bunch, and I had already been out training twice that morning with clients so was already slightly tired. I was very grateful therefore, for the caffeine and carb kick I was starting to feel – even if it was only psychological!
Sir Steve Redgrave gave us a quick introductory chat, and then National Master Trainer at Technogym - Grant Powles - took our hero to his first station of the circuit to warm up. What an honour to watch such an amazing athlete as Sir Steve Redgrave sweat it out in the gym – and although he is obviously no longer competition-fit, you can see the enormous power and the gritty determination that made him a champion.
Each station was flat out for 3 minutes, with 2 minutes rest in between
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The circuit consisted of six stations – treadmill, Synchro (elliptical machine) and Excite Top (arm pedalling) plus weights – leg press, chest press and seated dumbbell shoulder press. Each station was flat out for 3 minutes, with 2 minutes rest in between. See the table overleaf for our results! Being very interested in the mental aspect of training, I was keen to know if there were any techniques that the rowers use, and Sir Steve told me “we use
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WOMEN’S FITNESS
Abdominals
GET BACK TO FLAT Photography: Neil Francombe/Ultra-Fit Images
Were you secretly cheering for joy when smock tops came back into fashion, or have you been squeezing yourself into ‘Bridget Jones’ style control pants for more than just the odd night out? Personal trainer Caroline Sandry helps you to discover your own built in control pants! Protruding stomachs can develop because of weak abdominal muscles, poor posture or incorrect training. Pilates teaches you how to engage your deep internal muscles, improving posture, flattening your mid-section and slimming your silhouette.
Back to basics Before beginning, it is important to understand the mechanics involved in abdominal training – We have three sets of abdominal muscles: the superficial rectus abdominus (RA) or “sixpack” muscle which flexes (bends) the trunk, the obliques (internal and external) which side-bend and twist the trunk, and the deeper transversus abdominus (TA) - your girdle of strength. The TA works in association with your pelvic floor (PF) muscle. In my experience as a pilates teacher for many years, I have found that most people are familiar with RA and obliques, but are not in touch with their TA or PF. This is a fundamental reason why you may have found that you are doing your abdominal workout – sit ups, trunk twists and so forth, but your stomach still has a rounded appearance.
How to engage TA & PF Your pelvic floor muscles are deep internal muscles which support your internal organs such as the bladder. Many women find they lose control of the PF muscles after childbirth, and can suffer incontinence as a result. You have front and back PF muscles, and we need to locate the front group. To do this, try to draw your internal muscles upwards as if lifting something up inside. Try not to squeeze your bottom as you do this. To engage TA,
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draw your navel in towards your spine – as if you were tightening an aeroplane seat belt. (To find your TA – place a flat hand on your stomach and cough – you will feel your abs draw inwards – this is the TA). Before beginning the exercises, practise engaging – inhale to prepare, and exhale as you draw PF up and TA in simultaneously.
You can practise this as often as you like – whilst sitting in the car, waiting for the bus or cleaning your teeth!
Posture I previously mentioned that poor posture can give you a pot-belly. Try standing in front of the mirror- side-on- and arch you lower back letting your bottom stick out. You will no doubt see the abdomen protrude. This posture type is called “Lordotic” and can lead to back problems as well as an undesirable big stomach. The ideal position for a healthy spine and a flatter stomach is a neutral spine – which is neither arched (lordotic) nor flat. To find your neutral spine, lie on the floor, knees bent and hip width apart, feet flat on the floor. Gently rock your pelvis backwards and forwards. The middle position is your neutral spine. Aim to keep a relaxed neutral for all of the exercises.
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WOMEN’S FITNESS
THE EXERCISES
1 Abdominal Curls ■ Lie on your back, ■ Take your fingertips behind your ears ■ Inhale to prepare ■ Exhale and engage TA & PF as you curl head & shoulders up off the floor ■ Inhale to return to the floor. ■ Repeat 10 – 15 times.
Training tips – Keep abdominals flat throughout and maintain neutral spine. Keep chin slightly tucked in – as if holding a soft peach under your chin in the ‘up’ position.
Pilates toe taps ■ Lie on your back knees bent and hip width apart, feet flat on the floor ■ Exhale and engage TA & PF as you lift one leg at a time until your knees are above your hip and bent to 90 degrees ■ Place fingertips behind your ears, and flex head and shoulders forwards
■ Exhale to lower one foot towards the floor, inhale to return. ■ Keep head and shoulders lifted and abdominals flat ■ Repeat 8 on each leg Training tips – as you progress, straighten leg out as you lower it. The challenge is to keep neutral spine and flat abdominals throughout.
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PEAK FITNESS
FAST-TWITCH OR
SLOW-TWITCH Which Type Are You?
By Dr. Jason R. Karp, Ph.D.
Ever notice you can exercise for long periods of time but get tired quickly when lifting heavy weights? Or you can lift heavy weights but can’t run for more than five minutes on the treadmill? The reason why some people can run faster and get bigger muscles more easily than others, and why others are able to run for much longer periods of time without fatigue lies in your muscles. 24
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PEAK FITNESS Characteristics of the 3 Muscle Fibre Types
Contraction time Size of motor neuron Resistance to fatigue Activity Force production Mitochondrial density Capillary density Oxidative capacity Glycolytic capacity
Slow-Twitch (ST)
Fast-Twitch A (FT-A)
Fast-Twitch B (FT-B)
Slow Small High Aerobic Low High High High Low
Fast Large Intermediate Long-term Anaerobic High High Intermediate High High
Very Fast Very Large Low Short-term Anaerobic Very High Low Low Low High
perfusion with a large network of capillaries to supply oxygen, lots of myoglobin to transport oxygen, and lots of mitochondria — “energy powerhouses” that contain enzymes responsible for aerobic metabolism. To be a good endurance athlete, you need a large proportion of ST fibres. Fast-twitch (FT) fibres, which are used for short,
Recruitment of Muscle Fibres Muscles produce force by recruiting motor units, a group of muscle fibres innervated by a single motor neuron. All muscle fibres of a motor unit are of the same type (ST, FT-A, or FT-B). During voluntary contractions, the pattern of recruitment is controlled by the size of the motor unit, a condition
You are born with a specific percentage of ST, FT-A, and FT-B fibres, which vary from muscle to muscle and from person to person
Types of Muscle Fibres Of all the muscle’s compartments, the fibres are the ones that distinguish between people. Humans have three different types of muscle fibres (as well as gradations between them), the proportions of which are genetically determined (see Characteristics of the 3 Muscle Fibre Types). Slow-twitch (ST) fibres are used for aerobic activities requiring low-level force production, such as walking and maintaining posture. Most activities of daily living use ST fibres, which have many characteristics needed for good endurance, such as
intense exercise, including sprinting and weight lifting, are divided into fast-twitch A (FT-A) and fast-twitch B (FT-B). FT-A fibres, which contain both endurance and power characteristics, represent a transition between the two extremes of ST and FT-B fibres. They are recruited for prolonged anaerobic activities with a relatively high-force output, such as running a long sprint and carrying heavy objects. FT-B fibres, which are very sensitive to fatigue, are only recruited for short anaerobic, high-force production activities, such as sprinting, jumping, and lifting very heavy weights. To be a good sprinter or jumper, you need a large proportion of FT-B fibres. You can see the difference between the fibre types when eating a turkey dinner— the dark meat of your turkey, so colored because of its myoglobin content, is ST fibres and the white meat is FT fibres. But if you want to run a great marathon, don’t reach for the dark meat too quickly. Unfortunately, the type of meat you eat has no impact on your endurance or sprinting ability. You are born with a specific percentage of ST, FT-A, and FT-B fibres, which vary from muscle to muscle and from person to person. Muscles involved in maintaining posture, like those of the abdominal and lumbar back regions, are composed mainly of fatigueresistant ST fibres.
known as the size principle. Small motor units, which contain ST muscle fibres, have the lowest firing threshold and are recruited first. Demands for larger forces are met by the recruitment of increasingly larger motor units. The largest motor units that contain the FTB fibres have the highest threshold and are recruited last. No matter what the exercise intensity, ST motor units are always recruited first. If the exercise intensity is low, ST motor units may be the only ones that are recruited. If the exercise intensity is high, such as when lifting heavy weights or running or cycling fast, ST motor units are recruited first, followed by FT-A and, finally, FT-B, if needed.
Determining Fibre Type The only way to directly determine your fibre type is with a muscle biopsy, during which a needle is stuck into the muscle and a few fibres are plucked out to be examined under a microscope. Since research has repeatedly shown that there is a significant, positive relationship between the proportion of FT fibres and muscular strength and power, it’s possible to estimate your fibre type without a biopsy by measuring muscular strength or speed (see Determining Your Muscle Fibre Type).
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FITNESS EXPRESS
foam
roller workout Instructional Photos: Ultra-Fit Images/Grant Pritchard
A great, affordable and versatile piece of kit, a foam roller, can keep you mobile and injury free. One of those bits of kit that you often see gathering dust in the corner of the gym a foam roller or stability roll is actually a great conditioning tool. In an ideal world all regular exercisers, especially runners and cyclists, would have a massage at least once a week. With hard training tightness can accumulate in the soft tissues limiting range of movement and often contributing to niggles and injuries. Massage can help to ease out areas of tightness and flag up potential problems but, for most of us, the cost of regular massage makes it a rare treat. By using a foam roller it is possible to target many of the typical problem areas and to give them a very good self-massage. One such area that can be effectively managed using a foam roller is the ITB or iliotibial band. The Iliotibial band is a sheath of connective tissue attaching from muscles in the gluteal (buttock) region to the lateral (outside) surface of the tibia or shin bone. Its purpose is to extend the knee joint (straightening it) as well as abducting the hip (moving it out sideways). As the ITB passes over the femur bone (thigh bone) at the knee it is prone to friction. It rubs on the lateral epicondyle (bony bit on the outside of the knee). The greatest friction on the ITB occurs when the knee is bent at an angle of approximately
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20-30 degrees which is roughly the angle of the knee when the foot strikes the ground when running. In persons who run regularly this may lead to irritation of the ITB commonly known as ilio-tibial band friction syndrome or Runner’s Knee. Excusing the pun but Runner’s Knee can be a real pain. Once it comes on it can be very hard to get rid of, often requiring extended periods off running, extensive re-hab and expensive treatment. By including regular work on the foam roller into your training regime its possible to keep your ITB’s supple and to never experience the frustration of Runner’s Knee. We’d go as far as saying that, if you are a runner, being able to perform effective self-massage on the ITB makes a foam roller worthwhile if that’s all you ever do on it. While you’ve got your roller out though, you might as well incorporate some or all of the other exercises described below to get a more complete and balanced session. A 4” high density foam roller suitable for all of the exercises described below can be purchased for £21.95 from www.physicalcompany.co.uk
Exercises I’d suggest doing some form of gentle CV warm-up before moving onto the roller. Muscle and other soft tissue is always more pliable when warm and you’ll get more out of the exercisers if you’ve spent 5-10 minutes getting a bit of a sweat going. A great time to do this routine is when you get back from a ride or a run.
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FITNESS EXPRESS
Butterfly A great mobilising move for the upper body. Lie on the roller so that it supports your spine, head and neck. Bring your arms up in front of you as if you were going to use a pec-fly machine. Then, let your arms drop towards the floor initiating a stretch across your chest. Pause in that position for a count of 5-10 letting gravity and the weight of your arms further stretch your chest out. After the pause return the arms slowly to the start position and repeat the sequence. This movement is great for anyone who spends a lot of time hunched over a desk typing or driving as it opens out the whole chest region. Aim to complete one set of 20 reps.
ITB Roll This is the first of five actual “rolling” techniques and targets that pesky ITB I talked about earlier. Lie on your right side with the foam roller just below your hip bone. Extend your right leg straight out, and bend your left leg and place it in front of your right leg. Place your right hand on the floor for balance, and roll along your outer thigh from the below your hip bone to just above your knee. Aim to perform 20 rolls. If you come across a particularly tight area don’t be afraid to focus in on it. Repeat on the other side.
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THE ATHLETE’S KITCHEN
A
the
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THE ATHLETE’S KITCHEN
Z
Eating a performance-enhancing diet isn’t easy, and for many athletes and active people, nutrition is their missing link. If that’s your case, here are a few ABC’s to get you started on the path to winning with good nutrition. By Nancy Clark
Always eat breakfast; it’s the meal of champions! Within three hours of waking, fuel-up for a highenergy day. Not hungry in the morning? Trade evening snacks for a nice breakfast the next day.
A B C
Breakfast of champions? I vote for whole grain cereal + milk + fruit—an easy, wholesome, carb-protein combination.
Carbohydrates are essential to fuel-up and refuel your muscles. Do not “stay away from” pasta, potato, bread, bagels and other carbs that have wrongly been deemed “fattening.” Excess fat gets easily converted into body fat, but not carbs. Dehydration needlessly slows you down, so plan to drink extra fluids before you exercise. The kidneys require about 45 to 90 minutes to process fluids. Allow time to tank up, eliminate the excess, and then drink again pre-workout.
D
Energy bars are more about convenience than necessity. Bananas, yogurt, fig cookies and granola bars offer convenient fuel at a fraction of the price. But if you prefer the convenience of bars, try Zing Bars (www.ZingBar.com). Yum!
E
Food is fuel—not the “fattening enemy” as some weight-conscious athletes believe. If you obsess about food and weight, find a local sports dietitian at www.SCANdpg.org.
F
G H
Gatorade and other sports drinks are designed to be used by athletes during extended exercise, not as a lunch or snack beverage.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, as characterized by lightheadedness, fatigue, and inability to concentrate) is preventable. To eliminate an afternoon energy lag/drop in blood sugar, enjoy a hearty snack between lunch and dinner. Iron-rich foods, needed to prevent anemia, include beef and dark meat chicken (thigh, leg). If you eat neither of those, choose iron-fortified breakfast cereals (Raisin Bran, Wheaties). Read the cereal label, and note all natural brands (Kashi, granola) offer little iron.
I
Junk food can fit into your sports diet in small amounts. That is, you don’t have to have a “perfect diet” to have a good diet. Target a diet that is 90% quality foods and, if desired, 10% foods with marginal nutritional value—sports drinks (refined sugar), birthday cake, chips, etc..
J
Keep track of calories if you want to lose weight. You’ll reduce body fat only if you create a calorie deficit. A popular website for tracking food intake is www.fitday.com. Adding on exercise can help with fat loss IF the exercise contributes to a calorie deficit. (But the more you exercise, the more you might eat…)
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Photography: Courtesy Polar
FEATURE
Spinner 44
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FEATURE
or Swimmer which gets you fitter?
We all want to get the maximum return for the time spent working out. Caroline Sandry looks at the popular options of group cycling and swimming to find out which strokes count the most – pedal or pool? Ultra-FIT
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TRIATHLON
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TRIATHLON
Recovering from
Racing After completing a triathlon, it may take several days or even weeks to come down from the finish line high. And if, like most first-timers, you find yourself smitten with the sport, you will soon be eager to return to training and enter another event. But before getting too carried away with your new-found enthusiasm, ensure you give your body – and mind – a well-earned rest. Recovery is almost as important as training, as Emma-Kate Lidbury explains...
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SIX-WEEK WORKOUTS
Bored of your normal run? Can’t find time to go to the gym? Nik Cook shows you a park routine that’ll hit all your major muscle groups, top up your CV fitness and add variety and interest to your routine. Running is one of the simplest, accessible and effective forms of training there is. It’s easy to get lost in the rhythm of your stride and breathing, you can take in the sights of the world around you and get some quality “you time” away from the hassle and stresses of everyday life. However, sometimes it just doesn’t happen and, if you just mindlessly plough on, it’s easy for your running to get stale and rapidly lose its appeal. What was a pleasure becomes a chore, each lap becomes a soul-sapping grind and you begin to skip workouts and lose motivation. It’s easy to bring some variety into your runs though and beat the on-set of boredom. ■ Don’t stick to the same route. You’ll fall into the trap of trying to constantly beat your PB. While this can be
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a real boost to start with soon you’ll get diminishing returns and this can be really de-motivating. Try to have a few routes to suit your mood and alternate between them. Vary your running
■
Vary your pace. Always running at the same pace is not only boring but won’t give your body anything new to adapt to. Try informal intervals or “Fartlek” (Swedish for run-play) running. Simply run fast when you feel like it and then slow down until you recover. Set goals like running fast up a rise or to the next tree but keep your body guessing by varying the length and pace of the efforts. Set intervals can be a great way to break up a run and will really give your fitness a boost. In a thirty minute run, warm-up at an easy jog for the first 10 minutes.
With a bit of imagination it’s easy to incorporate some great strengthening moves... into one 45 minutes blast around your local park surface by using trails and parks. Avoiding concrete and tarmac will force your legs to work harder over uneven surfaces and help protect you from impact injuries.
Then do 10 minutes of 1 minute hard running alternating with 1 minute easy jog or walking recovery. Finish off with 10 minutes of easy jogging to call down. Play around with work and
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SIX-WEEK WORKOUTS
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recovery times such as 5X3 minutes with 90 seconds recovery or 8X2 minutes with 60 seconds recovery. Always warm-up thoroughly and try to maintain a constant level of effort during the work intervals. Finally an out and back tempo run is a great workout. Run out at an easy pace for a set amount of time and then simply turn around and cover the same ground at a fast but sustainable pace. Run with a friend or a club. Having some company on a run is one of the best ways of beating boredom. Being able to chat is a great way of gauging steady pace and you can even have mini-races to agreed landmarks to up the intensity. Finding a local running club is even better as it’ll put you in contact with like-minded people and you’ll find new routes in your area.
However, sometimes you just want a bit more out of your training time than a simple run can deliver. With a bit of imagination it’s easy to incorporate some great strengthening moves for your upper/lower body, some high intensity/power work, some mobility moves and even some core conditioning into one 45 minutes blast around your local park.
The Workout Minutes Task 0-10................Easy paced jogging to warm-up 10-11..............Side steps (right leg lead) 11-12..............Side steps (left leg lead) 12-13..............30 seconds High knees, 30 seconds jogging 13-14..............Jog recovery 14-15..............30 seconds Heels to bum, 30 seconds jogging 15-16..............Jog recovery 16-21..............Alternate 30 seconds Strides with 30 seconds jog 21-22 21-22..............1 minute Feet elevated press-ups 22-23..............1 minute alternate leg Lunges 23-24..............1 minute regular Press-ups 24-25..............1 minute Walking lunges 25-26..............1 minute Upper body elevated press-ups 26-27..............1 minute Step-ups (change leg lead after 30 secs) 27-30..............Light jogging 30-31..............X max Half pull-ups (wide overhand grip). Rest for remainder of minute. 31-32..............30 seconds Burpees, 30 second jogging 32-33..............X max Half pull-ups (shoulder width overhand grip). Rest for remainder of minute. 33-34..............30 seconds Single-legged thrusts, 30 seconds jogging 34-35..............X max Half pull-ups (narrow underhand grip). Rest for reminder of minutes. 35-36..............1 minute Squats 36-37..............1 minute Plank 37-38..............1 minute Side Plank (30 seconds each side) 38-39..............1 minute Crunches 39-40..............1 minute Double Crunches 40-45..............Stretch
TECHNIQUE POINTERS
Side steps Standing tall move sideways using a light springy step. This is a great warm-up and mobilisation movement bringing in the large muscles of your inner and outer thighs.
High knees Start by holding your hands and forearms out in front of you with palms down at about waist height. Move forwards driving your knees up to your palms. Keep your foot strike light and fast and make sure your knees go to your hands and not the other way round. Keep tall and don’t slump forwards.
Heels to bum Put your hands on your bum with your palms facing backwards. Move forwards by flicking your heels up to your palms. Fast and light is again the aim and you should try to get as many foot strikes into the time as possible rather than moving a long way.
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GEAR TEST
Bike Buying
“Hi, my name is Nik Cook and I
am a bike geek”. Not the most startling or shaming confession but, since I can remember, bikes have been a major part of my life. From my first Raleigh Boxer to my latest carbon plaything every one has been received with grateful enthusiasm, cherished, some might say, to an unhealthy degree, and finally tearfully parted with. Since, according to the law at least, becoming an adult and earning my own money I haven’t had to wait for Christmases or birthdays to get a new fix and have even been able to wangle bike ownership/riding into my job. My longsuffering wife laments every time a large cardboard box arrives adding to my stable of metal steeds but, as every bike geek will tell you, the correct number of bikes to own is n + 1 where n is the number you currently have. Cycling is probably one of the most effective, versatile and enjoyable fitness activities you can take part in. Not only will it build endurance, strength, speed and stamina in a joint friendly way but it can also take you all around the world as well as to work and back. You can ride in the tyre tracks of cycling greats taking on the mighty climbs of the Tour de France. How many football fans have got to play at Wembley or cricket lovers trodden the hallowed square at Lords? Every time you get on your bike you’ll be doing your bit for the planet and the thrill of speed is second to none. Although I love the pure freedom of running, especially on the fells and mountains, if I could only do one form of training then cycling would just edge it. The most difficult part of cycling is probably the first step of buying a bike and hopefully that’s where this article can help out. I’ve purposely kept things as general and simple as possible reining in my natural bent to get super techie when
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Cycling is a gloriously simple activity but buying a bike can be extremely confusing. Nik Cook sifts through gears, group sets and cables and helps you decide what type of bike is best for you.
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GEAR TEST talking about bikes. Discussion of frame materials and components is kept to a minimum and I haven’t gone into specialist bike types such as tri/low-pro bikes. It is by no means a comprehensive guide but hopefully should help you on your way to happiness on two wheels.
Budget The first thing to sort out when buying a bike is how much money you’re willing to spend. If you’re at all serious about using your bike for fitness training, doing some charity or sportive style rides, getting into triathlon, riding off-road or doing a decent daily commute then your absolute minimum spend on a new bike should be £400-£500. Although there are plenty of “budget bikes” around for considerably less money, that look all posh and shiny and are very tempting, they are a false economy. Chances are the frame will be heavy and outdated, the components from an obscure low-end manufacturer and within a few serious rides things will begin to go wrong, you’ll get frustrated and will be looking for an upgrade. Don’t forget to factor into your budget essential extras such as a helmet, lock, gloves, shoes, pump, multi-tool and clothing. If this is all starting to look a bit expensive there are a number of “bike to work” schemes where, by paying for your bike and kit out of your monthly pre-tax salary, it’s possible to save almost half of the retail price. It’s simple for your employer to sign-up to one of the schemes and most bike shops are involved with one of them. Obviously, it is possible to get a great bike second hand but I’d advise caution as you won’t know its history or where its come from. Try to buy from someone you know and trust and/or take along a ‘bike-geek” friend or colleague to give it the once over. Another thing to bear in mind is that, like running shoe manufacturers, bike manufacturers will launch a new model every year so, if you’re not bothered about having the latest one, you can get a real bargain on last seasons design.
Mid to higher end full suspension bikes will considerably raise your riding performance and enjoyment
major limiting factor won’t be the bike, it’ll be the engine and, as Lance Armstrong himself said, “it’s not about the bike”. Your first question is are you going to be doing the bulk of your riding on or off road?
Off-Road Bike Type Once you’ve decided on your budget you then need to ask yourself what you want the bike for. Focus on the main activity/type of riding you’ll be doing and work from there. Be honest with yourself and go for the type of bike that is most suitable for the bulk of riding you’ll be doing. Don’t get a top of the range full suspension mountain bike if you’re mostly doing an urban commute with a few days off-roading every now and then. Most bikes are pretty adaptable and can be used with minor modifications for most types of riding. Obviously they won’t be as good as a bike designed specifically for that purpose but the difference in performance won’t be huge. With all types of riding the
If you think you’ll be hitting the trails every weekend, wanting to do some Adventure Racing or even some Enduro type events then you need to be looking at mountain bikes. With a set of slick tyres fitted a mountain bike can be used for commuting, shorter road rides or even for getting a taste of triathlon. However, if you’re going to be commuting and leaving it in public places mountain bikes will be the first to be targeted by bike thieves as they are the easiest bike to sell on. If a mountain bike is for you, the next question is hard-tail (front suspension only) or full suspension? As a rule of thumb, if you’re planning on spending less than £1000 and/or going to be doing some commuting or road riding on it, I’d always
go for a hard-tail. From a components and frame point of view you’ll get better quality for your money and a lighter more versatile bike. One of my favourite bikes I ever owned was my hard-tail Kona Caldera £664.95 www.wiggle.co.uk that saw me through numerous Adventure Races and even an epic 10 day expedition in the Himalayas. For that sort of money you get a great frame, branded front shocks and disc brakes. If serious off-road riding on demanding and technical trails really is your priority though, and you’re willing to part with a bit more cash, mid to higher end full suspension bikes will considerably raise your riding performance and enjoyment. You no longer pay a weight penalty and the more forgiving ride makes for greater comfort on epic days and gives a little more margin for error if you don’t quite get your line right on a tricky descent. I’ve been riding a Gary Fisher Carbon Hi-Fi Pro (see Nik’s Rides) for the last 7 months and really can’t speak too highly of it.
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