Ultra-fit magazine 19-3

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ULTRA-FIT MAGAZINE

PERSONAL TRAINING FOR MEN + WOMEN Win over £1000 of Thump Training Systems Training Courses p105 Vol.19 No.3 £3.99

LOOK 10 YEARS YOUNGER

HOW TO: Look 10 years younger p58 Be a successful personal trainer Stick at your training

WOMEN’S FITNESS Jump start your fitness

MEN’S FITNESS Bulk up with our 6-week plan

VOLUME NINETEEN NUMBER THREE

FIT 4 BOXING With light welterweight Champ Lenny Daws

NUTRITION

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What to eat and drink to have a great workout

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LEARN YOUR LESSONS: 5 ways to run faster p64

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Body+Sole HEALTH FITNESS NEW RESEARCH KIT EVENTS PEOPLE SPORT

CNP PROFESSIONAL LAUNCHES NEW PRO ENERGY BARS TO FILL THE ENERGY GAP FOR LONGER

AQUA SPHERE BECOMES OFFICIAL SWIM KIT PARTNER TO THE GREAT SWIM SERIES Innovative swimming goggle and swimwear brand Aqua Sphere has been chosen as the Official Swim Kit Partner to The Great Swim Series, a breakthrough series of outdoor swims which include The Great North Swim, the biggest open water mass participation swimming event in Britain. The inaugural Great North Swim took place last September, comprising a one mile open water swim on England’s largest natural lake, Windermere. Building on its amazing success, event organiser Nova is this year extending the event over two days, providing up to 5000 swimmers of all abilities with the chance to take part over the weekend of 12th and 13th September. For entry info click on www.greatswim.org For info on Aqua Sphere's outstanding wide-angle Vista goggles ( pictured ), Which? 'Best Buy' Kaiman goggles and superb new 'Ironman - Powered by Aqua Sphere' triathlon wetsuits click on www.aquasphereswim.com or phone 01254 692200.

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CNP Professional has launched a new fruit-flavoured, low-fat cereal bar designed to boost flagging energy levels and fill you up. The Pro Energy Bars contain real dried fruit and wholesome grains which provide a sustained release of energy that is easy to metabolise. Pro Energy Bars have been specially developed

by CNP to increase energy levels for longer periods of exercise. They do not produce the transient energy surge common with many other bars on the market. Available in two flavours, berry and banana, each 70gm, 230kcal bar has less than 3gm of fat and contains 50kg of time-released carbohydrates.

Key ingredients of a Pro Energy Bar include dried fruits, oats, rice cereal and malto-dextrin.

They are available from www.cnpprofessional.co.uk at a discounted price of ÂŁ26.16 for a box of 30 bars or call +44 (0) 161 320 1212 for sports nutrition advice.

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SPORTSART SUPPORTS CHARITY – ‘PRESS UP FOR CANCER’ Take the challenge 1000 press ups within 10 hours and raise funds for charity Having both experienced the loss of loved ones to Cancer, SportsArt Area Sales Manager in Leicestershire Andrew Gange, and airline pilot Paul Salmon are organising an event called ‘Press Ups for Cancer’ in aid of Cancer Research.

Our mission is to provide money for Cancer Research and get people exercising. We are asking people to perform 1000 press ups in a maximum of 10 hours and seek sponsorship of 1p per press up – ultimately donating £10 per participant for the event or give whatever can be achieved.

Run over 2 consecutive days, this allows work colleagues to participate on Fri 22nd May or compete with friends on Sat 23rd May. Paul reported, “Since the launch of our website www.pressupforcancer.com, we have had many individuals and sports teams committed to raising funds, but welcome more.

ISLE OF WIGHT WALKING FESTIVAL 9 – 24TH MAY 2009 The festival promises 16 full days of walks and activities with over 300 walks to choose from. The Isle of Wight has an acclaimed reputation as one of the best destinations in the UK for walking pursuits and there is something for all ages and abilities. Whether it’s your first or your eleventh year of participation, from amblers to ramblers, we extend a warm welcome to all regular and new walkers. We promise you won’t be disappointed! The festival launches with a “Fire Walk”, walking over hot coals with bare feet (for the brave!). Janet Street Porter will make an appearance at Medina Theatre on 15th May in support of the Isle of Wight Walking Festival.

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MIND

create habits for a

lifetim When was the last time you started a new habit? Was it easy or was it challenging? New habits might include exercising on a regular basis, eating healthy foods, becoming a non-smoker, or simply maintaining a positive attitude and approach to life.

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MIND thing happens and then another … and then before they know it, they are back to their old way of doing things.

The reason why people generally return to their old habits is because their emotional resistance to change. It is easier to stay with what is familiar than it is to make the effort to think about the new habit. So, how can you lower that resistance and increase success for your new habit?

Lower Resistance, Increase Motivation You can lower your resistance by first shining a light onto the reasons why you might be resistant to change, and secondly, by exploring your motivation for making those changes.

Top Tips on making exercise a lifetime habit Do a variety of exercises (that you enjoy).

Make a commitment with another person to exercise together.

3 Make exercise a priority and schedule time in your diary just like any other appointment or meeting.

4 Chose the best time for you to exercise – first thing in the morning, lunchtime break or at the end of your day.

5 Exercise even when you feel to tired – even if it is gentle exercise, it keeps up the routine and consistency.

6 Keep a diary or log book of what you do so you can see that when, where and what exercise you have actually done.

7 Become aware of the indicators of your progress. In addition to a change in body size and shape, what about such things as good night’s sleep, thinking more clearly or having more energy.

8 Walk everywhere you can.

9 Reward yourself in ways that do not cost a lot of money and will not be detrimental to your health.

10 Make it fun!

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me ou might have started off with lots of energy and enthusiasm, yet, over time, your old habits slowly crept back in. Sound familiar? For lasting changes to take place, there are no quick fixes.

Changing habits is best achieved by taking things slowly and steadily. A habit is a habit because we do not have to think

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about it. Yet, when we want to develop new habits, we have to think about it!

Midgie Thompson will explore why quick fixes do not work and lasting changes take time and effort. She will outline how you can guarantee that your new habits last a lifetime.

Quick fixes … don’t last Many people fail to maintain and continue with their efforts to develop their new habits because it can, at times, be like hard work. They want to see the results of their efforts immediately, without having to think about it. Because thinking about their new habits actually takes some effort, when life gets busy and stressful, it is often easier to go back to those old habits because they do not have to think about it.

How often have you heard about people wanting to go to the gym, get exercising more or starting a ‘new and improved’ way of healthy eating? And, how long have their efforts lasted? People wanting a quick fix spend lots of time and effort initially to make the changes and to see the results, yet after a few weeks, one

While lowering your resistance at the same time as increasing your motivation, you are giving yourself a helping hand towards developing those new habits which will last a lifetime.

To lower resistance, take some time to explore what your old habits are giving you. What benefits do you get by not exercising, not having a healthy diet or by being a smoker? Is it simply easier because no effort is involved? Are you getting some sort of comfort in what you are doing? Do you not have to think about things?

Some people see the benefits of not exercising as it is easy, they do not have to make the time or the effort, they have

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WOMEN’S FITNESS

Jump Start Your Day With

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WOMEN’S FITNESS

Morning Exercise

By Caroline Sandry

Do you find that you have the best intentions in the world to exercise, but by the time you finish work you have a list of excuses that stretches miles? Too tired, too hungry, too dark outside, too can’t be bothered…

Well, spring is on its way, so what better time to spring out of bed and kick start your day with exercise. You won’t regret it…

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MOTIVATION

Let your imagination do the work We all have a secret weapon at our disposal if we know how to use it to enhance our performance, explains cognitive hypnotherapist Trevor Silvester of the Quest Institute 30

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MOTIVATION dismiss it, but research proves the link between visualisation and performance.

In1992 two researchers called Yue and Cole conducted an experiment with three groups of volunteers. One group trained the muscle that controls the little finger five times a week for a total of four weeks. The second group only imagined making these contractions, but with the same frequency, whilst the third group, acting as the control, did no training at all. After five weeks the first group had increased the strength of their finger by 30%, compared to an increase in the second group of 22%. The change in the control group was just 2.3%. This study showed that practising solely in the imagination can actually increase physical strength. Further studies conducted since have shown that imagination can increase muscle mass as well as improving speed, flexibility and endurance. Essentially, your body manifests what you set your mind to.

Use the tools that you already have

ow many great sporting achievements began as a daydream? How many world records have been broken because a child saw a sports person on TV and imagined themselves in their place? Our imagination is one of the most powerful tools that we have at our disposal – yet it is often overlooked as insignificant when it should be a constant and cultivated part of our fitness regime.

Whether you are aiming to cross the finishing line in first place, replace pounds of fat with lean muscle or achieve a personal best in your sport of choice, your imagination is an underused, but essential part of your training routine.

Because the influence of imagination is a difficult concept to measure, we tend to

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As a cognitive hypnotherapist, people come to me for help with a wide range of issues; from improving confidence, focus or motivation, to developing an aspect of their physical performance or honing a skill. Whilst there are many different techniques that can be used to achieve these goals, imagination plays a significant part in just about all of them. So, the good news is that you are already equipped with one of the most effective tools at your disposal – you just need to learn how to use it to the best advantage.

For it to be properly effective, your imagination needs to be used proactively.

This involves visualisation which can be a stumbling block for people who believe that they can’t visualise with clarity.

Fortunately, you don’t actually need to: very few people can see something in their head with the same precision as when they see it in front of them. What is important is that the picture you focus on during the visualisation represents the outcome you have in mind: the quality isn’t important, but the message that it conveys to the unconscious is.

A powerful tool or your opponent’s secret weapon?

It is also crucial to think it how you want it. If I say to you, don’t think about failing, your mind will instantly process the negative and create an image of failure. At the very least, this will take the edge off your performance, or even ruin it. Great athletes have the ability to focus: they visualise victory and nothing else. They understand that by visualising defeat, you have suddenly become your own opponent. Used positively, your imagination is your ultimate supplement; used negatively it will become your opposition’s secret weapon.

So how can imagination be utilised all the way from preparation through to the end result? If you are a triathlete with a big competition in three months’ time, your training regime will be gruelling. This may seem daunting at the outset and, like a big meal, can sometimes overwhelm you before you begin. There’s only one way to eat an elephant; one bite at a time. Break your training into smaller, more attainable chunks, and visualise the level of

Because the influence of imagination is a difficult concept to measure, we tend to dismiss it, but research proves the link between visualisation and performance achievement you want to reach at each stage. Then move onto the next bite. Many people lose motivation because the starting point seems too far away from the destination. Make each step a destination in itself and victory will creep up on you.

At the same time, you need to maintain a vision of the bigger picture: spend some time dreaming about crossing the line or holding the trophy, ideally every night before you fall asleep. Try this.

Each night look back on your most recent training session and make a note of three things that went well and indicate progress – you might even wish to do this in diary form. As you hold these three things in your mind, take yourself out into the future to the moment of success. See yourself doing whatever would mean achieving your goal. Really see yourself in the picture, don’t just experience it through your own eyes. Research has shown that a dissociated perspective increases your motivation more than an associated one.

Linking your present training point and the successes you’re enjoying to your overall goal will enhance your motivation and build a feeling of momentum. And why before you sleep? Because a lot of work gets done in our heads while we sleep, connecting the day into the web of our memories. Falling asleep focusing on the positives fires up the best memory associations and creates the best mental architecture to build your physical performance from. And it beats falling asleep miserable.

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WEIGHT WATCH

Inspiration v Desperation 34

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WEIGHT WATCH

ur basic quality of life comes down to how we communicate with ourselves and what we say to ourselves. However, its seems that when it comes to what we should and shouldn’t be doing to keep ourselves looking and feeling great – the worst relationship we seem to have is between our thoughts and our actions.

We can battle with our inner-communications on a daily basis.

Right or wrong? do it, don’t do it? eat it, don’t eat it? train or don’t train? It can be a constant barrage of moral decisions to make with your conscience. So how do you make friends with your inner voice and make the right choices for you? Here are a few pointers to consider.

Sometimes making a decision can be simple – black, white, you choose to or not to do something and act upon it. But when you’re unsure or trapped in a cloud of indecision, it’s important to know what your key motivator is and how to decipher these thoughts and feelings and help you plan your decisions without feeling frantic or up tight.

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INSPIRATION can be defined by: ■ Stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.

■ The condition of being so stimulated.

■ An agency, such as a person or work of art, that moves the intellect or emotions or prompts action or invention.

■ Something, such as a sudden creative act or idea, that is inspired.

■ The quality of inspiring or exalting: a painting full of inspiration.

■ Divine guidance or influence exerted directly on the mind and soul of humankind To feel inspired “Change has considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.”

King Whitney Jr. DESPERATION can be defined by: ■ The act of despairing or becoming desperate; a giving up of hope.

■ A state of despair, or utter hopeless; abandonment of hope; extreme recklessness; reckless fury.

Inspiration and desperation are two motivators to make us stand up and take action – but what do they mean and what are their links to our successes? Pete Cohen and Susan Cass explain…

“In the desperation of the moment, the officers even tried to cut their way through with their swords.”

W. Irving.

To feel Desperate “Desperation is the raw material of drastic change. Only those who can leave behind everything they have ever believed in can hope to escape.”

William S. Burroughs, 1914-1997, American Writer

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NUTRITION

WHAT TO EAT AND

DRINK BEFORE A

WORKOUT What you eat and drink the day before and during the several hours before your workout dictates how much energy you’ll have for training and how well you will perform. It also affects how much body fat, glycogen or even muscle tissue you burn. Get it wrong and you may find yourself struggling to complete your planned workout and performing under-par.

Even worse, you could end up burning muscle rather than fat as your fuel reserves dip.

Get your pre-exercise nutrition right and you’ll have plenty of energy to train hard and perform at your best. Eating the right amount and type of carbohydrate as well as timing your pre-exercise meal correctly will help avoid common problems such as fatigue, dizziness, fainting and stitch. Anita Bean guides you through a practical pre-exercise eating and drinking strategy.

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NUTRITION Question: I like to run first thing in the morning. Should I force myself to eat?

Answer: Many runners claim they can’t run with food in their stomachs, complaining of stitch, nausea or stomach discomfort. It is down to individual preference, but it is possible to ‘train’ yourself to run with a small amount of food inside you. The potential benefits are more energy and greater endurance.

Try different high carb options to find what works for you, such as a slice of toast, a banana, a small cereal or energy bar, a pot of yoghurt or a handful of dried fruit (such as raisins, apricots or sultanas). If you can’t face solid food, try a liquid meal: fruit juice (diluted half and half with water), a smoothie, flavoured milk or a commercial carbohydrate and protein shake.

Ensure you drink a cupful (150–250 ml) of water or diluted juice before setting out. This will help rehydrate you after your night’s fast and reduce the risk of dehydration during your workout. If you cannot eat anything at all, make sure that you eat plenty the day before and for breakfast after your workout.

Should you train on empty?

Why eat before training?

The main purpose of your pre-workout meal is to stabilise your blood sugar levels during exercise. It also staves off hunger and minimises the risk of problems such as stitch and hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels).

But don’t expect your pre-workout meal to fuel your muscles. There isn’t enough time for your body to turn the food into glycogen – the muscles’ main fuel supply – so your body must rely on existing glycogen (and fat) stores. It takes 24 hours to refill muscle glycogen stores, so what you’ve consumed the previous day matters. For most regular exercisers, a daily diet providing carbohydrates of around 280–350 g for a 70 kg person will satisfy muscle glycogen levels.

It is definitely not advisable to train on an empty stomach, especially if you want to improve strength, endurance or performance.

Firstly, you’re more likely to feel lethargic and unmotivated when you haven’t eaten for several hours. Eating a light snack a couple of hours before your workout will reduce the temptation to skip your training. Secondly, when your brain isn’t getting enough fuel you’ll feel faint, lose concentration and risk injury. You may become light-headed, weak and shaky – all symptoms of low blood sugar levels – and this will certainly stop you from working out.

Finally, you are more likely to fatigue early as muscle glycogen and blood sugar levels dip. Rather like a car running out of petrol, your body will come to a weary halt. You wouldn’t take your car out on a long journey when the petrol tank is low.

So you can’t expect to exercise very hard or very long when you haven’t fuelled your body for several hours.

How much to eat before training The exact amount you should eat depends on your body weight (heavier people need more) and how hard and long you plan to exercise (eat more for longer, harder workouts). In general, if you plan to workout for less than 2 hours, aim to eat around 1 g carbohydrate per kg of body weight (or 70 g for a 70 kg person) or 400–600 calories. For longer workouts or endurance events eat around 2 g carbohydrate per kg of body

weight (or 600–800 calories). Don’t eat a big meal just before a workout otherwise you will feel uncomfortable, sluggish and ‘heavy’.

When to eat before training Ideally, you should aim to have a meal 2–4 hours before a workout. This should leave enough time to partially digest your food although, in practice, the exact timing of your pre-workout meal may depend on your daily schedule. You should feel comfortable – neither full nor hungry.

According to a study at the University of North Carolina, United States, eating a moderately-high carbohydrate, low fat meal 3 hours before exercise allows you to exercise longer and perform better.

Researchers asked a group of athletes to eat a meal both 3 hours and 6 hours before the experiments. The athletes were then asked to run on treadmills for periods of 30 minutes without breaks; first at moderate intensity, then switching to high intensity, until they couldn’t run any further. The athletes ran for much longer periods after eating the meal 3 hours before training compared with when they had eaten 6 hours before.

Does exercising on an empty stomach help burn more fat?

Many people believe that training on empty will help them shed weight faster. It is actually better to eat a light snack 2–4 hours before exercise. The resulting rise in blood glucose levels slows the rate of glycogen depletion, enabling you to exercise harder and longer, and to therefore burn more calories.

According to University of Connecticut researchers, the downside of exercising on an empty stomach is that you fatigue sooner and/or exercise at a lower intensity, so you end up burning fewer calories than if you had grabbed a snack before working out. Exercising in a fasted state may reduce your endurance and encourage your muscles to turn to protein for fuel, so you can literally burn away muscle fibres!

What are the best foods to eat just before a workout?

Slow-burning or low-GI foods – that is, foods that produce a gradual rise in blood sugar levels – are the best foods before a workout. Studies at the University of Sydney, Australia, have found that athletes who ate a low-GI meal before exercise were able to keep going considerably longer than those who ate a high-GI meal.

It seems that low-GI foods help spare muscle glycogen and avoid problems of low blood sugar levels during long training sessions.

Low-GI meals may also help you burn more fat during exercise. A 2003 study at Loughborough University, UK, found that runners who ate a low-GI meal 3 hours before exercise burned more fat than those

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FIT 4 SPORT

Bo Light welter-weight Lenny Daws Record: Lost 1, drawn 1, won 19 Trainer: Ian Burbedge

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FIT 4 SPORT

B oxing e h t n i o J

Anyone brought up on a diet of Rocky films will have probably felt the urge to train like Balboa aka Sylvester Stallone, with running, skipping, shadow boxing and medicine balls dropped on your stomach! Boxing training is certainly a great way to get fit, but if you want to stand toe to toe with an opponent, you’ll need supreme physical conditioning, not to mention mental focus and skill. A ring rusty John Shepherd joins the pros to learn the ropes.

What it takes to be a boxer Roadwork If you’ve digested every Rocky film (apart from the last, which was indigestible) then you’ll believe that boxing training is based on running. Yes, the films did get it right to a degree, but perhaps the amount of running was overstated. As Burbedge explains, “I usually get Lenny to run for the duration of the fight, so if it’s a 12 x 3 minute round contest, he does 36 minutes.” The trainer further explained, “Boxing is an explosive sport, not a slow steady one, so I’ll get Lenny sprinting between lamp posts, jogging and then going again to get him ready for the ring.” Having said that Lenny will run on each of his five training days up until the fight and it forms the first element of the boxer’s three daily workouts.

Circuits To develop the speed, power and anaerobic ‘power endurance’ needed circuits are a must for boxers. The combination of body weight, medicine ball, weights and plyometrics (jumping exercises) gives the fighter numerous physiological qualities that will enable him to endure the contest.

Burbedge uses specifically constructed circuits and they form the mainstay of Daws’ preparation (see box). During early fight preparation circuits are performed before specific boxing work, such as sparring and padwork. However, as the fight nears their intensity is reduced and they are performed after the specific work.

Weight training Not all boxers train with weights, Ricky Hatton who fights at the same weight as

Daws for example does not. However, Daws does but as a light-welter weight he has to maintain a 10 stone weight, so he only works out with light-weights in order to keep his body weight down. Weight training is a useful training means especially for boxers less concerned with weight gain (notably heavy weights), however the potential gains in size need to be balanced against potential losses in speed and agility.

Explosive power Explosive power is developed through sparring, pad and bag work and via dynamic drills – many of these are performed in the circuits. Relevant exercises include the squat jump with medicine ball throw. Specific agility circuits are also relevant – of which more later.

Learning from the pro’s Ian Burbedge is a former amateur boxer and trainer to Lenny Daws – former British light welter-weight champion. Burbedge trains Daws five days a week, twice a day when gearing up for a fight. The time required to prepare the fighter depends on the number of rounds.

The trainer explained that the minimum would be 6 weeks for a 6 round fight. However, if the fight was longer, for example, 10-12 rounds then another 3 to 4 weeks would be added to increase Daws’ stamina and ring readiness. To fill you in - in the slightly underworld nature of professional boxing the number of rounds is negotiated when the fight is set up. However, it’s clearer in the amateur game with 4 x 2 minute round fights (recently changed from 3 x 3 minute rounds).

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EXPERIENCE

Night

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Crown Copyrig ht 2009.

EXPERIENCE

A Tornado navigator by day, Flight lieutenant Andy Reardon is spending his nights training to achieve a top 5 place in the 30-34 age group at the Ironman 70.3 world championships, which will be held this year in November in Clearwater, Florida. The '70.3' is comprised of a gruelling 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride and 13.1 mile run

“I bet you can’t” Without knowing it those four words annulled my fully paid up membership to the couch potato club. Back then, if any one of my mates were asked what the bet would lead to, they’d have said nothing more than a dented ego, loads of witty banter about the state of my fitness all soothed by several pints down the local.

The bet was to complete a sprint triathlon, a distance which comprised of 750m in the pool, a hilly 20km bike ride followed by a 5km run, and having spent most of my time as an armchair sports commentator, the boys were right about the state of my fitness. I couldn’t front

crawl, didn’t own a bike and my run was straight out the annals of Monty Python’s ‘Ministry of Funny Walks’. When I eventually finished the event, I was a mess, but in better shape than my ego which went whimpering into the nearest corner.

However, my mates were wrong about the beer.

The event was one huge wake up call to my daily inertia and even when my burning lungs and agonising muscles carried me across the finish line, I vowed to kick myself into shape. Triathlon became a passion and in teaching myself to swim front crawl, as well as reading everything I could find about the sport, I started to train like a demon.

That was four years ago. Since then I’ve qualified for two world championships at Olympic distance, been requested to represent Great Britain, won the RAF duathlon championships and am current RAF Olympic distance champion.

I’m a member of an elite team of athletes who carry out scientific trials for Roehampton University, write a column for budding triathletes and am about to take on my greatest challenge to date, a top five place in age group at the Ironman 70.3 world championships.

Some bet that turned out to be!

But crossing a finish line or achieving a sporting ambition is more than the race itself. It’s the time, effort and thought that has gone into the training that really matters. All the work you need to put in just to get you to the start line is often

harder than the effort you need to put out during the event.

And getting it wrong can mean anything from falling asleep at the dinner table to injury from over-training and I’ve been lucky as, apart from falling off the bike, I’ve never had a serious triathlon incident. As for nodding off into a

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Photo: Snow + Rock www.snowandrock.com 0845 100 1000

PEAK FITNESS

THE GO FAST FIVE

By Dr. Jason R. Karp, Ph.D.

Five physiological lessons you must learn and how they can make you a faster runner ne of the things I love most about the sport of distance running is that, in its simplicity of putting one foot in front of the other, it is also extremely complex. When done correctly, it is a scientific endeavor to maximise one’s speed and endurance. Unfortunately, nearly all scientists spend their careers in academia without venturing out into the arena that got many of them interested in physiology in the first place—competitive sport. As a result, few scientists are coaches. The opposite is also true—few coaches are scientists. Being both, I have learned that each can learn from the other,

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as my experience has given me a unique view of the sport and of the training process. Here are five lessons I have learned from physiology and how they can make you a faster runner.

Lactate threshold and running Le economy are ss on more important than VO2max While VO2max (the maximum volume of oxygen your muscles can consume per minute) has received most of the attention among runners and

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coaches, a high VO2max alone is not enough to attain elite-level performances; it simply gains one access to the club, since a runner cannot attain a high level of performance without a high VO2max. But, while you can improve your VO2max, it is largely genetically determined. The other two major physiological players of distance running performance—lactate threshold (LT) and running economy (RE)—exert a greater influence on your performance and are more responsive to training. I have tested many athletes in the laboratory with an elite-level VO2max, but few of them were capable of running at the elite or even sub-elite level because

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PEAK FITNESS they did not have a high LT or were not very economical.

From the time of the classic study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise in 1979, research has shown that the LT is the best physiological predictor of distance running performance. It is an important physiological variable that demarcates the transition between running that is almost purely aerobic and running that includes significant oxygen-independent (anaerobic) metabolism. It represents the fastest speed you can sustain aerobically.

(All running speeds have an anaerobic contribution, although at speeds slower than the LT, that contribution is negligible.) Since the LT represents your fastest sustainable pace, the longer the race, the more important your LT. Running Economy (RE) is the volume of oxygen consumed at submaximal speeds.

In 1930, David Dill and his colleagues were among the first physiologists to suggest that there are marked differences in the amount of oxygen different athletes use when running at the same speeds, and that these differences in ‘economy’ of oxygen use is a major factor explaining differences in running performance in athletes with similar VO2max values. For example, research has shown that, while Kenyan runners have similar VO2max and LT values as their American/European counterparts, the Kenyans are more economical, possibly due to their light, non-muscular legs that interestingly resemble those of thoroughbred race horses. The heavier your legs, the more oxygen it costs to move them.

RE is probably even more important than the LT in determining distance running performance because it indicates how hard you’re working in relation to your maximum ability to use oxygen. For example, if two runners have a VO2max of 70 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute and an LT pace of 7 minutes per mile, but ‘Jack’ uses 50 and ‘Martin’ uses 60 milliliters of oxygen while running at 7:30 pace, the pace feels easier for Jack because he is more economical. Therefore, Jack can run faster before using the same amount of oxygen and feeling the same amount of fatigue as Martin. I have yet to see a runner who has superior RE who does not also have a high VO2max and LT. Despite its importance, RE seems to be the most difficult of the three physiological players to train. While many runners and coaches think that RE is a reflection of running form, it is more influenced by those microscopic structures that influence oxygen delivery to and use by the muscles—capillaries and mitochondria, the densities of which are both enhanced with high mileage.

Research has shown that runners who run

high mileage (more than 70 miles per week) tend to be more economical, which leads one to believe that running high mileage improves RE. In addition to increasing mitochondrial and capillary density, the greater repetition of running movements may result in better biomechanics and muscle fibre recruitment patterns and a synchronization of breathing and stride rate, which may reduce the oxygen cost of breathing. RE may also be improved by the weight loss that often accompanies high mileage, which lowers the oxygen

Fibre Types). Slow-twitch (ST) fibres are recruited for all of your aerobic runs, while fast-twitch B (FT-B) fibres are only recruited for short anaerobic, high-force production activities, such as sprinting, hurdling, and jumping. Fast-twitch A (FTA) fibres, which represent a transition between the two extremes of ST and FT-B fibres, are recruited for prolonged anaerobic activities with a relatively highforce output, such as racing 400 meters.

It’s a given that you have more ST fibres than FT fibres, otherwise you would be a sprinter rather than a distance runner.

Research has shown that the lactate threshold (LT) is the best physiological predictor of distance running performance cost. Since VO2max plateaus with about 70 to 75 miles per week, improved RE may be the most significant attribute gained from running high mileage. However, it’s hard to prove cause and effect, since it is not entirely clear whether high mileage runners become more economical by running more miles or are innately more economical and can therefore handle higher mileage.

Other forms of training, like intervals and tempo runs, can also improve RE since, as VO2max and LT improve, the oxygen cost of any submaximal speed is also likely to improve. However, it is possible to become more economical without improving VO2max or LT, as research on power training with very heavy weights and plyometrics has shown. Power training focuses on the neural, rather than metabolic, component of muscle force development to improve RE. There are different muscle Le fibre types ss on There are two types of runners—those who have superior speed, whose performance gets better as the race gets shorter, and those who have superior endurance, whose performance gets better as the race gets longer. Most runners, unless they are individually coached, follow some generic training program. However, those programs don’t acknowledge differences in runners’ muscle fibre types and their associated metabolic profiles. The types of fibres that make up individual muscles greatly influence your performance.

Humans have three different types of muscle fibres, with gradations between them (see Characteristics of the 3 Muscle

2

However, even within a group of distance runners, there is still a disparity in the amount of ST fibres. Some runners may have 90 percent ST and 10 percent FT fibres (marathoners), while others may have 60 percent ST and 40 percent FT fibres (milers). In lieu of a muscle biopsy to determine your exact muscle fibre type composition, ask yourself the following questions: 1 When you race, a) are you able to hang with your competitors during the middle stages, but get out-kicked in the last quarter to half-mile or b) do you have a hard time maintaining the pace during the middle stages, but can finish fast and out-kick others?

If you answered a, you probably have more ST fibres. If you answered b, you have more FT fibres.

2 Which type of workouts feel easier and more natural—a) long intervals (800meter to mile repeats), long runs, and tempo runs, or b) short, fast intervals (200s and 400s)?

If you answered a, you have more ST fibres. If you answered b, you have more FT fibres.

3 Which workouts do you look forward to more—a) long intervals and tempo runs or b) short, fast intervals?

If you answered a, you have more ST fibres. If you answered b, you have more FT fibres. (People tend to get excited about tasks at which they excel, while being more anxious about tasks that are difficult).

Understanding your fibre type can help you train smarter. While most runners do the same workouts to focus on a specific race, your training and racing should reflect your physiology. For example, if you

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Picture courtesy of Polar www.polar.fi

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CARDIO COACH

wing

By Andy Barber

It works 84% of your muscles and burns up to 1000 calories per hour - it’s easy to see why indoor rowing is so effective at building all round fitness. Not only does it work both the upper and lower body improving strength and stamina, it also improves flexibility and allows you to target core postural muscles, helping to reduce back injuries. And to cap it all it’s very low impact, so for anyone struggling with lower leg problems for instance rowing can maintain and improve your fitness for when you return to higher impact pursuits such as running. s with all types of exercise good form and proper technique are essential for efficient, injury-free rowing.

Bad technique can take hundreds of hours to change, so you need to work to get it right at the start. In the same way good form helps you swim faster so rowing with the right technique will enable you to cover greater distances at faster speeds.

A

How to row Of course, personal posture comes into play, but there are some rules to stick to. You need to think for example, about extending your arms in front of you, keeping your wrists flat throughout the stroke.

Lean your upper body slightly forward keeping your back straight but not stiff.

Slide forward on the seat until your shins are vertical (or as close to this as

your flexibility will allow).

Now the ‘drive’ phase begins by pressing your heels down into the footrests. Again keep your arms straight with your back firm. Transfer your leg power through the handle as you extend your

Always include the following types of training as part of your programme: ■ rowing at steady effort ■ rowing short intervals at close to maximal effort with rest between intervals (experienced rowers only) ■ technique improvement drills ■ long steady rowing intervals

Even if you have no intention of taking part in an indoor rowing competition choosing a distance such as the standard race distance 2K and doing a monthly time trial will help keep you remain motivated. But don’t try time trials too often though, as this will be counter productive to building fitness.

And vary your goal every 6 months or so to target slightly different aspects of fitness – this will lead to better overall improvements long term.

pull the handle all the way in to just above your abdomen with your forearms parallel to the ground. The complete movement

In the same way good form helps you swim faster so rowing with the right technique will enable you to cover greater distances at faster speeds legs. At this stage your back and arms should not be used.

You should begin to pull on the oar when your legs are nearly straight and the oar is passing over your knees. Continue to

should be swift but smooth. During this phase you use your back to aid the pull and you should end up in slightly angled back position at the end of the stroke, with your elbows behind your body.

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SIX-WEEK WORKOUTS

12 week

Muscle Builder Part 2

Instructional Photos: Ultra-Fit Images/Grant Pritchard www.grantpritchard.co.uk

Nik Cook shows you how to pack on muscle with part 2 of his 12-week training programme. f you’re still progressing with the weights you were lifting from phase 1 (see previous issue 19-2) stick with these for a bit longer before moving on.

Re-assess after eight to ten weeks of training and move on once you feel you’ve hit a bit of a plateau. No matter how tempting it is to begin ‘part 2’ don’t until your body is ready for it. The better your ‘base’, the better your results will be long term

I

Phase 2 In phase 1 you trained three times a week using an all-over body routine with a ‘simple set’, reps and rest structure. Now you’ll do 4 weekly workouts using a ‘split routine’. Two workouts will be upper body and 2 lower body. You should leave 48 hours between workouts - so in a week you could train your lower body on Monday and Wednesday and your upper body on Tuesday and Thursday.

Obviously, if you want to leave more time between your workouts (you might need to with the legs session!) then spacing them out more would be fine.

Compound+isolation exercise sets Compound+isolation exercise sets are used in phase 2 – these increase the workout’s

The Workouts Warm up – for both upper and lower body workouts 5-10 minutes on rower or X-trainer, then perform a light set of 15 reps before each exercise.

For compound sets the warm-up sets need only be performed on the initial compound movement. Cool down with 5minutes CV work followed by some stretches

Compound+isolation exercise sets Compound exercise – use a medium to heavy weight. Isolation exercise – use a medium weight and drop the weight by 5-10kgs for the second and third sets to allow you to perform the increasing number of reps

Upper Body Exercise Bench Press Chest Fly Lat Pull Down Rear Delt Fly Incline Press Triceps Push Down Seated Row Biceps Curl Shoulder Press Lateral Raise

Set 1 x10 x10 X10 x10 x10 x10 x10 x10 x10 x10

Set 2 x10 x12 x10 x12 x10 x12 x10 x12 x10 x12

Set 3 x10 x15 x10 x15 x10 x15 x10 x15 x10 x15

Set 1 x10 x10 x10 x10 x10 x10 x10 x15

Set 2 x10 x12 x10 x12 x10 x12 x12 x15

Set 3 x10 x15 x10 x15 x10 x15* x15 x15

Rest (90 seconds) (90 seconds) (90 seconds) (90 seconds) (90 seconds)

Lower Body Exercise Squat Leg Extension Dead Lift Leg Curl Leg Press Calve Raise Lunge (each leg) Swiss Ball Curl

Rest (90 seconds) (90 seconds) (90 seconds) (90 seconds)

* Not strictly a Compound Set.

intensity. They combine a multi-joint (compound) exercise, such as the squat with a single joint (isolation) exercise, such as the leg extension. The two exercises are performed with minimum rest between

each and work the same body area. You then rest before repeating the two exercises again. This create greater overload on your muscles and will stimulate them to grow stronger and bigger.

See overleaf for exercise technique Ultra-FIT

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SIX-WEEK WORKOUTS

Technique Upper Body

Chest Flye

Bench Press

Start Start

Finish

Targets: chest, shoulders

Targets: chest, shoulders, triceps

✱ Lower the bar to your mid chest ✱ Push back powerfully ✱ Keep feet flat on floor ✱ Do not arch (or flatten) your back to assist the exercise – maintain the natural curves of your spine

Lat Pull Down Finish ✱ Slowly, and under control, lower your upper arms until the dumbbells are in line with the bench ✱ Return dumbbells to the starting position squeezing your pectorals (chest muscles) ✱ Maintain the natural curves of your spine ✱ Don’t hyper-extend your wrists

Targets: lats, upper back ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱

Rear Delt Flye Start

Finish

Targets: shoulders, upper back

Lean back slightly Pull the bar to mid/upper chest level Keep your neck muscles relaxed Control the weight back

Incline Press

Start

Start ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱

Finish

Set angle of bench to 30-45 degrees Press the dumbbells straight up (not forward) Lower dumbbells with control Maintain the natural curves of your spine

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Targets: upper chest

Finish

✱ Stand with feet shoulder-width apart ✱ Maintain a strong back ✱ Incline torso and keep head in alignment ✱ Keep arms slightly bent ✱ Concentrate on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of each movement ✱ Lower under control

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FEATURE

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FEATURE

By Andy Barber

One of the most attention grabbing exercise phenomenons of recent times has been the emergence of Parkour and Freerunning. hether you are watching the chase sequence from Casino Royale where leading Freerunning exponent Sebastien Foucan puts in some dazzling moves as he looks to avoid the attentions of the ever-tenacious 007, looking around for moves on YouTube or seeing first hand what goes on when exponents turn car parks, skate parks or any other area into a space to develop their skills it is hard to remain unimpressed.

Now we could use endless space and time debating what differences, similarities and relationships, there are between Parkour and Freerunning. A common theme in this topic is that Parkour is more about moving from pointto-point as efficiently as possible – overcoming obstacles or using one apparent obstacle to bypass others, whereas Freerunning introduces movements that are not necessary to show freedom of movement.

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Suffice to say that most involved would agree it is better to get on, practice and enjoy, rather than sit and have a stuffy debate.

Ironically for this shoe test both can trace their influences and roots back to ‘méthode naturelle’ where exponents would choose to be barefoot. Parkour legend David Belle has even said that the best footwear for Parkour is bare feet. But suffice to say that this would not always be practical or desirable. Given the landings from heights, springing off hard surfaces and impact forces involved some cushioning will be desirable for most people. An outsole will also protect the soles of your feet from whatever surfaces you are moving over, round and though.

Grip is a crucial factor too. Rubber that is too soft will wear very quickly given the forces that are generated and channelled through your feet in a variety of directions.

But that is also exactly the reason you should look for shoes with good traction – a grippy outsole is essential.

Support is important too. You can not have a shoe that is restrictive as you twist, turn and spring. But the upper needs to keep your foot securely on the midsole if you are to be able to complete a movement safely, effectively and efficiently. You need good fit to be able to lace your shoes securely in place. Ideally your shoes should not be heavy either. Lighter is better, assuming they have all the other attributes needed!

So where should you be looking?

Very few shoes are made specifically for Parkour with many exponents choosing the most suitable footwear they can find from a running range. But some are purpose made and we have looked at some of what is on offer. Whatever shoe you go for you will have to get used to the feel of it, the level of grip and other factors will vary. As always personal preference is a factor and fit will depend on your footshape so try before you buy before you fly.

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FITBIZ

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FITBIZ

STEP GUIDE TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS As a qualified personal trainer you will know all about teaching or coaching in one-to-one, group or team situations but to turn all that into a successful business you’ll need to acquire some new skills, some new resources and even new ways of thinking. Yvette Nevrkla is a business coach specialising in personal training and in the first of a new series she sets out the ten vital steps you must take in developing a successful personal training business…

Choose and define your target market This is the most important step on the list and yet many personal trainers fail to do it.

Decide exactly who you want to work with e.g. executives, teenagers, mothers, specific health conditions. Decide exactly what you want to do with them; what area you will specialise in delivering. Don’t try to be a PT for everyone. Every other business strategy involved in building your business depends upon this step. The sooner you get off the fence and make a commitment to serve a specific group of people, the easier it will be for you to grow your business.

1

Become excellent and expert in what you do Your initial qualification is just the beginning of the journey. There will always be more to learn. However, you can’t be an expert in everything. Being a Jack of all trades is not an attractive proposition. Identifying your target market will make it easier to decide how to further your professional development. Once you do this you really do have the opportunity to become an expert in an area of your profession and become the “Go To” person in that specific area. Being an expert opens up opportunities and is another key to creating a steady stream of ideal clients.

2

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