TOTAL NRG The Health, Fitness and Lifestyle magazine from the experts at Bio-Synergy.
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ANT MIDDLETON
DELICIOUS RECIPES
TWIN CHALLENGE
TOP GYM TIPS
ANT GIVES US EXCLUSIVE BEHIND THE SCENES ACCESS
FROM 2016 MASTER CHEF FINALIST MATT
TWIN CHALLENGE: CAN SUPPLEMENTATION GIVE YOU THE EDGE?
OUR EXPERTS TELLS US HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR GYM SESSIONS
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Photograph courtesy of EXF Fitness
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It is with great excitement that we present the latest edition of Bio-Synergy’s Total NRG. As you would expect from Bio-Synergy we have poured a lot of passion into this issue and have had the pleasure of working with a number of industry experts to bring you the latest research, best recipes and workouts to fuel your passion for fitness and #makeithappen If you want to join the conversation and get the latest news make sure that you follow on social media, simply search biosynergy. Since its inception Bio-Synergy Total NRG has been devoted to bringing the latest and most exciting fitness news to give you the tools that you need to get the most from life.
As sports nutrition experts, you can rely on us for all your nutrition needs. Since 1997 Bio-Synergy has won numerous awards, accolades and most importantly millions of happy customers worldwide have adopted our products to get the most out of life. I hope that you enjoy reading the articles as much as we did putting them together and feel free to share with your friends, family and colleagues. Yours in fitness, Daniel and The Bio-Synergy team
Whether your goal is setting a new personal best or dropping a dress size, the information that you will discover in each issue will be practical, informative and exclusive. Over the last 21 years we have dedicated ourselves to putting you the customer first, whether that be the quality of our products, our commitment to innovation or our desire to provide you with thought provoking and helpful articles and advice.
If you want to get in touch email makeithappen@bio-synergy.co.uk or call - 0044 207 569 2528
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CONTENTS England Amputee Football Bio-Synergy’s latest partnership with England Amputee Football and news on their latest victory
Mike McGurn We catch up with Mike and discuss intermittent fasting
Ant Middleton Exclusive interview with Ant the chief instructor for channel 4’s hit show ‘SAS : Who Dares Wins’
INEOS Recovery Exclusive article from Will Alloway about his preperation and recovery
Foam roller tips The benefits of foam rolling by Jayne Nisbet
#MeatlessMonday? Commonwealth Powerlifter Louise Sinniah-Burr explains the benefits of going veggie once a week
Twin Challenge Can Supplementation Give You The Edge?
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Natalia’s Reviews
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Eat Well
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Natalia gives her views on the latest in sports wear and equipment
Exciting new healthy recipes, including protein packed pancakes and high protein soup
Kickstart with kickboxing Should you sign up to your local kick boxing class and kickstart your fitness revolution?
The art of the pull up Exclusive article perfecting the pull up
Sport is divided into two camps We talk to The Hub director, Nino Severino
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AMPUTEE FOOTBALL The England Amputee Football Association (EAFA), Senior Squad were victorious in Warsaw last weekend in an incredible triumph ahead of this years WAFF World Cup which takes place at the end of October. The EAFA Senior Squad flew out to Poland on Friday 7th September with the goal of remaining unbeaten in 2018 as they prepared to compete in the Amp Futbol Cup, the biggest yearly Amputee Football competition world-wide outside of major competitions.
“We are delighted to win the Amp Futbol Cup again, but more pleased with how we applied ourselves throughout the tournament. The group prepared strongly and recovered fantastically well which supported the results. It’s a huge achievement for us to remain unbeaten against four excellent teams, including the current World Champions, but we do not lose sight of our main goal later this year.” Owen Coyle, EAFA Head Coach
The Amputee Football product bundle: - Whey Better - Essential Sports Fuel - BCAA Power
This year was the 7th edition of the tournament which was developed back in 2012, England have previously competed in 5/6 tournaments hosted by Amp Futbol Polska. They had held the record for the most wins, lifting the trophy 3 times. Most recently 2017 in which they defeated the hosts 1-0 in an incredibly tight final before later that year coming runners up in the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF) Championships in Istanbul. The England Amputees faced their toughest test to date as they would have to defeat 4 exceptional teams if they were going to lift the prestigious trophy for the fourth time. Competing teams were; Poland, Russia, Netherlands, England, Italy & Ukraine. England faced Ukraine and Italy in Group B. The heavy schedule saw teams playing two games per day, with the top two teams from each group proceeded to Sunday’s semi-final. The two winners would meet later on Sunday evening for the final showdown. The #SBChamps started off the tournament in exceptional form defeating Ukraine 4-1 in the opening match in Group B before later that day facing off against a very talented Italian side. England found themselves in an unfamiliar position after conceding two goals in the first fifteen minutes, however despite the early set back and a rollercoaster of a game which involved nine goals, England came through as group winners with a 6-3 victory over the Azzurri.
An early Sunday morning start had the EAFA team testing themselves against the third best team in Europe, hosts Poland. The England team had only lost to Poland once back in 2016, this time they came through the semi-final with a 1-0 victory which was earned by an incredible defensive performance following a great team play finished off by Chambers in the first half. To defend their title, the EAFA lions had to see off current World Champions, Russia. England beat Russia for only the first time in 27 years at last years EAFF European championships, so a tough match was guaranteed. England scored within the first two minutes after a wonder strike from Tregaskiss and again proved why they have arguably the best defence in the world currently, by shutting out Russia for the remainder of the match to lift the coveted trophy with a 1-0 victory.
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Owen Coyle, EAFA Head Coach said; “We are delighted to win the Amp Futbol Cup again, but more pleased with how we applied ourselves throughout the tournament. The group prepared strongly and recovered fantastically well which supported the results. It’s a huge achievement for us to remain unbeaten against four excellent teams, including the current World Champions, but we do not lose sight of our main goal later this year.” The EAFA Senior Squad have two remaining training weekends ahead of the WAFF World Cup which is taking place at the end of October in Guadalajara, Mexico. The tournament commences on Saturday 27th October 2018 with England facing; Mexico, Republic of Ireland and Uruguay in the group stage. The charity are greatly appreciative to everyone who has supported the team this year and especially to those who have donated to support the England players. EAFA would also like to say a huge thank you to all of our charity partners who have helped the team so for this year; Reaseheath College, Soccer Supplement, BioSynergy, LAJ Photography, The Soccer Store, QuickPlay Sport, Mark Harrod, Everybody Leisure Crewe, McLellan Clothing & The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Finally, everyone involved in The England Amputee Football Association would like to thank Simply Business for their incredible sponsorship of the England team. Simply Business have gone above and beyond to support the charity this year and last, to enable the team to compete at the highest level possible and in the most professional way possible. An incredible business doing amazing work.
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EATING BIG, FASTING BIGGER By Mike McGurn - International Strength & Conditioning Coach
A number of studies in many different animals have shown that restricted eating throughout adulthood leads to dramatic improvements in lifespan and general health. While results from animal studies do not always translate to humans, I felt the outcomes were positive enough to warrant giving this a go.
I have been very fortunate that over the last few years I have had the honour of presenting on the subjects of lifestyle, wellness and nutrition in the workplace to various corporations. I have always lived by the mantra do as I do rather than do as I say. In order to be passionate in my delivery and to be a believable presenter, I need to have experienced what I am speaking about. One interesting topic that kept raising its head in the fitness world was a phenomenon known as intermittent fasting (IF). Recent studies of this kind of fasting – with restricted eating part of the time, but not all of the time – have produced some success. What appealed to me was the Hunter/Gatherer concept. Back in the cave man days we only ate when we caught/captured our food. This could lead to people going days without eating. Most survived as long as they drank water. This challenge of going a length of time without eating appealed to my competitive nature. When I started researching the effect on the body of prolonged fasting I discovered that going without food gives cells in the body an opportunity to perform maintenance and repair. The lack of food also forces cells to resort to alternative sources of energy, for example ketones. These are molecules created in the liver from recycled fat. Their use appears to be beneficial, particularly in improving the balance of hormones involved in appetite and fat metabolism. Fasting improves sensitivity to the hormone insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. It also increases other hormones such as the stress hormone Norepinephrine, which is involved in fat metabolism. The idea of intermittent fasting arose after scientists were impressed by the effects of constant calorie restriction.
In a 2003 mouse study overseen by Mark Mattson, head of the National Institute on Aging’s Neuroscience Laboratory, found that mice who fasted regularly were healthier than mice subjected to continuous calorie restriction. For example, they had lower levels of insulin and glucose in their blood, which signified increased sensitivity to insulin and a reduced risk of diabetes. As I researched further I came across other potential benefits of IF and indicators that it; • Helps promote insulin sensitivity – Optimal insulin sensitivity is crucial for your health, as insulin resistance or poor insulin sensitivity contributes to nearly all chronic diseases • Increases the rate of HGH production, which has an important role in health, fitness, and slowing the aging process • Lowers triglyceride levels • Helps suppress inflammation and fight free radical damage In addition, exercising in a fasted state can help counteract muscle aging and wasting, and boost fat-burning. The basic premise of IF is to eat for 8 hours and fast for 16 hours.
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Why? Physiologically, once you’ve gone eight to 12 hours without eating, the body enters a state of “fasting.” Fasting can refer to a person’s metabolic status after not eating overnight, or even the metabolic state after the complete digestion of a meal. At this point I have to stress this fasting state has to be total, no milk in your tea/coffee, no diluted cordial in your water, not even a single crisp just total fasting. The practice of fasting can lead to a number of positive metabolic changes within the body. These changes typically begin approximately three to five hours after eating, when the body enters a “post-absorptive” state – rather than the state of ongoing digestion, where eating frequent meals means the body is always involved in some sort of digestive activity.
or negatives of the plan. The changes I experienced in my body shape were truly incredible. My waist size dropped to 28 and remains at that. My body fat dropped from 13.2 % to 8.6%. My general mood and attitude to stress improved significantly, because I had banished almost all sugar from my diet. I was getting far less dips in energy throughout the day. My energy levels were and still are a lot higher, which led to me being a lot more productive in all aspects of life. Medical benefits have been researched with the fasting plan. If you don’t eat for 10–16 hours, your body will go to its fat stores for energy, and fatty acids called ketones will be released into the bloodstream. This has been shown to protect memory and learning functionality, as well as slow disease processes in the brain.
Realistically; my lifestyle suited the IF plan. We sit down as a family every day at 4.30/5.00 pm for dinner (my last meal). I then leave to work until 9.30/10.00 pm (where I can drink only water, black tea, black coffee). I’m home and sleep by 11 pm . Usually I sleep for 8 hours, until 7/7.30 am. This means that already I have clocked 14 hours of fasting with little or no effort!! I then help get the kids ready for school and do the drop offs, so I am not sitting down for breakfast until 9.30 am. Hey presto 16 hours with no food. I then have the next 8 hours to fuel and eat enough calories to suit my needs.
A study which took place in 2007 showed that intermittent fasting not only reduces the risk of cancer, but also cardiovascular disease. It was also noted that Intermittent Fasting can prevent type 2 diabetes and even reverse it. SUMMARY It takes your body about six to eight hours to burn carbohydrates and afterwards your body will start to burn fat. If you eat dinner at 6pm and breakfast at 10am you will be turning your body in a fat burning machine – making you lose weight effortlessly.
In my job I still want to be able to lift heavy. I need to lift often and have as little body fat as I can. Remember do as I do rather then do as I say. Bearing this in mind, my daily IF nutritional plan would look like the following; 9.30 am – Large bowl of oats mixed with 25-50g Bio-Synergy vanilla whey, handful of cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, mix with semi skimmed milk (I normally heat the milk first) all mixed through to give a delicious high protein, medium carb start to the day.
Okay to sum it up, we need: 8 hours to eat 8 hours to not eat 8 hours to sleep Good Luck Mike
11.30 am – 6 scrambled eggs, with 1 serving of Bio-Synergy Super Armour. 1.30 pm - 1-2 chicken breasts with peas and broccoli. Pre -Workout - 1 serving of Bio-Synergy Super Charge Post Workout – 1 serving of Bio-Synergy Super Gain 3.00 pm – 2 portions of salmon with sweet potato, peas and asparagus 4.30/5.00 pm Family dinner, normally a high protein source, medium carbs and low glycemic index veg Along with the above nutrition plan, I also drink 4-5 litres of water throughout the day as well as 3-4 cups of tea. Pitfalls; The eating plan above suits my needs. I know this may not fit into everyone’s daily schedules, but that is not an excuse to fail. If your normal daily routine is eating dinner with the family at 8.00 pm, then plan that you will not eat your first bit of food until 12 noon the following day. It does admittedly take some planning to make this work, but once you get started on this eating plan it becomes a normal lifestyle routine. You may only choose to do it on week days and have the freedom of the weekend to be more flexible. That’s fine you will still get major benefits health wise. Benefits; As I’ve said, one of my motivators for my starting IF was so I could make an informed opinion on the merits
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ANT MIDDLETON
What is a typical training day like for you? I don’t train to a level of fitness like I used to in the military. That was my life, I used to train and train and train for the battleground, so there’s a reason behind it. We would push and push ourselves to the extremes to simulate war, you know we’d push ourselves to the extremes because when you’re at war you never know how long a mission’s going to last, you never know how long a fire fights going to last, it could last an hour, it could last 2-3 days, so we always push ourselves to the extremes. But now that I’m in Civvy Street and have got to juggle a family, and a new career, I sort of maintain. So again this box is ideal for me because it’s literally the basics, the bare essentials that I need to maintain what I’ve got, and then I just dilute it or build it up according to what task I’m doing next. I’ve got a survival task coming up, so I’m going to be tamping the stuff down, really building up knowing that for 10 days to 2 weeks I’m going to be surviving off the land and losing weight, so my training depends on what project I’m doing next. I do a lot of maintenance stuff now, so a lot of swimming, a lot of running, and a lot of military circuits, core stuff, stability and I need the fuel to tick me over. What’s your typical diet like? I just eat as healthily as I can, I put the right products in my body e.g. omega oils, vitamins, but I do something I can maintain. A lot of people are up, down, up, down. I try and keep on a level that I can maintain that I’m happy, but I’m also healthy. It won’t engulf my life. I think it’s really important, especially as someone with a family and a career that takes me everywhere, I don’t let it
swallow me up. When I say I’ve got a life, I mean I don’t sweat if I have to go and grab a sandwich or something. I’ll grab brown bread, and chicken with no mayonnaise. For me, I can maintain that. Being on the move I just pick carefully with what I eat. I don’t go OTT, with it, but I definitely eat healthy, I would say I’m a healthy eater. Sometimes, especially doing survival, with Mutiny I put on 10kg! I was just eating steak after steak after steak, jacket potato, mash potato, I just put on 10kg for it and I didn’t suffer as a result, it’s preparation. It comes hand in hand, there’s no point being super fit if you’ve got a shit diet, and there’s no point in having a super good diet and then not exercising on it. You’ve got to find that happy medium. But if you’ve got the time and you’re a professional athlete then crack on, but for the everyday fitbox, urban, eat as healthy as you can. But don’t fluctuate, it’s the worst thing. They get to their goal and they think, right that’s me done I can go out boozing etc. I don’t drink that much either, I’ll have the odd glass of wine when I’m out with my dinner, but I don’t have a beer in the fridge. I’m not a big drinker. It’s important that you just maintain it. I go just above my comfort zone and then maintain it. Do you have a favourite cheat meal? I do like a burger, a healthy burger. I go to a gourmet burger bar or burger restaurant. where you’ve got the proper meat, but then you’ve got the bread and the sauce. If I’m at home and it’s a Sunday then I’ll say to the wife, let’s have an Indian or Chinese. I certainly won’t have them every day of the week, but it’s important to have that cheat day as well. It helps with the maintenance, if you go right don’t be too fucking fussy with having a cheat day once a week. but yeah, I like to get tucked into a nice burger. Are there any supplements you rely on? I like my post workout supplements, my whey protein. I’m quite religious on my oils and my vitamins. I was brought up in a culture where people rely too much on a pre-workout. It’s nice to have if you’re feeling lethargic or need a little boost, but for me personally I don’t like to rely too much on a pre workout. I like to make sure that I’ve eaten correctly and I’ve got the right fuel in my body for whatever task that I’m doing. I don’t like that spike and that boost.
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If you can train anywhere in the world, where would you train? I like to train in altitude, I used to work in South Africa with Johannesburg being one of the highest cities in the world. It just made me feel alive. You can almost feel your lungs half full when you start training, you go out for the first couple of runs knowing that I’d be dead in my bed for a good half an hour to an hour after. But I do enjoy coming back and smashing whatever is put in my way. Being a keen mountaineer as well, altitude training – there’s just something about the lungs that I like. I like to just be able to expand my lungs, get more air in there, more oxygen circulating around the body, I’ve just got a thing about altitude. I like to keep my lungs clear. It’s tough, it’s hard to acclimatise and you have to get past that initial shock of breathing in and taking nothing in. but once you’ve acclimatised and after a good couple of weeks of training, you start massively feeling the benefits. What’s next? In September/October time I’m filming series 3 of ‘SAS Who Dares Wins’, which will be in the mountains, so a bit of altitude which I love. They’ll have more of an operational feel, so Afghanistan/Iraq pressures in the middle of nowhere. Isolate them and see how they cope. It’s an exciting time, a busy 2018 but I’m going to stay true to who I am. How are you preparing? I always do something to prepare myself. For the survival shows, it’s about putting on healthy weight. Unnatural weight goes very quickly, on Mutiny the 10kg went within a week and a half, two weeks, so it’s putting on that weight that’s not too much fat, a healthy fat, a slow burning fuel, an endurance fat. I’ll be putting on a little bit of weight as I’ll be bouncing from episode to the next. By episode 3, 4 or 5 I’ll be feeling the pinch. www.bio-synergy.uk
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INEOS RECOVERY
Specifically, can I request a breakdown of what you eat when recovering the day after competition? For example shall we say the day after Act 4? Our recovery protocol doesn’t start the day after competition, it starts 10 minutes after the last race of a regatta. We use essential sports fuel after each day of racing to help replenish glycogen stores and promote tissue maintenance after a gruelling day. For dinner our nutrition intake will be planned around our output data from our HR monitors that we wear during training and racing. This ensures that we take on enough to recover effectively and not be in deficit. We eat a lot of lean meats, seasonal veg and complex carbohydrates. Nothing fancy, no secret recipes, just good healthy real food in appropriate portions and macros to fuel performance and recovery.
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Then before bed I will take on another shake of Whey Better. Bio Synergy has a big range of flavours which helps avoid monotony. Rocky Road is my favourite for sure though. Each day I take Super 7 Armour, combined with Omega 369. This helps me to build a strong immune system and recover quicker. Reducing the risk of illness is a big focus for us and taking these together helps mitigate that. What does your recovery schedule look like the day after competition? i.e ice baths, compression gear etc Often we are travelling straight back to the UK and the plane trips can finish you off so it’s really important we put the right things into our body to help us get back to 100% as quickly as possible. After a day of racing, were all pretty quick to get our Bio-Synergy Essential Sports Fuel in as I mentioned. At the Extreme Sailing Series Cascais it was really hot so to try and cool the body down as quickly as possible, we would jump into the Atlantic for 10 mins. During the Senior and Youth America’s in Bermuda we had infrastructure so ice baths and other protocols set by the performance staff came into play. Those things are a logistically harder on the Extreme Sailing Series tour though. For the flight we may use compression clothing if its long haul and we will carry our own bottles and hydration mixes so we’re actively working on recovery as best possible in the air. Once we land back in the UK we are into two days of recovery and reload. Depending on how we feel we have a few recovery sessions that range from mobility and recovery CV to muscle stimulators and soft tissue therapy if we are at our Team HQ in Portsmouth. Which Bio-synergy product do you use to aid recovery and why? My favourite is the Bio-Synergy Essential Sports Fuel, it tastes good and has a good blend of protein and carbs. Before bed I will take on whey Better. Depending on our training and competition load the conditioning and nutrition coaches may change up our performance intakes to include BCAA’s, additional glutamine, power-beet etc. Some of the guys have slightly different set ups though. It’s not a blanket protocol. I am always maintaining or reducing so my supplements may be a bit leaner. Some of the crew are always striving to increase lean size so they will be taking on Super Gain or Super Max for example. Will Alloway, Skipper INEOS Rebels UK
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FOAM ROLLER TIPS A lot of people view the foam roller as your arch nemesis, but it is honestly one of the most essential and therapeutic form of recovery you can do to ensure you are able to train the next day. The benefits of foam rolling have to do with the mobility of the fascia. Fascia is a fibrous layer of connective tissue that surrounds all of the muscles in our body. Without proper mobility, fibers of the fascia become cross linked and they bind to muscles and nerves, inhibiting normal motion and causing pain. If we don’t stay on top of our flexibility in our muscles, it will affect our joint movements and therefore lead to incorrect technique and further injuries. The good thing about a foam roller is that it can get right into your deeper tissue, like a massage but without someone else physically having to be there, and for me I feel it is a super important part of my routine and my routine for my clients.
My top tips for foam rollering are:
What benefits do I feel foam rollering has:
Get some expert support before you start rolling
It helps prevent injury and aids recovery
Most gyms actually run foam rolling workshops now a days to help their members understand and learn how to do It effectively. It is much better as with everything to get the technique right first and then focus on hitting the correct muscles in the correct manner. A lot of people don’t understand the benefits or see the benefits because they are completing the movements wrong. This could also be support from your own personal trainer to understand movements.
By understanding your own myofascial release will enable you to recover faster from your own sessions and avoid yourself getting caught up in injuries due to tight muscles. Foam rolling has become massive in elite level sport as it is an instant tool for myofascial release rather than waiting for a masseuse appointment. It has also been proven to help reduce your DOMS – which everyone loves to hate, but it will benefit your recovery massively. Your mobility and flexibility will improve
Don’t roll directly where you feel pain Normally where you feel pain or tightness is due to the muscles surrounding that area being tight. Start by easing off those muscles surrounding first before targeting that specific area. This will take the pressure off the pain point. Then you can move into the direct point of pressure that you are feeling.
With looser muscles around your joints, your mobility is going to improve dramatically. With improved mobility and flexibility it is going to enable you to have a more effective technique, whether that is running, lifting, sport specific, it is overall going to improve your movement capabilities, and therefore improve your performance in whatever sport or fitness discipline you do.
Don’t roll too fast
It will save you time and money
The slower you go the deeper the muscles you will hit. When you roll slowly, your muscles will adapt to the compression of the roller and actually feel the benefits. If you roll too fast your muscles will have no adaption time and therefore no change will occur. We need to take your time, hit the deeper muscles and loosen off those aches and pains.
We all can’t afford to book in for regular massage slots, or even have the time too. Understanding and using the foam roller will save you money and time in the long run and on top with all the other benefits above your overall wellbeing should improve due to more money, being fitter and more focused towards your goals. Everyone value time these day, so I would 100% recommend investing in one of these and spend 10 – 15 minutes a day watching love island in the evening rolling out your muscles to improve your performance tomorrow.
Written by Jayne Nisbet. Commonwealth Games high jumper and official Bio-Synergy Brand Ambassador. You can keep up to date with Jayne by following her on twitter @_beYOUtiful_U
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CREATINE SUPPLEMENTATION FOR RUNNERS BIO-SYNERGY CREATINE BOOST Every serving provides an impressive 6.4g of creatine monohydrate – that’s more than most other products in the category – as well as an exact dose of pure dextrose. Studies show that dextrose accelerates creatine absorption and uptake in your muscles, giving you better, faster results than creatine alone. Also, Creatine Boost® contains over 1g of L-glutamine per serving to support muscle recovery and repair. Research suggests L-glutamine is essential for anyone who takes their training seriously. And you get all of this in a deliciously refreshing drink.
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Every time we breathe, take a step or perform any type of physical work our bodies require energy. This muscular movement is powered by a high-energy compound within our bodies called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). However, as we only hold a limited supply of ATP it is necessary for us to continually replenish our reserves and this is achieved by 3 energy systems:
This is also very common in other endurance sports such as road cycling, anyone who has watched the Tour de France will have seen riders attacking the peloton with a sustained sprint hoping to gain a crucial advantage.
THE PHOSPHAGEN SYSTEM: An anaerobic process i.e. one that occurs without the presence of Oxygen and uses Creatine Phosphate to resynthesise our supply of ATP.
In these examples the phosphagen system will be called upon at both the very start of the race before the Glycolytic and/or Oxidative systems kick in and, most importantly, when the dramatic change of pace (intensity) is injected. This will require the sudden immediate replenishment of ATP achieved by the breakdown of Creatine.
GLYCOLYTIC SYSTEM: Uses Glucose or Glycogen to resynthesise ATP and its exact nature depends on the duration and intensity of the activity and the availability of oxygen.
Therefore, it can be seen that any radical increase in race speed will initially require optimum levels of creatine to be available even though the overall event would be classed as endurance or aerobic.
OXIDATIVE SYSTEM: use carbohydrates, fats and (to a lesser amount) protein to resynthesise ATP. It’s an aerobic system requiring the availability of sufficient oxygen.
This will hold true regardless of the actual nature of the event, marathon, steeplechase cross country etc.
None of these systems work totally independently of each other but the Phosphagen system tends to be involved in brief, intense bursts of energy which has given rise to the theory that supplementing Creatine is only of use to athletes in the strength or power sports. Looking specifically at running in all its variations, with our own supply of ATP lasting merely a few seconds under conditions of very intense exercise and up to approximately 10 seconds with the intervention of the Phosphagen system the use of creatine supplementation for the sprint events becomes clear. However, what about events from middle distance to marathon and beyond? If we consider the actual phases of, let us say a 3,000 or 5,000 metre race it would be very unusual for the race to be run at a completely even pace from the start to crossing the finish line. If we take a classic scenario the first few laps may well be taken at a steady pace which is comfortably within the race leaders lactate threshold and they are working at a good aerobic capacity. As the pace begins to wind up over the course of the race and the exercise intensity increases more and more runners will find that lactate production is becoming increasingly uncomfortable, fatigue starts to set in and that characteristic “burn” starts to manifest itself. At some point one or more of the athletes will decide to make the break for home and a dramatic change of pace will occur. This may be a lap or two from the finish when the athletes involved hope that the “kick” will be decisive enough to win the race or it could be at any point of the race when the tactics will be to vary the pacing in order to “break” the rest of the field.
Together with caffeine, creatine is probably the ergogenic aid with most research behind it and almost without exception the results have been found to be positive. However, two points of caution, as with any new food stuff or supplement creatine use needs to be trialled in a training environment before being used in a full race scenario. A certain percentage of the athletic population will be “non-responders “and will not obtain any advantage from creatine use. More importantly some individuals may experience a degree of increased water content within the muscles thereby increasing bodyweight and skewing power to weight ratios. Quality research has yet to find any serious adverse health side effects resulting from Creatine use in either healthy or clinical populations Interestingly, recent creatine research has shown potential benefits of creatine use in Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. Such study remains in its early phase but represents a fascinating line of enquiry. Bottom line is to seriously consider the use of Creatine supplementation outside of its traditional home of the strength and power sports. Written by Functional Sports Nutritionist Paul K Ehren and Marathon Des Sables Competitor Natalia Andreyeva
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MEATLESS MONDAYS FOR ATHLETES Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular given a greater awareness around animal ethics/rights/welfare, the production of meat, and environmental concerns. Also for health reasons with many traditional Eastern practices - including vegetarianism – and increased awareness of food allergies and intolerances inspiring detoxification, cleansing and weight loss diets. Whatever your reasons, as an athlete or regular gym goer there many benefits to eating less meat without compromising your training and performance goals: •A diet with a larger vegetable, pulse, grain and fruit component significantly boosts your micronutrient intake. Micronutrient –vitamins and minerals - are essential to health and wellbeing. •Meat-free days give the digestive system a ‘time-out’ from the tougher job of processing meat (particularly red meats, fattier cuts and pork). This means time to heal for improved gut health, and hence nutrient absorption i.e. more efficient absorption and use of nutrients obtained from food/drinks consumed. This is also a benefit of intermittent fasting. •Plenty of leafy green vegetables, berries and other colourful vegetables help with various processes that assist the body in breaking down and/or flushing out toxins and metabolic by-products. This helps the body manage recovery and inflammation. Also, with maintaining a more alkaline state (refer to previous point regarding gut health). •Regular, healthy bowel movements! •Reduced intake of saturated fats associated to heart disease •Redresses a good macro-nutrient balance i.e. offsets over-eating of protein and/or good fats (key to weight management/maintenance) •More sating meals due to the higher fibre content (fibre can only be derived from plant based foods). Again, this can help with weight management/ maintenance goals. •More colourful, varied, and appetising meals!
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Still worried about hitting your protein requirements? A meatless day with an adequate intake of protein is easy:
a surge in ‘food prep’ companies with a growing niche of those that genuinely cater to vegetarian and vegan audiences. If the idea of innovative, interesting vegetarian cooking seems a bit of a challenge, have you considered the option of using one of these but supplementing with your own protein source e.g. salmon, eggs, turkey? Not only will you be doing yourself and the environment a favour; you’ll be saving on time in the kitchen!
•Start your day with eggs; vegetable omelette or frittata. •Lunch could include a serving of tofu/tempeh or a sandwich made with a high protein bread.
And remember, you don’t have to wait until a Monday to #makeithappen!
•Snack on a high protein yoghurt, quark or cottage cheese with sunflower or pumpkin seeds and berries or a small handful of nuts.
Got questions, experiences or tips you want to share as a meatless athlete or meatless Monday athlete? Tweet @Biosynergy or @weasellulu
•Have plant-based protein shake post-workout. Try the Biosynergy ‘lean and green’ vegan protein powder. •A high protein plant based pasta (bean, lentil, edamame based) in tomato sauce with roast vegetables for dinner. In fact you will probably be close to exceeding your protein requirements by the time you include incidental protein; nutritional yeast (use to season food and enjoy the light cheesy taste), cheese, nuts/nut butters, seeds, roasted chickpea/ pea snacks, quinoa, bulgur wheat, beans, peas, hummus, oats, BCAA drinks and/or a protein bar (some contain gelatine which is an animal derived binder – check the label for vegetarian or vegan friendly markers/text). The one challenge can be that some vegetarian protein sources mean a higher carbohydrate intake; prioritise these foods around your workout – i.e. pre and post workout – and gaining additional body fat at the expense of a meatless day or two a week needn’t be a concern.
Written by Louise Sinniah-Burr . Louise is a Common Wealth Power Lifter, Qualified Nutritionist and official Bio-Synergy Brand Ambassador. You can keep up to date with Lousie by following her on instagram - weasellulu.
Being vegan or vegetarian doesn’t mean compromising on your performance goals. Get the results you’re dreaming of with Lean & Green – one of the most powerful vegan proteins you’ll find anywhere. Our unique formula packs in 22g protein per 30g serving with no sugar and just 2.3g fat.
Fortunately, there are so many varied, interesting vegetarian options when eating out. Similarly, the fitness industry has seen
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TWIN CHALLENGE: CAN SUPPLEMENTATION GIVE YOU THE EDGE? Bio-Synergy challenged twins, Jessica & Francesca, to discover how nutrition supplements can help boost your fitness results When it comes to sports nutrition, we often get asked ‘Will supplements really make a big difference to my training’The answer is yes! Diet and exercise are naturally the key building blocks when it comes to achieving your fitness goals, but many underestimate the impact sports nutrition can have on helping you to amplify your results. Ensuring you have the right nutritional support can give you that extra oomph to take your training to the next level! To show the true power of sports nutrition and disprove a few myths too, we decided to recruit twins Jessica and Francesca and conduct our own mini trial! The identical twins underwent a bespoke eight-week programme created by Bio-Synergy ambassador and qualified trainers, that incorporated a personal training regime and a diet plan. The twist? Only one of them took Bio-Synergy supplements (and we did not know which one) to support their results. Both girls wanted to lose weight and tone up. We wanted to see how supplements from our best-selling range could impact that goal. To kick start, we measured both of the girls to ensure we could go beyond weight loss to see genuine inch loss. Remember scales can lie and don’t often represent true results! Both girls followed exactly the same workout routine and diet plan. The only difference was the addition of Bio-Synergy supplements. The twins themselves decided who would be the supplement taker, keeping the BioSynergy team in the dark. Without this knowledge we were able to ensure both of the girls received exactly the same coaching and advice.
It was Jessica who selected to trial the sports supplements, which saw her take Bio-Synergy Whey Better Protein Powder, Bio-Synergy Creatine, Active Women Multivitamins, OMEGA Fish Oils, Perfect Body CLA and Bio-Synergy Skinny Water. When the measurements came through at the end of the eight weeks, the results spoke for themselves. The final stats showed that taking supplements really does help lose inches whilst adding definition! In fact, Francesca who didn’t take sports nutrition supplements actually gained inches on her arms and hips, whereas Jessica who took the BioSynergy supplements lost inches everywhere as you can see from the impressive results below:
Jessica (with sports nutrition supplements)
Francesca (NO sports nutrition supplements)
• Upper arm: lost 0.9 inches • Waist: lost 2.2 inches • Hips: lost 4.5 inches • Thigh: lost 0.7 inches
• Upper arm: gained 0.4 inches • Waist: lost 1.3 inches • Hips: gained 0.6 inches • wThigh: lost 0.1 inch
JESSICA’S TRAINING & NUTRITION PLAN Thanks to the added support from Bio-Synergy’s supplement programme, Jessica managed to take her workouts to the next level and see her body give back even more than expected. Want to follow Jessica’s plan yourself? Here’s her sample training plan.
TRAINING PLAN CARDIO - repeat circuit 3 times a week 10 rounds, 30 seconds work of each exercise & 1 min rest between rounds • High knees • Star jumps • Slam balls • Kettle bell swings AB / CORE WORKOUT - repeat circuit 3 times a week 4 rounds, 15 reps of each exercise & 1 min rest between rounds • Hanging knee raises • Touch and go’s (with resistance) • V-ups 30 seconds of each exercise for 8 minutes continually
• Crunches • Leg extensions • Mountain climbers • Plank www.bio-synergy.uk
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NUTRITION PLAN (REST DAYS)
UPPER BODY - perform this circuit once a week 4 sets, 10-15 reps of each exercise & 90 seconds rest • Press ups • Seated machine rows • Pull ups • One arm dumbbell row • Rope hammer bicep curls • Rope tricep extensions
Breakfast • Medium free range eggs (3 Eggs) scrambled with butter • Kerry gold Butter (10g) added to scrambled eggs • 1 slice granary toast • 60g Avocado • Additional supplements to take separately: • Active Women Multivitamins x2, OMEGA Fish oils x2 & Perfect body CLA x2 • 1 scoop of Bio-Synergy Creatine mixed with water
LOWER BODY - perform this circuit once a week 4 sets, 10-15 reps of each exercise & 90 seconds rest • Goblet or barbell squat • Single leg split squat • Barbell hip thrust • Deadlifts • Walking lunges • Glute kick backs or reverse hyper extension
Mid Morning Snack • 1 scoop Bio-Synergy Whey protein powder • Fage Total 0% greek yoghurt (100g) • 40g Nuts Lunch
• Any lean meat or fish of your choice (200g cooked weight) • Avocado (80g) • Salad or Greens (300g cooked weight) • x1 Bio-Synergy Skinny Water
NUTRITION PLAN (TRAINING DAYS) Breakfast • 1 scoop Bio-Synergy Whey protein powder • 1 scoop of Bio-Synergy Creatine (mix with protein) • 35g oats • 3 ice cubes • 1 x 1/2 banana • Handful of spinach • Handful of kale • 300ml of coconut or almond milk or water • Add fruit of your choice if you wish • Additional supplements to take separately: • Active Women Multivitamins x2, OMEGA Fish oils x2 & Perfect body CLA x2
Mid Afternoon Snack
• Light spreading of Philadelphia • 2 Ryvita or plan rice cakes • 1 Medium banana • 1 scoop Bio-Synergy Whey protein powder (mix with water) Dinner
• Any lean meat or fish of your choice 200g (cooked weight) • Greens or Salad of your choice 300g (cooked weight) • x1 Bio-Synergy Skinny Water Bed time snack (1 hour before bed)
• 20g whole earth peanut butter
Plan written in conjunction with Hayley Sinclair (centre)
Mid Morning Snack • Fage Total 0% greek yoghurt (100g) • 2 x Snack a Jacks Jumbo Chocolate Chip Rice cakes Lunch
• Any lean meat or fish of your choice (100g cooked weight) • Sweet potato or any carb of your choice (150g cooked weight) • 30g nuts • Add salad or greens to your liking • x1 Bio-Synergy Skinny Water Mid Afternoon Snack
• 1 Scoop Whey Better Protein Powder (mix with water) • 1 Scoop Bio-Synergy Creatine (mix with protein) • Fage Total 0% greek yoghurt (100g) • 20g nuts Post-training
• 1 Scoop Bio-Synergy Whey Better Protein Powder (mix with water) • 1 Scoop Bio-Synergy Creatine (mix with protein) 6 • 50g Pineapple Dinner
• Any lean meat or fish of your choice (200g cooked weight) • Greens or Salad of your choice (300g cooked weight) • x1 Bio-Synergy Skinny Water Bed time snack (1 hour before bed)
• 1 x pot of sugar free jelly • 1 x square of dark chocolate
For women, a common misconception of taking protein powders and creatine is that it will make you bulky or masculine in appearance. ‘I don’t want to look like Hulk or grow hair on my body’ are just some of the comments we get daily. However, Jess’ impressive results are testament that, when taken correctly, supplements can give you the lean, feminine physique you crave. If you’d like to lose inches and add more definition just like Jessica, why not sign up to the Bio-Synergy 12 week challenge. Discover more on our website!
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NATALIA’S REVIEWS
ADIDAS ULTRA BOOST 3.0 STILL BREEZE PINK These trainers are very comfortable, the cushioning is the most comfortable I’ve had so far, feels like running on the clouds. Also extremely comfortable to run in. Plus they look great!! Stylish and comfortable in a colour way which looks excellent. Set your new pace in these women’s shoes built with ultra-cushioned boost The Ultra Boost 3.0 is incredibly responsive, every time you take a single step, you feel the energy being absorbed and returned, it’s an amazing feeling,
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9/10
SKULLCANDY XTFREE WIRELESS SPORT EARPHONES
8/10
These headphones are a game changer! The fins keep them in your ear. Excellent sound and they’re comfortable. The Bluetooth connection means no more holding my phone in my hand at the gym or on my arm while I run. You can change the song or volume from the headset. Great for short or long-distance run.
SPORTS PHILOSOPHY VOLCANIC TWO-LAYERED These two-layered shorts are just great! Fit perfect with maximum freedom of movement making them the perfect shorts for running, boxing and gym sessions. They look great also!
10/10
The breathability and moisture features embedded in these shorts for a cooling effect whilst keeping you dry and an awesome hidden pocket for your phone. I have worn them and received lots of compliments. The pattern of this fabric is eye catching. Great gift for Xmas!
PLANTRONIC BACKBEAT FIT What immediately struck me when I first opened the packet for these was the build quality: compared to other in-ear light weight headphones, these are by far the most solid and robust I have handled. They don’t feel like they’ll fall apart anytime soon. I’m also impressed by the sound quality. Before these I tended towards the cheaper end of the market, and these are much better. Spoken word is crystal clear. Music is much better. They are a revelation compared to everything I’ve had so far. They also have a helpful feature where you are given remaining battery life in hours and minutes, rather than a vague high, medium or low. In terms of waterproofing, I have taken them on only one run so far however they coped with my sweatier than average head very well, far better than other supposedly water proof headphones
RAPHA SOUPLESSE BIB SHORTS II
8.5/10
9.5/10
Love these. Comfortable and supportive for long, hot rides. No fuss fabric and design; they feel like a second skin and you forget about them to be able to focus on your ride. The new Souplesse bibshorts feel so pro! I don’t have another word describing the second skin fit and feel. I don’t know how they did it, but I am instantly slimmer in these without that suffocated feeling that comes with compression products. Love it!
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Want Natalia to review your products? Drop us an email at enquires@bio-synergy.co.uk
Active Woman is the UK’s first sports nutrition range dedicated to women. If you love fitness and getting results from your workouts, this range of sports supplements is perfect for you. For far too long, macho bodybuilders have dominated the sports nutrition world. Well, not anymore! Roughly 60% of gym-goers are women, and it’s time you get the smart nutrition you deserve. That’s where Active Woman from Bio-Synergy comes in. Not just a simple ‘pink it and shrink it’ diet series, this is a hard hitting, girls-only range of supplements for ladies who know that strong is the new skinny, and that sweaty is the new sexy. The Active Woman sports nutrition range is specially designed with premium-quality ingredients that cater to the genetic needs of women, and help you take control of your lean muscle and body weight. Chock full of strategic vitamins, minerals and nutrients, we’ve even packed in as much protein as some leading men’s brands.
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BE INSPIRED MEET SOME OF #TEAMBIOSYNERGY Bio-Synergy Ambassadors are from a wide range of backgrounds including; Paralympians, fitness models, martial artists, footballers and triathletes to name but a few.
Over the coming issues we will introduce you to all the members of #TEAMBIOSYNERGY, but if you cant wait to find out more then head over to our ambassador section on our website bio-synergy.uk.
What makes them all inspirational is that they have overcome adversity and often juggle busy work and home lives, yet continue to compete at a high level.
If you think you have what it takes to join the team, we would love to hear from you. Email - makeithappen@bio-synergy.co.uk
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MARVIN-PAUL AMBROSIUS // FIT IN FIVE CREATOR
LAUREN WINFIELD // ENGLAND CRICKETER
FEE TANG // ENGLAND BADMINTON PRO
JASON ROSE // UK NINJA WARRIOR FINALIST POWER LIFTER
JULIE DAVIS // POWERLIFTING CHAMPION 2018
GARY BARTLETT // GB PRO SNOWBOARDER & GP
JAYNE NESBIT // COMMONWEALTH GAMES FINALIST & PT
JERMAINE JOHNSON // HEAD TRAINER AT BLOK LONDON
PHOEBE SCHECTER // TEAM GB AMERICAN FOOTBALL CAPTAIN
TONY MILLS // ENGLAND AMPUTEE FOOTBALLER
JO BARRETT // PT AND PRO BODYBUILDER
HARRY HAMMOND // GBR TRIATHLETE
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Designed exclusively for men, the cutting-edge, patented formulas in Activeman were developed alongside the ultimate active men: Olympic goldmedallist, James Cracknell Activeman is a science-backed range of six products for body and mind, ranging from unique protein shakes and healthy snacks to sport-specific multivitamins, designed especially for men whose workouts put pressure on their bodies. Our Activeman lineup includes everything you need to improve your performance, including Energy Charge, our energy-boosting preworkout formula, and Thermo Lean, our most powerful thermogenic fat burner. All you need to do is pick the right one for your goal and get ready to start your fitness journey.
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As recommend by James Cracknell OBE, rowing champion and double Olympic gold medalist
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TASTY RECIPE
CARROT, CAULIFLOWER & TURMERIC SOUP A POWERHOUSE SOUP PACKED WITH THE ANTIOXIDANTS, FULL OF VITAMINS AND NUTRIENTS. DELICIOUSLY CREAMY & DAIRY FREE. Ingredients
Method
1 cauliflower, cut into florets 1kg carrots, peeled and cut length ways then into ½ inch slices 2 Echalion shallots, sliced 3 pints boiling water 4 tsp. bouillon powder (vegan if required) 2 tsp. turmeric 2 tsp. coconut sugar 2 tbsp. rapeseed or coconut oil herbamare white pepper
1. Preparation time – 30 mins, cooking time – 40 minutes
Garnish
5. In a large 5 litre sauce pan, add the oil together with the sliced shallots and sauté until translucent and soft, then add in the carrots and continue stirring over a gentle heat.
1 cauliflower, cut into florets 1 tbsp. rapeseed oil chilli oil coriander sea salt black pepper
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F, gas mark 6, 200°C (180°C fan-assisted). 3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and lay the cauliflower florets for the garnish on the tray. Drizzle the rapeseed oil over the cauliflower and season with sea salt and black pepper. 4. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, turning the cauliflower every 10 minutes to prevent burning. Once roasted, take out of the oven and set aside.
6. Add the cauliflower florets, season with herbamare and white pepper and 2 tsp. of turmeric and coconut sugar and continue to stir until vegetables are coated. 7. Then add 4 tsp. of bouillon powder and stir into the vegetables until coated. Add the boiling water, bring to a boil and simmer over a gentle heat with lid on for 30 minutes. 8. Once cooked, using a hand stick blender, blend until creamy and smooth and garnish with the crispy roasted cauliflower, coriander and chilli oil. TIP - Turmeric is a very powerful spice, a popular spice in India, used for thousands of years. It contains curcumin, which is the substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and is a very strong antioxidant. It helps the body fight foreign invaders and has a role in repairing damage. Turmeric is also a powerful tool in the fight against cancer and obesity, helps towards the prevention of dementia and fights colds and flu. It does colour utensils a shade of orange so be cautious which ones you use. I find steel utensils are best to use when cooking with turmeric. www.bio-synergy.uk
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MASTERCHEF TO MASTER OF THE PROTEIN BAKES.
Since his phenomenal journey on MasterChef The Professionals 2016, Matt Healy has been working away to creating a new foodie website - Cranble.com. The new site is described as a “Foodie Paradise” with user friendly navigation and mouth-watering photography and videos! Matt says, “Cranble is the beginning of an exciting new chapter in my life and I cannot wait for people to see Cranble and get cooking. I’ve spent half my life in the kitchen and want to share my passion and knowledge with others. Last year I had to keep the MasterChef results secret and it’s been similar with Cranble. For months we’ve kept the project under wraps until we’d built up enough recipes and content to launch.” See some of Matts creations using Bio-Synergy products.
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NO BAKE PROTEIN FLAPJACKS Ingredients
Method
1 tsp of Coco Powder 3 scoops of Bio Synergy Wheyhey Protein 20 Pitted Dates 250 grams of Oats 1 splash of Almond Milk (to loosen the mixture) 2 tbsp of Peanut Butter 25g Dark Chocolate 70% (chopped)
1. Pop the dates into a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil, simmer until tender (this will only take 5 minutes) then drain. Using a fork crush the dates until smooth and set aside. 2. Put the oats, protein, coca powder into a bow and combine, throw in the crushed dates and mix well, add a splash of almond milk and mix well, add more if the mix is still too thick. Add the peanut butter and chocolate and mix well. Press the mixture into a baking tray and pop into the fridge, allow to setup for 1-2 hours then cut into bars and store in the a zip lock bag in the fridge.
HEALTHY PROTEIN PANCAKES Ingredients
Method
1 Banana (peeled obviously) 2 scoops of Bio-Synergy Wheyhey Protein scoop of BioSynergy Paleo Protein 100% Egg Whites (use 1/4 scoop) 50 ml of Almond Milk 1 tbsp of Blueberries 1 tbsp of Raspberries 2 tbsp of Oats 1 tsp of Coconut Oil (for frying) 1 tbsp of Natural Yogurt
1. Into a blender chuck your banana, protein, egg white protein and almond milk and blitz until smooth then pour into a bowl and stir the oats. 2. Place a frying pan onto a medium heat, drop the coconut oil in and using a ladle pour the pancake batter into the pan, cook for 30 seconds to a minute on each side, repeat until all the batter is used (this should make about 4/5 pancakes) Pile up on a plate and serve with a dollop of natural yogurt and fresh berries.
DELICIOUS PROTEIN SMOOTHIES Ingredients
Method
1 Banana (peeled obviously) 50 grams of Blueberries 1 tbsp of Chopped Nuts 1 tbsp of Pumpkin Seeds 2 scoops of Bio-Synergy Whey Hey Protein 400 ml of Almond Milk
1. This couldn’t be easier...Chuck everything into your blender and blitz until smooth (1-2 minutes) pour into a glass or grab a protein shaker and enjoy on the go....!
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KICKSTART WINTER WITH KICKBOXING Kickboxing workout’s are obviously very beneficial for Fighters, however there are a number of benefits that would suit the everyday person just wanting to get fit. Tired of running on a treadmill or doing the same weight lifting routine every week at the gym? Fancy trying something new? Then get down to your nearest Kickboxing or Muay Thai gym and you’ll be surprised at just how quick you notice the benefits. Burning Calories The intensity of a kickboxing class is as high as your willing to push yourself. It’s important to stay within your depth at first though, pushing yourself to the very limit on your first session could result in injury. But an average 70kg person can burn just under 400 calories in just 30 minutes of a kickboxing session so it can be a great way to loose weight.
Cardio Vascular Punching and Kicking can raise the heart rate considerably to the point where it will enter the zone where cardio vascular conditioning occurs. Making Kickboxing training an excellent substitute for the mundane cardio exercises you’d usually do in the gym.
Muscle Toning Kickboxing interacts many of the muscles in the body in one session. Unlike a weight exercise at the gym which focuses solely on one muscle group. If you've never done kickboxing before and are a complete beginner then you will no doubt use muscles you didn't even know existed.
Balance & Co-Ordination
improve their flexibility, which in turn will improve your punching and kicking technique. This will be most noticeable in the increase of height in your kicks.
Stress Management The impact of punching and kicking is a great way to release stress and built up anger. If you go into a class feeling pretty stressed out with work etc., you will definitely leave feeling much more at ease.
Self Defence Whilst a kickboxing workout class won't benefit you as much as a strictly self defence class or a technique specific class will, you will still learn a skill set that could be used for self defence. And having any self defence knowledge is definitely better than none at all.
Mix it up Kickboxing classes can all be entirely different, there’s so many different exercises and techniques to use that it provides a great variety of workouts to prevent you from getting bored. It also gives an alternative to the usual cardio & weight training sessions your typically used to.
Kicking requires a person to be stable on one leg for a small period of time, it is essential that your balance is good to improve your kicking and the more you practice the better your balance will become. Combinations of punches and kicks on the bag, hitting pads or even just shadow boxing will really develop your Co-ordination skills.
Flexibility A good kickboxing instructor will normally finish a session with a cool down that will include stretches. Stretching the muscles when they are warm will quickly
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Written by Jake Barton. Jake is the ISKA Intercontinental K-1 Champion and the WBC National Muay Thai Champion and an official Bio-Synergy Brand Ambassador. You can keep up to date with Jake by following him on instagram - jakebarton94.
Want to train like Jake? Checkout his recommended stack! Including out Multi award winning Whey Better, Rasberry BCAA powder and Performance Creatine.
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THE ART OF THE PULL UP One of the most underestimated exercises for building a strong back is the pull up or chin up and why? Because truth be told it’s not easy pulling your body from a hanging position all the way up in a straight line which almost every time leads people to believe its ineffective… well they would be wrong…. very wrong. Pull ups and chin ups are one of if not the most basic, versatile and important exercises you can do when it comes to back training but go unused in most gyms as it’s not seen as an ego boosting exercise, like a squat bench or deadlift. (don’t get me started on what I see people doing with those exercises in gyms …. that’s a whole other article)
Now most would assume that pulling your body weight up in a straight line would be an easy task to achieve based off the fact its only you involved in the movement and yes if you take a running jump off a box and pull with every sinew in your body swinging your legs and grunting like a blindfolded pig in a pen it probably is but my guess is you’ll get laughed out the gym and make zero gains. To be able to perform a very basic but effective exercise like a pull up you need to understand the movement pattern joints used and muscle groups you are trying to target. A pull up starts from a controlled hanging position with your hands over the bar hand width and position can vary but will always end with your chin or chest at bar level. Performing such a movement will mean having to use several different muscle groups across different parts of the body making it a multi joint movement (using more than one joint to perform the movement and in doing so engaging several muscle groups at the same time as shown in the diagram) So now begs the question. how do I perform such a basic, versatile and important exercise? Well it’s straight forward practice, practice and practice, now granted it can be quite demotivating trying to do an exercise of this nature and realising you can’t even move an inch but the first time you got taught how to count to 10 I’m sure you struggled with that but look at you now. The amazing thing with this exercise is that there are regressions and progressions (ways to make it easier and ways to make it harder) in training your body to be able to make this movement possible.
Assisted Pull up machines.
Most gyms will have an assisted pull up machine and although I’m not a fan of them what they are very good at doing is making your body adapt to the way it feels to engage and pull your body weight upwards. Another plus from using the assisted pull machine is that you can adjust the weight to increase or decrease the amount of tension on the pad which in turn will allow you to pull up your body weight without the machine assisting.
Resistance bands ( progression)
A very good way to perform a chin up on a free-standing bar but allowing you to build your confidence in moving away from an assisted machine. Resistance bands are a sure way of getting you under the bar in the correct position but taking the tension out of the eccentric part of the movement (the movement back down)
Lat pull down machine ( progression )
Now all though this is an isolation exercise (targeting specific muscles) this exercise is a great way to teach the body how to engage your back muscles before during and after the movement. Lat pull downs are a sure way to increase size and strength in the back and with the movement of the bar making the same movement pattern as a chin up will go a long way to help improve your unassisted pull ups.
Pull ups (progression)
The big daddy move. when the body is strong enough it really is as simple as pulling yourself up. Once the correct form and strength has been attained this exercise is without doubt one of the best ways to build a big strong back without using any heavy duty equipment. You will also have so much variety in hand grips ( wide, neutral, narrow, side grips, underhand, towels, belts the list is endless. As well as grips is the option to add weight to the movement making it harder to initiate the starting phase. All in all this is an exercise that will reap big rewards if you spend the time learning how to perform it correctly. When it comes to pull ups the best way to learn is to jump in the deep end and just perform the movement no matter your level or choice of starting exercise but to assist in the build up of one day being able to perform these anyway you want incorporating a solid training routine that involves the major muscles across the the whole of your body will increase total body strength making a challenging exercise such as the pull up a little less challenging and more of a tool for better gains. www.bio-synergy.uk
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SPORT IS DIVIDED INTO TWO CAMPS www.bio-synergy.uk
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science programme, which they believe is unique, and second to none, benefiting athletes, junior and Senior.
Sport is divided into two camps, those that have high televised scheduling, and those that do not. This unfortunately means that the income level of athletes who are not involved in high profile sports, is dramatically lower than those who benefit from profile and the income that is generated by this advantage. This aspect of sport has always been a focus for The Hub Director, Nino Severino, and has been very high on the priority list of focuses for him. Nino ran a project 15 years ago to address this problem, working with EIS Official World Class athletes, internationals, and National athletes, who lacked the support that other lesser athletes would benefit from because of the financial support that was available to them. This support was offered through a programme called Sports Performance Academy, and through this programme support, which was totally funded personally by Nino, he attempted to bridge the gap. It was difficult, as resources and support were at an absolute minimum, but he proudly tells biosynergy “the athletes we supported, won National, Commonwealth, European and World medals and titles”. he went on to say, “but now, with the full support of The University of Suffolk, through The Hub, there is a massive opportunity to have a major impact on many athletes’ lives, on a National basis”. A chance meeting with Dr Gavin Devereux, Head of Sports Science and Coaching at The University of Suffolk, which led to Nino presenting to the university students, was the ignition point of The Hub. It was after the presentation, during a coffee, that Dr Gavin Devereux and Nino discussed The Hub, and the role it could play, and not just directly with elite athletes, but right across the range of sports, health and fitness. 6 months later, The Hub is in full flight, and finding its place in the programme of many elite athletes who are now preparing for major competition across the globe.
The Hub team, which includes Olympic Coaches, world class professionals that have operated at the highest level, from Premiership Football Clubs, Serie A League in Italy, and support staff for top ATP World Tour Tennis players, all form the value that is the Hub support team. And together they work with the technical coaches of these athletes, to offer a sports
The programme consists of many elements, the following being an example of some: Periodisation Plan, VO2 Max test – treadmill, Force Plate , Qualysis – Biomechanical analysis, Biodex Isokinetic Testing, Growth and Maturation measurements, Body composition assessment, Field fitness testing, Nutritional analysis, Training load monitoring, Hydration analysis, Musculoskeletal screening, Strength and conditioning consultancy, DNA Testing, Psychological Programme Support. The Hub is also driving training innovation, and creating interest from professional coaches internationally, as far away as Russian. The Hub is also involved in development, and have training equipment rights to a number of training systems, including the strobe glasses. The Hub, is focused on being a one stop shop, for all aspirational athletes, those who have their sights on National, International, Commonwealth, European and World titles. Their aim is to play a significant part of the Coaches and athletes very important support team. For more information about the Hub, please contact Nino amssportuk1@gmail.com
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