Warming Up before a workout

With the cold weather well and truly landed here in London I thought I would write a quick message about warming up. In my eyes the most under used tool when it comes to training, many will run over to the mats at the end of the session to have a quick flex in the mirror, attempt a few stretches whilst trying to chat up the new girl to the gym but when do people really take the time to warm up? Very rarely!!!

So why should we warm up? Think of your muscles like rubber bands. If you spend all day sitting at a desk, hunched over a keyboard, those rubber bands have gone almost completely unused.  Now, combine this lack of movement with some cold winter weather, your bands are now extra tight and constricted.  Then, go to a gym and immediately start lifting heavy weights or sprinting really fast then those cold, unstretched rubber bands get pulled apart very quickly and will snap. Other factors include the improvement of blood circulation around the body meaning you'll be able to achieve that shirt bursting arm pump you've dreamed off but furthermore your muscles and joints are ready for maximal flexibility. Which means the correct form can be performed on each exercise with maximum results along with minimal risk of injury.

So how should you warm up? Well the generic choice is a piece of CV equipment in the gym for 10 minutes. This I strongly advise against. Many gyms and PT's do this purely because it covers health and safety regulations. What I like to do with clients or even when warming up myself is play some sport. The sport of choice for me has got to be basketball because it promotes lower limb mobility along with mobility at the shoulders whilst raising your heart rate improving circulation. It's a fun game, played with 1-10 people in a small space and really gets you moving quickly. Try it before your next workout, just remember it's your warm up and not your workout so don't become too competitive.

 I also like to warm up key areas before I begin training that certain muscle group. Many people begin with just a lighter weight on the first exercise of the workout which I do also but the more and more you train, heavier weights your lifting, the more you need to focus on areas, for me this is shoulders. Here is the quick shoulder mobility circuit I'm currently using before every upper body workout:

* Scapular retraction  - Hang both arms down while grasping very light dumbbells, 5kg max. Now, bend the arms at a right angle as if you are nearing the top of a row (an exercise that targets the back - this is like a one-armed row but with both arms). Keeping that angle, draw the shoulder blades together, squeeze them, hold, and relax. Your arms do not bend more nor extend during the movement; you are solely focusing on the scapula. The range of motion will only be a few inches or less.
* Lateral rotation  - Lie on your right side. Keep your left arm along the upper side of your body. Bend your right elbow to 90 degrees. Keep the right forearm resting on the table. Now roll your right shoulder in, raising your right forearm up to your chest. Lower the forearm slowly. Repeat the exercise for 10 - 20 repetitions. Then do the whole exercise again with your left arm.
* Windmills -Simply straighten both arms then rotate forward 10 times, then reverse and rotate backwards. Start with small, slow circles and eventually increase the size of the circles and speed of rotation as your joint becomes accustomed to the drill.
Repeat this three times with attention always paid to form and tempo and that's you're warm up done. With the colder temperature outside the warm up is crucial but no matter the temperature I'll always do the same. It's a real investment for a much more efficient workout.

Give this a go!! Happy Dunking

Jack

New Year, New Goals

When Big Ben sounded and London's skyline lit up with fireworks it sparked the beginning of 2017. A new year means new resolutions and for the keen gym geeks out there it often means new goals in the gym. It's key to set these goals so they'll challenge you but also be achievable and realistic for you to complete.

I've spoken about this in previous posts but goals should always be SMART, meaning they're Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and with a Time frame. These are the fundamentals when it comes to setting goals that will keep you motivated and push you to become a better you.

Another important factor is to understand why you should set up goals. Now for me they set up the direction of my training by focusing my attention towards goal-relevant activities and away from goal-irrelevant activities. For example, if a marathon runner sets out to improve cardiovascular fitness, running economy and muscular strength then he should focus on improving these areas, something towards their goal. They should not focus on other tasks such as their clean and jerk. Yes aspects of this may somewhat help in running but is it still relevant to running itself? This approach will allow you to focus on the most important aspects of training and in essence, ensure your training is as efficient and effective as possible.

As I mentioned earlier on the post motivation is huge in any type of training and the way you set your goals can help with this. Goals allow for an easy assessment of performance and enable you to learn more about your training abilities which can subsequently help to replace boredom with challenge. As you start achieving your goals you will build your own self-directed motivation and replace fear and tension with focus and confidence. These factors combined often lead to more rewarding training.

My last point is set both short and long term goals in order to see success. No goal is too big in my eyes but you must set short term goals in order to achieve this. So, set one long term goal encompassing all that you want to achieve but within this set short term goals. These could be daily, weekly or monthly but something which when put together with others will help in achieving that long term goal.

For me goal setting is an extremely powerful technique for enhancing performance that can be applied by absolutely anyone ranging from elite athlete to recreational gym-goer. Goals help you to establish your ultimate destination, they offer a prudent method of identifying the roads you can take to get there, and indeed, they let you know when you have arrived. It is important to consider the different type of goals and how these can be implemented into your training regime so that you remain focused on your gym goals.

Happy New Year one and all.

Jack

Pull Ups give you wings

Following a video I put up on Instagram @jcdpersonaltraining I thought I'd write a quick blog on pull ups.  In my eyes the one exercise then anyone looking to stay in shape should master. Performed correctly they are the most effective exercise for isolating your posterior chain and growth to your back. Here is a quick break down of the fundamentals when performing a pull up.

Full range of motion : this is the most crucial and something I tell so many people when performing a pull up. A full stretch at the bottom of the rep to a squeeze and full contraction right up to the traps at the top of the rep. Doing this, you will recruit so many more muscle groups and strengthen the posterior chain as a whole. When people add weight to the pull up the range of motion seems to diminish, ensure this doesn't happen. Don't add weight until you are strong enough to using the full range of motion.

Tempo and contraction: This is where the growth occurs. Many neglect tempo for weight, now both have their benefits but lifting lots of weight with little or any form is going to do nothing, as tempo, no matter the weight, will always stimulate the muscle no matter weight, within reason. With a pull up tempo is crucial on the lowering, otherwise known as the eccentric phase. People believe that you only benefit from the pulling element of the movement but lowering your body under control will help with becoming stronger and aid with growth. Anything you have better control over you're automatically going to be stronger at, so don't neglect this. Contraction follows on from this ensuring through each rep as each muscle takes over from the other you're getting the most out of it. Focus on feeling each muscle, squeezing that muscle pulling to bring you closer to the bar. This is where tempo is needed to really feel this, so don't neglect either.

Alternative Exercises: What if I can't do a pull up? Well firstly I would recommended jumping up to the bar and lowering yourself under control, aim for a 4 second count. This will stimulate the muscles needed to perform a pull ups, with perseverance you'll be able to do a full pull up. I wouldn't really recommend using the assisted pull up machines instead use a heavy duty band looped on to the bar putting your foot on the band and then perform the pull up. Depending on the band this will decrease your overall bodyweight, as you become stronger use thinner, not so strong bands and soon you won't need assistance. I recommend this over the machine as it allows for imbalances and a more realistic, functional and closest movement to the pull up itself.

So don't neglect the pull up and if you use the exercise correctly it can aid in giving you a killer back and the better wings than red bull. Head over to my Instagram @jcdpersonaltraining for videos and be sure to follow for more advice.

Happy New Year

Jack

Christmas Tips

Christmas Eating

With Christmas fast approaching us the huge food shops have begun to ensure Christmas Day is bigger and better than last year. A bigger turkey, tastier Christmas pudding and the best mince pies money can buy. This does not help those who want to stay on track with their diet over the festive period in an attempt to beat the New Year diet. Here are a few tips to stay on track over Christmas yet still get the most out of the day.

1. A quick run or HIIT session Christmas morning. I know this sounds crazy but to get your metabolism really firing before a day of consuming your bodyweight in food get out and do some exercise. No more than 30 minutes is needed. Run 5 minutes to a local hill, 10 minutes of sprints followed by tabata squats (4 minutes, 20seconds work, 10 seconds rest), run back then cool down all before it's time to open the presents. Target the legs, with these being the bigger muscle groups a higher volume of calories shall be burnt, meaning you won't feel guilty having another Yorkshire.
2. Christmas lunch is always the bigger meal of the day so reduce your portion size on the other meals. Cut your breakfast in half, this will mean you'll be less full for when the main lunch arrives and you'll have those extra calories to eat at lunch without feeling guilty!!! Whatever you do, don't feel guilt for overindulging, it's the worse thing you can do. If you want something, eat it, it's one day. The more and more you crave it, when it comes to eating it you'll overindulge more because you feel like you've earned it.
3. Stick to the spirits. The festive period is a time to get merry but for those of you who want to stay on track as much as possible alcohol can be one of your biggest demos. Alcohol is branded by many experts as empty calories with the biggest protagonists being beer and wine so I personally would always advocate on sticking to spirits. Whisky has always been my choice as it's a drink that you can drink without the need of mixers as these can boast the calorie count. Gin with slim lime tonic and vodka with soda are both great alternatives.

So there you have it, three simple tips to keep you and your diet on track over the festive period.

Have a Merry Christmas

Jack

How often should I train?

This is the question as a PT I get asked the most, ‘How often should I be training?”. This to me is such a broad question, with there being so many contributing factors to answer the question fully and correctly. What is your goal? How much time can you give to the gym a week? What is your current level of fitness? What does your diet look like?. These are all questions that I’m going to answer, offer you solutions and prompt ideas which in turn should help you in finding how often you should be training. 

The most important question you need to ask yourself, what really is your goal? I like to personally use a pyramid system with all contributing factors leading to achieving the goal at the top. The foundations being your diet, training in the middle and something very specific to the goal as the icing at the top. I still believe that your diet is the underpinning factor when it comes to training, not fuelling your body correctly will hinder you're training and progression. So before any of this begins you need to ask yourself what is that goal? Do you want to enter a competition, sports specific, look great for your holiday or just generally feel better about yourself? This is where you need to start. Ensure when deciding on this you use SMART goals.

S - Specific 

M - Measurable

A - Attainable

R - Realistic

T - Time Managed. 

This doesn't just have to be just one goal but could be many different, small achievable goals leading towards one long term goal. However you do it ensure that these are achievable, if not this could cause demotivation when you're not quite achieving them but can also pose as the opposite boasting motivation when you do. Once you have you're goal in mind everything else around that should be catered into how you going to achieve that goal the most efficient way possible. 

How much time you can offer to the gym is also crucial because if you can only offer 3 hours religious a week to the the gym than that is the only amount you're going to be training. Firstly you must remember that your training should never be a seen as a chore, you should be wanting to go, this being where the above point comes in with having a goal, motivating you to go and get the job done. With everyones life’s becoming busier there is less free time in your day to go and do things such as the gym and at the end of the day will determine how often you can train, so be strict on yourself on realistically how often you really are going to be able to go to the gym. If this is only 3x1 hour sessions a week that thats all it is, but you must stay committed to this, much like the SMART goals used above it must be realistic. Here are a few pointers to make the most of your time and be in the gym more regularly.

• Make it part of your routine. If you have a 10 mile commute to work each morning, instead of driving to work, cycle to work. Get up an hour earlier and join a gym close to work so you can workout before going to work meaning you can work slightly late or go for a catch up with friends after work. 
• Use HIIT (High Intensity interval training). This is the modern way to train, short, sharp and to the point with a workout rarely over 30 minutes. This can be from a class at your local gym or a quick 20 minute before your morning shower, all quick, simple but most importantly intense. 
• Train with a partner. Research says those who train together, stay together and this is very true. A Sunday morning jog or a quick circuit in the garden will up the volume you're training but also mean you're still getting to spend time with those close to you. They'll be your motivator when you need them the most.  

We’re getting slightly more specific now but in order to know how often you should be training you really should depend it on your current level. You won’t see an professional athlete that trains only twice a week and yet someone who hasn't done any kind of physical activity in 5 years all of a sudden start hitting the gym 5 times a week! You really must judge it upon what level you are at already otherwise, things such as injury could occur when you start training too soon, there must be progression. This therefore means look where you're already at yourself, could you go out and happily run a sub 50 minutes 10k with ease? Than running 4/5 times a week really isn't going to be a problem. Could you last a 30 minute HIIT circuit and still be able to move the next day, then you're at a level where you could train 3 times or more a week, its very much dependent on your already known ability level. Start off with less sessions and slowly increase over time, progression is always the better option to regression. 

Diet I will also refer back to as for me it’s the most crucial element of anyones training programme because without it you're not going to be able to train anywhere near your optimum level, get this in check before you even start considering how often you should be training. You could be training 7 days a week but if you're diet isn’t in order to either fuel or aid recovery after these sessions than you’ll never advance, or meet those goals. Little pointers to help are as follows:

• Always eat breakfast!! This is the most imperative in my opinion, opting for a carb and protein heavy meal will aid you so much in the mornings. Don't eat just a piece of food or these all in one breakfast ready to go drinks, really focus on getting some good nutritious food down you. Low Gi carbs along with some protein. Oats with MyProtein Impact Whey will do the job perfectly.
• You’ll need to eat more than you think. Find out your BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate) using an app or just type it into google. You'll gather a result, a rough estimate of how many calories you're body needs a day. Add or lose 300-500 for gaining to losing weight, simple!!!
• Bulk all meals out with vegetables. Veggies in this scenario are your friends, they make you fill fuller, make you believe there is more food on the plant and lastly are full on micronutrients. Also opt for greens over anything else. Snacking on vegetables is also great, carrot and celery sticks being my favourite. 
• Break your meals up throughout the day. Many people think the only way to lose weight is to eat 6 meals a day and with that they may be right, but not something which you have to stick to. I just believe in spreading them out, attempting to grasp around the same calorific content and marconutrients from each but don't get too hung up on this. Your overall calorie intake for the day is the crucial number, not how many meals you've eaten to achieve this so, divert more attention to your overall consumption. 
• Lastly it is never constrict yourself. This is one of the worse things to do in my eyes. Yes you're diet should be clean but it doesn't have to be this all the time, you can waver once or twice. Obviously this can’t become a regular occurrence but if you're craving say a piece of chocolate, than eat a piece of chocolate. There is always a better nutrition option such as dark chocolate so attempt to always get these where you can, but whatever you do don't treat it as a reward. See it as food and thats it, otherwise you'll than just have the mind set that you need a reward all the time. 

So I may have gone off subject quite a lot there but it gives you a broader understanding on how all elements work together. Yes the article is titled ‘how often should you train?’ but not one of the points I raised has more precedence than the other. Train hard, set goals, eat right and you're on the way to success. 

Steve Cook - Hypertrophy Training

I was recently on youtube just having a little browse when I came across a video from Steve Cook on hypertrophy training, to which I thought I'd share with you. Steve Cook is very popular in the fitness industry after becoming an IFBB pro Men's Physique Competitor, Optimum Nurtition and Bodybuilding.com spokesmen and of course the founder of Swoldier. Swoldier nation is Steve Cook's ethos on training in the gym but furthermore in life. Doing things the right way. This could be through setting goals to achieve in the gym but basically it underpins the drive that causes you to succeed in life. This has become massive with many followers and has really started to bring a different light on the muscle building community.

Back to hypertrophy training. You may ask what is difference between strength and hypertrophy training well, firstly hypertrophy training is a method of strength training and is intended to induce the fastest muscle growth in the shortest period of time without the use of anabolic steroids. There are four different principles to this type of training. Mechanical load is the first, meaning tension loading of the muscle through an exercise. Chronic stimulation which is the theory that a muscle does not need more than 48 hours to recover because within that 48 hours window recovery can still take place with the correct rate of protein and nutrition. Progressive load is also a principle through over time the tissue adapts and becomes resistant to the effects of the first principle, mechanical load. Therefore the load must be increased to overcome adaptation by the body thus, causing growth to occur. Strategic Deconsitioning or in other terms a rest week is where the body has reached a point at the end of a cycle where it can't tolerate more weight, therefore a set period of rest must be take, allowing for the muscle to grow. These are the basics to hypertrophy training, boring stuff out the way now how to put it into practice.

Now as I mentioned early Steve Cook has recorded numerous videos of him doing this type of training online and it is really interesting, where you shall defiantly see growth. He overloads the muscle through 8 reps for 8 sets of the same exercise only allowing for 30 seconds of rest between sets. This therefore allows very little rest for the muscle to recover in anyway, and depending on which exercise your performing can really get the heart pumping. The weight used would not be what you would normally use for an 8 rep set otherwise you will not be able to last for all 8 sets so bring it down by about 30%. He thens pushes it further through either superseting or tri-setting exercises later on into the workout. This becomes really difficult after the muscle is already quite fatigued. With the additional volume in your training hypertrophy will definetly bring about growth. Also if your someone that goes to the gym and just goes through the motions this will bring a stop to that and keep the body guessing of what might be coming next causing it to adapt and grow. I personally tried the 8x8 with arms at the end of my session today and I usually get a burn through supersetting on my arms but this just brought an all together different burn more of any ache, so you should definetly give it a try if you want something new with any workout.

Try this link to see his workout http://bit.ly/1fZhrca

Remember diet 70%, gym 30%

Jack

Optimum Nutrition - Amino Energy

Amino Energy is a supplement which can be used for anytime energy, focus and recovery. For me this was a supplement I thought was a must have and it certainly lives up to its expectations. 

Now per a serving of amino energy you receive 5 grams of amino acids, which giving a serving is 9 grams you're certainly getting you're money’s worth. 160 milligrams of caffeine from green tea is also included, pretty much the same caffeine level as having a large coffee from Starbucks, so a good old helping. Of the remaining 4 grams, 1.6 is Beta-alanine which just falls short of a recommended serving but for those of you who are looking to find a all in one supplement, this easily meets the job. 

One thing I love about this supplement is the taste. Many amino based drinks I've tried in the past are very concentrated, making me feel quite sick throughout my workout. There is no spiky or bitter aftertaste along with no dull taste reminiscent of products containing high doses of l-Arginine. The mix-ability is perfect like all Optimum supplements with no chunks or excessive foam on top, no matter what shaker you're using. 

Does this supplement help you when training is the next questions you're going to ask, and my verdict is yes. I used this as a intra-workout drink but, it can be used both pre and post workout. The effects of the stimulants are immediate within you're workout, allowing me to remain focused and centred throughout the duration of my workout. I’ve used this on every muscle group that I have trained and have noticed an increase to the endurance of the muscle, being able to lift heavier for longer which in turn has allowed for a great pump achieved towards the end of my workout. 

Amino Energy therefore is a great product for anyone that is looking for a supplement that offers versatility on a product which can be taken at any time. This products can solve multiple problems, with one solution, amino energy. It tastes great, retains focus through your workout, along with all the amino acids you'll ever need. All aspects considered its a must have product. 

How to train effectively?

How to train a effectively?

Recently I was reading in a Q&A section of a magazine and it made for an interesting read. Training effectively can mean a numerous number of things but mainly aimed at are you reaching the goal that you set out to. So the point I'm getting at is set yourself goals in training, here are a few you could set yourself. 

Strength goals - set yourself a goal of a certain exercise you want to lift more weight on, thus building further strength. The big three are always good for this. I like to go with the most reps at BW for bench, 1.5 BW squat and 2xBW deadlift. 

Muscular Endurance - you could set yourself a certain goal through time based or number of reps completed for an exercise or numerous of exercises. A circuit/crossfit WOD is always good for this. Set yourself goals and strive to beat these, this will motivate you to push yourself further and train more effectively.

A competition or event - this is the best way to push yourself further as if you're competitive like me it shall push you more and more to achieve a better result at the event. Setting your sessions round this will always mean you'll train effectively.

Nutrition - this is in my eyes the most important. If you're not eating the right foods, not just pre and post workout but daily you won't train effectively!! As you may have heard many times if a car didn't have the right fuel it wouldn't work the most effectively it could. This is the same with the food you consume. Stick to your slow digesting carbs pre workout so not to feel sluggish, with fast digesting both during and post workout. Eat plenty of fruit and veg, lean protein options with a little diary and you'll be on the right track. 

So there you have it, get training effectively. Follow this points and you won't be going far wrong. Let us know if these points help. 

Meal Prep, the easy way!!!

Now nutrition is the largest contributing factor to get in shape and more importantly stay in shape. If any of you follow me on Instagram you'll know I prep meals a lot! There are three reasons I do this.

1) I am very busy at work and I like to eat around every 3 hours so I prep them all and carry them with me everywhere I go. It also saves so much time slaving away in the kitchen!!!

2) Keeps you on track. This is the most important. As your meals are prepared you don't fall into the trap of having to buy something, risking the temptation of having a cheat meal. 

3) You can prepare the exact nutritional requirements you need. Everyone has a macro goal, meal prep makes this so easy. Just cook all the food you need to meet those requirements and then split that into the meals throughout the day. 

Tips for meal prep:

- Prep meals in two day blocks. This means you can cook in bulk, making the process so much faster. Also means you can buy in bulk. 

- Prep food you will eat cold!!! There is a wide spread of protein options, I like to stick to sweet potato and brown rice for my carb options, including veggies. Fats are through nuts, eggs and avocado. 

- Grab a sauce low in salt and sodium. Carry this with you everywhere you go, just to add a little flavour to boring food. 

- If you haven't got a fridge to store your food in then get a 6 pack bag!! These are amazing. They are totally worth there weight in gold. A must buy if you're serious about staying on track with your nutrition!!! Link below. 

So there you have it, meal prep made easy, now get gaining!!!!!!!

Jack

Training at Reebok Sports Club!!!

I'm only just recovering from what was a crazy day yesterday! I had a pretty free day so decided to go and train with a old friend who lives in East London. She is a beast!! We decided we were going to do two sessions, one involving some high intense cardio followed by a weights session in the afternoon, with a trip to Nandos obviously in between!!!!

Now she called on me as she really wants to get her speed up when it comes to running. She has great speed over long distances but is lacking that quick turn of speed. Things we worked on:

1) Find gears when it comes to running. This is a must in any type of training but especially when running. It gets to the point where you can just turn it on and off, similar to a tap.

2) Stride. She's got a great long stride from distance running but over short distances, especially hills this doesn't bat in her favour. With bringing knees higher, weight shifted to the toes and a quicker drive from the calves we shredded 4 seconds off a 80m hill sprint over 5 attempts!!!! 

3) Leg Power. Over the short distances this is what you need so I took her to a hill with steps. Practiced running up the hill every other step and with the incline focused on the driving motion forward. This in turn will help with the short distance sprint work. 

After stuffing our faces in Nandos and grabbing a well needed coffee we headed to Reebok Sports Club in Canary Wharf. All I can say is wow!!!! This place is amazing, for anyone that's into their fitness it's like you're little again and you parents have just taken you into a sweet shop and said 'choose what you want'. There is just so much equipment for all different types of training. But when you have Ulisses training there and is one of the PT's what can you expect. We again focused on leg power through Deadlifts and Front Squats.

1) Deadlifts, we a focus on the power from the legs. This is the initial phase and where a majority of the momentum comes from for the lift. Really use this and not too much back. 

2) Taking the tension out of the bar. Make sure the bar is tight along with the rest of your body prior to lifting, it will reduce any jerking motion. She managed 5x5 at 105kg which I was impressed at considering she weights only 55kg. 

3) Front Squat, make sure you keep elbow high. If these drop then it will cause you to bend forward to catch the weight and therefore your form becomes compromised. 

We finished off with a few leg extensions, but after going into double figures with sets on deadlifts were pretty fatigued. 

So for any of you fitness freaks out there living in London get over to Reebok Sports Club. I cannot recommend it more!! You will never need to go anywhere else, plus the PT's are great even if you can't get Ulisses. Also there are so many people in great shape around you it motivates even more. The electronic locker system is also a huge plus!!! 

Have a great weekend 

Jack

Powerlifitng - Mike O'Hearn and Rob Riches

Its Monday which can only mean one thing, CHEST DAY!!! All the benches will be rammed with other gym goers, all with the same goal, to get a huge chest!! I will be one of these people trying to improve my bench press. 

Now recently I’ve really been trying to focus on going a lot heavier than I normally would with all movements, with new goals in mind for the big three. 

Bench Press - 1 rep at 1.5 BW = 145kg

Squat - 1 rep at 2 BW = 180kg 

Deadlift - 1 reps at = 230kg.

You may as why? Well certainly Deadlifts and Bench Press I have neglected recently, focusing more on the body building way of training in the hypertrophy range, with more isolated exercises. Recently however I was inspired when scrolling through youtube by a video with Mike O’Hearn and Rob Riches, two people who have totally different ways and ethos to training. See the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8x-Te2J8Ao

Now both guys are huge in the fitness world, with Mike being of this new way of training through the use of powerlifting. Rob adopts more of a bodybuilding based programme. This video however totally changes his way of thinking. It thus inspired me to look more into this type of training and include it more into my programme, always great to mix things up to. 

I shall leave the Deadlift and squat for now and focus on the bench press. Now points that I picked up which really helped me in the following session are as follows:

1. Keep feet planted at all times, attempting to push through these on the movement.
2. Try and bend the bar, keeping your elbows tucked in. (This also prevents shoulder injury).
3. Thumbs around the bar!!!!
4. Think of the chest pulling together on the concentric, (pushing) phase of the movement. 
5. Lower the bar under control, breathing in. Explode up, breathing out. 
6. Keep you body tight!! Your breathing will aid this. 

I put this all into practice and it aided me so much. Bench is one of my weaker areas so I really want to focus on this into the future. I warmed up all my shoulder area and slowly worked my way up to 130kg where I managed to get two reps out, the second one needing a slight assistance. I then attempted 140kg, but just didn’t have the power to get a clean rep out. Below is a video of me doing 130kg for one after as I decided to work in a slight pyramid fashion. Here hopefully you can see everything I have listed above put into practice. 

https://instagram.com/p/6XiCy_HOGp/?taken-by=jacksfitnessforyou

So there you have it, have a look at the video I have linked and check this new way of training through the use of powerlifting. Lets face it if Mike O’Hearn uses it in his programmes it must be good!!!

Jack

Rest Week, MyProtein BCAA and Smartshake

This is my last day in Oman, which means my rest week is coming to an end and it's back to the grind. I am literally craving the gym right now. My body feels well recovered especially after the Thai massage I received yesterday. I would recommend this to anyone that is feeling sore. No more knots in my back!!!!! Yippee!!! One thing I've kept with me all week to aid this recovery however is my BCAA's from MyProtein and of course my smartshake. Two things I can't live without!!!

I am a huge ambassador of MyProtein and all their products. Since I started using them around 3 years ago  they have made huge advancements in the fitness world, recently sponsoring FC Porto. The only supplements I use are MyProtein, which can never be faulted. Now back to the BCCA. 

Branch Chain Amino Acids are the building blocks to protein, known as the essential amino acids. The body needs these for protein synthesis to occur, repairing and building muscle. 8 of the 16 amino acids are produced by the body with the remainder coming from diet. BCAA are even better as they metabolise through the muscle tissue and not the liver therefore arriving straight at the source, this is only unique to BCAA. The main three BCCA are leucine, isoleucine and valine.

So why do I take BCAA? The most overwhelming reason for it is catabolic crisis, losing muscle mass. When the body is running low on energy it starts to break down muscle tissue, targeting amino acids to use as fuel. However through the additional supplementation of BCAA this won't occur as they decrease the activity of the components of protein breakdown . This is the reason why I packed my BCCA to aid recovery and prevent breakdown of the muscle.

When and how should you take this supplement then. I personally in a normal week take a 5 gram scoop in my water whilst training as this is when muscle breakdown is most likely to occur and further taking one before bed as through the night recovery is the main aim in which this will aid in. In my rest week I have just taken some upon waking and pre bedtime. This is £13.29 on MyProtein, with an exclusive offer of 2 for 1 so get on there!!!

Smartshake is my shaker of choice wherever I go, I just love them!!!  The shaker has a stack based system on the bottom to hold supplements, nuts, just about any small snack. The filtering system which comes with the shaker also means you don't have to worry about any lumps, however this also depends on what powders you use. Microwave safe so you can even warm meals up in them. The last important thing of all is the longevity and how easy it is to wash. For some reason you never seem to get the smell like from others once you've used them a while. If it does just whack it in the dishwasher, yes I forgot to mention that. Plus you drop them and they never break. I'm always dropping stuff!! They have a carabiner on the shaker as well which means it's easy to transport, just attach it to a strap on your gym bag. 

So there you go my rest week is coming to a end, but this two things I defiantly can't live without. Back to the grind tomorrow, can't wait!!!

Jack 

'Bend it like Beckham' inspired football blog.

Today I’m going to look at fitness from a different angle then what I normally write, but first a little bit of background on me. I am a qualified personal trainer living in London, however my main job is that of a musician, playing mainly all woodwind instruments and percussion. Being a musician in London I have a lot of interaction with the West End and most recently saw the new musical ‘Bend it Like Beckham’. Now this is a must watch musical if you either live or are visiting London. The musical is a adaptation of the film from 2002 and brings the issue of women’s football to light. The music composed by Howard Goodall has so many catchy numbers mainly due to the fusion of music from both cultures. As like the film, the musical outlines Jess’s, played excellently by Natalie Dew, battle against culture and dream in becoming a footballer. The team she plays for are based on the Hounslow Harries captained by Jules, played by Lauren Samuels. There are many demanding dance routines throughout the show for the team and boy are these girls in shape!!!! For any of my women follows be sure to check out Lauren Samuels on both twitter and Instagram as she is really into her fitness and is always posting useful little recipes, some of which I have nicked!! Along with the success of England's women football team thus more of my clients looking to them as inspiration I thought I’d write a few little tips for women on developing their fitness for football. 

The list goes on for the different types of fitness needed by footballers of today through speed, balance, agility, strength and power. Now all these areas can be easily covered through a structured programme, both in and out of the gym. First I’ll cover speed, strength and power. For football explosive power in the legs is crucial in whichever position you play. This could be though surging runs forward or in defence protecting from attacks and making those all important headers. The exercise that I would use to develop leg power for all of these is my favourite the squat, but with a slight twist. As oppose to performing it normally I would lower over a 4 second count pause at the bottom for a 4 second count then explode out of the squat. If using weight reduce it to something you would normally feel comfortable with performing 12 reps. Use the pause method through performing 4 sets of 6 reps. Back, front and sumo squats can all be used this way and will help in improving speed, strength and power in addition to a plyometric routine. 

Agility is a must for any football player. Below is the best drill for the job, named the x drill. This will help improve agility but also many areas such as hip mobility, speed, power and balance. Also movement both forward and laterally. Set up four cones in a square around 10 paces apart, then follow the steps below.

1. Run from the first cone laterally to the second.
2. Sprint diagonally across to the third cone. 
3. Move left laterally once more to the last cone.
4. Then turn and sprint to the cones you started at.

Mix the sequence up in which you run in order to move in all directions. Also you can also turn and run backwards in some. 

Another drill that can be performed for agility but which also involves balance are just basic sprint drills with a slight difference. Find a area 60m in length either flat or with a slight incline and set off running backwards. Count 15-20 paces in your head then turn your body 180 degrees sprinting to the end with max effort. This can be performed in groups as well with one member calling the turn, keeping the others alert and adding a bit of compeition. Turn both left and right on every other. This is great for explosive power but also the balance and agility required for a sudden change of movement on the pitch. Perform 12-15 of these with max effort, resting until your heart rate has fully recovered. These performed with max effort will sent your heart rate through the roof, thus improving on you anaerobic capacity. 

Sprints starting from different position will also aid all of the above. Starting on your back, exploding up and into a sprint or performing 10 jump squats/5 burpees into a sprint will all make you match ready. 

Match ready workout

• Run out to a park or area of choice to train. Easy 50-60% effort.
• Mobility of all lower body joint, specific attention paid to the hips. 
• Rest and pause bodyweight squats. Perform 6-8 reps, focus on tempo of 4410. 4 seconds lowering under control, 4 second pause exploding up and no rest at the top of the movement. 
• MINI HIIT CIRCUIT performing as many rounds in 15 minutes.
• 5 tuck jumps
• 8 press ups
• 10 jump squats
• 12 get ups. (Lay with your back on the floor and get up without using your arms).
• Sprint Drills
• 5x60m twist and sprint.
• 5x60m sprints starting with 3 burpees.
• 5x60m starting with a 20 second plank. 

• Run back,stretch and get ready for DOMS in your legs for days!!!

So there is a quick entry for all you ladies looking for little adjustments you could make to your workouts in order to develop your fitness for football or just your level of fitness in general. Remember to see in improve you must train hard, eat well and half the battle is done before you even step on the pitch.

Jack

How many carbs do I need to eat??

The volume of carbohydrates in anyones diet has always been a massive worry for many people. So people believe that cutting all carbs whether it be high glycemic or also low glycemic carbs is what needed to become shredded and to look like all the time fitness models, well in many ways you'd be wrong.

For many years this was me, always thinking that cutting carbs out of my diet will allow me to lose what and look lean for the ever 6 pack to come out which is everyones desire. Carbohydrates are an essential macronutrient. They are your body's preferred energy source, and they're a great source of fuel for any physical activity you might do during the day. But, if you don't use carbs the right way at the right times, they can add an enormous amount of fat to your body. There are four easy ways to do this:

1 At breakfast you body is deprived of calories and energy due to you fasting throughout the night therefore, this is one of the best times to consume carbohydrates as your glucose tolerance is at its highest. For breakfast grab something that is full of slow glycemic carbs, best option being something like oats. This is slow releasing, keeping you fuller for longer.

2 Another great time to eat carbs and is where they are also essential is both pre and post workout. Pre workout carbs will give you the energy to sustain a high, intense rate throughout your workout however if you body is not use to consuming carbohydrates here be careful as it may make you feel tired and slow. Opt for a high glycemic carb like a banana to give you a quick energy burst, some time fitness models even go as far as krispy kreme donuts . Post workout is when your body is at one of its highest to consume carbs in order to gain recovery and energy. (I wont bore you with all the details). Again you want a fast absorbing carb which will get straight into the muscle. Fruits and honey are always a great source. I often make a shake with my whey protein along with kiwi and a banana. A little treat to look forward to. Here you want to be consuming around 40-60grams if you are monitoring your macro nutrients. 

3 Don’t eat all your carbs in one sitting, this will make you feel bloated and often very tired. Instead opt to break it up over the day, constantly feeding the muscles. This works the same for proteins and fats. This leads me onto how you need to mix up the carbs you're eating, don’t just eat rice all day. One you'll get bored and so will your body processing it. Instead opt for things so as bulgar wheat, sweet potato and VEGETABLES!!!

4 Eating carbohydrates late at night has always been a huge topic of conversation across the fitness world. Many people say that you should eat no carbs after 7pm as unless you train late  as you body no longer needs energy however I am some what against this. Don’t get me wrong I don’t eat a huge volume of carbs late a night but I don’t cut them completely out. If they fit into your macros for the day then go ahead and eat them. 

5 The best way I look at eating carbs in general is you must mix it up. Eat more carbs then you normally would and see if they give you more energy in the gym, if they don’t then taper them down slightly. Second to that is look in the mirror, this is a mans best friend in getting a good body even if slightly vein. If you're looking to fat, cut down on the volume food especially carbs you're eating. If you want to put some bulk on, up the food you're eating. Easy as that. Give it a week or so between changing this and you'll notice such a difference when comparing yourself in the mirror. This will help you understand what is best for your body as everyones body works differently and you can build on it from there. 

Therefore don't be afraid of eating carbohydrates just follow the five easy steps above and see how they work for you, however this isn't gospel. These are the foundation to test your body and understand how it reacts to this and adjust it to fit your individuals needs for the future. 

Remember 70% diet and 30% gym.

Jack

Cover Model Shape - Ryan Terry

As the summer is fast approaching everyone in the fitness industry are starting their prep to get their summer beach body ready for their summer holiday, me included. I therefore thought I'd check out Ryan Terry who's rapidly becoming huge deal in the fitness industry. He is the IFBB Europeans Men Physique Champion, UKBFF National Physique Champion and a former Mister International. He appears regularly on magazine front cover and this months front cover of muscle and fitness along with Steve Cook. When looking into Ryan in more detail I came across a series of videos on www.myvideopt.com where he explains how he gets into shape for his photo shoots, the shape everyone desires to look like when sunning it up on the beach over the summer. Here is just a quick brief outline of what was shown and mentioned on the videos but you defiantly need to check it out yourself.

The first thing he mentions is how for every photo shoot which he does he aims to look natural for, therefore no too ripped, just enought definition to allow for each muscle to have space and be identified. This is a great bit of advice as many people just go too far to the point where it just looks unrealistic. He goes onto add how he usually starts this programme six weeks before the photo shoot in order to add things in slowly and too not shock the body. This will help across the board and it means you can change everything allowing the body to adjust, especially through the nutritional side where you've got to start eating so much cleaner to get rid of that unwanted body fat.

Now the changes to his workout are as follows. Instead of the split routine which many people looking to build muscle use he breaks it down into more of an upper body and lower body workout. This is because he ups the intensity of the workout by using more of a circuit based workout. This in theory ups the intensity of the workout which in turn will burn unwanted body but without losing the muscle mass gained. His workout will still last for well over an hour which shows how intense the sessions must be but furthermore the effort and commitment it takes to get a body like his. The weight for each exercise is therefore dropped by a lot as your looking more for testing the endurance of the muscle, a rep range of 16-20.

Next nutrition which is the biggest obstacle you must get across to get in cover model shape and that is just by purely eating clean. Changing your macros by losing such a high percentage of carbs and switching the carbohydrates for vegetables and those of low gi values such as sweet potato. You need to not give into cravings and just stick to a clear and clean diet plan, which is where meal prep is so crucial. If you prepare your meals in bulk for the week or day you will one be able to eat little and often, boasting the metabolism and stopping the cravings from occurring. This will also allow you to feed the body the nutrients it needs to survive by just keeping it topped up. High protein in these meals is a must, with it taking up at least half of the meal. For those people out there who want a bargain aswell, cooking in bulk will save you a lot of money and also time. The Recipes for these meals, will be in another blog soon so watch this space.

So there it is. All you need to know on how to get that cover model look which you see Ryan Terry has splashed across magazines for the summer body you dreamed of. All you need to remember is 70% diet, 30% gym as always.

Jack 

Keeping in shape whilst away on holiday

So with the Easter holidays coming up many of you are going to be going away on holiday but still want to keep in shape for the summer, just like you promised yourself for your New Years Resolution, well your reading the right thing. As I write this post I'm sitting in my hotel in Delhi thinking the exact same thing, so a few steps to keep you on for your goals.

Firstly what your eating is the most important. Now I know your on holiday and you've got to relax therefore meaning you can eat and drink what you want, but as always do it in moderation. If you can go for the healthier option then do. Now I know how hard that can be with most countries washing salads in their own water meaning it's not the best thing to eat, trust me I know I'm struggling in India at the minute. But try and pick up the protein options and not the fried food!!!! With the alcohol side go with the lighter calorific drinks, stay away from the beers and instead opt for a gin and tonic.

Now on to the workout, if there is no gym to do your usual workout and only your room then what do you do?? You can still do a muscle building workout in your hotel room with just your own bodyweight. You can use easy exercises like press-ups, squats, dips and burpees onto advance exercises such as crab walks, ice skaters, crocodile walks and even as far as handstand push ups. So putting this all into your hotel room circuit:
20 press ups,
length of your room crocodile walk,
30 squats, crab walk length of room,
10 burpees,
15 dips.
 For press ups, squats and dips use time under tension for a count of 4010. This will add that little bit more too your workout, helping with the building phase. Give this a try for four rounds, changing if needed the number of reps to your specification.

So next time your in your hotel room not knowing what to do for your phys for the day give this a go.

As always remember diet 70%, gym 30%

Jack

Training Chest - Rob Riches

The other day I was reading Rob Riches blog and I found his Chest overload article a really great read. For those of you who don't know who Rob Riches is he is a fitness competitor, model and author but most importantly is in amazing shape and is one of only a few top competitors who show people like me and you how he actually trains.

In this article he explains his chest routine, going through his warm up and how he structures his workout to get the best out of his chest. But the section I want to really draw you eye to is when it comes to dumbbell flies. Now I don't know about you and me but I usually go to failure on flies or a drop set, this fatiguing that muscle however, Rob says by this point your type 2b muscle fibres have not yet been used and this is where you will see the best lean muscle gains. He therefore employs a kind of rest and pause method to which I will do a blog on in the near future so be sure to check it out, anyway back to recruiting those type 2b muscle fibres. He then rests for around 20 seconds, allowing for the muscles to recover by 30% and perform a further few reps. This therefore pushing the threshold into a different capacity of the muscle, really feeling a burn.

I attempted this in the gym yesterday and have never felt the muscle had been worked so hard, so I thought I'd share this with you. This is great with any isolation exercise and it pushes the muscle beyond the fatigue threshold where the gains are really made. Be sure to check Rob Riches training articles out on his website.

www.robriches.com

Anyway keep the training up and when you want to try something a bit different, then I definetly recommend giving this a try.

Remember 70% diet, 30% gym

Jack

Crossfit

With the Crossfit opens fast approaching us gearing up to the ever growing crossfit games in the summer, I thought I would do a quick post on some of my favourite crossfit workouts which can be used for those of you with little time for training in your busy schedules or, for those who want a quick, intense workout.

Crossfit is part of a strength and conditioning programme, which is designed for anyone of any ability or age. It consists of varied, high intensity functional movements which is why it has grown so huge in recent years and used by many organisations. From my own experience this has become massive in the Military as all of the movements are functional to what might be needed in a combat situation, this therefore conditioning the solider in the right way to prepare them for when their physical attributes are called upon. Furthermore it is a very fun way to train and providing the equipment is at hand, large groups can be trained together. Crossfit is also a community and a way of living, seen mainly through the 'Paleo Diet' which if you don't know what it is I will be explaining in a later blog.

The only one thing I have against Crossfit is the fact they give you a certain amount of reps of an exercise to complete in a certain time. Don't get me wrong this is great for motivating yourself against others however, with speed comes poor form and when lifting heavy things can go totally wrong. So just make sure you don't sacrifice speed for form!!!

So why not give it a try?? I'm not a true cross-fitter however I do incorporate it into my workout regime as a cardio session or on days when I've not got access to a gym, so it is great for those who can't afford a gym membership and yet still can have an amazing workout. These are a few which I like doing, but if not Crossfit HQ release a WOD (workout of the day) each day so you have your own training regime to follow right there. Don't forget these WOD's all have regressions for those that are just starting out, or movements can be changed and just use the format for people with specific goals.

Cindy
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 squats
As many rounds in 20 minutes

Fran
40kg thrusters
Pull ups
21-15-9 reps for time

Murph
1 mile run
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 squats
1 mile run
For time

Jackie
1000m row
20kg thrusters (50 reps)
Pull ups (30 reps)
For time

Give these WOD's a go and let me know how you get on. The mixture of strength and cardio will definitely push you to the edge.

Don't forget 70% diet, 30% gym

Jack

The Ideal Breakfast

It's no myth that breakfast is THE most important meal of the day and making sure you are fuelling your body with the right produce is vital for making sure your body is running on full capacity throughout your day even when you're looking to burn body fat. This, therefore, means that your macro nutrients need to be top of the agenda!

Introducing you to the legendary Banana Omelette! This is legendary because everyone I introduce it to  just falls in love with it. So, I suppose you want to know how to make this bad boy?...

Well, it's super easy. 

Ingredients:

1 Large Banana (mashed)

4 egg whites & 2 yolks 

1 scoop of oats

1 Scoop of Vanilla (or a flavour of your choice) Pro10 Whey Protein Powder

A dash of Soya Milk

Fry Light 1 Cal Spray

Honey (if desired)

Method:

Pre-heat saucepan on high heat.

Once banana is mashed in jug, add eggs and whisk until fluffy. Then, add a scoop of oats and Protein Powder along with the dash of milk, whisk until all powder has disappeared. 

Spray saucepan with Fry Light and add mixture, levelling it out to create an even omelette.

Allow this to cook for until colour changes around the edges. Slowly loosen edges before flipping the omelette in half, cooking until liquid has disappeared. 

Time to serve and add honey if you've got a cheeky sweet tooth. 

Enjoy!!! - I know you will. 

Remember 70% diet, 30% gym.

Jack

Creatine Monohydrate by Pro 10 supplements

Are you taking creatine? Have you ever thought about taking creatine? Well this is the one you must buy.

Creatine is found in red meat and tuna but through the process of cooking this is often lost. Your body also produces creatine, however not enough to see substantial gains as your metabolism often burns this, therefore this must be supplemented.

If your goals are to put on size and strength then creatine is a way to aid you for this. Firstly it helps when producing ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which, in turn with type 2b muscle fibres, will help with your explosive power which is why many weightlifters use this supplement. So if you want to get a new pb deadlift, squat or bench press then this supplement will definitely help!!!

Creatine infuses in the muscle, causing water retention to occur, thus helping protein synthesis; and lets not forget a muscle is made up 80% of water. Anyway no more boring stuff, but this will help you put mass on with a good, strength based routine. 

Now the creatine supplement you need to be taking is pro 10 creatine monohydrate. (See link below). I've taken many in the past which have upset my stomach or not dissolved well with water, but this doesn't do any of that. I have seen real gains in my strength as well, taking this supplement twice a day pre and post workout with pro 10 whey concentrate. It goes down a treat. Just follow the cycle of 7 weeks on and a week off, 5 grams a serving and you'll see results. My only one bit of advice would be drink plenty of water as this will aid the creatine to work its magic.

Don't forget 70% diet, 30% gym

Jack

http://www.pro-10.com/en/creatine-monohydrate.html#