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

Can I train on a budget? New VXS Gymwear range.

Now two similar questions I get asked a lot as a PT is 'do I have to train here in the gym, can't I train home?' And 'how can I train on a budget?' Now these coincide with one another because often if you want to train at home you aren't going to be able to afford the level and quality of equipment the gym would offer you so because you're on a budget, but here are the essentials and how you can use them to get the most out of you training if you decide to swap the gym for your garage.

Barbell - these are one of the most simplest pieces of equipment people use to train. You can involve all the large compound exercises with these giving you a wide spread of both exercises and muscle groups to train. Along with a couple of weight plates your workouts can be endless. The barbell offers the ability to build strength, hypertrophy or an exercise to throw in with a circuit to improve muscular endurance. If there is one piece of equipment to buy it is this!!!

Dumbbell- much like the barbell a great addition to any home gym. The downfall for me is you would have to spend a little more money building a bigger range of Dumbbells for the different weights, unlike the barbell where plate loading is easier. They offer you compound along with isolation exercises but more so require little space to use so can be brought inside in the colder months with easy storage.

Kettle-bells - these are much more of a specific piece of equipment but are easy to obtain and can still be used as part of any programme. Exercises include that much like the dumbbell, the only point I would like to mention is make sure you are totally comfortable and aware of techniques before you really start upping the weight with kettle-bells. They're quite a dangerous piece of equipment so really take some time into researching what and how to perform an exercise this may otherwise it result in quite a serious injury.

Bodyweight - as often neglected your own bodyweight is such an effective and efficient way to train your body but also so cheap. Find a park and start doing pulls ups super setting them with push ups. 20 sets of 5 pull ups and 10 press ups your upper body will be pretty taxed, add in different variations and you will have achieved a perfect workout. If things get easier add in tempo, which people always neglect for reps or throw together 3 exercises, a rep scheme and see how many rounds of those 3 exercises you can do in a set period of time.

There are 4 ways to one, train at home but secondly train on a budget. So no more excuse as the gym membership is too expensive or closed at the weekend, make home your own gym!!!

Now for the exciting bit. Yesterday I attended the Team VXS Gymwear open day at the Royal Docks Crossfit Gym. Firstly thank you to Will for his squat clinic and letting us use the gym all afternoon and evening. The event itself was great, catching up with people who have similar goals and objectives they want to achieve, exchanging advice on how to individually achieve them and of course a preview of the new Fusion range.

Today at 1700 GMT marks the release of the new Fusion range but we got to sample this yesterday so thought I better had share my thoughts and all I can say is it's a must buy. As ever they've been really creative with the styling to make you look great in the gym, this becoming more and more of a concern for people, more so than what you're actually doing in there. I got to try out the new t-shirt range and with the baggy waist with a tapered fit to the upper body is ideal for anyone in or out the gym. With a 95% cotton to 5% elastic comparative the feel of the top on you is perfect, not restrictive in areas such as under the arms or when you want to reach overhead it just moves freely with you. Sweat is absorbed straight into the t-shirt and  much like a lot of the Dri-fit ranges doesn't cause the material to stick to your body causing you to feel cold as the session moves on. I didn't get the chance myself to grab a look at the other bits being released in the range but everyone commented on how the quality is second to none, trumping any of the bigger sport wear designers which I personally believe is the biggest reason you need to get out buying this new fusion range. The link is below so get buying and be one of the first to train this out.

http://vxsgymwear.co.uk/collections/new-lines

Have a great week of training, make every moment in the gym worth while and keep intensity high!!

Jack

Can I train on a budget? New VXS Gymwear range.

Now two similar questions I get asked a lot as a PT is 'do I have to train here in the gym, can't I train home?' And 'how can I train on a budget?' Now these coincide with one another because often if you want to train at home you aren't going to be able to afford the level and quality of equipment the gym would offer you so because you're on a budget, but here are the essentials and how you can use them to get the most out of you training if you decide to swap the gym for your garage.

Barbell - these are one of the most simplest pieces of equipment people use to train. You can involve all the large compound exercises with these giving you a wide spread of both exercises and muscle groups to train. Along with a couple of weight plates your workouts can be endless. The barbell offers the ability to build strength, hypertrophy or an exercise to throw in with a circuit to improve muscular endurance. If there is one piece of equipment to buy it is this!!!

Dumbbell- much like the barbell a great addition to any home gym. The downfall for me is you would have to spend a little more money building a bigger range of Dumbbells for the different weights, unlike the barbell where plate loading is easier. They offer you compound along with isolation exercises but more so require little space to use so can be brought inside in the colder months with easy storage.

Kettle-bells - these are much more of a specific piece of equipment but are easy to obtain and can still be used as part of any programme. Exercises include that much like the dumbbell, the only point I would like to mention is make sure you are totally comfortable and aware of techniques before you really start upping the weight with kettle-bells. They're quite a dangerous piece of equipment so really take some time into researching what and how to perform an exercise this may otherwise it result in quite a serious injury.

Bodyweight - as often neglected your own bodyweight is such an effective and efficient way to train your body but also so cheap. Find a park and start doing pulls ups super setting them with push ups. 20 sets of 5 pull ups and 10 press ups your upper body will be pretty taxed, add in different variations and you will have achieved a perfect workout. If things get easier add in tempo, which people always neglect for reps or throw together 3 exercises, a rep scheme and see how many rounds of those 3 exercises you can do in a set period of time.

There are 4 ways to one, train at home but secondly train on a budget. So no more excuse as the gym membership is too expensive or closed at the weekend, make home your own gym!!!

Now for the exciting bit. Yesterday I attended the Team VXS Gymwear open day at the Royal Docks Crossfit Gym. Firstly thank you to Will for his squat clinic and letting us use the gym all afternoon and evening. The event itself was great, catching up with people who have similar goals and objectives they want to achieve, exchanging advice on how to individually achieve them and of course a preview of the new Fusion range.

Today at 1700 GMT marks the release of the new Fusion range but we got to sample this yesterday so thought I better had share my thoughts and all I can say is it's a must buy. As ever they've been really creative with the styling to make you look great in the gym, this becoming more and more of a concern for people, more so than what you're actually doing in there. I got to try out the new t-shirt range and with the baggy waist with a tapered fit to the upper body is ideal for anyone in or out the gym. With a 95% cotton to 5% elastic comparative the feel of the top on you is perfect, not restrictive in areas such as under the arms or when you want to reach overhead it just moves freely with you. Sweat is absorbed straight into the t-shirt and  much like a lot of the Dri-fit ranges doesn't cause the material to stick to your body causing you to feel cold as the session moves on. I didn't get the chance myself to grab a look at the other bits being released in the range but everyone commented on how the quality is second to none, trumping any of the bigger sport wear designers which I personally believe is the biggest reason you need to get out buying this new fusion range. The link is below so get buying and be one of the first to train this out.

http://vxsgymwear.co.uk/collections/new-lines

Have a great week of training, make every moment in the gym worth while and keep intensity high!!

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

What should I be wearing in the gym?

What you wear in the gym is becoming more of a concern for many then what they're actually in the gym to do, workout!! As gyms become more and more commercialised a workout can often mean a catch up with friends along with some time spent working out, so how you look is taking more of a president. With this in mind, companies are targeting this market by styling their products more on look than functionality to how they help you in the gym. This some how means that the normal outfit, which would have costed you £40 now seems to cost £80 in the new season, with just a change to the styling and colours used. Here are a few of my tips to get round the ever growing cost!!! 

Don’t always go with the leading market street names!!

I am a big advocate of Nike, always have been and always will be however more and more they are pricing their customers out of the market and the average person just can’t afford it, this is when you need to look online. One of the most recent companies to take the clothing market by storm is Gymshark. Originating from a duo in there back room whilst studying at Birmingham University it has become the must buy clothing and endorsed by the top athletes around the world, Steve Cook being one with the biggest profile. The quality is that easily of Nike, some of the best styling on the market, affordable to anyone and durability making it last for years to come. I started wearing Gymshark just over 3 months ago and I now just don't want to get out of the stuff, so I’m speaking from experience. So look to the online names and not just those you see on the high street. 

Go reversible!!!

This is some what of a new idea by many companies are now bringing out ranges which are reversible. Now you may say well why is this useful to me, well if you buy a reversible top you're getting two outfits in one. Meaning you'll have an extensive wardrobe, making your friends all jealous, all on a budget with just a few more washing tablets needed to get those few extra washes in. Nike are one of the best for this for men, along with Pink for the ladies. 

Style you're own!!

With the gym becoming more of an icon for fashion then don't be afraid to style your own. Grab some gym t-shirts and shorts from a cheap retail shop, some spray paint and get styling. Yes it won’t absorb your sweat as well, but who cares your in the gym for that very reason. Another benefit to this idea is no one will ever have the same top as you, plus who knows people may want to start buying your stuff. 

So there you have it, three simple ideas you can use in order to look stylish in the gym and stay on budget. 

Jack

New Gym and Amino Energy!!

I know it's been a while but Happy New Year to everyone, I hope you're already into conquering your goals of 2016. 

I've been really busy myself with work over the Christmas period but managed to get home for a few days to see the family and of course try out a new gym. Where my parents live as oppose to London gyms are few and far between but through word of mouth I managed to get a week pass at 'Elite Physique Training Gym' (www.elitephysiquetraining.co.uk) in Sandy just off the A1.

The gym has only just recently opened back in October but has really got a lot to offer. It's in a small warehouse offering you a weights area, cardio suite and a room for classes. Dumbbells range from 1-50kg, all three types of bench presses, 2 smith machines, a squat rack and some machines I've never used before. One of these being the C press, which hit my shoulders at a totally different angle to the normal, straight, vertical pressing I'm used to. The gym has recently brought heavy duty bands which I knew I must give a go. Joe Donelley is a new advocate of these and boy do they work. The contraction is just insane!! High face pulls, rows, push downs, bicep curls and flies can all incorporate these. The muscle is under constant tension along with more resistance being exerted when you are at the strongest phase of the movement, thus making any movement much more difficult. I had some great workouts in this gym so if your in the area be sure to check it out. They're offering all types of memberships, including a day pass which is always helpful, along with Personal Training.

Lastly a quick shout out to Optimum Nutrition once more!! I can not get enough of amino energy. No matter how I feel, whenever I take this I get a good workout in. No matter the body part I don't fatigue and always seem to be focused throughout and get the job done. Plus the fruit fusion flavour is to die for. Check it out!!!! 

Have a great week of training, really try out some heavy duty resistance bands into your training.

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. 

When is the best time to do cardio??

When should I do cardio?

This is the dilemma of lots of people when it comes to cutting season. If I do it pre workout I won't get as good as workout, if I do it post workout I will lose mass, should I do it fasted? These are all questions I get asked all the time and there is no simple answer, but hopefully the following will kind of explain it slightly, helping you make a decision.

Cardio firstly doesn't mean going on a run or sitting on a bike for an hour, it can also be done through weights. When I want to start cutting down I include a lot more tri sets (three exercises) and giant sets (four exercises) into my programme. This doesn't just get your heart rate up into the aerobic phase for burning fat but also conditions the muscle more, which whilst cutting it what you want as you are no longer looking for mass. This was all brought to my attention by Shaun Stafford who is WBFF champion and he uses this a lot in his workouts. You can also make your workout more circuit based as oppose to just perform four sets of 10 reps of one exercise then moving on. Bring the weight down but keep the same rep scheme. This is a huge favourite of Mister International 2010 Ryan Terry. Furthermore at the end of each set add 5 burpees on the end or hold the plank for half of your rest period. This being another great alternative.

Now fasted cardio is next. This is a great tool and some people swear by it. My first point would be make sure you take on some BCAA prior to starting in order for your body not to go catabolic, basically using the muscle as a energy source. Again this works for some and doesn't for others. Your body is working off of an empty stomach and therefore as there is no energy source will start using your fat reserves as a form of energy, targeting what you want to get rid of. However, due to the little energy source your body can recruit I don't believe you can fully push yourself using this form. Yes a slow, steady 3mile jog is fine, but if you want to start hitting the intervals then it's kind of a no go area. Living next to Hyde park, I often run into work fasted however my body is just then craving food all day and when your restricting calories as it is, it's not a temptation you want. 

Pre workout cardio I would defiantly say is a no go. It may work for you so give it a try but personally I don't like it. Your either going to hold back in order to save some energy for the main bulk of your workout or max out then have a poor workout. Yes you can make it your warm up and yes you may burn more calories in the main workout however you still won't get the both out of both parts of the workout. Give it a try first and see what you think.

Post workout cardio is last but not least. This is what I am regularly doing on top of my crossfit cardio based workouts I mentioned a few posts back. Your muscles are fully depleted at this point and your body is feeling tired so you really have to be up for it. Many people are worried about muscle break down from doing cardio post workout but I'll let you into two tips. Make sure you drink BCAA throughout your workout and make both parts short and simple. For example I like to do HIIT post workout cardio but still have some corporation to the weight workout I've done prior. For example, yesterday was Chest so I performed 250m row max effort with the rest time being 15 hand release press ups. This I performed 6 times, no rest between efforts and was over in 6 and a half minutes. I was benefitting from the cardio but also exhausting my chest at the same time. You can do the same with any muscle groups, jump squats/burpees for legs, pull ups/inverted row for back, clean and press for shoulders. Or short and sweet and makes you fill great after a workout. You can use all different types of cardio equipment as well, I just like the rower as its a full body workout. Add this on post workout and I know you'll love it. 

Give these all a try and see what you think. Different times work better for others and they all have their advantages and disadvantages. 

Jack

Where is the nearest Vets as these swans are sick!!!- Chasing big arms

Everyone is chasing big arms for the summer, me being one of them. There is nothing like filling out you sleeves with bursting arms. However, arms is where so many people struggle to put on mass in the gym, even when they train theme week in week out yet still see no growth. I was one of these people until I looked more into what the muscles do and how you can then get the most out of it when training the upper arm. 

The muscles in your arms are used when training ever other upper body muscle group, this being through either pushing or pulling exercises. The secondary muscles (Bicep and Triceps) are used through the contraction phase. When perform a chin up for example and your back is at full contraction so are your biceps. The slower and more controlled you perform these reps the greater you hit the back but also the biceps. This applies exact the same to the tricep in a press ups. So use these workouts to your advantage hitting secondary muscles such as arms without perform a single isolated exercise. 

The make up of the upper arm is a third bicep to two thirds tricep, so pay more attention to the tricep. This particular muscle is used for the straightening of the below and as seen in the title is made up of three heads. These being the long, lateral and medial heads, hitting all these three are crucial in developing mass to this area. You're long head also referred to as the belly is the bigger part of the tricep and is where you should start, working down to the lateral head. Any movement over the head will hit the long head, with the other two parts will also be partially used. Skull crushers, tricep extensions and narrow push downs shall hit the long head, with these you can go heavier thus putting them at the beginning of the workout. The medial head is stimulated often when performing exercises for the long head but a reverse grip push down I feel really hits it. Greater isolated exercises such as kickbacks and drop extensions shall hit the lateral. I like to do these with high volume towards the end of the workout as a burnout, sometimes drop set. 

The bicep is formed of two head, the short which runs closed to your chest whilst the outer is the long head which forms the peak to the muscle. If you were genetically gifted then you may be able to see a clear different between the two. Anyway, hit both if these heads when training and you will notice a difference to the size of your bicep!!! A normal standing barbell curl is great for hitting the long head, these i like to perform heavy however never comprise form and like I mentioned earlier pay attention to the tempo. If done correctly your biceps shall be screaming at you, don’t just pile on the weight. The best exercise for this I have found is the preacher curl, I personally love this when performed single with a dumbbell into a slow bar curl each set, focusing on the contraction. These are two exercise I would perform at the beginning, the rest of the workout should really be looking at fatiguing the muscle and achieving the best contraction. Use drop sets, supersets to achieve this.

Lastly arms are one of the most visual muscles when training so use this to your advantage when training them. The contraction and squeeze of the muscle is what causes it to grow. So look at yourself when performing the exercise, making sure you get a full range of movement along with a full contraction of the muscle. The tempo of the rep, even more so when performing something with cables can also help in gaining the best contraction. Take the weight pin down and look at the muscle working, see how it recruits the fibres in order to perform the rep. Due to the constant tension on the muscle and with a slow tempo you won’t need a lot of weight but man will your arms be pumped at screaming in pain. The reverse arm push down for tricep is a killer for this along with the rope curl laying on your back to avoid your back lift the weight is a great demonstration of this. 

Check out Joe Donnellys' to use next time you want to train arms. 

1) Concentration curl warmup 4x15 each arm

2) EZ bar curls 4x8 last set dropset burnout 20 reps

3) Seated hammer curls 4x6, superset alternating dumbbell curls 4x10

4) Hammer strength preacher curl machine curls dropset 8 reps, dropset of 15 (4 rounds)

5) Reverse curls 4x10 thumb over grip, superset rope curls 4x15

6) Standing double front bicep cable curl 4x15, after last set do a cable 21’s

7) Strait bar curls 7x12 (45 seconds between sets

8) Heavy tricep pushdown dropsets 6-8 reps, dropset 15 reps (4 rounds0

9) Rope pushdowns 4x12, superset rope overhead extensions 4x10

10) Close grip press on smith machine 4x12 with a dropset of 8 reps on each set

11) Single armed rope kickbacks 4x15 each arm

12) Overhead dumbbell press 7x15

And next time the “suns out” I can guarantee so will the guns be out.

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

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

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#

Fasted HIIT Training

There is a lot of controversy over fasted cardio in the morning, but I am personally a supporter of it.

Why people dislike this form of cardio is they are worried about losing muscle gains (anabolic state). Glycogen levels are very low in the morning, causing you therefore to have very little energy, therefore your body starts using muscle as energy. To help with this I use Pro10 's BCAA mix along with some maltodextrin, protecting against falling into a anabolic state and low energy levels.

Furthermore as a fasted programme you can use HIIT (high intensity interval training). This can be completed using lots of different ways of cardio, I prefer sprints. HIIT training is short bursts of effort with an elongated period of rest. The benefits to this from sitting on a bike for hours upon end is that it only has to be 20 minute session, great for those who hate doing cardio or those who find it hard to get to a gym. Furthermore like a sprinter, this recruits type 2 muscle fibres. These are the quick, explosive fibres  used which in turn can also help with your strength gains in the gym. Last of all is that it is proven to boast your metabolism, which is the one thing which is needed to burn unwanted body fat. You can therefore see why it's so good and why I do it 

HIIT Workout

10x60m hill efforts, 1 minute rest.

You can cater the workout for yourself, making the effort shorter or the rest longer. Also put things such as burpees in after each effort will really get the heart rate and fat burning up. So why not try this instead of long, low intensity fat burning cardio.

Remember 70% diet, 30% gym

Jack