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 

Oman and Glen Valley Paddle

Greetings from Oman. Wow is it a hot one. Even at 0700 in the morning the temperature out here is often around the upper 30's. I'm not really getting any training done opting more for a rest week. This allows my body to recover so when it's time to get back in the gym I can hit it harder than ever with a added motivation.

Many people think this is too much, having a whole week off with their hard earned muscle wasting away but you really can't think like that. It won't go anywhere!!! Keep on track with your nutrition, promoting recovery and you'll be just to fine. I've done a quick morning stretch of areas, particular attention to the shoulders with Thera-bands, but other than that I've stayed rested. My friends, who I'm so fortunate to stay with have three lovely children who keep me very active, resorting me even to afternoon naps!!!! So I think I'm getting plenty of exercise done. 

Now the main reason I'm writing this is to raise your awareness and to get you donating to a wonderful foundation called the The Matt Hampson Foundation. Matt was playing for England under 21's rugby team when he suffered a serious spinal injury. This brought about the foundation being set up in order to inspire and support young people who have suffered a sporting injury. This was all brought to my attention by Laura Wright, a classically trained Soprano who I recently performed with at a concert in Liverpool. I now follow her on various social media platforms where I came across a challenge she is doing which involves paddle boarding across the Glen Valley. Now this is a tough challenge by any means, Laura is massively into her fitness mainly through rugby. All my lady followers and obliviously male followers I urge you to check out her blog for some great little tips. But the main reason is to get sponsoring her via her just giving page I've linked below. Get donating, no matter how big or small. Follow her on social media for all the trail and tribulations that come from such a tough challenge. 

Good Luck Laura!!!!!!!!!!

Jack

Keep on track whilst on holiday!!!!

I'm writing this as I sit in Heathrow ready to fly off on my summer holiday to visit a friend in Muscat, Oman. With everyone going on their summer holidays, me being one of them I thought I'd write a quick blog on essential goods to take to still keep on track with your fitness goals. I'm having a kind of rest week, but below are a few items I'll use to get a quick workout done. 

Now for all of you who are lucky enough to have a gym where you're staying then things can run as usual however, remember your on holiday!!!! It doesn't matter if you miss a few sessions here and there. My best advice would be keep it all short and sweet. Group muscle groups together such as shoulders/arms and Chest/Back. Supersets, tri-sets and mini circuits can all be included to get a great workout in. Timings wise you'll often be training in the morning, fasted so get some BCAA's down you and get training. Plus you can leave the other half to get ready and pig out at the all you can eat breakfast not feeling guilty. 

If you're unlucky like me and don't have a gym then you can still get a great workout done anywhere. Your body weight is one of the most under used way to train your body. For this I have packed a deck of cards!!! Now you may ask, 'why a pack of cards?' very random. Well it's a little trick I learnt off of Steve Cook, giving each suit of cards an exercise, for example hearts is press ups. You'll then have four exercises in all. The number on the card will indicate the number of reps performed, all face cards are 10 with an Ace being 11. If you land on a joker it's 12 burpees. Turn the pack of cards face down, turning one over at a time, performing the given exercise and reps. You can get a great little 20 minute workout done with just your body weight and a pack of cards.

One other essential I'm taking is a Thera-band. Now this I usually use in my programme to warm up with, especially the shoulder area. However, this can also be used as part of your workout. Exercises which can be performed are as follows:

- Squats with band around your knee, restricting from your knees pushing out and with a pause at the bottom it makes it tough.

- Bent Over Rows

- Upright rows

- Face Pulls

- Bicep Curls

- Lateral Raises

Along with a few push ups you've got a pretty good overall workout, use a 4020 tempo and you'll get an unreal pump.

A foam roller is something I always pack when traveling. It helps me to relax, but more importantly when your either sitting down waiting for a flight or on a long haul flight it's great just for getting everything loose once you've arrived. Additional it can be used as a warm up pre workout and to stretch post workout. 

Nutrition is the last thing I've left as in my eyes it's the least important. At the end of the day, you're on holiday, not at home. Unless you're a sponsored athlete with a company prepping your meals for you, you won't have meals to hand to eat every 3 hours. You won't have the facilities to make all your meals. But most importantly you're on holiday!!! Relax a little. This doesn't mean however stuff yourself with all the cravings you've had over the last few months but don't restrict yourself. One or two snacks a day or one main meal at the all you can eat buffet won't hurt. If you ate like this all the time then yes but for a week it won't. Make healthy choices where you can but at the end of the day just enjoy yourself. I personally come off of all supplements as well whilst on holiday. I sometimes find it can be an hassle to get them through security and plus your body needs a rest. Much like exercise your liver needs a rest. When you start taking them again you'll also notice such a difference.

So there you have it my holiday essentials. Those of you who are going on holiday have fun, just be ready to hit it hard when you get back!!!

Jack