New Years Resolutions Start Now!

Another solid training week gone by and only a few more sleeps until the jolly fat man and his team of well conditioned reindeer fill our stockings, this by any means is not the time to slacken off, no we must work harder to maintain the good work thats been put in over the year!

New Years resolutions need to start now, don't put off your goals start with putting the steps into place now and hit the ground running in the new year, especially if you're going on ski holidays, you need fitness, strength and core stability to ensure you don't come home with nasty injuries and make the most of the trip!

Marathon training wise I put in a personal best effort on my 10km of 42.53min, I added another hill sprint (5times up Primrose Hill with 12km total) to my training and I've ran my furtherest to date of 24km.

It was an awesome 24km run up the canal in the rain, the pace was great and it was a good little stepping stone for me!

The combination of the hill sprints, interval training,10km pace running and the longer endurance runs seems to be exactly what my body requires. I find they all compliment each other and my recovery is getting a lot quicker!

On the longer run I tried using a isotonic energy gel. I took one at 10km mark and another at 15km, I have to admit it gave me a real boost!

Along with the running training I joined in on the last Spartan circuit of the year!

Todays spartan workout was enough to burn off all the extra Christmas treats and Mulled wine from winter wonderland!

I wish everyone a very merry Christmas, 

Also if you haven't yet donated towards my London Marathon Charity, St Johns Ambulance- Please visit my Just Giving page, any contribution will be appreciated!

http://www.justgiving.com/Luke-Marshall2012Run

Run through to Christmas

Ok back to a track session on Wednesday, my Nike Plus program required me to warm up for 3km constant pace and then do 3mins fast pace and 2mins recovery x 4 intervals.This was a killer session, each 3minute interval was extremely tough maintaining the pace I'd set myself, I managed to get out a solid 10km distance during the session. This session was actually close to my fastest 10km time...

Now todays gym session is the Spartan training circuit, just during the flaming warm up, I could feel the hard work I'd put in during the track session yesterday.

Circuits like this are highly metabolic and great for getting to your ideal body composition. Probably not the most ideal for marathon training but I'm always up for a challenge!

I knew Claud from "Move Three Sixty", wasn't going to go easy on us as I saw him preparing the equipment.

Today he changed from 15reps of each exercise to using the clock meaning we went hard for 45seconds for four rounds (that is round one-then we do a second round) each and we used Kettle-bells, Cables, BOSU, TRX and medicine balls in dynamic style to hit every muscle in your body... Was the hardest one so far and I know I going to appreciate my rest day tomorrow!

Heres a little snippet of todays workout!

MY LONDON MARATHON TRAINING

I have made a decision to take on some challenges that have been sitting on my mind for a while, so after accomplishing the Mens Health "Survival of the Fittest" I decided to apply for the London Marathon 2012. I'm running for Charity with the St Johns Ambulance Team. Please check out my Just Giving Page, any donations would be truly appreciated!

http://www.justgiving.com/Luke-Marshall2012Run

Survival of the Fittest was an amazing event which challenges every aspect of ones fitness. The obstacles range from climbing over hay bails, over walls, crawling through tunnels, mud, water, sandbags not to mention a 10km run! 

This is great fitness event for my type of body- I'm a rugby players build, I've been playing rugby from aged 5yrs to 31years and just recently decided to hang up my boots. I spend my life in gyms pumping weights and I do fitness, speed, stability and power regimes specific to my other passions i.e Tennis, snowboarding, rock-climbing, hiking etc

The real question is can this body of mine handle a marathon?

I love running, I have been told all the pro's and cons to running- some industry experts don't believe in running because it raises cortisol levels (which can cause fat levels to increase), it also causes muscle atrophy(losing metabolically active tissue can cause fat levels to rise), not to mention injuries that can develop through extensive running....

I believe on the other hand that if you still do your strength work, core work, flexibility, stability, look after your diet and develop the milage over time that your body can handle you wreak all the benefits running has to offer. One thing is the endorphins (its like a drug-I think I'm addicted)!

Over the next few weeks/months I'm going to be blogging my day to day progress in the lead up to the London Marathon, this will include topics such as diet, tips, training, gadgets, phone apps, gear, injury prevention basically leaving no stone unturned!

Here is a brief overview so far!

I am running in Nike Lunar glides which have Nike Plus features, on the Nike Plus website I typed in my goal of running the marathon and it gave me an ideal 24 week program for my level. After researching other programs this seemed to be on par with the experts so went with it! The Nike Plus chip and sports band gives details of your splits, duration, and pace and the Nike Plus application has GPS if you fancy mapping out your runs. I also use a basic Polar heart rate monitor. Obviously some watches these days can do everything in the one unit but I decided to roll with what I had on hand!

So the training,

WEEK 1

Started lightly with a 6km run and a build up to a 12km by the end of the week. I squeezed 3 runs and 2 strength sessions in.

One of my commitments is a Spartan Training Circuit in which I do at Move Three Sixty (www.movethreesixty.com) in which I work as a Personal Trainer. This is an intense progressive workout involving a combination of power, strength and core (a specific blog will follow)... I also did a TRX circuit which is great for runners as it builds functional strength, stability and core...

WEEK 2

This was 2x7km and a 16km run on the Sunday. 16km is actually the furtherest I've ever ran, I've never been involved with a sport that requires long distance running. Actually it felt really great to chew up the kms and I felt amazing afterwards! Did the Spartan and TRX workout during the week also.

WEEK 3

2x8km fast and a slow 16km. Spartan and TRX circuits.

WEEK 4

1x8km, Intervals on Track; 5km of easy running- 4 x 1mins pick ups/3mins recovery (8km), 1x 16km.

Strength and core circuit, Spartan workout.

WEEK 5

1x10km, Intervals on track; 5x2mins pick ups 2-3mins recovery, 16.5km; warm up 5km, 10km race pace for 10km- 1.5km cool down.

Strength and core circuit and Spartan workout.

That brings the program to WEEK 6, the current week.

Monday I completed a 4km warm up jog to Primrose Hill, 5xHill sprints and ran home at speedy pace equalling 12km all up.

Here is my view from the top!

One way to stay motivated is to follow a program and mix things up, the program didn't include the hill sprints but it added a great challenge to the runs and gives you great strength for the inclines you may face on race day!

HEALTHIER PANCAKE RECIPE anyone????

Everybody loves pancakes but traditionally they are not the healthiest start to the day. I have played around with the recipe with these pancakes and my family, friends and clients have all spoken of the long sustained energy levels throughout the day. They are fluffy, high in protein and low GI, so great for the days you know you're going to be active.

Great meal for athletes who need the elements of energy and added protein for recovery.


This is my recipe.....

Half a cup of oats
1 Egg (organic free range)
Half a cup organic probriotic natural yoghurt
Half a cup of milk (I'll let you be in charge of milk choice)
Half cup gluten free white flour
Half cup wholemeal flour
2 tablespoons Brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons Hemp protein
1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
Pinch of organic sea salt


Simply soak the oats in the wet ingredients for roughly 10mins then start adding the dry ingredients. the pan will require a smidget of butter.

Fry pancake until you see the bubbles pop through the top and show us your best pancake flipping technique.

Drizzle a bit of maple syrup and some fruit i.e blueberries, strawberries etc

Bon Appétit!

Is Your Weight Effecting Your Salary??

Todays blog is an interesting topic, I was reading the magazine "GRAZIA"  25 July 2011 and came across an article titled 'I lost weight and doubled my salary'..... A friend who was staying at my house left the magazine behind.....

Can losing weight (females) or gaining muscle mass (males) have an effect on your salary? Well recent studies say yes!

In a recent controversial study by The Journal Of Applied Psychology it claims that women's pay packets are linked to their waistlines. They found that thin women earned on average up to £10,000 a year more than their overweight colleagues. Bizarrely the ones being financially penalised the most were thin women who just put on a few pounds. On the flipside, underweight men take home £5000 less than their heavier colleagues.

The perception in weight gain for females was 'weak' or 'lazy' and men who were more muscular or athletic looking tend to be associated with being brave or smart, while thin men described as nervous or sneaky...

The article goes on to talk about how this particular lady dropping dress size from a size 18 to 8 and doubled her salary although I'm going to tell you a story of my own personal experience with the matter!

Whilst working in Australia a few years back I came across a client who was an analyst for a marketing research company. He came to me requiring about 30kg weight loss to get back to his optimal/healthy range, he had very poor posture and with that chronic back pain. Part of his job was to make proposals to business's in an attempt to convert them to his company. He was quiet, softly spoken and had a very average conversion rate considering his background knowledge. As soon as his posture started to change from looking like an old granny crossing the road to a more upright athletic posture and of course gaining lean muscle/ stripping fat so did his confidence in the workplace. His conversion rate tripled, he received bonuses for all the extra business and revenue that was coming to the table and of course started getting back into sport and activities that weren't possible beforehand. So of course as I was reading the article he immediately came to mind.

On a slightly different topic I switched on BBC breakfast this morning and apparently obese people are not being taken seriously by NHS health professionals. They are discriminated against the minute they walk through the door and instead of taking the health problem they came in for seriously they get told to lose weight (debatable topic as they found on the show this morning).... Of course they are not told how to lose weight, they are not sent to a consultant or anything and if they require a wheel chair or something they don't have sizes to cater for the clinically obese.....

A point I'd like to make is I've seen people lose weight before my very eyes and the changes aren't incredibly complex of any sort. Its about breaking old habits and starting a routine that will suit a healthier lifestyle. The benefits you reap are amazing. Not just for your paycheque but your overall health and confidence. 

 Heres some of my personal tips that the guy above, and will also get you kick started to the new look you deserve!!

• Make decisions that will burn calories during the day example; get off tube/transport system a stop or two earlier and walk some of the way, take the stairs not the lift/escalator, bike to work, walk to a park somewhere to eat your lunch etc...

• Jot down in your diary a month in advance the days you set out to train. Try to commit to 3-5 days a week if possible. Mix up your routines every four weeks to keep your body guessing. Fitness professionals always set you up for a challenging workout to your level so if you're not sure you're working hard enough or confused about how to go about it try doing your first 10 workouts with an advanced strength trainer.

• Introduce exercise at a steady rate, build a strong base for yourself to start with. This may mean start walking round the block and over periods build into a run, work on stabilisation and control and move to loading once you're familiar with where your joints should be during exercise, work on joint mobility to ensure you can get full range of motion throughout the exercise. 

• If you're time restricted but have hour long lunch break try cutting it with a 30-45min gym session. With the right fitness professional 30-45mins of high intensity full body workout will be enough to kick you into gear... Ask your trainer for an at home workout you can do or gym sessions you can achieve in you own time. Try to get at least 1-2 sessions for home workouts!

• Make healthier food choices, snack on low GI foods/proteins, choose organic, eat whole foods and not packaged, chew your food to a liquid form before swallowing, eat several small meals apposed to 3 large meals, keep hydrated with good sources of water, minimise your toxins such as caffeine and especially alcohol, (no sugary drinks please).....

• Don't forget your stress levels. As prior blog suggests you need to have adequate sleep patterns and do as much as you can to minimise other elements of stress in your life. Happy people are healthy people!

Is sleep deprivation effecting your overall health, performance or weight loss??

Ok in my last blog I mentioned loss of sleep can effect your ability to lose weight, or in fact cause you to gain unnecessary fat, so todays blog is all about SLEEP.... Ask yourself these questions to see if you fit into the sleep deprive category....

• Need an alarm clock to wake?
• Rely on the snooze button?
• Hard time getting out of bed in the morning?
• Sluggish in the afternoons?
• Sleepy at meetings, lectures or in warm rooms?
• Nap during the day?
• Fall asleep watching movies or tv?
• Sleep in on weekends?
• Asleep within 5mins of going to bed?

If you have answered yes to 2 or more of the questions it may pay to read on!

Just as exercise and nutrition is necessary for optimal health health so is catching your ZZZZZZs. Quality of sleep effects mental sharpness, productivity, emotional balance, creativity, physical vitality and your body weight...

Poor sleep patterns are said to contribute towards many health risks and studies show that sleep deprivation is linked to obesity in all age groups, high blood pressure and a struggling immune system.

Due to todays demanding lifestyles people are more likely to sleep less than 6hrs per night. 75% of people suffer sleep difficulties and chronic sleep loss. To be in the healthy range 7.5-9hrs of quality sleep is required. I'd be careful not to over sleep though as this can also effect your health. It has been proven that poor sleep habits can double your risks of developing heart disease this is said to be because you are more likely to become insulin resistant and/or have elevated blood pressure, both of which effect your cardiovascular health.

Sleep deprivation will also lower your levels of testosterone, DHEA and HGH (human growth hormone) all important for repairing muscle tissue..... We produce HGH during deep sleep stages (HGH keeps us youthful) so also important to prevent premature ageing...

Sleep consists of a series of distinct cycles and stages that restore and refresh your body and mind. Even minimal sleep loss effects mood, energy and efficiency.

The hormones Leptin and Grehlin control appetite and weight gain/loss. Leptin signals that we are full, whilst Grehlin increases appetite. Sleep deprivation causes overall levels of Grehlin to increase along with appetite, especially for refined carbohydrates. Levels of leptin decrease, so we don't feel satisfied after eating either.
One of the worst problems with sleep deprivation is the increase in the levels of cortisol (stress hormone) which reduces muscle mass which will effectively slow your metabolic rate!

TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF SLEEP

• Sleep in a bat cave and reduce any unnecessary noise! Make sure no light will get in the way of your circadian rhythm. Try to get your body use to shutting down and waking at similar times each night. Changes in season will effect your sleep patterns if the room has light coming in.

• Have a pre sleep routine! Whether its reading a book, having a grateful log (writing down 10 things that you are grateful for in that day has proven effects on lessening your stress levels and improving sleep quality), deep diaphragmatic breathing, calming music, static stretching all these can have a huge impact on you sleep quality.

• Minimise refined sugars and grains; sugars will hike blood sugar levels and create a reactive hypoglycaemia whilst grains especially refined sources contain gluten allergens which cause your body produce cortisol.

• Take Alpha-GPC in the morning, this regenerates the pituitary gland which will increase HGH which will aid with fat burning and preserving lean muscle. Other handy supplements would be melatonin, valerian root and if you're deficient in magnesium and zinc best be heading to the health store.

• Don't have electronic devices in your bedroom, if you use an alarm clock try using one which is battery operated if possible. If your alarm clock has a bright light face away or cover with towel.

• Try not to do high intensity workouts within three hours of sleep. Your body requires sufficient time to recover from exercise and get back to its natural homeostasis.

Hope this blog is useful to assisting your ability to reach optimal health just by gaining a little bit extra sleep. Remember: No activity delivers so many benifits with so little effort! If you have any pre-sleep routines or tips that work for you please feel free to post!

Look Good Naked

Ok a very hot topic and it can be answered in many ways but I'm going to simplify things a little and create a platform that is easy to stick to and follow.

Ok so you want a six pack,

FACT: To see your six pack you need to get down to at least 10percent body fat. Have you ever seen anyone with a washboard stomach and fat arms?

What I'm trying to say is forget the 1000 sit ups a day rule or "ab king pro" you need to clean out your diet, start an exercise routine and stick to it! Not only that if you're suffering from adrenal fatigue, lack of sleep, malnutrition, stress, oestrogen overload you could simply be holding too much fat round the waistline for any of those reasons (another topic coming soon)!

Your inner unit of the abdominal region is primarily stabilisers for your trunk and spine, these muscles will benefit from big moves such as squats, lunges, dead lifts, push and pull exercises and twist exercises.

 In fact Planks would also be much more beneficial than crunches. So to use your time wisely forget about the isolated moves and work total body. You will recruit way more motor units to you're entire body and get the results you require in less time.

If you're spending over an hour in the gym you're not making muscles but friends!! Keep your strength routine to 45-1hr max and make it more intense with less rest periods.

Same goes for cardio routines, if your workouts are long and slow and you're reading the women's weekly magazine with the treadmill programmed in the fat burning zone... you need to be slapped in the face with a cold fish!! Go for H.I.T.T (high intensity interval training). You will improve fitness much quicker using intervals and you'll burn a lot more calories in a short space of time.

I had a client I taught to run efficiently, I recorded her at her usual pace witnessing her usual patho-mechanics (over striding, over-pronated foot, knee collapsing inwards, hip dropping either side etc OUCH!)... that I see in most people but funnily enough as I sped her up, she started to adapt an athletic running pose. So begin with something like intervals of 2mins High intensity - 30sec rest for a period of 15mins this was enough to give her the best workout she'd had in years.

So to wrap things up briefly train as you mean it, stop chatting on the phone, reading the paper and get on with it!

No gym??? Alternative Training Ideas

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Ok so I'm enjoying the lovely NZ summer at the moment which is quite the opposite to which most of you reading this will be experiencing in the UK.

So todays blog is about some of the fitness routines I've been squeezing in without any use of a gym and minimal gym equipment.

To start with, a lot of my training since I've escaped the snowy UK winter has involved my TRX suspension training system, I've used it on road trips, at the beach, in parks you name it lives up to the "fitness anywhere" slogan!

Combined with hill/stair runs or interval training its a real killer workout. I even enjoy setting 4 evenly spaced cones (approximately 10-15yards apart) and do suicide sprints in between sets. Changing directions, and working on agility will recruit far more muscle fibres than lineal running, will be much more fatiguing and will inspire the sporting prowess in you!

 Above a little TRX/MED BALL/BOSU circuit combined with suicide runs, lunges and hill sprints with a couple of friends. This will combat the xmas pudding any day!

Here's a bit of a hill climb overlooking Mahia beach in New Zealand good view and great way to burn a few calories!

Also to burn off some cheeky calories without the stress of setting up a routine we got involved with some backyard sports such as cricket, badminton, tennis and Volleyball. The rules changed so dropped catches and penalties etc included punishments such as push ups, lunges, jump squats and sit ups.... perfect way to have a fun workout amongst friends and not feel too guilty about a nice glass or two of NZ Sauvignon Blanc afterwards.

Cheers!