TOUGH MUDDER - More than just a race!

Driving LONDON SOUTH 2013 Tough Mudder bound blasting "eye of the tiger", fist pumping out the window, adrenalin pumped, sporting neon yellow vests and headbands-

We were most certainly in full "fight or flight" mode! 

Months of hill sprints, reptilian crawling, burpees, battle ropes, chins and built up running/cross fitness (not to mention gym based training) we were well equipped challenge ahead!

2nd week training plan, it progressed in volume/intensity throughout the weeks!

Our 14 odd comrades left the comfort of our people movers to what seemed a festival environment only to hike a couple of miles towards the TM registration point.

 It felt like a scene from a world war II movie 

Flesh wounded, fatigued, limping war veterans covered in mud were heading in the opposite direction and us, the fresh recruits, hearts pounding, anxious but exited for the challenge ahead!

I unfortunately bumped into an old Ozzie battler "G'day mate how are ya" bearing 2 pints of cider, muddy facial make up - sporting a grin that reached his ears, he winked and muttered  "YEEEUP glad I'm standing in my shoes and not yours"

 "Nuff sed... Lets do this shit"!

We could hear distant commands, AC/DC blasting and constant Hoorahs, as the 2:15pm soldiers lined up for battle!

Tough Mudder is a  badass 12mile obstacle course of rolling hills, rough terrain, and 21 obstacles to face along journey to the prized Orange Headband that sings VICTORY!

Army tankers offering the sense of military presence 

Deceptively hard yakka, down to a mud pit and inclining up (no time for claustrophobia)!

Funky Monkey

Electro Shock Therapy :/

Everest, some flew, some reached and slid back down, strategically placed after 11miles legs were well heavy!

 The more desired/fun obstacles being; Walk the Plank, Funky Monkey, Island Hopper, Everest and Cage Crawl...

 To the dreaded

• Electric Eel (crawling through a low barrier with threads of electric cables which are capable of paralysing body parts).
• Arctic Enema (a skip bin full of icy cold water, then forcing you to duck under a barrier which causes a severe case of ice-cream head ache and borderline hypothermia).
• Electro Shock Therapy; Good news is you can see the finish line, bad news....  Erm- Electricity! It sent some people face first to the mud as if to be shot by a sniper!

The true sense of camaraderie made the whole TM experience worth while, I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh challenge, it offers everything from team cohesion, mental toughness and physical exertion.

Ultimately after 2hrs being crowned with the trademark Orange Headband you've now earned bragging rights in the office for months to come "Hoorah"!

BOOM!!!

NO IFS... JUST BUTTS

Could use a little perking up in the butt department?

Wondering how to initiate the voluptuous curves celebrities sport in their bikini?

Here's a killer butt routine that won't fail to impress!

Famous for her curvaceous booty, Jennifer Lopez is a self proclaimed user of the TRX Suspension Training system!

1) TRX 1 and a Half Suspended Lunge

A killer modification of the Suspended Lunge, with a slight tweak in action, the 1and a 1/2 Suspended Lunge really fires up the Gluts, with a slightly longer time under tension you be recruiting more motors units than the conventional technique!

You set up as a conventional Suspended Lunge in single TRX mode, lower yourself deep stopping just shy of the floor with your back knee, rise up halfway, lower yourself back down before driving up into extension. 

Thats counted as 1 rep.... Aim for 3 sets of 15!


Tennis Players also renown for their sexy behinds, one reason for this is the lateral movement required in the sport.

2) MONSTER WALK

Tie a dura-band just above your ankles, hold a squat position as shown above...

Set 2 cones 15m apart, move laterally to the opposite cone and return... Repeat this 4 times!

 This will leave your butt screaming for mercy!

3) TABATA JUMP SQUATS

Jump Squats are are great way to not only tone the butt, it also allows a great metabolic kick to the workout especially doing them TABATA style. With the explosive nature of the exercise you'll recruit the fast twitch fibres of this powerful hip extensor!

So what is TABATA training?

The best way to perform this is to download a TABATA app on your smart phone, you need to work at 100% for 20 seconds and only allow 10 secs rest. This is to be repeated 8 times! Bombastic results will prevail!

4) DB Sumo Dead-lift Wave Load

For this drill set up three Dumbbells each 2.5kg in weight heavier than the other.
Example: 15, 17.5, 20kg

Then lift reps: 15kg@15 reps, 17.5@12 reps and 20kg@10 reps

Then reverse so: 20kg @ 10 reps, 17.5kg@ 12reps, 15kg@ 15 reps

Repeat that whole sequence three times through!


There you go, try this routine and shape up the rear in time for summer!

BREAKING A SWEAT, its alright!

I see the people who say they go to the gym all the time but never see results or get bored and give up! I also see a lot of people walk into the gym with a newspaper or women's weekly magazine. SIMPLE add variety and intensity... mix it up!

I put this circuit together as I wanted a quick get in/get out workout, high intensity and release some endorphins.... Try it out!

TURKISH GET UP. PERFORM 10 ON EACH SIDE

VIPR SNOW SHOVEL. DO 20 REPS EACH SIDE

 LOW LATERAL STEPPER HOPS. WORK HARD FOR 1 MINUTE

TRX BODY SAW TO TRICEP PRESS. PERFORM 15 REPS

TREADMILL HILL SPRINTS. 3MINUTE ROUND

Do at least 3 rounds with limited rest, you'll feel like you've achieved something at the end of it! 

TIME RESTRAINTS? Use these moves for best results in the gym!

I have always been a fan of getting more bang for your buck when it comes to getting the best results out of the gym!

The most common excuse for skipping training sessions seems to be lack of time. I address this in many  ways but even if you can only get one gym session in a week at least you can still get great results with these compound movements.

Compound exercises (multiple joint movements) are going to recruit more motor units than isolated exercises such as comparing a Dead-lift to bicep curls, so if you're time restricted definitely cut isolated movements/split programming and stick to compound/total body movements.

You will need to cover all realms of movements/patterns i.e multi-plane, anterior/posterior chain and upper body/lower body/core..

A great way to nail this is by following world renown holistic practitioner Paul Chek's primal movement patterns when thinking of program design for this type of training which include; SQUAT, BEND, LUNGE, PUSH, PULL, TWIST movements..


So set up the start of your workout with the most demanding movement and end with least demanding... In this case I will start with the exercise known as the king of exercises the BARBELL DEAD-LIFT!


1) Conventional Barbell dead-lift

Preparatory work may be required for this as many people don't have great posture, flexibility or core strength to perform this exercise correctly and often blame the movement for causing back pain and other issues... My philosophy on that is there is no such thing as a bad a exercise but the way one has qualified themselves for the loading and movement... If you're unsure definitely get your movement assessed by a professional before commencing this lifting technique.

Don't ever go into this movement with a huge ego either as thats the best way to injure yourself, start with lighter loads and build strength endurance (high reps and lighter loads), as you feel your technique improving go heavier with less repetitions (that goes for any loading)...


2) Front Squat

Just like the dead-lift there are quite a few variations to Squatting and all are good done correctly, the reason I like the front squat is the bar loading in front leaves minimal room for forgiveness allowing you to really brush up on your technique, improve your posterior/extensor chain, your core and get nice and deep with the lift! 

Take a nice controlled, slow downward/eccentric phase of the movement and on the up/concentric phase, once you're above the 45 degree mark of knee angle you can drive up into extension nice and quick.

3) Bulgarian Split Squat

Another great lower limb (lunge pattern) movement in which you will reap the rewards of stability, flexibility, posture and have great rollover to function for many sporting activities. 

Lower yourself again in a controlled manner-nice and slowly and ensure good knee-tracking (knee in line with second or third toe). Keep a nice and tall open chest and upper torso posture as shown above!

3) Swiss Ball Standing Bent Over Row

This is a great way to train the upper back musculature. After performing dead-lifts your grip maybe fatigued so ensure you maintain tall upper back posture (no hunching) and keep shoulders depressed (down and away from ears). Avoid shoulder lurching by gliding the scapula (shoulder blade) as first part of movement and opening the chest.

If you want to boost results try super-setting this with chin-ups or TRX low rows to add closed chain into the mix!

4) Standing Cable Push

The great thing about this movement is again the roll over to function, the push exercises whilst sitting on a machine has only one line of motion and switches off a lot of important stabilisers unlike the free motion machine. 

Get yourself into an athletic stance and push the cable right through. Take your time coming back to the start position. 

I like to add a superset of bodyweight pushups as it brings closed chain into the program!

5) Medicine ball Wood Chop

The wood-chop again performed with many variations is a great functional compound movement to add a multi-planar segment to your routine. It will hit the core and every muscle from toe to finger tips so a great way to finish you routine. 

To wrap things up I've been very loose on rep ranges and terminology because the variables such as loading, tempo and rep ranges are specific to the individual and his/her ability. I can guarantee great results with this routine in the gym and many of my personal clients will recognise these go-to exercises from when I've been drilling them into shape! 

Have a very happy and healthy January everyone, lets make 2013 the best year ever and start getting into optimal shape NOW!

Food for thought: IS SUGAR WORSE FOR YOU THAN ALCOHOL?

Today's society is immensely stressed, sleep deprived and lacks sunlight exposure, this is a huge dillemma as our brains are the most important survival organ and demand constant energy, so what do we do in order to get back to a sustainable level of energy, we often dig for the quick fix to get the task done which is sugar/insulin.

Sugar is present in many of our foods, and we usually dig for the sugary option at breakfast time causing a massive spike of insulin to set the day off causing a vicious cycle of cravings. This cycle can easily become the norm when we are not eating enough quality protein and fats in our diet.

Protein and fats (yes fats) provide the building blocks for efficient brain chemistry and help slow digestion to drip feed sugar from carbohydrates into the blood stream, this helps relieve the highs and lows that set off sugar cravings!

Both stress and high sugar foods create create blood sugar spikes that provoke insulin production. This hormone delivers sugar into the cells for energy but also signals fat storage in preference to burning fat as fuel in our bodies. Eating protein and good quality fats creates the opposite effect on body composition by stimulating thermogenisis or heat creation and makes our bodies less likely to crave quick fix sugars.

SUGAR WORSE FOR YOU THAN ALCOHOL! 

In 1980 doctors from the Mayo clinic in the U.S. reported that liver biopsies on 20 patients had revealed regions of dead cells, signs of inflammation, "striking fatty changes" and Mallory bodies- bright pink staining structures that are a classic sign of liver disease. To any doctor under the microscope they were clear signs of liver damaged by alcohol... The thing is the participants did not drink or if they did minimally. They named this disease non-alcoholic steatohepatits. In 2012 it is the most common liver disease in the U.S. and possibly throughout the developed world!
One of the reasons this disease was unheard of 30 years ago is because of the levels of fructose (sugar found in cheap sweeteners such as High Fructose Corn Syrup and in sweet fruits).

HFCS was added to many processed foods and soft drinks as it was a cheap sweetener and more than likely added to low fat products in which consumers were made to believe eating low fat would help you lose weight.

Fructose in the diet causes raised insulin resistance, fatty liver and other symptoms of metabolic syndrome that has escalated over the past 30 years such as bulging waistline, high blood glucose concentration, high levels of bad fats in the blood, cardiovascular disease and fatty liver. Not to mention increased risks of developing diabetes, heart disease and strokes.

Here's a tip; ditch the packaged cereal (eating the cardboard box is probably healthier) and try implementing fish, eggs or meat ( any high protein food source) for breakfast you'll find yourself looking trimmer and feeling great!

More on this to come!

Summer Loving!

Wow what an amazing event the London 2012 Olympics was, has it got you motivated to achieve a Jessica Ennis 6 pack??

I managed to escape London for a week in Spain, it was an amazing trip and such a great way to revitalise ones health. I went there during one of Britain's worst ever summers with never ending rainfalls, everyone seemed sick, grumpy and unhealthy around me...

 Amazing what a dash of bad weather can do to you!

But as soon as the sun is shining and the clouds part we are all completely divergent and high spirited beings... We all need that dose of golden vitamin D! I felt like I'd been literally robbed...

Port Andratx, Mallorca.

So I thought.... What can one do to have an uplifting holiday to refresh your system and avoid insanity?

Well first of all... a week doesn't seem like a long time to revive myself but I came back a different person... really!

I scheduled in 4 morning gym workouts, Some outdoor activities such as wake-boarding, tennis, jogging, boating, cliff jumping, snorkelling.

With the gym workouts the hotel or venue might not be as well equipped as the one you use at home, so simply prepare a plan of bodyweight exercises, cables and free weights... Do mostly total body compound exercises (multi joint) especially if you're going to be working out significantly less than usual.

Deep stepper lunges

Single Arm Cable Row

Staggered Plyometric Push Ups

Tennis: speed, agility, quickness and a hit!

Also plan some social activities... A night out (dance venue), Beach, nice meals and general cafes etc

Typical Food Diary

Morning: 3 egg omelette, 1/2 cup seasonal fruit.. Coffee

Snack: Natural Greek yogurt (some honey)..

Lunch: Chicken breast, leafy salad, lime and coriander.

Dinner: Teriyaki Salmon fillet and salad/vegetables... Glass of wine

That was my staple diet all week whilst remaining active, the nutrition consisted of less portions and significantly more nutritious than the comfort food I had indulged in weeks leading up, I managed to tone and drop 2kgs in a short week and have continued the routine (once you see results it motivates you to stick to the routine, the problem is 80% of people fade off a routine before seeing any positive change).

Alcohol: When on holiday it can be avoided but I personally like to remain social and have a couple of drinks. I managed to stick to the odd glass of wine. Note to self: Lay off the vodka and soda during dance venues: Punishment, 10km run in hot sun..

My advice to anyone looking to have a healthy escape from the hard slog in the office is simply.... Book it now even if just for a few days, eat well, a little training and soak up the sun!

Preparing for Obstacle Races

A fun new fitness craze thats taking the world by storm is Obstacle Races. These events such as "Survival of the Fittest, Spartan Race, Tough Mudder" etc they are just growing by the masses. Although you have a timing chip on your shoe its more about surviving each obstacle and attacking it in style (usually a penalty is offered to those who can't complete the obstacle such as push ups or burpees).

Its so rewarding to prepare for an event like this and its great to get a team together in case you face tricky patches on the course its better to face it with a little team work, good in the build up in terms of training preparation/ motivation and most importantly fun!

The Spartan Race Team super stoked!

So to prepare for an event what can you expect?

The organisers will try an hit you with every angle so you need to be a well oiled machine, preparation needs to include basically all realms of gym and fitness training.

I love preparing for events like this as you'll never get bored with your training!

Ok so what you expect!

1. Hills:

You can expect to have plenty of up hill sections in an obstacle race, even if there isn't its great preparation for any kind of event, your cadence, strength, speed and mechanics will improve with hill sprints...

Hill sprints in prep work is a must!

2. Reptilian Crawling..

Reptilian Crawl prep work!

Hulya demonstrating a great reptilian crawl!

In the black pool above you either got low in the ice tub avoiding electricity, or you did 30x burpees!

Ok sounds silly but have we forgotten how to crawl?

 I was stuck in this same tunnel as the one above (Hulya coming out of) behind a guy trying to squiggle his way through like a worm, he was huffing and puffing whilst I glided through at hardly any effort?? You can expect various obstacles requiring a functional crawl. The bonus is it has many great benefits such as hip mobilty, core strength (babies actually strengthen their spinal segments and body in preparation for the walking gate through crawling so if you've experienced postural back pain these patterns can be a good exercise to get the spinal segments operating again in a functional manner, will actually get the heart rate up in your circuits also!

3. Rope Training

Obstacle at Spartan Race

TRX Power Rows

Grip strength is a must at these events as we got faced with a vertical rope climb, rope ladders and often  walls ropes are present like the caption above. The surface can be very slippery and so too the rope itself, so plenty of TRX work, Sled pulls, chin ups and battle ropes will help to master these obstacles!

If you live near an indoor rock-climbing wall, why not do a few sessions to enhance your climbing mechanics!

Sled pull from squat position

Battle Ropes

Other than that there will be plenty of surprise obstacles you may be faced with such as military presses with logs, throwing spears at a target, balance beams and sometimes bouncy castles. So challenge your body with variety and limited rest periods. Heres an example Program for your prep work!

1. 30 WALKING LUNGES 

2. 2 MINS REPTILIAN CRAWLS

3. TRX POWER ROWS 15 EACH SIDE (No TRX? Do 15 chin ups)

4. Barbell DEADLIFT 15 REPS (60kg)

5. 20 JUMP SQUATS

6. 20 PUSH UPS

7. Battle Rope Whips 30 seconds

8. 3MINS INCLINE TREADMILL RUN (can do hill sprints or stairs)

Repeat every exercise no rest during the circuit. Once circuit complete rest 1:30minute and repeat 3 times!

Good Luck!