Thursday, 22 January 2015
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Friday, 16 January 2015
Tuesday, 13 January 2015
Priming Your Body for Exercise
Hi all
A short post today on motivation. You know you want to go to the gym but there is never the right time to go as the day progresses. Now I'm not saying I am perfect but try this.
1 Pick ahead the time you will train - the precise time
2 Pick where you will train - home or gym. For some this may be a foregone conclusion.
3. Avoid or limit alcohol and improve sleep time the day before
4 On the day prime your body as often as you can. I use mountain climbers, push ups, air squats and sit ups for this. All of these require no equipment whatsoever and therefore can be done at a moments notice.
5 Remember these primers are not strength exercises per se but instead done at speed so momentum is fine. The idea is to wake your muscles and system up.
It will act as a great barrier breakdown - meaning that when gym time arrives it is not so traumatic either mentally or physically.
Mindset is more than half the battle and conquer this and you can move down the path of achieving the ultimate body.
A short post today on motivation. You know you want to go to the gym but there is never the right time to go as the day progresses. Now I'm not saying I am perfect but try this.
1 Pick ahead the time you will train - the precise time
2 Pick where you will train - home or gym. For some this may be a foregone conclusion.
3. Avoid or limit alcohol and improve sleep time the day before
4 On the day prime your body as often as you can. I use mountain climbers, push ups, air squats and sit ups for this. All of these require no equipment whatsoever and therefore can be done at a moments notice.
5 Remember these primers are not strength exercises per se but instead done at speed so momentum is fine. The idea is to wake your muscles and system up.
It will act as a great barrier breakdown - meaning that when gym time arrives it is not so traumatic either mentally or physically.
Mindset is more than half the battle and conquer this and you can move down the path of achieving the ultimate body.
Monday, 12 January 2015
Resolutions Broken in the Eye of the Beholder
We're now into mid January and no doubt there are many in despair over their already broken New Year resolutions.
Have I broken mine? No, not in my view! Have I breached slightly the plan? Yes, not everything has gone to plan.
The point is - we set ourselves up for absolutes and the minute those absolutes are breached, we consider it failure. The worst thing possible then is that we give up. The gym is the perfect microcosm of this.
Anyone using their usual gym in January will once again be reminded of how crowded it is in January, with all of the resolutionees attending. Gym owners will tell you that on average a significant number of these new attendees will have quit by mid Feb at the latest, leaving it once again to the rest of us. Yet many will have paid 12 months membership (although this is less likely now that membership terms are on average changing to monthly memberships or no contracts at all).
Why accept failure so early? If you've gone to the trouble of considering how to improve in which ever way necessary in the forthcoming year, why give it up so easily?
My view is entirely different. It is not an absolute goal but a plan which needs continuous re-affirmation and tweaking. If I miss the gym for a couple of days then I make sure I attend with that same session on the third day. I have still not yet done my 'Day 3' yet - see my earlier post. I will however find a way of achieving it. Indeed, tonight I have ordered from eBay a nylon dufflebag. Why? - to carry a skipping rope and a new set of gym rings so I have my mobile gym in addition to my home and commercial gyms.
I have many breached plans in 2015 already. I haven't therefore a perfect record but rather than giving up I am re-assessing to hit those gals harder
Keep the faith. If it is losing weight, learning French, controlling your worst aspects of your personality, becoming more politically aware or whatever is important to you, keep those plans, reaffirm them and when you stray - analyse why and what can be dome to limit future straying.
Happy improvement!
Andy
Have I broken mine? No, not in my view! Have I breached slightly the plan? Yes, not everything has gone to plan.
The point is - we set ourselves up for absolutes and the minute those absolutes are breached, we consider it failure. The worst thing possible then is that we give up. The gym is the perfect microcosm of this.
Anyone using their usual gym in January will once again be reminded of how crowded it is in January, with all of the resolutionees attending. Gym owners will tell you that on average a significant number of these new attendees will have quit by mid Feb at the latest, leaving it once again to the rest of us. Yet many will have paid 12 months membership (although this is less likely now that membership terms are on average changing to monthly memberships or no contracts at all).
Why accept failure so early? If you've gone to the trouble of considering how to improve in which ever way necessary in the forthcoming year, why give it up so easily?
My view is entirely different. It is not an absolute goal but a plan which needs continuous re-affirmation and tweaking. If I miss the gym for a couple of days then I make sure I attend with that same session on the third day. I have still not yet done my 'Day 3' yet - see my earlier post. I will however find a way of achieving it. Indeed, tonight I have ordered from eBay a nylon dufflebag. Why? - to carry a skipping rope and a new set of gym rings so I have my mobile gym in addition to my home and commercial gyms.
I have many breached plans in 2015 already. I haven't therefore a perfect record but rather than giving up I am re-assessing to hit those gals harder
Keep the faith. If it is losing weight, learning French, controlling your worst aspects of your personality, becoming more politically aware or whatever is important to you, keep those plans, reaffirm them and when you stray - analyse why and what can be dome to limit future straying.
Happy improvement!
Andy
Saturday, 10 January 2015
How Pulling Exercises Create a Strong and Functional Shoulder Girdle - Final Part of Pull-Up Series
These three exercises work on the most important actions that need to be strengthened for a strong back.
The first, pulling our shoulders down and back in an upright posture, is essential for good technique in all pulling. It works not just on the big muscles in the back, but also on the smaller ones around the shoulder blades. These muscles are very important for shoulder health and also for supporting the shoulders during lifting and carrying.
The second combines the horizontal and vertical pulling motion, and is a great stepping stone to a full pull-up. Because your feet are on the ground, you can adjust your weight as needed to complete more repetitions before you fatigue.
The final pull-up progression is not just a back exercise, but a full body movement that combines back, shoulder, and arm strength with core strengthening. Even the hips and legs are engaged if you squeeze them tightly throughout the entire exercise.
Don’t get too hung up on exact sets and repetitions. Just make sure to gradually increase your volume (sets plus repetitions) as you improve and become more conditioned. Pick a repetition count that can be sustained over 3 to 5 sets (or more), rather than burn yourself out on the first set.
Diligent work on these series of exercises will get your back stronger and healthier within a few short weeks.
A strong back, shoulders, and arms not only look good, they’re also essential for your overall physical health. So take some time today to practice the pulling prep movement, even if it’s just lifting your arms up and doing the exercise in the air. It seems like such a simple thing, but this start in improving your awareness of these neglected areas will lead to significant benefits in the long run.
Friday, 9 January 2015
Pulling Exercise #3 – Full Pull-Up
“But I can’t do a pull-up!” I can hear those protests through the internet. Don’t worry, I got your back. And yes, you can do this!
In this video, I’ll present the best progressions that have taken my clients from barely budging off the ground, to several solid and pretty pull-ups in the quickest time possible.
- Jump up to a hold, then slowly lower your body to the ground, making sure to keep your shoulders down.
- Perform a halfway jump, then pull yourself the rest of the way. Slowly lower your body.
- Do a full pull-up, starting with a pulling prep.
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