The Benefits of Group Fitness Training

22/09/2011

A lot of people still assume that 1:1 personal training is better than small group training, but I say that small group training is just as effective as 1:1 personal training.

Most athletes train in groups – runners, footballers, martial artists, gymnasts and many more all train in a group. Although the individuals may be at different levels, the team environment helps them all do better. When you train with a team of like-minded individuals, there is a sense of family and also an air of competition. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Kettlebells, Training

I’m Now a WKC Strength and Conditioning Coach

27/07/2011

Last weekend I went to a kettlebell workshop with Valery Fedorenko. Valery is a Girevoy Sport (GS = kettlebell sport) world record holder that also happens to have his own certification process which teaches people the GS techniques and training techniques to excel at GS. So now I am a Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning Coach.

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Five Myths in the Fitness Industry

07/06/2011

Kettlebells are dangerous

If anyone tells you this, ask them what their qualifications are. They would not have received correct instruction themselves, therefore probably hurt themselves using poor technique. The truth is kettlebells are probably safer than dumbbells and barbells. The handle means not only are they less likely to be dropped, but for exercises such as the shoulder press and Turkish get up, the shoulders and wrists are in a more stable position, enabling more weight to be lifted safely and without injury. As with any exercise, it is important to get correct instruction so you can reap the benefits.

Machines are safer than free weights

Usually when you first join a gym they ask you what your goals are, and no matter what you say, they’ll give you [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Cardio, Kettlebells, Lifting weights, Training Tagged With: , , ,

Will lifting weights make my bum look big?

07/02/2011
Me lifting the kettlebell

20kg kettlebell overhead

I get a lot of queries from women about lifting heavy weights. They are scared they’ll “bulk up” and look like the incredible hulk. Well you know what? Women just don’t have the capacity for it – we simply don’t have enough testosterone to do this naturally. It doesn’t matter how much you lift, you’re not going to look like a juiced up body builder unless you… you know… juice up yourself with testosterone and steroids. In fact, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t lift heavy stuff.

1. Women in particular are susceptible to osteoporosis. That is, degeneration of the bones. Brittle bones may result in fractures and this can be prevented. Ask any medical professional and they will tell you nutrition and weight bearing exercise will increase bone mass. Lifting weights is a necessity!

2. Women do a lot of lifting in real life, so training to be strong will make life much easier. Holding a child on your hips while carrying the groceries is not light work! Of course your husband pitches in but when it comes down to it you are doing a lot too. Imagine what it would be like to easily pick up your child, to put things away easily in the top cupboards, to not strain your back every time you move things around the house. Training to be strong is training to make life easy!

3. Is your goal to “tone up” or to get some “definition”? What do you think those terms mean? They certainly don’t conjure up images of the “skinny fat” look. Toning up and getting definition is a combination of building some muscle, while trimming some fat to get a beautiful body with great shape. This is what we all want!

4. Increasing muscle mass increases your metabolic rate. This is the rate at which you burn calories. When you gain more muscle, your body burns more fat even while you’re sitting on the couch watching TV! This is one of the easiest ways to burn extra calories throughout the day.

5. Want another easy way to burn more calories? Lift weights! During training, you may technically burn less calories lifting weights than going for a run. But running (or any other cardio) isn’t going to give you the “after burn” affect. This “after burn” happens after the metabolic workouts I prescribe and it means that for the next 24-48 hours you will still be burning calories after working out! This is exactly what you want!

6. Do you ever desire to achieve something you never thought possible? Do you want to feel like Superwoman? I tell you there is nothing like lifting heavier than the guys. To dead lift 100kg or squat your own body weight is a great feat of achievement and it really teaches you that nothing is impossible and you can achieve anything you set out to do.

Trust me girls, lifting weights wont make you big and bulky. All it will do is help prevent osteoporosis, burn more fat, make you healthier, fitter and stronger and improve your life. Go for it!

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Filed Under: Kettlebells, Lifting weights, Setting goals, Training, Women Tagged With: , , ,

What makes a good personal trainer?

11/07/2010

I saw a funny sight today as I was going for my morning run through Westerfolds Park. I was running the single trail next to the river but I could see up ahead on the bitumen trail a woman who looked close to 100kg on a bike barking out orders to some seriously struggling runners to keep going. I thought, hmm this is interesting. Is this the new fitness fad?

When I caught up to them, I saw the woman on the bike was a personal trainer from a well known outdoor fitness franchise. Now I have heard some good and some bad stories about this franchise but I’ll let you decide on this instance.

Now these people running were really struggling. They were going at a snail’s pace, very out of breath and with poor form that comes with doing something that is currently beyond them. I don’t know how far they had been going, but it looked like they had done the whole 5km loop of the park and were nearly back at their base. Most of them were not overweight. In fact most of them were much smaller than their trainer and I’d be interested to see how the trainer could run if she got off her bike.

I was taken aback though. I mean, it’s ok to be big when the bulk is muscle and not fat. And it’s perfectly ok to be a personal trainer of any size, but if a trainer is telling their clients not to eat junk food and to push themselves hard, I think the trainer needs to look like they do the same.

It’s a struggle for anyone to eat well 99% of the time and exercise regularly to a high standard. It can be hard to push yourself to be stronger, fitter and healthier. But if it’s your job to tell people to do that then it’s your job to be that. Walk the walk if you wanna talk the talk! Would this woman know what it’s like to give up chocolate? I can tell you I do! And I know it’s difficult to give up your favourite junk foods.

But what was she like as a trainer? Well let me tell you there were some people there that I just would not have running. With poor technique running is a pain in the joints. For people who are very out of shape, running is an advanced exercise. It is also a time consuming exercise and there are so many other things that could be done in that time to maximise the client’s ability to achieve their goals. I would recommend simple bodyweight exercises and some basic use of kettlebells and dumbbells. All these activities can be low impact while developing strength, lean muscle and cardiovascular fitness at a suitable level with room for increased intensity when the client is ready.

If you plan on getting a personal trainer, it’s important to make your goals clear. Do you want to get stronger? Do you want to lose weight? Bulk up? Reduce risk of heart disease? Take up triathlon? Beat diabetes? If your trainer is not able to help you achieve your goals, if they prescribe exercises that you are not capable of, if they cannot relate to you how they have achieved something, and how you can do it too, then perhaps it’s time to get a new trainer.

If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to ask. Take a look at my running blog to find out more about what I get up to. And drop me a line if you are interested in training with me, or even if you just have some things you want to know more about. I am more than happy to speak to you.

Personal trainer

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Kettlebells

10/05/2010

Last weekend I participated in a Level 2 kettlebell workshop. It went for 4.5 hrs and was exhausting! Especially since I had already run 25km that morning!

Kettlebells originate from Russia and are an iron weight shaped like a cannon ball with a handle on the top. They have been used for centuries but only recently have become popular in the west.

Kettlebells, MelbourneKettlebells are a fantastic tool for exercise. You can use them for general cardiovascular fitness, high intensity intervals and strength work. That covers everything, doesn’t it? They are just so versatile – you can push them, pull them, swing them, clean and jerk them and you can even juggle them! The only limit is your imagination.

They are also space and cost efficient. Instead of having 5 different dumbbell pairs, you could have just 2 or 3 different sized kettlebells to get a killer workout. They are so portable – very convenient with the handle – so you can use them indoors, in your back yard, or take them to your local park.

Kettlebells are also time efficient! This is perfect if you lead a busy life and only have 15-20 mins to squeeze in a workout. You can work up a storm in this time, which certainly beats a 1 hour gym session or 2 hour bike rike!

Due to the shape of the kettlebell, some exercises like the shoulder press, clean, snatch and Turkish Get Up are more comfortable with the wrists and shoulders being in a more stable position than using dumbbells or barbells. If you’ve had a shoulder injury in the past, using kettlebells for overhead work can improve your strength without risk of further injury, provided you have an instructor teach you correct technique.

In terms of cardiovascular fitness, kettlebells offer a low impact alternative to running, while strengthening your whole body with a low injury risk activity.

I cannot think of a single kettlebell exercise that does not work the core. That means you no longer need to do back breaking sit ups to strengthen your abs. They not only work your abs, but your back as well so you will feel more balanced and end up with great posture.

The most common kettlebell exercise is the swing. This works your whole body, but is particularly good for your glutes. Most people have weak glutes from sitting at a desk all day. A lot of runners have knee or ITB pain due to weak glutes. And a lot of people have flat bums due to weak glutes! Who wouldn’t want to improve this area? Actually the swing really works the whole posterior chain (the rear of the body), and since so many exercises and day to day activities mean we are stronger in the front of our bodies, which can cause us to walk around hunched over, it is so important to balance this out with stronger hamstrings, glutes and back to lessen back pain, improve posture, reduce sports injuries and to feel better overall.

It is important if you are going to work with kettlebells to have an instructor coach you through the movements. A lot of people report back pain from some of the simplest movements and that is because they really don’t know what they are doing. Some movements are quite technical, such as the clean and snatch, and the trainee must learn the basics with correct form before progressing to the more complex moves.

If you’re in Melbourne’s north eastern suburbs (Greensborough, Watsonia, Macleod and surrounds) I can help you find affordable, quality kettlebells and provide casual or ongoing training. If you’re not local I can point you in the right direction.

If you’re already comfortable with some of the movements, here is a sample full body workout using 1 kettlebell that should leave you in a puddle of sweat:

10 rounds, resting 30 seconds in between each round:
1 Arm swing
Clean
Squat – Press
Snatch
Repeat 4 more times with this arm, and then repeat with the other arm
30 seconds rest

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