Training

Will lifting weights make my bum look big?

07/02/2011

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!

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

Do I have to be fit to have a personal trainer?

18/01/2011

Personal training will get you fit

No! But you will be! I have trained past athletes, gym rats and people who have never exercised before.

Before you start training with me, we discuss your goals. You’ll tell me exactly what you want. Do you want to get fit? Do you want to get strong? Do you want to reduce body fat? If you’re not exactly where you want to be, I’ll come up with the most effective exercise program to get you there.

I’m not into pushing you til you puke, and I’m not into giving you an easy ride. You will have to put in effort each session and you will be challenged to improve. You will have to do your workouts in between sessions, or you may prefer multiple sessions with me each week to help push and motivate you.

You certainly don’t have to be fit to start training with me, but you will be once I’m done with you!

(Image: Some rights reserved, Ulf Liljankosk)

Filed Under: Motivation, Setting goals, Training Tagged With: Motivation, Setting goals, Training

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.