How to Train Your Abs

Your abs are no different than your other muscles. 

Work them hard within reasonable repetition ranges. Use variety, such as repetitions to muscular fatigue at 8-12, 15-20, or 25-40. Mix it up like you'd do with other exercises. Ensure you do your repetitions at a deliberate rate concentrate on perfect form rather than quantity.

Abdominal Training Routine

Workout 1:

Trunk rotation - 2 x 15-20 reps

Trunk flexion - 1 x 8-12 reps

Workout 2:

Trunk flexion - 2 x 15-20 reps

Trunk lateral flexion - 2 x 8-12 reps

Workout 3:

Trunk rotation - 1 x 25-35 reps

Trunk lateral flexion x 1 x 25 -3 reps

Workout 4:

Trunk lateral flexion - 1 x 10-15 reps

Trunk rotation - 2 x 20-30 reps

Workout 5:

Trunk rotation  - 1 x 25 - 35 reps

Trunk flexion - 2 x 10-15 reps

Workout 6:

Trunk rotation - 2 x 10-15 reps

Trunk flexion - 1 x 25 - 35 reps  

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Fantastic Cardio Workout To Burn Fat Fast!

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This is an excellent workout to really raise your heart rate and burn some calories. Try to fit this short workout in at the start of your day to really kick start your metabolism and burn calories well into the day.

Not only will you burn calories, but you will release chemicals into your body which will make you feel alive and ready to attack your day.

By following a healthy eating program, exercising 4 times a week, mixing both cardio and strength training you will shock your body and the body fat will "literally disappear!" 

The difficult part is finding the motivation and enthusiasm to drag yourself out of bed...

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How To Choose Your Gym!

1. Proximity

Choose a gym that's either close to home or work if you can: you'll be more likely to go if you don't have to travel to get there. If your gym is close to the office you could go during your lunch hour, before or after work, which is practical.

2. Activities and Equipment

The range of machines, classes and activities on offer varies greatly from one establishment to the next. Some gyms are always offering new classes as fads and trends come along, whereas other, smaller places may have a more limited choice and timetable. 

3. Management

Professionalism is important. Make sure the instructors are qualified. Many gyms offer a personalised training programme which is defined at the beginning of the contract.

4. Facilities

Take a guided tour before you sign anything to get an idea of what facilities the gym has, how well maintained and clean it is. Look at the size of the training rooms, number of machines and quality of the changing rooms. More and more centres now include access to a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, TV room, tennis courts...and some even have beauty therapy areas with à la carte treatments (massage, facials etc) or crèches for kids.

5. Chains

The advantage of going with a well-known chain is that the membership card allows you to go to whichever gym you want, most of the time without having to pay a supplement (extra motivation if there's one near your house and office!).

6. Machines

Check whether the machines are in good condition and well maintained. Technology moves on fast! Check how busy the gym seems and how many machines there are, so you know you won't have to wait for hours to get on a bike!

7. Frequency

Packed classes are no fun: you can't see or hear the instructor properly and get little personalised help in doing the exercises properly. Check how full the gym is and how many classes they have on, so you can attend less busy ones if you need to.

8. Atmosphere

Check out the feel of the place. This will, of course, depend on the area and the staff. Take time to chat to the users and staff. Small gyms tend to be more user friendly than the big chains.

9. Contract

Before you sign, ask for a free trial. Check the flexibility of the contract and make sure you're covered if you move house, lose your job or get sent abroad.

10. Price

Prices vary enormously, so ask for a quote, negotiate, and compare the offer to the competition. Remember gyms battle it out to get new members, so make sure you're getting the best deal before you hand your money over.

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Kick Start Your Metabolism

Try this short workout first thing in the morning. Do three sets with 60 seconds rest between each set, you will boost your metabolism and start burning calories before your morning shower.

Swiss Ball For Beginers

 Swiss Ball's are Fantastic!

In this video you will be guided on how to use your Swiss ball correctly and how to get the maximum amount of benefit from it. Swiss balls to the beginner may seem like specialist pieces of equipment, only to be used under the strict supervision of a personal trainer. This is simply not true, not only are the balls very affordable but they are very easy to use and offer a surprising amount of exercises that can be conducted on them.

Swiss balls are easy to inflate (especially if you use a foot pump) and can be deflated for easy storage in a few minutes. The benefit of using a Swiss ball instead of repeating conventional exercises on the floor, is that because of the instability of the ball your whole core is engaged in each exercise. This obviously allows you to work more muscles through fewer exercises and increases your work rate with each repetition.

If you are unable to join a gym and are looking for a piece of equipment that offers maximum benefit for minimal cost, then a Swiss ball should be high on your shopping list.

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Total Body Weight Loss Workout

Losing weight without even leaving the comfort of your own front room, can't be a bad thing! 

This video does exactly that, be starting a Calisthenics program which you can do at home you have no excuse for not exercising. No equipment is needed, just a small amount of space to allow you to conduct the exercises correctly.

This total body workout targets all areas of your body and will raise your heart rate to burn maximum calories. What we like about this program is that you can raise or lower the intensity to suite your ability. Concentrate on "correct form" when doing an exercise and never sacrifice quality for quantity. If you find the routine too simple either increase the amount of time you exercise from 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds or decrease the rest periods.

No matter what your fitness level is, this workout will challenge you with a slight tweak to the routine. If you are a total beginner always try to push yourself when exercising but be aware of "going too fast too soon"! Concentrate on doing the exercises correctly, targeting the muscles being worked and don't expect results over night. Start by working out three times a week and increase the intensity as you become more comfortable with the routine.

When you first start a new program listen to your body to avoid injury and be patient, your weight loss journey requires a life changing commitment not a 3 week charge!






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Complete Motivation

If you are struggling to stay motivated and think perhaps it's just not worth it, take a look at this short video for 50 reasons to keep going!  Once you've watched the video if you are still struggling then its time to look at your mindset and ask your self the big question "are you committed to changing your life for the better".

Every weight loss journey has highs and lows but the ultimate key the one that makes the difference between success and failure is motivation, keep motivated and you will succeed! Watch the video, listen to the advice, look at the people in it and then make your decision.

The best person in the world to motivate you is you, go for it.....











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Get Motivated, Stay Motivated

Five or six days every week, Sue Wolcott, 41, hits the treadmill in her basement.

It's a habit that started after she named her exercise machine Ripley. "It's as in 'Believe it or not, I'm working out,'" says Sue, a teacher in Grand Island, New York. "I would never skip out on meeting a friend, so I decided to treat my treadmill like a person." It's become, ahem, a running joke in her set; one pal now refers to her own treadmill as Dusty. "It's just us being silly, but when I'm asked if I've seen Ripley, I really love answering yes," Sue says.

Despite what you may think, the trick to exercising regularly isn't finding your inner enforcer. Rather, "it's getting creative and tapping your natural motivations," says Kelly McGonigal, PhD, a health psychologist and fitness instructor at Stanford. 

We asked women who work up a sweat almost every day for their stick-with-it solutions. 

1. Don't Put Away Your Gear.

From the moment she rises, Kristina Monét Cox, 26, has exercise on the brain. That's because the first things she sees are her sneakers and workout clothes. "I've got them next to the bed in plain sight," says Kristina, the CEO of a communications firm in Houston. "I've also got dumbbells right where I can see them in the bathroom, and a balance ball, a yoga mat, and a jump rope strategically placed throughout the house." Forgetting to exercise is never her problem.

Why it works: Visual cues are a wake-up call to your brain. "We all have competing priorities like work, family, chores. Sometimes we need a reminder to keep exercise at the forefront," McGonigal says.

2. Turn Your Commute Into A Workout.

On days that Monica Vazquez, 27, a master trainer for New York Sports Clubs in New York City, can't do her usual run, she stuffs her essentials -- keys, cash, credit card, phone and ID -- into a fanny pack and jogs home from work instead. "Running is a great workout, but it's also great transportation," she says. "Sometimes I get home even earlier than I normally do taking the subway."

Why it works: Running, walking, or biking somewhere you have to go anyway makes exercise feel time-efficient. "And you don't have to carve out another part of your day for it," says Michelle Fortier, PhD, professor of health sciences at the University of Ottawa. "It's an effective strategy for people who are busy from morning to night."

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This Woman Went To The Gym For A 100 Days

This short video is well worth the time to sit and watch, this lady is a true inspiration to everyone trying to loose weight. She decided she wanted to change her life, so she set her self a realistic goal and went for it! What she achieved in a 100 days is fantastic and totally proves that anything is possible if you just have the right mental attitude. Watch the video, set yourself a goal and then just do what she did, GO FOR IT!






You simply can't have enough motivational material around you as you start your weight loss journey, take copies to work, in your car, at home and even take them to bed! If you keep inspired you will keep achieving your goals, if you lose inspiration then it becomes very difficult. 

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How Yoga Changes Your Body, Starting The Day You Begin

The Eastern practice of yoga has become a modern-day symbol of peace, serenity and well-being in the West. More than 20 million Americans practice yoga, according to the 2012 Yoga in America study, with practitioners spending more than $10 billion a year on yoga-related products and classes.

The mind-body practice is frequently touted for its ability to reduce stress and boost well-being, but it also offers wide-ranging physical health benefits that rival other forms of exercise. While the scientific research on yoga's health benefits is still young, here's what we know so far about its potential effects on the body.

 View the infographic below for more detailed information.

Infographic by Jan Diehm for The Huffington Post

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Total Body Weight Loss Workout & Weight Loss Motivation

We thought this workout looked good, as it can be done by both men and women at home with minimum equipment.  We would advise sitting down to watch the video first to familiarise yourself with the exercises and to get a feel for the difficulty level of the routine.  Remember, don't be put off if it appears too advanced for you, the beauty of these videos is that you can work at your own pace and advance to the level of the instructor.  No-one is expecting you to press play and immediately pick up on the pace and follow the routine, it's a step by step process, which you can conduct in the privacy of your own home. 

Try the routine and record your results in your visualisation book for 4 weeks, we would advise exercising just 3 times per week to begin with and build up as you become more comfortable with the program.  If this is your fist time exercising please seek medical advise before attempting any type of exercise program.  Have fun and enjoy it.  

This statement rings true every time we read it, 3 months is a short period of time and with some personal discipline and self motivation you can make a big difference to how you look and feel. Organise your self, set realistic mini goals, research the subject and make informed choices and there is nothing to stop you from changing your life. Involve family and friends to help keep you motivated and for personal support should you need it. Training or dieting is always easier if you have a partner or buddy to compete against and to help drive you towards your final goal.

                                                                           





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How To Fit Exercise Into The Working Day

Fitness tips for the time-strapped

Think you've got no time to exercise? Motivation expert and personal Trainer Dax Moy sets the record straight, and he’s not messing around...

1. Think 'Something rather than nothing

Many people end up doing no training at all because they have been brainwashed into thinking that a decent exercise session has to last an hour or more. This is simply not the case. The body works on a 'minimum dose response' system whereby it improves relative to your last exercise session. If you don't do any exercise at all then even 1 minute a day (yes, you read that right) will still yield benefits . Something ALWAYS trumps nothing... and there's ALWAYS time for something! As long as you're doing more than you usually do (1 more minute, 1 more set, 1 more reps, 1 more lb) then your results will still come.

2. Little and often

If you're stuck for time then little and often is a brilliant approach to improving your fitness.

Try 3-4 minutes before you hit the shower in the morning, go for a 3-4 minute walk and 'earn' your lunch break. Maybe do 3-4 minutes when you get home and before you go to bed and you may well have amassed more than 20-30 minutes of decent exercise. May not sound much but do this daily and it adds up and, of course, as per the last point, something ALWAYS beats nothing.

3. Use the ad breaks on TV

Ad breaks come on every 12-15 minutes on most commercial stations and last for around 3 minutes each. Instead of getting up, raiding the fridge and grabbing a coffee whenever one comes on, spend the 3 minutes doing exercises either as a circuit or back-to-back 'superset' (squats and pushups for example). Every hour will see you completing 12 minutes of exercise so over three hours in the evening you'll have done 36 minutes of quality work.

4. Squeeze it!

Your body doesn't actually know the difference between barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, yoga, pilates, gymnastics or dance. All it knows is that a muscle is asked to contract for a certain tension and a certain time. This is great news as you can contract your muscles anytime, anywhere. Sitting there in your chair, standing on the tube, waiting in line for your lunch, you can contract thighs, glutes, abs, chest, arms and, well, anything. Just squeeze for all you're worth (between 70% and 00% of your maximum effort) for 5-10 reps of 5-10 seconds each and you'll have given yourself a pretty decent workout that's strengthened and toned your muscles.

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10 Top Tips for a 10k Run

What do you do to prepare for a 10k run?

In the months before the race I would run a certain mileage a week and then I would do some more race specific stuff like kilometre intervals, kilometres on track and on road, fast, short, recovery to get some speed in my legs for the upcoming race.

Do you do anything in the gym in preparation for race day?

Conditioning is always good and being flexible is very important for a long-distance runner. I manly just keep on top of my sports massage.  

   

What is a typical diet for a 10k runner?

A long-distance runner would probably be eating more carbs than the average person should be eating. Carbs like fruits, vegetables and pasta are a very good source for the carbs that you need and you would also need a high amount of protein to replenish the muscles that are damaged during exercise. Recovery drinks are also very good for post-workout healing and for rest days as well. This diet will definitely get you geared up towards the race.

Strength, Speed or Stamina?  

I would say that stamina is more important because of the fact you’re running 6.24miles, it’s longer than the average person would run.

Top 10 Tips 

1. Invest in a good pair of running trainers. Asics are the best around.

2. Get some comfortable, breathable kit. If you feel good when you train then you train well. 

3. Stick to your training routine. It sound simple, but people always like to skip days here and there. You wouldn’t walk into a maths test without revising.

4. Don’t try and run before you can crawl. Gradually build up (progression). Listen to your body – take a day off if you have to.

5. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t compare yourself to top long-distance runners and be realistic.

6. Try and do at least one speed session every week. Try and run at a faster speed that you can maintain during key parts of the race.

7. Over-distance training is vital. Try and run at least seven miles once-a-week because it gives you a psychological edge going into the race because you would have exceeded the race mileage six or seven times. It will make the 10k easier because it will be a smaller distance.

8. Eat at least two hours before the race. Don’t eat anything too heavy and don’t eat anything you have never eaten before. Eat something that is quite high in carbs like porridge or toast. Don’t drink too much water – one litre before the race is more than enough.

9. Get as much sleep as you can leading up to the race. People get nervous the night before so it is good to get those extra hours during the week.

10. Always go in with a target. If you target 60 minutes then you need to target six minutes per kilometre. 

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Pilates Sculpting

This routine is perfect for all levels of fitness, if you've never tried Pilates before give it ago and see what you think, if you are more advanced try increasing the weight or extend the routine. 

The instruction is clear and precise and requires very limited equipment, if you don't have hand weights or dumb bells at home, use water bottles or tins of food to add resistance.  Pilates is an excellent low impact training method with a proven track record, this form of exercise is perfect for people who have injury's and are unable to run or power walk.

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Booty Shaking Waist Workout

This is a quality cardio workout that only takes 10 minutes, that anyone can try!  If you've not exercised for a while make sure you consult a doctor before starting, then set realistic goals and start slowly. Remember to plan your exercise sessions, record your results and eat healthy regular meals.  Give this workout a try at home and let us know your thoughts.....












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Exercise and Fitness Weight Loss Routines That Work

High intensity interval training is one of the best exercise routines for rapid and sustainable weight loss. However, in order to make the training meaningful, you should keep the following important points in mind:

• Your entire workout should last for around 30 to 40 minutes. In fact, the intensity of the workout should be such that you won't feel like doing any other exercise during the day. If you find interval training difficult, you can start with longer but easier cardiovascular routines such as walking 3 miles.
• The hard part of your workout should last between 40 and 60 seconds and the easy part of your workout should last between 60 and 90 seconds. Remember to make sure that the hard parts are really hard. Make sure that the easy parts are really easy to give your body time to rest and recover.
• Do these workouts for only three or four days a week otherwise your body could easily become stressed or tired. If you can do them twice every day, you will speed up the process of weight loss.

Why interval training works in burning calories quickly is because of the following important factors:

• It allows you to burn more calories in a shorter period of time. A workout that involves interval training and lasts for 10 to 30 minutes through four times a week is superior to a cardiovascular workout (such as walking) for 30 to 60 minutes. If you want to continue with a cardiovascular workout, you could burn more calories by alternating intervals of walking and running.
• Because your metabolism is elevated for a considerable period of time after you've finished working out, the body continues to burn calories and this effect is known as "after burn".
• If you have stubborn pockets of fat that refuse to vanish after normal exercise, interval training is the best method of getting rid of these fat pockets. Interval training also helps when you reach a plateau in your exercise regime and are unable to increase the level to continue to lose fat.

All the above points will definitely help to achieve fat loss, meaningful targeted training is the only approach if you are serious about loosing body fat.  The benefits of loosing body fat are obvious to everyone, your whole life will be affected. Not only will you look and feel better your health and life expectancy will be significantly improved. 

Remember, train for no longer than 30 to 40 minutes and make sure that the hard sections of the routine last around 1 minute.  During that minute interval you must work to your maximum to gain real benefit, recovery or rest periods should be light.  

This type of training is difficult and hard to maintain, so real personal discipline is required, but if you stick with it and perform the intervals correctly there is no better way to lose unwanted body fat. 

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Don't Just Diet – Exercise to Lose Weight, Too

What you eat is only one part of the weight-loss equation. Diet alone might help you drop pounds, but you'll have trouble keeping them off if you don't exercise. And that's not to mention the added benefits you'll miss out on, from improved mood, to better sleep, to disease prevention. "The exercise has to be there," says Jim White, a registered dietitian and personal trainer certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Most experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, most or all days of the week. Typically, 30 minutes a day offers disease-prevention benefits, while 60 minutes helps with weight maintenance. Working out for 90 minutes a day helps on both fronts – and melts additional pounds. Regular exercise also cuts the risk of heart disease and diabetes, improves blood pressure and cholesterol levels, promotes better sleep, and builds healthy bones, muscles and joints.

Consider these highlights of exercise research published in 2013:

• A team of Harvard University researchers analysed data from six large studies that focused on the leisure activities and body mass index of more than 650,000 people older than 40 who were followed for 10 years. They found that those who clocked 75 minutes of brisk walking each week – which translates to about 11 minutes a day – lived 1.8 years longer than those who didn't exercise at all. And those who got 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, or 22 minutes a day, gained 3.4 years. The findings were released in November 2013.

• Among stroke patients, exercise was a more effective treatment than drugs, according to a study published in BMJ in October 2013. And for those who had suffered a heart attack, exercise after the incident was as effective as drugs in preventing early deaths.

• Pregnant women who exercise as little as 20 minutes three times a week can boost their babies' brain activity. So say researchers at the University of Montreal, who presented their findings in November at the Neuroscience 2013 conference. Researchers tracked two groups of women: those who were given an exercise regimen, and those who were not. They recorded the newborns' brain activity levels at 8 to 12 days of life and found that the babies of mothers who exercised had more fully developed brains compared to babies whose mothers didn't work out.

• Only one in five adults in the U.S., or 20%, meet the government's recommendations for the amount of weekly aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise. That's according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report in May 2013. Researchers found that, nationwide, about 50 percent of adults get the recommended amounts of aerobic activity – 150 minutes a week, if you're working out at a moderate-intensity – and about 30 percent engage in the recommended muscle-strengthening activity.

Diets

Some diets offer specific exercise routines. For example, Jenny Craig members get programs tailored to their individual fitness level. The Spark Solution diet, mapped out in a book by the same name, provides daily workouts for the first two weeks, along with roughly 40 pages devoted to fitness, including photos to show how certain exercises should be performed, a workout "menu" with the number of calories various workouts burn and other practical fitness guidance. And while the Flat Belly diet doesn't require exercise, the book does outline an optional plan, including workout descriptions, intensity and duration. It recommends cardio exercise to burn calories and shed fat; strength training to build muscle and boost metabolism; and core-focused exercises to tone and tighten the midsection.

Still, other diets provide less guidance, doing no more than suggesting, yes, you should exercise. If that's the case, remember that physical activity need not be drudgery. Take a Zumba dance class, go hiking, jump rope or bounce on a trampoline. Try kayaking, Pilates or swimming; vigorous household chores and yard work count, too. (Washing your car for an hour will burn 204 calories, according to caloriecount.com; vacuuming burns 238 in the same amount of time.) For the best conditioning, switch up your routine every 12 weeks, including frequency, intensity and type. And avoid an all-or-nothing mentality: It's better to take a 30-minute walk five times a week than to run half a marathon on just one day.

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