The Paleo Diet

The Paleolithic (Paleo) Diet is all the rage at the moment. In my opinion it's a great way of eating. The Paleo diet is basically all the foods we hunted or foraged for when we were cavemen. The Paleolithic era was around 2.5 million years in its dutation and only ended when agriculture progressed and started to dominate the way we ate around 10000 years ago. It's difficult to argue that it's not a natural way of eating simply because we have eaten this way for so long.

The foods predominantly on the Paleo diet are:

• Meat
• Fish
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Seasonal local fruit and vegetables
• Herbs and Spices

In my opinion the paleo diet is fantastic if you are looking to get lean. The reduction of carbohydrates naturally promotes the burning of fat, as the body isn't looking to burn sugar (from the carbs) first. The main difficulty of this diet is the lack of 'normal' foods that we are used to eating. Basically all the foods we eat due to the introduction of farming i.e bread, pasta, dairy, caffeine, etc. You also need to apply a fair amount of preparation and ensure these foods are in the house. No nipping to the bread-bin when feeling hungry!

However if you applied the above foods 80% of the week you would still lean out. Your energy levels would be good as long as you had adequate protein and good fats at meal times. If you are looking to build muscle in the gym then you can still follow this plan. If you find it hard to put on muscle then simply add in potatoes and rice to the equation.

A typical Paleo day may look like this:

• Breakfast - Eggs, ham, grilled mushrooms and grilled tomatoes
• Snack - Nuts and seed mix
• Lunch - Fish and mixed salad
• Snack - Cold meats
• Dinner - Steak with baked vegetables.
• Late evening - Berry mix

If you ate this way for the majority of the week with the occasional 'off' day or meal then you would shed pounds and change your bodyshape quite quickly.

Eat how we were designed to eat and feel the difference! If it wasn't around 2 million years ago, simply don't eat it!

                                         

Oli

More protein, more energy

Sometimes the worst thing you can do when you are tired or hungry is reach for some sugar, especially during the day. As soon as your blood sugar levels hit rock bottom, it's natural to crave something sugary to lift these back up. Things like bread, biscuits, cake, chocolate, will all start to jump out at you! Do your best to resist and head for the protein instead. In a matter of minutes this should turn things around. Your blood sugars will even out. If you eat sugar, they will crash again and the cycle continues.

Protein consists mainly of fish, meat and dairy. The key when snacking on protein is to find simple options that you can eat at home or on the go:

• Pre-cooked meats e.g ham, chicken, beef 
• Hard boiled eggs
• Tins of fish e.g mackerel on some ryveeta/rice cakes (tinned fish serve as a great back up for a meal if you are short on time. Add to salad, veggies, rice dishes)
• Cottage cheese - either straight out of the tub or again on ryveeta/rice cake (try the chive or pineapple versions for variety)
• Nuts
• Cashew/almond butter 1-2 teaspoons on ryveeta/ricecake
• Glass of milk
• Whey protein isolate drink mixed with water
• Beef Jerky
• Protein bar (quite high in sugar but better than a chocolate bar if you are on the road)

Even if you feel the need to grab some carbs, have some protein with it. Protein with slow down the digestion of the carbs and you will feel fuller for longer.


                               


Oli

Records Broken in Chicago

John Harley has been a member at TSC and Tonbridge Athletics Club since 2011 and has completed several of the world’s most famous Marathons during that time including Athens, Berlin, Boston, London and most recently Chicago.

Sounds like the work of a lifelong runner? Not even close- John is in his early sixties and this is simply how he chose to spend his retirement! 

By his own admission John had never been a runner. He did do a little training in his youth and even ran in the first Johannesburg Half marathon back in 1977, completing it in a respectable 1 Hour 50 minutes. At the time this was achievement enough and running took a back seat to career and family obligations thereafter.

He did return to training in 2003 but predominantly as a means of combating an inactive lifestyle as opposed to competing and it was not until shortly before his retirement in 2011 he was approached by his employers to lead a corporate team to the 2500^th Athens Marathon that the sport took its hold once more. Before the race began he promised his team of colleagues that, should he run under the 4 hour mark, he would be content and would never take part in a marathon again.

The team raised a staggering 50,000 Euros for good causes and John finished in 4 hours…and 26 seconds!

From that moment John resolved to run the Top 5 Marathons the world has to offer and has not looked back since, training harder, losing weight and absorbing advice from all quarters in pursuit of faster times and injury-free preparation.

Having run the Bath Half Marathon in a Personal Best 1 hour 30 minutes and finishing 4^th in his age group the 2012 London Marathon was up next and a time of 3 hours 20 Minutes!

This is when John started training with me here at TSC, with the intention of conquering a Marathon in 3 hours or less.

He came close in Boston (one of the toughest races in the world and not the place to set a PB) with a finish time of 3 hours 21minutes despite suffering from calf problems in the last few kilometres and has continued to progress well - exploring and improving all aspects of his preparation from race nutrition to running technique. John has since broken into the Top 10s in both Half Marathons and Marathons in the UK for his age group. He’s not far down the list in the 10km rankings either.

His most recent effort came in Chicago on 13^th October – finishing the race in a brilliant 3 hours 4 minutes, placing him 1200^th (from a field of 45,000!) and coming home as the 1^st British athlete and 2^nd in his age group overall. This was good enough to break both the 60+ and 50+ records for the distance at Tonbridge Athletics Club (again).

“I was 11 stone at the start of the Chicago Marathon. I have never felt or looked healthier. The whole experience has been a huge and unexpected bonus since my retirement from full time employment. “

John is far from finished and I look forward to reporting more from him in the coming months – and we both hope to see you on the track soon!

Paddy.

Todays kettlebell workout

If you are a regular user of the Kettlebell you will know the benefits it brings to both your strength and conditioning.

In our Kettlebell (KB) class today we used what we call 'ladders' to gradually work up into a more intense circuit.

Here is what we did:

• KB swings x 45seconds

REST 30-60

• Single arm kettlebell row 45 seconds/side + KB Swings x 45

REST 30-60

• Clean & Press x 45/side + Single arm row x 45/side + Swings 45 

REST 30-60

• Burpees x 45 + Clean & Press x 45/side + Single arm rows x 45/side + Swings 45 

REST 30-60

• Alternate Lunges x 45 + Burpees x 45 + Clean & Press x 45/side + Single arm rows x 45/side + Swings 45 

REST 30-60

• Pushups x 45 + Alternate Lunges x 45 +Burpees x 45 + Clean & Press x 45/side + Single arm rows x 45/side + Swings 45 

This reduces rest time substantially. After a warm up it was non-stop work for 30 minutes, followed by a cooldown and stretch.

You can apply this form of training to a body weight workout, core work out, dumbells etc. It's a great way to utilise time if you train on your lunch break or if you have a busy shedule.

Why not come along to our Kettlebell classes for an intense workout for all abilities.

Alternatively, why not get a programme from a trainer for the gym or at home when you can't make it in.

 

Oli.

Mindset for better and more regular workouts

                        

If you only exercise when you feel good, there is every chance you may not exercise much at all. With busy schedules, long working hours and endless commitments, a training session may get pushed way down the list and can be missed completely.

When you feel tired before hitting the gym, your mind will give you a whole host of excuses as to why you shouldn't go, "you've had a long day", "you need to get up early", "you didn't eat a very good lunch", "I think my left knee is hurting a little". On some days it feels like a constant battle with your mind just to simply show up. It's human nature to preserve energy and this is why our mind often convinces us not to exercise. However the feeling after is almost always 100% amazing. I have only had the odd workout where i didn't feel much better afterwards in my many years of training.

For the majority of training sessions, you have won half of the battle simply by showing up. However for some, you may get to the gym and feel weak. If you are feeling tired before hand or weak during a workout, don't always see this as a bad thing. If you push through and get to the end, this will strengthen your mindset. You will feel great about finishing the session when your mind told you that you couldn't. When you encounter these feelings the next time, it won't feel alien to you. You have been here before and you got it done. You can do that again. You will miss less training sessions and you will start to get closer to your goals.

Remember the saying "Discipline is the difference between what you want now and what you want most". Yes, after work we would all like to go home, switch on the t.v and order a takeaway. That's what you want right now. However is that going to get you what you want most? No. If what you want most is a flat stomach, to be fitter for the weekends game of sport, to build muscle, to lower your blood pressure and improve your health, then you must focus on this. Think of why you're going.

Sometimes we have a tough day. Don't let this stop you, if anything let it drive you to get it done. The tougher your mindset the stronger you will become when pushing through obstacles and getting what you want.

Oli.

Should you eat carbohydrates before exercise?

Carbohydrates have the reputation as energy foods. Therefore it would seem sensible to have them before a workout to boost performance. However, what most people don't realise is that carbohydrates also promote the release of seretonin. Seretonin acts as a relaxant, which is why you often feel tired after a big carb-based meal.

Everyone is different in regards to what works for them before an exercise session. I look to keep my blood sugar levels steady. There is nothing worse than not having enough energy for the workout itself. It's very important you plan ahead with a meal/snack in advance to make the session productive.

To keep my blood sugar levels steady, I tend to include protein and good fats. These allow a slow release of energy. I like a meal of oily fish and avacado about 90-120 minutes beforehand. If I were to snack just before the workout a good source of slow release fats are nuts.

If you need carbs to function, simply try adding some protein in to the meal. This will slow down the absorbtion of carbs and should allow for a more sustained release of energy.

Instead of 2 slices of toast, why not have 1 slice with an egg or add on some cashew/almond spread to boost protein.

Rather than a large jacket potato on its own, add some fish or meat and reduce the size of the potato.

Try some different combinations of meat, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, nuts, avacado before a workout and see how you feel. If you are struggling without the carbs, combine the above with some slow release carbs e.g. brown rice, sweet potato, wholemeal bread etc. Avoid white variations!

Oli.

Are you getting enough sleep?

You may have heard of the saying Train. Eat. Sleep. In my opinion sleep is the most crucial aspect not just for your training goals, but for general health and well being.

It is during our sleep where our body is allowed time to rest and recover. Several important processes happen to your body while you sleep. The bottom line is not getting enough sleep will virtually make it impossible for you to either gain muscle or lose body fat. Sleep is not only important for your training goals but crucial for your health. Lack of sleep has been linked to Hypertension, increased stress hormones and an irregular heart beat.

A recent study from Amercia showed that adults who were getting less than 5 hours sleep were more likely to be overweight. More importantly children who were getting less than 10 hours sleep were putting on weight at a rapid pace! The reason for this alarming link between sleep debt and weight gain, is due to the fact that sleep effects many important hormones in the body. Lack of sleep lowers the levels of leptin in your blood and heightens the levels of ghrelin, which results in an increase of appetite. The reverse is also true, getting enough sleep decreases hunger and will therefore help you lose weight.

As mentioned before lack of sleep dramatically increases the stress hormone cortisol. Higher levels of cortisol lead to a lower metabolism. Getting 8 hours sleep will lower cortisol levels and allow to lose body fat and build lean muscle.

The problem for many people is that they find falling asleep hard and become restless. I myself had this trouble and put several measures in place to help this:

• Firstly I started eating a tiny bit of carbohydrates before bed, ignore the no carbs before bed myth. Carbs in fact encourage the brain to release serotonin, which helps the body relax and regulates sleep.
• I also take 400mg of magnesium before bed, this mineral is great for relaxing the nervous system and helps you switch off.
• Make sure your room is at a cool temperature and not too hot. Also your room should be pitch black. Think of it as a bat cave!
• 30 minutes before bed try and stop watching tv and turn off your laptop. Try listening to some music in your bat cave.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PvoRsMEztE


Above I have attached a video from Scott Robinson on the importance of sleep. Scott is one of the most highly educated guys in the UK, and holds a Doctoral Research degree. He works with many top sports clubs and elite athletes to get the best out of them.
Good Night!

Joe

Sprint training for conditioning

With the busy lifestyles we lead, there never feels enough time to fit in everything we want to. The same is the case for workouts. I enjoy doing weight training but I haven't allowed enough time for cardio based conditioning work.

However to get the balance right and not spend too much time on cardio, but to get the benefits that it provides, I have added some sprint intervals at the end of one or two weights sessions each week. So after 45 minutes of weights, I jog to the track or a field and run as fast as I can for 4-8 sets. The distance tends to be anywhere from 40-80 metres. My recovery tends to be a slow walk back. I'm not training for speed so I don't mind if I don't feel completely fresh before my next set.

The great thing about sprints is practically anyone can do them. You don't have to be fast. You just have to run at your top speed, whatever that is. I have felt much fitter and the whole session only takes between 15-20 minutes. This could be done as a workout on its own. Just make sure you warm up with some light jogging and then a few 75% sprints, gradually building your pace before starting your main sets.

Also, if you haven't run for a while or are new to running, try running fast for each set rather than sprining all out. This will allow you to build things up gradually.

Oli.

Why Fish Oils are the most important health supplement

The 1980s was known as "Fat Free" era. We were all told that dietary fat was the enemy and to avoid it at all cost. But it was fine to go and eat 70 grams of refined carbohydrates. What we were led to believe was that fat-free products equated to fat-free physiques. Unfortunately, that was far from the truth.

During the 80s a huge rise in obesity levels occured and steadily climbed throughout the decade. This increase in weight was accompanied by an 11% decrease in percentage of calories from fat. It’s obvious that dietary fat is not the evil culprit in the expansion of the population’s waistline. Unfortunately this is a theory that is still around today, as long as it hasn't got fat in it, we are fine. This could not be further from the truth, in fact, fat plays a vital role for normal growth and development. Enter Omega 3 fatty acids which are essential for our health. The body cannot produce these acids so they must be obtained from the diet or in supplement form. So if you are one of the people who do not like eating oily fish, then I would highly recommend that you invest in an omega 3 supplement.

Many health problems come from the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3. In the UK today our average ratio of these two omegas is a huge 25:1 ratio. The short answer is too much omega 6 will increase all inflammatory diseases which include.

type 2 diabetes
cardiovascular disease
obesity
rheumatoid arthritis
irritable bowel syndrome & inflammatory bowel disease

The main culprit of omega 6 is vegetable oil, which most of us cook with. I strongly suggest switching this with natural coconut oil, which is rich in more good fats.

Focus on Omega 3s

The health benefits of omega 3s are endless, which could improve the majority of the populations health. Either try and eat more oily fish or invest in a fish oil supplement.

• Omega 3 has positive effects on any disease known to man
• Fish oils turns on the lipolytic gene (genes for burning fat)
• Fish oils turn off the lipogenic genes (fat storage gene turned off)
• Reduced inflammation
• Fish oils increase serotonin levels (the happy neurotransmitter)
• Fish oils are a great stress fighter
• Increased focus in training
• Fish oils can lower blood pressure

This list could go on and on. Ensuring that your Omega 3 intake is in check can make a huge difference to your health, your body and your mind.



Joe.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D: The most underrated Vitamin on the Planet!

Every year there is a new product that hits the headlines. Recently Vitamin D has become the focal point of numerous studies. The results are extremely encouraging!

Studies show that 61% of the UK population are deficient in Vitamin D. This number can rise to 87% in the winter months, which feels like most of the time in the UK! You may have noticed that our moods are always worse during the winter months and this is directly related to low Vitamin D levels. As we barely see any sunlight during this period, our body is receiving no Vitamin D from the Sun. Investing in a Vitamin D supplement between November and March would be extremely beneficial due to the following:

• Vitamin D is involved with over 2,000 genes, that's over 10% of the body.
• Makes the Immune system strong
• Helps keep hunger and cravings in check
• Increases Insulin sensitivity and decreases insulin resistance, which means it is great for preventing Diabetes
• Essential for Lean Body Mass, and avoiding the development of fat in the muscle cells
• Elevates serotonin levels, which is linked to mood
• Being used by health professionals to treat depression
• Essential for strong bones
• Used to treat osteoporosis

As you can see there are huge health benefits of Vitamin D. But this Vitamin becomes even more important if you are engaged in a regular training pattern, whether this is more cardiovascular based or resistance based. Vitamin D is now being classed as a performance enhancing substance. Even to the degree that Olympic squads that are based in the northern hemisphere make sure their athletes are getting enough Vitamin D from UV rays through having weekly sun bed sessions. Again the benefits of Vitamin D become more profound in trained individuals.

• Improves muscle function
• Improves muscle power development
• Associated with increased levels of testosterone
• People with low Vitamin D levels had higher levels of subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) and abdominal fat
• Increases muscle strength
• Is not really a Vitamin but a hormone

Vitamin D is now classed as an essential health supplement. Even if you are not involved with regular training it can still have a huge impact on your overall health. Below is a quote by Carol Lynn Wagner who is a leading professor in America and who has conducted several studies on Vitamin D.

 ''Something so simple -- vitamin D supplementation -- could improve the health status of millions and so becomes an elegant solution to many of our health problems today''

Ask the trainer

This month we are asking each trainer for their thoughts on the most common questions that pop up in the fitness industry, as well as their training and nutrition philisophies. This should give you some great tips to take forward, whatever your training goal!

Favourite Muscle building tip?

Paddy: Form comes first. If you want to build muscle then the muscles must be working correctly either in isolation or as a unit. All too often we see people using weight for the sake of it, compromising their form in the process.

Dan: Perfect form is key when training for hypertrophy.

Joe: Use Compound exercises, eg Squats and Deadlifts. Focus on form, its not how much you lift, but how you lift it.

Oli: You must get stronger (with good form). If you do barbell squats with 50kgs for ten reps, your legs will be more muscular by the time you are squating with 100kgs for ten.

Favourite Fat-loss tip?

Paddy: Stop dieting. It’s a sad fact of modern life that we now term the way we should eat all the time as a diet rather than the norm.

Dan: If your blood sugar level goes significantly up, or down, you’ve failed. Plan specific snacks/meals through-out the day and minimise changes.

Joe: Use carbohydrates at the right times. Use HIIT training 4x a week. Plus use Drop Sets, Supersets and Giant Sets

Oli: Stabilise your blood sugar levels and you are on to a winner. One of the best ways to do this is by incorporating protein and good fats into your diet.

What is your favourite weight training exercise?

Paddy: I like deadlifts and squats as they tend to be the things I excel at. However in my experience it is best to work on the exercises you find difficult or normally avoid (usually the same things) as the chances are they are the ones that will benefit you most. Turn your weaknesses into strengths at every opportunity.

Dan: I wouldn’t say I have a favourite but, recently I’ve enjoyed the Dumbbell Pull-Overs in my strength routine.
Joe: All of them

Oli: Farmers walks or deadlifts. Great for posture and back strength. Forget the situps and try these for a strong core!

Favourite form of cardio?

Paddy: Running. Long distances I tend to find monotonous so I tend to do 2-5km at as fast a pace as I can maintain for that duration. I’d rather get to 3km and have to stop knowing I’d worked hard, than run 5km and finishing feeling like I didn’t leave everything out there.

Dan: If given the option it’s a beach run every time; up over the sand dunes and back along the flat water’s edge.

Joe: High Intensity Interval Training {HIIT}

Oli: Circuit training down the yard (our bootcamp area). A combination of battle ropes, prowler pushing, chain pulling, sprints and more! I also enjoy running.

Favourite sport?

Paddy: Football or most martial arts. I’ve always done one or the other so I consider these my favourites although I’m interested in anything physical and/or competitive.

Dan: I can't think of a sport I don’t enjoy. I’ve recently been spending a lot more time on the climbing wall though which is great for your cardio and muscular endurance.

Joe: Football

Oli: I used to play a lot of football in my glory days! However, I do enjoy rugby since working at the School.

Favourite Pre-workout meal?

Paddy:I don’t have a favourite really but most tend to involve pasta or rice as a base with good helpings of green veg and protein (quite often chicken or beef in my case).

Dan: A large bowl of porridge with a handful of raisins and cinnamon on top. (~90 minutes before my session
Joe: Steak, Vegtables and Avacados

Oli: I like utilising good fats and proteins to stabilise my blood sugar levels throughout my workout, so  I don't have a dip half way through. I like to have oily fish, avacados and almonds about 60-90 minutes before I train. I will also throw in a green apple for some carbs and green tea.

Favourite Post-workout meal?

Paddy: As above, although the carbs tend to be much less prominent, concentrating on getting the protein and vitamins/anti-oxidants into my system as soon as possible.

Dan: Sweet Potato, Potato, Broccoli, Leeks, Courgettes, Onion, tomatoes, White Fish and Garlic. (Straight after my stretch. This is prepared in advance: In a little olive oil roast the roughly chopped Potatoes and Garlic/chilli in a large roasting pan for 10 minutes at 200®, add the roughly chopped vegetables and whitefish and leave for 20 minutes or until cooked. Serve with brown bread)
Joe: 30g of Whey Protein, 100g of Oats, 1 Banana and 2 squares of dark chocolate

Oli: Any form of protein but fish is my preferred choice, a banana or two, plenty of sweet potato mash

Favourite Meal?

Paddy: Italian Beef Casserole. Look it up, I could literally eat a vat of this stuff.

Dan: If outside a specific training phase my ideal three course meal would be; lightly battered calamari, a good quality rare fillet steak and lemon cheesecake.

Joe: A dream curry from The Tumeric Gold 

Oli: I would probably go for a nice barbeque!

Favourite tip for achieving health and fitness GOAL?

Paddy: Have one! Most people fall at the first hurdle by not having a clear image in their head of where they are trying to get to. Set a target, plot your course and don’t stop till you get there.

Dan: TSC offer personal training sessions, 10 for the price of 9.
Joe: Never lose sight of YOUR goal, forget everyone else, focus and you can achieve anything

Oli: Be consistent. Training 3 x a week at 70% is better than training sporadically at 90%. To improve, your body must adapt and it can only do this with consistent sessions and effort.

 

What is your current training regime?

 

Paddy: I’m currently working a very rough 2-way split between upper and lower body. I’m in the process on re-habilitating a long standing back problem and it makes sense for me to work everything in unison rather than compartmentalise the body-parts to help keep me balanced and healthy. I make sure I cover all ranges of movement and target some specific areas I need to work on as well as making sure I stretch and recover properly from every session.

Dan: I have just recently finished a periodised six week training plan to improve my muscular strength, whilst working on improving my cardiovascular endurance. After experiencing good results, I took one week off, had a sports massage and have just begun a new regime. The next eight week training periodised plan will target hypertrophy. The cardio will move from 40 minutes continuous endurance work to 32 minutes of long duration intervals.

Joe: 6 X Week, Working on each individual Muscle group. Plus 4 x HIIT sessions

Oli: 4 x a week all based around weight training. I've added in some conditioing drills at the end of these workouts in the form of barbell complexes and sprints

Best motivational quote?

Paddy: Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right.
Dan: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt (I appreciate this is not directly motivational or fitness related but I find it very inspirational for various reasons.)

Joe: Winning means you're willing to go longer, work harder, and give more than anyone else! - Vince Lombardi

Oli: Discipline is the difference between what you want now and what you want most.

 

Benefits of exercise for young people

There are many benefits of exercise for young people.  At a young age it is important to keep active.  This will help you remain healthy through your youth and into later life!

Why exercise?

·       Self Confidence

·       Increased Cardiovascular Fitness

·       Better Physique

·       Lower Heart Rate

·       Better Moods

·       Stress Relieving

Ways to exercise

Finding it hard to fit in a gym session between studies? There’s lots of ways to keep active throughout out the day.  Some of these can be:

• Take a walk around the playground. If you have time during your breaks at school or college take a walk around the playground.  Even 10 minutes a day will have an effect on your physical health. 
• Change the way you get there.  If you don’t live far away, swap the bus or car for a walk or even a bike.  This again will have health benefits. It’ll also save you some money!
• Motivate yourself. You may have to get up earlier or miss your favourite television programme, but realistically during your day there will be at least a 30 minute slot where you can fit a workout session in, whether that is a run around the block or a workout at the gym! 

Josh

Quinoa - power-food!

Quinoa (or Keen-wah as it's sometimes pronounced), is a carbohydrate alternative with a number of health benefits. Eating certain carbohydrates that are refined and sugary e.g. white bread, can cause havoc on your blood sugar levels. When tring to keep lean, people often reduce carbohydrate intake. Quinoa is a fantastic substitute, because once cooked it has the same consistency as cous cous. You can add this to salads, have this with fish or meat, or even as a snack on it's own.

Quinoa is actually a seed and comes with all the health benefits that seeds come with. These include essential fats and quality protein. Both of these are vital for steady blood sugar levels, maintining muscle definition and to aid fat loss.

Quinoa can found in the 'free-from' aisle in the supermarket or in health food shops. It is also easy to cook. I cook a batch and leave this in the fridge to add to meals as i go through the week.

Get some in your cupboard and feel the benefit.

Oli

PHA Training

Time for the Gym Team to get together for what we like to call staff training! This week was Paddy’s turn to put us through our paces. His training topic was PHA (peripheral heart action) training.  PHA training is a combination of weight training and cardio which results in a far greater energy expenditure per workout. By putting exercises in a certain order for example lower body, upper body, lower body, your cardiovascular system which consists of your heart, lungs and blood vessels, has to work extra hard to divert blood to your working muscles. After these resistance exercises we ended with 3 minutes of high intensity cardio! The two circuits that Paddy planned are detailed below.

Circuit 1                                                   Circuit 2

Dumbell Bench Press 8-12 Reps                 Romanian Deadlifts 8-12 Reps
Dumbell Squats 8-12 Reps                         Dumbell Shoulder Press 8-12 Reps
Lat Pulldown 8-12 Reps                             Dumbell Lunges 8-12 Reps
3 Mins on the Treadmill                             3 Mins on the Bike

As you can see from the circuits, it follows a specific layout of alternating upper and lower body, finishing off with 3 minutes of intense cardio.

We paired off Paddy and Dan, Oli and Joe. We all aimed to complete the circuit 3 times. Both circuits were different with circuit 1 focusing on the upper body, where circuit 2 really hit the legs hard. We all lifted heavy with no break inbetween exercises and then straight on to the cardio. The 3 minutes on the bike can only be described as painful! We were keeping our RPM above 100 the whole time with a resistance of 15. At this intensity your legs just cannot help to fill up with lactic acid and it’s up to you to push through this. But once you have finished one round its straight back to Romanian Deadlifts again with all this lactic acid still in your legs. At this time your heart is beating extremely hard and your metabolic rate is sky high! During this circuit Oli and Joe were extremely close to being ill due to pushing themselves extremely hard, especially on the bike. After 3 rounds Joe had to run outside to get some air. It was an intense circuit! Circuit 2 was different and focused more on the upper body, but the cardio section had a different feel to it aswell. The treadmill really tested the heart and lungs and your abillity to take in oxygen and redistribute it around the body.

All in all this was an extremely different training system that we all were not used to. This is great as you can never stop learning in this industry. We all have different strengths as Personal Trainers. I know a couple of us will try and intergrate this into our normal training regime. Do not do PHA training everyday as it will put too much of a strain on the body, 2-3 times a week will be plenty.                    

Please speak with one of us for more details on the programme!

Joe

Get rid of that Festive weight!

Research has shown that the average person puts on 1.8 pounds during the festive period, which is not a huge amount. The problem lies is that people will not shift this extra weight during the next couple of months. Follow these simple steps to combat this.

Drink water
For the majority of us, Christmas is spent nibbling cookies, cakes and all sorts of other unhealthy food. Therefore, once the festive season ends our bodies are filled with harmful toxins. To flush out these substances, drink lots of water.  You should aim to drink around three quarters to one full gallon of water in order to flush out these toxins. Drinking this much water will also kick start your metabolism.

Protein
Do you want to kick your sluggish post-Christmas metabolism into life to shed those post-Christmas pounds? Well, you’ll be please to hear that protein is the solution to your metabolism issues. For breakfast eat around 10 to 15 grams of protein in order to get your metabolism into gear at the start of the day. An egg on toast or some low-fat yoghurt with honey and nuts is a great breakfast if you want to shed that Christmas weight.


Green Tea
Green tea has a countless number of health benefits. There is no better time to start drinking green tea, and to keep drinking it throughout the year.  One of the main benefits of Green Tea is weight loss, as it rapidly increases your metabolsim.  The polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories.

Make a plan
January is a time to Kick start a new fitness and nutrtion plan. But the real goal is to mantain this for the whole year and not just for a couple of months. This needs to become a lifestyle change. Here at TSC we have a team of committed and determined Personal Trainers, which between them have a wealth of knowlege. It is our job to help you start your Fitness Journey but also maintain it.

Welcome 2013

Tonbridge School Centre Personal Training. Challenge yourself today!



DTP training

Monday the 3rd of December was the day that the gym team put themselves through a hardcore training regime. DTP (Dramatic Transformational Protocol) was founded by Kris Gethin who is an ex weight-trainer, and a well respected health and fitness professional from America. He designed the programme as he was getting far too many injuries from lifting heavy weights in the 6-8 rep range. The programme is based on a pyramid system with lots of volume and lots of reps. The basis of DTP is to start of with 50 reps and work your way back down in multiples of 10, to 10 reps (50,40,30,20,10). That is only half the battle, once you have done that you start the process again, this time starting at 10 reps and working your way back up to 50 reps. The science behind this is to work all 3 different muscle fibres. In all of us we have type 1 fibres, type 2a fibres and type 2b fibres. They all have different properties Your type 1 fibres are your endurance fibres, they are resistant to fatigue and are needed for endurance events such as long distance running. These fibres really do not get much training in the weights room, but with this system they are put under extreme amounts of tension and pressure which your body is not used to, and the only way it will respond to this is to adapt and grow. Type 2a fibres and type 2b fibres are used most of the time during your weights sessions.

Now for our DTP session we picked the hardest muscle group - Legs. Squats are normally hard work but when you are doing around 300 reps, things become a little bit harder! The first 50 are used as a warm up set. This high amount of reps promotes the flow of synovial fluid to your joints, opens up neuromuscular pathways, gets more blood to your muscles, and activates nerve endings to get those motor-neurons firing for proper muscle-fiber contraction. As the weight goes up you take longer rest periods and believe me you will need it! As we worked our way down to 10 reps everyone was feeling it and working back up to 50 reps was twice as hard. As you start working your way back up, fatigue really starts to kick in and your type 1 fibres will be firing. Once we finished the second set of 50 everyone was completed knackered. Joe collasped to the floor, whereas Oli 'The Machine' Martin looked like he could do another 50.

That was not the end of the workout as we shifted the attention to our calves. We paired off, Joe and Dan (who by the way did not do the squats poor show!) were on the rack doing calf raises, and Oli and Paddy on the leg press doing calf presses. As we started the torture once more, the calves are a much more smaller muscle group and contain more type 1 fibres but again you will feel them by the time you have finished. By the end of the calf workout we were all struggling to walk around the gym, and rumors were circulating that paddy even shed a few tears! It was an emotional workout! Now you may be thinking that high reps do not build muscle and that you have to lift heavy weights all of the time, this is not true. You will definately build muscle with DTP and more importantly, you'll build muscle density. Give DTP a go if you are unsure ask any of the gym team for advice on the programme and what you can expect out of it. Its extremely hard work, but it will bring you results.

Good luck!

Joe.

The Meat and Nut Breakfast

A breakfast that is currently growing in popluarity at the moment is the meat and nut breakfast. I myself have followed this breakfast plan and have noticed increased mental focus and increased energy levels throughout the day. The meat allows for a slow steady rise in blood sugar. The nuts provide a great source of healthy 'smart' fats that allow the blood sugar levels to remain stable for an extended period of time.

The main benefits of this diet include:

• High mental alertness
• Better decision making throughout the day related to food choices
• Increased protein synthesis
• Decrease food allergies
• Higher energy
• Decreased insulin sensitivity
• Feeling full for longer therefore less cravings
• Reduced body fat levels
• Increased muscle tone

Sample 5 day menu:

Day 1

1 -2 Chicken Breasts
Handful of Almonds

Day 2

1 Large Steak
Handful of Brazil Nuts

Day 3

2 lean ground beed Burgers
Handful of Cashew nuts

Day 4

1 - 2 Turkey Breasts
Handful of Hazelnuts

Day 5

1 - 2 Salmon Fillets
Handful of Macadamia nuts

Joe

German Volume Training

If you are bored of the same old weight training routines and you are stuck in a rut, why not try German Volume training (GVT)? GVT is also known as the 100-rep method. You pick one body part and you do 10 sets of 10 reps on that exercise (100 reps). There are a few rules to follow:

• Lift at 50 - 60% of your one rep max
• Rest times should be a strict 60 seconds between sets
• Stick to the 3 workouts and make sure you're getting enough rest between workouts

Sample routine:

Workout 1 Legs and Abs

Barbell Squat 10 sets of 10 reps

Weighted Cable Crunch 10 sets of 10 reps

Leg Extension 3 sets of 12 reps

Hanging Leg Raise 3 sets of 12 reps


Workout 2 Chest and Back

Incline Dumbell Press 10 sets of 10 reps

Lat Pulldown 10 sets of 10 reps

Cable Flys 3 sets of 15 reps

Seated Cable Rows 3 sets of 12 reps


Workout 3 Shoulders and Arms

Dumbell Shoulder Press 10 sets of 10 reps

Incline Dumbell Curl 10 sets of 10 reps

Lateral Raises 3 sets of 12 reps

Hammer Curls 3 sets of 12 reps

 

The last two exercises only include 3 sets. These are known as assistance exercises. They allow you to target the muscles you have been working but with a slightly different move. This should finish each muscle group off nicely!

Joe - TSC gym team.