So many people are daunted by exercise, and not surprisingly; it's a whole new world. Gyms are full of people lifting heavy weights, doing wierd and wonderful exercises classes, all seemingly confident and lithe in their lycra. Working in a gym makes, it makes me so sad to see new members put off by not knowing what to do when the rest of world seem to!
Below are a few pointers to help you if you're feeling daunted by starting out.
* Check your health
If you have any underlying medical conditions, it's always best to check with your doctor before you start. It may sound drastic but if you're unsure it's best to seek advice.
* Start slowly!
I'm assuming in this article that you're a REAL beginner; a couch potato, pizza eating, beer swilling slob may not come into it but never been in a gym and your activity level is low. So, start walking! It's so simple and FREE! You need nothing, just some comfy shoes; plus a dog helps if you feel a bit aimless. When I was pregnant with Jack I walked our dog Jessie every day, twice a day until the day I had him and I swear it helped me maintain my fitness.
* Don't rush it
This leads on from my previous point. So many beginners make the mistake of trying to "go for a run". Within minutes they feel knackered, breathless, sweaty and possibly a stitch. You have to train your body to run... If you really are desperate to, try walking for a minute and running for a minute. It may not seem like much, but keep this going for 20 minutes and you've run for 10 minutes! Not bad for a first attempt. When this starts to feel easier, walk for 1 minute and run for 2. Keep increasing and before you know it you'll be running for 10 minutes with no walking. I would say that in my experience this is the most fundamental point for increasing fitness AT ANY LEVEL: take it a stage at a time.
* Seek help
If you are a member of your gym you should automatically get an induction when you join. Don't let the gym staff blitz you with jargon and scare you off totally. There should be several members of the fitness team; if you find yourself staring at some blond bodybuilder who is supposed to take you through your induction, don't be embarrassed to ask for someone who may be more in tune with your needs. Ask questions, don't be dazzled with "gym talk". This induction is for YOU, not for the gym staff to show off.
* Personal training
Most people thnk personal trainers are only for the rich and famous. Not true! Many personal trainers give free sessions as an incentive to win clients. Don't be embarrassed to use them! For an hour you should get a chat with a trainer and their expertise to help you achieve your goals. You may find that even a session once a month will keep you on the straight and narrow. So, sessions are expensive but SO worth it, and no, I'm not trying to sell my trade! Many trainers may let you train with a friend which will help with the cost.
To sum up, I've said it before ad I'll say it agin... don't rush it. You have all the time in the world and you don't want to put yourself off by doing too much too soon.
Showing posts with label exercise tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise tips. Show all posts
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
ROSIE - Ultimate Abs!
1) Top 5 Ab exercises to see results!
Following on from my piece on the ultimate six pack, here are my top five ab exercises! In all my years of training I have gone into the depths of research to find the ultimate tummy workouts as, surprise, surprise, it's what most people want.
One note... working your tummy also works your back. I often get people complaining that their backs hurt whilst performing ab exercises... a common mistake as people focus on their tummy and forget to work on their back. The result - a weak and painful back. It's so important to work opposing muscle groups otherwise you come up against all sorts of problems.
Anyway, let's get on with the business in hand! These are what I call combination sequences... i.e. you must perform all five ab exercises twice in a row to get all muscles working. Don't panic if you don't feel them to start with, by the end of two sets of the five exercises I can guarantee you will, no matter how strong your abs are!
1) The classic crunch... with a twist.
Lie on your back with your legs straight in the air. Working from the abs, with your hands beside your thighs, lift the upper body as high as possible, pointing the chin to the ceiling. By putting your legs in the air you're also working the lower abs. These are quite quick exercises. Repeat 2 x 20.
2) Sit up with medicine ball
Despite the media hype about these being bad from your back, these old school sit ups are great for ab and back strength. DON'T fix your feet, as that is what is bad for your back. You will only be able to get as high as your tummy strength allows. If you can't make it all the way up, just go as high as youcan, you will be able to get up in the end. Hold a medicine ball (or any weight) on your chest (and don't use the weight to throw yourself up - that's cheating!).
Repeat 2 x 15
3) Medicine ball twist.
Sit up straight (like your granny used to say) on the floor. Take a medicine ball weight in your hand (the heavier, the harder). It's imperative to keep your abs in. Lean as far back as you can holding your form (don't slouch, this puts pressure on your back). Take your feet off the ground, and still leaning back as far as you can, touch the ball to each side of the ground next to your bottom. Don't cheat, hold the weight with both hands at all times and make sure you touch the ground. Repeat 2 x 20.
4) Ball hands to feet.
This is best with a fit ball (one of those big blow up balls you see in gyms) but if you don't have one just do without. Lie flat on the ground, with the ball between your feet. Lift the ball with your feet and meet in the middle (above your body in the air) with your hands. Take the ball with your hands and lower the ball and your feet AT THE SAME TIME to the ground. This is a slow exercise, again, important to keep the abs in. The straighter your legs the harder it is. If you find it hard to start with just go down part way. Repeat backwards, i.e. meet your hands with your feet and take the ball with your feet. Repeat 2 x x 10 (this is mega tough!).
5) Bicycle crunch
This is my all time favourite, it works ALL the tummy muscles in one go. Lying on your back, take your knees in the air, then meet your elbow (upper body twisting crunch), to meet the opposite knee. With the legs, perform "bicycle legs", extending alternate legs to meet your alternate elbow. The ideal is to have your legs as long and low to the ground as possible at the outward point. Repeat 2 x 20
Enjoy!!
Following on from my piece on the ultimate six pack, here are my top five ab exercises! In all my years of training I have gone into the depths of research to find the ultimate tummy workouts as, surprise, surprise, it's what most people want.
One note... working your tummy also works your back. I often get people complaining that their backs hurt whilst performing ab exercises... a common mistake as people focus on their tummy and forget to work on their back. The result - a weak and painful back. It's so important to work opposing muscle groups otherwise you come up against all sorts of problems.
Anyway, let's get on with the business in hand! These are what I call combination sequences... i.e. you must perform all five ab exercises twice in a row to get all muscles working. Don't panic if you don't feel them to start with, by the end of two sets of the five exercises I can guarantee you will, no matter how strong your abs are!
1) The classic crunch... with a twist.
Lie on your back with your legs straight in the air. Working from the abs, with your hands beside your thighs, lift the upper body as high as possible, pointing the chin to the ceiling. By putting your legs in the air you're also working the lower abs. These are quite quick exercises. Repeat 2 x 20.
2) Sit up with medicine ball
Despite the media hype about these being bad from your back, these old school sit ups are great for ab and back strength. DON'T fix your feet, as that is what is bad for your back. You will only be able to get as high as your tummy strength allows. If you can't make it all the way up, just go as high as youcan, you will be able to get up in the end. Hold a medicine ball (or any weight) on your chest (and don't use the weight to throw yourself up - that's cheating!).
Repeat 2 x 15
3) Medicine ball twist.
Sit up straight (like your granny used to say) on the floor. Take a medicine ball weight in your hand (the heavier, the harder). It's imperative to keep your abs in. Lean as far back as you can holding your form (don't slouch, this puts pressure on your back). Take your feet off the ground, and still leaning back as far as you can, touch the ball to each side of the ground next to your bottom. Don't cheat, hold the weight with both hands at all times and make sure you touch the ground. Repeat 2 x 20.
4) Ball hands to feet.
This is best with a fit ball (one of those big blow up balls you see in gyms) but if you don't have one just do without. Lie flat on the ground, with the ball between your feet. Lift the ball with your feet and meet in the middle (above your body in the air) with your hands. Take the ball with your hands and lower the ball and your feet AT THE SAME TIME to the ground. This is a slow exercise, again, important to keep the abs in. The straighter your legs the harder it is. If you find it hard to start with just go down part way. Repeat backwards, i.e. meet your hands with your feet and take the ball with your feet. Repeat 2 x x 10 (this is mega tough!).
5) Bicycle crunch
This is my all time favourite, it works ALL the tummy muscles in one go. Lying on your back, take your knees in the air, then meet your elbow (upper body twisting crunch), to meet the opposite knee. With the legs, perform "bicycle legs", extending alternate legs to meet your alternate elbow. The ideal is to have your legs as long and low to the ground as possible at the outward point. Repeat 2 x 20
Enjoy!!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
ROSIE - THAT ELUSIVE 6 PACK!
Yes... whether you're male or female, we're all after it, those rippling abs. Hmmm - the difficulty is that they're incredibly difficult to get! Chances are people who have a 6 pack have an incredibly low body fat (about 15% or less!).
Despite this, as a personal trainer, I find that one of the most popular ideals for my clients is, if not a rippling six pack, then certainly a flat tummy! The trouble is that be it abs, thighs, shoulders or bottoms, you can't spot reduce any area of your body. Depressing, I know. Chances are those abs are there, they may just be hiding under a layer or two of fat... you need to find them!
There are three ways to "bring them to the surface" and show them to the world...
1) Cardio, cardio, cardio: the only way of burning fat, per se. As I blogged last week, high intensive cardio is best as it burns loads of calories... and builds muscle. Go for the burn, the more knackered and sweaty you are after a session the better! Burn the fat OFF those abs and you have a better chance of seeing them! High impact activity is best as it works you more efficiently for the amount of time you have.
2) Diet: eat well! It's as simple as that! Your poor abs won't have a chance of showing themselves off in their best light if they're hiding under layers of fat. It's the simplest sum in the world; calories in must equal calories out. If you want to lose weight then it MUST be a negative equation!
3) Strengthening: Only NOW is it time for those ab exercises! Be they core exercises on the ball, crunches, sit ups... go for them. In the coming weeks I'll do a blog on my top 5 ab exercises.
So, on paper, simple! In reality... the first two steps are the basic way of reducing body fat and, if that's what you want to do, getting the body you want - six pack or no!
Despite this, as a personal trainer, I find that one of the most popular ideals for my clients is, if not a rippling six pack, then certainly a flat tummy! The trouble is that be it abs, thighs, shoulders or bottoms, you can't spot reduce any area of your body. Depressing, I know. Chances are those abs are there, they may just be hiding under a layer or two of fat... you need to find them!
There are three ways to "bring them to the surface" and show them to the world...
1) Cardio, cardio, cardio: the only way of burning fat, per se. As I blogged last week, high intensive cardio is best as it burns loads of calories... and builds muscle. Go for the burn, the more knackered and sweaty you are after a session the better! Burn the fat OFF those abs and you have a better chance of seeing them! High impact activity is best as it works you more efficiently for the amount of time you have.
2) Diet: eat well! It's as simple as that! Your poor abs won't have a chance of showing themselves off in their best light if they're hiding under layers of fat. It's the simplest sum in the world; calories in must equal calories out. If you want to lose weight then it MUST be a negative equation!
3) Strengthening: Only NOW is it time for those ab exercises! Be they core exercises on the ball, crunches, sit ups... go for them. In the coming weeks I'll do a blog on my top 5 ab exercises.
So, on paper, simple! In reality... the first two steps are the basic way of reducing body fat and, if that's what you want to do, getting the body you want - six pack or no!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
ROSIE - GO FOR THE SWEAT!! I recommend...
Exercise boosting & fat burning
So, that “fat burning” zone you exercise in? 60-70% of your maximum heart rate? What a load of rubbish. It’s true, you do burn more fat at that intensity… however, it takes you longer to burn calories as you’re not working as hard. Think working out harder and faster and you’re onto a winner! At a higher intensity, not only are you burning more calories hence utilising more fat in the long run, but you’re also building lean muscle tissue, which means you burn more calories for hours after you workout. Higher intensity workouts also build more lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories at rest. Bonus!
So, the key – anything that makes you puffed, breathless, hot and sweaty. Your springs don’t have to match that of an Olympic Gold Medallist. You don’t have to be at the highest level of the X-trainer. It’s about YOU and anything which makes you feel like you’re working at your maximum means you’re doing it right. Think 80-95% of your maximum heart rate and you’re doing the right thing. It’s called interval training. The intervals don’t have to be long – 30 seconds to 2 minutes maximum. If you can sustain the work for longer than 2 minutes then you’re not working out hard enough. Take 30 seconds to a minute (depending on the length of work) break in between. Intersperse these cardio bursts with some upper body resistance work and some abs to give yourself a little break. And the best bit? That hour-long cardio slog into the gym turns into a fat & calorie blasting half hour! Done & dusted!
Some ideas for interval training
Bench jumps – hands on the bench, feet on one side, jump both feet over the bench. Rpt 2 x 20
½ Burpees – hands on the ground, legs out straight, bring your feet alternately towards your chest. Rpt 2 x 20
Boxing – go go go! Great to get some frustration out. Go for 30 secs.
Skipping – how could we do it for hours when we were young? It’s knackering! 30 secs to 1 minute.
Step jumps – feet standing either side of the step, and jump up two footed. Go for 2 x 20.
Lunge jumps – go down into the lunge position, and using your arms, jump up into the air and down into the lunge position again. Go for 2 x 10.
Squat jumps. Same as step jumps but start lower in a squat. Use your power and jump up as high as you can! Go for 2 x 15.
Sprints – treadmill, down the road, on some grass, just make sure they’re as fast as you can. 5 x 30-50 secs.
Any cardio equipment – just make it hard, fast and intense. Eg. X-trainer, 10 minutes total. 1 minute as fast as you can, 30 secs easy (recovery).
Wow – there are so many more but those are just some ideas to start you off.
Enjoy!
So, that “fat burning” zone you exercise in? 60-70% of your maximum heart rate? What a load of rubbish. It’s true, you do burn more fat at that intensity… however, it takes you longer to burn calories as you’re not working as hard. Think working out harder and faster and you’re onto a winner! At a higher intensity, not only are you burning more calories hence utilising more fat in the long run, but you’re also building lean muscle tissue, which means you burn more calories for hours after you workout. Higher intensity workouts also build more lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories at rest. Bonus!
So, the key – anything that makes you puffed, breathless, hot and sweaty. Your springs don’t have to match that of an Olympic Gold Medallist. You don’t have to be at the highest level of the X-trainer. It’s about YOU and anything which makes you feel like you’re working at your maximum means you’re doing it right. Think 80-95% of your maximum heart rate and you’re doing the right thing. It’s called interval training. The intervals don’t have to be long – 30 seconds to 2 minutes maximum. If you can sustain the work for longer than 2 minutes then you’re not working out hard enough. Take 30 seconds to a minute (depending on the length of work) break in between. Intersperse these cardio bursts with some upper body resistance work and some abs to give yourself a little break. And the best bit? That hour-long cardio slog into the gym turns into a fat & calorie blasting half hour! Done & dusted!
Some ideas for interval training
Bench jumps – hands on the bench, feet on one side, jump both feet over the bench. Rpt 2 x 20
½ Burpees – hands on the ground, legs out straight, bring your feet alternately towards your chest. Rpt 2 x 20
Boxing – go go go! Great to get some frustration out. Go for 30 secs.
Skipping – how could we do it for hours when we were young? It’s knackering! 30 secs to 1 minute.
Step jumps – feet standing either side of the step, and jump up two footed. Go for 2 x 20.
Lunge jumps – go down into the lunge position, and using your arms, jump up into the air and down into the lunge position again. Go for 2 x 10.
Squat jumps. Same as step jumps but start lower in a squat. Use your power and jump up as high as you can! Go for 2 x 15.
Sprints – treadmill, down the road, on some grass, just make sure they’re as fast as you can. 5 x 30-50 secs.
Any cardio equipment – just make it hard, fast and intense. Eg. X-trainer, 10 minutes total. 1 minute as fast as you can, 30 secs easy (recovery).
Wow – there are so many more but those are just some ideas to start you off.
Enjoy!
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