Weekly Workout Wednesday 01/09/2010

Back to the Raptor:

After more effort trying to ware myself out with the raptor training vest I found that less can most definitely be more.

standard warm-up and cool down with stretches, without the vest on!

As you'll have the training vest on for this workout, don't expect it to be as easy when it comes to time, it's gonna take longer.

10 x Chins

10 x Dips

10 x Push-ups

10 x Burpees (without push-up)

repeat at least 5 times, or more in a 20 minute time frame?

Chris Nash

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 23/08/2010

Quick, but not easy!

Normal warm-up cool-down rules apply then:

Start in the standing position, touch toes then jump onto a 24" box platform, repeat 50 times.

20 x Crunch-Press (a sit-up with a chest press using a med ball)

40 x toe-touch box jumps

20 x crunch-press

30 x toe-touch box jumps

20 crunch-press

20 x toe-touch box jumps

20 crunch-press

10 x toe-touch box jumps

20 crunch-press

finished!!

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 16/08/2010

Good Kit!

We at PT Fitness have recently been given a Raptor Training Vest to trial, very nice of them to do so I thought, so I thought I'd put the little fella through its paces and see what it can do!

The vest (male standard) weighs 30lbs, (15kg), now I could have used this quite easily at our gym but I thought that would be kinda pointless as I and our clients get really good workouts here any way, so this is what I did, if you can get a vest give it a go, its a real beast!

Run 5 miles, during which, when you find ideal places to do so complete the following:

3 x 10 Chins (I used a football goal)

3 x 10 Dips off a park bench

3 x 10 box jumps onto a park bench

3 x 10 push-ups

5 x lamp post sprints

For now thats all I've done with it, but I found it a challenge and fun all at the same time, on the down side recovery was a lot harder, the pressure from the vest downwards across the shoulders and the restriction in movement from breathing made things a little tougher than normal, but on the plus side that should make my lungs work a touch harder!

Chris Nash

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 02/08/10

20 Minutes of continual movement:

Warm up for 5-10 minutes.

This is for rounds, get a stop watch to time you for 20 minutes.

Do exercises as follows then repeat as many times as you can in the time limit.

5 x Chins

10 x Push-ups

15 x burpees (without push-up).

Adapt where applicable, chins for body rows, push-ups for kneeling push-ups, burpees for squat thrusts etc.

Cool down and stretch.

Jess Kavanagh

Personal Trainer

Weekly Workout Monday 26/07/2010

Hard core session!

Now this little workout isn't going to work for some people but I think it only fair to throw in the odd advanced session now and then, if your not sure you can train to this level make sure you don't do it alone, and for every body remember warm-up, cool-down and stretch.

this is a three part session hitting the whole body hard.

Part 1:

3 rounds of 10 Hand Stand Push-up's followed by strict Chins.

Part 2:

3 rounds of 10 Ultimate Burpee's, (perform a full burpee, but when you get to the jump stage instead of just jumping up, jump over a bench turn around and do the next one and so on until you've done all 10)

Part 3:

3 x 10 Sit-ups weighted

3 x 10 Lower leg raises

3 x 10 Dorsal raise

3 x 10 Oblique pulls

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 19/07/2010

Back to basics, again!

As with all our workouts, warm-up, cool-down and stretch accordingly.

Select a weight that you can use throughout so there's no changing of weight on the bar, or if you have access to more than 1 bar load them up to suit the exercises.

do all of these exercises consecutively until the end rest 1 minute and go again until you have completed 5 rounds.

1 Minute Dead-lifts

1 Minute shoulder press

1 Minute Bent over Row

1 Minute Chest press.

The object of this set is to keep the muscle groups in action moving, don't get hung up on repetitions but do keep a mental note of what you achieve each exercise each round.

Chris Nash

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 05/07/2010

Now I didn't develop or think up this work out, my 13 year old son came up with it, and it amused me but I could see the potential.

Its simple, it takes as long as it takes, but is useful if you want to do a cardio session with a bit of childish fun.

The problems: if you live in a bungalow, or if its really windy (actually it could make things a bit more interesting)

Laminate a piece of brightly colored A5 paper, now go up to your bedroom window, start a stop watch and throw it out, run down the stairs, out the door, get the card and return to the starting point, repeat 50 times, record your overall time, repeat again when your bored of your normal routines.

Remember, have fun, be young in your mind!!

Chris Nash

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 28/06/2010

This workout is designed to target the forearms and wrists whilst working the whole body.

As normal make sure your warming up, cooling down and stretching as appropriate.

Now, from the moment you start this circuit till the very end your hands must not come off the bar or change position. All that is needed to do this set is a barbell weighted lightly so you can perform all the exercises.

First perform 10 x Dead-lift, as you stand for number 10 instead of returning the weight to the floor go straight into the Low-Row position and do 10, at the end of the 10th lower the weight to the floor and start doing 10 x Clean & Heave, on completing number 10 get the bar behind your head and go into Good-Mornings, after 10 of those get the bar over the head to the front and perform 10 x Upright-Rows, out of these complete 10 x Push-ups on the bar, then for the final exercise do 10 x Sit-ups with the bar across the chest.

So to recap those exercises:

10 x Dead-Lifts

10 x Low-Row

10 x Clean & Heave

10 x Good-Mornings

10 x Upright-Rows

10 x Push-Ups

10 x Sit-Ups.

Do this circuit as many times as you can in 30 minutes.

Good Luck!

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 21/06/2010

Today is the Longest day of the year, so to celebrate this solstice here's a workout that will make you feel like its the longest session of the year, however it should only take you 20 minutes or less!

As normal make sure you warm up, cool down & stretch suitably.

5 minutes on the rower or 1000 meters (which comes first)

5 minutes Bur-pees (just keep moving)

3 minutes on the punch bag or pads & mitts

2 minutes of crunches

5 minutes on the rower or 1000 meters

You should find this nice a grueling on the body, make sure you re-fuel after!

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 07/06/2010

This workout is simple and can be time effective if your at a push.

Warm up, cool down and stretch accordingly as normal. The workout is a circuit for as many as you can do within your time frame, there's only 4 exercises, 3 if you don't count sides, so I wouldn't want to do more than about 6 circuits as boredom in training is very down-heartening.

(1): 10 x Med ball wood-chops to the left.

(2): 20 x touch lunges.

(3): 10 x Med ball wood-chops to the right.

(4): 10 x Fit-ball Pike.

PT Fitness.

Exercise of the Day wednesday 26/05/2010

Not so much as an exercise, but after my recent trip to my dentist today where we had a long and in-depth chat about dental care and the risk of heart disease I thought I would pass on some info which was released by Bupa.

A possible link is there, but from a vain point of view, wouldn't you prefer nice teeth with that nice body you want? Keep brushing, keep flossing!!

This info below was taken from the Bupa website:

Taking good care of your teeth and gums could prevent you from having a stroke or heart attack, according to a study published in 8 February 2005 edition of the journal Circulation.¹

What did the study find?

The study found a strong link between gum disease and narrowing of the arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis), which can lead to heart attacks and stroke.

What is gum disease?

Teeth are covered by sticky plaque, made up of food, bacteria and bacterial waste products. If plaque is left on the teeth the gums become irritated and may bleed when you brush. This early stage of gum disease is called gingivitis.²

If gum disease is not treated, the gums may swell, forming a little pocket around the tooth. Plaque collects in this and cannot be removed by a toothbrush. When plaque is left on the teeth it may harden to form tartar (calculus).

As time goes on the pockets get deeper, trap even more plaque and tartar and may become infected. Over time gingivitis can develop into chronic (long term) periodontitis, in which the jaw bone can become infected and damaged, causing teeth to loosen or fall out.³

What is heart disease?

Atherosclerosis is when the arteries become narrow and damaged. It happens when the arteries are clogged up with fatty deposits or the walls of the arteries become inflamed.

This narrowing can happen in the arteries that supply blood to the heart, depriving it of the oxygen and nutrients it needs to work normally. When the blood flow through an artery is stopped, a heart attack can occur.⁴

Arteries supplying blood to the brain can also be affected by atherosclerosis. If a blood clot becomes lodged in a narrowed artery, blood flow to part of the brain may be stopped. This is called a stroke.

What did the researchers look for?

To measure whether or not gum disease is associated with an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis, the researchers tested people for 11 bacteria that cause gum disease.

They also tested each person for three factors that point to the development of atherosclerosis:¹

• the thickness of the walls of the carotid artery, a major blood vessel in the neck that carries blood from the heart to the brain (the thickness of the wall is a measure of how clogged up the artery is)
• the number of white blood cells in the blood (raised levels are associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis)⁵
• the amount of a protein, called C-reactive protein, in the blood (this protein is found in higher levels when there is inflammation of the blood vessels and is a good indicator that atherosclerosis may develop in the future)⁶

What did the researchers find?

The study looked at 657 people who had no history of heart attack or stroke.

It found that those people who had higher levels of the 11 types of bacteria that cause gum disease also had:

• increased carotid artery wall thickness
• raised white blood cell levels

However, the researchers found that the level of bacteria that cause gum disease was not linked to levels of C-reactive protein in the blood.¹

The researchers also discovered that these links existed only for gum disease causing bacteria and not for all the other bacteria that can live in the mouth.¹

What does this mean?

The researchers suggest that the results mean that people who have gum disease may be at a greater risk of developing atherosclerosis and heart disease.¹

Although the study suggests a link between gum disease and heart disease, it does not prove that gum disease actually causes heart disease.

Why might gum disease be linked to heart disease?

Studies in the past have suggested that the bacteria that cause gum disease may increase the rate at which arteries become blocked.¹

The researchers believe that bacteria can leave people's infected gums and enter the bloodstream, activating the immune system (the body's defence mechanism) and making their artery walls inflamed and narrowed.⁷

Another theory is that the bacteria enter the blood and attach themselves directly to the fatty deposits that are already present in a person's arteries, causing further narrowing.⁴

Could the increase in the risk of heart disease be due to a different cause entirely?

Other lifestyle factors are known to increase the risk of heart disease, and they are often associated with poor dental health as well. For example:

• smoking
• poor diet
• low income

Some experts do not believe that the bacteria that cause gum disease are really responsible for increasing heart disease risk. Instead, they argue that the gum disease is due to smoking, poor diet or low income and that it is these factors that are also increasing the heart disease risk.

In an attempt to answer this argument, the researchers in this study adjusted their results to take the following factors into account:¹

• smoking
• body mass index
• age
• gender
• education
• race/ethnicity
• diabetes
• blood pressure
• cholesterol levels

Even after they had adjusted their results to remove the effects of all these factors, the researchers found that the presence of gum disease causing bacteria was still associated with an increased risk of heart disease.¹

How can you prevent gum disease?

The best way to prevent gum disease is to maintain good oral hygiene. This means brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and regularly visiting your dentist or hygienist (see below).²

Brushing is the most effective way of removing plaque and preventing the build up of bacteria. The following tips will help you to get the most out of your brushing routine:³

• brush your teeth at least twice a day
• use a fluoride toothpaste to provide protection against decay
• use a toothbrush that's small enough to reach all around your mouth, with soft or medium synthetic bristles
• use a gentle circular action and brush all the tooth surfaces thoroughly

For more on looking after your teeth, please see our factsheet:
Factsheet: Caring for your teeth

How often should you go to your dentist?

Even thorough brushing and flossing cannot remove every trace of plaque, so your dentist needs to check your teeth regularly and remove any tartar build up. Your dentist will advise you how often to visit.³

What are the signs that you have gum disease?

Normally, gums are pink and healthy looking. When you have gum disease your gums may be red and swollen, although sometimes they may look normal.²

Sometimes the only sign of gum disease is bleeding gums when brushing. If you find that your gums are bleeding when you brush, it is vital that you clean them more thoroughly, not less. Make sure that you clean every surface of the tooth and use dental floss or interdental brushes to clean in between the teeth.²

How is gum disease treated?

Gum disease treatment aims to remove plaque and make it as difficult as possible for it to reform. With mild gum disease, more careful brushing and flossing may cure the problem without need for further treatment.

However, once a hard layer of tartar has formed, you cannot remove it yourself. Your dentist or hygienist needs to remove it with a specialist scaling tool. He or she will also polish your teeth's surfaces to make it harder for bacteria to attach themselves. Your dentist may recommend an antiseptic mouthwash to control plaque levels in the short term but these are not used for longer than one month.²

If the infection has developed into periodontitis and deep pockets have formed that are affecting the support of the tooth, your dentist or hygienist will need to clean these regularly. It may be necessary to visit your dentist as often as every two months. Your dentist may also carry out root planing (removal of infected base around the root).²

Exercise of the Day Tuesday 25/05/2010

Bulgarian Split Squat:

The hardest part of this exercise is not falling over when getting into position, well, and doing it!!

If your going to do this using a bar on the back, select a weight thats easier than a normal squat, and perform a few lunge squats first to confirm its manageable.

Stand with the back of both legs touching the bench, with one leg take a good step forward, carefully lift and place the foot of the back leg up onto the bench, from here perform the squat as normal.

This can also be done with dumbbells or just holding a plate or kettle bell.

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 24/05/2010

Hi all, sorry this hasn't been updated in a while, we all had a wee break to Dublin and was caught by a little volcanic ash then played catch up last week!!

So to get you all back in the swing of things and get the body pumping heart and muscle heres a personal favorite!

Row 500 meters

50 x Dead-lifts

50 x Push-ups

Row 400 meters

40 x Dead-lifts

40 x Push-ups

Row 300 meters

30 x Dead-lifts

30 x Push-ups

Row 200 meters

20 x Dead-lifts

20 x Push-ups

Row 100 meters

10 x Dead-lifts

10 x Push-ups.

This is a hard core session, warm-up & cool-down with stretches suitably.

Good luck

Chris Nash

Personal Trainer

PT Fitness

Exercise of the day Wednesday 12/05/2010

Dumbbell Shoulder Press:

This is a nice simple exercise to work the deltoid and triceps muscles.

Perform this seated, this way you wont be tempted to arch your back, firstly select a weight that is doable, remember the dumbbells will be going above your head, to heavy a weight and this could hurt!

Hold the weights so they are inline with the top of your shoulders, then press the weight upwards then return to the start position, also, hold the weight so your palms would be facing forwards, this can be altered, and when you do so so does the position of the muscle in its contraction, you could also do this exercise using a barbell or kettle bell.

PT Fitness

Exercise of the day Tuesday 11/05/2010

Reverse Lunge with single arm shoulder press:

This is a slight variation of the exercise listed in the weekly workout this week, doing this lunge with a single arm shoulder press incorporates the core and oblique muscles much more.

To do the exercise select a weight that you can press, hold the dumbbell in one hand whilst standing in a good postural position, take a step back, lower the body into the lunge whilst raising the arm (holding the weight) above your head in a shoulder press, then return to the start position.

Do your reps for that side then swap and do the other.

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 10/05/2010

Double Up:

Today's workout is pretty hard going, this is a 5 round session, make sure you warm up, cool down and stretch accordingly.

20 alternating, 1 Dead Lift to 1 Squat with Upright Row.

10 x Body Rows.

10 x Push-Ups.

20 Reverse Lunges with Medicine Ball Shoulder Thrusters.

20 Russian Twists.

When weighting the bar for the dead lifts remember it has to be a weight you can upright row,

also if you do not have a med ball thats heavy enough use dumbbells.

Chris Nash

Personal Trainer

PT Fitness

Friday's Nutrition Tip 07/05/2010

The Healthy Eating Boom!!

Top Left 1920's, 1940's, 1960's, 1980's, 1990's, Bottom Right 2000's.

Diets have been around for centuries, but in the 1980's - 90's a massive boom in diet plans and so say healthy eating guides became extremely popular and have remained ever since, but what I'd like you to do is look at the random groups of people in the photos I've posted.

These were taken from the net in searches for for groups of people in the 19??'s, I've not picked these looking for anything in particular, but take a moment, look hard, tell me what you see?

Here's a clue up until the 1980's people looked healthy, then in the 80's we started eating "healthy" so what's wrong with these pictures?

Call this a rant, and maybe it is, but misinformation, greed, and the media are doing a good job at doing things not so very "healthy" at all.

Chris Nash

Personal Trainer

PT Fitness

Exercise of the Day Thursday 06/05/2010

Bicep Curl:

Lets face it, if your a guy your probably getting the T-shirts out ready for summer and thinking to yourself "my guns need work", then work them, the best way to get them looking good is to do bicep exercises, isolate with curls of all variations, and remember to include them in other forms like chins & rows.

Get them working!!

PT Fitness

Exercise of the Day Wednesday 05/05/10

Reverse Lunge:

After the killer leg exercise yesterday I thought we'd stick with some legs!

The reverse lunge is exactly the same as the normal lunge but backwards, however its not as easy as it sounds, and digs just that little bit deeper into the muscle as you need to concentrate, therefore take longer, to do the exercise.

simple but effective!!

PT Fitness

Exercise of the Day Tuesday 04/05/2010

IsoPlyometric Squat Jumps:

This Exercise is a long lost secret, taught to me by my coach when I used to compete to help improve endurance and strength to my legs.

This is no easy exercise, and some have said its dangerous, and, if you do suffer from high blood pressure this may not be an ideal exercise to perform, like wise you have to consider the rulings and guidelines for plyometrics.

To do this little chap all you need is to get hold of some nice and heavy dumbbells or kettle bells, the exercise itself is simple, stand with the weights in your hands, get down into the squat position and hold, hold it as long as you can, you want your legs shaking, grip killing, lactic acid burning, voice screaming, when you can take no more drop the weights away to the side and perform, straight away, 10 knee to chest squat jumps, the pain is intense, it will only last a short while but make sure you walk it off before you do it all over again!

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 03/05/2010

This is a little workout for monday, we all decided to take the day off Monday seeing as it was a bank holiday! but for some that just becomes an excuse to train a little more!!

So this weeks workout is this, Run, Run, Run!

Run as far as you feel capable and have time for. Mix it up with Sprints, Cross Country, Hills Climbs & Descents, if your really brave, as its not quite summer yet, get in some river crossings, or run in the shallows of the sea along the beach, try to think of the most elaborate way to run harder and do it!

It would be interesting to know what people do to make things harder or more challenging for runs, let us know!

Chris Nash

Personal Trainer

PT Fitness

Exercise of the Day Thursday 29/04/2010

Rowing:

The rowing machine has been a long time favorite of mine, it works so many muscle groups for a cardio piece of kit that its worth all the hard work.

The best rower on the market, in my opinion, is the Concept 2, most gyms have them, if your lucky you'll own one, they've been around for some years and are tried and tested, they've changed a little over the years, small tweaks here and there, but the testament to there ability to be great is the fact even the old ones are still going, if you fancied buying one these models can be found on places like ebay for around £4-500 or if you really want to invest in your health a brand new model that will probably out last you will cost just over the grand mark.

Technique is important when using the rower, drive with the legs, then pull with the arms into the lower abs area, then arms extend and legs come in.

If you suffer from lower back pain these may not be the best bit of kit for you, seek professional advice before hand if your not sure.

The other great thing you can do is challenge yourself, either time or distance.

PT Fitness

Exercise of the Day Wednesday 28/04/2010

Kids Play Ground:

Today's exercise is mainly about one part of the kids play park, the monkey bars! moving between each bar back and forth looks like child's play when these little tykes mess around, but once you've grown up those extra pounds that age and size add make for a great challenge, launching yourself from bar to bar soon gets hard and the longer the run the harder it gets!

The next time your down the park with the kids have a look to see how you can play!

PT Fitness

Exercise of the Day Tuesday 27/04/2010

Rope Climb:

Now for this exercise it is hard to give any clear details on technique as many people use different styles to climb, so what I would like to do is go over a few simple rules that could help you achieve this exercise and more importantly keep you safe.

To climb a rope you need good upper body strength, strong core and legs, and the will to succeed. Technique as I've said varies, the most common way is like the lady in the picture, hand above hand with feet locking the rope.

using no legs at all makes this really hard coming purely from the upper body, then from here you could extend your legs out to the front and do an "L" climb, great on the core!

But remember always, safety, a rope spotter to stop the rope flying around as you climb, more so if your new to this, a crash mat, for obvious reasons, gloves, especially if your upper body strength isn't massive, these will save your hands if you slide, most of all start low, build up to it, after a while you'll be shooting up and down, oh, and the other thing you may need is a rope! do not climb a nylon rope or thin rope as these will hurt, the thickness of the rope is important, to thin and it'll hurt, to fat and you will struggle.

If this is something you would like to try, to see if you can do what the P.E. instructors at school wanted you to achieve, before health and safety! find a trainer, club or public assault course to try, and if its your first time, don't go alone.

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 26/04/2010

Legs Legs Legs:

Good leg strength is the key to a lot of our daily problems, the legs support our body weight and help with the fight against gravity, the legs also contain the largest muscles in the human body the biggest of which is the glutes, if you want to protect your back, build a good bum, if you want to look after your knees, build the butt and work the quads, it all starts down here so this area should always be a priority to get and keep strong.

This workout is designed to hit all the leg muscles and leave you with a lovely little burn.

Warm & Stretch suitably before you start.

First Stage.

3 sets of 10 Dead lifts, (not to heavy, but it needs to let you know its going on!)

3 sets of 20 alternating Lunges. (10 each leg)

1 set of 20 bench Step-ups

1 set of 20 Pistols (10 each leg)

1 set of 20 bench Reverse Lunges (10 each leg)

2 sets of 10 Dead lifts

To enhance this workout do all the exercises holding either Kettle Bells or Dumbbells.

Make sure you stretch!!

Chris Nash

Personal Trainer

PT Fitness

Exercise of the day Thursday 22/04/2010

Stability Bridge:

This exercise is really good for working the core, lower back and glutes!

I love to do this exercise after a leg set including squats and lunges as it really finishes my bum workout off!

To do this exercise is really simple and you can do it at home! All you have to do is lie on your back, heels and toes touching the floor with arms at your side. Using your hips and bum and trunk muscles lift your pelvis off the ground until your body forms one line from your shoulders to your knees, then slowly lower back to starting position.

Jess Kavanagh

Personal Trainer

PT Fitness

Exercise of the Day Wednesday 21/04/2010

Russian Twists:

This is a lovely little core exercise, the easiest way to do and learn this is with a partner, they're there to support your body weight from falling back only, and to encourage, start in a sat up position with your feet held down, lean back until you start to feel your abs engage, this is the start point, then keeping yourself in that slightly back position twist first to one side with your arms extended to the front, then return to the middle and do the other side.

to make this harder, first do it without the support on your feet/ankles, then add weight.

PT Fitness

Exercise of the Day Tuesday 20/04/2010

Lunges:

Get in the standing position with a good posture, from here take a step forward with one leg, just a little further than the norm, keeping your back and torso in the upright position bend at the knees, do not let the rear legs knee touch the ground, then return to the starting point and do the same on the other leg. This exercise is great for the leg and bum muscles, if you want to make this harder just add weight!!

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 19/04/2010

This is a nice little session, 3 exercises, 55 rep's each non stop heart ponding muscle aching mayhem!!

The exercises: Chins, Dips, Sit-ups.

The Rep's: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Now if you are among those who find chins & dips hard you can still get the most out of this session by doing the following.

Body rows, Tricep dips, sit-ups.

Rep wise up it a fraction to 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6. thats 105 of each except the sit-ups which can still be done at the normal rep rate.

A toughy but a goody!

Chris Nash

Personal Trainer

PT Fitness

Friday's Nutrition Tip 16/04/2010

Food Groups:

This will be hard to do in a short article, but what we need to establish is the main groups and there main function in as simple a way as not to boggle the mind.

The first Group isn't really a food but again I'd like to get across it's importance.

Water:

To put this as basic as I can so as not to take up to much time, drink water or nothing really works properly, we are predominately water based beings, we use it and loose it during the day and it needs to be topped up, there, simple.

Protein:

Found in foods such as Meats, Fish, Nuts, Tofu & Eggs this guy is the builder/repair man, without protein in your diet keeping muscle toned and developed would be nigh on impossible, but its not just muscle this takes care of, hair & nails, skin & organs, every Fiber of your body has a protein cellular make-up, so not to have protein in your diet would be crazy.

Carbohydrates:

Found in foods such as Rice & Grains, Fruit & Veg, Bread & Crackers, so if protein is the builder this would be the fuel to get him there, this is one of the fuel types that keeps your body moving, gives you energy and burns, protein too can be broken down and used as fuel, but the break down of muscle and the like is something you don't want to do, but with carbs you run the risk of eating to much of the fuel giver and then you store it it the form of fat deposits. The other thing about carbs is the quality, carbs can have a high natural (or non natural) sugar level, if you don't need this there and then to fuel the body it is even faster to get stored.

Fats:

Fats get a bad rap, miss understood and abused, fat is like the patsy, the fall guy, "your over weight because you eat to much fat", not always the case, there are different types of fat, and next week I'll go into that a bit more, but fat is a great fuel source as well as carbs, the one you should never eat is Trans Fats or Hydrogenated Fat, but like I said, I'll talk about fat next week.

Just remember your daily food intake needs to be structured and clean then going wrong isn't a problem.

Exercise of the Day Thursday 15/04/2010

The Plank.

This is one of the simplest exercises to do, yet one of the hardest to master, the exercise itself really targets the core in all directions.

Basics of the exercise, Kneel on the floor, reach out and place your forearms on the the deck, lift knees off the ground, bring your bum down until your in a flat horizontal position, hold everything in tight and hold for a period of time.

sounds easy, try to get it up to 1 minute, then do three to four sets of 1 minute at a time, remember, and this is something I have to tell my clients to do, Breathe!!

Chris Nash

Personal Trainer

PT Fitness

Exercise of the Day Wednesday 14/04/2010

Again I'm going to have to do 2 exercises, yesterday was manic for me and the other trainers here at PT Fitness, the sun comes out and everybody starts to think about what their going to ware, then realize the body could do with a little work too, this is all well and good but it got me thinking about exercises that are easy to perform all year round, I looked through what I've worked on here already and most of those, especially the body weight ones, will keep things where they ought to be, but there's nothing wrong with a few more!!

Exercise 1:

Pistol Squats.

These are nasty little fella's, they start off feeling really easy and then POW, they get you.

Stand in front of a bench, or if at home a solid surface that you can sit on at the hight of your knees, raise one leg just off the ground, outwards and straight, extend your arms out straight in front of your chest, to make it harder hold a dumbbell or other weighted object, then sit down on the bench, let your bum touch then straight back up to the start position, the whole time keeping that one leg off the deck and arms extended, repeat 10 or so times on that leg then change.

To perform the exercise to its proper limit do it like the dude in the picture!

Exercise 2:

Pike Shoulder Press.

Again I find myself putting up another hard-core exercise, but these guys really work you, I find them best off a stability ball but they can be done from a bench.

Their very simular to a push-up in many ways, but the set ups a bit harder. Start by kneeling on the bench, lean down and place your hands out like you would for a push-up a little ways from the bench, this is so you don't end up doing a rolly-poley when you go down, pike your body, like an upside down "L", then perform a push-up

.

Chris Nash

Personal Trainer

PT Fitness

Weekly Workout Monday 12/04/2010

I literally just did this workout with my first client of the week and thought I have to put this on here, it really got her going and I hope sets her up nicely for the day, and anybody else who wishes to give it a shot.

As normal always warm up accordingly making sure both upper and lower body are in a ready state for training.

The set is 5 rounds of 5 exercises performed for 10 repetitions each, the weight should depend on your ability, but make sure its heavy enough to push you, but not to heavy so you can't complete, so here we go.

10 x Clean & Heave

10 x Push-Up

10 x Body Row

10 x Dead-lift

10 x Dumbbell Bench Press

Get your Ab's engaged for each exercise, make them clean and push them out.

Enjoy the week

Chris Nash

Personal Trainer

PT Fitness

Friday's Nutrition Tip 09/04/2010

Structure.

What I mean by structure is the basics of When & What, the where all depends on your day but with that in mind, do try to sit down, not in front of the tele.

So the first one, When? simply put, eat within the first 40 minutes of getting up, then structure your day from there, eat regularly (every 3-4 hours) so if I ate breakfast at 07:30 my first snack would be at 10:30, lunch would be 13:30 followed by my afternoon snack at 16:30 meaning my diner, if able to work on the 3 hour rule, would be at 19:30, the amounts which you eat are of course very important, but for now the What must come first, Proteins, Carbs and Fats, thats right, fats, these three food groups need to match your type of person, and the fats will return you to your natural energy source, sugars are not it, and to many of the foods we eat today are laced with it, including those pre-bought healthy option foods you buy, now figuring out what kind of person you are can be the hardest, we all love, or should love different foods at different times, so the best way to figure this out if you can't find somebody to test you is keep a log of what you eat, then how you feel 1 hour after & also 2 hours after, how energized you feel, whether your hungry or still satisfied, this should give you an idea of your metabolic typing, do you respond well to carbs, or perhaps proteins?

The first thing you need to do though is start eating...... Next week, the food groups.