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FEELING STRETCHED ???

WHY STRETCH ?

Alot of my clients don’t (at first) think they need to stretch. Some don’t see the value. Some think they should be lifting something instead, or running somewhere. Some think they’ll (embarrassingly) never be able to reach their toes! BUT by stretching for a few minutes, you will see and feel the benefits. Here are  just 6 (of many) reasons why I consider it vitally important to stretch, in no particular order!

1) Reduces your risk of injury drastically, and keeps you mobile as your body matures.
2) Improves your flexibility, by increasing the range of motion of a joint by stretching out the surrounding soft tissue (i.e. muscles tendons & ligaments)
3) Speeds muscle recovery – after an intense workout, the muscles remain in a partially-contracted state, and by not stretching afterwards, you will feel stiff and sore for longer. Stretching relaxes, elongates and softens the muscles which is important for both strength and endurance training.
4) Creates correct muscle balance – failing to stretch regularly after workouts can lead to problems with posture, & muscle imbalance. Consider someone who sits at a desk for 10 hours everyday, some of his / her muscles will naturally become tighter, others weaker. For example, the hip flexors will be in a mildly contracted state whilst seated, and after a while the hip flexor can tilt the pelvis forward, causing the spine to round, which leads to pack pain. So even if you’re not working out, stretching out the pelvis, hip flexor, back, neck and shoulders for a few minutes every day, will help your body stay conditioned.
5) Improves balance – by increasing the range of motion in joints, it gives the body one fewer reason to impede itself and fall over, as stretching encourages uninhibited movement.
6) Muscular growth – The fascia (fibrous tissue) surrounding muscles is said to limit the amount of space muscles have to grow. By stretching a muscle under a resistance, you can encourage further muscular growth (hypertrophy). Be aware though, Extreme Fascial Stretching (for muscle growth) is very stressful to muscular tissue and can cause injury if not practised properly.

TYPES OF STRETCHING ?

1) PRE WORKOUT ? Dynamic Stretching – always warm up for c. 5 minutes before stretching, making sure the muscles are actively prepared, and then perform dynamic stretches, which effectively means ‘stretching whilst moving’. These stretches should only be held for 3-10 seconds each. Some examples are walking lunges, lunging and reaching, power skipping, knee hugs, quad walks etc.
2) POST WORKOUT ? Static Stretching – these are slow and constant, and each stretch is usually held for 10-30 seconds, during which you’ll consider them mildly uncomfortable. Sometimes they’ll be passive, as someone stretches you out whilst your body relaxes. You should avoid bouncing whilst holding your static stretch, as it can risk tearing muscular fibre. These stretches aren’t designed to make you sweat, rather to lengthen/relax the muscle spindles.

Stretch safe, here are some pics of me having a stretch!

DOES MY TUM LOOK BIG IN THIS ???

Ab workout by the pond at Regent’s Park – throw on a hoodie, no excuses and no membership required!

One of my clients’ most frequent questions is how to get the illustrious ‘six pack’. There are of course health benefits to training the abdominal area (reduces risk of lower back pain, promotes improved posture etc.), but when it comes to ‘abs’, health seems secondary to cosmetics! First, if the stomach isn’t flat, there’s likely too much fat being stored; sit-up after sit-up won’t help, as they burn fewer calories vs. proper cardio. ‘Spot training’ simply doesn’t work for this.

The solution is genuinely simple – reduce body fat by increasing activity, whilst controlling calorie intake – abs then will begin to show definition of their own accord. Exercises can improve the shape and bulk of the muscles, but they won’t show unless the fat layer goes first. To do that, above all, engage and work the transversus abdominal muscle, which acts as a muscular corset connecting the upper and lower body, holding in the waist. Try to hit the stomach muscles from all angles. Here’s a 3-point attack plan, with photos! ….

Maximum effort for each exercise to failure, then move on to the next – when completed all of the below, go for a light jog (increase calorie burn). That is one set. Repeat x 3 or until you give up!

1) Work the Transversus Abdominals
Simple plank to begin with, then combo leg-and-arm lift plank, as per below pic.

Also, the abdominal muscles help support the spine during forward bending therefore any exercise involving forward flexion of the spine such as deadlifts and squats will indirectly train the abdominal muscles too!

2) Work the Rectus abdominals
Curling bodily movements (e.g. normal sit ups, as below)

Reverse curl movements (like a sit up, but where you’d bring in your legs to your chest, rather than the opposite)
Toe reach (as per below pic)

3) Work the External & Internal Obliques
Dumbbell side dips / bends
Trunk Twist movements (as two below images)

Side plank  (as below)

AND of course, some stretches to finish off!

BREAK THE FAST !!!

 

Breakfast – the most important meal of the day – today I made it a healthy bowl of fruit salad, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, and afterwards, a bowl of porridge. Ready to take on the day! Happy saturday!

SNOW BIGGIE, JUST RUN !!!

All the magazines I read try to sell me aspirational premium sportswear, which is great, but sometimes I don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a new training look. With that in mind, I’m loving H&M’s new sporty range at the moment!

In all the pics below, I’m wearing a new pair of Hennes ‘sports tights’ as they call them. Printed-pattern pants continue to be a huge trend this spring/summer. These tights come with an elasticated waist, they are super comfy, functional, breathable, and have a funky jungle print (!!). Best of all, they’re just £15 (!).

And yes, it’s minus 3 degrees and snowy in London this morning but this jogger (me), to her surprise isn’t feeling cold at all – rather refreshed and very awake! A run in the snow is twice as peaceful, especially on this picturesque 4.5 mile route around the Maida vale canal – lovely! http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5795165

See all the pics here…

FATIGUE MUSCLES WITHOUT WEIGHTS ?!?

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I trained on sunny Primrose Hill today (click here to see the pics)! If like me, you love the outdoors & don’t always feel like going to the gym – but still want a proper workout – first consider the following 3 different training techniques, and then check out my suggested routine to put the techniques to use, which requires no weights!
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STEP A – TECHNIQUE:
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1) CONCENTRIC CONTRACTIONS: A concentric contraction takes place when a muscle contracts, develops tension and shortens. When you stand up, the quadriceps shorten and contract – this is concentric activity.
2) ECCENTRIC CONTRACTIONS: Now sit back down; that’s an eccentric contraction (the opposite), when a muscle contracts, develops tension and lengthens. This eccentric phase is often forgotten in training, because people put a lot of effort into lifting a weight, but just let gravity do the work when lowering the weight. By embracing eccentric activity, you can transform your set, and get so much more out of it.
3) STATIC CONTRACTIONS: Static contractions (also called isometric contraction) are when a muscle contracts, develops tension but the muscle length doesn’t change. For example, sit-up, if you stop half way point and stay in that position, then only static contractions will take place in the abs – you’ll feel fatigue setting in, but there will be no lengthening/shortening.
Combining all three of the above is the park-workout holy grail! Click ‘more‘ for my suggested routine…
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STEP B – THE COMBINED ROUTINE:
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1) PRESS-UPS:
– Do a half press-up/full press-up/ or raise your legs off the ground using a park bench.
– a) Eccentric phase: As slowly as you can lower yourself onto the ground for at least 3 seconds, keeping good form.
– b) Concentric Phase: Then slowly lift yourself of the ground, again as slowly as you possibly can – aim for at least 3 seconds.
– c) Static hold: Then come back down, stop mid way and aim to hold the position for at least 3 seconds.
– Then after all three stages add 10 quick press ups.
– That’s 1 set. Have a quick break and then go for another 2 sets immediately. If this is too hard, do step 2 & 3 (below) in between…
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2) SIT-UPS :
– a) Eccentric phase: As slowly as you can lower yourself onto the ground at least 3 seconds, keeping good form.
– b) Concentric Phase: Then slowly lift yourself of the ground, again as slowly as you possibly can – aim for at least 3 seconds.
– c) Static hold: Then come back down, stop mid way and aim to hold the position for at least 3 seconds.
– Then after all three stages add 20 quick situps.
– That’s 1 set. Have a quick break and then go for another 2 sets. If this is too hard, jump to the next exercise in between…
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3) SQUATS:
– a) Eccentric phase: As slowly as you can lower yourself onto the ground at least 3 seconds, keeping good form.
– b) Concentric Phase: Then slowly lift yourself of the ground, again as slowly as you possibly can – aim for at least 3 seconds.
– c) Static hold: Then come back down, stop mid way and aim to hold the position for at least 3 seconds.
– Then after all three stages add 15 quick squats.
– That’s 1 set. Have a quick break and then go for another 2 sets. If this is too hard, jump back to press-ups / sit-ups in between.
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I chose legs chest and abs for this routine, but the concept works for all muscle groups. I hope you find this useful next time you’re in the park and want to increase the intensity of your workout.  Faya

FIND YOUR LEGS !!!

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I see it all the time – guys in the gym who have colossally sculpted upper bodies and miniature chicken-legs. Not only does this look absolutely ridiculous (no symmetry whatsoever), but failing to train your legs is a physiological mistake. Yes it’s true that the glutes are the largest muscle in the body, but being the largest muscle group in the body, skipping over your legs just won’t do! I’m not going to talk about the muscles you train in this post, rather my reasons for training them in the first place:

1) Aside from the cosmetic reason of creating body-symmetry, legs are worth keeping conditioned (something your body will thank you for as it matures). Strength training of the legs stimulates bone re-calcification, enhances tendon and ligament durability and improves overall joint strengthening.
2) Larger muscles boost the metabolism and burn more calories, so legs therefore can potentially burn the highest number of calories at rest. Most serious bodybuilders seem to believe that a 30min leg session will burn anywhere from 500-1000 calories depending on intensity (that’s 25-50% of your recommended daily calorie intake!). Also, a lot of cardiovascular exercise involves using your legs so by increasing strength and/or size, you’ll help fuel your workouts while burning more calories too!!
3) Being the largest muscle group in the body, training your legs encourages the release of natural testosterone and other growth hormones, promoting overall strength and mass throughout your whole body, not just the legs.
4) And finally it’s good to keep your body guessing. By training your legs, it’ll add yet another important variation to your regime, stimulating optimal muscle adaptation and growth.

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Click here for photos and descriptions for part of the leg session I did earlier today…

A) Barbell Squats targets not only your legs but also your abs as they have to stabilise the weight during the squat. 10 reps, 4 sets.

B) Dead lifts especially work your lower back, hamstrings and glutes. Arm strength is required to grip and lift the heavy weight. Form is as per pictures below. 10 reps, 4 sets.

C) Calf raises – try the smith machine, as per my picture below. 10 reps, 4 sets.

D) Floored Leg Press – again, using the Smith Machine, as below… 10 reps, 4 sets.

Keep the intensity up (as below ) !!

GOING GREEN !!!

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Since I gave up coffee last year, Green Tea has become my caffeinated new-best-friend! I probably drink 2 cups a day, on average – it warms me up, has plenty of flavour (especially with a sprinkle of cinnamon) and most importantly gives me that extra boost to keep me going throughout the day! I wouldn’t recommend drinking much more than that though, as too much caffeine can increase blood pressure, cause you to shake, induce headaches as well as stain the teeth – so perhaps don’t start your day with a triple shot of green tea!

This ancient wonder-brew has its origins in China and has been consumed (and used medicinally) for thousands of years. It’s said to have several health benefits including potentially lowering the risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancer as well as lowering cholesterol. However, for me, the main plus is that green tea contains not only caffeine to wake me up (!), but also plant extracts called polyphenols which have been shown to stimulate thermogenesis and fat oxidation, & therefore increase metabolic rate. That’s short-hand for ‘burn more calories, quicker’.

This green tea that I had earlier today weighs in at a featherweight 1 calorie/200ml, with no saturated fat, no sodium, no cholesterol etc. and only 0.2g of total carbs! So it’s a pretty safe pick me up, whilst simulating the sensation of being full, and ultimately hydrating! So instead of starting your day with a vanilla latte (c. 250 calories, 12g sugar and too much fat) make it a far healthier caffeine choice!

Drink up

(P.s. If you’re wondering why black tea isn’t as healthy as green tea, it’s down to the production process. Making black tea involves fermentation, however green tea skips this part and therefore retains maximum polyphenols and antioxidants!)

A SKINNY *WHAT* … ???

Sometimes it’s hard to motivate yourself to go to the gym solo, especially in these cold winter months. When I feel like that, I go along to group classes, to up the motivation-factor! This week, I was invited to an all-singing, all-dancing, all-sweating, all-girl fitness class in London’s West End. With a catchy, cheeky name like ‘The Skinny Bitch Collective‘ how could I decline?! The class was held just off Baker Street, and is led weekly by the founder, Russell Bateman. Under his enthusiastic guidance (and stern yelling!) all ten girls had to put in 110% to keep up with this very demanding routine. The class is basically an intense metabolic workout including some unusual ‘primal movements’, and is set to classic Ibiza house mixes, which marks the aim and tone of the session!

Here are just 6 of these primal movements included in the ‘Skinny Bitch’ session – they definitely got my poor legs bitchin’!!

1. SQUATS – great for all over body composition. Sculpts the legs, butt and core, and is a great cardiovascular exercise. (Check out my previous post on Leg workout)

2. PUSH UPS – build strength and equally sculpt arms, chest and core. Slow tempo is key to strength gains and core recruitment. No picture for this one, because everyone knows what a push-up looks like!!!

3. LUNGES – reverse lunge with dumbbell hold into ‘plyometric’ jump lunges. This is a great mix of slow and controlled movement going into an explosive power-move, great for developing the glutes and a big test for your overall stamina. Just the slightest micro adjustments and tempo control of the exercises can totally change its effectiveness thus changing your shape, and making you stronger. Think slow eccentric movement (the way down) and explosive concentric (the way up) – like you might remember from my previous post here.

4. SPIDER CRAWLS – engaging core, legs, glutes, arms, and most importantly, your heart! They look easy, but done at pace, they’re utterly exhausting, and an all-over exercise of a truly primal nature!

5. SLIDING RUNNERS –  with palms planted, and alternating your legs, slide the knees under your chest, then back away from your body. At pace, this is a demanding workout for the whole body.

6. ONE LEGGED SHOULDER PRESS – through balance, this exercise really hits the core, and forces the abs to engage. You get the added kicker of working your shoulders too. I particularly liked this one – it was a real challenge!

….Also I’m pretty sure Russell gave me the heaviest weights throughout the class, so if you’re reading this Russell – thanks! All-in, the Skinny Bitch class is great cardio, balance and strength training, all rolled into a 60-minute session that gos quicker than you’d think.

ON YOUR BIKE, MATE !!!


1) WHY CYCLE ?
Cycling is one of my favourite ways to travel around as it not only gets me there, but I can do some bonus cardio training in the process. It burns calories (c. 120calories per mile), elevates the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, eases the risk of cardiovascular disease and it’s pretty soft on the environment too! Compared to running, which puts a lot of strain on the body (especially the knees), cycling is very low impact exercise and is kinder to your joints. It builds stamina and strength, with fewer injuries along the way. If you’re worried about losing precious muscle mass because of the cv, cycling actually develops muscle, especially in the lower body as power is generated by the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, which will fuel additional calorie burn even after the journey has ended. It will also stimulate the production of HGH (human growth hormone), and remember, muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, so this is exercise that keeps giving!

2) THE BIKE ?
In the pic above, I’m on what I think is the Ferrari of bicycles; the sleek, curvaceous, sexy ‘Pinarello’ FPQuattro. This exceptionally serious road bike is built for speed, it’s ultra lightweight (the frame weighs a feather-light 1.1kg!), and has a carbon chassis honed in a wind tunnel to perfect the aerodynamics! I don’t own it, I was merely lent it for the day, but this is my idea of a dream bike!

3) THE ROUTE ?
These days there are so many gadgets to kit out your bicycle with. There’s the low-tech mudguards / mirrors / bags / bells / comfort-saddles… but I like the more high-tech functional stuff. The Garmin GPS is my way of keeping track of my routes. I think it has enhanced my cycling performance by making my training far more productive; it enables measurement of the heart rate, power, speed, altitude and even position in London’s cafes to remarkable accuracy. Not only will you know where you are but also exactly how far you’ve been or need to go; and you can race your ghost if it’s a regular route, which encourages progress! The GPS is route-tailored meaning it will select the right route for your specific training, e.g. endurance, long distance, hill rides etc. So in essence, I think it helps you to cycle smarter!

And once at home after a long relaxing, hot shower you can sit down with a cup of tea, download and analyse the data on your computer, and figure out exactly how to improve your performance for next time. You can even create an online profile and connect with the social media world to share and receive info, courses and routines etc. They’re not cheap, but I think they’ve revolutionised my cycling experience, and my ability to get a good workout from it!

4) THE COMMUNITY ?
Just as there are running clubs, so too are there cycling clubs! In the same way my motivation is boosted by doing a group class at the gym, it’s the same with cycling; find a cycle group in your local area and go for a trial session. Training in a group will improve your cycling giving you the tools and focus you need whether you’re looking to train in the lead up to an event/race or just for general fitness. I find it’s nice to have a deadline or goal in mind, so why not discover charity bike rides! A friend (and cycling-novice!) took part in her very first charity ride last year – London to Paris – and she absolutely loved it, describing ‘a massive sense of camaraderie’, and ‘feel good you just can’t beat!’ She did add it was a very intense 4days and added that you must, must prepare well ahead of time.

It’s dangerous on the roads, so maybe join an ‘advanced road safety’ group which teaches you how to stay safe in the mental London traffic! It also explains bike maintanence which is crucial for trips and newbees.

Cycle buddy links cyclists up with other cyclists in the same area for training rides or mountain biking. The website encourages you to log your ride to share routes and training experiences.

Happy cycling!

INNOVATE TO MOTIVATE !!!

 
I had a wander in Harrods this weekend and came across this shiny fitness contraption, who’s proper name is the Technogym Kinesis…

As an aside; to keep the motivation-factor high (and the boredom-factor low!), I love seeking out new fitness-related concepts, be it the latest equipment, a new ‘group exercise class’ or even some novel ‘superfood’ hitting the supermarket shelf! In short, innovation = motivation! However full-on your workout may be, sometimes we all need a bit of variation and inspiration, and regardless of how many years you’ve been training, there’s always something new to learn and take away from a different experience. I regularly have a look around the gym to see what other people are up to and whether there are any exercises I haven’t encountered – then I steal them if they’re any good!

Back to Harrods’ newest toy, the Kinesis. It’s the highest expression of designer gym furniture. It’s only 1sq metre in size. It’s fitted with three handgrips. It operates in total silence. It facilitates over 200 different exercises that target all muscle groups. There’s an electronic dial to gradually & precisely increase the resistance. Each arm has three pivots that the cable slides through, allowing smooth movement in all directions. I think that if I were to have one of these at home, I’d use it to build strength, increase flexibility and improve my posture – amongst many other applications. And all for just £8,980!!! Oh well, it was fun to play with!