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Strength Training for the Beginner

Strength Training for the Beginner

Published by on November 13, 2021 | Leave a response

In this article we are going to be talking about the best Strength Training for the Beginner. “The best workout program is the one you’re not using.” is a motto in which there is some wisdom, even though the design of a workout program is not very simple. There are many early studies regarding weight training that have attempted to find out the best single program for set/rep training. “There can only be one” is what is said in the Highlander series.

One example is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 5×5 method that was has made popular by his mentor Reg Park, who was himself a Mr, Universe, and played the role of Hercules in the movies. Reg Park was the first bodybuilder who was able to bench press 500 pounds, and was as strong as he appeared to be.

In 1981, Mike Stone and his other colleagues published a study that suggested that it is best to combine protocols instead of concentrating on one protocol for strength training. In this study, “A Hypothetical Model for Strength Training”, there was a transition in the workouts from low intensity/high reps with fewer sets or high volume to high intensity/low reps and more sets or low volume. This was based on on a model that was published in 1954 by Leonid Matveyev, a Russian sports scientist, as a popular periodization model. The end aim of this was to be able, at the end of a cycle of one repetition, to lift the maximum weights for 1RM (1 repetition maximum).

This program has four phases, and each phase lasts for three to four weeks.
Strength Training principles

1. Hypertrophy: 3-5 reps with 6-12 sets at 67-85% of 1RM
2. Basic Strength: 3-5 reps with 6 sets at 85% of 1RM
3. Strength and Power: 3-5 reps with 1-5 sets at 75-90% of 1RM
4. Peaking or Maintenance: 1-3 reps with 1-3 sets that progress from high intensity to a very low intensity

Another system of program design that is popular with strength coaches in colleges, non-linear periodization, has a focus on a variety in training. Compared to the Stone model of changing that changes set/rep protocols after every few weeks, this program varies them with each workout.

There is a book on this topic written by Steve Fleck and William Kraemer, “Optimizing Strength Training” and which introduces a workout for 16 weeks with a rotation of repetitions:

Monday: 12-15 repetitions
Wednesday: 8-10 repetitions
Friday: 4-6 repetitions
Monday: 1-3 repetitions
Wednesday: 3 repetitions or fewer
Friday: 12-15 repetitions

I am in agreement with the necessity of changing repetition protocols, especially with athletes who are advanced. I follow a general guideline that has me changing the volume/intensity of workouts every fortnight. However, from a physiological view this is a program that does not make sense, as it does not allow the body enough time to understand what it has to adapt to.

To explain this, understand that, as an example, when you perform 12-15 sets, it puts the focus on “slow twitch” muscles and muscle fibers of Type I, and sets of 1-5 would help in the development of “fast twitch” muscle fibers of type II. It is not possible for for Type I fibers to convert to Type II fibers, and as a result, football linemen or discus throwers who are strength/power athletes, would not find any value in this workout. It is a fact that Type II fibers will assume the characteristics of Type I fibers after aerobic training.

All this will tell you that the design of a program for periodization is a complex subject , but there is no need for you to be left hanging. If you are a beginner, the one program that can be quite effective and useful is the 10/8/6 Training system. This is a system that is more than a century old, but the earliest reference that I got for this was from one of my colleagues, who told me that it was in 1972 that he was introduced to it, when he was a member of a Fremont, California club known as Bob’s Athletic Club. The owner of this gym was Bob Perata, and the gym was named after him. Both the book cover and movie poster of “Pumping Iron” featured Ed Corney for whom Bob’s Athletic Club was a home gym. Ed Corney is also one of the great posers for bodybuilding. In 1975, Franco Columbu had to run for his money in that year’s Mr. Olympia in the lightweight division when he had to compete with Ed Corney. To add to that, Corney was made the poster boy for “Pumping Iron”, a movie that featured the preparation of Arnold for the 1975 Mr. Olympia. A book by the same name, written by Charles Gaines and George Butler, also had Corney appearing on its cover.

Beginners can get motivated by the 10/8/6 program as it has fewer reps on the 2nd and 3rd sets ,so that you can use heavier weights, which can then give the illusion that the workout has made you stronger, even if the previous sets have caused fatigue. The recovery ability of beginners is slow and this makes the three sets performed as more than plenty. The progress of trainees in Bob’s club led them to use another program for some time, but they can then come back to this program. When there was an improvement in their recovery ability and they became stronger they could add another set and go in for permutations like 12/10/8/6 that focuses on muscle packing, and 10/8/6/4 for any additional strength requirements.

The 10/8/6 system is not considered appropriate for all kinds of exercises. Olympic lifts, snatch and clean and jerk are too technical for these reps to be used. If you still did this, the light weights used would have little effect for strength training. In 1982, a system was introduced by Vince Gorinda that made use of a 10/8/6/15 protocol. In this, use was made of progressively heavier weights for 8 to 6 reps and this was finished with a 15 rep set with a light “pump”. If this is converted into percentages,its workout progress would be:

10 repetitions at 50% of maximum weight can be used for 6 reps
8 repetitions at 75% of 6RM
6 repetitions at 100% of 6RM
15 repetitions at 35% of 6RM

An individual who can press 100 kgs for 6 reps would rest 60 seconds between sets. He would do:

10 reps with 50 kgs
8 reps with 75 kgs
6 reps with 100 kgs
15 reps with 35 kgs

I believe this repetition is too large for the optimum gain in strength as the body does not what it has to adapt to, but Gironda’s system is time tested. It suits those who want to leave the gym quickly while leaving with a massive pump. If you want details about this workout program, read the book “2nd Workout Bulletin: 10-3-6-15” written by Gironda. To get the most from your strength training become a student of the Iron Game so that you can determine the best training system that can allow you to achieve your goals.

Start with the 10/8/6 workout system, if you are a beginner.

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Strength Training Eccentrics

Strength Training Eccentrics

Published by on November 11, 2021 | Leave a response

Your Guide to Eccentric Training

The bodybuilder that’s most strongly linked to eccentric strength training is also someone that is known for idiosyncrasy: Arthur Jones. Jones caught the attention of followers thanks to his passion for alligators and his love of going on safaris in Africa. He was also a marketing master that helped make Nautilus and MedX a success. Of course, eccentricity isn’t something that people are just born with. No one described Jones as an eccentric until after he was one of the fitness industry’s most successful members.

People don’t describe a person as an eccentric unless they’ve managed to accomplish great things. Along the same lines, if you want to utilize eccentric training, you need to properly condition your body.

Because this is an advanced training technique, it may not be suitable for someone that’s just starting to delve into the world of fitness and Strength Training. Even though Jones increased awareness of eccentric training, he wasn’t its creator. As with the variable resistance cam that Jones installed on Nautilus machines, this was simply something that he popularized. If you read books on strength training from Europe, you’ll see detailed guidelines for eccentric training.

Here is how Eccentric Strength Training can benefit you

The term “eccentric strength” is used to describe the degree of force that’s created as muscles lengthen. When muscles shorten, it produces “concentric strength.” Why spend time on eccentric training? These are six of the many advantages it offers.

– It Boosts Strength: Eccentric training is able to generate a lot more tension than what would be created during concentric training. This tension helps to stimulate muscle fibers. This aids in the development of muscles. Eccentric training is ideal for athletes that want to become stronger.

– It’s An Effective Way to Increase Muscle Mass: People often assume that lifting weights is what helps the body to create muscle mass. However, the hypertrophic response is actually triggered when weights are lowered. Equipment like isokinetic machinery is lacking in eccentric stimuli, which means it’s less than ideal for muscle mass development. While isokinetic equipment is often used in North America, it’s far less popular in Europe. This equipment isn’t designed to help athletes build muscle mass. Instead, it’s best to focus on eccentric contractions during workouts.

– It Can Help Athletes Increase Power: The amount of fast force that an athlete can generate is limited by their neuromuscular system. However, researchers have found that eccentric training can be a way to maintain the power the body has or to increase what an athlete is capable of.

In countries that have produced some of the strongest weightlifters will do every second workout that only include eccentric contractions. The initial workout would be conventional. The second workout, which is focused on eccentric contractions, allows the athlete to perform above their maximum levels.

– It Can Be Tailored to Athlete’s: While eccentric training is often linked to bodybuilding, it can benefit many types of athletes. Eccentric strength plays a role in many different sports. To keep joints healthy, muscles need to decelerate after accelerating. By building eccentric strength, athletes can increase the amount of control they have over their own movements. It can help athletes to jump, pitch, and much more.

-It Can Reduce the Risk of Injury: As previously mentioned, a lack of eccentric strength can make it difficult for athletes to fully control their movements. This can greatly increase the risk of injury. Athletes need to strengthen the muscles in their lower body so that they can reduce the amount of stress placed on their joints. While eccentric strength training can help athletes to recover from injuries, it can also be a way to prevent them.

– It Can Help Athletes Get More from Exercise Sessions: Technique plays an essential role in exercise. This is especially true when it comes to exercises used for strength training, like the bench press and squat. Eccentric training can be a way for athletes to increase the amount of control they have as they exercise. This can be a way to improve technique. Improvements to technique are likely to lead to better results later on.

Things to consider

Eccentric training is an excellent way to build strength. With that said, it needs to be done properly for best results. For many exercises, it’s necessary to have help from a training partner. If the spotter is not paying attention, or if the spotter is lacking in training, eccentric training could be risky or even dangerous.

It’s also common for people to underestimate just how intense eccentric training can be. As it was mentioned previously, eccentric training designed for people that are already in great shape. People that haven’t gone through the proper training may not be able to handle these intense training sessions. Athletes should start by focusing on strength training. If they start eccentric training without building that base, their connective tissue could be damaged, leading to serious injury.

Eccentric workouts also have a long recover time. Experts typically recommend that eccentric training should be done no more than three times a week. Even that may be too much for many athletes. It can take more than a week for the body to recover from an eccentric training session.

That’s why it’s important to implement the right protocols if you want to take advantage of the benefits of eccentric training. These guidelines can help you to train safely and effectively.

The Different Levels of Eccentric Training

According to advice from professional personal trainers, the optimal loading for eccentric training is somewhere between 100 and 175% of your maximum. How can you determine the amount of weight you use during eccentric training? You should think about the tempo that you want to maintain during the workout. How much time do you plan on lowering before completing your set? It’s best to decide on a time and find a weight that will allow you to maintain that tempo. You should also keep in mind that if your muscles fail while you perform an eccentric exercise correctly, you can expect your muscles to shake involuntarily as you decelerate.

When you experience this kind of muscle fatigue, your focus needs to be on properly decelerating the weight. Decelerating at a rate that’s faster than the preset time you’ve decided on can cause issues. It’s best to stop the set if that happens. When deciding on a preset time, you should keep in mind that the lowering time will be longer if the exercise has a wider range of motion.

When eccentric training is slow, athletes aren’t able to build force as quickly. It’s a solid option for athletes that are focused on preparation. Eccentric training that is fast, which is also known as plyometrics, is best employed when an athlete is preparing for a competition.

Lowering heavy loads slowly is just one of the ways to combine different eccentric training techniques. Another option that is utilized by many athletes is to lift heavy loads at high speeds. This can be a way for bodybuilders to achieve the kind of musculature that can be seen on top bobsledders and rowers. An example of this would be to alternate between completing four to six sets of three to five reps using maximal weight and four to six sets of hurdle jumps. This type of routine is recommended because the heavy sets can help to body to achieve more during the sets involving jumps. It can also be a way to achieve hypertrophy thanks to the fiber damage that it causes. This is a goal for many athletes.

When athletes are focused on eccentric training, it’s likely that they’ll experience more damage to the fibrillar and the connective tissue. Athletes should take a proactive approach and make sure that their bodies have the nutrients they need to rebuild tissues. Supplements like glucosamine sulfate are an excellent option, as are antioxidants. Eccentric training can also increase the amount of cortisol that is produced by the body. A way to counteract that is to increase your intake of vitamin C. You may also want to discuss using aspirin with your doctor. Some research shows that it can help the body to store more phosphagens within muscle tissue. This could improve the body’s ability to handle cortisol.

Ideally, strength training should build up progressively so that the body has time to adjust and recover. If you’re looking to dive into eccentric training, you can use these protocols as a guideline. You may also want to work with a personal trainer that specializes in eccentric training. That way, you’ll have a training partner that can provide you with the level of support that you need.

Level 1:

This level is aimed at athletes that have been training for two years or less. Athletes do not need to use eccentric loads during training. Instead, athletes can focus on maintaining control as loads are lowered. Athletes should not move onto the next level of eccentric training until after they have at least two years of training under their belt.

Level 2:

This protocol requires athletes to utilize 70% of maximal load until reaching concentric muscle failure. From there, athletes should complete two to three repetitions using the same load. This should be repeated for two to three sets. Alternatively, athletes could complete a single forced rep. As the weights are descending, athletes should attempt to stop them for four seconds. This should be repeated three times.

Level 3:

Continue to use 70% of maximal load until reaching concentric muscle failure. After that, increase weight by 15% before completing two to three repetitions. This should be repeated for two to three sets.

Level 4:

Increase maximal load to 80% until reaching concentric muscle failure. Increase weight by 20% before completing two to three forced repetitions. This should be repeated for three to four sets. Alternatively, a training partner can push down on the weights to provide extra resistance during the eccentric component of these exercises. This should be done in place of adding additional weight. Once concentric muscle failure is achieved, the extra negative repetitions should use up the last of your your eccentric strength.

Level 5:

With a maximal load of 110 to 100%, complete four to six eccentric reps for four to six sets. Between sets, athletes should rest for around four to five minutes. The preset time for lowering the weights should be somewhere between 8 and 10 seconds.

Level 6:

With a maximal load of 125 to 140 percent, athletes should complete two to three reps that are fully eccentric. This should be done for five to six sets, with four to five minutes of rest in between sets. The preset time for lowering weights should be between four and six seconds.

For advanced athletes, it’s best to avoid any specific single exercise tempos during eccentric workouts. As an example, you shouldn’t try to spend twice as much time lowering a weight as you would spend raising it. This could work in the short-term, but it’s unlikely to yield results in the long run. You’ll see much better results if you focus on the training protocol listed above.

It’s important to remember that eccentric training has its name because it’s designed to push athletes to the limits of standard training. It’s a potent method of training that should only be utilized by serious athletes. Don’t feel like you need to rush into eccentric training. Focus on strength training first.

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Gym North Sydney @Inpower fitness

Gym North Sydney @Inpower fitness

Published by on May 26, 2020 | Leave a response

Inpower Fitness thrives as the standout gym in North Sydney

 

When I started by personal training business over 15 years ago, I had a dream to one day have a facility and a brand that not only got results but would create a community of clients that believed in my process and who looked to me for inspiration and direction. That’s how my Gym in North Sydney was developed with that in mind.

My constant determination to have research proven strategies for fat loss has led me to helping thousands of people lose weight over the years.

I not only credit my success to hard work within the industry but  from also the direction of my mentors which have helped me create a unique brand for achieving optimal body composition. Paul Chek, Charles Poliquin, Kelly Starret and Todd Durkin have all helped shape what I have today. Recently in July 2017 I attended a conference in Las Vegas where I got to reunite with all my mentors.

It’s Interesting to see that what I was learning 15 years ago from these pioneers in the fitness industry are now becoming backed by research. The science of circuit training, lifting heavy weights, Paleo and ketogenic diets are all what we were preaching to our clients back then.

As I constantly attend these conferences around the world nothing has changed in my approach to training because the research is backing up exactly what I have been doing for the past 15 years.

 

My brand Inpower Fitness embodies what the greatest minds in the fitness industry believe to be the true way to achieve the best results for our clients.

I believe that without assessing you are just guessing. Assessments are a huge part of my brand. I have developed an assessment protocol from my certifications as a CHEK practitioner (Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiology), PICP (Poliquin International Certification Program), SFMA (Selective Functional Movement Assessment) and FMS (Functional Movement Screen) instructor. I determine the muscle imbalance ratio and functional testing of several movements to determine the correct approach to training that is best for the individual.

Once I have obtained the correct strategies for the individual it is then about challenging the individual through strength and circuit training.  This type of training creates the best lactic acid production which then elicits greater growth hormone in the body to build muscle and burn fat. Research has proven weight training to be superior to cardio for fat loss, memory control, and even enhancing the immune system which in turn helps with muscle gain.

Measuring results is something I’m very passionate about. It lets me know that I’m doing the right thing for my clients and also keeps my clients accountable. I use metabolic analytics to asses main factors such as lean muscle mass, body fat mass and segmental lean analysis. I like to test my athletes on a weekly basis to help with session planning and to track progress. For the general population, I aim for every 6 weeks. The results of the analysis also help me determine the hormones that can hindering the success of the individuals goals so far

North Sydney Gym Group Training

Group training at Inpower fitness is something I started in 2011. It has helped me get in front of more people to share my passion and direction. Everyone who signs up to my group training classes get the Inpower assessment and leaves with strategies to help improve their body. This helps them gain knowledge of their own capabilities when it comes to what movements are going to be safe for them in the classes.

Nutrition is a huge part of my success with my clients. Members of Inpower Fitness get access to my online platform with deliverewd content monthly and weekly for the online members.  I recently added this because I felt that the people who had one on one personal training with me sometimes just once or twice per week were getting far greater results than those in my classes who are coming 4 to 5 times per week. That’s not only because of the personalised training but a huge part of it was the time between sets and before the session where I could educate clients on what to eat and how their process is going for them. I could give instant feedback and put a strategy in place straight away. I find this a challenge in a group setting where time is restricted and people have various goals and challenges. t

The Inpower Fitness newsletter is a weekly newsletter about training and nutrition that goes out to roughly 500 people. I find it to be a great tool for family members of my clients who are not members to help understand the small things that it takes to achieve results. Building a closer support system for my clients and people they integrate with every day is going to help them achieve their results. My beliefs to eating is backed by research to achieve the best fat loss results. As a Precision Nutrition coach, I use tactics depending on the person’s body fat percentage and current lifestyle habits. A male over 20% body fat and Woman over 25% need education on whole foods and proper nutrition to change their life long term. Education about proper sleep, digestion, and mindset is what is going to get best results for these individuals. Males who are trying to get under 10% body fat and women trying to get under 16% is when I introduce proven strategies such as deficit eating, cheat meals, and Intermittent fasting. It’s important that I educate them on the sacrifices needed to get there. Examples are saying no to social occasions, eating clean while on holidays, the loss of energy, and mood swings are some of the things are all going to be a part of someone trying to get to these percentages. I feel that people need to be educated on these nuances otherwise they will end up in worse shape than when they started. An interesting statistic of people who go through strict dieting is something what’s called to 20% rule. Unfortunately, research on the 20% rule states that 90% of those who go on a strict diet and do not succeed end up being 20% fatter than when they started. I feel It’s important to educate people on the sacrifices they will have to endure, to set small targets and constant monitoring so they don’t end up being a victim of the 20% rule.

 

I try to coach the way I would like be coached if I wanted to become the best version of myself. Constant support and education to get me to where I want to be in the fastest amount of time with long lasting results.

 

If you like to learn more about my Mentors and their beliefs you can click on their name to be taken to their page. Paul Chek  Charles Poliquin   Kelly Starret    Todd Durkin

 

 

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Better Performance and Injury Prevention For Any Sport

Better Performance and Injury Prevention For Any Sport

Published by on May 20, 2020 | Leave a response

In the recent 2019 NBA finals where the underdog Toronto Raptors won their first and only NBA Championship, there were other major headlines surrounding the 6 game series then the victories themselves. I believe that no one can argue that had these instances not occurred then the result may have been significantly different. There were 2 career changing and series ending injuries that occurred in Games 5 and 6 that changed the dynamic of the gameplay. One injury happened to a player who most will agree at the time was the best player on the planet, Kevin Durant. The other injury was to one of the greatest 3 point shooters of all time Klay Thompson.

Injuries to the highest performing athletes In sports has been a common occurrence over the past few years. Because of this we are seeing the highest paid and most talented basketball players from various countries opt out of the world cup coming up at the end of August. The purpose of players doing this is to secure their long term future in the NBA and not risk injury in the pursuit of playing for their country. To most people these frequent shock injuries might seem strange since technology and advanced training techniques have been at an all time popularity.

A few simple reasons come to mind as to why this is happening. The first one is Food. Nutrients found in food is at an all time low. A small example is cashews. The magnesium content in cashews has dropped 70% since the 1970’s. This is all due to commercial farming. The spraying of pesticides and herbicides on crops and soil is affecting the nutrients. Fruits and vegetables grown out of this soil are seeing a tremendous drop in nutrient value. These chemicals also affect our meats, with the animals that we consume from either feeding off vegetation from the damaged soil or surviving off highly processed grains.  Its also a topic of discussion as to the amount the steroids being used to improve animal size for selling, plus the use of antibiotics when the animals are sick which is causing more distress to the animals health than the decades before them. There has been proof that even our organic farms are not as nutrient dense as they once where. The reason being that the chemicals from neighbouring commercial farms are being transmitted through the air and onto the organic farms.

Interestingly enough, is how this is not only affecting our current athletes but how it will affect our future players. Studies have shown that eating highly processed foods affects the 2nd and third generations. The study which is published as Pottengers cats showed cases of deformities, illness, and even blindness in the cats as a result of eating processed meats, affecting the livelihood of descendants  all the way down to the third generation of cats. You only need to ask yourself about the increasing rate of disease in the people around you to comprehend what is going on in our world.

The second reason of the frequent and serious injuries is the training programming and exercises that are being prescribed to athletes these days. Training has ‘supposedly’ taken leaps in improving performance. The use of balance training, electric machines and gimmicks have been implemented to what is supposed to be stimulating the co-ordination and strength of an athlete to succeed in a given sport when that skill is depended on. However, I am yet to see a study where single legged balance training for example can improve speed, agility and strength. I will bet all my money that the athlete becomes really good at single legged balance training but not actually a carry over to a movement in the sport. On the flip side you find numerous studies that improving the strength in a squat as another example can improve vertical jump, sprint speed and deceleration.  Unfortunately, it may be another 10 years before research proves that all of these made up and so called creative ways to train an athlete are in no way superior to good old strength training. Training that was made famous by some of the worlds strongest men from the 1900’s is slowly making it’s way into combative sports and is being proven already to making athletes stronger in mixed martial arts as well as American football.

Athletes are athletes because they are already great at what they do. Most likely they are already highly skilled, strong and fast. All they need is a little guidance on how to prevent injury through improving the nutrients they consume and build their ability to train with weights properly. This information is not only going to greatly improve their strength but also their joint integrity,  mobility and reactive forces on the ground. Improvements in these categories will improve an athletes, Strength, Agility and speed along with injury prevention and recovery time. That is a priceless amount to pay towards an athlete’s longevity in their sport.

There are a few simple steps to follow that will help you become the best version of yourself.  If you’re an athlete or just want to help protect our future generations from disease and injury these changes can only have positive effects on you, you’re children and educating those around you. The first is to eat organic wholefood as much as you can by living by the 80/20 rule . 80% organic and 20% conventional. If you want a sure fire way to find which foods are the safest to eat, all you need to do is google the clean 15 for your country. It is the top 15 foods that are the least sprayed with herbicides and pesticides. If you also want to know the foods to stay away from ,then google the dirty dozen for your country. These are 12 of the most chemically laden produce in your area.

The seconds tip is to find a great coach who will teach you the correct mechanics on the performance lifts that will make you stronger for your specific sport. Someone who also has the specialisation of some form of muscle release technique will also greatly improve mobility and prevent injury. Search for A.R.T Practitioners in your area. The result of the drastic injuries that occurred this year in the NBA Finals will change the course of the NBA for years to come and has already started taking place. The planning of even more load management for its star players and possibly more rest days between games seems to be a move in the right direction for those involved. I wonder when they will look more at the off field circumstances affecting the athletes.

Kevin Durant will miss 12 months of action and he will aim to return the same player that he was before the injury, however statistics are against him. Most players returning from an achilles tear never seem to get back to their best basketball. Kobe Bryant , the most recent and probably best known basketball player was a victim to this nasty injury and like Kevin Durant , this happened while performing a move on the court. Kobe was soon to retire a few years later when performing at a high level could no longer be achieved. Klay Thompson will be out of action for 6 months with an ACL tear and history of that kind of injury is that it is more than likely to be re-injured. ACL tears are the most common injury in sports that we see today.

We can only hope that coaches tone down the affect they have on an athletes body and aim to only make it more durable. For your own information try and google Kevin Durant’s shooting warmup routine. It consists of spins, pivots, single legged jumps and twists in the air. In my opinion, all of those movements should be saved for the sport and not be taking up mileage for the body in a workout or warm up routine. My synopsis is that in roughly 10 years from now there will be research into the measuring of some extent, the mileage a body can take before its at serious risk of injury. Hopefully we’ll see if making athletes stronger and looking more into their nutrition become more of a focus point and that they save all the other stuff for movements on the field, court or practice area.

On a note I do not know the extent of these athletes nutrition but as science has shown with the Pottenger’s cats study, is that it probably started with their ancestors 2 to 3 generations ago. Funnily enough that would take us back to the time of the rise of commercial farming in the U.S.

I hope this information has pointed a lot of people in the right direction to their health and performance. We are only as good as the fuel and knowledge that we obtain

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fast fat loss results and long term health by determining the correct diet and exercise program perfect for you

fast fat loss results and long term health by determining the correct diet and exercise program perfect for you

Published by on May 6, 2020 | Leave a response

This article comes around a topic of nutrition which I am hoping is starting to hit home for a lot of people now that living a healthy lifestyle and eating healthy, is key to fighting of disease and illness. This coming from numerous papers which have been released on the deaths through the corona virus that we are experiencing saying that a huge number of deaths and severity of the symptoms come from having other underlying health conditions. The report that came out of Italy on the 700 or so deaths stating that only 2 per cent had no underlying issues and the rest had some underlying health issues. A huge part of that which I want to make point of is that more than 50% of people who dies had more than 3 previous illnesses that are diet, lifestyle and exercise related. Because yes, some illnesses can be genetic, like cancer and heart disease being a couple of them but if you have 3 than that is more lifestyle oriented. For me being in the fitness industry for nearly 2 decades now I’m hoping that more people understand the importance of exercise and healthy eating and also training at a gym or personal trainer who  actually know what they’re talking about and putting yourself in the safest hands possible and how is going to get you your best results.

 

Research into the illnesses that the severity of how that illness affects people and sometimes even death has been attributed to a cause of immunosenesensesne meaning immunosenessesnse is the cellular ageing of the immune system that can lead to increased mortality This is caused by a poor diet or lifestyle. A big important note to mention is that cellular ageing can be reversed through lifestyle changes and eating a healthy diet so I’m hoping that people find out professionals like a good trainer or coach that can educate them on the correct way to eat and how to improve your lifestyle. Not just following a diet that may take 10 years of research to find out how bad it is AKA the plant-based diet or other random ones that pop up out of nowhere. I’m talking juts simple facts on how the body works and what is right for them. The reason these so called new diets pop up which I’m hoping everyone is starting to catch on especially with what we’re seeing with big pharma for example and how viruses are making them rich with their drug vaccines and so forth and that is to understand that most things health related and promises to improve people’s lives or put them out of danger is all money driven or have an ulterior motive like the covid-19 conspiracy and is all making one group of people or organisation rich at the expense of everyone’s health. WE don’t need more diets that people are going to fail at following which lead to more lifestyle damaging factors.   No need to get me started on that but we’ll just have wait for research to say of all these diets that keep coming about are unnatural and unnecessary, things like high plant level proteins, ruins our body, weakens our immune system and destroys the ecosystem. SO, remember this conversation about 10 year from now. All the changes in food labelling, additives and new fad diets is the cause of our weight gain problem and I will share info on those things here now and what is the best thing to do and eat. As for exercise I hope people just get out there and move that s all I can hope for and it’s a start. Later on I expect everyone do their own research on what is the correct way because there is some gyms, franchises and studios that there program and beliefs do nothing but over tax and overstress your immune system through too much intensity and lack of variability without enough recovery time, not introducing  DE loads or nutrition protocols to enhance their training and are just basically breaking down their body. Your body grows when it’s resting and its ability to strengthen your immune system needs recovery and supplementation and to be adapted to your already adapted stress levels that everyone has. Things are just crazy and everyone is just so misinformed. if you do look after recovery, supplementation, and exercise variability then you’re on the right path. If not, then the opposite will happen, you will not recover properly and you will still cause ageing of the cells which what I just discussed at the start will cause immunosenescents. Which what did I say will lead to, increase disease and mortality.

Fat loss Protocol

Today is going to be starting point for some of you on nutrition and others you have been training with me for a while now should hopefully learn some new things to apply to your eating to achieve their goals. Because for those who do not know these nutrition talks that I do are about the right foods to consume to improve your body composition. This in turn will also tailor that towards improving your health through improving insulin sensitivity in doing so by not trashing your immune system with a high carbohydrate or process food consumption. and also, by being more aware of the foods you’re putting into your mouth. Today I will drum home the point of why carbohydrates are not good for most people unless your lean enough to deserve them…which is not many people, and the importance of fats and the how and why to use them for weight loss. So, sit back and I hope you enjoy the lessons I’m about to bring across your way.

Typical diet symptoms

So, to jump away from the immune health thing for a minute let’s talk about food that can help in achieving your fitness goals. I think we all have experienced when we start to diet how it initially feels good for a little while, you start to feel good that you’re doing something good for yourself maybe you start to see some changes but what them typically happens.

 

You start to feel deprived of some foods from eating so little of so you start to get cravings. This is cause by an imbalance in blood sugar levels and a secretion of a substance in the brain which causes cravings called neuro peptide y which will make you want to increase carbohydrate consumption, and the more you consume the more that your body wants. SO, depending on your goal, well unless its weight gain, everyone is going to feel this and it’s important to know that point and you can try and do one of 2 things. 1 just don’t give in to the feeling and understand that the cravings are part of the process and I will help you with that today or 2 fuel yourself with enough nutrients of good quality so that malnutrition doesn’t lead to more production neuropeptide y. Use tips like increasing water intake to keep leptin levels happy and just understand losing weight is a process and if it came at the expense of where we never got hungry or hangry then we would all look great now wouldn’t we.  SO, I think everyone knows that means quality protein, fats and carbs together is how we can endure a more consistent weight loss phase. In my opinion with the state of the world, with the viruses we’ve been exposed to and flu season that comes around all too quickly is that’s why we need to eat high quality organic food as much as possible and if not then you will need further supplementation to prevent what is going to come around and challenge our immune health in the very near future. . Imagine the effect of 5G when it hit your part of the world and not only what it’s going to do to the sickness of the people but the sickness of the animals we eat and the soil we get our vegetable from being more polluted with toxins than ever before. SO, we need to value the vitamins and mineral we put into our body more than ever before. Supplements are a completely other topic and I think I’ve delved into that a lot before so I’ll keep all of this to the point the best that I can.

An important macronutrient that I was to talk about now is carbohydrates. There is so many diets out there that preach their own difference towards the topic. From paleo, to ketosis, to now the over popular plant-based diet which consists of mostly carbohydrates. MY opinion and my clinical research. And my clinical research meaning what I have applied in my business over the years which has always worked is understanding the psychological and physiological impact carbohydrate can have on someone. Can someone oxidise them based on the genetics, in terms of where their ancestors came from to the now damaged metabolism whether that be from the wrong lifestyle and exercise based on their genetics or damages to their insulin sensitivity through over consumption of carbohydrates. Over consumption leads to a worse immune system and therefore illness. The problem is I don’t think I’ve met anyone who has said that they don’t like carbohydrates. I was going to preach that in my talk today when actually until this morning where I was having a conversation with a prospective client in the hallway who was saying that she was keto because carbs make her feel crap and all she wants to do is sleep after them. SO, she labelled herself as not liking carbs, which came at a funny time because I was planning on this talk today about carbohydrates and that I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t like them. So, it was ironic. Which made my think there is more people out there like her because of the reason that she feels this way. Because what she doesn’t understand and what I wasn’t going to go and prove her current [personal trainer wrong too early is that of course she feels tired after…because she’s most likely insulin resistant from carrying to much body fat which leads to you not converting carbs to glycogen and using them as energy and therefore feeling tired. I didn’t want to delve to much into how I am going to change all that because again the misinformation she has been fed for years is going to take me a while to fix. All the new diets and crazes sometime make my job harder. So, people just need to understand the basic sometimes.  So in saying that apart from the one lady I spoke to today is that in terms of carbohydrates for my typical client and  psychologically going to be beneficial as a reward because theyre liked and enjoyed. Physiologically though they are not well tolerated by an individual who is holding onto too much body fat like the lady I saw today.  Chances are their leaning towards insulin resistance so they shouldn’t be consuming carbohydrates because they are not using them as energy the right way. I’ve covered what insulin resistance is in the last presentation so I’ll just go ahead and say that what has worked for me is to limit carbohydrates until the persona has earned them. 2 Ways they can earn them 1. By limiting them throughout the week or 2 limiting them until get lean enough that their insulin sensitivity has improved and I recommend that most people do both. Restricting carbohydrate intake for anywhere between 6 to 14 days and doing until the person is way more insulin sensitive which is usually when a good drop in bodyweight occurs or they got to an ideal bodyfat percentage. Eating at a calorie deficit by restricting carbohydrates can be detrimental long term to your body so that why I like to incorporate carbs because they do have their value so that’s why the eating plan and lifestyle practices  that I teach have more compliance and the results have more longevity as opposed to full keto or paleo restrictions. If you’re just starting out on you weight loss journey and you’re overweight then I would suggest that you are limiting your intake a little bit longer than someone who only has a few kilos to lose. In terms of weekly balances, you may be limiting them for 12 to 14 days instead of the typical 6. So how long should you use carbohydrate restriction? meaning how do you know what is right for you. Typically If you’re a male over 12% body fat then you need to limit your consumption of carbohydrates until you get closer to 10%, and a 5 or 6 day carb restriction will work for you, the same goes for a female over 20% up until 30% bodyfat then you need to limit your consumption until your under 17 or 18% again for about 5 to 6 days per week. If you are a male or female outside of these so a male over 15% or female over 30% then you would be looking for more of a 10 to 14-day restriction with strict wholegrain choices as your carbs when you get to those days of be rewarded. These stats are just my opinion on and what has worked for my clientele .When I really start to see an improvement in insulin sensitivity though a moderate drop in body fat plus the  body fat doesn’t increase with the refeeding  of carbs then I will allow it more often in their diet.  , SO the more fat you have to lose the less frequent you carbohydrate intakes for refeeds or cheats are. I have a more relaxing figure for female because they need more energy for hormonal balance, moods and energy that they need for everyday life, motherhood or exercise unless they are competing in a figure contest obviously when their trying to get close to 12-15% body fat but we’re talking the general population here.

Best duration for fat loss

 

I typically suggest 6 days per week of limited carbohydrate consumption in term of only coming protein, fats and non-starchy vegetables for both male and female and then depending on your insulin sensitivity or body fat percentage then one meal of whole grain carbohydrates on the 7th day. Keeping in mind this is the average person who comes to see me. Some I may stretch out to 10 t0 14 days. The general population who hasn’t been educated on how to eat and exercise and is flooding with bogus information on the correct eating plans. This system works for my clientele however I do delve more in detail to skinfold measurements to determine other limited factors such as hormone imbalance and lifestyle implication that are stopping their progress but these typically work for starting out. Only then would I tailor their nutrition advanced strategies later on if need be, such as intermittent fasting, removing food intolerances, getting blood wok or even calorie counting for a physique athlete. But the simple terms to use for the average person is simple and that’s improving insulin sensitivity by reducing carbs until they earn them and incre3se their resistance training works around 90% of the time. Being a good coach with experience will help the other 10%. So, you get the point. Limit carbohydrate content for roughly 6 days and maybe 2 weeks if you have a lot more to lose. Reward with a meal of wholegrain carbohydrates which I will go into a lot more in a second and then back to Limiting those carbs once that is done. I don’t wholeheartedly believe that limiting carbs forever like the paleo or ketogenic diet because they are a good source of nutrition for fibre and energy if they can be used in the right way that is and research will tell you that fibre, water and exercise helps regulate the immune system and 70% of the immune system is regulated in the gut. The reason I like fibre coming from the carbs rather than just relying on vegetable is because of the other nutritional benefits of wholegrains. SO, you will start to see why it would be great for everyone to be insulin sensitive enough to deserve carbs because they can serve you really well. Unfortunate as I mentioned the body fat percentages that I recommend of the people who deserve them is very little of the population that come across

Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that contain the endosperm, the bran, and the germ. These 3 combined provide vitamins and minerals, anti-oxidants, fibre and fats that are going to nourish the gut and feed the good bacteria. When you balance the good bacteria with the bad it will make weight maintenance easier, improve your immune system like I mentioned and improve your mood and emotions. If you can understand, that we have 2 brains and that we have one in the head and one in the stomach and they are constantly talking to each other so if you improve your health through eating, the brain in your head will improve your moods…. So then also then if you can improve your brain through exercise and stress reduction than that will improve the health of your gut and it will create a good circle of overall wellness.
In terms of wholegrains without confusing everyone too much on what they are, to help you …. when you are looking at the packaging of wholegrains there are 2 words that you need to be aware of and they are the word refined and the word enriched. Refined carbs or grains are ones that are missing one or more of either the endosperm, the germ or the bran. Those foods are typically white, like white flour, white bread, white rice and degermed corn flour. Avoid those where possible because we want quality nutrition remember especially if we are already leading towards insulin resistance at least the carbs that we do have need to be high quality to avoid other diet related issues that we don’t want to have to tackle as well. Remember this one meal on your 7th day of eating healthy with no carbs so we don’t want and go ruin everything in one day that is going to ruin all your hard work. The other word to look out for is enriched. Try to avoid foods that say enriched in my opinion and you may be thinking as to why. The reason being that back in the day when there seemed to be an obese epidemic across the world in order for governments to do their best to help people, well as they say that, that was their intention but it hasn’t really proven to have worked but basically what they did was  the governments put in place ways to enrich foods of higher nutrients but you need to understand that now the food is unbalanced from its original state which is not good for a variety of reasons making it highly processed and usually filled with more fat, sugar and sodium, so avoid those and the way to do that is check the package of things you may buy in forms of cereals, breads, bars, and things of that nature.

Examples of what you can plan to eat for your carbohydrate meals are things like Whole oats such as steel cut oats, unsterilized oats, and rolled oats and make sure to avoid instant oatmeal again no nutrients and its highly processed.  More options are whole wheat and whole grain rye, buckwheat, millet and whole barley which are cereal grains so it’s easily prepared, another one is spelt and a few other options are whole grain breads, brown rice and my favourite is popcorn. You can get healthy wholegrain and even organic popcorn which is a great tasting whole grain. But don’t forget I make sure I have earned my carbs. Me personally I hover around the 10% bodyfat so I’m usually pretty insulin sensitive most of the year and I make sure I am weight training and taking my fish oil and l carnitine year-round to stay in shape so my insulin sensitivity is pretty good.

 

Ok so you get the idea hopefully on whole grains and how to implement them into your diet. With either a rewarding meal on day 7 or longer if you fall under the categories that I suggest to do like over 30% body fat for example, or holding onto to excess weight through inflammation and poor or too much exercise can even make you a candidate.  You guys need personal attention and coaching but generally you guys are every 10 to 14 days until you earn it. One thing that I have always pointed out towards these so-called cheat meals or refeed meals is that they are for your phycological benefit that eating healthy can be rewarding to some degree. It won’t be rewarding after falling off a strict diet which deprived you so much that you ate and ate and woke up the next day fat and inflamed, that will just lead to a downward spiral and will produce thoughts of “what am I doing  this for” “I look fat and out of shape I might as well give up”  And guess what those comments may even come if you behave on your diet  and it’s something that you need to understand., Because your body is going through so many hormonal, digestion and fluid shifts that sometimes it just don’t look all the flattering in the mirror. But over time you will. You have to be thinking about the big picture and your long-term goals and what is good for you mentally like I mentioned in the video how to lose wight at home and also briefly in the q and A video.

 

The next relatively quick topic I want to touch on today is the right amount of fats in your diet. Fats got so much bad publicity in the late 90’s early 2000’s and I hope most of you have been corrected on the true value of fats in your diet. The research that they conducted saying high fat diets cause health issues has been debunked and has ruined a lot of the foods that we eat today. When it was though that fats were bad for us the governments demanded more low-fat foods so what they did was just like the enriched grains they did a similar thing to fats. In the processing of the foods they replaced the fats with artificial sugars and other preservatives which we now know the health implications that that had brought among us with more diabetes, cancer and other lifestyle related diseases and what’s funny is that all the low fat foods are still on our shelves today. So, try not to opt for low fat artificial products. Fats are good for our hormones, hair, brain and muscle growth so don’t count them out. Especially since the average person that I have been talking about here is that when you subtract carbs until your insulin resistance picks up then you must increase the fats in your diet. When you take something out you need to replace it with something else. Healthy fats will increase insulin sensitivity and also give you the caloric load and energy to replace what you would have gotten from carbohydrates. I will run though some good tips now because you still want to be careful, because fat has a more caloric load than carbohydrates with 9 calories per gram of fat as opposed to only 4 calories per gram of carbs so don’t overdo the fats. Fats are typically split up into 4 groups, saturated fats which were once considered bad for you but I can tell you that that research was bogus news and it’s now been said to be healthy. The saturated fats are the fats you get from meat and the skin of meat and are also found in oils such as coconut oil and palm oil.

Poly and mono unsaturated fats are healthy ones and can be found in salmon, plant and animal foods, and some nuts and seeds, and the last fat is trans fats which are the deadly ones and they are found in processed foods like biscuits and chips and they are highly inflammatory. Good fats for you are actually key to losing weight and a flatter stomach. And here’s why.

Fats are still being researched for wellbeing and disease prevention and the results are still heading that way as opposed to what was thought in the late 90’s. My goal here is to tell you how you can get fat loss results with adding fats to your diet and what I can say is that in a nutshell if you just remember these few things then you can benefit from them. Improved insulin sensitivity has been proven to lead to a smaller waist circumference. And that is what a typical client that I see wants as a result from their training, a flatter stomach or 6 pack is the common wants of people. Balancing out the saturated AND poly and monounsaturated fats has been proven to tighten the waistline. From my experience which has gotten me great results not only personally but with clients and competitors is to cover all of those bases in a few simple steps. Cook with avocado oil where possible because it has 1 a high heat threshold and won’t turn rancid or have a smoke point until after roughly 270 degrees of cooking temperature and 2 it’s poly and monounsaturated fat with a little saturated fat. Trying to avoid cooking with olive oil is another one because of how it becomes rancid at high heat and on grocery shelves so sometimes it’s already craps by the time it gets to you.  But you can defiantly use it on your salads. You want to Sometimes cook in coconut oil for better tasting meals and a dose of saturated fats and it won’t overdo it.  Drizzle cold pressed extra virgin olive oil on salads or wherever possible just don’t cook with it and of course a high-quality fish oil is going to balance out the bad ratio of fats even more so for better stomach flattening results. One last point is that the more good fats that you eat the more you become better oxidising fats as fuel and you will be become a fat burning machine. Personally, I prefer getting the balance of fats from the oil that I cook or use as dressing because you can control the caloric amount which you can’t really do with meat unless you sit there cutting all the fat off. And then you can improve the dose of healthy fats with less caloric load using a good fish oil. I hope all of that helps

Ok well Without bombarding you guys too much. I could really keep going but I’m going to leave it there until next time which then I’m hoping it will put all the pieces together for a long-lasting lifestyle choice. Remember it’s not really a diet, not a strict diet anyway. It’s a choice psychologically to go through the turmoils of losing a lot of weight and committing to yourself for your future health you and those around you. Thanks for listening guys please pass this on to those you who think it may help and you will hear from me soon.

 

 

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Can you spot reduce fat? The answer is yes

Can you spot reduce fat? The answer is yes

Published by on May 6, 2020 | Leave a response

Scientific research has proven that spot reduction can in fact occur when addressing the hormonal imbalances that contribute to fat storage at a specific site on the body. This is based on over 35 years evidence.  There was a U.S government funded study which was conducted by my mentor and strength coach Charles Poliquin. It allows for an accurate identification of hormonal, lifestyle and nutritional issues that are unique to the person tested, and enables us to provide individualized solutions. Inpower Fitness uses this also as a basis to find the best exercises that will get results while being able to prescribe the correct intensity, sets, reps and rest periods based off your hormonal imbalance results. It’s unlike no other place on the planet.

The 5 determining factors that come up in the test are

1.Insulin
2. Gynoid
3. Toxicity
4. Recovery
5. Android

Chin – A wellness indicator & will often be the first site to drop with positives change

Cheek- Another wellness indicator & will often be the first sites to drop with positives change .I have also found that reducing (or removing) caffeine consumption can have a massive impact upon the cheek measure due to its over stimulation of the adrenals.

Pec- linked to testosterone. Women will have naturally higher readings in these areas, however, that’s not to say that it’s an area that can’t be positively impacted by strength training to boost testosterone & a reduction on alcohol consumption to limit its estrogenic affect on the body. The impact of alcohol is often seen in the form of “man boobs” in guys who drink large amounts.

Biceps– Same as Pec. We use this to help with a clearer calculation of testosterone levels and high estrogenic effects on the body. It also helps determines how well your body uses these androgens.

Triceps– Another site for testosterone. It will more accurately determine total and free testosterone.

Subscapular– is a brilliant indicator of your tolerance to carbohydrates. If this reading is greater than 10, you should be taking steps to improve your bodies response to insulin by doing a protocol to improve this such as two weeks with no carbs.

Mid Auxiliary– The consumption of inflammatory foods will impact the fat stored in this area and also relates to Thyroid function.

Supra-illiac– how well you control morning insulin and glucose response

The Australian– Amusingly this site the lower back “love handles” are indicative of poor gut health and insulin sensitivity. The introduction of probiotic foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut & yoghurts can have a positive impact in these areas.

The Umbilical– Extended periods of elevated cortisol can impact the fat held on the belly which is commonly incorrectly associated with food.  Stress is the major cause of fat being held in this area & that can be stress from any area, training, lifestyle, caffeine, work, family life etc. Whilst utilising carbohydrates & supplements, such as glutamine amongst others that we prescribe, this helps to reduce cortisol post training & can be helpful when working with athletes. Also a reduction of stress can be key to reducing fat in this area for the general population. Meditation, Yoga, Wim Hof breathe exercises can all have a positive impact on getting a lean mid-section.

Calf– Relates to toxicity due to environmental pollutants. Can also be an indication of lack of recovery or sleep. Do you even like your cankles?

Knee– Indicates liver toxicity

Quads– Relates to elevated estrogen. These are crucial in knowing and will help determine the correct form of exercise that will get best results. Any excess testosterone that you produce while training will convert to estrogen and make you fatter. It can become increasingly worse if this problem is not addressed with the correct supplementation and training protocol.

Hamstrings– Another site commonly shows up as the priority area, as its relates to the balance of estrogens in the body. Quads are linked to estrogens produced by the body, however hamstrings related to external estrogens that the body is unable to clear from its system. External estrogens are the toxins from everyday modern life such as chemicals in beauty products, fluoride & chlorine in our drinking & tap water, additives in our food and the list could go on & on.  Actively reducing the consumption of these stressors on the body will reduce fat on the hamstrings supported by a good super greens product & fibre supplement to pull toxins from the body. I have found that this is the most common site affected by the pollution and chemicals for people in Australia. Probably one of the most highly saught after supplemental protocols with my clients, especially in women. With the correct protocols you can see great results within weeks.

As you can see, all of this information is crucial for knowing lifestyle, nutrition and exercise changes that need to be made. For example, Crossfit, spin classes or high intensity exercise that destroys the nervous system will not be ideal for someone who carries fat around the midsection and thighs , causing even more adrenal stress than they already have. The new Inpower Fitness facility which only opened in Feb 2019 (North Sydney) is equipped with the best equipment in the world to combat problem sites just like all of these from companies such as Atlantis, Watson, Prime, Klokov, Life Fitness, Hammer strength and more. It sets us up as better than the rest.

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