OK, some simple maths for weight loss: Calories Consumed < Calories Burned = Weight Loss
So the equation has 2 factors, Calories Consumed and Calories Burned. If, like me you don't actually want to lose mass, just fat, then we have to focus on the latter part of the equation, Calories Burned. So how do we increase that? Well, that's directly related to your metabolism. Men's Health have provided 6 simple ways to increase your metabolic rate and increase the number of calories your body burns:
Step 1 - Eat more!
This may sound counter productive but your metabolism prefers 6 small meals a day. A regular meal schedule helps keep your body working to digest and absorb foods. This doesn't mean having 6 dinner sized portions a day, rather stick to your usual breakfast, lunch and dinner schedule, but also include some snacks like a healthy sandwich or a bag of nuts or some fruit.
Step 2 - Smoothies
You need to keep your metabolism well lubricated and the best way is through smoothies! Not only do they help you to reach your 5-a-day but with the right ingredients you can also get some good protein (which helps build muscle). Men's Health suggests this recipe: 400ml semi-skimmed milk, 1 tbsp of low-carb protein powder, 1/2 cup of berries, 1 tsp of spirulina, 1 kiwi fruit and 1 tbsp of flax seeds. Burning all that protein boosts your metabolism and the spirulina stabilizes your blood sugar levels - meaning you wont crash into a doughnut craving!
Step 3 - Popping Pills
OK, now i don't mean any of those wonder drugs that claim that they can strip your fat away in only 4 weeks as they lie - and i don't mean steroids either! Your metabolism could do with a conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which raises your metabolic rate by improving your ability to build muscle rather than fat (remember the more muscle you have the more energy you need, therefore the faster your metabolic rate to meet those needs!)
Step 4 - Get Hot
Everyone knows the joke about curry's and how they make you run for the loo! And the reason? Because the spices and chilli's speed up your metabolism! Some geeks at Oxford Brookes have discovered that just half a teaspoon of Tabasco sauce can raise your metabolic rate by 25%. So start eating spicier foods, chop up some peppers and chilli's and add them to your meal - there's no easier way to speed up your metabolism!
Step 5 - Drink Lots
With all that spicy food, you'll prob need a lot of water! Drink 8 glasses of cold water a day. Your metabolism will work harder to warm the cold liquid plus water helps your body replenish itself with nutrients and aids your body in transporting fats away.
Step 6 - Exercise
Exercise is the most powerful tool in raising your metabolic rate! Some more geeks at the University of Nottingham have found that buying a pedometer (some can be found for as little as £15) promote an increase in physical activity as you're more aware of what you're physically doing! Ideally you want to be aiming to train at least three days a week, using cardio and resistance training - what ratio depends on your individual goal.
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
Thursday, 12 July 2007
Joining The Ranks
Along with this new found love of Fat-stripping Rocky workouts I have recently joined a lunch time "Boot Camp" run by "lifting the bar" author Andy. And I have to say, after my first session today I totally loved it! Mainly because it's an intense workout (hardly surprising seeing as it's based upon current gym darling HIIT) squeezed into 40 minutes. I had forgotten just how hard Burpees really are, but was soon painfully reminded as i was made to do set after set inbetween sprinting, jumping, crunching and pressing. Andy's Boot Camp (ABC) is definately a tough workout and the beauty of it is, everyone of all fitness levels can participate - you quite literally get out what you put in with this workout!
So if you are stuck for time but want a good workout maximising your metabolic potential, put some shorts on, go to the park and start sprinting short distances and throwing in a whole range of exercises into the mix - you'll soon be noticing the differences!
Oh and it helps if you have a sadist screaming at you to "push for 10!"
So if you are stuck for time but want a good workout maximising your metabolic potential, put some shorts on, go to the park and start sprinting short distances and throwing in a whole range of exercises into the mix - you'll soon be noticing the differences!
Oh and it helps if you have a sadist screaming at you to "push for 10!"
Thursday, 28 June 2007
Rocky Montage
Ever since i was a little kid and watched Rocky i've been hooked on the films and the sport. I'm not sure if it's the primal man in me or the admiration for what these guys put themselves through but in my eyes it's a great sport! And my love for boxing has been rekindled by the arrival of "Rocky: The Heavyweight Boxset" and my new speedball. So i'm now on a new workout routine, one that Rocky would be proud of! Now, I have a lot of power thanks to my love for the steel plates, but i know the one thing i need to work on is speed. So this routine is focussing on me improving speed, each "set" is timed at 3 minutes (just like a true boxing round), and my aim is to throw more punches with each workout - it's just shy of actually chasing a chicken! Hopefully after 6 weeks i'll be able to catch greased lighting!
* Skip, 3 minutes
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Squats, 3 minutes
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Chest Press, 3 minutes
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Boxing: Round 1, 3 minutes. Work on individual jab, hook and uppercut. Every 30 seconds: Throw flurry of punches for 10 seconds.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Boxing: Round 2, 3 minutes Pick up the pace. combinations: double jab; triple jab; 1-2 (left, right); 1-2-3 (left-right, left hook to chin) etc.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Boxing: Round 3, 3 minutes All combinations; vary placement: jab to chin, right to body; jab to body, right to chin; right to body; jab to chin, hook to chin; 1-2-3 jab to chin, right to body, hook to chin.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Boxing: Round 4, 3 minutes. All combinations, dance around the bag and weave. Jab and weave, move your feet, move around the bag (opponent)
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Abs/push-ups, 3 minutes alternating. Use the following abdominal exercises. Oblique crunch/Bicycle/Jackknife. Push-ups: Alternate hand width each set.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Skip, 3 minutes, 3 steps forward, 3 steps back, 3 steps to the left and 3 steps to the right.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Run in place fast, 3 minutes
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Skip, 3 minutes, attempt to double some double jumps and keep your knees high to focus on speed.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Shadowboxing, 3 minutes. Cool down. Work your technique, practice your punches and the placement of your hands and feet.
Enjoy!
* Skip, 3 minutes
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Squats, 3 minutes
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Chest Press, 3 minutes
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Boxing: Round 1, 3 minutes. Work on individual jab, hook and uppercut. Every 30 seconds: Throw flurry of punches for 10 seconds.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Boxing: Round 2, 3 minutes Pick up the pace. combinations: double jab; triple jab; 1-2 (left, right); 1-2-3 (left-right, left hook to chin) etc.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Boxing: Round 3, 3 minutes All combinations; vary placement: jab to chin, right to body; jab to body, right to chin; right to body; jab to chin, hook to chin; 1-2-3 jab to chin, right to body, hook to chin.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Boxing: Round 4, 3 minutes. All combinations, dance around the bag and weave. Jab and weave, move your feet, move around the bag (opponent)
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Abs/push-ups, 3 minutes alternating. Use the following abdominal exercises. Oblique crunch/Bicycle/Jackknife. Push-ups: Alternate hand width each set.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Skip, 3 minutes, 3 steps forward, 3 steps back, 3 steps to the left and 3 steps to the right.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Run in place fast, 3 minutes
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Skip, 3 minutes, attempt to double some double jumps and keep your knees high to focus on speed.
* Rest/jog in place, 1 minute
* Shadowboxing, 3 minutes. Cool down. Work your technique, practice your punches and the placement of your hands and feet.
Enjoy!
Thursday, 7 June 2007
Be Free in the Gym!!
Having looked at other peoples blogs their seems to be a debate forming as to whether to train with Machines or with Free Weights. Now this isn't a recent debate, this has been around ever since the first machine entered a gym, and still splits the gym junkies. Now, I'll try and post some pros and con's for both below, but i may be a tad bias as i am 110% in the Free Weights camp! Pros are in Black while Con's are in Red.
Machines
Easy to use/Fast, inserting a pin is a lot faster than adding the plates to a bar.
Non Intimidating
Allow a greater amount of weight to be lifted
Can help support injuries, or allow you to train while on the mend.
No need for a spotter, as there is no fear of the weight dropping on you.
Can focus on a particular muscle group exercises like leg extension are hard to reenact with free weights. Machines can also be used to bring a weak body part up to par.
Many Machines have a cam that means the muscle is worked at the same intensity throughout the entire movement of an exercise
You are forced to lift in a singular plane so it's not a "natural" lift which means your muscles are not fully developed.
Machines easily get busy at peak times halting your routine.
Machines can force your body into a bad range of motion if not specifically built/adjusted to your build.
Machines do not build balance and Coordination
Free Weights
Free Weights are versatile 100's more exercises available to you
Motor skills are enhanced as stabilizer muscles are recruited to keep the weight controlled in the 3-D environment
Most Free Weight exercises are compound movements meaning many muscle groups are being recruited, increasing total strength, size and calories burnt
Free wights incorporate "natural" lifts and work your muscles as they are used outside the gym - so great for sport training.
Free Weights are portable and relatively inexpensive
You need to trained and educated before use
Spotter is needed when lifting a new weight for the first time so that you can push to exhaustion without fear
Free Weights allow for cheating if momentum is used to help lift a weight (however some people feel that cheating on the last few reps is beneficial if it means you can squeeze out a few extra reps!)
In my personal opinion, if you are a fit, sensible and dedicated Gym user than Free Weights really are your best option. Plus the clunking of metal, the sweat on the bar the pure primitiveness of it all really makes the workout feel like a workout and gives you a true sense of Alpha Maleness!
Machines
Easy to use/Fast, inserting a pin is a lot faster than adding the plates to a bar.
Non Intimidating
Allow a greater amount of weight to be lifted
Can help support injuries, or allow you to train while on the mend.
No need for a spotter, as there is no fear of the weight dropping on you.
Can focus on a particular muscle group exercises like leg extension are hard to reenact with free weights. Machines can also be used to bring a weak body part up to par.
Many Machines have a cam that means the muscle is worked at the same intensity throughout the entire movement of an exercise
You are forced to lift in a singular plane so it's not a "natural" lift which means your muscles are not fully developed.
Machines easily get busy at peak times halting your routine.
Machines can force your body into a bad range of motion if not specifically built/adjusted to your build.
Machines do not build balance and Coordination
Free Weights
Free Weights are versatile 100's more exercises available to you
Motor skills are enhanced as stabilizer muscles are recruited to keep the weight controlled in the 3-D environment
Most Free Weight exercises are compound movements meaning many muscle groups are being recruited, increasing total strength, size and calories burnt
Free wights incorporate "natural" lifts and work your muscles as they are used outside the gym - so great for sport training.
Free Weights are portable and relatively inexpensive
You need to trained and educated before use
Spotter is needed when lifting a new weight for the first time so that you can push to exhaustion without fear
Free Weights allow for cheating if momentum is used to help lift a weight (however some people feel that cheating on the last few reps is beneficial if it means you can squeeze out a few extra reps!)
In my personal opinion, if you are a fit, sensible and dedicated Gym user than Free Weights really are your best option. Plus the clunking of metal, the sweat on the bar the pure primitiveness of it all really makes the workout feel like a workout and gives you a true sense of Alpha Maleness!
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
Medicine for the Gym
The much over looked Medicine Ball appears to be having a strong revival back into many peoples workout routines. Like the swiss ball a few years ago - everyone is talking about the wonders of this super ball! The medicine ball is used to build strength and power, especially explosive power - which made it a gym must for any amateur boxer!
This little ball is great for sports enthusiasts as 100's of exercises exist and many replicate the pattern of movement in many sports (although i wouldn't attempt to kick one!) and as any sports coach would tell you, it's far better to include exercises in your workout that replicate the sport you are training for rather than just hitting the bench press. But if you're a gym junkie for the pure devotion of muscular development and not sport you'd still be a plank for ignoring the medicine ball!
With this in mind, i borrowed a friends ball and incorporated a few medicine ball exercises in my workout. With many of the exercises being plyometrics (exercises designed to improve explosive power) i was soaked in sweat after 40 mins! Here's what i did - Please bear in mind that this workout will be more suited to fat stripping, cardio and power than building bulk.
15 minute cardio (punch bag/skipping/running)
Power Clean 3 sets 6 reps
Explosive Crossover Press-Up (place one hand on the floor and one hand on the medicine ball, lower body as you would a normal press-up, push-up explosively so both hands lift into the air, land with the alternative hand on the ball) 3 sets 12 reps
Squat Press (start in the squat position with the ball on the ground, explosively stand up and throw the ball directly upwards with straight arms, catch ball and return to the squat position) 3 sets 12 reps
Bulgarian split Squat (rest one foot on a bench, hold the medicine ball out in front with straight arms, and slowly lower body, return to standing) 3 sets 20 reps
Jump Pull up (Find a bar slightly higher than usual, so that you have to jump to reach it, lower as though you were squatting and explosively jump up and grab the bar and in one fluid movement pull yourself up, lower and drop) 3 sets 15 reps
Plate Row (Rest a large steel plate on top of a smaller one, position yourself as if doing a bent over row, grip the side of the plate with both hands, and explosively lift the weight to your chest, lower and repeat) 3 sets 20 reps
Oblique Chop (Hols the ball to one side by your knees, with straight arms rotate body and lift ball up to the other side slightly above head height) 4 sets 20 reps
Reverse Crunch (Lie on your back, with knees bent, place ball inbetween knees, and lift knees to chest bringing your bum off the floor) 4 sets 20 reps
15 min warm down (cycle, jog, fartlek)
If you do try this, let me know how you get on!
Enjoy!
This little ball is great for sports enthusiasts as 100's of exercises exist and many replicate the pattern of movement in many sports (although i wouldn't attempt to kick one!) and as any sports coach would tell you, it's far better to include exercises in your workout that replicate the sport you are training for rather than just hitting the bench press. But if you're a gym junkie for the pure devotion of muscular development and not sport you'd still be a plank for ignoring the medicine ball!
With this in mind, i borrowed a friends ball and incorporated a few medicine ball exercises in my workout. With many of the exercises being plyometrics (exercises designed to improve explosive power) i was soaked in sweat after 40 mins! Here's what i did - Please bear in mind that this workout will be more suited to fat stripping, cardio and power than building bulk.
15 minute cardio (punch bag/skipping/running)
Power Clean 3 sets 6 reps
Explosive Crossover Press-Up (place one hand on the floor and one hand on the medicine ball, lower body as you would a normal press-up, push-up explosively so both hands lift into the air, land with the alternative hand on the ball) 3 sets 12 reps
Squat Press (start in the squat position with the ball on the ground, explosively stand up and throw the ball directly upwards with straight arms, catch ball and return to the squat position) 3 sets 12 reps
Bulgarian split Squat (rest one foot on a bench, hold the medicine ball out in front with straight arms, and slowly lower body, return to standing) 3 sets 20 reps
Jump Pull up (Find a bar slightly higher than usual, so that you have to jump to reach it, lower as though you were squatting and explosively jump up and grab the bar and in one fluid movement pull yourself up, lower and drop) 3 sets 15 reps
Plate Row (Rest a large steel plate on top of a smaller one, position yourself as if doing a bent over row, grip the side of the plate with both hands, and explosively lift the weight to your chest, lower and repeat) 3 sets 20 reps
Oblique Chop (Hols the ball to one side by your knees, with straight arms rotate body and lift ball up to the other side slightly above head height) 4 sets 20 reps
Reverse Crunch (Lie on your back, with knees bent, place ball inbetween knees, and lift knees to chest bringing your bum off the floor) 4 sets 20 reps
15 min warm down (cycle, jog, fartlek)
If you do try this, let me know how you get on!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Intro
Well i guess it makes sense to first state a little about me and why this blog exists. I'm Alex, i'm 23 and as the blog may suggest i'm a Gym Junkie. I have been since i was about 16. Ever since my dad lent me his 10kg dumbbells I 've been hooked on pumping iron, lifting that extra 0.5kg, squatting the extra rep. AND I LOVE IT!
This blog isn't here to expand my ego or bore you with my life. This is mainly for me - selfish i know! But then prey tell, why should you carry on reading?? Well, if like me, you love the gym or are just starting out, then i hope this blog will be of use to you. I aim to include my gym routine/diary and also post relevant discussions/information on gym life. As an avid weight lifter and qualified personal trainer i feel i have a lot of knowledge on the subject. But please don't quote me or use this blog as your only form of reference, i'm still learning and may contradict myself in later blogs! Feel free to ask me questions, comment on my performance, or even correct my ramblings. This isn't one man and his blog, and if i'm wrong, i will hold my hands up and say so, so please feel free to comment or write to me! Who knows where this blog may lead?? My main desire is to create a little community who strive for muscular development and the helping of others.
Until the next post remember: even Arnold Scwarzenegger had to start somewhere! Now hit the gym!
This blog isn't here to expand my ego or bore you with my life. This is mainly for me - selfish i know! But then prey tell, why should you carry on reading?? Well, if like me, you love the gym or are just starting out, then i hope this blog will be of use to you. I aim to include my gym routine/diary and also post relevant discussions/information on gym life. As an avid weight lifter and qualified personal trainer i feel i have a lot of knowledge on the subject. But please don't quote me or use this blog as your only form of reference, i'm still learning and may contradict myself in later blogs! Feel free to ask me questions, comment on my performance, or even correct my ramblings. This isn't one man and his blog, and if i'm wrong, i will hold my hands up and say so, so please feel free to comment or write to me! Who knows where this blog may lead?? My main desire is to create a little community who strive for muscular development and the helping of others.
Until the next post remember: even Arnold Scwarzenegger had to start somewhere! Now hit the gym!
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