How to train your obliques

ByJarrat Wood

“Time is the most precious commodity out there. It’s the one thing you can’t buy or ever buy back. Give it your absolute all to whatever task it is your doing, no matter how big or small it is.” – Muscle Prodigy

This is a deep quote that hits home every time we read it. Ultimately, this has brought us to writing this article on rest periods.

Why is it that we are constantly feeling pressed for time? Why do we always keep track of time whether it’s with our cell phones, watches, or clocks? Why do we always look at the time to see if it’s 5 pm yet at work? We are always keeping track of time, but why is it that we don’t keep track of time when we are training, as in our rest periods?

We’ve found that a lot of people don’t do it simply because they are always in a rush, too lazy to keep track of it, or they don’t understand the benefits of it. So, before we get down-right nasty with this article, just remember that this might not be your cup of tea, but trust us, we will make you think twice about going to buy a stop watch or busting out your I Pod’s stop watch during training.

How Much Time Should You Rest?

5 Differences Between Healthy and Unhealthy People

ByJarrat Wood

5 Differences Between Healthy and Unhealthy People

Being able to come into contact with so many different people of different ages, genders, walks of life and personalities is something I truly enjoy in my work. There is always something to be learnt from meeting and especially training someone who gives you a different perspective on life. In fact, some of my most rewarding work has been done with people with whom rapport was difficult to come by at first. The connection was not strong and my ability to communicate the ideas and concepts I was aiming was challenged. However, once that connection is made and the ‘path of progression’ kicks in it can become an unstoppable force. This week, I consider what the fundamental differences are between healthy and unhealthy people and why some people are far more successful than others in fending off preventable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Type II Diabetes and some cancers. Here is what I came up with:

The 3 “Healthy” Foods That You Shouldn’t Be Eating

ByJarrat Wood

The 3 “Healthy” Foods That You Shouldn’t Be Eating

I recently read “Salt, Sugar, Fat” by Michael Moss. The book that takes an in depth look into the American processed food industry, food technology, marketing and research. It was an insightful and at times confronting, read. It has motivated me to write this article as sometimes the supermarket can be a very confusing place. 

Why Aren’t I Losing Weight?

ByJarrat Wood

Why Aren’t I Losing Weight?

This is the question that many people are asking themselves every day across the globe (or at least in developed nations with the most obesity and overweight issues). Usually it’s rhetorical. Sometimes it’s to yourself in the mirror…Or to your partner…Or anyone who will listen. BUT, if you really want an answer and can’t work it out then it’s time to consult a professional. In this article I outline some of the most common answers to a question that has many answers. Before I do, let me outline one thing that I know for sure: there is ALWAYS a reason! It might be simple, it might be complex but there is ALWAYS a reason!!

Injury Management 101

ByJarrat Wood

Injury Management 101

As a personal trainer, you get a terrific perspective on people’s lives through shared experiences. This week has given me pause to think about the trials and tribulations we all face. We are all prone to a setback here and there. We all have birthdays, parties, Christmas, New Year, Easter, the list goes on. We all get colds. We all get the occasional flu. We all have personal emergencies, relationship trouble, work stress. And we all get injured. Whether you’re a professional athlete or a couch potato. Throughout your life you will often have times when you have a muscle, bone, joint, tendon or ligament injury. Not to mention the variety of all other medical setbacks, check-ups, tests, procedures and surgeries.

This article delivers to you the basics of how to manage those injuries appropriately and safely, to not only recover but MAXIMISE your recovery.

Injury Prevention

ByJarrat Wood

At this time of year I see a lot of people with new injuries. When I ask them what they think caused it, they give me a sheepish kind of look, like they know they did something wrong. They then proceed to give me a list of “reasons” as to why they were a bit slack about exercising during winter but now that summer is approaching, they really need to get in shape fast, so they’re trying to fit 6 months of training into 3.

Eating for Health Vs Eating for Weight Loss

ByJarrat Wood
Eating for Health Vs Eating for Weight Loss
 
Recently I have had many discussions with clients regarding their nutritional habits. As usual, most of these discussions centre around weight loss but with a recent, new twist. I am finding that some people are becoming a little confused by what is healthy and what is low in calories so in this article I strip the confusion back to the basics. 
 
We need to eat for 2 reasons: No. 1 is to consume all of the vitamins, minerals, fibre, carbohydrates, protein and fat that is essential for our body’s optimal function; No. 2 is to fuel our body with sufficient energy to complete all tasks sufficiently. The best place to start for anyone looking to refine their diet in regard to either of these 2 aspects is www.eatforhealth.gov.au. Here you will find the Australian Dietary Guidelines based on an extensive review by Australia’s best doctors, dietitians and research scientists. The recommendations were updated just this year (2013).

Progression In Training (Science Meets Art)

ByJarrat Wood
Simply put, progression in training is where we apply a stimulus to a client and an adaptation occurs. This adaptation may occur in any aspect of a client’s fitness. We then apply a new stimulus and another adaptation occurs. Rinse, wash, repeat. It’s a simple process that can easily be over-complicated by some personal trainers. We also know that applying the same stimulus once the initial adaptation has occurred will lead to the same result (homeostasis). This is why someone who trains regularly but with a monotonous program will stop progressing. A new stimulus is required. It also why I often quote to my clients: “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. We don’t treat other aspects of our lives in this way so why should our fitness be any different.

Excellence is Not an Act, But a Habit

ByJarrat Wood
Some of you may recognize the title of this article as a paraphrased quote from Aristotle. The full quote attributed to the Greek philosopher is “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” It resonates with me as a personal trainer as day in, day out I see clients who are very good at what they do regularly and conversely have a weakness in the elements of their training they choose to ignore. This can be explained away quite simply as human nature. We have a natural tendency to avoid activities and/or exercises which cause us discomfort or are difficult. We also have a natural tendency to de drawn to the activities and/or exercises which we are good at and are comfortable with. This can be exacerbated in a gym setting where other people are watching and of course, no-one likes to feel embarrassed.
 
So if we use Aristotle’s great wisdom and apply it to our training we need to start developing a habit and over time excellence is a very real possibility. Some would say it is even inevitable with enough time and effort. In this way a weakness can become a strength and something we don’t enjoy can become very enjoyable. This all comes down to planning and having a training schedule that deals with your strengths and weaknesses appropriately to achieve excellence. This week, I share the core components of my own training plain as a guide to how to do this:

Client Success Story: A Tale of Two Runners

ByJarrat Wood

A Tale of Two Runners:

This weekend I had 2 representatives in the Sydney Running Festival – Matt and Nigel. I wanted to relate their stories as neither of them would confess to being ‘natural’ runners but over time they have both become runners, and excellent runners at that! It’s a tale of two runners that can inspire anyone to improve and do something they have never done before and we begin with Matt: