It’s Melbourne Cup week so you could say it’s a good week for gambling. Gambling provides a tremendous adrenaline rush and it is highly addictive. It makes me wonder, though: why is it easy to take a punt on a horse, a greyhound, a footy game or the cricket? And why is it harder to take a punt on yourself…
It was about 30mins before the start of the NRL Grand Final between the Rabbitohs and the Bulldogs and one of my clients, Matt and I were lucky enough to be able to catch up before kick-off to have a drink. It was a great day and whilst we were both enjoying the day with separate parties it was great to catch up outside of the gym for a change. We went our separate ways before the game and there was no way to foresee how the night would turn out (for the two teams fighting out the Grand Final and for Matt). Unfortunately, Matt suffered a fracture to his foot whilst running for the train after the game. As it turns out, Sam Burgess wasn’t the only person to have a fracture that night and unfortunately there was no “Glory, glory” for Matt. He was about as shattered as the thousands of bulldogs supporters leaving the ground….. and he isn’t a bulldogs supporter. Matt was disappointed when he called me the next day to deliver the news: “It’s fooked” he said, quoting big Sam. We then set about a plan to keep Matt’s fitness up for the next 6 weeks whilst his foot was in a moonboot (see picture).
There has recently been an increase in criticism of the use of Body Mass Index (BMI) as a measure of body composition and as a health predictor. My question to the critics is what’s the problem with BMI? As with many measures of health it has it’s limitations but BMI is still a highly useful tool as long as you are aware of it’s benefits and limitations. Should you use BMI as a tool to help you to improve your health? Read on to find out what this trainer thinks…
Welcome to the second instalment of my detailed look at some of the most common exercises performed in the gym. Last week we looked at the Bench Press (click here) and this week we look at what is very commonly the partner in crime of the Bench Press, the Seated Row. I say partner in crime but really these two exercises compliment each other extremely well and they are the “bread and butter” of any good upper body strengthening program. Read on for my top tips and tricks for performing this exercise:
Below is an anonymous interview with a client who has recently completed one year smoke-free. We share this story in the hope that it may hep others to make positive changes (smokers and non-smokers alike). The conclusion of the article has resources to help you make that start:
In this series of blogs I will be looking at a range of common gym exercises and explaining some basic techniques to help you improve your strength and decrease your risk of injury. This week we look at the bench press.
Challenge for February 2015
Are you ready for a challenge? Have you forgotten about your New Year’s resolution already? Do you need some support to motivate you to stick to any healthy lifestyle changes? Well, thanks to my expanding network of followers here is your first chance to not only start making healthy lifestyle changes but be a role model for others and to be supported in return.
This February I am challenging all of my clients to undertake a simple lifestyle change that will help you:
decrease your blood sugar
increase your insulin sensitivity
decrease diabetes/cancer/cardiovascular disease risk
improve your cholesterol
increase your vitamin and mineral intake
increase fibre
improve bowel movements
I’ve been promising this blog for a while and I know many of you are interested to try and keep on top of what is out there in the health category for apps. Here is a breakdown of my 5 favourites in no particular order and the cover a wide range of areas of health. If you have found a new app that you think is exciting and useful please share it with me. I’m always looking to learn more about how technology can improve our lives. Here is the list. Try the app and email me to let me know how it works for you:
Part 4 of my series of exercise tips is the lunge. You can also view the bench press, seated row and squat from previous instalments. Lunges have long been part of a staple leg strengthening program. They pre-date gyms and are an excellent exercise for strengthening, balance and athletic development. This week I provide my expert tips and guidance to performing the lunge safely and for maximum benefit.
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